「バカが! この人数相手に勝てるつもりか!」
叫び声を上げて一二三に向かって走り始めたバールゼフォンだが、他の騎士たちでごった返すダンスホールの中、笑いながら滑るように移動する一二三を、あっという間に見失った。
「ちぃっ! どこに行った!」
ぐるりと周りを見回すが、姿が見えない。
「人数が多いということは、必ずしも有利とは言えないぞ」
一人の騎士の頭を叩き、相手が振り向く前に死角に入ってまた別の騎士を叩く。
「こんな感じで、お互いが邪魔で仕方ないだろ?」
「そこだ!」
剣を振りかぶった騎士が、語る一二三の背後から斬りかかる。
「声を出すなよ。不意打ちにならんだろ」
言いながら、一二三は目の前にいた騎士の肩に軽く手を置いて、ヒョイっと位置を入れ替えた。
「ぎゃっ!?」
「うっ......」
一二三を斬るつもりが、仲間に剣を当ててしまった騎士は、戸惑っている間に刀で首を撥ねられた。
「お互いが近すぎる。下手に振り回すと味方を斬る事になるぞ」
同士討ちを目の当たりにした騎士たちは、剣を構えつつも及び腰だ。
離れた位置にいたバールゼフォンは、全員に散開を指示した。
「全員、ホールの壁まで下がれ!」
声を聞いてハッとした騎士たちは、ジリジリと下がる。
広々としたホールの中央に一人残された一二三は、刀を納めて不敵に笑う。
「ここまでは正解かな。で、どうする?」
「偉そうに......第二騎士隊を壊滅させたとはいえ、戦闘後で疲労の極みにあった隊長達を背後から襲っただけだろう。貴様のようなぽっと出の奴に、俺たち騎士が遅れを取るはずがない」
「現実を見ろ」
一二三は、バールゼフォンの言葉を聞いて呆れたように首を振る。
腰の刀、柄頭を指先で叩く。
「これだけの人数がいて、すでに俺の前に出て一対一で戦おうという奴が名乗り出てこないのは何故だ? 簡単だ。仲間が殺されるのを見たからだ。勝てないとわかっているからだろう」
カチカチと柄頭の金具に爪が当たる音が響く。
バールゼフォンは周りにいる騎士たちを睨みつけるが、誰もが視線をそらして目を合わせようとしない。
「貴様らはぁ、騎士の誇りはないのか!」
「いやいや、そう言うならお前が率先してかかって来いよ」
笑いながら言われ、バールゼフォンは顔を真っ赤にして一二三を見据えた。
「ああ、これが怖いなら、素手でやってやろう」
刀を鞘ごと腰から抜き、さっさと収納に放り込むと、一二三は手のひらを見せた。
「ほら、しっかり剣を構えろよ。俺は鎧を着ていないから、当たれば殺せるかもしれないぞ。当たればな」
「貴様は騎士を舐めすぎた。ズタズタに切り刻んで、死体をイメラリアの前にで晒してやろう」
バールゼフォンは、剣を構え直して進み出た。
一二三との距離をジリジリと詰めていきつつ、一瞬だけ、視線を一二三の背後側にいる騎士たちに送る。
二人ほどが頷いたのを確認したバールゼフォンは、あえて大きな声を出した。
「死ね!」
「それじゃ無理だ」
ゆっくりと、一二三は斜め前に進む。
それだけで、バールゼフォンの剣はもとより、背後から振り下ろされた二本の剣も当たらない。
するりと通り過ぎるようにバールゼフォンの背後に回った一二三は、つま先で相手の膝の裏を蹴ると、膝をついたバールゼフォンの首に腕を回した。
剣を握る右手もろとも首を締め上げられ、バールゼフォンはゆっくりと意識が混濁していく。
「ほら、周りを見てみろ。騎士の誰もお前を助けに来ようとしないぞ。騎士とはなんだ? 仲間を見捨てても自分の命を守る奴の事か? 格好や武器を気にして、本当の戦いから逃げる事か?」
すぐ近くから聞こえる一二三の声に、バールゼフォンの頭はぐちゃぐちゃに混乱していく。
自分が守りたかった騎士の誇りは何なのか。たった今、殺されつつある自分を、遠巻きに見ている連中は何なのか。自分は、一体何になりたかったのか......。
「まだ頭は動くだろう。お前が今生き残るためには、何ができる? 背筋を伸ばして剣を振り回す事か? 生まれの良さを自慢する事か?」
バールゼフォンは考えた。文字通り必死で考えた。
締め上げられた圧力で腕が萎えて剣は落としてしまった。左腕も、一二三の腕に掴まれて動かせない。足も、跪いた姿勢ではうまく動かせない。
いよいよ視界が白く混濁してきた。
「......コイツもこの程度か」
落胆したような一二三の声が聞こえて、締める力は更に上がる。
「お?」
バールゼフォンは力いっぱい首をすくめて、口を開いた。何とか指2本程開いた前歯で、思い切り一二三の腕に噛み付いた。
「おっと」
噛みちぎられる寸前で、一二三は拘束を解いて離れた。
窮地を脱したバールゼフォンは、なりふり構わず転がって一二三から距離を取った。
「今の選択は良かった。噛み付きは下品だとか言う奴もいるが、有効な攻撃だ。歯が丈夫ならな」
冷静に話す一二三を、咳き込みながら涙を浮かべた目で見たバールゼフォンは、黙ったまま首をさすった。
「さて、お前は今、生き残るために文字通り噛み付いたわけだが......次の手はどうする?」
