Hidden Backers (3)

“Building 424, Room 4…”

Yuriana, who had been sharing her vision with the shadow puppet, forgot her dignity and sobbed while lying face down on the table.

Oscar glanced sideways at his sister’s disgraceful state and carefully opened his mouth to the transmitter.

“I-I apologize for the disturbance, Princess Evangeline.”

[N-no, not at all.]

Through the receiver, his fiancée’s flustered voice came through.

[W-what should I do about this.]

And also the voice of Miss Delphina, her guard and friend, muttering in a bewildered tone.

“As you said, it’s late today, so I’ll hang up so you can rest. I’ll contact you again later.”

[Thank you for your consideration.]

His fiancée said quietly.

[Have a good night.]

“…Princess Evangeline, please rest well too.”

Oscar silently repeated her final greeting in his mind, slowly placing down the transmitter to avoid transmitting unnecessary noise to the other side.

With a rhythmic click, the transmitter was hung on the telephone body.

“Uhuuung.”

Toward his incompetent sister making groaning sounds with her face buried on the table, Oscar sighed deeply and moved his steps.

“You can just make another shadow puppet, can’t you?”

“…B-but.”

Yuriana replied in a whiny voice, almost muttering.

“Even if it’s just a shadow projection, I don’t want to see Bill get hurt.”

At her words, Oscar scratched his head for a moment and then slumped down on the sofa across from her.

“Well, didn’t I tell you? That if you sent a shadow puppet to the Princess so recklessly, it might be destroyed… Ack!”

While sitting on the sofa tilting the teapot, something pitch-black knocked Oscar on the head with a thud.

-d-i-s———–

Above his head, a pitch-black shadow with an ominous aura loomed.

A wavering beast-like form resembling a large wild dog, as if roughly drawn with ink.

But Oscar, not surprised at all, rather yelled quietly in anger as if familiar with it.

“What are you doing, Bill!”

-d-i-jjj——–

The shadow taking the form of a large wild dog opened its mouth, making strange creaking sounds.

But looking up at the shadow with its grotesque form, Oscar instead let out a sigh.

“…No matter how hard you try to speak, nobody except sister Yuriana can understand what you’re saying.”

-d-f–h——-

As if muttering complaints like a person, the shadow half-closed its muzzle and grumbled in a lower tone.

“Come back, Bill.”

At Yuriana’s word, the black wild dog instantly disappeared as if being sucked into the shadows.

“…This always happens when it’s just the two of us.”

“That just means he’s comfortable with you.”

To Oscar’s uncommon complaint, Yuriana replied while holding a stack of papers that had been on the table.

“As you know, outside of the imperial family, very few people in the Empire know of ‘this child’s’ existence besides myself.”

-Rustle.

The paper held between Yuriana’s slender fingers made a soft sound as it turned.

Having been flipped through many times, the edges were already worn out and limp.

Yuriana picked up a red colored pencil and began examining one by one the numerous words written on the stack of papers.

“…Shall I help you?”

“No need, I’ll finish soon.”

Yuriana answered thus, but contrary to her words, she had only turned three pages of the stack of papers in her hand.

“Come to think of it, you’re more careless than I thought.”

“What?”

“You casually revealed this child’s existence to your fiancée, didn’t you?”

To Yuriana’s seemingly casual question, Oscar answered in a slightly stiff voice.

“That’s because. I judged Evangeline to be an ally.”

Instead of answering, Yuriana silently nodded.

A moment of silence passed. After lightly wetting his lips with the now lukewarm teacup, Oscar opened his mouth.

“…By the way, Evangeline mentioned something. The investigation into this Magical Beast transformation… commonly known as the ‘Cornelio Incident’ will be conducted by the Kingdom, and she’d like to receive help from your faction.”

“Isn’t that too convenient a story?”

Yuriana replied without taking her eyes off the document.

“It sounds good to offer help, but when you think about it, the Kingdom has more expertise regarding information about the West Continent and Magical Beasts from the Human-Demon War. No matter how much the Kingdom side has opened up information, how much help could the Empire provide by adding its spoon?”

“Well, I think so too. It was probably just a proposal made out of courtesy as a fiancé. It won’t have enough value to count as a real achievement for you.”

Nodding his head, Oscar added a statement.

“Still, there’s no harm in agreeing, is there?”

“That’s true too.”

At his words, Yuriana nodded.

“It’s a good opportunity to gain information about the Western Continent and Magical Beasts, which are practically unknown to our Empire.”

Yuriana, who had been muttering while turning pages, suddenly lifted her gaze from the pile of documents and looked at Oscar.

“That’s right, Oscar.”

“Yes?”

