It was a man's hand.
The hand covering my mouth was exerting a strong force, but it wasn't so strong that it was hard to push it away.
Even though I was using all my strength to cover my mouth, it felt like my strength was running out.
'Hey, you picked the wrong person.'
I was about to laugh...
I felt a man's hungry breathing and rough snorting next to the nape of my neck. For a moment, I felt a chill from my neck to my back.
In addition, I heard the sound of a sword being pulled out from behind.
Judging by the short sound, it seemed to be a dagger. I struck the guy behind me with my elbow as if stabbing him in the groin.
"Huh!"
Judging by the sound of his breathing stopping, I must have hit him in the groin. I quickly grabbed the hand of the guy covering my mouth and twisted his arm.
Then I bent down and supported his body while slamming him into the ground.
The ground where he was hit was sticking out of a rock, and the moment he twisted his waist and rolled his body around, he fainted.
“What’s wrong with you today?”
I saw two people faint in a short period.
And in the palace.
When Nelly fainted, I was worried, but this strange man didn’t seem to mind, even if he died like this.
I crouched down next to the fainted, strange man and put my index finger under his nose.
“He’s not dead.”
The strange man was wearing a black mask down to his eyes.
I quickly pulled the mask down.
“...Emperor Adrian?!”
'What if she finds out about my existence and feels burdened?'
No, rather,
'What if she rejects my offer?'
Those two worries tormented him all day.
Raphael and Stiane were extremely worried, thinking that it was because of the pain in his head whenever he clutched his head and cried out in pain.
However, Linel would quickly stare into space again and laugh like a person with a screw loose.
"Your Majesty, are you okay?"
Raphael asked seriously, unable to bear to watch.
"No, my heart hurts."
It's beating too hard.
Raphael's worries deepened as Linel muttered.
"You were hit in the head, but your heart was also hit by something?!"
"Yes. Very hard. Is this... a heart attack?"
He rubbed his heart with his palm, then thought of Dazel and chuckled.
After having a cozy dinner with her party at the inn, Moiya lay down on a large zelkova tree branch outside the inn, patting his stomach.
Then, after about two hours, Moiya caught Zelda sneaking out of the inn.
“Oh? Are you going to drink alone again?”
Moiya quickly transformed into a pigeon and followed her.
Zelda headed to the passageway that allowed her to sneak into the palace, the dog hole under the castle wall.
Moiya was secretly excited.
“I guess the master is going to see Rosie and Sharon again. Then I should go see Nana!”
The hand covering my mouth was exerting a strong force, but it wasn't so strong that it was hard to push it away.
Even though I was using all my strength to cover my mouth, it felt like my strength was running out.
'Hey, you picked the wrong person.'
I was about to laugh...
I felt a man's hungry breathing and rough snorting next to the nape of my neck. For a moment, I felt a chill from my neck to my back.
In addition, I heard the sound of a sword being pulled out from behind.
Judging by the short sound, it seemed to be a dagger. I struck the guy behind me with my elbow as if stabbing him in the groin.
"Huh!"
Judging by the sound of his breathing stopping, I must have hit him in the groin. I quickly grabbed the hand of the guy covering my mouth and twisted his arm.
Then I bent down and supported his body while slamming him into the ground.
The ground where he was hit was sticking out of a rock, and the moment he twisted his waist and rolled his body around, he fainted.
“What’s wrong with you today?”
I saw two people faint in a short period.
And in the palace.
When Nelly fainted, I was worried, but this strange man didn’t seem to mind, even if he died like this.
I crouched down next to the fainted, strange man and put my index finger under his nose.
“He’s not dead.”
The strange man was wearing a black mask down to his eyes.
I quickly pulled the mask down.
“...Emperor Adrian?!”
I looked down at the fainted Silverfish with my mouth open for a moment. It was definitely silverfish, except that his silver hair, which had been cut short in the past month, had grown a bit.
It didn’t seem like he recognized me and attacked me.
Even if he had recognized me, there was no reason for him to suddenly attack me.
So, he thought I was a maid and attacked me from behind...
Why? For what reason?
I thought about the strange behavior of the silver hair that I couldn’t understand, while touching the nape of my neck.
