Chapter 102

“What on earth did you hear from the Emperor that makes you search for Sir Hereis?”

Before she knew it, Belita was naturally speaking down to him.

‘Well, I guess this is technically right, but still…’

A small scratch formed on Fredrick’s pride, as he had wanted to maintain his own dignified and cool image.

“Don’t tell me it is about Duke Jeffrey?”

Fredrick almost slipped his foot right off the window ledge.

His heart pounded at the dizzying sensation he hadn’t felt in a long time, but he moved his feet while pretending to be calm.

“T-That couldn’t be? Not at all?”

He felt a warm breath against the back of his neck.

It seemed she had let out a sigh.

‘She already knows everything and is just asking to test me…’

Fredrick immediately shifted his stance.

“Your Holiness really knows everything, don’t you? Could you give me just a tiny hint as to how you know?”

“……”

There was no response this time.

‘Of course you invoke your right to remain silent only at times like this…’

She was so cheeky that he felt an urge to give her a light noggin, but if he laid a finger on the Saintess, the Holy State would put out a wanted poster for him with fire in their eyes—no matter if he was a Swordmaster. Fredrick shivered slightly as he imagined a certain someone from the Holy State.

“You are correct. I received a very troubling order from His Majesty the Emperor, so I am planning to consult with Sir Hereis.”

“What kind of order is it?”

“Please listen to that together with Sir Hereis.”

“……”

“And now it is my turn to ask. What is your real motive for wanting to accompany me right now?”

“Why are you curious about that?”

“Your Holiness, I am currently going to see Hereis while prepared to be punished for violating orders. Shouldn’t I at least get that much of an answer for this to be a fair trade?”

If someone were to ask why he was going that far, he would answer that it was because Hereis was his cherished subordinate and disciple.

And if they asked if that was important enough to disobey the Emperor’s command, he would say it was exactly what he ought to do to keep his faith.

‘That is how it is for me, but what about the Saintess?’

Stopping his hand as it moved along the cracks of the cold brick, Fredrick waited for an answer.

Why on earth doesn’t the protagonist want to become a Duke?

‘I have no idea.’

I couldn’t even grasp a clue. In the game, his lingering attachment to the past when he was regarded as the Young Duke was clearly depicted quite often. So, I thought he would naturally like it.

‘I need to sound him out through a conversation for things like this.’

However, the protagonist was currently holed up in his room and refusing to come out, perhaps because the shock was too great.

It wasn’t a problem with his Mental Health. According to the last time I checked on Mo Je-won’s stream, it was somewhere around forty.

At this point, I felt wronged.

‘What did I do that was so wrong?’

I’ve treated him so well all this time, and yet he gives me the cold shoulder?

A sense of unfairness and resentment heated up my head.

‘…Let’s get some fresh air.’

If I stayed like this, I would end up staying up all night just being angry.

When I opened the window, a pleasant dawn breeze blew in gently.

Leaning against the window and admiring the abnormally large moon that I had grown accustomed to by now, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

‘Can’t I just create a situation where the protagonist has no choice but to accept the title?’

Of course, this was also only possible if I met the protagonist, but it was much more intuitive than prying into his reasons and finding a way to soothe him.

Well, it wasn’t like the protagonist could stay cooped up in his room forever either. If all else failed, I could ask the Emperor to do it instead and—

Whish!

…….

‘I think something just passed by.’

I held my breath and poked my head out.

There was nothing. Did I see things?

……!!

It wasn’t nothing.

Some human figure was clinging to the wall diagonally above!

‘That’s right around the protagonist’s room.’

Don’t tell me it’s an assassin.

Since a lot of bad things had happened recently, my thoughts immediately flowed in that direction.

Without realizing it, I grabbed a fountain pen from the desk near the window and hurled it.

It wasn’t a reckless display of bravado; I had potions, and there were guards posted right outside my room.

It was intended as a threat, but the fountain pen flew sharper than expected, as if piercing through the empty air.

The opponent dodged it so it didn’t hit him, but I was able to see his face instead.

‘What the, why is he here?’

Although he was quite far, I recognized the familiar silhouette instantly.

Short brown hair with long, muscle-packed limbs.

It was Fredrick, the protagonist’s superior, whom I had seen constantly back in the County.

Even though he was the one in the wrong first, Fredrick, who had tried to bind me like a criminal, confessed directly that he was climbing the wall to meet the protagonist behind the Emperor’s back.

