Chapter 90

Chapter 4 begins.

Thank you very much.

1 ～Kan彦's Perspective～

The sound of metal clashing was like it was being driven into my ears.

“Guh, kuh”

I parried the incoming sword with the short swords in both hands.

Since the opponent had a longer reach, I was inevitably forced to defend more often.

This was even more so when facing someone with superior skill.

I tried to bring the fight into my range, but the enemy was no fool and wouldn’t let me in so easily.

As this continued, the shock gradually numbed my palms.

I already knew there was no chance of winning.

“Oaaaaah!”

Even knowing this, I still lunged forward.

If I gave up here, there would be things I couldn’t reach.

There were things I couldn’t protect unless I pushed myself to the very limit.

So, I gritted my teeth and swung my sword.

How much time had passed?

If I were playing a game in my room, it would have passed in an instant.

But for me now, it felt like an incredibly long time had passed...

“Ah”

I let out a small cry.

The shock of a powerful blow made my numb hand release the short sword.

Resistance with one short sword lasted only a few seconds... and I surrendered.

“Darn, Marcus”

In front of me, the tip of the practice sword was pointed at me.

“Can we call it a match, Kan彦-sama?”

“I surrender! I surrender!”

As I shouted, the sword was pulled back.

Only then was I able to relax and fall backward.

The practice sword I couldn’t hold onto anymore slipped from my palm.

“...Ah”

Above me was a sky that was ironically blue.

“Real knights are strong, huh”

I grumbled, and a laugh came back.

“No, Kan彦-sama has become quite strong too.”

“It’s not much of a consolation to hear that from someone I couldn’t even land a hit on. I’d rather be beaten with pride.”

“To be honest, it’s a hundred years too early for you to beat me. Try your best, Kan彦-sama.”

“Extreme!?”

I jumped up and shouted.

I’m quite a sore loser, and I couldn’t just let this slide.

“Darn it, I won’t lose!”

I pumped myself up and stood up.

“Why don’t we try using a spear next?”

“I’m all for it!”

Recently, my arm strength has improved, so I’ve been trying out various weapons.

With renewed enthusiasm, I nodded and turned to get the practice spear.

“Hey, Kan彦-sama”

A voice called out from behind me.

“Let’s do our best”

I nodded without turning around.

“...Yeah”

Then, I ran off, as if to shake off the bad feeling.

---

It had been almost a month since the captain, who had gone to explain the fall of Cheria Fort, was detained by the Margrave MacLaurin in the trading city of Seratta.

The Margrave MacLaurin left Seratta with the captain three days after I parted ways with Takahiro and the others.

Since then, I have been moving continuously as part of the group escorting the captain.

During this time, I haven’t been allowed to see the captain even once.

Being part of this group is partly due to my insistence as a hero, so I couldn’t make any further demands.

I myself am spending my days under surveillance but not detained, with one of the allied knights as my caretaker... but that doesn’t mean I’m not being watched.

I once escaped from Seratta after the captain was detained.

This allowed the Margrave MacLaurin to miss out on detaining some of the allied knights.

Among them was Sir Shiran, who served as the deputy in the knight order.

I couldn’t hand over Sir Shiran, who had become an undead monster in the Cheria Fort attack, to the Margrave MacLaurin. Frankly, I felt a sense of satisfaction, but it also made me a target of suspicion.

The Margrave MacLaurin probably fears that I might try to rescue the captain along with the missing knights.

In fact, I have been secretly communicating with some of the knights...

However, we have no intention of rescuing the captain.

Doing so would put the captain in an even more precarious position.

Still, the Margrave MacLaurin must have his concerns.

The captain’s escort was joined by a large force of the Margrave’s army, making the journey slow.

It took about ten days from leaving the Lawrence Earl’s territory to enter the fertile region in the western part of the Margrave MacLaurin’s territory.

We traveled north-east along the road for a few days and arrived at the city of Dursis, known as the granary of the southern empire.

We are now in a post town, about ten days’ travel north-east along the road by the great river Aralia from Dursis, heading towards the mining city of Nuryas, the center of the Margrave MacLaurin’s territory.

From here, it will take about a week to reach the mining city of Nuryas.

It has been a month-long journey.

It will take another month or more to reach the capital from there.

I don’t know how long the captain will be detained in the capital.

The Margrave’s side hasn’t given any explanation about the situation.

I’m not exactly liked.

I don’t like them either, so it’s mutual.

In any case, the stay won’t be short.

At the very least, the captain will be required to give a detailed account of what happened at Cheria Fort, the key stronghold for humanity, and the extent of the damage.

Then, the captain will be held responsible for the fall of Cheria Fort.

I had already discussed this with Takahiro and Sir Shiran before parting ways.

The captain, a beloved member of the royal family in the small country of Aker, cannot be executed for an unjust reason, as it could lead to war with the Margrave MacLaurin.

The Holy Knights, who fight alongside the hero on the battlefield and maintain world order in peacetime, will not allow unnecessary chaos.

No matter how much the Margrave dislikes the captain, he cannot carry out an execution.

However, the severity of the punishment can vary depending on the strength of the voices demanding responsibility.

That’s where I might have a role to play.

The capital, as the headquarters of the Holy Church that venerates the hero, has considerable influence.

As a hero, there must be something I can do for the captain.

Once that is over, even if the captain is stripped of his position and placed under house arrest, I can return to Aker...

“...It’s a long road ahead”

This is where I need to be patient.

“Speaking of Aker... Takahiro, how much longer until you get there?”

As I approached the magic stone-powered carriage we had been riding in and pulled out the practice spear I had left there, I muttered.

Takahiro, who is heading to Aker, probably hasn’t arrived yet, even if everything is going smoothly.

The route over the Kithrus Mountains is said to be treacherous.

Since it’s a road that is almost never used, it’s likely that he has been delayed by poor conditions.

Or he might have encountered an unexpected accident.

Still, he will arrive in Aker before me, almost without a doubt.

If the captain returns, he will be there to welcome him.

I pumped myself up again, determined not to be laughed at when we meet.

◆This is the prologue.

I will update again today.