Chapter 74 : The One Who Is Manipulating The Prince Is…

 

「In the royal palace, everyone is fighting over who will be the heir to the throne.」(Marian)

Princessー Marian-chan explained about the current state of the center of the kingdom.

『Princess Marian who has strong magical power, even stronger than her predecessor, is fit to become the next king!』(princess faction)

『Fools! Prince Elion who has high intelligence, charisma, and sword talent will be the one who leads this kingdom!』(prince faction)

The aristocrats who had different arguments were split into two factions and berating each other.

Marian-chan, who was born first, has the advantage to be the heir to the throne, but she has no intention of becoming the king.

That’s why she tried to make the aristocrats in the ‘princess faction’ give up by pretending to be a bad-mannered woman.

However, her plan didn’t go well.

After all, the fight between two factions has been going on since Marian-chan was a child.
Therefore, she couldn’t change the aristocrats’ minds so easily.

The aristocrats of the ‘princess faction’ are really stubborn.
Even though Marian-chan changed her personality, they insisted on making her the king.

「There’s a celebration called a “Moon Viewing Party” which is held once every thirty years after someone from the royal family recreated the barrier. If I go home now, that celebration will be held, and I’m sure the aristocrats of the princess faction will encourage my father, the king, to choose me as his successor. I have a feeling they will say shit like “It’s time to give the throne to Princess Marian, the hero who saved this kingdom”.」(Marian)

Marian-chan sighed with a face as if saying, “What annoying people”.

They call themselves the ‘princess faction’, but from Marian-chan’s story, I can tell that these people don’t think about Marian-chan even in the slightest.

All they think is winning against the opposite faction and hope to gain wealth and a higher position once Marian-chan becomes the king.

Well, even if she became the king, I don’t think she would give those people any position in the kingdom.

「However, the prince faction won’t let that happen. They won’t just bite their fingers and watch. They will definitely try to get rid of me before the princess faction can make contact with my father.」(Marian)

Get rid…
In other words, they’ll try to kill Marian-chan…?

「But, are you sure they will do that? If Prince Elion found out, he would punish them, right? Even though you are his rival, you are still his older sister after all.」(Hanna)

After the adventure in the underground labyrinth with her, I found out that Marian-chan has a habit of thinking in a bad direction.

That’s why I think that she’s just thinking too much this time.

However, Marian-chan looked at me with a serious face and saidー

「I wish I was just overthinking it.」(Marian)

「Marian-chan…?」(Hanna)

「Hanna, since you live in this city, you know the Sword Fighting King, Bazel, right?」(Marian)

What an unexpected name to hear right now.

Does the chairman have anything to do with this?

「Of course. I know him very well. He’s the person I hate the most after Cecil. He bullied me, kicked me out of the school, spread bad rumors about my store, and he even tried to kill me. To be clear, he is my natural enemy.」(Hanna)

「I see. It’s tough to be you… So you know how bad that man is, right? The one who leads the aristocrats in the prince faction right now is that terrible and cruel man.」(Marian)

「…Seriously….?」(Hanna)

The chairman’s fame as a great adventurer has spread throughout the kingdom.

But not only because he was an adventurer, he became famous also because he founded the adventurer school and managed a business in Tiaret.

And now, he’s entering the world of politics, huh?

After that, Marian-chan told me that he is also Prince Elion’s sword master.

The Prince was fascinated by the chairman’s strength, and willing to do whatever the chairman said.

If Prince Elion becomes the king, the world where the chairman rules this kingdom with Prince Elion as his puppet will begin.

Uhh… I get chills in my back just by imagining it…

He will definitely burn Egg Tart to the ground for sure if that happens.

「I was thinking of giving up the throne to Elion, but I changed my mind after I found out about this fact. I can’t leave this kingdom to Elion who will definitely become Bazel’s puppet. I have to do something to cut his threads from my brother.」(Marian)

I see.
Now I know why Marian-chan wanted me to give her brother a lesson.

He probably has a really bad personality since his mind has been corrupted by the chairman.

「I can only use blunt weapons which may not be suitable for cutting threads, butー」(Hanna)

「ーbut you might be able to crush the fingers controlling the threads, right?」(Marian)

「Exactly!」(Hanna)

This is my chance to see the chairman’s miserable face after being defeated!

That alone is enough to motivate me to help Marian-chan.

「But how are we gonna do that specifically? I don’t think using force right away is a good idea.」(Hanna)

Even if Marian-chan, the Princess herself gave me permission, I don’t think I’ll be able to go home in one piece after that.

「During the celebration, Bazel should do something to try and kill me. I want you to stop him, and if possible, get proof that he is the mastermind behind the attempted murder by capturing the assasin who works for him alive and make them spit out information.」(Marian)

「Fumu, fumu… Okay, I’ll try my best.」(Hanna)

「I’m counting on you.」(Marian)

Part 2

I have a lot of defensive skills that might be useful to protect Marian-chan.
If the assassin used a bow, I can use【Earth Wall】.
If they are a wizard, I can repel their magic attack with【Physical Counter】.

