Kaze no Kishihime v2c9

The brawl in the central square was reported to the royal palace almost immediately. Philip III had been in the middle of a meal, but the moment he heard the news, he spat out what he was eating.

"W-What did you say? Repeat that!"

The page who delivered the message trembled.

"I-In the central square, Your Majesty! The Mage Guard is presently engaged in combat with the Unicorn Corps!"

The central square—was that not where Karin's execution was to take place? Those fools... they defied his orders and rushed to the rescue.

Even after he had warned them so sternly...

Philip III let out a deep sigh. Then a faint smile appeared on his lips.

In a way, he could not say he disliked such conduct. He too had once ridden across battlefields. Being king alone was not enough to make nobles and soldiers follow.

It was because he stood at the front and found the courage not to abandon his subordinates needlessly that he achieved the deeds that earned him the title of the Hero King.

But sentiment went no further than that.

If they had disobeyed his orders, they had to be punished.

Above all, this was not the time to clash openly with Eustache. Their preparations for "war" were still incomplete. Under no circumstances could he afford to hand Eustache any advantage.

What a waste of fine knights, he thought. What exploits they might have performed on the battlefield. Suppressing the pity of the soldier within him, Philip III rose to his feet.

"Bring me my wand."

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty!"

The page, making no effort to hide his frightened expression, hurried away. At that moment, another noble entered.

"Your Majesty! A lady requests an audience!"

Philip III waved his hand irritably. He did not know which noblewoman it was, but this was hardly the time.

"Have not all nobles of the realm been instructed to follow the proper procedures and wait in the audience antechamber?"

Holding back the urge to scold the man for not knowing even that, Philip III spoke.

"Y-Yes, but... she claims to be a messenger from The Grand Duke Eustache."

"A messenger from Eustache?"

When the woman was shown into the private audience chamber, Philip III widened his eyes. The woman was extraordinarily beautiful. Wrapped in a black nun's habit, she looked at first glance like a woman of the cloth, but the sensual allure spilling from the gaps in her clothing made her true nature impossible to discern.

"My name is Noire."

A name as black as the clothes she wore. Philip III thought her rather impertinent, but since she claimed to be Eustache's envoy, he could not treat her lightly.

"And what is your business? Be quick. I am very busy."

At that prompt, the woman called Noire handed him a single notebook.

"And what is this?"

Noire smiled.

It was a smile in which compassion and sensuality coexisted, the sort of smile that could melt a man's heart.

"It contains an account of the many conspiracies The Grand Duke Eustache has been carrying out."

Philip III turned the pages. Indeed, they contained detailed descriptions of those conspiracies—whom he ordered, what he commanded, and what he set in motion against the Mage Guard over the past six months.

Philip III looked up and faced Noire.

"You have my thanks for betraying Eustache and delivering this notebook. However, I must place you under arrest. I trust you understand."

Philip III clapped his hands. Two knights appeared immediately.

"Arrest this lady and escort her to suitable quarters for an honored guest. And see that she is treated with every courtesy."

The knights nodded, bowed to Noire, and bound her hands behind her back. Without showing the slightest sign of resistance, Noire allowed herself to be led away.

Philip III burst out of the private audience chamber and shouted.

"Saddle my horse! Anyone not otherwise occupied is to arm for battle and follow me!"

On the execution platform, the three guards were breathing hard. Around them lay several dozen fallen Unicorn knights.

As the fighting spread, Eustache's forces had swelled as reinforcements arrived from every direction. They now numbered several hundred.

Against that, they had only three men.

They were completely isolated.

Even the light of the Blade spells on their wands had grown weak. Before long, their mental strength would be exhausted, and they would no longer be able to maintain them. On top of that, they suffered wounds all over their bodies. They were battered nearly to the point of collapse.

"Well then... I suppose this is as far as we go."

Narcissus, his cheek smeared with blood, spoke in a voice that somehow sounded cheerful.

"What are you talking about? We can still fight. Look at them. They've finally stopped coming at us."

