The Traitorous Prince

Like the callows

'You said you could do anything for me, Canis,'

The Brunhilt Empire three years ago, in the Crown Prince's room.

The young boy, who had just risen to the throne, called in a knight who had grown up with him since childhood.

The knight, Silver Wolf Canis, knelt down on one of his knees and bowed his head deeply.

'Of course, Your Highness.1

'Anythi ng?1

'Anything.'

The Crown Prince remained silent for a long time.

Canis thought that the long black and blue hair of the Crown Prince looked just like the starry night sky.

Canis stood still with his head down, waiting for the command of this precious and beautiful boy.

"...Then, Canis."

And finally, the Crown Prince whispered quietly.

'Can you... die with me?'

* * *

Canis opened his eyes suddenly.

"...Huh?1

He was alive.

He had no strength in his body, but he was definitely breathing. He thought that he had died, so how?

"Argh...?"

Canis groaned and raised himself up.

C/ink

"7"

The chains wrapped around his upper body made a noise. Canis looked at his body in bewilderment.

His small injuries were all healed, and the fatal wounds had also recovered. His whole body was wrapped with chains and tied to iron bars on all sides.

Canis looked down at the water in the basin next to him. He could see his face reflected in the water.

The wound caused by Shion's sword across his face healed but left a scar. Canis looked at his face for a long time, with an absurd look.

He was alive.

"What is this..."

Canis looked around and made eye contact with a curly-haired boy sitting right next to him.

“…”

“…”

The boy in a priest's uniform was holding his cane and muttering a spell, and when his eyes met Canis', he stopped.

"He-hee, hee."

He started hiccupping.

“…?!”

Canis could still not understand the situation.

What was this?

"Hey, hey! D-don't eat me!"

Soon after, the boy screamed and fell quickly from Canis.

"No... cannibalism is not my cup of tea."

Although his nickname was wolf, he had never eaten a man.

And in the first place, he was completely tied up and unable to move. In a cold sweat, Canis looked around.

"What is this place? A prison?"

"What? Yes... It's a prison..."

"Did you heal me? Why?"

"Uh, w-well, if you ask me why..."

It was then. There was a loud shout outside.

"Why are you keeping him alive!"

"Ack?!

The boy was startled again, glanced at Canis, and quickly slipped out of the prison cell.

Thud.

The door closed.

“…?!”

Canis could still not understand what was going on, so he just blinked foolishly.

* * *

Outside the prison.

Kay beckoned and shouted at the prison where Canis was trapped.

"Do you know how many soldiers he killed? Do you know how many knights he killed? I'm going to have his neck right now!"

Kay was wearing bandages around her neck and face. Even though her injuries from the last battle were serious and had to be stabilized, she kept shouting.

"we killed a Dragon Knight! Eindel is alive and well! We need to let the world know! The morale of the soldiers from all over the world wilI soar!"

"No."

Facing Kay, Huey replied immediately.

"We keep him alive."

"Why?! Why the hel11

"Because he's important.

Kay had a threatening attitude as if she was about to rush in at any moment, but Huey did not budge an inch.

Then a curly-haired boy knight, Grain, jumped out of the prison.

"E-Excuse me!"

As Huey and Kay looked back at him, Grain put one finger on his lips.

"I can hear you inside, if you could talk more quietly..."

"Let's see who's going to be quiet now!"

"Ack!"

When Kay burst into a rage, Grain retreated in tears.

"Haa...

While watching the scene from behind, Handel sighed deeply. The old knight was covered in bandages.

It was the day after the battle, in the evening.

The fire in the inner city was almost extinguished, and the Brunhilt army was exterminated except for a very small number who surrendered.

Canis, the enemy commander, was finally overpowered after a desperate battle. Just as he was about to be killed, Huey, who appeared out of the blue, ordered not to kill him but to capture him.

If he had been left unattended, he would have died from his wounds, but Grain, a sacred knight who had been on standby, treated Canis exclusively.

"I really don't understand..."

Kay gritted her teeth.

The three knights who were injured in the battle only received first aid treatment from the priest, but Canis received intensive care for a full day. This discrimination was strange.

