Hostage 3

Rotmiller was dead.

According to what I was told, he drew a cart toward the imperial capital to save me, then leaped off it to protect the cart.

Astarotta had been “kind” enough to mention that those Noark bastards had even taken Rottmiler’s head as a trophy.

But…

‘They don’t know yet.’

From the looks of it, Aynar, Amelia, and Auyen knew nothing about his fate. Eltora, of course, was the exception.

The moment Rottmiler’s name was mentioned, he stiffened and began glancing around silently.

‘What should I do?’

I wondered for a moment about whether to tell them about Rottmiler. There was a real chance that Aynar would lose control from the shock and do something reckless.

‘Wouldn’t she act the same way even if she wasn’t shocked?’

That thought ended my brief hesitation.

Yeah. I’ll just say it.

“Rotmiller is dead.”

In true Barbarian fashion, I got straight to the point.

There was no need to talk about how he leapt from the carriage, or how his head was severed and taken as a trophy by the Noark bastards. Saying all that wouldn’t change anything.

Rotmiller was dead, leaving behind only a brief, urgent message for me.

That was the only fact I needed to remember.

Aynar flinched “…Huh?”

She seemed to believe that Rotmiller had reached the imperial capital safely and was doing well, but unfortunately, his story did not end happily.

It was not all that surprising, really. After all, the two had grown close while staying together in the sanctuary.

Aynar made friends easily, be it with other barbarians or anyone else. She called them friends without reservation. She had countless close companions—far more than just Rotmiller.

And because of that—

“May his soul be guided to the place he believed in.”

With that brief prayer, Aynar gathered her emotions and moved on.

Death was nothing new to her. Barbarians were thrown into a merciless world of survival the instant they came of age.

‘…No, it’s not just Barbarians.’

This city was riddled with injustice, but there was one equality shared by all. Under the ever looming shadow of death, everyone stood the same.

“He was a decent man, rare in these times. That’s a shame.”

With that, Aynar ended her mourning.

Auyen, who had no personal connection to Rotmiller, showed little reaction.

The stronger response came from Amelia instead.

“Brown Rotmiller is dead…? While trying to save you?”

She muttered in disbelief.

Her pupils, usually unmoved by most things, dilated noticeably, and for some reason her shoulders seemed to tremble.

“…Are you okay?”

Amelia looked at me as if I were on the verge of making an extreme choice. I simply shrugged, keeping a straight face.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

She gave me a look that clearly said, ‘There’s no way that’s true…’, but she didn’t press further.

And it wasn’t a lie to begin with.

I really was fine.

At least, for now.

There were too many urgent matters demanding attention, and solving them took priority. He wouldn’t want me tripping over myself because I was looking backward.

Right, so…

Grip—

Facing Rottmiler’s death will come after all of this is over.

Only after I’ve informed those who cared for him, held his funeral, and finished pondering how to carry the heavy weight of his last words—only then will I truly feel what I have lost.

And then, the sleepless nights will follow for days.

Just like they always have. Dammit.

“…Don’t overdo it, Bjorn.”

I let Amelia’s worried words go in one ear and out the other. I appreciated the sentiment, but now was the time to look ahead.

“Hmm”

I scanned Eltora up and down, appraising him like a product, wondering how best to make use of the Marquiss’s son.

While I was thinking that, Eltora took the initiative and began pitching himself.

“The Noark army is currently split into three major factions: Noark, Orcules, and our House of the Marquis. However, since my father collapsed, the command of the Marquis’s forces has been temporarily transferred to me.”

“And?”

“Just say the word. Until my father wakes up, I have the power to grant you anything you desire.”

Eltora spoke like a cursed sword whispering to a hero in crisis.

And like someone bewitched, I voiced my wish.

“Then can I have a private meeting with the Marquis? While holding a hammer?”

“Ah… that might be a bit…”

Yeah, figures.

He put on such a convincing show that I almost believed it might actually work.

But of course, there was no way the Marquis would be that easy to reach.

As I glared at Eltora for getting my hopes up, he panicked and hurriedly added—

“B-but it’s not as if there’s absolutely no way…”

“What do you mean by ‘not absolutely’?”

When I snapped at him, Eltora explained a method he had just thought of, repeatedly emphasizing that he wasn’t sure it would work.

I listened without much expectation.

But once he finished explaining the plan—

“…It might be worth trying.”

After reaching that conclusion, I decided to put the plan into action.

And so—

Boom! Boom!

I charged up the stairs to the surface, sprinted through the lobby, and rushed toward the main gate, only to find it completely destroyed.

As I stepped out, warm sunlight poured down, revealing streets packed tightly with Noark soldiers.

This brings back memories.

Back then, I only possessed the essences of the Corpse Golem and the Vampire.

Boom!

As I fully stepped out of the gate, countless sharp gazes fixed themselves on me.

Being an “experienced veteran,” I knew there was no need for long-winded explanations.

Like Moses parting the Red Sea, I lifted Eltora into the air.

And…

“…Young Lord Tercerion has been taken hostage!”

