Trap (10)
"The fact that I'm saying this makes me think that the Guardian has a method."
"Yes, I can help you with that."
"Of course, there is a price to pay."
"This is a deal."
"Deal... Tell me."
"Please abstain from being nominated as Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces."
Prime the Halshtail tilted his head.
"Aren't you asking me to support the First Prince of the Empire?"
"How could I, who has a duty of neutrality, make such a suggestion?"
I didn't need to get a promise of support from Prime Minister Halsteil.
Because we're going to elect Kalit anyway.
"My lord, you have already assumed the position of Commander-in-Chief in the Great Rift 30 years ago. So this time, you were thinking of handing it over to your juniors."
"...Exactly."
"If you can save the life of someone you care about by taking advantage of an opportunity you were planning to throw away anyway, then there's no reason to worry, right?"
"Isn't it a bit excessive to risk your life just because you met the wrong person?"
If you meet the wrong person, not only you but your family could be wiped out, so you call it a minor issue?
I shook my head firmly.
"It is absolutely not excessive. That is why my lord is continuing the conversation with me now."
"Hmm..."
Prime Minister Halshtail remained silent for a while.
It was understandable. If you interfere between a man and a woman for no reason, it could backfire.
I spoke coldly to him, who stubbornly kept his mouth shut.
"I can't give you much time to think. If my lord refuses, my offer will return to Shancrecia."
Even if he does not abstain, Kalit can become the commander-in-chief if he receives Shancrecia's support.
Only then did Prime Minister Halstail open his mouth, having understood exactly what I meant.
"If it goes as the Guardian says... Alright, I will cooperate."
"That is a wise decision."
When I finished talking with Prime Minister Halshtail and headed towards headquarters, the hunting competition had already begun.
The headquarters was deserted because the attendees had already gone hunting. Ian, Kjer, and Rahon, who had been chatting in front of it, approached me.
Kjer saw Prime Minister Halsteil belatedly mounting his horse and asked.
"I heard from Lord Rahon. You met with the prime minister?"
"Yes."
Despite my short answer that didn't provide much explanation. Kjer didn't ask any more questions. He patted my cheek.
"You don't have to stay until the end. If you get bored, you can go back halfway."
"I thought I'd see you get first place, brother?"
"Don't expect anything. I'm only going to catch one rabbit."
"Why?"
"There is no compensation."
A hundred thousand gold would be a reward that would set other people's eyes on fire, but to Kjer, it was nothing.
"Can I give you this?"
As I said that and held out my handkerchief, Kjer's eyes softened.
"I guess I have to work hard."
"Don't do it to the point where you get hurt."
He kissed the top of my head and tied a handkerchief to the saddle.
Just as I was about to look away, feeling slightly embarrassed by the plain handkerchief without any embroidery to wish him victory, Ian suddenly asked.
"You don't give it to me?"
"I am not Ian's partner."
"Kjer not your partner either."
"We're family."
"Hmm."
lan snorted with a look of displeasure. Kjer tapped Ian on the shoulder.
"Look over my seat."
"How about hanging a handkerchief and betting in the first place?"
"If you can, try it."
Ian and Kjer mounted their horses and headed into the forest. Rahon looked at them with pitiful eyes.
"They are playing around, savage..."
At that moment, a familiar scent was felt behind my back, and soon a familiar voice was heard.
"Guardian."
When I turned my head, I saw a servant I had seen many times standing there with a respectful attitude.
Nadia opened her mouth as if she had seen a ghost. I thought I knew what she wanted to say.
"How did you get here, Baba!"
You might want to ask.
I too swallowed the question that was on the tip of my tongue and focused my sense of smell.
If Baba is here, that means Vivi is here too.
I don't think she's close...
I couldn't smell anything other than Baba's body odor. I asked, adjusting my grip on the cane.
"What's going on?"
"I am Lionel, and I will be serving you today. I will guide you to the waiting room."
"Thank you, Lionel."
"Come this way."
We followed Baba to the partners' waiting room.
