“Heh heh heh, P-Prince Luke. I’ll guide you to my daughter right away with my very own Wyvern.”
The Tamer groveled obsequiously.
When he whistled, a Wyvern with a saddle flew over.
I was a little surprised. He’s tamed not only a Griffon, but even a Wyvern, which is considered the best means of transportation.
His tone and attitude make him seem like a small fry, but this guy is quite capable.
“With this, we can get there in a flash.”
“Yes, indeed! This is my pride and joy, Jack’s Wyvern!”
When I showed interest in the Wyvern, the man named Jack wrung his hands and fawned over me.
“Gaine’s daughter is being held captive in an abandoned fort in this forest! Once the job was done, I was planning to guide Gaine there, trap him along with his daughter, and finish them off.”
“…You’re quite thorough.”
Master Gaine clicked his tongue at Jack, who was spilling the plan in his eagerness to be saved.
I thought as much, but so it is.
“How many enemies are there?”
“There’s Xylas, a creepy female magician dressed as a maid, and she’s alone.”
“That woman!? But even to trap me… just one person?”
“Probably to lure Master into a false sense of security. For example, the moment we approach Rena, we’ll both be blown to smithereens. She might have set up Spell Traps like that.”
It’s like the magical mines that were set up in dungeons in the game.
“That’s troublesome…”
Master Gaine groaned.
“It’s alright. Spell Traps will become inactive if you defeat the caster who set them up. Let’s make her think she succeeded in assassinating me, and then trap Xylas instead.”
“What? Specifically, how?”
“I’ll get into a body bag and pretend to be dead. Then, I’ll launch a surprise attack on her.”
Master Gaine’s eyes widened.
“…Luke never ceases to amaze me. I swear, I don’t know who the master is anymore. That wisdom and courage of yours would put even a seasoned adventurer to shame.”
I couldn’t help but smile wryly.
Thanks to being constantly on the verge of death since I was a baby due to Magical Runaway, I’ve at least gained some courage.
“Master Gaine, please carry me in the body bag, and Jack, lead the way into the fort. That should fool Xylas.”
“I see, I understand… I’m truly sorry for entrusting you with such a dangerous role. Thank you.”
Master Gaine bowed to me, deeply moved.
“Jack, here’s a Hi-Potion. Use it to heal your leg injury. I think you understand, but if you do anything funny once we’re inside the fort, consider yourself dead.”
“Y-yes! Thank you very much, Your Highness! I’ll keep that in mind!”
When I handed him the Hi-Potion, Jack bowed low and expressed his gratitude.
However, I didn’t trust this guy at all.
These types who betray their comrades will quickly turn on you if the situation changes. I’ve experienced that in my previous life.
That’s why I’ll have him walk ahead, and if he shows any sign of betrayal, I’ll cut him down from behind immediately.
Perhaps because Jack understood that, his face was contorted with fear.
While moving on the Wyvern, I heard more details from Jack.
The abandoned fort seemed to be a place that Xylas was using as a research facility.
“…Xylas is a real scumbag who turns entire villages into experimental sites for researching a magic called Thanatos. Rena got caught up in that!”
Master Gaine spat out the words with anger.
“It’s a dangerous magic that puts people in a comatose state. You can’t let your guard down, Luke.”
“Thanatos? No way, isn’t that a magic that instantly kills people?”
“What!?”
“H-huh? Y-Your Highness, how do you know that!?”
Master and Jack were dumbfounded.
I pondered.
“…Then, it should take time from chanting to activation. If you stay close to me, I can deal with it using Dispel Sword even if she tries to use Thanatos.”
What Xylas is researching must be the magic used by the Demon Lord’s army in the game to kill people.
It takes time to activate, and the range is short, only as far as the chanting can be heard, but being hit by it means instant death, so it was troublesome.
I’ve read through various Grimoires in this world, but there was no mention of Thanatos.
So, Thanatos doesn’t exist in this era yet.
Then, to prevent future tragedies, we should crush it here.
“Y-you’re really a reliable man. Were you independently investigating Empress Camilla?”
“…Well, something like that.”
I can’t say it’s game knowledge, so I’ll just vaguely gloss over it.
Even so, if failure results in a comatose state, then Thanatos might be a derivative of Hypnos.
As I was thinking about that, the abandoned fort came into view.
It was a creepy building with its outer walls covered in vines.
When I got into the body bag, Jack landed the Wyvern in front of the gate.
At that moment, I felt a chilling sensation that pricked my skin.
A barrier that amplifies the caster’s magical effects seemed to be covering this abandoned fort. We can’t afford to let our guard down even for a moment.
“Xylas, I’ve returned after completing the job!”
As soon as we stepped into the abandoned fort, Jack shouted.
“…Good work. Where’s Prince Luke’s corpse? Did you keep the damage to the extent that he’s still identifiable, as per Camilla-sama’s request?”
The voice of a young woman, presumably Xylas, echoed, and I could hear footsteps approaching.
Her tone is like that of an old woman, which is strange.
