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The next day, the apprehended ex-Knights were taken to the town’s plaza.
The residents came out of their homes to watch the execution that was about to take place.
This seemed like a logical course of action. After all, they had planned to assassinate the feudal lord.
「…These are the people we caught. We have to watch until the end.」
Rafinha said more to herself rather than to Inglis.
Although Inglis suspected that, deep down, the younger girl didn’t really want to watch the sword fall.
Meanwhile, Cyrene was standing in front of everyone, her face blank as the ex-Knights spat at her with disdain and profanities.
「I am the one who exiled you. It is no wonder that you hate me… But, you must understand that change was needed. Crushing the weak while at a position of power is a despicable act. It is important to respect each other and treat everyone equally. I wish you had realized that…」
She spoke loudly so as to be heard by everyone present.
The residents who were harassed by the previous feudal lord and his knights applauded loudly.
The ex-Knights’ reactions varied — some hid their faces in shame while the others just relentlessly cursed at Cyrene.
Cyrene watched them silently for a moment before she directed a command at her subordinate Knight.
「Please undo their cuffs.」
「 …EH?! Lady Cyrene, aren’t you going to execute them!?」
Captain Nacht’s eyes widened in shock and asked. Cyrene only shook her head to show her disapproval.
Then she strode to the ex-Knight Commander, Hawker, and knelt before him.
「I beg of you, please change your mind and lend me your strength…! We can’t abuse our power while living on Midland where Magic Stone Beasts run amok! We have to join hands and fight together! Please, use your power not for yourselves, but for those who are powerless!」
Cyrene kowtowed right before him, so much that the stigmata on her forehead that marked her as a Highlander brushed the ground.
No one could hide their surprise when they saw that a Highlander could go to this length.
She was different compared to the Highlanders they had heard from rumors; Highlanders who were so proud that they wouldn’t even consider anyone who lived on Midland as humans. She was… someone they could put their faith into.
Inglis could see it when the people started to reconsider their image of her, even the ex-Knights.
「So you’re saying you forgive us… 」
「I’m the one who should ask for forgiveness… I have treated you harshly. If you can’t forgive me, you may leave right now, I won’t stop you. However, please, I ask of you, don’t repeat the same mistake.」
As though her actions had taken him off his feet, when Hawker approached her, he nearly crumbled to his knees.
「Your word is my order…! Please, use me however you will it…! Oi, bastards! Get your asses over here and join me!」
With just one command, the ex-Knights started to kneel before Cyrene one after another.
The town residents cheered upon seeing the scene.
Starting now, this town would begin anew.
「AWESSOOMMEEE!! Lady Cyrene’s cool isn’t she!? Right, Glis!?」
All the while, there was another girl here, jumping around with her eyes gleaming in elation.
「Hahaha. She is.」
Instead of executing them, Cyrene had somehow swayed the former Knights to rejoin the army and, by extension, significantly improved the town’s defense in one big swoop.
This was a truly effective method albeit it was a bit too daring for Inglis’ taste, she guessed that it must be due to Cyrene’s youth and enthusiasm.
If she was one of Inglis’ vassals from her past life, Cyrene might have been a promising young parliament officer who would gather a lot of attention to her career prospects.
「Thank you very much, everyone!」
Cyrene smiled from the bottom of her heart at everyone around her.
That night, a feast was held in the castle.
Both Inglis and Rafinha stuffed their cheeks. 1 Their action made people around them pull away, but even that wasn’t enough to destroy their appetites.
After their stomachs had been filled, Cyrene drew near and told them that there was something that she wanted to talk about with them.
The three then decided to leave the venue early and enjoy a tea break after dinner in the lord’s private room.
「You were really cool, Lady Cyrene! You make me fall head over heel!」
「Fufufu. It was scary, you know. My knees were trembling. I feel so tired, perhaps because I was so nervous back there.」
Cyrene then touched her lips lightly to stifle an almost-yawn before she smiled apologetically for her conduct.
It was quite an endearing gesture of hers.
「That’s worrisome. I put a herb effective for fatigue in today’s tea, so please drink it and relax.」
Mimosa remarked with a smile as she brewed a pot of tea. She was the woman who took care of Cyrene and the children’s wellbeing.
「Thank you, Mimosa. Mmn… Quite a unique taste, but not bad at all. I can feel my body starting to relax. It really takes my fatigue away.」
「Yeah, it’s very good.」
「You’re right.」
Then, after some light banter, Cyrene then leaned forward with heed.
「I’m sorry, but there is something I have to talk to you two about… will you follow me?」
The gentle profile she had up until now took a sudden 90-degree turn, a sign of seriousness flashed across her face.
「Hmm? What’s wrong?」
「What do you want to talk about?」
「It’s about the matter Inglis asked before…」
About the peculiar flow of mana in this town?
「Please, tell us.」
Inglis was just wondering herself if she should look for the cause on her own, but they also had to continue their travel since they had gathered enough for their travel fund. With the opportunity coming up right now though, she might as well listen to it.
Cyrene took Inglis and Rafinha outside her private room and led them into a hidden underground passage.
It seemed like Cyrene was the only one who was aware of this underground passage as the lord of the castle. There was even a barrier that only allowed Highlanders to pass.
Cyrene temporarily lifted the barrier to allow Inglis and Rafinha to pass, then led them further below after putting the barrier back in place.
Eventually, they reached the end of the passage.
There was an open space made with stone paving there, and a magic formation so big it took up the entire space all by itself. The magic formation was structured with complicated and bizarre patterns, closely packed with each other.
From the dim glow it emitted, Inglis could see that it was absorbing Mana from the surrounding.
「What is this…? This Magic Formation is absorbing and gathering mana…?」
This must be the cause of the bizarre mana flow in the town.
This thing had been hibernating underground and sucking mana from the people.
「Lady Cyrene, w-what’s this…?」
Rafinha seemed to be creeped out by this mysterious phenomenon.
「This is the seed of a Highland’s nucleus,『Levitation Magic Formation』. It gathers Mana from the surrounding until it reaches a sufficient amount and then it’ll detach the entire region from the crust and send it floating into the sky. This land will then become a new Highland.」
Cyrene said, her hand gesturing upwards.
「!? So that’s what it is…」
So this is what Cystia, the Hyrule Menace, meant back then when she said, “These bastards are stealing our land”
At first, I thought she meant by authority, but… To think she meant that they would literally steal towns with living people and bring them to the sky. It’s literally “stealing the lands”.
「EEH!?!? That means, this town will fly in the sky!? What about everyone who lives here!?」
Just how would Cyrene answer Rafinha’s question?
Inglis carefully waited for the answer. 2
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