(There was maybe a typo error in syosetu website where the chapter says 150)
Chapter 149: The Preparations of a Mad Dog
“Come to think of it, you weren’t there the following year, were you? Did you spend too much money that year?”
“Uh, no… it’s just that… grandfather passed away the next year.”
“Oh, I see.”
I listened to her story and nodded in understanding.
It wasn’t a time to think about that due to mourning.
Of course, there are no laws against it, let alone unspoken rules.
However, it’s generally uncommon to pay a large sum for honor when the head of the household, who is effectively the patriarch, has passed away.
I couldn’t quite remember what happened the following year.
I vaguely remembered what Etna said about “the next year,” which made me realize I was still concerned about her, but I had completely lost track of “the year after that.”
By the process of elimination, there was no one I could remember, so it seems I stopped utilizing the system of honorable knights after that.
“Uh… why is Your Majesty not in the military? I thought for sure you were part of it.”
“Your assumption is correct; I have been playing the role of a libertine. I wanted to know what the others actually think, so I’ve been pretending to be a spy.”
“Alone?”
Etna looked surprised.
I glanced sideways at Luke, who had discreetly kept some distance since we began talking.
From Etna’s tone, it seemed she hadn’t even considered Luke at all.
“Since it’s infiltration, it’s easier to go alone. Besides, if possible, I want to hear the evaluation of Eila with my own ears too.”
“What!? Someone like that is unnecessary. He’s incompetent and gets carried away.”
“But he has already defeated the Imperial Army once.”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t you know?”
“What about?”
“The person who defeated the Imperial Army is someone named Ride.”
“Ride Memedo?”
“Yes.”
“What about that man?”
“He was buried with his wife.”
“Buried—wait, a funeral burial!?”
This was indeed surprising.
Etna looked at me with a “didn’t you know?” expression, which made me even more shocked.
“I had heard about the funeral burial. No, that’s just too ridiculous no matter how I think about it…”
“Um, Your Majesty seems to highly value him. You’d be astonished if I told you the reason.”
“What is it? The reason?”
“To properly perform the burial of his wife, he had to include someone significant, otherwise his devotion to her wouldn’t be conveyed.”
“………”
I was taken aback.
This was an unexpected development.
“……”
I felt the impulse to ask, ‘if that was true?’
I thought it might not be clear if I asked Etna.
So, I turned to face Luke.
“Luke.”
“Y-Yes!”
“Go back to Henry right now. Investigate the current situation of a man named Ride Memedo with all your might.”
“Y-Yes!”
Luke turned and dashed away, flailing about.
I wondered to what extent he recognized the situation or if he was just judging it based on my tone.
Luke had a serious expression and sprinted away with almost all his strength.
“Thank you for the heads-up, Etna. I appreciate it.”
“N-No! If I could be of help…”
“I’m sorry, but we part ways here.”
“Are you going back?”
“No, I’m going to infiltrate the capital city as planned.”
“The capital… wait? You’re not saying you’re going to Eila’s place, are you?”
“Since I’ve come this far, I want to see for myself what’s really going on.”
I started to become concerned about Eila in another sense—I thought about saying it but decided against it.
“It’s dangerous.”
“No problem.”
As long as I’m moving alone, there shouldn’t be any problems. I can hide my presence as much as I need to.
There’s Muir, but… that’s just a minor issue.
“…Uh, I-I’ll go too.”
“Huh?”
“I can guide you through the capital. You’re gathering information, right? I know the places where it can be done most efficiently.”
“Hmm.”
I nodded slightly and thought.
While I could handle infiltration and escape without issues, I didn’t know where to go to gather information efficiently.
It would be beneficial if a local could guide me in that regard.
I thought a little and was about to ask Etna to guide me on that when, in the next moment, an unexpected event occurred.
“Hmm?”
Suddenly, I heard voices from the village that sounded like an argument.
When I turned to look in that direction, Etna also seemed to notice it late and turned towards the back of the village in the same manner.
“What is it?”
