The Loner Who Conquers the Other World

Day 61 – Wilderness

I single-mindedly gallop towards the frontier. To think they’d attack a regent’s unit. Theocracy is clearly trying to make a vassal state out of the kingdom, turn the royal family into their puppets, enslave the frontier, and single-handedly dominate the magic stone industry. Is this how far we have fallen?

Our kingdom is one of the few states recognizing beastmen rights and the Union of Beastmen Nations, bearing the constant enmity of the church for it. The nobles coaxed by the church are trying to overturn those laws, but as long as the covenant with the royal family exists that won’t be permitted, and they have no means of actually changing the law. No matter how pushy the Theocracy may get, they can’t afford to antagonize our kingdom, as without magic stones supplied by us, the church will be unable to maintain its influence. The church is monopolizing the magic stones processing industry, claiming everything beside『Divine Purification』to be devil’s arts, those that try to work to work with the stones on their own to be witches, torturing them before execution as a warning to others. Even if one tries to hide, they would hunt down the entire families and relatives, killing and wiping them off the face of the earth, protecting their monopoly on magic stone processing techniques and the riches that come with it. With those tools and magic appliances the church keeps permeating and expanding its influence on the continent. And with a complete domination of magic stone processing they obtained power that even entire nations can’t easily defy.

With so many nobles taking the Theocracy’s side and now even the first prince swallowed up by them, there is no hope left. Because it means that even our intelligence bureau was on the church’s side all along. It’s too much even for a bad joke. After all, it’s proof that the kingdom was led by false information it was fed without knowing anything.

Looks like I’m not making it to the frontier. I heard that that mercenary unit with a white line on deep green armor are forest warfare specialists, so being attacked in the woods we rushed to reach the planes, but by the time we managed that our force was almost completely decimated. There is no way to recover from this. The information is clearly being leaked to the Theocracy, or, I guess, it would be more precise to say that I myself jumped into the trap prepared by our own intelligence department, that was colluding with the Theocracy. To have myself killed before I can present this head of mine to count Omui is the height of disgrace, but it would seem that this is the end of the road for me. I couldn’t fulfill my role as the brother’s representative, nor could I apologize to Count Omui.

I keep desperately galloping to the frontier. At the very least, I have to let them know that the forces of the church are on the move, at the very least—

「A person ahead! Alone, unarmed, a civilian.」

「It’s a pity but we can’t avoid them, run straight ahead!」

I won’t ask not to think badly of this, but we will have to run over him, if I can at least get killed near the frontier, their forces might notice the church movements, that’s the only use of my life that I have left. And that’s the only way I can leave any hope for the kingdom, that’s why… Vanished!

I saw a figure in a black mantle ahead, but it suddenly vanished? A trap? But there is no other choice but to push forward. There is no option but to die as close as possible to the frontier.

「Combat in the back! The black mantle has engaged enemy forces, the enemy halted?!」

What happened, is this a counterattack opportunity or a chance for escape? No, we have to reach the frontier no matter what.

「A flag ahead. White and red, a sword and a heart. Shariceres-sama! Alone, but in full battle gear!」

The allies immediately become animated at the sight of the Sword Princess’ flag. That is the biggest reason why the princes fear and hate Shariceres. Charisma of the strongest.

Merely the sight of her standing with the sword in her hands, not even mounted, is enough for the soldiers to reach coherence and begin organizing. A true descendant of the royal bloodline, possessing the spirit of a ruler, that is the Knight Princess, Shariceres.

Even unskilled soldiers can crush a force 10 times their number if Shariceres takes command. That’s why soldiers idolize her, readily entrusting her with their lives.

「Shariceres, you were alright! But there is a pursuit, those…」

「You Excellency, please hurry ahead! Leave the rearguard to me. Well, doesn’t seem like there is any need for that…」

Turning around, I see a quiet hell behind us. A grim reaper in black robes is one-sidedly harvesting lives of an overwhelmingly larger force in complete silence.

Vanishing as if in a dance, dashing only to disappear, and erasing numerous soldiers upon materializing, he leaves only quiet behind.

