Chapter 80

The mansion was surrounded by the soldiers of the Raulet family.

Marié secretly peeked out the window at the scene and swallowed hard at the number of them.

"There must be hundreds of them!"

Even with the walls around the mansion, the presence of the soldiers made her uneasy. They seemed ready to scale them.

Erik, looking at the soldiers, said,

"Are these the elite of the Raulet family? They’re not being moved by Lord Alberich—could it be Serge?"

Hearing Serge’s name, Marié recalled something.

(The last male target—heard he’s a reincarnated person like us, but what does it mean for my brother to be outdone? What were Luxion and Claire doing?)

Then she realized something.

"Wait. Where is this Serge?"

"It seems he’s not here, Miss."

"Could he have gone to—Lion’s place?"

"Given the situation, it’s possible. If they know Noelle is a priestess, the six great noble families would want her desperately."

Upon hearing this, Angel took the seedling case.

"If we hand this over, we’ll head straight to Lion. Claire, get ready."

"I’m coming too, Angel!"

As Livia stepped forward, the head maid tried to take the seedling case from Angel.

"Miss Angelica, I will go outside. You must not leave the mansion."

"Are you telling me to hide behind you? Don’t be ridiculous."

Ignoring the head maid’s advice, Angel was about to go outside but paused to look at the seedlings.

"Without this case, would the seedlings wither?"

It seemed she was considering swapping the case or just handing over the seedlings as a form of retaliation, given that she was quite angry, which Marié could tell.

It was Claire who tried to stop Angel.

"Poor things. It’s better to hand them over as they are."

"I didn’t expect to hear you say 'poor things.' But, we need to hurry now."

Livia and the head maid followed behind.

Erik looked at Marié.

"What should we do, Miss?"

"What should we do? We’ll look for Lion after the soldiers leave. Kyle and Carla will stay here to keep watch."

◇

Outside the mansion, Angel handed the seedling case to a high-ranking soldier.

"Here’s the seedling you desire. Now, be on your way."

The soldier received the seedling with both hands, but his tone was rough.

"Women of the kingdom lack class. I’ve heard they command slaves and order men around with a flick of their wrist. I can see it in you."

Even the soldiers treated Angel this way.

This was partly because their anxiety had been alleviated, and they felt more at ease than usual.

"Having lost to Lion once, you still have the nerve to speak like that?"

"Loss? —Ah, you don’t know. The heir of the Raulet family, Lord Serge, has defeated your kingdom’s heroes. They might be dead by now."

Hearing this, Angel’s eyes wavered with shock.

The soldier, feeling confident, noticed this and smiled.

"The republic and the kingdom are of different ranks. Compared to the hero of the republic, Lord Serge, your kingdom’s heroes are inferior. You should understand that they are no match for him."

The republic is indeed strong.

The soldiers had regained their pride with Serge’s appearance.

"You understand what this means, don’t you? If it’s true—"

"Angel!"

As Angel clenched her fists in anger, Livia held her hands with both of hers.

"Lion’s safety comes first. We need to hurry."

"Right. Claire, can you guide us?"

"The noise is bad, but I can manage."

The soldiers carefully carried the seedlings and left the mansion.

"You will immediately present the seedlings to Lord Alberich. And while you’re at it, report that the kingdom’s knights were no match for us."

The Raulet family soldiers left, laughing.

Angel gritted her teeth.

(Alberich. One of the six great nobles. I will repay this debt. I will.)

◇

When Livia, Angel, and the head maid arrived at Lion’s location with Claire’s guidance, Arogants was in a terrible state.

"—It’s bad."

Garbage cans were overturned, and garbage was strewn everywhere. Graffiti covered the area, including insults to the kingdom.

People from the republic were watching from a distance.

The head maid covered her mouth.

"For Arogants to be damaged to this extent—perhaps it’s because it’s a replica?"

The real Arogants is officially said to have been lost in the war with the principality.

Claire agreed.

"Yes. It’s inevitable since it’s a replica. Now, is the stubborn one still okay?"

Claire approached Arogants and opened the cockpit hatch.

Luxion emerged from inside.

"Late."

"Don’t be mad. Besides, you could have retrieved it yourself, couldn’t you?"

"I was hindered by Ideal. Also, Master refused to call my main body to this place."

"Ah, that’s like Master."

Livia and Angel quickly approached to check on Lion’s safety.

"Lion! —Thank goodness. He’s still alive."

Livia healed Lion with healing magic and explained to Angel.

"He’s just unconscious."

"Blood! There’s so much of it!"

The head maid tried to calm the agitated Angel.

"Miss Angelica, a lot of blood comes from the head. Lady Livia is more specialized, so trust her judgment."

Luxion approached Livia.

"He’s just unconscious. I’ve already stopped the bleeding."

"Thank goodness. Truly, thank goodness."

As Livia, relieved, shed tears, Angel questioned Luxion.

"How could you let this happen? Luxion, what happened?"

"——Noelle was taken."

"Of course. To them, Noelle is an essential asset. But—"

"Ideal—another being like me, is serving the heir of the Raulet family, Serge. No, it’s not serving."

