The Traitorous Prince

Tbe price for freeing a demon

“…”

Shion stood on the walls of the inner fortress, looking down at the burning palace.

Screams of the 3rd Brunhilt Corps rang out everywhere.

The enemy was either burned to death or killed by arrows. It was almost annihilation.

But Shion's expression was not bright. The soldiers who silently shot arrows looked even worse. Everyone looked as if they had been hit by a few knives.

That was the only way. They set fire to their hometown.

Shion stared at the beautiful capital of her country being swallowed by fire, biting her lower lip,

The citizens of the capital, including the king, his ministers and the priests, had all been evacuated early. There wouId be no casualties.

The problem was that everything else was burned down,

"...Sigh."

A sigh came out of Shion's mouth as she was biting her lips.

Could this be called a strategy?

Of course the enemy was defeated. The 3rd Brunhilt Corps was destroyed and one of the seven Dragon Knights, Brunhilt's core forces, was eliminated.

It was their first significant achievement in the war. But this was not a victory.

This was just suicide. They killed their cause, their morality, and their capital.

“…”

As Shion clenched her hand that was holding the handle of her sword...

"Why do you all look like you're going to die?"

An unnecessarily lively voice flew in.

When Shion and the soldiers turned around at once, someone came swinging over the wall.

It was Huey, the damn commander-in-chief.

His whole body was covered in dirt, and his blond hair that stretched out in all directions was blackened at the tip.

He looked like that, but did not raise any sympathy.

"We defeated the enemy, didn't we? Let's all be a little happier~!"

Huey, who came up with a big smile, tapped Shion's shoulder with his own,

However, no one could relax their stiff expression.

“…”

Shion remained silent and turned again toward the burning royal capital.

"Huh~ Everyone is so cold~?"

Huey sat down on the wall next to him and grinned.

"Isn't this what you wanted?"

"...What I wanted?"

Shion glared at Huey with sharp eyes. Huey shrugged his shoulders,

"You defeated the enemy who invaded the royal capital. Didn't you get me out of jail for this?"

"I wanted you to defeat the enemy, not to ruin the capital."

"Well, then, without any damage to our side, all of a sudden, all the enemies would go to hellI Did you want me to stay quiet in the background?"

Huey shot back bitterly.

"Why didn't you all pray to the sky instead of bringing me out? Huh? Just go to the temple and put your hands together."

“…”

Shion shut her mouth tight.

"No matter what strategy is used, there will be losses, And if we're going to get rid of one of the Brunhilt corps, we'll have to make this much." "...You didn't have to burn the city down!"

Shion could not resist and shouted.

The soldiers nodded cautiously as if sympathizing with Shion.

"There was another way! We could have kept Canis in the palace, while destroying the enemy soldiers one by one...!"

"Then the loss of our troops would have been enormous."

"Even if we lost soldiers, we would have kept the royal capital!"

"And then what would you have done after that?"

Huey clicked his tongue.

"Is it over after defeating them? Including the guys in their country, there are six more corps left. Six of those monster knights are left."

“…”

That was true, The troops defeated today were only a part of the Brunhilt army. The enemies were powerful, and there were far too many left. The war would continue as long as not all of them were defeated.

"Keep the troops intact as much as possible for future combat, and annihilate the enemy. Can you achieve a better result with any other strategy?"

“…”

"What? Do you have any? Tell me if you have. Come on."

“…”

"Ah, hurry up and tell me, Knight Commander!"

Huey chuckled and shook his head.

With that strategy, she would not have to get this scumbag out of jail.

Shion, whose eyes closed tightly, shook her head slightly.

"...We fought to protect this country."

Blood oozed from her bandaged hands.

"To protect the Kingdom of Eindel, our precious country... Everyone was willing to die."

For the past six months, Eindel's army had continued to fight, even if it was defeated. The soldiers fought and fought desperately to slow down the enemy's advance, throwing their lives in the process.

Only for their beloved country.

"But you destroyed this country for a seed fight."

