Chapter 115: 15-year-old Inglis and Hyrule Menaces' Escorting Directive (23)
「N-, no you can’t! That’s too dangerous! Right now, Eris, Raphael, Wayne, Lord Theodore, and many more Knights aren’t even here, you know! With just Academy people available, I won’t allow taking that risk!」
It was Ripple who raised her voice. Perhaps, thinking that way was only natural from her point of view.
Ripple’s normal personality was cheerful and she didn’t seem to be thinking too much about things. But, on the other hand, as a Hyrule Menace, she had a strong sense of duty to protect people, and it was apparent that she made it her raison d’etre with the words she spoke and the actions she took.
「Rather than letting that happen, I would rather obediently be returned to the Highland……!」
She didn’t want the Academy students to fight in a desperate, all-out war. If so, she must have thought that everything would be solved if she sacrificed herself.
「However, Miss Ripple. I don’t think that giving you up will be the most peaceful way to go with this.」 「Eh…… What do you mean?」 「While Mr. Redas didn’t give it much thought, Special Envoy Theodore believes that what happened to you is a form of sanction from the Church’s Union, so do I. If so, that means things won’t end with simply having a substitute Hyrule Menace. Let’s put it this way. Will you give a saving hand to an enemy if they’re in danger? If we prepared a valuable compensation asked nicely while kissing their boots, that would be a different story.」 「Compensation……What would be given to them, Glis?」 「Most likely, a midland territory…Specifically, a town and all the people in it……I think. Think again about the Nova city Lady Cyrene governed, Rani. I assume they will use Levitation Magic Formation to take the whole town away to the sky.」 「……! N-, no way……」
Ripple’s expression tightened.
「T-, that’s even worse! Lady Cyrene said she won’t let it happen, but a person like her is rare……!」 「You’re right, Rani.」 「……I am of the same opinion as Miss Inglis. While Mr. Redas did say he agreed to it out of worry, the top brass must have considered a lot of other factors.」 「If they didn’t, the negotiation will be difficult and huge damage will be bound to happen to the Imperial Guard Order. If things played poorly, it might even endanger the Royal Capital.」 「And that’s dreadful in its own right…… Fundamentally speaking, the right to command Hyrule Menaces falls under the jurisdiction of the Holy Knight Order. It’s entrusted onto Prince Wayne’s hand. If things went south, His Highness must bear responsibility for everything…… And if that happened, just what would happen to Academy after that…」 「The worst of the worst really is that this could lead to a civil war, isn’t it? It’s still unclear if His Highness would stay silent when he heard that a territory was used as a negotiation chip after it was settled. Then, predicting a rebellion in advance, the Imperial Knight Order could mobilize the new Hyrule Menace to stab His Highness in the back. Being pinched by the Venefian Army in the front and the Imperial Knight Order in the back, the Holy Knight Order wouldn’t stand a chance, would they?」
The Special Envoy at the Venefique Kingdom was from the Church’s Union, the faction opposing Special Envoy Theodore’s. If this kingdom’s Royal Faction sided with the Church’s Union, it was all too possible for them to conspire with the Venefian Army in order to attack Prince Wayne and Special Envoy Theodore.