《Slow Prison Life》


 Chapter 1 - Noblewoman Placed in Prison

    <h4>Noblewoman ced in Prison</h4>


    The evening¡¯s festivities were a rousing sess, but the venue quickly descended to silence as the Prince dered the annulment of his engagement.


    In the middle of a luxurious banquet hall was a handsome young man with long blonde hair that reached his shoulders. Prince Elliot, eldest son of the King. And at his back was a lovely young woman with fiery red twintails.


    These two¡¯s gazes were nted squarely on a noblewoman who was being taken away by one of the Prince¡¯s aides.


    The woman had tied up chocte brown hair, and despite her current situation, she was unnervingly calm. The Prince¡¯s (original) fiancee, Rachel, the eldest daughter of Duke Ferguson.


    The <ruby>Baron woman<rt>Twintail</rt></ruby> was trembling behind Elliot¡¯s back as he and all his aides stared daggers into Rachel.


    ¡°Rachel. If you have even a bit of shame, then you will apologize to Margaret immediately!¡±


    Two people were standing on each side of Rachel, twisting her arms. They were Sykes Abigail, the head knight inside the castle, and George Ferguson, Rachel¡¯s own younger brother. Both of them soon spoke up as well, berating Rachel.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting what you deserve you witch! You are the one who incited those other noble women!¡±


    ¡°......please just admit to your sins honestly Sis. How much more do you intend to drag the Ferguson family¡¯s name through the mud?¡±


    These men were condemning a woman who could no longer move anything other than her mouth.


    But whatever they said to her, a fire in Rachel¡¯s eyes refused to extinguish as she stared back at the prince while wearing a cold expression.


    ¡°I have done nothing, so there is no need for me to apologize to your girlfriend.¡±


    Her white porcin skin looked all the more beautiful when held in contrast to her dark brown hair.


    Thin lips painted pink with pale eyes darker than cobalt.


    Her naturally pale face had a mature touch to it, and her eyes gave off an intense yet intelligent feeling.


    The dress she was wearing had a calming design to it, showing off the figure of the wearer rather than trying to appear morous.


    Rachel was the same age as Elliot, but she looked older with her somewhat in and calm appearance. She kept that image intact while repeatedly voicing her denial to the charges in a quiet tone.


    She remained the same as the Prince continued toy his anger upon her.......with that attitude of hers, the words Rachel kept repeating came out more and more believable.


    The Prince was annoyed.


    In fact, the fact that Rachel¡¯s attitude was no different from how she usually was only served to annoy Elliot even more.


    Why is this rebellious........!


    Rachel had never fought with him before and always acted with the utmost discreetness. Hers was an exemry attitude for a noblewoman to take up with her future husband, and it was probably partially the reason why she was chosen to be the Prince¡¯s fiancee in the first ce......although because of that, if there was ever a problem it was because of Elliot¡¯s restlessness.


    The Prince¡¯s mind wandered.....one of the reasons why he had never liked this woman from the beginning was because of her attitude. Adults around Elliot had yet to break their habit of treating him like he was a child. And with her being the way she was, it just showed how much Elliot had to do to grow up......


    He had thought that confronting her like this, adding pressure from all sides, would finally break that superwoman demeanor of hers, but the only result from all this was a growing desire inside him to punish his fiancee who absolutely refused to apologize.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough already Rachel. It was pointless to give you time to reflect on your actions.¡±


    Elliot rose his chin up, and Sykes began dragging Rachel to the dungeon.


    ¡°Rachel, life is long. Enjoy yours inside the prison.¡±


    At Elliot¡¯s mockery, for the first time Rachel¡¯s expression distorted from the calm look she had before. However, it wasn¡¯t the look of humiliation that Elliot had wanted......it was a sarcastic smile.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I¡¯ll be sure to have lots of fun and enjoy a long, leisurely life.¡±


    The sudden show of emotion took the Prince back, and an expression unlike anything this Duke¡¯s daughter had ever shown before left him speechless........but before the Prince coulde up with a meaning for her words, Rachel had been pulled out of the hall by an indignant Sykes.


    Rachel coldly watched on as her fiancee continued to spout out funny theories and ridiculous logic.


    There was nothing she could do about this guy.


    It is said that men take longer to mentally grow up out of their childish attitudes........but this idiot was supposed to have be an adult years ago.


    It is ridiculous that Rachel would want to harass this woman who means nothing to her, and it is really annoying that she had to be lectured by this guy.


    How hard would it be to educate a royal fiancee?


    And then there were all the surrounding people snickering at the scene without knowing anything and smiling like they were happy that justice was being served. Were they all born without brains?


    Honestly she had never wanted to marry Prince Elliot or be the queen in the first ce. As the daughter of a duke, she was just fulfilling her familial obligations. Why is it that she had to keep leading this idiot around like she was his mother.....?


    Rachel, who had originally only agreed to be this idiot Prince¡¯s wife out of familial obligation, was actually quite apathetic throughout this whole stupid farce. She didn¡¯t care about anything Elliot was saying and wished he would just get on with it.


    And right when Rachel was thinking like that,


    ¡°Rachel, life is long. Enjoy yours inside the prison.¡±


    she became unable to hold her poker face any longer. Arge smile spread across her cold demeanor as her true feelings spilled out.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I¡¯ll be sure to have lots of fun and enjoy a long, leisurely life.¡±


    She would do it. Did this guy not understand what his future would hold?


    The Prince seemed to have made this decision rashly, but in truth the news about his intentions had already been leaked to Rachel long ago. Although she had thought he would at least some of the information she had gotten would have been inurate, but.....


    Apparently she had given him too much credit. All was well though. This meant all of the preparations she had made won¡¯t go to waste as he had alreadypletely annulled their engagement. The expectations she held were enough to make herugh.


    Rachel¡¯s heart was burning hot even as she remained herposed exterior while Sykes walked her to the dungeon.


    At the Prince¡¯smand, she could forget all of that queen education she had been subjected to and live a leisurely life.


    Trapped inside the royal pce¡¯s dungeon which hadn¡¯t been used in recent years.....Rachel was excited thinking about her future life.


    There was no more painful or bothersome queen education.


    There was no more by-the-minute schedules.


    There was no more family tutors trying to teach her useless facts, no more noisy made to interrupt her sleep, and an opportunity to read lots of books.


    She had the free time to do whatever she wanted, and she could have a tea break whenever she so desired. Plus there would be nobody there to get angry with her should she sleep until noon.


    A time where she could do whatever she wanted hade for Rachel during her prison life.


    Consciously holding down her feet that wanted to start skipping, Rachel kept her feet moving forward to her sunny future.

 Chapter 2 - Noblewoman Retains a Steady Basket in the Prison

    <h4>Noblewoman Retains a Steady Basket in the Prison</h4>


    *CLACK* *CLACK* The sound of boots walking down stone steps echoed in the air, and the patrol put in charge of watching over the dungeon raised his face. With a torch in one hand, a ghostly young man was pulling a rope tied to a girl walking behind him with the other.


    After being misunderstood foring down here with strange intentions, the young man started shouting out orders.


    ¡°Are you the prison guard?¡±


    ¡°Hah, but this is......¡±


    While the guard tilted his head to the side, confused at what could be going on here, Sykes removed the rope he had used to tie Rachel¡¯s hands together and pushed her back forward.


    ¡°It¡¯s an order straight from Prince Elliot. We¡¯re throwing this woman into the dungeon. It¡¯s undecided when she¡¯ll be let out......it¡¯s up to how well she reflects.¡±


    ¡°Hah.......¡±


    Sykes furrowed his brow at theckluster responses he was getting from the guard.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Hah......as a matter of fact, this is, the prison.....¡±


    Sykes looked back past the guard, tired of his bumbling response.....and saw that the dungeon had been turned into a storehouse.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    The unexpected sight made Sykes cry out. A number of wooden boxes of various sizes were stacked up high, pushed into one corner of the cell. There were some stacks that reached all the way to the ceiling.


    ¡°Actually......a number of officials came down here earlier today, and they kept bringing down more and more of this stuff saying they were just going to keep it here temporarily.¡±


    Sykes looked over each of the boxes from a distance, eyeing them over suspiciously.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t used the pce¡¯s dungeon in a long time, so it¡¯s probably nothing. They probably never expected that it would need to be used that very night......¡±


    The guard had no idea what was in all those boxes, but they were taking up over have the cell.


    ¡°Why was this ce randomly chosen to act as a storage facility............?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. This is the first time something like this has happened......but since we never use this ce, there was no reason for me to tell them no......¡±


    A number of documents from civil servants had been given requiring that these boxes be safely stored away......Sykes clicked his tongue at the horrible timing, but when he looked again, he saw that the front part of the cell where the toilet and entrance were were open.


    There was enough room for Rachel to lie down as well.


    ¡°We have no choice, just stay on this half of the cell. And not a word ofint. Just be appreciative you don¡¯t have a criminal partner in there with you as well.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Rachel quietly nodded, so Sykes motioned his chin over towards the cell door. A secret key make a soft *CLICK* as the door unlocked and then a long *SQUEEK* filled the whole basement as it swung open.


    Knowing the circumstances of the men and women who had entered these walls before, a scornful smile finally broke through the knight captain¡¯s scrutinizing demeanor.


    ¡°Heheheh, it¡¯s probably a pretty creepy ce for the daughter of a nobleman.......well, if you live in the capitol. After a week I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get used to it and start thinking of it like an unusual inn. ........Well, I suppose you have no idea how many years you¡¯ll actually be in here?¡±


    Rachel remained silent as she walked into her new home while the knight captain continued to fling threats andints at her back.


    After entering, the cell doors immediately closed behind her, still rattling as her captors slid the key back inside and locked the door.


    Looking down at this quiet girl who had taken a seat on the cold stone floor, a disgusting smile came across Sykes¡¯s face.


    ¡°If you want to start crying or hating the great me, just remember that this is all because of your actions. Anyway we haven¡¯t used this dungeon in a long time. The location is also bad, so sorry if we forget you¡¯re here~¡±


    Sykes once again began tough at his own prodding.


    ¡°Hahahaha, that¡¯s right. His Highness will soon forget you while having fun with Miss Margaret. Before we forget that we put you in this prison, I suggest you lower your head.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s daughter watched Sykes and the prison guard go with a frown as the two of them turned their backs on her. They were to leave this noblewoman on her own......was how it was supposed to be.


    Sykes and the prison guard began making their way back up the stairs, and at that time


    *KACHANG* *KACHANG* *CRASH*


    ¡°Crash?¡±


    The two men turned back around when they started hearing some funny noises.


    What they saw was Rachel, twining a heavy iron chain around the bars of her cell and the door frame and using a heavy padlock to lock it up.


    This was the moment Rachel¡¯s <ruby>counterattack<rt>harassment</rt></ruby> began.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Wh-what!?¡±


    Seeing the unexpected actions of the young noblewoman, Sykes and the prison guard both ran back to the cell door.


    But Rachel had already securely locked it shut.


    ¡°Hey, what is this!?¡±


    The men tried yanking open the door with all their strength, *CHING* *CHING* but the door would only make a small noise as the edge of the door hit the chains fastening it shut. In the end, they couldn¡¯t open it enough to slide in even a finger.


    Rachel coolly watched them go from inside her cell.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I locked it shut for my own safety.¡±


    ¡°This, isn¡¯t this is a prison!? Isn¡¯t it strange that the prisoner would be locking their door!?¡±


    Rachel spoke calmly and coolly as Sykes¡¯s face turned red from his shouting.


    ¡°I am a beautiful, unmarried woman. It would be unbearable if the worst were to befall me. It is a plot point in many stories for guards to sneak their way into dungeons where their bosses can¡¯t keep an eye on them.¡±


    ¡°You thought, that¡¯s unheard of here!? And where did this chain and locke from!?¡±


    ¡°That is a product for my own convenience.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t give an inch no matter what was being yelled at her while Sykes and the prison guard were both at a loss for words. She was supposed to be locked inside a prison, but it was starting to take the form of a basket instead.1


    ¡°Wh-what do we do.....?¡±


    The prison guard spoke dumbfounded, and after a moment, Sykes begrudgingly replied.


    ¡°We¡¯ll report to His Highness for now........and, and we¡¯ll go with what he decides.......¡±


    So the head of the knights in the entire castle left the dungeon and slowly began dragging his feet back to the party venue.


    1. So time for a little Japanese lesson. The idiom ¡®retaining a steady basket¡¯ essentially means to barricade yourself in or to fortify your position. Also, basket and cage share the same kanji. So it¡¯s a pun where the cage(»\) has be a basket(»\).

 Chapter 3 - Noblewoman Renovates the Prison

    <h4>Noblewoman Renovates the Prison</h4>


    By the time Sykes returned from the prison, he found Elliot still flirting with Miss Margaret.......but the situation was soon going to evolve(deteriorate).


    ¡°.......!!¡±


    When he saw the state of the dungeon, Elliot was at a loss for words. Sykes, who was supposed to have been prepared for the strangeness of this situation, was also at a loss for words. This prison, it was apletely different ce from just 30 minutes ago.


    The dungeon is a facility that is actuallyprised of onerge square room separated in two by a row of iron bars.


    The front room across from the iron grating is used for waiting and monitoring the dungeon. The staircase leading up to the rest of the castle was obviously here as well. The only furniture in this portion of the dungeon was just a simple desk and a couple chairs.


    The prisoners¡¯ meals would be brought from the kitchen in the upper floors, so there was no need for any kitchen facilities, and because any interrogations are taken care of in the guard quarters, there was no need for any furniture.


    The room in the back is where the prisoner resides¨Cthe actual dungeon. Interior decoration consists of stone with a stone ceiling and a stone floor. A monochromatic design. In one corner there was a toilet, shower, and washbasin all shoved together. These two portions of the room are only separated by the iron bars, and if they were to be removed, you would have a single,rger room.


    As it is called a dungeon, it is the basement floor mostly underground, but there is several elongated holes in the high walls to act as windows in order to provide venttion and lighting. Because this was the only source of light for the room, even in the daytime it was dim without anymps or candles.


    Whether life in this stifling space would be dreadful or not depended on the position of the person interred here and the degree of hostility from the person who had put them in there.


    If the prisoner was a big shot that needed due consideration or if the person was still on amicable terms with their jailer despite the circumstances, then they could expect special treatment. Rugs and other furnishings like beds, desks, and chairs could be provided along with toiletries for the toilet and even a bathtub.


    If the purpose of the prisoners incarceration was to oppress them or their jailer felt hatred for them, then they may receive nothing instead. Shivering in the cold and forced to lie down on the cobblestone floor. They would have to eat off a tray ced on the ground and subjected to the humiliation of being watched as you bathe and excrete waste by the guard.


    Just listening to this type of treatment is enough to make most men tremble. Especially if their imprisonment had already been decided.....


    Nheless, the stories are mostly just urban legends.


    In the first ce there is almost no reason for this prison to be used in the first ce.


    Compared to the past, most inmates are handled immediately by the guards, so rather than being thrown into the dungeon, they are immediately dragged into the guard quarters where their interrogations are handled post haste without giving them even a chance to escape.


    On the other hand, and criminals who wouldn¡¯t need this type of consideration wouldn¡¯t be important enough to be ced in the dungeon of the royal pce. It is far better and more practical to just ship them off to therger suburban prison used by themon people.


    This dungeon was something to be used to abuse powerful people who had lost everything from the days where civil wars and conspiracy was an everyday thing. The country had been at peace for a long time now so rather than a prison, it had be more of a holding cell for nobles and courtiers who meet extraordinary conditions.


    Rachel Ferguson, who was this cells first resident in a long time, was indeed an extraordinary case. Somebody who was expecting the Duke¡¯s daughter to draw the Prince¡¯s ire and be thrown in there. There was no such person who existed. Or at the very least, such a capable person is hard toe by.


    But was Prince Elliot able to think that deeply......?


    Of course not. He just wanted to bully Rachel who had created a bad environment and bullied the cute Margaret. At no point in any corner of his brain did he ever consider what her living arrangements would be like.


    What had crossed the Prince¡¯s mind was the powerful image of Rachel bing desperate after being imprisoned and begging Margaret for forgiveness and to be released as soon as possible. Any specific details were unable to be found.


    Honestly, after expelling Rachel from his social gathering and flirting with Margaret, the Prince hadpletely forgotten the matter until Sykes had drug his feet back into the hall.


    So he had no idea what problem his aide could have had with that woman, and he didn¡¯t understand the strangeness of the situation until he had gotten to the prison himself.


    ..........because when he did arrive in the prison, Prince Elliot could not understand the sight in front of him.


    In this prison, the Duke¡¯s daughter who had just had her engagement annulled and left alone in this cold dank ce was currently rxing.


    In this ce where stone pavement should be visible from every corner, a geometrically patterned rug mat wasid down, and the shower and toilet which should have been in in view for the guards was partitioned off by a floral curtain.


    The resident who had arrived at the castle that night while wearing a formal evening dress had already changed into some simple indoor wear. On the rug mat was a cushion sofa where this dungeon¡¯s imprisoned was turning the page of her book while lying on her back. In other words, there was also a light inside the cell close enough for her to be able to read.


    Why is she wearing a different outfit from what she had been thrust in there with?


    Where did this furnituree from?


    Impossible.


    This picture is impossible.


    This side of the iron bars is definitely still a dungeon.


    And even though the other side is supposed to be a dungeon, even if it is narrow, why is such afortable living arrangement spread out?


    The people gathered here had no words for this mysterious sight, but after a moment of them staring, the nobleman lying there suddenly noticed their presence.


    ¡°?¡±


    Rachel sat up,pletely ignoring the other side of the bars, and after picking up the kettle off of her alcoholmp, she poured out some boiling water into her tea pot before covering the lid. Inside this dank dungeon, the smell of obviously outstanding fragrant tea spread.


    ¡°Mufuu.....¡±


    Rachel smiled happily while smelling the excellent scent.


    Elliot, who had been frozen in shock until now, finally moved a little when his jaw dropped watching this whole tea brewing scene. Sykes kept staring at the woman¡¯s face, but he couldn¡¯t force any words toe out.


    After around a five count, the Prince¡¯s senses finally returned to him when he rushed forward and clung to the iron bars.


    ¡°You! Where did you get something like this from!¡±


    Rachel gave the Prince an incredulous look, finding his response iprehensible.


    ¡°Because I prepared all this myself, I didn¡¯t put any strain on the national budget.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem!¡±


    ¡°Because these are all private items I bought over time, there is no way for me to say specifically.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about where you got it! Where did it alle from for it to be in here!?¡±


    Elliot¡¯s words were bing harried as he continued barreling through the conversation.


    Rachel however couldn¡¯t seem to understand what he was talking about, so rather than tell him anything, she decided to instead open up one of the nearby wooden boxes and enjoy a sweet. The wooden box she had opened was one of the ones that had been in there since the beginning. The ones that should¡¯ve been a bunch of extra storage.


    ¡°........there!?¡± Sykes shouted.


    ¡°What!?¡±


    The prison guard started exining the situation to the Prince who was unaware of the circumstances of those boxes. As the full trick became known to him, Elliot began to feel dizzy as he watched his former fiancee happily enjoy a cookie and sip some tea.


    ¡°Pr-predicting the situation, the Duke had already sent in siege supplies!?¡±


    Rachel popped in here replying to the Prince¡¯s terrified misunderstanding.


    ¡°To be urate it was actually done by my hands. Well, I¡¯ve been preparing for just such an event.¡±


    With the Prince unable to catch up to that second statement, Rachel opened up her book at the bookmark at she ced on the sofa and once again began devoting herself to absorbing the contents.


    Although everyone would admit that Rachel Ferguson was a beauty, they would also admit to her having a strangely light presence, and sometimes the Prince would forget what she would say.


    Her beautiful thin lips would scarcely form any expression, and they would rarely voice any of her opinions other than the abstract. Even if she were to voice an opinion, the Prince would often hear it at his own convenience.


    She was like the shadow of the Prince, a convenient woman attached to his side. The rival noblewomen would often verbally bad-talk her saying she was like a wilted flower and not suitable for the Prince.


    Besides the shining beautiful Prince, she was a delicate butterfly that didn¡¯t get in the way, but was also inconspicuous.


    She would be unnoticeable if not for the Prince at her side which was why she had always been deemed not fun.


    Because she was such a woman, Elliot thought that was why she didn¡¯t put up any resistance when he threw their engagement out the window........


    But now he had a different thought,


    ........Who is this woman doing whatever she wants right now in this ridiculous ce?

 Chapter 4 - The Duke Grasps the Situation

    <h4>The Duke Grasps the Situation</h4>


    During tonight¡¯s party being held at the royal pce where numerous young nobles had gathered, an emergency report was delivered that Rachel¡¯s engagement had been suddenly abandoned by the Prince.


    In a situation that was almost impossible to understand, the Duke¡¯s house had descended to a state of chaos, and as everyone turned to the Duke for answers......he was running to try and gain information from his vassals to try and grasp the situation himself.


    Each subordinate came rushing in, delivering one fragment of bad news after another.


    ¡°It is certain that then that the Prince broke off the engagement with Rachel at tonight¡¯s party?¡±


    ¡°Hah. We have been able to confirm so from multiple sources. In the midst of tonight¡¯s party, she was restrained in the middle of the banquet hall and taken away.


    The Duke could feel a migraineing on.


    ¡°That idiot prince.....! I wonder if he aimed for a this to be sensationalized, but the ce is way too bad. He¡¯s never been the brightest, but this is a question of hismon sense......¡±


    The Duke Dan had already judged that the Prince would be going down.


    Ending the engagement and viting over a dozen noble manners and customs, no matter how he tries to y this off it¡¯s going to look bad for him.


    Of course there was also a bitter anger in him that his daughter¡¯s engagement had been broken so shamelessly.........but honestly, the current problem bothering the Duke more than anything was something far worse.......


    The Duke mmed his hands on the top of his desk.


    ¡°That guy¡¯s head was always empty........but now he¡¯s willingly awoken the Demon.......!¡±


    The Duke¡¯s eldest daughter Rachel has been a beautiful child ever since she was small. With her modest gestures and fragile appearance, she looked like a shy and gentle girl from the outside. The Duke and his wife who didn¡¯t know anything would always talk and praise her during their get-togethers. Everyone thought she was a wonderful child in both body and mind.


    They were wrong.


    As the girl grew up and her sense of self developed, the Duke and his wife¡¯s smiles started to cloud.


    In any case, her behavior was badpared to the other kids her age.


    When a group of kids tried to bully her once, she climbed up a big tree in a skirt and then threw a beehive at them. When older kids came forward to try and act as reinforcements, she started knocking them down with arge stick and punished the main instigator of the bullying by throwing them in a pond.


    When the Duke heard all the noise and rushed to the scene, he found his daughter throwing stones at the boy every time he tried toe back up out of the water for air.


    When the shocked father tried to stop the incident, his daughter at the time looked at him with a very serious face and said,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. If you keep throw the stones fast enough down on him while he¡¯s trying toe up, I can prevent him from floating back up to the top.¡±


    It was around this moment the Duke had concluded there was a very high probability that his daughter was a psychopath.


    For the time being he pointed out the difficulty of loading the boy down at the bottom of the pond by throwing stones at him, and he took the time to exin water resistance and how that shape of these amorphous stones meant you couldn¡¯t guarantee where they wouldnd. He educated her on all such things, but the entire time Dan was quietly panicking inside his head.


    His daughter¡¯s eyes were shining, ¡°As expected of Father!¡± she praised him, but it was honestly the first time he had experienced his daughter¡¯s praise going in one ear and making its way out the other.


    It was worth all the effort the two parent had put in when they noticed Rachel¡¯s distorted personality, and their daughter was able to pick up the social skills that matched her appearance as she matured.


    Comparing manners and morals to the rules of a game, they were able to get her to grow up in the ideal way, ying the ¡®rules of life¡¯ to make it a fair game for everyone ying.


    But the two parents were always aware.


    If she were ever to lose the thought that she had to y by the rules, then they had no idea what kind of things their daughter was capable of.


    So they raised Rachel and her brother with an emphasis on the necessary education on ethics for nobles.......and then the abandonment of her engagement shattered so many of those rules.


    The Duke knew more than anyone else what could be happening in the banquet hall right this very moment.


    <ruby>Prince Elliot<rt>stupid idiot</rt></ruby> had just flipped the table over.


    A butler breathlessly rushed into the room to file a report while the Duke continued to pace back and forth in his study impatiently waiting for an update on the current scene.


    ¡°The details have arrived!¡±


    ¡°Has there been movement!?¡±


    The Duke¡¯s impatience had hit MAX levels, and the butler¡¯s face went blue when he realized he had to break the news.


    ¡°The situation is a bit.....His Highness hasn¡¯t sentenced Mdy with anything, but since she won¡¯t apologize for whatever offense she apparently caused, she seems to have been dragged down to the dungeon and quietly imprisoned there.¡±


    ¡°..........¡±


    All movement from the Duke stopped.........right before he lost all feeling in his legs and crumpled down into his chair. His butler quickly rushed to his side.


    The Duke was stunned for a while, but he was soon able to leak out a few words.


    ¡°This is.....so His Highness is fine.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The butler, who also knew about the growth Rachel had gone through from her youth, nodded his head.


    His daughter¡¯s sudden steeled resolve wasn¡¯t enough to settle the Duke¡¯s worries entirely. He had no choice but to let that girl do what she wanted to ease up on the gas.....


    The Duke¡¯s bustling impatience disappeared from his face. He walked around to his desk and began loading his pipe with some tobo.


    He would take a puff for the time being. That¡¯s all he would do for now. It was all that he could do.


    The Duke took a deep drag on his pipe, savoring the taste of the tobo before spitting it back out.......and then he remembered something important.


    ¡°If it¡¯s like this......George was also there in the hall. What was he doing while all this was going on?¡±


    Apart from Rachel being his future wife, George was also a good friend to the Prince. Before it bing such a serious event, if he had tried to arbitrate or reported this matter to the Duke, then thismotion could have been minimized.


    The butler who had delivered the original report suddenly looked ufortable again before being forced to bring up some horrible additional information.


    ¡°It seems......the young lord has also be infatuated with the Baron¡¯s daughter just like His Highness and joined together with him in condemning the Lady.¡±


    The Duke and butler couldn¡¯t look each other in the eyes, instead turning their gazes up to the ceiling.


    ¡°George.....is already dead.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That idiot has been with his older sister for sixteen years now. Why can¡¯t he understand something so simple?¡±


    It had been a while since Rachel had done anything crazy, but still, what in the world had he been thinking?


    The Duke had zero intentions of protecting his eldest son from from the inevitable anger Rachel would unleash on her younger brother.


    If he were to do that, then the damage would just spill out over here as well.


    He refused to have everything he ever worked for smashed to pieces because of his foolish son.


    While the Duke was staring up at the ceiling, still enjoying long drags from his pipe, the corridor suddenly became noisy, and his wife burst through the door.


    ¡°Ah, Dan!¡±


    ¡°Iseria!¡±


    A weeping wife jumped into her husband¡¯s chest right as he rose out of his chair worried.


    ¡°Rachel is........Rachel is........!¡±


    ¡°I know. I was just listening to the report now.....we must keep ourselves together!¡±


    The wife, who waspletely upset, started shouting through her tears.


    ¡°Because she......Rachel won¡¯t silently take this.....Rachel¡¯s going to kill everyone there!? Our future¡¯s and the future of His Majesty are going to bepletely destroyed!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright! Rachel is already 17 years old, she isn¡¯t a child anymore. She¡¯s at the age where she can make judgements like an adult.¡±


    Towards his crying wife, the Duke continued to try and ease her worries with words he didn¡¯t actually believe. But his words provided very little relief for his wife.


    ¡°Dan, you can¡¯t understand......you don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like watching your little girl sing <i>Lizzie Borden¡¯s Poem</i> while swinging around an axe!¡±1


    ¡°You have to calm down Iseria! It¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll be okay! Rachel has grown greatly as a nobledy over this past decade. The Rachel that she is right now won¡¯t beat the Prince to death with a blunt object, but will instead mentally tear away at his brain in a way that is just barely legal!¡±


    ¡°Really.....? Rachel really is okay with just that? That girl won¡¯t bring the kingdom down in an ocean of fire after carving the Prince up with a knife¡±


    ¡°Believe in our daughter Iseria! She is an intelligent and clever girl. There is no way she would be so stupid as to bring herself down along with her victims. She will definitely destroy His Highness in a way without getting any blood on her feet.¡±


    Nheless, the Duke was unable to predict what his daughter was thinking, and whether his daughter¡¯s ns would end with the Prince¡¯s murder was something that couldn¡¯t be said.


    How to deal with this.........at this stage the Duke could do nothing other than sigh.


    There were a number of servants surrounding these two.......and all of them had been a member of this house too long to tsukkomi their conversation.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    While the Duke rubbed his wife¡¯s back trying to calm her down, a calm voice asked for permission to enter the room¨Can unnerving thing in this currently chaotic mansion.


    Walking through the door, it was Rachel¡¯s childhood friend and maid Sofia who bowed her head to the head of the house.


    ¡°Ah, Sofia. You¡¯re timing is perfect. Have you heard what happened to Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Of course.¡±


    ¡°I will be heading over there immediately to protest. I would like for you to get ready and join me on my way there. If we can¡¯t get Rachel out of prison, we will be sure to at least provide her with her personal belongings to make her stay morefortable. If anyone objects, we will push through with my authority.¡±


    Rachel having been thrown in prison directly from the banquet hall, she would require a change of clothes and other things for her to go on living. Sofia was close to Rachel, so bringing her along would make things go quick was what the Duke thought, but.......


    ¡°No, everything¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already prepared everything? As expected of you.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Everything has been prepared and brought in for her.¡±


    ¡°I see, that¡¯s good preparation........huh? You brought it in?¡±


    Turning his full attention on the maid who was saying things that didn¡¯t quite make sense, he saw two other gray-haired maids behind her give a sharp nod.


    ¡°Mdy gained information on this event in advance, so we prepared enough food and supplies for her to live there for three months and transported it to the royal prison.¡±


    In private, the maids working under Rachel are often even more arrogant than their master as evidenced by how Sofia responded to the Duke with a surprised expression as if what she was saying weremon sense.


    ¡°.......Huh?¡±


    Numerous doubts were jumping around the Duke¡¯s brain all at once, but he tried gathering himself together and asked his daughter¡¯s follower his most important question.


    ¡°Ju-just a moment......she got this information in advance? Why didn¡¯t Rachel do anything then? And then, how did you smuggle in three months of supplies into the royal pce?¡±


    This maid loyal to Rachel answered once again as if the answer were obvious.


    ¡°It seemed dubious whether he would actually do it, the Lady had received knowledge about the Prince¡¯s ¡®Engagement abandonment n¡¯. ¡®<i>Once that idiot breaks off the engagement and annuls my responsibilities, won¡¯t I be able toze around and do whatever I want for a while? That sounds lovely!</i>¡® were her words.¡±


    ¡°........Rachel.......¡±


    ¡°And ever since the engagement with the Prince was first finalized, she has been organizing her ¡®Dark Night ck Cats¡¯ to have them epass all throughout the royal pce. Thus it was a simple matter to smuggle in her supplies while disguised as it being public service.¡±


    ¡°Rachel, what in the world are you aiming for........!?¡±


    The Duke was relieved to know that his daughter had her wits about her.


    But more than that, he was trembling with fear realizing the darkness in his daughter¡¯s heart went far deeper than he thought.


    Why did she have an intelligence organization that the rest of the house wasn¡¯t aware about? And being able to smuggle in over three months worth of supplies, isn¡¯t that too far beyond just a simple informationwork? Couldn¡¯t she actually perform a royal assassination if it¡¯s like this? And many other thoughts of that nature were running through the Duke¡¯s head......


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going to go protest the government¡¯s actions.¡±


    ¡°Please feel free.¡±


    He decided to pretend that he hadn¡¯t heard anything.


    1. It¡¯s a Mother Goose poem:


    Lizzie Borden took an axe


    And gave her mother forty whacks.


    When she saw what she had done,


    She gave her father forty-one.

 Chapter 5 - Noblewoman Drives Off the Prince

    <h4>Noblewoman Drives Off the Prince</h4>


    Rachel was doing whatever she wanted when she was supposed to be bound.


    She was coolly returning Prince Elliott¡¯s re. He quickly started yelling through the iron bars.


    ¡°Oi! Isn¡¯t this a prison!? Why are you so rxed!?¡±


    ¡°It is said that the people who live in the capitol are¡±


    ¡°That has nothing to do with right now! Oi, tell me how!¡±


    The prison guard waspletely bewildered when the Prince suddenly started talking to him and began shaking at his fierce re. Naturally.


    ¡°Even if you ask me how I.......¡±


    ¡°Do you think I sent her to prison so she could have a happy vacation like if she were at a vi!? Go in there and confiscate everything that person brought in!¡±


    He was given an order, but because it was impossible, the guard had a hard time talking back to the Prince.


    ¡°Even though you say so......in reality¡±


    ¡°In.......she¡¯s steadied her basket from inside......¡±


    Having the key and padlock exined to him, Elliott¡¯s jaw dropped once again. The sparkling beautiful Prince, it was eerie seeming him with a strange look in his eye and a dumb look on his face.........or so the prison guard thought.


    ¡°What do we do?¡±


    The prison guard was at a loss when asked. The entire reason they had gone to get the Prince was to ask Elliott this very question. The guard took a glimpse over towards Sykes, but he was standing perfectly still looking the other way. Any help from him couldn¡¯t be counted on.


    Because the prisoner¡¯s younger brother is intelligent, he should have been brought along as well......but they would all look ipetent if they were to call for him now.


    The Prince scratched his head in irritation, and as his frustration boiled up, it pushed out a sudden rash answer.


    ¡°Break the chain! We¡¯ll cut through and force our way in!¡±


    Elliott kicked Sykes in the butt to get him moving.


    ¡°Oi, go call up some knights! Have them bring some tools with them!¡±


    ¡°Huh? ..........Ha, Hah!¡±


    Sykes started running up the cobblestone steps, his boots creating an echo inside the chamber with each stride, and Elliott began ridiculing Rachel as she continued to lie back on her cushion.


    ¡°For you to pull a terrible stunt like this, your sins are only getting worse! The treatment you¡¯ll receive will be exactly as it should be. I won¡¯t leave you even a single nket, imagine yourself miserable and shivering alone in the cold darkness!¡±


    Proiming his intentions to an innocent woman with a wicked smile on his face, the figure of the Prince looked like a viin from every angle that you looked at him.


    ncing at the Prince¡¯s smile from over her shoulder, his former fiancee made a small smirk and made a small, ¡°Hmph,¡± through her nose.


    ¡°.......You should do as you want.¡±


    Sykes came back with four other knights making up a five-man unit. The Prince immediately directed them to the problem chain at once.


    ¡°This is it.¡±


    ¡°Uwa.....you want us to cut this!?¡±


    One of the knights screamed. The others knights were each making simr faces as well. Naturally.


    They had been told that the chain the Prince¡¯s finger was pointing to was the size of a woman¡¯s pinky finger. The diameter of the chain, was not that. The diameter of the iron material the chain was made of, was.1 In other words, if you were to try and wrap your hand around the chain, it was so thick that your index finger and thumb might not be able to touch......its the kind of chain you should be putting on a castle gate instead of a cell door.


    The padlock keeping it shut was ordingly huge, so much so that Rachel dainty arms probably couldn¡¯t have lifted it unless she used both hands. The keyhole had been carefully directed towards the outside of the iron bars meaning those outside the cell couldn¡¯t see it.


    ¡°I was told we were going to cut some chains and brought the lever scissors.....¡±


    The knight brought forward his specialty scissors made for the express purpose of cutting metal. By operating under the principal of increasing the pushing force, it was an impressive tool that increased the mping force by several times.


    However.


    ¡°If it was made of lead we could manage but.....¡±


    ¡°Is it useless!?¡±


    ¡°This, the material¡¯s iron.....and it¡¯s not even cast iron but forged.....¡±


    Just to try it, two knights worked together with the scissors to try and cut through.


    But no matter how much effort they put in, not even a trace of a bite would mar the surface.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°Is it really!? Some other, there has to be some other way!¡±


    ¡°Once, I did buy an iron saw.....¡±


    The mean had an iron saw to cut through metal, so they decided to try using that instead. The knights took turns switching off and as a result.......


    ¡°Your Highness, we have left a slight mark.....¡±


    ¡°Hmm......after 30 minutes of work......¡±


    This was going to take til dawn to cut. But then a knight finally took a look at the saw and showed the de to Elliott who had been getting lost in his own thoughts.


    ¡°And it¡¯s t. The edge of the iron saw has beenpletely worn away.¡±


    ¡°......can we just keep changing saws?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have another one in the castle.....¡±


    The entire dungeon fell into silence.


    Behind these silent men, a small sound rang out in spite of them. As Elliott turned around, he saw the shoulders of a young noblewoman shaking as she tried to stop herself fromughing while reading her book.


    Blood rushed to Prince Ikemen¡¯s2 head and he kicked the iron bars with his foot.


    ¡°Oi! Because of who is it that you¡¯re making such a fuss in there!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of Your Highness? Aren¡¯t you the one who had me put in the prison? I wouldn¡¯t have been able to make a fuss otherwise.¡±


    ¡°AHHHH!!¡±


    When you put it all together, that¡¯s how it is.


    Elliott could feel his cheeks getting hotter, conscious of all the gazes gathered on him.


    This woman, she was going to get it!


    It was true that Elliott was the cause. He was the one after all who had annulled their engagement and then thrown her in prison because she wouldn¡¯t say she was sorry.........but even so, Elliot was burning up at the revtion that this woman¡¯s ¡®decorative doll¡¯ appearance was just for show, and he couldn¡¯t bear to silently withdraw like this.


    ¡°Oi, bring me a spear so I can stab this woman!¡±


    ¡°Y, Your Highness!?¡±


    Sykes, the prison guard, and all of the apanying knights were astonished at what Elliott had started screaming.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill her. I¡¯m just going to inadvertently hurt her by stabbing her in the knee or something. Then she¡¯ll have to unlock these chains ande out herself!¡±


    ¡°That is, you¡¯re right but.......!?¡±


    Sykes and the other knights all shared an uneasy look.


    It was the Prince who had suddenly dered he was abandoning the engagement and imprisoned his former fiancee all without following any of the proper procedure. The entire royal pce including the dungeon belongs to the King, and it can¡¯t be said that the Prince had the authority to use it however he wanted. At the very least, he wouldn¡¯t be able to make these kinds of decisions if the King weren¡¯t away on an inspection.


    Above this, wasn¡¯t the Prince actually abandoning he duty by breaking an officially epted engagement? She hadn¡¯tmitted any crimes (she bullied the Prince¡¯s girlfriend, so imprisonment and execution should be out of the question), so the men would probably be punished at some point if they were to follow the Prince¡¯s orders now.


    And for some reason none of them thought the Prince would be much help if that were to happen. Sykes and the other knights all started silently pushing each other forward, but when the Prince ran out of patience and raised his numb voice........they all stopped halfway.


    ¡°Oi, I¡¯m getting anxious being made to wait like this. It¡¯ll be fine if we just cut her a little, so.......¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    The Prince¡¯s words stopped mid-sentence, and when all of the men turned to see what he was looking at..........they saw what he saw, and they all stiffened up just like he did.


    At some point the woman in the cell had stood up without anyone noticing.


    And in an obviously familiar form, she had loaded up a crossbow.


    ¡°Y-You even brought weapons.......!? To bring weapons into a prison, you¡¯re insane!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about now? This isn¡¯t a weapon.¡±


    ¡°Eh? I¡¯m wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a self-defense tool.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the same, IDIOT!¡±


    For the time being Rachel was pointing the tip of the bolt towards Elliott, but she had settled into a position where she could shoot at anyone if she needed to. And none of the outside knights had any weapons to counter her.


    Rachel gave a cynical smile towards the men who had all taken a step back.


    ¡°Since Elliot iscking in both wisdom and patience, I assumed a situation like this woulde up. By the way, unlike His Highness who liked to y and chase girls around town, I liked apanying my Father and Uncle when they went hunting. Wild birds drop so well don¡¯t you think?¡±


    And with a smile........she showed them all a beautiful smile that made their spines go cold.


    ¡°About three years ago, the vige I was staying at was attacked by some brigands.......of course the Duke¡¯s soldiers took control of the situation almost immediately, but I also helped take care of three of the men myself. That is.....I don¡¯t have any reservations about shooting a human being so long as their an enemy, is something to take to heart don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Bad.


    Sykes and the others couldn¡¯t say otherwise.


    These days, even knights probably don¡¯t have any real experience. So whether they be knights or soldiers, they are made to practice so that if the time ever dide where they did have to stab someone, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate. It was easy to tell apart the veterans who actually had killed someone before by this flow.


    That¡¯s the way it is in the world right now.....and now trante that to one battle-hardened high-ranking aristocrat.


    She teased them, ¡°Should I kill you~¡± asking them what she was supposed to do, and Elliott and Sykes became able to read the room.


    Rachel tilted her cute, pretty little head.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t do anything on your side, then I will allow your idiotic face toe down and visit me. But if you ever try to harm me or break in here Prince, I, I guess I¡¯ll just have to exercise my right to self-defense don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Rachel smiled again and motioned to the stairs with her chin.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, could you please pack up and leave?¡±


    At Rachel¡¯s question, the knights hurriedly dragged Elliott away, his legs unmoving even as they scraped against the floor. It looked like they were courageously dragging the Prince away from danger, but the truth of it was that they couldn¡¯t leave if their superior officer stayed behind, so they were dragging him with them. Incidentally, the prison guard was the first of them to run.


    Having his back pushed by Sykes to force him up the stairs, the Elliott was able to regain his mind and started shouting again.


    ¡°If you want to be in the prison so much, then stay there as long as you want! But on the other hand, do you think anyone on this side will let you out!? Even if you say you want to leave, we will never let you out! Even if you cry I won¡¯t let you out!¡±


    Rachel responded with a small yawn to her former fiancee¡¯s threats and re-opened her closed book again.


    ¡°I want you to at least be able to say something like that to my face.¡±


    She didn¡¯t expect a reply. And by the time Rachel¡¯s words had ended, the Chicken-Hearted Prince had already escaped.


    Rachel fell asleep while still holding her book, thinking about all the happiness she her life would include starting tomorrow.


    1. I just wanted to point this out since I was really confused at first, they aren¡¯t saying that the iron is as thick as a pinky finger. They are saying that the thickness of the iron is the same as the length of a pinky finger.


    2. For anyone who doesn¡¯t know, an ikemen is just a young, good-looking, and cool guy.

 Chapter 6 - Noblewoman Overhears a Lovely Story

    <h4>Noblewoman Overhears a Lovely Story</h4>


    This is a story that took ce about three weeks before Rachel was imprisoned in the dungeon.


    ?


    The guard manning the gate of Duke Ferguson¡¯s mansion kept a watchful eye out for the young noblewoman¡¯s carriage. Dusk had just begun to settle when he saw a carriage racing this way. He turned back to the mansion and began shouting.


    ¡°The Lady is home!¡±


    After his words echoed through the courtyard, the mansion immediately sprang to life as family members and servants rushed out to greet her, and the guard ran back to his station and threw open the gate. The guard opened the gate at just the right timing so that the carriage bearing the Duke¡¯s family crest on its front was able to pass through without having to slow down.


    As the fiancee of the first prince.........rather their future queen Lady Rachel had returned home from her special education inside the royal pce.


    The butler, head maid, and all the other servants formed two lines on either side of the mansion¡¯s entrance, lowering their heads as Rachel came down the hall.


    She gave a simple self-evaluation to the butler when he asked how the day¡¯s studies had gone, and she confirmed with the head maid that dinner would be held at its usual time in two hours. In the meantime the other maids and male servants bowed their heads and brightly greeted Rachel as she walked up therge steps to her room on the second floor........and when the door closed behind her, she copsed onto her bed just as she was.


    ¡°Ah~..........so tired........¡±


    Rachel started whining with her face buried in her bed while her personal maid Sofia peeled off the clothes and essories she was wearing. Her studies at the royal pce were quite taxing, and it was a regr urrence for her to copse with a *BMPH* whenever she returned.


    It was her attendants job over the next two hours to get this withered Rachel into the bath, and arrange a level of dress and preparedness for her that she would look presentable when having dinner with her family.


    A maid had to be able to show off some dexterous tricks in order to strip a master who didn¡¯t want to move naked.


    That would be natural. Ever since Rachel began her queen¡¯s education inside the royal pce, her maids had been working on various techniques and technologies to support her. If their master is weary, then they would take off her dress without causing any additional burden to her.


    Why don¡¯t they strip her while she¡¯s standing up? There isn¡¯t a person here who could give a sound argument. Rachel¡¯s basic behavior is their top priority.


    The maids provide her a thin sheet to cover herself before taking a step back and allowing Sofia to rece them. Her fingertips on both hands rapidly got to work on Rachel¡¯s body, massaging everything from Rachel¡¯s upper back down to her ankles.


    ¡°........four hours of ssroom lectures followed by two hours of dance,ter.........was inspecting table manners?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face was still buried into her pillow, but Sofia was capable of guessing the day¡¯s curriculum by the tension in her master¡¯s muscles even before Rachel gave her a deft nod for confirmation.


    ¡°Un........it was only three hours of ssroom lectures and two hours of dance along with an hour of how to elegantly walk.........there was also an additional two hours of how to gracefully watch theater.........that lecture alone left my shoulders feeling stiff.¡±


    ¡°And how does one gracefully watch theater?¡±


    ¡°Shoulders back, sitting up straight with good posture, and then keenly smiling while enthusiastically watching the stage.......in order to watch......... In fact, the lecturer woman¡¯s angle while watching that empty stage was wrong, so all that lesson is good for is diminishing the royal pedigree. Then in the end her hollow eyes started shining while she said we would have some fun.......there isn¡¯t any excitement with keeping your eyes locked on an unmanned stage......¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a ridiculous ss as you are watching from the sidelines.¡±


    ¡°I look like a fool watching another fool staring at nothing.¡±


    Sofia gave a signal, and from seemingly out of nowhere eight other maids appeared, suddenly surrounding Rachel from all sides.


    ¡°Poor girl.......for our Lady who is so tired, allow us to heal everything for you.¡±


    ¡°.......I always tell you gently.......¡±


    ¡°Naturally.¡±


    While taking note of her master¡¯s cautionary words, Sofia started handing out instructions to her subordinates.


    ¡°Today¡¯s emphasis is the shoulders, shins, and soles of her feet! They¡¯re all in an extremely stiff state, so be sure to act thoroughly! All members, begin!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to use your hands gently!? ...............Fugyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    Nine people including Sofia all attacked Rachel at the same time. They pressed down on her with MAX motivation to begin the massage. Not just their fingertips, but they were using the second joints of their fingers, full-fledged rub downs with their hands, and even some acupuncture sticks.......all done simultaneously across her entire body. And with Sofia of course being the chief among them, she took charge of the most reverberated feet.


    ¡°Huah!? Puah! Hingyaaaaaaaaa! Ihya, Ihyaiiiiii!¡±


    A rxing full-body massage that fully heals a person, allowing them to gently nod off to sleep............the massage Rachel was being assaulted with wasn¡¯t something that cute. The nine maids restrained the youngdy as she started bouncing around in pain, and they continued to sprinkle their full power onto her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said it many times! Why do you have to do my whole body simultaneously!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve exined this already many times, but we don¡¯t have the time to do this gradually one at a time. It cannot be helped.¡±


    ¡°It cannot be helped, but doesn¡¯t your voice sound like you¡¯re enjoying yourself!?¡±


    ¡°Mydy jumping around from the pain of a sudden prick? Is there any reason I wouldn¡¯t find this interesting?¡±


    ¡°Is this abor dispute strike!?¡±


    ¡°Everything we do is for My Lady. My, the kidneys........¡±


    ¡°Agaaaaaaaa!¡±


    ¡°And now for the showstopper.¡±


    ¡°Fuhyaaaaaaaa!¡±


    ¡°.......Hmm, because it bounces so much during the Spring, your legs look pretty tired too. Lisa, Mimosa, focus on the area right underneath her knees in particr.¡±


    ¡°Knock¡ªIt¡ªOff¡ª!¡±


    ?


    The noblewoman is then carried while in a half-conscious state to the tub where she is thoroughly boiled at a low temperature. Wrapped in a towel when her snow white skin turns a rosy pink, this time she is softly rubbed down to prevent any muscle sores from returning. After pouring some cold, refreshing lemonade down her mouth, Rachel finally fully regains consciousness.


    ¡°.......Every day every day, I¡¯m sick of having this boring queen education sucking my soul away as if I were performing penance every single day.......it¡¯s like I¡¯ve already descended to Hell. Ah~, I don¡¯t want to be that Prince¡¯s wife.......¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you, we are having fun every single day.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you diverting work stress by shopping and trying out the food at various restaurants?¡±


    ¡°Shopping and being a gourmet is a little hard on our wallets, so we refrain from such fattening hobbies. Something more entertaining than hearing My Lady scream, do you think there exists anything like that in the world?¡±


    ¡°Out there? There are definitely plenty of other things?¡±


    While watching the other maids prepare the clothes and make-up that was to be worn for tonight¡¯s dinner, with Rachel settled Sofia started reading off the day¡¯s report.


    ¡°There are a number of things to report today, but there is one of import that should be heard first.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what is it? Have our secret messages sent through the route inside the royal pce been leaked?¡±


    Sofia kept silent and passed over a hundred letters causing Rachel to tilt her neck to the side while drinking her lemonade.


    ¡°Um? <i>¡®E, are you nning on destroying your engagement to the boss?¡¯</i> ..........Huh?¡±


    As one would expect, Rachel raised a shocked voice.


    ¡°Besides that one, <i>¡®I have already formted my own concrete n¡¯</i> apparently.¡±


    Sofia started reporting the details of their spy¡¯s findings while Rachel continued to silently stare at the document in hand.


    ¡°As we had previously reported it seems that the Prince and those close to him have be enamored with the daughter of a baron who recently started visiting the royal pce.....and it seems he has atst consolidated his determination to make that woman his girlfriend and future princess while getting rid of My Lady. Unfortunately it seems that Master George is involved in the plot........although we have gained concrete proof of the conspiracy, we have yet to report this evidence to the head of the house.¡±


    Sofia reported everything she could before asking with a all her heart,


    ¡°What would you have done......?¡±


    If Rachel were to move the subjects she had, it would be an easy thing to crush the Prince¡¯s n or even the Prince himself. Thetter option would actually increase Rachel¡¯s power even higher.


    ¡°........Well¡±


    Rachel handed the report back over to Sofia.


    ¡°Let¡¯s increase ourmunications. We don¡¯t necessarily know who this ¡®boss¡¯ is.¡±


    ¡°My apologies. When making a cryptographic table we didn¡¯t take into ount times like this.¡±


    Sofia folded the report and put it away in her pocket before looking back into her master¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°So, what shall we do?¡±


    ¡°Let me see.......it¡¯s¡¯ certainly unexpected.........¡±


    Rachel sat back in her seat, silently staring into thin air while Sofia continued to quietly gaze at her.


    The Rachel who she admired¡¯s marriage partner.


    Prince Elliott who was popr among young girls with his brilliant appearance, and to be honest their intelligencework investigated any rumors that had circted around him. In the end all they could find out about him though was that he was ipetent.


    It was useless.


    Although the part about him having good looks was certainly true, with the insides not being even remotelypatible with Rachel, the couple¡¯s rtionship quickly fell through. Even though this was amon urrence with many arranged marriages between aristocrats, the fact that the next King and Queen couldn¡¯t find anymon ground between each other left a sense of crisis for the servants who weren¡¯t Rachel¡¯s.


    If he was the type of idiot who could only do whatever his wife told him, then with Rachel¡¯s maneuvering you could describe him as not ipetent. But even though he was ipetent, his pride wouldn¡¯t allow him to just follow orders. If Rachel was the one who had thought something up, then he would get angry and throw a fit, opposing whatever it was without thinking about the future.


    Rachel would try and give him a practical problem, (like someone having broken in to the royal pce), and Rachel would try and instruct the Garbage Prince would put in zero effort. When Rachel would diligently try to teach him, he would call her noisy and not listen to anything she said.


    It was like the little Prince¡¯s only goal was to defy the Lady........


    Sofia patted her hands in herp trying to hold back her murderous intent for the unsuspecting royal fool. If Rachel authorized it, Sofia would have been more than happy to go down to that stupid, ipetent Garbage Prince and personally instructed him about the fate of cheaters.


    By the way, Sofia has never met Elliott before. All of her opinions were spection derived from the reports she had received. Although she tried to remain objective, blood always rushed to her head whenever somebody got even in a little of the way of her Master¡¯s benefit or prevented her from seeing Rachel¡¯s adorable shorings. Or so she was thinking on her own.


    ?


    While noticing her empty ss, Rachel turned to Sofia.


    ¡°So, what are they concretely going to do?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they will be condemning My Lady the evening of the party celebration for the opening of the social season next month, and they will push forward the Baron¡¯s daughter on the spot after dering the breaking off of the engagement.¡±


    ¡°I see........that is because only the noble youths will being out there. There won¡¯t be any worries of any parental nobles or powerful people putting an end to the charade on the spot. This kind of forward thinking is definitely George¡¯s handiwork.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    Rachel shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°If it was His Highness Elliott, he would¡¯vee forward and made his deration the next day without preparing any foundation beforehand.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s quite the fool isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s reputed as a person who has to use all his nutrients in order to understand. Also, His and Her Majesty will be visiting the mining areas in the southern regions before heading to the summit.......George has picked out a good timing for this.¡±


    ¡°There are other tacticians involved......?¡±


    ¡°The rest of the Prince¡¯s entourage are a bunch of muscle brains who only ever think about their calorie intake. Of the nine people he has following him, eight of them are a collection of sycophant jesters.¡±


    ¡°.......Even if we weren¡¯t talking about this case, it¡¯s a lineup that makes me worry for the future of this country.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why His Majesty hasn¡¯t passed down any real power right now.¡±


    Rachel rose up from the couch and dropped her bathrobe to begin getting dressed. Confirming the glow of her skin, the maids quickly got to work putting on the new clothes they had prepared for her.


    ¡°So Sofia. Making an usation against me at the night¡¯s ball and changing his fiancee to the Baron¡¯s daughter.....after that, what does His Highness n on doing with me? Since he¡¯s doing this in such a public ce, surely they wish to finish the matter in a single stroke?¡±


    ¡°Because their thought patterns are those of children, it seems they have yet to think about that. They n on shaming My Lady by forcing you to confessing how you bullied the Baron¡¯s daughter, and it seems they will make you apologize. When His Majesty the King returns home, they will drag My Lady before him where you will confess your sins and the recement of fiancees will be smoothly realized. It sounds like such a n so far.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll dispose of me afterwards by throwing me to His Majesty and Father.......I mean, have they really only thought that far ahead?¡±


    ¡°Five prosecutors.¡±


    Sofia put a simple dress to be worn at home on Rachel before she took a seat on a stool, and the maids in charge of make-up wrapped a scarf around her neck and began to apply on white powder. The make-up was applied thinly per Rachel¡¯s preferences, so applying the white powder was finished after a few light dabs. The maids then immediately switched over from the puff ball to a brush and started applying crimson to her lips.


