“Let’s go back to the capital.”
That night, I gathered everyone at the inn where we were staying and explained what had happened, though the details were so shocking I wasn’t sure they’d really be able to digest it.
“The situation has changed.” Nonetheless, I continued because I thought it needed to be said. “We can’t continue to quash the revolt. Their entire army has been turned into walking corpses. We should head back.”
The enemy wasn’t a disorganized mob—it was a powerful mage hostile to the empire. That fact majorly impacted how we needed to respond.
“We should leave as soon as everyone’s ready tomorrow. Are you all okay with that?” I asked.
“But even if they’re corpses, they’re still attacking cities, aren’t they? Somebody has to stop them...” Amyu said reluctantly.
“That’s not our—” I cut myself off. Logical arguments weren’t going to work on Amyu as she was now. “The enemy is a skilled necromancer. The empire doesn’t know that yet. We might be able to stop the undead, but we can’t stop the necromancer unless we find their location. Continuing to fight here will just let the damage spread elsewhere. It’s better to report back and have the empire’s intelligence try to locate the one behind it.”
“Can’t we just send a letter to Fiona? We don’t have to go back ourselves.”
“Amyu.” A bitter expression washed over my face. She was right about that. I wasn’t sure how to persuade her. “Had we come here on our own after hearing about the revolt, that would be fine, but we’re here at the emperor’s request. We agreed, which means we can’t do as we please. If we’ve obtained information that changes the very premise of the request, we’re obligated to report it.” Almost as an afterthought, I added one more thing. “I’m sure it’s what the emperor would expect.”
Amyu pursed her lips and fell silent. “All right,” she finally said.
I let out a sigh of relief. I wasn’t explicitly telling Amyu this, but I intended to withdraw from this affair no matter what happened when we returned. They couldn’t have predicted this, but the situation had nevertheless turned out exactly as Fiona and Yuki had feared. I would figure out what to say to Amyu once we got back to the capital.
“I’m opposed to that idea,” Ren suddenly said. “Returning is out of the question. Please refrain from causing trouble for the princess,” he continued, wearing his composed smile.
“Huh?” I frowned at the holy knight. “I don’t follow. How would our return be a problem for Fiona?”
“Do you truly believe the premise of the request has changed?” Ren looked at me, a half smile on his face. “Foolish, hopelessly naive human. You place a lot of faith in this country’s ruler. Do you think he wasn’t aware it was an army of undead?”
“Surely not...” My voice trailed off. It was by no means impossible that the emperor had known all along. In fact, it seemed far more unnatural to think that the emperor wouldn’t know something we had discovered almost immediately upon our arrival. “Still, you think he sent us here knowing the situation? Why not tell us everything?”
“I haven’t the slightest clue what this country’s ruler is thinking. However, I do know that you’ll fall into a precarious position should you return to the capital.”
“Why do you say that?”
“People will see it as the Hero abandoning an imperial edict and fleeing the battlefield.”
I frowned in response. “But that’s not true. It didn’t pass through the assembly, so it’s not an imperial edict. And we’re not fleeing, we’re just reporting back.”
“That may be true, but the truth is easily overturned when it comes to politics.”
“Ridiculous. The emperor doesn’t control imperial law. He can’t hand down a punishment without any basis in fact. Even if he fabricates some sort of failure, he can’t—” I was about to say he couldn’t do anything, but I stopped myself. Was that really true?
“On the contrary, he can do anything.” Ren’s smile darkened as he spoke. “Under the pretext of making you atone for your wrongdoing, he could give you any order he wants. The Hero would be placed under the emperor’s control. Any dissenting voices would be drowned out by public condemnation. That’s how politics works. And if things go poorly, the consequences could even reach the princess tied to you. That’s why I’m telling you not to go back.”
“Following that logic, isn’t the result the same even if we don’t go back?” I retorted, my voice low. “He could just claim that we hid the truth, causing unnecessary damage, and punish us for that instead.”
“Certainly, but there’s one key difference.”
“And what’s that?”
“If you remain here and fight the undead army, lives will be saved, foolish human. Lives are property of their lords, and by extension, the empire. The fact that you protected them can serve as a countermeasure against any fabricated crime. Such leverage may be useless to you, but the princess can wield it well. She can win the support of the indebted lord whose people were saved, and the assembly members who would feel guilty criticizing someone who was only trying to save lives. In the end, it is a way for you to save yourselves as well. Do you understand, foolish human? The Hero has no choice but to become the people’s savior.”
I clicked my tongue at the smiling elf. The situation was worse than I thought. I didn’t know how much of what the holy knight said was true, but it wasn’t wise to simply brush it off as a joke.
“In addition,” Ren continued, “maintaining the fight against the undead may allow us to obtain information capable of turning this situation around.”
“Like what?”
“Isn’t it obvious? The necromancer’s location.” The boy’s smile deepened. “Defeat the necromancer, and the revolt will be quelled. None will dare criticize the Hero who completed the emperor’s request. In fact, she would gain great renown.”
“That’s not realistic.” I looked down and shook my head. “We can’t gain any information from corpses, and I don’t imagine undead are any different. Where are we going to find any leads?”
The enemy seemed to be a necromancer of considerable strength. I’d examined the impaled corpses while they were still moving and hadn’t found any trace connecting them back to the caster. Even the flow of energy had been disguised to appear natural. Had Ren not noticed the abnormality with the elementals, it might have taken us even longer to make the discovery. We were dealing with someone extremely meticulous.
Defeating them head-on would be simple, but sorcerers like that didn’t fight head-on. Finding and defeating them would be a nigh impossible task.
“You’re so quick to give up, foolish human,” Ren said, his usual composed smile returning. “Personally, I don’t think it’s impossible. I’m certain luck will eventually turn in our favor. In any case, I’ll repeat myself—don’t even consider going back.”
I silently weighed our options. It certainly didn’t seem like we had a choice but to remain and fight. There were no undead left here, so we would have to head to another city. Using Mizuchi would make it easy, but I couldn’t do that in the middle of human territory. All that traveling was going to be hard on everyone.
“Seika, you can go back to the capital. Yifa and Mabel too,” Amyu said suddenly. “Not killing anyone isn’t a concern now, since they’re already dead. You guys only got wrapped up in this because I didn’t think it through. I’m sure I’ll be able to manage on my own. I’m not sure why, but I just get that feeling.” Amyu wouldn’t look anyone in the eyes.
It was clear that she felt indebted to us, yet there didn’t appear to be any arrogance or bravado in her words.
“So you guys should go back.”
“No.” It was Mabel who gave the immediate, curt reply. “I said it back in Rakana too. We’re in this together. Besides, leaving you behind for the most dangerous part is way too risky.”
“I’m staying too! Though I may not be able to help much...” said Yifa.
“You guys...” Amyu looked between the two of them, then hesitantly turned to me.
I couldn’t help but smile. “Stupid. Just leave—” I caught myself mid-sentence and paused for a moment, but my smile quickly returned. “Just leave it to me. We’re a party, aren’t we?”
“Thanks. I’ll do my part,” Amyu said with a faint smile.
I returned the smile, but internally, I was still unsettled by the words I had almost let slip.
Just leave it to me. You’re my disciple, aren’t you?
I had found myself unconsciously about to echo the words I had once spoken to that girl.