Chapter 26 - Swordmaster Edward, Royal Tutor to Prince Henry

I don’t want to say anything to the prince, but I really don’t like Truck-chan. She’s a bad influence. No matter what the other advisors say, I don’t think she’s good to have around the prince. In fact, from what I’ve seen she’s not much better than the Legions.

I can understand being forced to kill your opponents in glorious battle. That’s what makes war grand and magnificent. It’s a righteous clash of arms to see whose cause is right and true. Young men everywhere rise to the moral call to do their duty. In contrast, only cowards and villains pillage the weak, salt the fields, or kill defenseless women and children.

Yet, that’s exactly what we’re doing here! Despite the fair maiden’s cries for justice, we’re destroying her home. Worse, as a naiad, we’re tearing out her heart. What sort of demon would do that? Are we just as bad as the legion?

Truck-chan doesn’t seem to even care. I’ve heard the stories. She’s murdered heroes by the dozens before joining our cause. Now, she’s killed even more of the enemy, but there’s still no sign of a conscience! She’s a golem! Her heart must be colder than sin!

Even now, I watch as she prepares to tear the ground apart to make our channel. Yes, we need the water moved to save our war effort. Many lives will be saved. The cost though, is the blood of a single innocent maiden.

Even now, she begs for her life with streaming tears. Will I be able to live with myself afterward? Surely, her cries will haunt me for the rest of my life!

I know the answer I’ll get, but I reach out for a miracle. “Prince Henry, is there no other way? Some other source of water?”

“This is the only nearby basin above the elevation of the tunnel. Right, Truck-chan?”

She flashes her lights in an affirmative. I’d feel better if the prince would answer for himself. Perhaps he can’t see the moral dilemma because he’s passed it on to her?

“My prince, I beg of you. This is tantamount to murder!”

“Tanto mount? A tanto is a type of dagger. So … dagger mountain? To murder? Oh! Do you have a new plan?”

Luckily Frederick is off surveying the slope. He can’t correct the prince’s lack of vocabulary. “Ah… yes. We just need to knife the mountain.”

The prince looks at me with sparkles in his eyes, “How will that work?”

I can’t bear spouting such falsehoods. I could keep up this ruse, but then I’d be a liar. “Ahh… I’m not sure either. It was just fishing for ideas.”

To this, the naiad responds. “I have lots of fish! Would that help?” She’s still submerged to her neck in the water. The reason for that is her outfit that I’m still holding. Maybe I should return it to her? That would be the gentlemanly thing to do.

While I muse over my best options, the prince takes the two ideas and combines them. “Fish… and mountains. Maybe there’s some way to combine them? Any ideas Truck-chan?”

To this, she blinks her yellow lights, which means no. But, at least the prince is trying!

Since it doesn’t seem to matter, I set down the naiad’s clothing and push it out into the water. “We’ve got nothing against you, miss. But, we need this water to block a cave.”

“Block a cave?” She swims closer to retrieve the clothing. Naturally, I avert my eyes from the glimpse I catch of her pale skin. I’m not so depraved to take advantage of a woman in distress.

“It’s under that mountain there!” Despite his confident voice, I see that the prince is blushing pink. He’s wisely turned his back away to point at the cliff side. Good for him! Who would want to serve an immoral lord? Perish the thought!

“You need to block a cave in that mountain? Why don’t you use rocks?”

“Uhh… why don’t we use rocks Edward?” The prince asks me.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“Mmm… that’s a question for Frederick. I guess the legion could tunnel through them?”

“Oh right. That’s the problem after all. That’s why we’re using water!”

From behind my back, I can hear the naiad stepping out of the water. When I turn, she’s wearing the maid outfit. She’s also… incredibly beautiful. Her hair is dark green, reaching all the way down to her hips. Her eyes are deeper than the mountain pool she calls home. “Surely there’s some other solution besides water? What’s the deal with this cave?”

I find myself stammering. “Uhh… well Truck-chan kinda bored a tunnel straight through the rock. There were ways through before, but they were winding and treacherous. But now, a whole army could pass through in a day.”

