Leave a comment

「YOUR MAJESTY! YOUR MAJEESTTTYYYY!!!」

The Royal Castle of Chiral Royal Capital, through its serene and majestic audience chamber, the throaty yell of a man echoed.

「Hm… Redas. You’re as noisy as ever!」

Sitting on his throne, King Charleas heaved a sigh.

「Still, you returned well, I applaud you for that! So, how did it go? Were you able to locate Inglis and tell her to go to the Prisma?! Is there a reason she is not with you?」
「Your majesty! Lady Inglis was happy to oblige to the royal decree! She expressed her gratitude for prioritizing her upon the appearance of the strongest adversary!」
「Fu-, fuhaha…! And to think she spoke like so regarding Prisma, the natural enemy of all humans on Midland! What a brave, daring girl! So I assume that Inglis didn’t make a stop here and headed straight towards Arlman?」

Seeing that the speed of response was a priority, that would be the right thing to do.
As for King Charleas himself, he had wanted to see what kind of face Inglis was making upon hearing this news, but he wouldn’t blame her for not fulfilling that.

As a king, the resurrection of Prisma was a matter of the greatest importance, as it could determine the life and death of his kingdom. While he had no choice but to stay at his castle and wait, he couldn’t help but feel anxious and impatient.

He just thought that perhaps upon seeing Inglis’ face, some of that anxiety would be dissipated away.

「No, Lady Inglis is on her way here. I have come ahead of time to make my report and preparations!」
「Mm……? What preparations?」
「The installation ceremony of the new Commander of the Imperial Guard Order! Lady Inglis has offered to accept the position she previously declined before challenging the decisive battle! However, as the Honorary-c̲u̲m̲-Temporary Emergency Acting Commander of the Imperial Guard Order, her taking the position as a part-time worker is inviolable! After all, her status is a Squire student at the Knight Academy!」
「I see, that is fine. So long we can utilize her in an emergency like this one!」

Up until now, her cooperation to take on powerful enemies was based on a verbal agreement, but from now on, it will be a mission. That was a step forward.

That, of course, meant salary, but he would gladly pay her. A small price to pay for her abundant power.

「Does that mean we have your permission, Your Majesty?!」
「Of course. That’s what I had wanted in the first place. Will Inglis be here shortly? Even if it’s urgent and simple, prepare for the installment ceremony at once!」

According to the reports he had been receiving so far, it seemed that the Prisma would reach the suburbs of Arlman in a few days. While there might be preparations to be made, there should be no problem for Inglis to stop for a day or so.

「「「Sir yes sir!」」」

When King Charleas’ order came down, people began to move in a flurry. Looking at the scene, King Charleas asked Redas.

「Then again, what changed Inglis’ mind? Did she say anything to you?」
「Sir……! Lady Inglis spoke that, considering she will be fighting against a Prisma, in addition to the Holy Knight, the Holy Knight Order, as well as the Hyrule Menaces, it would be easier to gain everyone’s approval and make the operation smoother if she had a title of her own! As well as not to damage the honor of the Holy Knight Order after the fact.」
「……I see. Inglis has a keen judgment.」

Inglis was probably planning to fight by herself, leaving the forces assembling in Arlman on the sidelines.

However, even if she was acting upon a royal decree, as someone bearing the title of a student, it was inevitable that some people would refuse to listen to her words or even outright rebel.

However, if she had the title of the Commander of the Imperial Guard Order, then her words would carry weight. That was the role of ranks and titles. The weight of the same words changed depending on who said it.

Not to mention, even if she managed to successfully defeat the Prisma… The aftermath would be problematic. The Holy Knight Order’s failure to fulfill their very role would inevitably lead to criticism that they had been deprived of credit by none less than a student.

It could be mitigated to some degree if Inglis had the title of the Commander of the Imperial Guard Order. It was said that the rank of the Commander of the Imperial Guard Order was the same as the Holy Knights.

Even if Inglis lent a hand to the Holy Knight to defeat the Prisma, the people’s evaluation would be that the Imperial Guard Order’s Commander had done a wonderful job, rather than the Holy Knight and the Hyrule Menaces that failed their mission.

This was another effect of titles.

Inglis’s offer was probably based on this outlook. The fact that she was even thinking about the aftermath of the battle meant that she didn’t even consider the possibility of losing her life.

Quite the encouraging thing.

「Not only does she boast herculean prowess, but she also has such a keen eye… what a marvelous young lady.」

Her combat ability far surpassed common sense, and yet upon talking to her, her calm judgment and ability to think clearly despite the situation brought endless amazement.

Lying deep behind her gorgeous, dainty appearance, was the eye of a cunning strategist who had known years of experience.

It was hard to think of, especially coming from a girl her age… she truly was an outlier in every meaning of the word.

Had she been born a few years earlier, then perhaps King Charleas wouldn’t be as much of a king, as the throne would have someone that fits it better. For now, however, he would be thankful for the good fortune of having someone of her caliber lending her help to Charalia.

With Prisma, tragedy awakened.

Even if the Holy Knights succeeded in defeating the Prisma, they still would lose their lives due to the nature of the Hyrule Menaces they wielded. It was a fate no one could escape on Midland, where Prism Flow fell. It was the truth of the world that had been repeated over and over long before King Charleas was born.

It happened in the previous battle against the very same Prisma that was now on its way toward Arlman. A Holy Knight lost their life, and the Hyrule Menaces were scarred. It was an unforgettable tragedy even for King Charleas himself.

And the one to shatter that cycle of tragedy might be Inglis. Perhaps, everything would remain the same in the long run. There was a limit to a person’s lifespan, and even if Inglis alone was enough to destroy that truth, it would end when she lived out her natural life.

The future where the Hyrule Menaces and the Holy Knights were unneeded perhaps wouldn’t come. If you only need to overcome a crisis once, then you only need the right person to do so. However, to do it over and over again, repeatedly, consistently, then you’d need a system to reproduce the same outcome.

By adapting and fitting people into a mechanism, the same, consistent result could be expected. Hyrule Menaces and Holy Knights were just a part of a mechanism. Even so… even if it was just one exception, King Charleas would still hope.

He wanted to see it. He wanted to see the very truth of the world bent in the hands of mankind. He was sure to laugh from the bottom of his heart then.

「Lady Inglis also said that humans are creatures of introspection, she said that we must make the most of our introspection.」
「Hmm? Has something happened in Alucard?」
「Yes, that is…」

The moment Redas answered…

「Your Majesty! Sir Redas! A ship approached from the sky!」

One of the Imperial Guards entered the audience chamber in a panic.