“…But many people will die.”
“Only I will die.”
Sylvain’s eyes shone brightly. The light in them was cold.
“I will lay down my life and kill them all.”
That was not just a resolution; it was a statement filled with life. Hearing this, Frondier closed his eyes for a moment.
This is what it seemed like. Sylvain is too loyal as a knight.
What’s more frightening is that Sylvain, along with Enfer and the Roach Knights, might actually be able to stop them.
──However, they would die.
To save the lives of the citizens, the lives of the Roach Knights would be scattered atop the walls.
‘It’s tough.’
Saving people.
The more someone’s belief is solidified to their bones, the harder it is to persuade them.
That’s why there’s no other choice.
“Then, there’s nothing to be done.”
“Right. Thanks for the information. I’ll inform the knights and the head of the family in advance to prepare thoroughly.”
“I’ll just make my way over the barrier on my own.”
Frondier said so, smiling.
At those words, Sylvain opened his mouth in surprise.
“…What did you say…?”
“Since you refuse to help me sneak out, there’s no other choice. I’ll just leave the lodging and cross the barrier, even if I get caught.”
“Do you think I would just stand by and watch that?”
What a predicament he was in. He had said that he would charge in alone if they didn’t help him. Was he so desperate to die that he had gone mad?
“You can watch if you want. But you’ll be too busy slicing up monsters to pay attention.”
Sylvain looked at Fontier, who was flashing a brazen smile.
Just as Frondier had said, by the time he exited the dormitory, Sylvain would already be at the ramparts. Of course, he wouldn’t allow Frondier to slip off, and Sylvain had no intention of doing so either.
“…Do you really want to die that badly, Frondier?”
Sylvain’s mind was truly boggled as he gazed at Frondier.
How could Frondier smile like that?
How could he brazenly smile in the face of Sylvain’s objections and still intend to go beyond the ramparts—beyond the danger zone?
“I won’t die.”
“What?!”
Within his smile, Frondier concealed his loneliness.
“I have too much homework left to do to die in a dump like this.”
* * *
“…Whew.”
Sylvain found himself lost in thought in his private office.
—I am required in order to prevent this situation.
That’s what Frondier had said. There was neither confidence nor anxiety in his voice. It was as dry as if he were reading lines from a book.
And though it gave Sylvain a certain degree of trust, because it seemed unintentional…
—How do you plan to prevent this situation?
—I cannot tell you that.
In the end, Sylvain’s head started to hurt because Frondier refused to give him any detailed information about what he planned to do.
‘Just let me send him away.’
Currently, Frondier was being held back by Enfer. Even now, several servants were attached to Frondier’s dormitory, ostensibly to care for him.
Frondier was likely being watched by even more people than he was aware of.
Of course, if Sylvain were willing, it would be easy for Frondier to leave the dormitory.
If he moved Frondier’s “temporary lodgings” under the pretense of giving him private lessons, the servants would send Frondier off without suspecting a thing. After all, it was the Commander’s order.
However, Sylvain couldn’t bring himself to do that. Send that child beyond the barrier all alone? How would that be any different from telling him to go die?
“But he said he’d charge in alone if we didn’t help him. What kind of predicament is this? Is he out of his mind, wanting to die?”
‘What’s with his confidence?’
The confidence Frondier showed went beyond regular confidence.
It was as if he was declaring, ‘I’m going to sit on the chair right now.’ Did he know what he was saying? It didn’t seem like he did. Was it another kind of madness?
But what if it wasn’t madness?
There had to be a clear reason for that calm tone.
‘What on earth is he?’
Thinking about it, it was strange.
Even when I heard about Frondier from Enfer, I thought his fate was peculiar. That the gods may have intervened. What would he have done for the gods to hate him so much?
And that crow. His beast taming skills were excellent. Not only did it fly far out to scout and report, it could speak fluently and was very clever. I would have to test it out to be sure, but just from what I could see, it was comparable to a human.
He also had a good sense in the mock battle I showed him. On top of that, he had judgment skills where he could put together information and come to a conclusion, composure that allowed him to think clearly, and strange calmness even when expecting death.
‘…That’s right.’
Thinking about it slowly brought back a memory. Frondier said he went to Tyburn during the last summer vacation. I heard he participated in the Rampart Battle there. Even though it was summer, fighting on the ramparts was life-threatening.
The fact that he came back safely meant he must have shown something there.
Sylvain took out his phone. He called his old comrade.
‘Did he go back to the capital?’
It seemed like just yesterday that they boasted about each other’s orders every day.
-…Hello? Sylvain?
Soon, a nostalgic voice was heard.
“Sanders.”
The person Sylvain called was Sanders.
Sanders, the commander of the Shroud Knights. The man who was temporarily in charge of the knights when Frondier went to Tyburn.
-What’s the matter? It’s been a while.
“How have you been?”
The two briefly asked about each other’s recent whereabouts. It was a natural flow of conversation since they hadn’t been in touch for a while.
But that didn’t last long. Sylvain was in a hurry mentally.
“So, Sanders. When you were in Tyburn, did you by any chance meet a boy named ‘Frondier’?”
Sylvain didn’t expect much as he spoke. Frondier was one of the many people there at the time, so there was no way Sanders would remember him,
-Of course! You’re talking about Frondier de Roach, right?
Surprisingly, Sanders remembered him exactly. Moreover, it sounded like he was glad to hear the name.
“…Ah? Um. Yeah, that Frondier.”
Sylvain explained the situation to Sanders in moderation. He couldn’t go into too much detail, simply conveying the nuance that Frondier was about to engage in dangerous behavior, that it was a reckless act.
Sanders, who had been listening quietly, said,
-Let him do it. Whatever it is.
“…What?”
Sylvain thought he might have heard wrong.
“He’s not even an adult yet! He’s walking into danger!”
Now, Sylvain tried to persuade Sanders instead.
Let him do it, is that something a knight would say! Sanders.
-Hahaha.
But then, Sanders even laughed.
-I don’t know what Frondier is trying to do, but just leave him be. No, it’d be even better to actively help him.
“Uh…?”
Has the person changed? Did I dial the wrong number?
It’s Sanders, Sanders for sure.
Then Sanders added one more thing.
-Soon, you’ll be shedding tears of gratitude. To me, and to Frondier.