Volume 1 Chapter 66 Unexpected Situation
After getting off the dragon, Iria stood in front of us and raised her right hand.
Suddenly, a large group of Cretian soldiers behind her formed a circle, surrounding us.
"Hey, what's the big idea! This is Trasverum! My... ugh!"
Dolthos yelled at Iria. In the middle of his outburst, there was a sharp sound like something cutting through the air, and a hard thud as if something had collided.
Looking down at his feet, a pitch-black iron rod was sticking out of the stone pavement where he had been standing. It was an arrow released from the large bow that Iria was carrying.
That bow wasn't something an ordinary person could draw. If it hit someone, it would easily pierce even armor made of dragon scales.
Iria slowly lowered her bow and said,
"Don't forget that the king can end your so-called autonomy whenever he wants."
"W-What... what do you mean... that's..."
Dolthos, who was the only reason Trasverum could prevent intervention from the Cretia Kingdom, seemed completely overwhelmed as he was glared at by Iria. He stumbled back and fell on his bottom while looking at her face.
"Stop it, Iria! As a knight who should protect the people, I cannot allow violence!"
With a firm and dignified attitude befitting a princess, Mel spoke to Iria. No matter how much of a villain Dolthos was, her behavior was unacceptable.
In response to Mel's words, Iria knelt down right there.
"Now, Princess, let me take you to the castle. We will have the brainwashing undone."
"I have said it before. I have not been brainwashed. Answer me, Iria, why are you here?"
"I received a message from an adventurer named Allen. It said that the princess is in this city."
As expected, it was Allen who informed the Royal Knights of Mel's whereabouts.
In the first place, Chester and Allen are the only ones who know that Mel is a princess. It seemed impossible for Chester to spill the secret, and even if someone threatened him, he could escape using Teleportation Magic. That meant Allen was the only one left who could have revealed the secret.
I stepped in front of Mel to shield her from Iria's view.
"We didn't brainwash her. Please listen to us."
"Ah, you again, magician. I don't know why you took the princess, but you'll pay for your crimes here."
"Mel... no, the princess is acting of her own free will to stop King Cretia's evil plans. We're just helping her."
As I spoke, Iria glared at me with anger.
"What nonsense. And to mock our king... that disrespect won't be tolerated."
"Iria! Please listen to me!"
"Mel-san! It's dangerous! Please step back!"
The soldiers prepared their weapons and got into a battle stance, while Mel's cries fell on deaf ears.
Fatina drew her sword and stood protectively behind Mel.
"Cut down all of these people! Save the princess!"
As Iria's voice echoed through the street, the soldiers surrounding us attacked all at once.
Feeling that this was the right moment, I immediately activated the power of 'Insanity' that I had obtained from Wraith.
"Aghh! What... ughh!"
"Ugh... ahh...!"
"What's... ugh... happening!"
The Cretia soldiers, who had been surrounding us, suddenly started writhing in pain and fell to the ground, groaning.
"What's going on?! Ugh... my body feels heavy all of a sudden! What have you done?!"
Iria shouted, staggering as she looked at the fallen soldiers.
According to the description, the effects of 'Insanity' vary depending on the difference in stats.
Mel had heard that Iria had enhanced her abilities with the [Dragon Tamer] skill. Perhaps that's why she didn't seem to be affected much.
'Rrrooarrrr!!'
Suddenly, the dragon that had been quiet right next to Iria roared and threatened us. It was as if it was protecting her.
"Stop, Lulue! If you move carelessly, you might hit the princess!"
While Iria tried to calm down the blue dragon called Lulue, I took Mel's hand during the distraction.
"We can't explain the situation right now. Let's run away."
"Iria...!"
"Mel-san! Let's retreat from here for now!"
Mel looked at Iria, but she, Fatina, and I left this place together.
"W-wait! Don't leave me behind! I'll pay any amount of money! Please, don't go!"
Dolthos followed us, looking like he was about to cry. Now, he might also be considered an accomplice, so if he gets caught, he will definitely face a bad fate.
Even if he ends up being judged, it's something the people of Trasverum should decide.
We quickly entered the back alley that caught our eye.
We decided it would be better to take the narrow path to avoid being seen and escape from Iria's dragon.
The soldiers couldn't move, but since Iria had a dragon, they would surely chase us again soon.
"Ark-sama, what should we do next?"
While running, Fatina asked me with a worried expression.
"Maybe Chester and the others have prepared a carriage in front of the Clow Merchant guild. Let's get on it and leave Trasverum."
"Oh, please help me! I don't care where you go at this point! As long as you hide me from the soldiers, it doesn't matter if it's the Clow Merchant guild!"
