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Chapter 46 Part 1 – Meeting Again

Matzo sat with his back to the door to guard it and Arnold stood with an arrow fixed to the string of his bow. Both of them stared at each other. Smoke rushed into the room again, faintly obscuring their figure from each other’s eyes.

「Haa, there’s so much smoke. It’s like we’re in the midst of a fog. I’m so lucky to have found the old man. Come on, let’s have a fight. Why are you sitting down? I don’t think a man of your stature would be too tired to stand up, right?」

「…… No way. You and your rebel army are so slow that I just dozed off out of boredom ……」

Matzo was thankful that the intense pain had kept him from losing consciousness, and he boldly spat out his response.
He slowly stood up, but his knees felt as if they had no strength.
It was thanks to the door supporting his back that kept him from collapsing.
But with the smoke obstructing his view, Arnold did not realize Matzo’s bluff.
Matzo should be able to keep Arnold here for a while.

I’m thankful. In exchange for my life, which I can already perceive the end to, I’ll be able to earn precious time to let the young lady escape.

Arnold laughed loudly, oblivious to Matzo’s small murmur.

「That’s it!! You should be more spirited!! ….. By the way, old man. I hope you have your favorite iron ball with a chain with you. Because sometimes you like to fight with your bare hands. It’s too unfair for me to fight with a bow and you with bare hands.」

Arnold’s excited mood suddenly completely changed and he anxiously asked that question to Matzo, which made Matzo smile bitterly.
He doesn’t dislike this young man’s immature fair-play spirit.

‘I’m sorry. I don’t have the iron ball anymore. Although it’s going to hurt your pride as a warrior, I’m going to deceive you here. Forgive me.’

Apologizing in his heart, Matzo jangled the chains he held in his hands.

「…… Young man, this is no time to be so considerate. I’ll smash your life with a single blow of my iron ball. We are having a one-on-one fight here between you and me. You shouldn’t bring such useless sentiments into a man’s fight.」

「A one-on-one fight …… That would mean that the queen is not by your side. …… Don’t tell me, did you get abandoned by her?」

Matzo smiled faintly when he heard Arnold ask him with concern.
Although he had the impression of being a bird of prey, Arnold is a person who understands human compassion.
He is just blinded by a too strong sense of justice and a grudge against the queen.
He can be trusted.
Matzo has decided how to spend his remaining limited lifespan.

「…… Don’t misunderstand. Her Majesty …… Scarlet-sama is the kind of person who would never abandon anyone. She cried and tried to stay, but I forced her to escape. It is because Scarlet-sama is that kind of person that she did not abandon this kingdom and its people until the very end and was ……」

「Hahh!? She would never abandon anyone!? Don’t be foolish!! My father! My mother! My younger brother ……! That woman was the one who burned them to death right in front of me!! She didn’t stop there!! She even laughed and said that the smell of burning flesh of my family was very similar!!」

Arnold’s expression changed drastically.
In a rage, he interrupted Matzo’s words and shouted.

「…… Listen up!! Old man!! That woman!! She framed my father for a crime he did not commit!! She promised to help my family if he pleads guilty! And my father believed her words!! That’s why he was burned at the stake!! He was willing to die for his family!! And yet, what did that woman do!!」

Arnold was screaming. Tears overflowing.

「…… She showed my mother and brother, who had been turned into charcoal, to …… my father!! On the contrary, both of them pleaded for my father’s life to be spared in exchange for their own lives! That woman trampled on my family’s feelings for each other!! …… My father was shedding tears of blood …… Do you understand the regrets of my father who was burned to death while looking at the remains of my mother and brother whom he wanted to protect lying at his feet!! …… Do you know how I felt when I had no choice but to watch it happen ……!!」

Arnold’s cheeks were streaming with tears.

「…… All three of them were people that shouldn’t have died in a way like that. My father didn’t say much, but he taught me a lot with his back …… and my mother always welcomed us brothers with a smile and a warm hand. My brother was cheerful and always worked hard to become someone my father and mother would be proud of ……! When he was little, he would always stick to me ……! He smiled even when he was being burned by the flames, trying not to make me worried …… They were all the best family …… Unlike me …… They shouldn’t have died in a way like that ……!!」

Arnold stifled his lamentation and let out a deep breath.

「…… I was chained and gagged in the execution site, and was forced to witness the whole process from beginning to the end. It was worse than death …… I can never forget the queen’s cold sneer at that time, even if I tried ……」

「…… I see. You, too, have had a loved one unreasonably taken from you. I understand your sorrow.」

Matzo closed his eyes.
He remembered Mary’s smile which bloomed like a flower and the despair he felt when he saw her cold body.
Matzo took a deep breath and spoke to the smiling Mary in his heart.

‘…… Don’t worry. I know exactly how he feels. But no matter what he tells me, I believe in young lady Scarlet, whom I have watched over with my own eyes. Mary, I will definitely protect what you wanted to protect. So, please be there with a smiling expression on your face as you always did. …… I couldn’t protect you. That’s why I’m not going to let the memories of your smile become clouded.’

Matzo proudly raised his head.
He looked at Arnold with wide eyes.

「I understand your feelings. But even so …… Scarlet-sama would never do such a thing. She is not that kind of person. You are misunderstanding her.」

Arnold was furious at Matzo’s words.

「Bullshit!! I’ve seen her atrocities firsthand and will never be persuaded by such sophistry!!」

「…… I also don’t believe that …… mere words can persuade you. …… With your best archery skills …… You can fire six consecutive arrows at me and I will stop them all. That is how I shall testify for Scarlet-sama.」

「…… Haa!? What are you talking about!! Are you crazy? Why would you testify for that woman? ……」

Arnold was stunned, but Matzo smiled fearlessly at him.

「…… I am in my right mind. You can know a lord’s character by looking at his retainers. And unlike words, you cannot fake an attitude when your life’s on the line. You should be able to understand this if you are also a warrior. …… No matter how much I ponder on it, the Scarlet-sama at the execution site is completely different from the Scarlet-sama that I know. Her Majesty is all this old man has left. So, I will risk my life to prove Scarlet-sama’s innocence. There’s nothing wrong with that, don’t you think? Now, if you get that, hurry up and come at me!! Or are you afraid that your beliefs will be destroyed? Young lad ……」

「…… Stop joking around ……」

Arnold glared at Matzo.
It was a terrible look, as if he could kill someone with his gaze.
His hair stood on end with an intense, transparent rage that went beyond rage.
Still, there was a slight hesitation in his eyes because he suddenly remembered Scarlet’s expression when he had questioned her before.

She bit her lip and glared at Arnold as she silently listened to Arnold’s accusations.
At the time, Arnold gritted his teeth in further anger, thinking how can she be so shameless, but now he recalled that there was a faint gleam in her eyes at that time.
If so, then it was not a glare, but an expression similar to that of a child struggling to hold back tears.

If she was really crying, what’s the reason for it …… as Matzo said, was it because she had been accused of a crime she did not commit? No, she is still the queen of a kingdom, there’s no way she would cry over such a thing ……

After thinking so much, Arnold came up with one possibility and was shocked.
Could it be that she felt sorry for me? …… That’s why she looked like she was about to cry? …… That’s absurd!!