Save 32 - Unbreakable Bind

It has been a few days since Rudel was treated as a traitor and imprisoned.

To make his imprisonment more real, fleets of the commonwealth have been reported on the borders of the kingdom.

Rudel's family has not been exempt either. They have been placed under house arrest. Lyle and Pola get the worst treatment, with the daughter being taken to a separate room and threatened by adults that she will be sold into slavery. As for Lyle, he is forced to talk about Rudel, but refuses. For some strange reason, the gentlemen inside the room, when they were very rough, fell unconscious.

As for Rudel, just like the time imprisoned in the academy. Ixion brought items to make his stay comfortable, even when they were taken away or destroyed, after a while when no one was watching they would be put back together, even guards were left inside, but they did not remember anything and for some reason they were naked.

The food they were given was bad, but they never ate it, it could also be poisoned.

Instead, beef steaks appeared with potato salad and vegetables among other exquisite dishes. There was wine, but he would spit it out for some reason.

Instead, the girls were on Alisa's home turf for Airi to help heal the wounded and the older brother. Of course, people saw her and were stunned.

They could not go to the capital as the head of the house had ordered it.

It was only a few days before the end of December and the beginning of the new year and there were rumors of the wedding between Liam and the Saint, along with the possibility of Marquis Balzac being the new prime minister due to the previous one passing away.

◇◇◇

At a place near the border of the kingdom, there was a small lookout monitoring the activity of the country nobles. For some reason, insurrections had been stopped, but not executions of commoners.

On that ship, in the bow, was a man by the name of Askewell, he had brown hair in a strange hairstyle that looked like a coconut.

He was touching the area where he used to have a mustache.

There was nothing there anymore. Just a light burn made by Ixion.

When he touched him, he remembered that Rudel took away besides his title, now a viscount, his precious fine brush mustache.

"Damn you, brat of the realm!"

He cursed a certain boy with all his heart. As he did so, a tall old man with samurai-style hairstyle, bald head, a beard with a mustache covering his mouth, brought him a letter.

"What is this?" Askewell took it without politeness, as he opened it and proceeded to read it, an evil smile showed itself.

"Bacchus, our revenge will finally happen. It seems our ally managed to secretly free Bandel, we shall soon see."

The old, heavily armored man smiled as he said that and then asked.

"When will that be?"

"It will be the-"

On that beautiful day, an evil plan came to fruition.

◇◇◇

In a hangar of the Royal Palace.

"Can't they open it yet?"

A group of craftsmen, thaumaturges and engineers were with various tools trying to open Battler and Brunhilde's hatch.

The head of the place, an old man named the legendary master craftsman, Ralph. He was an NPC that existed in the game, Liam would go to him when his ship, a certain item he got very late in the game, was with various destructions.

This man would fix it with no problem, it was his passion as despite being a commoner, he was an expert on both ships and armed units.

He had discovered Brunhilde's cloak when he was brought in, now he was trying to figure out how it worked. His curiosity was greater than his loyalty, he was only interested in how it moved on its own and worked.

"I want it, I want to know everything about you!"

What he didn't know was that Battler's eyes were watching him.

The kingdom tried to seize Rudel's shipyard and repair shop, but this was in his father's name, not even robots or parts could be taken, this was defended by nobles and ministers not hostile towards Rudel. His island was not so lucky, the kingdom forces entered his island trying to find something to power up his ship or armed unit, there was nothing.

All the drones, robots and parts were gone. Even the entrances to secret areas were destroyed and camouflaged as part of the ecosystem, what they didn't know, is that a flying object was recording them.

◇◇◇

The girls finally made it out of Alisa's family's territory to head to the academy.

Her father gave her no explanation according to the letter they received. When they arrived, the academy had a gloomy air.

They went to Rudel's room to tell him they were fine, but when they arrived what they found was.

"What happened here!"

The room was ransacked, several personal things were stolen, among them the rings he got last semester.

There, was graffiti with hurtful and vulgar content towards him.

One person came running after hearing of his return.

"Alicelotte-san!"

It was Rudel's instructor, they asked him what happened here and where their occupant was.

He told them to accompany him to a room, the girls did so. In that room was Eleonora.

He asked them to sit down, the girls were anxious for some reason.

It was there that their faces showed panic at what they were told.

"It's impossible!" shouted Airi because of what happened.

