My lady falls asleep
"Don't lose heart! We must stand our ground here at all costs!"
At the eastern gate of the royal capital, a fierce battle raged on between the defending forces and the relentless waves of monsters. The captain urged his troops to press on, but the strain on his face was evident.
Despite the considerable time that had passed since the battle began, the scene in front of them remained unchanged. The monsters continued their unceasing assault, and the signs of exhaustion were increasingly visible among the defenders. These warriors, no matter how elite, were still human and couldn't maintain their magical output without rest.
Adding to their plight, they had lost contact with their headquarters, and reinforcements seemed like an impossible hope. The relentless monster horde showed no signs of receding. The situation was precarious, and it was taking a toll on the spirits of the team members.
"Oh no!"
In this precarious situation, it was only a matter of time before a flying monster exploited a brief opening and breached the city walls, making its way into the capital.
While just a single monster, it posed a significant threat to the defenseless citizens who had no means to fight back. Leaving this monster unchecked would likely result in many casualties.
However, the knights were already fully occupied with the monsters right before them, and they had no room to deal with this new threat.
"Stop it!"
The malevolent glee in the monster's expression was evident as it prepared to strike at the helpless citizens below. Ignoring the anguished cry of the captain, the creature lunged at its prey.
—Just as its sharp claws were about to pierce a person walking in the street, a sudden flash of light from an unknown source shot through the monster's body.
"Roar!?"
"What in the world...?"
The monster was struck dead center in the chest, crashing to the ground with a forceful impact. The source of the blinding flash remained a mystery to the captain, but he noticed several figures soaring from a great distance in the sky, moving towards them.
"Sky Knights!"
As someone in the unit identified their saviors, an exhilarating cheer erupted among everyone present.
Mounted on white-winged pegasus, the Sky Knights flew through the skies in perfect harmony with their steeds. They crossed the city gate and dived into the mass of monsters, swiftly exterminating the threat.
These Pegasus-mounted knights were a rare and precious asset in the kingdom, and they belonged to the direct service of the royal family. They were the kingdom's trump card, a formidable force.
The arrival of such powerful reinforcements significantly boosted the low morale of their beleaguered comrades.
"Can you hear me? We've sent reinforcements your way."
"That voice, is it the Vice-Commander?"
The arrival of the Sky Knights excited the knights, and the captain received a message through his communication crystal.
The voice on the other end undoubtedly belonged to the Vice-Commander, the second-in-command of the Kingdom Knights.
"I apologize for the delay. I understand your current situation."
"What in the world is happening?"
"Time is limited, so I'll be brief. The capital is currently under attack by an unidentified hostile force."
"What...!?"
The captain had already realized it was an extraordinary situation, but the fact that the capital itself was under attack exceeded their expectations. It left him momentarily speechless.
"At the moment, our Knight Order's headquarters is engaged in combat with the enemy. Hence, I'm taking command in their absence."
Despite the captain's astonishment, the Vice-Commander continued speaking from the other side of the crystal.
The captain had anticipated that the Vice-Commander would step up to lead in the Commander's absence. However, it was clear that the group currently attacking the capital was incredibly powerful, considering they had compelled the Vice-Commander to take charge.
"We currently have our magicians working on repairing the grand barrier, but it will still take some time before we can redeploy it. Until then, we need you to hold your ground at all costs. We're also doing our best to send reinforcements your way from here."
"Understood! The rest of you, endure a little longer. We must defend this position until the grand barrier is restored!"
"Yes!"
The enemy might be powerful, but there was no way they would allow themselves to be defeated, especially now that they had received reassuring support and reinforcements.
◇◆◇◆
"Kingdom's knights are putting up quite a fight. Is this also thanks to your influence?"
"Oiiink!"
The man groaned in response.
In a room within a mansion in the capital, Regina listened to reports from knights through a communication crystal. She casually used her heel to crush a man who was now lying on the floor.
This man, once a vice-commander of the Royal Knights, was now being gleefully trampled by the queen of the slums. His transformation from a dignified leader to a humiliated victim was quite unexpected.
"So, what happened to that boy?"
"He's safe, Mother. The carriage carrying Sir Crow and the others has successfully passed through the northern gate and left the capital."
"That's a relief."
Regina shifted her attention to her daughter, Yuna, who was reading through incoming reports. While not experts in espionage like Selpan and Crow, Regina and her associates had their own unique ways of fighting.
Currently, they controlled the capital's sex industry and had many men under their influence, from low-ranking knights to high-ranking figures. This included the vice-commander who was now at Regina's feet.
This hidden advantage allowed them to disperse the kingdom's knights by exploiting their admirers. It was a useful tool for securing Crow and his group's escape routes without much trouble.
"How are those kids doing?"
"I contacted them earlier, and they are preparing to escape. However, it seems that Miss Drei is still in a confrontation with the Commander of the Knights."
"She's quite the handful... Tell Eins to recover her as soon as possible."
"Yes, right away."
