Heavenly Castle

Chapter 77 – Decision

【Ditzen】

「Violette, huh… For what reason are you together with those golems?」

The place fell silent with that question from the Emperor.

No, since at least more than ten of Taiki-sama golems appeared, it’s only natural that nobody can act.

But, with the appearance of Violette, we are also unable to act.

Why is Violette on Taiki-sama’s golem?

Could it be that Violette betrayed the Empire? Or did something happen…

While my thoughts were going in circles, Violette stepped down to the floor of the throne room and started walking towards the Emperor.

A calm and elegant gait. Everyone, who had been fighting until a moment ago, now had their eyes glued to Violette.

「Halt, Violette.」

But the emperor was different.

「…Yes, Your Majesty.」

With the Emperor’s word, Violette immediately stopped. Squinting his eyes, the Emperor observed her.

「Turn around and take off your clothes.」

「Heh?」

I let out a strange voice in response to an inappropriate order.

However, the venue remained just as tense, and everyone was closely observing Violette’s actions.

「Yes, Your Majesty.」

As for Violette, she even shoved a faint smile hearing that mysterious order and turned her back to the Emperor.

Without any hesitation, she is taking off her clothes.

And as I was enveloped in a strange murky feeling, like I’m looking at something I shouldn’t be seeing, Violette became stark naked.

A splendid naked body was revealed, with a slave seal engraved on the back. That slave seal looked identical to what Aifa has on him.

「……The slave seal appears intact.」

When the emperor spoke, an old magician agreed.

「Yes, there is no sense of incongruity in the flow of magic」

Hearing the reply, the Emperor deeply nods.

「If so, come here.」

Being told that, Violette put on a robe and started walking once again.

After hearing the exchange between the Emperor and the magicians, mages and soldiers with relieved faces surveyed Violette and Taiki’s golems, that occupied the area.

On the contrary, uneasiness now weighed like a heavy stone in my chest. Even if that magician with his unimaginable technique was taken by surprise, is it possible for the likes of Violette to take him down?

While thinking that it’s absurd, I still can’t get rid of my anxiety. Looking to the side, I see that Yuri’s expression also appeared to be somewhat stiff. And we weren’t alone, Mea and Schnee cannot move as well, so they should have similar thoughts.

This is bad. If Taiki-sama’s golems turned against us we would have no chance of winning at all.

「Report.」

While I was dripping with a cold sweat, Violette approached the Emperor and quietly knelt in front of him.

With her head lowered, Violette reported to the Emperor.

「Aifa and I have reached Heavenly country and had an audience with its king, Taiki. The technology I’ve seen there defied common sense, it seems that Aifa concluded that by borrowing that power he might be able to take the elves away from Your Majesty.」

「…Then Heavenly king is supporting Aifa, not Schwartz? But that doesn’t make sense. There is something more to it. Normally, one would try to do something about the Empire itself.」

Muttering that, the Emperor lowered his eyes as if pondering on something.

「……I have several thoughts, but all of them are lacking a decisive factor. If so, the more negotiation material is the better.」

The Emperor turned his gaze to the Schwarz and soldiers rushed to action.

Taken by surprise Schwartz and Fiatora were immediately caught and pressed to the ground.

「Guh.」

A muffled voice resounded, and finally, Schwartz and Fiatora also fell into the hands of the Emperor.

Now that the three of them had swords aimed at their necks, it was impossible to act. That would surely mean abandoning the lives of the hostages.

As the situation got worse moment by moment, I still had no idea what to do.

「How I captured both the elves and the banner for this revolution. As for the rest, if Violette can move those golems then it would pose no problem.」

「It is as Your Majesty says. Then, let me operate the golems.」

Responding to the words of the Emperor, that sounded like he wanted to confirm something, Violette stood up and raised one hand. Then, raising the palm of her hand she beckoned the golems.

【Taiki】

On the screen I saw Violette, beckoning while facing the camera.

I didn’t know what to do when she suddenly became naked, but discovering a slave’s seal on her back on the contrary cooled my head.

With one sudden development after another, I would like to be astonished, but I cannot allow myself even to idle slightly.

Choosing the robot that Violette was calling, I moved it forward.

「…Isn’t General Violette unable to defy the Emperor?」

Muttered Ayla, who was completely silent since she saw the slave seal on Violette’s back.

「It’s fine. Violette-san has no authority of command over them. Even if she were to give them some order, Mea has the highest command priority on the site. They wouldn’t move.」

And after telling her that, I continued.

「What’s more important, she knows they wouldn’t listen to her, so why she invites them closer… Well, I have a vague idea. But what do we do if it’s different?」

And while I operated the robot with a wry smile, Ayla looked at me with a frown.

「…Pretending to control Taiki-sama’s golems she calls it closer to the emperor. Which means…」

「Violette also decided to bring the Emperor down… I guess?」

I replied, finishing Ayla’s sentence, but something felt strange.

If such were Violette’s intentions, then why did she take that attitude?

The actions so far showed that she clearly was on the Emperor’s side.

Are you saying that coming this far she suddenly determined herself to betray the Empire?

「Somethings wrong… But this is the only way to save Aifa and the others.」

Saying that I ordered the robot to grab the Emperor.