Chapter 416
Chapter 416. The Dreaming Sword Saint
――I was dreaming.
A woman stood before me. I was lying down, and it seemed like she was floating above me.
There was something like a translucent wall, resembling frosted glass, separating us. She appeared to be desperately trying to convey something, pounding on the wall and seemingly screaming…
I was just absentmindedly gazing at it…
That was the dream.
Who was that? I felt a sense of familiarity…
…………Ah, right, I’m starting to remember, it’s her.
‘Officia…’
She had once been my instructor when she was still a novice.
It was a story from decades ago. Naturally, since then, we hadn’t met much.
What was she trying so hard to communicate, I wondered…
In my hazy consciousness, Virosa thought—
Suddenly, I felt as though I was being pulled up from the depths of water,
And I awakened.
†††
“Hmm…?”
It seems I was still lying down. An unfamiliar ceiling above me.
What in the world is happening to me? I couldn’t grasp the situation; my thoughts were still unclear… As I turned to my side, I saw a boy with horns standing by the bed.
“Your Highness…”
“Don’t move yet. Sorry, but I’m not at my best.”
He restrained me as I tried to sit up, a grave expression on his face—none other than the Demon Lord’s Prince, Zilbagias.
…Right, I had been struck by lightning and fell from a dragon…
And then… my memory was a blur. I’m pretty sure the prince mentioned something about retrieving a substitute human to treat me with a teleportation spell or something like that.
――It’s not over yet? I wasn’t blaming Zilbagias, but I was genuinely curious.
I thought for sure I’d be completely recovered by the next time I woke up, but it seems that wasn’t the case. Did something unexpected happen? I must be in a terrible state if I couldn’t even assess my condition…
“Actually, things have turned dire.”
Zilbagias said with a serious face.
“Apparently, someone scattered leaflets at the front lines detailing that ‘Prince Zilbagias has been exiled with the White Dragon to the alliance territory’ right when I was about to depart.”
“What…!?”
What in the world? This sounded like something that could wake me up instantly.
It not only endangered Zilbagias but could also threaten the entire intelligence network across the continent if it triggered a search for demon race members!
“S-So that’s…!”
“Therefore, my priority was to immediately fly far beyond the alliance territory on Leila. Right now, we’re lurking around Aulitos Lake… Do you know this lake?”
“Yes… I’ve traveled around that area once…”
“I see. I’ll find a human for your treatment from a small village when the time is right. So please hold on until then… I’m sorry.”
“No… I’m sorry for causing you trouble, Your Highness…”
I was overwhelmed with regret. I had accompanied the prince all the way to the alliance territory to protect him, and yet, what a disgrace it was…!
“Don’t apologize.”
Zilbagias’s face contorted with a sorrowful expression.
“You haven’t done anything wrong… Nothing at all…”
A brief silence.
“By the way… I’d like to ask you something. Do you recognize the name ‘Ark Deacon Trading Company’?”
“Ark Deacon… Ah, I do!”
Though Virosa didn’t have a complete grasp of the intelligence network, she was familiar with the main puppet organizations, and that name stood out to her.
“I believe it was a trading company where one of my juniors was infiltrated; they dealt with timber and household goods… It has significant influence over the logistics of the lake, so it’s convenient for gaining information… It was difficult to puppet them directly, so we opted for infiltration… I once rode on one of their transport ships…”
“Ah, I remember now. It was a name that popped up when I heard about your past…”
Zilbagias snapped his fingers, looking enlightened.
“However, what about now…? That infiltration was over twenty years ago. They shouldn’t have returned yet…”
“I see… Do you know the name of that junior…?”
Why would he want to know something like that? I was puzzled, but I had no reason to hesitate, so I answered him.
“Verossa. In the trading company, they should have been using the name Bennett…”
“Verossa? The name sounds somewhat…”
“Similar to mine, right?”
Virosa chuckled bashfully.
“He’s my nephew. He’s quite skilled…”
He became an operative out of admiration for me, even though he was quite a bit younger.
“I see…”
Zilbagias lowered his gaze, suppressing some emotion, his face expressionless.
“…You’re not considering attempting contact…? The Ark Deacon Trading Company is in the Hamilton Principality, right? Are we getting close…? That town might be suitable for hiding, but with a large city comes significant danger… especially in the current situation… not just with you, Your Highness…”
“No, of course, it would be reassuring to make contact, but that— I was hoping I could borrow your strength.”
Zilbagias tried to put on a smile.
“For now, let’s focus on healing your wounds. Just rest…”
“…………Understood.”
“Thank you…”
Zilbagias’s voice echoed faintly. Once again, Virosa began to drift off.
In the realm of dreams, the conversation before departure with the elders resurfaced.
“I won’t allow it! I won’t let you foolishly fall into the hands of the demon race!”
“If it’s just you alone, I could confidently send you into any death trap… but if there’s a burden, that’s another story.”
“Depending on the situation, we could be forced to choose a pointless death because of that demon lord!”
With a clueless burden like Zilbagias involved, there was no telling what unforeseen circumstances might arise. I couldn’t guarantee I’d handle everything…
If I accompanied the Demon Lord’s Prince, it was unthinkable for me to survive while he perished. I’d have no idea what kind of reproach I’d face from the demon race or especially the Demon Lord.
And if I tried to help Zilbagias escape and ended up captured myself, that would be unbearable. Virosa was a skilled and experienced operative, wielding a wealth of confidential information…
I didn’t want to lose such a remarkable asset in that manner— that’s what the elders had said.
However…
I decided to go against the elders’ objections and join him.
(Your Highness is… an indispensable existence for us.)
An upper demon race, unlike others. Intelligent and knowledgeable, he showed tolerance towards every race—even the hobb goblins, a rare flaw—or rather, he stood apart from the common demon race.
I couldn’t count how many of our kin were saved due to him. Since Liliana escaped, I likely wouldn’t receive such benefits even if I returned to the Demon Lord Kingdom—
(Regardless, Your Highness is an essential figure for the further development of our night elves…)
Virosa was infatuated with his future potential, flexible thinking, and above all, his character. While I couldn’t deny I favored him for his understanding of the sword’s way and the new tactics he originated with sword and spear…
(I must see to it that he returns to the Demon Lord Kingdom…)
In the fading consciousness, I felt a sense of duty.
(I would trade this life for his… please be safe…)
And again— for some reason, I recalled Officia’s face.
Her desperate, pleading gaze.
The movement of her lips.
‘Imposter.’
――And then I lost consciousness.
