Chapter 73: 15 years old Inglis and Chiral's Royal Knight Academy (23)
A Highlander Knight——Faris claimed himself. If so, then Inglis could raise her hope up. If Highlander Knights were weaker than the Knights of Midland, then the Highland wouldn’t be able to suppress them. They would be a laughingstock if the very Artifacts they gave to the Midlander defeated them. Therefore, a Highlander Knight must have the power to overwhelm the forces of Midland, or something else equivalent to it. Inglis was looking forward to witnessing that power with her own eyes.
「You sure seem happy. I’m enthralled to see that beautiful face of yours contort in fear.」 「I very much agree. I too want to see my own expression in such an event. If you’re that much of a powerhouse, that is.」 「If so——How does this sound? O’ Gate, open!」
A ripple in the space, something akin to a space distortion, vortexes around Faris’ clenched fists. In the blink of an eye, the distortion warped all around, changing the scenery in front of Inglis. Before she noticed, Inglis was already standing in a space with no walls or edges, accompanied with yellow-green light motes floating around.
「This is… a subspace?」 「It’s like the 『Maze of Trials』……!」 「R-, rather than that, look at the surroundings! There are Magic Stone Beasts everywhere!」 「W-, what’s with that number!?」
Just as Leone and Prime Minister Althea said, there were legions and legions of Magic Stone Beasts crowding around. They numbered not in tens, but in hundreds or even bordering thousands. The countless beasts were all encircling Inglis, Faris, and the others from a distance. They seemed to be unable to enter the pale-colored pillar of light Inglis and the others were in, as it seemed to be a safe-zone in this subspace.
「The beasts were gushing out from here, huh……!?」
That would explain why Inglis couldn’t feel their presence until they made their appearance. When Inglis, Rafinha, and Leone were boarding on the Flygear Carrier, the beasts were dwelling in this subspace, and thus they technically didn’t exist. Unlike the Ironblood Chain Brigade’s method of using Prism Powder to produce Magic Stone Beasts, Faris gathered the naturally spawned instances of those beasts and locked them in this space.
「That is what it is. Being in the same space with these monsters makes my skin crawl, though.」 「In short, you gathered them to doctor the crime scene as if it was the work of the brigade, is it?」 「Spot on. It’s already well known that it’s their modus operandi, isn’t it? Those foolish Knights of the Kingdom were too shortsighted. If you want to frame, make sure that every piece of evidence points in the correct direction. You see, I’m a cautious man.」1 「I see. So for that reason you asked us to be your guards.」 「What do you mean, Glis?」 「In his script, the three of us will join the Ironblood Chain Brigade, kill Special Envoy Myynti along with Prime Minister Althea, and ultimately break the ongoing negotiation.」 「…… I see! It’ll be all more convincing with me here, since people will think I’m chasing after my brother!」 「…… And since I’m here, big brother Rafa will be suspected of being affiliated with the brigade as well!」 「Yeah. I think that is the case. I feel sick just imagining it.」 「Me too……!」 「Unforgivable!!」 「That’s my line, you damn brats……! That’s not the only reason I brought the three of you here. I’ll avenge the death of Rahal with your lives——」 「…… Mr. Rahal’s? I’m surprised to learn that someone adores a person like him.」 「You must be a freak to avenge a b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲ like him! He’s no better than that special envoy from before!」 「Hmph. Quite the nerve you have to ridicule a son in front of his father.」 「「F-, Father……!?」」2
Both Inglis and Rafinha raised a surprised shout. So, he is actually Mister Lambert? Him being a representative of the firm was a farce too?No, that doesn’t matter now, but what’s with his youth——? His age doesn’t look that far apart from Rahal’s when he died.