Manuke FPS

“Schwartz!”

Raising her voice from the entrance of Duke Barga’s mansion, Ashley rushed over――no, instead of just coming closer, she jumped right into my chest.

“A, Ashley…..?”

With that kind of momentum, Daikan of Yamigasa Company, which I tied up and carried on my shoulder, fell to the ground. I could hear a faint voice like a crushed frog――but that didn’t matter.

“I’m glad you were safe…that moving iron box disappeared, so I wondered if something happened…”

Apparently, I’ve caused Ashley to worry a lot.

“I’m fine, no injuries. Besides, I swore to protect you――I won’t be able to do that when I die, so I won’t push myself too hard.”

“Schwartz…”

Burying her face in my chest, Ashley looked up――what was ahead of her gaze was me gazing back at her.

As our gazes overlapped, and the distance between us naturally shrunk――. The next moment what overlapped was not just our gaze.

“Nyaa, nya they are doing it nyaaaーーー!!!”

Miche-san pulled my hair from behind, forcing my downward chin to face upwards.

“Aww, Miche-san, that hurts!”

“Schwartz, can you stop flirting with your lover after you finish showing us around?”

“Schwartz~! At first, I thought he was a young man who had just become an adventurer, but he draws elaborate maps, wears a black mask, and exterminates villains, and furthermore――the next head of the Zephanel family is his lover~? , No~ so saucy.”

Malinda-san grabbed Miche-san’s neck so that she stopped pulling at my hair. However, this time she looked at me and Ashley with a knowing smile.

In the meantime, Frau-san headed to the front door, overtaking the rest of us, and started talking to Volker-san, the housekeeper who came out to follow Ashley. I could hear them talking about the fact that the girls are members of “Sasanqua” and that Ruu-san and Malinda-san used to be the escorts for Lapitirica-sama.

“S, Schwartz, for now, let’s go inside… the Duke and predecessor are waiting.”

Ashley’s face was dyed bright red, perhaps because of the words said by Frau-san and Malinda-san. Seeing that, Miche-san gasped even more and said, “Shah shah”…

It’s a little scary.

“Tha, that’s right. Miche-san, Malinda-san, let’s go inside first. I’ll provide the details there――”

“Hold it right there, nya! Tell me about your ties with that cat thief-nya!”

Seeing Miche-san getting angry, Malinda-san laughed and pushed Miche-san’s back as she walked towards the mansion.

“It’s frustrating to have my favorite boy being taken away~. But well, invite us out for a drink and everything will be forgiven.”

“S, so noisy-nya!”

While arguing with Malinda-san, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly at the sight of Miche-san walking to the entrance while glancing at me, but I can’t stay in the front yard forever either. The gazes of the gatekeepers and guards who were watching everything from the side hurt…

“Ashley, let’s go.”

“――yes.”

Following Miche-san and the others, Ashley and I entered Duke Barga’s residence.

“Welcome back, Schwartz.”

Volker-san guided us to the lounge. It was originally a room used for having conversations with multiple people. But now that the furniture had been replaced, it had become a bit like a VIP room. Waiting for my return there were Chancellor Zephanel, Crown Prince Khan, and Duke Barga.

“It looks like everyone managed to evacuate here safely.”

“All thanks to your moving box.”

“I’m sorry for pushing all that without ample explanation, Your Highness.”

“Schwarz-kun, I have heard about what happened in Flyhigh to some extent from Vee. After that, it seems that you took independent action. Are these girls behind you the reason?”

“After fulfilling my goal, we met again by chance on my way here. Considering the current situation we are in, I felt that we needed their strength, so I asked them to accompany me here.”

“I’m Frau of the clan “Sasanqua”. The two in the back are Miche and Malinda, too”.”

Miche-san and Malinda-san were staying at the entrance of the lounge. Only Frau-san was standing right behind me as a representative. After the return report and a brief introduction to the members of the “Sasanqua”, I reported on what I had seen at Yamigasa Company and the arrest of Daikan, the chairman of the firm. Then I heard from Duke Barga about Reiner whom Vee brought back.

Reiner was quite tight-lipped at first, but apparently after spending some time in the servant’s basement made him vomit some information――no, Vee is still doing her best to extract new information as we speak.

From around the time I entered the mansion, the sound sensor continued to pick up screams that I could not believe were human voices. Daikan was also brought into the basement by the guards. The amount of information available should increase dramatically with his addition.

