Chapter 58: Encounter
My mind struggled to grasp the shocking truth. The mere presence of a member of the Demon Tribe within the castle’s walls signaled the end for the Arclight Kingdom. The thought of defeating the Demon King felt utterly absurd now.
“How convenient of you to come out here on your own,” a voice chimed from behind my two classmates. It was none other than Lily Arclight, the Third Princess. It had been four months since I last saw her, but there was no mistaking that face. The realization that she was the root of all this turmoil stirred a mix of anger and disbelief within me.
“Thanks for coming out instead of hiding away,” I replied, my tone dripping with sarcasm.
“Hmph.”
If she only intended to let her classmates fight, there was no need for her to show herself. Was she reluctant to part from her guards? I couldn’t help but think she could have sent them in her stead. Yet, why was she waiting for us in a place like this? So many questions swirled in my mind.
“First, there’s something I want to ask you,” I said.
“Wait a moment.”
Before I could continue, Shimizu interrupted me.
“What is it…?”
Reluctantly, I turned to face Shimizu, who appeared visibly upset. Had I done something wrong?
“The fact that you’re here means… what happened to Manaka and the others?”
“Huh? Of course, we blasted them away before coming here.”
Shimizu’s face paled slightly as he continued, “You didn’t… kill them, did you?”
“I didn’t kill them.”
At least, I hoped they were still alive. I glanced at Rio, who nodded vigorously in agreement. It was true that Rio had been the one to knock them out, but I figured it was fine for me to answer.
“Is that so?”
A sigh of relief escaped Shimizu and Nagai. Did they really think we were that dangerous? But why hadn’t they asked about Neguro? Were they not close enough to inquire? I stole a glance at Princess Lily, but her expression remained unchanged.
“Don’t lump me in with Neguro.”
“…Huh? What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you hear?”
“…What are you talking about?!”
Even after all this, the Princess’s expression remained stoic. Shimizu and Nagai seemed oblivious, but I wondered how they would react if they learned about Neguro.
“Rio was almost killed by Neguro.”
“What…?!”
Shimizu turned sharply to the Princess, his face a mask of shock. Yet, her expression remained as impassive as ever.
“Is that true?!”
“Silence.”
“—!”
The moment the Princess spoke, Shimizu fell silent. He looked like he had so much to say, but what could it be? Was her command absolute? No, that couldn’t be it. He seemed on the verge of attacking her.
I glanced at Nagai, who wore an expression of resignation, as if he had given up on something.
“Honestly… I received reports that you could have killed him, so why is he standing here in one piece? Tact Neguro returned gravely injured, so this is a complete failure.”
She muttered her grievances, and Shimizu’s eyes widened as he glared at me.
“—!!”
But still, he remained silent. That collar around his neck felt suspiciously like a Collar of Subjugation. Even Shimizu wouldn’t just fall silent at a command like that. When I used appraisal, it confirmed my suspicion—it was indeed a Collar of Subjugation. It seemed the Third Princess was deeply involved in this. Had she summoned us here to turn us into slaves?
“So you’re the true mastermind behind our attempted murder.”
Why was she so brazenly confessing? Did she think we were destined to die here? Or was she planning to suppress the truth with her power? Why did she want us dead? Surely, putting a Collar of Subjugation on us would suffice.
“What of it?” she replied nonchalantly.
“Oh… so you’re the one who tried to kill Shuu and me.”
The moment I acknowledged it, Rio’s eyes sharpened with intensity.
“How generous of you to come here just to be killed.”
The Third Princess smirked, further fueling my irritation.
“It seems the other classmates aren’t targets, but why are we?”
“Well, why do you think?”
She clearly wasn’t going to make it easy for us to find out. The crucial details remained frustratingly elusive.
“You two can speak now. Mei Nagai, protect me. Masayoshi Shimizu… kill those two.”
At her command, the two sprang into action. Nagai stepped back to begin chanting defensive magic alongside the Princess, while Shimizu drew his sword and stepped forward.
“Tch, I have a lot of questions, but since I’ve been ordered, I can’t hold back. If you want to run, now’s your chance.”
The power of the Collar of Subjugation was astonishing. But right now, my focus was on Shimizu. When I appraised him, his class was revealed to be Holy Guide Knight. Nagai was identified as a Great Sage. What exactly did a knight who guides the holy do? I couldn’t imagine their abilities. Yet, it seemed there was no Hero class among us. I hadn’t appraised Neguro, but I couldn’t believe he was a Hero.
—Regardless of all that.
“I’ll take this one.”
I couldn’t let Rio steal all the glory.