Chapter 76: Hostage
I was basking in the afterglow of our kiss while holding Yuri tightly, but a voice echoed, interrupting it.
“Um… well, is it alright now?”
“It’s not alright, but… what is it?”
I wanted to keep holding Yuri forever, immersed in this happiness…
But as I looked around, I remembered this was a battlefield.
The thought that tomorrow would bring another life-or-death battle, and that many people needed rescuing, crossed my mind.
I snapped back to reality and switched gears.
From now on, we’ll always be together. For now, I have to work so we can stay together in the future, I thought, as I stood up, cradling Yuri in my arms.
“I have many questions, but before that, there’s something I absolutely must ask.
You… Rui, that’s right, isn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s my name, but?”
“I see… So you were alive… I am Royce, your father.”
Huh!?
Wait, I heard you were dead, though?
“Ah, I get it.
Since Belfast was reborn, an imposter has shown up, right?”
Even if you look at me with such affectionate eyes, I’ve heard from many people that you’re dead, you know?
“P-Prince… It’s His Majesty Royce. He’s the real one. He was alive!” Viscount Dora whispered in my ear.
Huh… Ah, well, that makes sense.
There’s no way someone could impersonate him when everyone here knows each other. My head’s a mess.
Even now, that strange, intermittent trembling that happens when my body stiffens from fear lingers.
Honestly, right now, I don’t want to think about anything other than Yuri.
But we’re in the middle of a war. I can’t afford to do that.
This time, for sure, to protect Yuri.
In that case, I have to coordinate with this person who has come to the battlefield.
But, in times like these, what am I supposed to say?
For me, affection is something that develops through interaction, and the truth is, I don’t feel anything particular right now.
Well, but conversely, while I don’t have affection, I do have a good impression of him, so maybe I should act like a son.
“I’m happy to meet you, Dad. Mom used to gush about what a great hero you were.”
“Yuna… she said that about me?”
“Yeah. Annoyingly so. But, there’s something I’ve always wanted to tell you.”
He joked, with a look on his face like he didn’t know what expression to make, “What is it? This is scary…”
“Thank you for protecting Mom and me.
That’s the one thing I always wanted to tell you if I ever got the chance.
I’m glad you’re alive.”
Huh, why am I blurting out unnecessary words right now?
I thought I didn’t feel anything particular.
But somehow, it seems I genuinely felt it from the bottom of my heart. I feel glad I was able to say it.
“I see… I see!! Ahh!! It was worth all the effort!!”
He was laughing, his voice trembling as he cried.
Not knowing what to say in response, I stayed silent, and he roughly ruffled my hair.
If you’re going to do it, be a little gentler.
Anyway, what am I doing at a time like this? This is all kinds of strange, isn’t it?
That’s right. Now that I’ve remembered, I have to say it.
“There’s too much to do to just soak in the moment.
Tomorrow, five thousand Imperial Soldiers will attack from the north. I’ve prepared two strategies, but neither is a sure thing. No, before that, we need to hurry with the rescue efforts. Let’s go!”
“Seriously…?” Dad said, his face grave.
Yeah. I get it.
Five thousand Imperial soldiers, that’s a huge threat, right?
That damn handsome bastard was ridiculously strong too.
That’s precisely why, right now, I have to maintain my composure, even if it means turning a blind eye to my own foolishness.
“Yeah. It’s enough to make you sick…
But we have to move now. There might still be lives we can save.”
Yeah. It’s gotten late, but we still have to do it, starting now.
“That’s right… So many things have happened, my head feels like it’s going to explode.”
“Haha, I know what you mean. Mine already has…”
It really has exploded.
It was a scream-inducing ride that would make any rollercoaster turn pale, from sorrow and anger that nearly drove me mad, to the peak of happiness.
Even now, my head is fuzzy, and I can’t think straight.
“In that case, you can take Yurisia back and rest, you know?”
I shook my head; I couldn’t possibly do that.
And so, I started running, still cradling Yurisia in my arms.
I won’t let go anymore.
I can’t forgive myself for being too late, too foolish, but still, I managed to hold onto her life.