Bacchus laughed boldly.

But no matter how one looked at it, this was the end. The enemy was simply waiting for their magic to run out. Once it did, they would charge, and everything would be over.

Cendrillon walked over to Karin, who was sitting on the platform.

"Karin."

"Y-Yes."

"Take those vampires and run. Now that they've dismounted, you may still be able to escape. Athenais, I'm counting on you."

The old manticore chuckled.

"Are you three planning to die here?"

"Of course not. We'll wipe them out and follow after you."

Cendrillon said it in a tone so matter-of-fact it was almost bored.

Bacchus and Narcissus slapped him on the shoulders.

"You bet! We'll have a drink afterward! Right, Karin?"

But Karin, her eyes brimming with tears, shook her head.

"No. I'm staying too."

Cendrillon smiled.

Then he gently patted her on the head.

"You're going to become a knight, aren't you?"

"W-What about you?"

"We'll be fine."

Bacchus said it, and Narcissus nodded.

"This is exactly the kind of day we spend our lives fooling around for. So we won't have any regrets."

Even then, Karin would not nod.

"No! I don't want to be the only one left alive!"

"What a stubborn child."

Watching the scene in silence, Dulcinea suddenly realized why Karin was being so obstinate.

A moment earlier, she was the way Karin stared blankly at Cendrillon.

Clearly, something needed to be said.

"U-Um!"

The vampire, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke, and everyone turned to look at her.

"What is it, vampire?"

Bacchus asked, curling his lip.

"You there! Sir Cendrillon! You're terrible!"

"What's so terrible?"

Being called "terrible" by a vampire made Cendrillon grimace.

"This kid is expressing the desire to die with you! Don't you understand? Don't you understand the feelings?"

Karin turned scarlet all the way to the tips of her ears.

Bacchus and Narcissus went pale.

Cold sweat ran down Cendrillon's face.

"...Is that true? So you really are like that?"

Karin shook her head frantically.

"N-No! The reason I was staring at you earlier was because you looked a little like the knight who saved me when I was younger! But you're completely different people! It was just that they overlapped a little in my mind! It's not like I feel that way about you or anything!"

"How tsundere. You see, Sir Cendrillon, I think this knight simply can't be honest, so—"

Before Dulcinea could finish, Karin tackled her and began kicking her mercilessly.

"Shut up! You worst fiend in all of Halkeginia! Vampireeeee!"

"Stop! Please stop!"

The peace-loving Dulcinea curled up, covering her head. Since she had no idea Karin had never told Cendrillon she was actually a girl, she had no idea what was happening.

Armais tried to pull Karin off her sister.

Bacchus and Narcissus looked at Cendrillon with deeply sympathetic eyes.

"Man... that's not something you want to witness right before you die."

"...So you really went and did it, huh? With a boy."

"I told you, nothing happened."

"Only up to a point," Narcissus added.

"Don't say that."

As if to compose himself, Cendrillon raised his wand.

"All right then, gentlemen! If the enemy won't come to us, then we'll go to them! We of the Magic Guard shall fight until we fulfill a knight's highest duty!"

"This is the least dignified charge I've ever been part of."

Narcissus let out a sigh. Even so, he raised his wand and took his place beside Cendrillon.

"Well, isn't it fitting?" said Bacchus. "It's exactly like us."

"We'll charge in and keep them busy. Athenais, grab them and get them out of here. I'm counting on you."

Even then, Cendrillon left those words behind before lowering his stance and gripping his wand. He measured the perfect moment to attack.

The instant Cendrillon sprang forward, the Unicorn Corps charged as well. So, they had finally lost patience. It seemed that, at their core, they too were knights.

Cendrillon swung his wand down at the foremost knight. But his movements had slowed, and the strike was caught cleanly.

Another knight attacked from the side. The blow struck him, and Cendrillon tumbled to the ground. As he looked up from where he lay, he saw three knights raising their wands over him.

At that moment, Karina's face rose in his mind.

Ah.

