Crest of the Strongest Knight

Chapter 85 - Marilyn's Escape

Marilyn's breath came in ragged gasps.

Are they still chasing me...? Have I lost them yet? Her eyes darted around every inch of the hallway where she'd stopped to rest. Serving Duke Revelo for over a decade had given Marilyn an almost perfect memory of the castle's layout, but that knowledge was of scant use to her at the moment.

No matter which path she took or which hidden corridor she emerged from, she would always encounter resistance in the form of a small platoon waiting to capture her. As a knight, mere soldiers were no match for her in combat even when grouped en-masse in a confined space. If her hand was truly forced, she could easily strike down even a company full of regular footmen with ease, but the situation was an awkward one no matter how she looked at it.

Shit! Marilyn cursed under her breath as she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Acting swiftly, she ducked into an adjacent room that contained a hidden passage leading to a different section of the castle.

As a building that was constructed to keep invaders out, there were only a few entrances and exits into the building and they were all heavily guarded thanks to Ritya's meticulous plan. As Marilyn made her way through the dark and damp passage, she bit her lip bitterly, remembering how she'd found herself in this situation.

Yeah... That was the moment when I realized it was all fucked. Marilyn thought to herself as she recalled how Ritya had asked her that damned question.

"You saw it, didn't you?" Ritya had stared Marilyn in the eyes with a look of smug confidence. Regardless of what Marilyn answered, she would lose in one way or another.

"...What the fuck are you doing, Ritya?"

"I'd like to ask you the same question, Dame Marilyn." A familiar voice came from behind Marilyn, surprising her. The senior knight whirled around, coming face to face with Bastiche who was flanked by several soldiers.

"L-Lord Bastiche!? Your father—"

"I know," Bastiche replied calmly. "It's unfortunate, but we'll have to adapt to the situation for now. More importantly, I am now the acting duke, and as such, I am temporarily relieving you of your duties. Ritya will be taking over as the ducal champion and commanding officer of the duchy's army."

For a moment, Marilyn was stunned both by Bastiche's sudden appearance, but also his utterly passive reaction toward his father's condition. Marilyn understood that their relationship as father and son had always been tenuous at best, and though Duke Revelo enjoyed his son's presence, Bastiche certainly did not reciprocate the sentiment.

"You cannot do this! Your father is still—"

"Unfit to rule." Although Bastiche's voice was mild and level as he coldly dismissed his father's rapidly deteriorating condition, Marilyn could sense a venomous satisfaction behind the impassioned mask that he wore. He walked over to the prone yet still-writhing Duke Revelo, nudging the man with his foot. "You deserve a well-earned break, Dame Marilyn. Please retire to the barracks and await further instructions."

Normally, there would only be one choice for Marilyn. With her lord out of commission and Bastiche being technically correct, the only thing she could do would be to surrender herself and obey the acting duke's commands. However, she simply couldn't bring herself to do that.

Not after witnessing everything unfold before her.

She was sure of it now. This was a coordinated attack against the duke, and a very successful one at that. She had failed to protect her charge as a knight, but she would not fail in avenging his death.

She wished for nothing more than to draw her blade and press it against Bastiche's neck while she questioned the man about his motives, but she knew that doing so would be suicide.