Since I didn’t know what Fredrick might say, I thought it could serve as a surveillance measure and also give me a chance to talk to the protagonist, so I immediately pushed my way into tagging along.

However, I didn’t expect him to comply so easily and boldly ask me a question instead.

‘What kind of answer should I give?’

Ding!

‘No…’

Seeing Fredrick go this far meant he must cherish Hereis a lot, so if I answered like this, it felt like he would want to just drop me from this height.

‘Or take me somewhere to quietly dispose of me.’

A chill ran down my spine as a small memory of Ilian surfaced.

There was basically no chance that crying like back then would save me this time.

No matter how extraordinary Belita’s physical abilities were, if a Swordmaster came at me, avoiding death would be impossible.

Right before the timer hit zero, I hurriedly chose an option.

“That is a presumptuous question, Sir Fredrick.”

“……”

“To demand something that is embarrassing to speak from a lady’s mouth.”

“Pardon?”

“Do you still not know? The feelings I harbor toward Sir Hereis?”

What wouldn’t a person say just to survive? I said it because I thought it was a decent way to clean up the mess while also throwing out a marriage bait.

‘The post-shame clarity hits harder than expected.’

Having lived a life where I never held back those who left and never blocked those who came, this was the first time I was the one trying to seduce someone.

I never dreamed I would end up doing that for the first time in a game.

‘And to a man, at that…’

I almost lost my mind for a moment out of sorrow, but I snapped out of it when Fredrick’s back started shaking.

“No, then… does Your Holiness l-like Hereis…?”

…Since I have to survive first, I need to do what needs to be done.

I spoke in the most melodious, coquettish voice possible, acting embarrassed.

“B-Be quiet. Do not force me to say it out loud when it is embarrassing.”

“Ah~ But of course! I shall do as you command. Ahem! Well, you must be worried then. I understand!”

I couldn’t see Fredrick’s expression well, but his lips and cheekbones sticking out to the sides showed he looked very excited.

‘Damn it…’

Fredrick, who had arrived long ago but had been lingering just to hear the answer to his question, bent his arms while hanging from the window frame of the room and poked his face in.

As I was carried on his back, the view inside the room also came into my sight.

Since the bed was right next to the window, the protagonist’s sleeping face was clearly visible.

“Ah, he’s awake.”

The protagonist’s eyelids fluttered open, revealing his golden eyes.

Ding!

As if sensing that the story was about to progress, the system turned on right away.
Then, Mo Je-won’s voice drifted into the room.

“Oh, it’s nighttime? Did the protagonist just wake up from a nap? Wait, what’s that? There’s something weird outside the window.”

-Holy crap, what the hell is that?

On the screen, two black silhouettes were cast against the window.

“Whoa, what a jumpscare!”

Mo Je-won expressed his disgust at a visual that was easily on par with a horror game.

-The protagonist is opening the window.

-Kyaaaak.

-This kid has no fear.

“Good evening! Did you sleep well, Sir Hereis?”

“……”

-???

-It’s the Commander.

• Why are you there?

Faced with a brightly smiling Fredrick, the protagonist’s lips twitched as if he were about to curse at any second.

-Whoa, hold it in.

-He’s your superior. Snap out of it, Hereis.

“Have you finally gone m—”

“Wait, wait! Do you know who else I brought with me?”

Lifting my face, which had been lowered out of sheer embarrassment, I greeted the protagonist.

“I came too.”

……!!!

Naturally, the protagonist looked utterly astounded.

The chat was exactly the same.

Whatever words the protagonist had intended to hurl at Fredrick were buried deep within his heart, and the three of us gathered around a circular wooden table arranged in the room.

“I apologize for waking you up in the middle of the night! It looked like you were sound asleep!”

“No. I was merely resting with my eyes closed, so it is fine.”

“I-I see!”

-Man, this is so awkward.

-Why is the protagonist so angry?

-It’s obviously because of Oscar.

-If your boss climbed through your window at night, wouldn’t you be pissed?

-Hell yeah, that’s a nightmare.

In the quiet room that had fallen still thanks to Fredrick keeping his mouth shut, the protagonist finally broke the silence first.

“Won’t you state your business, Commander?”

“Ah, well, that is… I don’t really know how to put it into words! We have a serious problem on our hands right now.”

“Has something happened to the Empire?”

“No, no! The problem has happened to you!”

“……I am already aware, if this is regarding Oscar.”

