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Chapter 410: Asylum Acceptance
Chapter 410: Asylum Acceptance
Chapter 410: Asylum Acceptance
Your Highness! Are you not running too much ahead!?
Marc who was running behind tried to advise me to slow down but I accelerated the horse further instead.
Even without magic, my horse is already fast. After all, it is one of the carefully selective breed warhorses the north is promoting to the merchants.
Even with my inadequate riding skill, I can get more than enough speed from it.
The Imperial Knights are running in formation around me. This kind of situation is not that uncommon for them.
Moreover, this is the Third Imperial Knight Corp trained personally by Elna. They wont fall behind the person they are supposed to escort.
However, the same couldnt be said about the other knights.
The distance is getting wider..
Elna muttered while looking behind us.
The Knights of the eastern nobles army are following behind us.
The gap between us is getting wider little by little.
However, I dont have time to adjust our speed.
They ran out of their camp without any preparation. Naturally, they should feel more fatigued than normal. After all, they dont even know where and why we are going.
Still, I have no choice but to count on them doing their best.
Rather than the horses, the problem is with the knights. Why dont you say something to them?
They wont feel any more motivated with my words. Those are knights of the east you know?
The knights of the north would be one thing but my words hold no persuasive power over the knights of the east.
Duke Reinfeld can rally them up but the duke is almost at his limit himself.
Ted, the boy who came to us as a messenger, is giving us the directions. He was originally riding with Duke Reinfeld but he has already been moved from the dukes horse to one of the Imperial Knights.
Duke Reinfeld is a little behind us.
No one exactly has any power to spare right now.
When I thought that way, I suddenly heard a loud sound from behind me.
When I turned back, the knights were approaching us with increased speed.
They are catching up? How?
She probably caught up
Leading the knights.
Was a woman donning a blue mantle.
Although she is supposed to have left the city later than us, she has already caught up.
Its rude to go out suddenly like that you know. If you want to go out then at least give me a call.
The reason the knights are motivated now was Lize-aneue who is running in front of them.
For the knights of the east, Lize-aneue who has been protecting the eastern border is not just any royalty.
She is an object of worship.
If such a person runs in front of them then of course they would not want to fall behind.
Whats wrong, Jurgen? Already out of breath?
Its only a temporary break, Your Highness! Please dont mind me..!
Duke Reinfeld who managed to catch up with us roughly exhales and tells such a blatant lie.
However, this person will never settle with a lie.
Although he may be only relying on his willpower alone, its clear that he has no intention to fall behind Lize-aneue.
So? What is this about?
The plan for the princesss asylum has been moved up. She is already being chased by her pursuers.
This is big huh.
Yes, Thats why I came out here myself. A battle near the border will start a war. And I am the only one who can take the responsibility for that.
..you should just leave something like that to me.
I was named the Emperors representative.I intend to fulfill that responsibility.
Hmph.then let me witness it. This responsibility is yours.
Saying so, Lize-aneue slowed her horse down a little.
If she feels like it then she should be able to overtake me. It seems that she intends to match my pace.
Well, if we increase the speed any more than this then the knights will seriously be left behind after all.
After that, the forced march continues for a while.
We continued to run even when night turned to dawn.
And as a result of focusing solely on speed, we managed to reach the area near the border.
There, we found something unexpected.
Your Highnessthat..?
Dominion citizens.
It was a group of about 200 people that caught our eyes.
Although they seemed to be exhausted, they are still moving forward.
Jii-san!
Ted, who was riding with the Imperial Knight, shouted in a loud voice.
I immediately make my way toward the group of citizens.
Is that your people?
Yes!
The person Ted called over is a large-built old man.
With a bow in hand, the old man looked toward us.
Judging from the fact that the Imperial Knights put their guard up with only a glance from him, I can see that this old mans ability is a real deal.
Jii-san! Everyone! Are you safe!!
When Ted approached them, he got off his horse and ran up to the old man and hugged him.
Then, the children behind the old man also hugged him in turn.
Although it was a moving scene, it lacks the important person.
Im Arnold Lakes Adler, 7th Prince of the Empire. I heard that the princess was traveling here to seek asylum with us but where is she?
Oh..forgive my rudeness.
When the old man kneeled to me, everyone also kneeled at once.
This old man probably led them until here.
This one is called Travis. Her Highness the princess had taken a different route to escape.
In other words..the enemy concentrated their forces on the princess?
Yes. We were only attacked by a few soldiers so far.
Normally, these people should be the decoy.
However, it didnt turn out like that.
The fact that Mia isnt here means that she is with the princess huh.
Your Highness, I havent heard that there would be this many people seeking asylum with us. To accept this number of people, I think that we should go through his Majesty.
I will take the responsibility. Take everyone in. I will leave their protection to the knights.
However..
They are already here! What? Was the Empire such a small country that cant accept this number of people!?
This will cause problems, Your Highness. Once we accept them, we will have to keep accepting more and more people.
I dont care. If they cant live in the Empire then we can send them back to the Dominion. After we win the war that is.
Marc who had advised me sighs and withdraws.
The nobles at the Imperial Capital will get noisy again.
Even with my position as the Warden of the North, accepting this many people without consulting Father would cause a problem.
However, I cant afford to care about that now.
