Chapter 8

(Strange…)

As Burley watched the girl studying the map with a fearless smile, he found himself reflecting on how his own feelings had changed……

The previous evening, after noticing that part of the castle had suddenly become unusually busy, Burley hurried to Aldridge’s private chambers.

He had not been permitted to enter the chamber where the Saintess Summoning was performed that day, and the entire surrounding area had been declared off-limits, so he had been waiting in his own office for word that the summoning had succeeded.

Yet no news came at all, and he had concluded that the commotion must mean something unexpected had happened.

Anxiety pressed down on him, quickening his steps. Aldridge was unmarried and kept no residence of his own, so he had been given private quarters within the castle. Burley decided it would be better to wait there than wander around searching blindly and planted himself in front of the room.

(Ren, hurry back!)

However, it was not until well into the night that the room’s owner finally returned.

“What happened?!”

Aldridge allowed Burley, who was interrogating him out of anxiety and irritation, into the room, then walked to his desk, removed a sheet of paper from a drawer, and silently held it out.

It was a Magical Oath Document. The realization that something had happened which could not even be discussed unless he signed it made Burley’s anxiety grow even stronger.

Even as he signed while standing, he became certain that whatever he was about to hear would be terrible news, and he clenched his teeth. He practically slammed his signature onto the document before thrusting it back at Aldridge.

“Tomorrow, Ty and I will channel our magic into this. Is that acceptable?”

“Fine. Now tell me what happened.”

Aldridge closed his eyes for a brief moment, then began speaking as though he had finally steeled himself.

“The king—James IV—has passed away. Royal Consort Trisha-sama and Second Prince Alton as well.”

The instant he heard it, Burley nearly collapsed to his knees. Of all the possibilities he had imagined, this was among the very worst. He desperately gripped the edge of the desk and supported himself with trembling hands.

“…Why?”

“The summoned Saintess-sama became furious, saying that this was kidnapping, and demanded the head of whoever was responsible. At first, Prince William was seized……”

As Aldridge recounted everything that had happened in the summoning chamber, Burley could barely manage to remain standing.

“And it reached that point even though Ty was there?”

“Yes. Saintess-sama’s power exceeds anything we imagined. It is not something we could possibly control……”

“But Prince William is safe?”

“He is unharmed. Though there are still a few complications.”

Hearing that gave Burley at least a small sense of relief. Whatever condition William was in, being alive was enough. Jay would surely have felt the same way. After hesitating, Burley voiced something that had been troubling him.

“…When it happened, did he suffer? Was he in pain……? He was always bad with pain……”

“…Death came instantly. So…”

The answer offered him a small measure of comfort. Afterward, he told the exhausted-looking Aldridge to rest, left the room, and headed for the Royal Mausoleum. But he could not enter immediately.

The soldiers who should have been standing guard were waiting in the administration room, and they told him that the knight commander was inside and had asked to be left alone.

Burley decided to wait there, but because he did not want to face anyone, he placed a chair in a slightly secluded spot and sat down. He could hear Ty muttering softly, though he could not make out what he was saying. Burley remained there in silence, listening and waiting.

Then, after Ty left the administration room without noticing him, Burley informed the soldiers and headed into the mausoleum alone.

Inside the mausoleum, wrapped in freezing cold, the man who had been both his friend and his sovereign looked as though he were merely sleeping.

“UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

He screamed as though trying to expel every emotion welling inside him—regret, helpless frustration, and everything else.

It did nothing to ease the pain in his chest, but shouting at the top of his lungs calmed him slightly, and he slowly approached one of the three coffins lined up before him. The coffin was far too cold to touch, so he stopped beside it instead and leaned forward to look down at his friend’s face.

“Hey, Jay. This is too soon. You were only forty-four. And yet…… Ren did warn us that we had no idea what might happen with this summoning, but I never imagined it would come to this. Did you know? Did you understand that this might happen……? If you did, then that was cruel. This… all of a sudden…”

There were countless things he wanted to say, but the pain in his chest was so intense that the words caught in his throat. His eyes burned, yet the tears that spilled out were exposed to the cold air and felt almost frozen. Even so, there was one thing he had to say, and he forced the words out.

