Chapter 385 - Us (4)

CRAAASH!

Like a bolt from the blue, a band of knights kicked down the door while I was napping on the sofa.

Even as I woke, the knight's words rang clear in my ears.

"Rihen Schuitz, you are under arrest on suspicion of colluding with Noark."

Suspicion of collusion...

Most likely, that was just a pretext to take me in. They probably intended to arrest me on whatever charge they could, then begin investigating in earnest.

There must have been plenty about me that looked suspicious.

'Still, they came sooner than I expected.'

In truth, I'd prepared myself for this to some extent. Traveling with Erwin had drawn attention, and getting involved with Raven on the battlefield had made me stand out even more.

I'd figured something like this could happen at any time.

CLATTER!

The knights swiftly took over the living room, surrounded me, and leveled their swords at me in unison.

None of them seemed to be underestimating me. They kept their distance, their gazes fixed on me.

"Rihen Schuitz, drop your weapon."

The knight who appeared to be in command issued the order.

In the midst of all this, I swept my gaze around.

'All right, then... What do I do now?'

For starters, I couldn't see a mage.

That meant the knights were the only ones sent to arrest me. Considering how formidable knights were in PvP, even this was probably excessive force, but it was good news for me. If worse came to worst, I could smash my way out and escape.

'The problem is, the moment I do that, I won't be able to stay in this city anymore... '

That was an option for the worst-case scenario only. More importantly, it would conflict with my ultimate goal of reclaiming the name Bjorn Jandel.

'It is about time I entered the tiger's den.'

Ultimately, reclaiming my name meant making contact with the royal family.

Of course, I'd have had far less to worry about if I'd first managed to determine their intentions...

But it wasn't as though I'd learned nothing.

["... The royal family already knows the GM's identity."]

The GM was practically the Players' spiritual pillar.

According to the information SoulQueen had shared at the Round Table, the royal family knew who he was.

No, was knowing all they'd done?

They had even controlled information to keep his identity from getting out.

In other words, the royal family didn't indiscriminately kill everyone simply for being an evil spirit.

Even in the worst-case scenario, where they discovered I was Bjorn Jandel and an evil spirit to boot, there was room for negotiation.

But...

'I should at least probe how much they knew before coming here.'

Finishing that brief deliberation, I spoke.

"If I'm under suspicion, I'll submit to questioning. But allow me to wait a moment and tell my companion before we leave."

My reason for making that request was simple.

They would naturally know that the companion I meant was Erwin. If they refused, it would give me grounds to view the situation in a more positive light.

It would mean they'd deliberately chosen a time when Erwin was out, which would also suggest they knew little enough about me to worry about her reaction—

"If you mean the Blood Spirit Marquis, there's no need. You'll see her if you come with us."

The commander's words left my mind momentarily blank.

"..."

What? Had they arrested Erwin too?

Then what about Amelia, who would have been with her?

No, first I needed to check whether he was telling the truth.

"What proof do you have that Erwin is there?"

The commander answered without the slightest hesitation.

"I swear it in the name of Raphdonia's royal family."

Ha. That meant he wasn't lying...

This wasn't good.

They'd even arrested Erwin, whom the fairies treasured so dearly?

That meant the royal family had prepared ample justification and grounds to arrest us both.

'Fucking hell... '

I felt like resisting arrest and making a run for it right then and there.

But with Erwin in custody, I couldn't.

"I'll say this one last time. Rihen Schuitz, lower your weapon. Otherwise, we will consider it treason against the royal family."

As the commander delivered his ultimatum, mana of such density pulsed outside the mansion that even my barbarian body, insensitive to mana as it was, could clearly detect it.

So it wasn't that there were no mages after all.

They were simply waiting out of sight.

'Thorough bastards.'

My grip slackened as I lowered the hammer.

For now, I had no other choice.

All I could do was keep my wits about me from here on out.

* * *

Once I lowered my weapon, things proceeded swiftly.

At the commander's direction, I put my weapon into subspace, and the knights approached to confiscate my subspace ring.

Then...

"Rest assured, all these items will be returned to you intact once you are cleared of suspicion."

The commander's overbearing tone turned polite.

No, it wasn't just his tone. The treatment I received afterward was far removed from how one would treat a criminal.

"We have a carriage ready."

When I stepped outside, surrounded by knights, a carriage was waiting.

It was plainly nothing like a prisoner transport. Rather than a cart fitted with iron bars, it was an ornate carriage fit for a high noble.

"Please get in. We are going to the imperial capital, Carnon."

The commander was even the only person riding with me.

The other knights followed on horseback as though escorting the carriage.

I'd never been treated so lavishly even as Baronet Jandel.

RATTLE, RATTLE.

Soon, the carriage began gliding smoothly along the hard highway, and I cautiously studied the commander sitting opposite me.

"Is something making you uncomfortable?"

Of course there was.

What a ridiculous question. Still, taking that attitude wouldn't do me any good here.

I asked cautiously, "What am I really suspected of?"

"As I said earlier—"

"Don't tell me it's collusion. I know I wouldn't be receiving this treatment if that were the charge."

"..."

The commander fell silent, looking troubled.

But perhaps he'd decided that simply keeping quiet would only make me continue pestering him.

"There is little I can tell you at present."

"Still—"

"You will find out soon after we reach the capital."

He drew a firm line, ending the conversation.

