“Please tie it gently! Please?”

“You’re arresting us for drinking and throwing some punches? Her Majesty isn’t such a petty person! I know her… ow! My arm! That hurts!”

Baroness Joan Tillier and her friend were tightly bound by the Imperial Guard members.

This would normally fall under the garrison’s jurisdiction and not the Imperial Guard, but there was an Imperial family member at the scene of the incident and it involved the issue of heavy taxation, so the Imperial Guard was summoned.

The imperial family carriage and escort carriages were lined up outside Blois.

The horses that we rode would accompany us without anybody on them.

The sky that was visible through the open door was already dark and resembled Modeste Bacary’s hair color.

I turned to the side. The seer had a robe over him with an extremely calm look on his face.

The areas we spot cleaned to remove the blood were still wrinkled.

‘Terrible Eyes. That is the nickname of that second son of the Viscount’s House of Bacary. Everybody calls him that behind his back. He should be aware of it as well.’

That was what Baroness Tillier said when I asked her to explain the whole story.

My friends and I were shocked.

‘What does that m…’

‘Please think about it, your highness. The captain sees death. My future was read by that person? My final moments, which I don’t even know, were found out by him? What else could be shittier and more ominous than that? But then his job is to report them to her Majesty on a regular basis.’

‘It’s not like he asked for that power. I’m sure he has a lot of sorrow and difficulties as well. Even if you can’t understand him, can’t you at least respect him?’

‘Then how much sorrow and difficulties must those around him feel? Why else would his parents have named him Modeste? They wanted him to be an average person who doesn’t stick out. He brings misfortune wherever he goes.’

She clicked her tongue while reeking of alcohol.

It wasn’t difficult to figure out the situation based on the Baroness’s comments.

A child who did not have his family’s protection and support.

Outsiders who know that and know it’s fine to pick on him.

My instincts made me step in front of the seer.

I couldn’t let him continue to hear these things. My voice came out sternly.

‘Please stop with your verbal abuse. I did not ask you about the situation for you to hurt him like that.’

‘I am not hurting him, your highness. That is simply the truth. I asked the esteemed Lord Terrible Eyes for a prophecy. I asked him if I would be able to get my stolen wealth back and this is what he said to me.’

Bacary, who had been silently standing behind me, finished it off for her.

‘Nothing will change regardless of what I say. You will soon hit me. That is all you know how to do.’

‘…’

‘That is what he said, your highness. He then took off his glasses.’

I became shocked and looked down at the young man.

The seer seemed to finally remember as he slowly pulled out his round glasses from his pocket.

The thug of a Baroness chuckled while looking at him.

‘I’m sorry for hitting you. You made me extremely upset.’

‘…’

‘So why would you make that kind of prophecy? You sounded like someone who wanted to be hit. Ah, yeah, sorry about that.’

I glared at her and she quickly apologized to Bacary again.

Anybody could tell that she did not mean it. She was so annoying and making me angry that I was grinding my teeth when…

– Pow!

‘Ugh!’

Christelle dashed in like a flying squirrel and smacked her on the back.

I didn’t even have the time to stop her. The main character kicked the staggering Baroness’s leg to trip her and…

– Bang!

‘Ow!’

Smashed her upper body down like a bolt of lightning.

‘You are sure acting your age!’

‘Ow! Ow ow ow! That hurts! Ahh!’

She firmly grabbed one arm and twisted it! The Baroness’s scream echoed throughout the tavern.

The astonished nobles moved back like the tide.

The Baroness, currently in an armlock, flailed around while Christelle’s blue eyes glared at her as she watched with clenched teeth.

Sir Johann, who was protecting the Imperial Crown Prince, mentioned that she was a quick learner.

‘Dame Sarnez is a great student.’ He then complimented her.

When did you teach her this?!

‘My arm is going to break! It’s going to break! Ow!’

‘Apologize! Apologize properly! Why did you only learn bad shit while growing up?!’

Christelle shouted at her. Crown prince Cédric snorted from the head of the table.

I was certain now. ‘You are drinking bottles after bottles of cider right now, aren’t you.’

‘Ow! Granny! Granny, your granddaughter is about to die!’

