Chapter 129
After a moment of silence, Wickhart stepped forward, but Frein held him back with one hand.
"Frein, I'm calm. I'm fine."
"Wickhart, no offense, but you don't look calm from over here. I can't leave this to you."
Wickhart turned an unusually sharp gaze on him, but Franklurt-Drew merely stared back in silence.
"But if he wishes to seek asylum, shouldn't we hear him out?" Wickhart said, never taking his eyes off Franklurt.
"Yes. But that isn't your role. At least, not in your current state. I can't entrust this to you." Frein did not back down.
The key people from Rudek aboard this ship were me, Wickhart, Frein, Lapiria-sama, a commander of Lapiria-sama's unit, Sarg-san, and the naval commander, Northvel-sama.
Ryuzel, the other commander of Lapiria-sama's unit, and Juno-san were not with us, since they were looking after the soldiers and warhorses waiting at Gadeland.
Northvel-sama had the most authority aboard the ship. Everyone's gaze turned to him, but he hunched his shoulders and shook his head, making it clear that it was not his place to step in.
That left either Lapiria-sama or me, but seeking asylum was a highly political act. I had far too little experience. A noble would be better suited to this sort of thing.
Yet Lapiria-sama was directing a gaze at Franklurt no less sharp than Wickhart's. She seemed to have more warrior's blood than noble blood. Could Lapiria-sama really handle this?
Then there was the remaining noble... Everyone's eyes shifted to Frein.
Frein probably realized that, given the situation, he had no choice but to step forward. After exchanging glances with Wickhart and Lapiria-sama, he walked up to Franklurt-Drew.
"I am Frein-Delta, commander of the Tenth Knight Order."
"The Delta family? Even I know of that venerable Rudek house. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Franklurt-Drew responded.
Frein continued without mentioning his family.
"You said you wished to seek asylum, Franklurt-dono, but wasn't your approach somewhat rash? Under normal circumstances, I believe you should have approached our country in advance."
By the customs of the continent, anyone seeking asylum would normally approach the other country and obtain its consent first. Of course, asylum itself is hardly common.
Franklurt nodded vigorously, as though Frein had said exactly what he wanted to hear.
"As you say, Frein-dono. You may not know this, but I have already secretly delivered a petition for asylum to the commander of the knight order stationed at Riese Fortress in your country."
At that, I couldn't help saying, "Ah." Many of those present must have thought of the same incident at that moment.
It was the message sent by a secret envoy that Thor-sama of the Seventh Knight Order had received. If it had been Franklurt's plea for asylum, I understood why Thor-sama had been reluctant to disclose it casually.
"I see. So you've already approached our country. But in that case, shouldn't you have waited for our reply?"
We had not been told to accept Franklurt along with the Empire's Second Prince, and judging from Franklurt's wording, it did not seem that Rudek had declared its willingness to accept him.
"That is also precisely as you say. But circumstances have changed. I have no time. I must appeal to you in person at once and obtain permission to seek asylum."
"Something happened in Gorbel?"
"As members of the Tenth Knight Order, you may not even need me to explain, but it all began with the recent defeat. In the wake of the defeat at Zetta Plains, a purge has swept through Gorbel."
At that, I couldn't help interrupting. "Zetta Plains? Were you involved in the battle, Franklurt-dono?"
Franklurt turned his gaze toward me and briefly searched his memory.
"I beg your pardon, but you are..."
It was Wickhart, not me, who answered.
"This is Roa-dono, the man who broke your strategy at Hakusha."
His tone was laden with hostility. I understood his feelings, and thinking of Rimal-san, I had no desire to stop him.
Franklurt looked puzzled when he heard that.
"From Hakusha? But wasn't that battle commanded by Raiz-dono?"
"No. Raiz-sama had not yet arrived. Roa-dono moved the army on his own authority and defeated you."
Franklurt's eyes widened at that.
"Then the fire I saw at the time wasn't Raiz-sama's main force?"
I answered his question.
"It was just a bluff—I only burned some ramshackle huts nearby."
Franklurt looked up at the sky and murmured, "So that's what it was..." Then he turned to me and bowed again.
"I thought I had won that battle. I am deeply impressed by the stratagem that exploited my overconfidence."
"No, I was just lucky. So, were you at Zetta Plains?"
At my repeated question, Franklurt shook his head.
"I did not take part in that battle."
"Then you have nothing to do with the purge, do you?"
In response to my follow-up question, Franklurt shook his head just as before.
"The purge was not aimed at the defeated generals. It targeted those closely connected to the person who had devised the strategy. The people directly involved fled, leaving those behind to bear the king's wrath."
A single person's name immediately came to mind.
"No... Did Sakri flee?"
Franklurt was the one startled by those words.
"Why do you know that name?! ...No, could it be you've known since Hakusha?"
"No. I investigated the matter after Hakusha and arrived at that name."
"...I see. As Roa-dono said, the purge targeted those closely connected to Sakri—in particular, those who had achieved success through Sakri's strategies."
"But to be targeted for the purge despite not even having taken part in Zetta Plains..." Frein murmured, seeming not entirely convinced.
"I thought so too. I believed I would be given a chance to explain myself to the King of Gorbel. But..."
"But?"
"If even the hero Rodelight was denied a chance to plead his case, I became certain that I had very little time left."
"What happened to Rodelight?"
"Rodelight was executed. Just three days ago."
Only the sound of the waves passed over the ship.
The shocking end of Gorbel's hero left everyone speechless.