“Might I ask you to confirm and explain the circumstances? Of course you have no right to veto.”
The girl, who is sitting on the other side of the table, broached the topic as soon as she opened her mouth.
While tasting the black tea that had been poured by Frau, Renya observes the girl, who keeps on staring his way while sitting deeply in the sofa.
Her hair is the color of wet crow feathers. It falls straight-down her back without being braided. Her forelocks are arranged in straight lines above her eyebrows.
Below the somewhat large eyebrows that seem to carry a strong will, are eyes with a tendency to droop that give one a fresh impression.
Her slender, well-ordered features boost the sharp atmosphere cladding her body.
Though her attire seems to be decently tailored and cost quite a bit of money according to Frau, it’s something like a male jouge with a calm colour scheme.
Renya wondered whether she was a man when he first saw her, but he definitely understood that she was a woman after seeing the swelling, albeit moderate, in the chest area.
It’s great that I noticed before asking, Renya thoroughly believes.
Once he sends a fleeting glance to the girl's side, he can see that, for some reason, Shion and Rona are sitting on the ground in seiza.
Even though it’s not like they've done anything bad, Renya assessed, but the girl forced them both into seiza and order them to stay like that, while, for some reason, neither of the two girls defied her.
By the way, seiza and dogeza seems to have spread among the human race due to a Lost who got stranded in this world in the past. Nowadays it’s something everyone knows about, Croire whispered into Renya’s ear.
It doesn’t seem to have been accepted by the elves, although they seem to be aware of them.
While Croire, who is sitting slightly to Renya's left, holds a teacup containing black tea with both hands, trying to cool it down by blowing on it, Emil, who's on his right, is slovenly reclined in the sofa with a broad grin as she watches the current state of affairs.
Frau doesn't say anything as she waits behind Renya as if it was her usual place
The room’s filled with women, Renya thinks, while feeling restless.
Reflexively, Renya feels the need to summon Az next to him in order to have an oasis for his heart, but since he's completely unrelated to this time's incident, there is no way Renya will drag him into the topic by calling him over.
I guess it’s no good if I don’t say anything, Renya opened his mouth,
“I don’t know at all what you are talking about.” (Renya)
“That’s not the answer I’m looking for.”
Being immediately refuted in such a decisive manner, Renya reveals an awkward expression.
It seems that she won’t even allow us to play dumb.
“There’s no meaning in me visiting purposelessly. Please realize the meaning of Mayria Femme Fatale being present in this place.” (Mayria)
“Even if you tell me that…” (Renya)
While showing a troubled expression on his face, Renya shifts his gaze to Shion.
Shion, who is frantically enduring the pain assaulting her feet due to the unfamiliar seiza posture, notices Renya’s gaze focusing on her and secretly shakes her head.
“I have heard the story from my older sister in advance.” (Mayria)
The girl says in a flat tone, seemingly having noticed the target of Renya’s attention.
Though he doesn't know what Shion spit out, Renya thinks with this the option of saying something thoughtless has vanished with a depressed feeling.
Renya understands that the girl in front of him, who introduces herself with the name Mayria Femme Fatale, is a person related to Shion. Or rather, she was the very capable younger sister Shion had mentioned before.
After having caused an uproar in the Holy City, Renya and Emil returned to the city of Kukrika, by noisily roaring around in the car they had created for the trip. While, slightly after them, Shion and Rona also managed to return on the magic ship.
Since he had asked Frau to make sure that it’s not leaked to the surroundings that Renya and the others had vacated the city of Kukrika, Renya and Emil got stuck with secretly entering the city. But, if one possesses the abilities of those two, it doesn’t pose much of a challenge.
Given that Shion and Rona left the city under great publicity, they were also welcomed flashily when they returned, but as they were entering the city, they were surrounded by soldiers and taken away .
It likely won’t result in something that dangerous, since they are within their own home country, Renya estimated the severity, but it appears that this imouto-dono was the culprit that took Shion and Rona captive.
“I don’t know what you’ve heard from those two, but I don’t know anything.” (Renya)
“So you intend to feign ignorance to the bitter end?” (Mayria)
The fleeting glare she sent towards Renya was awfully severe.
Going by her body build and the fact that she’s Shion’s younger sister, one can consider her to be around 15 years old, but her eyes don't look like those of a girl her age and the insight one can see within them isn’t something one can acquire at her age either.
