Midnight in Valentine (4)

“What the heeeck!!”

In the separate annex Yuriana had prepared for the party.

Rubila, who had been listening to the shadow puppet’s explanation, suddenly shouted.

“You startled me.”

“W-why are you shouting…?”

I instinctively muttered while giving her a sidelong glance, and Delphina asked her with an awkward smile.

“You were engaged, Princess?!”

“…Is that what’s surprising?”

I sighed in disbelief. While I was contemplating how to restrain this woman, the shadow puppet spoke again.

[Although it may seem obvious, Oscar is the youngest prince of this Valentine Empire. The very fact that he has gone missing is a situation that is somewhat difficult for us to accept.]

The shadow puppet muttered with a concerned voice.

[What’s even more strange is that Father… the current Emperor of the Valentine Empire, doesn’t seem to be taking this situation very seriously.]

“What does that mean?”

[It means he’s not dedicating sufficient personnel to search for the missing Oscar.]

Yuriana’s sigh could be faintly heard from beyond the shadow puppet.

[In fact, for several years now, the Empire has been continuously expanding its defense budget.]

“The defense budget?”

I asked, puzzled.

“Why? Due to the peace treaty, there’s little chance of war between the four countries, and it’s not like they’re adjacent to the East Continent…”

[I really don’t know the reason either. Father must have his thoughts, but for me, it’s impossible to…]

The shadow puppet shook its head and continued.

[But this isn’t right. No matter how much attention is focused on defense, prioritizing troop recruitment over deploying personnel to search for Oscar… When even the current soldiers and knights would hardly be enough for the search operation!]

The shadow puppet’s mouth chattered and a bang echoed.

It seemed Yuriana had struck her desk in anger, and the shadow puppet mistakenly recognized that sound as her voice.

“…This puppet is quite well-made.”

Rubila, who had been quietly observing, muttered.

From under the table, I firmly stepped on her foot while asking Yuriana.

“But why did you tell me not to come? According to you, this is a situation where you’d want to grasp at straws.”

[…Well.]

At my question, after a moment’s hesitation, the shadow puppet spoke.

[…Alright. I’ll tell you everything.]

The shadow puppet shook its head and told me.

[The reason I didn’t want you to come here… was because I thought the Demon King’s Army was involved in this incident.]

“What?”

“WHAT?!!!!”

-Bang!

As soon as Yuriana’s words fell, Rubila shouted loudly.

“Eek…!”

Delphina flinched, startled. I clicked my tongue softly and pinched Rubila’s side firmly.

“Kyahk…!”

Glaring at Rubila, who was twisting her waist with a high-pitched voice, I asked Yuriana.

“What do you mean by that?”

[Until just before Oscar disappeared, I was sharing his vision through synchronization, one of the abilities of the shadow spirit.]

The shadow puppet explained.

[He was in the process of trying to persuade a girl named Helia Rangold, who was forced to drop out due to Cardinando’s influence in this incident.]

“Rangold?”

Holding her side and trembling slightly, Rubila muttered.

“I’ve heard that before. Wasn’t it a knight family that used to be prominent in the past?”

[…That’s right. Now they’re down on their luck, barely hanging on by attaching themselves to Cardinando’s faction.]

The shadow puppet nodded.

[Oscar met with her and pressured her somewhat aggressively. He mixed in bluffing, saying he knew their secrets, including the fact that Cardinando was behind them.]

“He’s quite bold. Well, as the fiancé of our princess, he should be at least that much.”

Rubila nodded.

Since when am I your princess?

[And at that moment, the synchronization was cut off.]

“…Huh?”

Simultaneously, Rubila, Delphina, and I tilted our heads.

“Suddenly…?”

[Yes. And with a pain as if my eyes were burning, I lost consciousness.]

The shadow puppet spoke with a heavy tone.

[The reason I couldn’t meet you in person… was because I was receiving inpatient treatment, so I had no choice but to send this shadow puppet instead.]

“S-so that’s why you couldn’t come out yourself.”

[…And the cleric in charge of my treatment said that he sensed ominous magical traces from me, as if I had been influenced by necromancy.]

“Necromancy?!”

Rubila jumped up and shouted.

