Elric was utterly surprised to see a face he never expected to encounter here.
'Wait a minute, then this person is...'
Elric then realized who the large middle-aged man carrying Isabelle on his back was, and he quickly showed his respect.
“It is an honor to meet you, Blue Lion, Herman Weyl.”
“I am just an ordinary warrior who has received the mere title of count. There is no need for the Radiant Star Duke to show such formality. Nonetheless, it’s a pleasure to meet you. May I come in for a moment?”
Herman Weyl had the dignified and measured tone that Elric had heard of.
He was the very epitome of chivalry. That description fit him perfectly.
However, Elric felt more acutely that Herman was scrutinizing him keenly.
“Yes. Please come inside. But how did you come to be here...?”
“I felt it was not proper etiquette to host at home the benefactor who saved my daughter and the divine physician who cured my illness. So I went to the Imperial capital to meet you, but you weren’t there.”
“I assumed you were still contemplating as I had not received a response. So I stepped out for a moment, but it seems we missed each other.”
“I should apologize. I should have sent a letter announcing my visit beforehand, but I wanted to surprise you, so I came unannounced. I have no right to complain if you were not here.”
Herman lightly waved his hand and laughed as he entered the side palace with Isabelle.
Then he suddenly noticed the gazes directed their way, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
“But, I see some familiar faces here. I didn’t expect to find the hunting dog of the Gray Lion in a place like this.”
In an instant, Herman's gaze sharply focused on Heize.
Heize, with a grim expression, had already placed her hand on her hammer.
“Do you two know each other?”
“Know her? Of course. There’s one who is busy growling whenever I meet an ill-fated friend. I’ve encountered her several times because of that friend. And her relationship with you, Radiant Star Duke...?”
“She is my older sister.”
“Huh? You mean by blood?”
“Yes.”
“Ha! The legitimate daughter of the Melvinger family?”
Herman’s eyes were fixed on Heize with an expression of disbelief.
Heize growled fiercely.
“I’ve told you repeatedly, I am not a hunting dog.”
“Huh, hahaha!”
Herman seemed to have a lot to say, but he refrained, considering the setting.
“And there’s the old monster of the Nerester family.”
“I told you not to call me that.”
“What else would you call an old monster if not an old monster?”
Unlike the tension with Heize, the exchange with Augustine seemed more like a friendly banter.
“And there's even a leader of the traitor group and a beastman...! Your party is quite impressive.”
Herman looked over the group and chuckled.
It was fascinating to see such a diverse group united here, clearly centered around Elric.
‘All the more intriguing.’
Some people have a unique charm that naturally draws talented individuals around them.
Someone destined to soar high one day.
Herman judged Elric to be such a person.
It seemed like it was an act of God that he went straight over the Great Wall, ignoring the crown prince, whom he didn't want to see.
“But how did you get here? And what about the incidents outside?”
Isabelle stepped in to answer.
“After hearing from the leader of the 112th guard post that our benefactor had crossed the wall, we followed the trail north. That’s how we found out that humans were being held here in Anthromorph.”
After entering the Black Snowfield, Herman, Isabelle, and their party endured relentless monster attacks and the harsh cold. In search of a place to rest, they had ‘secretly’ visited Anthromorph.
By chance, they overheard the beastmen talking about humans being held in the palace the day before. Given the timing, they were certain it was Elric and his group, prompting them to take action.
“To deliberately distract the beastmen, our side is creating a commotion outside. If you want to leave, now is the time.”
Elric and others exchanged glances.
Although it was an unplanned incident, it was indeed the right opportunity to escape.
But the problem was the King Velence.
“I…”
The young Tiger King received a silent look asking what to do, and he unconsciously shrugged his shoulders.
At that moment, Elric approached him carefully, kneeling to meet his gaze.
“You said you wanted to leave here, right?”
The round eyes of the king wavered for a moment.
“Is that desire still unchanged?”