So in the end, I was never able to escape her shadow.

And somehow, he didn't mind.

Even if I die, Karin will find a way.

For some reason, he was certain of it.

Then—

"Cendrillon!"

Karin, unarmed, hurled herself forward and planted herself in front of him.

"You idiot. I told you to run!"

"No!"

Even the knights hesitated for an instant, unwilling to strike someone who wasn't holding a wand.

"What are you doing? Finish this at once!"

Eustache's voice rang across the square. At their commander's order, the knights raised their wands as one.

At that very moment, a thunderous voice boomed across the central square.

"That is enough!"

It was a resonant, authoritative voice, one accustomed to commanding armies of thousands on the battlefield. At that voice, both the three guardsmen and the Unicorn Corps froze.

Staring in astonishment, Cendrillon murmured:

"Your Majesty..."

The man who appeared astride a horse was King Philip III, clad in full battle regalia.

Behind him stood a large force of soldiers—most likely a regular regiment. The royal guard, who should have handled such a situation, were too busy fighting one another, so there had been no choice but to bring another unit.

At the sight of the king himself arriving to restore order, the crowd erupted in cheers.

"Throw down your wands! At once, you fools!"

At his command, both the Unicorn Corps and the three guardsmen dropped their wands. Eustache hurried over to the king and raised his voice in protest.

"Your Majesty! What is the meaning of this? As I was carrying out the execution, those members of the Magic Guard interfered!"

King Philip III shook his head.

"Execution? You mean the matter of the former Magic Guard apprentice who infiltrated your estate?"

"Precisely, Your Majesty."

"In that case, I was the one who gave the order. That one may have failed, but another of my agents succeeded. Therefore, the execution is canceled."

Everyone present stared in disbelief.

"Y-Your Majesty ordered it...?"

The unexpected statement left Eustache speechless. But he quickly regained his composure.

Steady now. This could still be turned to my advantage.

"Then was it by Your Majesty's command that I was to be assassinated in collusion with vampires? Truly, if I had become such an inconvenience, a single word would have sufficed. I would have resigned at once."

"Enough with the theatrics, Eustache."

"W-What? Theatrics?"

King Philip III held up the notebook that Noir delivered to him.

"That vampire there was captured in your territory and, until recently, kept under your control."

At the sight of the notebook, Eustache's eyes widened. It contained not only details about the vampires, but a meticulous record of all the schemes he orchestrated.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Realizing that further resistance was futile, Eustache smiled unpleasantly and shook his head.

"I was never serving Your Majesty. I was serving the Fatherland. I ask only for your mercy."

"You viper. So you finally speak honestly. Those are the words I wish I had heard while you still held office. Eustache, in the name of Founder and God, I hereby remove you from your position as Chancellor. Guards! Arrest this man!"

Soldiers rushed forward and bound Eustache. The citizens watching the scene were so stunned by the turn of events that they could only gape in silence.

After Eustache was led away, King Philip III ordered that the wounded be treated and the dead removed. Once those tasks were swiftly carried out, he approached the three guardsmen and Karin, who still stood there in a daze.

Cendrillon snapped to attention and declared in a loud voice:

"Your Majesty! If punishment must be given for disobeying your orders, I beg that it fall upon me alone! My comrades merely followed my command!"

At once, Bacchus and Narcissus stepped forward as well.

"No, Your Majesty! I came of my own will because I could not abandon a comrade in danger!"

"As did I!"

Karin hurriedly joined them.

"I-It was my fault for sneaking in on my own! Please, I beg you, spare my comrades!"

King Philip III grimaced and muttered under his breath:

"Get your stories straight, you idiots."

The three guardsmen and Karin only blinked in confusion. They still could not comprehend the king's sudden change of heart. How had he managed to outmaneuver Eustache? That question filled all their minds.

The king looked over them with exasperation. Dozens of Unicorn Corps knights lay sprawled across the ground.