‘You won’t die from a broken arm! Apologize right now!’

‘Let me go! Ow ow! Let go of me!’

‘Oh yeah? Fine! Let’s see if your arm breaks first or if I get tired first! By the way, I’m a Holy Knight!’

Her veins were visible as she shouted.

The middle-aged woman’s face that was flushed red from being drunk turned red from pain instead.

The Baroness ended up shouting so loudly that she was spitting.

‘I’m sorry! I’m really sorry! I’ll reflect on my actions!’

‘Speak formally!’

‘I’m sorry, sir! I will never speak ill of you anymore, nor will I swing my fist as I please anymore, sir! Oh Captain my Captain!’

Tap! Christelle let go of both arms and jumped up.

The Baroness’s friend quickly rushed to help her.

The other nobles who had quietly been watching clapped and cheered for Christelle.

Vice Captain Élisabeth shared a tight hug with Christelle and whispered about how she drank a hundred cups of cidre.

I peeked behind me to see the look on Bacary’s face.

‘…’

His silver eyes were opened wide. Thankfully, I didn’t see any negative emotions behind them.

Maybe this was his first time receiving an apology?

Or maybe it was his first time having anybody take his side.

“Let’s head back, your highness. I think it would be best to cancel the other plans as this caused quite a ruckus.”

I heard a reliable and warm voice. I quickly snapped out of my thoughts.

The Vice Captain of the Imperial Guard and the coachman were looking at me and smiling.

I could see people gathered on the streets whispering.

It was definitely eye catching to have important figures go in to drink, only to get on the wrong side of someone even more important and get dragged out of the tavern.

I asked the two of them to wait and went to look for Bacary.

The little kid was getting onto a carriage of the Viscount’s House on his own. Sir Johann followed behind me.

“Little Bacary.”

“… “Prince Jesse.”

The night air was cold. I carefully chose my words.

“Umm, the other nobles fought for you as well. They didn’t think it was right for you to be beaten up like that so they were trying to stop the fight before it became worse. But I’m sure you already knew that.”

The seer was silent. I had nothing else to say.

It was nice to see that there were more good people than bad in the world.

However, it was also true that there was nobody who looked after him when he was injured.

Maybe they didn’t want to approach an existence who could see the future.

“I will take my leave now if you have nothing else to say, Prince Jesse.”

“Won’t you come eat some bread?”

I suddenly blurted out. Percy dug into my pocket as if he was embarrassed.

The seer looked at me with a look of disbelief on his face.

His uniquely arrogant attitude seemed to have already returned.

I could hear Sir Johann quietly chuckling behind me.

I was embarrassed about my failed conversation but I mentally placed a mask made of gold and titanium.

‘I am Ironman…’

“Juliette Palace is accepting guests again. There is no bread our Chef Laurence does not know how to bake. Please feel free to come visit if you ever feel like it.”

“…”

“I also welcome any information about Victoire d’Andresy.”

I quickly added on and smiled.

Bacary looked at me as if I was completely weird before bowing and getting into the carriage.

I sighed at my terrible art of conversation before walking back.

Percy chirped as if to console me.

‘Could you really not think of anything cool to say, Jung Yeseo? You are eight years older than him.

He can come at any time if he has something he wishes to say.’

“…Hmm?”

I came back to see that there were people already in the carriage.

“You are slow as usual.”

“May I ride with you, your Highness?”

The crown prince and Christelle were seated next to each other looking at me.

There was no reason they couldn’t ride with me, and seeing the two of them sitting so nicely next to each other made me smile as I got on.

Christelle then got up and sat down next to me.

My front and side were now blocked off by the duo. Sir Johann sat diagonally from me.

‘Mm, this is not the right seating arrangement.’

However, the carriage started to move despite the thought on my mind.

– Clack, clack

“…”

We quietly left our bodies to the shaking of the carriage for a while.

However, it was clear that everybody’s minds were moving quickly. At least mine definitely was.

I looked out the window and organized the things I learned today.

1. Victoire might really be an illegitimate child of the Count’s House of Andresy. She might have started stealing to get revenge against her family.

