Randolph knew.
He knew Pax intended to commit suicide.
I can't say why he didn't have the decency to stop him.
"Then you should follow Myself."
"Yes sir, Your Highness Zanoba.... for your forethought, thank you."
At the end of that very short exchange, Randolph bowed.
That Randolph who had just been trying to kill us is now accompanying us.
Ordinarily I would be cautious of him.
That last battle may have just been the preamble of Hitogami's trap.
But I can't believe that is the case.
I feel that Randolph does not want to fight.
It's a strange sensation.
But, it's not like I can be sure.
He's the fifth ranked Seven Major Powers: Randolph Marian.
That man who I couldn't even compare to had such a tired look on his face.
However, Roxy and I, we both look just as tired.
Even if someone said, 'We have to fight Randoph here.' I would just weakly shake my head no.
Everyone was tired.
Even Zanoba was quiet as a mouse.
The four of us... no, it's five people once you include Benedict.
With heavy footsteps, we five escaped from the royal palace using the underground passage.
We came back into the watermill.
There was still time until the darkness makes way for daybreak.
When the spirit of light broke the darkness, I cheered up as the Magic Armor was illuminated.
I didn't have to use this for anything other then movement after all.
"This... could this be the Fighting God Armor?"
Randolph abruptly asked me.
He was gazing up at the Magic Armor with a stunned look on his face.
"No, this is a magic tool which Zanoba and I have made for decisive battles, it's the [Magic Armor]."
"I see... If you had employed this, I would have been in trouble."
"Is that so, but in the end I couldn't do anything about your [Bewitching Sword]."
Randolph responded to that with a 'Ha' kind of laugh.
"Well I was cornered before I used that."
"Eh?"
"My body was becoming worn out from your formation, and negating that Rock Cannon had used almost all of my magic power..."
He told me this as if he was comforting me.
Maybe, in that place, I would have had some more flexibility if I had not allowed myself to be intimidated by his talk, stance dancing, and bewitching sword.
If I had attacked him there, victory would have been possible... maybe?
No... anyway it's nothing to sigh about.
The correct answer was to not fight at all.
To win, to lose, in the end there wasn't any meaning to it.
"Now that I think about it, Randolph, you had said that you were aware of Hitogami."
I need to hear about this before I forget.
Someone who knows about Hitogami could be valuable.
We came here, but Pax died.
We failed to achieve results; it's pathetic.
"Yeah, but I do not know that much."
"Just in case, can you tell me what you know?"
"Sure thing... It's just about someone related to me, a long time ago I heard a story that they managed to fight against a powerful enemy with the help of Hitogami."
"A powerful enemy?"
"In order to protect his fiancée, he stole the Fighting God Armor at the suggestion of Hitogami, and it seems he fought in it. The person said to be the strongest at that time: the Dragon God Laplace.
In the end he failed to protect the fiancée, and the two struck one another down."
Randolph punctuated his story with, "Sounds fake, huh?" and then laughed.
But I've heard that story somewhere.
That's right, it's someone that both Orsted and Kishirika have said.
Dragon King and Fighting God battled...
"When I was younger, I was told this over drinks. Although it is probably a myth... thanks to growing up listening to that story, I am familiar with the name Hitogami."
No, this is valuable information.
If he says this, then it's a story about a former apostle of Hitogami.
Well, it's something Orsted likely already knows.
Our information may overlap to some extent.
"Could you tell me the name of that relative?"
"The Biegoya region Demon Lord, Badigadi."
Ah.
Well, huh.
If that's the case, then the story seems suspicious.
That Demon Lord-sama was a lighthearted and vague gentleman.
It could just be a tall tale.
Though I don't think that Orsted would lie...
Well, each person might tell a famous heroic saga differently; things are lost or added in retelling.
"Thank you very much..."
I suddenly felt worn out.
I lacked the energy to continue talking.
I was influenced by such a thing...
Haa.
Without thinking, I just want to go home and sleep in my own bed.
If I think about it, it's been a full day, I have not slept today.
"Randolph, what will you do now?"
After our conversation was concluded, Zanoba asked Randolph.
"I will go to the KDK from here."
"And then?"
"I will protect the Queen until her delivery and then teach the art of the sword, erudition, and cuisine to her child."