"Rudel isn't the kind of person who likes to do complicated things, let alone something as absurd as betrayal!" Alisa forcefully let out what she was feeling.

The other two in the room nodded, but Eleonora told them "that's true, but the palace or the Marquis Balzac faction is not interested in that." Then, Alisa, quickly left the room.

Airi asked her "Where are you going?". As she ran, Alisa said "To see my father, he must know something!"

Airi stood watching Alisa's back. She clenched her hands and did the only thing she could do without Liam's help.

(Rudel-san, may nothing happen to you.)

Praying with teary eyes.

◇◇◇

After arriving at her home in the capital, Alisa noticed that many things were missing, but she didn't think anything of it and went to her father's office.

She didn't knock on the door, just walked in shouting.

"Father, help Rudel - he's done nothing wrong!"

Siegwald narrowed his eyes.

"Don't be so hasty. This sort of thing is a usual incident in the royal palace. Besides, even if he had the authority to do so, neither his armed unit nor his ship would return with him."

Alisa received a great shock from her father's words.

"...Are you saying that, without them, Rudel, he is worthless if he doesn't have his lost object? Rudel up until now has been striving and working for my sake!"

His father replied coldly upon hearing that.

"And what of that? There's no doubt that all the success so far has been thanks to his lost object. It's a pity, but, anyway, what's he worth now that he possesses neither?"

Alisa clenched her fists, remembered her original bond with Rudel and reminded her father.

"I am her patroness and he my knight!"

"And I believe I have thanked him and prepared a suitable reward for it. That's enough, go back to the academy."

"What about the prime minister and the queen, they have a personal regard for him!"

"...They are none of your business."

With those words, Alisa looked like she was about to cry.

She turned and ran out.

The door was opened not by her but by an elderly servant.

Loud footsteps accompanied by a loud "I hate you!" could be heard as if a little girl was the one running.

After hearing that childish tone, Siegwald drank some water due to stress.

"Good grief... if only she would be a little more honest with herself..."

As he sat down, he noticed the servant.

"Something wrong, Doyle?"

The old butler approached after greeting and handed him some papers and then returned to his original post.

"I see, it seems Vayne is well, no doubt, that girl is a great help despite being a commoner."

The document was of many things, but the first page indicated that his son, was well and slowly recovering.

He then proceeded to read the other pages. His face made a bad expression.

"So it's true that that bastard Balzac is about to become the prime minister now that Ritzburg is gone... it seems that boy really has nothing but misfortune on his side."

A big sigh came out of his mouth.

"I don't know what's worse, a crisis in the palace or a teenage daughter who doesn't know if she likes him or they're just friends for a certain pain with legs?"

The butler made a comment regarding that last thing he said.

"Excuse me my lord, isn't it simpler to tell Miss Alisa about your feelings?"

Siegwald answered him without interest.

"That girl brought out her mother's stubbornness genes. Even if I told her or someone else did, she would deny it, she was always so stubborn when asked if she liked something or not. And after those two idiot children, probably her stubbornness with the viscount is something she herself must accept."

"I understand, but my lord, and doesn't the viscount himself have something to say?"

He looked at the servant and told him his true opinions regarding Rudel.

"Even if that boy has feelings for her, but thinks that because of rank they can't be together, it only means that this is already a very idiotic children's problem. There always was and always will be a way to achieve a political marriage between higher or lower ranks. She knows it herself, but it seems that since she gets together with him, I feel that she becomes a little silly. Really, those two alone generate more headache for me than anyone."

He went back to drinking water after letting that out.

◇◇◇

Alisa finally returned to the academy.

Airi was waiting for her at the door of Rudel's room.

Both of their eyes were with tears, seeing her, Airi cried harder.

They entered Rudel's room and talked about what happened.

"...Something like that!"

Airi, had a Rudel doll which was destroyed. Alisa told her "there is no one who can help him". Her eyes were expelling tears, then Airi got up from the bed where they were.

"There is someone who can help us!"

Alisa looked at her quizzically.

"Who?" her friend said as Airi took her hands to pull her to her feet.

"The Saint, Erselica-san!"

"She can help us since Rudel saved her once, she's repaying a loan, or something was the saying."

Alisa smiled when she heard that and said "certainly, I had forgotten about her, but she is related to the faction of the minister who locked up Rudel, do you think she will help us?"

"I hope so."

