After being told by Alicia to "please take your leave," Edward fell silent, his eyes welling with tears.
"But—"
"If that is how you feel, then do as you please. We shall continue with our training regardless."
Even as Edward tried to speak, Alicia cut him off sharply, refusing to let him get a word in.
Perhaps because I was so accustomed to her usual manner of speaking, the formal language she directed at Edward sounded incredibly cold. If she ever spoke to me in such a dismissive tone, I wonder what would happen. I would probably feel like tearing this entire world apart.
Well, assuming such a world ever came to be.
"Ragna, let’s go."
"Yeah. Let’s head a bit further in. It’s going to be twice as hard as this, you know?"
"I am prepared."
Alicia nodded, her eyes fixed firmly on mine.
Turning her back on Edward, she headed toward Mariana, who was still sprawled on the ground. As she walked away, I heard her mutter, "—I’ve already decided to become strong enough to stand by my own principles."
I couldn't help but smile.
Alicia, you are already strong. A person who stands back up after being broken once cannot possibly be weak. You really are a fine woman.
"Come now, Mariana, get up. You’re lying in ant droppings."
"Fuwa-wa-wa!"
Looking at Mariana as she scrambled up in a panic, a thought occurred to me. That girl was faking sleep, wasn't she? I’ll make her next session even harsher—I’ll push her until she’s absolutely spent.
"Everyone, let's move out."
And so, in a manner that felt like the beginning of a new chapter in our journey, it seemed we had successfully avoided Edward's interference. Or so I thought.
"Wait! In that case, let me join this Brave-style training as well!"
"Your Highness..."
This is bad. Alicia looks like she’s about to snap. Mariana, who was standing beside her, winced with a look of pure disgust.
"Lady Alicia, please calm down!"
Despite being in the presence of Edward, Mariana began to panic, seemingly more terrified of Alicia’s wrath than the Prince’s status.
"Enough is enough, Edward!"
Alicia spun around and shouted at him.
"This is the Brave Territory, not the Royal Capital. Even if you are traveling incognito, you would normally go to greet the Lord first, wouldn't you?"
"That... the others should have..."
"They haven't come. I was at the mansion until this morning, after all."
That was true. From the station in the neighboring territory all the way to the carriage, we hadn't encountered a single one of them. If there had been any contact, Sebas would have informed me. There was nothing.
"Understand that coming alone to a dungeon in another territory while spinning such pathetic lies is nothing short of insanity!"
Driven by her momentum, Alicia continued her verbal assault.
"Don't you think you've gone too far even for traveling incognito? In the first place, actual incognito travel isn't about wandering into a city alone or going out of your way to board a General Carriage just to do that creepy practice!"
"...Ugh."
"Common sense! You lack it entirely!"
"Urgh, guh, muh..."
Faced with Alicia’s terrifying intensity as she pressed forward, Edward could do nothing but retreat. I think I’d be backing away too.
"I am completely finished with you! I’m actually relieved that I lost to that girl you’re so obsessed with back then. Though I don't think you'll ever be able to protect her after graduation!"
"What do you mean? Patricia has nothing to do with this!"
"It has everything to do with her! I hate to say it, but there is no way the Royal Family would ever permit a marriage to a Commoner, is there?"
"That’s not true! I won't acknowledge such an outdated tradition!"
"Even if she were the Sage's Disciple, social standing is what it is. People don't marry because they love each other; they marry to maintain power."
Well, I love Alicia, though.
I seem to be receiving all sorts of benefits from the House of the Duke, but even putting that aside, a woman who can thoroughly outargue the Royalty in front of her is definitely my type.
Ignoring my carefree thoughts, Alicia continued her speech.
"The moment that girl Patricia won that duel against me, it was guaranteed that she would face endless hardships after leaving the Academy. Do you not see that?"
The surrounding nobles would definitely kick up a fuss. They are the type to launch fierce attacks from the shadows, so the possibility of her being killed is high. Even if that weren't the case, the moment Edward pushes through with his own will, every other noble house that desired a marriage alliance with him—beyond the Oldwood family—would become an enemy.
If their authority drops and other nobles grow stronger, a conflict over the Usurpation of the Throne could occur at worst, shaking the very foundations of the country. His only real option would be to renounce his Right of Succession, but even then, Royal Blood is politically significant, so... ah, either way, Patricia would be a hindrance, so she’d likely be eliminated.
Yes, she is in for a difficult time. If she were a Saint like Mariana, a massive reversal victory might be possible, but if I collect the Holy Artifacts in order, even that possibility will vanish, leading to a total checkmate.
"I will protect Patricia! I swore it that day!"
"If you can protect her, then do so as you please. But this is no time to be playing undercover just to catch her attention. The ones you should be dealing with right now are the Royal Capital Nobles."
Since every single word Edward uttered was met with an overwhelming barrage of logic, he bit his lip, completely unable to find a retort. Edward's life points were at zero.
However, Alicia didn't stop. As if venting every ounce of her suppressed frustration, she delivered the final blow.
"As long as you keep running away from the advice of those around you and whining like a selfish child, I don't believe for a second that you can protect your precious Patricia."
Alicia let out a long breath, and I approached her.
"Feel better?"
"A little," Alicia said, giving a troubled smile. "But from the moment you swore you would protect me, I had already broken away from my past self. This was just... taking out my frustration on him for interfering."
"I see."
"I'm sorry. I might... or rather, I definitely might cause trouble for your house..."
"It’s fine. I’ll fight even if the whole country is the opponent. Whatever happens from here on, I’ll do it for you."
In the event of a war, I would never lose because of the Guardian Barrier. Even if I relied on Onyx, that barrier cannot be breached. However, it would be possible to strike a blow within the Royal Capital. I don't know what would happen after that. I might die, but I could ask Onyx to ensure that at least Alicia survives.
It's fine. I’m used to hell.
As I was thinking that, Alicia hugged me.
"Ragna, we're together, even in hell."
When she said that while looking up at me, the Beast of Brave within me began to thrash about, nearly shattering its cage.
"Wait, Lady Alicia, I'm with you too! Whether it's hell or anything else!"
The beast retreated.
Alright, I was just about to consider whether I should actually kill Edward now, so I turned my gaze toward him.
"I... I already know that...!"
To my surprise, he was on his knees, weeping.
"Even so, I wanted to protect her... she's the one who gave me a place to belong in this suffocating world. To improve Patricia's standing, I came here to retrieve a Holy Artifact said to sleep in the depths of this dungeon...!"
Wait, there isn't one.
"Patricia told me that with my Robe of Concealment, I would be able to go and get it..."
No, this dungeon is nothing more than an ant nest. There’s no way such a thing exists here. I remember the locations of the other Holy Artifacts, so there is absolutely no way.
Your Highness... you’re being played, aren’t you?
He's basically just come here to die.