Master and Slaves

"Sophia. Can you return Cathy and Rina to normal?"

I thought Cathy and Rina had probably been controlled.

That was why I asked Sophia.

"I might be able to, but it would be faster to ask this one."

Sophia pulled the rope she held on her arm.

The one pulled was Yanica, who at some point had a rope put around her neck.

"Gu... s-stop... it hurts..."

Yanica put both hands between her neck and the rope and was being pulled by Sophia with her face red.

"Now, return these children to normal."

"Gu, w-with this I can’t e-even spea..."

Because Sophia was pulling the neck rope up Yanica could not even speak properly.

"Sophia, loosen the rope."

"Understood."

When Sophia loosened the neck rope Yanica hung her head and coughed goho goho.

"Yaska. Ah, it was Yanica. Hurry up."

"I’ll do it, I’ll do it so..."

Yanica looked up at Sophia while rubbing her neck and said that weakly, then put her right finger on Cathy’s forehead.

I release this person. Be bound, vanish.

When Yanica chanted the words a black ball came out from Cathy’s forehead.

Then it scattered into mist in the air.

Cathy slowly opened her eyes.

Perhaps because it was bright she blinked several times, then looked at Yanica in front of her.

"...No, noooo!!"

Cathy raised a scream and tried to pull back.

However because there was a wall there she tried to crawl to the left avoiding Yanica and flee.

"Hey, Cathy!"

Ahead of that I was there.

Cathy was so frightened I ended up speaking.

Whether she heard that or saw my feet, Cathy timidly looked up.

I was crouched so our eyes met immediately.

"...Ah... aah... Ma... Masterrr!"

Cathy’s face crumpled and she clung to me.

I also received Cathy and hugged her.

"It’s all right now. Already..."

"Master, Masterrr!"

She kept hugging tightly and would not let go.

Around us Muriel and the others of course, and Helene and Baldo as well, were looking at me and Cathy while smiling.

Only Yanica alone was glaring at us looking frustrated.

"Do the other one too."

Sophia noticed Yanica glaring at us, pulled the neck rope, and prompted Yanica to release Rina.

"Gu, I’ll do it, I’ll do it so~, i-it hurts..."

Yanica was pulled in front of Rina while warping her face as if in pain.

Then she did the same to Rina as Cathy.

However when Rina woke and found me she turned her face away looking awkward.

"Rina! What is that attitude!"

Seeing that Muriel showered Rina with an angry voice.

"Do you understand what you did to Master?!"

"..."

At Muriel’s intensity Rina could say nothing and hung her head.

"...Fine. It seems you need a harsh punishment."

"Onee-chan isn’t at fault!"

There Rine shouted, glared at Muriel in front of Rina, and protected her.

"I also have responsibility for losing sight of Rina. Please punish me for Rina’s share as well..."

Sara also stood beside Rine and protected Rina.

"...Haa. Master, what shall we do?"

"For now let’s put it on hold. We have things to do now. Right? Helene."

I turned around and looked at Helene.

Helene, suddenly turned to, was a little confused then nodded.

Because...

"They’re over here!"

An enemy soldier who found us called his comrades.

"...We’ve been found."

Sophia muttered as if irritated.

"Cathy, can you run?"

I asked Cathy, who had been clinging to me the whole time.

"...Y-yes. I’m already fine."

Cathy left me and answered in a calm voice.

"Rina, are you all right too?"

"Eh? Ah, yes, I’m fine..."

Rina was surprised and hurriedly answered.

"I’ll draw them! Hiroyuki-dono go up with Helene!"

Saying that Baldo drew his sword with his right hand, raised a war cry, and ran toward the enemy soldiers gathering one after another.

"Baldo!"

"Hiroyuki-sama, let’s go. Lord Baldo will not be taken down so easily."

Helene prompted me to go ahead.

Just as Helene said, Baldo was fighting at an advantage even while facing many.

Even if the opponent’s numbers were large he seemed able to hold his own well enough.

Then the problem is stamina.

If you fight without time to rest you become a slow death.

However for a short time it is no problem.

For that we have to act quickly.

My objective has been achieved.

After that as originally planned...

"Let’s go, Helene, everyone!"

"""""""""Yes!"""""""""

I spoke to everyone except Baldo and started running.

The target is... Mateus!

...

Somehow we are not advancing.

For a while now it has been a repeat of running and stopping, running and stopping.

The cause is... Yanica.

"Run! If you don’t I’ll cut off your useless legs!"

"I-if you can do it then do it... ah, wait! I’ll run! I’ll run so!"

Sophia got angry, Yanica provoked, Sophia drew her sword, and Yanica hurriedly started running.

A scene that had been unfolding many times.

Because of that we had stopped many times.

"...Hey, we are not so free that we have time to play with you. If you do it next I’ll take you as a corpse."