Against hundreds of enemy knights, they had accomplished this. It was an unbelievable feat. Yet each of the three guardsmen were in miserable condition, covered in cuts and stab wounds and barely able to stand.

And beside them stood Karin, who had infiltrated Eustache's heavily guarded mansion. The king had heard rumors of its defenses, even vague reports of the "guardians" that lived beneath it.

And this fifteen-year-old boy—not even a knight yet—had overcome them.

Sensing the stirrings of a turbulent age, King Philip III felt a sigh rising in his chest.

Hmph. With so many heroes gathered in one place, perhaps my reign was never destined to be ordinary.

He shook the thought away.

"Very well. I will explain everything later. For now, get your wounds treated."

"Th-Then... there will be no punishment?"

"No punishment? You were acting under my orders. That is the official story, and you will stick to it."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

All of them bowed deeply.

"I must go. Report to Vivian's estate afterward and wait there."

The king turned on his heel and began to leave.

Relief washed over the group, and they let out a collective sigh.

But matters were not going to end so neatly.

King Philip III stopped and turned back.

"W-What now?" Bacchus muttered. "Don't tell me His Majesty decided to scold us after all."

"Quite right. I almost forgot."

The king beckoned Karin over. Trembling, she stepped forward. He instructed her to kneel.

Then he drew his wand.

I knew it! He's going to take my head off after all!

Karin squeezed her eyes shut.

Instead, the king rested the wand lightly upon her shoulder and spoke words she never could have imagined.

"I, Philip, King of Tristain, in the name of Founder and God, do hereby dub this youth a knight."

For a moment, Karin could not understand what he said.

Eh?

Eh?

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHH?!

"You all seem to get along so well that it would be a shame for your ranks to differ. Now that you are equals, you will obey my orders properly from this day forward."

The knighthood had descended from heaven itself. Karin completely lost her composure. She leapt to her feet, her face blazing red, and offered the deepest salute she could manage.

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty! I swear to devote both body and soul to Your Majesty's service!"

"A-a knight? Me? I'm a kniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight?!"

"Hey! You did it!" cried Bacchus and Narcissus, grabbing Karin by the head and ruffling her hair mercilessly.

Not entirely sure what was happening but sensing that it was something worth celebrating, Dulcinea and Armais rushed over and threw their arms around Karin as well.

Cendrillon let out a quiet sigh.

"He's got all the luck..."

But Karin never heard him.

Overwhelmed by shock and happiness, she had already fainted.

Epilogue

Although The Grand Duke Eustache committed crimes bordering on high treason, he was not sentenced to death. His many conspiracies had been exposed, but because no charge could be brought proving that he had directly plotted against King Philip III, a capital sentence could not be justified.

Of course, given that he had nearly succeeded in destroying the royal Magic Guard, Philip III could have ordered his execution with a single word. But the High Court, packed with Eustache's allies, and numerous nobles petitioned for clemency, and in the end even the king was forced to yield.

In consideration of his past service, Eustache was stripped of all his offices and most of his wealth, and was exiled to his reduced domain as a mere provincial noble.

He was also forbidden to leave that shrunken territory for the rest of his life.

The Magic Guard, their honor restored, were finally able to return to duty without reservation.

And at Cendrillon's house, a celebration was being held in honor of Karin's knighthood.

"Karin! Congratulations on becoming a chevalier!"

With that cry, Bacchus drained his cup in one gulp.

Cendrillon's room, usually so bare and dreary, was transformed into something unexpectedly festive. Decorations made from paper and clay were scattered throughout the room, and on the wall, painted in large letters, was the message:

Congratulations, Sir Karin!

The table was covered not only with wine, but also with dishes ordered from their favorite tavern.

In front of a cake, Karin sat trembling, her fists clenched tightly on her lap.

Beside her sat the vampire sisters, Dulcinea and Armais.

They had been entrusted to Cendrillon and the others by Philip III as their "prisoners," with the king remarking that they were free to boil them, roast them, or do whatever they pleased.

Naturally, that had only been a figure of speech.

