The Tyrant Won’t Let Me Go

 “Guys!” 

I rushed out at the news that the knights who had sent out the expedition had returned, and I burst through the infirmary door that way.

 

The returning knights surrounded a bedridden man with a worried expression on his face.

 “Captain…” 

Sera, who had been peering pitifully at the bedridden Hillac, looked back at me.

 

Her face was scarred with what looked like scratches from something’s claws.

 “…Hillac.” 

I called out to Hillac, who was resting with bandages around his upper body.

 

The bandages were rolled up so tightly that it wasn’t easy to tell the extent of his injuries.

 

I hoped it was more minor than I thought, but I couldn’t be sure.

 “Don’t worry, Captain. It’s just a scratch.” 

It’s a lie, I know.

 

Hillac never goes without medical attention if he gets a few cuts in training or rolls down a hill.

 

He wouldn’t be lying in bed like this if it was truly just a scratch.

 “…I apologize for having been in charge. I should have gone with you.” “Oh, please don’t.” 

Hillac shook his head, feigning to be all right.

 “We usually run into a lot of demons on expeditions, it’s just another one.” 

A simple monster would have been fine.

 

The problem was that the demon that had attacked the expedition this time was as violently enhanced as the Lion of Nemesis that had attacked Cedric during his speech last time.

 “Luckily, I’m the only one who was hurt badly, and I’ve lost a lot of blood, but I’m told it’s not life-threatening.” “From what I’ve heard, you barely made it out of the gate after the beast.” 

I heard that the expedition’s return was delayed.

 

The messenger who brought the news explained that Hill Rock was in no condition to travel all the way to the palace for treatment, so they called a doctor near the expedition site and had him treated.

 “Well, at least he’s better now. You wouldn’t have joined the Knights if you were so intent on saving your life.” 

Hillac continued to reassure me that it was nothing.

 “Besides, I wasn’t cursed or poisoned by the beast’s bite, so you really don’t have anything to worry about, Captain.” 

Seeing Hillac grinning with his teeth bared more exaggeratedly than usual, I felt even more sorry for the group.

 

So I looked around at the knights gathered around Hillac’s bedside and spoke.

 “You all did a great job without me.” 

I heard that the members of the troupe who were present at the time were brave enough to deal with the beast that didn’t die after being attacked.

 

The only one who was seriously injured was Hillac, who was the first to be attacked.

 “Boss…” “You were all so good, I’m so sorry and grateful.” 

Sera exclaimed, shaking her head,

“No!” “Hillac got hurt, but the last thing you need is…” 

Without another word, I put my hand on Sera’s shoulder. I stared into her eyes, and she fell silent.

 

Seeing those kind eyes still looking at me with concern, I smiled and patted her shoulder.

 “You did a great job.” 

Then I looked at each member of the group in the infirmary, and said, one by one.

 “All of you.” 

‘Sorry, again, I was sorry.’

 

Still, it was maddening to realize that I couldn’t promise them that they wouldn’t be attacked again.

 

But next time, at least, I would be right there with them.

  

The day after the knights returned from their expedition near the temple, I was summoned to Cedric’s presence with the ministers and Marquis Laurence.

 

It was to discuss Cedric’s visit to the temple.

 “The Department of Magical Research has reported that the wounds of the injured Knights have been found to contain not only explosive agents, but also traces of unregistered magic similar to those found during the last raids on the Lion of Nemesis and the Crusades.” 

The Marquis of Lauren spoke up in front of the ministers and Cedric.

 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs shook his head at his words, and the Minister of Finance frowned anxiously.

 “And upon further investigation, it appears that the potion itself has been mixed with a curse utilizing unregistered magic.” 

Someone was strengthening the beast with magic and drugs not used in the Deamant Empire.

 

And the beast has been attacking people.

 

‘I wonder if they’re trying to use it as a weapon.’

 

Certainly, the Lion of Nemesis was almost a bioweapon.

 

I don’t know about the beast that attacked the expedition this time, as I didn’t see it with my own eyes.

 [Did they bring back any corpses?] 

Caliberne spoke in her head.

