Arcadia's Ignoble Knight: Dark Elf Arc

Chapter 28

Commander Enriche had heard the announcement over the PA System just like everyone else, but unlike the plebeians in the streets, who merely muttered and whispered around what they had just heard, he was packing up all of his belongings and preparing to leave.

The common folk may have been more concerned with what crimes Marquis Hunington had committed. However, the most concerning issue for him was learning that Elincia had somehow managed to escape from Chloe's grip and was now in Dorumhold. While the details were unclear, what was clear to him was that if Elincia had escaped and confronted Marquis Hunington, then it was only a matter of time before she confronted him next.

It wasn't possible to pack all of his belongings. He simply had too many items. However, Commander Enriche made sure to stuff his case full of not only clothing and some of his most treasured possessions, but also drachma. In fact, drachma was what his case contained the most of. His love for money superseded everything else. That was the whole reason why, after discovering what Marquis Hunington was doing, he hadn't arrested the man but brokered a deal instead.

After packing his case until it was ready to burst, Commander Enriche rushed out of his office, down the hall, and appeared before the stairs leading into the first floor lobby. He was just about to race down the stairs when the doors opened and four people walked in. Of course he recognized all of them. Caspian was in the lead, a sword in hand, but Chloe, Clarissa, and Elincia were not far behind him. As the group entered, Caspian looked up.

Their eyes met.

"Commander Enriche," Caspian said, smiling. "I wanted to thank you for stabbing us in the back and selling us out to Chloe. Without your... cooperation, we would have never been able to gain her as an ally."

"It isn't stabbing in the back if you were never loyal to begin with!" Commander Enriche spat. Now that he was in this situation, he knew there was no way out, but if he was going to go down, then he would at least go down swinging.

Dropping his case, Commander Enriche unsheathed his sword and leapt from the balustrade and onto the first floor. He landed in a crouch, absorbing the shock of the impact, and used the kinetic build up to push himself into a lunge. He thrust his sword forward. His hope was to at least skewer one of them. If he could just kill one, then maybe it would distract the others long enough for him to escape.

"Halkaista."

Commander Enriche had no idea what had happened. One moment he was lunging forward, intent on impaling Elincia through the chest, and the next something had smashed into his face. He heard, more than felt, the loud cracking noise as his nose was broken. Stumbling backward, he fell onto his backside and held a hand to his now bleeding nose.

"Commander Enriche." Clarissa stepped forward and glared at the man with eyes colder than the frozen plains of Helheim. "You have aided and abetted Marquis Hunington in his slave trafficking operation, killed my knight, and kidnapped me, all for the sake of money. A man like you has no place within the Peacekeepers. Henceforth, you are relieved of your position and will be taken into custody."

Hearing those words made Commander Enriche release a growl in the back of his throat. He stood to his feet and readied his sword once more.

"So what if I helped the marquis? Who cares? I refuse to let myself be taken into custody just because I helped Marquis Hunington for a little bit of money."

Caspian released a disgusted snort as he walked in front of Commander Enriche. "People like you make me sick. You would gladly sacrifice innocent people to accumulate wealth and prestige. You don't care about anyone but yourself."

"Of course I don't care about anyone but myself!" Commander Enriche shouted. "Why should I care about other people? What have they ever done for me? Nothing! I put all this work and effort into climbing to the top of the Peacekeepers, but in the end, it all amounted to this low-paying job where all I do is act in the capacity of a public servant! Where is the glory in that?!"