"It is a great honor and a pleasure to be able to meet you like this. I've always admired you~!"

The orc girl named Ruri has her cheeks dyed crimson and her tail swaying from side to side quickly, not showing her joy at all.

However, the girl's joyful attitude made Lutga feel incredible, and he couldn't help asking—

"I'm sorry, we don't seem to be masked, are we? So, little girl, did you recognize the wrong person?"

"This is the second meeting, to be exact. When you visited here a few months ago, I was also in charge of taking care of you in a coma. Unfortunately, you were in such a hurry that I didn't have time to say hello to you. ”

"Oh...... But ......"

Ruri's words once again confirmed Rutega's suspicion that the building he was in was a palace on the opposite side of the hilltop lake in the Imperial City of Zesertoria, and the owner of this palace was the sister of the current Emperor, LaBel?? Al?? Her Royal Highness Princess Terrence.

But this still did not explain Rutega's doubts, because there was no essential difference between meeting once or twice, and he could not find any reason for himself to be admired by the girl in front of him.

"Ah, sorry, I didn't explain it clearly. In fact, it was His Highness LaBelle who often told me many of your romantic anecdotes from your youth. ”

"Wind, amorous anecdote!?"

Speaking of which, LaBelle used to be a student of the Knight Academy with himself, and was the sister of his fiancée Flora, but compared with his fiancée's flamboyant personality, LaBelle's temperament is much quieter and gentle.

But despite this, Lutga could not recall at all any of the so-called romantic anecdotes of his college life that were worth mentioning. On the contrary, the embarrassment of embarrassment can be easily grasped.

"For example, in order to win the hearts of the senior knights, I dug tunnels with His Majesty the Emperor and secretly infiltrated the female knight's Liao She~!"

“——！？”

As a result, the tunnel was dug in the wrong direction, leading straight to the women's bathhouse, and just happened to bump into Flora who was bathing, and both of them were beaten to the point that they were so badly injured that they lay in the temple for a month just to recuperate.

"For example, during field combat training, hunt wild curly cotton beasts, and set up a fire on the spot to make barbecue~!"

“——！？！？”

As a result, he accidentally started a fire, and as punishment, he and Reed were punished by the instructor to live in the jungle with wild beasts for a whole week. During this period, he also ate unknown tree fruits and ate his stomach, and he collapsed and died.

"And there's—"

"No, wait! I know! I really know! So please don't continue!"

All the things that Liuli mentioned were all kinds of stupid things that she and her former friends did in the academy. Basically, there are no good results, and for Rutega, it is not only a memory to be proud of, but each one must not be told to his daughter, and it will affect the dignity and image of being a father.

"In short, Her Highness Flora has told me a lot, and when she says this, she always smiles wistfully and cheerfully. In fact, Her Royal Highness rarely smiles genuinely, except for the mention of you. ”

"I see......"

Looking back on the past, LaBelle does often appear in the corners of his memory, hidden behind the overly dazzling light of his sister Flora, so she is easily overlooked. At that time, Lutga would greet her from time to time and talk about inconsequential household matters.

When I think about it, although there have been many embarrassing pasts, and I have experienced hard and rigorous training and study, on the whole, every day of the academy life at that time was a fulfilling and refreshing happy time.

"His Royal Highness LaBelle said that although Count Lutga is not very smart, his strength as a knight is only ordinary. But it is a gentle and enthusiastic man. Always pay close attention to everything happening around you, and whenever you encounter any problems, you will say, 'It's troublesome,' and help others solve them......"

"Yes, there were...... It's a time like that......"

Liuli's next words made Lutga let out a nostalgic sigh, and his expression became gloomy. The former self, perhaps as LaBelle said, but now ...... Just now, he killed countless people with his own hands...... No, not just now, as early as eight years ago, my hands were already stained with countless blood.

This also made him realize once again that in this chaotic era, no matter where he fled, he might not be able to escape from a similar fate.

Rutga?? The character of Cruznier is no longer what it used to be, for example, now, the food delivered by the girl named Liuli in front of him, he has not touched a mouthful, and he has no intention of eating it at all, out of vigilance against LaBelle.

Princess LaBelle is the same as herself, she is no longer the sweet and well-behaved, sister-like figure in the Academy. Now she is a bottomless woman in danger. The fact that I will be here at this moment is the best evidence.

"Alright...... Let's get down to business, where is Her Royal Highness the princess now? Not to throw me directly into prison, but to bring me here, she should have something to say to me, right? Or ask, what is the director's intention for today's play?"

"His Royal Highness LaBelle is not able to come to see you for the time being, she is waiting in the front yard for the guests to visit. As for Her Royal Highness the Princess's intentions, I believe you should have guessed a thing or two, Lord Earl. ”

"Lend my hand to get rid of the nobles of the royal faction...... I wonder how the hell did she know that I was going to be in the imperial capital today, and what was she thinking about from now on?"

"With all due respect, please wait for Her Highness the Princess to explain to you herself, Lord Earl. ”

Ruri bowed her head in apology, and her wagging tail drooped listlessly.

"So putting that aside, is it Labelle's order that you appear in the banquet hall today?"

