Chapter 26
“No matter how hard you try, you can’t hide your true identity.”
“Gasp, n-no way. That can’t be true.”
Is looked up at me in disbelief.
“What did you make me eat? That thing earlier… Did you do that, Your Highness? Was that magic?”
Ignoring her ramblings, I continued.
“I already have solid proof that you’re working for His Highness. So if you keep lying and trying to deceive me…”
As I raised my hand again, ready to snap my fingers, Is flinched in panic and screamed.
“W-wait! Please wait!”
It seemed Nesgal’s attack had been quite effective.
They must be well-trained to have been planted in my palace from such a young age. Judging by how pale she looked, it had clearly shaken her.
After hesitating for a moment, Is clenched her eyes shut and shouted,
“I-I’ll tell you everything!”
“Go ahead.”
Then followed a pitiful sob story from Is about her tragic life.
How her parents sold her off when she was young, how she’d only learned this line of work since then, how she never had another choice, and how she, too, felt pain.
None of it mattered to me.
‘Well, let her babble. She’ll spill what I need to know eventually.’
I couldn’t even be bothered to cut her off. And soon enough, the information I wanted came out of her mouth.
“Th-the higher-ups ordered someone to closely monitor Agasa. They said she wouldn’t be working long anyway, so it should be someone disposable.”
“So who was it?”
Maybe my natural expression without the pretense was unfamiliar, but Is kept hesitating before finally speaking.
“Your personal… palace guard.”
Ah, those decorative ones.
‘Right, I forgot to clean them up.’
The Emperor had assigned me two palace guards.
One was the tall one who shielded me when Darion barged into my quarters.
The other was the shorter one who got injured because of Darion.
‘I haven’t had the chance to feed them many treats yet.’
They had only recently been reassigned under me.
So Nesgal must not have noticed them.
Is had tested both of them, and the one who took the bait was the shorter one.
“I told him he’d be reassigned to the Crown Prince’s palace once this job was over, and he readily agreed. It was just spying on a mere maid, not Your Highness, so he didn’t seem to mind.”
“I see…”
A mere maid, she says.
I wonder how they’ll react once they find out Agasa is actually the second daughter of the Duke of Sandrin.
‘Well, this is convenient.’
I was planning to use the guards anyway.
And this short one—he’s perfect to dispose of.
After reviewing my plan, I looked back at Is.
“This guard you recruited. Does he know who you are?”
“No, I wore a mask during our meetings, so he doesn’t know. He thinks I’m a noble because of a forged ID.”
“And you kept evidence of recruiting him, right?”
“Yes. I planned to keep things simple, but he insisted on having a written contract.”
Of course.
A transfer from my palace to Gobard’s is a huge promotion.
There’s no way a greedy man would settle for a verbal promise.
“Give me that evidence.”
“…Understood.”
Maybe because she’d always planned to use him just once, Is let go of the guard easily.
I sneered and whispered coldly,
“Now you’re the only one left to deal with.”
“You said you wouldn’t hurt me!”
“That was when you cooperated from the start.”
“If you touch me, my superiors won’t sit still!”
“Superiors? Ah, Gobard Luim Rornod?”
At my blunt naming, Is’s eyes widened in shock.
“You shouldn’t say his name so carelessly…”
I didn’t even wait for her to finish. I snapped my fingers.
I hadn’t actually given Nesgal any command.
But the memory of that previous pain was so vivid that Is shrieked in terror.
“Aaaagh!”
When no pain came, she panted and slowly opened her eyes.
With a blank expression, I warned her.
“Remember that sound, Is.”
“…”
“From now on, that sound—not your superiors—will determine your life or death. Understand?”
“…Y-yes, I understand.”
“And one more thing…”
I leaned back into the sofa and added casually.
“You’re not the loyal type to stick by someone who’s about to disappear, are you?”
“!”
For a moment, Is clenched her fists.
I could practically hear the gears turning in her head.
‘She’s probably trying to figure out what I mean.’
I tested her with a command.
“For now, act like nothing happened. This meeting today was just a casual chat between us.”
Very cautiously, Is lifted her head.
I met her eyes and smiled brightly.
Then, as usual, I raised my voice a tone and cheerfully said,
“Got it, Is~?”
My radiant expression made her face turn pale.
