Chapter 128

"Are you truly alright with this, Erika?"

After watching Vincent’s retreating figure, Francis exhaled a long sigh and turned to Erika.

"Yes. It appears the Knight Order’s high command has indeed been compromised by Dr. Justus. Even so, having spoken with him in person, I believe Commander Vincent is worth trusting for the time being."

"May I ask what led you to that conclusion?"

"Of course. Yuno, there is no mistake that a detachment of the Knight Order was sent to Burston and worked alongside Lord Harold to evacuate the residents, correct?"

"Yes. They were coordinating closely with both Lord Harold and Frieri," Yuno answered, shedding her usual listless drawl. It was proof enough that even she felt the weight of the current crisis.

Erika felt it, too. But that was exactly why she had to keep a cool head and act rationally, she told herself.

"If that is the case, then reports on the situation should have naturally reached the head of the Order, Commander Vincent. Since they haven't, we can consider a few possibilities."

The first was that the knights in Burston were wiped out, or that the scene was so chaotic that reports simply couldn't be sent. However, according to Yuno's intel, things hadn't reached such a dire state; compared to the Sumeragi Secret Squad, the knights should have been able to deliver information at roughly the same speed.

The second possibility was that reports from the field were being intercepted and suppressed before reaching the top. Erika suspected that if Dr. Freund had pawns within the Order, this was the most probable scenario.

"But there's a third possibility," Lifa interjected. "That commander might be one of Justus’s cronies, and he’s just lying to our faces."

Lifa's point was perfectly reasonable. No matter how well they understood the current situation, they still didn't understand Justus's ultimate goal, making it impossible to predict his next move.

"Any counter-argument I offer would likely result in a fruitless debate. If I were to provide a basis for why I find that possibility unlikely, it would amount to little more than saying I felt he was a man of integrity after speaking with him directly."

"I don't intend to doubt your judgment of character, Erika, but that's not the only reason, is it?"

"……That’s true."

Even without the details, Lifa had sensed that Erika had a plan. In truth, Erika did have her own logic, though she hesitated to share it in this moment.

However, precisely because this was an emergency, transparency was vital. Erika had always wished for Harold to be more open; if she kept secrets from her own companions now, she would lose the right to say anything to him later.

"If we assume he is an ally of Dr. Justus, his reason for approaching us was likely to gauge how much we know and what we intend to do next."

Neither Lifa nor Francis interrupted. They likely already understood this much.

"If he deemed us negligible, he would leave us be. But if we possess information that cannot be overlooked, he might resort to more aggressive measures."

"Aggressive measures?" Rainer asked.

"The simplest solution would be our elimination. In short, he would kill us."

Erika replied without a hint of hesitation. Rainer and Colette, who clearly hadn't expected such a blunt answer, gasped. They were the only two whose expressions changed so visibly.

"We have clashed swords with Lord Harold before. I won't dwell on the results of that encounter, but if Commander Vincent possesses strength equal to or greater than Lord Harold’s, he could easily annihilate us all."

Erika used the word "if," but considering Vincent had stood at the front lines to push back the monster assault, it was hardly surprising to think he possessed combat capabilities on par with Harold.

"Well, I get the logic," Hugo said, "but would he really kill royalty or high-ranking nobles like Erika and Fran so easily?"

"Even if he’s strong enough to do it, you’d think he’d hesitate because of the political fallout. Normally, at least," Lifa added.

"What do you mean?"

"Did you forget what Harold told us? If Justus’s plan succeeds, this entire continent might sink. If that happens, titles like 'princess' or 'noble' won't mean a thing."

Lifa was right. If an unprecedented disaster like the sinking of the continent truly occurred, the kingdom's survival was in doubt. In such chaos, public safety organizations would collapse; no one would have the resources to pursue a murderer. If Vincent was staking everything on the success of this plan, he would have no reason to hesitate.

"It is a worst-case assumption, but we must mitigate the risk of being wiped out in a single stroke. Therefore, the rescue party for Lord Harold will consist only of myself, Ventus, and Lilium."

"I’m not necessarily disagreeing," Hugo said, "but why take those two specifically?"

He noticed the team division wasn't random, but he hadn't quite grasped the underlying motive. Erika confessed her intentions without deception.

"Because there is a possibility that these two are in league with Dr. Freund."

"Th-That's not true! I would never—!"

Ventus caught Lilium’s arm just as she began to protest. "Calm down, Lilium."

"B-But..."

"Lady Erika's point is valid. We haven't been able to prove our innocence yet."

