"You're surprisingly fast, aren't you?



　I followed the princess's presence with detection magic as I headed for the garden.

　But the princess moved faster than I expected.



　Just in time.

　Just as I finally reach a position where I can go outside and look up at the balcony, the Princess appears.



　The Resistance is taken aback for a moment.

　Before the Resistance could make their move, the voice of the Princess echoed through the garden.



"Hear me! My name is Kilik. Kilik-vi-Assyleta, the one you seek is here!



　Kirik's Point of View



　The only bright spot in the escape route was destroyed by the disappearance of the people who knew about it.

　Even with the horses, there was nowhere to run.

　As I had never done much outdoor activities, it was easy for me to imagine that I would just die in the field even if I escaped on a horse in the dark.



"Then ......"



　I'm going to die anyway.

　Then it's more worthwhile to use this life while it's still valuable.



　The Resistance wants me.

　A sober decision would have been to use it as a bargaining chip with the king, but I saw the signs outside and I knew.

　But I saw the signs outside and realized that there are more than a few among them whose goal is to kill me.



"If all I have to do is run away and die ......, then I have no choice but to do it."



　It was a pretty reckless and helpless resolve.

　Maybe something blew up in his face because his way out was completely blocked, or maybe he was .......



"Just for a moment, just a moment, I just remembered ......."



　Yes.

　A too-big-to-fail existence.

　Maybe just the thought of that all-powerful butler, whom I sought above all else, gave me a kind of courage.



"It's up to me whether I'll be brave or not."



　It's the game of a lifetime.

　The Resistance is divided.

　Who will move first, those who see me and want to use me, or those who want to kill me?



I'll make sure they know I'm worth it!



　It was something I never would have thought of in the past.

　I was worth something just by existing. I was born that way, and I was raised that way.

　No matter what, no matter what, just being there has value. That is what I was taught as a person of royalty.



　However, value could not be determined by birth alone.

　I was aware of that. When I saw the number of people who wooed me increase with each success of Lyto, or when I saw those who began to flatter him directly and to force him to work for them.



　Still, at that time, I did not doubt that my value was unchanging.

　That illusion was shattered when I lost Lito.

　I thought that everyone would work hard to make up for the lack of Lito, to make up for the lack of my value.

　Actually, I think that was the case in the beginning.



　But now?

　No one works for me anymore.

　No one values me anymore.

　There is no one left to protect me.



"I brought this situation on myself ......"



　But I'm still a royal. I will live to make my worth known.

　I no longer care about what comes next.

　My greatest wish would never come true.



"Maybe it was a blessing that I felt at least a hint of him at the end..."



　Despite my sentimentality, my steps were somewhat light.

　The balcony is right in front of me.

　With nothing left, all I could do was say my name.



"Listen to me. My name is Kilik. Kilik-vi-Athrelita... the one you seek is here!