“For that matter, I’ll delegate full authority to you.”

Looking at Oscar’s surprised face, Yuriana said quietly.

“I’m ordering you in the name of Yuriana von Valentine. In my place, fully cooperate with the Kingdom’s investigation into the background and circumstances of the ‘Cornelio Incident’.”

[Are you really not hurt anywhere?! Both you and Earl Cornwald’s eldest daughter are both fine, right? Hm?!]

“I’m telling you I’m fine…”

Right after finishing the call with Oscar, the caller of yet another incoming call was none other than my father.

The 4th King of the Failon Kingdom, Karl Failonde.

“Please maintain some dignity. Everyone outside the phone can hear you.”

[…Ahem, hmm. That’s right, you’re correct. Indeed.]

Through the receiver, the sound of a forced cough was heard.

[Anyway, I intend to thoroughly investigate this incident no matter what.]

“…You should. It was none other than that guy.”

I nodded and spoke quietly into the transmitter.

“And, Father. About the backers of this incident…”

[Some information has already reached us here. Indeed, such a vile act would be impossible except for the Demon King’s Army.]

“…”

[That Cornelio, I’m sure he betrayed our kingdom after being deceived by the Demon King’s Army’s trickery. Such a shameless… traitor to humanity!]

Even through the receiver, I could feel my father’s vehement outburst.

[I should have torn him apart with my own hands!]

“…”

[…What’s wrong, Evangeline?]

When I remained silent, my father’s voice came through the receiver.

His tone had completely softened from the previous outburst.

[Is something wrong? You’re not saying anything…]

“…No, it’s nothing.”

I deliberately shook my head vigorously.

“Yes. Y-yes, that’s right, indeed. Since the situation of a human transforming into a Magical Beast is unprecedented…”

‘…I can’t tell him.’

Suddenly, such a thought crossed my mind.

What would happen if I honestly spilled everything about my meeting with the Saint here?

Going a step further, what if I voiced my suspicion that the backers of this incident might be the Holy Nation, not the Demon King’s Army?

Given my father’s character, who cherishes me dearly, he would likely take a stance of waging all-out war against the Holy Nation immediately.

The parliament members who tend to make a fuss about war first, and the citizens who actually have to fight in the war, none would oppose his decision.

What happens next is all too predictable.

While leaving the enemies across the Western Continent to build their strength, the future would only hold a bloody battle where two great powers kill each other.

And throughout that whole process, there would be no room for my own opinion to intervene.

‘…That absolutely cannot happen.’

The hand holding the receiver began to tremble anxiously.

‘War must not happen.’

I shook my head frantically, gripping both the receiver and transmitter so tightly they might break.

‘War absolutely, absolutely must not…!’

[…geline! Evangeline!]

At the voice coming through the receiver I was gripping white-knuckled, I suddenly raised my head.

“Y-yes?!”

[Is something really wrong? You didn’t answer even when I called.]

The concerned voice coming through the receiver.

“Really, it’s nothing. I’m a bit tired, so I think I just spaced out.”

I hurriedly made an excuse in an awkward tone.

[…If something’s wrong, make sure to call. Or at least talk to Delphina.]

“I understand, I’ll keep that in mind.”

[Then, I’ll hang up now. Go in and get some rest.]

-Click.

Following the concerned farewell, the sound of the transmitter being placed down came through the receiver with a click.

After the call completely ended, I slowly hung up the transmitter and receiver on the telephone.

-Thud.

My hand, which had almost dropped the wooden handle, was trembling slightly.

“…Phew.”

I slowly knelt in place and took a deep breath.

“It’s okay. It’s okay. There’s no problem. It’s easy. I just need to keep my mouth shut…”

“Princess?”

At the sound of Delphina’s voice from behind, my heart felt like it dropped.

“What are you doing sitting there?”

“…Uh, uhh?”

I turned my head slightly to check her expression, but fortunately, it seemed she hadn’t overheard my words.

“…T-there was dust in the corner. I noticed it and just…”

“Dust?”

“Mmm, a big one. I just cleaned it up, so don’t worry about it, okay.”

Delphina tilted her head. Pretending to awkwardly hide both hands, I stood up from my spot and said,

“I-it’s late, so I should sleep.”

“…You’re right. Good night.”

“Yes, good night to you too, Delphina.”

I climbed the creaking stairs and slowly opened the door to the room on the second floor.

After carefully closing the door to avoid making noise, I threw myself onto the bed.

Maybe it was fatigue. I didn’t want to think about anything anymore.

In the familiar bed I was returning to after two full days, my eyes quickly closed.

Just before falling asleep, I suddenly thought that I wanted to lie like this forever.