Ruelle Gathering

「Damuel! Even if they are weak feybeasts, make sure to get their feystones! If we let them eat any feystones, they will keep growing stronger and stronger.」

Eckhart-sama’s sharp reprimand rang through the battlefield. I hurried to stab the slightly larger feybeast several times with my spear, driving it into the creature’s feystone. If the feybeasts continue to cannibalize each other and grow larger, they will eventually become impossible for a layknight like me to handle.

…This is tough.

We’re already surrounded by the feybeasts, and what’s more, we are forced to finish them off one by one to prevent them from growing stronger through cannibalism. I scanned the surroundings to see several pairs of red eyes glowing in the brush, and there were plenty still lurking in the shadows. No matter how many we defeated, there was no end in sight.

「Krgh!」

Compared to the archknight Eckhart-sama and the medknight Brigitte, I have much less mana. This means I am unable to rely on mana attacks, instead beating down the feybeasts with sheer physical strength, which results in a rapid drain on my stamina. I know we are only buying time until Rozemyne-sama gathers the Ruelle fruit, but the uncertainty of when it will end made my movements grow sluggish.

「Hah, hah…」

My breathing grew ragged, and I could feel my shoulders heaving. Every swing of my arms was painful. My legs felt heavy and tangled. If possible, I wanted to drink a recovery potion and spend some time regaining my strength. I glanced over at Eckhart-sama and Brigitte, but they both seemed too busy dealing with the feybeasts in front of them.

「Justus, how much longer?!」

「It’s not even half the size yet!」

Eckhart-sama, realizing that I needed a break, called out while mowing down a row of enemies. However, Justus-sama’s reply was bleak. At this rate, I would run out of mana and be unable to maintain my armor and weapons, leaving me as fodder to the feybeasts.

…This is bad.

I shuddered at the fear of death, but Rozemyne-sama came to my rescue.

「May Leidenschaft, God of Fire, bless them with the protection of Angriff, God of War.」

The blue light of blessing rained down upon us as we fought to defend the Ruelle tree. In the next instant, my body suddenly felt lighter, and my arms no longer hurt. In addition, I managed to slay a feybeast in a single swing, as if the sharpness of my spear had been magnified.

…A single blessing makes this much difference?

My eyes went wide with surprise. I had seen Rozemyne-sama give the blue light of Angriff’s blessing to the knights before the trombe subjugation, as well as Karstedt-sama during the Spring Prayer. But this was my first time receiving it directly in battle.

「Rozemyne-sama, your blessing is amazing!」

Brigitte’s voice rang out in excitement. I understood her feelings well, since the blessing resonated even more deeply because of the extreme situation we had been placed in. We managed to turn the tables and push back the feybeasts with increased momentum.

「Rozemyne-himesama, please grasp the Ruelle fruit and infuse your mana into it.」

Finally, Justus-sama gave the go ahead for Rozemyne-sama to touch the Ruelle fruit. By that time, we had managed to drive the feybeasts slightly further back.

「Damuel, take this time to recover while you still can.」

With Eckhart-sama standing guard, I quickly drank a recovery potion. Standing by with my weapon at the ready, I could feel my strength and mana gradually returning.

…Now we should be able to take turns recovering.

Although Eckhart-sama and Brigitte still seemed to have some energy left, they can also take turns drinking potions once I return to the front line.

「I’m going back in!」

I readjusted my grip on my spear and rushed forward, so Eckhart-sama shifted his position slightly to make room for me. The three of us would protect the Ruelle tree. I steeled myself, determined not to let the feybeasts get any closer. The satisfaction of being able to perform the duties of a guard knight filled me with exhilaration.

「I’ve got it!」

Rozemyne-sama’s elated voice signaled that the long battle was nearing its end. I exhaled and relaxed for just a moment, but then the surrounding trees rustled unnaturally. Suddenly, a Zantze’s shriek overlapped with Rozemyne-sama’s scream.

「Rozemyne-himesama!」

A feybeast had leaped down from the trees above. I turned around with the blood drained from my face to see a Zantze flying in an arc, knocked away by Justus-sama.