Huey burned down what they had managed to kept intact. For victory?

For the sake of that empty result, he turned to ashes what should be protected.

"No one can understand this!"

Huey opened his eyes wide at Shion's defense.

"Did I destroy the country?"

Shion stretched out her hand and pointed at the burning palace.

"Can't you see what's in front of you?"

"Ha, hahahaha!"

Suddenly, Huey burst out laughing.

Rolling on the floor, vulgarly, without a single commander-like dignity, Laughing out loud,

“…”

The soldiers stared at Huey with fright.

"Stop talking nonsense, Shion!"

Huey, who suddenly stood up after laughing for a long time, shouted fiercely.

"The only thing I've destroyed is an old city. A pretty, but old city!"

Huey shouted loudly and stared at the soldiers looking at him one by one.

"The Kingdom of Eindel remains intact. As long as the king is alive and the people follow him! Even if the city burns, and the capital disappears... He's alive and breathing!"

“…”

"The Kingdom of Eindel is alive! Our country is fine, not a speck of damage! No, on the contrary, it was dying, but it came back to life with today's victory!" Huey, who squealed out in a devilish voice, shouted.

"So be more pleased, you fools!"

“…”

The soldiers, overwhelmed by Huey's spirit, bowed their heads one by one. then,

"...You..."

Shion, who was listening quietly, narrowed his eyes.

"I see. You're still after the throne."

"...Uh, huh?"

Huey blinked his eyes wide.

"What, What are you talking about all of a sudden, Shion?"

"That's why you destroyed the royal capital with your own hands, where everything that hindered you remained. Isn't that right?"

Courts to judge traitors, temples to rule by doctrine, and libraries to record history. Even the royal palace.

The whole thing burned down.

All the values of the old days were ruined,

"As long as the king is alive and the people follow him, the country is alive? I guess so. Because you're going to be that king."

Only then did Shion see Huey's real intention.

The king was old and would have to abdicate soon. And if the new king, in a new capital, had to write a new history... Huey must be thinking of becoming the king himself.

"For you, the war with Brunhilt was just an excuse. Destroying the royal capital was your real purpose,"

“…”

"That's why we dragged the enemy in and burned them together. You wanted to burn your past mistakes with the capital,"

“…”

"Isn't that right?"

Shion shot back with a cold growl.

“…”

Huey, who had remained silent for a long time...

"...Haha."

With his back to his hometown engulfed in blazing fire, his lips rolled up, his pointed fangs exposed, he let out an absurdly wicked laugh, like a devil.

And he smiled.

"Isn't that too much of a delusion, Knight Commander?"

"Huey...!"

Shion could not resist and pulled out her sword.

"Hey, hey, maybe, one in a millionI Even if I had other plans."

Huey, smiling, pointed at the palace with his chin.

"If it weren't for this method, I wouldn't have killed that monster. Don't you agree with that?" At that moment.

Thump!

Something rose from the ruins of the collapsed and burning royal palace.

"Eh?"

Huey looked back in a cold sweat,

Thump!

It landed on the ruins, splashing stone fragments in all directions.

"...Grrrrrrrrrrr..."

His armor was badly scorched, and his whole body was covered with burns and wounds, but the ink-colored sword in his hand remained the same.

Scorched silver hair rising in anger shook like a flame. Bright yellow eyes flashed eerily like that of a wolf.

Swoosh!

The shoulder guard of his armor opened, and hot steam erupted. Hot and more steam than ever poured down the back of the knight, flapping like a cloak.

"Hueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey-I"

Brunhilt's 3rd Dragon Knight, Canis, let out a hateful roar.

"I'll kill you! You, your king, your soldiers, your citizens! Everything, without leaving a single bone! I'll chew everything!"

The roar of the wolf echoed throughout the city,

The air rumbled, and the trees outside the city shook in unison. The soldiers on the walls trembled and dropped their weapons. Some could not close their mouths and drooled, some peed. And most of them sat down,

Was this how it felt when encountering a hungry wolf in a snowy field?

