In a World of Reversed Chastity, I Strive to Become an Honorable Male Knight, but Lustful Women Keep Targeting My Body - 274

Chapter 274: The Kukkoro Male Knight and the Senate Disaster: Round Two (2)

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Twenty minutes later, the Senate chamber had completely turned into a cauldron of chaos (there was also a theory that it had been a cauldron of chaos even before the attack began). Friend and foe were intermingled, and the scene had devolved into a full melee.

We and the “Legitimate” delegation were fighting in cooperation, but among the “New” senators, some sided with us while others joined the martyrs. Still, the fact that not a single one fled was impressive. …Incidentally, there was no sign of the elf ninja. There had clearly been ninja support earlier. Whether they were hiding somewhere or disguised as someone else… that much was unclear.

“Al-sama, the evacuation of the non-combatants from the Liseben side has been completed. All are safe!”

“Excellent! Well done.”

Since the attack had occurred during the conference, there had naturally been many non-combatants inside the chamber. The elves were effectively a nation of universal conscription, so leaving them alone would have been fine, but that was not the case for us. Therefore, I had ordered that protecting the non-combatants be the top priority… and it seemed that had gone well.

Well, we had received a warning in advance via an arrow message. We had prepared thoroughly… Even so, there had been some anxiety. Since it appeared we had handled the initial response well, I let out a quiet sigh of relief in my heart.

“Alright! Push them back as we are! Time to show the pride of the Galea Knights!”

“It’s Al-sama’s command! Give it everything you’ve got! Semper fi!”

“Uraaa!!”

“Gwaaah!”

The knights formed a defensive scrum and collectively beat down the murderous elves. The sight was less like knights and more like riot police suppressing a mob. Of course, the attackers were not simply being overwhelmed. Some skillfully slipped through the hedge of spears—no, a hedge of swords (naturally, no one was using spears in indoor combat)—constructed by the knight corps and broke through the defensive lines.

“I won’t let you through…!”

And that was when my vice-captain— the most reliable in the world—made her entrance. She charged at the enemy elf soldier like a bullet and drove them back with sword strokes so beautiful they were mesmerizing. The elf soldier’s skill was extraordinary, but Sonia was one of the strongest knights in the Kingdom of Galea. After about ten exchanges, she decisively gained the upper hand and swiftly struck the elf soldier down. It was truly the fighting style of a king.

“With Sonia here, I don’t even get a chance to show off my own martial prowess.”

Watching her lionhearted performance, I couldn’t help but laugh. Of course, I wasn’t serious. A commander’s job was to command. Frontline combat should be left to the soldiers. A commander who shoved subordinates aside to join a sword fight was, frankly, unfit to be an officer. Still, when a commander fought bravely at the front, morale rose. On the other hand, there weren’t many soldiers who would obediently follow someone who merely sat back in the rear acting important. Striking that balance was genuinely difficult.

“When they first attacked, I feared the worst… but at this rate, it seems we may somehow manage.”

Behind me, Bishop Fiorenza said this. Despite the blood spray happening right before her eyes, there was no trace of fear in her voice. Though she had experienced real combat during the civil unrest in the royal capital, her nerve was far from ordinary.

“However, those fools… to storm the Senate in the middle of talks of all times. This may not be something resolved so easily.”

That was Dalaiya speaking. She had been supporting the front lines earlier with gusts of wind and icicle magic, but now that the tide of battle was beginning to turn, she had fallen back. Still, using attack magic in such a confined space was impressive. Normally, one would hesitate for fear of friendly fire. Without exceptional control of magic power, such feats would be impossible.

“As expected, Lady Vanka seems to have disappeared…”

I furrowed my brow and looked around. Lady Vanka was nowhere to be seen in the not-so-spacious chamber. Well, of course she ran first. The moment the initial strike failed, the surprise attack had effectively collapsed. Still, this kind of situation… I had just experienced it at our own royal palace in Galea not long ago. It hadn’t even been half a year since then. It happened often enough to make one wonder if I was cursed.