"Yes, since a month ago, I have been mixed in with the 'meat animals' of the banquet in order to wait for today's ......"

"Tsk!" the word 'meat animal' made Lutga's brow furrow, expressing the blatant displeasure in his heart, "Have you ever thought that if I hadn't been there today, you would probably have been skinned alive, mutilated, and died on the stage in the most miserable and painful ......way?" Why comply!"

"yes...... But please understand that although I was pampered and cared for by Princess LaBelle. However, I am a slave at best, because ...... I'm an orc. Her Royal Highness the Princess asked me to give my life, and I will not hesitate at all. Ruri gently touched the bandage on the back of her neck with her fingers, revealing a feeble smile, "I can only thank the gods, I had good luck today and let me meet the maid of your house...... So...... I borrowed his identity a little. ”

"Hey, the real Cam is fine......!"

Lutga's fingers tightened the handle of the gun, and there was a fierce glint in his eyes. He recalled the decisive reason for his fight in the banquet hall - the girl in front of him appeared on stage in the form of Cam.

"Rest assured, I just let him fall asleep for a while, and I don't have to worry about his life. ”

"I ask you, if you say, I didn't come to your rescue. What will happen to you?"

"Your Highness Labelle believes in you......" Liuli smiled and continued, "Your Highness Labelle told me that if I cry on stage, you will definitely help. Because 'Lutga has always been a man who has nothing to do with girls' tears'. Whether the other party is an orc or not, he will not change ......"

"No kidding...... ...... at all There is no guarantee at all!"

The irrepressible anger made Rute grit his teeth and clenched his fists with almost his nails, in fact, before Ruri was sent to the slaughterhouse, he had already watched an orc girl cry and die in front of him without doing anything. This excessive expectation is unfounded and nothing more than a lie by LaBelle.

Even if she hadn't made a move, that woman would probably use the 'Legendary Blade' that was ambushed around her to wash the whole scene in blood. And if the 'Legendary Blade' takes his place, I'm afraid that in order to completely conceal the evidence of the blame, all the innocent people present, including Ruri and many guards, will be wiped out.

However, his anger at this time was not only directed at the lying LaBel, but also at himself. He couldn't help but regret it...... Knowing that it would end up like this, it was better to take decisive action to stop the first girl before she was slaughtered and put on a dinner plate. At the end of the day, he's just a hesitant hypocrite.

"Actually, even if I don't borrow the appearance of the maid of your mansion, I have a certain degree of control over your actions. Our golden-tailed fox clan is a special orc...... Our race's physical abilities are inherently not as strong as other orc races. In order to make up for this and continue the bloodline of the race, the women of our race are born with a special physique that charms the opposite sex. Just by making eye contact, you can apply an illusion of charm to the opposite sex, and saliva can make the opposite sex unconscious immediately. ”

"That's why I'm ......!"

"Well, I'm sorry for the faux pas. ”

Now Lutega finally figured out why he passed out as if he had been poisoned when he didn't get a drop of water at the dinner party. At the same time, it also deepened his fear of LaBelle.

In other words, his whimsical trip to the imperial capital had been anticipated by LaBelle a month ago. And a month ago today, it was the day when her daughter Alice rescued the slave ship in Regedia and put herself as the leader of the Western Alliance of the Empire.

That is, from that day on, LaBelle was ready for everything and waited for today. In any case, Lutga could not have imagined how LaBelle would have to plan to make everything like a marionette and finally stage this scene smoothly today.

Knowing that he couldn't think of a result with his own brain, Lutga had no choice but to give up thinking, he sighed deeply, let go of the fingers holding the gun, let the magic gun shatter back into magical particles, and asked in a self-defeating tone-

"Okay...... So what will I be treated next? Can this always tell me? Also, does His Majesty the Emperor know all this today?"

"Of course His Majesty the Emperor knows. As for the situation of the Count in the future, according to the instructions of His Royal Highness LaBel, the Count will then be been—"

**

"Welcome. ”

In the front yard of the palace by the lake, a beautiful woman dressed in full costume and wearing bright jewelry, like a jade carving, with a loving smiling face, stands in front of the door in a upright posture.

“......”

The shadow-black 'Grim Reaper' didn't answer the woman's question, and she unleashed her pistol and knife at her leg and waist.

Although the posture is as always, this does not mean that Sophia's heart is without waves. Because the face of the woman in front of her is very similar to the appearance of the demon dragon who became her mother not long ago, Raqi, that is, her age is more mature......

And Lachi's facial features after humanization are based on Alice. You must know that as triplet sisters, although they have very different temperaments and styles, the appearance of the three of them is originally very similar - that is, the women in front of them are very similar to themselves. And compared to Rakhi, who has crystal blue hair, even her hair color is exactly the same peach-gold color as the three sisters.

If you look at it from the perspective of others, you probably don't hesitate to think of this woman as your mother.

"I don't know which one of yours, Alice, Elise, or Sophia?"

"You're Princess LaBelle......"

Sophia did not answer her opponent's question, but immediately deduced the identity of the opponent based on the information she had.

