The castle truly was built with only defence in mind. The hall interior wasn’t as magnificent as the royal palace. They used fire-torches for lighting. I watched the mercenaries in front of me laughing happily as they pulled their sword out from the troops bodies. I kept Freya close by to ensure our safety, and thereby didn’t charge in first. The first group of people to charge over screaming were shot down. Only then did I go over, bringing along with me the remaining mercenaries as we killed our way through.

All of the troops were eliminated, and we had lost half of the mercenaries too. The mercenaries charged towards the interior of the castle like mad-men. They tied up the crying maids and servants before tossing them into the hall.

I ignored them. They can do as they please. I did tell them not to hurt the innocent. It looks like the maids can’t compare to gold and items worth money. I climbed the stairs as fast as I could. I don’t know where Nier is, but I should be right about the pope’s location.

“The door is locked, onii-sama!”

“Move!”

Freya stepped aside from the door of the room right at the top. I poured my last fire potion on the door from the top and the timber door burnt down, quickly being reduced to a pile of charcoal. I kicked the door open and rushed in. I looked around the room and then saw a leg under the table trembling.

I ran over and dragged him out… well, that was my plan… because I discovered that I couldn’t get the fat-a.s.s to move… The pope hid underneath the empty s.p.a.ce below the table and trembled. He was so fat he filled the entire s.p.a.ce. I kicked him in the face and he cried out in pain. With his nose bleeding, he shouted: “Your majesty! Your majesty!!

What are you doing?! What are you doing?! We did not do any-, argh!!!”

I kicked him in his face again, but harder this time, and then asked: “Where’s Nier?”

“What?! …… Argh!!!”

His bloodied-teeth dropped onto the ground after I boot him in the face a third time. He cried and crawled on the ground while shouting: “In the bas.e.m.e.nt! The bas.e.m.e.nt! I have the key! I have the key! It’s hanging on the wall! It’s the longest one! The bas.e.m.e.nt is under the carpet in the hall! It’s right in the centre!! Please! Your majesty! Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me! Please give this old man a chance to see his grandchildren! Don’t kill me! I didn’t do anything to Nier! It was all that merchant! It was all that merchant!!”

“Is that right? Congratulations on keeping your life then. Otherwise, I’ll chop off whichever hand you touched Nier with. Now get f.u.c.ked!”

I kicked him in the b.a.l.l.s and then ran to the wall. I s.n.a.t.c.hed the longest key off the wall then ran down. I grabbed my head due to the intense pain in my head. Freya looked at me, and then looked at the clouds outside clearing with concern. She exclaimed: “Onii-sama! We must hurry! Not only is the full moon about to come out, the church’s knights in the vicinity should be here very soon! If we get stuck here we’ll be done for!”

“I know! I know!”

I hammered my head hard and then staggered a few steps before sprinting down the winding-stairs. We arrived back at the hall. I shouted at the tied-up maids. I pulled the thick carpet away with one hand and then looked for the ring that would allow me to lift the lid to the bas.e.m.e.nt up. I put the key into the hole and turned it to hear it click.

I pulled open the lid that was like a

a brick and climb down the ladder. As I went to descend, the leader of the mercenaries called out to me. I looked up and saw him come over. He handed me a long-sword he was holding, chuckled and said: “Boss, we won’t be going down to the bas.e.m.e.nt. Take care of yourself.”

“Ah……”

“Don’t be moved. It’s just that we won’t get our payment if you die.” He casually waved his hand and I saw several gold necklaces around his neck. I chuckled and then continued to climb down the ladder. Down below was a pitch-black corridor with only a sporadic light from a fire at the end of it. Although it’s called a bas.e.m.e.nt, it’s still at sea-level. I know that since I could see a big-dark forest opposite us through the tiny window.

“Are you still going to reject me? Are you still resisting when you can feel a man’s breath brush your skin? Look at how desperately your body wants it. Are you still going to resist?”