Elric’s clear eyes met the king’s, then shifted to Heize, who still held him. She nodded reassuringly, and the young king’s eyes hardened with determination.
“I want to leave. I will guide you to the Temple of Flowers.”
“Your Majesty!”
Fen looked at him with a worried expression.
“I believe it’s more dangerous to stay in this city any longer. Fen, I’m not asking you to follow me blindly. But please consider it.”
“...”
Fen could only stare in awe at the king, who seemed to have aged several years in a short span of time.
Elric smiled broadly and stood up.
“Alright then, let’s leave together. But since a deal is a deal, let’s visit the research wing first.”
“Why the research wing all of a sudden?” The Velence king tilted his head, puzzled.
“All the research data is in my head,” he said.
“...!”
“...!”
“...!”
Elric and the others were stunned, their mouths agape.
The amount of data related to the Body Strengthening Art would be enormous, yet he remembered it all?
Seeing his bright, innocent eyes, it was clear he wasn't lying.
“...A royal who’s also a genius? Isn’t that a bit too much?” Elric muttered.
Sean looked at Elric as if he had said something ridiculous, but Elric didn’t notice.
However, since they no longer needed to cross the research wing, escaping would be much easier.
“Let’s go, then.”
Everyone stood up simultaneously.
King Velence, still on Heize’s back, closed his eyes tightly.
“Escaping quietly amidst this commotion seems unlikely. Do you have any good ideas?” Sean asked.
Elric grinned. “Of course I do.”
His gaze settled on King Velence.
***
Irina, Captain of the royal bodyguard was gritting her teeth as she hurried to the scene of the commotion.
'This is all because we brought humans into the city! We should have left them to become monster fodder in the snow!'
The beastmen typically lived in city-states and were naturally closed off. However, this isolation made it difficult to stay informed about the outside world, so they occasionally captured humans. Irina despised this practice.
To begin with, humans are beings that only harm the beastmen. They were like demons. Keeping them around would only bring harm... and now this chaos had erupted because of them.
“But that blonde human didn’t seem like the type to cause this kind of trouble…!”
“Are you still not getting it? Don’t you see what’s happening?”
Moreover, some of her subordinates were convinced that the commotion had nothing to do with the humans. These were all beastmen who had exchanged a few words with Elric.
When Irina yelled at them, they naturally fell silent, looking downcast.
'We need to drive them out of the city, or kill them if necessary!'
Irina's anxiety had reached its peak when she heard that King Velence had gone to the palace where the humans were.
Of all places, the commotion was happening near the side palace!
As the captain of the royal bodyguard, loyal to the king, she couldn’t bear the thought of any harm coming to him.
“The side palace is in sight. Everyone, prepare for battle!”
At Irina's command, the guards began releasing their mana.
Crack, crack!
Snap, snap!
The bodies that had resembled humans started transforming into animal forms.
It was Beast Form.
And a fierce aura swept through the surroundings.
Swish, swish, swish!
Every member of the royal bodyguard was among the most skilled fighters in Anthromorph. They were warriors bearing the title of "Champion," and the energy they collectively exuded was formidable.
They were already planning to begin their mission to rescue King Velence in each group, following the orders given by Irina before dispatch.
But their movements came to an abrupt halt.
"Stop moving!"
Standing atop the pointed spire of the side palace was Elric, holding King Velence as a hostage!
"The king is in my hands! If you want to save him, stop whatever you're doing!"
Naturally, the royal bodyguard, the ministers and officials who had rushed out upon hearing the commotion, and even the citizens were all utterly shocked.
"Your Majesty!"
"That madman, what is he doing!"
"You scoundrel! How dare you lay a hand on His Majesty!"
"If you so much as scratch His Majesty’s body, I'll tear you to pieces!"
The beastmen were uniformly furious, but none dared to approach. Their anxious movements made it clear they feared for the king's safety.
While ambitious and greedy officials might not care, to the citizens of Anthromorph, the young king was a treasured figure.
