"What a disgrace!"
After Ermes broke out of the prison with Katia.
Aster summoned several people to the prison's reception room and lashed out at them with fury.
"You of all people! You let someone like Ermes get ahead of you and break through, and on top of that, you were knocked unconscious in a single blow?! What were you thinking, Zenos?!"
"I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!!"
"Do you think apologizing makes everything okay?! What I'm asking is what exactly happened!!"
"Hiiiiieeek!"
This man who, just moments ago, had been imagining his brilliant future and reveling in delight, now scraped his head against the floor and repeated nothing but words of apology in the face of Aster's wrath.
He couldn't even answer when told not merely to apologize but to explain why he had lost. More precisely—he couldn't answer.
The undeniable truth was that Ermes's magic was overwhelmingly superior to his own.
Because in that moment, he had understood.
He was, after all, someone who had inherited the Frenbreed Marquis House's magic. He knew more about magic than most people. And precisely because he knew, he could tell.
That was the real thing.
The real "Magic Bullet Archer." It was the Marquis House's bloodline magic, far superior to his own.
Aster had claimed that Ermes obtained it through illegitimate means, but honestly, he doubted that. No—if anything, if one could obtain magic of that caliber, illegitimate means or not, who cared.
Aster stubbornly insisted that Ermes was the one who was wrong, that Ermes was the fake, but after being shown that, it was impossible to truly believe it was a counterfeit. Rather, he found himself harboring an anger he shouldn't feel—directed not at Ermes, but at Aster himself, for refusing to acknowledge the truth and blaming only himself.
"What's with that look?!"
"Hii! I-I'm so sorry!!"
Having let it show on his face for just an instant, Zenos was rebuked further, provoking even greater fury, and continued prostrating himself.
"...I am disappointed, Father."
Chris, standing beside Aster. He too had been blaming Zenos at every turn ever since Ermes's exploits, and now looked down on him with a contemptuous expression, venting his grudge.
(Why... wasn't everything going well just a moment ago?! Why must only I suffer such humiliation...!)
Unable to direct his rage anywhere, and yet unable to let it show, Zenos could only groan inwardly.
"...B-But, Your Highness. Forgive my presumption, but... that man's magic was unquestionably a threat."
Perhaps thinking that if nothing changed, Aster would only continue berating Zenos without progress.
Timidly interjecting from the side was one of the soldiers guarding the prison—the captain of the squad sent to intercept Ermes.
"The magic he employed was all extremely powerful. Yes, it was the kind of thing that could only be the work of someone who could wield multiple Bloodline Magics..."
"That's a counterfeit. I am certain of it. Are you questioning my judgment?"
"N-No, not at all, sir!"
But the captain, quaking under Aster's glare, immediately reversed himself.
"Bloodline Magic is one per person. Two is an exception among exceptions, and even in the history of the kingdom, three is the most there has ever been. But according to you, Ermes was clearly wielding four or more types of magic. That's not a possible number—can't you even understand that?"
"That is... quite true..."
"...Hmph. But I suppose even a counterfeit could be effective enough to toy with the likes of you."
At that, Aster showed a trace of satisfaction before slowly rising to his feet.
"I've made my decision."
"Wh-What might that be?"
"The pursuit of Ermes and Katia who escaped... I will go myself."
The room stirred.
"Y-Your Highness, personally?!"
"Yes. I can no longer leave this to you people. I will show you all who the truly God-chosen mage is! I will defeat those demons who have destabilized this kingdom and, with my own hands, dispel the delusions that have taken root in this nation!"
"Ohhh...!"
The atmosphere instantly became electric. His authority to speak, though some doubts had begun to surface, was still very much intact.
"Now then, since that's decided, I must choose my companions. First... Chris, you will come with me."
"Me!?"
Being singled out, Chris let out a voice of surprise.
"Yes. I trust you understand that the root cause of this whole commotion was you being obstructed by Ermes and allowing Katia to slip away?"