“That’s impossible. Necromancy completely died out 49 years ago, with the last record from the Holy Nation…”

“No.”

But I shook my head.

“We already know creatures who can use necromancy. Both you and I.”

“…The Demon King’s Army.”

Rubila muttered quietly.

Slumping back in her seat, Rubila muttered.

“This is much more complicated than I thought. Maybe I should have just stayed quietly in prison?”

[P-prison?]

“Then Uncle Scabbard wouldn’t have left you alone.”

“That’s true.”

At my words, Rubila shrugged.

 

[Wait, Lord Rubila. Prison? What do you mean by…]

The shadow puppet, speaking in a confused voice, suddenly froze.

“…Your Highness?”

Even when carefully called, the shadow puppet remained stiff as a stone, showing no sign of movement.

“Why is it suddenly like this?”

“…C-could it be because of that necromancy thing? Maybe her injury suddenly worsened and the connection was cut…”

“That’s possible.”

Delphina cautiously suggested, and Rubila nodded.

“I wonder…”

As I tilted my head in thought, the shadow puppet suddenly jerked.

“Eek!”

Delphina let out a shrill scream, and the shadow puppet, which had been moving stiffly like a wooden doll, spoke.

[…Evangeline Failondia?]

A deep male voice flowed out.

Not the voice of Yuriana von Valentine, but someone completely different.

“…Who are you?”

I cautiously asked back, with my guard fully raised. The shadow puppet’s tone was strangely distorted compared to the original, making it impossible to identify who was speaking without hearing a name.

Perhaps, as Delphina thought, there was a possibility that the Demon King’s Army had seized control of the shadow puppet’s connection due to the influence of necromancy…

[It is I. Ludius von Valentine.]

The moment that name softly echoed in the room, the air felt several times heavier.

After all, it was none other than the name of the father of Yuriana, Cardinando, and Oscar, and the 7th Emperor of the Valentine Empire.

The shadow puppet violently jerked around like a marionette controlled by strings, changing its posture. Eventually, as if calmed, with arms hanging loosely, the shadow puppet spoke.

[…Hmm, I see. I apologize for the intrusion. Let me formally introduce myself, Lady Evangeline. I am Ludius von Valentine, the 7th Emperor and master of this Empire.]

The shadow puppet creaked, assuming a stiff posture with arms spread wide.

[Welcome to the Empire, Princess Evangeline.]

“…I have a bad feeling about this.”

Delphina whispered to me.

“Lady Yuriana’s words are concerning enough… and then to suddenly intrude and say he wants a private audience with you.”

“But we can’t refuse, can we?”

Rubila shook her head.

“The other party is the Emperor, after all.”

“…That’s true.”

Delphina drooped her shoulders, looking gloomy.

“What could his purpose be?”

“Well, perhaps he simply wanted to see the cute face of his youngest son’s fiancée after such a long time.”

Rubila shrugged and said.

“Emperor or not, he’s an old man, right? At an age where he might be sentimental…”

“That youngest son is missing right now! And if Princess Yuriana is correct, they’re not even properly searching for him, yet suddenly the Emperor wants a private audience with the Princess…”

Delphina shook her head, unable to understand Rubila’s overly simplistic reasoning.

“How can we politely decline…?”

Delphina looked at me and asked.

“…It can’t be helped.”

I deliberately smiled and shook my head.

“If we try to forcibly avoid meeting him, we might arouse even more suspicion.”

“…I suppose you’re right.”

“So, while I have a private audience with the Emperor, I’d like you two to contact Yuriana and help her find clues about Oscar.”

“Just us…?”

Delphina glanced nervously at Rubila.

“…Despite how she appears, Rubila is a skilled knight. She’ll definitely be more helpful than me, so don’t worry too much.”

“B-but.”

Delphina hesitated.

It seemed my description of her as a “crazy woman” was bothering her.

“Look, when I called her crazy, I meant she’s quite exhausting to deal with… not completely unhinged like you might be worried about, so don’t be too concerned.”

“Wait a minute, Princess. Did you tell her I was crazy?”

Ignoring Rubila’s surprised question, I left the room.

Can’t hear you, can’t hear you.