𝐎𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤
When Albero and his group headed to a nearby village, they encountered several soldiers from the Kingdom of Asgard.
After handing Yorha’s letter to those individuals, the soldiers began to act.
It was to communicate with the Asgard Kingdom and the Alfheim Kingdom.
Having witnessed this, Albero and Ashe promptly returned to the village.
Upon their return, the burial was already over. A gravestone and flowers were placed on the grave, and a bottle of liquor from the village chief’s house was also offered.
The burial was finished before the troops from the Alfheim Kingdom or the Asgard Kingdom arrived.
ㅤ
“May they rest in peace. . . . . .”
“I’m sorry. . . . . .I couldn’t protect them.”
ㅤ
Lapis offered prayers, and Ridelle expressed her regret.
Seeing Fugil and Grits also paying their respects, Albero and Ashe joined them.
After finishing their prayers, Fugil spoke.
ㅤ
“That was quick.”
“Yes, the speed of Ashe’s Gryphon is quite remarkable, isn’t it?”
“Fufu, well, I guess so.”
ㅤ
Ashe puffed out her chest proudly.
After the burial, they returned to the village chief’s house, where Oswald had already returned.
The cemetery was located very close to the village. Despite Fugil and Lapis being there, Oswald seemed to have headed to the village chief’s house without even greeting them.
Yorha then addressed Oswald.
ㅤ
“It seems you evacuated the villagers.”
“Yes. Thanks to taking action immediately after the demon and demon beast attack, we were able to save a few lives.”
“Hmm? Those few lives. . . . . .they seemed to have packed up and left properly, didn’t they?”
“What are you talking about? As soon as the demon attack began, I took the villagers near the horse carriage to a nearby village. Those who couldn’t fit were directed to the opposite side of the village where no demons were, and told to hide in the nearby forest.”
“. . . . . .”
ㅤ
Oswald spoke convincingly with a smile.
However, something about his smile seemed suspicious.
Then, Oswald continued.
ㅤ
“After all, wasn’t it the S-class’s fault that we couldn’t protect the villagers? We did our utmost. At the very least, I think it’s the S-class’s fault we couldn’t protect the villagers.”
“. . . . . .”
ㅤ
A vein popped on Yorha’s forehead, and she crossed her legs while sitting.
Oswald sipped his tea gracefully.
ㅤ
“Soon, the Alfheim Kingdom army will arrive here. I will stay for the explanation, so everyone else should withdraw by tomorrow.”
“I’ll stay too.”
“There’s no need for the princess to stay.”
“It’s a royal order. As one of the participants in the battle, I need to explain to the kingdom’s army.”
“. . . . . .Tsk.”
ㅤ
Oswald clicked his tongue discreetly.
If left to this man, the merits of the demon subjugation would all be attributed to the A-class. They couldn’t afford to give him material to improve the image of the Alfheim Kingdom.
Yorha then addressed Albero.
ㅤ
“Albero, stay as my escort.”
“Eh, oh. . . . . .well, sure.”
“You seem unhappy.”
“No, not at all. Yes.”
“Good. Everyone should rest for today.”
ㅤ
Thus, the battle against the demon and demon beast ended, and they decided to return to the Asgard Kingdom.
But they had forgotten something crucial.
ㅤ
“Has Kid still not returned?”
ㅤ
Kid had yet to come back.
ㅤ
◇◇◇◇◇◇
ㅤ
The next day.
Esterize and her group returned to the Kingdom of Asgard.
Albero, Yorha, and Oswald stayed behind to explain the situation to the generals of the Alfheim Kingdom army. Albero listened by Yorha’s side, but Yorha’s words, having been directly involved in the battle, carried weight.
Without Oswald interjecting much, the explanation came to an end, and the day concluded.
Everything had been good so far. However, the return journey the next day was hell.
ㅤ
“Can I. . . . . .run back?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Who’s going to escort me?”
“But, you know. . . . . .”
ㅤ
There was only one horse carriage left.
This means that Oswald, Albero, and Yorha had to share the ride.
The carriage was driven by a soldier from the Alfheim Kingdom army.
Oswald said with a grin,
ㅤ
“Let’s head back, shall we?”
ㅤ
Oswald boarded the horse carriage with a cheerful smile. . . . . .Honestly, it was creepy.
But resisting here was pointless. Albero asked Yorha,
ㅤ
“What about Kid. . . . . .?”
“I’ve informed the Alfheim Kingdom army that a student is missing. They said they’ll protect him if found and send him back.”
“. . . . . .”
“Don’t worry. Do you think the Kid you know would lose to a demon?”
“No, he’d shoot first without asking questions.”
“Then, all we can do now is. . . . . .think about going home.”
