ch61-ch80 · 062-ch61

Chapter 61: Sudden Attack

"Lord Lime!"

Climbing out of the pond, Fuchsia witnessed Chartreuse just as she was falling, and without even bothering about her soaking wet clothes, she rushed over.

But at the last moment, her path was blocked by the Black Knight.

"Y-you, how dare you do that to Lord Lime!"

"I didn't kill her. Charru didn't seem to know everything, after all. But you're different. —How dare you, how DARE you target Ai's life!!"

Even though the 'Soaked Feather Blade' had already disappeared upon defeating Chartreuse, Fuchsia could still feel the violent, crushing pressure of the Black Knight's rage, so she tried to create distance by leaping backward.

And mid-jump, she pulled a cylinder containing purple liquid from her pocket.

"Equip—eh!?"

Just as Fuchsia was about to equip her eiyō-armor, she dropped the cylinder.

That was because the Black Knight's shadow extended at speeds she couldn't even perceive, wrapping around her right arm and tightening.

Crunch crack crack!

"U-uaaagh!"

Squeezed with strength far beyond any human grip, she could feel the bones in her arm breaking.

"...I live according to the laws of this world. So I don't kill people. But you lot who came from Saiū are outside the law. If you're targeting Ai's life, I won't show any mercy."

Two more shadows extended from beneath Rokuro's feet, wrapping around her left wrist and right ankle.

Since she wasn't wearing her armor, if even a little more force was applied, fractures would be inevitable.

"If you don't want to die, talk. Why is the Prime Minister targeting Ai?"

"The, the Prime Minister...? I don't know anything about that... u, guu..."

He increased the squeezing force, but she didn't scream as much as the first time - she really was a trained knight after all.

"Then you were ordered by someone called Grandine, the one in charge of Underz?"

"...No."

The shadow wrapped around her wrist sensed the subtle changes in Fuchsia's pulse.

'This knight doesn't seem to have a direct connection with the Prime Minister, but it's almost certain that the Underz leader is targeting Ai. ...Then, did the Prime Minister order the leader? ...No, or maybe...'

Just as he was about to ask next, Rokuro sensed killing intent and looked up at the sky.

Approaching diagonally at full speed was a knight in blue-green copper-colored armor.

"What!?"

《Die, Black Knight!!》

The knight, thrusting with his knight's lance, delivered a powerful strike enhanced by his falling speed.

Crash!!!

Rokuro's shadow released Fuchsia and diverted all its power to defense, succeeding in deflecting the attack by a hair's breadth.

"Tch, you noticed fast!"

The knight performed a backflip and landed as lightly as if he had no weight, then spat out his words with a rough attitude completely at odds with his magnificent movement.

"B-Berdigri, why?"

"Hah, sucks for you, Fuchsia! Chartreuse went down so easily, the Seven Knights would be amazed if they heard!"

The knight who appeared was a member of Underz, Berdigri of the 'Emerald Green Knight Order.'

Rokuro was surprised by this sudden additional force, but seeing Berdigri as more dangerous than the injured Fuchsia, he readied his stance.

And Fuchsia, his supposed ally, was looking at Berdigri with an expression of disbelief.

'Only Lord Lime and I crossed the royal palace mirror. Once you cross, the path doesn't open until the next Sabbath... don't tell me there are other mirrors!?'

The number of people who can use the 'Mirror' at once is limited. In the case of Chartreuse, who has high eiyōso, adding Fuchsia filled the capacity.

Therefore, if Berdigri transferred, he must have used a different 'Mirror,' but Fuchsia had never heard of such a story. Even though they were both in Underz, she couldn't drop her guard completely.

Even so, Fuchsia judged that this situation was a salvation.

Because as it was, she and Chartreuse would have just been defeated by the Black Knight.

"Berdigri, be careful! The Black Knight's power is—"

"Shut up! Don't go ordering me around like you're so important! Since Chartreuse lost, it's convenient. I'll bury the Black Knight along with her!"

"Wha..."

Fuchsia was speechless at Berdigri's remark, which seemed unthinkable from a Kingdom Knight.

She knew vaguely about his inferiority complex, but she hadn't thought he would plot to kill Chartreuse.

"The Green Bird will come to its true master. The new Green Knight is me!"

Rokuro, who had been listening silently until now, frowned at Berdigri, who made no attempt to hide his ambition, and revealed his disgust.

"—I'd show some restraint if you were just a knight following orders, but it seems you're just scum who doesn't need any consideration."