“Huh?”
I looked down at Viscount Rusiol with eyes that said, 'You're in good hands.'
Viscount Rusiol rolled his eyes nervously, as he was in a position to be poked and prodded. He took advantage of the cornered situation and shamelessly raised his voice at me.
“Ah, even if you were the Princess, you would not be able to barge into a nobleman's social gathering and do such a thing! Moreover, you are accompanied by knights commissioned by the Emperor, are you not authorized to use force?”
“Yeah. So?”
“Please withdraw the knights quickly and Your Highness, please step down as well. Then, our Count will also leave this matter undisclosed..."
That was enough nonsense and a long story. I cut him off.
“You are trying to teach me a really good lesson. But, you know.”
I lowered my upper body and brought my face closer to Count Rusiol's.
“Do you think I came here because of my status and position as a Princess?”
"Yes?"
“That can’t be true.”
I smiled broadly. Viscount Rusiol only made a blank expression as if he did not understand.
Soon, my expression was cold and expressionless. A voice like a proclamation echoed through the banquet hall.
“By the authority of the Second-in-Command, the Count of Hardenfork is hereby seized, searched, and arrested on suspicion of human trafficking, drug distribution, promotion of prostitution, and insulting the Imperial Family. I also order all visitors and users of the estate to be investigated for disorderly conduct, prostitution, and drug use.”
“Ugh, ugh!”
“Ugh! If I get caught, it’ll be a disgrace to my family!”
“Where.”
I immediately spread out my silver-covered Arachne and caught those trying to escape.
Of course, some were lucky enough to escape, but that was as far as it went.
“Oh, Sir. Please cooperate with the investigation.”
“Ugh! What are you guys doing!”
“This is the guard unit of the 14th district of the capital. We have been dispatched after receiving a tip that this place is in collusion with the back alley guild.”
“Ugh! Huh, even the Imperial Guard?”
As the Imperial Guard's force was deployed, the will to resist within the secret mansion was broken.
“Ah, ah, no..."
dump.
The Viscount shouted as he was dragged out.
“Oh, Count! It was all Count Hardenfolk’s orders! I just did as I was told!”
“Ugh, you bastard who has no sense of duty!”
Bam!
Alben slapped him on the back of the head to silence him, then approached me, who watched the line of nobles being led away and received his report.
“What about the ledger?”
“You’ve worked hard.”
I looked down at the man kneeling before me.
Count Hardenfork, with a cowardly look in his eyes that did not match his physique, was looking up at me in fear.
“Your Highness, please, have mercy..."
'That sounds like mercy.'
I deliberately smiled as coldly as possible. Then I gave orders to Alben as if to make him listen.
“Take Count Hardenfork to the Imperial Prison. I will interrogate him myself. I will use the tools I am good at.”
“Yes! Would a spiked whip, charcoal and iron skewers, a needle, and saltwater suffice?”
“Just those for now. I’ll tell you about the finger guillotine and iron maiden later if necessary.”
“Ahem, you know? No matter how much of a bug it is, you shouldn’t kill it.”
“Don’t you know what I’m capable of? I won’t kill him. I’ll just make him want to die.”
“Hee, heeeeek...!”
Dump.
The Count fainted, even urinating himself.
I and Alben stood three steps away from the yellow filth spreading.
“It will flow smoothly.”
“Hehehe! Don’t worry, Your Highness.”
Alben went to where Michael, who commanded the Knights of Punishment, was.
It is a large-scale operation to safely transport dozens of nobles to prison.
Of course, Alben's meticulousness, which boasts of perfect handling of everything, shone through even in times like this.
“Ah, I see you are questioning him separately since he is one of Count Hardenfork’s associates.”
“No. I was using my mouth wrong. Well, why don’t you tell Your Highness that you’re a pervert with a taste for women?”
“...The torture chamber would be perfect. Please take me with you when you interrogate those guys.”
“Are they also key stakeholders?”
“No. They are beasts that came running to play a prank on Her Highness all night long.”
“...I will put them in the room next to Viscount Rusiol's gang.”
And with that, the interior of the ballroom was slowly cleared by the Knights of Punishment and the 14th District Guard.
“Eve..."
It was when Limona unconsciously said my name that I responded with a slightly choked voice.
“Yeah, Limona.”
"Ah!"
“Hello, Your Highness the Princess!”
Limona bowed excessively, almost to the point where her head touched the ground, as any commoner would do when faced with royalty.
“Your Highness?”
“Limona, you don’t have to be like this to me.”
“Ha, but..."
