episode_0075

Episode 75

I knocked lightly on Masker’s office door. I was told to come in and I went inside.

When Masker found out that the person who came in was me, he got up from his seat, looking quite embarrassed.

“Princess Sera? Uh, what’s going on? If you had any business, you would have come to see me…”

“I usually like taking walks. Besides, I was trapped in a stuffy room for a long time.”

“Is that so…”

Perhaps because he thought there was no suitable chair for the princess to sit in in the office, Masker tried to give up the seat he was sitting on. I lightly declined and pulled over a plain wooden chair and sat down.

“It’s been less than a week since you took office. Are you slowly adjusting to work?”

This is a bit of a mischievous question. As a Walter, you will already be familiar with the leader’s duties. But Masker answered seriously.

“Yes, I think this is the last chance the princess has given me and I am doing my best in everything.”

Masker’s answer doesn’t seem as pretentious as before. Are you really in a good mood?

The reason I came here today was to judge his true intentions.

“From what I heard, it seemed like there was a problem with the leadership of the knights. Especially to the knights on the escort side.”

This is something I just saw with my own eyes. The two units that crossed swords in an annual event were merged into one. It would be strange not to hear a creaking sound.

“It’s all my fault. We will do our best to make up for the shameful behavior engraved in everyone’s memories.”

Good answer this time too. It was certainly a desirable attitude, but I could not sense any ego in his words.

“Can I ask you a favor, Masker.”

“Yes, as much as you want.”

“Please take off that mask for a moment.”

A moment of heavy silence. After that he said.

“A mask… you mean?”

“Yes.”

Although he didn’t express it directly, he was very embarrassed.

Although it is a mask, the area it covers is only the area around the eyes and part of the nose.

Anyone who knows Walter will naturally recognize that they are the same person.

Walter was very hesitant to remove such a meaningless disguise.

But I had no intention of withdrawing my request. I was pushing the smile until the end so that he could never reject it.

“Okay…I understand…”

The masker reached for the mask and pulled it off. As he lowered his masked hand, his bare face became visible.

He couldn’t make eye contact with me. Perhaps because he was looking down as if he was anxious, his face looked extremely fragile compared to before.

As I looked at his face, he started shaking.

“Ugh… Ugh, uhhh…”

“Masker?”

“Aaaah!”

He crawled under the leader’s desk like a child. It looks ugly. He could hardly be considered a man who held the position of leader of the Obsidian Knights, representing the Kingdom of Lustier.

“You can wear your mask again, Masker.”

After taking a moment to catch his breath, he reappeared from under the desk wearing a mask. Even though he put the mask back on, his face was quite disheveled.

“I’m sorry, princess… I really… I sincerely apologize for showing you my unsightly side…”

Walter said that after the Sword Festival, he locked himself in a corner of his room. The one who was revered as a swordsman prodigy and the one who ran away in an ugly way. The gap seemed to act as a fear to him.

The face under the mask is Walter’s face, and when it is revealed, that unbearable fear seems to come back to life. The insignificant mask was the refuge he desperately chose.

I spoke to the trembling man.

“There is nothing to apologize for. But please remember this: The reason I allowed your return was because Philgret had strong faith in you. Please don’t disappoint him and me.”

“…Keep this in mind, I will keep it in mind again…”

To be honest, it is true that it is unreliable.

The commander and knight commander of the direct command, who should have a stronger mind than anyone else, is in such a weak mental state.

Still, I planned to trust Pilgret’s judgment.

Of course, I have to go through my own verification. I said with a bright smile.

“Then can we move on to the main topic?”

“Yes? Ah, yes…!”

“Have you ever heard of an organization called the Black Goat Society?”

“Black goat sashimi… No, this is my first time hearing it.”

“I presume that it is probably a cult group made up of northern peoples. Their base is probably in the far north… but they may have a history of activity within the kingdom. I think this twisted mistletoe is used as a symbol.”

I took out a notebook describing Mystilia and showed it to him. He looked at it closely, but there seemed to be nothing of note.

“Please investigate these people called the Black Goat Association. There must be a lot of subjugation records piled up in the Knights’ archives, right? Including on-site visits if there are suspicious records.”

This would be just the right amount to leave to a masker.

His ability and loyalty are still questionable to be entrusted with work related to Laurentia. If this were the case, there would be no need to worry about betrayal.

“Yes, I will follow your orders.”

“And one more thing. Please keep this investigation a secret from anyone.”

“To no one, not even Captain Pilgret…?”

“No, I’ll tell him directly, so it’s okay. Yes, for example… please keep it a secret even from Queen Carmel.”

Actually, it doesn’t matter if this part is discovered. In any case, Carmel could reasonably expect that I would use Pilgret to investigate the Black Goat Sashimi.

However, I was speaking with a strong voice as if it was an extremely important part. This is some kind of test. About whether the masker can serve me, not the royal family itself.

Masker nodded firmly and said. Without asking why.

“I will definitely do that, princess.”

“Good. I look forward to it, Masker.”

This should be enough to sprinkle the groundbait. After finishing the story like that, I tried to leave the room.

At that time, there was a knock and a voice outside the door.

“Hey, hey, Captain Masker…? Are you there…? It’s Sophia…”

A voice as if courage had been squeezed from the bottom. I turned to look at Masker, but he didn’t even know what was going on.

I have a feeling it will be fun. I pointed to the door and made a hand signal telling him to come in.

“De, come in.”

The door opened carefully and Sophia entered. The voice that seemed to have been practiced many times came out as if it were being played automatically.

“Jo, thank you for saving me earlier… Rice, it’s not much, but in return… Heeeh?”

Sophia, who had been talking while looking at the floor, looked up at the mysterious woman’s feet and looked at Princess Sera smiling and waving her hand. I said to Sophia, making way for her.

“Ah, I’m done with my business now, so let’s continue, Sophia. What have you prepared in return?”

“Ugh, uh, that… uh, uhhh…”

When I looked closely, I saw that Sophia was holding a small basket decorated with flowers. It is an item with a lid that is used for picnics, etc. There’s probably food inside that was prepared with great care.

I nudged Sofia, who was almost panicking, on the back and left the room.

I thought that the combination of a knight commander and a maid gave a fresh and somewhat tragic feeling at the same time.

* * *

Changgwan on the side road in the forest was still quiet.

The owner just bowed his head when he saw me visiting after a long time.

The fact that I would be visiting was already communicated in advance. Because what I’m going to do today is going to take a bit of effort.

I handed him a gold coin. The owner went upstairs with some sturdy men who worked there.

Next time, just wait a little while. While drinking the tea provided, I was listening to a creaking noise coming from upstairs.

Soon the owner came down. When I heard that it was done, I went up the stairs with the hypnotic incense that I had kept here.

Towards the room where Rika is imprisoned.

The door wasn’t locked. Of course it will. Because the men had just visited.

Rika was lying on the bed. Wearing only the sexy underwear provided by this place, my limbs were tied to the bed.

There is an eye patch on his face and a gag in his mouth. Truly defenseless.

Whoop, whoop! A stuffy sound comes from under the gag.

Rika seemed uneasy at the sight of me approaching right in front of her. That’s right, because men suddenly burst into the room and violently tied him up.

Rika must already have an idea of what this place is doing. It was not difficult to imagine how the situation that had just happened would be received by Rika.

Perhaps that’s why Rika’s body was shaking violently. Looking at that sight with satisfaction, I lit the hypnotic incense.