INAT - Chapter 79

'What was that just now? Am I tired?'

I brought my hand to the corner of my eye and fumbled around.

“Why are you doing that?”

"Ah, I'm a bit tired. Well, if that's all you need, may I leave now?"

"...Perhaps because I lost my parents at an early age, I find myself unnecessarily interfering. I only said this because I want the Princess to spend happy time with her family as soon as possible, so I sincerely hope you do not take offense."

"Ah..."

"I will be taking my leave now. I hope to see you again if the opportunity arises."

...For some reason, the more I meet him, the more unsettling he seems. I'd rather not see him if possible.

I watched Ethan's retreating figure and shook my head.

***

Come to think of it, what happened to Lari? It was a thought that crossed my mind suddenly. I looked back at Oscar as I stood before the stairs.

"What happened to the woman named Lari?"

"She is currently imprisoned because of the trial of former Duke Joubert."

"Hmm. Can I go?"

"Yes. His Majesty ordered in advance that I guide you if you wish to go."

Did Thierry notice that I'm not exactly staying quiet anymore? I felt a bit awkward that he had given the order before I even stepped forward. Somehow, it felt like he had read my patterns completely...

Anyway, thinking that I was getting quite a good look around the prison here, I followed Oscar toward the cell where Lari was being held. As soon as I entered the entrance, I could feel the humid air.

I glanced at the shadow flickering in the candlelight for a moment, then looked at where Oscar was pointing in the distance.

“It’s over there.”

"Thank you."

"No. Do not go near. He might reach through the bars."

"All right."

As I walked over cautiously, Lari came into view, crouching in a corner. With a rustling sound, as my presence drew closer, I saw Lari's upper body, which had seemed as stiff as a stone, begin to sway.

"...Oh, princess!”

The moment our eyes met, Lari rushed forward. Bang! Her ferocity as she gripped the bars with both hands was so menacing that it made me hesitate and take a step back.

Her face, with rough lips and sunken cheekbones, looked so insignificant that the elegant appearance she had shown just a few days ago, resembling a young lady from a noble family, was nowhere to be seen.

"Please save me. I am innocent!"

Just like the former Duke of Joubert, this woman is beyond shameless. I wonder how she spouts lies with such desperation.

Lari soon slid to her knees, perhaps because she had been feeling unwell in the past few days.

I stared down at her and tilted my head slightly.

"Why do you claim to be innocent? You couldn't have been unaware that impersonation is severely punished. Didn't you come prepared?"

"What are you talking about? Impersonation? I'm Lari!"

"Yes. I know you are Lari."

Lari, who had been refuting in shock, stammered for a moment at my words. She seemed unable to understand my words, which seemed to immediately acknowledge that Lari was right, just as she had been talking about impersonation.

Lari frowned and blinked rapidly, as if trying to figure out how things were going.

"But you're not really Lari."

No sooner had I finished speaking than Lari's face turned deathly white, as if all the blood had drained from her. She stood frozen like a stone, and the only thing changing was her pale complexion.

Her eyes, shaking violently as if she were a ship caught in a storm, added more conviction to my words.

"...Huh? W-what do you mean by that?"

The answer that came out belatedly, as if squeezed out, was of no use whatsoever. Perhaps because I had hit the nail on the head, she seemed so flustered that she couldn't even properly pull off her acting skills. At that, I lowered the corners of my eyebrows and looked down at her with a look of pity.

"You are not the Lari His Majesty is looking for."

Then, I willingly explained it to her as she stared up at me blankly, wondering if she was denying reality or if she genuinely couldn't understand.

I pronounced each word clearly, as if sticking it right into her ear. It was such accurate pronunciation that she couldn't possibly have missed it.

She seemed extremely agitated, to the point where I could hear her trembling breathing.

"...I have always been Lari. I have been Lari from the moment I was born until now! What kind of nonsense is that?"

Her voice, muttering to herself rather than arguing with me, seemed ready to dig into the ground. Lari kept muttering like a real madman. Her condition was so bizarre it was almost creepy.

"They said you might not live long... is that why you're acting like this...?"

"What? What are you talking about!"

As if she had completely dropped the honorifics, Lari lifted her head sharply and pressed me for an answer. I thought she wouldn't hear me since she was muttering to herself, but she seemed to hear me perfectly, so I gave her the answer she wanted right away.

"I guess the elves didn't tell you this? They said it wouldn't be easy to live long since you barely survived a near-death experience."

