Of course, we had deliberately avoided the busiest parts of the square and settled in a quieter spot.

On the landing of some stairs that overlooked the street below, there were only the two of us, chewing on chicken skewers.

No other suspects.

So there were only two possible culprits.

Me: a blind man with one arm bound in bandages. Could I have thrown a skewer that far? How could I even aim when I couldn’t see?

And then there was Lady Ashley: armored knight, lithe compared to the musclebound men around, yet carrying the scars, hardened muscle, and battle-tempered gaze of someone who had crossed death more than once.

A crippled blind man or a strong female knight.

The choice was obvious.

At first, people’s gazes were on me because of my strange appearance. But when I tilted my head toward the knight beside me, their attention shifted to Lady Ashley.

Srrng—

One man, clearly their leader, drew his sword and leveled it at her.

“You! How dare you strike Lady Berrymore with a skewer! Don’t think you’ll escape!”

Our poor captain stammered in shock.

“W-Wait. No, I… that’s not…”

I gave her a reproachful nudge.

“Really, milady. How could you throw a skewer at someone?”

“…Excuse me?”

She stared at me in disbelief as I suddenly spoke in stiff formality, distancing myself.

“I—I never—! It wasn’t me—”

“Seize her!”

At the leader’s shout, knights rushed forward.

Civilians screamed and scattered, clearing the street.

In an instant, the stairs where we sat were surrounded.

We could have escaped earlier, but Ashley was too flustered to act, and I—well, I was just a helpless blind man, quietly staying put.

The bustling street quickly turned into a space thick with nervous murmurs.

Within the ring of drawn blades, the leader stepped inside and swept his gaze up and down at Ashley.

“A knight?”

“…Eh?”

“Which order?”

“Um… that is…”

“Who sent you? Who ordered the assassination of Lady Berrymore?”

“I didn’t—! I mean, it’s not—”

Ashley rose awkwardly from the steps but was still too flustered to speak clearly.

I offered her a lifeline.

“…Wait. Aren’t you Lady Ashley Grangalder, the Golden Flash of the Starvanger Knight Order?”

“What?”

My words froze them.

“The Golden Flash?”

“The Starvanger Knight Order?”

No one questioned how a blind man could recognize her. All that mattered was the revelation: the golden-haired knight before them was the famed Golden Flash.

Judging from their reaction, the reputation of the Starvanger Order—and its captain—was weighty indeed.

At last, Ashley’s wits returned.

Her eyes cleared, and she spoke in a voice suddenly sharp and steady.

“Yes. I am Ashley Grangalder, captain of the Starvanger Knight Order. And you—on what grounds do you accuse me? Can you take responsibility for your claim?”

“Uh…”

The man faltered visibly.

Around us, the knights stiffened as if their limbs had turned to stone, cowed by her sudden authority.

I silently cheered her on. Go on, Lady Ashley!

Even Heavenly Demon chuckled in support.

[Unlucky fool. He’s provoked the wrong lunatic.]

Ashley pressed him, her voice cold.

“I asked. Can you take responsibility?”

His eyes flicked nervously to the crowd.

Too many witnesses.

He forced his voice louder. “Th-The skewer clearly came from this direction. There were only two of you here.”

His eyes darted to me.

“But this one’s blind, so—”

He trailed off. Ashley stepped forward, cutting him off.

“And? Can you take responsibility?”

He staggered back. “Th-That…”

His voice shrank to nothing.

Ashley seized the opening like a duelist scattering blows with a flurry of strikes.

“It was not me. Why would I waste a half-eaten skewer on Lady Berrymore’s face?”

“…Eh?”

“Such delicious food, thrown away?”

“….”

“And if I truly meant to assassinate her, I would have thrown a dagger, not chicken. She would not be injured—she would be dead.”

“Ah…”

“And if I were guilty, would I have lingered here like a fool, waiting to be surrounded? No. I’d have fled immediately.”

“….”

Each word struck true. The man had no answer.

It was obvious—he’d been carried away by his zeal, pointing fingers without thought.

“You failed to protect your lady. Then you come blustering in after the fact, threatening me? Did you think I would simply accept such insult?”

“….”

“If there is an investigation, I will cooperate. If you seek assistance, I will lend it. But you will not slander me. To insult me is to insult Starvanger itself.”

Her cold gaze pierced him like a blade.

“One last time. Can you take responsibility?”

“….”

The man was struck dumb, tongue-tied.

Ashley looked over him, then swept her eyes across the surrounding knights, hand on her hilt.

Her command was icy.

“Lower your swords. At once.”

…Gulp.

In the dead silence, the sound of the man swallowing carried louder than thunder.

“Sh-sheath your blades!”

The knight’s trembling order came out at last.

The others obeyed instantly, as if they had been waiting only for that cue. Their eagerness betrayed how badly they’d wanted an excuse to back down.

Ashley’s eyes, cold as steel, fixed on the man.

“Have you anything more to ask?”

Her tone made it clear she meant to keep her earlier promise—to cooperate with an investigation—but nothing more.

The knight glanced at her, then around at the crowd, his pride already crumbling. He tried to salvage dignity with a show of boldness.

“D-Did you see the culprit?”

But his voice shook so badly that it only made him look pitiful. His speech had even shifted into stiff honorifics.