    ¡°After the evening ball, it should be about a week before His Majesty returns home right? Do they expect me to just go along with what they¡¯re saying?¡±


    ¡°I cannot imagine a scene where My Lady would apologize to them first, but.......if they were to carry out this crime drama in front of the other participants of the evening ball, they probably do not believe you can ovee the facts.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine.......I, do they want me to be the most famous noblewoman in the court.¡±


    ¡°A wolf that can¡¯t bark is still a wolf. Oh my, this is the first time a poor debut in court has ever made meugh. Hahahahah¡±


    Even though they had gone to so much trouble to get this information, Sofia was starting to think it would be better to not pass it on to the lord.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. If the Lady were to refuse to recognize her sins, it seems the Prince¡¯s group would get impatient and throw you in the dungeon to make you cry.¡±


    The words said in jest caused Rachel to stiffen with astonishment.


    ¡°......dungeon?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It seems like they Prince intends to imprison you in the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Was there such a thing in the Royal Pce?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s doubts were justified.


    In this sweet and peaceful country, are dark facility like a dungeon shouldn¡¯t exist inside the royal pce. Although criminal nobles did appear every once in a while, nobody in the town shops ever talked about them being put in prison inside the royal pce.


    ¡°I confirmed it after the information came in. Underneath the warehouse facing the backyard and temporary courtyard housing, there is a semi-underground prison. It seems the seventh generation king had it constructed in the royal pce to hold rebels.¡±


    A relic of the period when the court saw plenty of blood. In other words......


    ¡°It was about a hundred years ago......can it still be used?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a room with only stone walls and iron bars. Interior decoration, it ispletelycking in furniture, but the upper and lower water supplies seem to have been maintained........it runs at least. There are officials who manage the facility and perform regr maintenance.¡±


    When they looked around, they guessed a person could have still spent some happy, trivial days at the time.


    ¡°........it sounds like you can¡¯t fit too much in there, but for one person it should be plenty of space to spare.¡±


    Taking Sofia¡¯s report in hand, Rachel closely eyed the sketch of the prison printed there. If she were to trust the vertical and horizontal lines written there, the whole room seems to be the size of a tennis court.


    ¡°Because it was supposed to house greater aristocrats, was it designed with arger estimated living space?¡±


    ¡°They might have created it in ordance with the position of the ground floors¡¯ walls and pirs.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s interest had been piqued, and standing up, she started pacing about. The maid in charge of essories quickly followed after her having not yet put on the Lady¡¯s ne. Rachel briskly halted. The rushing maid was then allowed to catch up and set the essory.


    ¡°Sofia, the problem party is about three weeks away correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I believe so........?¡±


    Sofia tilted her head. Clearly the Garbage Prince had secretly made these leaked ns, but was there any rtion between that and the information on the dungeon?


    ¡°Do you have a catalog for those previous reports and items the ck Cats have received?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Hah.......¡±


    Her lord was asking questions with more and more obvious answers.


    The intelligence group that Rachel owned separate from the Duke, Dark Night ck Cats, has a signboard with a ck cat pictured on it. In the shadows of a logistics tradingpany that operates over various seas and parts of the world, it was charged with acquiring active funds and maintaining regr contact with informationworks from various sources. Of course, despite being a covert organization under Rachel¡¯s influence, it also acted as a proper business.


    Rachel roughly looked over thetest product list that the maid had panickly brought over until she carefully inspected a few pages that caught her eye.


    Rachel looked as she normally did, but her smile soon twisted into a rarely seen heartfelt smile.


    ¡°This is good......¡±


    ¡°Hah?¡±


    ¡°Sofia.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°For the evening ball three weeks from now, if His Highness abandons the engagement, I will no longer be the next queen correct?¡±


    ¡°That is, is that so........but would His Majesty allow the engagement to be broken? Although he isn¡¯t someone I have ever worshiped, he is, as expected, not as stupid as his son.¡±


    Sofia-sensei was capable of making quite the controversial remarks, but Rachel didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Such a thing is not a problem. His Majesty won¡¯t be present at the evening ball.¡±


    So, there was no need to stop Prince Elliott¡¯s ns for that evening.


    ¡°When my engagement is destroyed by that group, I will deny my condemnation.¡±


    ¡°Hah.......¡±


    ¡°And they shall sessfully throw me into the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°......Sessfully?¡±


    Rachel spun around with item catalog in hand, making a deration for all to hear.


    ¡°I shall enter an indefinite vacation~!¡±


    Sofia and the rest of the maids all became of one mind standing perfectly still, so the noblewoman danced alone.


    As to be expected, Sofia was the first to regain her sanity and spoke up.


    ¡°My Lady......I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean.......¡±


    ¡°Well Sofia, nobody would understand normally if I don¡¯t exin it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s definitely so.¡±


    Rachel happily began listing some things off her fingers.


    ¡°If my engagement has been destroyed, then there would no longer be a wedding. Are you fine up until there?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Confirmingprehension of Sofia, Rachel went on.


    ¡°That is, because I will no longer be qualified to be the next queen, then my qualification for the queen¡¯s education would also be lost.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°So my time would be free.¡±


    ¡°.......That¡¯s true.¡±


    The maids¡¯ faces all turned cloudy as if something extremely doubtful hade to pass.


    ¡°So! Since the time spent so far has been so hard, I shall spend my time for a while leisurely, rxingly, and practicing my hobbies!¡±


    ¡°I understand your reasoning.¡±


    ¡°How about it, logical isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Towards the inted Rachel, Sofia acted as the representative and asked a very important question.


    ¡°Engagement abandonment......once the engagement is canceled, I understand you want to take a vacation for a while and enjoy your free time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°With that story......the part about you, ¡®Being thrown into the dungeon¡¯? After having a suitable talk, wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to just return to the mansion and choose a scenic spot?¡±


    ¡°Well Sofia, I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    Rachel noted the part where her maids were falling off, and she lightly struck Sofia¡¯s forehead with her finger.


    ¡°If I were to escape halfway, then wouldn¡¯t my queen education instructors immediately catch me and bring me back?¡±


    The confused Sofia was revived.


    ¡°They coulde up with a reasoning such as, ¡®Duchess Ferguson is using a fight with the Prince as an excuse to flee from her sses¡¯, or something of the such right?¡±


    ¡°I see!¡±


    Rachel had begun to sweat from all the spinning she was doing. She was truly overjoyed.


    ¡°Good right? After the engagement with that idiot is broken off with him bearing the full responsibility, won¡¯t I be able to even escape my duties as a Dutchess for a while and do nothing!? It¡¯s wonderful!¡±


    But, it was bad for Rachel who thought it was great.......the n had a hole.


    Sofia swung her head.


    ¡°My Lady......when His Majesty returns, won¡¯t he blow away the Garbage Prince¡¯s will? Even before that, they won¡¯t be able to resist once the Dukees in to object.¡±


    Sofia made a conclusion with a rare stupid look on her face.


    ¡°So, after being thrown in the dungeon, I will be released the very next day.¡±


    Rachel summarized Sofia¡¯s point with an unchanging smile.


    ¡°Oh, but I don¡¯t have to be dragged out.¡±


    ¡°Huh!?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s affirmed her words with no hesitation.


    ¡°You can put the lock and keys inside the prison.¡±


    ¡°........Inside the prison?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    If the lock and keys were inside the cell, could you still say you were in prison?


    ¡°So, I shall prepare for my fun vacation now!¡±


    ¡°Pleasant..........vacation.......?¡±


    With the understanding of the general imprisonment, all of the maids felt that their Lady¡¯s feelings were a bit off the mark.


    ¡°For now, we will n on me being in there for three months, so we must prepare preserved food and something for me to do. Even if it¡¯s canned food, recently there have been many kinds added to the repertoire. Let¡¯s have the ck Cat¡¯s shop look for something good! We will also gradually clean and fix up the dungeon in advance so as not to draw attention to ourselves, and we will have to thoroughly study the security so that we can maintain a method of contact! It¡¯s indoors which means I won¡¯t need a tent, but I wonder what I should do for bedding......ah, I have so little time yet so much to prepare!


    Acting as if she were about to go camping, Rachel started to feel at ease while nning her preparations.


    Sofia who was looking on at her Lady¡¯s face suddenly turned her head away.....when she saw Rachel getting serious, she lost her ability to think effectively.


    ¡°We will get the supplies ready at once.¡±


    Rachel came first to Sofia and the other maids.


    Whether it was themon sense of the world or not, their Lady¡¯s judgement was always right.


    It was all right even if she were running away from reality to avoid her queen¡¯s education, so long as the Lady was having fun.


    ¡°Allow us My Lady, because it is a dungeon, we shall prepare lighting and plenty of insect repellent.¡±


    ¡°I think we should bring only the minimum for meals. Would you like sweetened tea, or is that not necessary?¡±


    ¡°If she can¡¯t go out, then we should bring in some novels and poetry as well......¡±


    ¡°My, you all are in high spirits!¡±


    Nobody was bringing up any more objections, and so, Rachel¡¯s ¡®<i>Happy Vacation n</i>¡® began.


    ?


    At the cafeteria.


    ¡°Oi, is Rachel still.......it¡¯s already been four hours since she came back......¡±


    ¡°I told her three hours but.......¡±


    ¡°Hungry......¡±

 Chapter 7 - Noblewoman Fully Enjoys Gourmet

    <h4>Noblewoman Fully Enjoys Gourmet</h4>


    As Elliott had said, he didn¡¯t arrange any meals for Rachel to have.


    This was of course harassment for making him retreat under the threat of a weapon.


    But this wasn¡¯t the primary objective. He had decided to bring this down to a test of endurance, and after being weakened through ack of meals, she would yield and lower her head to him.


    Instead of any meals being given to Rachel, the prison guard would eat the food every day in front of her cell. It was the strategy of fueling Rachel¡¯s hunger by having the delicious prison food that was originally meant for her eaten right in front of her.


    No matter how extraordinary Rachel was, she couldn¡¯t live without food. And so it was a fear of having nothing to eat that would bring about the Prince¡¯s victory. She would quickly get discouraged. So Elliott showed his confidence.


    ?


    That¡¯s why.


    The prison guard was sitting at his desk in front of the iron bars, raving about eating the meal he himself had brought.


    ¡°Aiya, for you noble families even ck bread has a different taste! The texture is so smooth, there is almost no acidity in the taste, and it smells so fresh!¡±


    The prison guard was giving a review of the menu, using a monotone voice as if he were an ipetent gourmet reporter. But it was still effective for the noblewoman inside the prison where Rachel was moaning about her own meal.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice having oatmeal, but as I thought there¡¯s not enough powdered milk after all......there are raisins though, so it¡¯s still fine.¡±


    ¡°And this grilled chicken breast! Although it has gotten cold, the taste haspletely soaked in, un. Aiya aiya this, isn¡¯t this too extravagant for a prisoner?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s food that pops, then mine certainly has a strong taste as well.......but this roasted duck, its meat has be hardened after being pickled in the sauce. Well, this is the limit of canned food I suppose.¡±


    ¡°.......And it¡¯s even lucky enough to get dessert! Un, this orange is a little sour, but it¡¯s still good!¡±


    ¡°Ah, this white peach pickled in syrup is pretty good. It¡¯scking in raw, fresh taste, but this different kind of sweetness is still good.¡±


    Rachel was eating out of some cans she had brought with her at a folding table and chair set up in her cell, and she smiled sweetly when her eyes met with the silent prison guard.


    ¡°After all it¡¯s preserved food, so the taste isn¡¯t that great. It seems Mr. prison guard had a satisfying meal that I am envious of though.¡±


    ¡°HaHaHaHah! Well, if you¡¯re feeling envious then apologize to the Prince as soon as possi......ble, Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait!¡±


    The prison guard jumped up to his feet, hitting his foot against the desk, and creating a loud mor as the metal tray and dishes bounced off the stone floor. With slightly watery eyes the prison guard started yelling at the iron bars.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say things that don¡¯t match with your heart!¡±


    ¡°My, because it looked like Mr. prison guard was having such a delicious meal, I just wanted to match with you in spirit and share a conversation.¡±


    ¡°Just like a noble, is your only skill getting on people¡¯s nerves!?¡±


    ¡°Ah, was it the lunch menu? Then I¡¯ll have to start thinking about making arrangements around Mr. prison guard¡¯s menu~.¡±


    ¡°Fine! Is harassment all that cane out of your mouth!? Harassment needs harassment in return!¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s no good! Nobles, they don¡¯t fight in the same ring.¡±


    ¡°Pretending to fight fair and square, they don¡¯t get directly involved and have others perform their back-handed dirty tactics........¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what your job is right now?¡±


    For this noblewoman who was saying whatever she wanted, the prison guard angrily thrust a finger towards her.


    ¡°Is it fine!? You, do you think you canst like this!?¡±


    ¡°Oh scary.¡±


    ¡°Those preserved meals you brought will eventually run out! After you get hungry and bow your head, do you think the Prince will consider taking your hand!?¡±


    As he continued to scream........the prison guard¡¯s eyes gradually drifted to therge stack of crates piled up in one corner of the prison.


    ........that, possibly for months.........?


    ?


    After the prison guard¡¯s report, the meal showcase strategy was inevitably abandoned.


    ¡°Damn! Damn! Daaaaaaaaaaaamn!¡±


    The beautiful Prince had unleashed his anger, hideously twisting his face in a way that should never be shown. He was in a ce where others could see, and Sykes, the head of the knights, and George, the Duke¡¯s eldest son, both took a deep breath and shared a look. A few servants that were unlucky enough to be in the room at the time were also there, trying to eliminate their presence by sticking close to the wall.


    For now, it was clear to see that Rachel was skilled.


    Prince Elliott continued to stamp his foot on the ground, but he who was wholly ipetent couldn¡¯t figure out what next to do after everything that had happened. Generally hunger strikes ur inside prisons, but he was now faced with the opposite problem of his starvation tactics being circumvented because of an insane amount of stockpiled food.


    ¡°Rachel......rather than crying out in hunger, we¡¯ll harass her with spices that would make the meals even more delicious!¡±


    ¡°ording to the prison guards report, it seems there is enough room in her menu for........¡±


    ¡°Can we cut off her water supply!? If she¡¯s unable to freely drink water, then there would be nothing else she could do!¡±


    ¡°In order to do that we would have to destroy the path that the water supply runs through. And if we were to do that wrong, then half the royal pce would be flooded.¡±


    ¡°Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn!¡±


    The Prince was going crazy from Rachel¡¯s first counter. His durability was a little weak.


    ¡°What would you like done?¡±


    Towards Sykes¡¯s question, spit out an order.


    ¡°Enough, leave her be except for the asional patrol! That guy will just give her some entertainment if he clumsily goes after her!¡±


    The Prince made an unusually well thought out n George thought.......although he¡¯d never say that aloud. The Prince then approached George with a blood vessel pulsing at his temple.


    ¡°George, can you hold down Duke Ferguson?¡±


    The foolishness came right back around, and George shook his head inside his heart. Well, he had predicted that his older sister would work on the Prince¡¯s nerves at least this much though.


    ¡°In any case, there is no way for us to take out the goods all ready inside for now. Well, no matter what he says I¡¯ll make sure the Duke my father cannot provide any more support.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Rachel has been able to prepare for this life alone because the financial strength and amount of resources behind the Duke is iparable. Once she discovers that the Duke has been held down, and her home has be her enemy, Rachel will surely lose heart. Be sure to do it.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    It was beyond these two¡¯s imagination that Rachel hadn¡¯t in fact made use of the Duke¡¯s resources and done all of this through her own means.


    To make matters worse for Elliott and George, there was something else that they couldn¡¯t have expected. The fact that the Duke and his wife had all ready given up on George, their family¡¯s heir.


    ?


    After that, a few days passed.


    In the afternoon when the prison guard was on his patrol, Rachel made the unusual move of calling out to him herself.


    ¡°Mr. prison guard¡±


    ¡°Hm? What. Has your head cooled down a little?¡±


    ¡°Although I believe it¡¯s His Highness who needs to cool his head.¡±


    ¡°.......What is it?¡±


    Looking as if she hasn¡¯t had to bear anything at all, Rachel was holding a sweet smelling can with a spoon inside it. It seems she was eating dessert just now.


    ¡°Mr. prison guard is, are you no longer eating three meals a day here?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that n was canceled. Far from doing any damage to you, I ended up looking like an idiot talking to you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    Rachel looked cute while tilting her head to the side and making a troubled face.


    ¡°Eating a meal by myself just isn¡¯t enough.¡±


    ¡°Hoh......You¡¯re cheeky, but you can say some cute things.¡±


    ¡°Without being able to see Mr. prison guard¡¯s tearful face, I can¡¯t feel like I won, and the meal doesn¡¯t taste as delicious.¡±


    ¡°You bully! Go quietly read your book!¡±


    ¡°Yes, that!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±

 Chapter 8 - Noblewoman Lazes Through the Day

    <h4>Noblewoman Lazes Through the Day</h4>


    Rachel stirred as the morning sun hit her face, and she awoke.


    Unlike a wise man she inelegantly raised her body that was buried in the soft cushions of her sofa, and began rubbing her eyes with the back of her hands for a while. Rachel wasn¡¯t proud to admit that her ability to wake up wasn¡¯t that great.


    .......In addition, she had been concerned about the continuation of the novel she had been readingst night, so she had stayed upte.


    ¡°........It¡¯s useless........I can¡¯t get up.¡±


    Right now, there was nothing that could be done.


    Rachel had already turned over on top of the sofa, and with her back to the sun, she let sleep take her once again.


    ?


    Elliot awoke after a fierce impact struck his futon.


    ¡°Wh-what¡¯s going on!?¡±


    Sykes was standing before him, holding a nket with a blunt look on his face.


    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s already time to get up.¡±


    ¡°Like this, isn¡¯t this too sudden!? Mou, aren¡¯t there better ways to do it!?¡±


    ¡°No, that is......¡±


    Looking at the those gathered around Sykes, there was the head maid and a second team of maids already doing some of the cleaning.


    ¡°Ah........¡±


    He had been pushed to act by these people.


    Even if he were to ignore Sykes, the next stage would be harassment from the sound of the head maid barking out orders, and the unfamiliar sound of cleaning going on around him.


    Elliott understood there was no chance for him to forcibly choose to go back to sleep, so he begrudgingly slid off his bed.


    ?


    Having slept until midday, Rachel brewed herself some tea, and with the lightly tasting drink in hand, she started opening up some wooden boxes.


    ¡°What shall we do for today¡¯s brunch.....¡±


    While looking over the canned food organized by type, Rachel, ¡°I had fish yesterday......¡± was thinking about what to have while talking to herself. Well, in truth there weren¡¯t that many types to be had though.


    You have to watch what you eat since prison life doesn¡¯t allow for much exercising, so with the menu assembled ordingly, she had to carefully make a decision........in other words, she had some free-time and was idling it away.


    ¡°It¡¯s fun deciding a menu for yourself.¡±


    Her menu was decided, but not yet created.


    ?


    Because yesterday was spent running around and goofing off, today¡¯s schedule was even harsher under stricter surveince.


    ¡°.....Oi, isn¡¯t this too much for just going to the toilet?¡±


    So Elliottined, but the tough civil servant shook his head.


    ¡°Yesterday you left the room saying, ¡®I¡¯m going to the toilet,¡¯ and then never came back to the room until nightfall.¡±


    ¡°........That was, well, that¡¯s.......the toilet wasn¡¯t avable, and I was looking for another!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡¯s personal toilet was already in use?¡±


    After returning from the toilet, officials from each department guard the windows and doorways with documents in hand.


    ¡°So Your Highness, already those documents that were to be approved this morning arete. We won¡¯t have time to take lunch in the dining room, so we¡¯ve prepared you a sandwich.¡±


    ¡°With no break!?¡±


    ¡°You slept well enough yesterday..............?¡±


    ?


    Rachel grew tired of reading, so she began knitting instead.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s nice doing it........but what should I knit?¡±


    The Jack of all trades Rachel, she had the means, but had to first decide what she wanted to do with them.


    ¡°Thinking about it.....in the first ce, it¡¯s the season to make something out of yarn...........¡±


    The realization at her ownck of preparation had left her astonished.


    ¡°So then, let¡¯s go with a scarf for George.¡±


    ?


    Elliott was buried under documents.


    ¡°Your Highness......how¡¯s the progress?¡±


    When George timidly called out to him, Elliott responded in a weak voice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand any of this. How long until it¡¯s over........¡±


    Elliott was speaking to his secretary who continued to pass over one document after another.


    ¡°Oi, how much more is there?¡±


    The official answered emptily while quickly readjusting his sses.


    ¡°Your Highness, ask me again after you¡¯ve finally done a majority of the work for the day.


    ?


    Rachel set down her knitting needles and looked out at the peaceful afternoon light and calming winds.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice, thisfort.........¡±


    Already, knitting was impossible.


    ¡°It¡¯s such good weather for a nap!¡±


    Rachel excitedly prepared the cushions on her couch, but when she covered herself with the nket, she suddenly realized something.


    ¡°Wait a moment..........sleeping in the afternoon, isn¡¯t this the strongest!?¡±


    Rushing over to open a wooden box, she opened a bottle of plum wine.


    ¡°Just a bit..........un, just a little bit.¡±


    Despite what she was saying, Rachel happily poured herself a cup of wine without holding back, savoring the taste as the moderately pink liquid poured into her mouth, and the sweetness of the alcohol stimted the tip of her tongue.


    ?


    Elliott looked on to the political affairs that wouldn¡¯t end with disgust as a tantrum began brewing inside him.


    ¡°Completely......this good weather while I¡¯m indoors arranging documents, even all these civil officials are thinking about it.¡±


    Elliott began mumbling to himself while staring out at the garden. George and Sykes were both standing behind him, yet they simultaneously looked away nheless.


    ¡°As was said, the office work has to be done even when the weather is so nice.¡±


    ¡°And in the reverse, us members of the chivalric order have to go out even in bad weather.¡±


    ¡°Idiot, that¡¯s the type of excuse for adults! Aren¡¯t I still in the apprenticeship stage before being an adult? So I should be given a curriculum suitable for my level.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right..........¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, to overwork a minor for profit.......that would vite child welfarews!¡±


    ¡°..............child..........?¡±


    The dissatisfied looking aides were leaving it alone.


    Elliott switched his mind, and he began thinking about what to do after this.


    ¡°Now, maybe I¡¯ll take a stroll around the garden and kill some time.¡±


    Maybe Margaret wille around at just the right time, Elliott walked into the garden thinking such...........and a filthy group was there waiting opposite of him.


    Inside the group was the assistant head of the knights order with several of what appeared to be apprentice knights bowing down to him.


    ¡°We have been waiting for you. Now then, please head to the training ground!¡±


    ¡°Huh? You guys, what are you saying.......¡±


    While Elliott had no idea what was going on, Sykes came up from behind, giving praise with his chest stuck out.


    ¡°Since Your Highness was saying what a crime it would be to be stuck inside with such beautiful weather, I pulled some strings and allowed you to join in with the practice of the knight¡¯s order!¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why it was so easy to get those civil officials to release me!? No, I didn¡¯t mean this type of thing........!?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness said it yourself, and I for one look up to your dedication!¡±


    ¡°Now then, prepare yourself!¡±


    ¡°Hold on.........¡±


    Elliott was thusly taken away be the muscle brains.


    ?


    Because nobody was there to saying anything, when Rachel finally arose from her nap, the remaining red light of the sunset was just about to disappear.


    Hurriedly lighting hermp, the room regained its light before it subsided into darknesspletely.


    ¡°I overslept.......¡±


    Rachel was feeling truly remorseful.


    ¡°........if my sleep was just a little deeper, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten up until morning¡± the Rachel whopletelycks discipline thought.


    ¡°Well, what should I have for dinner?¡±


    Rachel thought about it for a moment before pulling out arge can. This evening¡¯s main dish for dinner would be boiled white fish with garlic oil.


    After opening up the can and preparing it over the alcoholmp, she brought out the potatoes she had and dexterously cut them into thin slices. ce the cut up potatoes into the can, and with the fish riding on top, kick up the heat of the fire.


    ¡°Fufufufufufu, I have increased my cooking skill to such an extent! The vor of the oil from the potatoes will be sucked up and make it even more delicious! Ah, I want to inform all of humanity about this discovery of the century......¡±


    Ignorant to the ways of the world, the young noblewoman had no one there to tell her that this was a well-known technique for all humanity already.


    What was known was exactly the type of alcohol that would bestpliment tonight¡¯s dish, and while watching over the boiling of her meal, she chose the most suitable one.


    The piping hot fish boiled in potato oil had to be blown on before it could be put in her mouth. The noblewoman¡¯s mind left her for a second as the taste spread through her mouth, and ¡°MMmmmmm!¡± couldn¡¯t hold herself back from crying out in pure pleasure.


    ¡°Ah........to be able to say that I can make such dishes myself, I am evolving remarkably. Also, I said I would be able to live by myself and was right.¡±


    And while the taste of her meal was still dancing on her lips, she quickly drained the cup of white wine in her hand.


    ¡°The taste of the fish and garlic was washed away by the refreshingly sour taste of the white wine.....there¡¯s nothing to endure!¡±


    Rachel was satisfied with the taste of the dish she had prepared for herself. Thinking about the cuisine (?) for her menu had to be done since she was living <ruby>alone<rt>in prison</rt></ruby> now. All thanks to the Idiot Prince.


    The noblewoman tapped her snow white cheek with the tip of her finger.........and then gave a breathless sigh.


    ¡°Delicious food, delicious alcohol. And if some drunkennesses around, I can fall over directly onto my cushions! It¡¯s perfect!¡±


    A remarkable Lady capable of overturning a bad situation, she was able to absolutely enjoy her dinner.


    ?


    As expected for dinner, there was no case of being told to eat while working.


    Because Elliott¡¯s dinner was a private matter, he had a small dining room close to his room, (Although the table wasrge enough for at least ten people to eat there), and so he took his seat as the guest of honor wobbling with a sore body.


    ¡°......today was terrifying.....¡±


    To the trembling Elliott, George and Sykes added words offort from their ces to his left and right.


    ¡°We¡¯ve managed to work through a bit of the document processing, thank you for your great contributions Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°And the assistant head knight also praised you for trying so hard, Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Is that so......¡±


    A green pea potage1 was the first dish to be served, and Elliott picked up his fork.


    ¡°..........you didn¡¯t say that I did good work........¡±


    ¡°..........¡±


    ¡°..........¡±


    They were two close friends who couldn¡¯t tell subtle lies.


    The dining table was silent except for the noise of Elliott slurping his soup.......something that sounded hollow on the ear.


    ¡°Ah, even so.......¡±


    Elliott brought the bowl up to his face and drank thest remaining dregs from the bowl.


    ¡°I want to see Margaret! Whenever I feel like this, Margaret¡¯s bottomless brightness is needed! George, is Margaret noting today!?¡±


    Even though the sun was setting, what was the Prince saying at this point?


    While the Prince was shouting out, scratching his head over where his beloved was, George and Sykes turned their faces to each other looking surprised.


    ¡°.......Your Highness, what are you saying.....?¡±


    ¡°Doing only things that you aren¡¯t used to, I wonder if you¡¯ve tired yourself out too much......¡±


    ¡°...........why you, what¡¯s with that response?¡±


    George and Sykes looked at each other again.


    In reality, other than this evening, there was a reason why these two were so confused.


    ¡°Because.......¡±


    ¡°.........what?¡±


    ¡°So, what!?¡±


    George pushed his sses up the bridge of his nose with his middle finger while making a strange face.


    ¡°Margaret won¡¯t be able toe to the royal pce today or tomorrow as she is on a family trip, weren¡¯t you just yesterday saying that you were dying from loneliness?¡±


    ¡°I told you before I¡¯m going to go see my Mama, and I¡¯ll get to see Cold Wall Falls while I¡¯m there too! Ehehe, I¡¯ll be sure to bring back a souvenir for Your Highness!¡±


    A pretty girl whose red hair was tied up in twin tails had said this the day before........


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she say that only yesterday!?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about at this time!?¡±


    The cutlery Elliott was holding in both of his hands dropped to the floor.


    ¡°No good........I¡¯m not confident I can live like this anymore.......I will die if I cannot look upon Margaret¡¯sughing face.......¡±


    ¡°Just from not seeing her for three days!? How much do you depend on her Your Highness!?¡±


    ¡°Hey Your Highness, how long is this story going to go on for? Can I eat my dinner first?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t meet her again for three days!? That¡¯s about two years worth of experiences!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really only two days, not two years! You¡¯ll see her again in the afternoon the day after tomorrow!¡±


    George tried to clear up the situation, but his words only served to cause Elliott extra grief.


    ¡°Day after tomorrow!? I cannot see Margaret until the day after tomorrow......until then I¡¯m, I¡¯m a civil official who is going to be crushed under documents and killed!¡±


    ¡°You say it like that, but isn¡¯t this the same work your Father and other members of the royal family have to do every day!?¡±


    ¡°Margarettttttttttttttttttttt!¡±


    ¡°His Highness has broken!? Oi Sykes, quit munching away on your meat!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I finish eating?¡±


    ¡°Now!¡±


    The idiotic disturbance continued on until the head courtdy came in and shouted at them.


    ?


    Rachel closed her book, satisfied with the plot twist at the end.


    ¡°Is iting.........un, it was nice being able to read it until the end. Even if I¡¯m felling fuzzy underneath a nket, it was a ce where I couldn¡¯t sleep otherwise.¡±


    Rachel reduced the light on hermp, making it dim. Her heart was filled with euphoria delivered from a happy ending.


    ¡°It¡¯s so nice not having the head maid here to get angry when you read a bookte into the night........tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll sleep until noon if I¡¯m still sleepy.¡±


    Sometimes, I want to walk in the garden...is a thought that never crosses her mind.


    But, when you¡¯re reading as many books as you¡¯d like, and taking a teatime whenever you¡¯d like, it might be a good thing to take care of yourself by doing some chores on your own.


    ..........If you were to say it bluntly.


    The young noblewoman would travel everywhere by carriage, so she never really exercised in the first ce. She barely walked in her home garden, and while her family¡¯s guards had always thought this was due to her being shy, it was actually due to her being a selfish Lady who only prioritized only her own personal circumstances.


    So that¡¯s why as long as she can manage to change her clothes, there was nothing to worry about even if she couldn¡¯t leave this one room.


    ¡°The queen education was painful and unavoidable.......if this is the start to my slow life, then I don¡¯t think this will be that bad.¡±


    After experiencing hardships, then ordinary days feel like a utopia, so even though Rachel was in prison, her thoughts as sheid back on the floor was that this was the perfect solution.


    ?


    Elliot forcefully pulled open his bedroom window. A small cool breeze came through from the dark garden, brushing against his cheek.


    ¡°Yosh........¡±


    While looking for his outdoor shoes, a security knight called out to him from outside the window.


    ¡°Your Highness¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Miss Poisson is currently on a trip, and it was heard by the knight¡¯s order that His Highness went on a rampage earlier from withdrawal symptoms. Did you know that we carefully watch over both the carriages and horses even during the nighttime?¡±


    ¡°I see.......keep up the good work.¡±


    ¡°Hah¡±


    Elliott gently shut his window, and after closing the curtains as well, he slowly crawled into bed.


    1. If you¡¯re an uncultured swine like myself, then you will be pleased to learn that potage is a type of thick soup. The next time a family member asks you what you want to eat, you now have an answer.

 Chapter 9 - The Prince Learns the Noblewoman’s Plan

    <h4>The Prince Learns the Noblewoman¡¯s n</h4>


    After the kettle starts making noise on top of themp¡¯s fire, pour the hot water into the teapot which already held some tea leaves inside. Then turning over the hourss, Rachel covered the teapot with a tea cozy1 before digging through one of her wooden boxes.


    ¡°.......Should I have cookies, or should I go with dry cake? That is the problem.¡±


    cing the back of her finger underneath her lips, Rachel began to worry..........and towards her well featured face, Prince Elliott¡¯s cold gaze stuck.


    ¡°........Rachel. Right now, is there really a problem there!?¡±


    ¡°My Your Highness! At this stage of the steaming, is there any other problem more urgent?¡±


    Some days had passed, and what Elliott saw when he returned to the prison with a cooled head was.........Rachel elegantly preparing for teatime.


    No matter how you look at it, she wasn¡¯t reflecting at all.


    ¡°No way, you have nothing to say?¡±


    Towards the Prince¡¯s words, Rachel put her hand to her chin and thought for a moment.


    ¡°.....Ah! I haven¡¯t chosen a cup yet?¡±


    ¡°Why would I care about such a small mistake!?¡±


    ¡°No good no good, the sand has all fallen while I was thinking.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose interest in the Prince¡¯s question!2 Can¡¯t you listen properly!?¡±


    As the shouts of her ignoring the Prince came, Rachel made a cheerful grin as the scent of her preparations tickled her nose, partook a piece of sweet candy in a single bite, tried a piece of brandy cakeden with plenty of dried fruits, and made a pleasurable sigh after pouring and drinking a cup of her freshly brewed tea.


    ¡°After all, Lion Tea¡¯s Nuts and Berries is the best for tea cakes......a grand answer.¡±


    ¡°.......Oi, turn this way if you¡¯re satisfied. Bastard, to what extent do you n on ignoring the Prince¡¯s remarks?¡±


    Hearing Elliott¡¯s words as his tone became like the simmering of boiling magma, Rachel nced up at the Prince with her fork still in hand.


    Rachel swallowed what was in her mouth, bristling her eyebrows, and then intensely pointed3 at Elliott with one end of her fork.


    ¡°Your Highness........that Prince thing, you must not allow your attendants to make fun of you for it! Such rude fellows must be intensely pointed at, not called upon! Do you understand? Do you promise Onee-san?¡±


    ¡°Haaaaaaaah!?


    While preaching to her former fiancee with a smug face, Rachel poured herself a second cup with her task done.


    Towards the unusual assumption he got in response, Elliott was left dumbfounded.......and then when his senses returned to him, a blue vein popped on his forehead.


    ¡°Should a prisoner be making a lifestyle for themselves where they can prattle such an extremely elegant line of gibberish.......Ah!?¡±


    ¡°Well! I will have you know I am properly awake. Even if I were sleep talking then His Highness alone was enough to awaken me.¡±?


    Rachel had aeback for every remark.


    ¡°Enough already, bastard! Not only have you bullied Margaret from the shadows, but now you foolishly choose to refuse to reflect on your actions like an idiot.....!?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it! Altogether, while I¡¯m locked away in a prison, why do I have to continue ying the straight man for each thing His Highness says! Why is the burden of the Prince¡¯s disgrace being put on a prisoner? Is this fine? Be aware of the words and things appropriate for His Highness¡¯s position, and shouldn¡¯t you be more careful of your surroundings!?¡±


    ¡°Eh!? S-sorry...................hm?¡±


    ....................There was something wrong with Rachel¡¯s reasoning.


    It was around here that Rachel managed to finish her third cup of tea, and Elliott realized Rachel had coaxed him into finding fault in himself.


    ¡°Hold on, isn¡¯t right now just your misunderstanding!?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your reaction a little slow?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you shut up!? This is about you!? Imprisoned in an underground dungeon, hasn¡¯t your head cooled down a little?¡±


    Elliott was pointing his finger at Rachel while shouting.


    ¡°How is a young daughter of a Duke supposed to bear this dark and mmy underground dungeon! It¡¯s already been ten days since I pushed you in here. In what way have the preparations you¡¯ve done made this into anything more than a temporary residence? Even if you stretch out your bravado, aren¡¯t you just raising noise!?¡±


    The person who had all this directed to hermented how the tea was good, and leaving the tea set out as it was like a no good wise man, she sunk into the soft cushions of her couch and spread open a book. Looking at the front cover, it appeared to be a magazine that gathered a number of trendy pictures and stories together.


    Elliott waspletely ignored and received no reply. It seems that it was a little too dark at the time though, and she turned up themp on her table up a bit.


    ¡°Oiiiiiiiii!¡±


    ¡°Some people just can¡¯t keep calm.......when somebody is reading a book you should be quiet, haven¡¯t those in charge of your education ever informed you of such?¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t anyone ever told you before to listen to what people say to the end and not go do something else......!?¡±


    ¡°If so then everything is fine. I wasn¡¯t listening to you from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°How are you managing like this!?


    With her book still spread open, Rachel nced up at Elliott.


    ¡°Your Highness........what do you see about my life here that would make me raise a sound?¡±


    Elliott tried looking around inside the prison.


    A thick, geometric patterned rug wasid out to shut out the cold, hard ground.


    While thinking about taking a seat, there was a cushion sofa that would be unbing for him to have due to his position as a prince.


    Clearly the earlier cups of tea were made with luxury tea leaves. Plus amp that never seems to run out of fluid even though it¡¯s constantly used.


    Any fault with the contents could be left to bias as there were also some rare canned foreign delicacies that were stocked for meals as well.


    But she is unable to leave forcing her to put up with these dreary surroundings, and it¡¯s a life on the level of a poor, lower ss aristocrat.


    And Elliott guessed that over thesest ten days.........this woman, she¡¯s a hikikomori.


    ¡°Ha, Hahaha........it certainly seems like you¡¯re enjoying this dungeon quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°However! Don¡¯t you know that the world is steadily moving forward while you¡¯re trapped in this ce!? For you with your high pride, apologizing would be a humiliation, but isn¡¯t it better to think about the merits and demerits from staying in prison?¡±


    As Elliott¡¯s eyes looked down on her while trying to make his point, Rachel had silently gone back to flipping through her magazine.


    ¡°Well I have considered the merits and demerits properly.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I certainly cannot go out whenever I¡¯d like, and I will assuredly be left behind by the flow of the world.¡±


    ¡°You see, it is so!¡±


    ¡°But¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    While Elliott was making a dubious face, Rachel was as ever keeping her eyes glued to her magazine and spoke with a soft voice.


    ¡°As long as I remain in the dungeon, then the abandonment of our engagement remains valid. Therefore, I don¡¯t have to take part in the queen¡¯s education. <i>That</i> involves all the responsible teachers going on about nothing every single day. If the Prince¡¯s abandonment of our engagement gets canceled when I leave this prison, then I will be immediately scooped up by the education office. It¡¯s not a joke. Should I take any chances with such a danger?¡±


    As Rachel spoke, Elliott tried thinking.


    He knew the teachers in charge of Rachel¡¯s queen education. When he was little, they continuously scolded him because he was bored and tried to run away from their Spartan training.......no, perhaps it would be better to say that they made use of force to try and make their Prince act like a prince........


    He had never actually seen Rachel receiving the queen¡¯s education, but he knew the teachers¡¯ faces, and he could imagine what the sses were like.


    There is no freedom of action, no way to spend your time as you¡¯d like, and while stuck in a cramped desk you have a number of teachers barking away at you like a number of mad dogs.


    Elliott wondered what would be better..........


    ?


    Sykes was overlooking the condition of the horses in the stable when he noticed Elliott walking up from the backyard.


    ¡°Your Highness, did you just get back from visiting Rachel?¡±


    ¡°.........Ah.¡±


    Sykes tilted his head to the side seeing Elliott in a state where he seemed to bepletelycking energy and began cleaning up after he finished brushing the horses.


    ¡°How is it? Did you see Rachel show a little reflection?¡±


    ¡°......No, somehow.....she hasn¡¯t reflected at all........in this case, she won¡¯t reflect.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Sykes was growing troubled over Elliott¡¯s listless demeanor, but it was then that George came running up from the pce.


    ¡°Good, I found you! Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°George¡±


    ¡°Oh, George. What is it?¡±


    George¡¯splexion as he came running over looked bad, and while they at first thought he was just out of breath from running this way, that didn¡¯t seem to be it.


    ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    When Elliott asked, George started vigorously shaking his head up and down like a woodpecker.


    ¡°In Your Highness¡¯s office, wasn¡¯t convinced about my Sis¡¯s imprisonment.......¡±


    George began to reluctantly speak as his pained breath intermittently broke apart his words as Sykes stroked his back.


    ¡°Ha...........is that so?¡±


    Elliott sighed.


    Until now there were others, courtiers and aristocrats who couldn¡¯t be convinced and imed that Elliott¡¯s actions were on a whim and his convictions invalid.


    ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped. I will go argue with them directly. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Elliott tried to gather himself together and headed back towards his office......when to his back, George threw out some additional information from his parched throat.


    ¡°Duchess Somerset and the otherdies in charge of my Sis¡¯s education have flooded in......they keep screaming at everyone in a shrill voice, and we¡¯re struggling to respond!¡±


    Elliott¡¯s feet came to aplete stop, and after doing a splendid 180 degree turn on the spot, he walked back to Sykes and George.


    ¡°Yosh, let¡¯s go for a long distraction!¡±


    ¡°Eh!? That, the people who came to protest.........¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving now!? Even though the sun will soon set!?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! We¡¯ll just forget everything while letting the horses run! Whaaaaat, if the sun does set, we can just stay over in the outside vi!¡±


    Elliott joined the side of his two aides, and he ran the horses towards the suburbs as the sun on the horizon began growing redder.


    ¡°Your Highness.......even if you run, they wille again.......¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not running away! By chance, we <i>really</i> did just happen to run off on our horses by chance!


    1. It¡¯s a cloth you put over the teapot to keep the tea from getting cold. We have something simr to that here in America, but they¡¯re more for pizzas.


    2. For the record, this is still the Prince talking. He¡¯s just referring to himself like an outside individual for this part.


    3. So the author doesn¡¯t use a verb here, he uses a sound effect. The sound effect is for pointing intensely like they do in Phoenix Wright. So every time I say intensely pointing imagine her mming her table and pointing like a certifiedwyer.


    4. The word for gibberish in the previous line and sleep talk are the same here (ÇÞÑÔ).


    5. I feel like now is a good time to point out that Elliott always refers to Rachel with kisama (ÙF˜”). An extremely rude version of ¡®you¡¯ and synonymous with ¡®bastard¡¯.

 Chapter 10 - Noblewoman Explodes Art

    <h4>Noblewoman Explodes Art</h4>


    The moonlight cut through the dark, illuminating a slender form on the floor from the window. The moon was bright enough that one could read a newspaper off its light alone whereas the darkness around it was thick enough that it could contain anything in its inky pits.


    Just beside the puddle of light in a quiet space, Rachel opened her eyes and raised her body from the cushion it was buried in.


    ¡°Uun.......I slept too much during the daytime.¡±


    Her eyes were clear and sleep had be impossible.


    She had gotten too excited because there was nobody there to get angry at her, so she took a long nap. She had be overwhelmed by living alone.


    Rachel gave up on trying to sleep and rose to her feet. She was able to see with just the moonlighting through the venttion.


    ¡°........a good moon huh. I wonder if tonight¡¯s moon is a full one.¡±


    Rachel narrowed her eyes as she gazed up towards the brightly shining circle in the sky, and rather than returning to her nket once again, she came up with a grand idea.


    Transporting a couple of the wooden crates, she made a makeshift staircase to the bottom of the window.


    ¡°Good idea.¡±


    Taking up her carrying case with her, she climbed up the wooden stairs she had created. Sitting on the top row and looking out the window, she enjoyed the nighttime breeze.


    ¡°I feel emotional ying towards the moon.¡±


    Rachel then pulled out her favorite instrument from its case, and with a dreamy look on her face, brought it to her lips.


    In the starry night sky, a light tone echoed throughout.


    ?


    The pajamas Prince Elliott wore to bed consisted of only a nightgown. But after slipping on a pair of nearby slippers, he still jumped out of bedroom and rushed to the dungeon just like that.


    He was making quite the intense face, yet his voice was quiet when he asked,


    ¡°Rachel, do you have something you want to say to me?¡±


    Rachel was there holding her instrument with the iron bars separating them, and seeing that they were wearing matching nightgowns, she shyly covered her front with her arms.


    ¡°Your Highness........ing to a maiden¡¯s room thiste at night, you know it¡¯s not something to be praised right?¡±


    One beat, two beats of silence passed.


    Elliott kicked the iron bars with his slipper covered toes.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it!? You have something to say, other than that! Something like, sorry for causing trouble!? Even though it¡¯ste at night, I shouldn¡¯t have been blowing out all these bleatings from a trumpet!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.......do you believe this to be a trumpet? Although it is in the brass family, in a narrow sense it is actually different from a trumpet........¡±


    ¡°I know! Do you think I care about such things!? Are you feeling sentimental seeing the full moon, so you decided to start making this racket at midnight!?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°In such a situation, why are you ying <i>Sing Sing Sing</i> and <i>Little Brown Jug</i>!?1 What kind of feeling are you going for!?¡±


    ¡°My........Your Highness, you¡¯re quite well educated.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool! Okay, then how about we go with this next!? This time we¡¯ll mobilize the knight¡¯s order, and we¡¯ll turn you into a hedgehog!¡±


    ¡°That could be a good look for me if I do say so myself........¡±


    Elliott stomped back to his room in a huff while Rachel put her trumpet back in its case chuckling to herself.


    ¡°The probability of it reaching him was about fifty percent, but since the direction of the wind looked good, it was worth the effort.¡±


    Melting into the cushion, Rachel gave it a few *PonPon* pats, and feeling satisfied, lied her head back down.


    ¡°Ah.........because I was able to enjoy the magnificent tearful face of His Highness, I should be able to sleep well tonight.¡±


    ?


    Observing the wall for some reason after breakfast, Rachel suddenly remembered she had brought some paints with her.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I thought the walls in here would look dreary and thought to bring in some paint to decorate them.¡±


    She felt like enjoying a little art wouldplimentst night¡¯s performance. Rachel slowly stood up and eventually found the box that contained her painting tools.


    Laying out some of the old newspapers that had been used to fill out the gaps in the box, Rachel opened up one of the paint cans she¡¯d need. Turning towards the stone wall, she started off primering it with a coat of white before tilting her head.


    ¡°Nnn........it¡¯d be kind of wasteful to just paint it like wallpaper.¡±


    The original n was to paint the whole thing her favorite peppermint green color, and afterwards she would draw in some flowers where she wanted to.........but looking at the whitewashed wall, she now thought that would be a shame.


    ¡°Yosh, let¡¯s challenge ourselves to make a masterpiece!¡±


    Inspiration had struck. Since she couldn¡¯t go outside, it might be good to draw andscape painting with the image of a scenic spot.


    ?


    His elbows resting on the desk, Elliott stared at the documents in front of him and grimaced as George tried to speak to him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Your Highness..........are you feeling sleepy? You have some bags under your eyes.........¡±


    ¡°Ah.........¡±


    Elliott had a downhearted look on his face with his head turned down, and rested his forehead on the back of his hands.


    ¡°Curse you Rachel.........! Even when I got back into my bed, I couldn¡¯t sleep because that melody was endlessly ying in my head.¡±


    ¡°Hah?¡±


    ¡°No, I was saying.......¡±


    Elliott managed to stretch out his back, but Sykes burst through the door before he could say anything else.


    ¡°Sykes......you should knock before entering a room.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    Sykes turned around, about to go back out the door to redo his entrance, but Elliott stopped him in frustration.


    ¡°Practice your manners at home! Is there something wrong!?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes. No, it¡¯s just that we received aint about a strange odoring from the direction of the dungeon.¡±


    Elliott and George shared a look.


    ¡°.......no way, you¡¯re older sister¡¯s already be a decayed corpse........?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just Your Highness¡¯s wish. You met her in the middle of the nightst night didn¡¯t you? The smell wouldn¡¯t spread in just half a day.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not such a stuffy smell. It¡¯s something, something more irritating.¡±


    ¡°..........?¡±


    ?


    The three men who hade down to the dungeon had to force their mouths closed after seeing the changed walls.


    ¡°Y-you.........this..........¡±


    On the dungeon wall which had been a mass of cracked stone just the day before, had now be a flowery meadow and majestic canyon with a sea of mountains stretching out across a white background. Perspective and shadows, this was a three-dimensionalndscape painting from a single point perspective that had such a touch of realism, it made those who saw it take a breath and think they were looking at a portal to another world.


    However.


    ¡°This, even though it¡¯s a dungeon.......¡±


    Even if such a picture were to exist, for it to be in a ce where no one could see it.........


    The offensive smell flowing out of the dungeon was the smell of the paint. Because Rachel had used a lot of paint in a single day, the chemical smell had fill the underground space.


    ¡°However, it smells awful........Rachel can¡¯t you smell, this¡±


    After finishing some touch-ups to a flower garden, Rachel looked back over her shoulder at Sykes¡¯s question.


    ¡°It was amazing at first, but after smelling it for half a day, it no longer bothers me as my nose has gotten used to it.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hate it in the beginning...........?¡±


    ¡°I was worried at the start, but.........¡±


    Having finished, Rachel moved to the other side of the room to get as good a look as she could.......


    ¡°Perhaps.......¡±


    ¡°Perhaps?¡±


    The girl tilted her head.


    ¡°I wonder if my bedroom didn¡¯t need this picture.¡±


    ¡°Be aware of that in the first ce!¡±


    While Rachel and Sykes were discussing the painting with each other through the bars, George suddenly noticed there was another person here who had been quiet until now.


    ¡°Hm? Your Highness?¡±


    George looked back over his shoulder.


    ¡°Your Highness!?¡±


    On the floor was the figure of Elliott who had groggily copsed to the floor.


    ¡°Your Highnessssssssss!!¡±


    In a hurry George and Sykes picked him up, noticing that his eyes hadpletely rolled back bingpletely white.


    ¡°I wonder if the smell of this ce hasbined with hisck of sleep.¡±


    ¡°The cause doesn¡¯t matter right now!? Get him outside quickly!¡±


    The men left the room in a racket. In the end, Rachel made a conclusion.


    ¡°Well, was it so good that it killed His Highness in one shot?

 Chapter 11 - Noblewoman Snipes Dinner

    <h4>Noblewoman Snipes Dinner</h4>


    Prince Elliott was walking down the corridor when he noticed a young man leaving through the woonds in the backyard towards the inner gate. There were a number of such men traveling in this way, but by chance he noticed that this man¡¯s apparel wasn¡¯t something a courtier would be wearing.


    ¡°Oi, isn¡¯t that strange over there? I can¡¯t see him being a servant of the royal pce.¡±


    Sykes nced over at the man after the Prince said something.


    ¡°That is........it appears to be a staff member from the cafeteria downtown.¡±


    ¡°Why would such a person be inside the castle?¡±


    Sykes¡¯s murmurs brought out a surprised voice from George and made Elliott want tough at Sykes¡¯s strange opinion, but there was <i>¡®something¡¯</i> that prevented him from doing so.


    ¡°What.......? What is, something strange..........Uoh!?¡±


    With a little thought, that <i>¡®something¡¯</i> about the man struck Elliott, and he began running.


    ¡°Go to the dungeon!¡±


    ¡°Eh? What¡¯s going on Your Highness!¡±


    Shouted after by the two men hurriedly following after him, Elliott pointed towards the iron door that hade in view.


    ¡°Think about the direction that the man came from! Rachel is absolutely involved in this!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ?


    The three men were breathless after running all the way to the dungeon, and what they saw before them........


    ¡°........Even if you stare, I¡¯m not giving you any?¡±


    Having just pped her hands and done her prayer before a meal, there was Rachel with a knife and fork in hand and a piping hot meal with steam rising off it in front of her.


    There were a number of borate dishes before her that obviously couldn¡¯t have been made inside a dungeon. They all looked freshly made, and the room was filled with a delicious fragrance.


    ¡°Y, you.......what is this!?¡±


    While the Prince was raising a hellish cry, Rachel was looking down at her table.


    ¡°Nothing really..........Your Highness, have you never tried this before? It¡¯s kidney pie, herb baked pigeon, and pumpkin potage with mint jelly. It is a very ordinary lunch.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking about your menu! You, why do you have a meal from outside!?¡±


    Rachel had begun eating without worrying about what the Prince was saying, and after gulping down thest bit of pigeon meat, she opened her mouth.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Of course there¡¯s a problem! I made an order that you weren¡¯t to be fed while you¡¯re in here!¡±


    ¡°Ah, was that when Sykes had grabbed your waist and was pushing your butt up the stairs?¡±


    ¡°Gu..........¡±


    Wiping her mouth with a napkin, Rachel lightly tilted her ss and drank her wine.


    ¡°Surely, you definitely said that I should be starved and nobody was to give me any meals.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°But, doesn¡¯t that not apply to this time?¡±


    ¡°...............Eh?¡±


    Rachel picked up her knife, and she began cutting out a slice from her crispy kidney pie.


    ¡°You certainly said that nobody was to feed the prisoner, but you never said I couldn¡¯t order food myself.¡±


    ¡°Wha...........!? Stu, don¡¯t be stupid! I¡¯ve never heard of a prisoner taking an order from outside!¡±


    ¡°A prisoner should not have food delivered to the prison, in what section of thew is that stated?¡±


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know such a thing! But it¡¯smon sense............!¡±


    ¡°His Highness who arbitrarily abandoned an engagement settled by the King due to a suspicious argument and shady evidence, is that whose mouth the phrase mon sense¡¯ ising out of?¡±


    ¡°..............¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about generalmon sense, then how would you describe imprisoning someone and then not giving them and meals?¡±


    ¡°Ku........you¡¯re attitude right now, you know I could prosecute you right now for your disrespect and have you executed right!?¡±


    ¡°In that case, you should put me in prison until you move me to the execution stand.¡±


    ¡°Kuuuuuuuuuu...........¡±


    With the Prince unable to say anything else, Rachel continued to elegantly finish her meal.


    ?


    ¡°Hmmmm, I¡¯ve been forbidden from delivery.¡±


    The Prince had ordered that no couriers deliver food to the prison. Any delivery would be stopped at the entrance.


    As Rachel loved to find the loopholes inws, she found post-legition like this to be unfair...........well, anyway.


    ¡°Even so, His Highness is missing the point like usual. A foolish child who does nothing at all.........rather than banning deliveries, normally the first thing that should be done is inquire on how Imunicated my order outside in the first ce.¡±


    That is the normal line of reasoning. Elliott, the child who is unable to take that extra step.


    Even so.........


    ¡°As I thought freshly made meals really are delicious.......I¡¯d also like to eat some fresh meat.........¡±


    Rachel thought about the earlier lunch she had delivered to her.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t be able to go back to canned food without doing something to cushion the blow.¡±


    Although it was impossible to call it a luxury meal, the stimulus was quite strong after not having a cooked meal in so long. She just wanted to taste a little more.........


    A sh.


    ¡°.........that¡¯s it. The basics of living a slow life is living a life of gathering. Right?¡±


    Rachel looked towards the the long, narrow window that was set up for venttion.


    ?


    An elderly and a middle-aged man wearing gorgeous clothes were taking a walk through a rough backyard that could not be said to have been well maintained.


    ¡°However Elliott is also trouble.......something like this is only possible because His Majesty is absent for such an extended period of time.¡±


    ¡°Although the King delegated affairs to others, the Prince caused this past incident almost immediately after he left in order to avoid judgement.¡±


    The King¡¯s uncle and royal consultant Archduke Vivaldi and the Prime Minister Marquis August were consulting each other about the current issues guing them in a ce where no one else could hear.........or they were just grumbling out theirints to each other.