And when the assassin is trying to escape, I can make a cage or a pitfall with my blunt weapon skill to catch them.

Hmm… Isn’t this job surprisingly suitable for me?

The problem is how I will get them to say the chairman is the mastermind…

「Mira-san, is it possible to interrogate someone using drugs?」(Hanna)

When I asked, Mira-san tilted her head a little.

「There is a truth drug. Do you want the one that makes the victim suffer a lot of pain or not?」(Mira)

「It doesn’t matter which one… So it’s possible, right?」(Hanna)

「Yes, but only if you bring me with you.」(Mira)

Uhh, if I told her, “I only need the drug”, I feel like she would never give me one…

「Alright, alright. Let’s go together.」(Hanna)

「Really? Yippie. I’ll be useful.」(Mira)

Mira-san raised her hands up but still with an expressionless face as usual.

Well, I don’t think there would be a problem if I bring her along to the royal capital.

It’s not like we’re going to fight some monsters in a dungeon or something, so it’s very unlikely that Mira-san will be in danger.

「After I use the drug on the assassin, I’ll use it on Hanna and make her say what she thinks of me. Fufufu.」(Mira)

Mira-san muttered like that but I could hear it.

「What are you planning to do with me!?」(Hanna)

「Don’t worry. I’ll use the drug that doesn’t make you suffer.」(Mira)

「That’s not the point!」(Hanna)

Geez!

What I think of her is already obvious.
Why does she need to use a drug to make me say it?

Looks like I’m not the only insensitive person here…

「Uuuuu…. So I’ll be the only one staying here…?」(Galle)

Galle-chan’s animal ears hang down.

She looked like a crying puppy.

「Galle-chan, it’s already decided that you will stay here regardless of whether Mira-san comes along or not.」(Hanna)

「Kuuunn… Master….」(Galle)

「Ugh…! Even though you made a face like an abandoned puppy, no means no! They will execute you if they find out that you’re still alive!」(Hanna)

「Uuu… I understand… I’ll be a good girl…」(Galle)

「Un. I’m sorry. Good girl, good girl~」(Hanna)

I stood up and patted Galle-chan’s head.

Ah, poor Galle-chan…

I’ll buy you a lot of souvenirs once my job is done!

Looks like my mind has been poisoned by Galle-chan’s cuteness like Prince Elion whose mind has been poisoned by the chairman’s strength…

「Ahem!」(Marian)

Marian-chan suddenly cleared her throat loudly.

Maybe she wanted to get my attention back.

Or… she wanted me to stop patting Galle-chan?

I sat back on my seat and turned to her.

「If Elion finds out that Bazel is an evil man, he will surely wake up and be freed from that man’s threads. But if he’s still being an unreliable man who is easily controlled by others, Hanna, I want you to give him a lesson with your blunt weapon. Otherwise, I can’t trust this kingdom to him.」(Marian)

Looks like it would be a really, really big job for me.

However, it is worth doing.

I will have the opportunity to defeat the chairman and improve the future of this kingdom!

Isn’t that great!?

「Hanna, can you do it?」(Marian)

「’Atabou desu’! Marian-chaー No. Princess, I’m your knight, you can leave it to me!」(Hanna)

I stretched my back and hit my chest as I said that.

If I successfully complete this mission, the chairman will be kicked out from the council, and the royal family will fully support me.

And then… I will be promoted to a higher rank!

「Fufu. I had a feeling that you will say that.」(Marian)

Saying that, Marian-chan stretched out her hand toward me.

Maybe she wants to shake hands with me?

But when I grabbed her hand, she pulled my hand and kissed the back of my hand.

「Ny-Nya!?」(Hanna)

She raised her face and smiled at me.

Hold on! I’m the one who should do that to the Princess, right!?

A surprise move is unfair!

「Well then, I’m going back now. Slad and the others must be worried about me right now.」(Marian)

「Worried…? Wait, you didn’t tell them you would go to my place?」(Hanna)

「Nope. I just tried teleportation magic and ーboom! I ended up sitting next to you. They might think that I disappeared all of a sudden.」(Marian)

Seriously!?

Slad-san and the others must be panicking right now.

I feel bad for them…

「Then, please hurry up and go back to them before they die of worry!」(Hanna)

「Haha! I know, I know. Please stand by in this town, I’ll go pick you up with teleportation later. Well then, see you!」(Marian)

After saying that, Marian-chan raised her hand and disappeared.

Amazing…

Teleportation magic is really convenient.

「Wait a minute. If she will come to pick us up, that means we don’t have to travel by carriage!? That’s great! We can save money!」(Hanna)

「Eehh….. I want to enjoy my travel with Hanna in a carriage, though…」(Mira)

Mira-san looked dissatisfied, but for me, who hates long trips, this is awesome.

I mean, sitting in a shaking carriage for 10 days is painful, you know! Especially for your butt!

 

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