If the enemys pursuits were focused on Mia then it would only be a matter of time before they catch up with them.
The fastest way to find them would be looking for them from the sky but if I let the Imperial Knights go, the responsibility will fall to Elna instead.
I can make all kinds of excuses but because of me, Elnas position is not that good right now. Making it worse would be bad.
When I was thinking so far, a white flying dragon came down from the sky.
I am sorry for being late, Your Highness. I was assigned as a messenger.
Said Finn who descended from the sky.
Certainly, Finn had been flying around all over the north as a messenger.
So he went out of his way to come to me huh.
That was a good decision.
Lize-aneue, I leave the command of the knights to you.
What are you going to do?
I am going to search the border from the sky.
Saying so, I straddled behind the flying dragon with Finns help.
Elna and the Imperial Knights are with me! Lize-aneue, please leave some of the knights here to protect these people!
Alright. I will use you as a landmark and follow behind.
Yes, Im counting on you!
Prince Arnold! Please, Mia-nee!
Leave her to me!
With that said, we flew toward the border.
We no longer have Ted guiding us.
I was looking over the border area from the sky but it was Finn who offered a better option.
Lets have Nova follow the scent of the people!
Can it do that?
We underwent the training for that since a long time ago. We thought that we could only act as a reconnaissance unit after all.
Alright!
I can hardly laugh at his reason but thanks to that we dont need someone to guide us.
With Finn and Nova leading the way, we flew toward the plain near the border.
Their Nova cries out.
They are close by! Should we ambush them, Your Highness?
Descend now! The situation has too many unknown factors!
What I saw from the sky were two girls surrounded by a unit of about a thousand soldiers.
We landed on a slightly elevated hill.
Lize-aneue who were chasing after us still hasnt arrived yet.
This is the Seventh Imperial Prince, Arnold Lakes Adler. What are you doing here inside our border?
Saying so, I took a step forward.
I can see that Mia is bleeding and collapsed on the ground with a girl spreading her arms in front as if trying to protect her.
That is probably the Dominions princess.
My, oh my. If it isnt the prince himself.
Answer me..what are you doing?
We are only putting an end to our deserters, Your Imperial Highness.
You are saying that those two girls are deserters?
That is correct.
Said the man who seems to be their commander.
They only crossed the border to chase after their deserters.
He probably wants to escape from this situation with such an explanation.
You think I am going to believe that?
Believing me here would be better for Your Imperial Highness yourself is it not? You should have been carefully preparing your invasion after all. Well, thats the story I heard anyway. If you engage us here, the armies that are glaring at each other at the border will have to move as well, no?
And, so what?
The Empire should already be busy with the succession war. You wouldnt want to get on the Emperors bad side right?
I want to slug him in the face right now.
When I thought so, Marc whispered something to me from behind.
That is Colonel Abraham who defected from the Imperial Army, Your Highness. He is a dangerous individual who wields a magic sword.
A former imperial soldier huh.then you should be familiar with my reputation right?
Of course. The name of the Dull Prince is famous after all. However, that was only a temporary image. After you started doing things seriously, you have gained the position of the Warden of the North. You wouldnt want to lose such a position right?
You dont understand anything huh? Being glared at by Father is a daily occurrence for me. Personally, I dont care if we just start the war right here right now you know?
Saying so, I look at Elna.
Seeing through my thoughts, Elna gives me a small nod.
War? With only several Imperial Knights and a Dragon Knight. Isnt that just reckless?
Its not like you are not familiar with the power of the Imperial Knights right? Do you think you can take them down with only a thousand soldiers?
Thats quite a confidence. But dont forget, we have a hostage here. As you might already know, this here is Princess Marianne of the Dominion. Letting her die here would be a huge problem right.
If I let her die, that is.
The moment I said that, a strong wind wrapped around Marianne and Mia and lifted them up.
Its Elnas wind magic. Accurately lifting a person from a distance is a fairly advanced technique but that is nothing to Elna.
A person wouldnt be called the child prodigy with only superb swordsmanship after all.
Tsk!
Abraham tried to go after them but he was stopped by Finn.
Raining down countless lightning strikes, Abrahams movement is restricted.
Stop them! Dont let them have her!
You are already too late.
Marianne and Mia flew up to the height unreachable by the soldiers and floated over to us.
After safely landing, Marianne ran up to me and kneeled.
Your Highness Arnold! I, Princess Marianne, of the Dominion formally beg for your aid! Please save our country from the oppressor! Please allow me to seek asylum with the Empire!
I accept.
Now we have a just cause.
Just enough to silence the noisy nobles at the Imperial Capital.
I will have you return her to usthat princess belongs to the Dominion.
Is that sobut she has already sought asylum with us. Just give up.
You think I will just let this go?
Leave this place and your life will be spared.
It would be better to have them withdraw here.
Mias injuries are graver than I expected.
The Imperial Knight treating her has a frown on his face.
If possible, I want her in the care of a specialist as soon as possible.
However, as expected, the enemy does not withdraw so easily.
If you dont return her then its war.
I see..then there is no room for negotiation. Slaughter them. Remember this well-The Empire doesnt have the habit of kicking out its people once they have already been accepted.
The appearance of the Emperor I saw in the throne room that day.
I decided to imitate it.