It was too late, I was too stupid, but Yuri is alive and in my arms.
I won’t make a mistake again.
Anyone who threatens Yuri’s life, I’ll do whatever it takes to kill them all.
With that renewed determination, I ran through the forest.
After that, when I surveyed the battlefield, everything was over.
It seemed the Imperial Soldiers at the location where I helped with the annihilation were the last ones.
After finishing up various clean-up tasks, we moved to Belfast Castle for the first time in a while.
Everyone we met was crying with joy at Dad’s return.
Cornelia-san and Yunon-san were especially overjoyed.
Dad was confused the whole time, but after learning the circumstances and talking things over, he slowly regained his composure.
After that, once things had calmed down a bit, we moved to another location, and Uncle and Aunt were summoned. After hearing about everything that had happened up to now, they received a severe scolding.
He was furious, asking why they had left me in a dangerous situation, why they hadn’t noticed Yuna’s illness despite being nearby.
However, I had an objection to those words.
I was the one who pushed against opposition and chose the path of a Hunter.
As for Mom, I wanted to notice too.
I, who was closest to her, didn’t feel anything out of place at all; she acted that normally.
When I told him that, his anger subsided a little, but he was still indignant, saying, “You should at least understand that it’s dangerous not to train Rui. Why didn’t you realize that was exposing him to danger?”
Uncle, having been scolded, started saying things like he’d atone with his life, so I had to hurriedly intervene, and in the end, it was a hassle for me.
For some reason, even though it was about him, I ended up in a situation where I was desperately trying to persuade Dad.
However, thanks to that, I was also able to express my honest feelings.
That I had come this far happily thanks to the four of them.
Dad, Mom, Uncle, and Aunt. All of them had given me happiness from many different angles.
I’d rather have kind, if somewhat thoughtless, parents, even if things get tough later, than be shackled by cold parents with an elite education.
Of course, parents who can do both well would be the best, but I think I’m fortunate enough just to have been raised surrounded by kind people.
Well, I do want to say, “Are you an idiot?” for hiding even the existence of enhancement, but when I mentioned that Mom was the one who schemed not to teach me in the first place, Dad finally relented.
Letting out a breath, the atmosphere indicated the discussion was over, so I bolted out of the conference room and headed straight for Yuri.
After the discussion was deemed over and Rui had dashed out of the conference room, the meeting of Belfast’s leadership resumed.
“It’s a bit late to ask, but what’s with Rui’s strength…? It doesn’t match your reports,” King Royce said, directing a sharp gaze at Knight Rudolph, demanding an explanation.
“We truly know nothing. According to Prince Rui, ‘Depending on the method, efficiency can increase terrifyingly.’ We were taught several Monster subjugation methods.”
“…That’s not the kind of strength that can be explained by something like that. Right?”
The ones King Royce looked at were Marquis Arbane and Viscount Dora.
They were two who had witnessed that battle.
The sight of him cloaked in a raging vortex of Magical Power, toying with and slaughtering an overwhelmingly strong opponent without letting them do a thing.
“Yes… That man was undoubtedly Count Estoc. A man ranked twelfth in the Empire.”
“Even though the three of us were toyed with, he outmaneuvered him without taking a single blow.
I never knew Prince Rui possessed such overwhelming strength.”
“What… He unilaterally defeated the man who easily bested us?”
Hearing the words of Marquis Arbane, Viscount Dora, and Genzou, Captain of the Royal Guard, the various lords were so astonished they were lost for words.
King Royce sent a glance towards Razbel, General and Roosevelt, Knight Commander, who didn’t seem particularly surprised, as if asking if they knew something.
“I don’t know any details, but I fought alongside him on the battlefield,” said Razbel, General. “He possessed skills capable of easily slaughtering a thousand with a single spell. As expected of Your Majesty’s son. He is an extraordinary person.”
“Yes,” said Roosevelt, Knight Commander. “I also fought with him but ended up holding him back and causing him injury. The opponent was Marquis Ignat, who holds a rank in the Empire, but even then, Prince Rui was handling him alone until I arrived…”
Those around understood that he was abnormally skilled with magic, but they still thought he was a strategist type who fought with his intellect.
