Book 9: Chapter 25

Among the Wind Magic, there were many spells that caused tornados.

For example, if the Wind Magic that specialized in destruction the most, 「Wyrm Blade (Wind God’s Gale Sword)」, were to be used, it would be a magic that would create a gigantic tornado, and swallow and break apart the opponent.

However, the spell that Vermudol used this time, 「Zel Storm」 was slightly different. It was magic that had the objective of blowing the enemy away.

That being said, they were swallowed up and blown away by a short tornado, and if it were to be compared to something, it would be like being sent flying while being punched at full strength from all directions by an Ogre.

It wouldn’t kill them, but it was a magic that would display enough force that no other spell was more efficient in literally 「bringing down」 the opponent.

「Gahaah!?」

「Guoh!」

Those who didn’t deploy a Magic Guard, or those who didn’t make it in time to deploy one, were blown away, and crashed into the castle walls.

The sturdy armor of the Shields of Light knights that were blown away was harder than the stone walls, and the rubble of the smashed walls poured down on their heads.

Their low screams were drowned out by the sound of the crumbling stone wall, and it reaped the knights’ consciousnesses.

「Wha, ah……ah……」

Among the ten knights, the ones who made it in time to deploy a Magic Guard, were only two.

「Those two huh……I had intended on making all of them faint with that attack just now though.」

In response to Vermudol who sighed saying “things don’t always go as planned……”, one of the Shields of Light knights became speechless, while the other one bit his lip inside of his helmet in humiliation.

To be defeated by a Magic Swordsman whose background was unknown, was a disgrace to the Canal Kingdom.

However, even going by the magic just now, the opponent was clearly of a higher rank than them.

The matter of how they, who were heavily equipped, were defeated before they could reach the opponent was, although it was hard to accept for the Shields of Light knight, an undeniable fact.

But, even so……only running away was something their pride wouldn’t allow.

「Nu……nuaaaaa!」

Making a violently dull *giin* sound, the sword of the Shields of Light knight, who charged in with a do-or-die spirit, was repelled by Brutus’s pair of swords.

Without looking around at the sword that was sent spinning away, the Shields of Light knight continued the charge by trying to add in a blow with his remaining shield.

「Ooooooooo!!」

Inspired by the Shields of Light knight that struck his shield on Brutus, the Shields of Light knight that was speechless just a short while ago made a delayed charge.

And then, when he covered Brutus’s gaze with his shield, he let go of it, and this time, he turned his body that wore the heavy equipment armor into a weapon, and charged at Vermudol.

A speed that surpassed that of an ordinary person, and the hardness and weight of the armor――Furnished with those to turn into a deadly weapon, he thought that it would be adequate enough to knock down Vermudol’s thin body.

「I’ve got youuuu!」

「Attack Earth.」

But, a rock bullet that appeared prevented that do-or-die charge.

The rock bullet knocked down the Shields of Light knight, and just like that, its effects wore off and it vanished.

At that time, the remaining Shields of Light knight that fainted in front of Brutus tumbled down.

「……Fumu.」

「What shall we……What is wrong? Is there something bothering you?」

Hearing Brutus’s question, Vermudol went 「Yeah」 and nodded.

「It seemed like there were fewer of them than I thought but……I was thinking they were surprisingly serious.」

「……Indeed. That bunch at the town wall had many that were truly rotten though.」

「Now that you mention it, they were massacred……by you.」

While breathing a sigh, Vermudol thought.

Honestly, whether it be their degree of training or their seriousness, they were at a fairly high level for Humans.

Thinking about the situation that enclosed the Canal Kingdom, he thought that the knights on Narika’s side either be arrogant advocates of being chosen people or fools that were knights in name only but……the ones that they defeated just now, they could be classified as being 「decent」 as knights.

He thought that fellows like those who were at the back gate of the town would be the majority, but this meant that that wasn’t actually the case.

「However, even if they look decent, there is probably no change in the fact that their true nature is that of advocates of discrimination.」

「That might be true……」

Immediately after Vermudol replied with a look that said he found that hard to swallow, a *gashari* sound was made.

Looking over there, there was a person who seemed like a Shields of Light knight approaching from the direction of the main gate.

