At Dasha's expression of shock and sudden sternness, the other Dullahans who had been idling looked over in surprise.
Whether she was oblivious to their gazes or not, Dasha spoke, emitting a thicker black smoke than before.
[Then, we cannot know what will become of the Captain, can we?]
Well... that was true, but I didn't understand how Dasha knew that.
Pausing briefly, I decided to first calm Dasha, who seemed somewhat agitated, rather than ask how she knew.
"...But Dasha, this is something you desire too, isn't it?"
[I do not desire it.]
Dasha answered firmly, without a moment's hesitation.
[I do not wish for the Captain to be sacrificed to the goddess's schemes any longer.]
Suddenly, Soana's words came to mind. Dasha was a knight who resented the gods.
The Dasha before me now perfectly matched that description.
[If the goddess's equal love for her creations is premised on the Captain's sacrifice, how can that be called divine mercy? What difference is there between birth and death?]
A deep distrust was mixed into Dasha's rapidly spoken words.
[This world does not honor the Captain's sacrifice. It is filled only with those who do not know the value of their own freedom. Every story in this land was completed through the play and deception of the gods. Why should we set free the gods' playthings?]
It wasn't just resentment towards the gods, but resentment towards their equal love, she had said. She had vented her fury at all the living beings on earth who, despite receiving that love, did not know how to be grateful.
It wasn't that I couldn't understand Dasha's feelings. But understanding and agreeing were distinctly different.
I will exercise the final authority. Because it is these pitiful Dullahans who will gain their freedom by completing that authority.
Because they are the wretched souls who have endured for so long, holding onto a loyalty from a past life I cannot even remember.
I, who had been staring intently at Dasha, slowly parted my lips.
"I died once. My neck was severed. What resurrected me was death."
Saying it out loud, the expression sounded rather absurd. Death resurrected me.
Or rather... wouldn't it be more accurate to say death took death away from me?
I had never thought about it before, but perhaps that was it. Until now, I had never been injured or in danger to the point of feeling my life was threatened.
So I couldn't even confirm if I was truly in a state where I could die. But it was certain that I was no ordinary human, wasn't it?
If a severed neck could reattach, wasn't it a situation where even death was not within my control?
If so, I concluded that I must complete that authority for my own sake as well.
"The meaning of my resurrection is clear."
When I spoke flatly, Dasha fell silent. Dasha, who seemed quietly lost in thought, muttered in a low voice.
[If we destroy everything, there will be no living beings left to yearn for freedom for the Captain either.]
What?
Before I could even react, Dasha leapt onto her horse.
[Dasha!]
[Stop her, stop her!]
Tristan, who had been quietly watching, quickly jumped in front of Dasha. Bark and Pallides also transformed into Dullahans, grabbed the rampaging Dasha, and pulled her down from her horse.
Seeing this, the Skeletons threw themselves to help Dasha, clinging to Bark, Pallides, and Tristan.
"...Mori, I think you need to help too."
[Yes, yes!]
"Minte and Ganik too... I suppose I should summon them."
Minte was one thing, but summoning Ganik meant the baby Lizardman would come along too, so I really didn't want to call him.
But looking at this chaos now, it seemed impossible for just those three to suppress it.
Glancing at Mori, who was sluggishly crawling out of my pocket, I extended my bracelet and summoned Ganik and Minte. Both quickly grasped the noisy situation around them.
I looked at the front, now even more chaotic with the addition of two more Dullahans and the baby Lizardman, who seemed to have grown a bit more during their brief stay in the pocket dimension, then quietly took out a magical artifact.
'Fire might not be the best... water would be better, perhaps.'
A moment later, a massive column of water erupted from the dead land. It was a column of water so huge it would be visible from afar.
* * *
[Kyuuu!]
The baby Lizardman rolled around in the abundant puddle of water. Ganik fretted beside it, chiding.
[I told you not to go in, it's dirty water. It's full of miasma all around!]
[Kyuu kyuu kyuu!]
[I am a sea turtle, not a freshwater turtle. So I won't go in. More importantly, you're still young, you shouldn't stay long in water mixed with miasma.]
[Kyu!]
I could confidently say that baby Lizardman wasn't listening to a word Ganik said, not even with the edge of its ear.
After staring blankly at Ganik, who was diligently spouting futile admonishments, I quietly shifted my gaze.
I had underestimated the power of the illegal magical artifact; the magic was stronger than I thought, turning the entire surroundings into a sea of water.
The fragile-looking Skeletons, struck by the water column, were broken and scattered, rolling about here and there.
Watching the pitiful sight of two Skeletons desperately fighting over a single leg to repair their broken bodies, I felt an unwarranted sense of guilt.
I hadn't intended to kill them from the start, just attacked moderately, but seeing them like this now seemed even more pitiful.
