04. Returning Home in Brocade.

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“Aran, I have something for you to do before you leave.”

 

After the meeting, Iliana grabbed Aran.

 

“Something to do?”

“Yes. Something very important.”

 

She handed over a booklet.

 

 

“I’ve learned a lot while fighting this war for the past three years. But that’s not enough. Fortunately, we’ve captured an enemy operative, so I’d like you to find out what you can.”

 

Indeed.

What she handed over was a list of things I needed to know.

 

 

“You can do it right away, or you can find out while advancing.”

“An interrogation, you mean?”

“Yes.”

 

I took the booklet, but I was at a loss.

Aran doesn’t know how to do interrogations.

 

 

As if she noticed Aran’s apprehension, she smiled.

No, it was a slightly sinister smile.

 

 

“Don’t worry, Aran. You have what women fear and are most ashamed of, don’t you?”

“…S-surely not…”

 

She patted me on the shoulder.

 

 

“You don’t have to overdo it, but I’m sure you know the taste by now. I think you’ll do a great job.”

“B-but…”

“If you can’t do it, you don’t have to do it that way. Count Hancock will be with you, so work with her. Even though she looks like that, she’s from the torture squad.”

“I-is that so?”

 

She looked so innocent, but she’s from the torture squad…

 

“Well, I don’t think someone of the rank of Duchess would open her mouth with just torture.”

“….”

 

 

 

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Aran headed to the castle’s dungeon to see the captured Duchess.

Just in case, Count Hancock was with me.

 

 

“Your Highness. You’ve hit the jackpot. Is war an opportunity for male commanders after all?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, there’s plenty of prey…”

“Prey?”

“They’re all beauties! Especially the soldiers, since they can use mana even a little, they tend to have decent looks and figures. Not to mention the knights. Isn’t it a blessed environment? Even though there are no male commanders.”

“It’s not much of a blessing.”

“Come on, Your Highness. Being honest is good for you.”

 

She kept chattering on the way to the dungeon.

She seemed like a typical talkative woman.

 

 

“By the way, you said you’re from the torture squad?”

“Yes. Even though I look like this, most of the information we’ve obtained from the enemy over the past three years has gone through my hands.”

“Wow… that’s amazing. Then you’ll help me today…”

“Ah, but recently I’ve developed hemophobia, so torturing people is scary.”

“…Are you lying?”

“Oh my, how could I dare to lie to Your Highness? Absolutely not.”

“You’re smiling though…”

“Because I haven’t seen blood yet.”

“Then how did you fight in the battles? There was blood everywhere until yesterday.”

“I developed it this morning.”

“….”

 

 

Aran had a strong conviction that his sister had recruited this woman.

 

 

With a hardened face, I put my hand on her shoulder.

 

 

“O-oh my… already?”

“What instructions did my sister give you?”

“Of course, I received the supreme command to assist His Highness the Prince.”

“Besides that, didn’t you receive orders to pretend you can’t torture and make me… anyway, to induce me to do it?”

“Please explain in detail, Your Highness. I’m hard of hearing, so I can’t understand with just those words.”

“You know everything! Roughly!”

“I don’t know, Your Highness.”

 

 

Aran frowned.

This woman,

She was definitely in the same category as Iliana.

 

 

Eventually, realizing that there was no point in talking, he took his hand off her shoulder.

 

 

“Shall I take my clothes off?”

“Why is the conversation going that way???”

 

I had a feeling this was going to be a tough expedition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The prison we finally arrived at was quite gloomy.

It was basically hot and humid, which was very unpleasant, and the water droplets dripping from the ceiling made me doubt the hygiene.

 

 

On top of that, centipedes were crawling on the floor.

 

 

“They must be very angry to have locked up the Duchess in a place like this.”

“Hmph. This is just right for those arrogant bitches who call us barbarians.”

“That’s true, but…”

 

 

Inside, about ten women were imprisoned in each room. Most of them were nobles or knights.

 

 

“You’ve arrived, Your Highness the Prince.”

 

Two soldiers guarding the prison approached Aran and saluted.

 

 

“Oh… you’re working hard. In such an unpleasant place.”

“It’s nothing. We’re just doing what we have to do.”

“Okay. Take me to Duchess Elles.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Please follow me.”

 

Aran awkwardly using the hao-style speech.

 

The women in the prison stuck their faces out of the bars.

 

 

“Hmph. A man coming to the sacred battlefield. It’s the end of the world.”

“They’re not barbarians for nothing.”

“Hehe. Come here~ This older sister will take care of you.”

“You bitches! Do you know who this person is!”

 

Naturally, the soldiers who were guiding him were furious.

Even if they weren’t angry, they had to be out of courtesy.

 

 

“It’s okay. How else would they live if they didn’t have this much fun in prison?”

“Your Highness, you’ll just be looked down on if you do that.”

