“What?!” another of them exclaimed in surprise.

“Looks like there’s panic everywhere.” S’yne and her familiar teleported in and engaged the women. Perhaps the technically superior fighter, she clashed with one and then pushed her back. She dashed in on Miyaji, but he immediately fired off more notes, driving her back.

“Where did you pop up from?” Miyaji asked, still at ease. “Are you sure springing such an ambush was a wise move?”

“Yes, I think so. I’ve had enough of chatting with you,” I replied. I meant it too. Really meant it. I had expected him to unleash some kind of trap, but not to stop the shield functioning completely. I just hated the precision behind such an attack! Now we had to fight against the odds again.

“S’yne, what about L’Arc?” I asked her.

“He’s fin—” she started.

“He is safe,” her familiar said. “Your support magic was removed, but he can still fight, and Therese is giving a good account of herself. I think they will be able to secure an escape route if necessary, just as planned.” That was good to hear.

“You still think you can win? How? Without your weapons? Without your strength? This is why morons who try to solve everything by force are such a hassle! I’m disgusted by your inability to imagine a future in which pure strategy defeats you,” Miyaji said. I wasn’t sure what he was so pleased with himself about. This fight wasn’t over yet!

“My, my. You have impressed me again, my dear Hidemasa!” The statement came from a voice of someone who had just come into the room from a door behind Miyaji. I gave an instinctive, wordless shout upon hearing it, unable to believe my ears and feeling rage fill me.

Raphtalia was the same.

This was the woman who had stood behind Motoyasu and laughed at the sheer despair on my face. The woman who could have just stayed quiet and still manipulated an entire nation into believing terrible crimes had been committed but got personally involved nonetheless and made further claims of rape against me.

As Riyute was rebuilding, she had used her authority as governor to take over, levy a heavy tax on the people, and have her way again, but that plan had failed. She had then tried to manipulate events by pitting Motoyasu against Filo. At every turn, she seemed to be there, trying to turn things to her own ends, and always with a focus of messing with me.

She had even taken advantage of a chaotic situation to try and take the life of her own sister in order to further secure her own position.