What the king really meant was: if they could be useful, then use them.

Philip III could sense that difficult times were approaching—times so harsh that even demons might have to be turned into tools.

In any case, aside from the inconvenient fact that they needed human blood to survive, the two sisters were gentle and mild-mannered, and so Cendrillon and the others agreed to take them in.

The drunken Bacchus shoved his way between the two vampire girls.

"So, you two drink human blood, huh?"

"Y-Yes..." Dulcinea replied nervously. "But we don't need very much. Just a little."

"Right," the sisters said together, nodding shyly.

Their timid manner was so innocent and adorable that Bacchus's nostrils flared.

"What, just a little? Then drink mine! Oh, but don't overdo it! Ha!"

With that, he dramatically tore off his jacket.

The two sisters recoiled with little gasps.

"What's wrong? Don't be shy!"

"U-Um! Only once in a while is enough! We appreciate the thought, but..."

"That's right!" said Armais. "We can usually get by on sweat."

The moment she said it, she realized she had gone too far and clapped both hands over her mouth.

Too late.

Bacchus's eyes widened, bloodshot with excitement, and his entire body began to tremble.

"...Sweat is enough? In other words... licking? You mean licking sweat? For example, sweat from around... here?"

He stared blankly at his own chest and pointed to it.

"W-What do you mean, 'for example'? We said sweat and nothing else..."

"Don't make me say it out loud!"

Bacchus cried joyfully as he threw his arms around their shoulders.

"Are you two angels?"

"N-No, really! Please forget I said anything!"

"Never mind the details. If it's sweat you need, I've got plenty! As much as you want!"

"Hnnngh!"

He flexed dramatically, spraying sweat everywhere.

Some of it landed on Karin's cake.

Her face twisted with fury, and she kicked Bacchus with all her strength.

"GUWAH!"

"Die, you pervert! Why are you alive?!"

Muttering those words under her breath, Karin continued kicking him, eyes blazing.

Meanwhile, Bacchus, his face melting into bliss, shouted ecstatically:

"Now! Lick my sweat! Lick it! Do it now!"

Dulcinea and Armais shrank back in tears.

Cendrillon, meanwhile, sat apart from the others, quietly drinking with a troubled expression. Narcissus, who had been watching the commotion with amusement, noticed his friend's mood.

"What's wrong? You look gloomy."

"Hm? Ah..."

Cendrillon emptied his cup.

But he couldn't get drunk.

The woman who had delivered the notebook to Philip III remained on his mind. She had been arrested and placed in a carriage. Yet during the transfer, she had vanished as if into thin air. The knight assigned to guard her was later found dead in an alley. Despite Philip III's determined investigation, no trace of the woman was ever found.

There was no doubt in Cendrillon's mind. The woman calling herself Noir was Karina. What he couldn't understand was why she betrayed Eustache and saved them. The question tormented him so much that he could no longer taste his wine.

"Still thinking about that woman?"

At Narcissus's question, Cendrillon gave a silent nod.

"Forget her. Her name wasn't in the notebook at all, was it? She may have been a terrifying woman, but now that Eustache has fallen, she has no reason to interfere with us anymore."

That was true.

The notebook delivered to Philip III had not mentioned Karina even once. She had deliberately omitted herself.

That much was understandable.

But why betray Eustache?

Why save them?

"Don't brood over it too much," Narcissus said. "For now, be satisfied that the clouds in front of us have finally cleared. If she has business with us, she'll come on her own."

Cendrillon let out a long sigh.

"You're right."

And, for the moment, Narcissus was probably right.

There was no point in thinking about it any further. It was something he could never understand. And even if he did understand, it would change nothing. If they met again, he would capture her and make her atone for her crimes. That was all he had to do.

In front of him, Karin was still making a racket with Bacchus and the others. Watching her, a smile rose to his lips before he even realized it. He's a strange one, he thought. To become friends even with vampires...

There was simply something about that knight that drew people in. The wind he summoned was sharp and unforgiving, yet somehow gentle as well. That was probably what had won over those vampires, that mischievous princess—and perhaps himself too.