Ventus seemed to have an objective grasp of their precarious position. It pained Erika to voice her suspicions so openly; it went against her innate kindness, and she had seen how they had fought alongside the group during the crisis, risking their lives without regard for danger.

However, if they truly weren't internal investigators and genuinely wanted to help Harold, this was their chance.

"Besides, this is exactly what we wanted," Ventus continued. "If Lord Harold is in danger, there's no better time to repay our debt, is there?"

"Ah! I... I see..."

Once the two had settled, Erika asked again. "Then, you will accompany me?"

"Of course."

"Yes! Please, let us go!"

"……And that is the situation. What do you think, Rainer?"

"W-Why are you asking me?" Rainer faltered.

"Because you are our leader."

Erika watched him carefully. It was clear that since the incident at the mansion, Rainer had harbored deep doubts about Harold. Since it was a sensitive subject, Erika hadn't pushed him on it yet.

Given his uncertainty, he might hesitate to rescue Harold. If Erika acted on her own authority now, the party might fracture—something she desperately wanted to avoid. She needed to ensure everyone was on the same page.

"My desire to help Lord Harold is my own personal decision. However, we must decide as a party how we intend to move forward."

"I... I..."

Erika could see Rainer’s internal struggle clearly. She felt like a calculating person for cornering him like this. A young man as pure and driven by justice as Rainer could never disregard a life based on personal feelings. Furthermore, Harold’s rescue was also the express wish of the Knight Commander he so admired.

To ask him while knowing all that felt manipulative.

"……I think we should help him. I agree with Erika’s proposal."

"……Thank you, Rainer."

"It’s settled, then," Lifa said, clapping her hands together. "Let's get moving."

They spent the next day finalizing logistics: individual equipment, coordination between the two groups, and establishing windows for regrouping. Since they were heading into Travis and Burston—both highly volatile areas—they had to prepare for the unexpected.

Between planning and coordinating with the Santia Trading Company to unload supplies, it was nearly midnight by the time Erika finally prepared for bed. At dawn, she would board a merchant ship for Burston.

She knew she needed sleep, but her mind refused to rest. She slipped out to the inn’s courtyard to gaze at the night sky. In contrast to her heart, which felt shrouded in a heavy mist, the sky above was a brilliant tapestry of stars.

Was Harold safe? Or was the worst-case scenario already waiting for them?

Even though she believed in him, the dark thoughts crept back in the moment she let her guard down. She exhaled a long breath, trying to reclaim her composure, when the sound of rustling grass reached her ears.

"Good work today, Erika."

Lifa approached, her voice as spirited as ever. Erika felt a wave of relief. Lifa surely felt the same anxiety and impatience, yet her refusal to let it show made her an incredibly grounding presence.

"The same to you, Lifa. You were working quite hard on the fine-tuning, weren't you?"

"I have to. We don't know what we’re walking into. Especially on your end, where the intel is a total black hole."

"That’s true..."

While they had reports of the disaster in Burston, they wouldn't know the truth until they saw it. A massive monster invasion followed by a large-scale collapse—depending on the state of the ruins, they might not even be able to start a search.

"Still, I will do everything in my power. No matter the result."

"……You know, Erika, you’ve really started to resemble Harold lately."

"Eh? D-Do you think so?"

The comparison caught Erika off guard. Being told she was like Harold made her want to rejoice, but the nuance in Lifa’s voice suggested it wasn't strictly a compliment.

"In what way?"

"The way you act while knowing full well your life is on the line. And the way you try to shoulder everything yourself."

"I... I suppose I can't argue with that."

If Vincent or the two she was taking with her turned out to be traitors, her safety was forfeit. If Justus was behind Burston, there would surely be traps. In fact, for a high-born lady, this entire months-long journey on the edge of death was the height of recklessness.

"But I only found that resolve because of you, Lifa."

The "spell" Lifa had cast on her back at the plateau—encouraging her to be more selfish—had clarified her complex feelings for Harold. She hadn't changed completely, but she was finally able to move forward because of Lifa.

"Is that so? Then I guess I’ll take my share of the responsibility for making you this way." Lifa laughed mischievously, just as she had then.

Seeing that smile, Erika realized how much she relied on the fact that she wasn't alone. Without her friends, her heart would have broken long ago.

“You should learn to rely on others a bit more.”

She had once said those words to Harold. Now, she etched them into her own heart.

"Thank you, Lifa. I’m counting on you, now and always."

Erika’s gratitude was genuine. Lifa looked away, a bashful smile playing on her lips.

I want to be of help to Harold. She would no longer hesitate in that resolve.

The dawn was coming, and it was almost time to move.