“I-It’s not my fault, you know? Not this time…”

“What was that?”

Bishop Fiorenza had muttered something, but this was a battlefield. Her faint voice was drowned out by the clash of swords and the shouts of soldiers.

“No, it’s nothing…”

It was an odd attitude, but there was no time to dwell on it. A crow-like birdman burst in through the Senate entrance and leapt over the front lines toward us. I reflexively gripped the pistol at my waist, but they seemed to be an ally. Landing lightly, she whispered something into Uru’s ear.

“What!? Is that true!?”

Uru’s complexion changed. It was clearly troubling news. She hurried over to me and said.

“A fully armed, dangerous-looking group is approaching the Senate. Since they’re coming through the forest, we can’t determine their exact numbers, but… it’s said to be quite a large force…”

“Hmph.”

I grinned and looked toward Lady Dalaiya.

“Is the New Elfenia Army coming to suppress those ‘martyrs’? Quite well prepared, aren’t they? Eh, Dalaiya-dono?”

Naturally, that was sarcasm. There was no way they were anything but enemies. The assassination had failed, so now they were committing troops, just like the previous royal capital rebellion. A boring move. Perhaps those who tried to overturn the status quo always thought alike.

“….”

Having received my barb, Lady Dalaiya let out a deep sigh.

“My deepest apologies. It seems they truly intend to split this New Elfenia apart.”

“I thought as much.”

The enemy had already committed a considerable force inside the Senate. At this point, there was no turning back. If one couldn’t end it halfway, then one might as well see it through to the end, that would be the natural course. I had anticipated the extremists’ outburst, but they had opened hostilities far sooner than planned. Perhaps it was because of the break with Lady Vanka. Maybe I should have said whatever was convenient to placate them then. …Perhaps I had lacked the resolve to dirty my own hands. I still had much to learn.

“They were a ragtag gang to begin with. Of course they’d revolt the moment something displeased them.”

Lady Orphan muttered sarcastically. Watching Lady Dalaiya receive it with a poker face made me chuckle softly.

“Still, their decision was swift. As expected of elves, what a worthy opponent.”

That wasn’t sarcasm. The sooner you cut your losses, the less you lose. If they had decided to fight us in the end, then making a decisive break early was wiser. The longer ambiguity dragged on, the more fence-sitters would be absorbed into our side.

“There must have been impatience on their side as well. Albert-san does seem quite skilled at fishing.”

Bishop Fiorenza smiled as she glanced at the non-combatants protected by the knights. Among them were quite a few handsome men. Naturally, most were male spies dispatched by Chancellor Adelaide. Skilled in charming women senseless, they had achieved considerable results in a single night. …Though there was a theory that the elves’ guard had simply been too lax.

Still, perhaps we had pushed infiltration too quickly. The martyr had called me a poisoner who seduced the elders. Well, she wasn’t entirely wrong. In truth, I had been attempting to win over the elf upper ranks.

“That may be true. …But for now, we must brush off the sparks falling upon us.”

I surveyed the situation. The rebels inside the chamber were fighting bravely, but their colors were clearly fading. They could hold out only because their skill and morale were exceptionally high. Even so, they were outnumbered. Given enough time, we could annihilate them but we had no such luxury now. We had to break out of the Senate quickly and regroup with the marines outside.

“All units, attention! We will now break through enemy lines and escape outside! Prepare to charge!”

I raised my saber and shouted. My knights smoothly shifted into a charging formation.

“Oh, a charge! Albert-dono’s command style isn’t half-hearted at all. I suppose I’ll lend a hand.”

“Surely no one here would shame themselves by standing back and watching a short-lived man’s back as he fights!? We’re going too!”

To my surprise, Lady Orphan’s personal guard and even the “New” senators began preparing to charge. It was unexpected, but welcome. I then shouted with all my might.

“Charge! Follow me!”

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