Then, along with the unpleasant breathing sound I had felt on the nape of my neck earlier, an incident suddenly came to mind.
Ah! Was it you who attacked Misha at the villa during the Continental Hunting Competition, wounded her neck, and sucked her blood...
“...Is that you?”
I picked up the dagger that Emperor Adrian had tried to take out but had missed.
It didn’t seem like he recognized me and attacked me.
Even if he had recognized me, there was no reason for him to suddenly attack me.
So, he thought I was a maid and attacked me from behind...
Why? For what reason?
I thought about the strange behavior of the silver hair that I couldn’t understand, while touching the nape of my neck.
Then, along with the unpleasant breathing sound I had felt on the nape of my neck earlier, an incident suddenly came to mind.
Ah! Was it you who attacked Misha at the villa during the Continental Hunting Competition, wounded her neck, and sucked her blood...
“...Is that you?”
I picked up the dagger that Emperor Adrian had tried to take out but had missed.
“I’m sure of it. The sword that cut Misha’s neck back then was also a dagger like this.”
Although it was small, the blade was quite sharp.
I carved the word ‘Vampire’ into the ground with the tip of the dagger and pointed an arrow at the unconscious Emperor Adrian.
Ironically, the silver-haired came out to suck blood, but ended up bleeding instead.
Haa, what should I say to Empress Elan?
As soon as I returned from the palace and arrived at my lodgings, I called the party to my room.
“I heard from Rosie and Sharon that Princess Roxana’s health is not good.”
I relayed the atmosphere of the palace exactly as I heard from them.
“And the reason the remarriage was postponed is because she has a high fever.”
“Could it be because there is some other hidden agenda?”
When Commander Macrom rubbed his chin and gave his opinion, Magic Tower Lord shook his head strongly.
“It must be because of the high fever.”
“Do you completely believe that, Lord?”
Empress Elan asked Magic Tower Lord, who had spoken firmly.
Instead of answering, Magic Tower Lord nodded without hesitation. His expression was full of confidence.
I continued to tell him the important information I had heard from Rosie and Sharon.
“As for the Incarnation Sword... there is a high probability that Princess Roxana has it.”
The three people’s eyes widened at the mention of the Incarnation Sword.
I carved the word ‘Vampire’ into the ground with the tip of the dagger and pointed an arrow at the unconscious Emperor Adrian.
Ironically, the silver-haired came out to suck blood, but ended up bleeding instead.
Haa, what should I say to Empress Elan?
***
As soon as I returned from the palace and arrived at my lodgings, I called the party to my room.
“I heard from Rosie and Sharon that Princess Roxana’s health is not good.”
I relayed the atmosphere of the palace exactly as I heard from them.
“And the reason the remarriage was postponed is because she has a high fever.”
“Could it be because there is some other hidden agenda?”
When Commander Macrom rubbed his chin and gave his opinion, Magic Tower Lord shook his head strongly.
“It must be because of the high fever.”
“Do you completely believe that, Lord?”
Empress Elan asked Magic Tower Lord, who had spoken firmly.
Instead of answering, Magic Tower Lord nodded without hesitation. His expression was full of confidence.
I continued to tell him the important information I had heard from Rosie and Sharon.
“As for the Incarnation Sword... there is a high probability that Princess Roxana has it.”
The three people’s eyes widened at the mention of the Incarnation Sword.
“As we expected, the Galaco that the Magic Tower Lord had stuck in his chest at that time flew towards the direction where the Allied Forces were marching and fell near it.”
“Did you personally witness Princess Roxana holding the Incarnation Sword?”
Magic Tower Lord frowned.
“Yes. They say that on that day, when the Allied Forces surrounded the monastery, a man named Hetor was holding the Incarnation Sword.”
“But why do you think that Princess, and not Her Highness Rosie or Sharon, is holding the Incarnation Sword?”
Commander Macrom asked, seemingly puzzled.
“Hetor used to carry the Incarnation Sword, but after Princess Roxana arrived at the monastery, he was never seen carrying it. Furthermore, he was said to have always escorted Princess Roxana like a shadow knight after they arrived at the palace.”
“So he must have handed the Incarnation Sword over to Princess Roxana, right?”