I said that to Yanica in a low small voice with an edge I had not used in a while.

Yanica trembled and nodded her head many times.

The other Dules also had pale faces.

Did I go a bit too far?

"Let’s go!"

Thinking it was awkward I covered it by putting out a loud call.

The Dules and Helene answered and started running again.

Helene guided us.

We left the room where we fought Yanica and ran down a long corridor with Helene at the front.

Meanwhile I spoke to Yanica to get even a little information.

"Yanica, the king is in the throne room."

Because it was still before dawn I had thought the king would be in the bedroom, but according to Yanica’s talk he is now occupying the throne.

Well, because Yanica lured us, they should have made corresponding preparations.

In that large throne room they can place many soldiers, and even if they have a few skilled people guard it there are few things to hinder movement so they can fight freely.

Of course that is more convenient for us as well.

"Y-yeah. He’s there. I-I heard so..."

Perhaps the earlier threat was still working, Yanica answered timidly.

"It’s true, right?"

"Hii! I-it’s true! Believe me!"

"What are you doing!"

"Gya!"

When I asked Yanica again Yanica clung to me.

Sophia tried to peel her off by pulling the neck rope, and Yanica raised a scream.

"Shh! Beyond that door is the entrance hall. There will be many soldiers too so please be quiet."

Helene stopped, turned around, and cautioned us.

"Understood. Sorry."

"Sorry."

"..."

I apologized to Helene.

Sophia also unusually apologized honestly.

Only Yanica puffed her cheeks looking dissatisfied.

"Come on, apologize!"

"Gue, I-I’m sorry... gii..."

When Sophia pulled the neck rope Yanica apologized as if in pain.

Sophia is definitely enjoying this.

Meanwhile we arrived at the far end of the corridor.

Beyond this door at the back is the entrance hall lobby.

It is the place I passed through when I had an audience with the king... no, the previous king.

Nostalgic... but.

"Here we go!"

When Helene opened the door a space I did not know spread there.

No, certainly it was the entrance hall.

However the red carpet was tattered, and the chandelier hanging from the roof had light lit only in places.

The former appearance of splendor and luxury was completely gone.

However the one more surprised than me was Tiria.

She pressed her mouth with both hands and shed tears.

It is no wonder she is surprised when the appearance of her own home has completely changed.

I drew Tiria close.

"...It’s odd..."

Helene, who had opened the door and first peeked at the state of the entrance hall, muttered.

"What’s wrong?"

"There isn’t... a single soldier..."

Certainly that is odd.

Just as Helene said, even though it is the path continuing to the throne they had not placed a single soldier for defense.

However even so we cannot go home like this.

We ran up the long stairs continuing to the throne.

The entrance hall was an atrium, and when you go up to a certain point you can see the outside scenery from the windows at the top of the entrance hall.

Just before finishing going up the stairs I turned around.

What I saw from there was red flame and black smoke.

Faintly there was also the sound of swords clashing.

"Julius..."

Helene, who turned around the same as me, muttered her own son’s name.

I don’t know how, but apparently Julius and the others had surged into the town.

Are the soldiers here gone because Julius and the others are acting as decoys?

No, even so having not a single one is still odd.

It is better to think a trap is set.

"Helene."

"...Yes."

When I called Helene she answered and, though looking as if her hair were being pulled from behind, went ahead.

At the top of the stairs a heavy large door sat in state.

"Let’s enter from there."

As Helene proposed we advanced to the small door beside the large door for the guards to enter.

Then Helene slowly opened that door and peeked inside.

From the feel of looking from behind her the throne room was quite dark.

"Sophia, look inside."

"Understood."

Helene called Sophia and showed her inside.

Because Sophia is an elf she has a certain degree of night vision ability.

However because it is only "a certain degree" she can see nothing in complete darkness.

"No good, I can’t see anything."

"I see, thanks. Muriel, the dagger."

"Yes, Lady Helene."

"Thanks."

When Helene thanked Sophia she received the dagger that lit magic light Muriel held.

Then she readied her sword, resolutely opened the door, and went inside.

I also went inside, then Muriel, Sara, and those who can fight went inside preferentially.

When everyone had gone inside a shadow flew at Helene.

"Ku!"

Helene flashed her sword and cut the shadow down.

At that moment light lit all at once on the chandeliers of the throne room.

"""Damn!"""

I and Helene and Muriel cried the same words.

Because it suddenly became bright, eyes used to the dark could not keep up and we could see nothing.

I blinked my eyes trying to return my sight quickly.

The light settled and I could see the area dimly.

This time I narrowed my eyes and looked toward the throne.

There two shadows sat facing each other in front of the throne, and one shadow stood behind that.

That is the enemy...

Among those is the one we should defeat... the enemy, Mateus...