第４６９堀：姫と脳筋の行方 (Part2)
The kick was so clean and devoid of wasted motion that the young man behind me and Comet broke into applause. Had my hands not been bound, I would have joined them. It was truly that impressive a strike.
*My, so even a woman can move with such precision. It seems it was simply your own lack of training that was the problem.*
"……Could you please not lump me in with Nonoa-sama?"
Well, this is quite the spectacle. Judging by the situation, it seems Nonoa and Comet have sided with the enemy.
"Eh!?"
In any light, this hardly looks like the state of prisoners.
"W-what are you..."
"Don't 'what' me!! Thanks to you and that idiot princess over there, my country was nearly driven to ruin!! Spouting off all sorts of lies and fabrications! There was no justice or reason in any of it!! How do you intend to take responsibility for this mess!?"
Indeed, a thunderous voice erupted from the seemingly demure Nonoa.
"Y-you were deceived..."
"I was not!! I met with Luna-sama, and you should have realized something was wrong the moment that man named Irwin appeared!! Did he even know the proper way to utilize a dungeon!?"
"Hah?"
"Don't 'hah' me!! The atrocities you claimed Weed committed never happened. To begin with, DP is earned simply by allowing people to live within the dungeon, so there was never any slaughter of the populace! You idiot!!"
"W-what does this mean?"
Perhaps finally realizing the absurdity of the situation, Nogosh looked toward me—or rather, toward Bicks, who is the Dungeon Master. I suppose I should offer an explanation, though I only know of things since I took up the sword; I know little of this "Dungeon" way of life.
"Eh!? W-wait a moment!? A-ah, well... isn't it true that DP can only be obtained by killing living beings within the dungeon?"
Bicks stammered in response.
"That is the misconception. It was the strategy Irwin employed. He had you rampaging so he could cut you down under the guise of 'justice.' I fell for it easily enough, too. When a Dungeon Master princess is deceived from the start, one doesn't even suspect they are being played. It’s truly malicious."
"T-that can't be..."
Why act so surprised now? Surely he realized that with that young warrior on the enemy side, there was no chance of victory? He was always capable of such things. After all, his master is Kamiizumi Nobutsuna. That man is a master of military strategy as well. Truly, it is magnificent that he managed to raise such a young warrior in a foreign land.
"So, have you grasped the situation correctly now?"
"If so, bring that brat to me!! I cannot let it end with my people, who followed me, being toyed with! I will at least land one strike on him!"
"You aren't saying you want revenge on Weed, then?"
"The situation no longer allows for it, and if Nonoa-dono’s words are true, there is no reason to destroy them. I have my pride as the God of the Sword, but that is secondary to the peace of my people."
Hoh. I thought he was just a fool clinging to power, but it seems he has a core after all. It is true that this man acted believing his opponent was evil. Once the fog of suspicion clears, he is a proper warrior.
"I see. In that case, settle your personal rematch with Irwin later. The matter of Weed and the Ranks comes first."
"……You intend to take my head and the head of the princess there, do you not? Then take only mine. The princess was merely caught up in that brat’s personal vendetta. I will take responsibility for the damage caused this time. But promise me this: you will not lay a hand on my people!"
"Now, now, calm yourself. Do you understand why I came here? To begin with, I was on your side, too."
"……Was that not because you cooperated to capture us and were granted amnesty in return?"
"Ah, well. That is one way to look at it. But if that were all, I would have no reason to come here for negotiations. The important thing is, ultimately, only the execution of those royal guards and the handover of Bicks himself. On the surface, at least. So, we aren't actually at war with Nogosh’s Land of the Sword, you understand?"
"……In other words. If I say I will join hands with Weed here and now, there will be no punishment?"
"There will be consequences. That sword you had Bicks procure—it was one of the 'Five Swords under Heaven,' a national treasure from the homeland of the Hero King Taiki-dono, Japan. Since you handled it so carelessly and even resurrected an Ogre like Shuten-doji, you should expect a thorough scolding for that."
"……Then, what will become of Princess Bicks?"
"That is not for us to decide."
With that, Nonoa looked at me and the young man. It seems the contest between you and that young man begins now. Well, leave it to me. She has already mediated with the most troublesome one, Nogosh. The rest, I shall handle myself.
With this, the story updates for this year conclude.
Next will be the year-end special pitfall.
The story will now begin to head toward its conclusion.
Please understand that there will be a short break.