Chapter 134.1 : The End of Battle

.. .. ..

When Rio and Alfred’s finishing moves clashed against each other, an explosion of light and storm swept the surrounding area.

When the light settled, a cloud of dust covered the centre of the battlefield hiding the two fighters..

A while later an updraft-like swirl appeared at that place and slowly dispersed the cloud of dust thus revealing the scenery at the center of the battlefield.

What appeared there was the figure of Alfred Aimar who had lost his sword and lying face down and Rio who was standing calmly with his sword in his right hand.

「KUH...........」

Alfred tried to stand up but his trembling body refused to move.

Rio quickly approached Alfred without a moment of delay, stretching out his left hand while gathering his magical power in it, then placed his left palm on the head of Alfred and forcibly robbed his consciousness with spirit arts.

Following that, he took out a pair of metal handcuffs from his coat and bound Alfred’s hands behind his back. After standing back up, he slowly turned around.

There, Christina and Celia were looking at Rio with a dumbfounded face.

Rio smiled for a moment when he saw Celia and turned towards Charles-tachi who were still standing stiff in their place. After he going to collect Alfred’s sword, he stood at around ten metres from Charles-tachi.

「All of you, throw away your weapon. Though I don’t have any authority over your safety, I can kill you right away if you try to do something funny」

In hearing Rio’s heartless warning, the knight’s who were with Charles went pale. Though their side had six knights apart from Charles and the fainted Alfred, all of them were not eager to go against Rio who had defeated Alfred, the strongest knight of the kingdom, in a frontal combat.

On the other hand, Charles’ mouth was agape as he was lost for words for a few seconds but then――,

「D-DON’T MESS WITH ME! 　WHO WILL SURRENDER UNDER SUCH CONDITIONS! ?　ALL OF YOU, IT’s AN ORDER!. DO NOT QUESTION ABOUT YOUR LIFE AND DEATH. DISARM HIM! 」

He started ranting at the top of his lungs as if returning to his sense.

Thereupon, the knights began drawing their swords despite their hesitation. Even if they knew that their chance to win was next to nil, they might not be able to object to the command of their superior.

But, Rio invoked his wind spirit arts and moved in front of Charles in a moment and then――,

「If you still want to fight me, you’re on my first kill list you know? 　The same goes for the next commander in line if he still wants continue the battle. I don’t want to spend too much time in this matter but, if you insist, feel free to welcome your almost certain deaths. The one who will die first is you.」

He pushed Alfred sword which was in his left hand towards Charles’ throat while threatening him with a tone filled with killing intent.

historical

「Guh........ W-Wait! 　Don’t kill me, let’s negotiate this matter! 殺すな、話せばわかる! 」

In the next moment, Charles desperately tried to stop Rio from killing him.

「........ Did you think that you can sacrifice the life of your subordinates but not yours? 」

When Rio asks him so as if sneering at him, Charles blushed in embarrassment. But, he still managed to open his mouth with a cramped face without blowing his top.

「O-Our side has Vanessa Aimar. So, how about we make a deal! ? 」

「This seems like a good sword but, how about trying it’s sharpness? 　No, shall I try this one then? 　You also saw what will happen if I load my magical power into this sword right? 」

Though Charles tried to bluff to make a deal, Rio pushed Alfred’s sword even further into his throat without even a shred of hesitation. The sword that received Rio’s magical power is started to shine with a dim light.

「Hyiii. I-I UNDERSTAND! 　I SURRENDER! 　I’M SURRENDERING MYSELF! 　THAT”S WHY PLEASE SPARE MY LIFE! 　Y-YOU GUYS, LET GO OF YOUR WEAPONS! 」

Charles’ expression froze stiff and he declared his surrender as he lost his cool. The other knights immediately threw their weapons and equipments.

Rio decided to disperse the magical power loaded into Alfred’s sword for the time being. But, the point of the sword was still paper thin away from Charles’ throat. And then――、

「Oi, the one over there.」

Rio pointed to the knight who was closest to him after sheathing his sword back to its scabbard.

「......... M-Me? 」

The knight who was called by Rio replied hesitantly.

「That’s right. Please collect those abandoned weapons and gather it over there. Hurry up. .......... And then go back to your place after you are done and turn around with your back to us.」

The knight and his colleagues nodded when they heard Rio’s indifferent instructions.

Those knights then started to move as per his instructions. Thereupon――、

「Well then, as for Charles. I’ll ask you a few questions. Answer honestly if you still want to keep your life. First, how many people came along with you? 」

Rio asked Charles a question while keeping an eye on the other knights.

「........ T-Ten people including me.」

「I only see eight people here though? 」

「One person is keeping watch over Vanessa Aimar. And the other one is taking care of the griffons we brought along! 」

「Where is Vanessa-san right now? 」

「C-Close from here. Just one minute away from this place.」

Charles replied to Rio with an extremely terrified voice due to the feeling of the cold and sharp metal on his neck. And then, during that time――,

「............ Oi, I am finished.」

The knight who was collecting the weapons reported to Rio. Moreover, Celia rushed at him as if unable to hold her feelings anymore and――,

「U-Uhm! 」

And then called Rio from behind.

「What’s the matter? 」

Rio asked Celia while keeping his eyes on Charles.

「U-Uhn. .......... It’s about her, but..........」

She was referring to Aisia but Celia couldn’t say that name in front of Charles. She was looking at Rio’s back from under her hood with an impatient face.

「........ It’s okay. She should be somewhere around this area.」

Rio turned around and looked at Celia for a moment and smiled calmly at her. Though his line of sight passed over Christina who was standing by her side, his eyes looked back at Charles immediately.t. And then, as he withdrew Alfred’s sword――,

「GAH! ?　.......... Urgh」

Rio seized Charles’ clothes and tripped him by his feet making him fall. Rio then took out another pair of handcuffs and bound Charles.

「Do you want to come with me? 」

「U-Uhm」

Though Celia was looking at Rio’s back as he did his job with a bored face, she nodded right away with a bright face when he asked her. While looking at Charles who was lying on the ground in a miserable state, she began following Rio with a stiff gait.

「You’re to form a formation along with the other knights」

「....understood.」

The knight who was ordered by Rio walked timidly as he gathered the weapons. And then the rest of the knights except for Alfred and Charles gathered in one place.

「Yosh. Then, please get even closer than that. Just till you’re about to touch each other. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Great, keep it like that. .......... Can I have a minute, Cecilia? 」

After confirming that those knights were close enough, almost touching each others backs, Rio called Celia with a small voice.

「Uhm, what’s matter? 」

「Please imprison those knights with earth magic. I don’t mind about the size as long as it’s strong enough to keep them. And then, please make ventilation on the ceiling just enough to keep them from escaping and alive.」

「........... Understood. Leave it to me」

Celia nodded whe she heard Rio’s request. Maybe because she had already calmed down, she had a firm expression on her face.

「Thank you very much.」

「I should be the one to say that. Thank you for saving us just now」