Antagonist Protection Service-Chapter 224 Downwards Spiral (1)
224: Downwards Spiral (1)
224: Downwards Spiral (1)
Keeping an eye on the fight between the personal guard and the ogres, I swiftly made my way around the side of the Imperial Palace’s front, positioning myself behind them so they wouldn’t see and ensuring my concealment was in full effect.
‘They’re good…’
Without needing to make loud callouts, which would have undoubtedly slowed down the pace of battle, the guard fought together in greater unity than I imagined, plainly showcasing the efforts put into the skills they must have ceaselessly honed throughout the years.
Of course, that alone wouldn’t be enough.
Taking down one ogre after the after, using their immense weight against them, tripping and knocking them to the ground, turning their large bodies as obstacles for the others behind them, it was clear to me that they would have no problem culling even the whole herd of them down given time.
But, as expected, if they were too focused on making sure none of the immediate threats before their eyes got to those who they were here to protect, they would inevitably miss an opponent approaching from an unseen location.
Although, even that was something I’m sure I was only able to get away with thanks to Sneak and the Draconic Shadow.
The moment the guard felled one ogre with their immovable formation and moved onto the next, I acted.
Jumping forward from my crouched position like a spring, I honed my focus.
My target here was just one.
“–?!”
‘Gotcha!’
Not slowing down even for an instant I dashed forth, grabbing Lucretia and pulling her into my arms as I immediately zoomed away, sliding past the aggressive ogres and sprinting as fast away from the preoccupied personal guard as I could.
Sparing a single glance behind to see if they would give chase, I watched as one of the knights at the forefront gazed at me with her jaw dropped as if stunned, promptly being interrupted by the crushing swing of an ogre before her.
“Y-your Highness…!
Tch…!”
From the looks of it, she barely managed to snap back in time and react to block it.
In fact, I already realised they noticed me the instant I got to them and Sneak was deactivated, but by that point, there was nothing they could do.
Needless to say, not she nor any of the others were in any position to come after me.
They were in the middle of an attack, and besides, if they paused slaying the ogres to deal with me, the emperor would be in danger.
Looking down at the evidently astonished girl in my arms, I couldn’t help but give a small smirk, catching her usually inexpressive eyes widen while staring up at me.
“Hold on tight.”
Muttering that to her, I mustered strength into my legs as we neared a row of buildings, clutching onto her firmly before leaping right to the top in one go.
Letting Sneak activate again the moment I landed, I rushed across the rooftops of the Imperial City, a certain destination in mind as I ran.
Like that, in a manner that was most definitely not a part of the original plan…
I successfully kidnapped the Imperial Princess.
❖─────★★☆☆☆─────❖
Soon arriving at the entrance to the Sunlit Temple, which was barren of life thanks to all the priests having already rushed out to help the ongoing Demon attack, I carried Lucretia to the back rooms usually only used by said priests.
Approaching one wall at the end of a corridor, which looked completely inconspicuous on the outside, I carefully let Lucretia down to her feet before pressing a hand to a marble-like bust sitting on a small recess in the middle of the wall.
Nothing happened for a moment, but then, the bust emitted a blue light, and the whole wall began to fade out, revealing a secret room hidden on the other side.
“We’re here.
Come in.”
Walking through, I pulled Lucretia by the hand to ensure she was following, and as we both passed into the concealed space, the illusory wall then rematerialised itself just as it was.
Beyond the wall was an ordinary living space, not decorated much but also not lacking in anything such as supplies or magic appliances.
Incidentally, this was the same place Joádin had teleported me to when he saved me, so I had already lived here for a week…
Though, there wasn’t much point in leaving the bedroom most of the time since I wasn’t allowed out.
I still didn’t know why a place like this was in the Sunlit Temple of all places, but Joádin didn’t seem to know either, claiming that ‘the Saint hadn’t bothered to mention it’.
In any case, this place was protected with more than just one magic barrier, and I heard it was protected even further by a barrier of divine energy too, so it was by far the safest place…
or rather, the only place I could have come to, especially with a guest.
Speaking of which…
“Enki…”
“I think we need to talk, right?
Take a seat wherever, I’ll get some tea.
You hungry?”
Interrupting her before she could say anything, I gestured around to the many pieces of furniture available and turned to the kitchen.
Compared to living on the streets, this place was really comfortable.
“…Not particularly.”
Hearing that mutter fall behind me, I listened to the sounds of light footsteps and slight rustling as she must have done exactly what I suggested.
After that, a period of silence dawned, lasting until I finished brewing two cups of tea and placing them on the table before her, followed by taking a seat beside her myself.
Wordlessly, Lucretia reached to pick up one of the cups and brought it to her lips.
Briefly bringing it away, she muttered again without even looking my way.
“…I wasn’t aware you could brew.”
“Neither was I.”
Reaching down to take the remaining cup, I also took a sip, causing my eyebrows to jump for a moment.
‘It’s not bad.’
“Back then, I sometimes used to watch the others make tea for you while we were talking.”
Most of the time it was just when I had nothing else to do, particularly after I had already worked out and wanted to relax for a bit, or when I hurt myself by trying to train with the Villainous Blade.
It was basically just putting leaves into boiling water, so I thought I could try it, and I think it turned out alright.
Of course, there were no electrical appliances in Drakon-Rasa, so I couldn’t use a kettle, and I wouldn’t have been able to boil the water another way if we didn’t have a magic device that functioned as a stovetop, but we did, so it was pretty easy.
‘Anyway.’
Needless to say, I had not brought her here to discuss my tea brewing skills.
Putting the cup back on the coffee table, I turned to Lucretia.
“So?
What happens now?
I’m going to assume this hasn’t exactly gone according to plan.”
“…”
Meeting my gaze and maintaining silence for a moment, she sighed.
“One could certainly say that.”
“Do you know what happened?”
Taking a second, Lucretia seemed to think to herself shortly before responding.
“…I suppose, it could only mean the portal was hijacked.”
“Hijacked?
So the portal was planned?”
“Indeed.
In fact, from the very start, we had already decided to import a few stray Demons over, but it was a clear oversight.
We hadn’t even considered the idea that control of the portal could have been taken over.”
At that, I did a double take.
‘What?
From the beginning?’
“Why on earth would you do that?”
“Enki, do you truly think I would have done it if I had known it would end up like this?
Citizens are dead.
City guards are dead.
Imperial Knights are dead.
Adventurers are dead, and priests are dead.
This was an absolute disaster on all accounts.”
“…”
Speaking frankly, she was right.
Of course, it’s not like I was really someone to care about any of that, considering I wasn’t from here, but that’s not the point.
If I thought about it from her perspective, it probably would seem really bad, huh?
“Things’ll be fine.
Nobody thinks it was anyone’s doing other than the Demons themselves, right?
Why’d you guys think to summon them anyway?
And why didn’t you tell me anything?”
Fixing those two questions onto the end of my consolation, I hoped for a quick answer more than anything.
Fortunately, she didn’t seem in the mood to fight over withholding information, so after a brief pause, she soon divulged the original plan.
“We were going to transport Lesser Demons over and have you slay them before they could attack innocents, thus raising your public perception.
Then, using your good deed as a reason to spare you from execution, I would have you instead serve the empire to eradicate the rest of the Demons, increasing positive reception further.”
Like that, I would effectively have both solved the Demon crisis and become a hero of the empire in a single move―was that the idea…?
‘…Hm.’
“Well look how that’s turned out.”
Instead of that, I had become an even worse criminal who had escaped execution and kidnapped the princess.
Honestly, I didn’t think my reputation could stoop any lower.