2. She really was a righteous thief. She didn’t steal and give to the commoners to earn their goodwill, she stole from the nobles who actually harmed their constituents.

3. There was no way Empress Frédérique did not know about something like that.

4. This was very weird. If she had only been stealing for revenge, why did she suddenly try to steal me? Such a plot would only put herself in danger. Was it simply for fame? Her infamy would have spread throughout the Empire eventually even without me.

“Huh?”

I opened my eyes wide and quickly placed my forehead on the window.

The carriage was now going around the large Claire Plaza.

I could see the escort carriage with the criminals and the soldiers behind us.

However, what I was looking at was not our procession.

Christelle and the crown prince looked as well.

The main character’s jaw dropped.

“My goodness, that is that person, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it does seem like her!”

I urgently knocked on the roof of the carriage.

Knock knock knock! The clear noise made the coachman go ‘woaaah, wooaaaah!’ He started stopping the horses. The speed slowly decreased.

The colonnades and the street vendors made it hard to see, but I was sure about one thing.

There was someone with long hair and a cape looking at us from next to Warmonger Romero Riester’s statue.

She was monopolizing the moonlight.

“Madame Victoire.”

– Click.

The carriage door opened. The coachman looked confused.

“Your Royal Highness and your highness. Why-”

“We’ll be right back!”

We all rushed out of the carriage.

The smart Percy went ‘pop!’ and flew out of my pocket.

I put my forehead to his and prayed together.

‘Oh Almighty God, please allow us to capture that thief today.’

– Shaaaaaa, flap!

Swoooooooosh! I grabbed Percy’s wing and instantly shot up into the air.

My robes fluttered in the wind. As I quickly got closer…

“…She’s not there. Damn it!”

I clenched my teeth. The area around Romero’s statue was empty.

The commoners who were enjoying food and wine in the streets looked ready to faint in shock after seeing me and bowed down on the ground.

It looked as if they had no idea that Victoire had just been there.

“It’s fine, everyone! Please get up. I’m just passing through.”

I waved and carefully landed next to the statue.

Flap. Percy gently folded up his wing.

Sir Johann, who flew over with us, smoothly landed and guarded me.

I could see Vice Captain Élisabeth in the distance dispatching the Imperial Guard with the crown prince giving the order to do so.

Christelle was checking the faces of everybody in the plaza to look for the thief.

I thoroughly inspected the area around the statue. Maybe Victoire left some sort of clue behind.

Most likely not, but…

“Oh, there is something?”

I blankly mumbled.

There was a tarot card fallen by Romero’s ankle.

I pulled a handkerchief out of my pocket and carefully wrapped the card.

‘The sun.’

On the corner of it was some blood that we would need to thoroughly inspect.

*

The next day, we gathered in Juliette Palace.

Sir Johann must have enjoyed my conversation with Bacary as he suggested we use the codename, ‘Bakery’ for the reception room.

The crown prince and I said no but Christelle and Vice Captain Élisabeth said that sounded exciting and agreed, making them win the majority.

‘Eunseo would grab her phone and go crazy if she knew that the male lead was the only one on my side.’

Of course, the dignity of the Imperial family was that guy’s number one reason for saying no.

“We had no other gains throughout the night other than the evidence that Prince Jesse found. Her Majesty does not want a grand scale search, so all we did was look through the alley. We didn’t even receive any reports about any suspicious individuals. Baroness Joan Tillier and her friend were transported to the Imperial Capital’s cell. Tax issues are her Majesty’s top priority, so it will be difficult for them to easily snake their way out of this issue. There is also the violence incident as well.”

The young Countess clearly organized the situation for us.

We nodded our heads and carefully listened to her.

Benjamin and David placed a giant pile of newly baked bread on the table.

As I made up my mind to fill my stomach with snacks before we got started on our deductions…

– Knock knock.

“Your highness, you have a guest.”

“A guest? Eva?”

“No, umm.”

His golden eyes looked awkward for a bit.

“The Captain of the Fleur-de-lis claims he is here for some bread…”

The young boy’s voice became quieter. Christelle and the young Countess both started rolling on the floor laughing.

—
Translator’s Comments

Bacary actually showed up?

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