「......死にかけて逆に冷静になれた。もう理想の騎士にはなれない。なら、格好を付ける意味もない」
言いながら、鎧をガチャガチャと外し、床に落として行く。
「理解はした。俺は貴様には敵わない」
身軽な格好になったバールゼフォンは、吹っ切れた、と呟いた。
「次は、俺が勝つ」
言い終わると、バールゼフォンは一二三に背を向けて全力で走った。
そのまま、普段は騎士や貴族が使わない使用人のための狭い出入り口から飛び出して行った。
一二三は、それを追うことはしなかった。
「いいねぇ。どこまでやってくれるか、楽しみが一つ増えたな......さて」
突然逃げ出したバールゼフォンを呆然と見送った騎士たちに、一二三はひとりひとり視線を合わせて行く。
「一人だけ、名誉とやらより命を選んだわけだが、お前らはどうする?」
今なら大サービスで、全員まとめて素手で相手してやろう、と言った。
一二三は右足を踏み出し、両手を前に出してリラックスした構えを取る。
「どっちかが死ぬまで、とことんやろう」
気絶から復帰したヴァイヤーとミダスの指示により、兵士たちは王城前の広場へと民衆を誘導する。
いよいよ戴冠式が始まる、と兵士が口々に叫び、走らずにゆっくり進めと注意を飛ばす。
「ミダスさん、こちらは終わりました」
兵士たちの配置を終えたヴァイヤーは、ミダスに駆け寄って報告を上げた。
「了解した。では、私は引き続き会場の警備にあたるので、サブナク隊長へ連絡を」
広場へ残ったミダスは、引き続き兵たちに指示を出しながら、民衆が王城の前に集まるのを見届けていた。
多くの民衆が広場に入り、ザワつきが収まってきたころ、ミダスがふと上を見ると、王城のバルコニーに鎧姿のサブナクが現れ、ひと呼吸置いて、シビュラを従えたイメラリアがゆっくりと姿を見せた。
「王女様だ!」
誰かが声を上げると、民衆の視線が一斉にバルコニーへと向けられた。
兵たちも周囲に気を配りながらも、つい視線は上を向いている。
「オーソングランデに住まう皆さん、この度、わたくしイメラリア・トリエ・オーソングランデは、父のあとを継ぎ、この国の王として立つ事となりました」
集まった民衆は、大多数が喜色を浮かべており、拍手が鳴り響いた。
それを見たイメラリアは、嬉しそうに微笑む。
「ありがとうございます」
すぐに真剣な表情を取り戻したイメラリアは、大きく息を吸い込む。
「この国は多くの危機にさらされ、戦いが起こり、多数の兵や騎士たちが傷つき、少なくない人数が亡くなりました。トオノ伯爵の活躍もあり、結果として勝利はいたしましたが、犠牲があったことを、わたくしは忘れる事はありません」
誰もが、静かに新たな女王の話に耳を傾けていた。
「彼らが命懸けで守り抜いてくれたこの国を、わたくしは豊かで住みよい国にする義務があります。守った甲斐があったと、そう思える国にする使命があります。経験も浅く、若すぎる頼りない王である事は認めます。だからこそ、皆さんにお約束をします。わたくしは身勝手な暴君にはならない事を」
清々しい表情ではっきりと言い切ったイメラリアは、地響きにすら感じる程の歓声と拍手を一身に受けながら、ゆっくりと王城の中へと戻っていく。
人々は口々に先ほどの宣言に付いて意見を交わしながら、ゾロゾロと日常へと戻っていった。
民衆が解散するのを見送っていたミダスは、自分がいつの間にか涙を流している事に気づいた。
「パジョー、お前が目指していた物とは違うかもしれないが、イメラリア様は自分の足でしっかりと立って、歩んでいくと宣言された。問題は多いかも知れないが、充分満足できる結果だと、私は思うぞ」
王女とこの国の行く末を案じて、若い命を散らした同僚を思い出し、ミダスは集団からそっと離れ、流れるままに涙をこぼした。
一二三を囲んだ集団は、すでに残すところ十名を少し超える程度だった。
素手の相手に剣で斬りかかった集団は、足や腕、首を折られて、死ぬか七転八倒して悶絶するかのどちらかを強制されていた。
五体無事な者たちは、怪我した仲間を引きずって一二三から引き離すのが精一杯だ。
遮二無二斬り付けるも、まるで磁石で吸い付くかのように、攻撃する騎士の懐にすっと入り込むと、指二本を楔のように突き出した拳で、肋骨や顎を叩き割る。
そこで痛みに剣を落とそうものなら、腕を掴まれて投げ落とされ、頭から硬い床に落ちて首を折るか、運が良くても頭にダメージを受けて気を失う。
しっかりと剣を握ったままだったとしても、顔を掴まれてこれも床に後頭部を叩きつけられて血の花を床に咲かせるか、肘の内側を叩かれて、自らの剣で顔や足を傷つける事になる。
「馬鹿な......相手は武器も持っていないのだぞ......」
「くそっ! なんで死なないんだ!」
驚愕する者、怒る者、分け隔てなく一二三の攻撃は続く。
切り上げるように逆袈裟に剣を振るった騎士は、剣を振り上げた勢いをそのまま利用され、腕を掴まれたまま円を描くようにくるりと上から下へと力を流され、床で鼻面を潰され、気を失った。