Despite his youth, he was always composed and tried to memorize the names of citizens to get closer to them. No one could dislike him for that.
Even aside from his royal lineage, he was genuinely loved.
"Someone save His Majesty! Please! Save the king!"
At that moment, Fen came running out of the side palace in a frantic state.
His face was covered in soot, and his clothes were tattered, clearly showing he had endured hardship inside.
"Captain of the Royal Bodyguard! Please save our king! Please, save him!" Fen clung to Irina's trousers, sobbing uncontrollably.
Irina, her expression hard as stone, tried to calm him. "What exactly happened?"
"They...! They cowardly abducted our king, who had come to negotiate in person, and now they are threatening us!"
"Why did you not bring the royal bodyguard with you? If we had been there, this disaster would not have occurred!"
"I'm... I'm sorry. It was entirely my fault. The relationship between the Prime Minister and you is well-known... I recommended that he go without you."
"Do you realize what you're saying? No matter how much I respect the Prime Minister as a father figure, my duty comes first!"
"I have no excuses. I was shortsighted. I thought that even if an incident occurred, I could handle it myself, given my past as a champion. I was wrong. I will accept any punishment."
Fen's head drooped, his appearance resembling that of someone confessing to a grave crime.
"We will deal with your responsibility after this is resolved. First, we must rescue the king."
Irina's eyes blazed as she looked up. Elric was yelling loudly, his expression menacing, or at least it appeared so from her perspective.
"Clear the way! Otherwise, your king might get hurt!"
For a moment, Irina considered charging in, but she had to shake her head. From the display of martial prowess earlier, it was clear that Elric was not someone to be underestimated.
'The two elders and the woman with him seemed even stronger, if anything. Not to mention, several of our warriors fell to the intruders causing the commotion...!'
A misstep could spell disaster.
Finally, she made a difficult decision.
'...There's no choice.'
After a long pause, Irina commanded the royal bodyguard.
"Everyone, clear the way!"
Elric was utterly surprised to see a face he never expected to encounter here.
'Wait a minute, then this person is...'
Elric then realized who the large middle-aged man carrying Isabelle on his back was, and he quickly showed his respect.
“It is an honor to meet you, Blue Lion, Herman Weyl.”
“I am just an ordinary warrior who has received the mere title of count. There is no need for the Radiant Star Duke to show such formality. Nonetheless, it’s a pleasure to meet you. May I come in for a moment?”
Herman Weyl had the dignified and measured tone that Elric had heard of.
He was the very epitome of chivalry. That description fit him perfectly.
However, Elric felt more acutely that Herman was scrutinizing him keenly.
“Yes. Please come inside. But how did you come to be here...?”
“I felt it was not proper etiquette to host at home the benefactor who saved my daughter and the divine physician who cured my illness. So I went to the Imperial capital to meet you, but you weren’t there.”
“I assumed you were still contemplating as I had not received a response. So I stepped out for a moment, but it seems we missed each other.”
“I should apologize. I should have sent a letter announcing my visit beforehand, but I wanted to surprise you, so I came unannounced. I have no right to complain if you were not here.”
Herman lightly waved his hand and laughed as he entered the side palace with Isabelle.
Then he suddenly noticed the gazes directed their way, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
“But, I see some familiar faces here. I didn’t expect to find the hunting dog of the Gray Lion in a place like this.”
In an instant, Herman's gaze sharply focused on Heize.
Heize, with a grim expression, had already placed her hand on her hammer.
“Do you two know each other?”
“Know her? Of course. There’s one who is busy growling whenever I meet an ill-fated friend. I’ve encountered her several times because of that friend. And her relationship with you, Radiant Star Duke...?”
“She is my older sister.”
“Huh? You mean by blood?”
“Yes.”
“Ha! The legitimate daughter of the Melvinger family?”
Herman’s eyes were fixed on Heize with an expression of disbelief.
Heize growled fiercely.
