“You’re embarrassing yourself, Duke Algrene. Your crimes are grave enough that you should lose everything. You know that death is your only way to atone for them.”
After a long pause, the duke said, “Prince Eric! If that’s how it must be, then please, listen to what I have to say!”
“What? Spit it out.”
There was a sinister gleam in the groveling duke’s eyes as Eric stepped toward him. It looked like we were about to be treated to a helping of sour grapes.
“I’ll see you in Hell!!”
Algrene pulled a lustrous, purple knife from his sleeve and darted at Eric’s opening like a feral beast. He had one last, desperate card stashed up his sleeve.
“O Chains of Light, bind the evil one!”
“Hm?! Nggh!”
Chains of pure light flew from my right hand and bound Algrene in place. For someone like me, who spent her days fighting monsters that moved at lightning speed, he was far too slow.
“Hmm, this knife looks like it’s had poison applied. Damn, what a stupid thing to try. Don’t you know I have the best bodyguards in the world?”
“Leia Westoria!” he roared, his eyes full of hate for me.
Eric, undeterred despite nearly dying, looked at me and smiled.
He knew I was going to save him, but I’m still flattered. I didn’t know earning the trust of someone could make me feel so happy. It’s something I’ve never felt before.
Unlike when we first met, he completely trusted me with his life now. The feeling of his steadfast faith set my heart ablaze.
“Duke Algrene, I advise you to surrender. You’ve lost. As His Highness’s bodyguard and as a saint, I cannot overlook this outburst of violence.”
“Oh, shut up! Shut up, you bitch! The crown betrayed me first! I am true nobility; I will smash the iron hammer of justice into the corrupt crown prince—”
“No, you shut up, Duke Algrene!”
“Guh?! Dale, Your Highness…”
Even bound in chains, Algrene hurled obscenities and insults with wild abandon, but Dale rebuked him sharply. It was terrifying; I had never seen him look more intimidating.
“You dukes abused the special rights we gave you—as a member of the royal family, my brother couldn’t turn a blind eye! He chose a path of hardship from a very young age so he could realize his ideals. He deserves your respect! I cannot stand by and let a bastard like you disparage him!”
“Prince Dale, is that how you’ve always felt?”
It was the first time we had heard Dale say those words. Maybe that was what was in his heart all along.
Dale had lived his whole life watching his brother from a distance. He was angry, and he couldn’t stand by and let Duke Algrene use his brother as a whipping post after everything he had been through.
Dale turned to Eric and knelt. “Eric, please forgive me for how rude I’ve been to you. I felt so powerless and so insignificant, skulking in the shadows and trying to find out who was trying to kill you.”
All this time, he had worked tirelessly for Eric’s sake. Even when he was suspected to be an enemy, he kept trying to help from the shadows.
I’ve never known anybody so full of compassion…
I imagined the harsh path Dale must have walked, and I was in awe.
“Dale…please, don’t kneel. I… I really am a big fool. It took me this long to see how strong and reliable my brother is.”
“Eric…”
“Thank you. I will never forget what you did for me. I want to take the time to repay you, but that will have to wait until this matter is settled.”
Eric extended his hand. Dale gripped it and rose to his feet.
That day, both princes discovered that they had a wonderful brother that they could trust with their lives. It was the treasure of a lifetime.
After this matter is settled… That’s right. It’s not over yet.
It was obvious that Algrene’s mercenary company was a mob of assassins hired to kill the king, but it was also highly likely that the duke had also sent the band of assassins Johann had just captured.
I sensed several people outside that seemed to fall into that category, and Eric had started to order Johann, Lingsha, and others to beef up security.
“Th-this is bad, you know?! Duke Algrene…this isn’t what you promised us!”
“Prince Eric, I sense several presences outside this building, trying to leave.”
A despairing cry pierced the air, probably from a watchman stationed outside looking for the assassins. Now, quite a few people were trying to flee. It was understandable. With Algrene arrested, no one would pay them. All that awaited them in Elshaid was a death sentence.
“I’m going to help catch the assassins,” Eric said. “And don’t you object. I want to see this through to the very end.”
I sighed and said, “I have no objections, Your Highness. Please, do everything you must. I’ll keep you safe.”
He never, never hesitated to put his own life in danger…
A part of me was exasperated, but another part of me was proud of him—that was the real Prince Eric. As his bodyguard, and as a saint who loved Elshaid, it was my sworn duty to protect him.
Eric gave a little laugh. “Well, that’s a relief to hear. I trust you more than anyone… All right, heroes! I’m calling on everyone loyal to Elshaid’s royal family! Let’s show them that a band of warriors from other lands are no match for us!”
“Yeah!!!”
Prince Eric raised his sword and let loose an inspiring battle cry, and the royal guards and Johann followed suit.
In the end, it took them less than an hour to capture all of Algrene’s soldiers. Duke Algrene’s ambitions had come to an end.