“…I intend to keep the promise I made you. But for now, I am still too angry. I do not think I can do it yet. Sorry.”

‘Benny, no matter what happens, I want you to aid Saintess-sama and protect her.’

Those were words the king had spoken to him some time after the summoning had been decided upon. At the time, Burley had assumed he meant that Burley should protect the Saintess when accompanying her on the extermination expedition, and he had readily answered that of course he would.

But now, belatedly, he wondered whether perhaps those words had been meant for a situation exactly like this.

Even so, Burley could not stop thinking that taking the king’s life had been unnecessary. That was what angered him. Still carrying that anger, Burley left the mausoleum.

That was why, when Prince William told him the next morning that the Saintess had summoned whoever was in charge of the extermination force, Burley had become extremely tense.

He did not know what sort of attitude he would show when standing before the Saintess while still carrying the anger from the previous day.

He practically snatched the map from the prince’s hands when William said he would bring it himself, declared, “I’ll take it,” and headed toward the room where he had been told the Saintess was staying. All the while, the image in his mind was of some witch-like woman who could casually take human lives.

But the person in the room was a girl about the same age as his daughter. More than that, the unfamiliar clothing she wore forced him to confront the reality that, for their convenience, she had been torn away from her own world. The moment that realization struck him, he was surprised to find his protective instincts stirring, and he gave a wry smile.

(How simple-minded can I be…)

Even so, as he looked at the girl studying him as though evaluating him, Burley realized that although the pain in his chest remained, his anger had disappeared.

Afterward, even while being repeatedly astonished by her arts and abilities, he also witnessed the curiosity and endearing qualities natural to a girl her age, and he felt he finally understood why the girl named Kana needed to be protected.

A solitary girl forced to live in this world had likely had no choice but to become ruthless in order to protect herself. Otherwise, she must have known that people seeking to exploit and drain her power would prey upon her.

(She is a clever child. To protect herself, she displayed her power and showed that she could be merciless. But that could also create enemies. Especially those who try to exploit her without even meaning harm are the worst kind. That is why, whatever happens, I will stand on her side.)

As Burley made that decision, his friend’s smiling face appeared in his mind.

(Yes, Jay. That is right. Now I can say it from the bottom of my heart. No matter what happens, I will keep that promise…)

As the commander prepared to leave, saying he had preparations to make for the following day, Princess Kana asked him to tell Aldridge that she wished to see him.

Less than half an hour later, the chancellor arrived, and the princess told him she had several requests. First, she handed him two sheets of paper.

“Those were drawn by my Shiki. They appear identical, but apparently they are not. I want you to investigate why. It may have something to do with the thieves from last night.”

Aldridge compared the two sheets, but he too seemed unable to distinguish between them. Even so, he said he understood and slipped the papers into his document folder.

“There is also something I wish to check before we depart tomorrow, so I would like to borrow a suitable place. Preferably somewhere open where loud noises will not cause trouble.”

“In that case, how about the magicians’ training grounds? Soundproofing magic has been placed there.”

At Aldridge’s suggestion, Princess Kana recalled the place she had visited during the day.

“Oh, that might be ideal. I roughly remember where it is, but I would prefer someone to guide me there.”

The chancellor nodded and said he understood. Then, after warning that her final request was the most important one,

“I expect there will be some movement while we are away, so if possible, I want no one new admitted into the castle, and no one already inside permitted to leave. Can such a thing be done?”

“That is……not something I can decide on my authority alone. I will consult Queen-sama immediately and return with an answer. I will bring someone to guide you at that time as well.”

“Very well. I shall leave it to you.”

(Now the preparations are complete. All that remains is……)

“Oh, you changed your clothing. That color suits you very well too.”

