“Don’t let him get away!”

Following Leo’s order, the Narbe Ritters chase after Kruger.

However, a group of knights rushed toward them to stop their pursuit.

During the battle between the knights and the Narbe Ritters, Leo’s and Kruger’s eyes met.

“You will never escape!”

“Hmph! How many knights do you think I have in this castle! It seems you brought an elite unit with you but my castle will never fall to some mercenaries!”

“It would be nice if you don’t underestimate us so much.”

Saying so, Lars then swings his dual swords and cuts through the enemy knights.

Seeing that, Kruger immediately turned back and started to run away.

Leo took some of his men and followed Kruger through the path Lars paved.

“It seems he is heading to the upper level.”

“He must have something there. He is Zandra’s uncle after all.”

“Doesn’t matter. We came this far already, the rest is just to break through anything he throws at us.”

Saying So, Sieg climbs on Leo’s back.

Seeing that, Lars let out a sigh.

“Being able to ride on His Highness like that, aren’t you in quite a high position.”

“My legs are short after all. Well, since we are working cut me some slack okay.”

“It’s fine. I will count on you when the time comes alright.”

Without minding Sieg, Leo continues to run.

The Narbe Ritters also don’t have anything to say anymore.

It’s a battlefield so they understand that voicing something Leo doesn’t mind about would be meaningless.

“Enemy soldiers incoming from the left!”

“Third and Fourth platoon! Go and intercept them!”

“Yes, sir!”

Upon receiving Las’s command, the platoons split off to intercept the enemy.

If they stop, they will not be able to push through them with force anymore. Even if he has to split up a few of his men, Leo has no choice but to keep advancing.

Still, Leo anxiously looks at the soldiers who head off to intercept the enemy.

Seeing Leo like that, a soldier says this to Leo.

“Please do not worry about them. We are prepared for any kind of situation.”

“…….You, what’s your name?”

“Second lieutenant Bernd Lerner, sir.”

“I heard that name before. Nii-san told me that you were the first to volunteer right.”

“Yes, sir! I thought that this is something worth putting my life on the line for. So please keep looking forward and leave escorting you to us.”

“……I understand. I will leave my back to you.”

“Please leave it to me.”

When Lerner and Leo were having such a conversation, Sieg who was riding on Leo detected something and started to get alert.

“Be careful. I got a bad feeling about this.”

“Hearing the word bad feeling from an adventurer sure gave me a chill.”

While Lars says that, perhaps everyone also felt the same feeling, they all raise their vigilance.

Something is there that worth them prioritize their vigilance rather than speed.

That’s what Lars and Sieg felt.

And that feeling wasn’t wrong.

Loud noises echoed from the wall next to the passage Leo and the others are on.

And it is getting closer and closer.

“Scatter!”

Receiving Lars’s instruction, everyone jumped away from the place.

Then, after a moment, the walls of the passage burst open.

“UOHHHHHHH!!”

“What!?”

“Careful!”

The Narbe Ritters take position.

Then it emerged from the smoke of the collapsed walls.

Its body length is around two meters and its width took up half of the large passage.

Surprisingly it was a human. However, no matter how one looks at it, that is no doubt a monster.

“That gave me a surprise. It seems this castle also breeds monsters huh.”

“This is not the time to joke around! Hold your position!”

Without going along with Sieg’s light comment, Leo gave his order.

However, Sieg took over.

“Give it up. This thing is not something you can go against with number alone.”

Saying so, Sieg gets down fro Leo’s back and held his spear in front of the man-like monster.

Then.

“Go. I will take care of this guy.”

“Sieg….can you take it down alone?”

“Don’t be stupid. Of course it’s the job of adventurers to take care of monsters. Leave this to me.”

Hearing Sieg, Leo gives Lars a nod.

Lars immediately understands his intention and gives a command to his subordinates.

“Join the platoons that split off earlier and stop the enemy’s advance! The rest, follow me!”

With the map of the castle inside the imperial castle’s library, the Narbe Ritters have already memorized the layout of this place.

Thus, the soldiers who received the instruction immediately move out.

“Sieg! Be careful!”

“You too. They might have something similar to this guy ahead after all.”

“I will do something about it when the time comes.”