    Prime Minister August looked around him.


    ¡°However Archduke. You¡¯ve taken us to a strange ce in our walk.¡±


    This backyard area could be described as deste, not a space like andscaped garden that nobility would normally want to see.


    The Archduke was a fat and jolly old man, and looking as if he had just pulled off a clever bit of mischief, he threw back his neck andughed.


    ¡°Nahahahah. Here here, this is a different taste from a normal beautifully maintained garden.¡±


    The Archduke used his fingers to pull back some unwanted elongated weeds, and he quietly peeked through to the other side.


    ¡°Please look Prime Minister. In this natural garden, you¡¯ll find more wild birds than in some public garden.......there, recently my favorite has been therge duck you can see on the bank of the pond over there.¡±


    The Prime Minister also hid himself inside the grass and was impressed by what he saw looking in.


    ¡°Hoh.......he really is quite big. It¡¯s coat is also quite beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. I¡¯ve recently started secretly calling him Enrique, and........¡±


    The Archduke started going into an exnation about his favorite bird.


    *SCHLICK!*


    ¡°GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    The two men noticed something fly through the air before them, and ¡°<ruby>Enrique¡±<rt>temporary name</rt></ruby> released a loud cry before stalling and falling to the ground. The surrounding birds all flew into a panic, raising a loud outcry of caws and quacks as they rose up into the air, while the two men noticed something rolling along the side of the open pond..........


    *Slide*


    *Slide*


    The dying and convulsing ¡°Enrique¡± was, slowly moving in a direction by a will that was obviously not his own.


    If you were to look closely you could see the tip of an arrow sticking out of Enrique¡¯s punctured chest, and somebody was pulling a thin string tied to the end of the arrowhead.


    The Archduke and Prime Minister chased after the string that continued to silently move, and they arrived at an old stone wall of a nearby building. It was difficult to see, but there was a horizontal slit about ten centimeters off the ground that made a wide open hole, and the two people arrived toote as ¡°Enrique¡¯s¡± body was pulled inside.


    ¡°...........¡±


    The two people silently looked at each other as a young woman¡¯s harsh voice echoed outside of the hole.


    ¡°Uwa, this thing is huge! Good, very good, this is something worth eating!¡±


    Somehow able to guess the person¡¯s identity from their voice, the Prime Minister squatted down and cried out.


    ¡°Excuse me, is it okay? What in the world are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Me?¡±


    After giving a slightly confused reply at being asked, the girl went ahead and exined to them exactly what she was doing.


    ?


    Elliott and his aides were walking down the corridor when from the other direction his Great Uncle Vivaldi came running up like a child. The Prime Minister was pursuing him from behind calling out to him.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Elliott and the others didn¡¯t understand what was going on, so they just stood there and stared as the Archduke came running down the hall while crying and grabbed Elliott by his cor.


    ¡°Elliott, you bastardddddddd!¡±


    ¡°Eh, me? What did I do!?¡±


    ¡°You.......because of you.......¡±


    ¡°What!? Great Uncle, I, what is it that I have done!?¡±


    It would be easy to peel off such an intemperant old man, but the King and Queen are absent right now, and it would be unwise to treat those at the top roughly while the King¡¯s duties have been delegated to others. Neither Sykes nor George could touch the King¡¯s uncle, so they both looked towards the Prince¡¯s face to find out what they should do.


    ¡°Uwaaaa..........Because of you, Enrique is.........Enrique is..........¡±


    ¡°Eh, Enri..........who!?¡±


    ¡°Rachel has eaten Enrique!¡±


    ¡°Racheeeeeeeeeeeeeeel!!!¡±


    ?


    Elliott and the others rushed to the dungeon where the prison guard was sitting at the prison entrance looking at a loss.


    The prison guard quickly rose to his feet upon seeing the Prince¡¯s group, but from his side you could see smoke rising up.


    ¡°Oiii, what in the world is that!?¡±


    ¡°That is........¡±


    The prison guard looked back at the open doorway spewing out smoke with a miserable face.


    ¡°The Lady is ying with a bonfire.¡±


    ¡°Bonfire!? In a dungeon!?¡±


    ¡°Because she was regting the power of the fire, it seems like there¡¯s no danger of the area bing oxygen deficient..........¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about such a thing! A bonfire in a jail, what is she thinking!?¡±


    The prison guard scratched his head.


    ¡°Because she had gotten her hands on some fresh duck meat, she said she was going to have a barbecue.¡±


    ¡°That bastarddddddddd!¡±


    The smoke inside the dungeon clung to the ceiling, making its way up the stairs and out the door, so the underground space itself was surprisingly not smoky.


    Inside the restored cobblestone prison, Rachel had made a small fire using some of her broken down empty boxes as firewood. An iron te was ced on top of the mes where some meat was sizzling as it cooked. Sykes couldn¡¯t understand the situation, but the smell made his stomach grumble nheless.


    Elliott ignored the atmosphere, thinking up several tsukkomis, before thrusting his finger towards Rachel as she continued to seriously turn over the meat.


    ¡°Rachel! Don¡¯t have a bonfire and barbecue in a dungeon!¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t look up at the Prince, focusing entirely on the grilled meat in front of her, and instead gave him a short reply.


    ¡°There is no such rule.¡±


    ¡°Of course!? Where in the world is there a prison that allows an idiot to y with a campfire!?¡±


    Elliott screamed while stomping his foot on the ground while Rachel gave him a short sideways nce before continuing to stare at her meat and estimated the amount of time before it would be done.


    ¡°Indeed..........that would be on a case-by-case basis. If they were hungry without any food, wouldn¡¯t it be allowed?¡±


    ¡°I never heard about there being such a thing even in the old days of this country.¡±


    ¡°Well, since the first step of that earlier story would involve the rare happenstance of the prisoner having a bow.¡±


    ¡°In other words only you, only you could imitate this...........!¡±


    Elliott spoke with a terribly disgusting face.


    ¡°You, you told my Great Uncle you had to catch your own food since I wasn¡¯t giving you any meals.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I certainly said such a thing.¡±


    Rachel looked happy picking up the salted duck, and Elliott jabbed his finger at her once again.


    ¡°Well, then so long as you quit acting so selfishly, you shall receive your meals!¡±


    Maximum concessions!


    Elliott could only slowly follow along with this wicked woman¡¯s way of thinking, but he didn¡¯t have the patience.........and his Great Uncle messily crying and shouting, in order to prevent that heartbreaking scene from reurring, he would need to cease his starvation tactics.


    Rachel was vexating.........but for now it was best to give her what she wanted. However, her self-indulgence now had created a mess, and when the King returned, Elliott would be able to use her of all her crimes.


    Rachel had been making fun of him all this time, and Elliott was starting to think that even the death penalty wasn¡¯t going to be good enough. Those thoughts, they were born from not knowing that Rachel hadn¡¯t yet gotten serious.


    At first she was just taking a break to relieve her stressed nerves, but in such a way, Rachel had decided to cause as much damage here as she possibly could. To the Prince¡¯s nerves that is.


    She was already isted anyway. Even if this guy was remaining quiet, at best he¡¯d probably just throw in some old breadter on.


    Towards Prince Elliott who thought he was making such a generous offer, Rachel slowly turned around while eating the delicious food she had made for herself.


    ¡°I do not want any food from Your Highness.........I don¡¯t know what could be in it, so I don¡¯t need it.¡±

 Chapter 12 - Noblewoman Acquires the Prison Guard

    <h4>Noblewoman Acquires the Prison Guard</h4>


    Because her shoulders would be stiff if she just read all day, Rachel spends her time doing other things as well such as embroidery and the like.


    Rachel had been sewing through a handkerchief for a while now, and after setting her needle down, she took a look at the embroidered image she had done.


    Looking at the framed flowers she had created, she murmured to herself,


    ¡°Hmm......it¡¯s too quiet.¡±


    Her thoughts weren¡¯t about embroidery.


    One month ago, in other words, from the time that Rachel became aware of the Prince¡¯s conspiracy to abandon the engagement.


    But as she made her preparations, Rachel didn¡¯t move to block them........because it seemed interesting.


    The Blockhead Prince and hisckey followers, she wanted to see how far they¡¯d go.


    If they were to throw her into prison, then she could continue to skip her Queen¡¯s education until the King returns and rejects the engagement abandonment.


    The trouble she couldn¡¯t cause herself that was likely to now ur left her feeling thrilled.


    Though she decided to ride along with the Prince¡¯s conspiracy on that line of thinking....... the Prince¡¯s base had turned out shallower than she had thought. Even though a week had already passed, he hadn¡¯te up with any ideas other than striking at her through force.


    ¡°Like this, I feel embarrassed going to such great lengths........it¡¯s boring.¡±


    The Prince would use a variety of dirty tricks to harass her, and she would enthusiastically repel them as they came.


    As she raised her cup to take a drink, Rachel realized that her tea had gone cold, but even cold the refreshing fragrance of the luxury tea leaves still lingered and tickled the nose.


    Rachel nkly stared into the air for a while beforeughing with a smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. This wait and see attitude is unlike me. Until now I thought I¡¯d just wait for the Prince to make his move.......un, let¡¯s robustly move forward from now on.¡±


    ?


    Because a jailbreak would most likely ur in the middle of the night, prison patrols are being performed well into the night.


    ¡°Well, the pce¡¯s prison only has the Lady inside it right now..........I really don¡¯t think there¡¯s going to be a jailbreak.......¡±


    Although, work was work.


    The prison guard¡¯s footsteps echoed as he descended the stone steps, and he saw the Duke¡¯s daughter sitting on the floor with the lights dimmed. It seems that she was still awake. Leaning against her cushion, she was looking up at the sky through the small window.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Asking for purely skeptical doubts, a beautiful woman illuminated by the moon¡¯s light responded.


    ¡°My, Mr. prison guard. Good evening.......I can see the moon right now, so I thought I¡¯d do a little moon-viewing.¡±


    As she spoke Rachel held up a ss cup pinched between her fingertips. The scent wafting out of the ss caused the prison guard to make a strange face.


    ¡°Oi oi, should a Duke¡¯s daughter be having whiskey..........¡±


    Whiskey was a powerful type of alcohol. And it was clear through the shot ss that she was drinking it straight. A nobleman might drink something like that every once in a while, but it was basically a type of liquor forborers and people irrelevant to society atrge.


    ¡°Oh, you must like it quite a bit if you can understand what it is simply by the fragrance. Would you like one?¡±


    ¡°You, you¡¯re not already drunk.......um, EHHH!?¡±


    The prison guard watched amazed as Rachel shook the bottle of good spirits in a good mood.......but he was doubly amazed to see the bottle Rachel had in her hands.


    ¡°Oi, that¡¯s not a 30 year old bottle of <i>Saint Valentinus</i> is it!?¡±


    ¡°My, so knowledgeable.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I could drink something like that.........it¡¯d cost two months of my sry that would.¡±


    ¡°I took it from my Father¡¯s cab, but the seal hasn¡¯t been broken which means there¡¯s quite a bit here. Yes, ss.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m in a position where I can¡¯t ept.........no, but a 30 year old <i>Saint Valentinus</i>........¡±


    ¡°I have snacks as well.¡±


    The noblewoman held out a tray: sliced corn beef with raisin butter, smoked cheese with pickles, liver paste spread on crackers..........


    ¡°Now now, we pour it to the rim.........¡±


    ¡°Oooooooh......this, this thirty year old bottle.......!¡±


    Bringing the bottle closer to be seen, the prison guard refused to be tempted with this legendary masterpiece of liquor mumbling to himself over and over again, ¡°No, I can¡¯t¡±.


    Unable to resist the charm pulling on him, the prison guard dried his cup immediately after the protruded brown bottle had filled it.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pretty good drink. Now, three drink rush.1¡±


    Although he had thought it to be wasteful to drink up this gem in an instant, the amber fragrant liquid was once again poured to the rim of his cup.


    Two drink tuned to three drinks and eventually became four. As his tongue loosened and became used to it, Rachel would always pour him another. Finally the prison guard forgot about the job he was supposed to be doing and began drinkingfortably, but he failed to notice that Rachel had quit drinking herself halfway through.


    ¡°After all whiskey is best straight. That afterglow after it passes down your throat leaving nothing behind.¡±


    ¡°You understand!? This nose can¡¯t pass that aroma by! Lady sure can drink.¡±


    ¡°Yes yes Mr. prison guard as well. Ah, how about some chocte?¡±


    ¡°Ooooh, sorry!¡±


    The prison guard had bepletely drunk, and Rachel¡¯s sweet words poured into him as easily as the alcohol he had been drinking. Plenty of alcohol had turned into a feast, a good deal of fun, and an unopened one was given as a souvenir..........


    ¡°Nooo, let me tell you Lady, I understood our talk quite well.¡±


    ¡°Ufufufu, even though I haven¡¯t done anything bad at all. But Elliott is always going on about ¡°Me Me Me¡±. Even though I try to make people understand me, I can¡¯t........I hate it.¡±


    ¡°I know, I get iiiiiiiiiiit. Ish all thanksh to the Prince¡¯s crap head. Un, Lady isn¡¯t bad!¡±


    With memories of a fun drinking party, a level of trust had been sessfully coaxed out as any lingering suspicions were crushed. Rachel continued to whisper sweet-sounding input that became embedded in the prison guard¡¯s brain.


    By the time she was done, the prison guard¡¯s alcohol muddied thinking abilities would have {Prince = foolish and evil, Rachel = pitiable and good} seared into his subconscious thoughts.


    ¡°Night has gradually beening to an end I suppose. Please do be careful on your way home. And don¡¯t drop your long-awaited whiskey?¡±


    ¡°Oooooh, leave it to me! Ah, thas right! To makes talking outside the castle easier, Lady schouldn¡¯t talk bout our fun.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand that. And if you¡¯d please drop off any letters or allow me regr visits without anyone else knowing.¡±


    ¡°Hu can trush me. Yosh, I¡¯ll manage somehow!¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    ?


    The prison guard slowly walked up the stairs with staggered steps, heading straight home while carrying his important souvenir.


    And then from the front chamber of the dungeon where the light couldn¡¯t touch, a woman rose up from the shadows and took a step into the light.


    ¡°My Lady, we could manage even without such a petty official. Most things for us.......¡±


    Rachel made a small smile as she pulled out her bedding and prepared her cushions.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do the same for the guards at the castle gate. It¡¯s important that we have the courtiers of the castle hold my shoulder over the Prince¡¯s. Those who share my thinking especially, we will require their sympathy and cooperation in order to best abuse Elliott.¡±


    ¡°Hah, as you say, so shall it be. As for the matter of the mansion that we discussed the other day, I shall make the preparations.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    With her servant once again melting into the darkness, Rachel pulled herself underneath her nket and turned off the light.


    1. It¡¯s a proverb that spansnguages. What it means is, ¡°Anybody who shows upte to the party has to chug!¡±

 Chapter 13 - Noblewoman Kills Time

    <h4>Noblewoman Kills Time</h4>


    Often on clear, sunny days, Rachel would stare out her window.


    ¡°Good weather.......it makes me wish I could fly through the sky like a skrk.¡±


    Trapped inside a dark prison, there are times where she misses the outside.


    ¡°However, I can¡¯t go out...........¡±


    Just because she says she can¡¯t go out doesn¡¯t mean she can¡¯t get out.


    Rachel suddenly came up with the idea of throwing out some paper airnes. Since she can¡¯t go outside herself, she thought about something else flying high through the sky.........


    While searching for paper, she was able to find a bundle of backing paper for memos she had on hand. She would use these since they weren¡¯t something she needed anyway.


    ¡°Paper airnes........they¡¯re surprisingly deep and amusing.¡±


    Depending on how you fold them, the way they fly bes quite different. Even folded smartly won¡¯t mean it flies far, and just using thin paper might mean that it catches the wind and flies over the fence.


    Rachel fell into a trance, trying out various different ways to fold the paper airnes to see how far they¡¯d fly. White paper was flying this way and that, and it was interesting to see the ones that had already fallen be picked up by the wind and leave the ground once again.


    Until all of the prepared airnes had been exhausted, Rachel continued to challenge the sky from her small window.


    ?


    Prince Elliott suddenly looked up towards the sky, and he noticed some paper garbage dancing through the air low overhead.


    Something like that wasn¡¯t causing him worry, but rather curiosity at the vastly different shapes that the papers were taking. From paper ne-shaped objects to ones that were more cylindrical, these had clearly been folded by someone.


    After picking up one that the wind dropped off close by, he saw that there was actually some kind of message scrawled across them.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    After unfolding it, he read the message scribbled on with elegant handwriting.


    <i>¡°Scoop! The Prince is hiding a bald spot behind his long hair!?¡±</i>


    He instinctively dropped the memo. But then he quickly picked it back up before the wind could carry it away again.


    ¡°What, is this!?¡±


    In a panic he ran over and picked up some more papers.


    <i>¡°The handsome prince with ten years of ringworm fungus. ¡«His endless desperate battle with athlete¡¯s foot¡«¡±


    </i>


    <i> </i><i>¡°Private rooms in the castle hall Rooms greet you with ¡°Wee home.¡± Be astounded at the Prince¡¯s personal life.¡±


    </i>


    <i> </i><i>¡°Royal pce in an uproar! All subjects shocked at the red marks, pray for the Prince who is unable to study!¡±</i>


    Elliott was about to faint at just a nce of what was written down, but then the wind was about to take away those he already had in hand, so he hurriedly held down on the bunch.


    ¡°What is this forged gossip!? There¡¯s no way, is it scattered all around here!?¡±


    Looking around, the white papers had been spread everywhere.


    ¡°Oioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioi!¡±


    From the other side of the castle walls, the Prince started hearing some of the castle children singing a most inappropriate arrangement.


    <i>¡°The Prince who rode a horse


    </i>


    <i> </i><i>slid off after one step


    </i>


    <i> fell off after two steps


    </i>


    <i> stepped off after three steps


    </i>


    <i> Ah~ Ah~ he doesn¡¯t know how to ride in the first ce~


    </i>


    <i> because El-chan is an idiot~¡±</i>


    ?


    The sound of footsteps running down the stone steps could be felt throughout the entire dungeon.


    ¡°Racheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel!¡±


    Elliott started jabbing a spear in hand through the space between the iron bars of the jail cell.


    ¡°Youuuuuuuuu! Die! You¡¯ll die right now! You¡¯ll die right away!¡±


    Driving a spear inside many times, Rachel, who had been peacefully reading a book while resting on her cushion, nced up at him.


    ¡°Your Highness, even though a horseback spear has quite a bit of impact in its strikes, the attack range is low. Shouldn¡¯t you know that without a woman like me telling you?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be scared a bit you damn, impudent woman!?¡±


    ¡°Although your face looks quite pure, yournguage is quite trashy.¡±


    ¡°Being honest, haven¡¯t you been saying some things that are so much worse!?¡±


    Elliott threw a pile of crushed up paper airnes inside through the bars.


    ¡°What is this!? This nder about me is spread all the way to my vi! Only a filthy woman like you would spread these lies for fun in order to defeat me!¡±


    ¡°Once again you try to convict somebody based off of a single testimony........¡±


    Rachel gave a nce towards the mountain of memos that the Prince had collected as Elliott watched on.


    ¡°I have absolutely no intentions of ndering His Highness¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°Then what is this!? Scattering this stuff around, what excuse could you possibly give me!?¡±


    Rachel raised herself up and closed her book.


    ¡°Where exactly is this content ndering Your Highness written?¡±


    ¡°Where.......it¡¯s right there inside the contents of the things you just read!¡±


    Rachel pointed towards one of the memos that were resting on the prison floor.


    ¡°Please read it carefully. There, <i>¡®The Prince is,¡¯</i> is all that¡¯s written there. Don¡¯t you know that there are hundreds of princes out there in the world? I don¡¯t really care myself, but perhaps Your Highness is feeling a little paranoid from stress? When was thest time you went to see a doctor?¡±


    ¡°Because of whom do you think is the reason why my stress is umting.........!? What about the disrespectful song that the children were singing outside the castle walls about ¡®El-chan¡¯!? That refers to me by name!¡±


    ¡°El-chan refers to Your Highness? But it could be referring to Ellis, or Ellington, or Eltsin right? Isn¡¯t Your Highness just being self-conscious?¡±


    ¡°In this ce! The Prince! Name starts with El!? I¡¯m the only person who meets those conditions! Don¡¯t be stupid!¡±


    Rachel furrowed her brows.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been getting smarter recently...........not cute!¡±


    ¡°Are you looking down on me!? Your behavior has already long passed the level of just being disrespectful!¡±


    ¡°Well if I¡¯m already guilty, then I suppose the charges won¡¯t change even if I were to continue for a little longer.¡±


    Elliott red towards her prison cell.


    ¡°Then you admit it, you insulted me!?¡±


    Rachel ignored the monkey prince¡¯s attempts at an intimidating re and opened up her book again.


    ¡°With that, I never did anything to nder you. All I did was make some paper airnes, and let them ride on the wind. But, I did use some backing paper that I had lying around for those though.¡±


    ¡°Backing paper!? With what contents!? You, what kind of memos have you been writing and having sent out!¡±


    ¡°It happens to be an underground publishingpany, and I was doing internal jobs as a copywriter for them. The title contender is a gossip column.¡±


    ¡°What kind of work is that for a Duke¡¯s daughter!?¡±


    ?


    ¡°That idiot prince will hurt his head if he keepsing here........his job inside the prison isn¡¯t just to tsukkomi me........¡±


    The Prince has, finally given Rachel her reward! .........is it fine to say that?


    Rachel was grumbling to herself as she sifted through the books inside one of the wooden boxes.


    ¡°Hmm........have I already read all the things that I brought with me?¡±


    Although she had prepared a number of interesting novels, she had so much free time that she had already read them all. Although there was a pleasure to reading something a second time through, it was still too early to adequately enjoy that.


    ¡°I¡¯ve also already finished my embroidery.¡±


    (Arbitrarily) she had brought in George¡¯s good suit with her, and done him the favor of (without permission) embroidering it for him.


    The ck half mantle now had a finely sewn design of a battle between a phoenix and a dragon embedded in it in silver and gold thread. If George were to wear it with his intelligent looking sses, sullen face, and receding hairline, it would suit him very well. Surely people around him will go, ¡°Uwa, an almighty person drunk on themselves,¡± and also, ¡°How old is he........does he think he was chosen by God or something?¡± and whisper his praises.


    ¡°George will surely be a popr person with this. An older sister should work hard for their younger brother.¡±


    He will certainly be crying and showering me with thankster on. For now, let¡¯s secretly put it back in his closet.


    And so, with all of her hobbiespleted she had nothing else to do during her free time.


    ¡°Both musical instruments and hunting have been forbidden......¡±


    Of course it¡¯s fun to daringly break such rules, but the Prince has annoyingly learned how to deal with disturbances in the middle of the night.


    ¡°Certainly, he¡¯d like to avoid making a fuss in a woman of age¡¯s bedroom in the middle of the night. The Prince isn¡¯tcking in modesty.¡±


    Muttering to herself like she wasn¡¯t the cause, Rachel began looking around herself for something to do.


    Suddenly, Rachel¡¯s eyes feel on some stationary. She had used some backing paper earlier to fly some paper airnes, but there was still some nk sheets piled up.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.......if there are no novels to read, then let¡¯s challenge ourselves to write one instead.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ability to produce good characters is nothing she would brag about. She had tried her hand a little bit at making a book before. She would always have trouble with length though, but thankfully this time she had plenty of subject matter to work with.


    ¡°Hmm, the protagonist will be Prince Vermouth, the prince of a small country. He¡¯s an idiot who is faithful to his desires and can¡¯t think through difficult problems...........right. He falls for traps, is stupider than a horse, and chases after every girl he sees.¡±


    As she continued to write the character settings, the story and sub-characters also began toe out one after another. Just by forming it into a bulleted list, she had a premonition for quite arge masterpiece.


    ¡°Un, this is really good! If there¡¯s no novel for me to read, then I shall write one!¡±


    Rachel prepared as much paper and ink as she could, and she held a light in one hand while the other gripped her pen.


    ?


    A few dayster.


    A woman rose up from the darkness and approached the iron bars as Rachel continued to furiously move her pen across a sheet of paper.


    ¡°Mydy, I came immediately after I heard there was an emergency.......this stuff, what is it for?¡±


    The woman pushed in the baggage she had brought into the prison through the cell doors. Four bundles of letter paper wrapped tightly in brown oil paper inside a cardboard box along with a dozen bottles of ink. It added up to two, maybe three thousand sheets of paper and a sufficient amount of ink for the pile. It was an amount that one person would normally be unable to use.


    ¡°Is this all from the Duke¡¯s house?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I purchased ready-made items when I was in town. They are unaware of who they sold this to though.¡±


    The woman shook her head while filing her report, and Rachel in turn handed back to the woman anotherrge stack of papers. These ones already had writing on them. Wonderfully drawn writing and precise spelling made them easy to read..........but, there was just so many of them.


    There were bags under her eyes as Rachelughed watching her subordinate confirm the contents.


    ¡°There are publishers who are good at distributing material without revealing the identity of the writer correct?¡±


    ¡°Hah, I have some knowledge............?¡±


    ¡°Send that manuscript to them, and have it spread across the city at once. I¡¯ll give you this portion, so print out arge number of copies to push down the price to make it readily avable to anyone inside the Kingdom.¡±


    Rachel handed over her manuscript with a recentlypleted ending over to her subordinate, and then started rubbing her eyes. As expected, it was time for her to get some rest.


    ¡°Ha.........it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been so exhausted.......¡±


    The subordinate confirmed the contents of her package one more time before tilting her head.


    ¡°My Lady......honestly, I believe it might be impossible to finish all this right now.......¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand what I¡¯ve done. I¡¯m a creator who wants to strike on her passion during that sh of realization before it goes cold........fu, fufu........my brush has already finished The Stupid Prince¡¯s Grand Adventure along with a second book from its spin-off series His Highness is Aiming for me.1¡±


    There was quite a bit of actual life experience used to help create this work which mainly depicts the exposure of Prince Vermouth¡¯s shamelessness, but, well, ¡°This story is fictional,¡± everything will be fine so long as that phrase get published along with it.


    The spin-off idiot is the innocent boy Hanks, a story about a boy aiming to be a knight who is able to ovee his low birth thanks to the Prince¡¯s unexpected assistance. Even though the young knight swears to protect the kind prince who helped him, in truth the prince is actually gay and aiming for Hanks......so it¡¯s a pstickedy.


    Now,tely the literacy rate inside the city has increased, and the poprity of novels and the written word is vibrant. They will read anything so long as it¡¯s interesting.


    ¡°This is something I wrote. I want as many people to read this as possible...............I will continue writing, so will you help me?¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡±


    The woman gave a resolute bow, however rather than exiting there, she instead took a look at the manuscript she was holding.


    ¡°My Lady¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I have found two mistakes I wish to point out. Here where this person goes, ¡°From behind¡±, and then the following scene where Elliott forcefully presses against Sykes and then the ¡°Ahhhh~!?¡± leads into the ¡°I¡¯ve been dirtied.......¡± continued scene, wouldn¡¯t those three scenes ced consecutively like that bore the reader? And as for my personal impression, wouldn¡¯t Sykes be the one on the attack?¡±


    ¡°..........I didn¡¯t ask you to edit it. It¡¯s fine, properly correct the ces you find strange.¡±


    ?


    Facing an unidentified woman who made contact through shady routes, carrying in a book she wished to have published, the Mouse & Ratpany representative Robinson wiped his forehead with a handkerchief while making an uneasy smile.


    ¡°Then, I understand the conditions for publication. Yes, we are doing a business that has no rtion to the printing house, and you can leave hiding the identity of the source to us. We will disperse the books so that no one will ever know who was involved.......by the way¡±


    Robinson pointed to two ces on the manuscript and then motioned to the other one as well.


    ¡°The first work has Prince Vermouth as the main character with his knight Hanks, but in the second one their names have changed to being Prince Elliott and his knight Sykes. Was the person who wrote these books thinking of someone as they wrote it? Perhaps one of them is the name for the model, but in that case wouldn¡¯t it be better to unify the two names?¡±


    Themon people such as Mr. Robinson lived their lives unaware of the names of the members of the royal family even though it was the one belonging to their own country. And then there was the maid who had been dyed in Rachel¡¯s colors.


    ¡°Maybe they just thought that Elliot and Sykes sounded good together.¡±


    ?


    Elliott noticed that Sykes had been acting aloof recently for some reason. It feels like he is taking a strange distance whenever they¡¯re together.


    ¡°Sykes, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°No Your Highness, my heart isn¡¯t ready.¡±


    Seeing Sykes clutch his chest, giving an ambiguous smile while taking his distance, all Elliott could do was tilt his neck.


    1. The ¡®me¡¯ in this line is boku which is a male pronoun which means the person saying that title is a guy.

 Chapter 14 - The Prince Brandishes a Discussion

    <h4>The Prince Brandishes a Discussion</h4>


    ¡°Ie to see you for the first time in several days and find you in this state............oi, Rachel. What is all this!?¡±


    With the alreadymonce scene of Prince Elliott roaring, Rachel flipped up her eye mask and peeked over at him.


    ¡°Nnn, Your Highness.......ing into a woman¡¯s bedroom and wildly shouting, where were you raised?¡±


    ¡°I am the Prince of this country, and unlike some backwater regent my birthce is well known! And you keep arguing how this is your bedroom, but if that is so then where is your living room!?¡±


    ¡°Well then please renovate the prison into a two room structure.¡±


    While the Prince was arguing with Rachel, George poked his shoulder.


    ¡°Your Highness, the discussion has shifted.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s.........Rachel, what I want to hear is not that! Where did all this stuff inside the prisone from!¡±


    ¡°Eh........weren¡¯t you here before? What¡¯s so strange about it now? I, nnn, I¡¯m really sleepy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same now! You, you¡¯ve been opening your cell anding in and out!¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t left though.¡±


    While saying she was sleepy once again, she pulled her eye mask back on and pulled herforter back up to her neck.


    Inside the prison a number of wooden crates had been thrown together in arge pile creating quite a mess, but the pile was rearranged now and re-stacked looking like how it was when she first moved in. It was good. Most likely Rachel had used up some of her free time and cleaned up a bit.


    But.


    ¡°You, haven¡¯t you been sleeping on your cushion until now!? So then where did this canopy bede from!?¡±


    ¡°Nnn..........it¡¯s been here since before.¡±


    ¡°Well then what about the reclining sofa with a brushed carpet and ottoman!? The charcoal stove that can be used to boil!? And above all, what about the writing desk over by the window that looks like it wouldn¡¯t be able to fit through the cell door in the first ce!? How did you bring that all in!?¡±


    ¡°Nnn~..........noisy~...........it was here from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie!!!¡±


    Feeling very sleepy Rachel rubbed her eyes from overtop her mask, and she pulled a string hanging off of her bed. The room filled with the sound of a pulley moving, and a curtain fell down on the inside of the iron bars.


    On the sheet was a short message written on notebook paper.


    <i>¡¶Outside Business Hours¡·</i>


    ¡°...................................Eeeeeeeeeh.................................¡±


    ?


    There were nearly ten men gathered in Elliott¡¯s office.


    They were all the sons of high nobles like Sykes and George, and while they did serve Elliott they also served as the elite guards for Margaret. While Elliott can be usually seen talking to Sykes and George, these other men gathered here also converse with the Prince on a nearly daily basis. All of these men were gathered in here today whether they had prior business right now or not.


    An event where all of these men gather together was rare, especially since the noise from a ball wasn¡¯t apanying it.


    Sitting at the head of the table, Elliott spoke while looking like he had just swallowed a bug in front of everyone.


    ¡°Even though she should have been convicted for her crimes, Rachel Ferguson has been doing whatever she wants until now. And she¡¯s only getting worse. We¡¯re here to discuss some way to manage her.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t a single person withmon sense in this room to object to the Prince saying something so immoral.


    Elliott turned a strict gaze on to his trusted retainer.


    ¡°In the first ce George. Wasn¡¯t it your job to hold down the Duke from providing any aid!? What¡¯s with that stuff in the prison!?¡±


    ¡°T-that is.......inside our home, it doesn¡¯t look like anything of the sort was prepared, Your Highness. And there were no strange individualsing and going from our mansion either.¡±


    The genius at the desk never considered the idea that the opponent had a base inside the city.


    ¡°What about the prison guard? If he missed this, isn¡¯t that guy being negligent?¡±


    Sykes, who wasn¡¯t present at today¡¯s confrontation, spoke up to George.


    ¡°About that........that man has other responsibilities as well, so he can only check up on the prison during his patrols. He was as surprised to see how much the room had changed as we were.¡±


    ¡°Tch, stupid guy.¡±


    The prison guard wouldn¡¯t have wanted to be told something like that by such a muscle brain.


    ¡°That woman¡¯s strong point is taking advantage of the gap in the rules. ........Damn you, Rachel..........!¡±


    Elliott looked like a demon striking the top of his desk.


    ¡°Usually, wouldn¡¯t a noblewoman be beaten after being thrown in prison and want to go home!? Two, three days after being thrown in there and she should¡¯ve been crying and apologizing in order to be let out.........that timid woman who could only silently follow me around, where did she go!?¡±


    ¡°Certainly she changed too much........¡±


    Most people had only the previous impression of Rachel. This wasn¡¯t on the level where you could just say she was hiding in horse legs1, and there were some men in the room who had grownpletely distrustful of women as a result.


    ¡°Even though I¡¯ve done what I could to oppress that woman in order to save Margaret! Why is it that whether I am awake or asleep Rachel Rachel<sup>0</sup>.........now I can¡¯t even sleep at night because I¡¯m worried about what she¡¯s going to do next! Her face is clinging to my mind all day long!¡±


    Towards a Prince who wasing down with an upational disease, Sykes made a self-satisfied expression and winked while striking a funny pose with his finger in a ring. It was something thatpletely didn¡¯t suit the unrefined him.


    ¡°Your Highness, that fellow............you¡¯re in love with her.¡±


    After Sykes had been shut up with a vase to the face, Elliott turned to his other minions.


    ¡°Anything is fine, but does anyone have an idea to leave that woman speechless?¡±


    At the words of the Prince which implied that failure was a foregone conclusion, all of the boys looked away.


    ¡°What if we try to smoke her out?¡±


    ¡°Already done.¡±


    ¡°Then, we should bring in something smelly.¡±


    ¡°Already done.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get others involved and just try to harass her.¡±


    ¡°Already done.¡±


    ¡°Should we try spreading bad rumors about her from here?¡±


    ¡°Already done.¡±


    Elliott¡¯s staring was making the other boys feel embarrassed.


    ¡°You guys......are you here today to just make me feel like an idiot!?¡±


    ¡°Ye, Ehhhhh!? But no matter what I involuntarily think it¡¯ll fail.......¡±


    The men hadn¡¯t noticed they were all shaking their heads as each new idea came out. All of their negative words were wearing away on Elliott.


    But of them there was one man who¡¯d make up for it.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine you guys, His Highness isn¡¯t a failure.¡±


    George stood next to the Prince to protect him from his sorrow, and he denied the others¡¯ feelings.


    ¡°He just failed with this.¡±


    ¡°Every single one of you correct me!¡±


    George plunged down to the floor face first after having his butt kicked and rolled away.


    ¡°However, about that first thing.¡±


    One boy sitting to Elliott¡¯s right slowly raised his hand after taking a deep breath.


    ¡°Ms. Ferguson, after she went to prison and her personality changed. I never would¡¯ve been able to predict something like that.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you can say that again.¡±


    She was a fiancee simr to a doll always standing silently diagonally behind the prince, but now that she was in prison, she was such an overwhelming woman that you might start to call her crazy.


    The air of the meeting started to change, and the once silent men became bustling. They all started analyzing the point.


    ¡°Perhaps she is a substitute, and the real one has already been killed by the Prince.¡±


    ¡°If I had, then why would we be having this meeting in the first ce!?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s just a body-double, and the real one has already escaped.¡±


    ¡°Then this fake person is quite dark and has a crazy personality.........¡±


    In this way the purpose of the strategy meeting shifted to discerning the noblewoman¡¯s authenticity, and the heir to a viscount raised his hand.


    ¡°Whether she is real or not. There is something more pressing.......I mean, Ms. Rachel is........somehow from before, isn¡¯t she sexier?¡±


    ¡°He said it!¡±


    All of the underlings nodded their heads together.


    ¡°!¡±


    Elliott continued to watch as his meeting got derailed, but he had the same thoughts as them.


    The hairstyle was the same, and there was no major change to any of the make-up she was wearing......but her expression often changed, and she was able to give off a bewitching atmosphere despite how she was always wearing some rough clothes now.


    The boys continued to excitedly discuss amongst themselves.


    ¡°What I mean, it seems like sexiness is blurred together in the little gestures........¡±


    ¡°Right right! Is it because she¡¯s be rich in facial expressions? Like this, it¡¯s likeparing a ck and white sketch to a vibrantly colorful picture.......¡±


    The conversation between adolescent boys continued........but


    ¡°However, she changed so much.........perhaps it was hard for her being engaged to His Highness.¡±


    ¡°Ah..........she became bright as soon as the engagement was destroyed........¡±


    ¡°The reason she¡¯s be so lively is because the burden of marriage isn¡¯t weighing her down........¡±


    The conversation started to take a turn into a strange direction again. They all started feeling sorry for her, and the underlings all threw a quick nce over towards their boss.


    ¡°You guys, whose side are you on!?¡±


    Elliott began shouting with a blood vessel pulsing on his forehead and shrugged off all their words.


    ¡°The change in behavior isn¡¯t at the level where we would call her brighter! In fact we should be seeing her as a snake who has been hiding her true colors this whole time!¡±


    Elliott looked around to his left and right.


    ¡°Really you guys, being tricked2 by Rachel thiste in the game.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry.......¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how bright that woman has be! Haven¡¯t you all noticed anything about Rachel?¡±


    You are the one who has been in contact with her the most, was what none of them could reply to the Prince¡¯s question. Then while everyone was thinking on their own, the son of a marquis raised his hand.


    ¡°I did notice one thing.¡±


    ¡°What is it? Tell us!¡±


    ¡°Hah¡±


    Everyone¡¯s faces turned towards the boy curiously.


    ¡°Ms. Rachel.........actually, doesn¡¯t she have good style3?¡±


    The group of boys kept quiet for a while. However it wasn¡¯t long before the atmosphere for this countermeasure meeting became something simr to one you¡¯d fine on a school trip.


    ¡°.........No but.......didn¡¯t Ms. Ferguson always have proportions like that?¡±


    Unable to stand the silence that had descended one person responded in a hushed voice as the marquis¡¯s son shook his head at the answer he received to the raised question.


    ¡°When a young womanes out in public, they do so usually wearing a corset. Naturally Ms. Rachel did as well, but right now she is only wearing her indoor clothes since she¡¯s thinking of the jail as her own private space. In other words, Rachel¡¯s corset right now.........there is none.¡±


    The Marquis¡¯s son spoke with a soft voice, but his words still echoed in the room like the beating of a drum, providing the greatest impact to his audience despite his quiet tone. The circumstances for the underwear of a beautiful woman whose face you¡¯ve personally seen.........it was thergest eros that an adolescent boy could think of.


    The son of an earl started breathing heavily through his nose.


    ¡°That, erotic.........!¡±


    ¡°What are you saying about this, the problem is from there! Ms. Rachel now, in a private room she¡¯d be dressed with the utmost care. That¡¯s a given.........right?¡±


    Even if they were the only ones in the room the boys gathered close, and after seeing each other¡¯s faces, they continued.


    ¡°In other words without any esories, that¡¯s her style! Understand!? There¡¯s no tightened corset around her waist, so there¡¯s nothing to push up her chest. That hateful camouge is no longer there allowing us a sight people weren¡¯t meant to see! A woman with a natural hourss figure that can keep that ¡®S¡¯ character line!¡±


    ¡°What the hell!?¡±


    A roar rose from everyone around the table. The boys all lost theirplexions at this, the discovery of the century. The facts they had found left them shocked, but they each quickly returned to themselves and began whispering among one another again.


    Even Prince Elliott who had been drawn in a while ago broke down.


    ¡°What clear reasoning........as expected of the Boyinski heir which has produced schrs for generations!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, my family name is Bnski.¡±


    ¡°No, no no wait wait!¡±


    There was one man who couldn¡¯t get wrapped up in this topic, and George Ferguson poured cold water on the other¡¯s vortex of excitement.


    ¡°No way you guys, do you intend to switch from Margaret over to my sister just because she has good style!?¡±


    Elliott and the others were instantly brought back down to reality, vehemently denying the idea.


    ¡°No wait, that¡¯s something else. Margaret has a different style, and I¡¯m not switching! It¡¯s more like, a spiritual connection, it heals.......¡±


    Sykes nodded.


    ¡°Right, it¡¯s as His Highness says. Rachel has a different style. Her straight, or rather, I mean, that, what, slender.........well not..........well, I think she has a realistic figure.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s a problem with my body rather than my heart.........¡±


    Somewhere after Syke¡¯s point the story changed, and ¡°That¡¯s right huh,¡± became the reaction to his theory as Elliott continued to make denials under his breath........


    ¡°Ferguson. Certainly Margaret who I love is inferior to your sister in terms of the ideal body figure. However¡±


    ¡°Hmph, spit it out Boyinski!


    ¡°It¡¯s Bnski.¡±


    After having done nothing but praise Rachel¡¯s body since before, Bnski rose out of his seat.


    He emphasized his next words with a tight fist.


    ¡°Margaret¡¯s body is something that was ¡®made¡¯ after living the lifestyle of a moremon person. She has a deep neckline that can be seen from above, breasts that aren¡¯t too big yet still noticeable, and hands and feet that aren¡¯t too thick and can even be called petite.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Aren¡¯t you talking ill of her?¡±


    ¡°S, shut up Sykes!¡±


    With Elliott forcing Sykes to grip his butt after his previousment, Bnski¡¯s exnation started heating up.


    ¡°However! That¡¯s good! That¡¯s good! When some nobles are born aren¡¯t they forced to squeeze parts of their body to make them grow smaller, and don¡¯t they sometimes add essories? to fake that appearance? This is what I want to say. So it¡¯s fine, right!?¡±


    The Earl¡¯s son gave a rough objection.


    ¡°However, you were the one who was singing Ms. Rachel¡¯s praises!¡±


    The Marquis¡¯s son¡¯s response was a nod as if to say, ¡°That¡¯s just what I thought.¡±


    ¡°What is themon point between Ms. Rachel and Margaret?¡±


    ¡°Common point?¡±


    One is a member of a high-ranking noble family who would naturally be considered for the role of being the Prince¡¯s wife, and while her personality leaves something to be desired, she is a beauty with great proportions.


    The other used to be amoner who managed to be a lower noble, and with an innocent and natural charm, she also has a pretty yet somewhat infantile body type.


    When the personality and appearance of the two werepared, those who looked couldn¡¯t find anything that was simr. It was here that Bnski made a promation as if he were an oracle.


    ¡°Everything about those two ispletely natural. Even if you were to take everything away from them, their styles would not change. The human body given to them by God, it¡¯s not a thing that was forcefully tightened or is cheated with essories! So, I dere. A woman¡¯s beauty is being natural!¡±


    ¡°OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!¡±


    After finishing his speech Bnski struck a pose as if he were looking up to the heavens, and the impressed boys gathered around him began to shout. The boys talk ended in an impressive finale.


    Elliott¡¯s countermeasure conference adopted Bnski¡¯s ¡°Naturalist Deration¡± and closed the curtain looking forward to future prosperity.


    The people who participated, ¡°We should work on an abolition of corsets,¡± ¡°Let¡¯s ban the scam,¡± left Elliott¡¯s office excitedly making ns for the future.


    Elliott¡¯s heart was also on high as he organized some documents in a good mood.


    ¡°Un, today¡¯s meeting sure was productive. This should solve our problem........problem?¡±


    Elliott put his hand to his forehead and began thinking.


    ¡°........Today¡¯s meeting, what was on the agenda?¡±


    1. The saying means hiding your true personality as you might have guessed, and it is referring to actors who act as the rear end of a horse in those two person costumes.


    0. He repeated Rachel¡¯s name twice in the raws, so this isn¡¯t a mistake. The screwed up footnotes however, are.


    2. I felt it was important to note here that this word can mean both trick and seduce given their previous conversation.


    3. Where Ie from we call this ¡®plot¡¯ but it¡¯s hi either way.


    4. They actually use the word makeup here, but since I¡¯m pretty sure that makeup only refers to cosmetics in English, I changed it to essories. If I am wrong about the makeup thing, please let me know though of course.

 Chapter 15 - Noblewoman Does Some Shopping

    <h4>Noblewoman Does Some Shopping</h4>


    Rachel raised her face from the novel she was reading, and she grew worried with what she didn¡¯t see on the wall.


    ¡°.........somehow, it¡¯s quite dreary huh.¡±


    When she thought about it, the Ducal home had vases and paintings all over. Naturally Rachel¡¯s room as well had been decorated on three sides with portraits of her and thendscape paintings she had done as a hobby.


    ¡°Hmmm........¡±


    Rachel got up from her sofa and started to look around.


    Naturally the walls of a dungeon wereprised of nothing but stacked stone. There was nothing else to see. Only the mural she had drawn the other day provided even a little decoration.


    ¡°Because I live in such a troublesome ce, it¡¯d be good to coordinate it in a way I like........isn¡¯t this the real pleasure of moving?¡±


    An ordinary inmate wouldn¡¯t think like this.


    ¡°It¡¯s still too early to bring in the Dark Night ck Cats.........we never expected such a sense before, but it¡¯s good to find new business partners.¡±


    The non-ordinary prisoner Rachel thusly ced her hand on some nearby paper with a *Pon* and began writing out a letter.


    ?


    ¡°Oi, Rachel¡±


    Prince Elliott arrogantly spoke up, and Rachel reluctantly looked up at him from the magazine she had been reading.


    ¡°What is it Your Highness? I, am in the middle of reading.¡±


    When she raised her face, she saw that Elliott wasn¡¯t looking at her. The Prince¡¯s eyes were looking over past Rachel at the other side of the dungeon.


    ¡°.........In such a ce, you¡¯ve put up a decorative painting?¡±


    Elliott¡¯s eyes were glued to the wall, where arge picture frame was hanging on full disy. It was andscape painting in which lilies beautifully bloomed around a river.


    ¡°My Your Highness, has your memory already begun to worsen at such an age?¡±


    ¡°Huh!? No, there is no such thing! Ah, but if what you said is true...........¡±


    ¡°I put it up just yesterday. To not remember such a recent change........¡±


    ¡°So it was new after all!?¡±


    Elliott wrapped his fingers around the bars, clinging to the cell with a deep frown.


    ¡°Oi......how can you afford to bring a painting in here? What appeal is there to preparing something so nonessential and nonurgent!?¡±


    ¡°There was no such intention. This, it is not a picture that I brought from home.¡±


    Elliott looked back at George.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Haa.........certainly, it¡¯s a picture I¡¯ve never seen at home before.......¡±


    For the source, George could do nothing besides tipping his head to the side.


    ¡°Where did you pick it up from?¡±


    ¡°Is Your Highness an idiot? How could I have possibly gone to pick it up?¡±


    ¡°........That¡¯s right.¡±


    It can¡¯t be helped that Elliott gets called an idiot when he bes absentminded whenever somebody calls him an idiot.


    ¡°So you didn¡¯t get it from home. You also didn¡¯t pick it up, so then where did you get it?¡±


    How did the picture appear........it was a question that made Elliott¡¯s head turn, but Rachel responded simply while turning her gaze back into her magazine.


    ¡°I bought it.¡±


    ¡°Where could a prisoner have bought this!?¡±


    ¡°Hey Your Highness¡±


    Having watched the exchange silently until now, Sykes spoke up and pointed to the magazine Rachel was reading.


    ¡°That novel magazine, it came out this week.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    Although the number of publishingpanies had been increasingtely and the number of books for entertainment purposes with it, entertainment magazines are issued after a certain amount of content had been umted, so publications came out non-periodically with a gap inbetween issues. Because these magazinese out one after another like this, it is easy to distinguish between issues.


    Sykes had seen this issue from a distance earlier which was why he knew that it hade out only recently.


    ¡°Oi Rachel! Where did you get a brand new magazine!¡±


    ¡°How could I tell you such a thing? What entertainment could be had in this prison without having the prison guard spew out guesses for what he believes the market prices for these things to be?¡±1


    ¡°What¡¯s with that stupid story!?¡±


    ?


    ¡°Strange.......Rachel, from where is she bringing in all this new stuff?¡±


    Elliott¡¯s grumblings were natural. Rachel couldn¡¯t leave, and even if she did know of a way to smuggle things in through the gate, there was no movement from the Duke¡¯s house.


    ¡°Somewhere, is Rachel somehow opening up the walls in order to go shopping?¡±


    At this point Elliott¡¯s anger and hatred had caused his reasoning skills to fly away.


    ¡°There are no hidden passageways inside. There had been a previous inspection, and Rachel wouldn¡¯t have had time to build something since then.¡± It would take quite a long time to build an escape underground. Even if Rachel was aware of the engagement abandonment beforehand, time wouldn¡¯t have been on her side. ¡°However......if so then how did Big Sis bring all that in.......¡±


    George was also puzzled. His sister was originally a slippery target, so he didn¡¯t know what to do now that they had already caught her.


    Elliott bitterly spat out his next words.


    ¡°Anyway! We¡¯ll perform strict checks from now on to make sure that there really are no strangersing in and out of the pce. To all the gate guards and royal knights, investigate in detail every suspicious merchant and visitor thates into the pce!¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    ?


    Having been permitted entry through the castle¡¯s front gate, the man who has been the head of the well-established Crown Company for over twenty years walked into the backyard after confirming there were no other people nearby. Before anybody could see him he had already quietly made his way down the steps to the underground prison.


    ¡°Greetings, thanks for your continued patronage. I¡¯m from the the Crown Company.¡±


    Rachel, who had been busy reading a book at the time, raised her face from inside her cell.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting. You¡¯re sure youing here hasn¡¯t been leaked?¡±


    ¡°Yes, everything¡¯s alright. I¡¯m currently discussing official business in a courtdy¡¯s room, but nobody saw where I went to confirm that I came here.¡±


    The seasoned merchant then began pulling out items from the luggage he had brought with him one after another.


    ¡°Of the items you ordered, everything that hasn¡¯t been yet delivered to you is in here.¡±


    ¡°Un, thanks.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. With that, about the exoticmp with the colored ss you mentioned before........here¡¯s the catalog. If you could choose whichever one you¡¯d prefer, we can have it shipped to you in a week, so please ce your order!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll look. Always so naughty.¡±


    The elderly man bowed his head while wringing together his hands.


    ¡°No no, nothing so outrageous! By all means in the future.......¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will ask that you be allowed toe and go in Father¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much!¡±


    The merchant deeply bowed his head once again upon hearing Rachel¡¯s lip service and left after hearing her additional order.


    Rachel was alone, bringing some cookies from a famous store that had just arrived in the dungeon up to her mouth.


    ¡°His Highness has been looking for apany that has recently starteding in and out........¡±


    But the subordinate that Rachel has had deliver supplies to her while she is in prison first starteding to the pce under the guise of a merchant since several years ago. Even if the search were widened to not include just new merchants however, Rachel knew the Idiot Prince would never be able to grab his tail.


    Even a long established group like the Crown Company wants as many new clients among the upper nobles as they can get. Merchants aren¡¯t the type to be satisfied with having just a court order.


    Even a big yer would respond to a risky transaction if it was with someone with Rachel¡¯s position, and they know how to side-step regtions.


    Elliott was born a prince, so he has no sense in that area.


    ¡°Well, even the ordinary citizenry wouldn¡¯t know of something like a merchant¡¯s temperament either.¡±


    It¡¯s not normal for the daughter of a Duke to know about such things either, but upon hearing some footstepsing her way, she decided to not dwell on such things and instead pulled out a new bottle of wine from its package.


    1. I¡¯m just going to admit that I had to guess a bit with this line. Rachel¡¯s being random which is always funny unless you have no idea what she¡¯s trying to say and there is little context to infer meaning. In other words, Rachel was giving a big F U to Elliott and me both.

 Chapter 16 - Noblewoman Does Volunteer Work

    <h4>Noblewoman Does Volunteer Work</h4>


    Sykes was going for a walk when a group of children being led by a priest crossed his path.


    ¡°Onii-chan, hello!¡±


    ¡°Ah, hello!¡±


    ¡°Oji-chan, hi!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll beat you to death.¡±


    As the procession left, he had a thought though.


    Hm? Why are a bunch of children from an orphanage walking around inside the royal castle?


    In retrospect, all of the children had entered a single door. The all-too-familiar door leading to the dungeon that Rachel is currently residing in.


    ¡°.........Oi, she¡¯s starting something again.¡±


    ?


    In response to Sykes¡¯s report, an emergency dispatch was once again issued, and Prince Elliott rushed down the dungeon stairs. And there was.......


    ¡°A long time ago, in a certain ce. There was a small country known as the Flower Kingdom.¡±


    Rachel was reading a picture book to all the children sitting around in front of the iron bars.


    The dim light of the sun inserted itself inside the cobblestone room. With a girl holding an open picture book in hand while sandwiched between a mountain of wooden crates and a gorge mural, a dozen toddlers were excitedly looking on.


    And with a set of iron bars inbetween them.


    ¡°What is with this space!?¡±


    The children all looked back at Elliott who had involuntarily begun shouting, and after putting an extended index finger to their lips, unitedly told him to, ¡°Be quiet!¡±


    ¡°.......am I in the wrong?¡±


    Elliott asked George who was standing next to him with a downcast voice, but even if he asked, George didn¡¯t have an answer.


    ¡°Somehow, it¡¯s like a ver¡¯s storehouse.¡±


    Elliott hated how Sykes carefreely allows whatever idle thoughts pop into his mind toe out of his mouth. In this supposed idea Elliott would be the ve dealer, while Sykes would be the management cum muscle, and you could probably call George the head clerk?


    Either way it meant Elliott was evil and Rachel was the protagonist in a tragedy. Such a story was uneptable.


    However since this was a situation where what was exactly going on wasn¡¯t clear, it wasn¡¯t like the men were going to be able to figure out the answer. So beating back the boo¡¯s from the children for interrupting their fun time, George asked Rachel directly.


    ¡°.........Sis, what exactly is going on here?¡±


    Towards her stupid little brother who hates to listen, Rachel cheerfully answered looking like a Holy Mother.


    ¡°Oh dear, I honestly didn¡¯t think you would ask me. No I, you didn¡¯t know about my weekly visit to the orphanage for charity? But because of my future welfare inside here, I had no choice but to cancel.......until to my pleasure, the children came to visit me here.¡±


    The Prince¡¯s group were then subjected to abo strike of implied usations like, ¡°What do you see your own sister as!?¡± and, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of the Prince that our charity has stopped!?¡± and, ¡°He¡¯s robbing a group of innocent children!¡±


    Leaving the men to themselves, Rachel turned back to the children with a saintly smile on her face and once again began reading from her picture book.


    ¡°There once was a Prince in the Flower Kingdom.


