Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Sisters
Thank you always for typo reports.
Daphne, who had become the Royal Guard Knight Commander, was troubled.
Time was passing without knowing the truth of the attack on the King and Queen. She realized that thinking a strong person should be the Royal Guard Knight Commander was a big mistake, and she once again felt her father's greatness.
Investigations usually do not use sword skills or physical strength. It is not a matter of confronting the culprit directly, but rather using one's head far more often. And as a result of using her head, she was about to overheat.
Oliver was advising her as Honorary Knight Commander, though not completely retired, but even Oliver could not grasp any clues.
As Steve suggested, they checked information on mages employed by nobles within the country, searching for nobles employing teleportation mages or fire attribute mages, but only the Royal Family fit the criteria. And both the teleportation mage and the fire attribute mage were still alive. Of course, Daphne, who was guarding the King and Queen, knew their faces.
Then, the possibility lay with foreign powers. The surrounding nations were places where the Kingdom of Cascade had taken territory, so there was sufficient motive for revenge.
However, no country had specially moved soldiers along the border. On the contrary, she didn't even feel the aura of war.
Sitting at the desk in the office given to Royal Guard Knight Commander Daphne, she let out a big sigh.
Oliver, her father who was in the same room, smiled bitterly.
"You wanted this seat of Royal Guard Knight Commander, so why are you sighing?"
"I was thinking how to proceed with the investigation of an attack where the mastermind is unknown. And I realized what I wanted was not the seat of Royal Guard Knight Commander, but the title of the strongest knight."
"In this country, the strongest knight is the Royal Guard Knight Commander, isn't it?"
"Is that really so? If so, intelligence and education would not be necessary for the Royal Guard Knight Commander."
"That is true."
Oliver agreed with his daughter's words.
"Furthermore, investigations such as this are not things that can be solved by cutting with a sword. In the end, it might come to cutting, but right now we have no idea who to cut. With this, it seems we will allow the next attack as well."
"Several days have passed since the incident, but there is no movement from foreign countries. If so, it might have been something born of resentment rather than a set with military action."
"We cannot discard the possibility that the Kingdom of Forest, Kingdom of Pasture, Kingdom of Merda, or Kingdom of Cryptomeria targeted Your Majesty out of spite for having their territory taken."
"If so, the Empire is the same."
"Yes. However, the Empire only demanded compensation, but if it was out of spite, there is that. However, even if taking out spite, I think Lord Archibalt should be the target. All of our victory is due to Lord Archibalt."
Daphne looked happy talking about Steve.
"Perhaps they didn't do it because they could see they would be counterattacked?"
"Yes. With the power to destroy the Sword Knights Order alone, I don't think there is anyone who can defeat Lord Archibalt anymore. That is why they targeted Your Majesty. However, even if the attack on Your Majesty succeeded, not taking military action makes it seem like they simply used mages as disposable items. I think the time when Your Majesty dies and chaos ensues is the best time to attack."
"Hmm. If so, there is a possibility that the purpose was to confuse us. For example, a coup. If someone planned a coup in a neighboring country, they would think that if attacked from abroad while the domestic situation is in chaos, they would be helpless. To prevent that, it is enough to make it impossible for neighboring countries to attack. There are many ways, such as assassinating the head of state or arming the people for uprising."
"So, a political change is about to happen somewhere?"
"It is one hypothesis. However, the Royal Guard has no investigation rights abroad. We cannot use spy networks, so in the end, the investigation is stuck."
"I will report the possibility to Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty would have already thought of and acted upon things we can think of."
Oliver's words were true.
King William was guessing the attack by foreign powers and their background, searching for information on surrounding countries. And he grasped a big piece of information.
Emperor Cliff Iso Yellow of the Yellow Empire had died. When that information reached the royal castle, the King thought there might be fighting within the Empire.
And immediately, the next information came in.
Crown Prince Henry Iso Yellow was killed by Leonard, the Emperor's brother. Before Henry declared himself the next Emperor, Leonard attacked the palace and killed Henry. And he declared himself Emperor.
Naturally, the Empire split against this violent act. The Leonard faction became mainstream, but it became a civil war with remnants of the Henry faction and factions plotting to make other royals Emperor mixed in.
Knowing this, King William was convinced that Leonard targeted him. Knowing the Empire would be in chaos and external military power would weaken, he plotted to assassinate William and confuse the Kingdom of Cascade as well.
And with this information, the Kingdom of Cascade side also became active. Analysis of which faction of the Empire would win, and countermeasures for that. Whether to actively get involved and sell favors, or pretend to be a bystander and do nothing. A heated debate on what would benefit the nation was exchanged.
Before that conclusion came out, the Kingdom of Cascade became deeply involved in the situation.
Louis Iso Yellow, the son of Henry Iso Yellow, came to Aurora seeking protection.
It was himself and his guard who came.
Aurora immediately told the King and Steve about this.
She told Steve because the guard was cursed. His Highness Louis asked Aurora to save the guard's life. As a condition, if the guard's life is saved, he will offer anything he desires.
And Aurora agreed to that condition and called Steve. There was no mage in the Kingdom of Cascade who could dispel curses, and only Steve had the possibility.
Steve, called by Aurora, met His Highness Louis and his guard.
The guard was lying in bed unable to stand up, and His Highness Louis was accompanying him, so she visited that room with Aurora.
The bed had a canopy, and the face of the sleeping guard could not be seen, but the young blonde handsome man sitting on the chair placed next to the bed was His Highness Louis.
"Nice to meet you. I am Steve Archibalt."
"I am Louis Iso Yellow. I am technically His Highness, but I got caught up in the fighting within the Empire and escaped here with Ace of Chalice. However, Ace of Chalice was hit by the enemy's curse magic, and his life is in danger. Can you please help us?"