"If Sir Grain had taken care of our troops instead of him, dozens of soldiers wouldn't have died from injuries last night! Do you know?'

"He's more important than that.

"Are you saying that the life of that damn wolf is more i mportant tha n our loy al soldiers?!

"Yes.

Hueysounded annoyed now.

"He' important.

Kay was at a loss for words.

Huey looked around the three knights and clicked his tongue.

"I'll tell you right here. His life is worth more than the lives of the three of you. No, it's worth more than the lives of all the Eindel soldiers here.

Huey pointed his index finger at Kay.

"If you don't understand it, don't argue anymore, just shut up, you bird head!"

"Bird... Bird head...?'

Kay trembled at the insult she heard for the first time in her life. Huey continued impatiently.

"Do you really not understand the value of Silver Wolf Canis, the vanguard of the Seven Dragon Knights, as a prisoner?"

"Of course it would be a great advantage for us to just kill him. But if we keep him alive, he could be used as a very important card in future negotiations with the Brunhilt Empire."

Handel moaned and brushed his beard.

"Well, then, Prince, from the beginning, you...

"Yes. This was a capture operation."

In a battle where they did not even know if they could win, he was going to save the enemy.

Huey pointed at Grain, whose mouth was wide open.

"From the beginning, Sir Grain had been left out so he could heal him."

Surprised, Gray pointed at himself.

"I-I thought you didn't send me out because I'm not a good fighter...?'

"What? What are you talking about? It was only because of your healing ability. If you didn't have this ability, you would have been sent out and used as a meat shield

"Heeeeeee."

Grain began to tremble.

Likewise, Kay, who was opening her mouth, muttered despondently.

"A capture operation...? We almost died!"

"Yes. That's what I calculated. The plan was to sacrifice your unit and capture Canis, who would be exhausted from fighting you. I had set up a separate capture unit."

"What, what?!

"But you guys fought better than I thought? Hahahaha, you did a great job!"

Huey laughed and praised her. It did not sound like a compliment. So it was a suicide mission in the first place? Handel smiled despondent. He could not understand the meanness of the youngest prince who said it straight away.

"This... this bastard!"

Unable to stand it, Kay was about to punch him, but someone grabbed her arm.

Surprised, Kay turned around and saw Shion. With a splint wrapped around her broken left arm, she was expressionless as usual.

"What are you doing in front of the Commander, Kay?"

"Let go of me, Shion! I need to throw a punch!"

"Calm down. I have urgent business,"

Handel also stopped Kay.

"Come one, just calm down a little bit, Sir Kay.

"Damn it!"

Kay reluctantly stepped back.

Shion, who walked slowly in front of Huey, spoke in a businesslike tone.

"I’m just on my way back from an audience with His Majesty the King. Huey, I have His Majesty's order."

Huey shrugged confidently.

"Haha, I guess Father was impressed by this overwhelming victory? He's pardoning me for my sins, and he's going to officially appoint me commander-in-chief of the Eindel Army, right?"

"He deprives you of your military power as of this time.

"What?"

Huey asked back in a cold sweat.

Shion continued in a cold voice.

"Because of your extreme and eccentric operations, the royal capital suffered irreparable damage. Once you withdraw your military power, your fate will be decided at the next meeting of the Council."

"Eh... No, wait..."

"So, as of this time, you are not the Commander of the Eindel Army."

Shion stopped speaking at raised her right fist.

Punch!

"Ack!"

A neat punch smacked Huey in the face, and he fell back horribly.

Surprised Kay, Handel and Grain look at Shion, Shion nodded.

"You can hit him now.

"Thank you, Shion-I"

"No, wait, this is unfair violence... Argh!"

Kay rushed in and slapped Huey vigorously. Handel also trampled Huey with his feet, and Grain timidly poked him with the tip of his cane. Shion added to Huey, who was beaten up and struggling.

"And now that you're not the Commander anymore, because you're still a high treasonous criminal, you'll to go back to prison.

"That's a really good ideaI"

Kay raised Huey with a big smile. Throwing away her crutches, she excitedly dragged Huey into prison. Huey screamed as he was dragged into the prison.

"You'll see, you guys! Eventually, you'll admit that there's no hope but me!"

