Volume 2 Chapter 79 Dark Knight II
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Hu…man…?”
”Yes, human.”
”Ah…”
Owl dropped his staff and covered his eyes with his long, clawed hands.
”How kind of you! Truly, it is Your Excellency Maribel! Yes, yes! I understand very well! I am your faithful blade, but I am also a being of emotion! I am aware that Your Excellency loves McCutchen!”
”McCutchen.”
”……”
The old, plump steward looked disheveled, his neatly combed hair in disarray.
A golden-haired princess, clad in a beautiful light pink dress, extended her hand towards him.
”Ah…”
”────”
The young princess’s pink lips moved gently.
Her small white canines peeked between her lips.
”……”
McCutchen stood up as if jolted.
He fled through the doors that the guard had opened.
* * *
A gust of golden wind swept through just as McCutchen exited the door.
”Nn…!”
Owl grimaced at the intense pressure of the sword.
It was Oswald.
He drew his sword from his waist and struck at Owl’s knight.
The standoff lasted a moment.
Soon, Owl pushed Oswald back, and they glared at each other across the remnants of Katze and his squires.
”Owl!”
The golden-haired youth was streaming tears from his eyes.
”How dare you kill Lord Waterman! You have slain Lord Katze! And to Lord McCutchen, you have done this…!”
”I’ve never heard that you were so friendly to the McCutchen faction.”
”Lord McCutchen was the one who cared for this country more than anyone else! Lord Waterman and Lord Katze, too! They are not people who can be killed like trash!”
”Oswald.”
The temperature of Owl’s voice dropped sharply.
”What do you intend? I believe you know, but I dislike jokes.”
”I can’t accept this situation! Why did everyone applaud when Lord Katze and the others were killed!? We’ve lost outstanding warriors who were meant to support the nation going forward! This senseless and one-sided massacre should not be tolerated! Lady Eleonora, you must think the same, right?”
”──Yeah.”
The red-haired noblewoman glared at the Archbishop with a stern expression.
”If you say they defended themselves in a duel, that might be acceptable, but Lord Katze just saw Waterman’s head and flew into a rage. ──Owl, you made them lose their composure.”
She continues.
”I must say, this entire farce feels premeditated. To use my successor’s celebration for such a bloody coup is absolutely unacceptable. Please explain what this is all about.”
”Heh, there’s nothing to explain; it was Lord McCutchen who killed Sir Godfrey. I wonder what Eleonora is talking about.”
”Archbishop Homolka.”
Eleonora raised an eyebrow.
”I’m asking Owl. You should keep quiet.”
”Heh, being spoken to like that by some provincial noble is amusing. Don’t you know your manners?”
”Lady Eleonora, I am the one who asked everyone for this. I wanted the traitor McCutchen, who killed my father, to be judged under the sun. The responsibility lies entirely with me.”
Maribel stepped forward and quietly said this in front of the red-haired noblewoman.
Eleonora shot a glare filled with anger at the young princess.
”You ruined Oswald’s celebration, didn’t you?”
”Yes, that’s correct. Owl and Homolka have done nothing wrong. This situation arose because I commanded it.”
”…I can’t comprehend what Your Excellency is thinking. To ruin the day of the ceremony for such a farce is beyond reason.”
”──Lady Eleonora, you are no longer a Knights of the Sun. How about you understand your place?”
”What!? Owl, you bastard!”
”Owl, it’s fine. Eleonora speaks according to her conscience. It’s fair and brave. Surely, there are many who share her sentiments?”
Maribel clasped her hands in front of her chest and glanced around at the gathered lords.
She continued.
”Those who cannot accept my actions today, leave this place at once. Eleonora? You will of course leave, won’t you?”
”────! Of course!”
”Hehe, ‘of course’?”
Homolka sneered.
Eleonora blushed but quickly gathered her resolve and looked around at the others.
”What do you all think!? Even if she is our leader, we should not allow such an incomprehensible ruling. She has no right to arbitrarily ruin an important ceremony of the Knights of the Sun. Why were we kept in the dark? No prior explanation? I do not seek surprises! If you wish to reveal McCutchen’s sins, at the very least, you should have informed me and Oswald about today?”
”Coming to celebrate Oswald only to see bloodshed. That is a natural reaction, Eleonora.”
”If you understand, why did you proceed!? …Your father, Sir Godfrey, was a far more noble man. He was proud, ungreedy, and valued harmony among his retainers. I am saddened, Your Excellency Maribel.”
”That is sound advice. Thank you.”
Maribel’s relaxed response finally seemed to exasperate the red-haired noblewoman.
She called out to Oswald, “Let’s go,” and walked straight toward the door.
”────” “……” “……”
Among the lords, several followed Eleonora out.
Faces marked by righteous indignation.
Those truly disgusted by the deaths of Waterman and Katze.
Those watching Eleonora’s expression.
Those who had become disenchanted with Maribel.
One by one, the lords vanished from the venue.
”────”
Maribel stood there, her face unchanged.
On the blood-stained carpet.
The young blonde princess stood alone, gazing at the banquet hall that was becoming empty.
”No way, I’m not leaving!”
”…Christy”
The black-haired Head Magician glared at the backs of the departing lords and approached Maribel.
Young guards followed suit.
The lady who always accompanied them──Fringilla, too.
”Glory to Your Excellency Maribel.”
The Archbishop Homolka said this as he knelt.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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