However, a large amount of information has already been obtained, such as the intervention of the Viceburn Empire, the Second Prince’s rebellion, and the relationship between the “Rafflesia” and the “Cactus”. Some of the reasons behind the riots have also been clarified.

And above all, the greatest good news is that we were able to neutralize the Demon Steel Soldiers, which was the biggest reason why we were forced to lose ground in the first move. The fact that there are very few nobles and merchants at the moment was bad news..

Chancellor Zephanel already knew from Reiner that the purpose of the rebellion was to kill the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, and to secure the custody of the Chancellor. However, it seems that even she couldn’t hide her surprise upon finding out the Empire’s involvement behind the scene and the Prince who had secretly entered the country.

“You say your name is Frau, yes? I want to ask you to protect this mansion and Khan. Will you do it?”

“As you wish, Chancellor Zephanel.”

“Thank goodness. As Schwartz said, the only clan in the immediate area that can be relied on in the current situation is “Sasanqua”.”

“I will send a messenger to the clan house immediately. Miche!”

Frau-san called out to Miche-san who was waiting at the entrance. The latter nodded once in response and left the room.

“A-chan, would you please guide these two to Anna-chan’s place?”

“Yes. Frau-san, Malinda-san, my name is Ashley Zephanel. Let me guide you to the room where Princess Anastasia and Prince Ark are waiting. Lafiri is also there, so please keep them safe.”

During the debriefing, Ashley took the role of an attendant instead of having a maid serve that role. It’s not that the maids at the Duke’s mansion weren’t enough, but if the other party was the Crown Prince, his wife, and even the Eternal Honorary Chancellor and the Third Prince, who suddenly visited late at night, even they would crumble under the tension. I guess there was no satisfactory personnel to take the role other than her.

Now that Frau-san and Malinda-san left with Ashley, only me, the Chancellor, the Crown Prince, and Duke Barga remained in the room.

“So――Schwartz-dono. How is the Royal Palace?”

“Before I came here, I only saw it from afar, but various magics such as fire pillars, water pillars, storms, and earth walls were being fired in rapid succession to match the intense lightning strikes.”

“Father――”

“There is no doubt, only that kid can cast that many elemental magics.”

I answered Duke Barga’s question as I saw it, but judging from the reactions of the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister, I’m pretty sure it was the current King who was fighting Felix――.

“Chancellor, we should go to the rescue as soon as possible. If the King falls, he will be taken to the Empire at once.”

“But, we lack forces.”

“Isn’t it the same for the enemy? If Schwartz-dono’s story is true, those steel knights are no more. If we move the Fourth Knight Order together with the “Sasanqua” as the center, we might be able to sandwich them with the royal guards at the Palace?”

“The reason why the “Rafflesia” attacked various places simultaneously with the help of the Empire is probably to concentrate the strength of the main force on attacking the Royal castle. I don’t think Kilik will let soldiers from other countries enter the Royal Palace.”

“The total strength of “Rafflesia” is equal to or greater than that of a single Knight Order. With only the Fourth Knight together with the Sasanqua, it might still be enough. Even in the worst case scenario where it devolves into a war of attrition――we should be able to annihilate them.”

“Besides, the problem is whether or not there is a Trespasser among them――”

“Pardon, Your Excellency? Trespasser? ]

“Yes, the Trespasser, Frank.]

Chancellor Zephanel briefly explained to Duke Barga about the Trespasser. That said, she didn’t mention anything about them coming from another world but described it as someone possessing Skill, which is the origin of Pedigree Skill.

“I see. So that’s why Drak Kingdom is hunting them.”

“And also what the Empire is aiming for… using Pedigree Skill as one of their pawns to bolster their strength.”

“Killing me and Ark, targeting the Chancellor――the Empire is definitely trying to obtain our Kingdom’s <Pedigree Skill>. Taking them into the country… Kilik must be blind.”

“Indeed. However, we do not have enough numbers to go to reinforce the Royal Palace while ensuring your safety.”

Chancellor Zephanel, Crown Prince Khan, and Duke Barga continued to discuss the matter. But why am I still here…?

“Then, there is no choice but to withdraw to the Barga territory at once. Consolidate the safety of His Highness, send the knights from the Western Barga Knights and the neighboring territories, and return to the capital.”

Certainly――this may be the only way to quell this rebellion while ensuring the safety of the Royal family.

“But then――”

I unconsciously blurted out.

“That is right, Schwartz. Therefore―― “

“We need your power.”

Chancellor Zephanel immediately followed through my blurt. The three, including Crown Prince Khan and Duke Barga turned their attention to me, who had been silently listening so far.