Empress Elan nodded and muttered quietly as if talking to herself.
“The Incarnation Sword is most likely stored in the Empress’s Palace.”
Magic Tower Lord said with confidence this time as well.
“I think so, too.”
I told the group that when we infiltrated the palace, I felt a heat in my body, especially in my palms.
“We are all now in a position where we cannot enter the palace, so how can we retrieve the Incarnation Sword?”
Commander Macrom struck his broad forehead with his fist and made a distressed expression. The best way to retrieve the Incarnation Sword would be for me to stay in the palace and personally feel the signals the Incarnation Sword was sending me, but that was currently impossible.
“We have to find a way.”
I made eye contact with the three gloomy people one by one and vowed.
“We will definitely retrieve it.”
“Yes, we must. The owner of the Incarnation Sword is Your Majesty, the Empress.”
Magic Tower Lord said with strength in his voice.
I smiled briefly at Magic Tower Lord and turned my gaze to Empress Elan.
I tried to talk about Emperor Adrian, but then closed my mouth again. I thought it would be better to go to the palace tomorrow night and ask Nelly to find out about Emperor Adrian’s condition before I started talking.
He probably isn’t dead, but I had to find out his condition first.
To do that, Nelly, who passed out and was carried away by the guards, had to be alive first... I’m worried.
The next day.
As soon as the dressing was finished on his injured head in the training room’s weapons warehouse last night, Linel once again confirmed the instructions he had given Raphael.
“Court quarters, the far right room on the fourth floor..."
“Yes, yes! Don’t worry. The administrator who originally used that room was given a forced vacation this morning and sent out of the palace.”
Before Linel could finish speaking, Raphael’s answer came out automatically.
This time, he looked at Stiane, who was standing next to Raphael, and opened his mouth.
“Clean that room thoroughly...”
“Yes, yes! As you instructed, I replaced all the existing bedding, curtains, etc. with new ones, and even prepared incense.”
Stiane also reported before Raphael finished speaking.
It was because the same question had already been repeated three times.
It was strange why the Emperor would suddenly use one of the rooms in the courtiers’ quarters.
If you asked him about it in detail, he would look at you with a cold gaze, so you couldn’t ask any questions.
Raphael and Stiane, who were standing in front of Linel, exchanged glances.
They looked as if he had gotten a head injury somewhere last night and was a bit out of his mind.
According to the palace doctor, the Emperor’s crown was torn by something blunt.
The palace doctor then said that it was fortunate that the blood was flowing out, but if the blood had pooled inside, it would have been a big problem, and he also said that God had helped him several times.
Linel’s aides persistently asked him when, where, how, why, and what he was doing when he got hurt, but he continued to keep quiet.
Even though he was bleeding heavily from his head, he was smiling while receiving treatment from the palace doctor.
The worries of his aides, who watched him, deepened even more. In addition, he had suddenly given an order to a room in the palace where the courtiers stayed, saying,
'Clean up that room and the courtiers living there by this morning.'
“Did you personally witness Princess Roxana holding the Incarnation Sword?”
Magic Tower Lord frowned.
“Yes. They say that on that day, when the Allied Forces surrounded the monastery, a man named Hetor was holding the Incarnation Sword.”
“But why do you think that Princess, and not Her Highness Rosie or Sharon, is holding the Incarnation Sword?”
Commander Macrom asked, seemingly puzzled.
“Hetor used to carry the Incarnation Sword, but after Princess Roxana arrived at the monastery, he was never seen carrying it. Furthermore, he was said to have always escorted Princess Roxana like a shadow knight after they arrived at the palace.”
“So he must have handed the Incarnation Sword over to Princess Roxana, right?”
Empress Elan nodded and muttered quietly as if talking to herself.
“The Incarnation Sword is most likely stored in the Empress’s Palace.”
Magic Tower Lord said with confidence this time as well.
“I think so, too.”
I told the group that when we infiltrated the palace, I felt a heat in my body, especially in my palms.
“We are all now in a position where we cannot enter the palace, so how can we retrieve the Incarnation Sword?”
Commander Macrom struck his broad forehead with his fist and made a distressed expression. The best way to retrieve the Incarnation Sword would be for me to stay in the palace and personally feel the signals the Incarnation Sword was sending me, but that was currently impossible.
