Book 8: Chapter 24

Father──They were able to understand that when Celis said that, it was about the king that was said to have appeared at the First Princess’ side.

However, just what kind of meaning did she have when she said 「kill once again」?

Before Kain could ask about that, the woman next to Celis opened her mouth.

「What we wish to ask of you two is about the matter that Celis said just now.」

「……?」

Kain and Ein each had different questions come to mind.

The question that Kain harbored was about what that request was.

Ein’s question was about why the woman made a statement as if she were equal to Celis who was a princess.

The woman, no matter how Ein looked at her, was a Maid Knight similar to Ichika and Nino.

Even though she was most likely serving Celis, she couldn’t see anything like respect towards her master at all. Even for that Nino, she possessed respect and loyalty towards Vermudol……

「Due to the previous king that should have died appearing at the First Princess’ side, turmoil has spread to Celis’ faction. Speaking frankly, they are doubting Celis’ legitimacy.」

Hearing that explanation, Kain thought “now that she mentions it”.

Even that black knight said that 「there seems to be many traitors coming from the Staves of Light Chivalric Order」.

The Staves of Light Chivalric Order was the cornerstone of Elarc’s defences that was centered on Magic Knights.

However, he could only catch sight of people that were part of the Swords of Light Chivalric Order.

Or could it be that both the Staves of Light Knights and the Swords of Light Knights wore the same outfit?

「Um……」

「What is it?」

Although he thought that might be the case, Kain spoke it out loud.

「I heard that the Staves of Light Chivalric Order were Celis-sama’s ally but……where are they?」

「They are, no longer under Celis’ command. The ones remaining here are only a few people including the vice-commander.」

So did that mean that they really did betray her? In that case, that would mean that the magical defensive preparations were mostly meaningless now.

As if seeing through those thoughts that Kain had, the blue haired Maid Knight made a thin smile.

「……To become a Canal Kingdom Knight, there is a condition that they must be able to use magic at the minimum. The Swords of Light Knights are able to use magic as well, so there is no problem.」

「Is, is that so.」

That might be enough if it was during normal times. However, if the Staves of Light Chivalric Order is on the First Princess’ side……The Swords of Light Chivalric Order who were at the 「minimum」 probably won’t be able to handle it.

Or could it be, did they have something that could only protect Elarc despite that?

Kain stared at the blue haired Maid Knight.

Seeing those eyes that were trying to see through something, the blue haired Maid Knight grinned and muttered.

「……Even if you stare at me like that, my clothes won’t become see through, you know?」

「Heh!? Ehh!? N, no no that’s not it!」

In response to the panicking Kain, the blue haired Maid Knight put a finger to her mouth looking amused.

「Oya, is that so? Well, I certainly haven’t heard that Clairvoyance Magic has been completed yet after all.」

「……Jeez, Reina. You shouldn’t be teasing our guests.」

The blue haired Maid Knight ──Reina shrugged her shoulders at the troubled sounding Celis’ words, and Kain breathed a sigh of relief.

Ein, who was watching that situation, stared at Reina with a face that just realized something.

「Reina……? You’re, the Maid Knight Reina……」

「Nn? Come to think of it, I did not introduce myself, did I.」

After Reina expressed an impish smile, she pinched both hems of her skirt and curtsied.

「Nice to meet you. I am the Maid Knight Reina. Having a connection with Celis, I am staying here in the form of something like a friend-cum-advisor. Please treat me well, okay?」

Maid Knight Reina──That name came up from Vermudol as a target to search for. If she remembered correctly, there should have also been a report saying that a person seeming like it was her was in the Canal Kingdom.

The legendary Maid Knight.

A person said to have a connection with Ichika who was the strongest part of the Zadark Kingdom.

Why didn’t she realize it? Even though she completely conformed with the picture that was in the documents after looking at her like this.

「……Is she an acquaintance of yours?」

「……Are you an idiot! Acquaintance or not, when speaking of someone who’s a Maid Knight and named Reina, there’s only one person that’s spoken of in the legends!」

「Fufu, there’s no telling, you know. I might just coincidentally have the same name as the Reina that you’re speaking of, you know?」

After Reina said that after hearing Kain and Ein’s whispers with her sharp ears, Celis once again breathed a sigh.