"Oh... he did not die like that, did he? He's a tough guy after all."

Sighing lightly, Huey shook his head. There was still a relaxed smile on his lips,

Although he crouched to the fullest, shivering. He hid behind Shion's back.

“…”

"What, what? What are you looking at? If you're not afraid of that, are you human?"

Turning her head with a sigh, Shion beckoned down the wall. Soldiers who were cleaning up the remaining enemy soldiers in the inner area rushed to the castle wall,

There were about 100 veterans who had been selected.

They did not collapse with Canis' roar. Their complexion was pale, though. Veteran soldiers threw knives and spears in their hands on the floor at once and took new arms that had been placed on the walls.

Reinforced shields with three layers of general military shields. The three knights who commanded them looked up at the wall.

Handel, an old knight who checked his bow, Grain, a boy knight who held a priest's cane with trembling hands, and Kay, a knight who roughly wiped away the bloodstained iron with a cloth, all looked distrustful.

He was not trusted.

Feeling a familiar sensation, Huey waved deftly. All three knights had a disgusted expression on their face.

"...You assumed that this would be the case."

Shion said, lifting the reinforced shield with one hand, It was quite heavy, but useful.

"I was told what tactics to take, and I trained."

"Of course! I'm thorough!"

Huey raised his chin and had the misfortune to show off.

Punch!

Shion punched him on the chin. It was a heartless punch.

"What?"

Huey, who rolled back on the floor, cried and shouted.

"What, what? Why?! Why did you hit me?!"

"You're so unlucky every time you show off. I've always wanted to hit you."

"You really hit me?!"

"Because I may never have another chance,"

On the ruins of the burning palace, Shion stared coldlyat the Dragon Knightcrouching like a wolf.

"You've calculated the odds that we'll win when we fight in this situation... Tell me, Huey. What are our chances of beating that monster?"

Huey replied immediately.

"Fifty percent."

"Fifty percent..."

They did not let him recover, trapped him, burned him, engulfed him in explosions, made buildings collapse on him, and killed all his men to pressure him mentally... And yet, only fifty percent.

"Well, let's think positively! Isn't the cup half full of water? Wouldn't the world be brighter if you lived with that positive attitude?"

Huey talked lightly.

“…”

Shion was annoyed, but he was right.

In the first place, Canis was an opponent against whom they seemed to have a 1 percent chance of winning, let alone 50 percent.

"I've used all the traps I could use against that wolf. That's all I can do to help with the ploy."

Increase the chances of victory as much as possible.

That was the role of the commander of the military.

"Behind this, it's the role of the knights."

All that was left was the fight in the field,

Swords against swords, in the realm of knights-

"I hate to say this to you, but I'll still say it."

Standing on the stairs down the wall, Shion looked down briefly.

"...I'll be back."

Huey, who opened his eyes wide, soon grinned,

"Oh, what, you're about to fight a life-threatening battle, and you want to come back to me? You like me, right?"

Shion answered clearly, still with an icy face.

"I'll have to stop your evil plan. That's all."

"No, I'm innocent. It's all about the Knight Commander's delusion. I'm telling you."

"And hitting you feels better than I thought."

“…”

"When I come back alive, I'll hit you once more."

Shion descended swiftly and joined the troops preparing for battle.

If it was just once, he was willing to be hit.

'As long as they win...!'

"Go forward!"

Shion gave a short order, and a group of four knights and about 100 veteran soldiers began to run toward Canis.

Huey, who had one foot on the wall, let out a shrill cry.

"Forward, Eindel's sons and daughters!"

Canis1 eyes widened as he was crouching on the ruins, panting and recovering his strength.

The silver wolf's bright yellow eyes and Huey's bright red eyes met in the air. It was just eye contact, but it seemed like sparks jumped between them.

Huey shouted cheerfully, with a big smile showing his sharp canine teeth.

'It's wolf-hunting time!