"Another like you? Does he have a flying ship like Partner? Armor equivalent to Arogants?"

As they spoke, robots descended from the sky, dragging Lion out of the cockpit and retrieving Arogants.

"Let’s discuss this back at the mansion. No, it might be better to return to the airship immediately. This isn’t over yet."

Angel, concerned about the unconscious Lion, said,

"Alright. I’ll contact the embassy too."

Claire looked around.

Livia called out,

"Alé, what’s wrong?"

"The armor fought, yet people are still around. Normally, they would be evacuated, right? What a thoughtless AI."

"Eh, eh?"

"Master was worried about the people and didn’t call the stubborn one. But, a ruler who doesn’t protect their own citizens—what kind of ruler is that? Or are they treated as expendable?"

Livia, hearing this, looked around.

"Lion must have thought it through."

"So that’s why he lost. Master is too kind."

Livia, looking at the unconscious Lion, bowed her head.

"I don’t want him to fight anymore."

"I agree. We’re going to be busy from now on."

◇

When I woke up, I was in bed.

Realizing it was my room in Einhorn, I called for Luxion.

"Luxion, what’s the situation—oh!"

As I sat up, I saw Angel and Livia sleeping beside the bed.

Claire approached.

"I was busy, so I stayed with you. How does that make you feel?"

"Regardless of you, I’m glad about these two."

"Master, you’re so mean. —I was up until the early morning, but a lot happened, so I’m tired. Let them rest."

"Alright. So, what’s the situation?"

"It’s already the worst."

Hearing Claire’s report, my head started to hurt.

Actually, it already hurt.

Touching it, I found it bandaged.

"The six great nobles are in a panic. From what I can see from a distance, it seems to be the Raulet family’s decision."

"They’re all just getting in my way. But, why not investigate more thoroughly? Usually, you would—"

"Ideal seems to have stolen parts from a military information ship. Now, we’re being watched and can’t investigate properly."

Luxion said something similar.

"If even you can’t, it must be serious. Tell me more."

"Let’s ask someone else."

Claire’s eyes turned towards the door.

I sensed someone outside.

"Is it Marié?"

"Yes."

It seems to be just one person.

As Marié entered the room, Claire asked,

"So, Marié—tell me, in the game, what was Ideal’s performance like?"

Marié didn’t know much.

"I couldn’t get it without paying, so I don’t know much. I ran out of money after buying the game. But, it was a large, box-shaped blue airship."

The airship I saw—spaceship—was the same.

"What about its performance?"

"I don’t know. The stats are different from the first game, so they can’t be compared."

It’s complicated.

"But—"

Marié seemed to recall something.

"I don’t know the detailed settings, but I remember reading on a strategy site that it was very convenient."

"Convenient?"

"It was originally a supply ship. I don’t know what a supply ship does, though. Isn’t it just for supplying?"

She didn’t seem very interested in the settings.

"Claire, what’s Serge’s goal? Does he want the seedling and Noelle to prepare for the final boss? Or does he intend to cut down the sacred tree quickly?"

"I can’t answer that. But, Luxion said—Ideal was originally military."

I heard that.

But, the next part—

"Someone who fought directly against the new humans couldn’t be so calm. Even we have a reaction, so it’s impossible for him to be so calm."

Is it strange for Ideal, who fought the new humans, to be so calm?

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

"It was uncertain information. Plus, I thought he had no combat experience. But, it seems he has."

Luxion found battle repair marks on the ship’s hull.

"He actually fought the new humans."

"The possibility is high. I can guess what he’s thinking, though."

Marié looked pale.

"W-wait. Are you going to fight a cheat battleship?"

"It’s technically a supply ship. It would be troublesome if it’s loaded with weapons."

"That’s not the point! Brother, can you really beat him? If not, we need to run now!"

We’re no longer in a position of overwhelming advantage.

But, something is bothering me.

"They called me a heretic."

"That’s not your nickname."

"The important part is not that. I am a heretic. I can’t deny that. But, it’s too harsh, as if I gleefully killed people."

After explaining my conversation with Serge, Marié tilted her head.

"True, that’s strange. You’re a hero who saved the country, after all."

"Sort of? Thanks to some people, I’m a proper hero who saved the country!"

Bringing the conversation back on track.

"I did kill people. I am a heretic. I can’t justify that. But, it’s too harsh, as if I gleefully killed people."

"Indeed, it’s harsh. You might provoke others, but you don’t gleefully kill people. Léa and the others believed in you. I won’t forgive him."

Because he joined Serge’s side, we’re—wait, we’re not in trouble.

Losing the original knowledge is a blow, but it’s unclear how much he would have helped.

"What do they intend to do? If they want the seedling to cut down the sacred tree, they should have consulted us. They treated us as if we were unreasonable from the start."

"They act on impulse. They’re not trustworthy."

"What do they intend to do?"

Looking at the mark on my right hand, a symbol of the seedling’s blessing, I struggled to understand what Serge and the others were thinking.

"—Huh?"

"What’s wrong, brother?"

"Nothing, just my imagination."

For a moment, it seemed Livia moved, but it was probably just my imagination.