 

‘No. The beast escaped while we were busy fending off the attack. With Hillac wounded in the first place, they couldn’t afford to capture or kill it alive.’

 [Ha, I see, it would be unreasonable for you to bring back what your successor knights have killed with their thunderbolts.] 

As Caliberne sighed, the Marquis of Lauren spoke gravely.

 “The exact details are still unknown, but we do know that the person behind this is extremely dangerous. For the time being, I feel that we need to pay close attention at the imperial palace itself.” “I see…” 

Cedric bit his lip as he finished listening to the Marquis of Lauren.

 “I, Your Majesty.” 

Cedric looked up from his papers anxiously as I raised my hand to speak.

 “Captain Minerva, you may speak.” “With all due respect, sir, there is one request I would like to make.” 

As if Cedric wasn’t worried enough about the potential dangers on the way to the temple, there had been an accident involving a group of the Knights on an expedition near the temple.

 

Cedric wondered if it was right to go ahead with the trip under these circumstances.

 “Yes, what is it?” 

Cedric asked in a low voice, and I bowed my head in response.

 “I’m asking you to reconsider your visit to the temple.” 

There was silence for a moment.

 

When no one spoke, I raised my head, breaking the silence, the farthest away.

 “The knights who were attacked traveled near the temple, which means that the beast that attacked them is likely still there.” “And there may not be just one such beast nearby.” 

The Minister of Defense said, looking over at me.

 “I must cautiously concur with Knight Captain Minerva’s assessment. Perhaps it is not such a good idea to head to the temple away from the palace under these circumstances.” 

He, too, rose and bowed deeply toward Cedric.

 “As the Captain has said, I would ask you to reconsider your plans to visit the temple.” “To be honest, I’m inclined to agree with that notion, Your Majesty.” 

The Marquis of Lauren also rose and turned to Cedric to voice his opinion.

 

From the looks of things, there were not a few others who thought, as I did, that it would be better to cancel the gates to the temple hall.

 

However, this opinion was not expressed easily, as the temple was a place that could not be visited at any time, and the oracles gained there had been of immense help to the Deamant Empire.

 “…You have been well heard. Those who have risen may sit down again. Thank you for your valuable input.” 

After a long moment of silence, Cedric spoke,

“I agree with you all, and I sympathize. But—” 

His unwavering, resolute red eyes took on a transparent glow.

 “I’m afraid I must say that the visit to the temple will be difficult to cancel.” 

Then several of the ministers stood up and began to plead.

 “Your Majesty, it would be too dangerous for you to proceed with your off-site plans at this time. We don’t even know the identity of the assailants yet…” “That’s right, the last time you were attacked in a crowded speech hall, wouldn’t it be even more dangerous if you were near a temple with few people?” 

Cedric, who had been listening to the ministers, looked troubled.

 

For he knew they thought of him and kept the doors of the temple hall closed.

 “Your Majesty.”  

I said, turning to Cedric,

“I beg you, I implore you, to reconsider your decision.” 

For a moment, Cedric’s red eyes seemed to waver.

 

I wondered why. For the briefest of moments, there seemed to be sadness in those calm eyes.

 “I’m sorry about everything.” 

Turning his head away from me, Cedric ended the meeting with those words.

  “Your Majesty, are you sure you want to go to the temple?” 

Paul asked, and Cedric tilted his head to confirm. His gaze was fixed on the red ruby ring that contained his magic.

 “I’ll keep the number of people to a minimum, I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” “That would mean canceling your plans-” “I can’t. I must go alone.” 

A firm voice echoed through the room. Cedric had to go to the temple this time, no matter what.

 

So he’d make a plan to keep everyone else out of harm’s way as much as possible and head to the temple on the appointed day.

 

It didn’t matter if he himself was injured anyway.

 

He was so desperate that he didn’t care if he was attacked by monsters and lost an arm or a leg.

 “Your Majesty, why are you so intent on going to the temple?” 

The fingers that had been twirling the ruby paused.

 

The same fingers that desperately sought the spot where the most important person in the world had kissed them.

 “…Because I want to save her,” 

Cedric said, remembering the pair of blue eyes that had grown up before him.

 “Because I want to save Ciel.”