64 – Abduction: Preparation
Charlotte was sitting on the throne in the center of the palace, looking down at her knights who had assembled in perfect order.
Full body armor shining brilliantly in silver, a helmet that fits perfectly, and even the royal family pattern engraved at the location of the heart.
It was an armor that exerted a terrifying sense of intimidation by itself.
The sun beat down through the cracks in the glass that were so transparent that one would mistakenly think it would be empty if it were not for the lattice supporting the middle. The armor wrapped around the body of the knights shone even more.
Royal Knights.
The knights, worthy of being called the kingdom’s most elite troops, knelt down on one knee and bowed their heads deeply with their right hand on the pattern above their heart.
Each had their own weapon in their left hand. Most of them were knights with swords, some with spears, and very rarely unusual weapons were seen.
That number is exactly 99 people. The ones kneeling closest to Charlotte’s throne were the knight commanders, followed by regular knights.
“I’ll ask Jim.”
Eleven people per line, that’s a total of nine lines. Seeing the royal knights lined up without an inch of error, Charlotte calmly opened her mouth.
“What are you?”
“It is the sword of His Majesty the King!”
A high-pitched voice echoed through the central hall. No pretense, no lies. It was an answer that could come only if you believed with all your might from the depths of your heart.
The first iron rule of the Royal Knights. It will become Charlotte de Gargantua’s sword.
You must not have black thoughts that are swung around. And don’t hesitate. Even if it breaks without being able to pierce what is placed in front of you.
Charlotte opened her mouth calmly.
“What are you?”
“It is the shield of His Majesty the King!”
It was the same. The Royal Knights answered as one without the slightest distraction, and the answer that started at exactly the same time ended at exactly the same time.
The second iron rule of the Royal Knights. It will become Charlotte de Gargantua’s shield.
The shield that is pushed out must not have thoughts. He only protects his master with all his heart and all his might. Even if he can’t stand it any longer and gets pierced.
Charlotte opened her mouth calmly.
“What are you?”
“This is the will of His Majesty the King!”
The voice that gave the answer grew even louder. Since this was their pride, there was no reason to be small.
The third iron rule of the Royal Knights. It will become the will of Charlotte de Gargantua.
The way Charlotte goes is the way the Royal Knights must go, and the orders Charlotte gives are the things the Royal Knights must do.
Become a sword to slash an enemy and it will cut; become a spear and ask to pierce an enemy and it will pierce it; become a shield and tell it to block an enemy and it will block it.
Because that is the reason for the existence of the Royal Knights.
Charlotte opened her mouth for the last time.
“Who are you?”
“””We are the Royal Knights!!!”””
The first answer, the second answer, and the third answer were so big that they couldn’t even compare. It was to the point where it felt like the castle was vibrating with just his voice.
The status of being a member of the Royal Knights was their pride and pride.
The mere fact of being loyal to His Majesty the King naturally puts strength on her shoulders, and awe for Charlotte wells up.
Ordinary nobles were not permitted to show their allegiance to Charlotte. The nobles were simply tools to rule the kingdom a little more efficiently.
If a tool doesn’t do its job, it will be replaced by another tool, and even if it does its job a little better, that’s all. I don’t want more than that, and I have no reason to ask for it.
Also, even if they performed their roles properly, they were not praised. It’s destined to roll until it’s broken, and when it’s broken, it’s destined to be replaced by something else.
There were only two groups permitted to show their allegiance to His Majesty the King. The Royal Knights and the Royal Wizards.
Perhaps, from the point of view of the Royal Knights, there would be a question as to why the Royal Magicians exist, when all together they are insignificant in front of His Majesty the King.
But they never did. There was no way the Royal Knights would do anything disrespectful, such as questioning the existence that Charlotte had created.
There was a hint of satisfaction in Charlotte’s voice.
“I will accept that loyalty, with a generous heart. I will allow you to serve me.”
In a way, it was a very arrogant remark to allow him to serve.
However, no one in this room objected to Charlotte’s words. Rather, as if deeply moved, he shook his body slightly.
Except for one person.
Serena Elizabeth. She was an exception.