He slapped Nier in the face with his hand covered in a transparent liquid. Nier desperately tried to get her body to move. She herself couldn’t tell if her body was moving to resist or to pursue that ecstatic feeling. Nier’s body was slightly flush-red. She let out sensual moans from time to time while the brick floor that was always wet made her blood runny. Nier pressed her legs together tightly. Even though the merchant was worked up, he couldn’t separate her legs.

“You b.a.s.t.a.r.d!! Don’t touch me!!!”

“High and mighty, huh?!! Come on, act high and mighty with me! I’m dead-meat anyway! I’m going to ruin you! You think you can still stay by his majesty’s side after this?! I’m going to ruin you!!”

“No! No! Your majesty! Your majesty!!”

Nier’s cries were accompanied by her tears. She ran out of her last ounce of energy. Nier watched the man

the man kneeling in front of her pull apart her last line of defence. Her lower abdomen throbbed as if it were resisting and begging to be spared.

“I’m going to ruin you! I’m going to ruin you! I’m going to ruin you!!! Let’s die together! Let’s die together……”

The merchant’s voice began to resemble nothing like that of a human’s. One of his eyes was dripping with blood while the other was filled with insanity. Nier looked at him with horror. She was really scared now. He was right. He was doomed, but if he continues this and ruins her before he dies, not only will she never be able to marry his majesty, she won’t even get to remain as a Valkyrie.

“No!! No!! Don’t!! Please! Don’t! Don’t!!! Let go of me! Let go of me! I am his majesty’s! No one is allowed to touch me!!”

Nier cried as she desperately wiggled her body. She hopelessly struggled. She was scared, in despair, and she didn’t know what to do. She had no idea what to do. She didn’t want to leave. She didn’t want to leave his majesty. She loved him. She didn’t want to lose her chast.i.ty to anyone but his majesty.

She is his majesty’s! No one is to touch her!

“Haha! So you’re finally begging, huh?! You’re finally begging?! Too late! It’s too late! Argh!!”

I huffed and puffed as I watched my sword stab through the merchant’s back from behind. His body fell to the side like a torn sheet of cloth. I rushed over, saw Nier crying on the ground and pulled her tightly into my embrace.

Nier leaned on my shoulder lifelessly. Her courage and determination were gone from her eyes. All that was left in her eyes was the fear and despair of a girl. She leaned on my shoulder and cried loudly. I hugged her tightly and my tears coursed down my face

down my face as I myself quivered. I was scared. I was honestly scared. I was scared to death. What would have happened to Nier if I was one-step late or one moment late? I didn’t dare to imagine what would have become of her.

“Don’t be scared… don’t be scared… Nier… don’t be scared… I’ve come to save you… I’m here… Sorry… sorry… I’m late… sorry……”

“Your majesty… your majesty… I was so scared… I was so scared that I’d never see you again… your majesty… your majesty!!”

I hugged Nier and the big boulder weighing on my chest finally went away. I cried out loud to let out all my tension and fear. The two of us held each other tightly while kneeling on the ground and crying. This truly was one h.e.l.l of a strange rescue operation. The person making the rescue was more afraid than the one being rescued.

I didn’t know what I was saying anymore. My lips were trembling and my mind was blank as I spoke. Nier weakly leaned on me and cried painfully. She didn’t have her usual seriousness and coldness at that moment. She hugged me tightly like she was afraid I would leave.

I too was afraid I wouldn’t see her again. I had lost Mera, and I didn’t want to lose Nier too. I finally saved Nier. I could finally protect the people around me. .

I took off my cape and wrapped it tightly around Nier. I then took in a deep breath to recollect my blank mind. While I was still trembling I said: “Let’s go. Let’s get out of here. Nier, I’ll take you home……”

I picked Nier up and she wrapped her arms around my neck. She closed her eyes and her body just flopped into my arms like she didn’t have joints. She softly said: “Alright… Your majesty… let’s go home… let’s go home……”