episode_0312

Episode 312

It was not a development that Wihart could have predicted at all. I wouldn’t have thought to mention it publicly, though.

He answered right away.

“That’s right.”

“The contents of the secret letter… must have been to ensure the safe passage of a unit of foreigners. Is that correct?”

Wihart’s eyebrows raise slightly. I guess I never thought that specific details would be mentioned publicly.

This is an issue that could be a political burden for Carmel. However, even the knights now know that my relationship with Carmel is inseparable.

The message to Wihart was clear simply by the fact that Carmel was included in the inspection team. Carmel has now put an end to her past as an enemy of the royal family, and the secret letters she exchanged will be questioned in some way.

I was looking forward to what Wihart’s answer and excuse would be. But his answer was a little different from what I expected.

“That’s right. It’s a clear fact.”

“It’s an obvious fact… You must know what that means, right? Not only did he neglect his duty as a margrave, but he also conspired with the enemy, which could easily be considered treason against the kingdom.”

“Do you really think that?”

Wihart laughs, revealing the red inside his mouth. And he continued speaking immediately.

“If you were really so sure, you would have brought more troops. If you didn’t, doesn’t that mean you still don’t know Wihart’s true intentions? Princess Sera and Queen Carmel. Could it be that the great King sent these two noble people here to uncover the truth?

“His Majesty the King and my father opposed this inspection. I never doubted your loyalty. This inspection is an issue I pushed for.”

The smile disappeared from Wihart’s mouth. He sighed softly and muttered in a low voice.

“You made a foolish decision.”

Although it was only for a moment, Wihart’s true feelings seemed to come out at that moment.

However, I had a hard time determining exactly what it was. I wonder if he is talking about me or Fehat.

The situation we find ourselves in now is extremely unfavorable.

Wihart’s rude attitude alone is enough to be dismissed as treason. It could be seen as a display of ambition without hesitation. If so, we are in the lion’s jaw.

If so, now may be the time to take on the challenge.

Wihart’s soldiers cannot intervene in this place right now. The only people on the other side are Wihart and a plain-looking man named Ian. There was a chance that I could see it as a golden opportunity to subdue it with my magic.

But something feels off.

From the fact that he is wearing a protective barrier, we can see that he has not neglected his defenses against magic. At least they had information that Carmel and Juliana were powerful mages.

Plus, that imperial guy named Ian. If that person was dispatched by Iscarade, he might have known about my magic.

The situation we face with Wihart here is a situation he has prepared. Would someone who has devoted his or her entire life to protecting and blocking actually put themselves in a dangerous situation?

If you make the wrong choice, it’s over. Even though it was a gamble, I had no choice but to make the best choice I thought possible.

“That’s all for today. There are many documents to review, so there is no need to rush. Come on, Wihart. A meal and a place to sleep befitting a royal visitor will be prepared, right?”

“What?”

Wihart had a somewhat bewildered look on his face. I guess it was quite surprising that my words went beyond being calm and sounded shameless.

Wihart’s attitude is twofold.

It seems as if he is convinced of his treason and hopes that he will take action. However, they are not taking any active action, such as harming or capturing us right away.

As if trying to scoop me up.

In that case, there is no need for me to reveal my true intentions as intended. They just engage in a battle of guts, revealing each other’s weaknesses.

Wihart looked at me for a moment and then said.

“…Accommodation is of course available. It won’t be as comfortable as staying in the royal family, but it will be enough to relieve your travel fatigue. Ian, I will take the princess and her group to their lodgings, and I will organize and send you the documents for review.”

“Yes, margrave.”

Wihart’s eyes looked as if he was thinking about something as he looked at us leaving the room.

* * *

Wihart’s accommodation was located across the center of Nordrier.

While moving by wagon, I saw a wild boar as tall as a person being transported on a wagon. The smell of smoke was coming from the workshop they were heading to.