With that said, they both headed off to find Erselica.

◇◇◇

On the outskirts of the girls' dormitory, stood a mansion. It was built for the Saint by the temple.

Currently, the temple has one foot inside the palace. The supreme pontiff Dixit, they have labeled him as a minister of salvation. It is only a matter of time before more offices are filled by members of the temple.

In the said mansion, there was Erselica with her followers, many of whom were destined to serve Alisa.

But now it was different as their patroness was....

"Well, what brings you here?"

...Bowing in favor of her help.

They had come the girls to ask for her help. Erselica's followers spoke for her without her consent and told them to kneel before her presence.

After doing so, Erselica went on to take out on them everything they did not like.

"So, what do you wish from me?" she said in a malicious tone.

The girls at the same time said.

"Please, Holy-sama, we implore you!!! Help Rudel/Rudel-san!!!"

Erselica knew that at last the event of Rudel's betrayal had come.

Before the end of the 1st year, Rudel had sold information of the kingdom to the foreigner since his ship, whose name was not Brunhilde, was destroyed by Liam.

To secure his neck, he escaped abroad to a certain country. After this event, no one would hear from him again until the end of the game.

Erselica believed that the story of the game continued its course to a better one.

For that reason, she knew they would come and still feign ignorance.

After taking her time and savoring the moment, she replied.

"Umm... I know, I re~fú~se."

"Please, we implore you, help him!!!"

She savored how the heroine and villainess bowed to her.

She humbled them some more.

"That's how you can something, upper class daughter? Your mouth was always so overbearing like a nagging dog. Ask me barking."

Alisa took a brief moment and words came out of her mouth that tore her up inside.

"Please wau, help wau, to Rudel wau!"

Her eyes showed shame and pain.

Erselica burst out laughing loudly. Her gaze then shifted to Airi and she told her the same.

"That's supposed to be two pleas, isn't it? Where's yours, and say it like the pig you are."

Airi unlike Alisa didn't take her a moment to do so.

She unlike her friend was shedding tears as she did so.

"I beg you oink, please oink, help Rudel-san oink!!!"

Erselica wanted to laugh so hard as these two girls who never did anything to her, threw their pride on the floor for someone's sake.

At the edge of the door, there were Allen and Cana watching everything, their expressions were very hard to interpret.

Erselica stopped laughing and told them the straw that broke the camel's back.

"You can tell it's very false what they say, because they don't undress in front of the capital's square and only then I will believe what they say, hahaha."

Erselica laughed wickedly at the sight of them.

◇◇◇

Erselica's face, showed a fear she had never felt in her two lives.

They were in the square in the center of the capital; she, her followers and two girls.

They came here to prove their desire to save him was a lie, Erselica thought they would chicken out at any moment.

She didn't pay attention to the talking until that happened.

Slowly, as if it were an erotic show in humiliation mode.

Alisa and Airi were beginning to undress in public; they started with their jackets, then, slowly with tears streaming down their cheeks, they unbuttoned their blouses and in a very painful way, showed their bras and bellies.

Their skirts came in the same way, their arms trembling as their skirts fell to the floor.

They were in public, many people. Men, women, children, adults, old people, officials and gentlemen in addition to Erselica and her followers. They watched as a commoner and a duke's daughter undressed as if it were an exhibition of exhibitionism.

The sun was setting.

Erselica was beginning to tremble as she watched them undress and then strike a pose of dogeza that they learned from Rudel.

She knew what it meant too.

Her thoughts conveyed her fear.

(...Hey, what are they doing, what the hell are they doing?! Stop it, they remind me of what those girls used to do to me).

Unwittingly, Erselica was doing the same thing that happened to her in her previous life. One of the worst memories was where all her clothes had been stolen after gym class and she had to go back in her underwear.

The pain was seared into her mind, so unfortunately she was applying it here.

(Stop, weren't you just being used by that guy? Why go to such lengths for him? He's a villain who will hurt us all! Even if I really wanted to help him, his lost item is too dangerous to leave it to him).

Her thoughts were interrupted by the voices of her followers.

"Hahaha, the daughter of a duke has fallen so low, it shows that her house has no power anymore."

"I feel disgust at the thought that this woman was my patron. In any case, what good do they see in that country trash? He's a traitor, after all."

"Hey, Alicelotte! What happened to the pleas huh?"