"You mean, 'It'll be hard for me to live a long time'? Then you're saying I'll die early?!"

"Yes."

Lari's brown eyes turned black and died. Although she didn't want to believe it, perhaps sensing something herself, she trembled her lips and let tears fall in drops. Then, she began to shake her head slowly.

"...No. This makes no sense. Why would I? No way! I don't want to die! Hey—please save me...”

I gazed down at her intently for a moment, then turned away as if my business was finished. Just then, as if trying to approach me, she slammed her body into the bars with a loud crash, repeatedly hitting the cage with her whole body as if she felt no pain.

"Let me out. Those elves said I just need to live happily with His Majesty! Yes, call His Majesty! I am Lari. I said, call His Majesty!!!"

An agonizing scream echoed through the prison. The desperate wailing, devoid of even a shred of hope, gradually faded into the distance.

Perhaps if news of her reaches me next time, it might be that she is no longer in this world, just as the elf predicted.

***

The execution day for the former Duke of Joubert, Epic, was the very next day. It was relieving that he was being punished, but it was the first time I had witnessed someone die firsthand, so I felt a bit strange.

It's good, but I guess you could say it feels a bit unsettling.

I headed to the place where the hanging was to be carried out with Marie and Oscar. Even so, since the public hanging of a high-ranking noble could cause social unrest, it was agreed that the execution scene would be shown only to the nobility. Therefore, the designated execution site was near the Imperial Palace.

Since it was such a vast place, I expected it to have pretty much everything. But to think there was even a place for an execution. Thinking that there really are all sorts of things here, I narrowed my distance to the area that already had the atmosphere of a funeral home.

"Princess."

But suddenly, Thierry appeared from the side.

I looked at him with surprised eyes and scanned the surroundings. Fortunately, there weren't many people near me because everyone was crowded around the gallows.

"Your Majesty, why are you here? Isn't there a separate seat prepared over there?"

I pointed behind the gallows and asked. Thierry casually waved his hand once and stood right beside me.

"Why are you looking at it so intently? I'm just going to take a quick look and go inside. Anyway, is it okay for the Princess to look?"

"I am a bit nervous, but I also want to see that person's final moments to the very end."

"Shall I hold your hand?"

"...There are so many eyes watching right now."

As if that weren't enough, eyes were fixed from all around, looking at Thierry as he came over to me and spoke in a gentle tone with a sense of unfamiliarity.

If they even held hands in a situation like this, rumors that the two were getting married soon would have been more than enough to spread. That was absolutely out of the question.

Yeah, with so many incidents breaking out, Thierry's confession naturally took a backseat, but anyway, I didn't want any ridiculous rumors circulating.

"So what? If it bothers you, I'll tell you to clear the snow."

Still, they’ve softened a lot lately and are actually telling me to clear the snow. In the past, they would have just blurted out that they’d gouge out my eyes without even asking.

I let out a hollow laugh and waved my hands at him, signaling that he please stop.

"No problem. Just take a quick look and go inside. Oh, come to think of it, I ran into that person again yesterday."

"...Liart’s second son?”

Thierry narrowed his eyebrows in displeasure.

"Yes. As expected, you remember!"

"Why did you run into each other?"

"As I was leaving after the trial, he followed me out. And he asked the same question again as last time.

"Are you asking if I have any intention of going back?"

"Yes. I don't know why he is so desperate to let me go."

"What is the reason you absolutely have to go that makes you act like this?"

The sounds overlapped due to the words being spat out at the same time. We looked at each other for a moment, then let out a hollow laugh in disbelief and turned our heads away.

"Anyway, that guy isn't normal either. From now on, avoid him no matter what."

"Hmm... I guess I'll have to do that."

"The Marquis of Liart's household is too clean, which is suspicious. If you ran a search that thoroughly and there isn't a single speck of dust, there must be something wrong."

What kind of logic is that? Isn't it just because you hate Ethan?

I barely managed to suppress the laughter threatening to escape as I turned my gaze toward the gallows. Amidst a roar of cheers, the former Duke of Joubert appeared, being dragged in by knights who had grasped both arms.

He had aged dramatically overnight. His hair, which was not silver like Sylvia's but was still a fairly light gray, had turned completely white. On top of that, he had a dazed look on his face, as if he didn't even realize what was happening.

Soon, the noose was placed around his neck. In an instant, only silence filled the surroundings, and only the occasional gust of wind made a sound.

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