「My Ruelle!」

「Rozemyne-himesama, no! Fall back, Eckhart!」

It took me a split second to understand what had just happened. The Ruelle fruit gathered by Rozemyne-sama had been stolen, and Eckhart-sama had dashed off in pursuit of the Zantze. But with so much information coming in at once, my mind went blank, and I had no clue what to do.

「Highbeast!」

I only snapped to attention when I heard a sharp order from Brigitte, instinctively summoning my Highbeast and jumping on.

Zantze were a type of feybeast known for their agility, and this one spun in the air to make a perfect landing. But before it even touched the ground, it suddenly underwent an explosive growth, evolving from a Zantze into a Goltze using the mana that Rozemyne-sama had imbued into the Ruelle fruit. The change was so abrupt that my mind refused to accept it, even though I saw it with my own eyes.

「Ferdinand-sama, a Zantze has eaten the Ruelle fruit infused with Rozemyne-sama’s mana and transformed into a Goltze. Immediate extermination is necessary.」

Unlike me, who was still staring at the Goltze in complete shock, Justus-sama immediately sent an Ordonnanz to Ferdinand-sama. Meanwhile, Eckhart-sama had transformed his Schtappe into a large two-handed sword and began infusing it with mana. I hoped that Eckhart-sama, being an archknight, could take down the Goltze on his own, but his efforts only inflicted a few minor wounds.

「Brigitte, Damuel! Take Rozemyne-himesama and retreat immediately! We are to wait on standby in the farming village!」

「Yes, sir!」

So we could do nothing but retreat and take refuge, merely watching from afar as the Goltze went on a rampage. Rozemyne-sama turned pale, realizing the severity of the situation caused by losing the Ruelle fruit.

「…I didn’t realize my mana could create such a monster. This is all my fault.」

「No, Rozemyne-sama. The responsibility lies with us for failing to protect you.」

Brigitte was completely right. We should never have allowed a feybeast to reach Rozemyne-sama. We had failed to notice its approach from the trees, failed to retrieve the stolen Ruelle fruit, and failed to defeat the Goltze——a complete and utter failure as guard knights.

…It is fortunate that Rozemyne-sama suffered no injuries, but who knows how much damage that rampaging Goltze might cause…

We could make many excuses about our failure to protect her, such as not knowing about the peculiarity of the Night of Schutzaria, or having too few guard knights to defend against a horde of feybeasts. But the fact remained that I had failed my duty as a guard once again. Just thinking about it made my stomach churn with anxiety.

In the midst of all this, an Ordonnanz arrived from Ferdinand-sama, detailing the necessary countermeasures. This required Rozemyne-sama to create a wind cage to contain the feybeast and prevent it from escaping. However, even the archknight Eckhart-sama questioned if this method was actually doable.

However, Rozemyne-sama, relieved to have a way to deal with the situation, agreed readily.

「I’ll do it. I have to clean up the mess I made myself, right?」

…No! We are the ones who have failed you!

That said, Ferdinand-sama had said that only someone with as much mana as Rozemyne-sama, enough to become the archduke’s adopted daughter, could subdue the Goltze. We had no choice but to ask our master to clean up after us.

「To ensure that Rozemyne can concentrate, everyone will remain on their Highbeasts and protect her from any small threats.」

Led by Eckhart-sama, we headed back into the depths of the forest to subdue the Goltze.

The Goltze continued to target Rozemyne-sama for her abundant mana, but Eckhart-sama struck it back with a powerful blow. Meanwhile, Brigitte had Rozemyne-sama ride with her on her Highbeast, holding her protectively to ensure she didn’t suffer even a scratch. Justus-sama and I kept watch on the Goltze while being on the lookout for smaller feybeasts targeting the Ruelle fruit. And eventually, Rozemyne-sama recited a prayer to create a shield of wind, trapping the Goltze within it.

「Rozemyne, you look rather pale. Are you okay on mana?」

We waited with anxiety, wondering if Rozemyne-sama’s mana could hold back the Goltze rampaging within the shield, as well as if she could hold back her drowsiness.