兜を掴まれ頚椎をひねり折られた者。
奪われた自分の剣を顔に刺して死んだ者。
指で喉の肉をちぎられて失血死した者。
まだ生きて呻いている者もいるが、血で彩られたダンスホールの中で、最後の一人が逃げ出そうとして足をかけられて転ばされ、首を踏み折られて死んだところで、立っているのは一二三だけとなった。
流石に人数が多かったのと、久しぶりに素手で多くの相手をさばいた事で、胸いっぱいに息を吸い込んだ一二三は、満足げに息を吐いた。
たっぷりと血の匂いを味わい、のんびりと止めを刺してまわる。
中には命乞いをする者もいたが、「遅い」と一言で切り捨てて、最後まで刀も何も使わず、踏むか捻るかで命を奪っていく。
ふと、覚えのある気配がダンスホールへと入って来たのに気づいた一二三は、ゆっくりと開くドアへと視線を向けた。
「......これほどの人数が、あの者に味方したのですか......」
そこに立っていたのはイメラリアだ。
「一番元気だった奴は、賢明にも逃げていったけどな。多分あいつが首謀者だろう」
後の連中は始末したが、ひょっとしたら何人かはまだどこかに潜んでいるかもな、と一二三は笑う。
「一二三様。わたくしは先ほど、戴冠式を済ませてきました」
王冠というより、ティアラと言ったほうがしっくりくるような、金色に輝く細かな装飾が施された冠が、イメラリアの柔らかな銀髪の上に在った。
短く言い、一二三は気絶している最後の一人の首に踵を載せ、体重をかけた。
鈍い音とうめき声が聞こえ、イメラリアは目をそらした。
「ちゃんと見ておけ。これはお前が騎士を統率できなかった結果だ」
一二三に言われ、イメラリアは息を整えてホールの中を見渡した。
「いったい、どうすればこのような事にならずに済んだのでしょうか......」
「さあな。俺なら怪しいと思った時点で締め上げるか......いや、これくらい大事になった方が良いな。馬鹿を炙り出すのに都合がいい。実際、これだけの馬鹿が集まってきた」
それに、相手が多いとやりがいもあるしな、と一二三が言う。
状況を察したのか、フォカロル領兵たちがぞろぞろと入ってきて、手際よく死体を片付け始めた。
「まあ、それは俺だからできるやり方だ。お前はお前のやり方があるだろうし、望む結果によっても違うだろう。俺は殺したいと思ったからこうした。そうじゃなければ、そうじゃないやり方をするしかないんだろうな」
イメラリアは考え込む。
「考えろ、考えろ。どうせ、答えなんてやってみて結果が出るまでわからんのだ。今の戦いだって、蓋を開ければ俺が死んでいた、となっていても不思議でもなんでもない。やれることを考えて、決めたら精一杯やって、使えるモノは全て使って、結果が出てから喜ぶなり悲しむなりすればいい」
一二三は、部屋を出て行く寸前でイメラリアを振り返った。
「周りを見ろ。使える奴が勝手に集まって来ているだろうが。物が見えるのと見えた物を理解できるのとでは、全く別の話だぞ」
寝るつもりなのか、一二三は「おやすみ」と言って去っていった。
「そうですわね。宰相にサブナクさん、ヴァイヤーさんにロトマゴさん。ミダスさんも助けてくださいましたね。それに......」
イメラリアは、先ほど多くの拍手と歓声をくれた民衆たちの顔を思い出していた。
足早に謁見の間へと向かったイメラリアは、玉座へ座るとロトマゴを呼び出し、逃亡したバールゼフォンを追い、しかるべき処置をするようにと命じた。
これが、イメラリア女王最初の命令だった。
"What an idiot! Do you plan to win against this number of opponents?" (Balzephon)
Although Balzephon started to dash towards Hifumi raising his voice to yelling, he lost sight of Hifumi in the blink of an eye as he was moving, as if gliding, in the dance hall crowded with the other knights while laughing.
"Tsk! Where did he go!?" (Balzephon)
He surveys his surroundings while turning in a circle, but he isn't able to spot Hifumi's figure.
"You can't say it's always advantageous to have large numbers." (Hifumi)
Striking the head of a single knight, he enters the blind spot of his opponent before he can turn around and strikes yet another knight.