    A beautiful Prince with blonde hair, all of the girls were crazy about him.


    But, the Prince assuredly looked cool.........however he was a big idiot who couldn¡¯t help but to love women.


    No matter what his retainers said to him, the Prince refused to study or do any work.


    He was a fool even to the citizens, yet the Prince staggered from one extramarital affair to the next.


    He kept doing nothing but chasing pretty girls every day to y with.


    A Prince who doesn¡¯t work. All of his retainers were extremely troubled.


    All his retainers and his citizens looked down on him with cold eyes, but the sex-obsessed Prince didn¡¯t understand.


    Finally the Prince was caught by the angry citizenry.


    Everyone lectured him, but still the Prince remained indignant.


    The Prince who didn¡¯t know what he had done wrong, finally his retainers abandoned him.


    Now, what was the fate of this Prince?¡±


    Towards Rachel¡¯s question, all of the children who had been listening had their eyes sparkle all at once.


    ¡°The Prince¡¯s head rolled! The Prince¡¯s head rolled!¡±


    All of the children¡¯s voices united in a happy chorus, and Rachel watched on smiling.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, the Prince was dragged out into the city square and had his head chopped off! The Useless Prince was killed by guillotine!¡±


    ¡°Yaaaaaaaaaaay!¡±


    ¡°Hold onnnnnnnnn!!!!¡±


    Elliott began banging on the iron bars, stepping inbetween Rachel and the group of children.


    ¡°What kind of book are you reading!?¡±


    ¡°Is there something strange about it?¡±


    ¡°How can you think it¡¯s not strange!? It¡¯s full of miserable content! Moreover the insinuations that the book¡¯s contents are making..........¡±


    ¡°Oh my¡±


    Rachel made a knowing smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell my Your Highness, are you perhaps sympathizing with the character?¡±


    ¡°Ku........¡±


    Rachel¡¯s smile showing that she had clearly seen through him was coupled with the suspecting faces of the children who clearly didn¡¯t know what was going on. It was impossible for him to start making usations or insults in front of a pack of children who didn¡¯t understand what was going on, so he instead menacingly pointed at Rachel through the bars.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about me! About this book, it¡¯s bad for the education of children no matter how you look at it! Isn¡¯t there a better book for this!?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, but aren¡¯t I not reading a fairlymon story book?¡±


    ¡°Amon story book!? It has affairs and guillotines, there¡¯s no way this content was made with children in mind!¡±


    Rachel turned over the book in hand. Any way you looked at it it appeared to be a picture book made for children.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it pretty ordinary? Isn¡¯t the purpose of fiction to depict good being rewarded and evil being punished? It is a good subject for children to read.¡±


    ¡°This is a choice of clear ill will! No matter how I look this is clearly supposed to represent me!¡±


    While Elliott was angrily bleating, Rachel was leisurelyughing.


    ¡°Well Your Highness, does that mean you have been having some affairs yourself? I suppose it¡¯s the guillotine for you then.¡±


    ¡°You, how dare you impudently.......maybe it¡¯s because you were harassing Margaret in the first ce! Feel some remorse, witch!¡±


    The blood had rushed to his head, and the Prince had finally begun shouting. Rachel responded to Elliott¡¯s yelling with a small sigh as the children began crawling away from behind him.


    ¡°This onii-chan, his yelling is making me feel bad.¡±


    ¡°He looks like the Prince from the book.¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it isn¡¯t this onii-chan also blonde?¡±


    ¡°Is he also a cheater who likes to flirt?¡±


    ¡°Theeeeeeeen neck chop¡±


    There were probably no bad intentions in the children¡¯s words. They were just saying what came to mind, but their chatter cut deep.


    ¡°Damn!? You brats, don¡¯t you know I¡¯m working properly!? I don¡¯t gallivant about!?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making excuses to children..........¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not making excuses! It¡¯s the truth!?¡±


    ¡°Onii-chan, so impatient~¡±


    ¡°Is onii-chan going to have his head chopped off?¡±


    Beingpletely pushed away by the air, Elliott¡¯s group took a step back. They couldn¡¯t afford to do anything while there were children here.


    The children meanwhile surrounded Rachel once again to continue enjoying their picture book, having fun while enjoying some big biscuits that were passed around.


    Why is it that a person who is currently in prison is able to leisurely pass around supplies, were the vague thoughts Elliott were left with.


    It would be wrong to say something in front of children. That was what Elliott and the others decided before resolving themselves for a retreat.


    They were all allies of justice themselves after all. Kicking out a bunch of kids in front of Rachel would only increase their reverence towards her.


    While Elliott was irritatedly making his way out however, Rachel decided to hand over a picture book to him.


    ¡°Since Your Highness¡¯s friends don¡¯t usually read books, perhaps you could use this to practice your reading and writing?¡±


    The sarcasm in the following, ¡°Are you off to do some work?¡± could be inly felt, but since Elliott didn¡¯t want to be exposed in front of a group of children he begrudgingly took the book and left the dungeon.


    When he arrived at his office, Elliott finally began to violently curse.


    ¡°Damn you Rachel! Each and every single time your sarcasm rears it¡¯s ugly head! Dragging out the fact that I don¡¯t do any charity work in front of children...........¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t get angry if there are a bunch of children there.......Your Highness, ¡®You¡¯re so cool!¡¯¡±1


    ¡°Noisy!¡±


    Standing aside as Elliott berated Sykes, George took a look at the picture book.


    ¡°I have never heard of such a fairy tale before......what country is this story from?¡±


    Flipping through the pages, an imprint soon came into view.


    <i>Was the story interesting? With love to Prince E</i>


    <i>Written and Drawn by R ? F</i>


    ¡°This, it was done up by my sister........¡±


    ¡°Fuck, how is this amon story!? How was this not about me!!!¡±


    The howls of a lost dog echoed in the castle¡¯s backyard.


    1. The person saying this is using a childish way of speaking, so they¡¯re just pretending to be one of the children.

 Chapter 17 - Noblewoman Meets the Young Lady

    <h4>Noblewoman Meets the Young Lady</h4>


    In a ce such as this, the prison guard had already gotten used to visitors making their way here.........but the hair color today was different from usual, he thought to himself.


    A pretty girl with long red hair done up in twin tails, that was who came down to the dungeon for a visit today.


    Until now it had always been a Prince or some young noble man who has been the source of the pitter-patter that came from someone walking down those steps; this was the first time it had turned out to be a young girl.


    ..........although when you put it like that, this might not seem that unusual............


    ¡°Miss, uninvited people aren¡¯t allowed down here......¡±


    Although people break in here anyway........was what the girl inside the prison cell would have assuredly thought if she had heard what the prison guard had said.


    ¡°I already know! Please notify Rachel that Margaret Poisson hase to meet with her!¡±


    ¡°After all please listen.......¡±


    ¡°What is it? Now, quickly!¡±


    Young people nowadays really only want to show their chins1, was what the prison guard thought to himself as he reluctantly made his way down to the dungeon.


    The youngdy proudly followed close behind.


    ¡°.......Miss, do you know what ¡®notify¡¯ means?¡±


    ¡°I know? Now, hurry up and guide me to her!¡±


    ¡°Already, just like this.........¡±


    When they arrived inside the dungeon, the girl called Margaret immediately ran up to the steel bars.


    ¡°Rachel, it¡¯s Margaret! Long time no see!¡±


    I have no idea who this girl who starts loudly yelling out some greetings early in the morning is.........., the prison guard was already making excuses as he broke out in a cold sweat.


    He didn¡¯t know the reason why, buttely the prisoner had been sleeping in untilte in the morning. In fact she was still in bed now. Now here she was being roused out of bed.......


    Although their acquaintanceship has been short, he was fully aware that that outrageous woman hated being disturbed (Although because she had always initiated all of their conversations, there were no examples of her being disturbed that came to mind). What happens if you force this my-pace woman to wake up.........


    The prison guard took his distance from the iron cell in the face of the unknown.


    Despite the prison guard¡¯s fears, Rachel woke up rtively calmly.


    ¡°Umu?¡±


    She pulled her head out of its ce deep underneath her duvet, and clumsily rubbed her eyes. When the upper half of her body rose out of bed, she saw the girl who was calling out to her.


    ¡°Rachel! It¡¯s me, Margaret!¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    It took a while for the words she was saying to make it through Rachel¡¯s early-morning dopey demeanor, but eventually Rachel¡¯s eyes were able toe into focus and she got out of bed.


    ¡°Mou, have you finally woken up!? You¡¯re such a sleepyhead!¡±


    The redheaded woman was at full tension as she continued to shout while clinging to the cell bars, and Rachel gradually made her way over.


    Watching on, the prison guard thought to himself, ¡°Ah, is she a friend or something?¡± as he thought that that might be why she wasn¡¯t criticizing the young girl for waking her up.


    A wave of relief washed away the stress that had been building up for the prison guard.


    ¡°Gufwaaah!?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s flying knee kick dexterously made its way inbetween the bars of her cell, being absorbed by the sr plexus of the redheaded girl.


    ¡°Hangyaaaa!?¡±


    The visiting girl made a silent scream as she flew backwards.


    The red-haired girl groaned as she painfully rolled back on the stone floor. Because she was clinging to her stomach without worrying about the cuts and bruises she had gotten from rolling on the floor though, it seems like the blow from the knee-strike worked quite well.


    ¡°Wh...........what, is.............¡±


    As the girl tried to choke out a question between her short gasps, Rachel looked on visibly shocked.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. Your stomach looked like it would be a good ce to hit once, so I unintentionally.........¡±


    ¡°What kind of reason is that!?¡±


    While the girl slowly got back to her feet with gritted teeth, Rachel gave some roughmentary.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s the truth? You, you give off a really amaaazing feeling. That¡¯s why, it¡¯s like wanting to pull on the cheek of something cute or wanting to p the butt of someone you like. Mou, the whole aura you were giving off was begging me to hit you! I, I¡¯ve taken such great care over thest decade to make sure I don¡¯t raise my hand against someone..........but now I¡¯ve lost to my temptations and put my knee on another.¡±


    Still clutching her stomach the shivering redheaded girl waved her hand and beckoned over the prison guard.


    ¡°Wh, what is it?¡±


    The prison guard fearfully came close as the youngdy grabbed and twisted his cor with a surprising amount of strength.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s with this guy!? Providing this kind of ¡®greeting¡¯ upon an encounter, is she truly the daughter of a noble!? Even the ¡®professionals¡¯ inside slums aren¡¯t this uncouth!?¡±


    ¡°Even if you ask me that........¡±


    The red-haired girl was raised in the downtown streets, so she had been brimming with youthful enthusiasm at first, however any trace of that energy had disappearedpletely in front of the prison guard as if it had all been a lie.


    ¡°That, is that truly Rachel Ferguson!? The daughter of a Duke¡¯s house!?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know the situation that well, but I suppose so?¡±


    While the two of them were whispering their grievances at each other, the still worked up Rachel continued to praise the girl from inside the prison.


    ¡°The longer I look at you, the more amazing you appear! Ten years, no this is a once in twenty years talent! There¡¯s no doubt, you have a talent as a sandbag that nobody else could ever hope to match!¡±


    ¡°What kind of talent is being a sandbag!?¡±


    What strange praise.


    Rachel clung to the iron bars and began begging the youngdy.


    ¡°Ten blows would be all I¡¯d need, please, let me work some ps on your face!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t like the first one!¡±


    The contents of the request were strange again.


    ¡°Then just five! I should be able to make do with just five!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you listen to what people are telling you!?¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t say.¡±


    The exchange continued..........and seeing the youngdy who was finally able to stand up albeit trembling like a newborn deer, Rachel suddenly tilted her head.


    ¡°By the way you........have we met somewhere before?¡±


    The angry red-haired girl once again beckoned over the prison guard.


    ¡°Wh, what is it.........¡±


    The prison guard fearfully walked forward again trying to protect his cor, but the youngdy grabbed it right when he began to drop his guard.


    ¡°What ? is ? with ? this woman!? What does she mean she doesn¡¯t know me!?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t really know.......¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯ll leave that aside for now..........no, wouldn¡¯t it be too weird if we just left it!? Punching someone in the gut who not even ever having a conversation with before, but who she thinks she¡¯s never even met before, what is going on inside her head!?¡±


    ¡°Even if you ask me........¡±


    Rachel is Rachel, and from inside the prison, she was resorting to bribery while using a coaxing voice.


    ¡°Heeeey~, how about I buy you whatever you want? So, just let me beat you a little?¡±


    ¡°Would you just give it up!¡±


    ¡°I suppose........after all, you should be able to hear a snap or take a beating right? You could enjoy the feeling as I pinch your little soft cheeks..........you, understand?¡±


    ¡°Quit talking as if you know who I am now! Why is the genuine article so different.......¡±


    The redheaded girl whose legs finally stopped trembling pointed at Rachel with a *snap*.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ve truly forgotten me or not, but if this is what you¡¯re really like, then you¡¯re already ck!2 Don¡¯t you know if you apologize to Elliott you¡¯d already be out of here? I came here just to tell you that!¡±


    Rachel leaned up against the iron bars.


    ¡°My apology.......should I apologize for using you as a sandbag first?¡±


    ¡°Apologize! Are you calling yourself some kind of vignte!? You¡¯re dangerous!¡±


    ¡°No, but Miss is already in jail though.¡±


    While taking enough distance away from the cell, Margaret started yelling at Rachel.


    ¡°Hmph, if that¡¯s the attitude you¡¯re going to have then fine! Then you¡¯re fine with not being able to watch as I sweetly grow into Elliott¡¯s princess!? It¡¯ll be toote to regret itter!¡±


    The girl¡¯s footsteps echoed outward as she ran up the steps while Rachel and the prison guard saw her off.


    After any sign of the girl had disappeared, Rachel turned to the prison guard.


    ¡°In the end, who was that girl?¡±


    ¡°She said she¡¯d be a princess, so does that mean she¡¯s somebody that the Prince okay¡¯d?¡±


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve seen her somewhere before but........I¡¯ve heard her name before too.¡±


    Rachel thought for a bit, but since she couldn¡¯t remember, her thinking soon changed to something else. She then looked over in the direction that the red-haired girl disappeared.


    ¡°Ah, I want to hit those plump little cheeks with a forehand/backhandbination.......a nostalgic fire¡¯s been re-lit and my old childhood habit is making aeback. On this asion, I want to beat her even more than His Highness.¡±


    ¡°The other party in these hypotheticals are some big names........¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? They aren¡¯t that big of a deal. A long time ago, I sunk him in a pond.¡±


    ¡°Sunk in a pond..........the Prince!?¡±


    The prison guard was surprised and repeated back what he heard, but he gained no reply in turn.


    When the prison guard looked back, Rachel had crawled back in bed and put on her eye mask.


    ¡°An idiot woke you up, so you¡¯re going back to bed?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I want to dream before forgetting this wonderful feeling.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re seriously pleased with all this.......I don¡¯t know who she was, but that girl just met with some misfortune.¡±


    In Prince Elliott¡¯s office, the daughter of a baron Margaret Poisson had her arms wrapped around her darling Prince. And then she sneezed.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Margaret? Are you getting a cold?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so at least.......but I did get the chills.......¡±


    ¡°I see, what a coincidence......for some reason I did too.....¡±


    1. It¡¯s a Japanese idiom that means you think highly of yourself.


    2. As in no good or an enemy.

 Chapter 18 - The Duke is Puzzled by the Situation

    <h4>The Duke is Puzzled by the Situation</h4>


    Even though his daughter had been thrown in prison, Duke Ferguson was busy with his work like usual.


    Normally if a criminal were to pop up in one¡¯s family, especially a noble one, the other members should show a modicum of self-restraint and act discreetly.


    With Rachel¡¯s case however, there was only a one-sided conviction on the Prince¡¯s part, and the Duke would never admit guilt to something like that. Rather, because the final judgement from the King hadn¡¯t been handed down yet, it was his duty to actively fight the charges and im innocence.


    The oldest son George was on the other side, but the father Dan was still the head of the house. And no matter what his son said, he refused to back down.


    That¡¯s why he wasn¡¯t short on any information from the barrage of visitors that passed through.


    But then almost as if by chance during a lull of the busying and goings of the Duke¡¯s guests, Rachel¡¯s personal maid Sofia arrived at the Duke¡¯s Office looking as if she were here to wait upon him.


    ¡°Pardon me Master.¡±


    During such a time, there was two other maids waiting patiently by the door leading to the outside hallway. Sofia alone walked forward, giving a deep and respectful bow straight out of an instruction manual.


    ¡°It¡¯s about My Lady¡¯s matter¡±


    ¡°Ah, Rachel¡¯s current status¡±


    The Duke finished signing a document before resting his hand and looking up at his daughter¡¯s subordinate who had just entered......although to be precise rather than his daughter¡¯s this should be his wife¡¯s subordinate, but it seems that any servant attached to their daughter end up having their loyalties skewed to a certain personal preference.


    Completely unconcerned with the conflict inside the Duke¡¯s heart, Sofia stepped forward as calm as ever.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Umu. How is she?¡±


    ¡°ording to the report, My Lady is doing just fine.¡±


    The young woman finished her report and gave a single thanks.


    The Duke in turn stared at her for about ten seconds.


    ¡°.......Is that all?¡±


    The Duke spoke in a befuddled voice as he realized that nothing else woulde out even if he waited, and Sofia in turn answered himpletely serious.


    ¡°Yes. That is the summary.¡±


    ¡°No, No No! No, that is far too concise a summary. What am I supposed to understand with just that?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯d understand that My Lady is doing just fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all!? There¡¯s nothing else!? If there are any other details then please release them.¡±


    ¡°Right.......then, I¡¯ll deliver themter.¡±


    Looking somewhat unconvinced Sofia turned back.


    ¡°Lisa, could you bring the daily report from the watchman to Master?¡±


    ¡°Hah¡±


    ¡°Meia, please call the primary physician Monton here as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Hah..........Sofia, should I be calling therge doctor in charge of heart surgery? Or the young one with the psychosomatic medicine?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking something so stupid!? The Master, didn¡¯t he say he wanted to know the details of Our Lady¡¯stest activity records? It should be obvious that you¡¯d call both. Use yourmon sense.¡±


    ¡°Hah¡±


    After giving out instructions to her fellow maids, Sofia turned back around and gave another bow.


    ¡°Master, when looking over the daily report, do so with a stable pulse and after lying down in bed.¡±


    The maid¡¯s words went in one ear and out the other with the Duke only really caring about one thing.


    ............mon sense, what?


    Once the Duke had managed to regain his mind, he made a small cough and changed his instructions.


    ¡°Wait. It¡¯s fine so long as Rachel is in good health........I¡¯d prefer to not be confined to my bed right now.......¡±


    ..........what are you doing, and what kind of results are you bringing? Things are happening in real time right now, but there was no doubt that it¡¯d be better for his mental health if he didn¡¯t ask any questions like that.


    Thinking so, the Duke ended the discussion.


    It¡¯s the natural result after considering one¡¯s priorities.


    By no means did he mean to just put off opening Pandora¡¯s Box.


    ...........Truly?


    After shaking his head and making another small cough, the troubled Duke decided to consult with his daughter¡¯s maid about the current matters.


    ¡°Umm, more than that.......His Majesty should soon be returning from his tour. I¡¯m sure His Highness will be working on his case to decide her guilt. Perhaps we should start working on some counter-measures........¡±


    So what do you think? Before the Duke could say anything else though, Sofia¡¯s report caused his words to get stuck in his throat.


    ¡°If it¡¯s about His Majesty, then he won¡¯t be back for a while.¡±


    ¡°..........Huh?¡±


    Why is a maid who shouldn¡¯t even know the schedule of the inspection in the first ce suddenly saying something like that?


    To the Duke who had absolutely no idea what his vassal was saying, Sofia offered an exnation.


    ¡°The engagement between My Lady and His Highness Elliott was due to the strong wishes of Her Majesty the Queen. Because of this we created a summary of the events that have happened since the engagement¡¯s destruction and relied on a messenger from the Nauman family to secretly send it while His Majesty was on his inspection.¡±


    ¡°.......unnoticed.......¡±


    Far from knowing their schedule, Sofia was able to pin down exactly where they¡¯d be and when they¡¯d be there. Furthermore she had the means to get in contact. What¡¯s with this scary story?


    ¡°In total, we wrote them a note saying, ¡°The cats are ying happily,¡± and their party ended up staying at the hot springs inside Count Fracker¡¯s territory. Until the situation is organized and our policy moving forward is decided, I believe they shouldn¡¯t be returning to the city.¡±


    But then the expressionless maid looked like she thought of something and added,


    ¡°Or, you¡¯re afraid that My Lady blowing off some steam might step on the wrong toes, perhaps.¡±


    The Dukeughed at the maid¡¯s guess. It was a very small, quietugh.


    ¡°N, no..........no matter how big a fire Rachel creates, there¡¯s no way it¡¯d affect His Majesty¡¯s group. Afraid that Rachel would get uninvolved royalty wrapped up in all this, that¡¯s ridiculous! Hahaha.........¡±


    ¡°No, in truth His Highness the Archduke........pardon me, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°The Archduke? What about the Archduke!? What¡¯s happened to Archduke Vivaldi!?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s already settled.¡±


    ¡°Is it absurd to feel concern!? What has Rachel done!?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all okay. It¡¯s really not that big a deal.¡±


    ¡°Is it really okay!? What¡¯s Rachel done!?¡±


    ¡°From my mouth, it¡¯s a little........¡±


    ¡°How is that supposed to make it sound like it¡¯s all okay!?¡±


    ¡°By the way Master¡±


    Having already worked through the Duke¡¯s panic, Sofia presented to him a brochure without any context.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve been building up anxietytely, how about you and your wife go on a trip to some hot springs.¡±


    ¡°Whose fault..........who do you think put me in this state right now!?¡±


    ¡°Right. While visiting the hot springs, you might just end up running into His Majesty while you¡¯re there.¡±


    Sofia¡¯s casual words left the Duke stunned.


    ¡°.........are you saying that we should discuss the final measures away from the crime scene?¡±


    ¡°It all just happened this way. What a coincidence.¡±


    The maid continued talking with an absolutely unreadable face.


    ¡°At any rate, the fact that His Highness¡¯s party has deviated from their schedule is something that the Royal Pce is still unaware of. If Master were to depart right now for the same hot springs, then nobody would ever have been able to predict if you were to somehow encounter His Majesty at the same ce.¡±


    Just how far under the table is my Daughter¡¯s hand able to reach........the Duke could feel his spine grow cold as he thought about it.


    My Daughter is growing in a way I couldn¡¯t expect and building up a major incident. Somebody help.


    Sofia¡¯s proposal, it¡¯s true that it would be a good way to save Rachel.


    The Royal Pce doesn¡¯t know anything, and that No-Ability Prince¡¯s group would never even question the inspection group returningte. They would never even think about hampering the Duke from reaching his destination.


    But if he was going to dance in the setting that his daughter had set up, there were some things that still had to be confirmed.


    ¡°...........And what about the situation here? If I were to leave then wouldn¡¯t George take control of this House?¡±


    With no Duke or Duchess, naturally responsibility would fall to George, the oldest son. If Rachel was looking for help, she wouldn¡¯t be able to count on her own house for any assistance whatsoever. But since she was the one proposing the outing, Rachel must have assuredly thought of that.


    This was evidenced by the cool look still stered on Sofia¡¯s face, showing that this was within their calctions.


    ¡°There are also some convenient things that can only be gained when Master isn¡¯t here.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Even if the Master and Mistress were to go out on an excursion, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for you to appoint a substitute for a short period of time while you¡¯re away. You can appoint a deputy outside of your rtives since the Young Master is still a minor. And when ites to managing home affairs.........¡±


    The Duke and maid stared into each other¡¯s eyes........and then they both turned their necks towards the wall and the butler who had been as thin as air until now. Seeing that their eyes had gathered on him, the butler dropped the documents he had in his hands with a face looking like he had just had a heart attack...........but no worries, no worries.


    ¡°........I see¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s just a servant, but if Master has entrusted all rights to him.........¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t deviate from the policy I set up, and George can¡¯t order him around.¡±


    ¡°No matter what Young Master says, ¡°It vites my instructions,¡± or ¡°Check with the Master,¡± he can always just respond with that. And with the Young Master¡¯s head, it¡¯d be difficult for him to verify any ims with Master while you¡¯re traveling.¡±


    ¡°Umu, it¡¯ll be fine for just a governmental office.¡±


    As the master and servant began coldlyughing as if everything had been solved, a crying butler meekly spoke up.


    ¡°Um, will I truly be alone and in charge..........?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Jonathan. Sofia will also be here, and if George gets too noisy, you can just ask Martha to throw him in his room.¡±


    That terrifying maid chief used to be George¡¯s nanny. And George hadn¡¯t grown big enough yet for her to not be able to pick him up by the scruff of his neck.


    The butler¡¯s shoulders drooped as he realized there was no getting around this for him, but the Duke was feeling especially lighthearted all of the sudden and went out jovially calling for his wife.


    ¡°Iseria, we¡¯re going on a hot spring trip vacation right away!¡±


    ¡°Well Dan, what¡¯s going on so suddenly!? Right now shouldn¡¯t be the time for such a thing!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going out precisely because it¡¯s right now!¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ?


    While collecting some documents that had fallen on the floor, the butler weakly looked over at the maid with grievous eyes.


    ¡°If all this anxiety kills me, could I apply for worker¡¯spensation?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Please check with Master for that.¡±

 Chapter 19 - The Girl Plans Ahead

    <h4>The Girl ns Ahead</h4>


    At a small noble house in a suburban area at the city¡¯s edge, a simple ck carriage had returned.


    The light clopping of the horses¡¯ hooves beating against the stone street echoed in the air as they pulled the carriage along and through the slid open gates of the small mansion.


    Hearing the loud neighs of the horses, the mistress and a maid appeared at the front door to greet their arrival.


    One of Baron Poisson¡¯s daughters who had been at the royal pce had finallye home.


    The person who was inside the carriage wanted the door opened faster than the two coachmen could meet up with her though.


    ¡°Come on!¡±


    The twin-tailed beautiful girl forcefully pushed open the door hard enough to almost break it from the inside,


    ¡°Toh!¡±


    and faster than the coachman could bring out the stepping stool, she jumped out of the carriage to the ground andnded bowlegged. At the same time without moving she decided to strike a pose to mark her grand entrance.


    One man, ¡°Perfection........,¡± uneasily praised her while the other elderly servant thought to himself, ¡°I¡¯m just going to stay quiet (LOL),¡± and carefully removed the unused stepping stool.


    ¡°My Lady, you could end up hurting yourself, so please stop it.¡±


    Even when the coachman does tell her to be careful, ¡®My Lady¡¯ doesn¡¯t listen. The Baron¡¯s daughter Margaret Poissonughs at the concerns of her servants.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine~! A great human being wouldn¡¯t get hurt even if they were to fall from a high ce!¡±


    The two coachmen both tilted their heads to the side, drawing arge (?) as they tried to pull out any recollection of such an idiom being true..........but they decided to give up on pointing out the ws.


    It¡¯s pointless for anyone associated with this Lady to respond with, ¡°That¡¯s somehow,¡±.........above all, she¡¯s bursting with energy and probably just means that it¡¯s fine even if she falls from a great height because she¡¯d still be beautiful.


    The Mother called out to her daughter who had returned home full of energy.


    ¡°Wee home, Margaret.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m home Mama!¡±


    Margaret and the Baron¡¯s wife, Anita Poisson, hugged each other. It¡¯s unclear how this energetic girl came from such a fragile, ephemeral beauty.


    The Lady continued on, doing away with themon mannerisms and loudly greeted the maid as well.


    ¡°My Lady~, wee back~!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m home Bet~¡±


    The maid with a physique simr to Margaret gave her a high five.


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Their warcries synchronized. It seems that these two are somehow rted.


    Without any territory, the Poisson Barony is a lower ss noble house with few members that relies on the stipend they receive from being a baron house. There are four people here right now, and if you add the Lord of the house you get five.


    The second that someone returns home, a cozy atmosphere envelops you as even the servants feel like family here. The Baron would secretly boast to others about his cozy home.


    With the usual unsuited-for-a-noble greetings finished, the girl handed over her baggage to the maid and started looking around.


    ¡°Papa is?¡±


    As she asked Margaret peeked behind the curtains next to the sideboard. Of course a Baron wouldn¡¯t normally be in such a ce to begin with.


    The Madam of the house made a small smile looking a little troubled.


    ¡°Milord has not yet returned from the office yet.¡±


    ¡°Muu. I wanted to tell him about how Elliott was praising me.¡±


    ¡°My my. Then how about you tell Mother first then? You could try practicing telling your story before you talk to Papa?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    With the sun setting at her back, Margaret walked into her house while casually talking with the Baron¡¯s wife. Meanwhile the carriage driver began preparations to put the carriage away as the maid closed the mansion¡¯s gate. In this small home of a baron, the peaceful air of a close family was everywhere.


    ?


    Returning home after finishing all of his work, Baron Poisson asked the maid who met him at the door about his wife and daughter.


    ¡°Bet, how are Anita and Margaret?¡±


    The maid who was the same age as his daughter took the Baron¡¯s bags while giving him a military-like salute.


    ¡°The Madam and Lady are having a lively discussion together in the living room.¡±


    ¡°Right.........¡±


    The Baron wanted to say something about the pose and overabundant respect that the maid showed him, but he wanted to see the faces of his wife and child even more than that.


    The Baron peeked into the living room where his lovely wife and daughter were excitedly talking to each other.


    ¡°I see.......so pestering Elliott for a bracelet was a bad move after all!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right Margaret, you shouldn¡¯t do that anymore. You¡¯ll draw His Highness¡¯s ire even if he does favor you. His favor could easily wear away, and you might get a bad reputation as someone who is only after his wallet.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want that!¡±


    The Mother gave a warm smile as her daughter nodded her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, you have to be smarter. You need to make his heart tremble a little when he sees you looking at it unhappily, but when His Highness asks if you want him to buy it for you, you have to give him an immediate rejection!¡±


    ¡°Really!?¡±


    ¡°Your mouth has to say no, but the expression on your face will clearly show what you really want........that way, His Highness will see you as lovable and won¡¯t be able hold himself back from buying it for you as a present. You have to let the man sell you his favor! He pays tribute to you without you even having to ask, that¡¯s a first ss technique!¡±


    ¡°I see! I will study more!¡±


    Somehow, I feel like my wife and daughter are having a slightly scary conversation..........


    Feeling uneasy about joining in with them, the Baron was hesitating at the living room entrance.


    .......then, Madam Anita noticed his gaze.


    ¡°Well Milord, if you hade home then it would have been nice if you had said something!¡±


    ¡°R, right¡±


    ¡°I thoughtlessly got wrapped up in my conversation with Margaret and was unable to meet you at the door........¡±


    ¡°N, no, that¡¯s perfectly alright.¡±


    Standing up right away, the loving wife quickly made to start the cooking.


    ¡°Papa, wee home~!¡±


    ¡°Mm. Wee home Margaret.¡±


    ¡°Listen listen, today I was at the royal pce!¡±


    Acting unlike how a girl probably should in herter teens, the cute girl¡¯s eyes started sparkling as she began recounting the events of the day.


    ¡°Now Margaret, isn¡¯t Milord still wearing his outdoor wear? You can tell him all about your day after we¡¯ve had something to eat.¡±


    ¡°But, I want him to hear about it right away.¡±


    A situation where your lovely wife and adorable daughter are arguing over you.


    Right. That conversation I overheard must have been something else, a mistake in my hearing since I¡¯m getting older.


    ¡°Now now you two, my stomach¡¯s already grumbling. Let¡¯s start eating early today.¡±


    The Baron had met his wife in a slightly weird ce, but she was a good woman who fit in well as a noblewoman, and the daughter from a previous marriage that she had brought with her was a lovely girl who loved him deeply.


    .......This type of happy family was more than a dull, small-time Baron could wish for.


    What doubts could he possibly have? Isn¡¯t this the picture of a happy home?


    The Baron continued to convince himself so, and he pushed the backs of his Wife and Daughter towards the dining room.


    ?


    After finishing dinner Margaret headed upstairs, opened her window, and stared out at the descending darkness. There weren¡¯t many streemps in this area, so the scenery wasn¡¯t that great, but the faint breeze that blew past her face felt pleasant.


    This was the ce where she could be the most rxed, and while staring into the night sky, she was finally able to ponder about that thing.


    ¡°..........I never knew Rachel was such a crazy woman.¡±


    Originally she had gone down in Prince Elliott¡¯s dungeon in order to convince his former fianc¨¦e to surrender, but she had never thought that that woman would force her out in such a way.


    ........no, it¡¯s possible that she¡¯s just pouring on the vilification, and anticipated that I¡¯d leave after pping me once........in what world does the daughter of a duke knee kick someone before even thinking about talking to them?


    ¡°Moreover, the person in my head isn¡¯t so dangerous.......¡±


    She had talked and talked, but it was impossible to follow along with what Rachel had been talking about.


    It was impossible for Margaret to follow along with what Rachel was thinking.


    ¡°That woman, I wonder what.......in the first ce, I can¡¯t understand the idea of putting yourself in jail all alone.¡±


    This was probably what everyone would think.


    ?


    It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this.


    Margaret had almost zero acquaintanceship with Rachel Ferguson, but as expected, the other party was the fianc¨¦e of the Prince. Even a lower noble like Margaret would know her face.


    Well, all of the previous impressions Rachel gave off were, <i>She¡¯s like a doll</i>.


    During a ceremony Rachel had stood diagonally behind Elliott, and while he smiled and waved to the cheering crowd, she was........just standing there not doing anything.


    In the first ce Elliott had never really even acknowledged her presence there, making her seem like she was just a part of the background.


    Love means moving together, but instead they were actively acting on their own.


    As she tried to get closer and be more familiar with Elliott, Margaret realized that the Prince¡¯s impression were the same as her own.


    Although......Rachel¡¯s presence may be thin causing her to seem like just a background character, but she was still the daughter of a top noble family and the Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e.


    There were a lot of girls other than Margaret who were aiming for the glittering Prince Elliott, but it was clear to see that their family, career, and education couldn¡¯tpare to Rachel¡¯s.


    Without the strength to go on the attack and the status of being at least a marquis, earl, or maybe even a princess, you wouldn¡¯t be able to brush Rachel aside.


    If you¡¯re trying to appeal to Elliott, then simply trying to rece Rachel who is superior in every way is just impossible.


    What¡¯s more, Margaret was at the bottom of noble society, a baron¡¯s daughter. Whenpared to the other girls with a decent pedigree, her handicap is massive, and it¡¯s only the starting line.


    But after pushing forward with a spirt forged from being a downtown grown girl(physically), she was able to sessfully Elliott¡¯s eye.


    What¡¯s more is that those other noble girls who don¡¯t know how the world works andcked that ¡®service spirit¡¯, an edge which allowed Margaret to increase her favorability, making her look like excellent stock and pull ahead from her rivals......but that was it.


    With the sole exception of love, Rachel had an overwhelmingly high score with a base that couldn¡¯t be shaken, and there¡¯s no point in fighting over second ce.


    So.........what¡¯s there left to do from here?


    Margaret was confident that Elliott loved her more than Rachel.


    If the Prince could choose who he wanted to marry, then Margaret would definitely be his queen.


    Or so Margaret thought at least.


    ¡°.......If Elliott had a good reason to end the engagement with Rachel, then wouldn¡¯t everything be fine?¡±


    If you can¡¯t overtake someone, then you should trip them up.


    If you can¡¯t beat a person fairly in apetition, then you just need to take them out of thepetition entirely.


    That way Rachel doesn¡¯t even have the option of getting back up and overtaking her again.


    So, that¡¯s why


    Margaret took all of the harassment she had been subject to from all of her rivals, and she gave a detailed report to Elliott iming it was all Rachel¡¯s doing.


    Well, having grown up as amoner, all the secret harassment from a bunch of noble girls left her dripping wet, but it wasn¡¯t anything unbearable.......but Margaret was able to effectively use these incidents by iming they were no big deal with tears in her eyes, and the results were outstanding.


    Elliott and all his aids were enraged over the sneaky abuse beingid on Margaret, and they felt sympathy for her.


    We have the cute Margaret, and the un-cute Rachel is jealous of her.


    What naturally followed was a resounding roar for how Rachel was an unsuitable match for Elliott.


    Meanwhile words of support for Elliott taking Margaret instead gradually grew.


    .........The natural conclusion drawn was that the next queen should be the angelic Margaret.


    And those terrible that were confirmed from Elliott and George¡¯s investigations were to be revealed that night during the evening party..........but then.........


    ?


    ¡°No, what is that woman really thinking.......¡±


    Even thinking about it calmly, there¡¯s no way that girl is like that.


    Even though she should have been suddenly thrown in jail, there was already food and other daily necessities inside, and she¡¯s now standing her ground inside her cell, refusing to leave, and making the Prince look like a fool.........


    ¡°.........In the first ce Rachel, if you knew about the plot to throw you in prison in advance, why wouldn¡¯t you stop it?¡±


    The very idea went against Margaret¡¯smon sense, and her head tilted to the side unable to understand.


    ¡°And it really seems like she can¡¯t remember my face........¡±


    Even though she had been sticking to the Prince¡¯s side for over half a year now, she hadn¡¯t remembered Margaret¡¯s name, and there was no sign of recognition in her eyes when she had seen Margaret¡¯s face.......


    Disinterested, no, it was like Rachel had beenpletely indifferent to her. Just because Margaret had been hanging around the Prince apparently meant that Rachel felt there was no need to remember her face.


    Not knowing such a Rachel¡¯s heart......after thinking about it for a while, Margaret was able to see a truth when she looked at it from another angle.


    ¡°.......perhaps Rachel, maybe there really is just something wrong with her head?¡±


    There were a mound of issues besides her memory. Mainly in how she thinks.


    Margaret, bit her nail while watching the cityscape sink into darkness.


    ¡°Anyways, I won¡¯t hand my position next to Elliott over to that woman.¡±


    That woman might actually be hiding herself away while mocking Elliott and the others to make Elliott obsessed with her and eventually turn the tables thinking all Margaret could do was watch. It was misdirection at its best.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Elliott would ever change his mind about Rachel though.......hmm, well I also don¡¯t know about any lingering affection on Rachel¡¯s part that might drip out.........because Elliott looks so cool!¡±


    Margaret demonstrated her extremely poor eyesight.


    ¡°Well, the super cool Prince is crazy about me.......Uoh~! I just can¡¯t bear it~!¡±


    The sixteen year old Margaret began actingpletely Deredere, her body wriggling around in a way that it probably shouldn¡¯t when it¡¯s the body of a beautiful adolescent girl.


    ¡°Ufufu, Elliott is so handsome, so tall, and acts just slightly pompously.......yet he always acts so kind to me!


    Ah~, just thinking about Elliott¡¯s sweet smile makes my nose run.¡±


    For Margaret, young handsome men were greater than gold.


    Having identally entered her own world on that line of thinking, Margaret clenched her fist and got back to what she had been thinking before.


    ¡°Well it¡¯s fine. Rachel¡¯s like that, and it¡¯s toote to change how things are moving now. Elliott and I are the best couple in the royal pce! This is themon sense of the world! By the time the King returns, I will have made our rtionship a solidified fact!¡±


    The King may believe that Rachel would be better, but all the surroundings will believe that Elliott and Margaret work together well, and that the previous engagement shouldn¡¯t be restored. That was the culmination of Margaret and Elliott¡¯s n.


    ¡°Rachel might try once again, but she¡¯ll find there¡¯s nothing she can do. That woman is in prison. She might think she can pull some maneuvering in court, but good luck doing that from inside a cell.¡±


    But then, Margaret began to think.


    In Rachel¡¯s cell where she should be locked up and unable to move, why does it sound like there is an increasing amount of furniture?


    <i>It must have alle from the mountain of supplies in the back whose contents remained unknown</i>, an idea with a problem that Margaret couldn¡¯t understand.


    Not noticing the hole in her theory, the twin-tailed girl only thought so far before her face suddenly became loose.


    ¡°In addition, Elliott is only looking at me.......no matter what hand Rachel has, she¡¯s already lost the round one.¡±


    The belief that there was no way Elliott would go after Rachel. The strength of this belief might be Margaret¡¯s greatest strength........but it was also a weak-point.


    ¡°What, Elliot would never go for that woman. Because........!¡±


    Turning her head up towards the cloudy night sky, Margaret proudlyughed,


    ¡°Because Elliott has me! Because there is the super beautiful girl Margaret by his side, he doesn¡¯t need to ask for anyone else! Should I admit that she does have a slightly good face? But there is no way there will be a round two! Ahahahahahaha!¡±


    Margaret¡¯sughter resounded in the night sky, ovepped by only the loud *BANG!* of a window being wildly thrown open.


    ¡°Noisy! Is it the Poisson¡¯s stupid daughter again!? Do you have any idea what time it is!?¡±


    ¡°Sorryyyy!!¡±


    Thrust back into the ¡®Human world¡¯, Margaret began furiously apologizing to her neighbors, and lowered voice after shutting her window............once again vowing victory.


    ¡°......fufufu, Elliott should be making me his own any time now! To ensure that, how should I go about making Rachel say, ¡®<i>I¡¯m beaten</i>,¡¯ before Elliott¡¯s Papa returns home?¡±


    Elliott had tried out various different harassments against Rachel until now, but it seems like they weren¡¯t enough.


    Maybe because the Prince hasn¡¯t been subject to this kind of abuse, he keeps choosing methods that are ineffective against Rachel?


    ¡°Fufu, it looks like the time hase for me to make use of my technique forged from my time growing up downtown.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t proud of this...........she really wasn¡¯t proud of this. In the Elliott Wars her handle was Born in the Ghettos Margaret, but she was also able to make the most out of her talents. She had the know-how to crush the hearts of those other ¡®noble girls¡¯, and triumphed in winning over Elliott and all those other young masters.


    ¡°Just you wait Rachel.......I¡¯ll have you eat my attack, and you¡¯ll never see iting!¡±


    Margaret beganughing once again......but suddenly threw her hands over her mouth and started worryingly looking around her neighborhood out her window.


    ?


    ¡°Hey Mama. Last night I made just a little noise and the neighbors got angry........I didn¡¯t wake Mama and Papa up right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so. Milord and I slept very well though.¡±


    ¡°Were you that tired? Although Papa and Mama seemed fine in the evening.¡±


    ¡°Let me see.....I guess Papa and Mama were fine then. But afterwards the two of us were busy trying to make Margaret a younger brother, so we went to bed quite tired.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean ¡®make¡¯ a younger brother?¡±


    Margaret is actually surprisingly innocent to the world.

 Chapter 20 - The Duke Seeks an Audience with the King

    <h4>The Duke Seeks an Audience with the King</h4>


    Seeing the countryside town outside the carriage window, the atmosphere hanging around felt somewhat more stylishpared to its rural surroundings.


    Duke Ferguson¡¯s carriage moved slowly through the dense crowds while he looked out at the rooftops of the buildings lined up in the Fracker hot spring town.


    ¡°Hoh.......so this is why Count Nauman boasts about his territory as being the highest earning.¡±


    Everything looked like an ordinary countryside town at first, but there were a number of shops lining main street which itself had arge number of people passing through.


    It looked like there weren¡¯t many people who actually lived here as many of the people here were equipped for travelling.


    Those people who were here to visit the town were most likely the ones swarming main street, moving around the carriage while lightly dressed. It felt like a lot of them were there to do some window shopping, sightseeing, or looking for somewhere to have lunch. It was what you¡¯d expect from a very popr hot spring town.


    The Duke was impressed........but he also had his doubts.


    ¡°........given the economic scale here, it looks pretty obvious that Count Nauman has been underreporting his taxes.........¡±


    ¡°Dan, working right now..........?¡±


    As the Duke¡¯s mind unintentionally drifted to his work, the Duchess brought her workaholic husband back to the more pressing matter. Yes, what matters today isn¡¯t another person¡¯s tax evasion, it¡¯s the cancetion of their daughter¡¯s engagement.


    This irregr couple¡¯s carriage continued forward, being lead by their escort, and entered the area of town for upper ss visitors where high-ss baths are lined up.


    ?


    Having enjoyed the outdoor open-air bath, the King began drying his hair as a chambein came to inform him of a visitor.


    ¡°Duke Ferguson and his wife have arrived from the capitol. Since they heard Your Majesty hade to enjoy the hot springs, they wanted to meet with you.¡±


    ¡°I see. Since I am just about to get out, guide them to the living room.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    The King finished changing his clothes and entered the parlor of his suite, where his old friends the Duke and Duchess were waiting for him after their long trip. The King coolly responded to the two quickly rising and giving him a bow, taking a seat on the sofa and motioning for the husband and wife to take a seat.


    ¡°You don¡¯t visit that often Duke. Now now, this is just a temporary lodging away from the Royal Pce. I haven¡¯t seen many people sinceing here, so feel free to rx a little.¡±


    ¡°Hahah, excuse me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯m still enjoying the hot springs, so I¡¯m hesitant............argh, you. The Duke will be telling me the situation in the capitol now, and since this¡¯ll probably getplicated, don¡¯t let anyone else interfere until we¡¯re finished.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    The King told his chambein to bring in some tea and drank up the well-refined iced tea that was the specialty of these hot springs. The Duke and his wife finally took a seat sitting across from him, and enjoyed some of the iced tea before their discussion.


    Giving them a single bow, the chambein then left the room, closing the door behind him.


    ¡°Hey Robert, WHAT ARE YOU LETTING THAT STUPID BRAT DO!?¡±


    The Duke began throttling the neck of the highest power in the country.


    ¡°Wait wait, calm down a little Dan!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right Dan! Whatever the circumstances might be, strangling His Majesty when someone might walk by is no good!¡±


    The Duchess Iseria, is it fine to not reliably step forward?


    The words of his old friend¡¯s wife made the King feel all the more anxious although that was slightly besides the point from what was currently happening.


    Heeding the words of his King and wife, the Duke begrudgingly released his grip off his boss¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Sorry, thanks to <i>someone¡¯s stupid son</i> I¡¯ve had a lot of anxiety pile uptely. I <i>slightly</i>apologize.¡±1


    ¡°You, you strangle a King, yet are only slightly.......¡±


    The King retook his spot on the couch while fixing his cor.


    ¡°Tell me the situation........I mean, I already read the quick report you sent me. No, that stupid son is........I¡¯m truly sorry about all of this.¡±


    ¡°Really.......the type of ipetence where you don¡¯t know your right from your left yet still do something this absolutely ridiculous could only havee from the type of idiot son who appears once in a lifetime!¡±


    ¡°Oi you...........I probably shouldn¡¯t point this out myself, but you¡¯re saying all that in front of your King and the father of that stupid Prince........¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped since it¡¯s the truth after all!¡±


    After irritatedly making a rough breath from his nose at the constant abuse being flung his way from his childhood friend, the King finally made a wry smile and brought his cup to his lips.


    Indeed, the King and Duke of now had the same rtionship that Elliott and George have. Well, they weren¡¯t (supposedly) a couple of stupid lords.


    They yed together from time to time before they had even reached the age of ten, and they took sses together. After all this time their rtionship as best friends continued even to now.


    There is such a rtionship between the parents......the engagement between Elliott and Rachel should have been ideal as there would also have been no dynamic change in political standing........unless the other party awoke to ¡®true love¡¯ and selfishly broke off the engagement.


    ¡°However, about that matter.........¡±


    ¡°First you¡¯ll get on your hands and knees to properly apologize to the two of us and our daughter, and then we¡¯ll think of something.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about your annoying grudges. I¡¯m more worried about how public Elliott is making this whole affair. The societal world is probably trembling.¡±


    Turning her gaze on the King, Iseria¡¯s brow creased slightly as she made a bitter smile.


    ¡°Among the girls who have reached a marriageable age ¡« the lower ss nobles are all seeing this as their one chance, and their excitement is boiling over. Not only has the engagement been destroyed, but apparently the recement is the adopted daughter of a baron who was born from a previous marriage.¡±


    Rachel and Elliott were definitely the top of the top of their generation amongst the noble families. Meanwhile Elliott wasvishly spending money on Margaret Poisson, the daughter of a Baron who was the lowest both socially and financially. And when the lowest are able to sessfully push aside those on the top........there¡¯s a card game called ¡®Revolution¡¯ that has a simr ending.2


    The other nobles not involved with this will look on and think about possibly performing their own giant killings..........it¡¯s natural for them to dream so. This Margaret is capable of doing it. So why wouldn¡¯t they be able to do it themselves?


    The standard ways mean that it isn¡¯t unusual for a person¡¯s child or grandchild to not move up in the ranks, so they would be very excited to learn about a one-shot reversal to elevate their own daughters up. Right about now both parents and children should be making their paltry efforts to enter into Elliott¡¯s view.


    ¡°I suppose so. And then the tendency for other high-grade people would be.........¡±


    The husband and wife duo took over for what the King wanted to say.


    ¡°It¡¯s just as you think. The Prince¡¯s stupidity goes far beyond what we were expecting leading to theplete destruction of the next-generation¡¯s order, and people who were already upset are now on the verge of panicking.¡±


    Iseria¡¯s words were quite hard.


    ¡°Your Highness doesn¡¯t seem to be fully aware of how much this <ruby>overflowing trash heap<rt>Elliott</rt></ruby>is stinking up the ce........Robert, you must live a long time and skip the next generation of inheritance because as soon as that idiotes into power, we¡¯ll have a huge poption outflow while some of the higher lords will inevitably revolt.¡±


    And in the end, Dan had no intention of restraining his abuse.


    The real problem, the Duke¡¯s words were certainly exaggerated, but they were true enough that it was impossible tough at.


    The higher noble houses would obviously have some desire to rece Rachel with their own daughter instead. If the realization of this possibility were originally there for medium-ss and smaller nobles as well, then they may act without thinking instead of taking realistic, carefully nned calctions.


    And the results.


    The lords would inevitably conclude that the merits of having their daughter be wed to the future King would heavily outweigh the demerits of society being thrown into chaos. Elliott had made his ns in secret, so the background situation is still muddled.......but he enacted his n in front of arge group of people without any exnation, and the societal world has already be quite messy. If he had controlled the mouth of the Royal Pce, then the airheaded Prince could have had an official already working on restructuring order from the very beginning........instead because Elliott showed his greed this early in the game while his predecessor is still active, he¡¯s more likely to just be crushed before even having a chance to take the throne. If you¡¯re a nobleman with a basic ability to weigh gains and losses, then they¡¯ll know there¡¯s no reason to start a war.


    But since this is a matter of houses, there will be many including the lower houses who will try to curry Elliott¡¯s favor with just the sex appeal of their daughters............well, that¡¯s the moral of the Duke¡¯s story.


    It all seemed usible when his friendid it out there like that, but the King ended up making a cynical smile.


    ¡°Dan, there is a hole in your theory.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    The King pointed at his childhood friend¡¯s face.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying to bet on the next generation.............but there¡¯s no guarantee that Elliott¡¯s children will be decent either.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right. They would be Your Majesty¡¯s grandchildren after all.¡±


    Towards the King¡¯s own self-inflicting damage, the Duke inly nodded.


    ¡°By the way. How is Rachel doing really? It sounds like she was rather happy in the secret letter I received.¡±


    The King asked while pulling out an envelope from a mailbox sitting on a nearby nightstand, and the Duke had a sour look on his face.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a parent¡¯s selfishness to pull her out of a jail cell even if she is enjoying herself. That¡¯s what I was expecting.......but she¡¯s done so much in her preparations that it scares me.¡±


    ¡°Really? Like what?¡±


    The Duke pointed at the envelope in the King¡¯s hand.


    ¡°That letter, I didn¡¯t send it.¡±


    ¡°.........you didn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    The Duke slowly nodded his head when the King checked to make sure he didn¡¯t mishear. And so the Duke began to slowly spin a tale in an easy-to-understand way.


    ¡°A dark organization under Rachel¡¯s rule had already investigated the overflowing trash heap¡¯s conspiracy without my knowledge,


    When the problem became clear, she had arge amount of supplies brought down to the royal pce¡¯s dungeon <i>in advance</i>,


    <i>After</i> her imprisonment she managed to maintain contact with her agents and have them carry out any future policies,


    I also have no idea how she was able to get ahold of Your Majesty¡¯s schedule and nail down exactly where you¡¯d be and when,


    Secretly sent instructions to a locally acquired agent to deliver the letter,


    Figured out you¡¯d move yourself here when you found out you couldn¡¯t yet return to the city,


    and also already arranged to have me sent here to rify the situation.¡±


    The King silently listened until here, but the Duke quickly added something on as if it had slipped his mind until now.


    ¡°By the way, I learned that this dark organization existed the night Rachel was thrown in prison, after they revealed themselves to me.¡±


    Saying that much, the Duke took a sip of tea to moisten his dried out throat.


    ¡°I also don¡¯t know how many members there are in her organization. With Rachel¡¯s attendant and her maids I have a count of at least three, but let alone the people inside my own house, it¡¯s impossible for me to even imagine the ones living in the city. Honestly, I think Rachel has more subordinates than our Ducal house has vassals.¡±


    The Duke finished talking, and the King pressed his hand to his head.


    ¡°Hey......if it¡¯s like this, wouldn¡¯t it be better to have Rachel executed?¡±


    ¡°As a public official I want to agree, but as a parent I¡¯m absolutely against it. As a person involved in this administration however, I cannot ept putting national security in danger like that.¡±


    ¡°National security?¡±


    The Duke noticed the disrespect in the King¡¯s tone and stared directly back into his eyes.


    ¡°........Robert, think carefully. If you do it, what about the organization whose presence we cannot confirm and whose ability ispletely up in the air? After Rachel is gone, what will happen if those guys go underground and n their retaliation?¡±


    ¡°........the royal pce is known to bring in quite therge amount of supplies.¡±


    The King turned his mailbox upside down and dumped out all the remaining letters onto the table. Most of them seemed to be urgent reports from courts or other government officials.


    ¡°That excellence is quite enviable. Compared to Rachel¡¯s subordinates, the ones inside the royal pce are no longer.......reporting on Elliott¡¯s reckless action and asking what they should do. That¡¯s all they write about.¡±


    ¡°Rather than calling Rachel¡¯s subordinates excellent, wouldn¡¯t you say this is just too much for a simple courtier to handle?¡±


    ¡°Maybe so........but along with that each of my departments are falling apart and sending me the same stuff.........I¡¯m going to have to perform an administrative reform when I get home.¡±


    ¡°Something like that should be done in advance, then this matter¡¯d already be finished. We have to quickly put a stop to that stupid Prince......of course, I¡¯m not saying we should hang him. I¡¯m just saying that would probably be for the best!¡±


    While the Duke¡¯s voice was rising up, the King was conversely silent while staring out the window.


    ¡°........Well, whatever. We can slowly discuss that.........Dan, for now unpack your luggage and stretch your wings in the inn. The private open-air baths here are spacious andfortable.¡±


    As his old friend tried to suddenly brush off the discussion, the Duke gave him a reproachful look in lieu of a witty rebuttal.


    ¡°You should go for a swim.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t swim in a hot spring, I¡¯m not like a certain uncouth fellow.¡±


    ¡°Disagreements aside, think about the weight of my position, <i>His Highness</i>.¡±


    The King suddenly started to look very tired sinking down into the seat of the couch.