As he watched Karin, the taste of the wine gradually returned.

Cendrillon tilted his cup and drank. The party finally broke up sometime after midnight.

Once Narcissus left, dragging the thoroughly drunk Bacchus with him, peace at last returned to the room.

Dulcinea and Armais went to return the dishes they borrowed from the tavern.

As Karin began cleaning up, Cendrillon said:

"Congratulations on becoming a knight."

Karin felt her cheeks grow hot.

More than anyone else's words, hearing that from him made her happiest.

"S-So now you admit it, right? That I'm a full-fledged knight."

"Yeah."

After saying that, Cendrillon continued.

"But you've still got a lot to learn. Don't get carried away."

Karin puffed out her cheeks.

Honestly. He always has to add one unnecessary remark.

"Well then, I suppose tomorrow we'll have to start looking for a room."

"Huh?"

Karin blinked.

"Huh? What do you mean, 'huh'? Your room. You're officially a knight now, so you'll be getting a salary. You'll be able to rent a place of your own. Good for you."

Right.

Karin nodded slowly.

Because the vampire sisters were nocturnal and stayed awake all night, they had effectively taken over the sitting room. As a result, Karin had been sleeping in Cendrillon's bedroom.

Cendrillon climbed into bed early and soon began breathing softly in his sleep.

Beside the bed, Karin spread out a bundle of straw and lay down under a blanket, but sleep would not come.

She had finally achieved her dream of becoming a knight. And yet, for some reason, her heart felt heavy.

Then she realized why.

I don't want to leave Cendrillon. Karin sat up and looked at him. Since he was lying on his side facing the wall, all she could see was his back. If he had not descended from the sky that day, she would have burned to death.

When she was little, the knight who had rescued her from the Dragon's Footprint had taught her a charm to summon courage. But she no longer needed that spell.

Because he was here.

A master with a wand.

A swordsman who wielded Blade like a demon.

And a pathetic man still haunted by his former lover.

I... still haven't learned everything I need from him.

Karin took a deep breath and steadied herself.

Then she slowly rose to her feet.

"Hey, Cendrillon."

"...Mmm... huh? What is it?"

"Can I stay here?"

"A-Actually, I mean... even if I do get paid, it won't be much. And there are lots of things I need to buy. A saddle, for one. And I need a new wand too. And, and..."

She couldn't say any more. Emotion suddenly overwhelmed her, and tears welled in her eyes. It had only been a short time, but this room was already filled with memories. And so was the man before her.

"...Mm. Sure."

"Really?"

Karin leaned forward—and Cendrillon suddenly grabbed her hand. In the next instant, he pulled her into the bed.

"W-What?! Not again! You're sleepwalking!"

Cendrillon caught her by the chin and drew her closer. Blood rushed to Karin's face. This idiot! Did he have any idea how much it had taken for her to say those words?

And now he was mistaking her for his former lover again?

She raised her fist, fully prepared to punch him.

But this time was different.

Instead of pressing his lips to hers as he always did, Cendrillon looked at her from inches away and murmured:

"...Mmm... You idiot. Just stay back. You're still not ready yet..."

"Huh?"

"Karin."

He said her name clearly. Karin's cheeks turned crimson. He's dreaming about me… Until now, he had never called her by name even once. Of course, she knew it wasn't love. He didn't even know she was a girl.

But right now, that was enough.

And before she could stop to ask herself why, her heart trembled.

It's just because we're celebrating my knighthood, she told herself.

I drank too much. That's why I'm not thinking straight. Of course this isn't love.

It's not.

And yet, there was a part of her that wanted this. Karin gently cupped Cendrillon's face in both hands, leaned closer, and pressed her lips to his.

Something soft and deeply comforting filled her heart.

And in that dreamlike moment, one calm part of her mind reached a firm decision.

Tomorrow morning...

Whether he was half-asleep or not, she was absolutely going to insist that he had said she could stay.