「I’m here!」

Ferdinand-sama’s Highbeast swooped in. The moment I saw him, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief, knowing instinctively that everything would be fine now. My trust in Ferdinand-sama and the comfort his presence brought allowed me to finally exhale.

And indeed, the Goltze was quickly subdued by the combined efforts of Ferdinand-sama and Eckhart-sama. Although the forest was left in ruins, there were no human casualties, and the situation was resolved.

…I’m glad it ended without any further issues.

Unlike me, who felt a sense of relief after the battle, Rozemyne-sama was staring down at her empty hands.

「…I failed to gather the Ruelle.」

A single tear fell, staining the ground, as Rozemyne-sama voiced her disappointment in a small, childlike whimper. It was only then that I noticed how much the failure had affected her.

The goal of this mission wasn’t to defeat feybeasts but to gather the Ruelle fruit. While we managed to avoid further complications, we had failed to achieve our original objective.

「It’s because we didn’t know enough about the Night of Schutzaria. Next year, we’ll be better prepared… Stop crying.」

Ferdinand-sama comforted Rozemyne-sama, placing his hand on her lowered head. I had even failed to adequately comfort my master when she was upset. It was Justus-sama who told amusing stories to keep her awake, and it was Eckhart-sama and Brigitte who protected her from the shockwaves of Ferdinand-sama’s attack.

All I managed to do was raise a Rott to notify Ferdinand-sama of our location. I couldn’t help but feel ashamed of my inadequacy as a guard knight.


By the time we arrived at the winter mansion of Dolverin, Rozemyne-sama, held in Brigitte’s arms, had already lost consciousness and was running a fever.

Since Brigitte, being a woman, was assigned to guard Rozemyne-sama during the medical examination, I waited outside the room, guarding the hallway while waiting for Ferdinand-sama to emerge. The winter mansion for commoners wasn’t particularly large, so Eckhart-sama and Justus-sama were ordered to wait in the dining room, leaving me alone in the hallway.

「Ferdinand-sama, is Rozemyne-sama okay?」

「Having trapped the Goltze on her own for an extended duration, she’ll likely be bedridden for a few days. We’ll return to the temple once she’s recovered.」

I hung my head as I listened to Ferdinand-sama deliver the results of the examination while walking towards the dining room where his retainers were waiting. Instead of protecting Rozemyne-sama, the master I was supposed to guard, she ended up protecting me, and now she was bedridden, weakened as she already was. It was only natural that I should be reprimanded.

「I can offer no excuse for my failures. Even as her guard knight, I have failed to protect Rozemyne-sama once again…」

「Neither Justus nor I could have predicted such an unforeseen event. The blame does not lie solely with you.」

That may be correct, but we all know that my share of the blame was the greatest.

「I agree that it could not be foreseen, but my capabilities… my mana is far too insufficient. As a layknight, the role of a guard knight serving the archducal family is too much for me to bear.」

Mana was not the sole issue. I also lacked the knowledge and experience required to be a guard knight. I should have retrieved the Ruelle fruit when it was stolen. I should have acted once I noticed the feybeast darting between the trees, instead of just standing there on the ground. While Eckhart-sama and Brigitte took action, I alone was unsure of what to do.

「True. If you were a regular guard knight for the archducal family, you would likely be dismissed immediately.」

Ferdinand-sama spoke decisively, but after glancing at me, he continued.

「However, not just anyone can serve as her guard knight. You’re one of the few who can accompany her to the hidden room in the orphanage director’s office and the workshop, and who understands the people she holds dear and wishes to protect with all her heart.」

There are few who know Rozemyne-sama from when she was “Myne,” and even fewer who understand that she became a noble to protect the merchants and her family in the lower city…

I engraved in my heart the role I must fulfill as her guard knight.

「Of course, the same failure will not be tolerated. You should improve your skills as much as possible in preparation for next year’s Ruelle gathering. I will instruct Karstedt and Eckhart to give you special training.」

「…Thank you.」

Though grateful, I felt my blood run cold at the thought of the rigorous training that Eckhart-sama, who would carry out Ferdinand-sama’s orders no matter what, would subject me to. This would undoubtedly be harsher than anything I had experienced before.

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