Smiling bitterly at Leo’s reply, Sieg sees Leo and the others off.

Then, he turned his sight back to the man in front of him.

“Either magic or some drugs huh…..either way, this is still too inhuman. Sorry but, I am not free enough to go easy on you. I will come at you for real alright?”

“UOHHHHH!!”

The man responds to Sieg with a scream.

Sieg then turned his spear to the man and disappeared.

“Uoh?”

“It seems that you are numb to pain huh.”

Sieg said that as he stood behind the man.

A large amount of blood was dripping from the tip of his spear.

The man looks at it mysteriously and slowly turns to look at his left hand. He tried to move it but it won’t budge.

His left hand was cut halfway at the elbow and dangling around.

“Uohhhhh!!??”

“You are slow huh. The joint seems pretty weak so I will be shaving that off. Now, come at me.”

In response to Sieg’s provocation, the man swings his right hand with all his might. The force destroyed the floor but Sieg lightly jumped up and planted his feet on the ceiling.

He then uses it as a foothold and lunges the man. After he landed, he jumped up again.

Sieg continued to leap around like a bouncing ball attacking the man’s weak points and eventually, the man became unable to move.

“TERYAAA!!”

“!?”

Sieg’s spear sent the man’s neck flying.

The man’s neck then falls to the floor with a heavy sound.

“Sorry. I’m not such a good guy that would be thinking about a way to save you.”

Saying so, Sieg looks at the man’s corpse a little dejected.

“Making a human into a monster huh………to hell with that.”

Sieg angrily muttered and turned his sight toward the approaching knight unit that heard the sound and came to investigate.

“It’s a bear!”

“It’s the enemy in the report!”

The knights pulled out their swords and approached Sieg but he only silently pointed his spear at them.

With just that, the knights stopped, cold sweat ran down their back.

“Uuu…..”

“Kuh! Ch, Charge!!”

A knight braves his way forward but Sieg emotionlessly pierces his chest.

Then, he pulled out his spear and started talking to them amidst the geyser of blood.

“If you want to get past me then don’t come at me with a half baked courage. Charge at me with the resolve to die. I’m quite pissed right now.”

Saying so, Sieg blocked the passage.

After Leo and the others rushed into the castle, Finne and her guards are also being chased.

However, with Lynfia and the Narbe Ritters, they couldn’t get close to Finne.

“Please step back a little bit.”

“Yes……”

Finne took a step back, following Lynfia’s instruction.

Then, the knight that tried to grab Finne was cut down by Lynfia.

Seeing that, Finne silently makes a saddened expression.

The loss of life. She came here with the resolve to witness it.

Instead of herself who couldn’t fight, many people have to stain their hands with blood in her place. it’s not like she could tell her men to lay down their weapons because their enemies are pitiful either.

Still, she couldn’t just turn off her feelings just because they are enemies.

“It’s done. Finne-sama?”

“…….”

Finne quietly crouched near the knight who was cut down earlier.

The Narbe Ritters tried to stop her because it was dangerous but Lynfia stopped them.

“I’m Finne von Kleinert. Do you have a final word?”

“Augh…..I, I am…….a knight who serves the Talnath house……..”

“? Why are you here?”

“M, my lord…..has been taken hostage…….I have to catch you……or they will kill him……..”

“…..Is there anything I can do?”

“Please…..my lord……..”

Saying so, the knight reaches out to Finne.

Finne tried to grasp his hand but before she could, the knight’s hand powerlessly fell.

“I understand…….”

“Finne-sama. We have to move.”

One of the Narbe Ritters impatiently said.

In response, Finne gives them a small nod.

She then looks at Lynfia.

Lynfia who understands the meaning behind Finne’s expression was a little surprised but she smiled and nodded.

“As you wish, Finne-sama.”

“Lynfia-san…..”

“I am only here to protect you. And I also think that what you are trying to do is splendid as well, Finne-sama.”

“…..Sorry. Thank you very much.”

Saying so, Finne looks at the elites of the Narbe Ritters who are acting as her guards.

For Finne’s guards, only the most talented of the Narbe Ritters were selected.

To them, they couldn’t understand why Finne would do something meaningless like she earlier did in such a situation.

Escorting her to a safe place as soon as possible is their job so staying still and talking is only a meaningless act to them.

