Late at night.
We are carrying out a sudden grand operation to care for the Prince's mental health.
My role is to stick close to Nike and constantly remind him that I am alive and well.
"Even so, I'm her dad. Even if you two are a married couple, is it really okay for you to be standing right in front of me like that?"
First-floor living room.
We are sitting on sofas, each with a small table between us.
My seat was between Nike's thighs, and his body was the backrest.
"..."
Nike didn't answer even to Ryan's scolding. He just tightened his grip on me from behind.
Right now, I deeply understand the feelings of a butterfly caught in a Venus flytrap.
"Sigh, fine. I understand that the shock must have been immense. But wait, are you an idiot?"
Ryan's role is to lie.
"Anyone can see that guy just said that to provoke you, so you actually believe it?"
It was David who conveyed the news of my death to Nike in great detail.
And so, without a word, we decided with just an exchange of glances. To frame David as a liar.
Since he spoke as if he knew I was in Belzer, I couldn't hide the fact that David had visited.
"Calling a member of the royal family a fool—what the hell! Look at the way he speaks. Besides, you had no choice but to believe him. It’s exactly the kind of thing that rotten bastard would do!"
Revan's role is to act as a decoy.
"Even so! And Your Highness, if something like that had happened, I would have naturally contacted you first, wouldn't I?"
Ryan said in a bewildered tone.
Nike, who had been listening silently, tightly hugged my waist and whispered while repeatedly rubbing his face against the nape of my neck.
"Sorry, I got worked up."
Fortunately, his voice had loosened considerably, as if the only thing that mattered to him was the fact that nothing had happened.
The reason this lie works is that David actually lied to provoke Nike.
Didn't they say they burned me with lightning until I turned to ashes?
If I die like that, I can't even be resurrected. The only answer is regression.
So, Nike withered away for four days while anxiously waiting for Ryan, who had to hand over his memories and return.
As I turned around, I saw the face of my man, who had already become the main focus.
'I'm so pissed off.'
Nike, who felt relieved as our eyes met, acting as if it didn't matter at all since I was fine, despite having suffered such psychological torture.
I'm even angry about this.
'If I had known this would happen, I should have sent a telepathic message.'
If that had happened, Nike would not have had to suffer in silence for four days after confirming my survival.
However, as it happened, I was in a state where I was strictly conserving telepathic communication.
A supernatural ability that is strengthened with frequent use.
This is because my telepathy is close to growing to the next stage.
As soon as it grows and its power is strengthened
'I'll go back into the recovery phase, spitting up blood again.'
I was someone who had to pay a heavy price for gathering this ability like acorns.
We cannot afford to be ignorant when a major undertaking is imminent, can we?
It wasn't as if David could have foreseen the future where he would open his mouth, and either way, it was a hopeless situation.
"You know that bastard's method, right? He lined me up in front of Vania, beat me to death, and asked me 500 times what I was hiding. He probably tortured me thinking a young girl would be softer-hearted."
Ryan perfectly wrapped up the lie.
"That's right. He only beat up Dad and didn't lay a finger on me. So now, calm down."
I also turned to look at Nike and told him.
He hugged me tightly again.
"Thank god."
"...? Hey."
Ryan flared up.
"I told you I got beaten like a dog, so what's so fortunate about that again?"
"Ah."
Nike hesitated and hurried.
"I didn't mean that...
"You're really going too far!"
Phew. It was a relief that the tense atmosphere had lifted.
We are all ganging up to make a fool of Nike, but it can't be helped. It is all for Nike's mental health.
Click, click.
Just then, the sound of a door being unlocked was heard urgently.
We all looked back at the door.
The only people holding the key to this house are the knights of our family, who run around day and night to monitor the movements of the enemies.
“My lord!”
As expected, it was Max. He rushed in, took off his rain-soaked robe, and spoke before he could even catch his breath.
“We’re in big trouble!”
***
Rainy night.
Elliott Wassenberg's carriage was heading somewhere.
The imperial family's life-or-death decision to demand the abdication of the throne if one did not want to be exiled.