“Why’s that a problem? Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Well… it’s underground, and the monsters of the legion are a lot better at living down there than us humans. They’d move in and branch out.”

“I see. That’s a conundrum. Although, if I were you, I wouldn’t use water.”

“Why not?”

“The legion has monsters that breathe water too. I would know, right?”

“Oh!”

“Kappas and hyousube, fishmen and great serpents. All of those would love to live in a dark place like that.”

“Really? Won’t it be too dark?”

“No. You think they are fishually impaired?”

“Was that a joke?”

She sighs and moves closer. “I wanted to see what you’d look like if you smiled.”

“W-w-what?” Is she trying to seduce me? “Please! Miss! I have no power over this decision!”

“No? Then who does?”

“The prince!” I point to him and he nods back at her.

“Oh?” She starts batting her eyes at him and moving his direction. As she walks, she’s twisting her hair around her finger in the most provocative fashion. As a result, the prince is blushing again and frozen still while staring into her eyes.

At this point, I feel like I should inform her of the facts. “Give up, miss. He’s already in love with someone else.”

“I can be very convincing.” She runs a finger down the front of his breastplate.

From the corner of my eyes, I glance toward Truck-chan. “Mmm… even if you’re a naiad, she’s got you beat. You wouldn’t want to get on her bad side.”

“Oh? Too bad. I guess I’ll have to try something else then.”

That’s when she moves. I had no idea she was so strong or I would have been on my guard. It’s already too late by the time I’ve drawn my sword. With one hand, she grabs the prince around the belt, then leaps into the water in a huge splash.

“Prince Henry!” For a moment, all I can see is his thrashing form. People in plate mail don’t float. Instead, the naiad pushes his head to the surface so he can breathe.

While he’s sputtering for air, she turns back to me. “I have a hostage! If you touch my lake, I’ll drown him! You’ll never find the body.”

I judge the distance between me and her. I could make it in one leap, but even then, I’d be fighting her in the water. That’s her natural environment! I can’t even swim! In other words, it’s hopeless. Instead, I look behind me, “Truck-chan do something!”

Truck-chan just sits there and blinks her yellow lights. In other words, no.

At this point, the prince speaks up, “Never mind me! My life is meaningless before the demands of the kingdom! Drain the lake! Do whatever you must!”

Obviously, I can’t accept those orders. It would be the end of me! I’d surely be executed were I to lose the prince! What can I do?

Apparently, Truck-chan has no such compunctions. She moves to the side of the shore and starts tearing apart the ground again, continuing her work on the channel. Her round legs dig into the dirt, throwing dirt and mud into the lake.

“Wait! I’ll kill him! I will!” The naiad shouts.

Truck-chan just swishes her windshield wipers. In other words, she doesn’t care? I knew she was a villain! Every moment just further confirms that fact!

“Cease you monster!” I raise my sword to attack Truck-chan. She stops for a moment, but then blasts her horn at me, “BEEP BEEP!” Then she continues her excavation.

She’s right. I don’t even pose a threat to her! What can I do? This situation is beyond my control. How will I explain this to the king?

“Wait! Surely there’s some other solution!” cries the naiad.

The prince shakes his head. “Fate has crossed our stars, fair maiden. I have no regrets beyond the fact that you too must die.”

“I can negotiate! Maybe you can take HALF the water?”

“Oh! Half!” I emphasize the word, looking toward Truck-chan. “Wouldn’t that work?”

She blinks her yellow lights at me.

The prince interprets for her. “It’s not enough. As long as that mountain is there, we need to stop it up somehow! Half the water would just drain away. It’s all or nothing!”

“Really? It’s more important than your life?” says the naiad.

“We have to do something. At least this will stop the legions from invading.” The prince looks content with his fate. He's even smiling at me.

“Wait… you said… as long as that mountain is there, you have to stop it up?” She cocks her head to the side. Apparently, she’s had an idea.

“Yes? That mountain and the cave is the problem.”

“I see. Then why don’t you just get rid of the mountain?”