“Dragonia's true target is Princess Scarlett!”
“A princess?”
“Yes. The First Princess, Lady Scarlett, possesses the second strongest emblem in the realm. Their goal is to erase that emblem—and the Princess along with it.”
Since the Regalia Emblem had awakened within me, I understood what that meant. A massive power swirled inside me, something I could share with others through my emblem.
But what would happen if I died?
The power would likely vanish.
The second-most powerful emblem in the nation... losing it would be a devastating blow to our military strength.
“If that happens, Dragonia will pour into our land like an avalanche,” Gald continued. “With the Sword King bedridden, we cannot afford to lose the Princess too!”
“Then we'd lose the war...”
“Yes. If we fall, our people will be forced to accept Dragonia's Familia Emblems. We will be reduced to Blessed Slaves—forced to offer up our blessings until the day we die. Our kingdom will perish.”
“The entire population... turned into slaves. That’s...”
“Our Sword King abolished the slave system, but such treatment is only natural for the people of a defeated nation.”
Apparently, slavery didn't exist in Arcadia. But in other lands, it was common to exploit the people of a defeated nation for their entire lives. It would mean more misery than I could possibly imagine. I... I didn't want that.
“The Princess is currently besieged at Canaan Castle, the fortress guarding our border! But their information control is flawless; we can't count on reinforcements. That is why we have to go to him directly!”
“Him?”
“Yes! One of the Five Star Swords. A true warrior who fought alongside the Sword King during the age of upheaval. We must seek the aid of Lord Gaia Featherfield!”
Gald and his men bowed low.
“Lord Sora! The enemy’s encirclement is dense, and we don't even know the full scale of their forces. We have no time, and no guarantee we'll survive. But... please! For the sake of this kingdom!”
They pressed their foreheads against the dirt. To me—a mere eight-year-old.
“Will you ride with us to Lord Gaia's side?!”
They were asking me to march into a death trap with them.
Ten minutes later.
I stood by the bed where my mother lay sleeping after her treatment. I took her hand.
“Mom... they say the country's in trouble... they're asking for my help...”
I didn't have some grand sense of duty or deep patriotism. I liked my village, sure, but was that enough to risk my life for the whole kingdom? Still...
“If I don't go, I'll regret it. I can just feel it.”
If this country fell, everyone would have nowhere to go. In this world of swords and emblems, if you didn't fight for your place, you lost it. Slaves... I hated the thought. Not just for me, but for the people I loved. I couldn't imagine how much sadness would consume this land.
Besides, I wanted to find something for myself—a purpose. For the first time, I felt a spark of will inside me. I couldn't quite put it into words yet, but my heart was finally moving forward. I felt like I was on the verge of finding something important.
“So... that's why... I have to...”
Suddenly, my mother's hand squeezed mine.
“Do... your... best... Leo.”
“Mom!”
I checked her face, but she was still unconscious. She was definitely sleeping. Had I imagined it? Even so...
I hugged her tight. My resolve was firm.
“I'm going, Mom. I'll be fine, I promise I'll come back. And when you wake up... I'll tell you for real this time. Both as 'Sora' and as 'Leo'... that I love you.”
I let go of her hand and turned away. I bowed to the Battle Medic.
The townspeople were planning to evacuate with my mother to a city called Secondary. The road would be dangerous, but the fifty people I’d empowered with Vassal Emblems should be able to protect them. In return, I made them promise to stop by my village and bring Old Man Beard and the others along.
With that, my worries were settled.
“Gald-san. Let's go.”
“Lord Sora... you have my eternal thanks!”
Gald and ten other knights knelt. They pointed their emblems toward the ground.
“Are those... Emblem Horses?”
They summoned pure white steeds. I remembered the one Liberto had ridden. They were beautiful—semi-transparent, like equine ghosts.
“Lord Sora, if you would...”
“Sorry, I don't know how to summon one.”
“Of course. Calling an Emblem Horse requires years of training. Please, ride with me.”
“Right. Thanks.”
I climbed up behind Gald. It wasn't the most comfortable ride, but it was definitely a horse. I wondered if I could summon one too. It felt like it might be possible, but I didn't have time to experiment.
“We're moving out.”
“Yeah.”
I looked back at the evacuees and my mother one last time.
“...I'm off.”
We rode for an hour, maintaining a speed of about sixty kilometers per hour. It was physically taxing. Suddenly, Gald raised a hand, signaling the group to halt.
We had reached a checkpoint. Dragonia knights were everywhere. It was a stone structure blocking the only path through the surrounding mountains. In the distance, I could see bodies—likely the Arcadian guards who had been stationed there.
“An encirclement,” Gald whispered. “I tried to pick the least-used pass, but it seems they've stationed men at every checkpoint leading to the Featherfield Domain.”
“What's the plan?”
“We don't have time to hike over the mountains, and we don't know how long the Princess can hold out. We have to break through with as little fighting as possible.”
“Got it.”
I dismounted. Gald gave me a sharp nod.
“Hm? What do you want, kid?” a sentry asked as I approached.
“S-sorry, sir. I need to get through. Did something happen?”
“Yeah, plenty. The road's closed for the day. Beat it.”
“What? No... please! I have to get through!”
I approached the checkpoint alone, raising my voice. I looked the part of a raggedy kid clutching his meager belongings. I looked up at the Dragonia knight with big, watery eyes, putting on my best pleading act.
“What's the hold-up?” another knight asked, walking over.
“Kid says he wants to pass.”
“Please, my mother's dying! I have to hurry!”
“Eh... I guess it's fine? He's just a kid.”
It looked like it might work. If I could just slip through alone...
“The hell it is,” the first guard snapped. “Orders are orders. Letting anyone through—man, woman, or child—is a capital offense.”
“Ah, right. Sorry, kid. The road should be open tomorrow. Just wait until then.”
So much for that.
“I see. I'm sorry to hear you're in such a tough spot. But I've got my own problems.”
There was no other way.
“And unfortunately for you, I’m pushing through—even if I have to kill you.”