He didn’t kneel, he didn’t bow his head, he didn’t tremble with emotion.
Standing on his feet with eyes full of contempt, he was fiddling with the World Eater for no reason.
Charlotte, of course, saw Serena like that and passed on without saying anything. The other royal knights didn’t even dare to look up, so they couldn’t see what Serena was like.
“That loyalty, hold it until death takes you away.”
Kung, the Royal Knights responded by slamming their weapons on the floor. A dull sound echoed through the central hall.
With that sound as a signal, all the Royal Knights were summoned. A blue magic circle shone beneath her feet, and the shape changed into a handful of lights and disappeared.
Now, Charlotte and Serena were the only two people left in the wide central hall.
Charlotte wiggled her right leg on top of her left thigh. The high heels worn on the tip of her toes swayed dangerously as if they would come off, but they never showed her bare feet.
He brought his elbow to the armrest of the throne, raised his arm vertically, and naturally raised his chin on the clenched fist. Charlotte, who was in a posture of staring straight ahead with her chin resting, opened her mouth.
“You look very dissatisfied with Jim, Commander of the 1st Knights.”
Serena flinched for a moment. He seemed to be contemplating how to react. Serena, who had been holding hands for a while, chose the most standard option.
“Never mind. I am under no obligation to tell you.”
It was ignored.
However, Charlotte began to scratch Serena’s nerves as if she had expected such a reaction.
“There’s no such thing as an obligation. However, if you’re wearing a face like that, wouldn’t your emotions be read even if you don’t want to read it?”
“My lord has given me an order not to fight needlessly with you. Shut up.”
“You said that, but aren’t you fully prepared to fight? Jim didn’t seem to notice that the tone was already oozing with poison.”
“…”
Serena shut her mouth, realizing that talking more would only hurt her. Every single one of her tone, behavior, and glance was irritating, but there was no other way to do it than to endure it.
Her lord gave an order, and it is natural to follow the given order.
In a way, Serena was no different from the Royal Knights. The iron rules of the Royal Knights were applied to Serena as well.
It’s just a difference in who the target of that allegiance is.
If her lord made Serena do something like that, Serena could not contain her joy and her heart would explode.
Of course, such an action would disappoint the lord, so I would desperately endure it. I was far more afraid of not obeying orders than death.
That’s why Serena chose silence. to follow orders.
If we talk further here, Serena will be the first to get caught up and pull out the weapon, and that cunning bitch won’t let go of that opportunity.
“Silence, that’s the best thing that stupid head can think of. I can understand that. How can you expect a beast to think like a human?”
Serena didn’t even pay attention to Charlotte’s words. Since he had already decided to ignore those words, there was no wavering in his heart.
Instead, he took out the World Eater from his waistband.
It’s a demonic sword that can even bring down the great devil if you want, so handle it with care… her lord handed it over and explained, but I don’t know.
To Serena, it was simply a sword that was more durable and more durable.
It wasn’t that she didn’t believe what her lord said. Since the master called this a demonic sword, this is a demonic sword. It was an unchanging truth.
It’s just that Serena is much stronger.
When I first grabbed the handle, something hummed and tried to erode my mind, but I just pressed it down with force. After that, there was no such attempt again.
Sup, taking a shallow breath, Serena swung her World Eater at the wall. How many times he swung in that short moment was a speed that only Charlotte could discern.
In the next moment, the black-grey bricks that supported the castle wall collapsed in a pattern.
Even the surrounding glass windows were as dazzlingly clean as they were the first time. Not even a speck of dust was scattered, and only the walls were thoroughly carved.
Seeing the back of Serena, who suddenly jumped down through the gap as if she didn’t want to be in the same space anymore, Charlotte raised one corner of her mouth.
The tips of the thumb and middle finger of the right hand were brought into contact and rubbed lightly. Right after the same momentary action was made, fragments rose into the air.
The time it took for Charlotte to completely restore the wall was exactly the same as the time it took for Serena to tear it apart.
“……You will have to come back as soon as possible, my dear.”
In the empty central hall, Charlotte muttered something to herself that no one would hear.
Otherwise, I don’t know what to do.