"I guess it's inevitable for you to obstruct each other with such experiences?" (Hifumi)
"There you are!"
A knight, who was brandishing his sword, slashes at the back of the talking Hifumi.
"Don't speak. You have to do a surprise attack." (Hifumi)
While saying these words, Hifumi lightly placed his hand on the shoulder of the knight, who was in front of him, and changed places with him in a swift movement.
"Gya!?"
"Uh..."
The knight, who planned to hit Hifumi instead ended up hitting his own colleague with his sword, was beheaded while being perplexed.
"You are far too close to each other. That results in you cutting your own allies, if you swing your swords poorly." (Hifumi)
The knights, who personally witnessed the friendly fire, have an indecisive attitude even while preparing their swords.
Being in a separate location, Balzephon instructed all of them to disperse.
"Everybody, fall back to the walls of the hall!" (Balzephon)
Hearing his voice, the surprised knights are slowly withdrawing.
Hifumi, who was left all alone in the centre of the hall, sheaths his katana and laughs daringly.
"Is this the correct answer, I wonder? So, what will you do next?" (Hifumi)
"How arrogant... although the Second Knight Order was destroyed, you likely only attacked captain's group from the back after they were exhausted from the battle. Us knights won't fall behind a country-bumpkin like you bastard." (Balzephon)
"Look at the reality."
Hifumi shakes his head as if being incredulous about Balzephon's words.
He knocks with a finger on the pommel of the katana at his waist.
"We have so many knights here, why won't the fellow, who has already come out in front of me and told me to fight him one-on-one, come forward? It's simple. You saw your colleagues getting killed. You are probably aware that you won't be able to win." (Balzephon)
The knocking sound of a nail hitting the metal fixtures of the pommel is resounding.
Balzephon glares at the knights in his surroundings, but all of them are trying to not make eye contact and avert their sight.