“We have to find a way.”
I made eye contact with the three gloomy people one by one and vowed.
“We will definitely retrieve it.”
“Yes, we must. The owner of the Incarnation Sword is Your Majesty, the Empress.”
Magic Tower Lord said with strength in his voice.
I smiled briefly at Magic Tower Lord and turned my gaze to Empress Elan.
I tried to talk about Emperor Adrian, but then closed my mouth again. I thought it would be better to go to the palace tomorrow night and ask Nelly to find out about Emperor Adrian’s condition before I started talking.
He probably isn’t dead, but I had to find out his condition first.
To do that, Nelly, who passed out and was carried away by the guards, had to be alive first... I’m worried.
***
The next day.
As soon as the dressing was finished on his injured head in the training room’s weapons warehouse last night, Linel once again confirmed the instructions he had given Raphael.
“Court quarters, the far right room on the fourth floor..."
“Yes, yes! Don’t worry. The administrator who originally used that room was given a forced vacation this morning and sent out of the palace.”
Before Linel could finish speaking, Raphael’s answer came out automatically.
This time, he looked at Stiane, who was standing next to Raphael, and opened his mouth.
“Clean that room thoroughly...”
“Yes, yes! As you instructed, I replaced all the existing bedding, curtains, etc. with new ones, and even prepared incense.”
Stiane also reported before Raphael finished speaking.
It was because the same question had already been repeated three times.
It was strange why the Emperor would suddenly use one of the rooms in the courtiers’ quarters.
If you asked him about it in detail, he would look at you with a cold gaze, so you couldn’t ask any questions.
Raphael and Stiane, who were standing in front of Linel, exchanged glances.
They looked as if he had gotten a head injury somewhere last night and was a bit out of his mind.
According to the palace doctor, the Emperor’s crown was torn by something blunt.
The palace doctor then said that it was fortunate that the blood was flowing out, but if the blood had pooled inside, it would have been a big problem, and he also said that God had helped him several times.
Linel’s aides persistently asked him when, where, how, why, and what he was doing when he got hurt, but he continued to keep quiet.
Even though he was bleeding heavily from his head, he was smiling while receiving treatment from the palace doctor.
The worries of his aides, who watched him, deepened even more. In addition, he had suddenly given an order to a room in the palace where the courtiers stayed, saying,
'Clean up that room and the courtiers living there by this morning.'
Although he quickly carried out his order, Raphael and Stiane's doubts were not resolved. Linel simply tried to explain that it was a place filled with memories of the administrative teacher who had stayed in that room when he was the Crown Prince. He added that he was visiting there after a long time to reminisce about his childhood, but the two found it hard to believe.
"Huh? Reminiscing? Your Majesty?"
When he was the Crown Prince, when it seemed like not a single drop of blood would come out even if you stabbed him... Do you have any memories? Raphael asked back with a bewildered expression.
Stiane, who was next to him, nudged Raphael with his elbow, feeling Linel's mood. Raphael then closed his mouth. If the Emperor says so, then he must believe it. Raphael and Stiane could not understand his orders and actions, but since he seemed to be in a good mood, they did not spit out any more.
As soon as Linel regained consciousness after passing out last night, she came to mind. He was more worried about her than his own condition, as she had escaped the palace through the hole while receiving treatment. There were still several hours left until he could meet her. However, his heart was already outside the hole, waiting for her. Linel was equally worried as he was excited.
'What if she finds out about my existence and feels burdened?'
No, rather,
'What if she rejects my offer?'
Those two worries tormented him all day.
Raphael and Stiane were extremely worried, thinking that it was because of the pain in his head whenever he clutched his head and cried out in pain.
However, Linel would quickly stare into space again and laugh like a person with a screw loose.
"Your Majesty, are you okay?"
Raphael asked seriously, unable to bear to watch.
"No, my heart hurts."
It's beating too hard.
Raphael's worries deepened as Linel muttered.
"You were hit in the head, but your heart was also hit by something?!"
"Yes. Very hard. Is this... a heart attack?"
He rubbed his heart with his palm, then thought of Dazel and chuckled.
