Alois’s group managed to escape Gordon’s cavalry unit. However, when they are waiting for an opportunity to break through the last line of defense, their feet stopped as they heard Gordon’s ultimatum.

“Christa-aneue is…….”

Rupert stared blankly at the castle.

However, Alois scolds him.

“Your Highness! Even if we head back, there is nothing we can do! We must do what we can now!”

“But…..it was because I abandoned her……”

“You didn’t abandon her, Your Highness! You are only fulfilling the responsibility of the Imperial Family! Her Highness Christa is the same! You chose to run because you know that by helping her, you would only worsen the situation! If you have doubt then let me affirm you! You did nothing wrong!”

“Alois…..”

“Let’s leave Her Highness Christa to Grau and His Highness Arnold. They are both highly skilled. They will surely be able to do something.”

“But…..their opponent is Gordon-aniue you know…..? What can they do…….”

“His Highness Gordon can not be compared to those two. Please rest assured.”

Saying so, Alois distracts Rupert’s mind from the castle.

Then, they look at the enemy’s defensive line.

‘I have to break through it to deliver Rupert to the Emperor.’

That was the only thing in Alois’s mind.

The only thing that supports him right now.

It is unthinkable that the enemy would miss the Rainbow Celestial Jewel when they kidnapped Christa. After all, she should be the person that Trau would protect will all his might. This meant that their side was cornered so much that Trau and the others couldn’t protect her.

However, the Celestial Sphere doesn’t seem to have been strengthened yet. The other side has no need for a hostage if they have the fourth jewel. As long as they don’t have to worry about the sphere being destroyed from the outside, they can take their time and hunt them down.

There is no reason for them to take her hostage if that’s the case.

With that line of thinking, this would mean that the jewel that they have taken from Trau was a fake.

Thinking so, Alois wanted to bring Rupert to the Emperor as soon as possible.

Judging from the situation, the real jewel should either be in either Rupert or Arnold’s hand.

Regardless, he has enough reason to suspect that what Rupert is holding is the real one. If they take a half baked measure here, they will end up getting surrounded instead.

That’s why Alois turned away from the castle.

After all, the only thing he can do right now is to keep Rupert safe.

——————————-

Hearing Gordon, Emperor Johannes clenched his sword so hard that his hand almost started to bleed.

“Gordon…..! He even threw away his pride as a warrior huh!”

“Please calm down, Your Majesty.”

“I am calm…..! Don’t worry! I don’t plan to launch an attack on the castle!”

“I’m relieved. Are you okay, Marshal?”

“Your worry is unfounded, Prime Minister.”

Saying so, Lize silently looks at the castle.

Seeing Lize staying calm, Franz felt a very terrible atmosphere.

If she is angry like Johannes then he can at least read her next action. However, he can not read anything through Lize’s calmness at all.

It’s like the calm before the storm. It seemed to Franz as if it is only a matter of time before she explodes.

Lize received a telescope from her subordinate and began to observe the state of the castle.

“How is it, Lize? Has anything changed?’

“Yes. my troublesome younger brother just showed up.”

Saying so, Lize smiles and passes the telescope to Johannes.

‘Don’t tell me…..’

Muttering so, Johannes looked through the telescope.

Arnold was standing there with Christa at the edge of the square.

“What is he doing……! That’s reckless!”

“Please pay attention to his hand.”

“His hand? What!? Isn’t that the Rainbow Celestial Jewel! Why did he deliberately bring it to the enemy……”

“He is probably using it as the leverage to get the hostage back. If he threatens to break it, he can put Gordon’s side in check.”

“As a nation, we would be troubled if he breaks it though…….”

Lize pretends to not hear Franz’s comment.

After all, this is not a situation where they can afford to use their resource sparingly.

Meanwhile, Johannes shouts

“That fool! If you take another step back you will fall! Move to the front!!”

“Even if you shout, he can’t hear you, you know. Besides, it’s not like Al has no chance of success as well.”

“Even if you say that…..how can he escape from there…..? He will die if he jumps off you know……”

“I can’t say that is necessarily true. But Al can perceive the world that we can not. I’m sure that it is the same case here.”

The moment Lize said that.

Al jumped off the edge together with Christa.

“ARNOLD!! CHRISTA!!”

Johannes unintentionally cried out their names.

However, his cry was drowned out by the thunderous sound that came from outside the Celestial Sphere.

Beyond the Celestial Sphere that was shattered like glass.

After she saw a black griffon diving down from the sky, Lize grinned and gave an order to her subordinates.

“ALL MEN, PREPARE FOR BATTLE. THE REINFORCEMENTS HAVE ARRIVED. IT’S TIME TO ATTACK!”

“Lizelotte……”

“Father, please leave the Imperial Capital with the Imperial Knights.”

“…..I understand. Be careful.”

“Please rest assured. I will go pick up my brothers and sister now.”

Saying so, Lize gets up on her horse.