Renya somehow grasps that she has apparently zeroed in on him and considers him a nuisance.
Since that’s troublesome, he pondered whether he should send her back after drugging her, but Frau didn’t agree to this.
“She’s a proper visitor ~nano. As maid who looks after this house, I can’t do something rude like that ~no.” (Frau)
Frau recognized Mayria, who contacted them in advance, passed through the main gate and even prepared presents, as an extremely unusual guest. She insisted that she couldn’t approve of harming her or drugging her without hesitation even if, for example, the discussion she came for was something undesired by Renya.
As it was an extremely sound argument, Renya had nothing he could retort with.
Renya, who thought it seemed appropriate of Shion’s younger sister at the time of the advance contact, ended up approving her visit without thinking too deeply about it, since he was sure that she had come in order to meet her elder sister who had just returned home safely.
Even if he thinks this late in the game it would have been great if I refused her request, it’s already too late.
“Even if I’m told that, I can’t tell you what I don’t know.” (Renya)
“You are a stubborn gentleman. I had expected this, but… then allow me to speak to you as I please.” (Mayria)
She takes out a little memo pad from her jacket’s pocket, opens a page and begins to talk while glaring at Renya.
“First off, the mastermind of this time’s incident is under suspicion of having broken through the national border.” (Mayria)
“A villain, I guess.” (Renya)
Mayria doesn’t avert her eyes from Renya who gives a short reply.
Isn’t it meaningless for her to open her memo pad if she keeps on staring this way? Renya ends up wondering, but without realizing Renya’s thoughts, Mayria continues onwards.
“It has also been added that they have intruded into the Holy City.” (Mayria)
“They did quite good, to not have been noticed by the guarding soldiers or someone similar.”
(Renya)
"It appears it's due to the gatekeeping soldiers retreating in order to protect themselves
… However, its inconsequential, as it's a matter concerning a foreign country." (Mayria)
While easily belittling the conduct of the soldiers, who probably don’t know Renya’s face, with an “inconsequential,” Mayria continues talking,
“They are under the suspicion of having poisoned the hero Yuuki Yatsufusa, ten-odd nobles and the Holy Kingdom’s royalty.” (Mayria)
“That’s a drama. Was it a massacre?” (Renya)
There’s no disturbance in Renya's inquisitive tone.
Although it was only slightly, the severity of Mayria's gaze escalated.
It seemed that she wanted to say “In spite of already being aware of the fact”, but Renya persists in feigning ignorance.
“No, it appears that it wasn’t lethal, but… it seems that since then the infected gentlemen have lost the ability to approach women.” (Mayria)
“That's a strange poison. Though, if it’s indeed so, it will be a disaster for the Royal Family as they will be unable to leave behind an heir, right?” (Renya)
Renya speaks as if it’s completely someone else’s problem.
“For royalty it’s a duty to create an heir, thus they’ll probably be forced to make one, even if they have to be tied to the bed. However, even if they don’t go this far, back-ups have been most likely prepared here and there.” (Mayria)
The words of the replying Mayria are also with a tone that regards the problem as someone else’s.
Being told that, Renya recalls the face of the elven country’s emperor.
Even if that person has too much sex, if it’s royalty of a human country, it’s not strange for it to be done in the same way anywhere but on a smaller scale.
If they stop, it’s quite possible for the country to perish.
It was only natural to prepare plenty of spares while taking also taking precautions so that they didn't get their priorities backwards and overdo it, which could possibly lead to the country being split apart.
“According to our country’s priesthood, there are traces that a poison was used in order to deceive the minds of the escorting soldiers as well as the maids and Rona Chevalier who were assigned as my elder sister’s escort.” (Mayria)
Renya turned a fleeting glance at Rona who’s sitting in seiza.
Rona immediately shakes her head softly.
It seems she wants to tell him to not mind it, however, various parts are bouncing at the same time, and Renya, who didn't want other people noticing that he was getting slightly flustered, quickly returns his gaze towards Mayria.
“Moreover, the destruction of the royal castle, intrusion into the magic ship belonging to our country, committing every type of evil and misconduct towards Shion Femme Fatale…” (Mayria)
“Misconduct!?” (Shion)
Shion raised her voice in surprise.
Shion protested against Mayria who reacted to those words and looked in her direction.
