kscans

Chapter 50 - A Traitor in the Ranks, and the Power of the Woman Who Saved Me

Alerted by Leonhard's shouting, Kyle came running in.

"Commander... I mean, Captain! What on earth...?"

Kyle's face was pale with exhaustion, but this was the guy who covered all the details Leonhard overlooked. That was precisely why Leonhard felt he couldn't decide to bring Mireille here without consulting him.

"Actually, former Supreme Commander Darius just appeared out of nowhere."

"...Huh?"

"He said to bring the daughter of this Tree Sea Defense Force's former captain here."

"That's too much information to process! ...So, where is this daughter?"

"She's my fiancée, and I'm hiding her right now."

"...What!?"

Kyle froze. ...I said it. It's just a marriage proposal, but I called her my fiancée. It's a little embarrassing. But if I don't say we have that kind of relationship, she won't be trusted.

"Don't tell me... the week you suddenly took off from last week was..."

"That's right."

The captain had been missing for two weeks. The fact that I suddenly wanted her clothes... it must have all clicked into place for him.

Kyle swallowed hard.

"She's not a criminal. I just met her through an introduction from Darius," I said, feigning composure.

"...But what does Darius-san want with her?"

"She can use alchemy. Just like the former captain."

"That's... helpful, but..."

Kyle furrowed his brow and fell silent for a moment.

"By the way, Captain. Do you think everyone here is clean?"

"Honestly, I don't know. But... you're clean."

"Why?"

"A gut feeling. If my gut is wrong at a time like this, we're not getting out of this alive anyway."

"Haha... I appreciate that. But I don't trust everyone either."

"Same here."

"Then how about we intentionally leak the story about Darius-san? Someone is bound to contact the outside."

"The former captain was supposed to handle external communications by moving around, but where was the location?"

"There was a communication room. I heard no one uses it... but there wasn't a speck of dust in it."

Kyle showed Leonhard the place he believed to be the communication room.

"Hmm..." A smile unintentionally crept onto my face.

Now this was interesting news.

"Alright, I'll watch the communication room."

*

Kyle pretended to return to where everyone was gathered, his face a mask of panic.

"Former Supreme Commander Darius suddenly appeared... and then vanished!"

"What did you say!?"

"Wait, wasn't he missing!?"

"Does this mean we might be saved...!"

Morale shot up at once. Even though he was a fugitive, no one could stand against that man. ...It was a pathetic thought.

I quietly headed to a room different from the communication room Kyle had mentioned. Kyle was standing there. The next moment, I drew my sword and held it to his neck.

"There are a few things I'd like to ask you, Kyle."

"Wh...! Why me!?"

"You thought I didn't know the layout of this base, didn't you? You told me about a dummy communication room. At that point, you were already marked."

I had previously found documents on the fourth floor of the tower detailing the base's layout. So I knew the location Kyle had mentioned was not the communication room.

In that instant. A cold blade pierced my back.

"...Tch!"

It went through my waist. Blood spurted out. I hadn't sensed a presence at all.

I immediately spun around and cut down my attacker with the sword Mireille had modified for me. Cerio collapsed.

"Oh dear, the King's shadow thought he had stabbed you, but you countered in an instant. As expected. That sword... is it an alchemy product?" Kyle smirked and drew the sword from his waist.

"...Why did you betray me?"

"I didn't betray you. I'm simply serving the King who took a commoner like me in."

My vision wavered. I was losing too much blood.

"In this state, I should be the winner, right, Captain?"

But I still had a trump card. I secretly attached the wind magic stone hidden in my sleeve to my sword.

"I wonder about that. I have a charm from my beloved to protect me."

That 50% damage reduction from her attack was working, the necklace was protecting my body. I can still move. Because it's a gift from Mireille.

I swung with my last ounce of strength. The blade, wreathed in wind and flame, exploded.

"Guh...!"

Kyle was sent flying, and I was thrown against the wall. Kyle was still moving faintly. I took out the Sleep Orb from my waist and threw it at him.

The moment it burst with a pashun, Kyle collapsed and stopped moving completely.

*

The other unit members came running at the sound of the commotion.

"Restrain Kyle and Cerio!"

Some were surprised, but seeing my bleeding made the situation clear. Kyle was tied up, and Cerio's death was confirmed.

I pressed down on my wound and muttered in a low voice.

"...That damn Darius. 'No one can lay a hand on her now,' my ass." Still, my gut feeling was useless. Leonhard could only manage a bitter smile.