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Having learned the situation in front of the underground temple, with the cooperation of the two Lily of the Valley members, we resumed our plan in order to evacuate the Queen, Chancellor Bergman, and the Commander of the Royal Guard to the VMB firing range.
Chancellor Bergman and others were still sitting in front of the shrine. The two adventurers watching over the four of them had proud faces on their faces, and they were triumphantly vigilant of their surroundings.
I attached a silencer to the FN P90 muzzle, and turned the safety from full-auto to semi-auto. Lining the crosshair to the head of the first adventurer, I started firing. A moment after my finger pressed the trigger, I moved the muzzle toward the other adventurer. Seeing the first adventurer’s head recoiling from the bullet impact at the edge of my vision, I pulled the trigger once more.
The two 5.7x28mm bullets struck their heads without missing. The two adventurers fell to their knees like marionettes whose strings had been cut off.
Even when they saw the two adventurers suddenly collapse, the four who had been captured didn’t raise their voices or scream. They must have expected that the “Lily of the Valley” or the surviving members of the Royal Guard were hiding nearby and waiting for an opportunity to rescue them.
Even if they clumsily screamed, they couldn’t do anything. Even so, the two Royals turned their faces away from the adventurer who had become an immovable corpse.
“No more hostiles nearby, go get the Queens.”
I couldn’t see any more dots around the shrine, but that doesn’t mean that nobody else is silently watching in stealth. Continuing to guard the surroundings, Ashley and “Lily of the Valley” ran up to the Queens.
“Ahh, Ashley?!”
“Millinia-sama, Claire-sama, are you both alright?”
“Ashley, shouldn’t you be back at Ark’s dinner party… What about him? Is Ark safe?”
Ashley went to the Queens, and the two “Lily of the Valley” went to Chancellor Bergman and others and untied the rope that binds their hands.
“Prince Ark is safe. All thanks to that person…”
The eyes of the two Royals turned to me as if guided by Ashley’s gaze. Since I’m still watching the surroundings for threats, I simply bowed my head in greeting. However, Chancellor Bergman, having been released from restraint, immediately came to my side. Commander Cyrus, who lost his right arm, seems to be under the care of Lily of the Valley, receiving healing magic.
I couldn’t see it well when I looked before, but when I looked closely, all four of them were wearing familiar collars around their necks――magic disturbance rings to prevent them from fighting back.
“The fact that you came here means that the Crown Prince and Prince Ark are safe, right?”
“By now, they should be attacking the transfer circle control building alongside Chancellor Zephanel. They’re escorted by Duke Barga and members of Sasanqua, so they should be fine.”
“Transfer circle control building…? I see, the situation has gotten that bad… Schwa――no, Shaft, can I leave the rescue of His Majesty to you? Once we leave safely from here, we should join up with the Crown Prince.”
“Of course. But first, your Excellency… we need to bring the Queens out of here.”
“Is there a way? Not even the “Lily of the Valley” can secure a safe passage.”
Chancellor Bergman seems to have been able to guess why Lily of the Valley didn’t take action. Rubbing his bound wrists, he looked around, but the garden was still surrounded by tall flowers. The gaze wandering around the garden stops in front of me.
In the depths of my vision, the eyes of the two Royals, who would have received an explanation from Ashley, are also directed here.
“Of course, we have prepared an escape route. We have already evacuated the confined maids and servants. They are waiting for His Majesty and the others to come.”
“I see, there are survivors――but where are they?”
“Through here――”
When I said that and pointed behind me. There was only a narrow path around the garden, but Chancellor Bergman can probably see a large number of light particles gathering there.
“Is this the power of a Trespasser…”
Chancellor Bergman muttered that much, his eyes glued to the appearance of LVTP-5. It goes without saying that the gazes of the Royals, Commander Cyrus, and “Lily of the Valley” members were also directed at LVTP-5.
The front hatch opened, revealing the teleportation magic formation set up inside.
“…I never thought that the magic circle I gave you as a reward would be useful in this way…”
“Alright, hurry inside. I can guarantee the safety of the teleported destination.”
Chancellor Bergman entered the LVTP-5 that was forcibly summoned in the garden, and then Commander Cyrus passed by me while being supported by “Lily of the Valley” members.
“Thank you for your help.”
Commander Cyrus wasn’t much for words it seems――no, in his condition, speaking might’ve been difficult for him given his condition.
Even if the wound is treated with healing magic, the right arm that was cut off will not regenerate. If he had the right arm that had fallen on the spot, they would be able to reattach it at the same time as the treatment, but there was no way that what he had lost before he was captured would be here.
Besides, if he couldn’t prevent the rebellion of “Rafflesia”, the palace was ruined. The Royal Guards were annihilated, and even the current King couldn’t be protected, there would be almost no words he could say.
In front of LVTP-5, the two Lily of the Valley members remained on guard until the Royals boarded.
“I heard from Ashley. Thank you for your great contribution――just one more thing…”
“His Majesty… please save him.”
Queen Millinia and Queen Claire, both were ordinary women. Queen Millinia is in her forties, and Queen Claire is probably in her late twenties. Both of them continued to look at the shrine that was the entrance to the underground temple but was being urged by the two “Lily of the Valley” members.
“Ashley, please wait over there after you release the seal. The maids who were teleported to the place they saw for the first time must be worried, and it would be a problem if they moved around poorly.”
“…I understand. I’ll be waiting for you over there, so please come back safely…”
“Of course. After rescuing His Majesty and moving to a safe place, I’ll pick you up.”
This is it for the rest――if I don’t act solo starting from here, it might be more difficult for me to secure an escape. Raid the underground temple, rescue the current King and leave at once. After that, I will have to decide whether to head to the transfer management building or move to the fortress city Barga on my own.
With the Crown Prince, Chancellor Zephanel, and the might of Sasanqua, it shouldn’t be difficult to recapture the transfer circle control building now that the enemy no longer has the Demon Steel Soldiers. The time it takes to set up the headquarters in the fortress city Barga and release a counterattack will be considerably shorter.
This also means we’ll be surrendering the capital to “Rafflesia”, albeit only temporarily. The more time it takes, the more the success of the rebellion spreads to the nobles and the citizens living in the Royal Capital.
Besides, we’re not the only ones who can take advantage of time. The “Rafflesia” side will also be able to prepare a defense system, and there is a possibility that reinforcements will be drawn in from the Viceburn Empire.
Speed is one key to winning a battle. From here on, the key is how quickly we can build up our forces――and how much confusion we can bring to the opponent.
The two of Lily of the Valley had also been transferred, while Ashley had begun to break the seal on the gate. Chanting an inaudible magic word, she then traced the magic formation that floats on the tightly closed gate. At the same time as she finished chanting the magic word, light ran through the magic crest drawn on the magic circle, and it disappeared with a burst.
“The seal is broken.”
“Thanks. Leave the rest to me.”
Ashley nodded once, brushed past me, and headed for the transfer magic circle, while I gently pushed the gate open.
In the depths of this room, there should be the current King, the Second Prince of Kilik, and Felix, the vice-master of the “Rafflesia”.
Involuntarily, the hand holding the grip of the P90 tightened――.
Felix’ ability is not to be trifled with. It is clearly disadvantageous to fight while protecting the current King, and there is no choice but to go with a hit-and-run approach.