The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne

ANDDDDDD…… Back to Leo.

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A few days after the black sphere emerges over Bassau.

There are over two thousand knights and adventurers under Leo’s command, defending against the horde of skeletons flowing out of Bassau.

“Replace the front lines! Those who have been replaced rest up immediately!”

Leo orders the front liners who have been combatting the skeletons to fall back and send in a new group to replace them.

In order to gain time, he separated the defensive line into three shifts.

However, the number of skeletons coming out of Bassau is still growing. They managed to half encircle the city but they can not progress more than that.

“Your Highness Leonard. You must rest as well.”

“I can’t afford to do that yet. This is a crucial moment.”

Lynfia urged Leo who took command without taking any break or rest but he refused.

Being the one most familiar with war tactics than anyone here, Leo understands that they are currently in a dangerous situation.

When knights of the Lords in the vicinity and the adventurers who were nearby arrived, they managed to half surround the city but after that, the number of skeletons has been increasing in response and there are undead monsters stronger than the skeleton being spotted here and there as well.

The monsters that flow out from Bassau don’t just randomly increase in number, they appeared in response to their movement.

Leo is confident about it. If they were to expose any opening now there is a possibility that they might break through their defense.

As long as that small possibility exists, Leo can not afford to let his guard down.

If they manage to break through Leo and his men here, a large number of skeletons will scatter throughout the South. Since the Lords in the area have dispatched their knights to assist him, they will not be able to defend themselves.

In that case, the South will fall into chaos like never before, the southern army’s response will be sluggish. Then, the border defense will be weakened.

Countries that are waiting for such a gap in our defense will not miss that.

“But if Your Highness falls, the front line will collapse.”

“I am still fine. If I really can’t go on anymore then I will tell you.”

“Is that so……then may I have some of your time? If it is only a short while then Your Highness should be able to leave the command to the imperial knight here correct?”

“I don’t mind but did something happen?”

“There were some injured knights among the people fleeing from Bassau. One of them woke up and requested to speak with you, Your Highness.”

“I see…..let’s go then. He might know something about this incident.”

Leo said so and entrusted the command to the nearby imperial knight and headed to the camp that was built behind the front line.

Inside were knights and adventurers who were resting and injured people who couldn’t move.

Leo enters the outermost tent in that camp.

“Your Highness.”

“Don’t mind me, please continue the treatment.”

Leo uses his hand to stop the elderly man who tried to greet him.

This elderly doctor is one of the rare people who escaped the city and remained behind to treat the injured.

The knight who lost his right hand and had a deep wound in his stomach managed to regain his consciousness after he received the treatment of that doctor.

“I am Leonard, the Eighth Prince. Are you the knight who wishes to speak with me?”

“Y, Your Highness……please, save my Lord……”

“Are you talking about the Lord of Bassau?”

“Yes…..my Lord, Dennis-sama has been threatened for many years……because of this, Bassau was used by the kidnapping organization…….there was a prison in the basement of the mansion ………holding the children they caught………..”

It was a shocking confession.

However, Leo only raised his eyebrows and didn’t say anything.

The reason is that he understands that what this man is about to say is important so he doesn’t want to interrupt him.

“Dennis-sama was…….he decided to rescue the children and headed to the basement…..I was accompanying him halfway there but…….I was injured and was carried outside by my comrade………after that, that black sphere emerged from the mansio–….Cough Cough.”

The knight coughs and vomits blood.

The doctor wipes the blood off but the knight continues to painfully cough up blood.

Still, his left hand reached toward Leo.

Leo firmly grabs his hand.

“Please……my Lord….if……my Lord has already fallen……Rebecca…..”

“Rebecca?”

“She ha……She has my Lord’s letter……..Please, for the honor of Earl Sitterheim……We did not willingly cooperate with them………”

“If that story is true, I swear on my name that I will restore his honor. You must rest now.”

“Thank you…..Thank you……Than-k–yo……..”

The light was gone from the knight’s eyes and his hand turned powerless. 

The doctor shakes his head. He was probably using the last bit of his power to relay that wish to him.

Leo kept holding his hand for a while.

“Your Highness…..”

“The Lord entered the basement of the mansion and the black sphere emerged from there. In other words, that black sphere is somehow related to what is inside that basement.”

“The highest possibility would be the children being held there…….”

“So it seems. They were gathering children with high magic power and special abilities. Something might have triggered them and caused this catastrophe.”