    ¡°That idiot Elliott¡¯s made aplicated problem........Dan, isn¡¯t this a situation without a clear answer? While I think, the situation continues to change.¡±


    ¡°........and if Rachel were to be determined?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯lle to that.¡±


    The King startedughing at the speechless Duke.


    ¡°How to say it........Rachel¡¯s preparations will be fine. She¡¯s probably already considered me not helping.¡±


    As he expected, Rachel intended to barricade herself in for as long as possible with little thought about the His Majesty.


    ¡°So if we just stay here and think carefully enough, we¡¯ll figure out what type of ending she wants.¡±


    The King seemed to be acting fainthearted..........but he was quite casual listening to the Duke¡¯s cynical response.


    ¡°Incidentally Dan, it¡¯s a good thing that your daughter¡¯s subordinates shipped you off to these hot springs.........have you already made reservations at this inn?¡±


    ¡°Huh? ............No, I don¡¯t know what ce is best since I¡¯ve never been here before, so I figured I¡¯d look for a room after our meeting.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The King slowly put his cup back down on the table.


    ¡°When we first arrived at this hot spring town, the chambein spoke with the lord for lodgings..........a reservation was made at a, ¡®high ss inn for those with the highest status,¡¯ and when we got here, the ce was almost empty. As a precaution we did make a reservation for another room though, it¡¯s yours.¡±


    The three of them all fell silent.


    After a little while, the Duke began to grumble.


    ¡°So then, Rachel hated the idea of being married to the idiot Prince.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that because of how she grew up so twisted?¡±


    ¡°No.........¡±


    The Duke picked up one of the King¡¯s reports off the table.


    ¡°If you listen to what those guys said........it seems that her activities didn¡¯t begin in earnest until her engagement to that fool became certain........¡±


    ¡°.........Maybe if married life didn¡¯t work out, she decided she¡¯d take the throne herself.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.......ugh, she should have just refused instead of being forced to be queen.........if so then Rachel¡¯s insanity would have been contained to just a noble house.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s bad enough. By the way, are you implying I forced her?¡±


    ¡°It was your worthless idea, and as it is you¡¯re forgetting who drove us into this trash can.¡±


    ¡°That, you really are a number one bastard.¡±


    The Duke then threw the report he was holding onto the table and looked up at the ceiling.


    ¡°........Or, if only Rachel had sunk that Idiot Prince¡¯s ns instead of just watching on.¡±


    ¡°You, if you had called Father a number one bastard.........usually, even a toddler would be finished at this point and be facing the death penalty.¡±


    The Duke listlessly waved his hand.


    ¡°I know, it was just a joke........around twenty percent of it.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s eighty percent then I¡¯d say you were being pretty serious.¡±


    Inbetween the silence that had finally fallen between the Duke and the King, a cheerful voice rose.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte.......oh Iseria, long time no see!¡±


    The Queen, who wore a matching bathrobe to her husband, came into the parlorte. She exchanged greetings with the Duke and his wife who rose to greet her before sitting down on the couch next to the King.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯rete, what happened?¡±


    The Queen answered her husband¡¯s question rather indifferently.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be rude to not swim in such arge bath? I set a goal of twentyps, but by the time I was finished, it was alreadyte.¡±


    A couple too simr to each other, the Duke and Duchess thought to themselves.


    After the Queen had been filled in to the story up until now, she gave an immediate response before the Duke could even close his mouth.


    ¡°Rachel will be the next queen. This will not change!¡±


    ¡°However, this just isn¡¯t possible anymore. Rachel¡¯s against it herself........¡±


    ¡°Then Duke, let me switch the question.¡±


    The Queen sat up.


    ¡°Without Rachel, do you think the country can run with <strong>that</strong> as King?¡±


    A simple question that makes a sound argument, the Duke and Kingpletely shut up. The Duchess meanwhile was politely staring off towards the day after tomorrow.


    ¡°.......It seems that there are no objections then. With that being the case, we¡¯ll have to surmise Rachel¡¯s demands even at the risk of pissing her off........at the very least we must find a way to keep Rachel¡¯s trust in the royal family as we try to convince her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re, that¡¯s unreasonable.......¡±


    The King tried to argue with her, but the Queen cut him off.


    ¡°It¡¯s unreasonable, but we have to do it. ¡®You pass away in five years, and destruction wille to the kingdom,¡¯ can you honestlyugh at this hypothetical?¡±


    Hearing the Queen¡¯s words, the King and Duke¡¯s thought-process left them holding their heads........


    ¡°.........Hey, isn¡¯t our goal far off? How about we go take a bath?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to think about.......for now I should probably go check in.¡±


    ¡°Iseria, this inn has a weight loss beauty spa you simply must try!¡±


    ¡°My how nice!¡±


    In the name of hot springs, the four raised their hips and escaped reality.


    1. The italics are just here to show that he¡¯s putting a lot of emphasis on these words.


    2. Another name for this card game could be Millionaire, President, or Capitalism. It has a bunch of different names, and quite a few variations to its rules.

 Chapter 21

    <h4>Noblewoman Deepens her Friendship with the Young Lady</h4>


    When Margaret arrived at the entrance to the dungeon, the Prison Guard was not at his lookout point.


    ¡°Mr. Prison Guard? Mr. Prison Guard!¡±


    No one called back.


    ¡°.........Huh?¡±


    She confirmed there were no other guards in the passageway leading to and from, and since Rachel was the only prisoner in the royal pce¡¯s dungeon, Prison Guard only worked here part time. It seems that he onlyes down here on the asional patrol.


    ¡°Is that so~?¡±


    Giving the guard a polite thank you, Margaret headed into the prison.


    ¡°Hmm, there¡¯s no key~.¡±


    Even without the key Margaret was able tough about the good fortune of her sess when the iron door still swung open after being pushed on.


    ¡°That blockhead Prison Guard is pretty clever! Letting the damn woman go unchecked means she doesn¡¯t get to harass him as much as she wants.¡±


    During that first visit the other day when she had eaten a swift beating, the Prison Guard had be upset and inadvertently turned his eyes away towards the ground...........it meant he was unable to spread any rumors since he ended up not seeing anything.


    ¡°But well, I wonder how frequently Elliot or Sykese by the prison. I¡¯d hate for them to show up.¡±


    The youngdy then cheerfully descended down into the dungeon.


    Margaret was a woman with guts, and she would send back an appropriate response without fail.


    ?


    Having stayed upte writing the night before resulting in her oversleeping once again, Rachel had herself a brunch of potato pottage with biscuits and had just finished her fruit cocktail.


    At first she thought her <ruby>visitor<rt>way to kill time</rt></ruby>ing down the steps was the Prison Guard, but it turned out to be Sand Bag who had visited just the other day. Having always wanted to see her again, Rachel was very happy about the visit.


    ¡°Well, wee Miss Bag. I¡¯ve been waiting for you toe see me!¡±


    ¡°Hah!? It¡¯s good to be weed.............but who¡¯s Bag?¡±


    The red-headed youngdy frowned, and suspicious, she checked behind her to see if there was anyone else there.


    Seeing this person act and talk as if she were being mistaken for somebody else, Rachel funnily tilted her head to the side.


    ¡°Eh? You¡¯re Sand Bag.¡±


    ¡°Haaah!? I am!? What kind of name is that!?¡±


    ¡°Eh? It¡¯s yours. When you¡¯re the owner of the number one punchable body in the world, when you are being widely talked about as, ¡®the most beautiful sandbag¡¯, then it fits that your name be Sand Bag right?¡±


    ¡°What is going on in that head of yours!? Have you been locked in a prison for so long that you can no longer see the line between reality and fantasy!? What the hell is ¡®the most beautiful sandbag¡¯ supposed to be!?¡±


    The cute twintail youngdy vehemently yelled, looking furious as she violently stuck her finger out at Rachel.


    ¡°Remember me properly! I am Margaret Poisson, the eldest daughter of the Poisson Barony! I am the one you continued to harass and who stole Elliott¡¯s love from you, the woman who shall be the next queen! How about it? All right? Do you understand your position? Do you regret how you addressed me? Then show me your tear-stained face as you whimper like a dog!¡±


    So far at this point, if Margaret were to look at herself she¡¯d see the tear-stained face that she wanted.


    Rachel closed her eyes, and she began to think.


    After a little thought she opened her eyes back up, and sheughed at the irritated red-haired youngdy.


    ¡°Well, leaving all those good things aside, how about for now you let me have just one shot?¡±


    ¡°Is it no good!? My name!? My engagement to the Prince!?¡±


    As the girl began stamping her feet in frustration, Rachel hesitated on how best to exin.........and then decided to just tell it to her straight.


    ¡°I¡¯m not particrly interested.¡±


    ¡°Interested, what¡¯s with this damn noble!? That¡¯s why I hate people who grew up wealthy!¡±


    ¡°More importantly, I¡¯m more curious about how an open palm would feel against your soft skin. One good hit on your jaw, and your neck¡¯ll probably turn with an outstanding amount of momentum, or there¡¯s also the sounds you¡¯d make if you¡¯d eat a hit to your stomach, I¡¯ve already grown a tremendous amount of interest in you!¡±


    ¡°It that¡¯s the case then why can¡¯t you remember my name!?¡±


    Blood rushing to her head, Margaret took a step forward towards Rachel........but jumped to the side in the next moment. Escaping by the skin of her teeth, where Margaret¡¯s foot had been just a second before, asso that had been set on the ground was reeled back into the prison cell.


    ¡°Tch!¡±


    ¡°Close!? This bastard, you set traps to sweep me up!¡±


    ¡°Just a little more and you would¡¯ve been caught.......your intuition is surprisingly good.¡±


    It was a contradiction of a prisoner trying to catch an outsider.


    Having bounced off the floor from the momentum of her fall, Margaret slowly picked herself back up, brushing the dust off her knees.


    ¡°Heh, heheheheheheheheh..........that¡¯s right. I looked easy to you......Pretending to be an idiotic, sadistic woman, you were trying to capture me and hold me hostage right?¡±


    ¡°No? More than beating you, I wanted to capture you and have you make a good sound.¡±


    A gust of wind blown through the venttion window passed between the two silent people.


    Remaining silent, Margaret tried shrugging her shoulders in a futile effort tough.


    ¡°..........As I said you were trying to take me hostage, and then in the exchange terms, you were trying to get Elliott to release you or maybe even reinstate the engagement right? I know it to be true.¡±


    ¡°No, I like living in the prison, and bing engaged to His Highness again would be a nightmare, so I¡¯d like to avoid that. But........you¡¯re right, the exchange terms for releasing you would have to be you yourself.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Eh?¡±


    Arge question mark floated over top Margaret¡¯s head as Rachel moved her hands to her cheeks making a flirtatious expression.


    ¡°Because. If I manage to get you into this cell and it¡¯s alright for me to do what I want, I¡¯m saying I¡¯d let you go right after.¡±


    ¡°.........Wait a moment. I don¡¯t understand your reasoning.¡±


    As what was said was troubling Margaret¡¯s head, Rachel sighed from behind the iron bars.


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t negotiate with you since I failed at capturing you in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°..........yeah! That¡¯s right, I wasn¡¯t caught to begin with! Aaaaaaaaaah, impatient!¡±


    Margaret was just starting to feel relieved one moment when in the next she was flying through the air, rolling against the cobblestone floor. Asso meanwhile grabbed the air where Margaret had once been in vain.


    ¡°Tch!¡±


    ¡°YOOOOOOOOOOU! ACT PROPERLY!?


    ?


    Rachel began to mutter.


    ¡°Does Sand Bag have something to do? I¡¯m pretty busy myself, but not so much that I can¡¯t keep herpany.¡±


    ¡°I flew away because of you! I didn¡¯t have the spare time to say anything! ........and how exactly, are you busy when your in jail!? Crushing lice?1 Trapping mice? Shouldn¡¯t a daughter of a Duke House be annoyed by insects and rodents........Hahaha, I¡¯mughing! I¡¯ve suffered horribly as well, but it happening to a well-off noble girl is too good!¡±


    A formermoner, rather as a person originally destitute until she was adopted by a Baron, the thought of someone as high up as the daughter of a duke falling to ruin was something Margaret found hrious. She had to clutch her stomach she wasughing so hard while Rachel made a nk expression.


    ¡°Eh? But no bugs or micee out here?


    ¡°............Hah?¡±


    ¡°Or should I say, it might be because in the luggage I brought with me I have some insect repellent.¡±


    ¡°.......they don¡¯te out? In this type of ce?¡±


    Rachel looked at Margaret as if she were looking at a pitiful little thing.


    ¡°In the Baron Poisson home........do theye out?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with such eyeeeeeeeeeees! That¡¯s a story from a long time ago! That¡¯s not my home now! Now I only see them every once in a while!¡±


    Margaret¡¯s confused yelling continued on until after a short gasp, she noticed something important.


    ¡°........You! Didn¡¯t you remember my name just then!? You¡¯re making fun of me!¡±


    ¡°Well of course I remembered since I just heard it.¡±


    Rachel was acting timidly, giving an honest smile.


    ¡°But you know, I don¡¯t mean any ill will. Look, wouldn¡¯t you want to call a close friend by a nickname............?¡±


    ¡°..........you¡±


    Margaret bent down and picked up the chair the Prison Guard usually sits on.........and threw it at Rachel with all her might. Naturally it was stopped by the iron bars and fell pointlessly to the ground.


    The daughter of the Poisson Barony cried out to the heavens.


    ¡°How is there no ill will in a nickname like Sand Baaaaaaaaaaag!!!?¡±


    ¡°Well! It¡¯s a pity that my sincerity just can¡¯t seem to get through.........¡±


    ¡°Try having your brain washed once, then have a doctor fix the parts that are broken!¡±


    ¡°Different idea, take in a little pain. After a careful examination, I promise to take good care of you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not thinking about curing your head at all!?¡±


    ?


    Just as she was on the verge of shaking off her reason, Margaret remembered her purpose for being here from the weight of the bag she was carrying.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Because of you, I almost forgot the reason why I bothereding to a ce like this.¡±


    Her cute face smugly distorted as she set down the bag she was carrying.


    ¡°Ufufufufu, today........because of the poor, pathetic eating habits of Rachel who has been locked away in a dungeon, I came by to give her something ni~ce.¡±


    Margaret took out a towel and a mint scent bag from the bag on the ground, putting them both over the lower part of her face. In a muffled voice she beganughing at Rachel.


    ¡°I got some money from Elliott, so I bought some fresh fruits from the market. They¡¯re very nutritious and good for your health.¡±


    Wearing some thick gloves along with her makeshift mask, she now took out a tightly sealed, irregr shaped object from her bag.


    ¡°I chose one that was particrly ripe. It will certainly work wonders for your body that only eats preserved food in a dungeon where no sun shines~.¡±


    Margaret took a knife and cut open the packaging, pulling out its contents. The intense odor of rot quickly spread in the room. Along with the odor, a thorny, yellowish gray object appeared.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fruit from a southern country called a durian. The smell is a li~ttle bit strong, but a strong smell is just proof of its ripeness. Ufufu, fresh fruits have such a fu~ll vor don¡¯t they?¡±


    Margaret carried over the durian2, cing it near the cell just outside of Rachel¡¯s reach.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s wrapped in such a hard shell, do you think Mr. Prison Guard could open it? I don¡¯t know where he¡¯s gone, so I¡¯ll just leave it here until he¡¯s back.¡±


    As Margaret spoke, she looked down on Rachel and let out a nastyugh.


    Elliott tried to make her yield, but hecked a level of severity.


    He was awful at harassment. It doesn¡¯t matter if Rachel apologizes.


    Everything¡¯s fine so long as this woman suffers. If you strike without thinking, she might not actually give up.


    Meanwhile the Duke¡¯s daughter looked down at the durian calmly, but there was excitement in her eyes.


    ¡°Uwaa, how nostalgic. A long time ago, I saw one of those when I went on an inspection overseas.¡±


    She was looking at the fruit that reeked of death as if it was something truly interesting having not recoiled from it at all.


    ¡°.......you, are you fine with the smell?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a smell simr to an onion that has gone rotten. Well, this is actually quite pleasant to the locals apparently.¡±


    ¡°................¡±


    Rachel, in her time of need has already built up a resistance.


    As Margaret was angrily grinding her teeth underneath her mask, Rachel opened a wooden box at the back of her cell and began digging through its contents.


    ¡°Hmmmmmm, it¡¯s around here somewhere..........here it is.¡±


    Rachel soon came back with arge can.


    ¡°Ms. Poisson, I¡¯ll give you this as thanks.¡±


    ¡°Hm? What¡¯s this?¡±


    The can Rachel was offering looked foreign-made.


    ¡°Before, when His Highness Elliott and I went overseas together, His Highness was very pleased with this. Well, you can¡¯t see it since it¡¯s in a can. But since I have a little, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    ¡°Is it something unusual?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something rarely seen in this country.¡±


    ¡°Huh...........¡±


    It sounded like something awesome and valuable. Moreover, it was one of Elliott¡¯s favorite foods that couldn¡¯t be gotten domestically.


    There was a sense of weight to it when Margaret took it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have him open it right away!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy that you¡¯re pleased.¡±


    ?


    Margaret left like the wind, and Rachel was left alone.


    ¡°I thought I had seen her somewhere before, so she was that sucker fish who was stuck to His Highness during the party?¡±


    Because Rachel had only cared about the transition after the disengagement and held no interest in Elliott himself, she hadn¡¯t confirmed who was going to be his new partner. Thinking about it now, it was an unexpectedly basic mistake.


    Frankly, with the story being that Rachel was imprisoned after Elliott dered the cancetion of the engagement............everyone else was just a mob character.


    ¡°Ms. Margaret of the Poisson Baron House..........we¡¯ve only talked twice, but she seems like a carnivorous girl who changes her attitude whether she¡¯s dealing with a man or woman. The type who thinks on simple terms whenever she gets excited. She¡¯ll receive gifts even from her target and take them back with her thinking nothing of it.¡±


    Rachel put her hand to her chin and nodded her head while whispering..........,


    ¡°In summary, she¡¯s a child who can only think on the level of a shallow fool.¡±


    Rachel was alone thinking in a prison that had just begun to darken when a trembling light emerged and the Prison Guard showed himself.


    ¡°What!? Oi Miss, are you awake? What is that awful smell!?¡±


    At the Prison Guard¡¯s friendly tone, Rachelughed a little and looked relieved.


    ¡°A youngdy came to visit me and brought a souvenir, but it looks like it¡¯s already rotten.........¡±


    The Prison Guard came close, and seeing the cause of the problem, made a disgusted face.


    ¡°That girl is really hopeless.........wouldn¡¯t you notice something like this before you brought it!? Who, such a stupid bastard is¡±


    ¡°It was Sand Bag, the visitor from the other day.¡±


    ¡°Ah, her.........¡±


    The Prison Guard made a face like he was strangely convinced of something, and left with the rotten (probably) durian wrapped in some rags.


    Seeing him off, Rachel looked around for thergest nk she could find and dug around for the mask she used when she was painting. She then got to work doing what she could to ventte the room.


    Rachel had received some vigorous education when she was to be the next queen. The results of that education was a first-ss poker face.


    ?


    While carrying arge can, Margaret came running into Prince Elliott¡¯s office while he and his entourage were having tea.


    ¡°Elliott, I got you this. Would you like to open it!?¡±


    ¡°Margaret! Eh? What is it?¡±


    Elliott rose up with a smile stered on his face at the visit of the beloved girl until the rare object in her hands caught his eye.


    ¡°I was told that when Elliott went abroad, this was one of your favorite foods!¡±


    ¡°Something I ate abroad? Hmm, what........¡±


    He had been abroad many times, but was there such a food that had left such asting impression on him?


    George took the can and read thebel.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see.........Sir Straming? Streaming? It looks like a fish dish as far as I can tell from the picture.........¡±3


    It was impossible to understand from just the description. Sykes took the can over from George and gently patted the slightly bulging surface.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen canned food before, but never something that causes the can to swell so much.¡±


    None of them had any knowledge about fermentation.


    ¡°Your Highness, what kind of food is it?¡±


    ¡°That is, I don¡¯t remember at all.........To begin with, this is my first time seeing canned food before. What is it?¡±¡±


    Elliott and George tilted their heads curious as Sykes began tough.


    ¡°Won¡¯t we understand what it is as soon as we¡¯ve opened it? If it¡¯s like this I¡¯ll just pop open the lid with my knife.¡±


    ¡°I see. Yosh, let¡¯s open it up.¡±


    Elliott, Margaret, and George all watched as Sykes held the can down with his left hand and drew his knife with his right.


    But when something suddenly started to bother Elliott, he peered over towards Margaret and asked her something while keeping the can in the corner of his eye.


    ¡°Who did you get this from?¡±


    ¡°From Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Sykes! Hold......¡±


    Just as Elliott began to scream, Syke¡¯s knife became deeply embedded inside the can.


    1. So this is some word y here. In Japanese they say shiramitsubushi which means crushing lice in katakana, but it means ¡®to search for contraband¡¯ in hiragana. Both phrases are equally apt here.


    2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durian For anyone thinking this might not be that bad, it¡¯s apparently illegal in some ces to ship this in public, and the smell can linger for days. As far as pranks go, I¡¯m putting this up there with putting a bee¡¯s nest in someone¡¯s car.

 Chapter 22 - Attendant Delivers Something to her Lord

    <h4>Attendant Delivers Something to her Lord</h4>


    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t let even a single mouse pass through! Tighten security and make a proper blockade around Rachel!¡±


    At Prince Elliott¡¯s direction, a number of knights were ced around a certain dungeon. Several knights from the Knight¡¯s Order took alternating shifts, concealing themselves, and waiting to seize Rachel¡¯s contact with the outside world.


    ¡°No matter how you think about it, Rachel must¡¯ve opened her cell in order to receive new supplies. If not, then there is no way to exin all that new furniture she has. We¡¯ll seize the guy bringing things in from the outside, and in front of her eyes we¡¯ll make her feel our starvation tactics.¡±


    Sykes was exining the strategy to his fellow knights. He dared Rachel to listen from inside her cell.


    Each knight would hide in the shadows of some nearby nts or trees, keeping an eye on the venttion window in a n to capture any of her essential agents who carelessly approached. If herst ray of hope were to be captured before her eyes, then Rachel would assuredly give in.


    ¡°Absolutely........it sounds like there is still no movement from the Duke¡¯s house, just what is going on?¡±


    Elliott was muttering to himself feeling irritated. Not only was the Duke¡¯s house not making any moves to rescue her, but the Duke and his wife have gone in the exact opposite direction and gone on a trip.


    ¡°Are they unable to grasp the current situation!? Don¡¯t they realize their daughter has been used of a crime and arrested!? Normally you¡¯d send in at least one care package!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, do you want them to send supplies to Sis? Do you not want..........?¡±


    Elliott was stunned for a bit at George¡¯s point, but he eventually managed to work up a reply.


    ¡°Of course it is out of the question for that care package to reach Rachel. However I would like those parents to try and show their feelings by having some sweets delivered. Seriously, what is the Duke doing!?¡±


    ¡°.......Should I have something delivered from the nearby store under Father¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll eat them right in front of her eyes.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you were thinking of some proper harassment.........¡±


    In the meantime there was someone who wasn¡¯t paying much mind to the fuss being made outside. Today as well Rachel had put on her eye mask, diving into her bed and making a pleasant sigh as she drifted off to sleep.


    ?


    Being busy today just like every other day with his own work plus the work of his Lord, the butler was just finishing up when Sophia appeared before him.


    Their Lady¡¯s attendant looked ready to go out wearing a nice mantle with a hood pulled over her head.


    ¡°Jonathan, I¡¯m going to meet with My Lady.¡±


    ¡°Ah, is that so. Please be sure to tell all the other servants.¡±


    The butler¡¯s hand quit writing as he raised up his face. And then hardened at what was said next.


    ¡°Meia and I will be going on a business trip together for two or three days, so don¡¯t expect us back until then.¡±


    Even though there¡¯s no Lord present, why would a couple of maids have to go on a business trip?


    Thinking about it for a little bit, Jonathan once again began signing documents without saying anything.


    ¡°Alright. Take care.¡±


    It¡¯s pointless to worry about details when ites to the Lady.


    ?


    Sofia headed towards the royal pce, walking into the side entrance of a store at a nearby city block.


    Showing her face in the office, she received a report from the representative of thepany.


    It was a front masquerading as a legitimate business. This was where they covertly made contact with remote areas. Where they prepare supplies for their Lady. Where they work to fulfill the requests their Lady has specifically asked of them.........so, this shop close to the Duke¡¯s home was the ck Cat Firm, base for Sofia and the other members of the Dark Night ck Cats.


    After confirming there were no problems at all, see immediately took out the wagon. It had already been prepared for departure upon Sofia¡¯s arrival, so with an escort apanying her, she could load herself into the back of the wagon. With the carriage making its way through the backyard¡¯s wicket gate, the store didn¡¯t look any different from the usual.


    ?


    Although you¡¯d think that being the gatekeeper for the royal pce would be a busy job, this was only true until around midday. Everybody there to do business would already be inside, and any visitors wouldn¡¯te by thiste. That¡¯s why when it iste in the afternoon, you will see almost no visitors to the castle or wagons delivering goods.


    At such a ce, a small wagon with no notable characteristics appeared.


    ¡°Halt! .....um, to which station are you delivering to?¡±


    An elderly gatekeeper met it. As that elderly gatekeeper tried to find out where this wagon was going, the elderly coachman smiled from his seat and tipped his hat to say hello.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve got a delivery of cat food here.¡±


    ¡°Understood, proceed!¡±


    The gatekeeper made a signal while handing the driver a pass permit, and another gatekeeper removed the barricade that blocked the way. The coachman offered a nod to him as well before the wagon continued on its way into the royal pce.


    It seems that a notification had been sent ahead from the first gate as when the wagon reached the second gate, it was allowed a free pass through.


    The vehicle eventually passed by the front of the dungeon, and stopped at the back-facing door.


    Sofia jumped out from the luggage carrier of the carriage. The coachman and escort meanwhile pulled back the canopy and began unloading the luggage.


    A knight then suddenly ran towards them from out behind some nearby foliage.


    The knight came right up in front of Sofia and gave a standing bow.


    Sofia kept calm and asked,


    ¡°Are you a dog?¡±


    ¡°Right now everyone on duty is a cat. The others are keeping watch nearby. Today¡¯s patrol won¡¯t make it¡¯s way to the prison cell for another three hours.¡±


    If you look around, you¡¯ll see that several of the Royal Pce¡¯s lower clerks had gathered to help unload the goods. Sofia left the delivery to them and made her way down into the dungeon.


    ?


    Having already be aware of the situation up top, Rachel removed her cell¡¯s padlock and unwrapped the chain from the bars. As for the lock to the jail cell itself, she was currently in the process of trying to dexterously pick the lock with her hand poking out from between the bars.


    ¡°My Lady......please use the key to open the door.¡±


    Sofia voiced herints, but Rachel responded showing little care for her servant¡¯s words.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t use your skills asionally, then they¡¯ll surely rust over time.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll realize the trick when they notice the strange scratches around though. And what will you do if you identally crush the keyhole?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯d be interesting if you could just slide these bars off and set them against the wall?¡±


    ¡°Please save it for next time.¡±


    ¡°I, you¡¯ll being in again.........?¡±


    Sofia pushed her Lady aside as she opened the cell door with a key that only the Prison Guard should have. By the way, Rachel also has a copy of this key. She just doesn¡¯t use it. It was a lockpicker¡¯s pride (Lie).


    ¡°Madame¡¯s life, are their any inconveniences?¡±


    ¡°Nothing in particr. I¡¯ve been able to sleep well ever since we switched out my cushion for a bed........and my writing is going well also.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve loaded the sample from the Mouse & Rat Company on the carriage. Please take a lookter. .........It hasn¡¯t been a month yet, so why have you already written ten volumes?¡±


    ¡°Fufu, the story moves on its own when the characters are alive.¡±


    Rachel walked through the doorway, leaving her cell for the first time in almost a month.


    ¡°Nnmmm! It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve tasted the air of the outside world!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve just stepped outside the bars; the air here isn¡¯t any different from what you were breathing before. We don¡¯t have a lot of time, so please quicklye and sit here.¡±


    Sofia sat Rachel down in the Prison Guard¡¯s chair, cing a prepared brte wig on her head and passing ab through it. Rachel originally has long hair, so it has to be blent in with a darker wig to be hidden well. It¡¯s also necessary for her hair to be done up for her to meet with people.


    ¡°Here, tickets for a box seat at the Royal Theater. The program is, <i>The Prince and the Homeless Boy</i>. Since the Young Master will be home today and tomorrow, we¡¯ve reserved you a twin bed suite with a living room at the Green New Leaves. We¡¯ll have Meia wait for you in the hotel for when you¡¯re ready to return to the dungeon. Please inform Lisa through Meia should you have any business inside the mansion.¡±


    Rachel smiled satisfied checking her hair in a mirror after changing into a new outfit as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I met with Alexandra! It¡¯s already been over a year since she followed her father when he moved for a new job.........¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already received a message from the other party that they really wanted to see you and hear about everything that¡¯s going on. We¡¯ve also received a letter from Martina apologizing for not being able toe in time¡±


    Sofia took off her mantle and hood as she spoke.


    Her gray-white hair had been dyed a chocte brown, and had also been done up to match her Lord¡¯s. The clothes she was wearing were also the same as Rachel¡¯s. Along with the deception that came from them wearing the same clothes and giving off a simr atmosphere, these two actually had simr heights and figures as well.


    ¡°I wish you would have changed your clothes here. Is the size okay?¡±


    ¡°But then there wouldn¡¯t have been enough time to set up the right atmosphere inside the prison. The little extra space in the chest is leaving me irritated.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be fine to say you¡¯re reasonable? You have a better shape than Sand Bag.¡±


    ¡°That usually peppy young woman huh¡±


    The coachman came down and informed them the loading and unloading had been finished.


    Rachel put on Sofia¡¯s mantle and hood. Sofia meanwhile walked into the cell, making sure that nothing was being overlooked.


    ¡°.........By the way My Lady, there wasn¡¯t any trash-like garbage around herest time either. What do you do after you finish eating?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Isn¡¯t it good hygiene to do away with it? If you throw it out the window into the backyard you¡¯ll hear someonein.........but if you throw it into the front room outside of the cell, Mr. Prison Guard wille by to collect it.¡±


    The person who said something was probably somebody who loved the backyard very much.


    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s fine then.¡±


    Sofia ended the topic without prying into it too deeply. So long as the problem is solved, a trivial detail wouldn¡¯t bother Rachel at all. The two of them are basic; a master and servant who are very simr to each other.


    Rachel locked the cell from the outside, and Sofia wrapped the chain around the bars and reced the padlock. Only at this time did Sofia, who had been the epitome ofposure until now, almost drop it before quickly recovering.


    ¡°My Lady, lifting this lock up........


    ¡°If you can¡¯t lift that up, then you won¡¯t be able to ready the crossbow and won¡¯t be able to live up to the gossip.¡±


    There is probably only one noblewoman in the world who would threaten a prince and then spread the gossip.


    Rachel also checked to see if there was anything left behind.


    ¡°Recently I¡¯ve changed my lifestyle and been staying upte into the night, so long as you have the futon pulled over you the Prison Guard won¡¯t call out to you. You might have to respond if His Highness¡¯s group makes one of their asional visits..........but you¡¯ll be fine right?¡±


    From inside the cell Sofia put her hand to her throat and made a small cough. And then.


    ¡°Our appearances are pretty simr with a bit of make-up, so as long as the lights are off, there shouldn¡¯t be anything off........for His Highness and Sand Bag at least right?¡±


    She was able to answer perfectly mimicking Rachel¡¯s voice and tone.


    Rachel¡¯s satisfaction showed through in her smile, and she signaled for the others in the room to start up the stairs.


    ¡°Alright Sofia, I¡¯ll see you around the same time the day after tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please enjoy your pajama party.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try even if the topic is His Highness and George.¡±


    ?


    Rachel left the dungeon, taking a nice long look at the open sky for the first time in almost a month before boarding the wagon.


    While the carriage rattled as it began to move, Rachel narrowed her eyes while resting her chin in her palm.


    ¡°Well then.........let¡¯s start out by going for the limbs.¡±

 Chapter 23 - Attendant Deals with some Uninvited Guests

    <h4>Attendant Deals with some Uninvited Guests</h4>


    ¡°Now, what shall I do........?¡± Sofia muttered to herself while getting out from her futon.


    Sofia had reced Rachel inside the dungeon, so of course she didn¡¯t hesitate to use her Lady¡¯s bed the previous night. Although it was just a simple, temporary bed, it was designed and manufactured to satisfy the daughter of a Duke.


    The spread out sleeping mat was made from luxury down that naturally released moisture such as the sweat from when you sleep.


    There was also a canopy and silk curtains put up in consideration of her privacy, and the mat was spread out widely along the floor to make it easy to use and useful overall in a ce like a dungeon where moisture can easily umte on the floor. To be clear, Sofia and the other maids usually sleep in their own high quality, fully furnished personal rooms, yet this bed still offered a more high quality level of sleep.


    In other words, what else can be said besides,


    It had been eleven years since she hade into Rachel¡¯s service.


    This was the first time Sofia had ever overslept.


    Teehee, is what she would have said, but..........this, felt a little stupiding out of her mouth like this.


    Well there¡¯s nothing for it now, and it¡¯s not like there was any problem with it since her job right now was to pretend to be Rachel and act sluggishly anyways.


    Rachel had brought in a lot of books with her, and both the tea leaves and the cookies had been recently refilled. It would be a two day vacation with her only having to watch out for the rare visitor.........carrying an expectation that something would happen.


    That¡¯s how it was supposed to be.


    And then while she was oversleeping and enjoying her rest, that was when Prince Elliott andpany stopped by.


    ?


    Rather than waking up after Prince Elliott¡¯s group came, it would be better to say they kept making noise until she woke up..............and Sofia was at a loss.


    (It¡¯s fine since she had lowered the curtain on her bed just in case........but it was a blunder for her to have removed her makeup before going to sleep........)


    The silhouette between Rachel and Sofia is quite simr, but the difference in their faces would be clear to see under the light of day.


    So Sofia developed ¡®natural makeup that makes you look like Her Ladyship¡¯.........but that technique is worthless if they show up before she¡¯s put any makeup on.


    Because they cannot see her face directly, it is necessary to get a handle on the situation without her leaving her bed.


    The silhouette can only be seen as a hazy outline through the curtains.


    ¡°What¡¯s this Rachel, your attitude is so bad today you won¡¯t even show yourself?¡±


    That¡¯s your fault dimwitted Prince. Dimwit.


    Sofia was in a bad mood, but there were things that had to be done before hurling abuse at the Prince.


    She had to get in control of this situation.


    If things were made to seem different than usual, then she would lose meaning in being a shadow warrior.


    ¡°It¡¯s a big deal breaking into a maiden¡¯s bedroom and making suchments. How would you like to try going bald?¡±


    Sofia was attached to her Lady day and night. The manner in which she talks has been perfectly copied.


    All the nuance behind her malice and ridicule, Sofia spoke, but it was Rachel¡¯s voice that came out. Yes, perfection.


    From what could be seen on the other side of the curtain, the figure that somewhat looked like the Prince stirred.


    ¡°W, what the.........? Aren¡¯t you being awfully direct today?¡±


    After being seen in a state of confusion, she acted slightly different from her Lady. Bad, this must be fixed.


    ¡°I¡¯m in a bad mood right now. I feel irritated when someone suddenly wakes me up in the morning.¡±


    ¡°The morning........but aren¡¯t we already quite far into the afternoon? What time did you go to sleep?¡±


    Damn it. She made a suspicious statement that draws into question her societalmon sense.


    ¡°If you calcte back from the time I slept, then it¡¯s currently morning.¡±


    ¡°You, so atst you believe the world¡¯s standards are your own.........?¡±


    She went too far and now she¡¯s be someone strange. What should she do?


    The Prince? on the other side of the curtain is shaking his head.


    ¡°No, that doesn¡¯t matter right now! Rachel, after all this time you still trick the innocent Margaret!?¡±


    ¡°..........Margaret?¡±


    It¡¯s a name Sofia felt like she¡¯d heard before, but she was having trouble matching the name to a face. It was certainly a name she had seen recently concerning the Prince¡¯s rtionship........but who was she again?


    It seems that Sofia¡¯s involuntary confused mutter was overheard. The Prince-ish human figure was visibly angry.


    ¡°You........you¡¯ve seen Margaret and I together, so why is it that you¡¯re acting like you don¡¯t know her!? Don¡¯t you know that thanks to the rotten can of food you gave her, Margaret is still in bed!? George and I were only able to recover yesterday! Letting your own brother and the weak Margaret meet with such a terrible experience, don¡¯t you feel guilty at all!?¡±


    Such an experience..........rotten can..........can? ................Oh!


    ¡°Ah, Sand Bag!¡±


    ¡°Hah!?¡±


    ¡°I remember! Oh dear Your Highness, people might not know who you¡¯re talking about if you don¡¯t use their real name you know?¡±


    ¡°Eh? No.........I, I don¡¯t know who this Sand Bag guy is...........¡±


    ¡°Your own girlfriend¡¯s name? You shouldn¡¯t forget something like that. It¡¯s because of this that Your Highness¡±


    ¡°Girlfriend..........? ..............tha, are you talking about Margaret!? Her real name <i>is</i>Margaret! What do you mean Sand Bag!?¡±


    It was as he said. She made a mistake this time because her information was too good.


    Sofia had tried to keep things peaceful with the societal garbage, but it seems like she had said something wrong somewhere. Now the garbage Prince was even angrier.


    ¡°Bitch, constantly you...........!? In the first ce Rachel, when a person is seriously angry you shoulde out of your bed and seriously face them! Come out and sit straight!¡±


    ¡°Tch¡±


    The Idiot Prince had a sound argument.........that being said, Sofia couldn¡¯t afford to leave. While sealing the other side¡¯s argument, the Lady would continue talking as if she were in a state of superiority.........


    ¡°You click your tongue!? You, what¡¯s with that attitude towards the Prince of this country!?¡±


    ¡°..........¡±


    Sofia responded with silence. Such people would connect after this.


    ¡°Pay attention Rachel! I¡¯m angry, soe out now!¡±


    As to be expected the Prince was fiercely repeating his orders.......but, Sofia was thinking about what he looked like angrily shaking the prison bars. Just as the Lady had said, he really did look like a monkey.


    Sofia raised up her upper body while holding on to her futon. The only thing the other people on the other side were able to see was that she was hiding her body behind the futon.


    ¡°........Your Highness¡±


    ¡°What is it!?¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t understand a woman¡¯s heart.........¡±


    ¡°............What!?¡±


    Sofia deliberately made a suggestive sigh, something made of a mix of anger and anxiety.......Elliott mmed up.


    Sofia had topletely embody the Lady.........and let the sweet poison flow.


    ¡°While Your Highness is here, I can¡¯t afford toe out.........I, I don¡¯t wear anything when I go to bed.........¡±


    ¡°!!¡±


    Elliott........no, the entire front part of the jail shook. Murmurs and whispers filled the room, and the air behind the Prince seemed to wrap around him.


    ¡°Y, Your Highness.......!?¡±


    ¡°D, don¡¯t get flustered!? T, this is probably one of Rachel¡¯s tricks.........¡±


    This is certainly a trick.......unfortunately, it¡¯s not the Lady¡¯s though.


    After having a strange coughing fit, Elliott began speaking with a heavy tone.


    ¡°Hahaha, you can¡¯t trick me Rachel. There is no such thing.¡±1


    You can pretend to be calm, but you slipped up and changed your pronoun, Your Highness.


    So, let¡¯s turn up the pressure.


    ¡°Oh, Your Highness doesn¡¯t know? Isn¡¯t this quite themon practice for the noblewomen of this country?¡±


    ¡°!!¡±


    Already Elliott and his happy little friends could no longer hide their panic.


    ¡°Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Your Highness!? T-T-T-T-T-T-That¡¯s, that girl, and that girl, and this girl, and-and-and-and-and-and...........!?¡±


    ¡°W-W-W-W-W-W-Wait, c-c-c-c-c-c-calm down-n-n-n-n-n-n!¡±


    ¡°B, But! But that¡¯s!? We, if we know such confidential in-in-in-in-in-in-information.........ouh, I can never lift my face up in court ever again!¡±


    ¡°No wait, calm down! There¡¯s nothing wrong with us, so gain peace of mind! Peace of mind, peace of mind, OK? OK, why do I keep picturing all those noblewomen!? Okay!?¡±


    Seeing their all too naive reactions, ¡°These guys unexpectedly don¡¯t y around that much,¡± Sofia thought to herself while dealing the finishing blow.


    ¡°Well Your Highness, do you doubt me?¡±


    ¡°Eh? No, there¡¯s no way that¡¯s a thing though!?¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t trust what I say, then how about ¡®confirming¡¯ with ¡®Margaret¡¯?¡±


    A silent storm blew through in the wake of Sofia¡¯s words.


    The sexual image born from her words blew them all away. There was one man who started hitting the others for what they were picturing, but that just showed he was having the same idea.......Elliott and the Halfwit Squadron broke apart mid-air after a single line, annihted by their own delusions, and became no longer able to battle on their own.


    They were overwhelmed by their own delusional power, so after confirming that everyone was left staring up towards the stars, Sofia softly urged Elliott forward.


    ¡°Um, Your Highness? Before we talk, I, would like to put on some clothes........¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, oh right! Um, we¡¯ll get out, so call us when you¡¯re done!¡±


    While there was nothing to be ashamed of in what he said, what the Prince had imagined was betrayed by the shame he showed.


    With his head swinging like a broken bobblehead doll, he drove back the hanger-ons before leaving himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s useless even if you peek from the venttion window~¡±


    ¡°We know! We know right!?¡±


    After the busy shuffling up the steps finally disappeared, Sofia was finally able to take a relieved breath.


    ¡°Haa, so nerve-wracking.......it¡¯s good that I was somehow able to finish without anything being exposed.¡±


    Of course Sofia was wearing pajamas. She¡¯s a servant after all.


    Sofia has helped her Lady change her clothes a countless number of times in the morning as well; not once has she slept naked, or so she says in her heart.


    Yes, such customs do not exist in this country¡¯s noble society.


    After so much trouble Sofia got the Prince¡¯s group out and changed her clothes........before going back to bed for a second time.


    Of course she had no intention of calling Elliott back.


    ?


    Rachel seemed really happying back the day after, her face was positively glowing.


    ¡°I¡¯m d I stayed at that inn. I was able to stay upte into the night talking about a bunch of different things. And since we weren¡¯t at the house, Martha wasn¡¯t there to throw us into bed.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like it was a lot of fun.¡±


    ¡°I bought grilled skewered meat from a stall, and after buying some ale with room service, we shared a toast. For the first time a dinner like that.......it was fun.¡±


    ¡°Could it be because you¡¯re both nobles?¡±


    Because there were no supplies being imported today, Rachel and Sofia were having a spot of tea together while exchanging information. Of course they were being cautious of others, but they¡¯d finish quickly if they heard any rustling.


    ¡°But Sofia, couldn¡¯t you have been a bit more reasonable?¡±


    ¡°You think so? I did think I managed to separate myself from the Prince rather peacefully when he and I quarreled though.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t disagree with you but........now His Highness and all his friends believe I sleep naked. If someone were to speak of this, it¡¯d be a small scandal.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true.¡±


    Sofia held up the teapot and responded with a smile that didn¡¯t quite suit her usual demeanor.


    ¡°Because the scandal doesn¡¯t have anything to do with me, it¡¯s really easy to not care though.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate that part of you that acts makes a ce cold from every direction.¡±


    ?


    ¡°Hah~.......it was fun staying overnight and having a walk through town for the first time in such a long time.........¡±


    Rachel spoke her thoughts aloud, taking a long sip from her now slightly warm tea, and as if finally satisfied by something, she leaned back in her chair and stretched out her limbs.


    ¡°After <ruby>my home<rt>dungeon</rt></ruby> is the best ce to rx!¡±


    ¡°........My Lady, seriously?¡±


    1. Elliott used the ¡®watashi¡¯ to refer to himself here instead of the more masculine ¡®ore¡¯.

 Chapter 24 - Attendant is Actually Really Busy

    <strong>Attendant is Actually Really Busy</strong>


    The Ferguson Ducal House¡¯s oldest daughter Rachel¡¯s personal attendant Sofia, she was actually quite busy with the absence of her Lord. Even without having to provide personal care for Rachel, there were still many things to do.


    Of course it¡¯s not just simple housework liking cleaning a room.


    A closely guarded secret is that cleaning isn¡¯t actually very high up on a maid¡¯s list of duties, and there was a specialized department set for doingundry, so there isn¡¯t that much work for an attendant to do when their Master is away.


    Well there¡¯s not usually much work, but Sofia is still always busy. For the people working in the other departments inside the house, one of the great mysteries is what she could possibly be doing running around all over the ce when Rachel isn¡¯t here.


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s natural that those in charge would wonder. As you could guess, Helena over inundry asked me just recently, ¡®Why does she have so much work to do?¡¯¡±


    Hearing Lisa¡¯s story, Sofia nodded as well.


    ¡°I suppose........generally, you wouldn¡¯t think that a noble family¡¯s attendant would be checking over a trading firm¡¯s ount books.¡±


    Sofia and Lisa were checking the ie and expenditure over thest month for the ck Cat Firm. It¡¯s not like they believed there was anything out-of-sort with them. It had just be amon practice to look the books over every month to check for errors.


    Really. Being around Rachel means being brought in to her secrets. Sofia and all the others with Rachel all have business as members of the Dark Night ck Cats even if their Lord is away.


    ?


    While the two maids were intensely staring at the mountains of documents that surrounded them, Mimosa and Meia came walking in.


    ¡°We have some good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear?¡±


    Mimosa¡¯s words made Sofia and Lisa share a look, before Lisa wearily urged her to continue.


    ¡°Why are you separating them anyway? Just give us a summary.¡±


    ¡°Lisa, so hostile.......the good news is we received a delivery from the Zenoya Kingdom¨Cfour cases of mud masks have arrived.¡±


    With the exception of the unemotional Sofia, everyone was throwing their hands in the air.


    The mud from Zenoya is very popr in this country, known for its tremendous effects on beautifying skin, and since it has to be delivered abroad, it usually costs a lot of gold coins just for a single bottle.


    hUR4TYs


    This is the case for both nobles and the bigger merchants.........it¡¯s not something you would buy unless you¡¯re a house with a lot of money, yet Rachel pays the expenses just for her subordinate¡¯sfort. Because it gets brought in on the gaps of the regr deliveries, they¡¯re able to buy it at almost the regr local price though.


    Giving the women¡¯s camp these high value cosmetics, while offering the men¡¯s camp rare foreign liquor at cheap prices was just one of the skills Rachel used to capture a person¡¯s heart. For people, pressure isn¡¯t the only way to make them do what you want.


    By the way, because they also have the general support of the border stations, they¡¯re able to bring in all these goods without having to dere it to the country........the general public would call something like this smuggling.


    If it wasn¡¯t something that all the young women wanted to use themselves, it could be sold at the ck Cat Firm at quite the high price. It¡¯s a perk ssified as foreign souvenirs. There¡¯s nothing to be unhappy about.


    Inside this giddy atmosphere, Mimosa added on a few words.


    ¡°As for the bad news, with the arrival of this delivery our overseas informationwork has significantly grown...........everyone please hang in there........¡±


    Everyone, including Sofia this time, hung their heads low.


    ?


    The ck Cat Firm is a medium-sized store located in the back streets of the city. Despite the fact that it has numerous customers consisting of nobles and significantly wealthy citizens due to its fine quality overseas products, it¡¯s a store that could easily be overlooked.


    It is actually not that big of a store since one of its signature services is bringing foreign products right to the customer¡¯s home, so there isn¡¯t that much of a reason for anyone to visit the store directly. Nevertheless, those in the know all know it¡¯s a high-end shop that specializes in high-end customers. That is the evaluation given by those who know the ck Cat Firm.


    But, Sophia and the rest on the inside would tell you somethingpletely different.


    While their public reputation isn¡¯t technically wrong, it doesn¡¯t cover the full story either.


    Rachel serves as the primary investor for the tradingpany, and the buying and selling of high-value products isn¡¯t its main function.


    While appearing as a legitimate business and earning work funds, the overseas branches actually gather information, shipping it back to Rachel alongside the goods. Then inside the capitol they lie and intrude on the powerful families, learning about their internal circumstances, and bringing back information that could prove useful to the Duke¡¯s House and the Royal Family.


    Naturally they prioritize those entities hostile towards the Ferguson Ducal House and Rachel personally. Everything from what Prince Elliott had for dinner to how Margaret arranges her cosmetics on her mirror stand, all Rachel needs do is ask, and they¡¯d find out.


    Of course she¡¯d look stupid asking for something like that, so no such order has ever been given.


    Sofia is responsible for managing the members of the ck Cat Firm and Rachel¡¯s troops inside the Duke¡¯s mansion with those people inside the Royal Pce and other high noble houses that Rachel has influenced. Of course she¡¯s busy.


    To make matters worse, she now has to look through the iing information from the inside out, and make decisions on the documents in Rachel¡¯s absence........no matter how many bodies she has it won¡¯t be enough.


    While drinking the tea that Meia had brewed for her, Sofia released a long sigh.


    ¡°Perhaps I, this couldn¡¯t be divine punishment for receiving the wage of three people could it.......¡±


    ¡°At the very least our work, it¡¯s not supposed to be the work of a maid right...........¡±


    Even with all of the maids working together, their exhaustion was obvious on their faces.


    Sofia was in charge.


    Meia was responsible for domestic politics.


    Lisa was responsible for domestic economics.


    Mimosa was responsible for foreign affairs.


    Heidi was responsible for work in the Royal Pce.


    These five along with on-site face of the ck Cat Company President Campbell, Boss Waters from the underworld, along with an anonymous knight, courtier, and official from the Royal Pce made up the ten executive members of the Dark Night ck Cats.


    These ten people lead together in order to drive the organization forward through its duties. If you were to include the end of themand line, those who perform their jobs without knowing what it¡¯s for, then the Dark Night ck Cats member count numbers in the hundreds.


    ¡°What about that young maid halfway down, would she be alright?¡±


    ¡°My Lady said we could put her to work, but there is no shortage of ssified information we couldn¡¯t divulge if she were to ask.¡±


    ¡°The lower ranks don¡¯t really know about us in the first ce. Some of Waters¡¯s subordinates actually misunderstand and take us for a criminal organization.¡±


    ¡°Waters thought we were there for that as well in the beginning, but after My Lady took him in to another room for five minutes, he came back sweet as a kitten........¡±


    ¡°My Lady can¡¯t hide her own criminal scent when she¡¯s working you over..........¡±


    ¡°You, I won¡¯t hesitate to throw you to the Lady.¡±


    ?


    After all the tabtion work had been finished, Sofia wrote out a note for the butler Jonathan and left the room with Lisa. After a recent rainfall the streets were still damp and musty, but with the sun already out, it was the perfect setting for a walk.


    ¡°Such a wonderful location, a regr maid would rarely be able to go out and enjoy a day such as this.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.........but since the Lady has me going out toplete her tasks around the clock, it doesn¡¯t feel special at all........in any case.¡±


    ¡°I suppose. Back alleys at midnight were already on the level of a promenade by the time I became a young woman..........¡±


    The two girls headed over to the ck Cat Firm in order to pass along their regr report.


    Immediately forcing themselves into the president¡¯s office, they found a kindly looking old man busily sorting through documents at his desk and an evil looking man with his feet up and back to the door blowing a puff of smoke into the air from his cigar.


    As Sofia entered the room, she casually took a seat on the edge of a sofa, crossing one leg over the other, and kicked the middle-aged man up out of his chair making it topple right along with him.


    ¡°I told you not to smoke in here when I¡¯ming Waters.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too suddenly violent Sister!¡±


    No matter how you look at it an evil-looking forty year old man calling a young girl still in her teens ¡®Sister¡¯ is wrong. But neither the kindly looking head of the ck Cat Firm who was still working away at his desk nor Lisa who had calmly taken her own seat showed to be even a little perturbed by the incident. Today was when the regr report was to be delivered and when the executive meeting for the Dark Night ck Cats would take ce.


    ncing through the report the two older men had made, Sofia filed it away inside the envelope already carrying the one she had finished. She then passed the envelope over to Lisa.


    ¡°Well then, today Lisa will be infiltrating along with Campbell.¡±


    ¡°Understood. The horse-drawn carriage has already been prepared.¡±


    The horse-drawn carriage that brings in the supplies and reports to Rachel are always mixed in with the other deliveries that are brought to the Royal Pce on a daily basis.


    Of course that¡¯s only half camouge. Naturally the ck Cat Firm had its own carriage it sent out regrly. So in fact all of the supplies sent are addressed to the kitchen, and when there¡¯s nothing to be delivered it gets diverted to Rachel. That was the case today and as such Rachel¡¯s subordinates would lie in wait in the back.


    People under their influence had been considerably mixed in inside the Royal Pce and around Prince Elliott by now, especially gatekeepers and knights assigned to guard duty. The ck Cat Firm¡¯s carriage has only ever been the subject of very basic inspections whenever it was carrying inside an assortment of goodies.


    ¡°If Lisa is bothering to go herself is there something big going on?¡±


    In response to Campbell¡¯s question, Sofia pulled out a new document.


    ¡°For this meeting............hm?¡±


    Campbell and Waters sat across from each other looking the paper over.........but when their zig-zagging gazes finally reached the bottom of the page, they both let out a sigh.


    ¡°No but........¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go like I always have............dungeon, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Having already taken such a reaction into consideration, Sofia indifferently put out a list and began to talk.


    ¡°Campbell, please prepare and deliver to me all of these materials.¡±


    ¡°I understand that........but what about the people in question? We can handle the instation.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have youe under the banner of the Duke house and the Lady¡¯s name. That person would probablye then.¡±


    It is possible for Sofia to use Rachel¡¯s name at her own convenience purely because of the trust that Rachel puts in to her.


    ¡°So, as for me......you want me to call out to these people?¡±


    Waters was also looking over his own list himself. Sofia had passed him a list of people to be scouted. All of them were the among the very top.........and none of them woulde for chump change.


    ¡°I think we still have some time, but convince them somehow.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy to say Sister. But all these guys are big deals in my industry, so wouldn¡¯t it be better to talk to my own colleagues instead?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about that as well. For now try to make an appointment, and if that doesn¡¯t work, contact me.¡±


    Waters started to feel a little nervous, remembering that Sofia had had a hand in his recruitment as well.


    Anyway, faced with a proposal from some otherworldly noble servants, Waters continued with a doubtful look on his face.


    ¡°Why Sister, does her old man have a thousand gold piled away somewhere?¡±


    ¡°No. But if you¡¯re sessful, My Lady will dly lower her head to you.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    Campbell and Waters were shocked at what they heard, but soon they hardened themselves like a couple of sly old soldiers.


    That¡¯s how it would be.


