Promise
“She is my property, do you have any business with her?”
The man who grabs my FiaThing‘s arm. I know who this man is and what kind of relationship he has with Fia but, it somewhat p.i.s.ses me off that a man other than me is touching Fia who’s my thing. Was my possessiveness towards things this strong?
“Property, you say? Are you treating Aneue as a property!”
“Nn? Did I say something strange? Slaves should be treated as the owner’s thing. Isn’t that right, Mylene?”
“Yes, precisely so. I am jealous”
Hey, Mylene. I didn’t ask you such thing now. Besides, Mylene is already my thing even without binding. I won’t hand you over to anyone.
“If that’s the case, how much do I have to pay? If Aneue is a slave then I’ll buy her. Your asking price is fine”
I unintentionally laughed at what he said. What is this fellow saying. To begin with, the premise is mistaken.
“……What’s funny?”
“Kukuu, funny or whatever it is, I was thinking if it’s fine for the Crown Prince to be this foolish”
“Wha?”
“I mean, isn’t it so? This country is a defeated country that lost to us in a war. And then even though she’s becoming a hostage so that the citizens don’t get killed……you’ll pay so release her? In the first place, you who is the Crown Prince of the country that lost has no negotiation privilege or whatnot. Besides, is it fine even if you crush the country that she protected by going as far as to lower her head?”
“……What?”
Perhaps the Crown Prince wasn’t really informed, or perhaps he’s bad at understanding. Either way, it’s about time to let go of your hand. I grab Fia’s left hand that’s free and pull her towards me.
“Kyaa!”
And then, I embrace her waist and make the appeal that she’s my thing. Perhaps Fia also thinks that pushing me back in the current situation is bad, she just stayed stiffen within my arm.
Yes, Mylene. Don’t say you’re jealous or whatnot. I always do it to you, right.
“uu! You ba……”
“Stop it, Henrir!”
Perhaps he’s reached his limits from my action, the Crown Prince places his hand on the sword on his waist and is about to draw it. But as one would expect, Fia couldn’t overlook that so she raises an angry voice. Oo, his movements stopped with Fia’s voice.
“What are you thinking! We lost! We were allowed to live nevertheless thanks to Hardt……Hardt-sama’s kindliness! And yet you were about to point your sword towards Hardt-sama!”
“Bu, but, Aneue. If this carries on, Aneue will”
Uーn, continuing to watch siblings quarrel like this is also kindaー. Alright.
“In that case, I shall set her free if Crown Prince wins against me right here and right now”
“Really!?”
“Aa, of course, I will keep my promise”
The Crown Prince who heard what I said is pumped up. He moves away from me slightly and checks his sword and protector. The servant who’s beside him is looking worried though.
“Hardt, what’s your objective? This battle has no benefit to you, you know?”
“Nn? There’s two of that. Firstly, I can shut that fellow up. Aa, I won’t kill him so, be at ease. Secondly, I will just have the King keep the promise of when a sword is pointed at me”
Fia whose face turns pale from what I said. And then she tries to stop the Crown Prince but, Mylene holds her tightly from behind so that she doesn’t move. Sorry but it’s already too late.
“Come now, anytime is fine”
“You’re not carrying a weapon?”
“I don’t really carry a weapon”
When I say that, the Crown Prince draws his sword and prepares himself. Un, quite the experienced stance. However, not to the extent of Liscia.
“Let’s go!”
And the Crown Prince who begins to run. As I thought, it’s not to the extent of Liscia so it’s slow. It’s unsatisfying for me who’s training with her every day.
“Haa!”
I nimbly dodge the Crown Prince’s sword that slashes diagonally from the shoulder and grabs his collar. And then I lift him up as it is and throw him against the corridor’s wall. ‘Dogan’, the Crown Prince who breaks through the wall and sends it flying. He’s buried in the rubble and not even moving a muscle. It seems he’s lost consciousness.
“Now, shall we bring him and go to where the King is. Will you bring the Crown Prince along?”
I ask of the Crown Prince’s servant. He nods, carries the Crown Prince who’s helped out of the rubble on his shoulders and follows us.
“Hardt, please, I’ll be the scapegoat so will you refrain from killing the people?”
“That’s impossible. I have told the King and the ministers ahead of time. If they convey that matter to the Crown Prince in advance then it would not have turned into something like this. It’s the King who neglected that who’s at fault”
Fia who makes a face that’s about to cry at any time now from what I said. Just this time, I can’t pull back as well. If I’m soft here, the King and the others would take it as it’s fine, be encouraged by it, and probably repeat the same thing. If it becomes so, that’s exactly when I will actually be forced to kill all the citizens.
As one would expect, we don’t wish to go that far. Since the foodstuff and so forth that we need as long as we live cannot be produced by the dead spirits no matter what.
We head towards the office where the King is said to be. When we arrive, I enter without even knocking and, the King who looks over with his eyes opened was there. I enter without paying it any mind.
“Yo, King”
“……What business do you have here. We are doing exactly what you requested, no?”
“That’s right but you know, he pointed his sword at me”
I say that and, the servant steps forward apologetically. The King who saw the servant and the Crown Prince, leaned into his chair as he held his head.
“As promised, I will use the citizens as my underlings’ feed. Well, since it’s the first time, King, you choose a family that is fine even if they weren’t around and bring them over. The deadline is nightfall”
I say just that and leave the office. Mylene is the only one who follows. Now then, should I investigate the nearby countries as planned from now on.