Chapter 149: Humiliation

There are things that everyone knows but doesn’t easily speak of, often referred to as unwritten rules or taboos.

Today’s meeting was exactly that.

The nobles who were leaving wore reluctant expressions and hurried their steps. They left without saying a word, as if they had heard something they shouldn’t have. Their shoulders drooped as if they were the ones who had committed a crime.

Isaac simply bowed his head to their backs.

Seeing the conservative nobles so at a loss gave him a secret thrill.

Finally, it was the sinner, Rianna’s, turn to leave the audience chamber. As she walked on the red carpet, her head was bowed so low she could not see in front of her.

“…”

Should he offer some words of comfort? Isaac, the person involved, thought about it but couldn’t come up with any good words.

In the end, he couldn’t offer any comfort and simply patted the back of her heavy-footed figure.

“Rianna, the princesses will come to see you. Let’s go back for now.”

Nod.

The place they returned to with Rianna was a kind of solitary room. It would have been too strange to imprison her in the Dungeon given her situation, so the place she was detained was a small warehouse made to look like a guest room.

After some time had passed, Adeline and Princess Clarisse, dressed more casually than before, entered.

They skipped the formalities. They had already discussed it in the meeting, and it wasn’t very important between them.

“How is Rianna doing?” Princess Adeline asked with a sly smile. Isaac glanced at Rianna and answered for her.

“She’s very embarrassed. I think she’ll be this red for at least half a day.”

Thump!

Rianna momentarily shifted her hips and nudged Isaac’s pelvis. It was her way of telling him not to say such things, but unfortunately, in her current state, it only looked like a cute pout.

Princess Adeline nodded in satisfaction at the sight.

“I’m glad Rianna returned safely. Don’t take what happened this time to heart. There is no one who doesn’t know your true feelings.”

In fact, Rianna’s body still wanted to move to kill Princess Adeline, but the chains and shackles binding her prevented her from causing any harm. And with Isaac, who had personally subdued her, standing right next to her, there was nothing to worry about.

Isaac glanced at Rianna and carefully removed her muzzle.

“I apologize.”

As if she had been waiting, an apology came out of Rianna’s mouth. She frowned as if it was a shame she couldn’t kneel.

“Due to my inadequacy, the sword that should have protected the royal family was turned against it.”

“Ha, Vassalization has its uses in many ways. I can confirm the loyalty of Helmont like this.”

Seeing Helmont’s true feelings, Princess Adeline smiled faintly. From the perspective of Adeline, who had a habit of coveting talented people, it seemed she wanted to make Rianna her own as well.

“Once—.”

Watching this, Clarisse blinked and suddenly spoke.

“My sister once tried to seduce Isaac into her bedroom.”

“Your Highness?!”

Isaac called out in a flustered voice, but Clarisse’s gaze was already fixed on Rianna, as if curious to see what her reaction would be.

Rianna, who had flinched, calmly raised her head and looked at Clarisse.

“Isaac is that charming of a man. I don’t think there’s anything to be done even if Your Highness wants him.”

“Ooh.”

Clarisse was surprised by the unexpectedly normal answer. Isaac let out a sigh of relief and warned Clarisse.

“Your Highness. No matter what, you shouldn’t tease Rianna like that—.”

“But you can’t.”

The three of them turned their gazes to Rianna at once. Her red eyes signaled to Isaac to quickly put the muzzle back on, but her mouth was much faster than his hands.

“Don’t take him.”

“I want Isaac to be with me.”

“I don’t want him to be with anyone else.”

“Even a princess can’t just carelessly—.”

“Uh, uh-huh!”

Isaac quickly put the muzzle back on. Adeline, who was watching, chuckled and patted her head.

“Don’t worry.”

“…”

To Rianna, who was blinking with clear eyes, Adeline added in a comforting tone.

“If I were to take him, I would take you both.”

She’s crazy.

Isaac thought to himself that it was a good thing he wasn’t under Vassalization.

The next day, in front of the Royal Palace, the kingdom was in an uproar, and repair work was underway.

“Haa, it’s a real shame that I have to send you off right away without even getting to talk.”

Clarisse sighed and grumbled in front of the carriage heading to the Magic Tower.

“Should I just go with you? What do you think, Isaac?”

“I think that’s a really bad idea. You have a lot of work to do here. Look over there, Heyrad’s face has gone pale.”

