Descended Over
“……this place is”
“Are you awake?”
I woke up while feeling my body shaking along with the shakes of the steps, and the very first thing that came into my eyes was, the head of a light-brown horse.
Am I riding on a horse now? A man’s voice speaks to me from behind as I’m thinking about it absentmindedly. I turn around and over there was, a mask-wearing man who clutches the horse’s reins.
……that’s right, although we somehow escaped from the Imperial Castle with their help, the pursue after that was also tremendous, and I was struck several times by the arrows that were shot at Shertia. I lost consciousness because of that
“……where’s Shertia?”
“She’s fine. She’s riding on the horse with Elise Imperial Princess, with Cecilia-sama now. But, as expected of that person’s subordinate. Alive despite being pierced by that many arrows on the back……no, you’re a Wraith, so I guess it’s different from being ‘alive’ huh?”
Although the masked man spoke to me from behind, perhaps for the sake of distracting me, I wanted to see Shertia’s unharmed figure more than anything now.
At the destination we galloped for about an hour after that, we enter a mountain where we’re able to hide, and it seems we’ll take a break there for once. Over there, I was finally able to meet Shertia and Elise Imperial Princess.
Around us is the female archer called Cecilia and the masked man called Cel. It seems they have about 100 subordinates. It appears that there are more of them further ahead, but this is all at this time.
“Chrono-san!”
“Shertia, I’m glad you’re unharmed”
Shertia doesn’t care about the eyes around, clings to me and rubs her head on me. I gently embrace her. I’m glad, as far as I can see, it doesn’t look like she has any serious injury. Elise Imperial Princess turned up from the back of that as well.
“I’m glad you woke up. I couldn’t bear to watch her fluster, while you were struck by the arrows and were unconscious”
Elise Imperial Princess, who says and laughs. Even after hearing that, Shertia carried on clinging to me without letting go. After that, I embraced Shertia until she’s satisfied, and subsequently, we ended up talking about the hereafter.
It seems we’re currently at the border between the Demi-Human Country and the Empire, and we’re heading towards where the Imperial troops that are being placed at the territory within the Empire are. It appears that those Imperial troops are the soldiers who launched the attack on the Demi-Human Country, and they’re letting them rest under the pretence of medical treatment. However
“Well, they will probably not be useful. It’s bad enough that both their morale and fighting spirit plummeted from the war against the Demi-Human Country, that they expect to win, even if we tell them to fight against the soldiers of their own country this time around, well, it’ll probably be impossible”
I’ll escape if it was me. Definitely. Let alone that there are the Four Beasts Houses on the other side. Leaving the Black Tortise House aside, I can foresee that the Vermillion Bird House, White Tiger House, and, albeit powerless, the Azure Dragon House, will show up.
Regarding that, I can foresee that no matter what the Imperial Princess tries to say, we’ll be treated as criminals who abducted the Imperial Princess, and Cecilia and the others will be treated as treasonists.
“But, we have no choice but to head for there now. Since there’s nothing but the First Imperial Prince’s faction’s nobles within the Empire. We have to at least head somewhere with allies, or, people who we can use as shields. We aren’t able to protect Her Highness”
“……I don’t really like it though, such thinking”
Elise Imperial Princess’ face clouds at Cecilia’s words. For that matter, I think we can gradually talk about it from now on though.
We camped inside the mountain that day and galloped towards the border early in the morning the following day. Although the towns’ security was tight, maybe because all the territories have already been contacted, and we weren’t able to go inside, 5 days after I woke up, we finally arrived at the last town that’s at the border’s vicinity somehow……and we were met with files of Imperial troops.
Well, if all the territories have been contacted, then it’s not unusual that the border troops have also been contacted. However, what’s strange was the fact that the Four Beasts Houses are mixed in amongst them. Naturally, all the Feudal Lords as well.
“……this is bad huh. Even the Kins are around, aren’t they”
Elise Imperial Princess mutters while perspiring cold sweat. If I’m not wrong, according to what I heard from Shertia, those who are recognised as Feudal Lords are given power from the Imperial Tool. Those who possessed that power should be existences referred to as Kins.
Although there are about 20 thousands Imperial troops including them, it’s quite tough for our side, who are under 100 people.
“……leave this place to me”
“I think it’s meaningless to sacrifice yourself. If we’ve come this far, they will set a bad example to the others if they don’t kill the traitors after all”
I have to come up with a way to break through somehow. Isn’t there anything? As I’m coming up with a plan, an old soldier who wore a dazzling armour turned up. He’s then shouting something completely unbelievable; that they’ll spare our lives if we return the Imperial Princess.
I can foresee that we’ll be killed upon returning the Imperial Princess, there’s the possibility that they’ll also kill the returned Imperial Princess. They’ll say that the Imperial Princess, who’s taken hostage, was killed by the wicked inhumane traitors.
Furthermore, he started prattling things like how he’ll show mercy to those who capture the Imperial Princess. Of course, the looks in the eyes of soldiers on our side who heard those words change.
I guess that’s the only way if they plan to break through the status quo of a definite losing battle huh. Celica and Cel ready their weapons, in order to protect Elise Imperial Princess from the soldiers who were allies until just now. I also move close to Shertia’s side and make sure that I can take out my Magic Crystals at any time.
I have about a thousand Magic Crystals that can summon dead spirits. Although I can temporarily stall if I use that, we probably can’t cross the border.
……as for the last method, I guess it’s making the Azure Dragon’s Tear that we have over here go out of control using my power as a Magic Tool Specialist. It’s just that if I do that, my existence will probably disappear, and the Azure Dragon’s Tear will probably break.
As one who has died once, I’m not afraid to die one more time, and I’m thinking that I don’t mind if it’s for the sake of protecting Shertia. However, I want to keep the breaking of her memento as a last resort. In this respect, I guess I’m naive. Well, I have no intention of yielding though.
“It appears that you don’t have the intention to hand over the Imperial Princess huh. In that case, it can’t be helped. All troops, commence atta……”
The moment the elderly General was about to give his command, something descended over from the sky, out of our sight. ‘Zudoon!!!’, the ground shakes enormously. An enshrouding dust cloud. It’s an overly abrupt event, and both the Imperial troops’ side and our side weren’t able to move.
All that’s audible, is a delighted-sounding laugh from within the dust cloud.
“Heyy, Sirr! It’s fine for me to fight these guys, right! Heyy, heyy!!”
And then, around the time when the dust cloud cleared up, 3 man and women appeared from within. There’s a large wolf though.
“Awawawaa, I, I will return alive no matter what it takes and meet Tiera!!”
“You don’t have to be that nervous, Mars. I’ll resurrect you even if you die. Relcend, it’s fine to rampage as much as you like, Lo too”
“Wauu!”
Actually showing up at this timing……it’s too cool……Boss.
