Vol 1 Chapter 20 (1/2)
The sun was slowly sinking into the horizon, it was almost evening, and the carriage was progressing smoothly.
If we progress without problem like this, we’ll arrive at the village of Sanes, no, we’ll end up there.
“If it becomes like that, we’ll be trapped like some rats in a bag.”
Kail groaned, while looking at the map.
The highway we’re currently on, only goes as far as the village of Sanes.
If it becomes like that, we won’t be able to use the carriage anymore.
It may be because of this flow, but we only had one objective.
“If we clearly look at the situation, our advantage is, that if we buy enough time, help will come our way.”
The help princess Mirena was talking about, was the fifth platoon of the Imperial guards, who are said to arrive between tomorrow morning and noon.
“When Kiruren and the others notice that I am not in Acken, they will immediately go out to find me…….. Even if it’s to the village of Sanes, they should arrive around tomorrow evening.”
“How probable is it that they will be given fake information at Acken?”
“That would be impossible. If either my brother or Zentos were to say anything, they would only be seen with suspicion for later investigation. In the first place, if I had died, then they would have no need to do that.”
At this point, their plan contains many flaws, is what princess Mirena said.
“If those girls arrive, then combat prowess wise, we would be even. And the one that would be bothered if it became a fight, would be their side.”
In other words, if we can hold on until tomorrow evening, then we’ll be saved.
“Then that means, the other side must be getting impatient….”
Now we’ll have to think of a way, to buy time until then.
“What if we take refuge in the village of Sanes and make our stand there?”
Kail shakes his head to Seran’s idea.
“It would be better if we don’t. They would just silence the whole village.”
“Wha- seriously?”
“Yeah, They have already done this much. If it’s just one village with one or two hundred villagers at most, then they would just simply silence them all. Then it’ll only be a matter of giving a magic beast or evil kidnapper the blame.”
“A ma.s.s silencing and a ma.s.sive blame. How forced.”
Seran complained.
“How about escaping into the forest?”
The one who proposed it was Urza, who’s familiar with forests.
To an Elf, a forest is like a garden they’re used to, with Urza’s cooperation, it should be possible to run away.
But if we were to do that, then we would have to leave the carriage behind.
When looking at the princess and the others – and no matter how you look at it, the princess whom we have to protect the most – is clearly not suited to walk through the forest.
“I apologize, however my stamina is equal or below that of an average citizen. If we were to escape through the forest, then I would certainly become a deadweight.”
Since it was not the time for strong acts or lies, princess Mirena told us about herself.
Also, if we were to enter the forest, the danger of meeting magic beasts will become even more so when it’s night.
“If we were to name a problem, it would be when fire is used.”
“Fire…… certainly a forest fire would be troublesome.”
“If they’re out of time, then they would certainly try something like that.”
“And, they’re probably going to blame us for everything.”
Urza said it while making a sigh.
And as expected it would hurt to abandon this carriage.
Of course, because of its mobility, but also because of its durability, worthy of being owned by the royal family, combined with its weight, size, and the Sleipnir’s strength, it becomes a powerful weapon, but most of all, the carriage itself, can protect princess Mirena’s life.
If we were to abandon it, retrieval would become impossible.
The situation has a lot of negative sides, but it doesn’t only have negative sides, it also has some positive sides.
[The knights are still coming after us. their number is about eighty like before.]
A report from Sildonia is received. Her hawk clone is observing the knights from the skies like before, Kail was thankful that he was able to observe the knights so easily like this.
“It is handy isn’t it, that intelligent sword.”
Princess Mirena said it, as if she were impressed.
‘Intelligent sword’ is a sword that has intelligence and is a type of magic life form.
We told the princess and the others that we found Sildonia in some ancient ruins, and that she has excellent searching abilities.
After thinking for a while, Kail says it without wavering.
“It may be dangerous, but it would be better if we turned around.”
“Return? You couldn’t possibly mean to Acken right?”
