“……Captain Duhem. I’m sure you are well aware that your words are extremely preposterous.” The first of us to break the silence was Benjamin.

I patted the anxious divine beasts as I looked at him. His blue eyes were sinking under the sunset.

Captain Hervé Duehm answered in a heavy voice. “The truth will be revealed if his highness cooperates with the Imperial family’s investigation. I am simply the sword fulfilling an Imperial Decree. I do not make any judgments based on personal feelings.”

Imperial Decree. I took a deep breath as I tried my best to understand the situation. Orchestrating a terrorist attack on a member of the Imperial family, attempted murder, as well as conspiring to start a rebellion. This was my first thing hearing about any of these three things and I was so flabbergasted that I couldn’t even feel wronged. I even wondered if this was Empress Frédérique’s twisted sense of humor pulling a prank on me. However, the little bundles of warmth in my arms and my instincts told me otherwise. This was reality.

In that case, there was something I needed to address first. I looked around at the large number of Imperial Guard members surrounding us before asking the question.

“You mentioned orchestrating a terrorist attack on a member of the Imperial family. Did something to her Majesty or his Royal Highness?”

“I cannot tell y-”

“I asked the question to the Captain of the Imperial Guard.” I cut off a knight who tried to avoid my question. I scowled and looked up at Captain Duhem, who silently sighed.

‘There was a terrorist attack aiming for his Royal Highness. However, his Royal Highness is fine.”

“……Do you mean that?”

“Yes, your highness. It is the same for Vice Captain Moutet as well. Not a hair on her head was harmed.”

His gaze was steady. I felt certain that he was telling the truth. Sir Johann looked at me as if he was waiting for me to give an order.

“Huuuuuu.”

I sighed in relief before nodding my head. There seemed to be a huge misunderstanding, but it should be fine since I was innocent. The ‘Imperial family’s investigation’ included an interrogation with Cardinal Boutier. She was a religious figure with the Empire’s greatest lie detector and my instructor. She should be able to instantly confirm my innocence.

“Your highness.”

“I’ll be fine. This is not my first time being suspected of something.”

“……”

I was interrogated about the theft of the divine item in the Temple of Boundaries not long after I transmigrated into this world. Vice Captain Élisabeth had been the one to come find me at that time. The only difference was that it was Captain Duhem this time.

Sir Johann must have thought of something as his face turned dark.

I released my ether out of reflex. I knew he didn’t rely much on my power, but I wanted him to be calm again.

“I will go. I will cooperate.”

I sternly commented. The Baron’s family groaned while Captain Duhem nodded his head. Half of the Imperial Guard got off their horses at his command. The team that had been escorting us from the Bellang Barony……

Most of them did not look surprised. ‘They are very calm.’

“Baron Fabrice Bellang, you and your family are also under arrest on suspicions of treason.”

One of the knights suddenly said that. I gasped and looked back. That was an unbelievably ludicrous statement. The Baron also looked at the knight in confusion. The Imperial Guard tightly bound the three of them.

“Father!”

“Elody, do not worry. Sir, I do not know what you are talking about. My family and I have never harbored any ill intentions toward her Majesty,”

“We received an anonymous tip that you are fostering child soldiers who have illegally entered the Empire from the Holy Kingdom.”

“That…… They are all children who ran away after being injured! Forget a sword, they are even scared of holding a pair of scissors,”

“You can give your testimony in the Imperial Capital.” The soldiers stiffly responded. The Captain of the Imperial Guard, who had gotten off his horse at some point, personally took the divine beasts and restrained me. It didn’t hurt but it felt frustrating. Ganael teared up after being tied up.

The wind started to pick up because of Sir Johann. I urgently started speaking.

“Captain Duhem, they have been rescuing and helping refugees from the Holy Kingdom coming down the Unité River. I can testify for them. The Baron’s House of Bellang is a loyal family serving her Majesty. this……”

A short word came to my mind. I did not hesitate.

“They are being framed!”

“Everything will be revealed through the investigation.”

He gruffly answered. I couldn’t help but grind my teeth in anger.

“ Kiiiiiiiiiii, kiiiiiiiiii.” Demy cried miserably and extended his front paw toward me. Captain Duhem ended up only holding Tithé in his armor and put Demy down. The little guy dangled on my leg like a koala. Percy must have flown away somewhere as I did not see him.

