Me, the Weakest Member of the Hero’s Party? I’m the Villain Though? - Chapter 18
In the end, someone could no longer stay silent. Elonen stepped forward.
“Your Highness, Prince Kyle did everything he could. We’ll be able to track the Black Flame Dragon’s trail soon.”
Reynold turned his icy glare from Kyle to Elonen. I always thought Elonen was too kind to have enemies, but Reynold’s gaze was brimming with hostility.
“The hound of the Holy Order barks.”
Reynold let go of Kyle’s chin and swept his gaze around the group.
“That’s not for me to decide, but for His Majesty. I hereby place all of you under arrest for aiding the Black Flame Dragon’s escape.”
“What?”
At Reynold’s thunderous declaration, Kyle, who had been suppressing his anger, finally snapped. But Reynold paid him no mind and gestured to the soldiers behind him.
“Why are you just standing there? Can’t you hear the Crown Prince’s command? Load these criminals onto the prisoner transport wagons, now!”
“Brother, wait—please, listen to me first!”
As Kyle pleaded, soldiers rushed in, grabbing him and the rest of the group.
“Kyle, what now?”
Gerard, having effortlessly twisted the arm of a soldier who came at him, turned to Kyle. Even though their weapons had been taken, if they really wanted to, the group could have easily overpowered the soldiers.
But doing so would mean opposing the entire subjugation force—and, by extension, the Empire itself.
“Don’t resist. Disobeying an imperial decree is treason.”
“You do know your place, I’ll give you that. Take them away.”
Reynold waved dismissively, but then his gaze landed on me, standing near the tent’s entrance, and his eyes widened.
“Wait a moment…”
At his voice, the soldiers froze mid-action like statues.
“I’ve never seen that one before. Who are you? Another of Kyle’s lackeys?”
Hearing the word lackey from such a refined-looking face felt surreal. I didn’t reply out of sheer irritation.
Apparently thinking I hadn’t understood, Reynold pointed directly at me and repeated himself.
“I asked. Who are you?”
“I’m just…”
I opened my mouth quietly. Suddenly, all eyes were on me—Kyle’s, the party’s, even the soldiers’.
I glanced at the hero’s party, wondering if anyone might step in, but they just stood there, waiting for my answer.
In the end, the only one who could save me was me. After some thought, I slowly answered.
“Just someone passing by.”
First priority was cutting ties with this party as quickly as possible.
Fortunately, Crown Prince Reynold didn’t seem particularly offended by my rude tone. Maybe my scary-looking face helped.
“Someone passing by, huh…”
Reynold chuckled like someone who’d just heard a bizarre joke. The laugh came so suddenly I wasn’t sure if it was amused or derisive.
“Your Highness, Lysian has nothing to do with us!”
Kyle, still calmly held by the soldiers, shouted as if trying to help me. Surprisingly, it was exactly what I’d been about to say.
“If he has nothing to do with you, why was he with you?”
“We just ran into each other in the forest. I got lost and he helped me, that’s all.”
I offered a half-truth, and Reynold’s expression shifted, as if unsure whether to believe me.
“You got lost in a forest full of monsters? You were wandering around a place like that alone?”
He naturally followed up with the most obvious question.
“Right. I’m a woodcutter who gathers gloomwood.”
Using what I’d learned from Gerard, I crafted a more convincing excuse. Thanks to that, Reynold’s suspicion faded faster than expected.
“I see. You must’ve been startled, getting dragged here so suddenly. No wonder I didn’t recognize your face from the departure ceremony.”
Finally, someone was listening to me. Even if he seemed like a complete jerk, it didn’t matter. As long as he let me go, I’d take help from a demon if I had to.
“I was just about to head off, now that I’ve made it safely out of the forest.”
Hiding my rising relief, I replied calmly, thinking I could finally leave.
Reynold stared at me silently, then gestured to the soldiers.
“Take everyone else. Leave that one here.”
…What?
I thought the misunderstanding had been cleared up though? Caught off guard, I cautiously chose my words.
“I really should get going. I’ve got my lumber business to tend to…”
“I just have a few questions. Stay for a moment.”
The soldiers herded the hero’s party out of the tent, and a sudden stillness settled in. Reynold now looked down at me, uncomfortably silent.
“All soldiers are to wait outside.”
He said without breaking eye contact.
What? He was sending even the remaining soldiers out? As I tried to process the sudden shift, Reynold stepped toward me in a single stride.
“Take off your clothes.”
“…What?”