***
After having a cozy dinner with her party at the inn, Moiya lay down on a large zelkova tree branch outside the inn, patting his stomach.
Then, after about two hours, Moiya caught Zelda sneaking out of the inn.
“Oh? Are you going to drink alone again?”
Moiya quickly transformed into a pigeon and followed her.
Zelda headed to the passageway that allowed her to sneak into the palace, the dog hole under the castle wall.
Moiya was secretly excited.
“I guess the master is going to see Rosie and Sharon again. Then I should go see Nana!”
He couldn’t sleep last night because he was thinking about Nana.
So today, he thought he would be able to sleep if he saw Nana’s charming, wrinkled face.
Leaving Zelda hanging around in front of the dog hole behind, Moiya flew into the palace first and headed straight for the Empress’s palace, where Nana was.
He didn’t like seeing a woman shamelessly taking over her master’s nest, but the dog raised there was innocent, so it wouldn’t be okay if he hung out with Nana, right?
Moiya decided to think so.
“Hate the person who committed the crime, but don’t hate the dog that raises it, Moiya~.”
The master also seemed to understand and feel sorry for Nana’s resentful expression when he saw her.
As they approached the Empress’s Palace and were about to settle down on the terrace of the Empress’s room, where Nana was, he found Nana on the first floor at the back of the building.
“Ow? Why is Nana out? It’s dangerous at night!”
Moiya had no idea that humans who see a fierce bulldog at night could be in more danger.
Moiya, who looked like a pigeon, cooed and expressed his joy as he watched Nana’s back.
However, Nana was not alone.
“Who is she?”
Although it was hidden by Nana’s plump back, the white fur that was fluttering around her tail ticked like the hands of a clock.
Nana also swung her short tail, which didn’t match her large body.
Moiya felt a little jealous at that sight.
“Is Nana your friend?”
She should have been her friend.
Moiya's ruby eyes flashed.
Be don't know if the animal in front of Nana is a dog or a cat, but if it's a male, he's going to crush its vital parts with his beak. At that moment,
He heard the sound of a creature wagging its white tail in front of Nana.
"Meow meow. (Now go in.)"
Moiya descended at the familiar voice and landed on a nearby tree branch.
'Why is Aoshi with Nana?'
Moiya glared and watched the dog and cat sitting facing each other.
“Wolwol. (You go first.)”
“Meow meow. (Yes, I’ll go first. Please don’t come by again.)”
“Wolwol? (Why? Can’t I even see your face for a moment?)”
“Meow meow. (Rosie will hate it if she finds out you’re a dog raised by the Empress’s Palace.)”
“Wol... (Then you can just come see me...)”
“Meow meow! (How many times do I have to say this! I can’t win your heart!)”
The usually docile Aoshi cried out quite forcefully.
“...What are they doing right now?”
Moiya, who had transformed into a pigeon, was pecking at a wooden pole with his beak.
From what he heard, it seemed like bulldog Nana was clinging to Aoshi.
Why was the cool yet manly Nana doing that to a lowly, squirming cat?
Moiya doubted his own eyes.
Wasn't it Nana who showed her teeth and growled at him, but she even wagged her tail at Aoshi.
On top of that, her attractive, wrinkled face became even more resentful and wrinkly.
"W-That's ridiculous...!"
Moiya denied the reality before his eyes.
I stood in front of the hole again after a day.
It felt completely different from when I first came here last night.
I had a husband but no lover.
My steps to meet my first lover were incredibly light.
Every step I took felt like walking on clouds.
It was the first time I realized that going on a first date with a lover was such a ticklish thing.
I wanted to pay attention to my appearance, but I was in a situation where I had no choice but to wear a dress the whole time, so that was a bit disappointing.
“I didn’t get dressed up today either... I should tell him to turn off the lights quickly.”
So today, he thought he would be able to sleep if he saw Nana’s charming, wrinkled face.
Leaving Zelda hanging around in front of the dog hole behind, Moiya flew into the palace first and headed straight for the Empress’s palace, where Nana was.
He didn’t like seeing a woman shamelessly taking over her master’s nest, but the dog raised there was innocent, so it wouldn’t be okay if he hung out with Nana, right?
