For a brief moment, Siegfried, standing there dumbfounded, looked at me and gave a crooked smile.

“Can you even do it?”

Truthfully, I had no intention of killing him.

No, let me correct that. I do want to kill him, but I don’t have the ability to do so.

“Well.”

Even in a state of anger that paralyzed my reason, I tried not to lose my cool and stared at Siegfried.

But every time I saw his unpleasant sneer, a dark emotion surged deep within my heart. It wasn’t just because I found that guy unpleasant.

“Is that even a question?”

“Do as you want. I intended to kill you too.”

It was the first time I saw Helena lose her reason due to anger, and it was also the first time she got injured like that because of me.

That fact alone made me feel like my brain would go numb with boiling rage.

Having received Siegfried’s permission, which wasn’t really permission, I exhaled softly and turned around to walk towards Helena.

Sylvia was by her side.

“How is Helena?”

“… She’s fine. Her life isn’t in danger.”

“Thank goodness.”

Letting out a small sigh of relief, I crouched beside her and gazed at Helena’s face, which was still frowning as if in pain.

Foolish.

The reason I reject Helena so much is because I think I’m not the Felix she loves.

Even though my name is Felix, I couldn’t be the one she loved. Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but think Helena was foolish for not knowing that fact.

Somehow, I felt Helena would have acted the same way even if she knew that fact.

Exhaling softly, I tidied the hair stuck to Helena’s sweat-drenched face, took the sword from her hand, and raised it.

“Hah.”

At the same time, I could feel it.

Felix liked Helena.

Helena’s love for Felix wasn’t unrequited. Although I’ll have to think a bit about why he confessed to Sylvia despite that.

At the same time, Felix’s memories convey emotions to me, and the anger derived from them takes over my body.

Gripping the sword, I cool my head.

“Shall we try?”

Siegfried cannot use the sword strike he used earlier.

It can only be used when facing monsters. Even if he uses a trick to forcefully activate it against monsters made from magic like he did earlier, there is no chance of it happening now.

Of course, even if he can’t use such things, the gap between him and me is quite significant.

However, I had no intention of easily forgiving Siegfried. But I didn’t need to butt heads with him either recklessly.

That’s what Siegfried wants.

The mission he received from Jeffrey would be to kill me, and he could kill me using this trivial dispute as an excuse.

To Siegfried, what’s important is to take Sylvia with him.

In other words, killing one person is just a trivial matter to him.

Whether it’s someone close to Ashillya, the Crown Princess, or the second son of a noble family.

I returned Siegfried’s crooked smile.

“…Why would I?”

“Are you scared?”

At the simple and vulgar expression, I shook my head.

As I said, I was angry but didn’t lose my reason.

“What do you think I can do? I have no confidence.”

As I waved my hand and feigned humility, Siegfried finally realized something was off and frowned.

He seemed to feel something was not quite right about my attitude that was different from before. But it was already too late. I handed Helena’s cherished sword to the side and opened my mouth.

“Let me tell you just one thing.”

Step.

I feel someone take the sword in my hand. Feeling that, I continued.

“Your chance to kill me has already passed.”

Cain, who took my sword, frowned and drew the sword. He probably doesn’t like my plan, but he likes the idea of facing Siegfried, whom he dislikes even more.

“…Is that all?”

As Cain took the sword and stepped forward, Siegfried said with a sneer.

It seems he’s underestimating Cain too much…

He also seemed to have read that impression as he gave a hollow laugh and stared straight at Siegfried.

“You think I can’t kill you because of that?”

Siegfried also drew his sword and faced Cain. However, what I prepared was not a fight between the two.

Of course, I didn’t think Cain would lose either. I simply thought having just one line of defense wasn’t an effective way to deal with this crazy bastard.

Cain was simply insurance if Siegfried tried to escape from here and flee to the Sun Church or Jeffrey.

But we bought enough time.

The real deal is.

Tap.