"How is Dasha's condition?"
[Not good.]
Dasha, beaten by her own comrades, was temporarily unconscious. Once Dasha, their leader, fell, the Skeletons surrendered as if they had been waiting for it.
Perhaps it was a natural choice, as their initial charge seemed to have been for Dasha's sake in the first place.
After the surrender, Minte moved among the tightly huddled Skeletons, establishing discipline. From what I could gather, she seemed to be threatening to cremate them if they dared to resist again.
"Has the rampage not stopped yet?"
[Probably not.]
Pallides, who had a history of losing her own reason, sighed as she examined Dasha.
[Dasha is emotional, but losing her reason to the point of defying the Captain is a different matter. This fool.]
[Pallides, you did that last time too.]
Tristan, who was squatting beside Pallides, clicked her tongue and pointed out. Pallides then retorted in a choked voice.
[I did that to protect the Captain!]
[Dasha is the same.]
The Dullahans seemed obsessed with the idea that they must protect the Captain. Was it an emotion learned from past events?
"If she regains her head, will she be able to suppress all these impulsive actions?"
[At the very least, she won't be as unstable as she is now.]
"Then, will Dasha behave until she gets her head back?"
[......]
I watched Pallides, who couldn't answer, and pressed my forehead. I was struggling to endure a throbbing headache when Bark, sensing the mood, energetically interjected.
[Still, it's fortunate that all the knights are finally gathered!]
Perhaps because all the knights were assembled, Bark seemed extremely excited. Not just Bark, but the other Dullahans also subtly showed signs of excitement.
Mori, who had returned to snake form and was in my pocket, stealthily poked her head out and said.
[Th-then, Zigore and Soana and brother will be coming soon too, right?]
"Yes, if there's no major problem on their end, probably..."
I answered absentmindedly, then paused.
Come to think of it, that's right. Now, truly, all the knights are gathered.
Even the traitor, Samuel.
"Bark, by any chance, have some of your memories returned?"
[Memories? I don't feel any major changes yet, but won't something change once all the other knights are here?]
[Finally, we can show you our perfect selves, Captain!]
Following Bark's casual answer, Pallides expressed her anticipation.
But I was worried first. Frankly, I couldn't guess how they would react upon regaining their memories and learning that Samuel was a traitor.
Just take Pallides, for instance—hadn't she already ramped once upon seeing Samuel?
Back then, I didn't know why, but looking back now, it must have been because she subconsciously recognized the traitor.
'Is this really okay?'
My mouth felt strangely dry. The best course would be to part ways with Samuel before they regained all their memories.
"For now, it's better to send Dasha into the pocket dimension. Bark, you take Dasha and go in."
If Soana were here, I would have entrusted Dasha to her.
Realizing anew the necessity of Soana, I couldn't help but admire the past Captain's wisdom. There was a reason he took Soana in after all. It was good he didn't drive her away.
"Tristan, Pallides, Minte too."
At my words, Tristan asked back in a surprised voice.
[Huh? All of us are going in?]
"Yes."
[But I am the Captain's guard knight!]
Pallides, transformed into human form, spoke urgently, but I shook my head.
Pallides was precisely the first knight who should be sent into the pocket dimension right now.
Because there was a chance she might regain her memories.
"Mori will be my guard."
[M-me?]
"Yes."
Mori is the knight who remembers everything.
That also meant she had known all along that Samuel was a traitor, so she wouldn't be newly shocked and go on a rampage.
While Pallides seemed frozen in shock at my firm words, Minte spoke worriedly in her place.
[I can move more freely than Mori.]
[He must have chosen Mori for portability. I knew it from the moment she insisted on staying in that pocket!]
[If it's a matter of portability, Tristan is small too.]
[My wings would tear if I went into a pocket like that!]
While Minte and Tristan conversed, Pallides, having composed her gloomy feelings, obediently approached the bracelet.
But she didn't forget to give a serious admonition.
[If it's urgent, just throw Mori, pocket and all, at the enemy, Captain.]
I hadn't known entrusting my safety to Mori was such a monumental task. Even Ganik gave Mori earnest instructions before entering the pocket dimension.
"...They all seem to have little faith in you."
[I-I was less talented in combat than the other knights.]
"Don't worry. I'm not asking you to fight. It doesn't seem like a fight will break out immediately, and if it's truly urgent, I can just summon anyone back."
Even at my words, Mori looked around with anxious eyes. Fortunately, before entering the pocket dimension, Minte had firmly established discipline, and the Skeletons looked at us meekly.
In fact, they seemed even more frightened after seeing Dasha enter my bracelet.
[Great Captain! Please command us if there is anything you wish done!]
...Judging by the title, they clearly bore no hostility.