The older retainers were well aware of the strength of Marquis Arbane and Viscount Dora.
They showed confusion, wondering just how strong Rui must be if even Roosevelt, Knight Commander, reputed to be General Razbel’s finest Knight, would hold him back.
“In any case, I’ll tell you all one thing.
No matter what, absolutely do not lay a hand on young lady Yurisia. No, protect her at all costs.
And absolutely do not do anything that would separate her from Rui. This is an order.”
Originally, she was the daughter of a General’s family, in other words, a Duke’s daughter. If she were present, protecting her would be a matter of course. However, they returned his gaze with trepidation, understanding that the situation was serious enough to warrant such a stern warning.
“Yes, that’s right… I never thought that such a kind Prince would reveal such intense fury.”
Marquis Arbane recalled Rui, wreathed in a vortex of black Magical Power, shedding tears as his murderous intent surged, and he sorrowfully lowered his gaze.
“Well, if his woman got cut down, it’s only natural he’d snap. I was moved, man. It didn’t matter how powerful the enemy was; he settled things all by himself. That’s our Prince for you. Well, I agree he’s way beyond our measure, though.”
As the old guard chimed in with “Indeed” to Viscount Dora’s cheerful voice, the tense atmosphere eased slightly, and their meeting continued.
Walking down the castle corridor, I muttered, “Ah, I’m kinda tired,” even as I eagerly made my way to my healing space.
Yurisia was breathing peacefully in bed. Cute.
To soothe my heart, I spent a good hour just watching her sleeping face, continuously murmuring “Cute.”
I’d love to stay in this happy mood forever, but that’s not an option.
After their discussion ended and they had calmed down, Dad and Cornelia-san summoned me, and I moved to the war council chamber.
There, the number of casualties was announced.
“In this recent battle, we ended up with four hundred and fifty dead. I apologize for my previous words, Your Highness.”
Led by the general, everyone bowed their heads.
My chest tightened a little. It’s a number that could have been reduced if I had used my head a little more…
“Please stop. All of you, and those who died in battle, are heroes who protected our country. We must reduce the number of deaths, but please, take more pride. You all saved Belfast.”
“More importantly, from now on, Dad will take command…” I said, looking his way, hoping to pass the baton, but it was Genzou-san, the Imperial Guard Knight Commander his father had brought, who responded.
“No, Your Highness’s strategy was terrifyingly brilliant. Until we have a detailed grasp of the internal situation, please continue as you are…”
“Ah, this is my opinion as well. I was watching the whole time from the forest, trying to time our rescue. I’m proud that it was all your plan, Rui.”
I received praise from both of them, but honestly, I wished they’d spare me.
However, Dad had only just returned.
What he was saying was perfectly reasonable, and if it was just until he grasped the situation, I supposed it couldn’t be helped.
“Understood. However, let me say one thing. My objective is Yurisia. I came here to protect her, and depending on the situation, I may leave, so I don’t intend to remain in such an important position for long.”
I thought there might be some opposition, but everyone just nodded silently, and the room quieted down.
Their reaction was a little puzzling, but if they accepted it, that was fine. I returned the conversation to the main topic.
“So, about the five thousand from the north…” I said, turning my gaze to Roosevelt, Knight Commander.
“Regarding the prisoner, he was informed of the outcome and has agreed.”
I nodded and turned my gaze to Count Connor.
“As for the new weapon, development is progressing smoothly. We currently have five completed, and one of them is being tested right now.”
Oh! A prototype is already finished!
If that succeeds, the chances of this defense being successful are high.
Well, considering the future, even a great success would only mean we’re barely hanging on by a thread…
“Regarding our army’s strength, with four hundred and fifty dead, does that mean we have around nineteen hundred now?”
“No, His Majesty Royce’s unit has joined us, so we have twenty-two hundred. You can consider our total combat strength to be higher than before.”
Apparently, Dad had brought about forty high-ranking Knights with him.