"You worthless bunch! Don't you have pride as knights!?" (Balzephon)
"No, no, if you say this much, you have to take the lead and come forward yourself." (Hifumi)
Saying this while laughing, Balzephon stared at Hifumi with a bright red face.
"Ah, if you are scared of this, let's go bare-handed." (Hifumi)
Once Hifumi drew the katana, together with the scabbard, from his waist and quickly tossed it into his darkness storage, he showed his palms.
"Hey, set up your sword properly. Since I'm not wearing any armour, you might kill me, if you hit me. If you hit me, that is." (Hifumi)
"You underestimate a knight far too much, bastard. I will chop you into pieces and present your corpse in front of Imeraria." (Balzephon)magic
Balzephon stepped forward correcting his sword stance.
While gradually shortening the distance to Hifumi, he dispatches the knights, who are in Hifumi's back, with a glance, that lasted only an instant.
Balzephon, confirming that both of them nodded, purposely spoke in a loud voice.
"Die!" (Balzephon)
"That's impossible in this situation." (Hifumi)
Hifumi slowly advances diagonally forward.
With only that alone, to say nothing about Balzephon's sword, the two swords, swung downward from the back, don't hit either.
Hifumi, who circled into Balzephon's back as if smoothly passing through, kicked the backside of his opponent's knee with the tips of his toes and locked an arm around the neck of the kneeling Balzephon.
Constricting the neck together with Balzephon's right hand holding the sword, Balzephon's consciousness is slowly getting muddy.
"Hey, try having a look at your surroundings. There's no knight trying to approach in order to save you. What's a knight? Are they guys, who also abandon their friends to save their own lives? Are they running away from battles only caring about appearance and weapons?" (Hifumi)
Due to Hifumi's voice from right close-by, Balzephon's head has become a sloppy mess.
What is the pride of a knight I wanted to protect? What is that lot looking from a distance as I'm getting killed this very minute? Just what the hell did I want to become...?
"Your brain still works, I guess. What can you do to survive right now? Is it holding your head high and brandishing your sword? Is it being proud of your noble birth?" (Hifumi)
Balzephon thought. He literally thought in desperation.
I ended up dropping the sword due to my arm losing strength because of the pressure of the constriction. It's also impossible to grip Hifumi's arm with my left hand. I can't move my feet well due the kneeling posture either.
At last his vision became a cloudy white.
"... This guy was also only at this level, huh?" (Hifumi)
With a disappointed voice of Hifumi audible, the strength of constriction is raised even further.
"Oh?" (Hifumi)
Balzephon ducked his head with all his might and opened his mouth. Somehow managing to open his front teeth to the degree of 2 fingers wide, he bit into Hifumi's arm resolutely.
"Uh-oh." (Hifumi)
On the verge of having meat torn off, Hifumi released the restraint and separated from Balzephon.
Balzephon, who got out of the predicament, gained distance from Hifumi by rolling on the ground without caring about his own appearance.
"Your choice just now was good. There are people even saying that biting is vulgar and such, but it's an effective attack. Teeth are strong." (Hifumi)
As Hifumi was talking calmly, Balzephon looked at him with eyes filled with tears while coughing and rubbed his neck staying silent.
"Now then, just now you literally bit yourself to survival, but... what's your next move?" (Hifumi)
"... I was able to calm down due to being close to death. I won't be able to become an ideal knight anymore. Therefore, there's no meaning in putting up a front either." (Balzephon)
While saying this, he removes his armour with clattering sounds and drops it on the floor.
"I have understood. I'm no match for you bastard." (Balzephon)
Balzephon, whose figure became agile, muttered "Finally free."
"Next time I will win." (Balzephon)
Once he finished saying that, Balzephon turned his back on Hifumi and ran with all his power.
Without change he rushed out from the narrow exit for the servants, the knights and nobles usually didn't use.
Hifumi didn't chase after him.
"How nice. How far will he get? My anticipations increased by one more... well then." (Hifumi)
Hifumi matches the sight of each of the knights, who saw off Balzephon suddenly escaping in blank surprise.
"Only one chose life rather than honour, but what will you guys do?" (Hifumi)
"If it's now, I will give you a big service. I will finish you all at once while unarmed", he said.
Stepping forward with his right foot, Hifumi holds out both his hands in front and takes a relaxed stance.