She quickly averted her gaze.
Watching the top of her head, I tapped my foot slightly.
‘She’s too useful to discard just yet.’
I never planned to use her right away anyway.
As I came to that conclusion, Is straightened her posture.
Then she obediently responded,
“I will follow Your Highness’s orders.”
She had decided to pull out the foot she’d dipped into Gobard’s camp and place it in mine.
Whether she truly believed I could defeat Gobard, or whether it was just fear of the pain Nesgal could inflict, I didn’t know…
‘But that doesn’t matter.’
I never expected complete loyalty from her anyway. As long as she moves when I need her to, that’s enough.
‘Marin.’
[You called, Master~?]
‘From now on, keep an eye on her while she’s in my palace.’
[That’s easy~.]
As a maid, Is’s movement was restricted to this palace.
So Marin alone was enough for surveillance.
‘Still, it would be nice to have a spirit that can attach to people and watch without restrictions…’
Marin and Modway were great for watching spaces and gathering information, but they weren’t ideal for following a person directly.
Leaving behind that small regret, I sent Is away.
Then I closed my eyes for a moment.
I was… a little tired.
A few days later
A guest I had been expecting visited my palace.
“I present myself before Her Highness Neroli Miban Rornod.”
I beamed at the man sitting across from me, who bowed with proper etiquette.
“It’s been far too long, Duke of Sandrin!”
“Thank you for the warm welcome.”
The man with the steadfast demeanor was none other than the Duke of Sandrin, Brillint’s father.
He seemed barely able to contain himself since entering my palace and sitting in the drawing room.
So did Brillint, who had come with him.
“Your Highness, if you don’t mind, may we get straight to the point?”
Neither of them even glanced at the tea that had been prepared in advance.
I agreed readily.
“Of course!”
“Then please take a look at this.”
Brillint hurriedly pulled out a portrait and handed it to me.
I accepted it and widened my eyes.
“Oh!”
“She looks just like Agasa, doesn’t she?”
“Yes! She’s the spitting image!”
The woman in the portrait looked exactly like Agasa.
Feigning surprise, I asked in a flurry,
“Who is this?”
At my question, the Duke bit his lip before sighing deeply and replying.
“My older sister.”
“Your sister?”
“She passed away before I was even born. My aunt. She hated having portraits done, so I never knew what she looked like…”
Brillint couldn’t finish her sentence.
Looking at the two of them, I delivered the line that would drive the stake into their hearts.
“Agasa must’ve taken after your aunt.”
At that, their expressions crumbled.
The Duke covered his face with one hand, and Brillint bit her trembling lips.
“So Agasa… she really is my sister, isn’t she? Right?”
“Of course!”
They had lost hope so many times, they couldn’t even speak carelessly anymore.
I gave them certainty.
“Agasa’s appearance, her eyes, her age! And above all, that birthmark on her calf! Anyone can see she’s a Sandrin!”
“Ah…”
The Duke groaned in anguish.
Staring at the portrait of his sister, he held his forehead.
“She was in the capital… inside the palace. She was so close, and yet I…”
“It’s my fault, Father. I should’ve paid more attention to Agasa.”
“No, this is all on me.”
While he was lamenting, the Duke suddenly turned to me.
“So where is my daughter? Where is Agasa…?”
“F-Father, um…”
“What’s wrong, Brillint?”
Brillint couldn’t seem to bring herself to explain Agasa’s current situation.
So I spoke up with a worried expression.
“Duke Sandrin, I’ll explain everything on her behalf.”
“Did something happen to Agasa?”
“Please try not to be too shocked.”
Then I told the Duke everything that had happened.
Well, with just a tiny bit of embellishment.
‘Like making it sound like Gobard practically forced himself on her.’
Not only the Duke, but even Brillint, who didn’t know all the details, swallowed every word.
“How could the Crown Prince do such a thing!”
“What do we do now, Father? If His Highness really hides Agasa away—”
“He won’t. I’ll go get her myself.”
“That won’t work.”
It was my job to throw cold water on the panicking pair.
At my words, the Duke frowned.
“What do you mean by that, if I may ask?”
In response, I purposely put on a very somber face.
“The madness of Rornod…”
My murmured words made both Brillint and the Duke freeze.
