S20 Fall
Something is strange.
I have such uneasy feeling for some time.
But, it's just recently that I'm conscious of it clearly.
I only felt it somehow unconsciously until then.
Something is strange.
But, I don't know what's strange.
Even though I'm haunted by the uneasiness, I don't know that identity.
I had to find out the identity of the uneasiness by all means.
And, I will regret it.
I'm called by Father and I head towards the room.
Lately, Father has been completely busy.
I heard the story well because I'm related, but apparently, the rumor that the Hero died from the battlefield has spread into the town.
It was already the limit to conceal the fact that Julius-niisama died.
Then, the Divine Word Church seems to announce the death of the Hero formally.
And, at the same time, the new Hero is announced.
In other words, I finally have to stand in front the people as the Hero.
I was called today is probably because of that.
The question was Sue was called with me.
Sue is walking on the side next to me.
Purposely absent from the academy, I wonder what business to call Sue together with me.
It seems that nothing was told to Sue.
When having such question, we arrived in front of the room.
Well, I will understand the contents if I meet Father.
I knock the door.
「This is Shurein」
「Un? Enter」
「Excuse me」
I open the door and enter inside.
Sue follows silently after that too.
「What's wrong?」
Father asks while writing something to the documents.
No, it's me who want to ask that.
「No, isn't Father who called us? What's the matter?」
「Un? I didn't called you」
Huh?
When thinking so, the situation has already changed.
I should have surely raised the question.
And yet, the sound didn't go out.
A kind of Wind Magic, the effect of Silence was applied around me.
The magic construction activated at the speed that I can't cope with.
Those who can do that are limited, and the person who can do it in this place is Sue who's right beside of me.
What for?
Even if I speak, the surrounding air erases the sound.
As a troublesome point of this magic, it can create a situation that I can't put up a resistance where not only my voice is erased but the voices around me are also erased.
Once it's activated, it's the end unless the magic composition is interfered forcibly.
A worsened situation happens to the confused me.
Sue shot Father.
My eyes opened wide in surprise.
What? Why?
It's Light Magic that Sue used.
The magic that I'm most good at it.
That ray fired through Father's forehead.
「Kyaaaaa! Nii-sama! What are you doing!?」
Sue who screams at the same time.
As for me, my head is too confused and it became blank.
「What happened!」
The door is opened vigorously, and Cyris-niisama and the armored knight guards enter the room.
「Nii-sama killed Father!」
「What!? Have you went mad, Shurein!」
No!
It's not me!
Why!?
Even if I shout so, my voice is erased.
「Guards! Shurein has attacked His Majesty!」
Contrary to me, Cyris-niisama's shout sounds in the castle well.
「Arrest Shurein!」
The armored knight who moves to Cyris-niisama's word.
The knight unsheathed his sword and swing it down.
While I'm confused, I draw my sword at once and respond to the attack.
My sword was cut into two by the armored knight's sword.
Impossible.
Even though I didn't strengthen my sword because it was an instant, my sword as the Hero is not a blunt sword that can be found everywhere, so it shouldn't be easy to be cut.
And yet, my sword was cut into two in the middle.
My thoughts can't catch up with the situation that changes bewilderingly.
The armored knight didn't overlooked that chance.
The blade returns and cuts me.
It didn't become a fatal wound because I half step to the back.
But, it's unchanged that it's a serious wound because it was a diagonal slash from the shoulder.
If the next attack comes, I will be killed.
「Yo. What a good state, Hero-sama」
The armored knight speak like making fun of me.
Although the voice is slightly blocked by the helmet, still, it's the voice that I didn't misheard it.
「Y-You. Are you Yuugo?」
「Correct」
He removes his helmet.
Standing there was Yuugo who should have lost his skills and fall.
「Yuugo. Don't reveal your identity on purpose」
「Isn't it fine. It's called giving a good memory」
Cyris-niisama's manner is like he knows that the inside of the armored knight was Yuugo.
Like he knows the fact.
But, why?
「Do you want to know it? This Onii-sama wants the throne. I want to get my revenge on you and Oka. Both of us think that you are a hindrance」
「W-Why? Isn't the next king should be Cyris-niisama?」
「That's wrong. That dead Ou-sama has planned to make you as the next king. With the thoughts of you don't have to go to the battlefield if he announce that you are going to be the next king before announcing you are the Hero」
「Like I will let such a foolish thing to rob away my throne!」
Cyris-niisama shouted it with a sour face unintentionally to Yuugo's words.
That shout also was made unheard except us by the newly applied Silence.
I look at the person who activated Silence.
「Nii-sama. I'm sorry to say this, but please die here」
Although it was her usual tone, that voice was like another person.
It's a cold voice like despising me opposite to her usual flat and yet passionate voice.
「Sue, what's wrong?」
「Nii-sama, I just realize the truth of love. Therefore, I will kill Nii-sama」
Strange.
The current Sue is obviously strange.
I activate "Appraisal".
The abnormal conditions called 『Hypnosis』 『Brainwash』 『Charm』 were displayed.