Yuna understood whom her mother was truly concerned about, and she smiled softly while contacting Ains and the others.
Observing her daughter's reaction, Regina couldn't help but feel a bittersweet emotion. She leaned back in her chair and rechecked the situation in various locations.
"This is just a disaster. The capital is in complete chaos. Our business is going to suffer terribly because of this."
The incoming reports were all about the extensive damage to the capital. It would take a long time for the city to recover, and this would undoubtedly affect Regina and her associates, who had also been involved in the recent disturbance. They were looking at significant losses in the coming days.
"Mother, you seem quite pleased."
"Do I look that way?"
However, Yuna noticed something different in Regina's expression. It wasn't tinted with resentment or negativity; instead, there was a gentle smile.
"Well, yes. To make enemies of nations for the sake of a single woman, he's quite a character. If I were as young as you, I might have tried to charm him myself."
"Oh, Mother."
In reality, despite all the chaos caused by Crow's actions, his ultimate goal was to rescue a single woman. From an outsider's perspective, it might seem like a foolish affection, but Regina, who had been a prostitute and witnessed the ugly desires of men for so long, understood the positive aspect of it.
"Indeed, it's no wonder that she fell for him."
That's likely why Eins followed him. Thinking of the image of her late best friend in her mind, Regina muttered something that sounded somewhat melancholic.
◇◆◇◆
"Milady, let's make camp here for the night."
They had been riding without rest since their escape from the capital, and with the surroundings growing dark, they decided to halt the carriage at the road's edge.
In truth, they'd have liked to put more distance between themselves and the capital, but the horses were showing signs of fatigue after the constant ride. With several more days of travel ahead, pushing the horses too hard wasn't an option.
Magical creatures like Wyverns or Bicorns could travel continuously for three days and nights without a hitch. However, such creatures were too conspicuous for an escape, and besides, they wouldn't heed the commands of a non-magical human. In reality, Crow couldn't use them even if he wanted to.
"Prepare for the long journey and have something to eat."
"...."
Milady, seated on the ground, gazed vacantly into the distance, showing no response to my words. With spoon in hand, I decided to feed her by gently lifting the soup to her lips.
"I'm sorry we could only prepare this. If our cook were here, we could have had something much better. I should have learned more about cooking; it would have been helpful in situations like this."
Our rations consisted of dried meat, a simple herbal soup, and hard bread that was difficult to eat without softening. These provisions were intended for long journeys but fell far short of Milady's usual meals. Under normal circumstances, she might have been furious enough to flip the entire pot.
"...."
Milady, however, showed no reaction to the simple meal. She mechanically consumed the soup and softened bread when fed, as if caring for a bedridden patient. Knowing her usual liveliness, seeing her like this was painful.
"We should be safe for a while. There's no reason for them to send pursuers amidst the chaos in the capital. Let's make some progress during this time."
"At this pace, we should reach our destination in about five more days. It will be an exhausting journey, but please endure it a little longer."
Afraid of the distressing image that came to mind when I looked away from her, I kept talking to Milady. She remained unresponsive, but I didn't mind. Otherwise, My own anxiety might crush him.
"It's getting cold outside, Milady. Please rest in the back of the carriage, and I'll stand guard outside."
After they finished the meal, I decided to let Milady rest in the carriage's cargo bed. Despite the warming magical equipment, it was winter, and shielding her from the wind in the enclosed cargo bed was a better choice. I wanted to stay by her side, but the possibility of an attack at any moment required me to keep watch. Most of the nearby creatures were likely drawn to the capital, but there was still a slim chance of an attack. Although the night was growing late, the biting wind was exceptionally cold. It was still an improvement from my time on the streets in the slums.
"Milady?"
I attempted to drape an insulated coat over Milady and step outside, but my motion was abruptly halted as a hand latched onto my sleeve from behind.
Upon turning around, I discovered Milady, who had remained unresponsive until that moment, gazing at me with vacant eyes.
"N... o...."
Desperation laced her feeble plea as she clung to my hand, her voice barely audible. For Milady, who had lost her family and now found herself utterly alone, it appeared she had no option but to seek solace from someone like me.
"Well, I suppose there's no helping it. It's chilly, but would you like to remain outside with me?"
"...."
Nevertheless, the mere fact that Milady displayed any response, no matter how slight, was a source of comfort at that moment.
After discerning her faint nod in acknowledgment of my suggestion, I carefully transported her outside onto the cargo bed.
"Don't worry; I won't go anywhere. I'll stay right by your side."
"Mnn..."
Seated together by the still-burning campfire, we drew closer to each other to evade the cold. As I gently ran my fingers through her golden hair, I offered a silent prayer that the profound despair in her heart might, if only slightly, begin to dissipate.
Seemingly comforted by my soothing touch, she nestled her head upon my shoulder, her breathing gradually softening.
"..."
I maintained a silent vigil, tending to the fire and ensuring that Milady, who had drifted into peaceful slumber, would not be awakened until the morning sun graced the sky.
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