Ch.187So The Things Do Get This Tangled Up

The atmosphere was tense, as if a bloodbath could break out at any moment.

The knights surrounding us remained silent, waiting only for Valenstein’s orders.

…What will happen now?

Someone who confidently brought Master-level monsters doesn’t seem likely to back down quietly.

I carefully pull my left foot back, tense my muscles, and slightly lower my upper body.

Ready to draw my sword and charge at any moment.

Despite surely noticing my movement, Valenstein remained composed.

As if he had no intention of engaging in battle.

Well, let’s hear what he plans to say…

“I apologize, but that won’t be possible. Our target is… her.”

…What?

“What on earth are you saying…!”

Just as Leopold was about to object, Valenstein removed the helmet from the head he was holding and raised it high for all of us to see clearly.

“These traitors attacked the Imperial Palace and destroyed it with strange sorcery. Your Highness must know what they are.”

Everyone gathered at the annex turned their gaze toward Valenstein’s left hand.

Black hair and beard. Prominent cheekbones and sharp eyes. Unlike the people of the Empire, skin with a yellowish tint.

Though mangled by sword wounds, there was no mistaking its identity.

Ka’har.

Until just a year ago, they were enemies of the Empire.

The knights all turned to look at me at once.

I’ve been set up.

A weapon more powerful than a hundred swords had been wielded.

—-

Cold air fills my lungs as I breathe in.

An unexpected situation. A chill ran down my spine.

“Ka’har? Surely you don’t mean to treat her as a criminal simply because of her race!? Have you forgotten how the Princess has dedicated herself to the Empire’s peace until now?”

Leopold tried to defend me while breaking into a cold sweat.

…It wasn’t very effective.

Valenstein simply shook his head calmly.

“Peace, you say? It’s now clear that the agreement she brought was nothing but deception. Currently, thousands of Ka’har troops are marching toward Wall of Berengaria, and the Lord Landenburg has headed there to stop them.”

The audience was shocked by this alarming report.

I was equally stunned.

The Ka’har are attacking the wall?

No, that’s impossible…!

Even if Orhan were a war god, it would be physically impossible to conquer that vast plain in just half a year.

And there was no reason for Orhan to suddenly turn his army around after beginning his conquest.

“What evidence do you have that this report is true…?”

“The entire Empire will know once the war begins. Why would I tell a lie that wouldn’t last even two days?”

Valenstein calmly retorted.

Leopold couldn’t answer. As he said, whether the Ka’har were actually attacking or not would become evident within three days.

“That’s not all. These corpses, while appearing to be ordinary Ka’har, were somewhat different. Even when their limbs were cut off or their entrails torn out, they kept attacking. Only beheading them brought them down. And inside their severed heads was emptiness… instead, this was found.”

Valenstein thrust his hand into the head he was holding, grabbed something, and pulled it out.

“Good heavens…! What is that?!”

The knights who had been warily watching me exclaimed in shock.

In the marquis’s right hand was a giant worm cut in half. Anyone could see it was a monster.

“As you can see, it’s a monster. A worm that parasitizes humans and devours their brains. Your Highness must be aware of the tragedy that befell House Sigmillus. This worm is believed to be of the same species as those exterminated then. In other words… it’s a monster belonging to the witch, Ophelia van Sigmillus. And I’ve received confirmed information that the Aishan-Gioro Princess had multiple contacts with that witch during her time at Remnant Academy.”

“That’s a false accusation! These are nothing but circumstantial evidence!”

Leopold desperately objected.

I surveyed my surroundings while suppressing my hand from reaching for my sword hilt.

The knights’ gazes were filled with suspicion and distrust.

They looked ready to draw their swords at any moment, and some already had.

It was a critical situation where dozens of knights would charge at once upon command.

Just as my hand finally reached for Durandal’s hilt, Valenstein extended his arm to restrain the knights.

“Yes, it’s only circumstantial evidence. That’s why I’ve come here.”

Marquis Valenstein pulled out a sheet of paper.

Below the elegant handwriting was the imperial seal.

We cannot yet know if the Aishan-Gioro Princess has betrayed the Empire.

However, the circumstantial evidence is clear, so we cannot ignore it.

By the Special Admission Law, I order the temporary confinement of the Aishan-Gioro Princess.

Afterward, we shall thoroughly investigate the truth of the matter.

“This is the order of Empress Isabella. What will you do?”

…It was a checkmate with no escape.

—-

I could almost hear Isabella laughing.

To think she would target me alone instead of Leopold.

So it’s “kill the horse before the general,” is it?

A dilemma. Whether I refused or complied, the outcome would only be ruin.

Resisting would be tantamount to admitting all those charges.

Even if Valenstein drew his sword, it would be portrayed not as rebellion but as loyalty to protect the Empire and the prince.

But if I were to be captured obediently… rather than investigating the truth, they’d be examining how many offspring I could bear.

I vividly recalled the fate of characters who fell into Isabella’s hands.

I gritted my teeth and grasped Durandal’s hilt.

Yes.

Rather than suffer such a fate, I’d rather…!

“No, wait. Something is strange here. You say this is Empress Isabella’s order? That can’t be right. Is this truly the Empress’s order?”

Leopold hastily objected.

“What do you mean? This is an order I received directly from the Empress herself.”

“Where exactly did you meet her when the main palace is in that state? Even knights couldn’t escape that collapse…”

“At the 3rd Prince’s Palace. After the previous attack, fearing assassins might strike again, she moved her residence to the 3rd Prince’s Palace, leaving a body double at the main palace. I only learned of this myself a short while ago.”

The first objection was immediately refuted.

Of course, to move around without suspicion after destroying the main palace, such an excuse would have been prepared in advance.