A girl said that and put her foot on Alisa's head. Her forehead was now touching the floor full of dust and dirt.

Airi also had her forehead on the floor, she was spit on her back by a girl.

With a very shaky and pained tone of voice, they kept repeating the same thing.

"...P-please, save him Saint-sama!!!"

Their voices now sounded distorted by their cries camouflaged in supplication, teardrops could be seen marching the floor.

Erselica's followers were still taunting both of them.

"Hahaha, they've hit rock bottom."

"Erselica-sama, why don't you use this scum of a ruined house as an armchair and the commoner as a footrest?"

"That's right, come on you two furniture, ask her to sit on you, hahaha."

Erselica shivered upon hearing that.

(What the hell is wrong with these girls!!!? They're so scary, they don't even look human. Besides, they want to see me dead don't they? If that guy makes it out, he'll be coming for my head!!!!)

In her mind, an image of Rudel with his katana, with a demon-like expression was slowly approaching.

(I can't let that guy get out, if he does, he'll definitely kill both me and your assholes.)

There seemed to be no end to the humiliation.

"What do they think they're doing!"

Or so it seemed until Chlust and Frey arrived accompanied by Cana and Allen who brought blankets with them.

After arriving, they pushed the humiliating followers away and placed them on top of the girls.

Chlust shouted at the followers.

"Don't try to use Erselica for your own idiotic purposes!"

"That's right." Frey replied and added "they are taking it out on them through the word of their patroness, shame on them."

For some reason, they thought that everything they were told by both servants, who did not support what their mistress was doing, was just a misinterpretation.

"We came to fetch you as we had something to tell you, the Marquis is requesting you and we will have to fetch His Highness who requires it at home." Frey said as he took the Saint's hand to go to the palace.

Erselica was still panicking, but as she looked at the two she said "I-I never asked them to do that, they misunderstood me. Besides, there's nothing I can do for a traitor."

With that, their last hope was gone.

Allen and Cana turned around to see how everyone, with the exception of the girls. They were still in the same position, all gone.

◇◇◇

It was already getting dark, the headlights were turned on by a magic formula that detected the weather.

The girls staggered to their feet, grabbed their clothes and went to a dark alley to get dressed.

As they did so, Airi in a sad tone asked Alisa.

"You didn't need to go to such lengths for him, didn't you think of your family?"

Without even looking at each other, her friend replied.

"My family is important, but Rudel's safety and well-being is more important than them or my pride."

It was there that a tear welled up.

"With this, I have no excuse for them to want to throw me out on the street, even if the situation for my house is bad, what I did was to soil my ancestors, my parents and my brother."

More tears with weeping welled up.

"I threw away my pride and let them humiliate me. Even you too, but, still. Even with that, it wasn't enough to save Rudel!!!"

Alisa's pained tone could be heard outside the alley. Still not fully dressed, Airi hugged her from behind.

"What a fool you are, if only I humiliated myself I was fine. I'm a commoner, I don't have something to lose like family or pride. But you do, your and Rudel-san's well-being is the only thing I care about."

Hearing that, Alisa turned around, she also hugged Airi.

Their breasts in bras were touching while their foreheads with each other as well, the breath between the two could be breathed to each other.

Their eyes were wet, both were crying for not being able to help Rudel even in their public humiliation.

Many people, among them men, saw their almost naked bodies.

They expected only their husband to see it, but strangers were watching them.

After consoling herself for a while in silence, Alisa spoke.

"I still have something left to do."

"What thing?" Airi said.

They were both sad as Alisa dressing faster answered her.

"The prime minister and the queen are Rudel's allies, I'm sure they must know something or try to help him, I'm going to try to talk in person! Wait for me at the academy, I'll bring you good news without fail!"

After saying that, Alisa took off running towards the palace. Airi just looked at her while having only one thought.

(For you to do so much for Rudel-san, it only means you too...).

Her hands clenched in helplessness as her head lowered.

(Why don't I have any kind of power for these moments where my friends need me?)

◇◇◇

It was a beautiful night in the sky.

The Royal Palace of the Altfode Kingdom was the location.

Great, hurried footsteps could be heard in the corridor.

The footsteps were heading towards the queen's personal chambers.

"Lecia-sama!!! Please open the door!!! Lecia-sama!!!"

A girl was screaming at the top of her lungs.

It was Alisa.

Her usual elegant manner was not present at the moment.