"Let's do this thoroughly until either of us dies." (Hifumi)
Due to the instructions of Midas and Vaiya, who regained his consciousness, the soldiers are guiding the populace to the plaza in front of the royal castle.
"At last the coronation ceremony is starting", several soldiers loudly exclaimed, cautioning the people to advance slowly without running.
"Midas-san, this side is finished." (Vaiya)
Vaiya, who concluded the stationing of the soldiers, ran up to Midas and gave his report.
"Understood. Since I will be continuing with the assignments of the guards for the venue, get in touch with Captain Sabnak." (Midas)
While issuing instructions to the soldiers without break, Midas, who remained at the plaza, made sure that the populace gathered in front of the royal castle.
At the time many people entered the plaza and the noise settled down, Midas unintentionally looked upwards and saw Sabnak's armoured figure appearing on the balcony. Imeraria slowly showed herself accompanied by Shibyura, taking the breath of the people.
"It's the princess!"
As someone raised their voice, the people's gazes instantly turned towards the balcony.
Even the soldiers, while paying attention to the surroundings, turned their looks upwards against their better judgement.
"Everybody living in Orsongrande, on this occasion I, Imeraria Torie Orsongrande, will succeed my father and rise to be the ruler of this country." (Imeraria)
A great majority of the gathered populace expressed joyful looks and applause reverberated.
Seeing this, Imeraria smiles delightfully.
"Thank you very much." (Imeraria)
Imeraria, who regained a serious expression right away, inhales a large breath.
"This country has been exposed to many crisis. Battles have occurred, a great number of soldiers and knights got injured and a not negligible number of them perished. There are also the great accomplishments of Earl Tohno. Although these resulted in victories, there were sacrifices as well. I won't forget this fact." (Imeraria)
Everyone listened carefully and silently to the speech of the new queen.
"For them, who risked their lives to protect this country, I have the obligation to create a good country, where everyone can live in abundance. If there was a result of having protected it, I believe it to be the mission to make such country. I'm well aware that I'm an unreliable, young ruler with shallow experience. For this reason I will promise all of you. I won't become an egoistic tyrant." (Imeraria)
Imeraria, who declared that with a refreshed expression, slowly returns into the royal castle while receiving cheers and applause to the degree of feeling an earth tremor.
While men and women were exchanging their opinions about the just heard declaration, they returned to their daily lives in succession.
Midas, who followed up on the dissolution of the populace, noticed himself shedding tear before he knew.
"Pajou, it might be something different from what you had been aiming for, but Imeraria-sama, firmly standing on her own feet, announced her path. There might be many problems, however I believe it to be a plenty satisfactory outcome." (Midas)
Anxious about the fate of this country and the princess, he recalls his colleague, who lost her young life. Secretly splitting away from the mass, Midas spilled a stream of tears.
There were already less than 12, of the group surrounding Hifumi, remaining.
The group, who assaulted their unarmed opponent with swords, having their necks, arms and feet broken, were forced either to faint in agony, to toss themselves about in great pain or to die.
For those, whose limbs were still alright, the most they can do is to drag away their injured comrades to separate them from Hifumi.
Even as they slashed desperately, Hifumi directly steps into the bosom of the attacking knights, as if completely sticking to them like a magnet, and with his held-out fist, similar to two wedges, he hits their chins and ribs.
Once they drop their swords due to the pain, their arms will be arrested and they will get thrown. Crashing into the solid ground with their heads first, their necks will be broken or, if they are lucky, they will faint due to the damage suffered by their heads.
Even if they tightly gripped their swords, their faces will be grabbed and the back of their heads will be thrust into the floor causing a flower of blood painting the floor. Or they will have the insides of their elbows beaten, which naturally causes them to injure their faces or feet with their own swords.
"Impossibles... the opponent isn't even using a weapon."
"Shit! Why doesn't he die!?"
Frightened people, angered people, Hifumi continues his attacks without discrimination.
On the contrary, to finish it up, using the force of the sword swung downwards by a knight, he arrested the knight's arm, quickly circled around, let the power flow downwards from above and crushed his face, nose first, into the ground making him faint.
One of them had their helmed seized and their cervical vertebrae broken by twisting.
One of them had their sword stolen and died by having it thrust into their own face.
One of them had the flesh of the throat torn off with fingers and bled to death.