That might also be part of stockpiling food. This has just been confirmed in documents. In addition to smoked meat, a large amount of grain must have been stored somewhere.

The accommodation was quite large. However, it was a little smaller than the official residence I just visited. It seemed like what had originally been used as barracks had been emptied in a hurry. Although it was clean, it was clunky with almost no aesthetic elements.

Still, the room for the princess seemed to have been prepared with great care. It’s the shabbiest room I’ve ever stayed in, but considering that this is a fortress, I guess that was an effort.

“The Margrave will soon prepare a banquet. Until then, you can rest for a while. Oh, the documents are being transported here separately now.”

Ian said that and immediately tried to leave. I stopped him for a moment.

“Wait a minute. Did you say Ian Loinster?”

Ian looked back with the same gentle smile he had seen in the office.

“Yes, that’s right, Princess Sarah Lustier.”

“Margrave Wihart’s attitude today was quite rude. It was not an attitude one could have toward a royal family. As a deputy, what do you think?”

He answered with a humble smile.

“As you can see, I am from the empire, so I don’t know much about the kingdom’s etiquette. However, since he always emphasized loyalty to the kingdom, he may have just gotten used to the rough life and made a mistake with his words.”

The tone of voice is polite, but the words are almost laughable. It may have been his intention not to reveal his true intentions at all, but it seemed rather contrived.

“Hehe, it seems like there is such a law in the empire. I’ll have to refer to it in the future.”

Ian, who was smiling harmlessly, instantly wrinkled his eyebrows. He said in a slightly stiff voice that he would leave and left.

I instructed Pilgret to make a plan for distribution of accommodation and security. Philgret answered that he understood and proposed with a serious face.

“Princess, this may be rude, but I think you need to escape from here immediately. Considering the difference in troops, it’s as if we are being held prisoners. You must somehow break through the door and leave before he takes more coercive measures.”

Pilgret’s words are correct enough.

It would be too heavy a burden to condemn his rudeness by force. Considering only the troops brought in, they could immediately annihilate the knights and take me and Carmel as prisoners at any time.

But we already knew that it was dangerous. There was no intention of escaping without much gain and only sacrificing the knights.

“You can’t do that. I won’t leave until I find out Wihart’s true intentions. Until then, please protect me well, Pilgret.”

“…Okay. If that is what the princess means.”

Philgret replied and immediately stepped down to lead his troops. I gathered everyone together in a large room at the hotel.

“What are you going to do, Sarah? Looks like that bastard has already fallen to the empire.”

Carmel already seemed quite angry at Wihart’s words and actions. In fact, not only Carmel but everyone else had angry faces.

“It certainly seems like they are preparing something. However, I am rather puzzled by that attitude.”

“Then, Princess, why didn’t you just attack right away in that office? No matter how strong he was, he couldn’t have taken down all of those knights, right?”

Juliana also seems to have recognized the situation as an opportunity. I said, shaking my head.

“He was trying to provoke us. Moreover, I felt very uncomfortable.”

“Did you see something in that guy named Ian? With the princess’ magic power?”

“No, not really…”

After saying that, I suddenly realized something.

The man named Ian was clearly a wizard. However, he did not seem to be a very high level mage. In the first place, the empire was not as developed as the kingdom in terms of magic.

However, even before I entered the room, I had a strange feeling.

‘What on earth was that? That feeling…’

It’s not mana. If it was something related to mana, it would have been clearly detected by my magical powers.

It was a mysterious feeling that cannot be explained well in words. Even when I looked back, I couldn’t figure out what it was.

“I think Wihart was more thoroughly prepared against magic than we expected. I’m not sure, but I think something may have been done in that room.”

I told him about the strange feeling of discomfort I felt. But it seemed like I was the only one who felt it.

“Okay, if so… what do you plan to do now?”

“We need to verify the means he has. First, from today’s dinner.”

As I said that, I looked at Eila sitting across from me.