“Saa, it’s enough already, isn’t it. I’ll have you two exit from this stage.”
The Duke gave orders to his soldiers.
It was about time to make our entrance.
” .. don’t you.”
Mh? I could hear something.
The Duke seemed to have heard as well and was looking over to the King and Queen.
“You, you hold a grudge against us and the Prime Minister, don’t you?”
Declared Rachel-sama looking directly at the Duke.
“Funh! I was thinking you were saying but to be such nonsense.”
“Nonsense, huh. First of, about your grudge against us, that would be about how your marriage proposal to me got swept away. And for your grudge against the Prime Minister, that would be Leon’s fiancee being Ririina, that not you became the Prime Minister, and that the Prime Minister’s son is the active Commander of the chivalric order – something along those line, eh?”
” .. just what might you be talking about. I am in anguish over our country, which is I take moves like this ..”
“In that case why with this timing? Truthfully, it is still a very distant time until Leon becomes capable of succeeding this nation. And succeeding it in this current state will be difficult as well. Making an uprising right now would merely needlessly put the country into chaos, don’t you think? And what’s more, about your daughter, Anjiu-jou was it? It has come to my notice that she was only recently brought in to your household, wasn’t she. Will she be fine to start the Queen training all over from now? Even that Ririina has needed until now for that.”
“Funh! In that case wouldn’t that be the fault of said Ririinjou! It’s not like things are working out between Prince Leon and her, is it. They aren’t even together on evening parties and the like, and no matter what excellent results she may show in her Queen training, it is useless if she can’t even stay together alone with the Prince.”
” .. Is that why you tried to use this chance to have the obstacle that is Ririina killed, I wonder? Knowing full well that Leon had broken off the engagement with her you made it so she and her lady attendant would get attacked on their way back to their territory.”
The Duke answered with a daring smile.
“What are you talking about? Do you have proof of that? Treating people like criminals on pure speculation, I would have you refrain from that.”
Upon which the King, who hadn’t been saying anything so far, spoke.
“It is not speculation. There is a witness. Duke, there is someone who saw you ordering Ririinjou to be attacked while hiding yourself.”
“Han? Such a half-baked things as a witness. In that case do bring them here, I invite you. Maa, that would prove difficult in your current position, wouldn’t it?”
The Duke laughed as if amused.
That’s not an attitude you would expect of someone who claimed to act for the sake of the country until half-way through.
Now then, it’s about time to make an appearance.
I have to circle around them unnoticed, and then finish things off in a single swift attack.
In the same moment that I turned around to Leon-sama and Aren-sama in order to tell them what I was going to do now, someone’s figure passed by next to me.
Er, eeeeh—-!
“Oi! Duke! Set my Father and Mother free! And also, that which is more unforgivable than anything else, is that you tried to kill Ririina! I will knock you down myself!”
Leon-sama~
Why would you hop out like that even with all I have asked you not to do anything dangerous~?
You do have ears, don’t you~
You could hear me, couldn’t you~
Ah–mou! It’s a complete failure.
Aren-sama apologized in a small voice ‘sorry’.
Yes, Aren-sama isn’t at fault here.
When I had told him to watch over Leon-sama even I had meant in the case of a fight.
That was brought to naught.
“Now, now, this is, Prince Leon. Wherefrom did you appear? I have been searching for you.”
“Doesn’t matter wherefrom! Saa, quickly release Father and Mother!”
The Duke addressed Leon-sama as if astounded.
“Prince Leon, despite seeing these soldiers you would still challenge me to a fight? Please think carefully about it. With your skill you wouldn’t be able to take a good stand against these numbers, would you now. More importantly, it appears that you have broken off your engagement with Ririinjou. I have heard from my daughter Anjiu. It has come to my ears that lately you have often been together with her. What do you think, how about using this opportunity to welcome Anjiu as your Queen?”
“Fu, you’re telling me to become your puppet? Don’t joke with me. The current me does not have the caliber to be King! In the first place, what problems do you say there are with the reign of my Father!”
.. Leon-sama is kinda saying some cool things there, but surely Aren-sama mentioned just before that the Duke thinks Leon-sama’s behaviour in regards to me is the problem, no?
“Fumu, as expected, retraining you may be difficult. In that case I suppose I will have all three of you exit the stage here. As you are all aware the royal blood flows within my household as well. It will be alright. If we declare that you three have come down with some prevalent illness the citizen’s will surely believe that.”
The danger is increasing.
15 opponents with 3 hostages, huh.
That’s just about at the limit.
I gave an eye signal to Aren-sama.
He, too, returned a small nod.
We entered the audience hall from a blind spot of the Duke and without making any sounds.
No one is looking over at us.
Being thankful for the shortened skirt I closed in the distance to the soldiers in an instant.
I quickly drew my sword and fell the first nearby soldier in one go.
At the same time, Aren-sama too .. are? Using his hands like a sword, is it.
It appeared Aren-sama, instead of using a blade, was using his own hand as a weapon and took out the soldier aiming for the neck.
Don’t tell me he’s actually using hand to hand combat when fighting monsters too!
Without fail I would like to hear more about that from him afterwards.
This isn’t the place to be fascinated by his skills.
I took out another two enemies before they could ready themselves.
But at this point it appeared the others finally noticed us.
“You are, Ririinjou, huh! And also .. what are you doing here, Aren!”
The Duke yelled.
As expected it wasn’t possible to immediately attack the soldiers wielding swords that where close by the 3 hostages.
“Stupid father .. even though you said for the sake of the country this is uncool! What more, to even go so far as to attack Ririinsama, you really are an idiot.”
“Aren, you. What’s up with saying idiot to your fathers face! Funh, I considered it fine to take you in as long as I could make use of Anjiu, but for you to have forgotten that debt, you ought to know some shame!”
“Who said they wanted to be taken in! Me, and Anjiu as well were living peacefully until you .. Maa, if only for letting me meet Ririinsama again I will thank you. For that and that only.”
As if spitting out, Aren-sama said so.
Aren-sama and Anjiu-sama were both used by the Duke for the revolt.
Nunu, how will you make up for that.
“Speaking of which, Ririinjou, just what is up with that appearance? Your dress is in tatters, that is not a very appropriate appearance for a lady.”
The Duke looked over at me as if seeing something unpleasant.
Just who’s fault do you think that is.
Without rebuking the Duke’s words I surveyed the surroundings.
.. including the Duke there were 9 people left.
In the worst case I might have to play that hand.