At this time, Aurora had agreed to receive a reward from Louis, and she had been told by Aurora not to say anything extra because she would pay the reward to Steve.
So, she did not mention the reward.
"Cursed magic? Lord Sowell also asked me, but this is my first time with cursed magic."
"It is magic used by Ace of Wand, something like killing slowly with pain without immediate death."
"You were very lucky, Your Highness."
"I am wearing the Magic Nullification Ring given to royalty. Curse and mental magic do not work on me."
"Isn't that confidential?"
"I have no secrets now. I cannot do anything alone."
Tiredness and resignation were visible on Louis's face.
He had escaped from the Empire while evading pursuers, so he must be exhausted physically and mentally.
If the guard died here, he would truly be alone. Because of that, he wanted to save the guard somehow.
Seeing such a weak appearance, Steve wanted to help him somehow.
"Then, let me see the guard's condition."
"Please."
When he was told that and lifted the canopy cloth to look at the guard, Steve was surprised.
"Nancy?"
A tall silver-haired beauty was sleeping in the bed. She looked exactly like Nancy.
"No, she is Cecily Cromwell, Nancy Cromwell's younger sister. Lord knows Nancy, but due to the circumstances, I was hesitant to mention her name."
His Highness Louis had also heard about Nancy and Steve, so he was hesitant to mention Cecily's name.
"Hmm, please wait a moment."
Saying that, Steve teleported to his home.
And he found Nancy and explained the situation.
"Oh, Husband, you're back early. Did you finish talking with Lord Sowell?"
"Not yet. And I need Nancy's cooperation."
"Me? What for?"
"Do you know Ace of Chalice?"
"Yes. She is my younger sister."
"Ace of Wand?"
"I know. Is there some relation to my sister?"
"Actually, the Emperor died in the Empire, and then a succession war broke out, and Crown Prince Henry was killed by the Emperor's brother, His Highness Leonard. So, His Highness Louis, the Emperor's son, escaped to Lord Sowell with Cecily. But, on the way, he was hit by Ace of Wand's curse magic and was about to die. Snake tattoos appeared on both arms, and this is gradually spreading to the neck, and in another week, the curse will bite the neck. Do you know how to dispel this curse?"
"My sister should know such a thing."
"She is unconscious."
"In that case, I will tell you. You just need to cut off the part of the body with the cursed tattoo."
The method of dispelling the curse Nancy said was the removal of the arm. That is why Cecily could not dispel the curse. If both arms were gone, how could she guard His Highness Louis?
Thinking that, she continued the escape with the curse still on her.
"Will you go with me?"
Steve asked Nancy. Nancy thought for a moment and nodded.
"I don't know what they will say if we meet, but I might be able to help Husband."
"Don't force yourself."
"It's okay. Besides, I want to apologize."
"Understood."
Saying that, Steve took Nancy and returned to Aurora's castle.
His Highness Louis was surprised seeing Nancy's figure.
"Queen of Sword, you are alive?"
"That person is officially recorded as dead. Even if she were alive, could a traitor to her homeland appear before Your Highness? I am the wife who came to help dispel the curse as I can be of use to Husband."
Nancy said that and bowed her head.
"My wife is often said to look alike. Well, even if she is the real person, the truce agreement between our country and the Empire states that all crimes of all parties involved are forgiven, so there is no crime to blame."
With Steve's words, His Highness Louis understood. That truce agreement was to free Nancy.
And he did not want to pursue it now. Rather, he wanted to thank her for trying to save Cecily.
Nancy looked at Cecily's arm.
"Husband, cut it cleanly from the upper arm. Oh, if you do it here, the bed will be stained with blood."
"Should I cut and regenerate?"
"Yes. It is the same as the curse of Ace of Wand I saw once. That thing is mean, it likes to watch the person who cast the curse smile while watching if the victim can cut their own arm. I was once present at the scene where that curse was cast, and at that time I saw the victim cut off their own arm and the curse was dispelled."
"If that's the case, let's try it."
Steve looked at Aurora.
"It's just a bed. If it gets stained with blood, just replace it. Do it here."
Aurora gave permission for the location.
Hearing that conversation, Louis became anxious.
"Is it possible to cut and regenerate?"
"Well, that much."
Saying that, Steve took a sword from subspace and cut off Cecily's right arm in one go. Then he regenerated it, and next he cut and regenerated the left arm the same way.
At first glance, it looked like Cecily had four arms.
"Wow, you can use Teleportation, Storage, and Healing magic?"
"It's a secret."
"I understand. I will try not to spread this."
Louis made that promise.
Aurora ordered to dispose of the cut arms, and when Harry took the arms out of the room, Cecily woke up.
"The fact that Nancy, who should be dead, is here means this is the afterlife."
"No."
Since the first thing she saw upon waking was Nancy, Cecily mistook it for the afterlife.
Nancy corrected that.
"You are not dead yet. Husband saved you from the curse."
"Nancy, Husband? More importantly, why are you alive?"
"It's a long story, but officially you are recorded as dead. Right now, I am not Cecily's older sister, but a different person."
"What are you saying! And what is that big belly? Do you think I didn't suffer because you betrayed us!"
Cecily, who had been on the verge of death until now, exploded with anger when she saw Nancy after the curse was dispelled.
[Author's Note]
As a memorial for unused settings. Originally, I wanted it to be where Nancy dies, then meets Cecily, and they fall for each other while healing each other's emotional wounds, but since Nancy is alive, that got scrapped. Well, with that setting, Cecily would have died too, deepening the emotional wounds further. Chris has no place there.