Chapter 94

Elena August was in distress.

It was about diplomacy, and she was well aware that it was going to be quite troublesome from now on.

"Lady Elena, here is the material you requested."

"Thank you. How much did you gather?"

In her office within the Haim Castle, Elena, the mother of Crown, felt a slight sense of relief that the materials she had requested had arrived.

The one who came to her office was a woman named Lili, Elena's subordinate. Lili had been working exclusively for Elena for about four years.

A cute woman with short black hair and a petite stature. That was Lili, her subordinate.

When she saw the woman's face as she entered the office, it was clear that her complexion was not good.

"Is something wrong?"

"Well, the fact is... we did gather the materials, but they are all very similar."

"Oh, I see. I understand now."

However, she could not blame her.

Rather, Elena herself had not expected much in the first place.

She had commissioned numerous adventurers to gather the materials.

But they probably did not want to make "that country" their enemy. The famous adventurers all declined her request.

"Ha... Ishtalica. Even here, they show their strength. They are truly formidable."

The royal family's underestimation was truly terrifying.

But no matter what, Haim was her beloved homeland. She wanted to do her best to make things work out as much as possible.

"But, Lady Elena, it will be fine! Even if the Prime Minister of Ishtalica is involved..."

"Hey, do you know the trend of the fishing catch in the port town of Roundheart over the past ten years?"

"Huh? No, I don't know that... What do you mean by that?"

Lili, who had a look of confusion on her face, asked what Elena meant while reflecting on her rudeness.

"I don't either. This is the first time I've seen such detailed materials. On the contrary, I learned a lot, and I even got some tips on how to write them. The Prime Minister of Ishtalica is really capable."

Elena took out a piece of paper and showed it to Lili.

Lili, who still looked puzzled, read the paper that was handed to her.

"...What is this?"

"These are the detailed materials about the fishing catch in the port town that the other party investigated. They even recommended checking for tax evasion. They added a note to that effect."

When she was troubled or deeply distressed, Elena had a habit of biting her thumbnail.

Of course, she was doing it now as well.

"The initial cause... No, the first move was Haim's underestimation. But to be this thorough... It's really troublesome."

"The talks with Ishtalica. How will they go...?"

"To make things work out, we have no choice but to try our best. But where should we start...? The kidnapping suspicion of my father-in-law and his daughter? That can be talked around in any way. Or the rudeness to Prince Tigris? That won't do either, since he is the Crown Prince. Haim hasn't even established a Crown Prince, so in terms of position, Prince Tigris is lower."

The request from the Haim royal family to Ishtalica was almost reckless.

She had pressured Eulo to deliver it in a forceful manner.

Elena had never expected a response to such a request.

But after several dozen days, it moved.

Not just a response, but a reply from the current King of Ishtalica, Silvador, arrived.

Not from the Prime Minister or the Foreign Minister, but from the King of Ishtalica himself. Elena was surprised by the fact that it came from the King, but the content was even more shocking.

If you remove the long preamble and polite phrases, the gist of it was "Say it to my face."

This gave a great shock to King Haim and Tigris.

"The first move... No, not just the first move, but the next move as well. If we don't approach it in a way that seems like a baseless accusation, I don't think it will even become a conversation."

"...What if, in the event of a debate or a duel between knights, or in many other areas, Lady Elena, what do you think will happen?"

"I don't know about the duel. I don't know how strong the knights of Ishtalica are. I've heard about it, but with a reliable person like General Logas, there might be a chance of winning."

"Ah, I see. Indeed, if it's General Logas, I can understand that."

However, there was no visible chance of winning in the debate.

Rather, she felt that doing so would only result in exposing herself to shame.

"Besides, if we talk about the Crown Prince of Ishtalica, his aides will also be present. Just thinking about the kind of monsters they might have is giving me a headache."

The guards and aides of the Crown Prince.

They would be strong not only in combat but also in debate. The human resources of the great nation of Ishtalica should be recognized as a collection of threats.

"Then, Lady Elena, and the aide of the Crown Prince of Ishtalica, could it be that the two of you will engage in a debate?"

"It's not just possible, but I think it will definitely happen. After all, I will be the main force of Haim."

Annon of the Bruno family was also improving rapidly in strength. But in terms of experience, Elena was the clear winner. That's why she would still be the main force.

"Ah... I'm sorry. I have an appointment with Tigris-sama. I'm sorry, but can I leave the selection of the materials to you?"

