「What’s so funny?!」
「You’re as naive as always! I’m relieved to see you haven’t changed! Yes, even to my eyes, you were giving your all to fight those magic stone beasts! You even went all the way into the enemy’s territory for that! Hah! You truly embody your intent to prove that all humans should join hands to defeat the magic stone beasts!」
「……You knew, so why?!」
「Even so! At the end of the day, you’re still the invaders who’re going to violate our country, using magic stone beasts as your advance force! Can’t you tell? Nobody gives a s̲h̲i̲t̲ about what you want, not in this s̲h̲i̲t̲h̲o̲l̲e̲ of a world!1 Anyone with the power to subdue their opponent decides everything! Both justice and truth are all byproducts of power!」
「Kgh……we still could talk!」
「We could never!! If you wish to talk, use your power to speak, Raphael Wilford! Your head will be perfect for my military medal!」
「Argh!! You’re asking it!」
I have no choice but take out Rochefort! Should they lose their general, their troops will lose the will to fight and will have to cooperate in clearing out the magic stone beasts, or at least cease their attacks.
Rochefort seemed to give priority to attacking us over the magic stone beasts, but not every Venefique generals should think the same. There has to be some of them who sees that this is no time to be fighting Charalia.
I have no choice but remove Rochefort out of the picture and hope that the rest still have their senses!2「What, you wish to fight me? Be my guest, then! But know that I am busy! Our match will end in an instant!」
「I’d advise you not to look down on me! You may outnumber me, but I won’t…!」
「Ha ha ha!! I’m not looking down on you! I applaud your strength! Not to mention, your artifact is extremely strong. I can’t expect less from the Great Charalia, strong Knights and strong artifacts, you possess it all!」
「……What will you do then?」
「This! Come, Arles!!」
「Yes!」
A female knight stepped forward upon Rocherfort’s summon. But, perhaps, she wasn’t any random female knight. Just like Ripple, she was a beastfolk, with beast ears and tail.
She looked about the same age as Ripple, in her late teens. Unlike Ripple, however, she exuded a clam, willowy, and melancholy fragility. It would be fair to say that they gave stark opposite impressions despite both being beastfolks.
「……! A Hyrule Menace?!」
According to Ripple, the beastfolk should have already been extinct as a race. Unlike humans, beastfolk could be affected by prism flow. Hence, their species faced extinction after they all became magic stone beasts.
If any were to survive, they should be Hyrule Menaces, just like Ripple was. After all, Hyrule Menaces could not be affected by prism flow.
「I cannot afford to take it slow, you see! I chose to overwhelm you with sheer power!」
With his eyes locked on Raphael, Rochefort reached his hand to Arles who stood next to him.
「Yes……I bide by your wish!」
Arles wrapped his hand with both arms as though to cherish it, and held it close to her heart. Arles’ body began to shine. It was a divine brilliance that bestowed dread to those who beheld. Raphael had… never seen it personally, but he had heard stories of it.
「N-, no way……?!」
This was… the only time when a Hyrule Menace showed her true power. Which meant…!
「HAAAHAHAHAHA!! Good girl! BESTOW ME YOUR POWER!!」
「Don’t tell me! You want to wield weaponized Hyrule Menace in a battle between humans?!!」
「EXXAAAAACTLY!! Come, come, COMEE!! I shall strike you down, Holy Knight!」
「B̲A̲S̲T̲A̲A̲R̲D̲D̲!!」
Raphael’s anger reached its peak. Unbelievable. What a foolish, unbelievable thing to do. A Holy Knight who wielded a weaponized Hyrule Menace and fought with her would be rid of their vitality and lost their life in exchange of overwhelming strength!
This was common knowledge for Holy Knights. Their will was confirmed many times in advance at the time of their appointment as Holy Knights. Holy Knights were the only ones who could stand between Prismas, powerful calamities beyond human knowledge, and humanity, the last hope and the last fortress for the people.
When he was a child, when the castle in his hometown of Ymir was attacked by a magic stone beast, his mother Irina told Raphael that he must survive even at the cost of others.
The young Raphael was repulsed by those words, and while he still believed that it wasn’t wrong to try to protect his family in that situation, he had come to understand the meaning behind his mother’s words.
It was testament that the duty of a Holy Knight was paramount. Holy Knights were an indispensable beacon of hope for the people living on the Midland. His mother perhaps didn’t know the truth of the Holy Knights and the Hyrule Menaces, but given the circumstances, his duty was even more important.
Using a Hyrule Menace for a battle like this was outrageous. If the Holy Knight ran out of power, they obviously wouldn’t be able to fulfill their original duty. Who would protect the people from Prisma then?
What Rochefort was doing was nothing more than an outrage that trampled on the hopes of the people. There might not be a title or rank equivalent to the Holy Knights in the Venefique Kingdom, but there was no way Rochefort was oblivious of the consequences.
He knew it, and above all, he still went and did it!!3
- Mab: this walmart of a world!
- Silva: Maybe it's you who should get a wake up call. Reality is s̲h̲i̲t̲ and ya know it.
- Silva: Where is Inglis? Please have her come and settle this immediately. She may be a battle maniac but at least she's not THIS naive. Can't wait to see Inglis talking down this naive fool.