「I’m sorry, Reina is just this kind of person. Even now, she’s purposely confusing you……」

「Eh……?」

Reina continued on and explained to Kain who was bewildered by Celis’ words.

「It’s just a prank. It’s because when identifying a person, it turns into something like a check between the possessed memories and the presented reality. By simply presenting information that is a bit different from those memories, it becomes difficult to distinguish them……would you be able to understand by saying it like that?」

In short, is it something similar to not recognizing a friend at a glance after meeting after a long time, is what Kain thought.

「Even just by changing the presence or magical power that one is clad in just a little bit, people will become unable to recognize someone as being the same person. Well, since it’s not like they’re killing their presence, it isn’t useful for anything other than simply pretending to be another person though, see?」

Saying that, Reina smiling looking amused.

「Eh, but……why would you do that?」

「Well. When I presented myself as my original self before, there was a time where I was bit hated. I thought that I should take that into consideration a bit.」

Kain recalled the black knight that they met at the gate to the town of Elarc.

What she said at that time, was it actually about this Maid Knight called Reina?

When Reina was about to say something even further, Boralio, who stayed silent up until then, coughed.

「Reina-dono, it is about time……」

「That’s true. Erm, oh, that’s right. It was about Celis’ legitimacy.」

After Reina shrugged her shoulders, she returned to the topic that was interrupted earlier.

「Getting straight to the point, we are suspicious of the previous king that is on the First Princess’ side.」

「You mean that he’s a fake?」

「It would still be fine if that were the case though.」

Hearing Reina’s unclear way of speaking, Kain kept silent and waited for her next words.

「Revival ritual……have you heard those words before?」

「If it’s just rumors about it.」

What he recalled was Revival Magic 「Resurrection」.

Being magic even more superior than Rebirth, it was said to be magic that could call back even the soul.

However, no one has ever seen that magic, and they were even words that prevailed as a scam at one period.

Although things had calmed down when the St. Altlis Grand Temple, which worshiped the God of Life Philia, had declared that 「there is no Life Attribute Magic like that」, there are many that pursue it believing that it exists even now.

「Isn’t the user on the First Princess’ side……that sort of rumor seems to have spread in Elarc over these past few days.」

「Are you telling us to investigate that?」

「No.」

Readily denying Kain’s words, Reina shook her head sideways.

「At any rate, the culprit is on the First Princess’ side……or rather, it’s probably Mazenda’s subordinate. For you two, we want you to defeat Mazenda.」

「Defeat……wait, eh?」

Kain unconsciously asked that back.

It couldn’t be that she was saying that they would lead soldiers to fight against the First Princess’ Army.

Plus, it wasn’t to capture, but 「defeat」.

Although they were opposing each other, to use Humans from a foreign country to go up against the Royal Court Magician, it sounded like a slightly violent way of doing things.

「Mazenda is a powerful Magician. He can’t be defeated with an average knight, and if I were to move, Mazenda surely wouldn’t over look that opening. We were told from Princess Elia of your country that she would 『send the strongest man that I believe in』.」

「Heh? I, didn’t hear anything about that though……」

If he remembered correctly, wasn’t it that she said “a person that could be trusted……”?

「It seems that she wrote in a letter that if it was you, Kain, then you could slice even a Majin in two, so thinking that a person like the hero Speeda would come, Celis asked for you, you know?」

「……I’m sorry, for not living up to your expectations.」

Remembering the figure of the large muscular man that was in the illustrations of the hero Speeda’s tale that he saw in Seira’s house before, Kain made a wry smile. As expected, to become like that, it would be impossible for Kain even if he were to train for another decade.

「What should we actually do to defeat him? You can’t possibly be telling us to challenge him without a strategy.」

In response to Ein’s question, Reina said “of course” and nodded.

「However, now that you’ve heard it, you must definitely carry it out……and make it succeed. Mazenda isn’t an opponent that will let the same hand pass twice after all.」

In response to Reina who asked “do you have the resolve?”, Kain vigorously answered.

「I, came to save Celis-sama.」

「Very well. Celis……are you fine with it as well?」

「Yes, of course. I called them for the sake of that after all.」

After confirming that Celis nodded, Reina turned to face Kain’s group once again.

「Most likely, it will happen within a few days from now but……there will be an attack done by the Alva. And then, that time will be the chance to get close to Mazenda.」

In front of Kain’s group that displayed astonished expressions, Reina was expressing a bold smile.