“Limona.”
“I'm sorry I lied to you. I always thought I should tell you, but I liked being comfortable with you, so I kept putting it off and putting it off and putting it off, and I'm so sorry.”
“Li, Limona?”
As I blinked, unable to grasp the situation, Limona paused for a moment to choose her words. She, too, had something to confess.
“Um, well, actually.”
"Yes?"
“I knew it.”
“What, what?”
“I found out a while ago that you were Her Royal Highness the Princess.”
I looked down at Viscount Rusiol with eyes that said, 'You're in good hands.'
Viscount Rusiol rolled his eyes nervously, as he was in a position to be poked and prodded. He took advantage of the cornered situation and shamelessly raised his voice at me.
“Ah, even if you were the Princess, you would not be able to barge into a nobleman's social gathering and do such a thing! Moreover, you are accompanied by knights commissioned by the Emperor, are you not authorized to use force?”
“Yeah. So?”
“Please withdraw the knights quickly and Your Highness, please step down as well. Then, our Count will also leave this matter undisclosed..."
That was enough nonsense and a long story. I cut him off.
“You are trying to teach me a really good lesson. But, you know.”
I lowered my upper body and brought my face closer to Count Rusiol's.
“Do you think I came here because of my status and position as a Princess?”
"Yes?"
“That can’t be true.”
I smiled broadly. Viscount Rusiol only made a blank expression as if he did not understand.
Soon, my expression was cold and expressionless. A voice like a proclamation echoed through the banquet hall.
“By the authority of the Second-in-Command, the Count of Hardenfork is hereby seized, searched, and arrested on suspicion of human trafficking, drug distribution, promotion of prostitution, and insulting the Imperial Family. I also order all visitors and users of the estate to be investigated for disorderly conduct, prostitution, and drug use.”
Viscount Rudiol's eyes widened to the point of bulging at the mention of the Minister of Special Affairs. The nobles who had been swaying around him, their eyes finally brightening from the alcohol and drugs.
“Ugh! If I get caught, it’ll be a disgrace to my family!”
“Where.”
I immediately spread out my silver-covered Arachne and caught those trying to escape.
Of course, some were lucky enough to escape, but that was as far as it went.
The outside of the manor had already been netted for these feeble fugitives, and they were taken down one by one by the knights waiting in the hall and garden.
“Ugh! What are you guys doing!”
“This is the guard unit of the 14th district of the capital. We have been dispatched after receiving a tip that this place is in collusion with the back alley guild.”
“Ugh! Huh, even the Imperial Guard?”
The guards of District 14, led by my swordsmanship teacher, Valencier Fenrir, have surrounded Hardenfolk's secret mansion, leaving it unguarded.
“Ah, ah, no..."
dump.
Viscount Rusiol sank to the ground in a daze as the knights of the guard forcibly lifted him to his feet and dragged him away. Their destination was the infamous prison of Devonea.
“Oh, Count! It was all Count Hardenfolk’s orders! I just did as I was told!”
“Ugh, you bastard who has no sense of duty!”
Bam!
Alben slapped him on the back of the head to silence him, then approached me, who watched the line of nobles being led away and received his report.
“We found human trafficking victims and large quantities of narcotic lozenges on the second and third floors of the basement. Several of the victims have been subjected to heinous acts and are in critical condition, so we have taken them to a nearby hospital.”
“I found it, and here it is, the Count of Hardenfork. We've been trapping for the ledger, and we've taken the recruit with us.”
I looked down at the man kneeling before me.
Count Hardenfork, with a cowardly look in his eyes that did not match his physique, was looking up at me in fear.
“Your Highness, please, have mercy..."
'That sounds like mercy.'
I deliberately smiled as coldly as possible. Then I gave orders to Alben as if to make him listen.
“Take Count Hardenfork to the Imperial Prison. I will interrogate him myself. I will use the tools I am good at.”
“Yes! Would a spiked whip, charcoal and iron skewers, a needle, and saltwater suffice?”
“Just those for now. I’ll tell you about the finger guillotine and iron maiden later if necessary.”
“Ahem, you know? No matter how much of a bug it is, you shouldn’t kill it.”
“Don’t you know what I’m capable of? I won’t kill him. I’ll just make him want to die.”
It was an act, of course. But the tone of voice and the look in his eyes were enough to tug at Count Hardenfork's heartstrings.
Dump.
The Count fainted, even urinating himself.
I and Alben stood three steps away from the yellow filth spreading.
“It will flow smoothly.”