The reason why it only 「seemed like」 one was because despite wearing equipment that was heavier than the other Shields of Light knights, he was walking with light movements that didn’t let them sense its weight.

That knight, he already had his sword drawn and his shield at the ready. However, despite all of that, they couldn’t feel a bit of bloodlust from him.

The knight that finally arrived at them asked them a question with a tone as if he were making small talk with them.

「I am the commander of the Shields of Light Chivalric Order……Creed Yutius. So, who are you all. What is your objective.」

「……We are Chrono and Brutus of an unsigned chivalric order. Our objective is peace through the reign of an official king. That is all there is to it.」

「Hoー……An official king, huh. Come to think of it, I heard something about there being a fake of Eltrinde-sama earlier. Then that means, the ones called the 『Chivalric Order of Light』 means you all huh.」

Of course that was wrong, but Vermudol and Brutus replied with silence.

There was no need to disclose any and all information, and it was fine if he imagined that on his own. That alone was something that would make him distance himself from the truth.

After Creed looked at the appearance of those two, he breathed out a long sigh.

「……Ahh, that’s enough, that’s enough. Even if three people with full-face helmets look at each other, there won’t be any expression reading or anything. But still, there’s no mistake that you guys aren’t simple frauds.」

While skillfully shrugging his shoulders with heavy equipment armor, Creed went 「Right」 and sought some incomprehensible agreement.

「At times like this, the commonly accepted action for me to take is to capture you for now.」

「……There was a guy that said something similar earlier.」

When Vermudol pointed at the broken wall, a *zugon* sound that seemed like something exploded resounded at the same time.

「……Attack Guard!」

That was, due to a premonition he felt in an instant.

The Attack Guard that Vermudol deployed as if thrusting it out sparkled as it defended against Creed who came charging in.

「O Light.」

But, light magical power gathered on Creed’s sword, and he swung it so as to tear through him along with the Attack Guard.

For Attack Guard with defends against physical attacks, a Magic Sword which has the characteristics of both physical attacks and magical attacks is extraordinarily incompatible with it.

「O Wind!」

That is why Vermudol cancelled the Attack Guard and invoked a Wind Magic Sword.

Vermudol warded off Creed’s sword as it was swung down, and then swung his sword just like that towards Creed with moves that looked like he was gliding.

「Whoa there!」

After repelling that attack with his sword that he quickly brought back, Creed rotated his body and fired a roundhouse kick towards the approaching Brutus.

Naturally, Brutus wouldn’t receive such a large attack, but the slash that he predicted from the spin didn’t connect.

During that time, Creed took some distance from the two.

「Putting aside the blue guy……Oi, black guy. Erm, Chrono, was it?」

「……Yeah.」

「You, do you feel like joining our side?」

Those words were within their expectations, but since he didn’t expect that they would be said from the man in front of him, Vermudol was bewildered.

「……For now, how about I hear out what you are planning from this. If it’s to buy time, then think that you will receive a befitting reward.」

「Against a Magic Swordsman like you, it’s pointless to fight with just a large number of half-hearted people. I don’t think that anything could be done from buying time.」

After saying that, Creed sheathed his sword into its scabbard.

That seemed to be a declaration of intent saying that he had no intention of fighting right now at this moment, but neither Vermudol nor Brutus planned on following that.

Seeing the two of the ready their swords without letting down their guard, Creed shrugged his shoulders.

「I’m not boorish enough to attack in the middle of a discussion though.」

「It is because we are not pure enough to accept an enemy’s words without question.」

「I see, that’s logical.」

Brutus was astounded by how Creed nodded as if he found them praiseworthy, but Vermudol kept silent and fixed his gaze on Creed.

He looked like a person who has a light tone and gets carried away easily, but the shine of his eyes were different.

Those eyes that were vigilantly probing their side, they weren’t consistent with all of his words and actions.

「And, so. I asked you what you were planning.」

「Yeah.」

「Well, before that. Eltrinde-sama, ain’t suited to being king. That stubborn tomboy, for better or worse, is pure. A king can’t function properly with just a sense of justice.」

Vermudol agreed with that sentiment.