“My lady! Please escape!”
From deep within the village, someone who had been preparing food rushed over with a pale expression.
“My lady—Gah!”
An arrow flew from behind the man running towards us and lodged itself into his back.
He jerked as if seized by a spasm, his eyes wide open, and then he fell face forward.
Immediately after, a different group emerged from the back of the village.
They were soldiers.
Soldiers dressed similarly to the Imperial Army.
As they approached, the narrowness of the village made it difficult to determine how many there were.
“More than fifty, I’d say.”
[A hundred and two.]
Livyathan answered my thoughts in my mind.
A hundred… that’s somewhat troublesome.
What’s the best course of action here—I was pondering this when the soldiers came thundering in and stood before Etna.
“You’re Etna Aiwan, aren’t you?”
The one leading the group, who seemed to be the captain based on his attire, asked Etna for confirmation.
“…And if I am?”
In response to the tense atmosphere, Etna stiffened her face and replied.
“We’ll have you come with us.”
“Why?”
“It’s your father’s fault for not willingly providing food supplies. Since his precious only daughter has been captured, maybe he’ll reconsider.”
The soldier said this with a smirk.
I thought to myself, well, that’s straightforward.
Eila’s army is currently sustaining its supplies through plunder.
They are undoubtedly demanding cooperation not only from the civilians but also from merchants and landowners.
According to what was just said, Etna’s father, a grain merchant, must have received such a request, but since he refused, they’ve come to take his daughter hostage to make him comply.
“You coward!”
“Say what you want—hey!”
The captain motioned with his chin to his subordinates behind him.
A few young soldiers stepped forward, brandishing their weapons towards Etna.
I stepped forward, positioning myself in front of Etna before their hands could reach her, standing protectively in her way.
“Your Majesty! Please run! Their goal is ransom; I’m fine!”
Etna started to panic.
Even when she was targeted, she had barely shown any distress, but my stepping forward seemed to fluster her.
“Your Majesty?”
I didn’t respond, but the soldier captain reacted.
He glanced back and forth between Etna and me.
He probably never imagined the Emperor would be there; his reaction to Etna’s words was only, “What do you mean by that?”
“I suppose there’s no helping it.”
I let out a small sigh.
Though he didn’t understand it now, I didn’t want this information to return with them.
I thrust out my hand and summoned Livyathan from within my bracelet.
The water demon sword, which had shrunk to the size of a needle, quickly reverted to its original size.
I gripped Livyathan and readied myself.
Then— I stepped forward.
I lunged in before the soldiers could react.
Closing in, with Livyathan’s sword skillI I cut down the soldiers one by one..
Livyathan’s blade sliced through the air, trailing residual light as it sent splashes of blood spraying among the soldiers.
One by one, the soldiers were brought down.
After slashing down about twenty, the reality of the situation seemed to hit everyone.
However, their fighting spirit did not return.
The sheer confusion and terror of having twenty of their comrades felled by a single person in an instant took hold, causing most of the soldiers to flee in a panic.
“I’m sorry, but I won’t let you escape. Livyathan.”
[Understood.]
As soon as I called out to Livyathan, an overwhelming pressure that I had often seen since the Leviathan era was unleashed upon the soldiers.
Those who had lost their fighting spirit and tried to turn their backs to escape suddenly froze in place.
“You’re being overly cautious.”
I smiled slightly and began to slash down the frozen soldiers.
With Livyathan’s power, it would have been easy to knock them all out with intimidation alone, but Livyathan deliberately limited the pressure to merely freeze their movements.
With them immobilized, I took my time for the “finishing blow.”
There were a hundred of them, yet with Livyathan’s strength, it was easy to cut down the soldiers as if they were nothing more than scarecrows.
It took less than ten minutes to bring them all down. In no time at all, every soldier lay fallen, lifeless.
And then—
“Th-that was amazing…”
Just as Livyathan had foreseen, I cut down a hundred soldiers in an instant and Etna’s gaze was at me with an awe impression.
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Thanks for the treat.