"Of course, Lady Elena. Please leave it to me."

Lili nodded with a smile.

—...It was just a casual remark, but the words she had just spoken were bothering Elena. "That" was quite an unusual way of speaking.

And, half in doubt, she decided to take a gamble.

"Ah, by the way, Lili. When is the deadline for the budget report of... the August family for next year?"

The nobles submit a budget report to the royal family every year.

It is a document used as an indicator to investigate whether there is any wrongdoing and how much funding is needed.

"Until November. So, I think you should start preparing it soon."

...That's it, Elena understood.

It was meaningless to let it drag on too long. After all, she could do whatever she wanted without any trouble.

She was struck with a chill, realizing that she had been doing this for four years.

"Hey, how do you know the name August? Even the Haim royal family doesn't know that name?"

You have to try things out, the former head of the August family, Graf, used to say.

Following his example, she said it out loud. She didn't expect her concern to be correct.

If she was pointed out for a name mistake, she was prepared to make some excuse, like saying she had bitten her tongue or something.

"...Ah, you found out, did you?"

"From the beginning? For the past four years?"

"Ugh, this is a failure. I never dreamed I would make such a blunder. ...But you are truly remarkable, as befits the mother of Crown."

Lili, with her hand to her mouth, remained silent as if in thought.

Was she outdone? No, she had been infiltrated for four years, so it couldn't be summed up with just those words.

"Hey, ignoring me isn't a good idea, you know?"

"Ah... I'm sorry, Lady Elena. I just couldn't bear to look at my blunder."

"Oh, I see. But you must have investigated a lot over these four years. I don't think it's that bad to call it a blunder."

"Ugh... My boss is very strict, so I can't be as casual as in Haim."

She naturally belittled Haim, but Elena kept her cool.

If she lost her temper over such things, she would never be able to handle the real thing with Ishtalica.

"That's a shame. Well, now that you've been found out, what are you going to do?"

"But, Lady Elena, if I kill you here, no one will ever find out. Have you considered that?"

"…If I scream, you won't stand a chance, will you?"

"Then, like this... whoa."

Lili suddenly approached and pressed a knife to Elena's neck.

If she applied a little more force, it would cut the skin. With just the right amount of pressure, Lili observed Elena's reaction.

"See, you're finished, Lady Elena."

A cold tone she had never heard before.

If this was her true nature, she regretted not seeing through it.

"...Ha. I was the one who underestimated you. You're much stronger than I thought."

"Lady Elena should be more careful. Being too careless is a flaw in an otherwise perfect gem."

Saying that, Lili quickly returned to her original position.

A cold sweat ran down Elena's spine.

"You're not allowed to kill me. So this is just a threat, right? So don't make a sound. It's a deal."

"I guess I have no choice but to listen... Ugh. You sound just like Crown. You really are mother and daughter, aren't you?"

Lili, who had never shown such a bright and childlike attitude before, teased Elena with a smile.

"Of course. She grew up watching me. ...So, are you leaving the castle now?"

"I'm leaving. I think I've reached my limit."

Putting the knife back in her skirt, Lili spread her arms in a gesture of surrender.

"That's too bad. I liked you, you know."

"If you think so, why don't you come with me? —...To Ishtalica."

Lili's words sounded tempting, like the whisper of a devil.

If she went to Ishtalica, she could meet her beloved daughter and her father-in-law again.

It was very tempting for Elena... but.

"Sorry, but I have to decline. It's not that I have any complaints about my father-in-law or Crown, but I still like Haim. I've lived here for a long time, so I can't leave my homeland."

"...That's too bad."

She liked Haim, the country, not the royal family. She wanted to stay here.

She didn't intend to deny the two who had left Haim, but she simply couldn't leave this place.

"Hey, you're leaving now, right?"

"Of course! My own safety is the most important thing!"

"Then tell me. ...How is Crown? Is she doing well?"

She had received a letter and knew about her condition, but she wanted to hear from someone in Ishtalica.

"Well, it's been quite a while since I returned to Ishtalica..."

"I know, I know. I realize I'm asking too much..."

Considering the journey from Haim to Ishtalica, it wouldn't be easy to return.

Lili, like Elena, had been doing a lot of work.

"So, can you tell me about Crown two months ago?"

"...That's not very recent."

Lili smiled and stuck out her tongue in a playful manner.