Her hair was disheveled, sweat marked her forehead and clothes, her slippers she threw off to run in a hurry from the square to the palace in the middle of the night.

The white wooden door opened and a beautiful woman stood behind it.

The problem was, the woman had a pained expression that normally shouldn't be seen.

"Alisa, what are you doing here, and at this hour... wait, your feet are bleeding!!!"

Alisa's black stockings, had torn in the foot area showing a pool of blood.

Lecia, immediately ran to a shelf to grab a high level recovery potion that was expensive. She had it there for decoration, but never imagined she would use it.

He ushered her in and gave her the potion to drink.

The irises of her eyes were red, but now the surrounding area was also red from the exhaustion of running for two hours without rest and even more on foot.

After feeling the wounds heal and her heart relax, Alisa spoke to the queen.

"Lecia-sama, I need your help! Rudel has been-"

"...I know."

Lecia cut off Alisa's words with a cold reply.

She was stunned for a moment before replying.

"Your Majesty, w-what do you mean, do you already know Rudel's situation, in that case you!!!"

"Alisa, sit down and listen."

She, had an expression of not wanting to say something she knew in front of the girl she considered a daughter.

Looking down at the floor, with her eyes closed and clutching her dress she said.

"The Royal Palace, the ministers and... even my husband, His Majesty, have found you guilty of treason against the kingdom and inciting insurrection in the border villages."

She bit her lip hard at the next words she was about to say.

"It has been decided that the traitor, the former Viscount Rudel will be executed in less than 24 hours."

"Your father has lost almost all power in his faction, the prime minister has passed away and cannot advise His Majesty and I... am not even allowed to participate in the meetings."

"After arriving here, you shouldn't have seen any guards or servants nearby, should you? They're all downstairs shamelessly celebrating that the traitor's technology will pass into the hands of the kingdom."

"I'm sorry. This useless woman that is the queen can't even slow down the date let alone grant you a last word with him."

"I can have a servant deliver to the jailer a letter from you...Alisa!!!?"

When the queen lifted her face, she looked at Alisa's face.

Her eyes expelled tears like waterfalls as she repeated over and over like a broken record.

"Rudel will be executed... Rudel will be... Rudel will be... Rudel will be... Rudel will be..."

At that moment, Alisa collapsed on the floor making a humiliating plea she made a short while ago.

"Alisa what are you?"

"She begged!!!"

Desperately clutching her dress with tears in her eyes as she looked at the queen's face, Alisa humiliated herself for Rudel's sake.

"Please, your majesty!!!"

"Save Rudel!!!"

"I'll do anything if you manage to save him!!!"

"I will eat dung!!! I will bathe in polluted waters!!!!! I'll even sleep in an oven, but please!!!!! I beg you, save Rudel!!!"

Lecia, watched as Alisa, desperately spoke irrational things.

She sounded almost like a child begging her father not to leave home after telling her mother that she saw him with another woman.

"Your Majesty, please save him... I can't, but you can!!!"

With a regretful face, Lecia said the words that tore "her daughter's" heart to pieces.

"I'm sorry, this decision was also supported by the Saint... Liam, that boy doesn't listen to a word I say. Forgive me, Alisa, but the Viscount-"

"Noooooo!!!"

"Alisa?"

Lecia desperately grabbed Alisa who didn't seem to show any sanity.

"Rudel, no!!!"

"Rudel, it's!!!"

"Rudel, it will be!!!"

"Rudel, noooool!!!!"

"Aaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!"

With great force, the queen clutched Alisa as she emptied in cries what she heard.

Lecia on the other hand thought.

(Forgive me, my child.)

(But I told you once. Men and women can't be together without a political or romantic reason.)

(Really, I can't blame your heart for feeling like you're losing the one you care about more than your life.)

Strongly continued Lecia's grip on Alisa, who was now trying to escape towards the exit.

(This is something I never taught you as I hoped you would never go through it. Women; be they nobles or commoners, all will suffer when the one they love is no longer here.)

"Ruuuuuuuuudeeeelll!!!! Noooo!!!!"

On that beautiful night, a flyer had been pasted outside the palace and was posted in other places.

The flyer which was in the language of the kingdom read.

"The traitor, the former Viscount Rudel van Bradford, will be executed on Wednesday tomorrow."

The story of the game, continued as planned and Rudel's end. It had finally arrived.