Heavenly Castle

Chapter 72 – The curtain rises

【Aifa】

Two blades of wind sharp enough to tear apart everything. Those blades created cracks in the walls as they flew, I managed to stop them inches away from hitting me.

Both my stamina and magical power were almost completely exhausted.

Two men that were standing at the other end of the corridor were sneering at me as I limped, dragging my leg, and in a broken posture leaning on the wall with one hand.

「That is a pretty unsightly state, Aifa-dono.」

「It’s my first time seeing you in such a shape.」

Two men in the robes of court magicians were throwing such words at me from behind a line of heavy infantry with tower shields.

If you are going to talk big then do it to my face.

Is what I would like to say, but to be honest I’m happy with the current situation.

As the Emperor concluded that I abruptly rebelled and was taking away elves from the capital, he decided to crush me with the power of numbers.

And so it seems that by using his treasured personal guard, elite knights and court magicians to surround me and the immediate perimeter of the castle, he cut off my way of escape.

「Heh…」

I can’t hold back the laughter.

I wasn’t expecting that I would be able to escape alive from the very beginning anyway.

As long as my family is safe there is no problem.

So for me, this situation where I will be slowly killed akin to being tortured to death is exactly what I want.

「What are you laughing abo……?!」

I used some of my almost exhausted magical power to shoot a lump of ice at the man who tried to say something after noticing my smile. The man who knew my usual power showed maximum caution against that small icicle of mine and erected a barrier in a rush.

「Heh, he he he…」

Seeing that I laughed again.

「……Apparently, you already went mad. Heavy infantry corps! Advance slowly!」

The command sounded and armored soldiers advanced towards me like a mass of metal. Hard, massive and with heavy footsteps. Heavy infantry is equipped with large shields and armor that are resistant to magic.

Normally, you would avoid frontal confrontation with them and would use physical means to oppose, such as golems, pitfalls or even rockfalls.

It wouldn’t be a problem in the forest of my hometown, but in this location, they can be considered the worst possible opponent.

Now, how much time can I earn versus such opponent in my current state?

This is my last stand.

【Yuri】

Right now, I’m at a turning point of history.

The Emperor who was the driving force that pushed the empire to become a powerful entity will be replaced by the next generation. And the person who will become the next emperor is Schwartz Blau, the crown prince, who once was stripped of the right to inherit the throne.

If the cautious prince was to become the Emperor, the Empire that had kept up continuous aggression will stop the territorial expansion.

I don’t know if that will bring good results for the Empire. But it definitely will benefit the neighboring countries and Imperial Country of Fleida.

It’s better to create a big debt with the person who will soon become the Emperor.

「Yuri-sama. Everyone has already gone downstairs.」

I raised my head when I was called by Ditzen.

「Oh my? When did they… Did I get too lost in my thoughts?」

When I said that and showed a wry smile, Ditzen made an awkward laugh.

「Well, we are like an extra. We don’t have anything else to do but to back them up if something comes up.」

Saying only that, Ditzen went down the stairs laughing.

Ditzen is kind. He likes research, with the recognition he became a state-funded practitioner. By all rights, he would prefer to confine himself to the laboratory. However, right now, though reluctantly, he is trying to help Aifa and Schwartz out of goodwill.

No matter how we try, my brother and I can’t get the question of possible profit for our country out of our heads.

That’s what a statesman is.

That’s why we very much love Ditzen, who is capable of helping people without ulterior motives.

And that is what we feel towards Taiki-sama as well,

Heavenly King dwelling in the Heavenly Country.

He could have made the world his own were he to wish for it. But I don’t feel such a desire from him at all.

The same was true for this case with Aifa. After hearing Aifa’s request, he without a doubt could have seized the spirit tree and then the empire in its whole.

However, Taiki-sama’s concern was not only for the elves but for the Kingdom of Azul as well, so he is trying to avoid war with the empire.

「He is, a mysterious person.」

Without thinking I spoke aloud.

As I go down the stairs, I recall the dishes and the castle facilities about which Taiki-sama talked so happily.

A gentle person who doesn’t resemble a monarch at all.

When this empire changes, what will you think of it and what will you do?

That aroused my curiosity as much as the future of the empire.

And to find that out as well, we have to save Aifa’s elves and achieve a revolution in the empire.

「…I never thought I would be involved in something like this.」

Whispering that, I smiled to myself and followed after Ditzen.