“Thankfully.”

This side.

“You’re admitting your guilt on your own.”

Ashillya, who appeared with a leisurely gait, looks at Siegfried with indifferent eyes.

Her coldly settled eyes shined in an eerie way for some reason. She was clearly angry, whether because of me or his arrogance in trying to touch someone from her supporting families.

I couldn’t tell.

“The crime of threatening to murder a proud citizen of the Empire in front of Us and harming Our people, even if you are a Hero.”

“…Crown Princess.”

“It cannot be easily overlooked.”

At Ashillya’s anger seeping out faintly, Siegfried still let out a hollow laugh. I frowned at his attitude. That was too disrespectful to show in front of the Empire’s Crown Princess.

But Ashillya didn’t seem to care at all. It was as if his attitude had nothing to do with her, no matter what he showed.

“Is hiding behind a woman all you’ve prepared?”

“Are you asking if that’s embarrassing?”

“Is it not?”

I scratched my head and shrugged at Siegfried’s words, answering him.

“Why would it be?”

I’m just utilizing the cards I have. At the same time, didn’t my father say not to butt my head into things I can’t handle?

Even if, by some chance, I caught Siegfried alone here, it would only serve as a point of conflict with the Sun Church. And there’s no way a mere earl can win against the Empire’s first religion.

That’s why I borrowed the power of others. The strongest power I could borrow.

You would also hide behind the Sun Church if you were politically disadvantaged. Isn’t that what you were thinking when you said you’d kill me?

And if I say that, even Siegfried will try to borrow the power of others.

In his mind, he probably plans to borrow the power of the Sun Church or Jeffrey to get out of this.

“…”

Seeing Siegfried close his mouth after being hit where it hurts, I smiled crookedly. Ashillya, who had a similar one, continued.

“We also know that you are trying to borrow Jeffrey’s power. But in Our opinion.”

Ashillya must have been so angry that she wasn’t even using the honorifics as she usually did. As I shuddered slightly at that sight, Ashillya, who smiled benevolently at me, turned her gaze and said. (TN: It’s hard to do it in English, so just take it as it is.)

“That child, Jeffrey, doesn’t seem like he would help you.”

“…”

Siegfried must also know.

Jeffrey is skilled at cutting off tails. He instigates and executes something; if that goes wrong, he pretends not to know and withdraws.

Siegfried must not be unaware of that fact either.

“Right. Then what should I do?”

Siegfried, pretending to be at ease, stroked his chin and said, while spinning his Holy Sword like a delinquent.

Slowly and leisurely spinning the sword, he shifted his gaze to Sylvia and asked.

“What will you do? Sylvia.”

“…”

“Think carefully. Excluding the emotional part. Even excluding my downfall, if you accept my proposal, you can win against that woman in the competition.”

Sylvia remained silent.

Siegfried seemed to think Sylvia was contemplating his proposal, but her thoughts seemed slightly different.

“You know,”

Sylvia’s voice rings out.

“Even if you weren’t a sinking ship, I have no intention of joining you.”

“…Why?”

“Putting everything else aside, I cannot agree to such an inhumane act.”

“Just because of that? Such a trivial matter is…”

“And.”

Sylvia, who cut off Siegfried’s lengthy speech with a resolute voice, looked him straight in the eye and said.

“I will win even without such a thing. So don’t worry about me.”

As I gasped at Sylvia’s resolute words, she immediately turned bright red and scratched her head.

“…I see.”

Siegfried, staring directly at her appearance, deeply bowed his head and nodded.

What’s this? He’s not the type to admit it so easily.

It seems I wasn’t the only one who felt that way, as Cain also gripped his sword, took a stance, and looked at Siegfried.

“Then,”

“Are you going to take her by force?”

But before he could properly take any action or say anything.

Ashillya raised her hand. Cutting off Siegfried’s words.

At the same time, her shadows that rose from the darkness rushed forth.