Chapter 53: The Strongest Enemy

Halt's eyes became blank after the former general put the bracelet on his wrist.

“What did you do to Halt-sama!?”

Tina noticed Halt’s abnormality, so she tried to pounce on the former general. However, a fire lance that was shot at her feet stopped her in her tracks.

“Wh, what happened to you, Halt-sama?”

Tina’s voice trembled.

The one who had shot the [Fire Lance] toward Tina was no other than Halt!

“Hahaha, this guy here is now under my thumb. Go on, show her!”

Like a puppet following orders, Halt showed the bracelet on his arm to Tina and the others.

“That’s the [Bracelet of Slavery]!”

“Why do you have that!?”

Sylph and Leaffa recognized the bangle for what it was. It was one of the magical tools that were being protected by the Kingdom of Alheim—the [Bracelet of Slavery]. It cast powerful brainwashing magic on the wearer. The person who attached it to another person would become the master, with the wearer as his puppet.

“I had been the General of the National Forces, you know? It’s easy duplicating the key to the treasury where it was stored.”

The former general used to sneak out treasures from the treasury and sell them to other countries. He would usually use the profits to play around.

After being discharged from the military, he had snuck into the innermost part of the treasury and stolen the [Bracelet of Slavery].

“Hey, release Halt right now, or else I’ll kill you!” Sylph projected her murderous intent toward the ex-general.

The Spirit King’s desire to kill him was real.

The former general knelt on his knees, unable to stand.

“Sylph, return to the Spirit Realm.”

“!?”

One statement.

At Halt’s command, Sylph was forced to return to the Spirit Realm.

“W, well done.”

The ex-general stood up while wiping his sweat.

“Forcing Sylph-sama to return… for you to be able to do that…”

Leaffa gaped at Halt.

“Halt-sama, wake up!”

“…”

Halt didn’t answer Tina’s calls.

“It’s useless. It’s a magical tool that works on us mighty Elves too, you know? It’s impossible for this human to resist it.”

“You bastard!!!”

Tina threw a [Thunder Lance] at the ex-general. Halt stepped forward and intercepted the spear that’s flying at the speed of light easily.

“H, Halt-sama…”

“Tina, did you intend to kill me? Halt, commit suicide.”

“W, what!!”

Halt took out the self-defense dagger he was equipped with, and he pressed it on his neck.

“STOP!!!”

“Stop.”

At the ex-general’s command, Halt stopped moving.

The blood dripped from the gash on his neck.

“Do you understand now? If you go against me, I won’t hesitate to kill this dude. You guys better behave until this war is over.”

The ex-general’s mouth twisted in a disgusting grin.

“Heroine Tina, as well as Princess Leaffa… After this war is over, you will be my slaves. That’s why, don’t die, okay?”

Leaving those words hanging, the former general picked up Halt and left. Tina and Leaffa could not even chase after him.

──＊＊＊──

Grasslands stretched from the Capital to the Border.

The Fifth Prince of Apristos and his private army of 3,000 soldiers were encamped in this area. The soldiers were devouring the food that they had looted from the villages and towns they had invaded prior to coming here.

They had wanted to kidnap the Elf women and do as they please with them. However, defeating the border guards to pass through the National Gates had taken a lot of time. During this period, all the Elves had fled from the villages and towns near the border.

The only things they had obtained were food and precious metals.

‘You can do whatever you want with the Elf women’—that’s what they had been told. Many adventurers from the Dark Guild had mingled with the private army and joined the invasion for that reason. That’s why there were many soldiers who were dissatisfied.

Suddenly, a magical circle emerged at the center of their encampment.

“W, what’s that!?”

“Beware!!”

The soldiers surrounded the magical circle. The inner part of the circle became dyed with black, and from there, the ex-general, Halt, and the Elven woman wearing an eye patch emerged.

“Who are you!?”

“Oops, hey, we’re comrades. Com–rades.”

“You’re an Elf, no matter how we look at it! How did you come here!?”

The private troops pointed their swords to the ex-general’s group.

“Wait, lower your swords. They are allies!”

The Fifth Prince of Apristos, with the imperial guards in tow, strode from the camp's back and ordered the soldiers to retreat.

“Well done coming here.”

“Ahh, thanks for supporting my plan.”

The ex-general was secretly in cohorts with the Fifth Prince of Apristos. He had leaked the shifts of the border guards to the Prince, so the private army had been able to break through the National Gates at the time when the defense was at its weakest.

“But why did you come here to join us? And how did you do it?”

The former general planned to stay in the Royal Capital of Alheim, and when the army of Apristos surrounded the Royal Capital, he would lead the revolt from within. He would then open the gate from inside and let the enemy in.

“Got something pretty good right here. Even if I don’t revolt, I’ve already obtained the power to destroy that country. That’s why I came here. By the way, it’s thanks to that guy that we can move around.”

The ex-general pointed at Halt as he was saying that. The true reason why the ex-general had come here was that he feared the Prince would betray him.

After Apristos’s army entered the gate, there was a possibility that the Prince would discard the ex-general and have him killed. With that in mind, the former general had decided to show Halt’s power to Apristos.

“This human youth has that kind of power? Does he listen to you?”

“Yeah, he’s wearing my beloved country’s magical tool—the [Bracelet of Slavery]. Therefore, he’s my puppet now. Not only that, this guy’s really strong. Show them.”

“Fire Lance.”

Halt obeyed and conjured a [Flame Knight].

“Your Highness! Please get back!”

The imperial guards surrounding the Fifth Prince pointed their swords at the Flame Knight to protect the prince.

“What unbelievable magical power. Make a mistake, and my whole army will be destroyed.”

Beads of sweat rolled down the foreheads of the imperial guards facing the Flame Knight.

“Oy, oy, no need to be on your toes, this guy here is my servant.”

“C, could you really control him?”

“No sweat. Believe in me.”

The ex-general felt satisfied in demonstrating Halt’s power to the prince and his troops. They would fear Halt, and there would be no danger of the Prince’s betrayal. That’s what the ex-general thought.

“The Apristos army is supposed to arrive at noon tomorrow?”

“Yes. That is the plan. News came from my Father just a while ago.”

“Is that so, then let’s rest today. Tomorrow will be a day of pillage. We’ll attack the capital first, so it’s better to let your men rest, too.”

“But there might be a night attack!” said a soldier.

“No problem. Halt, keep an eye on them. Keep the enemies in check.”

“I got it. I want to monitor all areas, so I like to increase the number. Is that alright?”

“Hm? Well, I don’t mind.”

The ex-general didn’t really understand what ‘number’ Halt was talking about.

“Fire Lance!”

”!?”

“T, this is!”

Around 1,000 Flame Knights appeared and surrounded the private troops.

One Flame Knight was capable of annihilating 3,000 soldiers, and now there were 1,000 of them.

Even the ex-general that commanded Halt gawked.

“O, Oy, are you really certain that this one is an ally!?”

“Y, yeah, no worries.”

The ex-general stuttered in answering the anxious prince’s panic-filled question.

“Keep the enemies away until noon tomorrow.”

“Got it.”

Upon hearing the command of the former general, Hart stood side by side with the Fire Knights. Then, he turned his back against the private army and stopped moving.

The former general was smug as he looked at Halt following his orders.

This overwhelming power had become his own. Depending on how he used it, he might be able to take control of the world. After that, the ex-general strode toward the tent prepared for him, walking through the private army as if it was his own.

In contrast, the Prince could only follow grovelingly after the former general.