I heard that Xylas is a disciple of Count Saint-Germain and may have been granted the Secret Art of Immortality.
The Secret Art of Immortality didn’t appear in the game, so I don’t know any details about it.
Is it possible that she can’t be killed even if she’s cut…?
“Of course, this guy being carried by Gaine is it.”
“Then, let me confirm the corpse.”
“Before that, release Rena’s magic and hand her over. Otherwise, you won’t get this.”
Master Gaine said in a menacing voice.
Defeating Xylas is secondary; we must secure Rena-chan first—or at least confirm her safety.
At worst, Jack might be lying, and Rena-chan might not even be here. If that happens, Rena-chan will be killed in retaliation.
“This body bag is soaked in oil. If you don’t like it, I’ll set this guy on fire right here. Even his parents won’t be able to recognize his face, got it?”
Empress Camilla seemed to be planning to send my corpse to my mother and Diana to give them despair. She’s truly a woman beneath contempt.
She wants a corpse that can be definitely identified as me for that purpose, and there was a gap to exploit there.
“…Just some adventurer. Hmph, fine, whatever.”
When Xylas snapped her fingers, I heard a loud rumbling sound as something big shifted and moved.
I couldn’t see it from inside the body bag, but I assumed there was a hidden door leading to the room where Rena-chan was imprisoned, and it had opened.
“Rena…!”
I could hear Master Gaine’s voice catching in his throat.
“Now, open that body bag and show it to me. If I can confirm that it’s Prince Luke’s corpse, I’ll release the Thanatos magic cast on this girl.”
“Understood. Then, take a good look.”
Master Gaine laid the body bag I was in on a table-like surface.
I could tell from the footsteps that Xylas was coming to peek inside.
“Camilla-sama will be pleased with this. How dare a lowly Mazoku woman become His Majesty’s favorite concubine and offer opinions to Camilla-sama? It’s utterly presumptuous. Next is Princess Diana…”
“Dispel Sword!”
I thrust the Dispel Sword towards Xylas. With this, it’s meaningless no matter what magic she uses to defend herself.
At the same time, I tore open the body bag and jumped out.
“Y-you…!?”
My Dispel Sword had pierced Xylas’s chest. It was definitely a fatal wound.
“What did you say you’d do to Dia?”
“Impossible, this sword is…”
With a thud, Xylas’s body collapsed to the floor.
She had the appearance of a girl with eerily white skin.
“H-hiee! T-that Xylas was defeated in one hit!?”
Jack flipped over and screamed.
I watched Xylas’s corpse warily, but there was no sign of her moving anymore.
“…So, the rumor that she had obtained the Secret Art of Immortality was false?”
Or perhaps, the Dispel Sword even nullified the Secret Art of Immortality?
No, Saint-Germain, who has lived for 1000 years and become a legendary figure, his secret art shouldn’t be so flimsy…
“Rena!”
Master Gaine, confirming Xylas’s death, picked up the sleeping, lovely girl—Rena.
There was no sign of a Spell Trap activating. It seems Xylas is indeed dead.
“Luke, I’m counting on you.”
“Leave it to me.”
I adjusted the Dispel Sword’s attack power to zero.
Then, I thrust it at Rena’s chest.
Rena’s soft skin wasn’t even scratched.
However, the evil curse that had plunged her into an unawakening sleep was nullified by the Dispel Sword.
“…Fa…ther?”
Rena, opening her eyes, looked around blankly, not understanding what was happening.
“You had me worried…!”
Master Gaine hugged Rena tightly.
Rena seems to be the same age as me, seven years old. I’m truly glad that such a small girl didn’t have to be sacrificed.
I can’t help but feel a lump in my throat, but…
“As expected of His Highness Prince Luke! I cooperated, so you’ll let me go, right!?”
Jack said something completely absurd, spoiling the mood.
“That’s right, I might forgive you. If you stand on the witness stand and testify that Empress Camilla is a criminal.”
“H-Huh, what are you saying…?”
“Empress Camilla didn’t just defy Emperor Alvaise’s orders and lay a hand on me. She used Xylas to repeatedly conduct unauthorized magical experiments, which are prohibited by imperial law, right? There should be records of that in this abandoned fort.”
Emperor Alvaise hated specific nobles gaining hidden power, and he stipulated that all new magic experiments must be reported to the imperial government.
There’s no way that imperial government would permit dangerous magical experiments that would sacrifice an entire village.
In other words, Xylas’s Thanatos magic research is 100% illegal.
If this comes to light, Empress Camilla will be deemed to have rebelled against the Emperor and will be charged with a serious crime. Her family, House Ludwig, will certainly be implicated as well.
“Y-Y-You! If you do that, what will happen to Camilla-sama!? And, what about me…!”
“That’s right, ruin.”
I coldly declared.
Empress Camilla and her faction may be involved in the assassination of my mother a year from now. Therefore…
“I will absolutely not forgive them. Empress Camilla and her faction will be completely crushed here!”