“…”

"You know better than anyone else that you can't win without me... Argh!"

Huey disappeared into the prison, and soon the sound of Kay opening and closing the iron bars roughly was heard from the inside.

“…”

Handel approached the silent Shion.

"What happens now, Commander?"

"...I don't know."

Shion let out a shallow groan.

"But yes. I agree."

"What are you talking about?"

"We've suffered terrible damage, but... We won for the first time in this war."

She did not want to admit it, but Shion was feeling it.

"...Huey's talent is needed for the Kingdom of Eindel."

Handel sighed deeply.

"Following a commander like that is like hanging your neck on a gallows rope while fighting..."

"Yes.

Shion tried to grab the sword handle on her waist, but both were broken and her waist was empty.

Shion, looking down at the hand gripping the empty air, murmured slowly.

"...But now we're in a position to hold on to the rope."

“…”

Handel looked back bitterly at the royal capital.

Flames that had not yet been extinguished were still smoking everywhere.

* * *

Huey was dragged down the prison corridor in Kay's hands, crying.

"Damn, I don't have time for this..."

Kay, who was humming and dragging Huey excitedly, wondered.

"Time? What are you talking about?"

"I have to go to the Ice Fortress as soon as possible!"

"Ice Fortress? Why there?"

"What do you mean why?"

Huey screamed.

"My sister is trapped there!

Kay stroked her chin with an expression showing that she understood only then.

"Ah, I heard that Princess Luna went to the Ice Fortress for consolation.

"Yes! It's said that they're trapped! I have to go there quickly..."

Huey bit his lower lip softly.

'This psychopath also has a human face when his family is involved.'

Kay thought inwardly, said in a softer voice.

"Well, don't worry too much, Prince."

"What? How can I not worry? She must be surrounded by the Brunhilts!"

"The Ice Fortress is such a natural fortress, and although Sir William died protecting it, I heard that his son Sir Gilliam took over the command and is doing well."

"Oh, Gilliam?'

Huey was delighted.

The former Knight Commander William and his son Gilliam were also recognized knights in the Kingdom of Eindel. Stubbornness and outstanding skills were a match between father and son.

"Well, Gilliam is as good a knight as his father is. They both look like rocks, though.

Huey nodded softly.

In addition, the Ice Fortress was the strongest fortress in Eindel, and had never been taken down after dozens of invasions in the 500 years since its fou ndation.

"All right. So don't worry too much-"

Kay grabbed Huey and threw him into a prison cell.

"Aaah!"

"Please keep quiet."

Bang!

Kay locked the bars, closed the prison door and left. She was still humming.

"Well, it's a glorious treat for the hero of victory..."

Murmuring, Huey turned around.

Canis, who was lying tied in the next room, had his eyes wide open.

"Wow, Canis! You're up!"

"...Huey."

"You said my chains were cool, and now you're wearing them too! Hehe! Do you like this fashion too?"

Huey wiggled from side to side and made a silly joke, but Canis had a serious expression.

"Why? Why didn't you kill me? Why?"

“…”

Huey, leaning against the wall of the prison cell, replied half-heartedly.

"I'm in desperate need of each card I can use."

He could use any means to save his sister, Luna, Huey was struggling to take any possible card.

"You have more worth alive than dead, so I didn't kill you. That's all,"

Canis, who was quietly watching Huey, spitted out a short message.

"Thank you.

"What?"

"Thank you for saving me,"

Smirking, Canis lay down comfortably. He was wrapped in chains like Huey. It was better than dying anyway.

"...I can't die yet.

Huey snorted.

"Well, Is there anyone who's ready to die?"

Everyone had a lot of reasons to live.

"There is no need to apologize or thank each other. We're at war. I kept you alive for my own interests, and I'll kill you if you lose your worth.

"Yes. But still... Thank you . It's just that,"

After saying that, Canis started snoring. He seemed to have fallen asleep.

"What a carefree guy..."

Huey, who murmured, lay down himself.

The red eyes glaring atthe dull prison wall flashed with will.

"Wait for me, Luna."

His lovely sister's face seemed to be in front of him.

Huey bit his lower lip.

"I'll come soon..."