And most of the casualties were from Dad’s unit…
“You were holding down the toughest front for us, weren’t you… I’m sorry.”
“The one who contributed the most shouldn’t be apologizing. Rui, this country exists thanks to you!”
Even if he said that, if I, who can fly, had considered the movements of the two thousand Imperial troops and deployed the Phoenix Unit there, the deaths could have been significantly suppressed.
The side I initially dived into was, as Roosevelt-san had said, an overwhelming victory.
We had even finished scouting the surrounding area and went to rescue the forces in the forest on the opposite side.
I should have sent the high-ranking Knights defending the highway there, instead of letting them act on their own judgment, especially since I had received information that one side was achieving a landslide victory.
At that time, I hadn’t yet become so unhinged that I couldn’t think straight.
But saying this now is like crying over spilled milk.
“Thank you,” I said, bowing my head sincerely.
“So, what’s this about a prisoner?” Dad asked.
I informed him that we had captured the Imperial Marquis who led the five-thousand-strong unit and made him agree to withdraw his troops, which caused the room to erupt.
“However, if he’s eliminated or deceived, it all goes back to square one, so we must devise a plan to win. That’s what the new weapon is for, but we don’t have enough. Does anyone have any ideas?”
“The new weapon, you mean that explosion…?” Genzou-san asked. I nodded, and he said, “Then, I have a proposal,” and shared his strategy.
It was a plan to increase the possibility of forcing a retreat by utilizing the border with Lestall.
He said that this war was almost certainly being monitored by Lestall.
If so, we should deploy our troops right up to the border and start the battle along the Lestall border.
With those bombs, we could halt their advance, and because they’re flashy, the message would get across in one shot.
Naturally, Lestall couldn’t possibly allow such a thing.
Since the enemy entered from Lestall’s side, we wouldn’t be at fault.
If we engaged them there with the new weapon, Marquis Randall’s forces would likely move to intervene.
When I asked, “Will they come that quickly?” he replied that Marquis Randall would undoubtedly be monitoring this war, and if five thousand troops approached, he would surely be prepared for contingencies.
If a battle were to occur on their unrelated border, Lestall would definitely intervene.
Any sensible commander would realize this, so the chances of forcing even a temporary retreat would increase, Genzou-san continued.
Indeed, Lestall wouldn’t even tolerate them passing through, let alone starting a war within their own territory.
Allowing such a thing would leave a historical precedent for neighboring countries, making them think that minor transgressions might be permissible.
If they retreated, even temporarily, the Duct forces might realize they’ve lost and return to the Empire.
“…This might be good, don’t you think?” I said, glancing at Dad.
“Yes, it is… It has a strong gambling element, but it’s better than nothing. However, if we move now, will we make it in time?”
“The earliest they could arrive here is tomorrow morning, so if we hurry, it’ll be just barely.”
“Alright then, Randall, have the men prepare to move out. We’ll hash out the details while they get ready.”
“Yes, sir! Leave it to me. You heard him! Assemble all troops in formation before the North Gate. We’ll discuss personnel deployment from there. Gather everyone. Bring out all available supplies. And make it fast!”
“”Yes, sir!””
The soldiers standing by the wall received the general’s orders and filed out.
Immediately after, all eyes turned to me again.
Oh, right, I’m the commander. But even if you say that…
I’ve already given all my ideas…
“I don’t have anything particular from my end… All that’s left is for me to unleash some magic, I suppose.”
I asked around for other opinions, but there weren’t any noteworthy ones.
In that case, the discussion shifted to the need to hurry and complete preparations first, and it was decided that we would depart.
Fifty high-ranking Knights escorted Ignat, who was in a cage, under close guard.
I was determined that he would absolutely not meet Yurisia, so I was truly relieved that he could be dealt with before she woke up.
Let’s finish this quickly and go back to Yuri.
Yeah. I understand how the general feels. This might be a forbidden move, but I’d use it without hesitation.
If Ignat dared to say he wanted to see Yurisia, it would mean war.
If he brought an Elixir as a present, I’d smash it on the spot.
