255-249 Betrayal?

As I looked at the captured lordships, I wondered if the word flag, the spirit of the word flag, existed in this world as well. While vaguely thinking about that, I decided to check out the situation.

''Are there any representatives here?　If you're here, could you please tell me how long His Highness Alberto has been held?

But no representative came out. Instead, His Highness Albert began to speak.

'These people are slaves. They are slaves and should not be able to do anything but give orders. Please help them.

Huh?　I think Lionel and the others were moving around a lot, saying that slaves can't act other than on command... I turned to look at Lionel and the others.

Then everyone looked away from me as if they were holding back their laughter.

I see. Since I was giving Lionel and the others loose orders, they were able to move freely, weren't they? It's all right now that the results are fine, but....

Then I realized something.

'Your Highness, it seems that Mr. Melfina and Mr. Bazak are not here?

Then His Highness looked away.

''It's a farce. Luciel-sama, Your Highness is just stalling. Besides, those who have been attacking us are now in a situation where they don't know what to do.''

Lionel assured His Highness that he was stranded. And just like his words, those who surrendered earlier looked at His Highness Alberto and looked confused, as if they didn't know how to act.

If they were under the command of False Lionel, this situation would seem a bit strange, but since Lionel is here, they might be waiting for Lionel's instructions!

I pulled a magic potion out of my magic bag and drank it while I thought about it and decided to ask more questions.

'Your Highness Albert, I have two questions to ask you. When did you get caught?　And where are Mr. Melfina and Mr. Bazak?

The magician chant activated dispel, so even if His Highness had been enslaved, the slave crest should now be gone.

Since he was freed from slavery, he would be able to speak if he wanted to.

As he thought that, His Highness opened his mouth.

''There's no way I can tell you that we were attacked by Bazak as soon as we separated in the labyrinth and entered the imperial territory - Huh?　Why are you able to speak?

The slave crest is unbounded, so you can tell me more. Now, tell me the details.

'Wow, okay. But like I said before, as soon as we entered the Imperial territory, Bazak unleashed his magic on us. And at about the same time, I was surrounded by slave soldiers.

Apparently, the information was out of the loop. But still, Mr. Bazak betrayed you........

'Lionel, is Mr. Bazak the type of person to betray you?

No, he would have been a man who would have fought to the end, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

'Well, Your Highness, do you know anything about this?

How could we know? Because Bazak was really dedicated to our cause. How could I possibly know why he betrayed us?

His Highness Alberto said that and dropped to his knees on the ground, hanging down in a paragraph.

That's how much Mr. Bazak was functioning as His Highness Alberto's chief of staff.

If that was the case, the last time the resistance attacked........!

It wasn't so much a flash of inspiration as a complete delusion, but I came up with a theory.

'Is it well known that Lionel cut down Mr. Bazak?

Yes. Yes, sir?

One more thing, do you think the Mr. Bazak we met is real?

Did you find out anything?

Lionel looks at us and asks.

I can tell that everyone is listening as well.

'No, this is just a fantasy, but maybe that Mr. Bazak was a forger?

"...I'm not sure what you mean by that, but...

Lionel turns his gaze back to His Highness with a dubious look on his face.

Well, that's usually the case, isn't it?

With that in mind, he tells me a theory.

''Your Highnesses were captured once when the Resistance launched an attack on the Imperial City, right?

I remember you saying that.

'Mr. Bazak and his team were working as a separate unit at the time, weren't they?　I thought about the line that was replaced with the line that was enslaved then.

''So you think it was a forger that you met then?''

'Ah. Otherwise, I'm sure he wouldn't have been one of His Highness's friends from the beginning (Hana), and would have been working for a different purpose.

I can't say that's never going to happen, but...

Lionel seemed to be puzzled, as if he still didn't understand.

However, he still seems to be thinking about my hypothesis firmly.

But I knew that reasoning is not our style.

So I decided to make a decision.

Well, at any rate, His Highness and Mr. Bazak and the others over there are neither trustworthy nor reliable at the moment. So this time we're going to stop thinking and go simple.

Huh, I think that might be a good idea.

Normally, it would be better if we had a chief of staff, but since we don't have such a follower, it can't be helped.

If so, it's best to proceed to the objective by the method most suited to us.

Everyone, including Lionel, smiled and agreed with me.

After confirming that, I immediately began chanting.

"O holy healing hand, breath of mother earth, dispel the demon-fallen beings, the impure beings, as a wave of purification that swallows everything, Purification Wave】

The wave that was generated around me runs.......but no one started to suffer.

I had expected this to happen.

If everything is exposed, then the demon race is not placed.

'Alright, no problem. I was actually going to give a speech at this point, but there's no point in doing so at this time. Let's go to the castle first.

You think I'd let you do that?

At the same time I heard those words, multiple flaming spears (Flame Lance), ice spears (Ice Lance), and wind blades (Wind Cutter) flew from behind His Highness.

But I didn't even have to avoid them. This is because Lionel beat back all the attacks with his great sword of fire.

''Chi, I knew we wouldn't be able to kill them so easily.

You think you can get away with that?　No, I don't think so.

As expected, they don't think that Lionel is weak enough to get rid of him with that.

Well, if she was aiming for me, I can understand that a little bit, but....

But I didn't expect it to come out so soon.　

But I didn't expect him to come out so soon. Where is the real one?

Yes. Mr. Bazak, who had betrayed us, had appeared.

I had actually expected a few more enemies to show up, but only one of them showed up.

'There can't be any forgers, can there? I am the Bazak now.

'I feel like a lot of things are wrong when you say "now", but if you came out on purpose, you must have a plan.

'I don't think so. No matter how long ago it was, a mage with Lionel ready to die wouldn't do something that half-heartedly.'

This is a hell of a way to talk for someone who took a risk and defended himself against a thrown dagger.

"Thank you very much for that, indeed. You saved me from having to make all those unnecessary motions to avoid it.

A mere dagger won't penetrate a holy dragon's armor, but assuming that was discussed beforehand, that was a really enviable brain.

I decided to cut to the chase.

''So you were Cloud-san?''

Huh. I can't be Master Cloud, can I? You are the man who will rule this empire from now on.

With a bit of glee, the information about the cloud was given.

But this is where Mr. Bazak was approached.

'Leave it at that, Lysak.

Hmm, you're finally awake, Melvia.

'Yes. I didn't expect her to be such a strong-willed woman, but this body is already mine.

The one who appeared saying that was Melfina with jet black wings.