"She's doing well. Recently, she seems to really like black."

"Black...? Why black?"

"That's because it's the color of the Crown Prince. He seems to think no one has noticed, but it's obvious to everyone."

Smiling, Lili took out the knife again and twirled it in her palm.

It looked playful, but it was a disturbing sight.

"What does the Crown Prince think of her?"

This was her biggest concern.

What if she had gone all the way to Ishtalica and he didn't like her?

As a mother, it was only natural to worry about such things.

"Oh, that's fine. They're just being frustratingly slow."

"...I'm relieved to hear that."

"Also, she's become quite a respected figure in Ishtalica now."

Lili said something that Elena couldn't afford to miss.

Respected? Crown was not even twenty years old. How could she become a respected figure in Ishtalica?

"What do you mean? It should be impossible for her to become a respected figure in Ishtalica at this point."

"That's true. Normally, it would be impossible. But Crown has worked hard and achieved results... Well, I can't give away too much information or I'll get in trouble. I'll leave it at that."

Lili opened the window and leaned out.

This was a room several dozen meters high, and a fall would be fatal.

"Hey, that's dangerous..."

"It's fine. I can handle this. Well, Lady Elena, thank you for everything!"

Saying "One, two, three," Lili was about to jump.

Elena thought this was really the end. She had one last question to ask.

"One last thing! C, Crown, what is she doing now...!"

The words reached Lili just in time. She paused for a moment, considering her response.

Then, her mischievous side kicked in, and she replied with a teasing tone.

"Hehe... Let me give you a warning. If you don't want to 'fight' with Crown, it's best not to say anything rude to the Crown Prince. Well, see you!"

"Wait...!"

Elena tried to stop her, wanting a more specific answer.

But this was really the last word. Lili didn't stop and gracefully jumped out the window.

"...To vanish like that, I never thought anyone could actually do it."

Looking out the window, there was no sign of Lili anywhere.

No matter where she looked, she couldn't find any trace of movement.

"Well, where should I start...?"

There had been a spy. She needed to report this, and also investigate how much information had been obtained.

More importantly, the spy might not have been Lili alone. She was at a loss as to where to start.

"I'm not just behind, I'm being played with."

Elena sighed deeply at the current situation where she was being thoroughly investigated.

The view from the window was a clear, blue sky, in stark contrast to her troubled state of mind.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the adventurer town of Balt.

In a room at an inn, the young woman was looking down at her lord. It was a perfect angle for a masochist, but Ain was not one.

"So, what is this? Can I ask you again, Your Highness?"

Crown would surely be remembered in the history of Ishtalica.

Not for her competence, but for what she made the Crown Prince do.

Of course, she didn't deny the possibility that she would be remembered for other reasons as well.

"Yes, I... received this as a souvenir from a senior member of the Demon Army..."

Ain wanted to ask if she could stop sitting in seiza, but she couldn't say it in front of Crown's intimidating presence.

"So, why were you meeting a senior member of the Demon Army alone!?"

"I was kidnapped against my will..."

There was no other way to explain it.

It was true that she had been kidnapped and that it was against her will.

...She used the Hand of Illusion. If she was blamed for that, she couldn't argue that she should have been more cautious.

"What was the reason for that?"

"...I used the Hand of Illusion. Yes..."

‘Ah, this is no good. All the points where I could have made an excuse are gone.’ Ain thought to herself.

She couldn't say such a light-hearted thing out loud, so she kept it to herself.

It was around the time for an afternoon snack.

Ain and her party had returned to Balt a few minutes ago. When they got back to the room, Crown was there to greet them, and Ain was happy.

But then, as she was reporting, Crown's attitude gradually changed, which was to be expected.

"I think you should have been able to figure it out. It was a dangerous place, so why did you do such a thing?"

Saying that, Crown knelt down in front of Ain, who was sitting in seiza, and looked her in the eye.

Then, she put her hand on Ain's cheek.

Ain felt a sense of relief from Crown's scent, which she hadn't smelled in days, but she couldn't just relax in the current situation. She steeled herself.

"...I'm sorry. I'll be more careful next time."

"Can you promise that? Look me in the eye and say it again."

Ain, who had been looking down, raised her eyes to meet Crown's.

Crown's pure white sclera and beautiful blue eyes looked straight at Ain.

Ain couldn't help but find Crown's lips, which moved occasionally, to be seductive.

"...Hey, Ain. Look at