Volume 1 Chapter 37 Have We Been Set Up？
After the audience with His Majesty was over, we were invited to have a casual chat with the king, sharing light-hearted stories.
Minori, in particular, seemed to hit it off well with His Majesty and Sir Hoffman, the knight commander. The dinner we were invited to turned into an animated discussion about swords, their eyes gleaming with excitement. Meanwhile, Suzu, as always, had effortlessly befriended a court magician. It seemed we were set to have a valuable and enriching experience in Raudinger.
That evening, thanks to His Majesty's generosity, we were granted accommodations and allowed to stay overnight. The high-quality bedding promised a restful sleep, but it was not meant to last. The sharp clashing of metal rang out in the hallway, wrenching me awake, whether I wanted it or not.
"...This isn't good."
Shaking off the remnants of sleep, I got out of bed, pulled a cloak over my pajamas, grabbed my staff, and selected a few magic stones before heading towards the door.
"...Huh? It's locked...?"
The door to the guest room wouldn't budge. Normally, locks should only latch from the inside. Had they even bolted it from the outside?
Something was clearly off. Locking guests in was utterly unacceptable.
"...Alright, there's no one on the other side of the door."
After confirming that, I leaned my staff against the wall, drew on the blessing of the <Magic Stone of Fyrel>, and hurled my full strength at the door.
With a satisfying crack, the door burst open. As expected, someone had hammered a bolt into place to keep it shut. No wonder it wouldn't move.
Now, to assess the situation in the hallway—
"What is this..."
Figures in black garb clashed against the Royal Knights, their weapons glinting under the dim hallway torches. The knights were struggling, clearly caught off guard. Skilled opponents had infiltrated the castle.
I spotted a lone enemy nearby and, without hesitation, dashed forward. My right roundhouse kick landed squarely against the back of their head with a satisfying thud.
Augmented by the magic stone, my kick carried tremendous force. The assailant crashed against the wall and collapsed, unmoving.
The female knight nearby, one of Lady Cecil's previous guards, stared at me in astonishment.
"I'll lend a hand!"
"Thank you!"
With that brief exchange, we charged at the other intruders together.
However, before long, the figures in black suddenly ceased their assault and darted toward the terrace, leaving only the one I had taken down.
"Wait!"
The Royal Knights were already giving chase. I started after them but halted midway when I caught sight of a fallen knight.
"...Mr. Dietrich!"
He lay face down, motionless. My heart pounded as I rushed to his side.
His breathing was shallow. A deep wound marred his arm, and the surrounding skin was turning an ominous purple. Poison.
"I'll get Lene here right now! Hang in there!"
Entrusting Mr. Dietrich to the female knight, I sprinted towards Lene's room.
Just as with mine, the door had been barricaded with nails. Without hesitation, I forced it open and shook Lene awake.
* * *
"With this, I think you'll be alright. Just get some rest for the rest of the night."
"Thank you!"
The female knight, overwhelmed with relief, clasped Lene's hands, tears brimming in her eyes. Lene, in her usual way, smiled wryly. "It's an exaggeration."
After dragging a drowsy Lene—still clad in her negligee—to Dietrich's side, she had administered the antidote. The poison had been lethal, but thanks to her quick action, he was safe.
"Even so... what was that attack all about?"
"I don't know. But I suspect they came to target His Majesty or Her Highness."
"...I suppose so."
The female knight, unable to provide an answer, merely nodded in contemplation.
The intruder I had knocked out earlier had already been taken into custody. Hopefully, under interrogation, they would reveal some answers.
"Also, not only my room, but nails were hammered into the door of Lene's room, preventing her from leaving."
"That's right... I wonder if Minori and Suzu's rooms are the same?"
Lene had the same thought. Given that we were a group of four, it was likely we were all targeted.
"We don't know yet. They might be struggling outside. Let's go check on them."
As I spoke, just as we turned to leave, the female knight suddenly straightened and saluted. I followed her gaze—
Elmer von Stern, His Excellency the Prime Minister, had arrived.
His sharp eyes bore into us, filled with disdain. This time, however, the white-robed man was absent.
"What's the situation?" he demanded.
"Hah! We captured one of the intruders, but the rest escaped! One Royal Knight was injured and in a temporary dangerous state due to poison, but he has since recovered!"
"I see. You let them escape. That's fine. However—"
His Excellency turned his gaze onto me and Lene.
Lene stiffened, retreating slightly behind me.
"You lot... you really did it."
"...Huh?"
The meaning behind his words eluded me. Not just me—Lene and even the female knight beside us widened their eyes in disbelief.
"Excuse me, Your Excellency. What do you mean by 'you really did it'?"
His response was a withering glare, followed by an exaggerated pinch of his nose, as if our very presence was offensive.
"The intruder we captured confessed that he infiltrated the castle with your assistance. Exploiting the princess's request to gain entry and then targeting His Majesty's life is an unforgivable crime."
"Wha—"
The words lodged in my throat, unable to escape.
"First of all, even without the magic stone, the Church could have lifted His Majesty's curse. Yet, you insisted on taking the request from Her Highness, granting you access to the castle. That alone is suspicious, wouldn't you say?"
A setup.
We had been framed.
"Royal Knights, take them away. Lock them in the dungeons."
Before we could protest, confused but obedient female knights seized us.
We were dragged away in our sleepwear, our fate hanging by a thread.
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