TFR 409

A Sacred...(?) Battle [Part 3]

In this situation, this time it was the family who raised their voice to stop the knights. They couldn't allow the knights, who they painstakingly helped survive the Fire Fox, to die.

"That's why, would Your Majesty please take His Highness and Lady Emma with you and make a swift escape!"

One Royal Guard shouted.

They had never even thought they could win against the Imperial Army. Just that, as knights, they were determined to protect their lord.　

"WAAHHHH!"

The Royal Guards had to boost their morale so they could at least buy some time for the King to escape.

The outcome of this battle would not change whether the King was here or not. Then at the very least, they would tell themselves and their almost faltering minds, "It's our turn this time."

With trembling hands, they firmly gripped their swords again.

The opponents were humans. This battle would be different from monster hunting, where one couldn't do anything without proper knowledge.

This was their specialty.

The knights couldn't possibly not know how desperate-inducing the difference between them and the Imperial forces was. It was exactly because they understood that they forced a smile and held their swords.

Just like the Holy Maiden, Young Lady Emma of the House of Count Stuart, who risked her life to save them from the dangerous monster called Fire Fox.

The knights put up their boldest front, thinking it was worth trying if they could get her away as far as possible.

"I can't wait to find out how strong the Imperial Army is."

"Oh man, I can finally let loose after ages!"

"Haha, I can't stop shaking with excitement..."

Their lord aside, the knights thought in all seriousness that they could die satisfied if it were to protect their benefactor, Lady Holy Maiden.

Those knights looked like they were already lost in madness.

That's right. Emma-cult believers were all hardcore devotees.

This battle was to protect the Holy Maiden.

It was a holy war.

"Wha—! What's up with them...?!"

The knights of the Kingdom gripped their swords with a smile, despite the fact that this was, without a doubt, a battle with no chance of victory for them.

The strange state of the Kingdom knights agitated the Imperial soldiers, whose job required them to put their lives on the line, more strongly than the Chief Delegate, who was not a member of the military.

No soldiers displayed such a high level of loyalty to the Empire. Those Kingdom knights were still laughing in a situation where they would certainly lose their lives. The Imperial soldiers couldn't understand what was so amusing about that.

"Gasp...! No way. Are those guys... extreme m̲a̲s̲o̲c̲h̲i̲s̲t̲s?" muttered one soldier in the Imperial Army.

"Huh? M̲a̲s̲o̲c̲h̲i̲s̲t̲?

"So that's... how it is...!"

"M̲a̲s̲o̲c̲h̲i̲s̲t̲... which means... gasp!"

Who would have thought that such a casual remark would "shine a light on the truth" for them?

No, it was precisely because they hadn't thought of it that the idea spread throughout the army like a telephone game.

That those knights were m̲a̲s̲o̲c̲h̲i̲s̲t̲.

The Imperial soldiers couldn't understand their devo— ...no, loyalty. 'However, what if their actions are fueled not by loyalty (in the name of faith) but by fetish?

People's fetish knows no bounds.

For example, the knights who are the King's personal guards.

Have they not been kneeling before the h̲o̲r̲n̲y maiden until just now?

Moreover, they did it together with the naked King.

Um... yeah.

They are no doubt m̲a̲s̲o̲c̲h̲i̲s̲t̲s.

So pain is like a reward to them.

And that is... kinda...

"Eew..."

It's kinda... revolting,' thought the Imperial soldiers.

Overwhelming difference in military force.

It was an easy job where it was clear they would win no matter what with no way of losing.

And yet, still… they kinda hated it.

If things proceeded as is, the glorious battle taking place in the world's first war of aggression would end up being reduced to a sexual play just to give the knights a good time.

"Your Majesty! Take the Holy Maiden to the Royal Capital quickly!"