In the end, I learned only two things from our conversation.

"What happens to me now?"

"That will be for His Lordship to decide."

Someone very high up was waiting for me.

And...

"Was anyone else there when you took Erwin?"

"From what I was told, she was alone."

Amelia was safe.

We continued traveling in the carriage without much further conversation. After about an hour of racing along the highway, it came to a stop.

District 7's military platform.

The place housed teleportation circles linked to the other Districts. Originally built for rapid troop movements in emergencies, it was a popular means of travel among nobles in ordinary times.

Oh, for the record, this was my first time here.

I'd gained the right to use it after receiving my baronetcy, but the cost was astronomical.

'So this is how I finally get to use it.'

Without even needing to leave the carriage, we traveled through the teleportation circle and arrived directly at the capital's military platform.

And then...

'That's not the royal castle.'

My carriage entered the grounds of a grand mansion near the royal castle. That told me who had ordered me brought here.

The family crest was prominently displayed right at the entrance.

A shield bearing a thorn tree.

It was the symbol of House Terserion, a marquisate whose crest practically everyone in this city knew.

For well over a decade now, with the king rarely appearing in public, Marquis Terserion, Raphdonia's Chancellor, had carried out most official duties in his stead.

'The kingdom's second-most-powerful man... '

Since the commander wore the royal family's crest rather than a noble house's, I'd wondered if the important person waiting for me might be royalty.

'Still, this isn't bad. I'll be talking to someone whose power is second only to the king's.'

Even as I thought that, tension settled into my body.

It felt as though I'd stepped into a tiger's den.

High risk, high return, was that it?

If things went well, a few words with him could resolve all my problems in one fell swoop...

But if they didn't, I could end up plunging straight into the abyss.

"Please step out."

When I left the carriage, knights filled the space before it. I entered the building, receiving their lavish hospitality(?).

CLUNK.

The reception room looked expensive at a glance.

"... Where is Erwin?"

After quickly checking the room, I asked the question. A conflicted look crossed the commander's face.

"It was a lie when I said we'd brought her here."

"... What?"

It felt like I'd been struck on the back of the head.

Hadn't this bastard explicitly invoked the royal family's name earlier?

When I shot him a look that said as much, he averted his eyes as though it hadn't been his decision.

"We had no choice. We needed to bring you here as quietly as possible."

"You won't get off lightly if you're caught using the king's name like that."

"Which means I'll be fine as long as I'm not caught."

Hah... What a flexible fellow.

High praise slipped out before I knew it.

"You'd have made a fine explorer instead of a knight."

"Mock me if you wish. I merely chose the practical course to fulfill my lord's orders."

He really did leave me speechless to the bitter end.

'Fucking hell... '

In a way, I'd done this sort of thing plenty of times myself. It was much the same as exploiting people's preconceptions about barbarians to deceive them with false oaths.

It had always worked well for me, and it was just as effective on me.

Who would have imagined a knight would invoke the king himself while spouting bullshit?

'Especially one who looks like a member of the Royal Knights.'

Still, I decided not to dwell too much on having been fooled.

So what if Erwin hadn't actually been brought here?

From a different perspective, there was something positive about it.

At least it meant she was safe.

'Besides, I had to go through this sooner or later.'

What mattered wasn't what mistakes I'd made, but what I would do next.

"All right, then. What am I supposed to do now? Just keep waiting again? Until this 'His Lordship' you mentioned arrives?"

"That won't be necessary."

The knight shook his head and placed a crystal ball on the table.

Its purpose was obvious without my having to ask.

Right. No wonder there were no bodyguards.

He'd intended to speak through this from the start.

"I will take my leave, then."

The knight told me to activate the crystal ball after he'd left, then exited the room.

I was left alone inside.

"..."

Quickly scanning my surroundings for anyone hiding nearby, I spotted something out of place and swept the carpet aside.

'Fuck.'

Beneath it, multicolored geometric magic circles covered every inch of the floor.

A shiver ran down my spine.

'If I try to run, or something goes wrong, are they going to blow the whole place up?'

Was this what came of being the kingdom's second-most-powerful man?

The scale was no joke.

This entire mansion was effectively one enormous execution device.

'... Let's turn on the crystal ball first.'

After a moment spent reeling at their thoroughness, I pressed the button as the knight had instructed and activated the crystal ball.

WHOOOOSH!

Soon, the crystal ball shone and began projecting a figure.

A man whose face I remembered.

Raphdonia's Chancellor and a high noble holding the rank of marquis.

Agheni Roten Terserion.

The very man who had presided over my conferment ceremony in the king's stead.

["It's been a while."]

He offered a brief greeting in a deep, dignified voice, and a beat later, I stiffened.

'... It's been a while?'

The moment I registered something amiss, my heart began pounding.

THUMP!

Was this just a mind game?

How much did the marquis know?

I forced down the questions multiplying by the second.

There was something much more urgent to figure out.

Right now, what was the best response I could give?

It didn't take long to finish deliberating and act.

"Might you be..."

I spoke politely and cautiously.

"Marquis Terserion?"

I'd decided that this was the natural response for an explorer suddenly dragged from his sleep by knights.

But...

["Surely you haven't forgotten my face already... You really are a cunning one, quite unlike the rest of your kind."]

The marquis chuckled at my act and spoke my name.

["Baronet Bjorn Jandel."]

It had been a very long time since I'd heard that full name.