“If that is the case then if we don’t do something about that black sphere then we will not be able to put an end to this incident.”

“Yeah.”

Leo firmly grips the knight’s hand one more time and put that hand to rest on the knight’s chest.

Leaving the rest to the doctor, he left the tent.

Looking beyond, the black sphere is floating slightly above Bassau

“If that sphere comes out of the mansion then it wouldn’t be strange if there’s someone inside that sphere right?”

“That is possible but……are you really planning to find out?”

“Of course. I came here to rescue those who were kidnapped. They are the victims. I want to save them.”

“I am glad you feel that way. When I thought that my sister might be in there I couldn’t hold myself back either. However, right now we need to proceed with caution. You are an important person who aims for the throne after all.”

“It is exactly because I aim for the throne that I want to save them. I want to become an emperor who can save people he wanted to save. But, if I become an emperor by abandoning someone then I can definitely not become that kind of emperor. Humans are creatures that can easily adapt. If I abandon someone once I might do it again someday. That’s why I will not give up on them.”

Saying so, Leo smiles at Lynfia.

Then, the image of Leo overlapped with Al inside Lynfia’s eyes.

The day they departed. The image of Al handing her that pouch of money overlapped with the image of Leo who declared his determination.

There is nothing in common between those images.

Their appearances do look similar but that’s it. Still, there is something about them that is overlapping.

It was then that Lynfia finally noticed. The fact that the principle behind both of their actions is the same.

“You two really are a twin…..”

“Hmm? I am similar to Nii-san?”

“Yes, very much so. Both His Highness Arnold and Your Highness Leonard have always moved for [Others] right.”

“It’s not that big of a deal. In my case that is. I don’t know about Nii-san but I understand my own weakness. I know that I will definitely get used to it. That’s why I am desperately trying not to.”

Leo said that with a smile.

How great it would be if he can reset his thoughts and be decisive each and every time.

He thinks that it was quite weak-willed of him. That’s why he has never skipped out on studying. Because he knew that if he relaxed and played around like Al even once he would not be able to come back to it.

On the contrary, when he thought that it is necessary for him to study, Al returned to studying himself.

In a sense, that might be his talent.

That’s why Leo was envious of Al.

However, he stopped getting envious of his brother. The time for regretting the thing he doesn’t have is already over.

“I am not Nii-san. It’s impossible for me to be flexible on a lot of things. I was keenly aware of that when I was on the mission as the ambassador plenipotentiary. That’s why when I received my mission to come here I decided to keep going. Straight and unwavering. I will pursue my own ideal.”

“……I understand. Please allow me to accompany you then. But there should be more chances for that ahead of us though.”

“Right.”

Looking at the front line, they are beginning to get pushed back.

Not only skeletons, but new monsters have also begun to increase.

Not only their number, but their individual power also increased.

If he were to charge in here, he would only be throwing his life away. Leo isn’t that stupid.

He already decided to save them and he has no intention to miss that opportunity. However, if such an opportunity doesn’t arise, he has no plan to brute force his way in either.

Right now is the time to endure.

The chance will come soon.

Believing that the time would come, Leo straddled on his horse, gave his commands and head to fight at the front line himself.

However, aside from Leo who has made up his determination.

Others were different.

“Guh!”

“Uwaaaaa!!”

People who lost their morale and were exhausted from the long fight began to get pushed back.

Leo went to their rescue but such a thing continued to spread across the entire front line.

It was not long after that that Leo received a fatal report.

“Reporting! The left-wing has been broken through!!”

“-!? Send in the reserve squad!”

“We won’t make it! Please escape Your Highness!”

“There’s no use escaping. Everything will be lost.”

Leo said that and took the horn from the knight and repeatedly blew on it.

Then.

[[Is there anyone here who is willing to become the hero with Leonard Lakes Adler!? Anyone who can still swing their sword!? Anyone who can still run!? Anyone who can still look forward!? I don’t care whether you are a knight, an adventurer or a civilian! Those who still haven’t lost their will to fight, gather at me, Right here, Right now!]]

Leo raises his sword high.

He then blew on the horn again.

The sound of the horn echoes far away.

Hearing that faint sound of the horn, Lize smiles.

“All men, speed up! Our battlefield is near!”

Leading the thousand men cavalry regiment at the forefront is Lize wearing her blue mantle.

The people who still have the will to fight in the south now gathered there.