    Even without any promise of marriage, a Duke house is second only to the King/Royal Family in terms of prestige, so a daughter in that position lowering her head to amoner would leave thatmoner with quite the level of fame among their peers. Given the difference in status and the honor of a noble, it¡¯s something that shouldn¡¯t happen even if you were to turn over heaven and hell.


    Do it. If that¡¯s to be done, certainly anybody who would ask would have their spirits lifted. At any rate........


    ¡°Seriously........!?¡±


    ¡°I am quite serious. My Lady isn¡¯t one to pointlessly hold high her pride.¡±


    ¡°That may be.........but even so, have you already received her permission?¡±


    Sofia gave an instant reply to Waters¡¯s question in a tone that sounded almost invigorated.


    ¡°Lisa will be going to get it after this.¡±


    ¡°Huh? I am?¡±


    Having not even told the contact person yet, Waters and Campbell both had their jaws drop at just how amazingly unnned this was.


    ¡°..........you.........what are you going to do if you make a promises that your boss hates..........¡±


    When Waters was finally able to squeeze out a question, Sofia responded inly.


    ¡°Ohh of course, what I promise will be realized. If My Lady grumbles about it, then feel free to step on her head as she performs a dogeza for you.¡±


    ¡°!!¡±


    Everyone besides Sofia hardened at her words.


    ¡°......this feeling of distance with My Lady, it¡¯s not something I could imitate........¡±


    ¡°.........what, rather than childhood friends you sound more like foster siblings¡±


    ¡°.......normally you¡¯d hold back a bit more though¡±


    The three people carved it into their hearts once again.


    Inside the Dark Night ck Cats, Rachel wasn¡¯t the only dangerous one.


    ?


    Seeing off the carriage after leaving the ck Cat Firm, Sofia stretched out her arms towards the sky and began walking.


    ¡°My my.........I worked a lot today¡±


    There was just a little more work to be done today. But if you were talking about tomorrow, then themotion would start up again first thing in the morning.


    Sofia stopped at a crossroads, turning to move towards the mansion........but then softly put her foot down.


    ¡°.........going back to the mansion like this, but I¡¯m reluctant to have my work just pile up.¡±


    Part of Sofia wanted to leave those still pending documents to her numerous shrewd subordinates.


    Sofia ended up turning right, going in the opposite direction of the crossroads. Beyond that was a shop she recently discovered that had wonderfully fluffy chiffon cake and some highly fragrant tea.


    ¡°I worked more than enough today, so a small tea break should be worthwhile.¡±


    In the end Sofia herself is a talented, shrewd subordinate. Which is why she fully intended on expensing the cost of this tea back to herpany.


    ?


    ¡°Oh, damn it!¡±


    A maid who was wiping down a vase when she suddenly let out a cry, and a colleague who was standing on her tiptoes to dust a picture frame on a nearby wall ended up losing her bnce.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Theodora?¡±


    ¡°Lisa went out earlier, but I forgot to give her that letter!¡±


    ¡°Letter? To the Lady?¡±


    Rachel is generally very friendly to her servants, but still, it¡¯s a little unusual for a single maid to write her a personal letter while she¡¯s locked in a dungeon.


    ¡°What¡¯s it about? Are you asking for some time off?¡±


    ¡°Groan, it¡¯s much more important than that!¡±


    The maid wearing sses, Theodora, clenched her fist to emphasize her point.


    ¡°I had prepared a fan letter, written around the concept of Sykes reversing the situation on his Lord that I had hoped would happen in her next work! Ah, even though I had poured all my heart into that letter.......¡±


    ¡°I have failed!¡± the maid let out another cry, jostling her dirty rag around while her maid coworker almost dropped her feather duster, her shoulders dropping.


    ¡°You, how are you so excited about a novel that the Lady only wrote while killing some time? Moreover, the content.......your hobbies are rotten........¡±


    ¡°What did you say!? All women are rotten!¡±1


    ¡°Are you lumping me together with you!?¡±


    The two maids continued their quarrel until the head maid passed by.


    1. Something fun I learned when I was tranting HTG, a fujoshi¨Ca woman who enjoys yaoi¨Ctranted into English means a ¡®rotten woman¡¯. So when she says that all women are rotten, she¡¯s referring to fujoshis.

 Chapter 25 - Noblewoman Hosts Some Guests

    <strong>Noblewoman Hosts Some Guests</strong>


    Elliott is also a Prince, so there are various events and jobs that have to be done every day. Lately his paperwork and inspections have been rapidly increasing, creating a mess of busy days that made himpletely forget about the dungeon that had been guing his mind until recently.


    During one of his tea breaks he just so happened to nce out his window, and he couldn¡¯t help but be forced to remember that woman........he discovered it.


    A plume of smoke rising in the distance.


    No matter how you look at it, that was definitelying from an area that had be all too familiar.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s such fine weather today........¡±


    ¡°Can you see? Your Highness, the smoke is¡±


    ¡°For a change of pace, it might be good to take Margaret for a long ride to the hill.¡±


    ¡°Over there is where the dungeon is right? I wonder what, is she burning some firewood.......¡±


    ¡°Now that I think about it, my body¡¯s feeling a little stiff from all the worktely. That¡¯s no good.¡±


    ¡°Huh? The smell of burning meat..........oi oi, that girl has quite the appetite.¡±


    ¡°Yosh, let¡¯s go to the suburbs today! We¡¯ll leave as soon as Margaret gets here, so go prepare the horses at the stables!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, are you listening? It looks like Rachel is up to something.¡±


    ¡°Sykes, His Highness is pretending he can¡¯t see anything........¡±


    ?


    With one half unwilling to go and one half feeling obligated, Elliot arrived at the entrance of the dungeon to find two young men tidying up a barbecue stove. Judging from their clothes they appeared to be apprentice chefs.


    Elliott ignored them both and entered the prison.


    ¡°Huh? Your Highness, aren¡¯t you going to question them?¡±


    Surprised, Sykes pulled on the Prince¡¯s sleeve, but Elliott shook his head while making a face like he was chewing on a bitter tasting bug.


    ¡°They¡¯re underlings no matter how you look at them, they are. The underground is the main source of whatever¡¯s going on. At the very least, we¡¯ll find the cause down there.¡±


    ¡°Sis is unable to leave the prison.¡±


    Elliott and George nodded towards one another, but still not convinced, Sykes wanted to hold them back.


    ¡°But, Your Highness¡±


    ¡°What, is there still something?¡±


    ¡°If we go see Rachel without stopping them all from tidying up right now, then won¡¯t they have gone home before making ours?¡±


    ¡°Your primary concern right now is food!? Food!?¡±


    In front of the cell, a girthy chef was facing the iron bars and giving a cooking lesson to the person inside.


    ¡°Today¡¯s main course shall be, a rare beef filet steak, prison style. Usually I cook this on an iron te so that the meat appears more beautiful, but with the image of your cell bars in my mind, I dared to grill it today instead. I decided not to add any gravy for the sauce as I believe the fragrance from the charcoal that¡¯s seeped in gives the dish a certain wildness to the taste instead.¡±


    With the first cut brought to her mouth, Rachel raised a lively voice.


    ¡°Delicious! This sauce is different from what I ate in your shop before.¡±


    ¡°Yes. This time we took the beautiful image of a daughter of the Ferguson house, and melted some dark chocte for the sauce instead.¡±


    ¡°Well, you tterer!¡±


    As the customer and chef harmoniously shared their impressions on the steak, Elliott called out.


    ¡°Could I hopefully be included in your little chat?¡±


    Huh? What did hee here for? While saying some astonishing words he was making a face that said he was already used to this. Elliott exchanged a nce with his entourage, and George lightly bowed his head at the front.


    George looked proudly down on his sister and pointed at the dish sitting in front of Rachel.


    ¡°Sis, that cooking there..........how did you get such dishes inside the jail?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you want to know!?¡±


    The chef gave a bow.


    ¡°I had an assistant hold the te we had put in earlier steady, and after using tongs to set the te, I made the finishing touches through the bars.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s how!¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter!¡±


    Elliott began shouting after pushing George out of the way.


    ¡°Rachel, what did I tell you!? No delivery¡±


    Rachel swallowed the food that was still in her mouth before giving an honest nod.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what you said.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then, what is this?¡±


    Rachel looked down at the te in her hands.


    ¡°Well Your Highness, this isn¡¯t delivery.¡±


    ¡°Hoh? So what is it then?¡±


    Rachel answered with a pure, innocent smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s catering.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the same thing you idiot!¡±1


    Elliott¡¯s eyes were turning red as he started violently looking around.


    ¡°Almost every single time, what is the Prison Guard doing!?¡±


    As soon as the words left his mouth, his eyesnded on the Prison Guard who was sitting at his desk.


    The same food was served in front of him, and his mouth just so happened to be filled with meat.


    When his eyes met with the Prince¡¯s, the Prison Guard quickly swallowed what was in his mouth, smiled, and gave him a thumb¡¯s up.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right! No suspicious objects have been brought in! I also properly made sure that nothing was poisoned!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you not checking for poison with yours but rather sampling!? You were wondering what type of food this woman was having! You were bought with a piece of meat.........!¡±


    ¡°No Your Highness, he isn¡¯t the kind of man who could be simply bought for one or two pieces of meat. That¡¯s why we properly served him the full course from the beginning.¡±


    Elliott was just thinking about whether to do something about that Prison Guard when Rachel set down her fork after finishing off thest of her steak.


    ¡°Your Highness. I did it separately, but deliv..............aren¡¯t you going to have some catering?¡±


    ¡°Just now, you, didn¡¯t you just call it delivery?¡±


    ¡°Because the Ferguson House is to be holding a partyter on, I was just taste-testing some of the food that¡¯s to be served.¡±


    Elliott¡¯s good point waspletely ignored.


    ¡°Even though my sister is in prison, they still have her taste the food instead.........¡±


    George¡¯s grief was also ignored.


    Immediately after hearing Rachel¡¯s answer, Elliott began tough.


    ¡°You¡¯re taste-testing food for a party!? Even though you can¡¯t go yourself!? What, are they going to hang a banner to symbolize your support!? Or are you going to pray for its sess from afar and have those in attendance pass along your greetings!?¡±


    As Rachel had been found severely guilty, obviously she wouldn¡¯t be able to leave and attend a party at her home.


    There¡¯s a humor in preparing for a party that you can¡¯t go to. But does Rachel understand this idiotic situation?


    Because it had been such a long time since he had felt such intense pleasure concerning his rtionship with Rachel, Elliott¡¯sughter just wouldn¡¯t stop.


    While watching the ted Elliott, Rachel smiled, remembering the correspondence that was hidden underneath her te.


    If you like the taste, then I¡¯m sure His Highness will be pleased too.


    Of course, you¡¯re wee to attend as well.


    ?


    Seeing the cute Margaret beautifully dressed, Elliott and the rest of her fans were nearly tripping over themselves in their love for her.


    ¡°Beautiful Margaret. You look just like a Flower Fairy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Your Highness!¡±


    Even looking embarrassed she was too cute.


    Rather than a grown adult beauty, hers was a dangerous charm that came from the impact of being in the middle of your growth. Since hers is still a childish beauty, they had thought that the sight of her in a low-cut evening gown would have been too shy.......but rather, that unbnce is good!


    Elliott quietlyughed to himself, thinking about what a wonderful reward it was that this beauty was just for him, when with arge smile spread ear from ear (in short his usual face), Bnski came walking up.


    ¡°She¡¯s such a wonderful beauty, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Margaret truly is lovely.¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed. In particr, that tube top dress with no shoulder straps is quite the meritorious achievement.¡±


    ¡°Is it good? I was troubled how it would be when she put it on, but I made the resolve to hold back on any frills and ribbons and thought it would be better to have a simple, adult design.¡±


    Elliott felt pride at having his choiceplimented when Bnski pointed his finger up towards the heavens.


    ¡°Yes. By tightening the top so much so that it doesn¡¯t slip off, her modest chest is emphasized really well!¡±


    ¡°..........isn¡¯t your opinion rather strange?¡±


    ¡°Really? I think I¡¯m pretty normal but........I am the president of the Kingdom Petalism Association, and we want to make Margaret our Peta ? of ? the ? Year!¡±2


    This guy was saying something really strange.


    ¡°.........so, I think I¡¯m going to have to say no.¡±


    ¡°Ah, what is someone of Your Highness¡¯s station saying!? To be called Peta is to im your meagerness! Saying mountains or cutting board is no good! Don¡¯t you know that if Your Highness can¡¯t understand the subtle differences, you¡¯ll never be anymore than a second-rate petalist!?¡±


    ¡°No, I feel like something in me would die if I were to be first-rate..........¡±


    Then, Elliott made a rough snort while watching Bnski.


    ¡°You, you¡¯re family name is Boinski right.........¡±


    ¡°Bnski, Your Highness.¡±


    Margaret was enjoying her new dress, finally deciding on the pose she¡¯d take when she ran back into Elliott.


    ¡°Elliott, I¡¯m really thankful to you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing Margaret. I¡¯m more than happy to help you be even more beautiful.¡±


    Elliott¡¯s imagination grew as she embraced him.


    ..........that happiness, with one word it was shattered in an instant.


    ¡°Yosh! Well then, I¡¯m going to boast to Rachel. She¡¯ll see just how very kind Elliott is to me.¡±


    ¡°..............Margaret. You don¡¯t need to bother showing off to that woman........¡±


    When Elliott tried showing his disapproval for Margaret¡¯s n, he received a shocking response in turn.


    ¡°But Elliott. Since Rachel is hosting a party, I want her to know who the person is that Elliott loves most when I show up in this dress!¡±


    ?


    ¡°A bunch of dressed up guests have made their way into the castle and are already at the dungeon.¡±


    In response to the information Margaret had given him, Elliott and the others rushed to the scene.


    ¡°Damn, I should¡¯ve noticed during the day........¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right........Rachel¡¯s doing something really strange, Your Highness isn¡¯t receiving any damage from this whatsoever.¡±


    ¡°What kind of standard of judgement is that!?¡±


    The door to the dungeon¡¯s entrance was wide open, and dazzling lights and a fun-soundingmotion were already leaking into the backyard.


    ¡°Damn, what kind of idiot holds a party in a dungeon........!¡±


    ¡°Well, Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Sis would........¡±


    The men then ran down the stairs.


    The room was lit up as bright as day, a wide chandelier set on the side.


    Though it¡¯d be a stretch to call this an evening party, all of thedies and gentlemen there were certainly dressed like it was.


    A number of tables that shouldn¡¯t be here were set up, and a boy was going around serving more and more food.


    And on one end wearing a bow tie and suit over his usual dirty work clothes was the Prison Guard who was serving wine from a barrel.


    .........Prison Guard.


    ¡°Oi. You!¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Your Highness, not! What are you doing!?¡±


    ¡°Serving alcohol. I¡¯ve already tested both, so we have both red and white to choose from. We have a ros¨¦ as well, but there was only one bottle in the case, so it¡¯ll be all gone if you drink it too soon.¡±


    ¡°Is that so!? Your job is managing this dungeon! Why haven¡¯t you stopped these people from entering!?¡±


    ¡°No, because........¡±


    As he spoke the Prison Guard looked around him.........


    ¡°More and more of these groups of important people showed up, could I really stop them?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s your job then it¡¯s fine to turn them away!¡±


    ¡°But, they all had written invitations, and I waspletely overwhelmed........also, they kept prattling on using words I didn¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Haah!?¡±


    Weaving through the crowd of influential people, Elliott came to have a pleasant chat with Rachel.


    ¡°Oi, Rachel! What is thismotion!?¡±


    ¡°Ah, wee Your Highness.¡±


    Rachel was also dressed up. It was a deep blue evening gown, a conservative dress with pearl jewelry. It was a different dress from the one she had been wearing when she was thrown in prison.


    This certainly wasn¡¯t something she had in the cell from the beginning. It was absolutely prepared somewhere along the way.


    As Elliott red at her with a look that could kill, Rachel responded calmly as if talking to an ordinary acquaintance.


    ¡°When I thought about it, I never had a moving party.¡±


    ¡°Moving party!?¡±


    ¡°But, as I am right now, what would my future be?¡±


    ¡°So you haven¡¯t forgotten that..........¡±


    ¡°So for ordinary nobles and politicians, I thought it¡¯d be too difficult for them to attend a party before Your Highness........so with a little self-control, I limited today¡¯s guest-list to only foreign ambassadors, clergymen, and merchants who I¡¯m on good terms with.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with that half-hearted consideration!?¡±


    When Elliott took a look around, it was true that he didn¡¯t recognize many people native to this country. And all of the clergymen were wearing their proper dress. There were some people there wearing formal wear speaking the kingdom¡¯snguage, but he was unable to recognize them so they were probably the merchants. If they were all friends with the Duke¡¯s house, they were probably all people of import as well. George seemed to recognize some of them as evidenced by how dreadful hisplexion had be.


    Frantically holding back the urge to scream, Elliott cast a nce backwards where Rachel was excitedly giving an intimate greeting to the guests who approached her. Not a single one of them seemed to care that these greetings were happening from behind the bars of a cell. Rather, Elliott¡¯s group felt like they were the one¡¯s out-of-ce, relegated to the sidelines.


    ¡°Rachel........!¡±


    Foreigners, business people, and the religious world. In other words, everyone here were people who couldn¡¯t be influenced by the Prince¡¯s power. No wonder they pushed the Prison Guard to the side.


    Seeing the state of this group, it doesn¡¯t need to be said who they¡¯d support between Rachel and Elliott. The other side, Rachel, is making the smart move of holding a party to raise her position, but interrupting them by acting as a stickler for the rules here would have the opposite to the desired effect.


    The noise of Elliott grinding his teeth echoed as Rachel had a good time toasting sses with an affluent old man with a white beard, talking about something he didn¡¯t understand in front of him.


    ¡°Hooray for prison!¡±


    ¡°Hooray!¡±


    Elliott finally involuntarily raised a cry at the two¡¯s excitement.


    ¡°Oi! What¡¯s fun about being in prison huh!¡±


    ¡°Wait! That¡¯s no good Your Highness, hold yourself back! That man is a cardinal, so starting a fight is out of the question!¡±


    George desperately held him back, convincing Elliott to back off, swallowing his bitter tears.


    ¡°Shit, I can¡¯tin to Rachel about all this with these people here........¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll dispatch someer to each position for an exnation.........but this number of people, who could remember everyone that¡¯se.........¡±


    Standing in a corner as the party venue swelled, Elliott and George whispered to each other about the current state of affairs while hiding next to the wine barrel.


    Hmph, and then taking a deep breath through her nose, Margaret rose up.


    ¡°Elliott, I will exin!¡±


    ¡°Margaret!?¡±


    ¡°Because this isn¡¯t funny! Elliott is on the side of justice, so we have to do this for Rachel who is supposed to be bad!¡±


    ¡°To do.......¡±


    That¡¯s right, but the way Margaret says it.........


    While George was taking care of and calming down Elliott, Margaret had glided over to another end of the room and stood up on a box.


    ¡°Everyooooooone, please listen!¡±


    Margaret made an unthinkable appeal during the party, and the gazes of all the visitors gathered on her.


    ¡°Everyone, you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying, Rachel is really the bad one! In order to help me, Elliott dared to break off his engagement with Rachel and sent her to prison! Don¡¯t be fooled!¡±


    For a moment, the venue was silent.


    Then in the middle of that silence, Margaret cockily puffed out her chest.


    After a few seconds the noise returned.


    But Elliott didn¡¯t wee it.


    ¡°Bwahahahaha!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice joke!¡±


    ¡°Yay prison!¡±


    Apuse began to ring as the audience believed this was all some entertainment derived from too much alcohol, and with Margaret unable to understand what was going on, her head swiveling around after all the tension had disappeared, she had lost all persuasive power.


    In the end, Margaret was also dragged into the fuss, made to have a toast with the other guests.


    ¡°Hooray for prison!¡±


    ¡°Hooray!¡±


    Margaret came back with sparkling eyes and a te with a mound of food heaped up on top.


    ¡°Elliott, I did it!¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah.........¡±


    It can¡¯t be said that she had no effect at all, but Elliott still stared at Margaret strangely as she started shoveling some of the mood into her mouth.


    ?


    George noticed.


    ¡°Hm? Where¡¯s Sykes? He came with us.¡±


    The Prison Guard pointed towards the middle of the venue while pouring another ss of wine.


    ¡°If it¡¯s that knight you¡¯re talking about, he¡¯s been enjoying the party since the start.¡±


    Eating food and having delicious wine since midday, Sykes had been worked up, happily conversing with a bunch of old men he didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°How niiiiiice, I don¡¯t get to do this too often.¡±


    ¡°Bwahahaha, me neither!¡±


    ¡°Same!¡±


    Sykes and the ambassadors from the neighboring country all brought their sses together.


    ¡°Hooray for prison!¡±


    1. It really is the same thing. The word ³öÇ° means both delivery and catering. When she says catering, she says it in English though to differentiate the two.


    2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petalism Long story short, Petalism was originally a method for banishing people. I don¡¯t think it means what Bnski thinks it does.

 Chapter 26 - Noblewoman Dotes on her Little Brother

    <h4>Noblewoman Dotes on her Little Brother</h4>


    A soothing afternoon when the sun was shining its brightest. Two small tables sandwiched the cell bars, and one noblewoman inside the cell sat directly across from a noblewoman outside as both enjoyed a spot of tea.


    ¡°The moving party was a great sess, Alexandra. Thank you for helping me set it up. You really saved me.¡±


    Sitting opposite the delighted Rachel was an impressive looking girl with loose, wavy blonde hair and clear blue eyes like sapphires. The corners of the girl¡¯s mouth uplifted with Rachel¡¯s acknowledgment, answering with a strong, daring smile.


    Daughter of a Marquis Alexandra Mountbatten. She is a friend with whom Rachel does not need to put on airs, a specialpanion who is like family. Rachel usually shows a more in, neat, and clean-cut appearance. In contrast, Alexandra is more shy and has a gorgeous face that typically shows a look of confidence. She was wearing a formal dress with pants and a sword strapped to her waist. You could call her an older-sister type who looks like she¡¯d take care of others.......a different type of beauty to Rachel.


    ¡°Just leave the foreign matters to me Rachel. Those matters especially I can take care of.¡±


    Thanks to her father being a senior official in charge of foreign affairs, Alexandra¡¯s face was known far and wide by top officials in foreign nations. This was the reason why so many foreign ambassadors participated in the moving party and how all the necessary arrangements had been prepared so that the scandal from the Prince¡¯s actions hadn¡¯t spread beyond this country¡¯s borders.


    ¡°However it looks like it would be fun to abuse His Highness. If things are this interesting, then I wish I had returned home earlier.¡±


    The appearance of that broad, defiant smile really did make her look cool. Couple that with the background of the dungeon¡¯s dreary stone wall and you had someone who looked just like a female hero from an adventure story.


    But in reverse Rachel¡¯s eyebrows moved to a ¡® ¥Ï¡¯ shape, and she made a small smile like she was troubled.


    ¡°I would have liked that as well, but if you beat him too much........I¡¯ll be troubled if the other side umtes too much stress and ridiculously explodes.¡±


    ¡°I see........then, what will you do? Well, will you forgive him?¡±


    Knowing that there was no way Alexandra asked an empty question. But hearing the question of her close friend, Rachel made a weak smile and shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°Un, gradually things will have to be concluded........therefore, I¡¯ll have to smash it before it explodes.¡±


    Rachel only looks weak.


    ¡°But I <i>really</i> wanted to enjoy spending my time carefreely~¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s wasteful, but.........before His Highness loses all reason and takes action, I have to beat him down until he can no longer recover.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll do my best to support you as well.¡±


    ¡°Fufu, thanks.¡±


    The two young maidens then started elegantlyughing between each other while taking a small sip from their tea cups.


    ?


    George Ferguson jumped down from the carriage and handed over his bag to the butler who hade to greet him at the entrance.


    His footsteps sounded especially loud in the spacious corridor as he stomped down towards his room.


    ¡°Damn, everyst one of them.......¡±


    The n to corner his unworthy big sister was progressing slowly.


    The light harassment wasn¡¯t having any effect. But if it were to be shy and cause actual harm, then the righteousness of their actions would be drawn into question. He had to look for the line where he could break the sister¡¯s nerves while still not being judged too harshly by third parties........he wasn¡¯t confident that such a convenient reality could exist though.


    To make matters worse is the fact that the courtiers of the Royal Pce were showing a weak attitude for fear of getting involved.


    They all wished to remain unrted before the King hands down his decision, and won¡¯t do or say anything against the sister until then. At most they¡¯ll alert the knights near the prison if they notice some possible spies.........and yet, security hasn¡¯t even caught a mouse yet despite that his sister, for whom it is impossible to contact the outside world, threw arge party.


    He was also trying to stop any support from the Ducal House from reaching her, but it was impossible to know how much of an effect this was really having.


    By appearances, there have been no such movements inside the house. But, George was certain that his sister was still receiving relief supplies. There is no one in this house who opposes him openly, but there was a feeling in the air that everyone was just pretending to listen to him, waiting for their moment to move.


    Honestly speaking, George had reached a stalemate. He and his friends¡¯ dazzling sun, they were unable to see clearly how to take revenge for Margaret.


    ¡°Hah, really.........¡±


    Thinking that for now he should just get a night¡¯s rest, George opened the door to his room.


    Taking one step into his room, George mindlessly took a quick nce around.........and there was something there he couldn¡¯t express in words.


    ¡°!?¡±


    George wanted to praise himself for not raising a scream. At the very least, he thought it was good that he hadn¡¯t fallen over on his butt.


    In the middle of his room.


    On the corner of the living room area, books and pictures were beautifully disyed on his desk and chair like a stylish bookstore.........all things George should have hidden away.


    Erotic novels, and certain udylike pictures of sexy actresses.


    There was his open diary whose contents were never to be seen by people and a fan letter he had written but never intended on sending.


    Besides this there was also etc. etc.............


    So as not to be found by any maids cleaning, George had skillfully hidden (supposedly) these treasured possessions here and there inside his room.


    ¡°No, no, no..........¡±


    George looked through his ck history that had been so suddenly gathered together, his mind in a panic thinking where he could hide it all.......not trying to find out who had decorated his room this way.........but as the owner, it can¡¯t be helped he¡¯d react like this.


    Anyway, these weren¡¯t meant for human eyes, so for now he would stuff them inside an appropriate bag and temporarily store them underneath his bed.


    ¡°.......Damn, who.......!?¡±


    Displeased with his actions, he figured it was most likely the work of one of the servants who sympathized with his sister.


    But who is likely to do something like this? The faces of all the servants ran through George¡¯s mind as he gathered the books off his desk.


    Then.


    George found an unfamiliar envelope tucked away inside a book. A womanly, pink envelope.


    ¡°.........what the? I have a bad feeling about this.........¡±


    But, if he didn¡¯t look, nothing would begin.


    George opened the envelope. Inside was just a single piece of stationary.


    He spread out the paper............and after a quick nce, this time he did scream.


    ?


    Nighttime in the front chamber of the dungeon.


    George was facing the iron bars, prostrating himself on the ground inside the prison.


    ¡°My sister, I¡¯m truly sorry!¡±


    Seeing the form of her younger brother, trembling as he rubbed his forehead into the cobblestone floor..........Rachel though about lying back down in bed and going to sleep.


    ¡°Oh my George, is something wrong?¡±


    The general im alluding to how you don¡¯t know anything, of course there was no such thing. Zero chance.


    George continued to simply and painfully rub his forehead into the cold, uneven cobblestone, yelling at the <ruby>Great King of Fear<rt>Rachel</rt></ruby>.


    ¡°For dering that the me for Margaret¡¯s bullying rested solely on my honorable sister¡¯s shoulders, I am truly sorry!¡±


    ¡°Oh dear. Suddenly saying such a thing, I wonder <i>what</i> could have possibly happened?¡±


    While the other side was busy feigning ignorance, George could do nothing but keep his head lowered to his sister.


    ¡°.........please, please Big Sister.........everything written in that letter is private.........¡±


    As her brother desperately pleaded with her, Rachel once again asked what was going on.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why is George, the heir to the Duke House, kneeling on the ground? And speaking of letters........¡±


    Rachel¡¯s words trailed off, and finally tilted her head in the other direction iming defeat.


    ¡°Are you talking about that September when you were five years old, and I had to wash your pants? Or maybe that February when you were seven years old, and you became so scared of the fireworks that you wet yourself? But, that ¡°pleasant¡± time was such a small part of your life.¡±


    Rachel smiled as she stared down at her terrified younger brother.


    ¡°That was such a small part........


    Perhaps instead you¡¯re talking about that day in May when you were eleven and awoke to sex, deciding to stroke and caress the dresses in your sister¡¯s closet so that nobody else would see you?


    Or maybe that June when you were fourteen, and after checking to make sure that nobody was watching you lied down on my bed, sniffing the sheets after I had slept on them.


    If not those........then perhaps the July when you were fifteen, in other wordsst year, when you snuck into theundry room, stealing my still dirty underwear to make into your treasure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! Big Sister, I¡¯m sorry! Sorry, so sorry!¡±


    George was terrified, and there was nothing else he could do but apologize.


    That pink envelope George had found.


    That stationary inside described several fragmented episodes that George would never be able to live down if others were to know.


    There was no doubt that it was his sister who had written it. That beautiful cursive script was all too familiar, but if even one of these events were to leak out it would bring his ruin, let alone a whole chronology.


    They were all scenes he did after confirming that nobody else was there.


    They were all events he didn¡¯t even remember himself until they had been brought up.


    What shouldn¡¯t have been seen by his sister or even any of her servants was allid bare like a business presentation before him.


    And if they know all of that..........


    Even in George¡¯s memory, the contents written were just the ¡®entrance to the valley¡¯1, and it is impossible to know what else they are aware of.


    In other words, this pink envelope letter is just an excerpt.


    Here was an older sister who could pin down George¡¯s entire ck history with excruciating detail.


    As if puzzled by the trembling state George was in, the elder sister continued to feign innocence on his distressed situation.


    ¡°Oh my my George, you¡¯re so frightened. Your sister just, since I don¡¯t know when His Highness will have me executed, the memories just kepting, so I wrote them down in a letter. All those ¡°pleasant¡± memories just kepting back to me.........I just thought I¡¯d <i>share</i> a little of those memories with my younger brother.¡±


    And then splendidly..........with her elegant mouth, that absolute <ruby>family soldier<rt>older sister</rt></ruby> made a broad grin andughed.


    ¡°George is also already at that age. You¡¯ve fallen in love with the lovely Margaret, so it¡¯s no wonder you forgot how <ruby>good your sister¡¯s memory is.<rt>what you did in the house</rt></ruby> The very same sister who has no idea how long she¡¯ll be locked in prison, who stands alone form her splendid brother, but remembers for just a moment........even if her body were to disappear, she would live on in her beloved younger brother¡¯s heart.¡±


    ¡°Th, that is........!¡±


    There is absolutely no way that this sister would sit back and be quietly executed by Prince Elliott. It¡¯s something easily understood despite what she is saying.........but George wasn¡¯t a fool who didn¡¯t know his ce, so he avoided pointing that out.


    With a lovely expression that would never make you think she was worried about an execution, the captivating older sister showed a bright, radiant smile. She then gestured towards a notebook she had in hand.


    ¡°Ah, but George is crazy about Margaret, so there¡¯s no more space in your brain for your sister right? Then, this little booklet where I wrote everything I remembered.........yeah, perhaps I should give it to Father and Mother? That way when ites time for the two of you to get married, they can read off a couple episodes to show off how you¡¯ve grown? That way your sister can watch from up in heaven, and I can look over your future with the confidence that I did a good thing.¡±


    ¡°I beg of you Big Sister! Please........what you have written in there, please don¡¯t show it to Father and Mother!¡±


    ¡°Big Sister? In the old days, I always thought it was so cute how you¡¯d always call me ¡®sissy¡¯.¡±


    ¡°S, Sis¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°S, Sissy.........please, please don¡¯t tell Father and Mother all my embarrassing secrets!¡±


    ¡°Eeeeeh? But, as an older sister, I won¡¯t be able to watch over George anymore.........¡±


    ¡°His Highness made a mistake about Bi........he will nevery a hand on Sissy because I will always stop him!¡±


    ¡°But, George loves Margaret as well as me.........very strange, don¡¯t you think I did a terrible thing?¡±


    ¡°No, there is absolutely no way!¡±


    George desperately denied his sister¡¯s deliberately leading questions.


    Margaret¡¯s things being destroyed and even being pushed down some stairs.


    Until half a day ago, there wasn¡¯t a doubt in George¡¯s mind that this had been his sister¡¯s work........but, he¡¯s singing a different tune now.


    ................a human who could arrange all of this form inside a jail cell just to harass George, there¡¯s no way she¡¯d partake in that kind of lukewarm bullying against a love rival.


    Really, if she really were in love then she¡¯d never resort to bullying in the first ce.


    If his sister were to have gotten serious..........then by now Margaret would no longer even be around anymore.


    ¡°I believe that Sissy has neverid a hand on Margaret! I¡¯ll write a note swearing it! .........So, so Big.........Sissy, just please don¡¯t pass along what you¡¯ve written to Father and Mother! Please!¡±


    ¡°Oh my, really? ..........so all I have to do is not inform Father and Mother?¡±


    ¡°Y, yes!¡±


    ¡°<i>Really?</i> Isn¡¯t there anybody else?¡±


    ¡°Eh..........?¡±


    George was left confused at his sister¡¯s strange reminder.


    He was appreciative of the now silent atmosphere...........but who else?


    Thinking about it though, his sister could definitely muddle things up because it would seem ¡®interesting¡¯.


    ¡°T,then.......the chief maid Martha......¡±


    ¡°Anyone else?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Umm.......His Highness and Margaret........¡±


    ¡°Anyone else?¡±


    An older sister who continued to ask every time to the bitter end.


    George was sure there was a pitfall hidden here somewhere, but he couldn¡¯t figure out what her intentions were.


    With a cold sweat running down his back, George continued to desperately try and think if there was anyone else.


    ¡°O, other........t, then, Sykes and all my other friends........¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    The sister wasn¡¯t asking anymore. Then in front of George who was breathing a sigh of relief that this relentless pursuit had finally finished.


    Rachel came in close to the iron bars. She then shoved the notebook from between the bars in aplete different direction from where George was.


    ¡°I understand. I willpletely respect George¡¯s feelings.¡±


    ¡°T, thank you very much.........¡±


    ¡°Since she already heard everything right now, I was worried about what I would do if you had said that she was also no good.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Before even having any time to ponder on his sister¡¯s strange words.........George¡¯s attention was caught by a steady drumming going on behind him.


    ¡°Huh!?¡±


    Turning back and taking a look, from the dark side of the stone steps.


    A girl with an extravagant appearance showed herself.


    The girl was a little queen-like, with a style different from his sister yet wasparatively beautiful, and she slowly walked over towards the cell with a smile, picking up the notebook Rachel had passed over.


    A mixture of surprise and fear kept George from saying anything coherent.


    ¡°A, A, A, A...........¡±


    George had fallen on his butt, unable to move or stand as the girl approached him while floating the same, daring smile she always wore as she spoke with an elegance suitable for a refineddy such as herself.


    ¡°It¡¯s been much too long George. Since I apanied Father, visiting foreign countries, has it already been a little more than a year.........¡±


    Her expression was that of a maiden.........however that beautiful girl floating a full smile had the eyes of a bird of prey.


    ¡°I am your childhood friend, the one you forgot about after only a year, your worthless fiancee, the cuckolded girl Alexandra Mountbatten. It¡¯s been a long time........or rather, I wonder if it would be ¡®pleased to make your acquaintance¡¯ now? Is this your first time seeing me?¡±


    ¡°H...........Hiiiiiii!?¡±


    ¡°Come now George. Even a good woman who doesn¡¯t care that you¡¯ve forgotten about your ten year rtionship would feel hurt if you were to suddenly scream at them as if having seen a monster in the dark.........which reminds me, isn¡¯t it pretty dark here too? Fufufufufu¡±


    Seeing the reunion between two wonderful fiancees made Rachel smile as well.


    ¡°George¡¯s various, ¡®nostalgic memories¡¯, after all it is best left with thepanion who will be sharing his life with him. Alexandra, for George please?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sister-inw.¡±


    ¡°George too, be sure to always listen to what Alexandra says.¡±


    ¡°Hiiiiiiiiiiii!?¡±


    ¡°Something about your reply worries me........it¡¯s a reunion of two fiancees after a long time, so your older sister will draw away from you two. There¡¯s a lot for you two to talk about, for example..........educational guidance.¡±


    Rachel ignored the echoing screams, hoarse voice, and tears sounding from outside the iron bars, choosing instead to enjoy the tea she had made.


    ¡°Now, hm...........if I don¡¯t cut off the other wing, then the bnce will be off.¡±

 Chapter 27 - Little Brother Remembers the Old Days

    <h4>Little Brother Remembers the Old Days</h4>


    My older sister is beautiful, but for some reason she casts a thin shadow. You could say, ¡°She¡¯s a beautiful woman if you look closely.¡±


    If you really observe her you can see how beautiful she is, but she is someone who won¡¯t enter your field of vision unless you¡¯re consciously looking for her. While all the other young noble women who were aiming for His Highness and that status of princess continued to call her the ¡°Daytime Moon¡± as an insult, I can honestly say I thought it was a little strange.


    Because His Highness Elliott, despite being a man, really was sparklingly beautiful...........meaning that my older sister who liked to stay in the background really did fit the name Daytime Moon.


    ?


    ¡°Oi, isn¡¯t that George!¡±


    George made an ever-so faint smile upon hearing Sykes¡¯s slightly impatient, loud voice.


    ¡°Ah, Sykes.......¡±


    Sykes ran up to the garden steps where George was sitting.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been getting worried since you haven¡¯t shown up at His Highness¡¯s cetely........you look so awful what happened!? Is itck of sleep? Are you eating enough?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not because of........I¡¯m just a little tired.......¡±


    ¡°Times like these you need steak. All your fatigue will recover with a little steak. I think for most bodies eating around 500 units of cooked rare red meat will improve physical condition.¡±


    ¡°No no, that¡¯s not the problem........¡±


    George forced a smile while exining to his friend.


    ¡°Alexandra returned home suddenly..........so, she said she was going to give me strict training in order to be a man worthy of her, and I¡¯ve been crammed with intense education on foreign affairs ever since.........my head is already unable to handle it and feels like it¡¯s about to burst.¡±


    ¡°I see! At times like this.........yeah, steak. You eat a lot, around fifty servings, and your mental fatigue will disappear before you know it!¡±


    ¡°Only you could solve your problems like that.¡±


    ¡°But Alexandra.........it¡¯s been over a year since she left with her parents overseas.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What. Did you get excited the moment you two met up again and kiss?¡±


    ¡°How is that possible you idiot? It wasn¡¯t that kind of situation.¡±


    There¡¯s no way George could say she had been hiding, watching as he groveled in the dirt towards his older sister while begging that she not reveal every shameful thing he has ever done to their family though.


    ¡°Ever since, I¡¯ve been unable to show my face in His Highness¡¯s room even when I did have the time.........


    ¡°I see~.¡±


    Sykes made a knowing grin and lightly punched George¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Well, you and Alexandra get along well. Meanwhile I just escorted Margaret.¡±


    ¡°Margaret is different from a fiancee, a more noble existence..........oi, before saying anything about me Sykes, aren¡¯t you in the same position? Does Martina know about you losing your head over Margaret?¡±


    A viinous smile floated across George¡¯s face.


    ¡°Martina loves you so passionately. Compared to His Highness and Sis, and Alexandra and me, don¡¯t you have your own burdensome political engagement? Well, you could never marry Margaret anyway since she has His Highness, but wouldn¡¯t it be bad if Martina were to find out you were putting in so much effort for Margaret?¡±


    Although Sykes¡¯s fiancee is another engagement through politics, it seems as if she has been in love with him ever since they were children. She had moved away from the capitol, living along the country¡¯s border because of her father¡¯s new job, but that doesn¡¯t mean her eventual marriage to Sykes was dissolved.


    Before making fun of others, shouldn¡¯t he be thinking about himself? George looked down on Sykes feeling just the tiniest bit of revulsion...........


    Sykes was vibrating.


    That huge body of his, it was shaking with hyper fine vibrations like some kind of toy.


    Looking closely, a good amount of sweat was pouring down his skin, his hands had gone stiff, and his eyes werepletely hollow.


    ¡°.............sorry. I should have never mentioned Martina.¡±


    Sykes eventually settled down.


    George then muttered a few words to him.


    ¡°..........that past uproar, I just remembered it.¡±


    ¡°What the? You remembering the old days or something?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess you could call them memories..........though they¡¯re a little strange.¡±


    George picked up a pebble near his foot and tossed it away. It lightly glided through the air for several meters before digging itself into thewn like a stake.


    ¡°For some reason I can¡¯t remember what happened before or after, just that one scene.¡±


    ?


    He couldn¡¯t understand if that was something he actually saw himself, or if it was something he experienced in a dream one night.


    Perhaps it was a visual hallucination from a scene that had shocked him from a book, or it might have been apletely different scene, and it has just been transmuted into something else inside his head.


    ¡°The weather was really good, the garden spread out beneath the blue sky........¡±


    Perhaps he was remembering something from a garden party. There were children in George¡¯s vision. However..........


    ¡°The problem is, there¡¯s a disconnect, and I only see the middle of the scene.¡±


    A girl with reddish brown hair stood on the bank of a pond in arge garden.


    The little girl was in a pretty dress, and she was staring at the surface of the pond for a long time. In her hand were some pebbles which she asionally threw into the pond. It was something that little children often did........if there was nobody already there.


    There was a boy in the pond, and he was drowning away from shore. He desperately reached out his hand, but the water pouring into his mouth prevented him from calling for help. He desperately struggled to rise up out of the water, but he just couldn¡¯t make it to shore...........because the girl kept throwing those damn pebbles.


    Whenever that drowning child tried to make it to shore, that young girl threatened him with some sharp stones, acting nothing like how a child would. It was only at those moments when the little girl threw a stone that you could hear the boy scream.


    ¡°So strange, that girl¡¯s face.........¡±


    That girl was making the boy drown, but she was so calm, with no emotion in her expression.


    She wasn¡¯t sneering at the boy, looking down on him like a bully, nor was there any anger or hatred in her eyes. Just indifference, as if she were forced to watch her parents¡¯ lecture about, ¡°Make sure the bonfire is outpletely¡±........as if she were doing some trivial task in an office, a business face.


    Then around the girl, there were a group of boys whose clothes had gotten all muddy. They were all sitting down, crying.


    All of the boys were bigger than the girl, but with tear-stained faces they were all yelling, ¡°Please, forgive him already,¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to die. Stop it already,¡± trying to convince the girl.........but the girl ignored all of them, continuing to watch the drowning boy.


    Sometimes one of the children would try and get close to the girl...........but she was too quick, and the boy would always be repelled by another pebble.


    ?


    ¡°That¡¯s all I can remember. Nothing before or after. Only that scene is seared into my brain.¡±


    ¡°..........what are you saying, that¡¯s a pretty surreal scene.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s even more surreal that I can¡¯t say it¡¯s just a nightmare. It might have really happened, but I don¡¯t understand what I saw. I heard from a schr that it might be a metaphor or something, but I just didn¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°You remembered it.........Hahah, maybe it has something to do with these recent events with your sister.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.......¡±


    George¡¯s head dropped, crestfallen.


    ¡°..........I realized myself. This, my heart is being gouged out in the same way.........¡±


    That vision, it wasn¡¯t a dream.


    That was reality.


    ¡°No part of that strange memory was a dream. I was simply remembering what had happened before my eyes.¡±


    ¡°.......possibly right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.......for some meeting, Sis threw sanctions on a boy simply because she didn¡¯t like him.......¡±


    The two men fell silent, leaving the only noise to be heard the cry of a passing swallow, trying to induce a more cheerful atmosphere.


    After a little while George lifted his head up.


    ¡°Because of that. When I remembered that, I did notice one thing.¡±


    ¡°..........What? If it¡¯s another scary story, could you spare me?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t ask that when I don¡¯t even understand it.........I, am not good with Alexandra.


    Although Alexandra is a childhood friend, honestly we aren¡¯t that close.


    From the beginning she was cruel, abusive, and loved to y pranks. She always seemed like she was hard to deal with, and I remember her as a bully.


    As you¡¯d expect she calmed down recently, but even now she has a condescending attitude and is verbally abusive, so when she traveled with her parents on their overseas inspection, honestly, I was relieved I wouldn¡¯t be seeing her for a while.


    ¡°But, that was also part of my misunderstanding.¡±


    ¡°Misunderstanding? I only knew her from a certain age, but hasn¡¯t she always been like that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. But when I think about it and connect that to the memory I remembered earlier.......I realized I got various memories confused with one another.¡±


    The girl who did things to George <i>wasn¡¯t alone</i>.


    ¡°When I think carefully about what was done to me, I realize it wasn¡¯t just one girl. I can¡¯t remember her face, but there are times when the girl doing things to me has blonde hair, and times when she has reddish-brown hair.¡±


    ¡°Oi, that¡¯s.......¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It was the blonde girl who would always abuse me verbally. Meanwhile the reddish-brown haired girl would always silently do something........pranks, experiments she called them. Alexandra wasn¡¯t the one doing those experiments though. It was Sis.¡±


    Sykes stared up into the sky. Today too the sky was high.


    ¡°..........Alexandra too is a victim of a misunderstanding.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how it is. I did a bad thing to her........the number one memory that made me dislike her, wasn¡¯t even her.¡±


    ¡°..........what happened?¡±


    ¡°..........I can only remember one scene from this memory too.¡±


    ?


    How old would I have been? In the garden, I was spending my time looking for, and ying with some snails.


    Then before I knew what was going on, a girl came next to me, grabbed my hand, and took me to the back of the garden.........


    That girl with the reddish-brown hair took me to a ce where nobody would see, and suddenly pulled down my pants.


    ¡°Wh, what!?¡±


    ¡°Right, a little.......could you lend me your butt?¡±


    Like that, in the girl¡¯s hand was a box of firecrackers...........


    ?


    ¡°Wait, hey that¡¯s.......What happened!? What did she do!? What the hell........No, as you¡¯d think! I¡¯m too afraid to even ask!¡±


    ¡°Hahahah, don¡¯t worry about it! That¡¯s all I can remember! I can¡¯t remember what Sis did to me...................I can¡¯t remember.........¡±


    The strange, high pitchedughter of two men echoed in the gardens as a passing maid tilted her head to the side, wondering what in the world was going on.


    ?


    Recently Sis has be more beautiful.


    Perhaps it¡¯s because she¡¯s living as she¡¯d like now, or maybe I¡¯m just stereotyping her and putting myself in her shoes.


    But the true her genuinely sparkles, a person who is radiantly beautiful. At the very least she has a beauty that wouldn¡¯t be outdone by His Highness.


    The true Sis, she isn¡¯t a Daytime Moon.


    She¡¯s a supernova whose explosive power is just about to devour the sun.

 Chapter 28 - Younger Brother Hears a Fact He had Forgotten From His Sister

    <h4>Younger Brother Hears a Fact He had Forgotten From His Sister</h4>


    The cool light of the sun shining down signaled it was time to wrap up the afternoon¡¯s grand merriment. Inside Rachel¡¯s dungeon the iron bars were sandwiched between a pair of desks.


    Today was the first time in a while that Alexandra had any free time, so she came over to the dungeon to visit Rachel. The girls hadn¡¯t seen each other since they crushed George together, so Rachel met her friend with an open smile.


    ¡°So? Will George prove himself useful?¡±


    Having fun shaking her cup slightly to take in the scent of the tea, Rachelughed softly.


    ¡°Fufu, I¡¯d be troubled if he doesn¡¯t.¡±


    Alexandra arced her brow as the corners of her mouth lifted up.


    ¡°That boy always looks so smug in his reporting yet he always trips up in the end, is there any work you¡¯d entrust to him? Don¡¯t sign any documents until you¡¯ve signed them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand what you mean. He is so self-important every time he brings me his work, yet there is always something he overlooked..........well, that part of him is cute.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, you can say that again.¡±


    The twoughed together about the topic of their fiancee/younger brother respectively before both calling out to a young boy standing next beside Alexandra.


    ¡°By the way George, these tea leaves were steamed too long this time. Shouldn¡¯t you have pulled them out a full minute earlier? Did you read my exnation properly?¡±


    ¡°The way you made mine was equally as coarse, you wouldn¡¯t serve this to a customer would you? If you can¡¯t even make a proper cup of tea, you can kiss any hope you have of bing a diplomat away.¡±


    ¡°.............sorry.¡±


    Today¡¯s tea party consisted of just two girls. And one server.


    <i>If you¡¯re going to talk bad about someone behind their back, you should do it right in front of them</i>, was the policy these two girls lived by.


    ?


    While George was requesting that somebody rece him, Alexandra remembered there was something she needed to tell Rachel.


    ¡°Speaking of which Rachel, the other day I heard something from George........¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Rachel tilted her head slightly to the side as her future sister-inw shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°That guy, apparently he couldn¡¯t tell the difference between you and me when he was young.¡±


    ¡°...........seriously?¡±


    Her eyes opening wide in surprise, Rachel looked over and stared at her brother¡¯s face.


    George began squirming in difort as his sister was brought in to a topic he really didn¡¯t want touched.


    He really didn¡¯t want to make his sister angry over that matter, so he tried drowning out her gaze by focusing on making the tea........but when he went to rece the tea he had made, Rachel¡¯s stare had only intensified.


    George was beaten down by her persistence and reluctantly nodded.


    ¡°...........that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°<i>Really?</i> Why?¡±


    ¡°...........because, I wasn¡¯t as well put together when I was small..........and the two of you were so simr, doing simr things..........¡±


    ¡°Now George, Alexandra has blonde hair while I have dark brown.¡±


    ¡°Well sure, but.....¡±


    ¡°The two of us would always share a table and eat together while Alexandra was only asionally invited over you know?¡±


    ¡°When you say it like that, you¡¯re right, but.........¡±


    ¡°In addition, Alexandra only ever used her mouth to abuse you while I used only corporal punishment.¡±


    ¡°So you understand exactly how my memories work!? The reason why I avoided her!?¡±


    After all, my older sister is still ill-natured.


    Being able to once again recognize this unpleasant face, George let out a sigh.


    His life was now caught between this older sister and her friend Alexandra who shared her same interests.........although they say what goes aroundes around...........this is the worst.


    A male servant would be green with envy if he were allowed to be sandwiched by a pair of such beautiful women, but anyone else who would say they be willing to take his ce would undoubtedly be soon agreeing with him that this was the worst.


    Ah, how he missed spending those fun times around Margaret with His Majesty..........


    ...........that¡¯s right. Because he¡¯d already said this much.........


    George brought up that other topic with his sister.


    ¡°Now that you bring it up Sis, my memories are a little fragmented.........¡±


    The other day he had told Sykes as well about those mysterious scenes from his memory. That story where Rachel pulled down his pants, firecrackers in hand, and he was unable to remember anything that had happened before or after.........even Alexandra drew back when she heard that one.


    ¡°Rachel.......I¡¯m all for childish mischief, but for it to be like that.........¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s you Sis, I was thinking you probably tried something half for fun, half out of interest.........¡±


    As the two¡¯s me-filled eyes turned on her, Rachel growled back with a frown.


    ¡°Why are the two of you talking as if it¡¯s some sort of strange story? With that time, there was a preface for it!¡±


    ¡°.........and, it is?¡±


    ¡°George started it!¡±


    ?


    It was the night before Rachel had pulled George¡¯s pants down in that garden. Until that following day, Rachel had actually held a grudge on some mischief that George had pulled himself.


    ¡°Right when I was thinking it was time to go to sleep, I went to my bed........¡±


    But when Rachel turned over her bedding, five frogs that George had gathered up jumped out.


    ¡°Because I was only four then, of course I panicked.¡±


    Flustered by the jumping, when she recovered from her surprise and realized what had happened, she quickly climbed into bed, grabbed the frogs, and threw them in the trash.


    ¡°Rachel..........you used to grab frogs with your bare hands.........¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point.¡±


    Rachel gathered all the frogs in her garbage can, ced arge book over the top so that none of the frogs could jump out to escape, and then finally went back to bed.


    And then the next day.


    ¡°After a good night¡¯s rest I began to think carefully, and I knew that this threat couldn¡¯t be simply forgiven. The perpetrator needed to be taught a lesson. A crack was made in the rtionship between me and my futon from a horrendous act of terrorism, aimed directly at disturbing my good night¡¯s sleep by some monster who needed to be sentenced and punished.¡±


    ¡°.........I could have done what you said, but Sis, you¡¯re boiling point is way too low......¡±


    ¡°Rachel, you¡¯ve always hated it whenever somebody disturbs your sleep since long ago........¡±


    Rachel held a one party trial1 inside her mind with no closing arguments. A judgement was brought down instantly, and Rachel formed a special investigation group¨Cmade up of a single person¨Cand found George in the garden looking at some snails.


    ¡°I found the fiendish criminal who would dare disturb another person¡¯s sleep ying around without a care in the world, and any hesitation I felt disappeared as my anger exploded out.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Sis¡¯s boiling point just a little too low!? You¡¯re safeguards are flimsier than the wings of a bird!¡±


    ¡°Rachel, to a three year old kid...........?¡±


    ¡°If you say it like that then I was just four years old. I could smile because in the end I wasn¡¯t grown up either.¡±


    So George, the main perpetrator of the terrorism was caught, but Rachel clearly dered something before pulling George¡¯s pants down.


    It goes without saying the frogs would receive some firecrackers as their punishment..........but, of course George also had to take responsibility and was guilty of the same crime that the frogs hadmitted..........


    ¡°Right? So I followed thew that has stood since the times of old, and since you were guilty of the same crime, you received the same punishment. So I stuffed my supply of firecrackers up the criminal¡¯s ass as well.........¡±


    ¡°How horrible is your way of thinking that you ended up there!? Isn¡¯t it way too scary for a four year old kid to think like that!?¡±


    ¡°Rachel......what ¡®supply of firecrackers¡¯..........?¡±


    ¡°And after I went through so much trouble to try and give a cute exnation.¡±


    ¡°Where!? Hey, where!?¡±


    Rachel drank down the half a cup of tea that she had remaining.


    ¡°So in conclusion, I didn¡¯t really do anything that I should feel guilty over.¡±


    ¡°You may not feel guilty over it, but anyone who¡¯d hear you speak would feel a chill at just how absurd........¡±


    sping her hands together as George grumbled to himself, Rachel looked out her venttion window towards the blue sky above.


    ¡°Well, if I dare to say my one regret.........it would be that the firecrackers didn¡¯t blow in time for George. With the frogs it was a shy pop, but George¡¯s ended with a big *mumble mumble*¡±


    ¡°Sis, what¡¯re you mumbling? Huh? What words are supposed to be there instead of that mumbling!?¡±


    After a deep breath, Rachel struck a pose like she was deep in thought. It didn¡¯t seem like she was going to give any further exnation at what she had mumbled. Finally Alexandra rested her cheek in her hand while wearing an amazed expression.