Without saying a single word, I succeeded in communicating my intent to everyone.

***

Boom! Boom!

I was walking down the street while maintaining [Gigantification]. Amelia and Auyen were riding on my shoulders.

“Ooh!”

Aynar was following behind me like a large dog. Well, I could have carried Aynar too if I wanted… but she refused.

“Why bother? It is more comfortable to walk on my own two feet!”

That’s a proper barbarian for you.

Anyway.

Boom! Boom!

As I moved forward, Aynar followed close behind, with hundreds of Noarkans trailing her, their faces filled with worry and confusion over what they should do.

“Shouldn’t we do something?”

“If the marquis’s son dies, are you going to take responsibility?”

“Then we’re just going to keep following like this?”

“A report has been sent to the higher-ups. We should wait for their orders.”

A few of them seemed eager to act, but their voices were quickly drowned out by those insisting on waiting for orders from above.

“I see a few Orcules members among them. I will describe their appearances, traits, and the essences they are known to possess, so memorize them.”

According to Amelia, this group of soldiers was not entirely aligned with the marquis’s faction, but they still refrained from acting recklessly.

They were all in the same position, after all.

If they acted recklessly and the son of their allied leader were to die, it would turn into a major political crisis.

And so…

Boom! Boom!

This bizarre procession continued.

At a glance, it looked like an Olympic torch relay. Though instead of a torch, I was holding Eltora up by the neck, and hundreds of people were following behind.

And considering the Olympic torch symbolizes peace, the similarities between it and Eltora only increased.

“Ghk… p-please… a little gentler…”

The man himself seemed to be suffering from the strain on his neck with every step I took. Of course, peace was always bought with the sacrifice of a martyr.

Boom— Boom—

With that thought, I began to run, almost sprinting.

Walking would have taken hours.

“…Th-that’s where the Marquis is!”

“Baron Jandel has taken Young Lord Tercerion hostage and is targeting the Marquis!”

They were finally starting to grasp my goal, but no one interfered.

I had expected as much, but it still felt unreal.

This is actually working.

The person who came up with this idea was the Symbol of Peace himself, Eltora.

The Noarkan alliance suffered from a structural flaw. It had three separate command centers, and the commanders were not particularly loyal to one another. On top of that, human nature inclined them to prioritize their own safety above all else. That tendency was especially strong among the Noarkans. Taking all of this into account, I concluded that there was a good chance no one would try to stop me even if I simply walked in, and that proved to be correct.

[Baron Jandel is targeting His Excellency the Marquis!]

[What an atrocious bastard! Someone give us orders!]

[The Marquis is unconscious!]

[Then there must be a temporary authority holder!]

[That hostage is the temporary authority holder.]

[Well, if you intend to act on your own, we won’t stop you—but you alone will bear the responsibility!]

The discussion probably went something like that, resulting in this ridiculous scenario. Of course, the standing army’s full scale invasion of the imperial capital likely added to the chaos and indecision.

“Hm?”

After moving quickly, I finally spotted my destination in the distance, only to find a group standing in our path. Normally, I would have charged straight through without caring who tried to stop me. Unfortunately, that was not an option this time, not with these particular individuals.

The Demon Eye, Rollant Banozant. The vice commander of Orcules had appeared in person.

And he wasn’t alone, behind him stood dozens of what looked like real Orcules members.

Instead of shouting meaningless warnings, Rollant silently blocked my path. I, in turn, stopped without saying a word.

Then—

Lift.

I raised the symbol of peace even higher so he could see it clearly.

After all, this symbol of peace also came with a “conversation” function.

“Wh-what are you doing?! Everyone, stand aside—”

The human symbol cried out for peace, as promised. Unfortunately, it didn’t work on the opponents blocking our path.

“And why should we do that?”

The one who spoke in place of the vice captain was a man who looked as though he spent his free time reading and who was clearly skilled with words.

“Ar-are you saying we should fight among ourselves? At present, I hold full authority over the Marquis’s forces! With a single word from me, you’ll have to fight every soldier standing behind me!”

“Well… is that really the case?”

“…Huh?”

“The Noark Allied Forces have reached a conclusion. While Eltora Tercerion undeniably possessed the qualifications to serve as an appropriate temporary proxy, upon being captured by the enemy and becoming a prisoner, he has forfeited that qualification. In accordance with a duly drafted agreement—”

Gulp.

“As of this moment, Eltora Tercerion’s proxy authority has been revoked, and under the relevant clauses of the agreement, all authority is delegated to the Allied Forces until the Marquis regains consciousness.”

The bespectacled man, who had continued speaking in a dry, bureaucratic tone, then looked at Eltora and asked:

“This is just personal curiosity, but… are you actually being held hostage and making a fuss like this? Or did you just decide to switch sides altogether?”

“Ah, no need to answer. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

At his words, the symbol of peace looked utterly shaken.

The Symbol of Peace seemed deeply shocked by his words, but I felt no particular shock.

I simply discarded the symbol that had served its purpose, and pulled out a new symbol of peace into my hand.

Slide.

In the end, peace belonged to those who were strong.

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