“What’s that about misconduct? There hasn’t be any such conduct!” (Shion)
“I shall correct myself. On top of being wrapped in a bamboo mat, Shion-ane-sama was kidnapped.” (Mayria)
“Guuh…” (Shion)
Yielding to Mayria’s cold stare, Shion sinks into silence.
“Anyway, if we list just the main charges, it’s an array of heinous crimes such as violating the national border, intruding into public facilities and a city, usage of poison, destruction of property, assault and abduction. It’s to the extent of being strange that murder isn’t included in that.” (Mayria)
“What was the criminal’s objective?” (Renya)
“The Holy Kingdom’s side seems to be almost certain that the whole situation was probably orchestrated by the demons or someone in cahoots with them.” (Mayria)
After closing her memo pad with a bang and returning it to her jacket's pocket, Mayria leaned her body over the table that’s between her and Renya.
“However I do have a clue about a person who can pull off this much and even further has a motive to do so, you know?” (Mayria)
“That’s a big achievement. I suppose the intelligence gathering ability of the Principality of Trident is extremely high.” (Renya)
“Though he’s right in front of my eyes.” (Mayria)
“I don’t have any memory of having done something like that. I firmly deny any unspoken suspicions.” (Renya)
Renya undauntedly stares back at the glaring Mayria.
The offence and defence between their glares continued for a little while, however, before long Mayria’s side gave in and averted her look.
“Is that so? It seems I made a mistake. Please excuse my impoliteness. You have my apology.” (Mayria)
On top of pulling back easily, Mayria returns her leaned-forward body into the sofa and bows her head.
Since it looked like it had been too simple, everybody except Mayria had a surprised expression.
Seemingly noticing their looks, Mayria shrugged her shoulders and started to talk indifferently.
“The truth doesn’t matter. The criminal is someone, what a surprise! The violation of the national border isn’t something that unusual. Even the intrusion into the magic ship; it’s not like it’s treated as secrecy.” (Mayria)
There’s no way for all countries to control their national borders that covered an enormous area.
Of course, if one passes through at a place other than the check point, it’s accompanied by a befitting danger, but since there’s nothing more than a rough net stretched out, there are several bypaths, Mayria says.
It’s an act that will turn into a crime if discovered. But if it’s not discovered, it’s no crime either. If they don’t have at least this much leeway in their thinking, they won’t have enough manpower no matter how many they gather and they'll have to eventually surrender to the circumstances.
Even the trespassing of the magic ship; it’s a crime if caught red-handed, but it doesn’t seem to be a wrongdoing that warrants them chasing after someone who got away.
“How about Shion’s abduction?” (Renya)
Renya asks while wondering whether that’s really all right.
He did try to kidnap the princess of a country, even if it was a sham.
Considering it normally, the honour of the nation would require them to search for the criminal, even if it’s a chase to the end of the world. It’s possible to consider it as redemption for one's crime, but Mayria's reply was something Renya had not expected.
“That part is even more unimportant.” (Mayria)
“May!?” (Shion)
“She has been given the exaggerated title of first princess, but in reality she’s a common citizen. Even if we set up another person that resembles her as the princess, it won’t have any influence on my people.” (Mayria)
“I know. I understand that, but… towards your blood-related elder sister, that’s too much…” (Shion)
Renya thought that it was quite the ruthless treatment, but even the person herself understands the kind of treatment she's receiving.
It appears that she understands, but being told that directly to her face, it seems to be something heartrending.
Looking at Shion, who hangs her head crestfallen with an exceedingly miserable expression on her face, Mayria whispers
“That’s a joke though.” (Mayria)
“Severe… that’s severe, May…” (Shion)
“That’s nothing compared to the shock I received when I was told to become the next Archduchess after you abnegated your position as the first princess.” (Mayria)
“It’s wonderful that you two are on good terms, but… what kind of business do you have with us then?” (Renya)
Renya interrupts after seeing that Shion had received mental damage that could not be recovered from if left alone
Mayria has an expression hinting at the fact that there was still something she wanted to say, but after clearing her throat once with a cough, she once again faces Renya and addresses him with a somewhat respectful tone.
“Please make sure to keep the story I’m about to tell you bound to this place.” (Mayria)
Due to Mayria's suddenly serious expression, Renya agreed with a nod after somehow losing the mental battle.