episode_0021

Episode 21.

No matter how much I did, I couldn’t help but be embarrassed.

But I soon regained my composure.

If Philgret had realized everything, he would have reported it to the king first. There is no reason to come to me and talk like this.

Although there was already no one else in the room except him and me, I looked around, as was my habit, and then spoke.

“That’s surprising. Unfortunately, this is a case that has fallen into mystery… If so, can you tell me about it? Who is the culprit of that incident?”

“That is the first princess Sarah Lustier. It’s you.”

Surprisingly, the shock wasn’t that big.

My mind spins quickly. What extent did Philgret notice, and what was the basis for it? If you really knew everything, how would you handle it?

First of all, the attitude you should show now is that you are angry after hearing something unexpected.

“Me? You gave your father a scary poison? Pilgret Ostana! Can you really risk your life on those cruel words?”

“Yes, of course, princess. Now, I would like to tell you how I found out about it. Would you like to listen?”

“…Tell me.”

“Two days before His Majesty collapsed, the princess went with me to inspect the royal capital. Of course you remember, right?”

“Yes. I went to Luli, where the new queen was to be welcomed, to find out the public sentiment. What is that?”

“The last place I stopped by was Teneric Street. There, the princess lied to me.”

“What lie did I tell?”

“There, the princess said that she hid herself because a bully was chasing her. But didn’t the princess come after meeting a witch doctor at that time? To obtain poison to feed His Majesty the King.”

Philgret was telling me exactly what I did that day, as if he had actually seen the scene. With an extremely calm expression.

What did I do wrong? No matter how much he looked back, there would have been no basis for Pilgret to be this confident.

“A shaman? I am truly offended, Pilgret. On what basis are you saying that I met a witch doctor that day?”

“Smell.”

“…Smell?”

“Yes. At that time, an extremely faint but foul smell was coming from the arms of the princess who had disappeared. And later, the same smell was coming from the mouth of His Majesty, who had fallen, and from the wine bottle.”

I remembered the shape of the glass bottle at that time. It was definitely not a structure that allowed opening and closing without any gaps. But smelling the poison contained in a small glass bottle in your arms? Is that even possible for humans?

“Smell… Why don’t you just say that you discovered it using magic?”

“Yes, of course, no one would believe this story. That’s why I came to tell the princess this in person.”

The first thing Philgret said when he came to see me. It was a request to put him in the escort unit.

What is the relationship between this story and that request? I still had a hard time finding the connection.

“Please speak clearly. Princess, why did you give poison to your father, His Majesty the King?”

Are you trying to elicit a confession?

You can’t accuse me of being the culprit based on a faint smell. Even if that hunting dog’s sense of smell was real, there would be no way to prove that I in the Teneric family really smelled like Fehat, who drank poison.

But Pilgret’s eyes seemed to want more than just finding the culprit.

He was longing for something. It was a look in his eyes that desperately hoped that he would get the answer he wanted from me with a burning thirst.

Maybe I can give him what he wants.

But this is a gamble.

A gamble that could either get the strongest guard knight called Pilgret, or confess to the king’s knight that he had committed high treason.

That’s not a bad balance. If my eyes are right, there is a good chance of winning.

I decided to believe my eyes.

She abandoned Princess Sera’s usual soft voice and spoke in a relaxed voice.

“It’s because of Carmel.”

“Because of the queen?”

“Yes. I don’t know about Sir Philgret, but before she became queen, Carmel once attended a regular meeting. At that time, His Majesty blatantly ignored the ministers and supported Carmel. And after the meeting, he even ordered me to take priestly classes because I rebelled against Carmel. That’s why I put poison in my father’s bottle.”

Philgret was not surprised. After hearing my answer, he closed his eyes for a moment, took a breath, and then spoke.

“I see.”

“I have just revealed my weakest weakness. Now it’s your turn to reveal your true feelings. Please tell me, Sir Pilgret.”

Pilgret nodded and began to speak.

“Princess, I have always thought that this country and the Lustier Kingdom were in great danger.”

“Why?”

“You can tell because he has played the role of a bodyguard protecting the royal family for generations. The power of the royal family is getting weaker and the power of the nobles is getting stronger. Just look at the fact that the Roberts family monopolizes most of the commercial district.”

It’s not wrong. Even for Wihart, who was in charge of the north, the king had no means of controlling him. If he, or even if not now, anyone sitting in that position, changes his mind, the very foundation of the country will be shaken.

Philgret took a deep breath and spoke decisively.

“The current King is too soft to overcome this situation.”

I also agree that Fehat is soft. Even if he had not encountered the negative news of Carmel, he would not have been able to leave behind any achievements beyond maintaining the status quo.

However, as a bodyguard knight, he saw the king’s misfortune. Perhaps this means that he will give up his life in exchange for me confessing my crime.

“But Princess Sera, Iron Blood suits you. I realized that from the princess’s words and from her firm handling of Count Roberts’ case.”

I felt like I now had a clear idea of what he wanted.

What Philgret wants is a strong person.

He is a king worth serving as his lord.

“You have great ambitions, Pilgret. Do you want me to start a coup with you as the vanguard?”

“No, I am a royal guard after all. I am satisfied as long as the Lustier royal family lasts.”

Pilgret got down on both knees and pulled his sword from his waist. I wasn’t surprised when I saw the sharp light shining on the blade.

He turned the sword and pointed the handle at me.

“Please become the owner of my sword, First Princess Sera.”

“Let me tell you, I’m not particularly interested in organizing the power of the nobles. Of course, if you do something too presumptuous, I will step on you.”

All I want is Carmel. Even if I end up at odds with the nobles, that’s not really my purpose. My true goal is to play with Carmel’s body and mind to my heart’s content.

“Yes. That’s enough.”

If so, great. I said in a reverent voice.

“I understand. Philgret Ostana. In the name of the goddess, I will accept your sword and make you my sword.”

I lightly pressed his shoulders in turns with the sword I received from Pilgret.

Rites of loyalty. It may seem pious at first glance, but this is treason. This is because Philgret, who has already sworn to be loyal to the king, is performing a loyalty ceremony with someone else. Even if it is the princess who will inherit the throne.

Philgret himself must surely know that. But precisely because of this, paradoxically, it becomes a ritual of pledging true loyalty. Because we risk treason against each other.

That’s how the kingdom’s strongest knight, Pilgret Ostana, became my sword.

* * *

After Philgret left, I became so relaxed that I almost collapsed into my chair.

In the novel, Pilgret’s impression did not remain that deep. That’s natural. From Carmel’s point of view, he is a person who removes harm to the royal family and is a great hindrance.

I was already poisoned in the beginning and left the show. Of course, he clearly showed off his strength by performing powerful dance moves even while drinking poison.

That’s why I didn’t even know the settings for it. Especially that unusual sense of smell. It’s not even a worldview where beastmen exist.

His loyalty is true, but it has a somewhat twisted angle. His loyalty is not to the king but to the royal family. The reason he swore loyalty to me was probably because he thought I had the ability to protect the royal family.

Perhaps I will betray my oath of allegiance a second time if I think it is harmful to the royal family.

Anyway, this leaves me with a solid piece of chess.

Even so, Philgret was absolutely necessary in this matter. I was planning on dragging him into the escort group no matter what.

Now, I don’t think there’s a need to worry too much about the composition of the rest of the guard. Pilgret would know very well which of the knights was the most skilled.

Now there is only one thing left to do.

Throwing out a tempting bait named Princess Sera. And all we have to do is wait for Carmel to get caught there.