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[A Talk]
“This is… unmistakably an Abyss Walker, which caused the Great Invasion! Don’t tell me, it appeared in the royal capital!?” (Rodrick)
“Crown Prince Rodrick, this is a monstrosity that is incomparably more fiendish than the Abyss Walkers that appeared during the Great Invasion. Once, just the two of them laid waste to my knight order.” (Lloyd)
“Two of them laid waste to your knight order? Is that true!?” (Rodrick)
“Have I ever lied to you, Crown Prince Rodrick?” (Lloyd)
“You’ve never… If you say so, then them being stronger than the previous Abyss Walkers must be true. For such things to appear in the royal capital…” (Rodrick)
Crown Prince Rodrick, whose complexion turned pale, directs his gaze at the corpse of Abyss Walker on the trolly.
“This Abyss Walker was led by Gile-dono, the commander of the Royal Guard Knight Order, and his butler, Vigo. And that Vigo killed Gile-dono, King Frederick, Danton-sama, and Philia-sama. The testimonies from the royal guard knights who were there are summarized here.” (Noelia)
Noelia presents the paper filled with testimonies collected from the royal guard knights that she kept in her breast pocket.
Upon receiving it, Crown Prince Redrick looks down on the paper on which the testimonies are written and reads it.
“According to the testimonies, Gile went out of control, and when he was screaming at my father with his sword pointed at him, Linus-shi got killed by some sort of monstrosity, and then Gile himself was shot to death by Vigo who appeared out of nowhere. However, there are also many testimonies that said they saw Alfine-dono there, of which I don’t quite understand the meaning. She should have already been executed for attempted assassination on the commander of the Royal Guard Knight Order, right? Was what the royal guard knights saw her ghost? There is no way I can trust testimonies with such a thing included in——(Rodrick)
“Please let me explain in regard to that matter.”
The one who steps forward to the front of Crown Prince Rodrick who feels suspicious about the testimonies is Al, who was waiting next to me.
“Who are you? From your appearance, you look like an adventurer, and quite young to boot. For you to be at this important meeting must means that you’re related to the death of my father.” (Rodrick)
“My name is Al now. A mere adventurer. However, previously, I went by the name of Sword Master Alfine.” (Al)
At Al’s confession, Crown Prince Rodrick’s eyes shrink into dots.
And at the next moment, his sword is resting on Al’s neck.
“Don’t talk nonsense. Even though I was at the far west end, do you think I don’t know the face of Sword Master Alfine!” (Rodrick)
“Crown Prince Rodrick, on my name of Frontier Count Lloyd, I swear that person ‘was’ Sword Master Alfine.” (Lloyd)
“‘Was’?” (Rodrick)
“There were some circumstances, so I abandoned that name. That is why, I am just Al now.” (Al)
“Well then, did you mean it’s exactly as in the testimonies of the royal guard knights, that Gile went crazy and pointed his sword at my father? And, if you weren’t there, Gile wouldn’t have taken my father hostage, the king wouldn’t have been murdered? (Rodrick)
Crown Prince Rodrick’s gaze, whose sword is placed on Al’s neck, becomes even more severe.
That gaze… at this rate, he might take it as King Frederick died because of Al.
The one who used Alfine’s appearance there was me, so I have to tell him that properly.
“U-umm, that’s not the case. What the royal guard knights saw were clones I created imitating Alfine’s appearance.” (Frick)
Al and Noelia told me that I didn’t have to talk because it would complicate the matter, but the Alfine that royal guard knights saw were the clones I created.
“Frick! I don’t remember allowing you to speak! Stand down!” (Lloyd)
“Hou, are you the rumored Crimson Magic Swordsman Frick? Was what you said true?” (Rodrick)
“Yes! There’s no lie in it! I attack Gile, who was afraid of Alfine, with clones of Alfine that I created with magic!” (Frick)
At the next moment, Crown Prince Rodrick’s sword, which has been placed on Al’s neck, comes right before me in the blink of an eye.
I restrain my body from moving reflexively, and remain upright and immobile without blinking or fluttering.
“Had you stayed silent, you wouldn’t have to take your own responsibility.” (Rodrick)
The tip of his sword is pushed on my neck, and a cold feeling is transmitted.
“Crown Prince Rodrick! I was at that place as well, so I am equally guilty! If you want to execute Frick-sama, please execute me first!” (Noelia)
“Frick-san is unrelated to this matter. The cause of Gile’s derangement was m——” (Al)
Noelia and Al get in front of me, whose neck is pushed with a sword by Crown Prince Rodrick.
“Frontier Count’s daughter and Sword Master want to protect this man even if they have to risk their lives, huh… Crimson Magic Swordsman Frick, a man who although young, possesses skills that surpass Sword Master Alfine with the sword, while possessing ability that surpass Great Sage Linus in magic.” (Rodrick)
“Fools! Read the situation!” (Lloyd)
“It is fine, Lloyd. I ask you, Magic Swordsman Frick. What are you going to use your overwhelming power for?” (Rodrick)
Crown Prince Rodrick, who’s pointing his sword at me, squints his eyes and let out an overwhelming killing intent at me.
What am I going to use my power for, huh…
When I was with Alfine, I thought it was to protect her and to make money for living cost, however.
Thanks to my journey so far, I’m able to come to the right answer as to for what I should use the power I have been given.
I’m sure I would have given the same answer had Director Danton and Philia-sensei asked me, too.
“I believe that I have this power to protect the normal lives of the people of the kingdom of Hartford!” (Frick)
Crown Prince Rodrick, who’s been releasing killing intent that feel stinging to the skin, lowers his sword that’s on my neck after he heard my answer.
Then, the killing intent disappears, and Crown Prince Rodrick loosens his cheeks.