However, immediately after, they were told something in a language that they could understand.

“I……..will rescue the hostages.”

“Wha!? Are you sane!?”

“This is no time for that Finne-sama!”

“Please reconsider!”

All the soldiers oppose her decision.

However, after a quick glance at them, Finne declared.

“I understand how dangerous this will be. However, as the Emperor’s envoy, I have an obligation to save them.”

“But!”

“I know why everyone wants to stop me. And probably…….you are correct after all it is smarter to just evacuate from here.”

Saying so, Finne slowly touches her blue seagull ornament.

Ever since she received this hair ornament, she was no longer just a daughter of a duke.

She hates that idea and refused to leave her territory. Still, she left and forcibly stayed by Al’s side.

The reason for that is the special feeling inside her. The feeling of wanting to be useful to Al. the feeling of wanting to repay him. Those kinds of feelings.

A long time ago, beauties all across the Empire were gathered at the imperial capital to decide who will be the owner of this ornament. Of course, Finne was there. However, with that as her first time in the imperial capital, the fact she had never seen such a large crowd before coupled with how she will meet the Emperor in person for the first time made her very nervous. For Finne, who was still only 14 years old at the time, the pressure was too much for her to handle.

As she was hanging her head as anxiety took over her, there was a boy who cheerfully encouraged such Finne.

Finne, whose face was hidden under a veil, was told by the boy that the Emperor was just an ordinary old man and there’s nothing that she should be nervous about. It was quite silly because he was there with her because he just escaped from the stage she will be standing on because he thought it was troublesome.

Still, Finne was able to calm down after talking with him. And then, she obtained the title of the blue seagull princess. For that boy, it must have been something trivial but for Finne, that was a big moment. Ever since then, Finne has admired the boy, Al.

When Al arrived at her home, Finne thought that it was her chance to thank him. That’s why she never said [Nice to meet you] to Al back then. However, back then, Al furiously berated her father. It depressed Finne when she thought that the boy had changed.

However, Al actually never changed.

The same as he was that day, he still remained a kind person. Knowing his secret, Finne begged her father. She wanted to stay by Al’s side and help him. She might be a dead weight to him but she still wanted to stay at Al’s side. She wanted to help Al however she could.

She thought that she was willing to do anything for him.

That kind of courage welled up inside her.

“But……it’s against my principle to not do anything just because it was correct or it was the smart thing to do. I came here to save people. Everyone here is the same, are you not? Were you not here because Al-sama’s words moved you? Do you think that anyone who once called themselves a knight……would be able to overlook something like this?”

“…….However! If something were to happen to you–!”

“Nothing will happen to me. I have excellent knights by my side after all.”

“What are you saying…….?”

“Everyone here was carefully selected to protect me, the Emperor’s envoy, your strength should be equal to the imperial knights. I believe that everyone here has that much power. I believe in the knights that Al-sama personally recruited……and I will never say that I have no confidence in your ability. You all are the Narbe Ritters. The most elite unit of the imperial army after all.”

Hearing that, the soldiers avert their eyes.

They then nodded as though they made up their mind.

It was because they thought that they wouldn’t be able to persuade Finne no matter what they say.

Personally, they couldn’t leave things as it is either.

She placed her trust in them. That’s why they are prepared to protect this girl no matter what.

Still, they have to take as many safety measures as possible.

She is someone the prince who inspired them entrusted them with after all.

But if the girl said that she would go then there is no stopping her.

“We will protect you with all our power. However, if we judge that your life is in danger, we will forcibly evacuate you.”

“Yes. I will be relying on you.”

Finne smiles as she says so.

After the talk concluded, Lynfia opened a new topic.

“Now, where should we search for them? If we can find them soon, we will be able to help our infiltrating unit as well so we should hurry.”

“There’s no need to worry about that. Sebas-san.”

Finne confidently called Sebas.

Hearing that, Sebas appears behind Finne.

“At your service.”

“Do you know where the hostages are likely to be?”

“I have looked around the castle and there’s one place that I found suspicious.”

“Can you guide us there?”

“As you wish. However…..Finne-sama, you really are similar to Al-sama.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, very.”

Hearing that, Finne cheerfully smiles.

For that was the finest compliment Finne could ask for.

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