"Understood, can I ask you to lead the way then?"
"Ah, yes! It's this way!"
Dolthos knows the geography of this city better than us. We run with him at the front.
"We're almost at the Clow Merchant guild! We did it! That was close!"
Dolthos shouted as we made our way through the narrow, winding alley. It seems like we're close to our destination.
"Anyway, I have to tell the others that the soldiers are coming!"
"──No need for that, Dolthos."
A voice came from ahead. It was Allen, the one who caused all this commotion.
Allen suddenly appeared from the alley with his party members in tow, as usual. He looked at us with the same calm expression as when we first met.
"Hey, Allen!! How dare you show your face in front of me like this!"
"Well, this whole thing was really an unfortunate accident. We never thought we'd be beaten to it."
"An accident!? Don't joke with me! What is all this commotion about? Explain!"
"Unfortunately, we don't have time to explain right now. Besides, it's pointless to talk to you as you'll be gone from here anyway."
"What... What do you..."
When Allen said this, Dolthos seemed to have no idea what he was talking about, and his body trembled with sweat beading on his forehead.
"Now... let's get down to business. Princess and the 'key' you obtained in Aquaflow Cavern. Give them to me."
Allen said, a smile playing on his lips as he extended his hand towards us.
But something was off.
Allen knew very well that he couldn't defeat us in Aquaflow Cavern.
So where did this confidence come from?
"Leanne-san, could you come over here?"
"Huh? Uh, yes..."
For some reason, Allen beckoned Leanne.
She walked slowly towards him, her steps deliberate.
And then── Allen suddenly pressed his sword against her throat.
"!?"
"What? Allen!? What on earth are you doing!?"
In Response to Allen's Actions, the Holy Knight Woman──Ellis──raised Her Voice. Not only her, but the other two also had astonished expressions.
"Is it okay? If you don't hand over the 'key,' Leanne-san will die right here."
"W-why..."
"Why? Well...maybe because you are no longer needed."
"That's──"
Surely, Leanne herself was more surprised by Allen's words than anyone else present.
"Allen! That's too much!"
"Ellis, please be quiet for a moment... now, hand over the key. This is not a threat. And you understand what will happen if you use that strange technique, right?"
With a smirk, Allen continued.
"Depending on your choice, this girl will lose her life. And if you don't comply with my demand── well, you'll have to live with what happened here for the rest of your life."
Allen realized, did we choose to do this knowing that we would not abandon Lian?
When I looked right next to me, I saw Fatina looking frustrated as she readied her sword, and Mel was looking down as if she was thinking about something.
"Hmm, it looks like the negotiations have broken down."
"Wait──"
"Okay, I'll give you the key."
I said that and took out a key from inside my body. It's the [Aqua Flow Key] that I got in the Trasvelum dungeon.
If Leanne were to die here, there was no need to think that the two would end up doing what Allen had said.
And more than anything, I didn't want them to have to feel that way in the future.
A key with a large blue jewel set in it floats in the air between me and Allen, emitting phosphorescence.
"Oh... this is it!! I finally got it!"
Allen's eyes widen as he holds his hand towards the key.
The key disappeared as if being sucked into Allen's body.
"Haha... Hahaha! I did it! Amazing! Just as I thought, this isn't just a tool! Energy is overflowing from my body! It's as if I've surpassed my own limits!"
Allen laughed loudly while pointing the sword at Leanne. His appearance felt somewhat strange.
"A-Allen... please, release me──"
Even as Leanne pleaded with tears in her eyes, Allen ignored her and continued laughing.
"More! Give me more power! Then, I can become the strongest being!"
In the next moment, a blue radiance began to emanate from Allen's body as if in response to his voice.
"A-Allen? What in the world is happening...?"
Seeing Allen's figure, Ellis and the others couldn't comprehend what had happened and let out their voices in confusion.
"Ark-sama! I sense something unpleasant! Be careful!"
Fatina suddenly shouted while pointing the sword at Allen.
At almost the same time, the light surrounding Allen gradually grew larger and spread horizontally and vertically, breaking through the buildings in the alley.
The surrounding buildings crumbled under the pressure of the light.
"What, what is this?! What is happening?!"
Dolthos shouted and retreated, trying to escape from the light.
And when the light subsided, it wasn't Allen who stood there.
It was a gigantic dragon, enveloped in blue scales, towering above, like a guardian of the keys.
"Is this the guardian of the key?"
'Ah...! This is incredible! This is the power of the "key"!'
Allen, who transformed into a dragon resembling the guardian we met in the Emerald Green Dungeon, roared loudly towards the sky, feeling exhilarated.
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