“There’s no need to look strong. Our goal is Duchess Elles.”

“…”

 

In the end, it was just brushed off, but it was obvious that their treatment would be worse than it is now after Aran left.

 

 

 

Elles was an important figure, so she was imprisoned quite deep inside. In a solitary cell, too.

 

 

“This is Duchess Elles.”

 

Perhaps because she heard the voice, the Duchess, who had been hanging her head, lifted her face.

 

“…A man?”

 

 

It seems strange since there are no men on the battlefield.

 

 

Hancock stepped forward a step ahead of Aran.

 

 

“This is His Highness Aran Persia, Prince of the Persian Empire. Show some respect.”

“Ha…”

 

 

Elles scoffed and turned her head.

Not only is he a man on the battlefield, but he turns out to be a Prince.

 

What could a Prince possibly do here, in a place full of women?

He can’t even wage war since he’s a man.

 

 

Naturally, her impression of Aran was not good.

 

 

“Since when were barbarians an Empire? You must be out of your mind.”

 

The words she spat out were similar to those of other Srodia nobles.

 

How dare you barbarians claim to be an Empire?

 

 

“You’re Duchess Elles, I presume. I heard you were stripped of your rank a few years ago.”

“Hmph. None of your business.”

“You bitch! How dare you speak informally!”

“I don’t care if that guy is a Prince or a beggar. He’s just a barbarian. I won’t show him any respect.”

 

 

A vein popped out on Hancock’s forehead.

As expected, those Srodia bastards are stubborn and annoying.

It’s a waste of time to even talk to them.

 

“I should just gouge out their eyes… Ah! I have hemophobia. Do you want to do it, Your Highness?”

“…Why don’t you stop with the clumsy acting?”

“C-clumsy acting? Even though I graduated at the top of my class in acting at the Knight School… A- I mean, I wasn’t acting.”

“…”

 

It was a scene that reminded me of my stepmother, Cornelia.

 

 

“You’re having fun. No matter how much you bitches struggle, you’ll eventually fall before our Srodia and the Mei Empire.

Even if the Mei Empire doesn’t come, His Highness will take care of it. Until then, please keep your necks safe.”

“You’re talking big for a prisoner. I should just stick a hot rod into their uterus… Ah! I…”

“You have hemophobia? We get it.”

“Hehe…”

 

Duchess Elles looked at me as if I was ridiculous.

 

“Then the next thing is that, right? Yes. There’s nothing better than that for women. Now! Open the door!! Your Highness will personally…”

“No, thanks. I just came to see your face today.”

“Huh? T-then are you going to…”

“Can you please stop with the delusions?”

“The interrogation will be done while moving.”

“I see. Understood.”

 

Hancock stuck her hand through the bars.

Then, Duchess Elles’ body, which had been far away, fell awkwardly and was dragged along the floor.

 

 

Kwak.

 

 

Hancock grabbed her by the hair.

 

“This is confidential, but I’ll tell you since you have no way out anyway. We’re going to lead an army of 200,000 to the capital. You weak bitches can never stop us. Then that Highness you’re so proud of will end up like this. Hehehe.”

 

Elles’ eyes shook slightly at the mention of 200,000 troops, but she soon maintained her poker face.

 

 

“Let’s go, Count Hancock.”

“Yes~ Your Highness. Are you finally interested in my body?”

“That’s not it…”

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“Viscountess Milkiss. You don’t seem to be in a good mood.”

“…Countess Millia-nim.”

 

 

Another woman approached the woman who was looking at the stars alone.

 

 

“It’s nothing.”

“Your expression is stiff, though?”

“My face is always like this.”

“I-is that so? Hahaha.”

 

Cold.

And she seems uninterested.

 

 

That was my first impression of her.

 

 

Millia forced a smile.

 

 

“You were too much earlier.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“Telling His Highness to stop joking around.”

“Ah.”

 

It was dangerous.

Iliana is flexible, so she just brushed it off, but if Huana had been in that position, she would not have escaped her wrath.

 

 

“Isn’t it the truth? That position is for strategizing. His Highness was joking around too much.”

“I’m not saying you’re wrong. I’m just saying it’s dangerous. Imagine if Her Highness Huana had been there. What would have happened?”

“…”

 

Millia handed her a can as she couldn’t speak.

 

 

“Thank you.”

“Relax your shoulders. This war is as good as won anyway.”

“Aren’t you being too confident?”

“Not really. Srodia no longer has the strength to stop an army of 450,000. You know that too.”

“…But Srodia has the Mei Empire behind them. We don’t know what will happen if they join the war.”

“It’s uncertain whether the Mei Empire will come, but even if they do, we have an army of 450,000. They won’t want a head-on collision either. So don’t be so nervous. People who are nervous and stick out like you always get hit by a rock.”

“…”