There was a chance, through future interactions and discusshions, we could have naturally become allies.
That's why I didn't kill her.
Even when Jasmine and I were completely exhausted and vulnerable.
When, from an enemy's perspective, it was a golden opportunity, I did nothing to Cinelaria.
Because I believed that even those who sought my life could become allies.
It was a bad habit of mine, but that's how I made allies out of Saffron and Platanus.
And now, the result was,
"How dare you! My friend! You killed my friend!"
A friend from my student days, one of the few acquaintances I had.
A friend of the same age and gender, now dead because of this.
"Cinelaria! What are you trying to do? If you want to kill me, come and do it yourself! Why do this? What do you gain by making Heath attack me!"
A rage like I had never experienced before heated my body.
As if the blood flowing through me was ablaze.
I grabbed Heath's right wrist, pinned him to the ground with a joint lock, and took away the Thunder Sword.
And still, I continued to hold down Heath's body, which, despite having no breath or heartbeat, kept struggling to attack me.
I had learned hand-to-hand combat during my time as a military student.
In classes and practice, I never once won against anyone, but now, with perfect locks and holds, I pinned Heath to the ground.
"…! Damn it! Damn!"
Is this my first victory ever?
What is this?
When anger surpasses fear, can my body move this swiftly and accurately?
Why did I do nothing until things got this bad?
"Lord Crow!"
As I struggled with Heath in the courtyard, Platanus rushed in, his face pale.
Probably because, as the wielder of the Distance Sword that manipulates sound, he was the first to hear my loud voice.
"What's happened!?"
"Platanus! Heath has been killed! This is Heath's corpse!"
"What!?"
"Call the others! Cinelaria must be nearby, controlling Heath's body! We need to search together!"
"Understood!"
Platanus then stabbed the Distance Sword into the ground of the courtyard,
"Saffron! Instructor Cattleya! Miss Iris! Come to the courtyard immediately! It's an emergency! To the courtyard now!"
His voice, as loud as Heath's, echoed all around.After calling out to his comrades, Platanus helped me hold down Heath's thrashing corpse and took the opportunity to check his vital signs.
"…Breathing… pulse… heart sounds… all have stopped… Is he really moving in a state of being dead… Your Highness…"
"You haven't met her, have you? The wielder of the Underworld Sword, Cinelaria. It's her doing. The Underworld Sword can control corpses."
"I am aware. Saffron reported it to us. But why would they target the prince…"
"I don't know. We have to find Cinelaria no matter what."
"Yes. The three of them should be on their way here now. Instructor Cattleya and Miss Iris are a bit further away, but Saffron should be close enough to arrive any moment."
"A bit further away?"
The information that Instructor Cattleya and Iris were in a distant location gave me a bad feeling.
A chill ran down my spine again.
"Where did those two go?"
"This morning, they went to see a section of the city wall that had collapsed due to decay, based on a report from the Royal Guard."
"…The city wall? Not the castle wall, but the one surrounding the entire capital?"
"Yes. The damage was reported to be minor."
"When did the wall collapse?"
"The report came in early this morning, so it likely happened late last night…"
"…!"
This is bad! It's a trap!
It's no coincidence that the city wall collapsed late last night and the missing prince was found in the castle the next day.
With Shion incapacitated, our fighting strength was reduced by more than half.
Even if only Amaranth attacked us, there's a possibility of being completely wiped out.
However, Amaranth's power had a time limit.
There's a risk in facing all four saintly sword wielders at once.
Especially with Platanus, whose ability to attack with sound could be difficult to defend against even with the Rakshasa Sword, making it not so easy for Amaranth to win.
But if we're separated and picked off one by one, it's over.
The old me would have thought so and advised against splitting up rashly.
However, seeing Shion's condition now, my usual cunning has completely failed me.
Spending all day watching over Shion, I've neglected even to caution my comrades."…Ugh…!"
That alone was...
A bad premonition I could point out precisely because I'm an ordinary person, lacking confidence and filled with fear.
That was the only contribution I could make.
If the fear of losing someone important led me to a situation where I lost another important person, then I...
"…Crow…Platanus…what are you doing there?"
At that moment, the least welcome person arrived in the courtyard.
King Darius, accompanied by several soldiers.
"Your Majesty…"
"Ah! Is that not Heath! Why are you pinning Heath down!"
King Darius, his face turning red with anger, ran towards us.
At that moment, Platanus and I instinctively stepped back a few paces.
The moment King Darius appeared, Heath's movements ceased entirely.
"Heath! Heath!"
King Darius shook his son Heath repeatedly, but of course, Heath, being a corpse, showed no response.
Naturally, this led to...
"You two… did you kill him…"
It wasn't circumstantial evidence.
Up until a moment ago, Heath, who had been active, was suddenly immobilized by the two of us.
Looking at that objective fact, it might seem that way on the surface.
"Your Majesty! There's been a misunderstanding! The prince was already dead!"
Platanus tried to explain the situation in detail, but...
"Kill these two! Traitors!"
As always, King Darius jumped to conclushions.
Just like when he tried to execute me and Instructor Cattleya.
So, I don't expect King Darius to be quick on the uptake, but what's with this series of unfortunate developments?
What on earth is happening?
I watched, as if it were someone else's problem, Platanus blowing away several soldiers guarding King Darius with a single swing of the Distance Sword.
King Darius, red-faced, called more soldiers from inside the castle, shouting for them to kill us, while Platanus effortlessly took down the soldiers rushing into the courtyard.
The soldiers weren't being killed.
They were just being struck and blown away with the hilt or the base of the Distance Sword shaped like a spear.
That's how much leeway Platanus had.
Against the wielders of the saintly swords, the presence of any number of ordinary soldiers wouldn't make a difference in their ability to respond.Even if all the soldiers in the castle were gathered, they wouldn't stand a chance.
That's why I was preparing for what would come next.
I looked around, wary of what might happen.
What does the person who orchestrated this plan to do next?
They are undoubtedly acting today with the intention of annihilating us!
It's hard to believe that their strategy would stop at merely framing us for the prince's murder.
Another move is coming.
Probably, a move we won't be able to handle.
After Platanus had rendered most of the summoned soldiers unable to fight, and the remaining soldiers had lost their will to fight, King Darius was cornered, his legs giving out.
"Your Majesty. I repeat, there's been a misunderstanding. We did not kill the prince. Let me explain the abilities of the Underworld Sword."
As Platanus bent down to explain to King Darius,
"Your Majesty, it's all right now. I will save you and the prince."
She came.
The wielder of the Underworld Sword, Cinelaria, dressed in a witch's attire.
And Jasmine, wearing a nun's habit, the wielder of the Healing Sword.
The man flanked by those two women, looking down at us from the roof of the castle.
He was dressed in a flashy red and blue striped jacket and trousers.
With red patterns drawn beneath his eyes and on his lips.
A man in a costume and makeup resembling a jester addressed King Darius.
"…"
Was he the mastermind?