Chapter 450

The Resistance
For the time being, since it seemed the Third Prince and Fourth Prince were the real deal, I had them bound up with Talat’s threads.
After that, all that remained was to hand them over to the Resistance and that would be the end of the matter.

"By the way, do we know where the Resistance’s base is located?"

"That, I do not know. For now, shall we head to the city where these two were found?"

"Let’s do that."

The next morning, we soared back into the sky, heading toward the city that was supposed to be the Third and Fourth Princes’ base of operations—something we’d heard from Duke Vardmoi.
Ordinarily, we’d have to cross a small mountain to get there, but it looked like they’d managed that somehow.
And just as the city came into view… actually, what came into view was the black smoke rising from the city.
This… might be a serious situation.

"Hmm… What should we do, Plum? Should we go down into the city?"

"As your escort, I can’t recommend that. Let us first announce our intentions from outside the city gate."

"Right. …Still, I didn’t think the Resistance would go this far."

"I do not know the details of this Resistance. However, typically, those who become Resistance fighters are citizens and farmers who have long suffered under oppression. The ordinary citizens who have lived in comfort up until now may be seen as targets for retribution."

That doesn’t feel very good to hear.
Still, unless we hand over the Third and Fourth Princes to these people, this revolution won’t end.
They’re definitely going to be executed—but that’s the price rulers pay for having turned their backs on the people all this time.
Even so, this Resistance... I don’t know.

“Lily, what are you brooding about? We’re going down.”

“Ah, yes.”

Talat and the others lowered their altitude, and we landed in front of the city.
The people atop the wall—who seemed to be guards—were unsure whether they should raise their weapons at the sudden arrival from the sky.
I guess even they haven’t fully embraced the role of soldiers.

“Listen up! People of the Resistance! We have come from Vardmoi! Originally, we intended only to survey the situation, but on the way here, we captured the Third and Fourth Princes and decided to bring them here! We demand to speak with the person in charge!”

At Plum’s voice, the people on the wall scrambled in confusion.
After some time, a man who looked somewhat important finally appeared atop the wall.

"You said the Third and Fourth Princes!? Those men have already been executed! Just what are you talking about!?"

“Oh? Then the ones you killed were merely body doubles, weren’t they!?”

“Body doubles!?”

“You probably executed them without properly checking! From what we’ve confirmed, the ones we captured are without a doubt the real princes!”

“Ggh…! Then hand them over immediately! Otherwise, we’ll treat you as enemies of the Resistance and eliminate you as well!”

So much for negotiations.
He doesn’t seem to be very good at this kind of thing.
In any case, we should make it clear who holds the upper hand here.

“Talat, go ahead.”

(Okay. How much should I do?)

“Everyone except that man. Make it so a towering pillar of ice rises higher than the city.”

(Got it. That much is fine. I’ll do it right away.)

The moment my conversation with Talat ended, the entire city wall froze over.
A massive wall of ice soared skyward, avoiding only that man.
Incidentally, there was also an ice wall behind him, so he had no escape.
The Resistance soldiers who had been with him were frozen along with the wall.

“Hiie!? Wh-What the hell!?”

“This is our power. If we truly wanted to, we could freeze the entire city and shatter it. You seem to think that brute force can achieve anything, but if all you know is how to use power, you’ll just be crushed by an even greater force.”

A greater force, huh.
I wonder if anyone with more power than Talat will ever appear.
Well, if they’re intelligent, we’ll try negotiating first.
If forces on Talat’s level were to clash, the whole area would just be leveled to the ground.

What do you think about this chapter?