Clarisse turned her head in the direction Isaac was pointing. There stood Heyrad, genuinely worried that Clarisse might leave. Though he had been injured in the battle with Rianna, he was still at his post.

“Haa, it’s a real shame.”

Clarisse shook her head. Then, she looked at Rianna standing next to Isaac and asked.

“…You two haven’t gotten back together, have you?”

“No, we have not.”

At the sharp answer, Rianna’s shoulders slumped slightly.

“I see. Ahem, let me just say this. Isaac, my offer is still valid.”

“…Your offer, you mean?”

Clarisse let out a breath of disbelief at Isaac’s tilted head.

“Are you kidding me? You forgot that a princess asked you to marry her, just now?!”

“…!”

Rianna, who was next to them, was startled and looked back and forth between the two.

“Hmph, Isaac, do you want a scolding? No matter how handsome you are, can you just ignore a princess’s true feelings like this?”

“Ahem, to answer you seriously, I have no intention of letting a woman into my heart at the moment.”

“I know. But I feel like I won’t have a chance when that time comes, so I’m just saying this.”

“…”

Clarisse’s gentle smile was warm and comforting.

“Please end the war quickly. I hope the time comes when you can rest comfortably.”

“…I, too, sincerely hope for that.”

“When that time comes, I’ll come and visit Isaac’s mansion often. Isaac will be at least a count by then, won’t he? He’s done so much.”

“Ahem, I didn’t do it for the title.”

“It’s only natural to be rewarded for your achievements.”

Princess Clarisse winked.

“Take care. I’ll be here, waiting for you.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Isaac bowed his head. He entered the carriage with Rianna, who was next to him.

“Oh, you’re here!”

“Haaam, I’m sleepy.”

Sharen and the Grandmaster were waiting in the carriage. They had come along this time but hadn’t done anything, but they were there just in case.

“Coachman, let’s go.”

“Yes, sir!”

The Grandmaster knocked on the wall, and the carriage set off. And so, the rather lax carriage, transporting the sinner Rianna, headed for the Magic Tower.

“Sister, isn’t it stuffy?”

Sharen, sitting across from Rianna, tilted her head and asked. It did look quite uncomfortable to be wearing a muzzle.

“I can take it off if you’re uncomfortable. It’s just us here.”

Despite Isaac’s offer, Rianna shook her head.

Seeing how she’s resisting so fiercely, is she thinking something she shouldn’t be right now?

He was going to leave her be out of consideration, but Sharen playfully reached for the muzzle.

“Hey! I want to talk to my sister after so long!”

Click!

The moment the muzzle came off.

“What if the princess and Isaac get married?”

It was immediately clear what Rianna had been thinking until just now, and also why she had said not to take off the muzzle.

“Of course, I know I should congratulate him if Isaac is happy.”

“But I think I would be too sad.”

“I think I would cry a lot. Ah, I feel like I’m going to cry already.”

“It hasn’t been long since we divorced, but how many people like you already? Isaac?”

“Please put the muzzle back on, Isaac.”

There are times when it’s hard to follow the thought process of this Vassalization. Even as she spews out words, if she thinks she shouldn’t be saying such things, the flow immediately turns to that.

At Rianna’s urgent request to put the muzzle back on, Isaac did so.

It seemed that for the duration of the trip, Rianna would have to keep her mouth shut.

“Hoo, how interesting.”

“Ahem, I feel a little awkward.”

It was the first time Isaac had seen Rianna express her affection so openly, and it was awkward for him too.

“Rianna was always the quiet type. I’ve never received such expressions of affection before.”

As if feeling guilty, Rianna bowed her head low, and Sharen slyly took off the muzzle again.

“Call me Ria, not Rianna.”

“…”

“Huh? Call me Ria. You used to call me Ria, didn’t you?”

“Hoo, Sharen. That’s enough. Rianna is having a hard time.”

“I would be happy if you called me Ria.”

“…”

Sharen giggled, finding it amusing. The Grandmaster was also covering her mouth, holding back her laughter.

Contrary to the words pouring out, Rianna’s face was flushed red, and she didn’t know what to do.

“The-the muzzle. Isaac, please, the muzzle.”

“Alright, wait a moment.”

Feeling like he was taking care of a child, Isaac was about to put the muzzle back on when Sharen seized the opportunity and asked.

“Sister, what do you think of Isaac?”

“I liiike him sooooo much!”

Rianna’s eyes spun around as if looking for a mouse hole to hide in.