“Sir Geens, please put these on.”

A knight addressed Sir Geens as he pulled something out of his saddle bag. My eyes opened wide. It was an ether restraining tool.

“There is no need to go so far. Sir Johann will not attack any of you!”

“We have no choice as treason is one of the charges, your highness.”

“He is someone who saw asylum in the Empire. He even made a Promise of Ether to her Majesty-”

“We are simply following the proper protocol, your highness.”

“……”

I grudgingly glared at Captain Duhem. He didn’t even budge.

Swooooosh, shaaaaa……! The strong gust of wind made the bushes near us shake. His white hair fluttered. Sir Johann opened his mouth with a refreshing smile on his face.

“Captain Duhem.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll trust you.”

My jaw dropped. He chose to give up his freedom. He was considering the fact that choosing to resist with force would turn the accusations I was facing into reality.

Elody, who was scared, was quietly sniffling in the back. I quietly glared at the black chain being wrapped around the Holy Knight’s neck. There were only a few times I was upset about being a Diplomatic hostage, but I was truly angry this time.

Click, I heard the chains closing. It was at that moment.

– Paat!

The knight who placed the chains on Sir Johann pulled out a long needle.

– Puuk!

“Ugh!”

He then stabbed it into the Holy Knight’ neck! Everything happened before anybody could even stop him. His mint-colored eyes slowly closed.

“Sir Johann!”

“Holy Almighty God!”

“My goodness!”

Captain Duhem grabbed me as I shouted and started to run toward Sir Johann. Benjamin and the Baron’s family were all shocked. I gasped while blankly staring at the falling Holy Knight. Plop!

“What are you doing?! You said you were following proper protocol!”

“……We will leave immediately.”

Captain Duhem ignored my protest and coldly commented.

The Imperial Guard carried Sir Johann as if he was a bag and placed him on the carriage. I rebooted my shocked brain and bit down on my tongue. I could taste the blood in my mouth.

That was how we were captured by the Imperial Guard and headed back to the Imperial Capital.

*

The entire Imperial Palace was chaotic. Aurélie Boutier looked uncomfortable. The Empress, who was seated at the head of the bed, had not left her side all day. Cédric was next to Frédérique as well. The Empress patted her son’s back every so often and even gave him a kiss on the cheek at one point. She loved her son, but it was rare for her to be so affectionate, so it was happy to watch.

However……

“I’m really okay so I don’t know why the two of you are here.”

This was the Cardinal’s bedroom in the Empress Palace. Aurélie had been caught up in Modeste Bacary’s mana explosion that morning and had been in this room since then. She could not go out despite the Imperial doctor and the healing priest both saying that she was completely fine.

Frédérique responded, looking confused as to why she was asking such a question. “You are temporarily confined, Aurélie. So of course I, as your soulmate, have to come.”

“Don’t say things like that. What do you think Sadie is going to learn?”

“Hmph.”

The Empress snorted and turned her gaze back to the paper in her hand. This was no ordinary document regarding Imperial affairs. Aurélie slowly extended her arm and held the crown prince’s hand. His calm orange eyes soon turned toward her.

The dear child was not even scratched. In addition, he used his blessed power to save their precious citizens. She thanked the Almighty God once again.

“Why do you look so down, our dear Sadie?”

“……”

“I’m sure it is not because you are concerned about your godmother who is confined to the palace despite being completely fine.”

“Adam.”

The Empress called her by her middle name as if to scold her. The Cardinal smiled and gently caressed the back of his large hand.

“That child will be okay.”

“This is a crude scheme.”

The crown prince quietly growled. Aurélie warmly curled her eyes.

“Yeah, it hurts just to say it. That is why your mom sent Hervé.”

“……”

“The Imperial Guard will protect the little prince until his return to the palace. You don’t have to worry.”

Cédric did not respond.

It was extremely rare for the master of the Empire to send the Captain of the Imperial Guard away from her side. That showed how clearly the Empress trusted the prince. However, the crown prince’s anger did not subside. The fact that someone did this to scheme against the prince itself was unpleasant. The fact that they fabricated rumors to spread, and that those rumors finally reached his mother……

‘Thump.’

They all made him angry. His vision turned scarlet. He wanted to immediately find the culprit, rip them to shreds, and burn them up until they disappeared from this world.