    ¡°Well, huh.......a firecracker, even if it could blow a frog away, I suppose that¡¯d be impossible for a human.¡±


    ¡°I was still so young.......that¡¯s the limit of a four year old.¡±


    Rachel stood up from her seat and began digging around in one of the wooden crates in the back of the cell before returning with what she had been looking for. In her hand was a cylindrical ¡°something¡±.


    ¡°Nowadays I can get even dynamite if I need to...........¡±


    ¡°That, no way.........it¡¯s the real thing!?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I wonder?¡±


    Inside the dungeon, the little brother¡¯s nerves shattered, and his screams echoed off the walls.


    ?


    While watching George walk up the stone steps somehow exhausted both mentally and physically, Rachel whispered to Alexandra.


    ¡°Alexandra. George still has yet to notice............right?¡±


    The siblings¡¯ childhood friend made aplex smile mixed with loneliness and unease before looking up at the tired back of her dear fianc¨¦e.


    ¡°Right. That sarcasm demon hates to show any fear, but in truth he¡¯s justshing out because of his own shyness........still, it¡¯s not like George would be able to just ept andugh about all this.¡±


    Rachel looked up at the back of her little brother as he left the dungeon as well.


    ¡°So in other words, George is still just a kid.¡±


    ¡°Yes........but when you put it that way, isn¡¯t he cute?¡±


    ¡°Should I force him to grow up?¡±


    ¡°Could you not? If ¡®Sister¡¯ does any more than this, that guy might end up bing a shut-in.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be fun? A shut-in.¡±


    ¡°For you.¡±


    ?


    After leaving the dungeon and arriving above ground, George took a moment to take a deep breath of freedom before the Prison Guard came walking up with his keys hanging at his waist.


    ¡°Oh? Sorry, you haven¡¯t beening aroundtely. Is His Highness here too?¡±


    ¡°Huh? ..........No, I¡¯m escorting someone else........Sis¡¯s close friend came by for a visit.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see! ......Well!¡±


    George grabbed the Prison Guard by the cor as he tried to turn around and leave as if it was natural.


    ¡°..........oi, didn¡¯t youe to inspect the dungeon? Why did you suddenly make a u-turn!?¡±


    ¡°Please let me go! If the Lady and a close friend of hers are together, then something absolutely no good is definitely going on!¡±


    ¡°Ipletely agree with you, but it¡¯s your job as a watchman to go check it out! That¡¯s what you get paid for!¡±


    ¡°If the Lady catches me, then it won¡¯t matter how much I get paid!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfectly understandable, but it¡¯s unfair that I¡¯m the only one having their nerves chipped away! You can y with Sis too!¡±


    ¡°Noooooo!¡±


    The two men continued to struggle with each other until Alexandra finally came out herself.


    1. A type of Japanese trial system where the ruling is final and cannot be appealed.

 Chapter 29 - Noblewoman Holds a Session Underground

    <strong>Noblewoman Holds a Session Underground</strong>


    ¡°Is there something or isn¡¯t there!?¡±


    Today as always Prince Elliott¡¯s anger refused to die down.


    His former fiancee had tentatively taken over the dungeon, and she has been performing insane deeds inside ever since. The Prince decided that something had to be done about this, and his mind hasn¡¯t been able to calm itself ever since.


    ..........Originally all he had wanted was for that noblewoman to beg for her life, but in time he started to think, ¡°It¡¯s only of that level.¡± His goal continued to move back........and eventually, he started pretending to not notice things and ignoring anything he deemed to only be an inconvenience.


    Living for the moment. That was Elliott.


    But then the other day, the Duke¡¯s son George Ferguson, a staff officer in Elliott¡¯s entourage, submitted his withdrawal saying the reason was because it just couldn¡¯t be helped.


    His fiancee had returned home from her inspection tour and started beating his ass, forcing him to focus on his sessor education. Day after day, morning til night, his bride-to-be drilled that sessor education into his head.


    Seeing hispletely worn-out figure, Elliott and the rest couldn¡¯t hold back their tears.


    That was how it was.......but, however.


    That fiancee is a longtime friend of Rachel Ferguson, and there were suspicions that she may have been hired as an assassin to deal with George. Using your friend who your target can¡¯t lift his head up to, that woman is using a really dirty trick!


    For the sake of world peace and his future with Margaret, Elliott¡¯s drive to leave Rachel speechless had been renewed.


    Although he says that.


    He always makes the first move, and he has nevere out ahead. During a meeting held with his closest associates, no good ideas ever came out, and any idea they did have had already been beaten by Rachel long ago.


    As each man groaned out their confirmations, Margaret came by and poured them some tea.


    ¡°Everyone, here you go~¡±


    ¡°Ah, thanks!¡±


    The men swarmed around ¡®their angel¡¯ as she poured them their tea before Margaret picked up the paper marking down the meeting¡¯s proceedings.


    ¡°Elliott, have youe up with some good ideas?¡±


    ¡°Ah, nobody suggested anything even remotely like that.......no matter what hand we y, she¡¯ll always counter it.......¡±


    The Prince was epting his defeat before even trying.


    Margaret nced through the attack ns and list of opponents, drawing a line between the two.


    ¡°Elliott. Even if you don¡¯t try anything new, what if you were to take something Rachel had done, improve it, and sent it back at her? That is the limit of Rachel¡¯s imagination right? So if you were to improve it and send it back, wouldn¡¯t there be nothing she could do?¡±


    With Margaret¡¯s simple suggestion, Elliott hit his hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±


    The Prince, he is quite slow on the uptake.


    And so while revealing a rather unfortunate trait as a future policy maker, Elliott and his cronies began happily discussing their ns.


    ?


    Havingzily wasted another day away, Rachel gradually began making her bed in preparation to go to sleep.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Right when she was wondering if she should spill a littlevender on her pillow, the sound of the dungeon door opening echoed down, and the clunk of a great many footsteps making their way down the stairs resounded. She didn¡¯t need to hear them say anything for her to know it was the Prince.


    ¡°My, how rare for such a time.¡±


    ¡°Hahahah, we¡¯vee to disturb you Rachel!¡±1


    ¡°How nice of you to visit.¡±


    It was already night yet Elliott was being strangely energetic, a fact that made Rachel tilt her head curiously.


    No, perhaps he is so high energy because whatever he is thinking has gone to his head.......but then why did he have something like a violin? No, it was a violin.


    And then behind him was Sykes carrying in two barrels.


    Further behind him was Margaret with arge pot.


    There was also a guy whose name Rachel couldn¡¯t remember, and he was carrying a basket full of empty cans.


    And finally there was the Prison Guard who was carrying a triangle while making a fed up face.


    Rachel put her hand to her forehead.


    ¡°As you could guess, I have no idea what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°Mwahahahahaha! What do you think Rachel? Take a guess!¡±


    ¡°........are you collecting garbage?¡±


    ¡°Is that what the Prince¡¯s job is?¡±


    ¡°Even if we weren¡¯t in a dungeon where the sun doesn¡¯t shine, that still wouldn¡¯t be what the Prince¡¯s job is.¡±


    The odd crew started arranging the junk they had in the front room of the dungeon.


    It wasn¡¯t until she saw how they were cing their garbage that Rachel understood their intentions. The pots were being arranged to create a makeshift drum set.


    ¡°I see..........you¡¯re going to give me a luby.¡±


    Elliott gave off a triumphant air as the corners of his mouth lifted up, and as he held up his violin, he made an announcement to Rachel in an unnatural tone.


    ¡°We had a little ensemble practice tonight, but we couldn¡¯t find a ce where the noise wouldn¡¯t travel. But then we thought if it was a dungeon, then it would be fine if it were to get a little loud. We¡¯re ying because of our own selfishness though, so feel free to sleep instead.¡±


    And then, with a face that screamed, ¡°I did it!¡± he continued.


    ¡°Ah, but of course there¡¯s no problem if you want to listen to us you know? I¡¯d be more than happy to hear what you think of uster.¡±


    In the end, each member made a big show of putting in ear plugs right before getting their instruments(?) ready.


    Elliott¡¯s violin made a high-pitched screech like opening an iron door that had rusted to the wall after not being used for a hundred years.


    Sykes was forcefully showering his barrel with blows, mostly making an idiotic thunderous roar as Margaret sat beside him, creating a high pitched ringing as her steel stick bounced off of the steel-lined pots.


    The guy who during the preparation stage dered his name was Wnski was creating a loud cacophony brandishing his empty cans all tied together with string, and finally the Prison Guard was hitting his triangle at odd intervals with a far-off look in his eyes.


    The dungeon reverberated with the echoes of chaos. Each of them were just making their own disruptive noises, and even with the earplugs it made a noise that hurt your eardrums.


    ¡°This, it¡¯s surprisingly fun!¡±


    ¡°Uwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!¡±


    ¡°Um, do I really need to be here..........¡±


    Regrettably the Prison Guard¡¯s mutterings were unable to reach anyone¡¯s ears as the dungeon was just too loud.


    Rachel meanwhile had put in the earplugs she used when napping before quietly sitting down in her chair and listening.


    Although she hadn¡¯t yet said anything nor gone to the edge of anxiety, the fact that she had responded so quickly brightened Elliott¡¯s mood even further.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep going!¡±


    ¡°AaAaAaAaAaAaAa!¡±


    ¡°Um......... My shift¡¯s already over, and I¡¯d really like to go hom.......¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, we¡¯re going all night tonight!¡±


    There was just one thing that Elliott failed to take into ount


    If you are going to try and nonsensically beat something around, when a person has been repeatedly doing that after a long time.........eventually you¡¯ll pick up a rhythm.


    Even if you intend to only create a bunch of loud noises that mean nothing, if you continue to do that, eventually before you realize it, a steady beat will be born.


    Gradually. And so, a melody slowly grew from the chaos.


    Rachel, who had been sitting there with her eyes closed until now, suddenly stood up.


    She started rummaging through her mountain of crates,ing back with a trumpet in hand. A night some time ago, when Elliott was roused out of bed with a piercing scream by the gentle timbre.........it was that trumpet.


    The girl put her instrument to her lips, pointing it towards the moon as she had done that night. She closed her eyes as if she were about to sleep, and after a deep breath, filling her lungs with air, she breathed into her brass instrument.


    ........That underground room filled with a wonderful noise that ran across your back and seeped into your bones.


    At that time, history moved.


    Of those gathered there, Rachel was probably the only one with any real knowledge on music.


    By her joining in on the war, some direction was born between the instruments(?) and their hubbub.


    With the previously born melody used as a base, the rhythm that had been born in each performance(?) flowed together into a single stream. The violin¡¯s melody changed in order to match with Rachel¡¯s trumpet. The rhythm of the pot drums became more constant.


    By the time you noticed, the six¡¯s instruments(?) hadpletely joined together, making a delicate ensemble with no ovep. Somehow it came to be that any dissonance found in the ensemble was irritating.


    Although they had done nothing but try and make unpleasant noise until now, everybody had begun listening to the rhythm, paying attention to what everyone else was doing to match up their sounds.


    ¡°.........Ku, even though I¡¯m supposed to be center-stage! If it¡¯s like this then Rachel will look like the star!¡±


    Elliott moved away from the noise of a cat scratching ss and frantically began ying his violin the best that he could. He couldn¡¯t have Rachel steal away the leadership of the band just by having herself jump in like this.


    The Prince who hadpletely forgotten the original reason why he was doing this tried challenging the trumpet to take over the main melody.


    The violent shouts of Rachel¡¯s trumpet was overflowing with spirit.


    Elliott¡¯s violin resounded with his red-hot feelings as the noise from Sykes carefreely striking his barrel set the beat.


    Margaret was enchanting as she filled a splendiferous interlude with a drum solo using her crowd of pansdrum set. Wnski had gotten drunk on himself and continued shaking around his bundle of empty cans.


    And finally, you had the indifferent strikes of a triangle from the Prison Guard who has wanted to go home since earlier.


    It was perfection.


    A perfect session.


    Each person¡¯s strong feelings collided, somehow making one powerful timbre while colliding off of each other.


    There was no score. No tune for reference. This improvised melody washed over its six musicians, amplified by their emotions, and a brand new song had been born.


    There was no audience to be charmed by its beauty, nor anyone to catalogue the score for future use. However, the spirit of this moment is something that would live on.


    Five people entrusted themselves to this song they would never again hear in their lives.


    Although the Prison Guard wished he had gone home earlier.


    And then, at the climax when their minds had reached the peak of their enthusiasm,


    ¡°Shut up! Right now, what time do you think it is!?¡±


    a courtdy burst in yelling at the top of her lungs.


    ¡°Shape up Your Highness! It¡¯s fine to want to y a little, but you¡¯re no longer a child! There are many other people living inside the castle, do you understand that!?¡±


    Elliott¡¯s eyes were darting about as the courtdy swiped away his violin.


    ¡°N, no, I was..........¡±


    ¡°Like me!¡±


    ¡°Yes! ..........I, I didn¡¯t mean......¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s funny grabbing all this junk together, lining up, and pretending to be a band in the middle of the night!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorrrrrry!¡±


    Sykes tried to chime in from the side.


    ¡°B, but Madame. His Highness was, for Rachel.......¡±


    He was trying to voice his objections.


    But the courtdy cut him off with a sigh and a firm nod.


    ¡°Yes, that too! Even if you were to think that the noise wouldn¡¯t be able travel far outside the dungeon, did you spare even a thought for how you would inconvenience Ms. Ferguson who is trapped here? Look, the poor girl has her nket covering her head.......¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    At her words, everyone turned back around to find that Rachel, who should have been ying her trumpet since earlier, was now curled up in bed underneath a nket.


    ¡°Oh, first being trapped in such an awful ce and now being harassed like this, how pitiable..........¡±


    ¡°No no, wait! Until just a moment ago, Rachel was¡±


    The Prince tried making an excuse, but Rachel¡¯s appeal with tears in her eyes shut him down.


    ¡°Madame......*sniffle*............I wanted to get some sleep, but then His Highness and them broke in.........¡±


    ¡°Y, bastard! How sneaky can you be pretending you were the only one not involved!?¡±


    ¡°Uuuuuh.........so painful........¡±


    ¡°Weeeeeeeell!? Your Highness! Do you not think that Ms. Ferguson being forced to deal with these annoyances in the middle of the night is too pitiful!?¡±


    ¡°No but, when the music picked up this woman........¡±


    ¡°How can those words being out of your mouth when you see her like this!? Come on up, it¡¯s time for a sermon!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, ask them!¡±


    ¡°Eh? Us too?¡±


    ¡°Me too!? Why!? I want to go home already!¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡±


    With the exception of Rachel, the entire impromptu band was all taken away and forced to take part in the courtdy¡¯s sermon until dawn had finally broken.


    ?


    Meanwhile inside the dungeon where it seemed as if all the noise from before had just been a lie.


    Rachel was shaking her head while prepping her pillow, and quietly turned out the light.


    1. So the word Elliott uses here is ¡®Ð°Ä§¤¹¤ë¡¯ which can mean both disturb and visit. Elliott means disturb, but Rachel is taking it as visit.

 Chapter 30 - Noblewoman Exercises

    <strong>Noblewoman Exercises</strong>


    Rachel raised her head from the book she was reading and listened in to the faint noise she could just barely hear in the distance.


    ¡°This is........is it the knightpany¡¯s training?¡±


    From quite a distance away you could just barely make out somebody shouting outmands.


    While listening to that shouting that was too far away to be able to tell what was actually being said, a thought suddenly came to Rachel.


    ¡°That¡¯s right........I haven¡¯t really exercised recently.¡±


    Rachel had never lived a life where she enthusiastically exercised in the first ce, but because she had to walk around the pce quite a bit while being wrung out from her Queen¡¯s education, she had done a lot more exercise back then whenpared to now where she isn¡¯t even able to leave her room.


    Though it¡¯s not like she felt like she had gained any weight just because she¡¯d been missing out on some exercise.......


    ¡°Perhaps, I wonder if the reason why I¡¯ve been sleeping so lightly recently is because I haven¡¯t been getting enough exercise.¡±


    Her all-important good night¡¯s sleep was being affected. There was also the possibility she had just been sleeping too muchtely as well though.


    Rachel, ¡°Muu..........!¡± inted her cheeks and let out a cute growl.


    ¡°That¡¯s how it is.......if you¡¯re inside a prison, you wouldn¡¯t get tired at all.¡±


    Certainly your body wouldn¡¯t be moving. But, a normal human being would assuredly be umting some form of mental fatigue.


    Rachel, showing no sign of such a thing and if anything was actually looking quite lively, let out a sigh while thinking about how she had neglected her health.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use......because I was always so tired when engaged to His Highness because of my Queen¡¯s education, I¡¯d always fall asleep within five seconds of entering my bed.¡±


    That¡¯s not very healthy in its own right.


    Rachel pped her knee.


    ¡°Come to think of it, there was some exercise equipment I prepared to use while in prison.¡±


    Digging in through her wooden crates, she searched out her prepared sports equipment.


    ¡°Hmm, I bought it because it looked kind of interesting............yep, this is it.¡±


    ?


    Elliott was returning after participating in the knights¡¯ training due to Sykes¡¯s encouragement when he heard some strange noisesing from the backyard while walking through a nearby corridor.


    ¡°Hey.......what¡¯s making that grinding noise?¡±


    Sykes and Wnski who had been following close behind listened in and shared a look.


    ¡°I hear it too..........but, what is it?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see, it sounds like someone¡¯s scraping something against a rock.¡±


    Sykes used his intuition to try and figure out where the sound wasing from.........it was the dungeon. When they arrived there, the sound of something being scraped against something else was clearly leaking from the inside of the prison.


    ¡°...........Oi, that woman¡¯s at it again.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s something strange going on in the backyard, then Rachel¡¯s sure to be involved.¡±


    Walking down the stone steps with the conviction that there was no way they¡¯d end up absolutely satisfied at the end of this, the men found out that the scraping noise they had been hearing wasing from Rachel using a crank-type hand drill against the wall.


    ¡°Oi, Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s His Highness. Did you have some business today?¡±


    Rachel, who seemed to have just reached a good ce to stop, turned back around, wiping some sweat off her forehead.


    Wearing a set of clothes that left her limbs bare and quite a bit of skin exposed, not to mention all the sweat she had worked up drilling holes into a stone wall, she had a figure that left it difficult for a man to look directly at her.


    ¡°You, can¡¯t look.............why are you like that.........¡±


    ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t it normal to change your clothes so that you can move more easily when you¡¯re exercising?¡±


    Elliott and the others did their best to look only at what Rachel had in hand while she was talking.


    ¡°........hey Sykes, did they recently start up a new sport where you dig through stone?¡±


    ¡°Although that was what Rachel was doing..........I don¡¯t think there is though right?¡±


    ¡°So why is a prisoner locked in jail trying to tell us about thetest trends?¡±


    While the three men turned their gazes slightly while loudly whispering among themselves, Rachel was wiping her sweaty face with a towel before making an astonished face.


    ¡°Saying you¡¯ve never heard of the sport, do you think I¡¯m practicing for some masonrypetition............?¡±


    ¡°Eh........? But, doing exercise.........well then you, what is that........¡±


    Elliott took a better look at what Rachel had in hand as she reced the drill in the wall with some other kind of protuberance.


    It was something that would have fitfortably in the palm of your hand, resembling a pebble half buried in the soil. There was something like a stake stuck in the middle that Rachel hammered into the hole she had just carved out.


    ¡°If you look closely at the wall, you¡¯d see I can attach all sorts of things.¡±


    ¡°What is that!?¡±


    Looking more closely, Elliott realized that the surface of the stone wall had a number of those protrusions alternately arranged across it. It looked a little creepy, like an army of starfish firmly attached to rocks that refused to be washed away by the ocean¡¯s waves.


    While Elliott was trying to figure things out, Rachel seemed to have already finished what she had wanted to do.


    ¡°They¡¯re holds.¡±


    ¡°.........holds?¡±


    Putting some chalk powder onto her hands, Rachel wrapped her fingers around some of the protrusions and made as if she were about to start climbing the wall.


    ¡°Yosh, this will work!¡±


    Rachel made arge smile at her own self-sufficiency,


    ¡°No, what did you do to feel so good about yourself?¡±


    and Elliott still felt a little lost.


    Applying some powder to your hands, you climb up the wall using your fingers and toes. Watching Rachel do all this, it seems that this was what that woman meant when she said, ¡®exercise¡¯.


    ¡°After all this, what is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s bouldering!¡±1


    Elliott turned his eyes away from Rachel towards Sykes who had responded so confidently.


    ¡°You know about it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a climbing game, or maybe it¡¯d be better to call it a technique, where you climb up arge rock without using any equipment........however, it¡¯s not the type of sport you¡¯d find in a prison........¡±


    Also exasperated by Sykes¡¯s words, Rachel regretfully nodded her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s right........the walls just aren¡¯t high enough in a prison.¡±


    ¡°No, really. That not the problem.¡±


    Sykes couldn¡¯t find the words to say in response to Rachel being concerned with the wrong problem.


    While Sykes was at a loss for words and unsure of how to continue, Rachel was seen mumbling, ¡°That should be fine,¡± to herself before pping her fist into the palm of her hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s it! Your Highness, may I blow off the ceiling to this ce?¡±


    ¡°Of course! I mean, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s pretty selfish to dig out a bunch of holes in the wall of your cell in the first ce!! Bastard, you doing this........making holes in the wall and attaching a bunch of strange things.........¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t strange things. They¡¯re holds.¡±


    ¡°¡®Strange things¡¯ is good enough!! And stop remodeling the prison for your own selfish reasons!¡±


    Rachel raised an unwilling voice in response to all of Elliott¡¯s ming.


    ¡°Even though you wereughing so hard when I drew that picture...........¡±


    ¡°Just ¡¤ who ¡¤ wasughing when they saw that!? I felt awful, turned away from it, and wanted to fall over!¡±


    ¡°Now now. If it¡¯s about that time with the painting, then you should have told me not to do it before I did it........there¡¯s nothing I can do if you tell me not to do it after it¡¯s already been done.¡±


    ¡°If so then you should be asking for permission to start with! How am I supposed to know what to tell you not to do if you haven¡¯t done it yet!? And don¡¯t you realize we¡¯re going to have to undo all this stuff once you leave this cell!?¡±


    ¡°I, won¡¯t I be stuck in here until I die? I have no idea what¡¯s going to happen after I die.¡±


    ¡°How about you just offer an apology for all this!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡±


    ?


    Tired from yelling at Rachel when she doesn¡¯t take any of theirints to heart at all, Elliott¡¯s group trudged out from the dungeon after watching her continue forward with her practice for a little bit.


    Elliott let out a deep sigh and looked up towards the sky which had just started turning a deep shade of red.


    ¡°Hey, Sykes........¡±


    ¡°.........what is it, Your Highness?¡±


    Elliott continued staring up at the sky while trying to ruminate what had just happened in his head.


    ¡°A woman who exercises in light clothing..............it¡¯s pretty good.¡±


    Sykes looked out with the same far-off look in his eye.


    ¡°That¡¯s right........thinking about it, the only good thing about Martina was how she looked when sweating.¡±


    To the side Wnski was writhing about.


    ¡°Uncaring..........making such an uncaring face while using a towel to wipe off sweat.......that gesture that emphasizes the fact she¡¯s not wearing any make up, it¡¯s good! After all a natural beauty is the best!¡±


    The group of the pubescent noble boys continued to digest the image that had be seared into the back of their eyelids for just a little while longer.


    1. Just to point out the difference, bouldering is climbing those fake rock walls like what Rachel is doing. Rock climbing is usually meant to referencerger climbs that involve harnesses and other tools.

 Chapter 31 - The Young Lady Screams at Dawn

    <strong>The Young Lady Screams at Dawn</strong>


    The chapel in the early morning.


    Margaret knelt before the alter and began fervently praying.


    .......or to be more urate, she made it look like she was fervently praying.


    If you ever want to organize your thoughts, there is no better way to do it than to pray at the chapel. That was something Margaret had been taught by her mother.


    ¡°It¡¯s impolite to talk to someone while they¡¯re praying. It¡¯d be discourteous to bother even the most popr of people.¡± ~Mama


    ¡°It¡¯s God¡¯s duty to hear out anyints you have about the world.¡± ~Mama


    Margaret put her hands together, closed her eyes, and bowed her head. The only noise you could hear were a few murmurs and grunts from nearby bystanders reading from scripture.


    At first nce she appeared to be a respectful believer, and even if you were to sit right next to her you would be unable to hear her........or understand what wasing out of her mouth.


    ¡°I managed to bring things all the way to hear, so why is thisst step going so wrong God!? Atst..........isn¡¯t Prince Elliott mine atst!?¡±


    Margaret, a woman who treats the man she imagines God to be with sincerity. Candidly handing out her orders.


    ¡°His Highness the Prince is madly in love with me........but that damn woman needs to submit, otherwise all my hard work might be overturned when the Kinges back! Don¡¯t you understand that? Irresponsible, are you just trying to have her snap gradually?¡±


    Margaret¡¯s head fell more deeply towards the alter, her palms pressing against each other more forcefully as her fingers dug into her skin.


    ¡°That¡¯s, you know I¡¯m grateful for the good fortune you¡¯ve given me so far? I am quite the lucky person to have grown up so well when I lived in the slums until the age of ten. What didn¡¯t I see being raised as a beautiful young girl? Mom snagged herself a baronPapa before having to sell me to some perverted old manlolicon. All those noble boys were madly in love with the cute and honest me. Even the Prince told me I was better than that cold-blooded crazy girl.......when we¡¯re already at the happy ending, you have to do what is supposed to be done!¡±


    Growing frustrated having to say what she did, Margaret¡¯s grumbling grew louder and louder.


    ¡°How much hardship did it take to get things all the way to here..........it was simple getting the men to reel in, and the women¡¯s cruel harassment has already..........I¡¯m supposed to be a noble daughter! What, ¡®stop making that I¡¯m so special~ face like a monkey¡¯!? Or, ¡®Don¡¯t get close to my fiancee¡¯? Huuuh? Aren¡¯t you the ones who have been acting like your fiancees were some bug in the rug? ¡®It can¡¯t be helped since it¡¯s a political marriage¡¯, who are you, and why aren¡¯t you saying it to him instead!? If I speak to him kindly when his heart is aching, then isn¡¯t stupid to be surprised when your fiancee gets taken!? Are you stupid!? Die you pig! Your men are disillusioned for your cold attitude, so the cause of the fire behind all men¡¯s cheating hearts is you fools!¡±


    Margaret¡¯s monologue continued to get louder. Her shoulders began to shake with anger.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t having a friendly attitude and using diligent care the basics!? With in men, ¡®Is it just you?¡¯; ¡®I know? You try your hardest!¡¯; ¡®Somebody told me, you and I are attached!¡¯¨Cjust those three simple whispers and you can get them to do what you want! And then you say ¡®Don¡¯t say anything unnecessary to him!¡¯ Huuuh? Why don¡¯t you say what¡¯s necessary then!? Aren¡¯t I just putting in the effort to be liked!? Spread some effort for your business, you shithead noble girls! Getting married with that kind of attitude, don¡¯t you know you¡¯re guaranteed a life of ease andfort after giving birth to an eldest son!? It¡¯s a shitty joke!¡±


    Her head boiling with anger, Margaret finally began shouting at full power.


    ¡°You¡¯re ignoring the rules of the business world thinking you can just steal a contract out from under someone after sitting back and taking it easy with the customer service! If it was like that then the elites would get topple over! Even a prostitute at the edge of the city knows to take careful consideration of your regr customers! With how great you all are, don¡¯t say you can¡¯t do it!¡±


    The blood already havingpletely rushed to her head, Margaret even forgot to keep her body looking like it was praying.


    ¡°Well I got the superb Elliott and am now looking down on all of you! Mama was a prostitute from the poor part of town, but she diligently chose what customers she associated with and was able to be a baroness. Well I¡¯m Mama¡¯s daughter, inherited her beautiful face, and was able to pick up a prince in one go!¡±


    Putting her foot on the altar, Margaret struck a victory pose. Some first-rate impiety.


    Having thrown out everything she wanted to say, Margaret took a breath and calmed down.


    Crossing her arms and taking an imposing stance, taking an air of importance. In front of God.


    ¡°Nevertheless........even if I don¡¯t do anything to Rachel, my rose-colored life with Elliott won¡¯t fade away. It doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s any love there from Rachel to Elliott.......even though he¡¯s so cool, I wonder why she is taking such an attitude. Well she¡¯s probably gotten a little used to it with being around someone as cool as George........but Elliott is especially cool. What¡¯s she so unhappy about?¡±


    Mainly the contents.


    ¡°Well, her looks are certainly good too. Perhaps she¡¯s just used to being pampered by men.........¡±


    It¡¯s probably something else.


    ¡°Even if......that woman, if she were sent into the dungeon lightly dressed, the raw material would stand out........ It¡¯s not really that corset that¡¯s ¡®making¡¯ her look right? Her waist is just im~possible.........and those breasts, aren¡¯t they really not padded?She...........


    Margaret had been watching her surprisingly closely. A huge difference from how the men reacted upon seeing Rachel in light clothing.


    Margaret suddenly let out a short gasp.


    ¡°No, wait a second.........She has a face that¡¯s as good as mine, and an extremely good figure.........is she so smart because she is the daughter of a duke? If I remember right the King and Queen were happy with her, and she never got jealous no matter what Elliott did........¡±


    Margaret was shocked. Giving a sharp re towards the altar, she then dramatically pointed up towards God.


    ¡°Hey God, what is this!? Being born in the upper crust, having both beauty and brains, all this luck.......Rachel shouldn¡¯t be the only one you¡¯re favoring! Isn¡¯t your job to make sure that good fortune gets spread out evenly!? For all the work you¡¯ve done for mepared to the donations I¡¯ve given you, you¡¯re a damn sry thief! .........No, of course I¡¯m not saying you should just give me arger portion of luck you know?¡±


    The youngdy put her hand to her chin, and began to think while walking around the front of the alter.


    ¡°The difference.........no, I wonder if my way of thinking is just different? Didn¡¯t Rachel just get too much? I¡¯m not very good at rising up.......but even among nobles there are some pretty unimpressive guys right? If it¡¯s just a difference in God¡¯s grace, then I wonder what that difference means.........¡±


    Margaret walked around aimlessly before stopping right in front of the altar. The tips of her fingers resting on her chin began to tremble.


    ¡°No way........no, that¡¯s right.......that must be it!¡±


    Making a sudden ny degree turn, Margaret once again pointed towards God¡¯s figure and began to shout.


    ¡°God.......in truth, you have no integrity and are just attracted to physical appearance!? Rachel and I have good luck because you like our faces, and because Rachel has a better style, so she gets special treatment! So that¡¯s how it is!? Damn, all the mysteries have been solved!¡±


    While shouting out her theory the young woman began stamping her feet on the altar. Her disbelief had already hit the point where she would receive diving punishment.


    ¡°It all adds up! Damn! So that¡¯s the reason God¡¯s biased, and why I haven¡¯t been able to rise above Rachel no matter how much time passes! God!! If it¡¯s like this then all of my donations until now have been pointless, you bruuuuutttttte! Ah shit.........I thought my life would be perfect as long as I prayed, return my pure feelings!¡±


    It¡¯s a bit of a stretch to ask for repayment when the total sum of your donations amounts to some spare change in your wallet, but Margaret ignored this fact for the moment.


    ?


    A priest rushed in from the chapel because he had been hearing a strange noise for a while now, and from a distance saw that the door was wide open. Perhaps an animal had gotten inside and those noises were its cries.


    ¡°In the end, is it about time for the cats¡¯ mating season?¡±


    The priest went ahead, cing his hand on the door in order to confirm the situation when the double doors swung open in front of him.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    A lovely redheaded young girl was standing there with her hand on the handle. Her gaze was turned down, and her shoulders were shaking.


    ¡°Hey, ma¡¯am. Did you need something?¡±


    ¡°............God is¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    The lovely young suddenly looked up, and began shouting with a furious expression on her face.


    ¡°God, is dead!¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    The priest gave a sideways nce back as Margaret ran past with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°Damn......brute........I was never going to reach the top because God¡¯s love is worth nothing........!¡±


    God preferred Rachel¡¯s looks, and he¡¯ll knock away my marriage to Elliott! Go Go Margaret! Fight on yourself! In the first ce it¡¯s good that you can achieve your goals without holding any debt to God!


    God¡¯s favor was just one way for Margaret to deal with her rivals, so she wasn¡¯t really that disappointed.


    With the stubbornness of a weed, she would always try and try again.


    She had the motivation to face those born into a noble family head on.


    Margaret ran down the path with a scowl on her face.


    ¡°........that¡¯s right, there¡¯s no fun in taking down a noble family as a noble family. In order to drag Rachel down, needs to aim to make her look like a disgusting woman........all right, I¡¯ll do it myself!¡±


    Margaret threw a fist in the air towards the sun.


    ¡°What¡¯s a God!? He¡¯s a loooooser!¡±


    ?


    Rachel patiently heard the report from the maid hiding in the darkness about Margaret roaring around.


    ¡°I see.......so that¡¯s how she is.¡±


    ¡°Yes. She is a person of many soliloquies......the researcher took down everything she said in thest three days.¡±


    ¡°The person in charge of investigating can¡¯t cry about some cries. Margaret will also be happy you told me.


    The noblewoman then took a sip of her tea that had already gone cold and took a look up at the ceiling.


    ¡°But........¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°That person might cause some trouble.¡±


    ?


    Just as the maid finished her report and was about to head home, she suddenly slouched down and pulled out a throwing dagger, silently ring at the silent staircase, but Rachel put her hand up to calm her down.


    The door then opened from the outside, and one young girl wearing blue armor came down. She wore a simple set of informal armor and a mantel overtop to keep dirt off, but the young girl with a ponytail was clearly wearing the traveling clothes of a knight.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time Rachel. Sorry, I wanted to see you earlier, but I was dyed! I came straight here before visiting home.¡±


    ¡°No, Martina. It¡¯s nice of you toe.¡±


    The maid prepared a seat in front of the cell, and Rachel smiled.


    ¡°Before I give you a report........how about a cup of tea?¡±

 Chapter 32 - The Young Lady Peddles [Flowers]

    <strong>The Young Lady Peddles [Flowers]</strong>


    When the timees for the downtown area of the city to start drawing in customers, there is another group of people already in [downtown] that are forced to crawl away. These are the people who can¡¯te out when the sun is shining, whose naked desires would cause them to burn if they were found in the [entertainment district].


    Women tightly clinging to any potential customers while calling out frivolous ttery mixed together with the odd angry shouts of the evening¡¯s drunkards. Others threw out jeers at any who¡¯d pass by while sleazy-looking street vendors ignored the turmoil, adding to the cacophony by continuously shouting out their sales pitches.


    It was a chaotic scene that would make any with even a tiny bit of morality frown urring in a back alley that would be otherwise quiet if it were the middle of the day.


    And at the edge of this chaos, even though it was the middle of the night, came the innocent sound of a child¡¯s voice.


    ¡°How about some flowers~?¡±


    In a street containing only things that would be bad for her education, a red-headed girl was trying to sell several flowers from a basket she held underneath her arm. The twintailed girl was desperately trying to sell the several flowers she had randomly picked from the park, but there were no drunks who would participate in this carnival of vice that would also be interested in some silly flowers.


    Ten years before Rachel would be imprisoned.


    A six year old Margaret sold flowers in the entertainment district to try and top off her life.


    ?


    But in this city, Margaret¡¯s mother operated as a [high ss] prostitute.


    She was a woman who was beautiful enough even without make-up, and a fleeting, quiet smile which led people to believe she could pass off as the daughter of a noble. It was because she had such an appearance that Margaret¡¯s mother wore more modest clothing while others in her line of work did their best to dress shily. Inside a group of gaudily done up [flowers], her graceful figure would naturally stand out leading to her [market price] being higher. But, there were still numerous people she called [Master].


    With that being the case then, there must be quite a few [sessful people] with a great deal of wealth who can just throw that kind of money around in this town........although seeing the customers that were chosen, the young girl couldn¡¯t tell these men had any money on their looks alone.


    And so Margaret started selling flowers in the entertainment district every night trying to help her mother.


    Mama is beautiful and smart.


    And that Mama had told her, ¡°we have to work while thinking about the future while we can.¡±


    Young Margaret had never thought any further into her future than her next meal, but what Mama says was always correct.


    ?


    ¡°How about some flowers~?¡±


    Even under the light of dusk the flowers Margaret had properly pulled from the side of the road looked to be in a sorry state.


    Naturally she wasn¡¯t able to sell a single one.


    That¡¯s how it is. People wouldn¡¯t pay for something like this.........she thought to herself. Sometimes there would be an adult who would throw out his pocket change as charity though, so she didn¡¯t feel terribly foolish.


    (If two, three more people show me mercy tonight, I should be able to buy myself some milk tomorrow.........) Margaret thought to herself.


    While doing some cost calctions in her head, Margaret looked around to see if there was anyone she could get to stop........when a shadow appeared.


    ¡°?¡±


    Looking up, Margaret saw an influential-looking middle-aged gentleman looking down on her.


    (All right, a customer!)


    ¡°How about some flowers~?¡±


    Margaret stuck out a couple flowers towards the man that all looked like they were about ready to wilt.


    But the customer(?) showed no interest in the flowers, gently brushing against Margaret¡¯s fist that was wrapped around them.


    ¡°Mr. customer?¡±


    Seeing the man make some strange movements, the young red-headed girl was puzzled. She didn¡¯t understand what he wanted.


    As the middle-aged man continued as he was with Margaret¡¯s hand, he slowly squatted down, keeping his eyes glued on her face.


    Upon reaching eye-level and seeing that the cute young girl had an epting look on her face, the man made a satisfied nod.


    The words that woulde from such a perverted gentlemanlolicon..........


    ¡°Huh? ............, OH!? OOOOOH!!¡±


    Finally realizing her customer¡¯s intentions, Margaret shouted out in surprise.


    ¡°Ah~, you¡¯re [that] kind of customer then? What, you surprised me! I never thought about that [problem].¡±1


    ¡°Eh? No, I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m that........¡±


    ¡°There are a lot of them these days right, abductions or the like! That¡¯s no good right, you have to properly buy little girls with money!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that it¡¯s own problem!?¡±


    As her customer was left confused by her unorthodox answer, Margaret dropped her vignce and stuck out her hand with a few of her fingers pointing out.


    ¡°Well then, if it¡¯s [that].........I¡¯m afraid it will be [this much].¡±


    Margaret could have sold the flower basket in her arms three times over, and still it would not have matched the amount she had shown........but it was in no way expensive if one wanted to [y] with a beautiful young girl.


    It took a moment for the reality that he would be able to buy such a fine jewel for such a low price to hit the man, but when it did, he readily paid what was owed.


    Taking the all-important gold, Margaret happily gave the man a hug. And then drew her hand back.2


    ¡°For that, Mama has a room she sometimes uses that I have prepared.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go, oh, and don¡¯t try anything funny.¡±


    The two beganughing together as they started walking hand-in-hand through the mor that sounded as if it came straight from a banquet in Hell.


    ?


    Margaret acted as a guide, leading the man further down into the far back of a narrow alley where a single building stood. Barely. The door looked like it might not open with dust and rust umted all around. It was looking less like a storehouse and more like some old ruins........


    Naturally the man was puzzled, but Margaretughed innocently.


    ¡°If the front already looks like this, then nobody wille looking to perform [maintenance]3. The back room is much more beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Hahah, I see.¡±


    Margaret let go of the man¡¯s hand, giving a spirited ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± as she pushed open the rusted door with both hands. She walked in first.


    ¡°It¡¯s back here. Since it¡¯s dark in here please step lively.¡±


    ¡°Oh, oops.¡±


    Relying mostly on the sound of Margaret¡¯s voice to know where he was going, the customer was able to just make out the shape of a door on the other side of the room with what light was avable. Feeling around for a doorknob in the darkness, he soon pushed open the door........only now wondering why the door was closed if the young girl had already walked through.


    As the door swung open, an outside air brushed up against his cheeks. So beyond the open door was...........outside.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    The door had been closed.


    The other side of the door didn¡¯t lead to a [guest room], it lead outside.


    ¡°WHAT!?¡±


    Unable to process what was right in front of him, the man continued walking forward off of his own momentum.........and stumbled over some kind ofrge bundle.


    ¡°Uwaaa!?¡±


    The man pitched forward, rolling out past the doorway.......plunging head first down into the water¡¯s surface of a sewage canal far below floor level.


    ¡°Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaa..........!¡±


    *SPLAAAAAAAASH...........!!!*


    As the man¡¯s deathly screams faded away, there soon came a new loud noise as if somethingrge had broken through the surface of some water........and after a little while, there came the noise of someone wildly iling around, hitting the surface of the water trying to not drown.


    Further up top, the mass that the man had tripped over started to stir.


    ¡°That¡¯s the second one today.¡±


    Margaret rose up from her curled up position on the floor, she closed the door behind her before rushing away from the abandoned canal.


    Two, three blocks she ran, before finding a hollow she could hide in away from the crowds and opened up the man¡¯s wallet she had pilfered from his pocket.


    Even under the added darkness of the hole she had worked her way into, the disk-shaped metal let off a dull glow.


    ¡°Uwa, it¡¯s a big catch today!¡±


    Adding the amount in the wallet to the money she had gotten as a prepayment, Margaret found she had made much more than what she had calcted by hand. The wallet had contained an abundance of silver coins along with three gold coins as well. With the first good haul in such a long time, Margaret¡¯s innocent beautiful face made a warm smile.


    ¡°Counting out your [sales] like this really makes all the fatigue from a hard day¡¯s work blow away!¡±


    This kind of [job] really is hard on somebody with such a young body........mostly from nervousness.


    Counting the fruits of herbor once again to get a precise number, the young girl once again returned to the entertainment district with a full wallet.


    ?


    Margaret called out to an evil-looking man standing in the corner of a crowded room.


    ¡°Master~¡±


    ¡°Oh? Margaret?¡±


    The man called [Master] was touted as a sort-of administrator for the pickpockets in the area and was the boss of the entire entertainment district. When it came to the blurred line between legal and criminal acts in this city, he was the god in charge of deciding what was safe and what was not.


    Margaret took out the wallet she had taken from her earlier [customer].


    ¡°This time, customers sure areing in for those flowers........¡±


    ¡°Oh.......there have been a lot recently~¡±


    As was said, in order to do business in this town, even if you are a young girl, it¡¯s required that you run things pass the boss. [Master] was aware Margaret was selling piss-poor flowers and then cheating the lolicons whoe to her by pilfering their wallets.


    The young girl dumped out the contents of the wallet into a tray before the man¡¯s eyes, and after he had seen it all, she picked back up all the silver coins, putting them back in her wallet. As for the three gold pieces that had been left out, she dutifully presented them to the boss.


    ¡°Won¡¯t your share be less than half if you give me these?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t use gold coins anyway.¡±


    ¡°........I suppose that¡¯s true.¡±


    Gold coins are arge form of currency, and as such, it¡¯s not really seen in most stores asmoners would rarely get one in their life.


    If this was Margaret in herter years she would assuredly split the gold coins down the middle, but for now, she was still quite [innocent].


    ¡°I¡¯d take it home if I could exchange it somewhere.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case you should just make change for it to start.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t do it to start because I can¡¯t. Besides, my job this time still brought in a hefty sum.¡±


    ¡°This brat really knows what to say........¡±


    Correction. Margaret was still Margaret, even at this age.


    From there Margaret talked with the boss about what the previous customer was wearing and what he looked like.


    From there it was about how the [customer] had gotten cheated, falling into a sewage canal below, and how if he hadn¡¯t lost his fighting spirit and returned home, he was most likely roaming the streets looking for her in anger after she skirted away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye out, but you should watch yourself for a while as well.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±


    There were more than just a few residents of the entertainment district who still made these kinds of payments to the boss even though they weren¡¯t necessarily his underlings just to reduce any risk from cheated customers demanding refunds from their dangerous [businesses].


    So long as you make your payments to this man, you shouldn¡¯t have to worry about any obsessive customers¡¯ harassment making you stick out and disrupting your business. Thanks to this the people of this district were able to put their all into their work.


    .........Of course, that¡¯s assuming your [business] pays the boss¡¯s due. Otherwise, in Margaret¡¯s case for example, she could find herself served up on a tter for that lolicon.


    For safety reasons it would be for the best that Margaret didn¡¯t try to make any more [sales] for a while, but since the profit from this day was quite high, her living expenses would hold for quite some time. Tomorrow afternoon she would head to the market and treat herself to some cheese and sausage.


    Margaret ran through the entertainment district, being careful and making sure nobody was tailing her, humming a song to herself until she reached home where her mother was waiting.


    In ten years she would be a lower noble while the [Master] who had taken care of her would be forced to run errands for the daughter of a duke who would be her rival for the Prince¡¯s affections........it was the type of story that a mortal girl like Margaret could never have possibly imagined at this point.


    ?


    ¡°I¡¯m home!¡±


    For safety reasons and to help each other out, some women in Margaret¡¯s mother¡¯s profession joined together, renting out a shabby apartment building to create a small home for mothers and their children. Margaret lived up on the fourth floor.


    While returning to her room on the top floor and giving a lively greeting all the way up, her mother was already there, opening the door to greet her before she even had a chance to knock.........by the way, the current time was already past midnight.


    ¡°Wee back Margaret. How were today¡¯s sales?¡±


    Seeing her beautiful mother wearing a simple shoulder dress with a shawl, Margaret gave a bright greeting with arge smile. She then offered a cheerful answer.


    ¡°Today was really good!¡±


    A flick of the finger to Margaret¡¯s forehead caused her to be blown away.


    Being forced to sit on the ground, Margaret rubbed her forehead with watery eyes.


    ¡°Mama, hurts........¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no good, Margaret. Didn¡¯t I ask you how today¡¯s sales were?¡±


    Taken aback by her mother¡¯s repeated question, Margaret tried answering again but this time more quietly.


    ¡°So then while I talk, I¡¯ll hold my fingers up.........¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Remember, we can rely on our neighbors, but we can¡¯t trust them. If it¡¯s a robbery or about taking care of one another then we can all be friends, but if it¡¯s about money then these women will steal even just a copper coin from you.¡±


    ¡°Complicated..........¡±


    A sad expressioning across her beautiful face, Margaret¡¯s mother let out a long sigh.


    ¡°Oh Margaret, it¡¯s good to honest, but being too honest is the same as being stupid, and I worry.........¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right Mama! Before, you said that stupid children were cute!¡±


    ¡°Like I was saying, I worry.¡±


    The day¡¯s proceeds were to be handed over to Mother which usually amounted to around threerge silver coins. If this type of ie were to be seen by somebody else, then usually they would think they¡¯re making a tidy profit.


    This money was to be used for living expenses. The rest that mother makes was to be stored away somewhere safe where none of their neighbors could find it.


    Margaret was (in a sense) still pure-minded however. Thinking, ¡°I¡¯ve given Mother so much pocket money, so it will surely be built up until I am an adult,¡± she was still an innocent child who did not yet understand the way society worked.


    While tasting some plum juice her mother had brought out to celebrate her [big catch], Margaret asked something that had been bothering her since before.


    ¡°Hey Mama. Everyone always says, ¡®Because Mama is beautiful, she earns more money,¡¯ so why don¡¯t you take more customers?¡±


    It was here that Margaret¡¯s proud mother pulled out a little liquor for herself as a thin crease formed on her forehead, and she gave her daughter acent smile.


    ¡°Is that so? Well, because Mama is aiming for a better life, she¡¯s holding herself back to prevent herself from bing cheap goods.¡±


    ¡°Ahh..........so the customer wille and demand a discount?¡±


    This mother was chewing her lip, trying to find the right way to exin something like this to a girl who still didn¡¯t fully understand these types of matters.


    ¡°With Mama¡¯s job right now, I could earn a lot of money, but that would only be while I am still young and beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why Mama, rather than making more money right now, is trying to secure a good future.........someone with a certain status, and a certain ie, I¡¯m working hard to find a man and go through a proper marriage.¡±


    ¡°I see!¡±


    ¡°You understand?¡±


    ¡°I understand it somehow.........but it¡¯s still not clicking, could I get another hint?¡±


    ¡°But I thought you said you understood?¡±


    Margaret¡¯s mother uses her level of beauty that is rarely seen as a weapon and was aiming to graduate from prostitution and be a true, formal noble.


    In truth she could also live a well-to-do life if she were to aim for a wealthy merchant as well......but if she were to aim for such a man, it was more likely she would end up as just one of a multitude of mistresses.


    Right now she was a daily hire looking for full-time employment. Not limited time contract work.


    The original problem here though was that there were honestly too many wealthy merchants who liked to y around with their gold, and norge nobles. However amoner could break through and be the legal wife to a lower noble just so long as she was pleasing to the eye, sociable, and well-educated.


    Of course men who are nobles in name only woulde with their own hardships, so it is necessary to properly look for one with a decent ie.


    It would be troublesome to be married to a tyrant who treats their wife as an object, so it is necessary to find someone with a gentle personality.


    She had no intentions of throwing Margaret away, so she had to find someone who would dote on their children and cherish even an adopted child from another marriage.


    Commoner aside, it would be perfectly eptable for any vassals to scorn and make light of a former prostitute, so someone from a small house with little to rule would actually be preferable.


    Taking in all of those conditions, she would properly promise herself before God in a marriage to a man who was true to himself.


    Which is, a yboy who was willing to show his face in the entertainment district.


    ..........lining up all the conditions together like that, it¡¯s a wonder why there are no candidates left. Not a single man has passed her judgment.


    But, Margaret¡¯s mother had not given up hope.


    She was still in her early twenties and had at least another decade to keep searching.


    ¡°Such a man would undoubtedly avoid a woman too used to ying around, so I as well, shall live as the daughter of a fallen noble house who must reluctantly marry..........¡±


    ¡°Huh? But Mama, weren¡¯t you born to a family of potato farmers?¡±


    ¡°.........it¡¯s called a setting, and I chose it for my customers.¡±


    ¡°Setting¡±


    As the young girl repeated the word looking a mix of befuddled and impressed, her mother added on in a serious tone.


    ¡°Margaret, don¡¯t you remember? In order to catch a man, how important is having a character setting?¡±


    A mother was handing down knowledge that was in no way good for a six-year-old girl to learn.


    ¡°It¡¯s super important!¡±


    The honest takeaway just added on to the foolish girl¡¯s future worries.


    The mother patted her daughter¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Mama will always work to bring you a wonderful Papa. Once I do, Margaret will be a young, nobledy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be a noble!?¡±


    Margaret would be a lower noble in the future, butpared to how she was now, a noble¡¯s life was far above that of a low-ssmoner.


    When it came to nobility, all she could picture was the visage of a great man.


    And Margaret could be such a noble.


    ¡°If I can catch a nobleman, then you might even be able to go in and out of the royal pce. At that time Margaret would be a noble¡¯s daughter, and there would be upper nobles with a higher standing.........yes, you might even be able to catch a real prince.¡±


    ¡°A prince!?¡±


    ¡°A cute girl like Margaret is really rare, it¡¯d be an easy victory!¡±


    ¡°Hooooooooooooooo...........I got it! Fight on, Mama!¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°It will be the ¡®foundation¡¯ for my ¡®womanly sess story¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Where did you learn an irritating phrase like that?¡±


    ¡°One of the knight uncles said it to Auntie Meg on the second floor.¡±


    ¡°Those knight are reeeeeally no good, a bunch of muscle heads. After all I should aim for a bureaucrat........anyway Margaret, don¡¯t you know that it¡¯s no good calling Meg or anyone else who lives in this apartment [Auntie]? Please think about what would happen if she were to hear you during tomorrow morning¡¯s prayer.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous?¡±


    ¡°Extremely dangerous. Everyone here is very delicate about their age.¡±


    ?


    ¡°It¡¯s been ten years.........¡±


    Having grown into a respectable maiden (or supposedly at least), Margaret looked out over the downtown area where she used to live from the terrace of the royal pce.


    Her mother had dered to her four yearster she had caught a Papa who satisfied all of her conditions.


    She became a baroness, and while that was a position in noble life at the lower end which could be brushed off, from the viewpoint of someone living in the slums it was a position as high as the clouds.


    Margaret had been inducted into the Baron¡¯s house along with her mother and be a real life noble daughter. While small, she was able to move into a house with a servant and was able to take a carriage to visit the royal pce every day. Compared to living in fear in a corner of the entertainment district, a gray zone where you had to try and make a living while being mindful of robbers or even worse, her life now was like living in heaven.


    However.


    ¡°Fufufufufu..........a little more, just a little more. I¡¯ll havepletely stolen Elliott from that disagreeable Rachel, and I¡¯ll take the seat as the crown princess!¡±


    Margaret did not intend for her story to end here.


    Just as her mother had promised her, Margaret had been pulled up and be a noble daughter to a baron¡¯s house.


    ¡°And just as Mama said, I¡¯ll rise up above a simple baron¡¯s daughter and nab me a real life prince!¡±


    Margaret had not forgotten the promise made that day when she was young.


    And now, she was in a ce where her dreams coulde true, just so long as she reached out and grabbed them.


    Margaret looked down on the city below her, arms crossed and an invincible feeling spread across her face as a lowugh began in her throat. Gradually herughter grew in volume, soon bing audible to her surroundings until finally bing so loud you could hear it from the heavens.


    ¡°Kukukukuku..........fufufu, HaHaHaHa............AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You can do anything you put your mind towards, and as long as I do what needs to be done, I can aplish anything! Take a look Rachel, Elliott, who should be yours, shall be sessfully taken by me! AHAHAHAHAHA! Haahahahahahahahahaha.......fufu........heh, *cough cough*.............¡±


    Before long, the young girlughing up towards the heavens hadughed too much to the point it had be painful...........she was forced to crouch down right there and descended into a coughing fit.


    ?


    At that same time underneath the terrace, some security soldiers were talking with one another.


    ¡°Right when I think I hear some strange roaring from somewhere, I realize it¡¯s that woman once again.¡±


    ¡°I wonder why the prince is fine with it.¡±


    ¡°That guy only sees what he wants to see........love is blind I guess?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t that girl do this at her own house............at least then we wouldn¡¯t have to take a look every time we hear a strange noise.¡±


    1. The word Margaret uses here can also be referring to a court case which is why it¡¯s emphasized.


    2. The phrase used here can also mean to back out of a deal.


    3. A word with a double meaning. The Japanese word here can stand for repairs or maintenance, but it can also refer to a police raid.

 Chapter 33

    <strong>Noblewoman Receives Sympathy From Some Old Friends</strong>


    Rachel was reclining in her chair while reading a book when the dull bump of someone opening the door to the dungeon toe in echoed down to her cell.


    Rachel¡¯s fingers froze as she was in the middle of turning her page. As she nced over towards the stone steps, it could be noted she was acting unusually cautious.


    The reason for this vignce was because this group of footsteps currently making their way towards her was a set she did not recognize.


    There was a limited number of people allowed toe and go as they please from the dungeon, and you can usually tell them apart from one another based off of their footsteps and other minute details. But the group the information she was picking up from the grouping down now was unlike any sound she could remember.


    There was no signal sent from any of her guards keeping watch outside, so whoever it was, they shouldn¡¯t be armed or intending to do Rachel any harm. And the fact that none of Elliott¡¯s knights were making any type of uproar must mean these were people of good standing who had gone through the proper procedures toe visit her.


