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Then her expression shifted to a complicated one after saying that.

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing to be respected about him as a man and as an Emperor, however. Even now, he has shut himself in the palace and has completely devoted himself to arts and paintings. He has no sense of duty towards the Empire’s politics… No, more accurately, he has intentionally abandoned them. He’s a hopeless fool who clings to a baseless conviction of ‘see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’. That’s the truth about the current Emperor, without any lies or falsehood.”

Revan, Asmina, and I unconsciously found ourselves staring at each other.

It was hard to tell how much of it was true, but if her words held any weight, the future of the Empire seemed grim. Heck, letting the Prime Minister unify the power sounds more right in that case. Perhaps our actions against him were hasty and impulsive…

“For this reason, not only were there retainers who had been hesitating on which side to choose, but many people who once supported the legitimate Imperial family changed their minds after he ascended to the throne when the regency passed away three years ago.”

I see, so even the Prime Minister might be one of those supporters.

“I was only 10 years old at that time and had no clue about what was right or wrong in politics. But now, at the age of 13, as an adult, I am managing almost all of the nation’s affairs. Of course, I’m just a sheltered princess who is ignorant about the ways of the world, and there are still many things I have yet to learn. Fortunately, there are many loyal courtiers who support me, and I am confident to say that I have actually put the Emperor faction back on the right track.”

I see. Although I really had the urge to comment on her statement about being “just an ignorant princess,” the truth was that the Emperor was merely a figurehead while the Princess had become the actual pillar of the Empire. Well, it was obvious. She was far more capable than someone like the Emperor, after all.

“Very well. I hereby recognize you as the plenipotentiary proxy of the Graviol Empire’s imperial family from this moment on.”
“Thank you very much. I will uphold Your Highness’s trust without fail.”

The Imperial Princess’ blue eyes stared at me with a reassuring gaze.

Anyway, that was how we have finally established an information exchange.

“Now, if you don’t mind, I would like to continue with the previous question I had. The most crucial point of all, is it true that the teleportation equipment in Wirde has been destroyed?”
“Yes.”

Revan gasped for breath as I nodded in affirmation to her question.

“…But that was a decoy.”

Princess Oliana, who had been holding her breath, let out a relieved sigh.

“So that’s how it was.”
“What?! What’s all this? Since when was it a decoy?”

I turned to Revan, who looked bewildered.

“From the very beginning. We hastily arranged a fake piece of equipment. Remember, that’s why I told you in the beginning, ‘Whether to bake it or grill it, do whatever you want with it.’ I never once mentioned it was actual ‹Teleportation Magic Equipment›.”
“That’s truly surprising. But isn’t keeping your allies in the dark going a bit too far?”
“We had to go to such lengths in order to deceive the enemy. However, I admit it wasn’t the most appropriate decision. I apologize, Revan.”

I sincerely bowed my head in apology, to which Revan quickly waved his hands.

“P-Please, there’s no need to lower your head to someone like me! It is our duty to follow Your Majesty’s well-thought-out plans.”

«Hmph, at least the boy knows his place.»

Tengai, who was in a ‘pet union’ state within me, snorted.

The Imperial Princess, who was observing us with curiosity, tilted her head, “May I ask what your intention was in orchestrating such an elaborate scheme and setting up the fake equipment?”

“The main objective was to determine the source of the leaked information. Since I had already confirmed that Kagerou’s trail led to the Graviol Empire, I wanted to observe the reaction of the mastermind once the news reached here.”
“Is this mastermind Prime Minister Warren?”
“No, he was merely a diversion. He was meant to mislead us into thinking that the Empire was the culprit. Therefore, it ultimately leads to…”
“The Holy Kingdom of Aeon.”

I nodded silently.

“They have indeed designated your demonic nation, the Imperial Crimson, as an enemy. However, I still have doubts about whether the higher echelons are truly involved.”

I tilted my head at Princess Oliana’s speculative words.

“Why is that?”

Honestly, that nation is primarily under an isolated regency, making it difficult for information to leak from their side.

Therefore, there is no concrete evidence to judge them based on. At this point, we would eagerly seize even the smallest clue related to them.

“I once visited there for my coming of age ceremony and had the opportunity to meet their Great Pope.”

