I'm a court magician. Recently, I’ve been worrying about the princess staring at me. - Chapter 24

“I was expecting that he would come out when the soldiers failed to capture Her Highness.”

In an instant, I pulled out the rapier, turned its tip toward Arsenas, and stood in front of Her Highness. His aim is Her Highness. I can’t allow him a chance to catch me off guard. 

“Ar…”

“You may have been close, Your Highness. Let go of your feelings. He doesn’t seem to be under mind control, but he’s still an enemy.”

Friendship… It’s a great mental connection even though it’s based on false feelings.

Arsenas shrugs his shoulders with his arms folded. I can see the strength of this man’s ability.

“You don’t have to be so vigilant, Young magician.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not such an idiot with an entire flower garden in my head to trust you, the mastermind who put Her Highness at risk.”

“Oh? Don’t you use honorifics? Just in case, I’m your senior, magician.”

“I’m not so well-bred until using honorifics for my enemies. Stop talking nonsense and tell me your purpose.”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

Blue electricity runs through my body and blackens the roof tiles beneath me.

“I’ll send you to hell with ease. There’s really only one choice – a simple answer.”

“So scary, but you are correct. There is only one answer.”

As soon as Arsenas finished speaking, he shot at me with tremendous leg strength and raised his sword with one hand at his back. The aim is… the back of my neck.

I immediately prevent it with the rapier and shoot a kick at the side of his stomach. However, he bent backward in time, and his legs, which moved with agility, cut through the sky.

As a deputy commander of the royal guards, he is very strong in hand-to-hand combat and he seems quite used to fighting. Our compatibility is bad.

“Although you can react to the minimum, I don’t think you’re good at close combat. You were shooting your piece from that distance, so you’re good at long-range combat.”

“Do you know what you are doing with just a light attack? Her Highness might be surprised and frightened.”

Strong statements arouse suspicion in the air. But it’s a wonderful insight. I can’t believe he can understand that much with just one strike… and I always depended on long-range attacks. It’s a blunder. I have to come up with countermeasures.

Arsenas shook his head, shaking his bangs off his eyes.

“No, let’s not think deeply. Anyway, as long as I can take Her Highness away, my job is done. Young magician, I have nothing to do with you. If you’re going to withdraw quietly, just faint.”

“I take it as a joke to ease tension in the middle of a battle, and I refuse. Pretend to be sleeping? No, tell me when you’re asleep.”

“Oh… I don’t think you can balance the gains and losses. You’ll only lose fortune in your future life. But wait, you’re going to die here, so there is no future.”

While provoking each other, I was running my thoughts.

Frankly speaking, if we continue to fight close-up, I will lose. He is good at swordsmanship and can also use magic. Unlike me, he can use advanced magic at close and medium distances. I’ll have to resist with all my might.

On the other hand, I can only use elementary magic except for magic above long distances. And, swordsmanship is all about preventing the opponent’s attack. In addition, it will be a battle while protecting Her Highness.

There’s only one way I can win, that too at an overwhelming disadvantage. Arsenas’ attack was too overwhelming to counter, just with unilaterally applied long-range magic.

…No, this time, defeating the opponent alone will not conclude one’s victory. Rather it depends on the change of situation that makes it a victory.

I spoke to the princess behind me in a low voice.

“Your Highness, we’re going to leave him for now because I’m not in a good position.”

“ … ”

She did not answer me, but stared at Arsenas sadly.

Shocked, I guess. Betrayal from a person who she has known and trusted since childhood has a great effect on her. For he had changed from a friend to an enemy who was after her.

I understand how she feels. But I can only be sad later.

I lifted the absent-minded princess and enhanced my body strength repeatedly before stepping up and running away, breaking tiles.

“…”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I’ll hurry ahead.”

In less than a few seconds, I ran 200 miles through a packed residential area. Residents are now going to Central Square to listen to the royal family. There are no witnesses.

While watching countless windows reflecting the moonlight, I slowed down to detect the magic around me. There’s no response.

“It’s a long way from the Knights’ residence.”

It seems that he ran toward the planned road. Arsenas, who had been waiting for us, probably knew that I was on my way to our destination; the residence of the Knights on the south side of the royal capital. If he goes there, he’ll have to face the Elites in the Knights.

If I run straight, he’ll catch up. We need to take as much of an unexpected route as possible.

“… But… Ar…”

“Your Highness…”

It breaks my heart to hear her broken voice.

Her Highness has been muttering Arsenas’ name in my arms, with a tragic voice and expression. She’s about to burst into tears.

After confirming that he had not followed me, I paused to lower Her Highness on the cobblestone to ask.

“…Is your Highness friendly with him?”

“……Yes. He’s been protecting me and my brother for a long time. He has always played with me, who couldn’t go out very often…”

A tear fell to the ground.

“The affection he showed to us… was it all a lie? In order to do this from the beginning, he acted friendly…? The memories I’ve had so far feel like trash…”

I hugged Her Highness unconsciously.

Gently, I did it gently.

“That’s not the case, Your Highness.”

“…How can you say such a thing? Ar… wanted to take me away just now!”

Her Highness gripped my robe tightly. I whispered in her ear without reproach.

“Trust your judgement. What you’ve seen with your eyes was a lie? Did he seem to be lying when he approached you? I don’t think so. The proof is that you trust him to the point where you shed tears over his change.”

Her Highness’ eyes can see through any lies. So, if she can put so much trust in him, it means that his loyalty is real. In other words…

“They may have messed with his perception while leaving his sensibility intact.”

“Perception?”

“Yes, the zombie soldiers who attacked Your Highness are already dead. However, Arsenas is likely to maintain his sensibility because he has a conversation with me. In that case, it is conceivable that they have changed their perception like, ‘I am ordered to capture your Highness.’”

”Well, then… “

“Yes, there is still hope. But first let’s go to the Knights.”

I sat down to hold Her Highness again. But…

”──”

I felt a sharp stabbing pain in my side.

I looked down and saw a sharp silver knife point peeping into the side of my face.

Fresh red blood oozes out, dripping to the ground.

“Don’t run away. Isn’t it troublesome to chase?”

A beautiful voice rings from behind.

At this point, however, it sounded to me like a death sentence from the god of death himself.

“Now, Your Highness, I’m here to pick you up.”

“Oh, Arsenas…”

Without a sweat, Arsenas was standing there with an eerie smile, spinning his knife with his fingertips with a cool face.