Moiya decided to think so.
“Hate the person who committed the crime, but don’t hate the dog that raises it, Moiya~.”
The master also seemed to understand and feel sorry for Nana’s resentful expression when he saw her.
As they approached the Empress’s Palace and were about to settle down on the terrace of the Empress’s room, where Nana was, he found Nana on the first floor at the back of the building.
“Ow? Why is Nana out? It’s dangerous at night!”
Moiya had no idea that humans who see a fierce bulldog at night could be in more danger.
Moiya, who looked like a pigeon, cooed and expressed his joy as he watched Nana’s back.
However, Nana was not alone.
“Who is she?”
Although it was hidden by Nana’s plump back, the white fur that was fluttering around her tail ticked like the hands of a clock.
Nana also swung her short tail, which didn’t match her large body.
Moiya felt a little jealous at that sight.
“Is Nana your friend?”
She should have been her friend.
Moiya's ruby eyes flashed.
Be don't know if the animal in front of Nana is a dog or a cat, but if it's a male, he's going to crush its vital parts with his beak. At that moment,
He heard the sound of a creature wagging its white tail in front of Nana.
"Meow meow. (Now go in.)"
Moiya descended at the familiar voice and landed on a nearby tree branch.
'Why is Aoshi with Nana?'
Moiya glared and watched the dog and cat sitting facing each other.
“Wolwol. (You go first.)”
“Meow meow. (Yes, I’ll go first. Please don’t come by again.)”
“Wolwol? (Why? Can’t I even see your face for a moment?)”
“Meow meow. (Rosie will hate it if she finds out you’re a dog raised by the Empress’s Palace.)”
“Wol... (Then you can just come see me...)”
“Meow meow! (How many times do I have to say this! I can’t win your heart!)”
The usually docile Aoshi cried out quite forcefully.
“...What are they doing right now?”
Moiya, who had transformed into a pigeon, was pecking at a wooden pole with his beak.
From what he heard, it seemed like bulldog Nana was clinging to Aoshi.
Why was the cool yet manly Nana doing that to a lowly, squirming cat?
Moiya doubted his own eyes.
Wasn't it Nana who showed her teeth and growled at him, but she even wagged her tail at Aoshi.
On top of that, her attractive, wrinkled face became even more resentful and wrinkly.
"W-That's ridiculous...!"
Moiya denied the reality before his eyes.
***
I stood in front of the hole again after a day.
It felt completely different from when I first came here last night.
I had a husband but no lover.
My steps to meet my first lover were incredibly light.
Every step I took felt like walking on clouds.
It was the first time I realized that going on a first date with a lover was such a ticklish thing.
I wanted to pay attention to my appearance, but I was in a situation where I had no choice but to wear a dress the whole time, so that was a bit disappointing.
“I didn’t get dressed up today either... I should tell him to turn off the lights quickly.”
I didn’t have to worry about my clothing style in the dark.
That was really the reason why I thought of it, but for some reason, my cheeks were flushed.
“Yes, let’s crawl in now.”
That was really the reason why I thought of it, but for some reason, my cheeks were flushed.
“Yes, let’s crawl in now.”
I lightly pushed aside the rock that temporarily blocked the hole outside the wall and bent down like a dog.
I had removed the stone that had been sticking out in the middle of the hole before leaving here yesterday, so there was no risk of my butt getting stuck in the middle today.
Still, since the white apron was structured so that it had to touch the ground, it was inevitable that my clothes would get a little dirty.
Still, I was putting my head into the hole as carefully as I could...
The hole felt noticeably different from yesterday.
‘...Did Nelly do this for me?’
I guess this is why everyone has a lover!
I looked down at the floor without thinking and started to cry.
I had removed the stone that had been sticking out in the middle of the hole before leaving here yesterday, so there was no risk of my butt getting stuck in the middle today.
Still, since the white apron was structured so that it had to touch the ground, it was inevitable that my clothes would get a little dirty.
Still, I was putting my head into the hole as carefully as I could...
The hole felt noticeably different from yesterday.
‘...Did Nelly do this for me?’
I guess this is why everyone has a lover!
I looked down at the floor without thinking and started to cry.
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