But Leopold persisted, relentlessly pointing out flaws in Valenstein’s statements.

“…If this is truly the Empress’s order, it’s even more peculiar. The Empress would never persecute the Princess using a Ka’har attack as justification.”

“What do you mean…?”

“It wasn’t yet time to reveal this… but the Ka’har betrayal was already anticipated. It was information that the Princess herself conveyed through the Lord Landenburg. The peace agreement was merely a false pretext; the Princess’s purpose in entering the Empire was to inform us of the Ka’har’s plans and seek asylum.”

It wasn’t the right time to reveal this.

It was a matter I had planned to announce only after my position was secure and the Empire’s turmoil had subsided.

If Orhan were to hear this rumor, I couldn’t predict how he would react.

But now it doesn’t matter. For whatever reason, it seems the Ka’har attack has begun.

“Asylum? I’ve heard nothing of this.”

“This information was known only to the imperial family and prince-electors to avoid widespread confusion. In other words, while you might not have known, the Empress certainly would have.”

“…An interesting story. If only there were evidence to prove it.”

Leopold was at a loss for words.

Evidence of my asylum.

There probably were confidential documents stored somewhere… but where exactly would the Empire’s confidential documents be kept?

His gaze briefly turned toward the ruins of the main palace.

…Yes. That would be the place.

“The evidence would be… buried in there right now.”

“Then all that supports this claim is Prince Leopold’s testimony. Neither the Empress nor Prince Ernst have mentioned such a thing… but if you cooperate with the investigation, I’ll take it into consideration.”

Valenstein’s resolve was firm.

Whatever Leopold said, his plan to take me into custody remained unchanged.

“…Those assassins, you said they were monsters.”

“Yes. Likely Ophelia’s doing. So…”

Leopold interrupted Valenstein and spoke.

“Do you know what common people call the Princess? ‘The Goddess’s Knight,’ ‘Divine Punishment.’ Even the Church of Elpinel hasn’t denied this. Would Elpinel bless someone who conspired with a witch?”

“That’s just a rumor spread by ignorant people. That’s why the church hasn’t bothered to respond. At least to my knowledge, the Aishan-Gioro Princess has never performed miracles by emitting holy light like a paladin.”

Well… that can’t be helped.

I don’t worship Elpinel as a god like the priests do.

Holy light is power manifested from faith.

Without true faith, it’s impossible to wield that power.

“…Despite her being a descendant of the Great’s Twelve Knights?”

Leopold sighed deeply, as if reluctant to bring this up.

“Twelve Knights…?”

“Yes. Her maternal family, House Median, is a family of the Twelve Knights. That sword she inherited from her mother is the proof. That is the legendary sword of the Twelve Knights.”

The knights gasped in shock at the prince’s statement.

The Twelve Knights.

While the term itself was frequently mentioned, having someone recognized as their descendant was an entirely different matter.

However, Valenstein showed no surprise, merely tilting his head slightly.

“…That’s hard to believe even as a joke. It’s just a silver sword. Certainly, it’s a rare item… but that doesn’t serve as proof. I also own a silver sword; does that make me a descendant of the Twelve Knights as well?”

Unfortunately, the sword’s characteristics became a hindrance.

A plain handle not much different from an ordinary longsword.

Engravings that don’t reveal themselves to anyone but the owner.

Except for the blade made of silver, the Oath Sword appeared no different from an ordinary longsword.

“…Besides, even if that were true, nothing changes. I too am a knight who respects them… but a descendant is merely a descendant. The child of a good person isn’t necessarily good themselves. At least, what I see before me now is just a warrior wrapped in the karma of thousands of murders.”

Valenstein stepped forward.

“From the beginning, the Empress’s order wasn’t to interrogate a criminal. It’s to confine her temporarily until the suspicions are clearly resolved. This is a natural disposition under imperial law. There will inevitably be restrictions on her movement for a while… but if proven innocent, the confinement order will be immediately lifted. At that time, I would rather have to apologize for the discourtesy.”

Neither Leopold nor I believed those words.

Yes. I would be released from confinement.

After they’ve had their fun and completed the brainwashing.

“For my part, I don’t understand why Prince Leopold is so opposed to this. If the Princess is truly innocent, isn’t this a matter of no concern?”

Valenstein’s words were flawless.

He refuted all of Leopold’s objections and now even went on the offensive.

“Conversely, if the Princess’s charges prove true, her purpose would have been to harm the Empire… Your Highness should consider it fortunate that this was discovered before you were harmed. Surely, Prince Leopold wouldn’t have conspired with a witch’s acquaintance to assassinate other members of the imperial family.”

The same tactic as Leopold’s.

It was a threat that if he continued to oppose, he too might be charged with attempting to assassinate the imperial family.

—-

A moment of silence.

What might Leopold be thinking now? What decision would he make?

…It was difficult for me to know.

Eventually, Leopold, with a rigid expression, turned his gaze toward me.

“…It can’t be helped.”

Yes. People always say that when they have no choice.

It seems Leopold has chosen to distance himself from me.

I understand.

If he continued to block them, he would be implicated and fall as well.

For him, even at the cost of losing me here, surviving was the best strategy.

As long as the prince-electors were still intact, he could aim for another opportunity if he stayed alive… but if he died, that would be the end.

Yes. I could understand.

That doesn’t mean I could forgive him, though.

Just as I was about to draw Durandal—

“Isabella Benes-! Assassin of the imperial family! Do you think this is the end?!”

Leopold looked up at the sky and shouted loudly.

“Leopold Wittelsbach, the last bloodline of Carlos the Great, will never kneel to a witch!”

With a battle cry, Leopold drew his sword.