————————-

Shortly before that, at the north of the Imperial Capital.

When Leo and his group finally arrived at where they could see the Imperial Capital, Leo and Elna’s thoughts immediately synced up.

“Elna, I will leave it to you.”

“Leave it to me!”

The Celestial Sphere is covering the Imperial Capital.

It was enough for them to realize that the situation there is not normal.

That’s why Leo rises to the sky and heads for the Imperial Capital at a tremendous speed.

Even though he was leading a long forced march, he still has that much power in him. The Griffon Knights were all stunned as to where such power came from. However, they were all shaken off that by Leticia.

“I am going to follow him! Follow me!”

Leticia said so and followed after Leo by riding on her own griffon.

Perhaps thinking that they have to follow their lord, after a short delay, the Griffon Knights followed them

Although not as fast as them, the Narbe Ritter also speeded up as they raced toward the Imperial Capital.

Seeing them, Vin let out a sigh.

“If she breaks the Celestial Sphere, the jewels will be destroyed too though…..those are three of the national treasure-class jewels. It would be nice if they hesitate a little before doing that.”

“It can’t be helped, sir. That’s Elna-sama after all.”

Sebas responds to Vin’s words.

Above them, Elna is stretching her hand out to the heaven.

“Hear my voice and descend! O’ brilliant sword of the star! Now, the hero has need for you!!”

White light falls from the heaven.

Elna grabbed it and transformed the light into a silver sword.

“Let’s go! Aurora!”

Saying so, Elna holds the holy sword up high with both hands.

Then.

“I don’t know what kind of defense mechanism the capital has but don’t you dare—–get in my way!!”

The holy sword was swung down. A huge torrent of light wrapped around the Celestial Sphere and shattered it.

Seeing that, Elna immediately put away the holy sword and flew full speed to the Imperial Capital.

After that, Elna’s subordinates and the other Imperial Knights followed her.

“Fourth Corp and Fifth Corp standby outside the Imperial Capital! With the Celestial Sphere destroyed, His Majesty will be withdrawing outside! Escort His Majesty! Third Corp, with me!”

After instructing the other Imperial Knights, Elna speeds up even further.

She wanted to rush there as soon as possible.

However.

“It seems I have no choice but to give this one to Leo huh……”

Within Elna’s view, Leo was plunging down toward the castle.

———————-

Above the Imperial Capital, Leo was preparing to descend down once Elna destroyed the Celestial Sphere.

“You can do it right, Noir.”

As if it was trying to say ‘Of course’ Noir cries.

Encouraged by its cry, Leo descends straight down to the Imperial Capital.

On his way, the Celestial Sphere was destroyed by Elna and the castle came into clear view.

The Celestial Sphere that enveloped the capital was there to trap the Emperor inside. To activate it, the enemy has to take control of the castle and Leo is descending directly to that castle.

However, what Leo saw as he descended was Al jumping off the castle together with Christa.

While holding himself back from reacting to that, he prompts Noir to speed up.

Noir was already flying at an unthinkable speed. It could be said that it was great that it could muster up this speed with him riding on it.

However, Noir got even faster. It stopped minding Leo who was riding on its back.

That’s because it is what Leo is wishing for.

Noir and Leo who began to plunge down like a meteor, immediately reached Al and Christa.

Adjusting the speed, Leo maintains the same altitude as them and reaches out for Al’s outstretched hand.

However, due to the wind, he couldn’t grab it.

“Kuh!”

Leo impatiently tries to reach out again but his eyes met with Al’s.

With only a single glance, the two withdrew their hands once and reached out for each other at the same time.

They firmly grabbed each other’s hands and Leo drew Al and Christa toward him.

With the two riding behind him, Leo quickly pulls the reins as the ground was already close by.

They avoided colliding with the ground at the last minute and rose back up to the sky in a [U] shape.

Then.

“Yo, Leo. You sure took your time huh. I was wondering if you were taking a nap somewhere you know?”

“Hi, Nii-san. Even like this, I was flying here full speed you know. Still, you thought up quite a dangerous game huh. Can you not do it together with Christa in the future?”

The conversation they have with each other for the first time in a few days was terribly casual.

While smiling at each other, they only exchange some carefree words.

“Leo-niisama.”

“Hi, Christa. Were you scared?”

“Un, there were a lot of scary things…..but, falling was surprisingly fun.”

“That’s troubling. You might have fun but my heart almost stopped you know?”

Leo smiles at Christa’s reply.

He then slowly looks at the state of the capital.

From the sky, he can see battles taking place here and there.

“The situation is quite terrible huh…..”

“Sorry, I wish I could have done better……”

“No, it’s enough as long as you are alive.”

Saying so, Leo pulls out his sword.

The Dragon Knights were flying from the castle toward them.

“Sorry that I have to push this to you when you are already so tired but can I leave this to you?”

“Of course. it’s [Our] turn now after all.”

Leo said as he raised his sword.

Al and Leo

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