ㅤ
Saying that, Yorha headed to the horse carriage.
Albero took one last look in the direction where Kid disappeared and boarded the horse carriage.
ㅤ
◇◇◇◇◇◇
ㅤ
“””. . . . . .”””
ㅤ
Inside the horse carriage, there was silence.
Albero, Yorha, and Oswald. Not exactly a group for lively conversation.
Yorha sighed softly and said to Albero,
ㅤ
“Albero, expect a reward for the demon subjugation. I may not be able to grant every wish. . . . . .but I think I can grant you some land.”
“. . . . . .Ha.”
ㅤ
Oswald laughed sarcastically.
Yorha’s face turned cold.
ㅤ
“Was there something strange?”
“No. . . . . .hehe, it’s too generous for a demon subjugation reward, isn’t it? Besides, giving such a reward to an individual might lead to misunderstandings among many.”
“So what?”
“Gaining territory means bestowing a title. Hehe, 『A strong and selfish young man』, managing territory would be impossible for him.”
“That’s not for you to decide. Albero is impressive.”
“Yes, indeed, he is impressive. But that’s as a soldier. Rather than having the qualities of a noble, he’s remarkable as a military asset. Princess Yorha, your judgment is flawed.”
“━━”
ㅤ
Albero felt as if he heard the sound of a taut thread snapping. . . . . .or at least, he imagined he did.
Albero swallowed. Oswald wasn’t particularly frightening, and neither was Yorha. However, the tension between the two was terrifying. A fear different from facing demons or demon beasts.
ㅤ
“By the way, I wanted to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
“. . . . . .You were the one who instructed the villagers to ride the horse carriage and told the rest to flee the village and hide in the forest, weren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“I saw the homes of the villagers you took with you. . . . . .They were well-prepared. Packing clothes, valuables, and essentials into bags to put on the horse carriage, you seemed quite composed, didn’t you?”
“What do you mean?”
“And. . . . . . answer me honestly.”
“. . . . . .Yes?”
ㅤ
Yorha said with the most terrifying expression Albero had ever seen.
ㅤ
“You knew that two demons were coming, didn’t you?”
“. . . . . .Perhaps? The prophecy did hint at something like that.”
“Just a theory, but you only prepped selected villagers for evacuation, right? And directed the remaining villagers towards where the demon was appearing. . . . . .Because Ridelle was fighting, the death of the villagers wasn’t seen as an accident but rather an instance where the S-class couldn’t protect. And the villagers you ‘saved’. . . . . .Oh, I don’t even want to use the word ‘saved’. From the ones you sent, it seems there was an important figure among them.”
ㅤ
It was then that Oswald’s eyebrows twitched for the first time.
ㅤ
“From that reaction, I guess I was right. One of my Skyriders went to the village you headed to and reported the situation. Apparently, Prince Delling of the Alfheim Kingdom had been living there in hiding.”
“A mere coincidence, perhaps?”
“You seem poised to receive a hefty reward, don’t you? Moreover, you’ve now added the achievement of subjugating two demons. The summoners under your supervision defeated two demons, and you rescued the prince of Alfheim Kingdom. Do you already have a narrative ready to praise the A-class summoners for their heroism while criticizing the S-class for failing to protect the villagers? Getting a generous reward in the Asgard Kingdom and then being treated like a Duke in the Alfheim Kingdom. . . . . .Is that the plot you’ve crafted?”
“. . . . . .Well, Princess Yorha, it seems you have the makings of a playwright.”
ㅤ
Albero reluctantly agreed. Indeed, Yorha might have a talent for storytelling.
But Yorha snorted in response.
ㅤ
“I won’t deny the playwright talent. I don’t have any proof of what I just said. . . . . .It’d be great if there was evidence of a second prophecy, but Destiny doesn’t know the content of its own prophecies, so there’s nothing we can do.”
“Really?. . . . . .I wasn’t aware of that.”
“How insincere. . . . . .”
ㅤ
Oswald’s smirk didn’t fade. . . . . .He knew everything.
Oswald shifted his legs and settled deeper into his seat.
ㅤ
“Well, assuming all you said is true. . . . . .There’s nothing to be done now.”
“. . . . . .”
“Princess Yorha. This time, you’ve lost. . . . . .I have achieved my goals and will abandon this country. The fact that I rescued the prince from a neighboring country is true, as is the fact that I supervised the demon subjugation expedition. Plus, with such an incompetent king, he won’t oppose my move to the neighboring country.”
“. . . . . .”
“Hehe, Albero-kun.”
“. . . . . .What is it?”
“You, do your fighting. Exert your strength foolishly, and make this world peaceful. Once the world is at peace, I will realize my ideals.”
“. . . . . .”
ㅤ
From that point, Oswald said nothing more.
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