Chapter 64

Well, this is a serious situation.

I didn’t expect there to be as many as thirty knights; that’s not normal.

Knights are somewhere between soldiers and bodyguards, with more lethal capabilities than bodyguards and a greater ceremonial role than soldiers.

Moreover, the Church Knights are a military force with extraterritorial rights within the country.

(Sephirah, do you understand why I’m being targeted? Is the worship service a trap too?)

(Just speculation. The disadvantages outweigh the benefits in this situation. It is inferred that the one targeting you is not here.)

But if that’s the case, who could it be?

Terry and the others have even more to lose than I do.

So it must be Tadare or Rithriomas, but I don’t understand why they would do it here, where we princes are.

“Terry, can I go ahead alone? I want to see if there are any problems and have you tell me. Also, get the twins dressed nicely.”

I joked to avoid worrying them and stepped forward alone.

“It would be more efficient to go together.”

“To set an example for the younger ones.”

“Hmmm... I see.”

Rithriomas suggested doing it together to save time, while Tadare clearly lost his enthusiasm.

Ignoring them, I knelt down, clasped my hands, and bowed my head in prayer.

(I’m also separated from the bodyguards, and this posture leaves me very vulnerable.)

(Religion serves as an authority outside of royal power. An assassination of a prince in a place of worship would make two forces enemies, and even if the religious side were an ally, the prince lacks the flaws needed to convince the public, the believers.)

Despite all the talk, I am just a harmless child to the public.

Sephirah says that a violent act in a familiar place like a cathedral, which the public also uses, would evoke a strong rejection.

I finished my prayer without incident, and Tadare read the prayer quickly and without much clarity.

“Your Highnesses.”

“No, I will follow my brother’s example and do it alone.”

Terry said this with a broad smile, and Rithriomas responded with a reluctant comment.

“We also have a time limit, so please come with us.”

“No, we should respect the prince’s wishes.”

This time, Tadare deferred to Terry, reading the prayer more slowly and clearly than he did for me.

The favoritism was so obvious that Terry’s guards were watching to see if Icto would get angry, but Icto wasn’t that immature.

The children, unaware of the adults’ schemes, were still there.

“Fer, just a little longer, stay awake.”

“Brother, I’m... sleepy...”

The twins were drowsy from the monotony of the prayer, and Fer’s eyelids were drooping.

(Sephirah, ten people are approaching. There are signs that five more are coming from behind the ten.)

At Sephirah’s warning, I looked at Icto, who immediately signaled the other guards.

Terry’s guards rushed to our side, even though we were in the middle of the prayer.

As the guards placed their hands on Terry’s shoulders, the door beside the altar opened with a bang.

The knights, as Sephirah had informed me, appeared with swords and spears already in hand.

“What!? Suddenly starting a prayer, huh!? What are the knights doing!?”

Tadare shouted, being the closest to the intruding knights.

Terry’s guards immediately grabbed us and pulled us away.

In the meantime, Tadare was slashed by a sword as if he had been hit.

“This way! There’s an exit over there!”

Rithriomas shouted and directed us.

The guards, though unarmed, shielded us from the knights.

Among them, Icto made a reckless charge, quickly closing in on an opponent with a spear.

But he was immediately struck by a sword from a nearby knight.

I thought he was cut, but the sound that echoed in the high ceiling of the cathedral was metallic.

Icto had used the sword he had taken from the knight to defend himself.

It seemed he had been cut superficially, but it wasn’t a fatal wound.

“We’re in the way of the guards! Let’s run!”

Rithriomas urged us even more.

But Sephirah warned me again.

(Sephirah, ten armed people are on the other side of the door we’re heading to.)

I stopped, and Fer, who was holding my hand, also stopped.

Terry, who noticed, stopped as well, and Wanner, who was holding Terry’s hand, stopped too.

“The guards can’t get any more weapons. We should join the others.”

The guards who had been delayed at the edge of the cathedral were running towards us with swords in hand.

“Let’s go!”

“““Okay!”””

“Huh!? Wait! This way! It’s safer here!”

Ignoring Rithriomas’s voice, we brothers ran.

Knights came out of the door we were heading towards and chased us.

“Icto! New threat!”

“Run!”

Icto, while protecting the guards, was keeping the swords at bay, but he instructed the unarmed guards to run to us.

Of course, the thirty knights didn’t miss the opportunity to divide us.

Icto, who was isolated, was also in danger.

(Sephirah Sefiroth! Just a basic spell! Cast it only on the knights!)

I pretended to cast a spell, gathering power and waving my hand.

Sephirah, in sync with me, cast a spell that only produced sparks, which she deployed over the heads of about ten knights.

Suddenly, it was as if a household fireworks display had gone off over the knights’ heads.

“Icto! Sorry!”

“What for?”

Icto, who had somehow been using water magic to defend himself, calmly chased after us.

“Amazing! So many spells...”

“Zap zap!”

“Hot hot!”

Terry and the twins were impressed, but it was Sephirah’s ability, and we were still in danger, so I couldn’t celebrate.

Most importantly, even though we were running at full speed, we were just children.

The knights were catching up to us.

At that moment, an unarmed guard tackled one of the knights, and another guard caught up to us.

The guard who tackled the knight was also saved by Icto, who had come to our aid.

We met up with the guards who had swords right in the middle of the cathedral.

(Sephirah! What’s the escape route?)

(Upstairs)

Following Sephirah’s instructions, we headed for the stairs we had climbed to view the ceiling painting.

We then escaped into the palace from the second floor.

The knights, being affiliated with the church, stopped chasing us halfway and started to retreat.

(Sephirah Sefiroth! Chase them!)

(Warning. We are not yet completely out of danger.)

(But if we let this threat go, we might never catch them again!)

While being warned by Sephirah, I had her chase the knights.

Without stopping, we found the palace guards inside and reported the abnormal situation.

“What!? Then protect the prince immediately. And bring that clergyman over here too.”

Rithriomas, who had escaped with us, was also being called for protection by the guards.

But I called out to stop them and shielded my younger brothers.

“Ah, that person is an enemy, so arrest him.”

“Huh?”

“He was trying to lead us towards the knights. And when one of us was attacked, he came over unharmed from among the knights, so he’s one of them.”

At my words, Icto immediately moved.

Terry’s guards, perhaps from the escape, followed Icto.

Suddenly, Rithriomas was subdued, and the guards who had gathered from inside the palace were unable to keep up with the situation.

“Let me go! Damn it! Damn it!”

Rithriomas was arrested without any help.

Even though Terry acted on my behalf.

I won’t forgive you for ruining it!

Regular update

Next: The Younger Brother’s Heart, the Elder Brother Knows 5