“That kimono was ill-suited for hunting monsters. This one was inside my Status. Is that so? It suits me…”

The next morning, while heading with Commander Burley toward the place where the knights and soldiers were waiting, Princess Kana received a compliment on her outfit and blushed slightly.

She wore a black kimono patterned with arrow feathers and Seigaiha waves, paired with deep green hakama. The colors were somewhat subdued, but she had chosen them with the day’s coming events in mind, so she was pleased to be complimented.

However, she kept secret the fact that the main reason she had changed was simply that she did not want to dirty her favorite pale-crimson karaginu.

At the assembly area, the troops had already formed immaculate ranks, and the princess found herself impressed by their competence. At the head of the formation stood William and Knight Commander Beaton, both similarly clad in armor.

The eyes of all three hundred mounted soldiers, their armor shining in the morning sun, were fixed upon the princess. In those gazes she could see resolve for the coming extermination, along with curiosity, expectation, and hope.

Hope placed upon the Saintess. She pitied the fact that these men, who were undoubtedly capable soldiers, had been driven so far that they needed to cling to such a thing. At the same time, Princess Kana’s opinion of the king who had chosen to perform a summoning in desperation for divine aid rose slightly.

The queen and chancellor were also present, apparently to see them off, so the princess decided to remind them firmly about what was to be done during her absence.

“Do exactly as we discussed last night.”

“We understand. From now until Kana-sama returns, no one whatsoever is to be permitted to enter or leave, correct?”

“Indeed. I intend to leave guards behind as well, so I expect there will be no problem.”

After answering the queen, Princess Kana breathed upon two human-shaped Shiki and issued a command.

“Manifest, Servant Demons! Zenki, Goki!”

At once, two armored Shikigami appeared. One wore bright red armor and a black tengu mask and carried an axe, while the other wore blue-green armor with a red tengu mask and, for some reason, carried a water jar. Both masks covered the upper halves of their faces, leaving their mouths visible, and the vicious fangs protruding from them gave the pair an appearance more than terrifying enough to frighten anyone who saw them.

Neither was especially large, but even through their armor, the bulging muscles of their bodies were clearly visible. The sight of such beings kneeling before a small girl inspired everyone watching with a powerful sense of awe toward the Saintess.

“Goki, that is not the proper thing for now.”

At the princess’s words, the blue-green armored Shiki stared at the hand holding its water jar for several moments, then swung it with a whoosh! In an instant, the jar transformed into a long-handled sickle.

“That is better. Now then, for roughly ten days, until I return here, allow no one new into this castle. Nor are you to permit anyone to leave. Show no mercy to anyone who defies you. It matters not who they are. Bury them in the earth or throw them into the moat!”

““As you command!””

Of the two monstrous soldiers who answered, the red one headed for the castle’s main gate while the blue-green one went toward the rear gate. Neither ran; instead, they moved as though gliding across the ground. Princess Kana watched them go with satisfaction.

“Now then, Suō. The shape of their armor is somewhat different, but how many people can you manage?”

“As I said before, twenty should be manageable ｟I would like to say, ‘As I am now, even twice that number would be easy, so leave it to me!’ but I cannot…｠”

“Then, Commander, these twenty are indeed the detachment that will accompany me, correct? Henry, what of the supplies?”

She turned from the three hundred soldiers already mounted to the group standing beside the extermination commander, then addressed the magician among them.

“Everything has been stored in the Magic Box exactly as you instructed.”

“Good. Then, Suō, I leave it to you.”

“Understood!”

As soon as he answered, Suō’s body rapidly grew enormous, and the twenty men rose into the air. The startled soldiers flailed their arms and legs in midair, but they were immediately deposited atop the gigantic Suō, forcing all of them to cling desperately to his back. Naturally, the extermination commander was among them.

Princess Kana mounted Kaō, who had grown somewhat larger than usual, and called out to Prince William from atop the fox, who had already lifted into the air and was waiting for the signal to depart.

“You are to head directly for Dawkins.”