He clenched his teeth so that he would not hold his godmother’s hand too tightly. He was worried that she would get hurt.

“What about little Bacary?”

“……He is still sleeping.”

To be more accurate, he was in mana interphase. The seer had become unconscious after giving that terrible prophecy and did not wake up despite it now being night time. Thinking about the explosion that sent the windows of Juliette Palace flying, he would probably be unconscious for a few more days.

She had later learned that the Imperial family did not send him back to the Viscount’s Estate, but brought him over to Strauder Palace.

“As for young master Andresy…… We should cremate his body.”

“Isn’t that motherfucker already basically half cremated?”

The Empress flipped a page as she sharply commented. Aurélie’s eyebrows sank.

It was completely normal for the Empress to react like this. The terrorist attack on the Officer Candidate School had resulted in forty people with minor injuries, one with major injuries, and one death.

The deceased was the fifteen year old culprit. The crown prince had immediately dispersed the flames, but the young boy was unable to handle the impact of the explosion and lost his life at the scene of the incident.

“……Élisabeth and I will handle the investigation.” Cédric commented.

He thought about Count Andresy and his wife, who were recently stripped of their titles and imprisoned for life by the Empress. They were a household that, for generations, threw away any children who were born weak. From their bloodline, a child who was given Imperial benevolence for being young, got involved in something so foul and ended his own life.

“I’m sure there is a force that controlled the deceased.”

“Yes, there was plenty of motive, because his family was destroyed by the little prince’s testimony. The problem is, that child…… The person who led him down the wrong path is still alive.” Her beige-colored eyes looked concerned.

The crown prince glared at the anonymous letter in his mother’s hand. Sarah Belliard had brought it to the Empress Palace earlier today.

‘It tells me to fulfill my duties as a member of the Imperial family. That is what the memo said.’ He recalled the old woman’s stoic voice. She did not release an extra edition as the anonymous requester wished, nor did she ask for anything from the Imperial family in return for handing over the information.

‘It is completely ridiculous. I left the palace on my own accord decades ago.’

She simply remained silent. The reporter pretended not to see any of the documents that proclaimed that Jesse Venetiaan was plotting a rebellion. Her aged green eyes were glowing brightly like a new leaf.

‘In order to repay his benevolence, doing it in the way he wishes is probably best.’

Those were Belliard’s last words. The woman, who was once an Imperial Princess, left the palace like that once again. Thanks to that, the Imperial Capital was unsettled but did not turn into a chaotic frenzy. There were no issues of the Pair de Riester suggesting the sealing of the Imperial Capital or sending a warning to the Holy Kingdom.

However, it was hard to drag things out like this. There may be future conspiracies should they not efficiently and accurately strike the mastermind. The crown prince clenched his empty left hand. The holy stone by his heart released some warmth.

“We will capture the culprit.”

He mumbled as he gritted his teeth.

The Empress silently placed her hand on top of the Cardinal and crown prince’s hands.

*

– Boom.

“Ow……”

I scowled as I woke up. The back of my head, which I hit while falling asleep, still hurt.

Clack clack. The carriage was heading toward the Imperial Capital nonstop even through the night. My body was shaking from the rough ride. Our surroundings were dark as the magic lights were turned off. It was a bit funny that the Empress’s premium winter vehicle turned into a prisoner transport in a few days. I was also laughing at myself, since I was tired and falling asleep when I should be remaining alert.

“……Maybe sleeping will be better.”

I observed Lady Bellang and Elody, who were sleeping on two beds. Seeing the visible signs of crying on their faces as well as how they were sleeping while tied up did not feel good. The Baron was leaning on the bed and dozing off. I felt sorry for the still unconscious Sir Johann and Benjamin and Ganael, who were sleeping in uncomfortable positions.

Demy was stuck to me babbling. I instantly felt guilty. In some ways, this was my fault……

“Mmph.”

Someone used the darkness to cover my mouth with rough movements. My whole body froze instantly. It became hard to breathe and a familiar fear filled inside of me. I barely managed to check the person in front of me.

‘I didn’t even sense the door opening, so how-’

“……”

Scary light pink eyes were looking back at me. It was Hervé Duhem.

—
Translator’s Comments

Oh shiiiiiiiii-

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