“F-Father!” Emilia spluttered. “Why are you here?! How?! Our plan was conducted swiftly and with the utmost confidentiality!”
“Mwa ha ha ha!” Lord Vram guffawed. “You cannot hide anything from me. These muscles know all!” He stuck out his right arm at his stunned daughter and flexed his biceps proudly.
I wouldn’t have been the only one who found this sight familiar—it was a pity that only Tutte was with me to share in it. I got on my guard, more or less expecting Lady Elizabeth to be the next one to pop out of nowhere based on the way things were going.
“Ah, so he was Dark Lord Vram...” Rachel muttered under her breath, looking visibly relieved. “I’d noticed him hiding behind the wall for quite a while now, so I’ve been on alert wondering who he is.”
I couldn’t help but comment on that shocking tidbit of information. “You noticed him before?”
“I’m terribly sorry,” Rachel replied. “I think he must have been here long before I spotted him. I only noticed him lurking about while everyone was wrapped up in the cuteness battle since I kept catching Lady Mary sneak glances at the wall.”
Uh, I was just looking away out of embarrassment and nothing more...
Everyone froze up upon Rachel’s revelation (including me, albeit for different reasons), and we all turned to face Lord Vram.
“Ahem! Wh-Wh-What in the world are you on about, dark elf girl? I-I-I just managed to arrive here mere moments ago,” he insisted. He averted his gaze and was clearly panicking.
When I took a closer look at the passage behind the wall from which he’d emerged, there were a few present-like boxes scattered about. He noticed everyone focusing on the boxes and declared, “Oh, these? Ah, the citizens, um, sent these as offerings to you, Belletochka.” He kept glancing between us and the presents. It seemed rather odd for the reigning monarch himself to be personally delivering these gifts...
“I-In any case, I understand the situation!” Lord Vram said. “Emilia, leave the rest to me and head out with Belletochka! Go to Xeoral, the island in the sky!”
“F-Father! But...” Emilia started.
I felt it’d be best if I handled the Argent Armor here, but it seemed ill-considered to ruin this father-daughter moment. On top of that, if his plan allowed me to take Queen Belletochka out of this area, it was very convenient for me. Nevertheless, I had my concerns. Lord Vram had lost to the Argent Knight in the past—would he really be all right? Emilia must’ve been worried about this too, for she was reluctant to leave despite this being the perfect opportunity.
“You need not worry, Emilia,” Lord Vram said. “I’m no longer the fool I was in the past! I’ve polished my muscles since, and I’ve gained not only power, but beauty as well! Behold my luscious muscles!” He confidently struck a side chest pose and flashed his pearly whites with a grin. If I’d been meant to be impressed in some way or by something about this whole charade, it was far beyond me.
“Emilia, what do we—” I started.
“Very well then!” Emilia said, her worries evidently having vanished in a moment. “We’ve got nothing to fear. Mother, let us depart!” Seamlessly switching gears, she grabbed her mother’s hand to drag her toward the hidden passageway.
“B-But...” the queen started.
“Do not fear,” Lord Vram assured her. “Have faith in my muscles!”
The monarch struck another pose at his hesitant queen, but I still had no clue how exactly he’d gotten any stronger.
“You think I’m just gonna let you go?!” the Argent Armor roared. She swung her blade down at Lord Vram, who was full of openings—he’d been too busy striking a pose and showing off his muscles for us.
“Hmph!” he grunted.
I could hardly believe what I saw. The Dark Lord didn’t dodge the Argent Armor’s attack and maintained his pose, taking the entire blow in stride. He didn’t use his hands or anything of the sort to block the attack, but rather, he used his entire body—or if I were to borrow his own words, his muscles. How in the world can there be muscles tougher than a blade?
“Hmph, how weak,” he taunted, unscathed. “Your puny attacks are mere child’s play, Argent!” He laughed through his nose and firmly planted his fist into the Argent Armor’s solar plexus, blowing her back toward the wall once more.
“Leave this place to me! Go on!” Lord Vram said.
He spoke with the utmost confidence to quell Queen Belletochka’s fears, but I felt like he was only foreshadowing his death. I knew better than to voice my concerns, though—and besides, how could I possibly say that to a monarch?
Her Majesty was still a bit reluctant to leave, but Emilia dragged her out to the secret passageway. As I saw them off, I turned back one last time toward the Argent Armor and Lord Vram. The two had once battled for the fate of the kingdom, and it seemed a bit...unusual, to say the least, that their next conflict would begin in the corner of a kitchen. I’ll respect your wishes this time around, Vram. Good luck!