Chapter 26
Since the Marquis of Valor's household had agreed to protect Fiene, we could move around without worry.
For the next two days, I went around warning the supporters Zandra was likely to target, but on the night of the second day, Zandra finally made her move.
"The enemy, then."
"So they've come."
Sebas informed me as we traveled by carriage.
Though I had expected this, I couldn't help sighing. Zandra must have been terribly hotheaded. Making a move here was tantamount to handing Gordon and Erik the opportunity to reap the spoils. Sebas was at my side, and even if they succeeded in assassinating me, their forces would be weakened. They would then be attacked by two factions and singled out for having assassinated me.
"What a short-sighted woman."
"In a sense, one could say she does see what's ahead. Targeting you shows that she has a discerning eye, at least."
"Thanks for that. Still, it's a real nuisance."
"Indeed. I wish Prince Zandra's advisers would do their jobs."
Zandra's faction was built around mages.
Of course, there were non-mages in her faction as well, but talented civil and military officials gravitated toward Erik and Gordon. As a result, Zandra had few advisers with a talent for politics. That was why, despite having so many powerful mages under her command, she could not surpass Gordon or Erik.
Things might have been different if she had an excellent adviser whose opinions Zandra could actually heed.
"I'll take care of it."
"Understood. I'll head to the castle."
"Be careful. There may be an ambush."
"Then I'll deal with it when it happens."
After that conversation, Sebas leaped from the moving carriage.
There would almost certainly be an ambush. I had no one with me but the attendant driving the carriage. From the enemy's perspective, they must have thought they had successfully drawn Sebas out. If so, another assassin with considerable knowledge of our internal affairs would appear.
I might as well use this opportunity to gather more information.
As I was indulging in those schemes, the attendant driving the carriage let out a scream.
"Eeeek!? P-Prince! There's someone right in front of us!?"
"Don't mind him. Keep going."
"W-What!? I-I don't want to die!"
He must have realized that the person in front of us was an assassin.
The young attendant stopped the carriage and ran away, leaving me behind.
Left alone in the carriage, I sighed. This was just as I had expected, and it made things easier, but I couldn't help being appalled by how little regard people had for me. If Leo had been riding with me, he wouldn't have fled like that.
"Please come down. I would rather not drag you out of the carriage."
"You just want to see my face."
I replied quietly to the assassin's reasonable-sounding words, then obediently got out of the carriage.
A middle-aged man with close-cropped brown hair stood in front of the carriage. His dignified face exuded the aura of a battle-hardened veteran. Well, well. Zandra really was serious. It seemed she had sent one of the five strongest people under her command.
At a glance, he had the strength of an A-rank adventurer.
An assassin whose job was to catch people off guard and who possessed that much power had to be extremely skilled. If an A-rank adventurer suddenly appeared behind someone, even someone of equal strength could easily have their life taken. Assassins were different from adventurers. They were professionals at killing people.
"How pitiful, abandoned by your attendant."
"It's not as if my lack of popularity is anything new."
"I see. You don't lose your composure over that. Is it because you trust your butler?"
"That's right. Sebas will be here soon to deal with you."
"An admirable bond between master and servant, but that will not come to pass. Even that butler will need time to dispose of twelve assassins and hurry here."
"Will he?"
I maintained my composure.
Perhaps he took that as a bluff, because the man approached me with a wry smile.
Then he formed a dagger of flame in his hand.
"I was ordered to assassinate you, but I won't be killing you. I'll incapacitate you and bring you before my master."
"I don't want to go before my torture-loving sister."
What a thoughtful subordinate.
Kidnapping was better than assassination in this situation. As long as I remained missing, they could respond in any way they wanted. Erik and Gordon would not go all out to rescue me, and if things went well, Zandra might even be able to install herself as my replacement adviser.
All they had to do was take me out of the Imperial Capital before the search began and torture me. Once my spirit was broken, everything would go according to Zandra's wishes. Even if I were rescued, my spirit would have been broken by then, and I would not reveal anything about Zandra. They could even destroy my mind and leave me a helpless shell. That would deal more damage than assassination, without any risk.
"How pitiful. If you want to blame someone, blame your talented little brother."
With that, the man threw the flame dagger.
But a defensive barrier had been erected around me. A spell that weak could never break through it.
That was why I calmly braced myself, but the flame dagger was canceled out by a sword that came from the side.
"!?"
"Who are you?"
"Just a passing adventurer."
Surprised, I turned my attention to the intruder.
A girl with brown hair tied in a ponytail stood there. However, with her hat pulled low and her casual clothes, she could also be mistaken for a boy.
I recognized her.
She was the A-rank adventurer who had been engaged in subjugating the Mother Slime in Duke Kleinerth's territory.
"If you're an adventurer, stay out of this. You didn't take a commission, did you?"
"No, I didn't. Of course, I don't know who the person behind me is or why that person is being attacked. Nor do I have any obligation or duty to help someone like that."
"Then—"
"However, watching someone get killed right in front of me leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Besides, his own attendant abandoned him. It would be unfair if I didn't at least take his side, wouldn't it?"
"You... By taking his side, you're making an enemy of a person of high rank! Are you sure that's what you want?"
"Better to help him and regret it than abandon him and regret it."
Hearing that, the man regarded the girl as a full-fledged enemy.
He produced a dagger in each hand and threw them at the girl. Unlike the earlier one, these daggers had not been created with magic.
The girl knocked them away with her sword, but an ice dagger was concealed immediately behind them. If she dodged, it would hit me, since I was standing behind her.
The girl responded to that acrobatic technique with an even more remarkable one.
She transformed the sword into a shield and caught the ice dagger.
"A magic sword that changes shape... What an odd weapon you have there."
"I found it in some ruins. It can do this, too."
As she spoke, the girl transformed the shield into a spear. She swung it back and forth as she slowly approached.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary spear, but it soon became apparent that it was anything but ordinary.
"Damn...!?"
"It's impressive that you're still awake. The sound puts even powerful monsters to sleep."
"Sound...!?"
Was it producing a sound that lulled its target to sleep? I couldn't hear anything at all, but to that man, the sound of the spear as she swung it must have sounded like a lullaby.
What a troublesome ability. Falling asleep in the middle of a life-or-death battle was no joke. Even if he overcame his drowsiness, he would not be able to fight at full strength.
The man must have realized that, too.
He immediately put some distance between himself and the girl. Then he glanced at me, clicked his tongue, and retreated.
Sebas arrived right afterward.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"She saved me when I was in danger. Thank you—I owe you one."
"Not at all. I could not stand by while someone was being murdered. However, judging from the carriage, you appear to be someone of noble birth?"
"Ah, pardon me. I am Arnold Lakes Adler, the Empire's seventh prince."
"The seventh prince? I see—the rumored struggle for the imperial throne. Helping people really does pay off. I've come much closer to my goal."
With that, the girl removed her hat and knelt on the spot.
A handsome, somewhat androgynous face came into view. She looked to be about my age.
"Prince, my name is Linfia. As a token of my gratitude for saving my life, may I ask you a favor?"
No, no. It's not as though I asked her to help me. If anything, I lost the chance to capture the enemy assassin.
Even so, this girl did not know that I was Silver. And as Arnold, whose life she had saved, I could not refuse her. If I refused, no one would ever help me or Leo again.
But I knew from experience.
This was definitely trouble.
However...
"For now, I'll hear you out at the castle. Please, get in the carriage. I don't know if I can help, but..."
With one final disclaimer, I invited Linfia into the carriage.
Honestly, the problems just kept coming, one after another.
I let out a small sigh and could only lament my fate.