“Saintess-sama, what about us?!”

Clinging to Suō’s back, Commander Burley raised his voice.

“We shall head to Clutchfield first. Do not worry. With Suō and the others, we shall arrive in no time. Once our work there is finished, we shall hurry to Dawkins as well and meet you there!”

She answered the commander’s question, though the final words were directed toward William. As though they had been waiting impatiently for her to finish speaking, the two white foxes bounded high into the sky and raced away.

“Then we shall depart as well! We must reach Dawkins before Saintess-sama arrives!”

““““Yes, sir!””””

At the knight commander’s order, the mounted force also set off amid the clatter and crash of armor.

The queen watched them depart.

“Return safely.”

After murmuring those words, she turned her thoughts to the work awaiting her. They would need to check the food currently stored in the castle and account for everyone inside. Preventing all movement in and out for ten days also meant that no food supplies would be brought in.

Although the castle did possess wells and cultivated fields, this was a matter that would require the cooperation of everyone currently inside.

As the queen sighed, Aldridge offered a suggestion.

“For now, let us issue a public notice to the castle town stating that a mysterious contagious illness has appeared inside the castle and that entry and exit will therefore be prohibited for some time.”

The queen agreed that blaming a mysterious epidemic would also make it easier later to explain the deaths of the royal consort and Second Prince. The two briefly coordinated what needed to be done, then each headed to their respective offices.

Viewed from above, the city called the royal capital was surrounded by massive stone walls and a moat, and Princess Kana found herself remembering the plans of Osaka Castle she had been shown as a child.

(Perhaps the things people build end up resembling one another, even in different worlds.)

But that moment of sentiment passed quickly. Thanks to the white foxes racing as though flying, the royal capital soon shrank into the distance and disappeared.

(Why does it feel as though we are moving faster than usual…?)

“Kaō, enthusiasm is well and good, but do not overexert yourself.”

“…Your concern honors me! ｟I would like to say, ‘Today I could run even faster than this!’ but I cannot…｠”

Immediately after leaving the royal capital, there had not been much visible damage, but as they continued onward, the extent of the devastation gradually became apparent.

The small settlement now visible below had probably been abandoned early. The houses and fields were still barely intact, but everything had fallen into ruin. Yet she quickly realized that even this counted as fortunate.

That was because the farther they traveled, the greater the destruction became. She spotted several small mana pools as well. As the princess passed over one of them, she happened to see the upper half of something called a magical beast emerging from it.

“We are in haste now, so I shall leave these for later, but I suppose something must eventually be done about this area as well.”

She muttered to herself, but even as she watched, the situation grew steadily more horrific. When they passed over a village that appeared to have been attacked by magical beasts only recently, the sight was so terrible that she instinctively turned her eyes away. The beasts had shown no mercy even to women and children, attacking and devouring them.

As they approached the territory of Clutchfield, their destination, the devastation increased at an accelerating pace. Even Princess Kana began to understand the feelings of those who had been left with no choice but to appeal to the gods.

The land trampled by magical beasts had been reduced to ruin, with fields and pastures completely destroyed. Places that had once been settlements now held nothing but rubble and rotting flesh. Amid that devastation, only the territorial capital, enclosed by defensive walls, seemed somehow to be holding out.

And a short distance away, at the foot of a mountain, there was a dense mana pool. It was vastly larger than anything they had seen before, and despite still being quite far away, they could already sense its ominous stench.

Burley had been staring down at the destruction below in stunned silence for some time, but when he saw that, he finally spoke.

“Thanks to Saintess-sama’s map, we knew the magical beasts were increasing, but this… what in the world happened here…? And what is that……? When I came here before, nothing like that existed……”

“Some fool was concealing the information. Most likely, the letters requesting reinforcements were being replaced.”

“What utter stupidity…”

“Now then, let us finish this quickly. But before that…”

Whoosh!

An arrow suddenly shot toward them, cutting the princess off mid-sentence.