“I’ve told you repeatedly, I am not a hunting dog.”
“Huh, hahaha!”
Herman seemed to have a lot to say, but he refrained, considering the setting.
“And there’s the old monster of the Nerester family.”
“I told you not to call me that.”
“What else would you call an old monster if not an old monster?”
Unlike the tension with Heize, the exchange with Augustine seemed more like a friendly banter.
“And there's even a leader of the traitor group and a beastman...! Your party is quite impressive.”
Herman looked over the group and chuckled.
It was fascinating to see such a diverse group united here, clearly centered around Elric.
‘All the more intriguing.’
Some people have a unique charm that naturally draws talented individuals around them.
Someone destined to soar high one day.
Herman judged Elric to be such a person.
It seemed like it was an act of God that he went straight over the Great Wall, ignoring the crown prince, whom he didn't want to see.
“But how did you get here? And what about the incidents outside?”
Isabelle stepped in to answer.
“After hearing from the leader of the 112th guard post that our benefactor had crossed the wall, we followed the trail north. That’s how we found out that humans were being held here in Anthromorph.”
After entering the Black Snowfield, Herman, Isabelle, and their party endured relentless monster attacks and the harsh cold. In search of a place to rest, they had ‘secretly’ visited Anthromorph.
By chance, they overheard the beastmen talking about humans being held in the palace the day before. Given the timing, they were certain it was Elric and his group, prompting them to take action.
“To deliberately distract the beastmen, our side is creating a commotion outside. If you want to leave, now is the time.”
Elric and others exchanged glances.
Although it was an unplanned incident, it was indeed the right opportunity to escape.
But the problem was the King Velence.
“I…”
The young Tiger King received a silent look asking what to do, and he unconsciously shrugged his shoulders.
At that moment, Elric approached him carefully, kneeling to meet his gaze.
“You said you wanted to leave here, right?”
The round eyes of the king wavered for a moment.
“Is that desire still unchanged?”
Elric’s clear eyes met the king’s, then shifted to Heize, who still held him. She nodded reassuringly, and the young king’s eyes hardened with determination.
“I want to leave. I will guide you to the Temple of Flowers.”
“Your Majesty!”
Fen looked at him with a worried expression.
“I believe it’s more dangerous to stay in this city any longer. Fen, I’m not asking you to follow me blindly. But please consider it.”
“...”
Fen could only stare in awe at the king, who seemed to have aged several years in a short span of time.
Elric smiled broadly and stood up.
“Alright then, let’s leave together. But since a deal is a deal, let’s visit the research wing first.”
“Why the research wing all of a sudden?” The Velence king tilted his head, puzzled.
“All the research data is in my head,” he said.
“...!”
“...!”
“...!”
Elric and the others were stunned, their mouths agape.
The amount of data related to the Body Strengthening Art would be enormous, yet he remembered it all?
Seeing his bright, innocent eyes, it was clear he wasn't lying.
“...A royal who’s also a genius? Isn’t that a bit too much?” Elric muttered.
Sean looked at Elric as if he had said something ridiculous, but Elric didn’t notice.
However, since they no longer needed to cross the research wing, escaping would be much easier.
“Let’s go, then.”
Everyone stood up simultaneously.
King Velence, still on Heize’s back, closed his eyes tightly.
“Escaping quietly amidst this commotion seems unlikely. Do you have any good ideas?” Sean asked.
Elric grinned. “Of course I do.”
His gaze settled on King Velence.
***
Irina, Captain of the royal bodyguard was gritting her teeth as she hurried to the scene of the commotion.
'This is all because we brought humans into the city! We should have left them to become monster fodder in the snow!'
The beastmen typically lived in city-states and were naturally closed off. However, this isolation made it difficult to stay informed about the outside world, so they occasionally captured humans. Irina despised this practice.
To begin with, humans are beings that only harm the beastmen. They were like demons. Keeping them around would only bring harm... and now this chaos had erupted because of them.