There were still some alive moaning, but within the hall painted in red with blood, the last one, trying to run away, had his feet constricted and fell over. With him having his neck broken by being stepped on only Hifumi was remaining standing.
, Hifumi, who inhaled a breath due to overflowing with emotions as it had been a long time since he handled a large number of opponents bare-handed, exhaled in satisfaction.
Amply savouring the smell of blood, he goes around delivering the finishing blow carefreely.
There were also some begging for their lives, but with a single word of [Too slow
Hifumi, who suddenly noticed a presence entering the dance hall he remembers, slowly turned his look towards the open door.
"... Although it was such amount of knights, did you spare that person...?" (Imeraria)
It's Imeraria who stood there.
"The most energetic guy was also the smartest and ran away. He is probably the mastermind." (Hifumi)
"I dealt with the lot left behind, but there's still the possibility of something else lurking somewhere", Hifumi laughs.
"Hifumi-sama, just now I finished the coronation ceremony." (Imeraria)
Rather than a crown, she was bestowed a diadem with detailed ornaments and gleaming in golden colour so that it was more suitable to call it a tiara. It was on top of Imeraria's soft, silver hair.
With these short comment, Hifumi placed his heel at the neck of the last fainted knight and put his weight onto it.
Hearing the thick groan, Imeraria averted her eyes.
"Watch it properly. This is the result of you not being able to firmly lead the knights." (Hifumi)
Due to Hifumi's words, Imeraria put her breathing in order and surveyed the inside of the hall.
"What on earth do I have to do so that it doesn't end like this... ?" (Imeraria)
"Don't know. In my case, at the time I considered them to be suspicious, I would screw them up? ... No, this much had better be important for you. It's convenient to reveal the idiots. In fact, this many idiots came gathering." (Hifumi)
"Besides, there's also a worth in doing it as there were so many opponents", Hifumi says.
Groups of Fokalore soldiers entered and began to skilfully clean up the corpses.
"Well, this is your way of doing things. I have likely my own way of handling things. The desired outcome is probably different as well. Because you wanted to kill them, you did this. You likely have no choice to do it this way whether you like it or not." (Imeraria)
Imeraria ponders.
"Think and think about it. You won't get an answer until the results appear after trying. After all, if I look at the battle just now, I could have died. There's nothing strange about that either. Considering the things you can do, deciding to do your best and using everything you can use, it's fine to be sad or happy once the results come out." (Hifumi)
Just before leaving the room, Hifumi looked back at Imeraria.
"Observe your surroundings. Though those, who are usable, might come gathering on their own accord, it's a totally different story whether you will be able to understand the things you see and the seen things." (Hifumi)
Hifumi said [Good Night]  and left.
"That's right, isn't it? The prime minister, Sabnak, Vaiya-san and Lotomago. I should request the support from Midas-san as well. Besides..." (Imeraria)
Imeraria remembered the faces of the people, who gave her many cheers and applauses not long ago.
Imeraria, who headed towards the audience hall at a quick pace, sat on the throne and summoned Lotomago. She ordered him the suitable measure of chasing the escaping Balzephon.
This was the first decree of Queen Imeraria.
Summoned Slaughterer
呼び出された殺戮者
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/summoned-slaughterer/
Action Adventure Fantasy Martial Arts Mature Psychological Romance Shounen
Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Arrogant Characters Average-looking Protagonist Beastkin Beautiful Female Lead Betrayal Calm Protagonist Clever Protagonist Cunning Protagonist Dark Demi-Humans Demons Determined Protagonist Different Social Status Dwarfs Elemental Magic Elves Enemies Become Allies Enemies Become Lovers Evil Protagonist Fantasy Creatures Fantasy World Fearless Protagonist God-human Relationship Gods Kingdom Building Kingdoms Knights Love Interest Falls in Love First Magic Beasts Magical Space Male Protagonist Marriage Monsters Nobles Obsessive Love Overpowered Protagonist Politics Power Struggle Protagonist Strong from the Start R-15 Royalty Ruthless Protagonist Samurai Schemes And Conspiracies S*aves Strong Love Interests Strong to Stronger Summoning Magic Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Transported to Another World Underestimated Protagonist Unique Weapon User Unique Weapons Wars Yandere
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4399ci/
井戸正善／ido