“We need to get them to admit that the Night Society is part of a human trafficking cartel and that Brigitte is part of it.”
Alben went to where Michael, who commanded the Knights of Punishment, was.
It is a large-scale operation to safely transport dozens of nobles to prison.
Of course, Alben's meticulousness, which boasts of perfect handling of everything, shone through even in times like this.
“Lord Agnito, I beg you to put Viscount Rusiol and his companions, who were taken away earlier, in the deepest, dampest, darkest cell in the prison of Devonea.”
“No. I was using my mouth wrong. Well, why don’t you tell Your Highness that you’re a pervert with a taste for women?”
“...The torture chamber would be perfect. Please take me with you when you interrogate those guys.”
“I see. Oh, by the way, the five noblemen in the eleventh room on the second floor, please be placed in special quarantine.”
“No. They are beasts that came running to play a prank on Her Highness all night long.”
“...I will put them in the room next to Viscount Rusiol's gang.”
The life that flowed from Michael was chilling. Alben went to see Captain Valencier, who shivered, saying he was cold from the broken window.
But it wasn't all over. There was still an important matter that I had to resolve on my own.
My and Limona's gazes met. Still sprawled on the floor, Limona looked up into my face, slightly dazed.
It was all so surreal right now. She hadn't expected to be saved at all, and yet here she was, swept away by a torrent of water. And by a very familiar person.
It was when Limona unconsciously said my name that I responded with a slightly choked voice.
“Yeah, Limona.”
"Ah!"
My call to Limona was a harsh reality check. She quickly regained her composure and made a concerted effort to rise to the occasion.
Limona bowed excessively, almost to the point where her head touched the ground, as any commoner would do when faced with royalty.
The sight made my insides tingle. I took a small, deep breath and bent down to join her. Then I gently grabbed both of Limona's hands from the floor and pulled her up. The two of us looked at each other.
“Limona, you don’t have to be like this to me.”
“Ha, but..."
I didn't need to hear the fuzzy backstory. It seemed unbearable to me to hear people draw the line not just out of politeness but for outdated reasons.
I opened my mouth to confess, my gaze dropping to her clasped hands, unable to meet mine.
I once again tried to gauge Limona's feelings. What would it feel like?
You will feel cheated. You will feel betrayed. If so, is it the end?
It was only a few days ago that she sang a lullaby to me while giving me a leg pillow.
I felt that the kindness of that time was now fading away forever.
“Once again, I’m sorry.”
It was then that Limona, who had been quiet all along, opened her mouth.
“Um, so... you’re saying that you did it because you wanted to become close to me?”
You will feel cheated. You will feel betrayed. If so, is it the end?
It was only a few days ago that she sang a lullaby to me while giving me a leg pillow.
I felt that the kindness of that time was now fading away forever.
It was a painful feeling for me, who had never had a playmate because I was a Princess and had never had a playmate before. But for now, it was important to tend to Limona's wounds rather than get carried away with my own emotions.
“I did it because I don't think I could get close to you as a Princess, so I don't want you to get the wrong idea that I tricked you with a joke. You can be angry that you'll never see me again, but please don't be hurt by something that isn't true.”
For a moment, a heavy silence hung between us. I prepared myself. In my mind's eye, I replayed the image of Limona turning away with a furious sweep of her hand over and over again, practicing for what was to come.
“Um, so... you’re saying that you did it because you wanted to become close to me?”
"Yeah..."
From Limona's perspective, it might sound like a lame excuse.
It was when I took a deep breath in preparation for the ensuing taunts that were to follow.
“Well, my personality is kind of charming.”
"...Uhh'?"
“I get it, you weren't the type to be around me, and in fact, I was a little too eager to get to know you. Don't you remember? I was more assertive. Oh, of course, I didn't do it because I knew you were the Princess.”
From Limona's perspective, it might sound like a lame excuse.
It was when I took a deep breath in preparation for the ensuing taunts that were to follow.
“Well, my personality is kind of charming.”
"...Uhh'?"
“I get it, you weren't the type to be around me, and in fact, I was a little too eager to get to know you. Don't you remember? I was more assertive. Oh, of course, I didn't do it because I knew you were the Princess.”
Somehow, the voice sounded normal, a far cry from what I had been worried and afraid of. It even felt a little mean.
As I blinked, unable to grasp the situation, Limona paused for a moment to choose her words. She, too, had something to confess.
“Um, well, actually.”
"Yes?"
“I knew it.”
“What, what?”
“I found out a while ago that you were Her Royal Highness the Princess.”
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