“But that blonde human didn’t seem like the type to cause this kind of trouble…!”
“Are you still not getting it? Don’t you see what’s happening?”
Moreover, some of her subordinates were convinced that the commotion had nothing to do with the humans. These were all beastmen who had exchanged a few words with Elric.
When Irina yelled at them, they naturally fell silent, looking downcast.
'We need to drive them out of the city, or kill them if necessary!'
Irina's anxiety had reached its peak when she heard that King Velence had gone to the palace where the humans were.
Of all places, the commotion was happening near the side palace!
As the captain of the royal bodyguard, loyal to the king, she couldn’t bear the thought of any harm coming to him.
“The side palace is in sight. Everyone, prepare for battle!”
At Irina's command, the guards began releasing their mana.
Crack, crack!
Snap, snap!
The bodies that had resembled humans started transforming into animal forms.
It was Beast Form.
And a fierce aura swept through the surroundings.
Swish, swish, swish!
Every member of the royal bodyguard was among the most skilled fighters in Anthromorph. They were warriors bearing the title of "Champion," and the energy they collectively exuded was formidable.
They were already planning to begin their mission to rescue King Velence in each group, following the orders given by Irina before dispatch.
But their movements came to an abrupt halt.
"Stop moving!"
Standing atop the pointed spire of the side palace was Elric, holding King Velence as a hostage!
"The king is in my hands! If you want to save him, stop whatever you're doing!"
Naturally, the royal bodyguard, the ministers and officials who had rushed out upon hearing the commotion, and even the citizens were all utterly shocked.
"Your Majesty!"
"That madman, what is he doing!"
"You scoundrel! How dare you lay a hand on His Majesty!"
"If you so much as scratch His Majesty’s body, I'll tear you to pieces!"
The beastmen were uniformly furious, but none dared to approach. Their anxious movements made it clear they feared for the king's safety.
While ambitious and greedy officials might not care, to the citizens of Anthromorph, the young king was a treasured figure.
Despite his youth, he was always composed and tried to memorize the names of citizens to get closer to them. No one could dislike him for that.
Even aside from his royal lineage, he was genuinely loved.
"Someone save His Majesty! Please! Save the king!"
At that moment, Fen came running out of the side palace in a frantic state.
His face was covered in soot, and his clothes were tattered, clearly showing he had endured hardship inside.
"Captain of the Royal Bodyguard! Please save our king! Please, save him!" Fen clung to Irina's trousers, sobbing uncontrollably.
Irina, her expression hard as stone, tried to calm him. "What exactly happened?"
"They...! They cowardly abducted our king, who had come to negotiate in person, and now they are threatening us!"
"Why did you not bring the royal bodyguard with you? If we had been there, this disaster would not have occurred!"
"I'm... I'm sorry. It was entirely my fault. The relationship between the Prime Minister and you is well-known... I recommended that he go without you."
"Do you realize what you're saying? No matter how much I respect the Prime Minister as a father figure, my duty comes first!"
"I have no excuses. I was shortsighted. I thought that even if an incident occurred, I could handle it myself, given my past as a champion. I was wrong. I will accept any punishment."
Fen's head drooped, his appearance resembling that of someone confessing to a grave crime.
"We will deal with your responsibility after this is resolved. First, we must rescue the king."
Irina's eyes blazed as she looked up. Elric was yelling loudly, his expression menacing, or at least it appeared so from her perspective.
"Clear the way! Otherwise, your king might get hurt!"
For a moment, Irina considered charging in, but she had to shake her head. From the display of martial prowess earlier, it was clear that Elric was not someone to be underestimated.
'The two elders and the woman with him seemed even stronger, if anything. Not to mention, several of our warriors fell to the intruders causing the commotion...!'
A misstep could spell disaster.
Finally, she made a difficult decision.
'...There's no choice.'
After a long pause, Irina commanded the royal bodyguard.
"Everyone, clear the way!"
