Chapter 70

Lord Nazel was waiting for me at a table in a corner of the inn’s dining hall, which was buzzing with the lively chatter of the Fortress members.

“Lord Nazel, sorry to keep you waiting! I was able to talk to Lady Lilianne. She’s resting in her room now. Kelly says she doesn’t harbor any ill will toward us at all.”

“It’s alright, Agnes. I’ve been busy with other work anyway.”

Lord Nazel pulled me onto his lap to sit, a happy, beaming expression spreading across his face.

Torre took a seat across from us at the table.

“By the way, are you hungry? There’s no food in this town, but I have some baked sweets that Meiza made for us back at the estate.”

“I’ll have some. May I bring some to Kelly as well?”

“Of course. Tony looks like he has some free time, so let’s have him carry them over.”

In the face of the disastrous state of Catena, it seemed the magical beast exterminators had been summoned immediately. Tony was dozing off in a corner of the dining hall.

Since many magical beasts are nocturnal, it appeared they had nothing to do until the sun went down.

Lord Nazel pulled a baked sweet out of a bag and brought it to my lips. It was my favorite—a Viola-berry financier.

“Agnes, say ‘ah’?”

“Ahhh.”

“Hehe, you’re so cute, Agnes. I’ll get some juice ready for you, too.”

“Thank you… No, wait! I have more to report.”

I then relayed how Lilianne had been incited by Robin, along with the details of her circumstances.

“So, it seems Lord Robin is behind this. Apparently, there’s a connection between him, Baron Kigyonne, and Earl Apo.”

“I see. So while she was at the Baron’s house, she was only targeting me and had nothing to do with the magical beast damage. Even so, what is Lord Robin thinking? I’m no longer the Princess’s fiancé, yet he goes out of his way to send an assassin all the way to the frontier.”

“Exactly!”

“He should be busy with his rigorous Prince Consort training. Does he really have enough time to meddle with Sutrena?”

Lord Nazel looked genuinely puzzled.

In fact, the Prince and Princess Consort training in our Kingdom of Desnim is rumored to be incredibly grueling—practically a “black company” level of intensity.

It was common for them to be confined to a room for an entire day, undergoing the same training as knights, touring every territory… and sometimes even traveling to foreign lands.

To ensure things remain stable even if a King or Queen isn’t particularly clever, their marriage partners are subjected to grueling training.

When I first heard about it, I couldn’t help but feel terribly sorry for Lord Nazel.

“So, regarding Lady Lilianne’s treatment…”

“I was just thinking about that. Since I’m alive and well, and Kelly’s assessment is that she harbors no true malice, I don’t think execution is necessary.”

“Is that true!?”

The one who shouted that at the top of their lungs wasn’t me, but Torre, who was sitting across the table.

“Yes, there are extenuating circumstances. She is a vital witness to this incident, so I want to secure her cooperation. That said, I can’t exactly let her off with no reprimand at all.”

With the people of Sutrena watching, it would be difficult to declare her entirely innocent. Even if Lord Nazel ultimately remained unhurt, the act of attacking him is something that cannot be overlooked.

“That’s why I’m thinking of applying the new system.”

“The one involving labor for a fixed period?”

“Exactly.”

The system Lord Nazel and the others devised involved labor such as fruit cultivation, caring for mounts, sewing, or furniture making. The frontier of Sutrena is constantly short on manpower.

Rather than simply locking criminals in a cell, the goal is to support those with a will to work so they can more easily reintegrate into society. It’s a trial program of sorts.

They receive a small allowance, and while their food, clothing, and shelter are simple, they are guaranteed. If they maintain good conduct, they can eventually work outside under supervision, which can lead to an earlier release.

“Originally it was intended for minor offenders, but since she lacks true malice, I think it’s fine to include her. Though, she can no longer be treated as a noble.”

“Lord Nazel…”

To be honest, this was exceptionally generous treatment for the crime of attempted assassination of a Lord.

Furthermore, the “minor offenders” working the same jobs were mostly people who had stolen food out of desperation during the previous Lord’s reign.

Having listened to the plan, Torre stood up and bellowed:

“Thank you very much, Lord Nazelbart!!”

His booming voice echoed not only to the distant rooms but all the way outside the inn.