Ashley cast me a quick sideways glance—catching me idly chewing on jerky—then shook her head.

“Unfortunately not.”

“I… I see. Thank you for your cooperation. Then we’ll take our leave.”

The baroness’s knights fled, nearly stumbling over one another as they hurried back to their carriage. They bundled the unconscious lady inside, spurred the driver, and forced their way through the crowd.

“Out of the way! Move aside!”

Ashley glared after the retreating carriage, irritation flickering in her eyes. Then she turned, scanning the crowd.

All eyes were on her.

She sighed softly, then dipped her head.

“My apologies for the disturbance. The matter is resolved—please, continue to enjoy the festival.”

“….”

For a heartbeat the street was silent.

Then the dam burst.

“Waaaaaah!”

Cheers roared like a wave.

Ashley, who had just spoken words of apology, stared in shock at the sudden eruption of applause and cries.

“Golden Flash!”

“Starvanger!”

“Wooooooh!”

The people shouted her title and her order’s name, voices rising in chorus like they were welcoming a hero who had struck down a villain.

Wide-eyed, Ashley searched the crowd—and found me, clapping along with the rest.

I grinned at her and added my applause without holding back.

“Well done, Lady Ashley!”

“….”

“Where did you get that jerky?”

“I always carry some. Jerky’s my best friend.”

“….”

Ashley stopped walking mid-step and let out a long sigh.

“What were you thinking, causing such a commotion?”

I blinked at her, feigning innocence.

“Commotion? You’re the one who caused it—why blame me?”

“….”

Her eyes narrowed.

I held her gaze for a moment, then waved it off with a playful smile.

“Lady Ashley.”

“Yes?”

“When that fat baroness was bullying people, what went through your mind?”

She thought a moment, then answered honestly.

“I felt disgusted.”

“And when my chicken skewer landed on her face?”

“I was… startled.”

“Not that. Deeper down. Be honest.”

She hesitated, frowning, then confessed quietly, “…It was satisfying.”

I grinned.

“See?”

“All that, just for that?”

“Well…”

I drew the word out, choosing carefully.

Yes, half of it was just me being petty. I always acted on whim.

But I wasn’t entirely thoughtless, either.

“That’s part of it. But not the whole reason.”

“…?”

“Walk with me. You’ll see soon enough.”

Maybe I hadn’t earned her full trust yet—her expression stayed skeptical.

I didn’t mind. Tapping the ground with my sheathed blade like a cane, I strode ahead.

Soon, the busy festival streets gave way to quieter roads.

We were heading toward the city’s edge, where the crowds thinned.

The festival’s heat was faint now, just a lingering tinge in the air.

As we walked, I brought up the question we’d left unfinished.

“Back to what we were discussing earlier.”

“Why circle back now?”

“The royal knights. You said the gap between them and the Frost Knight was wide. So… are they weak?”

Ashley shook her head firmly.

“Absolutely not. The Frost Knight is the exception. The royal knights are idols to all knights, paragons of what we strive to become.”

“Oh? So they’re not just anyone.”

She nodded.

“They’re strong. Only the very best may even apply. The Frost Knight was one of the Eight Sword Masters to begin with—you can’t compare him.”

I finally asked what I’d been leading to.

“Then… how do they compare to the First Prince’s knights we’ll be facing tomorrow?”

Her face grew serious.

“I heard somewhere they were as strong as royal knights.”

“…Where?”

“Did the Black Prince say that? Maybe. I’m not sure.”

“….”

She fell silent for a long moment before answering.

“It’s… hard to say.”

Her restraint said enough.

“So the Black Prince exaggerated, huh?”

“….”

Her silence was its own answer.

After all, he had been trying to persuade me. Of course he’d embellish.

I bared my teeth in a grin.

“That bastard was bluffing.”

Ashley quickly rushed to defend her liege.

“It wasn’t entirely false.”

“Really?”

“Royal knights are already complete as warriors. Compared directly, they would win.”

“Mm.”

“But that doesn’t mean the First Prince’s knights are weak.”

“Then how would you put it?”

“They’re… half a step away from completion.”

“I see.”

“Yes.”

I studied her.

“Then what about you, Golden Flash? How close are you to completion?”

“I…”

Before she could answer, shadows fell before and behind us.

We had wandered into a deserted alley, buildings three or four stories high on either side casting deep shade.

Figures dropped down and blocked the path ahead and behind. More crouched on the rooftops.

A perfect ambush.

I looked around lazily, then asked, “Did you notice?”

She drew her sword smoothly. “On the way here.”

“Thought so.”

“You used me as bait to lure them.”

“Bait? That sounds harsh.”

“Then what would you call it?”

“…A poster girl?”

“….”

They were clad head to toe in black.

One of them spoke, voice grating.

“Golden Flash. Choose. Death… or surrender.”

Ashley didn’t bother to respond. She only shifted her stance.

“Lord Ashuban.”

“I’m listening.”

“To answer your earlier question.”

Her white blade gleamed, golden aura flaring across its length.

She slid her lead foot forward just a half-step, angling her body like an arrow loosed from the string.

“I am half a step away.”

Her stance, tilted forward, promised a strike.

When her blade shone with radiant gold like sunlight itself—

“That is where I stand.”

And the Golden Flash carved across the darkened alley.

(End of Chapter)

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