"..."
"Then witness me putting an end to that mess. If the opportunity arises, I'll even set up a chance for you to make amends by striking him down after I've engaged him. Surely you won't refuse?"
"...Of course not!"
Chris shook off the faint trace of fear and nodded with a face full of confidence.
The first time he had faced Ermes and come out second, he did not attribute that to his own lack of ability. He had been caught off guard because he let his guard down. If he fought head-on with full preparation, there was no way he would lose to that defective brother of his.
"I cannot thank you enough for this opportunity! Unlike that father of mine, I will surpass him and prove the correctness of Your Highness's judgment!"
"But you follow my lead—don't forget that."
Zenos, still prostrate on the ground, ground his teeth, but no one noticed.
"Now then, next..."
As Aster was about to select several soldiers as escorts and witnesses, it happened then.
"...Your Highness...!"
From the entrance to the reception room, an unexpected voice rang out.
Everyone turned toward the entrance, and Aster called out the name of the unexpected person standing there.
"—Sara!"
Sara von Hartmann. She was supposed to be receiving treatment at the Royal Palace, so why was she here?
"The treatment... is finished. It wasn't as serious as I thought..."
"I see. That's the best news."
Aster approached Sara and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Do you remember? You went to negotiate in good faith, yet Katia betrayed you and pushed you off a high place with her magic."
"!"
"I understand if you can't believe it, but it's the truth."
It wasn't the truth, and Aster himself was well aware of that this time. After all, he was the one who had ordered Chris to fire.
But... this was necessary.
This girl was too kind. At this rate, she would only continue to be hurt by that demon called Katia.
So even by force, he would tear her heart away from Katia. It was for her own good.
Sometimes, a king must resort to such devious methods—it was a necessary quality. Interpreting it that way, Aster continued.
"Moreover, that wretched Katia, in her stubborn refusal to accept defeat, had already been captured once yet still used Ermes to force her way out of prison! But fear not—I myself will hunt them down—"
"...Yes. I had heard about that much. ...And on top of that, I have a request."
Cutting him off, Sara looked at him gently but directly.
"Would you allow me to accompany you in your pursuit of Lady Katia and the others...?"
"...What?"
Aster furrowed his brows.
"Why is that?"
"I want to see... with my own eyes... the resolution between Your Highness and Lady Katia."
Haltingly but clearly. It was an answer carrying a certainty that was different from before.
Aster interpreted it thus.
"...I see."
So she had finally come to her senses.
"You've finally realized! Her true nature! And you want to witness with your own eyes as I, this Aster, personally destroy those demons who have tormented you all this time!"
"..."
"It's only natural to want to see the one who has tormented you suffer! You have that right!"
Sara said nothing. As if she had known Aster would interpret it this way, she neither denied nor affirmed, adding nothing.
"Very well! You have my permission to accompany us!"
And so Aster declared loudly.
He was fond of this girl called Sara.
Her beauty went without saying. Moreover, compared to Katia, her figure was wonderfully mature, which was an added plus.
It wasn't an impure desire—simply that she looked more striking when standing beside him.
Above all, unlike Katia, she was gentle and obedient, knowing her place. She never committed the foolish act of voicing opinions against him, nor did she get carried away despite possessing Dual Aptitude—she understood that Aster was the superior mage, even though she herself had Dual Aptitude.
The flaw in such a girl was simply that she was too kind. She had even grown attached to Katia, the very person who bullied her. The only reason Katia had kept Sara close was to torment her with insidious jealousy up close—nothing more.
But she had finally come to her senses.
The time had come to grow this girl, heart and soul, into a woman truly worthy of his favor.
With rising excitement, Aster declared.
"At first light, we depart! You traitors who would destabilize this kingdom—prepare yourselves!"
The people around him answered with fervent voices, and through it all...
"...This is for the best... isn't it, Ermes-san."
Sara's faint whisper went unnoticed by anyone.