The Emperor granted a grace period of fifteen days.
“Brother.”
At the sound of Bridget's voice from beside him, Elliott, who had been staring blankly out the window, turned around.
"Why?"
"What do you want me to do, brother?"
“Me? What am I?”
Elliott shrugged his shoulders.
"Is there a choice? We have to accept the throne. But since you caused such a commotion, I’m going to burn the heads of the royal family to ashes."
"It is a peaceful transfer of power, so if you humiliate the royal family in that way, wouldn't there be a strong backlash from the people of the empire?"
"What are you worried about? By then, our father will already be the Emperor, so we can just burn down any rebels who rise up."
"Is that... okay? Do you just have to kill anyone who opposes you?"
Bridget tilted her head.
What if everyone rebels and we have to kill everyone? Will it become a country where only we survive?
She was thinking for the first time about things she had never considered before because she had no interest in them.
"Well, not everyone will disobey, right? Then does that mean it will become a country where only those who listen to us can live?"
"Oh... right."
“Well... that would be comfortable.”
"Uh..."
The siblings were silent for a moment.
"Ah. What about the Cursed Land? Do you have to go subjugate it yourself now, brother?"
“Why me?”
"Because now all the empire's land is ours...?"
"..."
Elliott, who had been blinking his eyes, shook his head.
"What are you talking about? We should just keep doing what we've always done. We're already drafting private soldiers from nearby nobles and putting them to work."
"There are many times when they can't solve the problem."
"That is correct. Isn't that why those with supernatural abilities have been expanding their power by stepping forward to provide support as if doing a favor?"
But now...
“Fuck it.”
Elliott, frowning, turned his head back toward the window.
He is also in charge. That social order, norms, and a certain system are necessary for a country to function.
If his father becomes Emperor, he can make things that were illegal legal.
Then his own business would become easier, but...
Elliot knows.
Why those things have been illegal until now.
Why the country imposes numerous restrictions, enacts laws, prohibits things, and tries to establish order
This is because only by doing so can a normal society be built.
'This is a headache.'
At least a minimum of order is necessary. It is good to keep those smart members of the royal family in their positions to handle the headache-inducing state affairs.
Those with supernatural abilities can simply live their lives reigning over meaningless hierarchies, just as they have until now.
"Ha."
However, the royal family declared a strike.
Regardless, those with supernatural abilities had to respond to it, and this was not a matter for the father to decide alone.
Those who will be exiled if they do not accept the imperial throne are all those with the surname Wassenberg.
A bold emperor who declared he would strip the noble title in fifteen days without even giving time to think deeply.
All members of the family were urgently summoned in a short period of time.
Elliot was on his way to pick up his younger brother, Richard.
***
“We’re in big trouble!”
What a big problem...
At Max's words, we were all so surprised we couldn't even breathe.
"Oh? Hello. Your Highness is here too? When did you arrive?"
After building us up so much, Max, oblivious to the situation, greeted Nike first.
"It hasn't been that long. But what's the big deal?"
Only then did Nike release me from the Venus flytrap and rush over to Max. A surprised Ryan went along with him.
Max caught his breath in front of the two men who had approached and spoken.
"A route has been secured for Marquis Balak, departing from his territory and heading toward the capital. Not only the Marquis, but also Robutem, Magdenia, and Wuswald as well. The rest will be delivered soon, but they are probably all going to the same place."
The names he recites are all those of Wasenberg's retainers. The ones our father had expected to surely summon together to discuss the plan for the abdication of the throne.
The fact that they moved meant that things were going according to our plan.
"But... what on earth happened?"
I bit my nails nervously, waiting for Max to open his mouth.
"Then what's the problem?
Ryan also asked nervously.
Then Max tilted his head.
“No problem?”
"What did you say? You said something big happened."
"Aha."
Max shrugged his shoulders.
"I'm telling you, they're in big trouble."
Silence.
"They are gathering without even knowing it is a grave."
"Ah! Do you want to die? You scared me!"
Ryan punched Max in the stomach with all his might.
"Ow!!!"
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