As she spoke, her expression unexpectedly contorted.

“Despite appearing to be fifteen years old, one would expect someone in his position to possess better judgment. I can confidently conclude that devising plans or conspiracies such as assassinations or conflicts shouldn’t have any direct association with that idi… No, with that audacious fool.”

I gathered that her conversation with the Great Pope must have been quite unpleasant, given her torrent of complaints.

Apparently, the first thing he said upon meeting her was, “I heard you’re an exceptional princess, but what the hell… What kind of peasant did they praise so highly?”

Err, well, it’s no wonder she would be angry.

Even after that, he continued to deliver endless sermons about his ideal woman without listening to anything. (Goodness, is he truly the top figure in the Church!?)

Her hair, a rich and lustrous black, flowing like a waterfall.
Her eyes, jewels of violet or red, captivating with their beauty.
Her skin, pure and flawless like freshly fallen snow.
Her lips, delicate and soft as rose petals in a milky hue.
Her slender limbs, akin to the graceful trees of early spring.
Her voice, a melodious sound reminiscent of a bell stirred by a gentle breeze.

I felt the urge to exclaim, “There’s no way such a fairytale-like woman exists!” but I restrained myself.

“It must be challenging for you,” I sincerely empathized with her. Then, I suddenly noticed that the gazes of everyone in the room were focused on me.

“… Um, I believe I know someone who perfectly matches that description.”
“… What a coincidence. I also recall seeing a woman who embodies that ideal image, dressed elegantly and strolling.”
“… I had dismissed it as mere fantasy, but perhaps the world is truly vast.”

….

A cold sweat began to trickle down my back for some inexplicable reason.

“Um, Your Highness, if you ever encounter the Great Pope of the Holy Kingdom, I suggest remaining cautious.”

Princess Oliana spoke with genuine concern, her face expressing worry.

“… S-Surely, you jest. He wouldn’t dare. I am the Sovereign of the demonic nation. The Great Pope, who embodies sacred teachings, cannot be swayed by carnal desires.”

“He is a fool beyond comparison.”

The Imperial Princess furrowed her brows dramatically and shook her head in disbelief.

Goodness… I couldn’t help but feel that it would be in my best interest to avoid any entanglements with the Holy Kingdom.

I even contemplated asking Tengai, Ikaruga, and Izumo—the three most powerful members of the Round Table—to obliterate him and his kingdom entirely.

“Well, let’s set aside hypothetical questions and focus on the current situation,” Princess Oliana redirected the conversation, seemingly aiming to dispel the lingering peculiar atmosphere in the room. She requested a second refill of tea before proceeding.

“It’s great news that the teleportation magic equipment is intact. In fact, I had discussed the next steps with Lord Revan and was planning to propose a mutual trade treaty from our side in the near future.”

After moistening her throat with the freshly brewed tea, she began discussing her plan and the current state of affairs in the Graviol Empire.

◆◇◆◇

In a desolate room that resembled a prison, a young man with shackled limbs slowly opened his eyes. He fit the description of a prisoner in every way.

“… Ugh, Young Lady certainly didn’t hold back. Good grief.”

Taking in his surroundings and assessing his situation, he let out a sigh.

“Well, at least the objective has been accomplished. Now I just need to find a way out of this predicament. ‹Finger Crow.›”

He called upon a skill by name, attempting to conjure magical claws on his fingertips to free himself from the shackles. However, the expected manifestation did not occur.

“It’s really impossible, aye. Didn’t expect there are still ‹Mana Invalidation Facility› left behind. Oh well, there are still options available, unlike in games. Come forth, Iron Rat.”

In response to the man’s summons, a steel-colored monster resembling a hedgehog emerged from his chest.

“This little guy only has 15 HP. Young Lady must have overlooked that detail, so she missed it.”

With a flick of his wrist, the man offered the iron shackles on his limbs to his pet, the ‹Iron Mouse›.

“Go on, eat them. They’re your favorite, aren’t they?”

Without hesitation, the Iron Mouse began gnawing on the shackles.

Scrap-Scrap-Scrap

The faint sound, reminiscent of a squirrel scraping against a tree trunk, reverberated within the confines of the narrow prison.