Goldof didn’t reply. His gaze never left the fiend. He could tell Fremy was a little irritated at being ignored. What kind of nonsense are you talking about? he thought. He wanted to free Chamo, too.
Fremy didn’t fire. She wasn’t looking to see if this was a trap. She was waiting for Adlet and Rolonia. Before long, the two of them arrived as well.
Goldof knew what the fiend was after. It was waiting for the other Braves to kill him. “You came…Adlet,” he said.
“What’re you looking at?” Adlet asked him. Goldof didn’t reply. “What’s over there?” Adlet asked again.
That was when Goldof understood—Adlet hadn’t found a thing. He hadn’t even figured out that there was a fiend with stealth powers here. Still, Goldof asked him anyway, “Have you…found Her Highness?”
“Yeah, we’re close,” said Adlet. “You’ve been giving us a rough time, but…that ends now.”
“…Have you figured out…what’s really going on?”
“Who do you think you’re talking to? I’m the strongest man in the world.”
Goldof could tell immediately that was a bluff. Adlet was a surprisingly bad liar.
“Tell me about your helmet. What’s that hieroform, really?”
“…Hieroform?” How did he know about the Helm of Allegiance? And why was he asking about something so trivial right now? Goldof didn’t know, and it didn’t matter.
The fiend was watching Goldof, eyes narrowed. Now it just had to wait for the three of them to kill Goldof. That had to be what it was thinking. And the fiend’s assessment of the situation was entirely accurate. Goldof doubted he could win the other Braves over this late in the game. Whatever Goldof said, they’d try to kill him, regardless. He could tell that clearly, from the vicious looks they directed at him. He didn’t imagine he had a chance, not against the three of them. If he could hold on for even a minute, he’d accept that as a good fight.
Then, in that single minute, he’d win.
Goldof focused every nerve in his body, steadied his breathing, felt his blood pound in his veins, tensed every muscle. And then he trusted that he would be able to save Nashetania.
“I’m going to kill you now,” said Fremy. “But before that, let me ask you this: Is it your hieroform that’s keeping Nashetania hidden?”
“That question…is pointless. For you…and for me.” What a stupid question, thought Goldof. They really didn’t know anything. They hadn’t even managed to puzzle out a sliver of the truth. Fremy and Rolonia aside, Goldof had thought that Adlet, at least, might be able to figure out something. Unconsciously, the gaze Goldof had leveled at them grew contemptuous. “I’m disappointed…Adlet.”
“About what?”
“I thought…maybe…you’d figure it out.” Goldof raised his spear, and while the others were raising their weapons, Goldof observed the red-haired Brave—and the variety of tools at his waist—closely. Adlet inched forward, while Rolonia began to whisper invective under her breath.
Finally, to show them his determination, as well as to shock them, Goldof announced, “I will…protect Her Highness.” He crouched low and readied himself to charge. “And…I’ll save Chamo…too.”
That seemed to startle them. That instant, Goldof launched himself at Adlet. Their confrontation lasted only an instant, and the fight reached its conclusion in mere seconds.
“StinkingGoldofI’llscatteryourinnardseverywhereyoudemonI’llspillyourbloodandwringyououtandcrushyoutrashworm!” Rolonia’s lash danced as she tried to intercept Goldof’s charge toward Adlet. Fremy leveled her gun while Adlet, too fast for the eye to follow, whipped out a chain with a metal fitting on one end.
Goldof knew the longer this battle went on, the more disadvantageous it would be for him. So he used his strongest move first, spinning as he advanced, using the centrifugal force to fling his spear. He’d unchained it from his wrist beforehand. The heavy weapon spun toward Rolonia.
He was aiming for Adlet—or that was what they’d think. They’d assume Goldof wouldn’t let go of his spear since he had to beat all three of them. That was why the shaft of the spear landed a hit on Rolonia’s chest. Thanks to her armor, it probably didn’t hurt her much. But it did jostle her whip away from Adlet’s defense. Adlet seemed a bit worried, but he quickly prioritized killing Goldof. If he’d been distracted by Rolonia, even just a bit, it would have made things easier, though.
“Haa!” Adlet jumped to the side as he flung the cuff and chain. This was the same tool he’d once used to restrain Tgurneu. Goldof tried to avoid it, but he wasn’t fast enough. The binding caught his now weaponless right arm.
Meanwhile, Fremy was firing at a gap between his armor plates around his stomach. She had probably chosen that rather than his head so it would be harder to avoid. Goldof didn’t block her shot and let the bullet pierce his body. If it went right through without hitting bone, it wouldn’t stop him. Feeling the hot slug pierce his stomach, he kept racing forward. Adlet strafed sideways, yanking the chain in perfect time with the moment when both Goldof’s feet left the ground. Goldof’s upper body jerked forward.
“!” If he landed on his stomach, Fremy would immediately shoot him in the face. If he caught his fall with his hands, he wouldn’t be able to use them for what came next. So he deliberately drove his forehead toward the ground. As he descended, he used his left hand to rip off his right bracer. His face scraped the ground, but a moment later, his arm was free. Fremy shot at his head, but he blocked it with an armored shoulder. As his body rotated from the impact, he grabbed the chain he’d just removed and yanked with all his strength. The unsuspecting Adlet stumbled toward him.
Discarding the chain, Goldof reached out for the boy’s throat. Adlet drew his sword and swept it horizontally in an attempt to slice the hand away. But the attack at his throat was just a feint. Goldof immediately snatched his hand back and crouched to grab Adlet around the
