Chapter 255
Around the time Al was making his move in the castle.
Fiene and the others were also making their way to Emperor Johannes.
The escape route from the throne room led to the upper levels of the Imperial Capital, and Fiene and the others were using it to move toward the middle levels.
However, the Emperor was at the eastern gate, beyond even the outermost layer of the Imperial Capital.
And Gordon had laid a double encirclement around the Emperor.
The first encirclement surrounded the eastern gate. The second stopped anyone heading toward the eastern gate near the middle levels.
Fiene and the others were approaching that second encirclement.
"Even I know that forcing our way through here would be a stupid idea..."
Mia usually chose to force her way through obstacles, but she murmured that upon seeing the many soldiers forming the defensive line.
Fiene gave Mia a wry smile and pondered for a moment.
If they caused a commotion here, it would become even more difficult to advance farther inside.
There was no way this was the final line of defense. According to the information they had, the Emperor's base was the eastern gate. It was unthinkable that they would encircle it from this distance. There was almost certainly another encirclement near the eastern gate.
At worst, they could be crushed between the two forces.
That was precisely why they had to slip through here.
However, getting Rupert, Alois, Mitsuba, Jiana, and the others through unnoticed would be extremely difficult.
There were simply too many of them, making them impossible to overlook.
Though Mia and the Imperial Knights were serving as escorts, they were only escorts. Fighting an army would not be wise.
What should they do?
"What would Al do?" Fiene focused her thoughts on that question.
Al excelled at finding a narrow path among limited options. That was because he observed and analyzed everyone and everything, friend and foe alike.
The enemy's forces were overwhelming in number, whatever their quality. Their own forces, by contrast, were excellent in quality, whatever their numbers.
Their first priority was getting Rupert to Emperor Johannes. Their second was ensuring that no one was taken hostage.
After thinking it over that far, Fiene arrived at one plan.
"Prince Rupert, may I have a word?"
"W-what is it, Fiene?"
"Would you be all right without Mia-san and me?"
Rupert did not understand what she meant for a moment.
However, Mitsuba and Alois immediately understood.
Mitsuba gave Fiene a worried look, but Fiene smiled at her.
"Our priority is getting Prince Rupert to His Majesty. I'll be the decoy."
"A decoy?! Why?! What I have is fake, you know?! It'd be pointless for me to act as a decoy just to take it away!"
"Your Highness, have you forgotten? That's the real thing. In that case, we must deliver it to His Majesty, no matter what sacrifices are necessary."
This is the real thing.
Remembering Al's words, Rupert stared fixedly at the bag.
With that in mind, he promised to act.
However, Rupert couldn't bear the thought of someone being put in danger to transport an item he knew was fake.
Fiene gently clasped his hand.
"Your concern means a great deal to me. But this is our only option. I'm sure they'll chase me, but Mia-san will be with me. Besides... there is somewhere I want to go myself."
"Somewhere you want to go?"
"Yes. I don't know whether I should be the one to go, but I think it's worth trying. So Mia-san and I will split off now. Use the opening that creates."
"But... if anything happens to Fiene... what could I possibly tell Brother Arnold...?"
"It's all right. Everyone is doing what they can. Al-sama, and surely Leo-sama too. Your brothers and sisters are doing everything they can. Now do what you can, too."
Thus persuaded by Fiene, Rupert reluctantly agreed and nodded faintly.
Then Fiene looked toward Mia.
"I'm sorry to ask, but would you?"
"Of course!"
"Thank you. Then let's head to the center of the middle level. We'll break through the encirclement."
"It looks like they'll be sending quite a pursuit after us..."
"The more attention I draw, the easier it will be for everyone else. Now, Your Highness, run with all your might. It takes courage to stand and fight, but fleeing takes courage as well. Setting aside your emotions and making the right decision is difficult, but... you're Al-sama's younger brother. I'm sure you can do it."
With that, Fiene started running.
Mia fired an arrow into the sky in time with her.
The arrow split apart and struck the soldiers, opening a hole in the defensive line.
"W-what was that?!"
"Magic?!"
"A-an attack! We're under attack!"
As the soldiers shouted, Fiene and Mia ran through the defensive line.
A soldier who saw them shouted.
"The Blue Gull Princess?! The Blue Gull Princess is here! There she is! Capture her!"
"She's certainly popular..."
"I'm not particularly fond of strangers showing me this much affection... but I'm grateful for it right now."
Fiene said this with a laugh as she ran alongside Mia.
Thinking what a remarkable young lady Fiene was, Mia sent the approaching soldiers flying.
"You people aren't worthy of us! Get lost!"
"She's got a skilled escort! The escort with the strange way of talking!"
"What?! Who just made fun of the way I talk?! You?! It was you, wasn't it?! I've memorized your face! Later, I'll sentence you to a long-distance blast!"
Shouting as they went, Fiene and Mia made their way toward the center of the middle level.
The soldiers' attention was completely fixed on Fiene and the others. She was both famous and important.
She made the perfect decoy.
"Your Highness... We need to go soon."
"Yeah..."
Prompted by Alois, Rupert looked away from Fiene and the others and began moving.
The supposedly flawless defensive line was riddled with gaps, and Rupert and the others slipped through them with ease.
While Fiene and Mia held everyone's attention, Rupert and the others headed from the middle levels toward the outer levels.
The first encirclement was focused on the Emperor at the eastern gate, while the second was focused on Fiene and the others, so their route was surprisingly smooth.
But when everything is going smoothly, that's when a trap appears.
When they entered the main street, Rupert spotted a group engaged in battle some distance away.
"Is that...?! Could that be Princess Christa and the others?!"
Alois shouted.
Christa and the others had apparently been discovered by the enemy and were engaged in combat.
The problem was that the enemy was no ordinary foe.
"Dragon Knights..."
The United Kingdom's Dragon Knights were racing through the sky.
They were attacking Christa and the others.
We have to help them.
Just as Rupert thought this, an astonishing figure appeared in his field of vision.
Between Rupert's group and Christa's group,
a small cavalry unit came through an alley.
It was led by an imposing red-haired man.
"Brother Gordon..."
After looking at Christa and the others, Gordon glanced at Rupert's group in the opposite direction.
Gordon and Rupert's eyes met for only an instant.
At that moment, Rupert's body froze in terror.