“No, no! That’s not it either!”

“……”

The protagonist squeezed his eyes shut.

He seemed to be exercising immense patience against Fredrick’s disastrous explanatory skills.

Brushing his bangs up irritably, the protagonist plunged into deep thought for a moment before murmuring something that had crossed his mind, even before Fredrick could properly speak.

“Could it be… that news of Uncle Jeffrey has already spread?”

“News? Nothing has been officially announced yet. Did Duke Jeffrey actually commit something after all?”

-??

-He committed something?

Sensing that the situation was far from ordinary, the protagonist knitted his brows.

“Just what exactly do you know, Commander?”

Fredrick hesitated for a brief moment before spitting it out like a confession.

“To tell you the truth… I received an order from His Majesty to capture Duke Jeffrey. He mentioned that summary execution would be acceptable if capturing him alive proves too difficult.”

……!!

This was news to me as well.

‘Is he trying to bury the treason charge entirely?’

I expected him to denounce it publicly, but I guess he wants to handle this matter quietly?

Come to think of it, this was the optimal choice for both me and the Emperor.

It would dispose of the mastermind of the rebellion while preserving the honor of the Rubel family.

“This sort of treatment… is something reserved only for those guilty of high treason! Yet His Majesty provided no explanation whatsoever!”

Fredrick slammed his fist down onto the table with a frustrated sigh.

For Fredrick, who was completely in the dark about the underlying circumstances, it was only natural to perceive this as an unjust command.

Although it was unexpected of him to prioritize his subordinate over the Emperor’s decree, I suppose such a thing was possible since Fredrick’s affection level was quite high.

Well, either way, now that this topic had come up, it was my turn to step in.

“I can explain the reason. Since it is a matter concerning me.”

“Pardon?”

“You must have heard the news that I was ambushed in the Kotan Forest.”

“Ah, yes. I am incredibly relieved that Your Holiness is safe and sound—”

“The one who orchestrated that ambush is Jeffrey Rubel.”

……!!!

Widened with shock, the eyes of both the protagonist and Fredrick snapped toward me.
For the record, this was a blatant lie.

‘Explaining everything about the ledger would be too tedious, and this way is much more shocking and easier to understand.’

I had merely twisted the facts just a little bit.

Furthermore, in a monarchy, the blood of the imperial family represents the very foundation of the nation; an assassination attempt is a direct challenge to the imperial authority.

In other words, there was essentially no difference since both acts constituted the crime of high treason.

“If he dared to attempt the assassination of the Saintess and the Crown Prince, is he not entirely deserving of a summary execution?”

“Are you certain of this?”

Stepping in for the protagonist, who was too shell-shocked to utter a word, Fredrick demanded confirmation.

“I cannot reveal the details, but both evidence and testimonies have been secured.”

“…I see.”

“Since he failed once, there is no guarantee he won’t try a second time. The Emperor most likely intends to send you to prevent any further insidious schemes from Duke Jeffrey.”

Fredrick covered his eyes and let out a heavy sigh before continuing.

“If that is the case, then His Majesty’s actions make sense. It is no ordinary matter, so it would have been difficult to carelessly reveal the inner details.”

“……”

“…There is no justification to refuse the order, then.”

With a contorted face, Fredrick looked at the protagonist and spoke.

“I am truly sorry, Hereis.”

“No way! I poured all my wealth into restoring that stat!”

‘Wait, it dropped less than I expected?’

While Mo Je-won screamed in despair, I felt relieved.

“Um, Your Holiness. I know that rebellion is an act of high treason that warrants the complete annihilation of the family line, but what will happen in Hereis’s case…?”

Fredrick gulped as he asked. He seemed to assume that since the protagonist was my companion, I would help him out.

“You can rest easy on that front. Even the Emperor cannot carelessly punish my companion.”

Fredrick’s face instantly brightened.

“…That is an immense relief, Hereis!”

“However, that does not apply to the rest of the family. The Emperor wished to eliminate every member of the ducal house except for you.”

“Ah…”

“T-That is absurd!”

I smiled softly as I looked at the deathly pale protagonist.

“Indeed. I thought so as well, which is why I personally made a request to the Emperor. I asked him to limit the punishment strictly to the Duke himself. Fortunately, he gave his consent.”

-Oh.

-As expected of the Saintess.

-She really handles everything for him.

“On one condition, however: that you become the next Duke.”

……!