"Yes, you can call me Aunt LaBelle? Your birth mother, Flora, is my twin sister. ”

"......" Sophia ignored the other party's words, but turned her gaze to the side, and said succinctly to the orc girl in the pure skirt and armor of snow, "Shephilia...... Plan B. ”

Shephilia nodded slightly, her body turned into a burst of snow-white light and shadow, and she rushed in the direction of the palace without looking back.

"Hehe, it looks like you've got a cute kitten. ”

"She's my friend. ”

Sophia replied calmly, but she couldn't make any movements, she only felt that the muscles in her body were tense and almost spasmodic. The last time I experienced such a tremor was the night when the mad Abyss Dragon attacked Celestia......

Although she felt unbelievable, her instinct, as a first-class warrior, warned Sophia that the 'abduction target' in front of her, the seemingly gentle and virtuous royal woman, had a dangerous aura that permeated her body, and she was not comparable to Raghi.

"What's wrong? Don't you do it? Aren't you here to kidnap me?"

"Originally, it was planned to be so, but the plan has changed...... Father, he's in the room behind you right now, isn't he...... there's just bait over there. ”

"Hehe, what a smart kid, have you even seen through this?"

"Ahhh......h I have excellent staff officers. That being said, until I see you here, it's just a guess......"

"Hehehe, you're smarter than Lutega described...... And it's even cuter. Come, how about letting Auntie give me a hug?"

Sophia's figure vanished, and then appeared. In just an instant, the girl with the black blade in her hand did not hesitate to slash the deadly blade to her aunt who was connected by blood.

However, this swift slash did not splash bright snowflakes -

I saw bright silver flames rising into the sky, and the explosive air currents blew Sophia's slender body outward.

Princess LaBelle defused this fatal blow without warning, it was too easy, too natural, and even her expression ...... No, her expression still changed, from a gentle and loving smile to an unshakable confidence and self-esteem, which did not look like the domineering joy that women would have.

"Ha, hahahahaha——! good, very good! It's so fast that even my eyes can't keep up with the speed, it's the first time I've encountered it!But it's too scared to live~~ As a lady of the royal family, at least you have to say hello well? How did that guy educate Lutega~!"

The woman's wild praise and laughter rang out together, and her words conveyed not sarcasm, but pure pleasure.

"So, which one are you?Alice?Elisa or Sophia?It's okay if you don't want to answer, I can probably tell~~!, for example, by the location of the mole on the body. ”

“......”

Sophia still didn't answer, she stepped on the air, and flitted in the empty space, the sharp light of the blade slashing through a silent black lightning, launching a second attack from an uncanny ghostly arc, from the blind spot of LaBelle's perspective.

"Hah! It's still fast, but the power is too shallow!'Holy Spirit Armor'——!"

However, the second blow was still ineffective, and LaBelle did not turn his face at all, but gently raised his arm and used his fingers wrapped in silver armor to grip the deadly blade out of thin air.

"This armor ...... the knight of the 'Legendary Blade'?"

While asking, Sophia did not stop the offensive in her hand, she quickly raised the pistol with her other hand, aimed at the center of her eyebrows, and pulled the trigger at an almost close distance.

"It's not wrong, but it's not entirely true, strictly speaking, I retired and got married eight years ago. So not an active knight. ”

As she replied, LaBelle did not put away her confident smile, her head and neck were slightly deflected, dodging the shooting at very close range, only the knots on the sideburns of her ears were grazed by the projectile, so that the originally neatly tied hair was unrestrained and scattered.

"You...... Who the hell ......?"

Sophia kicked her opponent's arms and legs, pulled out her sword with reaction force, and flipped backwards to quickly distance themselves from each other, not forgetting to throw several throwing knives along the way, so as to hinder her opponent's pursuit.

Because the character in front of her is too different from the image of Princess LaBelle in the intelligence, Sophia can't help but continue to question. If you guessed correctly, it is likely that the abduction plan was warned, and a knight of the 'Legendary Blade', disguised as LaBel, waited here to intercept the possible attackers.

But one thing is certain—the 'knight' in front of him is stronger than all the members of the 'Legendary Blade' I've ever seen before. She has overwhelming power that overrides the limits of humanity, at least now Sophia has no hope of winning.

"Ahaha, what a fool, I forgot I haven't introduced myself yet!" Saying this, the knight woman who looked like 'Princess Label' waved her hand in a dashing manner, and blocked all the throwing short knives with her arm armor, and after the fierce explosion of the short knives dissipated, she was already fully armed and raised her right hand, summoned a cone-like knight's spear from the palm of her hand, and gave unbelievable words-

"My name is Flora. Flora?? Al?? Terrance...... Ah, no, no, wrong. Married!Should it be—Flora?? Al?? Krusnier is right!Hara?? Chief Knight of the Empire's 'Legendary Blade'!"

The surface of the silver-white armor was wrapped in a layer of burning magic flames, and the flames were also mixed with a golden bright fighting spirit, and the original peach-colored lovely hair was now the color of blood.

The self-proclaimed 'strongest knight' of Flora, with a bright and innocent smile on his face like a child, opened his arms to the dark Grim Reaper—

"So, wow~~ pounce into your mother's arms!