As I stared at him intently, the handsome man spoke in a beautiful voice.
What a guy… Unforgivable!
“To think you’d actually win… Did you defeat Estoc too?”
I stopped the Knights who were thrusting their Maso Weapons at him, telling him not to speak. To Ignat, who seemed to be in pain from his severe injuries, I replied, “Who the hell is that…?” When I asked for a description, it turned out to be that bastard.
“I slaughtered that guy. He was such trash that killing him once wouldn’t have been enough.”
“Ah, I see. So it was you after all…” he said, showing off his handsome face and looking off into the distance, to the point I wanted to demand if he was doing it on purpose. But he didn’t just listen and leave it at that; he also spoke about the Empire, for what it was worth.
Apparently, there were many internal conspiracies.
Schemes to undermine others in pursuit of greater authority were a daily occurrence.
Therefore, those belonging to the nobility, even decent people, would usually either die or become corrupted once they passed a certain age.
For all that, this guy seemed decent, aside from his face.
“Why don’t you take your important people and seek asylum somewhere? We won’t accept you, though…”
“Ahaha, I wish I could do that. But I can’t abandon my subordinates.”
He looked down and muttered, “I can’t abandon everything now.”
Well, I just wanted the Empire’s strength to diminish, so as long as we didn’t have to fight again, I didn’t really care.
With that thought, we moved towards the border.
We set up a defensive encampment along the border.
Since I’d already flown over and scouted, I knew the enemy was advancing along this road.
Now, they were expected to come into view at any moment.
We positioned ourselves at the vanguard, and even further ahead, we presented Marquis Ignat, still in his cage. As we waited for the enemy, they soon came into view.
They appeared flustered, realizing their movements had been exposed.
I could hear their confused shouts: “Why are there soldiers near the border?”
We, along with a few of our strongest individuals like the General and the Knights Commander, moved forward to a position separate from our main army. Using a voice-enhancing Magic Tool that served as a microphone, the General then spoke to the enemy army:
“Due to yesterday’s battle, you have already lost.
As proof, Marquis Ignat, who has been taken prisoner, is here.
If you don’t want your lord killed, return to your country at once!”
In response to the General’s voice, many worried voices cried out, “Ignat-sama!”
It seems he’s quite adored.
A man who appeared to be of commander rank came forward alone.
“We have no intention of engaging in combat at this moment. Let us speak with Ignat-sama.”
“‘At this moment,’ you say…? Don’t mess with us! You invaders dare to spout such selfish demands!”
Our top ten fighters moved to surround the man, but I stopped them.
“Just talking is fine.
But, his release will only happen once you withdraw your army and set foot back in the Empire.
If you try any funny business, we’ll kill him. Just don’t forget that.”
“You’ll… release him…?”
“We’re not scumbags like the Empire or Mildrad.
We keep the promises we make.”
The man visibly gritted his teeth, then averted his gaze and approached Marquis Ignat.
“Ignat-sama!! Are you injured!?”
“Ah, I was on the verge of death, but it seems they’ve treated me this far.
Don’t worry about me; you all should retreat. And report everything truthfully.
We’ve been completely defeated…”
At those words, the commander seemed to accept their defeat. His shoulders slumped, and looking utterly dejected, he muttered, “It can’t be…”
After that, he made a fuss, demanding Marquis Ignat’s immediate release since they would retreat, but we didn’t accept that.
Naturally.
We keep our promises. If you want to save your lord, then withdraw. We made that clear to him.
And finally, in exchange for granting that commander’s request – “Even if he’s released as is, he won’t be able to make it back safely. Please allow me to be taken prisoner and stay by his side” – we succeeded in making them retreat.
And so, the war between Daltone and Razbel, after a whirlwind of sudden developments, concluded.
Upon returning to the castle, when we reported to those who had remained, they leaped for joy and began rushing around, preparing for a nationwide victory Party.
Amidst all this, having finally shrugged off the burden with a thought of ‘It’s really over,’ my destination was, of course, already decided.
That’s right. The place I was headed was, naturally, where ‘my girlfriend’ was.