Their unit is collapsing as a combat force as those battle-hardened soldiers are panicking, frightened beyond belief, slaughtered by just one person.

The enemies, whose number was close to 100 horsemen, were half annihilated by the time I turned around, and a few moments later, were completely crushed. That is hell, a nightmare incarnate.

「What brings Your Excellency to the frontier? Did something happen in the Capital?」

She is unfazed after seeing that. Is she the one who brought that person?

「What in the world is that? Is that… A human?」

「…A bodyguard, of sorts? He keeps exterminating enemies, making not a single attempt of actually guarding me so far, but it’s probably a bodyguard?」

That is a bodyguard! Did Count Omui send him? But that’s… I can’t even comprehend what it is. That is far too removed from what is called a battle.

He walks through the madness of war horses running amok in terror, silently disappearing as if slipping away, he reappers to drag more soldiers into oblivion, turning shrieks, bellows, and screams into silence.

The shadow in black robes is passing unhindered by the frenzy of rampaging horses, flickering like a mirage as it makes its way forward. And before I knew it there was not a single horseman left. They simply vanished, not even leaving corpses behind.

The mercenaries appeared to be making attempts to escape, but they only kept running in circles as if trapped in a cage.

Only horses are managing to run away. The riders disappeared while horses got away.

An empty wasteland is all that’s left, as if there wasn’t anything there in the first place. The horses ran away, while the people vanished without a trace, leaving the man in the black cloak standing all alone.

Everything disappeared as if nothing was there to begin with.

He is coming closer, the face, still retaining some childish features, looks like that of a young boy.

「Thank you very much, Haruka-sama. His Excellency Royal Prince, currently serving as a regent, made it out unharmed, for which you have our sincere thanks.」

「Ah? Nah, it doesn’t matter, so no need for thanks? They were decided to be delivered to that geezer anyway, and I also wouldn’t have heard the end of it from the geeks if I didn’t carefully pack (beat) them? So, like『Tehe, I did an oopsie~』?」

It was just an insolent brat. I’d like to rebuke him for rudeness, but there is no way I can do it after witnessing that. Shariceres is continuing the conversation without making an issue of it, and even that nagging shadow maid is keeping her mouth shut. I can’t grasp his identity.

「Your Excellency, eehm, this is Haruka-sama, a traveler hailing from a distant land, and an honorable guest of house Omui? Or rather, he is a bit of a That sort of person, so his words… is not an issue? Well, he is That, so his etiquette and common sense… and also everything aside from that are That too, but please show him leniency.」

What is everything is That is supposed to mean? Which that is that? But if he is house Omui’s guest I can’t treat him harshly. He might be extremely rude, but we are still indebted to him, but looking closely, he is still a kid, a snot-nosed brat of merely level 21. Was that some sort of a magic tool? But it doesn’t change the fact that he is dangerous. That was a terrifying sight.

「You rescued us and even assisted Shariceres, you have our gratitude. And, is count Omui coming too? Have you received any orders from lord Mellotosam? We come in peace, we simply need to talk with the count, where is the headquarters of the frontier’s army? 」

He isn’t listening! I went as far as forgiving the rudeness of not kneeling before the King, even if merely the King’s proxy, thanking him, but he isn’t listening?

If he wasn’t count Omui’s guest I would’ve cut him down on the spot, but it’s not like it’s possible to do that either, and the identity of this brat isn’t clear. But there is absolutely no way that insulting the King’s dignity can be forgiven.

「Courteously arrest and put him in jail. Make sure you cause him no harm.」

「Please wait! This per…」

On this alone I can’t budge no matter how much Shariceres sticks up for him. I’m the proxy of my brother, the King. I can’t allow anyone to insult the King’s authority. Otherwise there would be no worth to this head of mine. I still have to deliver it to the frontier as the representative of the King. Otherwise what will I have left to offer in apology to lord Mellotosam?

I have to embody the King until this head of mine is separated from the torso. That is the gravity of the royal family and Omui’s relation. It won’t even be an apology unless the king himself bows and has his head chopped off.

Ahead is the frontier, Omui’s domain in the farthest land. My place of death.