「Yuugo! Is it your act!?」
「Oh? Did you noticed? Have you noticed? Yeah. It's my act. How is it? The feelings of being deprived? Frustrating, right? Because I have tasted it, I understand it well! Gyahahahaha!」
「Return Sue to normal right now!」
「Like I will return her even if you ask me to do so. Are you an idiot?」
My front becomes bright red.
However, my body doesn't move against my will.
「The guards will come soon. Then, I will have you exit here」
Yuugo holds his sword.
「I won't let you!」
A small Elf's body cuts in there.
A shock wave of wind strikes Yuugo's body, and blow him away.
「OOOKAAAA!!」
「We will run!」
Yuugo's resentment is ignored, and Sensei begins to run.
Somebody carries up my body.
「Hyrinth-san」
「I'm also confused of what's going on here. However, just think about surviving now!」
I was told by Hyrinth-san who started running, and I use Treatment Magic to heal my wound.
The approaching guards are blown off by Sensei's magic.
The figure of soldiers fighting here and there was seen.
「What on earth is happening?」
「It's a revolt」
「Revolt?」
「Yes. The principal offenders are the first prince, Cyris and Yuugo. However, they planned to put the blame on you, and they will quell the revolt」
I grow pale to Sensei's explanation.
「The one fighting now is Leston-kun's unit. We will run away while he's holding them off」
And, we got away from the castle.
After we escaped from the castle, we headed to a house.
「It's planned to meet Leston here. After that, we will run away from this country」
「Wait for a moment, Sensei! Yuugo, if I don't do something to him, Sue will..」
「I can't allow that」
「Sensei. This commotion should calm down if we can do something on that guy. Although I lost a while ago, my wound has healed, so if we return to the castle and catch him」
「I can't allow that」
「Sensei!」
「The church has announced the new Hero. The name is Yuugo Van Rengzand」
「Huh?」
「This matter, even the church is an accomplice」
I staggered unintentionally.
My shoulder is supported by Hyrinth-san.
「Does Elf-dono has an idea why the church take part in such a ridiculous thing?」
「Perhaps, it will be proper to think that Yuugo's brainwashing has infiltrated into the church」
「That's impossible. The effect of brainwashing-types ends in an instant. It shouldn't be able to cause such a situation」
「Yes. That's if it's normal, but there's an exception」
「Exception?」
「The highest rank skill, 『Lust』 which is from the seven deadly sins series. This skill's brainwashing effect can't be compared with the other skills. It's certain to consider that Yuugo has this skill」
Seven deadly sins series?
Was there such a skill?
In the skills that I confirmed, there was no such thing.
In other words, does that means that it's an abnormal skill that can't be acquired at 100000 skill points?
「Anyway, I don't know how far is controlled by Yuugo. It's better to think that this country is finished」
「Such thing...」
When I was speechless, Leston-niisama and some nostalgic faces entered the house.
「Shun, are you all right?」
「Your Highness, it's been a while」
「Your Highness has become splendid」
It was Anna and Clevea who worked as the maid of Sue and me before that entered together with Leston-niisama.
Anna still keeps a young appearance because the Elf's blood runs in her body, while Clevea seems to have grown old.
And yet, they seemed to rush to my predicament in this way.
But, I despaired.
「Anna, are you the same?」
「Pardon?」
「You are also under Yuugo's control!」
The appraised Anna's status clearly has the word 『Hypnosis』 『Brainwash』 『Charm』.
At the same time as I shouted, Anna has a glazed look.
The magic that's constructed at high speed.
I interrupt it, and I made Anna faint with the chop.
In addition, I try to release the abnormal conditions with Treatment Magic.
However, the abnormal conditions didn't disappear from Anna's status.
「Damn it! Even Anna!」
Leston-niisama clench his fist frustratingly.
「This is bad. We are surrounded」
Many soldiers have surrounded the house when I looked outside of the house to Hyrinth-san's words.
「Let's force our way through」
Everyone who nods to Sensei's word.
「Shun, use my sword」
Leston-niisama handed me a sword.
「This?」
「It's the divine sword handed down in the royal family. It would be better for Shun who's the Hero to use it in battle than me」
「I understand. Thank you」
With Hyrinth-san as the vanguard, we plunge into the encirclement.
At the same time, Leston-niisama's unit that was hiding launches a surprise attack.
「Now!」
We break through the encirclement.
But, there's a different unit ahead.
And, the one leading it is,
「Shun. You sure don't know when to give up」
「Katia...」
My best friend from my previous life stood in my way.
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「Yuugo, you purposely let him go, right?」
「I wonder what are you talking about」
「Don't play dumb! If that guy is alive, I don't know what kind of inconvenience will appear!」
「Like I know」
「You bastard!」
「What are you misunderstanding?」
「What?」
「You are one of my pieces after all. Why are you ordering me arrogantly?」
「What!?」
「I can kill you anytime. So, understand that」
「Y-You」
「Like I will be satisfied with things ending like this. I need them to suffer more and even more」