Eltrinde had the calibre to become a hero on the battlefield.

However, if he were to say whether or not she was suited for being a 「king」 which accepted both good and evil, it would be a nay.

There was the concern that Eltrinde’s purity and sense of justice would create a large opening in times of emergency, just like how she was deceived by the Canal Kingdom’s intelligence unit.

「……While that may be true, the choice of Princess Narika won’t work.」

「Nope, it really does work. I’ll say this now but, Celis-sama being the best possibility 『doesn’t work』, you know?」

「I wonder about that?」

Vermudol, who was facing opposite of Creed, denied those words.

Creed was about to say something to that, but at that moment.

From within the castle, hustle and bustle and the sound of something violently exploding could be continuously heard.

After Creed turned his gaze towards that for only an instant, he once again turned to Vermudol.

「Is that alright?」

「Over there is the Imperial Guards’ territory. Besides, persuading you takes priority after all. So, what do you wonder about……what do you mean?」

「It’s a simple story. Princess Celis……possesses the appropriate calibre for a king.」

Vermudol had come to that conclusion.

Although Celis looked like that, she was mentally strong. It was a strength she had due to being persecuted, and on top of that, due to having special characteristics as a Beastman, she would not be deceived by the Demi-Human Argument that rejected any member of mankind other than Humans, and be able to perform an 「impartial」 rule.

There were still a lot of worrisome components about her, but as a king of the Canal Kingdom that is extolled as being fair, she is furnished with the necessary things to a certain extent.

「Hーn. Well, in regards to that, I’m also of the same opinion though.」

Immediately after Creed replied like that, he continued with “however……”.

「I’m of the same opinion but……even so, the path of Celis-sama becoming king ain’t possible.」

「I can’t understand. It would be a different case if you said that the path of Princess Narika becoming king wasn’t possible.」

「I know right. Normally, you’d have that sort of impression. I get it, that’s normal.」

Seeing Creed laugh loudly, Vermudol responded with a sigh.

And then, a single knight with full body armor making a *gashari* sound approaching from the main gate entered his eyes.

The knight that had a gigantic spear and shield at the ready and came headed towards them was filled with hostility towards Vermudol’s group.

「……I see, that’s enough. It seems that everything was nonsense.」

Even when Vermudol pointed the tip of his sword to him, Creed showed no sign of discomposure.

「We were still in the middle of our talk though.」

「What more is there to talk about.」

「It’s the core of the talk……Oi, Janas! Don’t go layin’ a hand on ‘em until I say it’s alright!」

Hearing those words, the knight called Janas took a saluting pose……however, he did not stop walking and took a place where he would be able to fight against Brutus.

「Well, it’s a simple story. Celis-sama has the best calibre as king. If I’m bein’ honest, she has the possibility of becoming a wise ruler whose type hasn’t been seen even within the successive generations.」

Janas did not place a hand on his sword, and simply held onto only his shield.

However, as if to brazenly say that that was enough, he continued to stand in front of Vermudol who had his sword drawn.

「But, it won’t turn out like that. I could even declare that this is absolute. If you want to end the civil war, then Celis-sama is no good.」

「I don’t understand. What do you mean by that.」

Hearing Vermudol’s reasonable question, Creed replied without a care.

「Celis-sama possesses Beastman-like ears. If she becomes king, that will become a weakness. Do you know what is said about her?」

Impure filth. The child of infidelity. Fake royalty.

Creed said that Celis was called things like that.

「But, there were Beastmen among the royalty of the past. There should be a story saying that she inherited it from there though?」

「Yeah, that’s right. But, there are guys that won’t agree with that. And then, there are also fellows that will instigate those guys. There are even Human supremacists, and there are even those that were fine being treated as the lowest ones up until now that are unable to stand anyone else being above them anymore.」

「In that case, it should be fine to sweep them away.」

「You mean the citizens?」

Creed responded like that to Vermudol’s words.

「It would be fine to sweep them away if we were only talking about within the castle. But……even among the citizens, there are a large number of guys that think similar to what I just said. Celis-sama becoming king also means there being the possibility of turning those kinds of people into enemies. If it turns out like that……there’s no longer any way to end this uproar, you know?」