“Leaving a village aside, Acken has thousands of people in it. Silencing all of them would be impossible.”
“Certainly, if we are able to escape into Acken, then they would have a hard time finding us, since there are many places to hide, however…….”
“Also, we’ll be able to join with our allies, the fifth platoon, even faster. At the latest, noon, if we’re lucky, Mirena-sama’s safety can be a.s.sured by morning.”
“However….. that would mean, we would have to go through the knights coming after us. Do you have a good way of doing this?”
This highway is a one-way road, if we were to return to Acken, that would mean we would clash with the knights coming after us.
“No, there is no need to either fool or bypa.s.s them. We will break through the front.”
“…..Yes? Ummm……. you have heard that there are eighty knights have you not?”
For a moment, Mirena made a face that said, just what is this person going on about, but when she saw Kail was being serious her face became confused.
Of course, from all the plans Kail thought up, he deemed this one the one with the highest chance of being saved.
And most of it, could be called a breakaway.
Kail asks Sildonia.
“And, you’re certain that Zentos isn’t with them?”
[Yeah, the guy that was next to the princess yesterday, right? I checked it a few times, but without mistake he isn’t there.]
“I see….. More than anything, that’s good news.”
The cavalries leader Zentos, isn’t with them.
I do not know for what reason this is, but we’re lucky that Zentos isn’t with them.
“Then we have more than enough chance for victory. The only thing left is to find a suitable place to confront them.”
While saying that, Kail took some magic medicine and magic stones from his bag, while making a jingling sound.
“Well.”
Princess Mirena sees the number of magic stones and had a surprised face.
Just this mountain of magic stones would cost a hefty sum by itself.
“Mirena-sama, please take some magic medicine with you for insurance’s sake. In the slightest chance you are injured, please drink it immediately.
It was something that Mirena remembered seeing before, it was a magic medicine with high level healing magic, that would be able to heal almost any wound, as long as you were alive.
Royalty always have one on them, for the ‘what if’ chance they got injured, but Mirena’s was probably taken when she was put to sleep.
Of course, its price is accordingly high, it was a price that could be said to buy someone’s life.
“…………”
Princess Mirena once again looked at Kail and his party.
Since she didn’t really have the leisure to think about it that deeply, but these adventurers were able to beat two Imperial knights and slay a Hydra.
Furthermore, from what they said, it seems the Hydra was killed in a one on one.
And the ma.s.s of magic stones and medicine, no matter how you think about it, they aren’t some adventurers that were simply pa.s.sing by.
“You all….. just who are you?”
Kail answers princess Mirena’s question with a simple shrug.
“What, we’re just some wannabe hero and his party pa.s.sing by.”
“What is the meaning of this! This sorry state of things!”
An inn in Acken, the same inn where Mirena and the others stayed at, while walking around in anger, a man was yelling at the knight in front of him.
The man, dressed with fine clothes on his plump body, was Kalnas, the prince of this country of Jirgs.
And the one standing in front of him was the knight, famed to be the strongest within Jirgs, it was the captain of the second platoon of the Imperial knights, Zenos.
These two had already been informed that their plan, to a.s.sa.s.sinate princess Mirena and trying to disguise it as an magical beast attack, had failed.
On the table was a card with ancient letters on it, it seemed like it was a magic tool that had the ability to have someone send messages to each other over long distances.
It was a magic item from the time of the ancient magic kingdom, it let people converse with each other for a few dozens of seconds a day, it was a rare and wanted magic tool.
Because of this, they received a report from the vice-captain, that princess Mirena had escaped.
“There is no need to worry. We should be able to slay princess Mirena momentarily.”
Zentos said, while bowing his head deeply.
“Then why are you still here! Go and personally slay that woman and return!”
“The vice-captain has made the right choice after his mistake, so there is no problem. In the first place, if your highness stayed in the capital so that I could have taken direct control over the mission.”