Published: August 10, 2026
「Around the area where the Central Building's teleportation gates were lined up, members of the Central Knights Order were stationed. First, we need to secure whatever forces can move right now. Heisshitze should contact Dunkelfelger, and Cornelius should contact Eckhardt. Ask them to gather their forces and head for the grove near the Central Building... the place where we first gathered」
As Ferdinand said this, he sent ordonnances to the knights around him while heading for the grove near the Central Building. He also told me to keep my eyes closed, and then sent ordonnances to Strahl and Zent as well.
The one sent to Strahl, who had been ordered to lead a unit and investigate the movements of the Central Knights Order, was a simple, businesslike command to rendezvous. But the one sent to Zent used extremely roundabout noble language. No matter how indirect it was, the meaning was still, "If you have pride as Zent and do not wish to have the foundation taken by outsiders, then hurry up, clean up the situation there, and come lead the trustworthy Central Knights Order or Dunkelfelger." So it was not exactly gentle.
"Um, Lord Ferdinand. What if Zent or Prince Anastasius are not present?"
"It will take time and be a roundabout method, but that merely means I should use another means. I want to know how the royal family interprets this crisis, and how they will act."
Ferdinand's voice as he said this was outright displeased. I could understand why he was angry, too. If an aub's own foundation is being targeted, they will retreat into the foundation chamber to defend it from the enemy. Since only the aub can protect it, that is only natural. Likewise, the Zent must protect the country's foundation as a premise.
"...Lord Ferdinand, I think the part you dislike is not that Zent is protecting the foundation, but that he is hiding somewhere, right? But if Zent does not have the Grutrissheit, then wouldn't he probably not know where the foundation is?"
If he does not know where the foundation is, then he cannot hide in the foundation chamber. I tried to defend Zent a little. But it had absolutely no effect. Ferdinand only snorted, "And what of it?"
"If he does not know where the foundation is, then he should lead the knights and strike down the enemy before it is taken. At the very least, he ought to show the intent to do so. How can Zent hide away while you, an unmarried young woman, are standing in a battlefield you dislike and leading the knights?"
"That is overestimating me. The only reason I can be here is because you, Lord Ferdinand, and my guard knights are with me, supporting me and giving me the confidence that I will be absolutely protected. That would be difficult for Lord Trauerqual, whose knight commander betrayed him."
If Cornelius Brother and Hartmut had betrayed me right before I went to help Ferdinand, I would not have been able to go to Arensbach. If Lieseleta and Grethia had not come with me to Arensbach, I probably would not have been able to go there at all.
"Betrayal by retainers is not so rare. Those with ties to the enemy approaching you with a smiling face is something that happens every day. Isn't it only natural to watch their movements, detect betrayal early, work to earn their loyalty, not trust retainers, remain constantly vigilant, and protect oneself?"
"I do not live such an everyday life...?"
That is different from the everyday life I know. I do not live a daily life that is that bloody.
"Of course not. The ones allowed to approach you were carefully screened by Lord and Lady Aub, me, Karlstedt, Elvira, and Richarda. The risk of dangerous people getting close to you—someone with many secrets, yet narrow-minded, careless, and absentminded—was eliminated from the start. And there is also the fact that you have no obvious enemy like Veronica is to me."
...His way of putting it is still terrible, though...
I realized that the cramped, difficult life I had thought I was living—being restricted in my contact with downtown, having my meeting partners decided by my guardians, and having to shuttle between the temple and the castle because I was buried in work—had actually been carefully arranged to keep me away from danger. It was like countless scales had fallen from my eyes, or rather, I was disappointed in how little I had understood.