There was food prepared in the center of the waiting room, and several tables were placed around it.
The partners were all young women, and there were less than five of them.
The attendees of Romena and Shancrecia were all nobles of the empire, as it was difficult for them to travel with partners.
Among them, some attended as partners of the Grand Duke of Romena.
Sierra sat at the largest and most ornate table in the center.
The young ladies sitting next to her are probably the daughters of Count Gideon and Count Saiga.
"Oh my, every time I see Young Lady Coelho, you seem to become more beautiful."
"Yes, what's the secret? Please tell us."
"Oh, really, is there a secret? It's just natural. You guys are more beautiful than me, so why are you acting like that? It's embarrassing."
As soon as we entered the waiting room, the awkward conversation suddenly stopped.
All three looked at Rahon with hazy eyes as if they were possessed.
Sierra's expression, especially when it came to men's appearances was almost comical.
But after looking at the Rahon to my heart's content, I suddenly realized why they were staring at him.
"This is it."
Baba guided us to an inside seat and pulled out a chair for me to sit on.
"Please sit down."
Every action is natural as if he has been doing it for ten years. Who would think this person is an assassin?
As I sat down on the chair, holding back a laugh, Baba set up the tea for me with his familiar hands.
"We are preparing a separate private room for the Guardians. Please wait a moment and we will guide you there shortly."
When Baba left, Nadia poured me some tea. We drank the tea quietly.
"I know a certain young lady who met her brother at the same time."
"Oh, at the same time?"
"At first, she met my younger brother, but then she changed to the older brother. And that was before she broke up with the younger brother. So they met at the same time."
"I've never heard such vulgar talk before. It's so dirty."
No one didn't know that I was being talked about.
Sierra and the two young women chattered as if they were telling others to listen.
"I was once close to that young lady. So I advised her. She shouldn't do this. She's hurting everyone, so please stop. Do you know what she did?"
"Is she angry?"
"Wouldn't it have been better if that had happened? She set me up. I became a wicked woman who had an affair with my friend's lover overnight!"
"Oh my! Did something like that happen? How... You must have been in so much pain."
Lady Gideon patted Sierra's back with a sad look on her face.
"A woman who is obsessed with men blames herself on me... But what I was saddest about was losing my friend. I really liked her."
Sierra stopped talking and shuddered.
"Hey, why are you so nervous? Are you cold?"
"I'm scared..."
"Are you scared?"
"What if someone here thinks I'm talking about them and tries to harm me again?"
"How could that be? Young Lady didn't even tell me her name."
"There are people who have seizures because they are stabbed by something specific."
Sierra turned her head towards me. She glanced at Rahon as if she was aware of him, and her expression became sorrowful.
"So please don't misunderstand. If someone so great wants to oppress a powerless, ordinary woman like me, then I can't help but suffer."
I guess he wants to let Rahon know that I'm the kind of person who oppresses the powerless, and he wants Rahon to question me about what's going on...
Unfortunately, Rahon was dozing off with his chin resting on the back of his hand. I bit my lip to hold back the laughter that was about to burst out.
When she didn't get the reaction she wanted, Sierra's eyes turned to Irritation.
After a while, she got up, pretending to go get dessert, and her eyes opened wide.
"Oh my, who is this? Isn't it Millenia?"
I tilted my teacup to resist the increasingly strong scent of perfume. Soon, Sierra sat down across from me.
"Millenia, I never thought I'd see you here. You hate going out. People make you smell."
I had this fantasy last night.
How would Sierra react when she saw me, the person she wanted to kill enough to request an assassination, alive and well?
Will you avoid me? Will you be afraid? Will you be angry?
In all my imagination, there has never been a scene where she has approached me first with such confidence as she does now. Her shamelessness is astonishing.
'It's great in many ways.'
With that thought in mind, I drank half of my teacup in silence.
Sierra's expression quickly hardened at the intentional ignorance. The moment she couldn't bear it anymore, she opened her mouth.
Clack.
I put down my teacup.
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