"Of course. It seems you noticed it as well."
"Ah, well, about that..."
I messed up. I inadvertently leaked one of the few pieces of information I had.
"?"
Furthermore, "I was informed by the will residing within the divine sword. Most of the saintly swords in this castle are fakes."
"I see. Impressive."
"Um... Your Majesty... How did the saintly swords of the divine sword go missing in the first place? I thought that the royal family managed all of the saintly swords."
"Hmm..."
At that moment, King Dalia leaned on the round table with both elbows, clutching his hands together and displaying a pained expression.
"Originally, all divine swords except the Holy Light Sword were unaccounted for."
"What?!"
Without thinking, I exclaimed loudly, forgetting that I was surrounded by powerful figures of the kingdom.
"It's not unusual for someone possessing a saintly sword to act against the royal family and plot rebellions. In fact, it has happened several times."
"I... Is that so?"
"Several years ago, a girl who had the Explosive Flame Sword stored in her hometown came to present it to the royal family. That girl was Cattleya, who's here with us."
"What?!"
Once again, I exclaimed in surprise and instinctively gazed at Instructor Cattleya sitting next to me.
"We granted Cattleya ownership of the Explosive Flame Sword. Well, she was the only one who could handle it. And as a special exception, we allowed her to enroll in the Royal Military Academy."
"... They exempted my tuition. I was an orphan back then, so I didn't have any money."
Instructor Cattleya whispered to me with a wry smile.
"Afterwards, within a few years, wielders of the Icebound Sword and Thunderclap Sword began selfishly using their powers. They decimated local lords and armies and claimed lordships for themselves. The power of those wielding saintly swords is immense. Armies were, quite literally, no match for them."
Of course, that would be the case.
While the saintly swords aren't as powerful as the Holy Light Sword, they still possess immense power.
Their owners truly gain the ability to single-handedly wipe out large armies.
Originally, this power was meant to help the hero protect the world.
"At that time, we had no choice but to entrust Cattleya, who had the Explosive Flame Sword, with the task of suppressing the rebellion. We granted her full command of all available soldiers and directed her towards the castles occupied by the rebels."
Listening to the story, I swallowed hard.
"You can guess the result. Cattleya defeated the wielders of the Icebound and Thunderclap Swords, retrieving both saintly swords [...]"
"Amazing. Instructor Cattleya is truly incredible."
What a cool past she has.
Although she occasionally regresses to a childlike state and breaks into tears.
"Let me clarify, Crow. It wasn't a two-against-one victory. Back then, those saintly sword users only believed in their own power. Since they had each claimed separate territories, I defeated them individually."
"Still, that's impressive, Instructor. Both the Icebound Sword and the Thunderclap Sword are just as formidable as the Explosive Flame Sword, right?"
"Well, it seemed like they couldn't fully utilize their swords. I, on the other hand, have been swinging this thing around since I was a kid without even knowing what it truly was. It was handy for things like cooking or heating up a bath."
".......... Huh."
I was left with my mouth agape. Like a Fairy Tale
She really seems like a character out of a fairy tale.
"Currently, we cannot afford to dispatch Cattleya, our powerhouse, from the royal capital. However, we also can't ignore the rebellion. If left unchecked, the Ash Dragon will undoubtedly establish an independent force. If that happens, the remaining territories will likely plan their independence."
If that happens, there will be power struggles using military force between lords. Or, those possessing the missing saintly swords might start causing chaos.
It's the worst-case scenario.
In five years, the world that Shion must protect from the Demon King might lose its population due to human infighting even before being attacked by the Demon King.
"That brings me to the main point, Crow. I called you here specifically for this. Can you use the power of the Hero to quell this rebellion?"
In other words, he's suggesting that Shion should obliterate the rebel forces.
"Your Majesty, that is... ..."
"I understand your concerns. However, this is an urgent matter."
It's simple. I just have to ask Shion.
To annihilate the rebel forces.
If Shion uses Excalibur, regardless of the size of the army or the strength of the castle walls, they will likely be obliterated.
Even if there are saintly sword owners among the rebels, it doesn't matter.
She is the girl who nearly destroyed the royal capital with just a sprint.
Currently, she is the most powerful being in the world.
To use her power against people?
To use the power meant to protect humans from the Demon King to kill humans?
And to have me command her to do so?
"Your Majesty, may I handle this matter myself?"
"Oh! You mean, you're asking the Hero to help?"
"No, I will personally suppress the rebellion."
At that moment, everyone at the round table was stunned.
"Crow...!"
Instructor Cattleya, sitting next to me, looked up at me with an expression that was neither a smile nor a cry. But everyone else had the same expression, as if to say...
(What is this kid talking about?)
"Your Majesty, please send me to confront the Ash Dragon. I promise I'll quell the rebellion."
"Uh, well... but..."
The King of Dalia hesitated.
Everyone, from the king down to the important figures of this country, likely shares the same thought.
I am valuable as long as I can command Shion.
But they probably think I have no value in and of myself. That's fine. That's probably true.
I have no power or talent. There's nothing I can do. However, I do know what absolutely must not be done. I will never use Shion's power to kill people. Suppression of the rebellion, ending wars, stabilizing the nation... It's all a matter of human convenience. Especially when it comes to the question of whether I live or die, I can't misuse the power meant to protect the world. Well, I've already extensively used a fraction of Holly's power to protect myself, but let's consider that an exception.
"Please leave the suppression of the rebellion to me."
"Hmm... But..."
"If you wish to ask Shion to annihilate the rebel forces, please do so after I'm dead."
When I said that, I felt like I'd never forget the expressions on the faces of those present. They looked as though they thought it would be more convenient if I just died on my own accord.
Having been appointed as a commander and granted permission to head to the battlefield where Iris was dispatched, I left the Round Table chamber. Though, more than being "permitted", I felt more like I was told to go and die at my own discretion.
"Crow, what are you thinking?"
In the castle corridor, Instructor Cattleya, following me, started speaking. Beside her, Saffron, no longer invisible, was also there. Instructor Cattleya looked genuinely concerned, but Saffron seemed to be sizing me up.
I knew it even before the two pointed it out. I lack combat ability. Moreover, I have no experience leading an army, nor do I believe I have any talent for it. In other words, there's nothing I can do on the battlefield. Whether as a front-line soldier, a commander, or a general deciding the fate of the entire army, I lack the necessary skills. I'm useless.
"Crow, I admire your courage, but honestly, this is reckless. This isn't like searching for the divine sword or going on an adventure to find the hero. It's war. You can't handle it."
"I know that."
"If that's the case, leave it to me. Even without permission, I'll go to the site. I'll definitely find Iris and save her."
"Instructor, please calm down for now."
"Ah!"
At that moment, Instructor Cattleya, who was behind me, rushed past me, grabbed my collar, and glared at me.