    However if this were the prime minister or some other high-ranking government officiale to try and rectify her situation, the reports Rachel received from her spies nted within the government offices should have included that information. This wasn¡¯t an official visit from some public person of power. Whoever these people were, they were deserving of a special amount of vignce.


    Having finally reached the bottom of the steps, Rachel took immediate action to identify her new guests..........and then just as quickly lost interest.


    What, it was just a bunch of dogs barking over an idiot princeElliott who didn¡¯t know when they¡¯d already lost.


    Havinge to visit Rachel inside the dungeon, a noble girl dolled up in an extravagantly decorated frilly dress got the ball rolling.


    ¡°It¡¯s been too long Miss Ferguson........no, with you like this, perhaps ¡®Miss¡± isn¡¯t quite the right word?¡±1


    The girl talked as if they were a couple of good, old friends........of course there rtionship was anything but.......so Rachelpletely disregarded the greeting of Agnes Sussex, the daughter to a marquis.


    However behind that apathy, ¡°This girl¡¯s level of intelligence seems to not be enough to understand the current state of affairs,¡± Rachel was busy updating the data stored in her brain. It seems she believes that since Rachel had now lost Prince Elliott¡¯s love, they were now somehow equal in social status. Rachel had to work so that theughter bubbling in her heart didn¡¯t burst out in front of these naive girls whock any form of information gathering capabilities.


    The noble girls who stepped after continued the attack, offering their own simrly rude greetings. Everyst one of them, until recently, were the bunch who did what they could to spread around malicious gossip about Rachel simply because she had been Elliott¡¯s fiancee.


    ¡°When you¡¯re engaged to the Prince, these types of people are sure to appear,¡± ¡°In any case, they¡¯re all bark and being badmouthed a little is just the price of fame,¡± ¡°But if they really are trying to formte a n to drag you down, then it¡¯s best to hit them first,¡±........the lessons that Rachel¡¯s father and mother had instilled into her from a young age continued running through her mind this entire time.


    ¡°.........Huh? You¡¯re supposed to stomp out the plots against you, perhaps that was just a little tooplicated for a young me to understand.¡±


    ¡°Did you say something!?¡±


    ¡°No¡±


    Rachel said nothing more as she returned to her book while the group of noble girls continued to snicker amongst themselves, asking rude, rhetorical questions in obviously patronizing tones.


    ¡°Ferguson too, didn¡¯t you properly do your part to be liked by His Highness? Well, I always thought he would get bored with you fairly quickly, but I never would have guessed he¡¯d grow to dislike you so much he¡¯d throw you in prison.¡±


    ¡°No no, Miss Audrey. From the beginning it was hard to capture His Highness¡¯s attention, especially with Miss Rachel¡¯s figure you know.¡±


    ¡°Well how rude! Of course, it¡¯s impossible to overlook such an obvious fact, but we should still show some consideration.¡±


    Each of these noble daughters were doing a magnificent job insulting another woman as if she weren¡¯t in the room with them. Perhaps they were trying to throw some challenge her way as each one insisted on using her name without the proper honorific, trying to smear her status and say she was less than them. And then as if to put up a shield around themselves they were making a grand show of throwing false usations at the others as if they weren¡¯t doing the same thing.


    prison life v2 4


    And all of it had no effect on Rachel.


    In front of the cell bars, the group of noble girls continued to talk on and on, acting in an overexaggerated, grandiose way as they continued their nder.


    Meanwhile on the other side of the bars, Rachel was staying silent, peacefully reading her book.


    Standing on cobblestone dressed up in fine clothes, the high heels the nobledies were wearing soon began to make their feet sore, forcing them to shift their center of gravity around a bit to relieve some of the pressure.


    Sprawled across her armchair with no thought to her slovenly appearance, Rachel continued to read.


    Acting awkwardly ssy, pretending as if their bad-mouthing was just an ordinary, everyday conversation, the noble girls continued mentioning Rachel by name.


    Rachel kept her eyes locked onto her book,pletely immersing herself in the story without offering even a half-hearted reply.


    Finally one of the girls exploded.


    ¡°Wait! What is this!? You¡¯re in a prison, looking all self-important lying on your back with your feet propped up while we stand out here.........do you understand your position!? What kind of situation is this!? This is the exact opposite of what it¡¯s supposed to be!¡±


    The other noble girls were thinking much the same, and with one of them snapping, all the rest started making noise as well.


    ¡°Hey, shouldn¡¯t you say something!?¡±


    ¡°Do you understand your ce as a prisoner!?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t get flustered or create an uproar.


    She instead leisurely turned the page, only giving an absent-minded response during that moment of silence when those noblewomen outside her cell had tired themselves out from all the yelling.


    ¡°You people are reallycking in discipline. I¡¯ll be finished after fifteen more pages, so wait until then.¡±


    ¡°Wha!? This woman, what¡¯s with that way of speaking to us!?¡±


    ¡°Hey you, think about what will happen if you turn us into your enemies!¡±


    She didn¡¯t care what they said. She didn¡¯t bother when the other person was Elliott, so Rachel really didn¡¯t care when it was just a bunch of fools who hang off such a guy.


    Understanding that no matter how much they yelled, Rachel wouldn¡¯t avert her gaze from her book, fatigue started to show on the littledies¡¯ faces.


    Thirty minutes they were kept waiting.


    A rxed air started to spread between the noble girls as Rachel continued quietly turning thest several pages of her book, ncing through the contents........and then before those girls¡¯ eyes.


    ¡°.......huh? How did the story develop like this?¡±


    Rachel turned back about ten pages causing the waiting girls to raise a unified mute shriek.


    Already their high heels were causing leg cramps while tormenting their calves. Their ankles were going to give out before she was done at this rate.


    Rachel¡¯s self-proimed rivals were growing more conscientious, asking ¡°How many more pages are left?¡± as any collected conversation died away. In the end the girls could only look at each other and quietly wait for Rachel to finish.


    ?


    Putting the book down on her end table, Rachel had a refreshing smile spread across her face as she took a sip of her now cold tea.


    ¡°I never would have thought it would end in such a way. Sometimes a mystery novel is good too......right, let¡¯s get some more books by the same author. Ah, cold tea is rather delicious when your throat is feeling parched..........¡±


    cing her cup down with a friendly smile, Rachel finally turned towards her nobledy guests. Having been so thoroughly kept waiting, it was easy for her to see what the pain from standing on the uneven cobblestone floor had done to the girls¡¯ poor feet.


    ¡°Oh my, pardon my rudeness. Please feel free to take a seat.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t joke around! Where is there a ce to sit!?¡±


    Tears had begun to form in one of the girls¡¯ eyes as she shouted out.


    Rachel looked over the front room of the dungeon, seeing that the only furniture there was the Prison Guard¡¯s desk and chair.


    ¡°That side of the room isn¡¯t under my jurisdiction, so please direct anyints to His Highness Elliott.¡±


    ¡°Y, You.........!?¡±


    ¡°Well it¡¯s not like we¡¯re on the sea or anything, so can¡¯t you just sit down wherever you want?¡±


    ¡°H, Here!?¡±


    A noble daughter.......even if you were that Margaret, there is no reason for any child of a fine family who is aiming to be the crown princess to voluntarily take a seat on some dirty, cobblestone floor of a prison.


    These noble girls who couldn¡¯t just leave like this or take a seat ground their teeth, something that made Rachel¡¯s smile grow even brighter.


    ¡°Oh by the way, weren¡¯t you talking about something earlier? I¡¯m afraid I was reading before, so I was unable to hear the matters of some people who don¡¯t matter........so please, could you repeat what you were saying before from the beginning?¡±


    ¡°Ferguson, you.............!¡±


    The group of noble women released a terrible pressure with a gaze that was likely to kill someone........but for Rachel it was like a gentle breeze on a windless day. At any rate, she wasn¡¯t some noble woman who needed to rely on such a look in order to kill her enemies.


    ¡°Well¡±


    Rachel rubbed her hands together with arge grin spread across her face.


    ¡°Everyone, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen all of your faces........you all look to be in good health, if nothing else.


    ¡°........and you¡¯ve been imprisoned for how many months now, yet seem to be full of vigor........¡±


    ¡°Yes, because I prioritize a healthy lifestyle!¡±


    Rachel¡¯srge smile made the other girls flinch.......the girls were taken aback at just how much energy Rachel had, yet they were still unaware of just how close their own persons wereing to peril. These girls had only ever known Rachel as the Prince¡¯s fiancee, never before had they seen the truly wild, dangerous Rachel.


    ¡°Speaking of health, are you feeling alright Miss Barbara?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Rachel started looking excessively anxious while the noble daughter in question wasn¡¯t able to make any sense of the sudden question.


    ¡°I know you love those fried sweets like donuts that have recently be so popr, and you even add on plenty of fresh cream as well. In only two months you¡¯ve gained ten whole kilograms, and quite the shrill scream came from the dress shop when it was discovered they wouldn¡¯t be able to remake your dress in time. Bing so abruptly fat is quite the amusing tale........however bing too plump can put quite the strain on your heart you know? How did your doctor¡¯s appointmentst week go?¡±


    ¡°Wha.................!?¡±


    The called-out noble woman had already felt self-conscious and had kept silent about her recent weight gain, but Rachel so openly pointing out the problem had left her speechless in another way entirely.


    Meanwhile the other noble girls standing at her side noticed a strange point concerning Rachel¡¯s words thanks to them being just a bit more calm.


    If it was two months ago, Rachel would have already been in prison.


    So to say nothing of the fact that this was a private physical examination conducted in a person¡¯s own home where you wouldn¡¯t expect information to leak out, how would she have gotten word of it if it had happened justst week?


    Looking around at the faces of the now silent girls, Rachel called out to a different one this time.


    ¡°Miss Kara¡±


    ¡°Wh, What is it........?¡±


    With this other noble girl so tantly showing her vignce, Rachel suddenly showed a lovely smile straight from the heart.


    ¡°How wasst week¡¯s masquerade ball?¡±


    ¡°..................!?¡±


    Miss Kara¡¯s face cramped up. Growing suspicious, the other noble girls started whispering to each other.


    ¡°Last week? Was there a masquerade ball?¡±


    ¡°No, at least, my family never received an invitation..........¡±


    Rachel had dropped a bomb with a smile.


    ¡°Ah, even if it is called a ball, it¡¯s not some high society event with formal invitations. It¡¯s more of a private gathering for young nobles who all share simr interests........¡±


    ¡°Oh...........¡±


    For the most part, the nobles girls were convinced Rachel was talking about some dance group where volunteers gathered together. You heard about that sort of thing from time to time. Boys and girls who aren¡¯t very good at dancing and are anxious about attending an evening party gather together for the sake of practicing.


    However if it really was something as harmless as that, there would be no reason for Miss Kara¡¯s face to cramp up like it was. Rachel¡¯s real bomb dropped next.


    ¡°.........it¡¯s more of a meeting where everyone can dance around naked with each other and have fun doing some good things.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    The noble girls¡¯ astonishment left them unable to cry out.


    ¡°Lies!? I know nothing about such a gathering!¡±


    Miss Kara¡¯splexion had already turned white as she shrieked.


    As the daughter for a high-ranking noble who was aiming to be the crown princess, being a member of a such a suspicious group would create a top ss scandal. Forget the prince, it would be difficult for her to find a marriage partner the same rank as her family if this were to be found out.


    ¡°You n to frame me!? You¡¯ve already lost your own standing, so now you wish to drag me with you..........this demon!¡±


    Kara was screaming at Rachel, but at the same time, she was restlessly taking nces over at herrades¡¯ faces.


    So long as all of the noble daughters here keep quiet, then it would be as if this current story had never been told. However.......they had all be a group together in the first ce based on their mutual desire to be a princess and steal Elliott away from Rachel. Although they got along, truly, they were bitter enemies riding the same boat, and Kara didn¡¯t think they¡¯d keep quiet after the rope that was Rachel no longer tied them together.


    After all, I need to cut through and deny Rachel¡¯s remarks.......!


    Thinking so, Kara¡¯s determination solidified.


    ¡°Detestable, nning such a..........¡±


    But Rachel shook her head at such an impossible state of affairs.


    ¡°I was just a little curious you know? At that partyst week, weren¡¯t you boasting about how you¡¯d take son of the Taylor Earldom, Mr. John Taylor¡¯s first time? If Miss Kara had sessfully dropped Mr. John, he would have been the fifth man you cherry hunted, meaning in the group you would receive the permanent title of being a carnivorous girlhunter. Isn¡¯t that quite the honor, something even those with simr tastes rarely aplish? Isn¡¯t it human nature to have whether or not you managed to seed weigh on the mind?¡±


    ¡°...........!¡±


    Given the rest of the information, the group of noble girl couldn¡¯t say anything anymore. Far from just showing her face at at a suspicious party, she was living a life of indulgence that those with simr tastes would surely admire........if this were to be known, she could no longer get married.


    ¡°.......L-L-L-LIAR! The organizer is always greatly mindful so that no information gets leaked!¡±


    ¡°Oh my, didn¡¯t you im you had no idea such a group existed?¡±


    ¡°Guu............!?¡±


    The other noble girls were now looking at Kara with eyes filled with doubt now that she had been carelessly taken in. Having understood she had eaten a fatal blow, Miss Kara stopped any attempt at denial.........and having already lost all her energy, dropped down with her buttnding on the cold cobblestone floor.


    ¡°Well..............and¡±


    The other girls began to shake with fear as Rachel started sniffing out her next prey with a smile.


    Who would it be!?


    The girls¡¯ bodies were frozen, yet their hearts were trembling when confronted by this horrible monster wearing the skin of a cheerful nobledy. ¡°Where did I go when I thought no one was watching........!?¡± was the singr thought running through each of their minds.


    However there was one girl who was brave enough to step forward, asking the question they were all thinking with a trembling voice.


    ¡°Y, you......isn¡¯t your personality way too different from what it was before!?¡±


    While smiling as she had been, Rachel tilted her head ever so slightly.


    ¡°Oh my, but I¡¯ve been like this since long ago. However, while I was in the position of being the Prince¡¯s fiancee, I did prioritize good behavior.........¡±


    Rachel lightly chuckled to herself seeing everyone¡¯s stunned faces.


    ¡°It¡¯s so amusing you know? These people who have always made light of me, always incessantly spreading rumors unless they boasting about themselves suddenly can¡¯t think of what to say. Have you never wondered before why I never spoke? Fufu, so funny.¡±


    You could hear the blood draining from the group of noble girls¡¯ faces.


    For better or worse, everyone remembered. When mounting apetitor, you can make threats to their pride based off of their own failures. If it was gossip of another person¡¯s shame, you could say even more.


    ¡°Also, a great many people were angered when I was thrown into this prison.......although I am rather grateful for it. So for the people suspected of being involved in this incident, I checked up on them to pass the time.¡±


    By now the noble daughters¡¯ faces had gone so white there wasn¡¯t a drop of blood left to drain. Elliott and Margaret would obviously be suspected concerning Rachel¡¯s imprisonment........and the third person who would be suspicious..........


    Rachel deliberately made a show of pping her hands together right before the girls were all about to copse.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right! Ladies, are you all right for time? I would absolutely love to continue telling these little tales, but unlike me who has loads of free time, I¡¯m sure some of you must have a busy schedule........if any of you have lessons or other ns, well, it¡¯s a shame, but I suppose it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    Rachel was smiling, but that sunny demeanor didn¡¯t reach her eyes or the tone of her voice, and the group of noble women fully understood.


    ¡°If you want to continue any longer than this, then I wonder which one of you could keep your head held up high. But if you say you¡¯re going to withdraw now, I¡¯m fine overlooking things here¡±


    ¡°Tr, Truly terrible, but it is about time for me to go study! O, Ohohoho.......adieu!¡±


    Miss Agnes had taken the lead after entering the dungeon, just as she was now taking the lead in withdrawing from it.


    ¡°I¡¯m truly reluctant to part, but please excuse me!¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon!¡±


    All the rest started throwing out their own farewells while trying to follow Miss Agnes out all at once.


    None of them wanted to stay even a moment longer in such a ce. The moment they would hear their namee from that monster........ ruin would visit them the next.


    The girls¡¯ teeth were chattering from the pain of their overused legs, but they pushed forward just to escape Rachel¡¯s line of sight. With staggered steps they managed to make it to the cobblestone stairs, but when they tried to ascend above ground.........


    ¡°It won¡¯t open!?¡±


    The door wouldn¡¯t budge.


    Miss Agnes tugged and she pulled, but the door leading to freedom wouldn¡¯t give.


    Even when a few others walked up to help, the door held fast, not showing any signs of moving at all.


    Seeing that the group of noble girls had made no progress in returning, Rachel narrowed her eyes while already holding her next book in hand.


    ¡°Oh my. ..........Everyone, it seems you have some spare time after all.¡±


    ¡°N, No.......such a thing is!?¡±


    ¡°Th, The door won¡¯t open!¡±


    ¡°Well........if it¡¯s that door there, you shouldn¡¯t need a key to open it though? When Miss Margaretes to visit, she is able toe and go as she pleases even without the Prison Guard apanying her.¡±


    Rachel put the book in her hands down and sat her chair up from its reclining position.


    Holding one of her elbows and resting a single finger on her cheek, sitting back in her chair with one foot crossed over another, she bore a striking resemnce to a Demon Lord from legend.


    ¡°Well then everyone.......I have more stories that I¡¯ve umted. As long as we have some time, let¡¯s enjoy a fun ¡®chat¡¯............shall we?¡±


    ¡°N...........NOOOOOoooooooooooooooo!!!¡±


    ?


    Sitting outside the building by the venttion window, Margaret let out a sigh while enjoying her short break.


    ¡°As I thought, the other party can¡¯t be a horrendously ugly woman.......¡±


    There was no sign of anyone else nearby. When it came time for a shift change for the guards keeping an eye on things outside, recements didn¡¯te right away, so Margaret volunteered to act as a proxy and report any issues during that little time when no one else was there.


    And so before the recement personnel arrived, Margaret used the techniques she had developed from when she lived in the downtown area to fix the door into ce.


    At such a time, an amateur would want to stack up a blockade over the whole thing......but really if all you want to do is pin down the door so nobody can leave, you don¡¯t need to cover the whole thing. Just gather up a few light colored stones the same hue as the building¡¯s cobblestone, and then fit them in to a few hollow spots in the broken stone at an angle lining up to the door. That alone will cause the bottom portion of the door to catch, preventing the door from opening while leaving the top ny percent of it free. It¡¯s a trick to getting things to stick.


    Of course there is a possibility of them being able to force their way through. This could be done if it was someone like Sykes inside, but that is a feat impossible for a bunch of refined youngdiesdirty whores to replicate. And so even if those noble girls have good reason to scream, they won¡¯t receive any help from any passing knights keeping watch because they would never imagine the door wouldn¡¯t open. So when can they leave? That¡¯s all up to how lucky they all are.


    Rachel and all those other noble daughters, originally Margaret had instigated this thinking it would be nice if they could just all fall together.


    ¡°So one-sided.......after all, Elliott and the others have to do something about this.¡±


    That was, those noble girls were really no help at all,cking any kind of talent for pulling the carpet out from under someone¡¯s feet.


    Well, Rachel would never imagine they really couldn¡¯t get out, so she could end up irritated since a bunch of annoying flies refuse to leave her be.


    Just because one n failed doesn¡¯t mean Margaret would get disheartened.


    It was fine for her to just think about her next move. To always reply in kind, that was her creed.


    And above all, Rachel was annihting those pig women she was unable to stomach! Rachel, GOOD JOB!


    Margaret eventually greeted the guard knight who had finallye and headed back to the castle with a skip to her step.


    1. Quick note for this chapter. The other noble girls always refer to Rachel as just ¡®Ferguson¡¯ with no honorific. Rachel meanwhile always refers to them with -sama, keeping with the proper respect. Although the word ¡®respect¡¯ is a rtive term here........

 Chapter 34 - Noblewoman Couldn’t Have Done Anything Because She was in Prison

    <strong>Noblewoman Couldn¡¯t Have Done Anything Because She was in Prison</strong>


    Gradually, harassing Rachel had be something of an extracurricr activity for Prince Elliott and his friends. Day after day they would make their preparations while hanging around the dungeon.


    Currently Elliott was giving out instructions in the backyard, confident in his n this time, when the essential Rachel peeked out from the nearby venttion window.


    ¡°Sykes, are you there?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Me?¡±


    Sykes walked over to the venttion window, curious why his name had been called.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I guess I need to apologize for before? Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you say that to Margaret!?¡±


    So Elliott yelled.


    But Rachel ignored the Prince¡¯s bluster, instead giving Sykes an embarrassed grin.


    ¡°Well actually, from time to time since I was put in here I¡¯ve been sending the asional letter to some of my friends........so Martina and Margaret......¡±


    ¡°Wha!? You didn¡¯t, you told Martina about Margaret!?¡±


    Sykes bolted upright as his boss¡¯s ex-girlfriend made a small, apologetic *Teehee*, sticking her tongue out of her mouth and hitting her own head.


    ¡°I did tell her...........and she came.¡±


    ¡°She came to visit me in the prison the day before yesterday~,¡± as the words left Rachel¡¯s mouth, Sykes had already started running as hard as he could.


    ¡°H, Hey, Sykes!?¡±


    ¡°Abigail!?¡±


    The other men scattered around the backyard called out to him confused, but it was unclear if he just didn¡¯t hear their calls or was just ignoring them instead.


    Meanwhile the one person there who was aware of Sykes¡¯s circumstances, Elliott, had gonepletely blue in the face.


    ¡°Rachel, what was it that you said to her!?¡±


    ¡°The main points of the letter was just that I had my engagement broken off and arrested though? But, the only thing she reacted to was the little part where I mentioned that Sykes and Margaret had be close.¡±


    ¡°Obviously! Oiiiii! We¡¯re going to return to the pce immediately! Sykes is in danger!¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Everyone else who wasn¡¯t as in the know tilted their heads to the side, confused even further by the Prince¡¯s sudden attitude change.


    ?


    In the conference room where the top brass of the knight order had assembled to meet, the order¡¯s knightmander Sir Abigail was stroking his magnificent beard while intently listening to a report.


    And then, the sound of frantic stepsing from the corridor outside filled the room.


    As you¡¯d expect from a group of veteran knights, they were able to tell that despite the echoing tumult, it was alling from a single person.


    ¡°What is it? Oi, someone go take a look.¡±


    Given an order from themanding officer himself, one of the young knights in attendance rose from his seat and walked towards the door......but the door was thrown open as he reached for the doorknob, blowing him over to the side of the room.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong!?¡±


    Every knight jumped to their feet immediately, their hands resting on the pommels of their sword ready to fight.........only to see a terribly upset Sykes standing in front of them.


    ¡°Sykes?¡±


    Removing his hand from his sword, the dumbfounded knightmander muttered his son¡¯s name aloud upon seeing that was who had burst through the doors.


    ¡°Father! Give me some money!!¡±


    For some reason the knightmander¡¯s idiot son hade barging in during an important meeting demanding some pocket money causing each member of the knight order¡¯s top brass to rub their temples at the same time. Sir Abigail took a deep sigh, acting as the voice for the group when addressing his trembling son.


    ¡°Sykes.....even though you¡¯ve already be not just an adult but a true knight, you intrude on an official meeting and demand pocket money from me while I¡¯m on duty........are you alright in the head Sykes!? Even under normal circumstances, aren¡¯t you already facing criticism for not remonstrating His Highness over the matter with Ms. Ferguson? Not to mention the fact that you already have a fiancee yet you¡¯re getting all bashful with His Highness¡¯s lover! Anyone with anymon sense would give you the cold shoulder! Is this money so you can buy a gift for Miss Poisson? If you¡¯re looking to be more dependable, then how about doing something for Martina!¡±


    Fiercely shaking his head, Sykes inly responded to his father¡¯s sermon with his own shout.


    ¡°That very Martina read a letter from Miss Rachel and is on her way! HERE! Save your preaching forter Father! Right now give me some money so I can run away!¡±


    Sir Abigail immediately reached his hand into his breast pocket, pulled out his wallet, and threw it at his son. At the same time he began barking orders to the other knights in the room.


    ¡°All knights, battle stations! I want all men stationed in the suburbs mobilized into a square formation! Each soldier is to be equipped withrge shields and prepared for a siege! We have to stop her before she gets too close!¡±


    Each of the knights rushed to their assigned tasks. Angry shouts were thrown this way and that during this sudden state of emergency.


    ¡°What the hell is the eastern administration doing!? Weren¡¯t they supposed to be watching Miss Evans!?¡±


    ¡°It was the Equestrian Company¡¯s job to monitor Evans! Wasn¡¯t that forty elite soldiers!?¡±


    Sir Abigail looked back to his son and pointed north.


    ¡°Take our fastest horse and head for our northern headquarters in Sand Valley my son! You can borrow some more money once you arrive!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Father! If you survive, let us meet once again!¡±


    And so Sykes turned on his heel to disappear without bothering to grab any supplies for his trip.


    However


    ¡°You know that I¡¯ming, so where are you going when you haven¡¯t seen me all day? Hey, Sykes..........¡±


    Without anyone noticing, in front of the door.


    With long ck hair tied up in a ponytail, a love grim reaper stood in their way.


    This girl with glossy ck hair done up in a single ponytail that came down past her waist and smooth yet tan skin took a step inside the conference room. With a firm torso, she was able to walk gracefully, carrying her sleek and tall figure without shaking her core.


    Thanks to her work on the front lines, her skin had been burned to a light wheat color without any need for makeup, so although it deviates from the standard beauty that most nobles hold ideal.........the base features were still excellent making her look like a fine nobledy withrge, sharp eyes and thin, elegant lips.


    .............But


    prison life v2 5


    Despite the fact that those eyes were wide open, there was no light held in their depths.


    She gave off a strange, murderous aura from her whole body that would make evenrge adults pull back.


    Just looking at the figure of Martina made the dozens of knights in the room freeze.


    This woman right now was dangerous.


    In the ten year long history that Martina had been engaged to Sykes, this was the most dangerous she had ever been.


    Confronted with this danger, the knees of these executives who had stared down crises many times over now shook with fear.


    ¡°What happened to those guys stationed in the fort..........¡±


    One of the executives unconsciously muttered his thoughts aloud causing Martina to chuckle.


    ¡°As I hurried to depart, everyone tried to stop me from leaving.........after persuading twenty of them with my fists, they were happy to see me off though.........but persuading them did take some time which is why I¡¯m getting here sote.¡±


    The conference room fell into a shocked silence at this girl¡¯s casual words.......beforepletely bing as still as death. Seeing this woman now, not a single man there was stupid enough to doubt the validity of her words.


    In that stifling air, Sir Abigail held his hand up to try and make her wait.


    ¡°Martina.....I¡¯m sure you¡¯re worried about those rumors concerning Sykes, but you still serve the knight order. Isn¡¯t it a problem to just arbitrarily leave your post toe here and meet him?¡±


    Martina¡¯s sharp re fell on the knightmander, shouting at him with tears pooling in the corner of her eyes.


    ¡°Of course I know something like that, but that doesn¡¯t matter right now! As a withered old man, can¡¯t you understand that Sykes is cheating!? I can¡¯t carefreely protect the country during a time like this!¡±


    ¡°Please, give priority to the country!?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t! I became a knight for the sake of protecting Sykes! When I made my vow as I knight, I reced the words ¡®for His Majesty¡¯ to ¡®for my lovely Sykes¡¯! So isn¡¯t my sword to protect my future with Sykes then!? I honestly don¡¯t care about some decrepit old man I¡¯ve never made such a promise to!¡±


    ¡°That, is the number one thing a knight must absolutely never say!!¡±


    Leaving the group of stunned old men aside, Martina started approaching Sykes step by step.


    ¡°Sykes.......what is this? Can¡¯t we properly talk about this.........?¡±


    ¡°T, That, well........¡±


    From behind Martina, one of the knight captains made a hand signal. On his signal, a group of knights who had been holding themselves back until now slowly inched forward, attacking her from behind all at once.


    With a speed that was impossible to see, a sword was drawn with a single sh being dealt to the left and right.


    A few seconds passed.


    To Martina¡¯s right and left, four knights were blown away and left groaning on the floor. It looked like there wasn¡¯t any blood spilled, but each of the men were clutching their chests where they had been hit.


    ¡°Hitting them with that speed, and her sword bruised them through their armor..........!?¡±


    One of the knight captain¡¯s unconsciously voiced his astonishment. Without even having nced back, she was able to perform the near superhuman feet of simultaneously striking each of the armored soldiers that were attacking her from behind.


    ¡°Ah, as usual she¡¯s amazing whenever Sykes is involved.........¡±


    ¡°Indeed........as you¡¯d expect from the Pure Love Berserker.¡±


    Martina had promising talent for her age, but her usual ability would only put her in the top five for apprentice knights. She should fall below Sykes who stood at the top in ability.......unless Sykes so much as passes through another woman¡¯s shadow in which case her outrage somehow granted her superhuman skills.


    ¡°I thought she¡¯d cool down if she spent some time on the frontier.......¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t she just gotten worse from not being able to see him? Wouldn¡¯t she have realized there¡¯s no use in trying to justify abandoning her post before now.........?¡±


    Secretly whispering to one another, the soldiers nced over at Sykes. That silent pressure to, ¡°Just get married already,¡± made him turn unusually blue in the face as he tried to object.


    ¡°Are, are you joking!? Thinking like that when it¡¯s someone else¡¯s problem..........before putting pressure on someone else, you should try marrying her!¡±


    At that moment.


    All of the spectators united in a singr ¡°Ah...........!¡± as Sykes realized his own mistake as well.


    Sykes fearfully looked behind him.


    Before Martina could even enter his line of sight again, he saw that woman¡¯s anger swirling around her in a pitch ck aura.


    Subjected to the violent burns of her anger left him too scared to turn his head any further........until the ice cold sound of her whispers flowed into his ears.


    ¡°Sykes......hey, is there something about me you¡¯re dissatisfied with? If you have something to say, you should say it. Please, aren¡¯t you and I in a rtionship? I, I want you to be honest with me........¡±


    With his fiancee¡¯s begging, Sykes hardened his resolve and timidly tried to give her an answer.


    ¡°...........Martina, that¡¯s........¡±


    ¡°NOOOO! I don¡¯t want to hear about it!¡±


    ¡°Even though I haven¡¯t said anything yet!?¡±


    Before being able to say anything else, Martina fiercely kicked Sykes¡¯s butt, forcing him to pitch forward, rolling across the floor andnding on his back.


    Before he could crawl away, Martina was on him, her sword digging itself into the ground right next to one of his eyes.


    ¡°Have you heard those strange rumors...........? I heard that recently Sykes has lost himself in some sow who goes by the name of Margaret.......... Hey, Sykes. Aren¡¯t you going to marry me? You¡¯re not going to be some pig farmer right?¡±


    Looking into Martina¡¯s eyes, Sykes knew this wasn¡¯t something she was joking about. Martina, the rumor had driven herpletely insane.


    Sykes floated a fake smile so as to not push her any further, working to bring her into his pace.


    ¡°O, Of, Of course Martina! I will..........¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie! I heard about it all day yesterday how Sykes has be crazy about that bitch in heat Margaret!¡±


    Martina straddled Sykes¡¯s chest, throttling the nape of his neck with a fist raised high.


    ¡°Do¡ªyou¡ªunderstand¡ªhow¡ªmuch¡ªI¡ªwas¡ªthinking¡ªabout¡ªyou¡ªon¡ªmy¡ªexpedition!?¡±


    Every emphasized word she spat at him was coupled with the low, sticky thud of another punch connecting with Sykes¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡ªhave¡ªon¡ªly¡ªev¡ªer¡ªloved¡ªyou!¡ªDo¡ªnot¡ªlook¡ªat¡ªa¡ªnoth¡ªer¡ªwoman!¡±


    The interval between hits was bing smaller and smaller. The people quietly watching from the side were starting to get worried if Sykes was still alive.


    ¡°Just¡ªlook¡ªat¡ªme!¡ªI¡ªdo¡ªnot¡ªwant¡ªto¡ªhave¡ªto¡ªtalk¡ªabout¡ªthese¡ªtype¡ªof¡ªthings!¡±


    It just kept going on endlessly............slowly, rather than wondering if Sykes was still alive or not, the spectators had begun to worry whether his head was going to end up being beaten off his corpse.


    ¡°Do¡ªyou¡ªget¡ªit!?¡ªAre¡ªyou¡ªnot¡ªin¡ªpain¡ªright¡ªnow!?¡ªWell¡ªmy¡ªheart¡ªis¡ªin¡ªjust¡ªas¡ªmuch¡ªpain!¡±


    The girl¡¯s sorrow was obvious on her face as she straddled Sykes¡¯s chest, screaming at the top of her lungs as her fist continued to move through the air.


    ...........and hearing that sorrow filled cry, everyone still gathered around thought to themselves,


    ¡°No, Sykes is definitely hurting more.¡±


    Their hearts and minds had all be one.


    Martina soon showed a distorted smile as she started to fumble around for the dagger hanging from her waist.


    ¡°Ah, Sykes........the reason why you¡¯re fooling around is because there are other women in the world right? Of course even I can¡¯t kill every single woman out there in the world, so how about the two of us head to heaven together, where nobody else can get in our way? Fufu, in heaven it can be just the two of us forever and ever.¡±


    The knights who had been silently watching until now finally started to move forward as Martina finally managed to pull out her dagger.


    But then the voice of a woman who wasn¡¯t Martina cut through the room.


    ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t fight because of me!¡±


    Everyone there turned to see who had spoken at the same time.........and sure enough there was Margaret with Elliott trailing behind her.


    All of the gathered knights¡¯plexion grew even paler.


    The worst possible person came...........!


    Sykes had already gotten the embers smoldering and now gasoline had just been dumped on the fire!


    Sir Abigail started shouting at Margaret the second he saw her.


    ¡°Run away Miss Poisson! Martina¡¯s already gone into Berserker Mode, and she can¡¯t be stopped!¡±


    ¡°Haaah!?¡±


    Hearing a phrase she¡¯d never heard before, Margaret was left confused.


    The woman with the ponytail sitting on Sykes whom Margaret had never seen twitched slightly when she had entered and slowly rose up from where she was.


    ¡°Hahahah.........so you¡¯re that dirty sow, bitch in heat, thieving cat one woman zoo........¡±


    ¡°The.......!? And who are you!?¡±


    Margaret was stout-hearted and firmly talked back while her hanger-on stepped back out of fear. The woman before their eyes was clearly not normal. She was obviously insane. By the way, Rachel wasn¡¯t ordinary by any means either, but she was at least sane.


    The dark haired girl with unblinking, wide open eyes made a distorted grin as she pulled up the sword she had all but thrown away.


    ¡°I¡¯m ever so pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Sykes¡¯s fiancee, Martina Evans.¡±


    ¡°Riiight............Greetings?¡±


    Margaret lowered her head, not fully understanding the current situation as took a step towards her.


    ¡°For Sykes¡¯s sake, who is being forced to go through a bad time because you seduced him........¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s having a bad time because of you.¡±


    All of the knights¡¯ hearts united as one once again, but none of them were too eager to voice their thoughts aloud.


    Not caring what the peanut gallery thought either way, Martina¡¯s twisted smile grew ever deeper as her reflection in Margaret¡¯s eyes grew everrger.


    ¡°.........I¡¯m going to take your neck!¡±


    ¡°Look out Margaret!¡±


    Knowing what was going to happen next, Elliott tackled Margaret, pushing her to the ground as Martina¡¯srge sword just barely passed over their heads. Nearly a dozen strands of her twin tails thatgged behind were sliced off by the sword¡¯s edge.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    ¡°Tch! I missed!¡±


    Margaret finally started to understand what was going on as Martina readjusted her sword in her hand. The realization hit her that had she not moved, Martina¡¯s sword would have cut through her torso, a fact that made her face turn a sickly blue.


    ¡°Y, You.......don¡¯t you know it¡¯s dangerous to be swinging something like that around!?¡±


    ¡°Obviously. I¡¯m swinging this thing around in the first ce to take your life.¡±


    Martina tightened her grip around the hilt of her sword.


    ¡°There are too many bitches in this world throwing amorous nces at my Sykes. So Sykes and I are going to live happily together in heaven, just the two of us.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°But then, a certain dirty looking girl coulde byter on............which is why so that you can¡¯te to the same heaven as us, I¡¯m going to chop you up into a pile of tiny pieces right now and spread you across a pigpen where you belong.¡±


    ¡°Hoh...........so, ME!? WHY!? COULD YOU WAIT A MOMENT!?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡±


    Martina slowly drew forward. Margaret slowly drew back.


    ¡°If we talk about this, you¡¯ll understand!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no point in arguing!¡±


    Finally understanding that Martina¡¯s head waspletely and perfectly broken, Margaret turned around and ran away as fast as she could.


    Martina moved to give chase, but because she wasn¡¯t paying any attention to her feet, she ended up trampling over Elliott¡¯s head, who was still lying on the floor after tackling Margaret to the ground, causing her to trip.


    ¡°Gyaaa!?¡±


    ¡°Damn!¡±


    ¡°Gwaa!¡±


    Martina hurriedly kicked the thing blocking her way as she stood back up, but in those ten wasted seconds Margaret had already run far away.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you get away!?¡±


    Martina began chasing the red-headed girl down while randomly swinging her sword above her head.


    One woman was chasing after another, almost like they were ying a game of tag.


    In the background of the knight order executives handing out instructions to the rest of the royal pce¡¯s guards, almost as if he were trying toe off a sudden bout of sleep paralysis.........Elliott was left lying on the floor even as Wnski walked up to him.


    ¡°Your Highness, that was absolutely magnificent! Miss Margaret is spiritedly escaping thanks to you!¡±


    ¡°R, Really..........? Haha, then it was worthwhile using myself as a shield..........apart from that, could somebody grab me some tissues to stop this nosebleed..........¡±


    ?


    ¡°Quit running sow! I¡¯m going to change you into chopped meat for a charity stew to the slums!¡±


    ¡°Who would want to be something like that!? I am worth so much more than some cheap pork!¡±


    While throwing barbs back and forth between each other, Margaret was charging forward like a sprinter in an attempt to escape.


    Martina however was keeping pace with that speed despite wearing some heavy armor and still waving that longsword above her head.


    Fear from the destructive force of the waving sword caused any courtiers inside the royal pce to escape themselves, jumping out of the two girls¡¯ path. Every once in a while they¡¯de across some iron-d soldiers wielding shields who would try to encircle Martina and pin her down.........


    But when Margaret nced back, all she could see was those shield bearing soldiers flying through the air. Even though they should have been fully armored, one strike from that heavy sword left arge dent in their shields before blowing them away too.


    This is bad. I¡¯m going to get sliced up into a bunch of long strips.


    Just like how you¡¯d cut a daikon............hey, who has legs like a daikon!?1


    No no, one person can¡¯t try to y the funny man and a straight man on their own. Margaret was doing everything she could to try and find a ce to hide before her breathing became too ragged, purposely ducking into narrow spaces to gain some distance.


    ?


    Archduke Vivaldi was showing the Prime Minister a decorated jar he had ced near the entrance for any special guests.


    ¡°This is an earthenware jar I hadmissioned from a recently popr young potter. Wonderful, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Hoh........what a daring use of ze to add shade and enjoy the gradation.......it¡¯s enthralling.¡±


    ¡°Mm, it brings me great pride to leave works such as this for the younger generations to enjoy.¡±


    It was here that one of the Prime Minister¡¯s subordinates came running up to him looking like a flustered mess.


    ¡°Your Highness Archduke! Your Excellency Prime Minister! You must move immediately! There is a vandal rampaging through the royal pce and........¡±


    But before the assistant could even finish his sentence, urging the two confused men to withdraw........the typhoon arrived.


    ¡°Drop dead!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna!¡±


    A small girl with her hair tied up in twintails tried to hide behind the Archduke¡¯s lovely jar only for another girl with a ponytail to promptly try and cut her in two with her longsword a momentter.


    Although it looked like she had maybe missed and the jar remained intact........after a second the sound of cracking could be heard and streaks appeared throughout the jar¡¯s surface. Right after the cracks had fully formed from the sh, the whole thing exploded as if hit by some massive shockwave.


    Seeing off the storm that hade and gone in the time it would take someone to say, ¡°Huh,¡± the Archduke grumbled to the Prime Minister,


    ¡°..........it¡¯s my pride to leave this work for younger generations, but this isn¡¯t what I meant........¡±


    ?


    Although Margaret wasn¡¯t aware of it, Martina¡¯s rampages whenever Sykes was involved was famous in the pce.


    That¡¯s why all the residents of the royal pce who were in the know stayed in their rooms, desperately holding their doors closed. Most of the doors wouldn¡¯t open and the soldiers that came out every once in a while couldn¡¯t be counted on, so Margaret was left frantically running down halls without a soul in sight.


    ¡°There has to be somewhere I can escape to.........but isn¡¯t there anything I can do to gain some distance...........!?¡±


    ¡°Waaait! Quit running you so!¡±


    Martina¡¯s screams were sticking to Margaret¡¯s back like the hatred-filled roars of a vengeful spirit. Although Martina had more substance to her, making her far more terrifying. The old saying, ¡°Human beings are the scariest monsters of all,¡± crossed Margaret¡¯s mind.


    Margaret had run too much and already both her mind and body were reaching their breaking point. And the cherry on top, this hallway went in a straight line with a terrace forming a dead end in sight. On the other end of that should be the castle¡¯s za and therge fountain at its center. In other words, outside.


    Taking a nce over her shoulder, she saw that insane woman following after her had just entered the first half of the hall and wasn¡¯t having any trouble breathing at all.


    Margaret made up her mind.


    ¡°Alriiiiiiight, let¡¯s do this!¡±


    With all the strength she could muster, Margaret jumped off from the terrace........kicking off the railing with her foot to give her the biggest leap from the starting line she could get.


    The girl who jumped from the second floor terrace made a beautiful parab........leaping quite the distance and sshing down in the water fountain¡¯s square pond below.


    Margaret quickly rose to the surface, wiping the wet hair sticking to her face away, and hurriedly looked back up towards the terrace. PonytailMartina seems to have jumped off the terrace as well trying to follow after her, but when Margaret looked back, it was clear that Ponytail hadn¡¯tnded anywhere close to where she had, crashing down hard onto the marble za below the terrace.


    *CRASH*


    Although her running speed was the same as Margaret¡¯s, Martina was weighed down by her armor and her sword, so she needed a lot more power to travel as far off the terrace¡¯s railing. Margaret was barely able to make it to the za¡¯s fountain, so of course Martina fell short.


    Margaret made her way over to drynd while watching a group of soldiers cast a to try and capture the beast. She suddenly felt weak in the knees,


    ¡°............Ah~.........I¡¯m going to die soon.........¡±


    and just like that she copsed,pletely sprawled out on the ground too exhausted to move.


    ?


    Rachel closed the book she was reading and looked over at the Prison Guard sitting in the front room.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been sitting over there for quite the while today.¡±


    ¡°Ah........this seemed like the safest ce.¡±


    ?


    A few dayster.


    In one corner of the knight order¡¯s guardroom, Martina was sitting on Sykes¡¯sp, creating a lovey-dovey atmosphere while shamelessly flirting with each other.


    ¡°Hey Sykes.......do you, love me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°For our wedding ceremony, what type of dress would you like.......I¡¯m not too confident in myself. Do you think a mermaid dress would suit me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°How many children should we have? I¡¯d like to have around five.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°If Sykes is already okay with it, then at that time nobody else need reply.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    In this joyous conversation between lovebirds, Martina was cutely asking her questions as Sykes kept attempting to nod his swollen head despite the neckbrace he was wearing making it difficult and mechanically giving the exact same reply like a pull string doll. Unless you were reading their dialogue off a piece of paper, taking away Sykes¡¯s monotonous tone, it would be impossible to see these two as they are and actually think they were flirting with each other.


    Flirting together while sitting on your lover¡¯sp for anyone to see, it was the type of licentious behavior even Margaret would be too embarrassed to try.......although none of the other knights in the guardroom moved to criticize them. Everyone else moved as if they couldn¡¯t see the couple in the first ce. Putting a stop to Martina¡¯s (nned) sweet time with Sykes.........that¡¯s synonymous with suicide. Jumping off the castle walls would be a much easier way to die than being eviscerated by Martina.


    From among the knight leadership peeking at the couple from outside the guardroom window, the knightmanderSykes¡¯s Dad absentmindedly started grumbling to himself.


    ¡°It would be good if Martina¡¯s fits quietly settled down just like this........¡±


    The executives gathered around him began whispering among themselves as well.


    ¡°She keeps picking questions that can be answered even with Sykes¡¯s broken replies, so do you think that means she¡¯s actually calmed down?¡±


    ¡°No, I wonder.......? She might be just doing whatever she likes for now.¡±


    ¡°If something like a lover¡¯s quarrel were to ever happen, then it would probably lead to the other day all over again.........¡±


    With everything that had happened the other day, Martina had clearly taken a step further than the country¡¯s current high criminal, Rachel, and it wouldn¡¯t have been strange if she had been thrown in prison instead........although as long as Sykes doesn¡¯t say anything wrong, any domestic violence can slide past no questions asked.


    No, even if you were to leave Sykes¡¯s beating aside, there would also be charges of assaulting your fellow soldiers ? invading the royal pce ? talking back to a superior officer ? viting your oath ? violence against the Prince ? desertion ? destruction of property ? interfering with the duties of a civil servant ? disrespecting the Archduke ? being caught red-handed trying to assassinate the daughter of a baron¨Cthere were enough charges here to lock her up for life three times over........but everyone from as high up to the Archduke to as low as amon rank-and-file soldier wanted to avoid getting involved with that love-minded (?) Martina as much as possible, so before anyone knew it, the incident had been left unsettled with nobody wanting to pick it back up.


    So now instead, the officers of the knight order were asked toe up with preventative measures to her outbursts which was why they were all silently sitting around right now scratching their heads.


    ¡°In the end, the best thing really is to just keep them away from the royal pce. It would be the easiest way to keep any damage out of sight. This time Sykes will go with her, and they can do their newly-wedded y somewhere in the backcountry. Even if she were to go berserk there, the fort should only end up half destroyed.¡±


    Everyone there shared the deputy-chief¡¯s opinion. Meanwhile Papa¡¯splex thoughts were causing him to heavily sigh by himself.


    ¡°I¡¯d separated Martina because that girl was way too dependent on Sykes, thinking that sending her to the border might correct her personality somewhat.......but now, maybe the way forward is for Sykes to settle down and have a family?¡±


    From the window you could still see Martina excitedly asking questions as Sykes mechanically gave the same answer over and over again.


    ¡°However, Sykes is sturdy. Surviving after taking a beating like that........there was that time he managed to get over eating some rotten food from a can by just taking a bath too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good point.........but¡±


    The knightmander looked around to the other knights gathered around him and suddenly changed the subject.


    ¡°Miss Ferguson was involved with this incident as well?¡±


    ¡°The person in question readily admits to it. She apparently sent Martina a letter telling her everything that was going on.¡±


    ¡°Well if you wanted to get rid of Sykes, then telling Martina about Miss Poisson is a surefire way of doing it.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t do anything wrong, yet she was the cause of all this trouble........¡±


    The knightmander gazed up towards the wide open sky.


    ¡°If His Majesty¡¯s party doesn¡¯te back soon........I¡¯m afraid Miss Ferguson¡¯s escting harassment may just bring the royal pce to ruin.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, I wonder what kind of hand she¡¯ll y next.¡±


    ¡°Why are you saying something so ominous!? Talk like that and something even worse than now will end up happening!¡±


    Nheless........so long as Prince Elliott and Rachel¡¯s rtionship remains as is, then there is no doubt something like this will end up happening again.


    The heads of the knight order¡¯s executives hung low, crestfallen while imagining the bleak future yet toe.


    1. So the joke is pretty self-exnatory here. You do cut daikons lengthwise into long strips. Also the Japanese term for cankles or just fat legs literally trantes to daikon legs. So the the line would more directly trante in english as just, ¡°Just like how you¡¯d cut a daikon........hey, who has fat legs!?¡±

 Chapter 35 - Noblewoman Keeps a Pet

    <strong>Noblewoman Keeps a Pet</strong>


    In the backyard of the castle, an elderly man wearing fine tailored clothes and another man in the prime of his life were taking a walk. Just from hearing their voices you could tell it was the Archduke/Prime Ministerbo.


    ¡°I heard about it. Apparently that potter promised to immediately make a recement jar for the one that had been split in half the other day?¡±


    ¡°Umu, he felt sorry for me after hearing the story. He¡¯s prioritizing this order over ones he¡¯s already taken.......after that, he¡¯s going to beid up for a while. It puts my mind at ease just a bit.¡±


    As the men were talking they came to the bank of the pond, and the Archduke nced up at a tree growing by the water¡¯s edge.


    ¡°Oh, the fruits have ripened.¡±


    Clusters of small red fruits the size of a child¡¯s hand had grown all throughout the tree¡¯s crown. It was quite the good harvest causing the Archduke to narrow his eyes in delight.


    ¡°I nted this crab apple tree almost ten years ago thinking that some delicious fruit next to the watering hole would attract more birds.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness......I heard people really couldn¡¯t eat crab apples because of their taste, but do birds favor them then?¡±


    ¡°This is a special pollinated breed of crab apples. I mixed together some regr McIntosh apples with the crab apples. I nted some of the typical McIntosh and.........hmm, this year¡¯s batch is almost ready to eat. I can already almost see the teeth marks on them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right huh.............um, isn¡¯t there actually something up there?¡±


    The Archduke quickly looked over where the Prime Minister was pointing at.


    ¡°Hoh, what lovely white fluff.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that fluffy hair really looks soft.........a monkey?¡±


    The two men turned their heads to look at each other before rubbing their eyes and taking another look up towards the tree.


    Sure enough, up at the tree¡¯s top was a monkey leaping from one branch to another. It¡¯s whole body was covered in short, light hair and a tail that was almost thirty centimeters in length. For some reason that monkey was carrying a basket on its back, picking and choosing the tastiest looking apples touched by sunlight and tossing them in his basket.


    ¡°A monkey............is it¡±


    ¡°It really is, a monkey. I have never heard of a monkeying by the royal pce before.¡±


    He was probably a monkey somebody kept to help carry tools around. But even so, what was it doing running around the royal pce on its own..........


    The monkey continued to show good workmanship in its harvesting, only stopping at one point to nibble on a fruit for himself. He made to throw away the leftover core after finishing off the sweet flesh........when he noticed the two men watching him.


    A minute passed as the monkey and the men continued just staring at each other.


    The monkey eventually began plucking some good-looking fruits near him and suddenly threw five or six of them at the men¡¯s faces.


    ¡°Uwah!?¡±


    ¡°Why!?¡±


    After the monkey was finished tossing his apples, he winked at the men, giving them a thumbs up with arge grin stered across its face.


    That face, it was almost as if,


    {You guys hungry? It¡¯s my treat, so eat up.}


    he was saying something like that.


    Once the monkey had filled his basket, he skipped along the branches and jumped down off of the tree.


    ¡°Oh my, that monkey........he¡¯s so manly.¡±1


    ¡°Quite, it really makes your heart pound.¡±


    The Archduke and Prime Minister watched the monkey as itnded on the ground.........and with his mission done, they saw him off as he ran across thewn on his hands and feet, heading right into the venttion window Enrique(temporary name) had disappeared to so long ago.


    From inside they could just make out the words of a young woman.


    ¡°Well Haley, you picked a lot. Good boy, thank you.¡±


    The Archduke and Prime Minister shared another look.


    ¡°He seems more reliable than Elliott doesn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°It seems like Miss Rachel finally found herself a good man.¡±


    ?


    Prince Elliott was in a foul mood.


    ¡°Damn......I couldn¡¯t protect Sykes.........¡±


    The rest of his followers were in tears over the information as well.


    ¡°I went to see him off during yesterday¡¯s departure........he looked like his spirit had beenpletely drained, like a bull that¡¯s fully realized its about to be pulled into a ughterhouse........ah, the tears are.......¡±


    Wnski looked up to the ceiling with a grief-stricken expression.


    ¡°At least......at least if Miss Evans were to start rubbing against him, Sykes might be able to float.........¡±


    ¡°No he won¡¯t.¡±


    Elliott loaded all of his irritation into a fist and mmed it into his desk.


    ¡°Damn, this is all Rachel¡¯s fault! Isn¡¯t calling Martina against the rules!? To think the damage to the royal pce and the knight¡¯s order would be sorge........plus, everyone keeps saying that woman is our responsibility............¡±


    Swirling unpleasant thoughts made everyone in the room quiet down, the only noise disrupting the silence being one man¡¯s sniffling nose. That somber atmosphere inside Elliott¡¯s office was only disrupted thanks to the sudden entrance of a chambein carrying an urgent memo from the Archduke himself.


    ¡°What does His Highness the Archduke want?¡±


    ¡°.......it¡¯s Rachel again........¡±


    ¡°.........I figured¡±


    Once he had finished reading, Elliott angrily threw the memo aside, mming his hand onto his desk.


    ¡°That bastard, this time she¡¯s taking fruit from the backyard..........she¡¯s trained a monkey to harvest apples from a tree!¡±


    ¡°........................huh?¡±


    ?


    Noticing the clumsy footsteps of Elliott that she had grown so ustomed to, Rachel raised her head from the book she was reading while lying back on her recliner.


    ¡°It¡¯s Your Highness, you¡¯re hereter than usual.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you! ..........You, this is how you react when your prince hase!? Stand up and bow!¡±


    ¡°I would if I could, but I have this child.¡±


    Elliott looked inside the cell after hearing Rachel¡¯s strange and emotionless response......finding a small monkey sleeping on top of Rachel¡¯s belly.


    Its mouth was moving slightly, looking like it was having a good, deep sleep on top of a mattress rather than the daughter of a noble.


    Or well, something just as good.


    ¡°........Oi, you¡¯re not saying you can¡¯t stand up and greet me because you don¡¯t want to wake up that monkey are you?¡±


    ¡°It just can¡¯t be helped. For pet owners, their pets are more important than anything else in the world.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped at all!? Don¡¯t think that type of self-indulgence will work in regr society!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness shouldn¡¯t be making such a sound argument, it gives a ba~d feeling.¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t even talking about pets anymore are we!? Isn¡¯t that an insult perfectly aimed at me!?¡±


    All of the ruckus ended up causing the monkey sleeping on top of Rachel to open his eyes. He noticed some rare guests while still feeling a little drowsy.


    Elliott and the monkey¡¯s eyes met.


    ¡°So then Rachel, who is this guy?¡±


    ¡°This child? He¡¯s the white-tailed monkey Haley. Haley, can you say hello?¡±


    Following Rachel¡¯s words, the monkey took a look at his master before turning his head back to Elliott and raising his right hand.


    {Yo}


    ¡°That¡¯s not it Haley. That¡¯s for people you¡¯re close to.¡±


    Realizing his mistake Haley stood up and started smacking his ass while sticking it up at Elliott.


    {Don¡¯t you evere here again?}


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that either? Haley, take a proper look at the other party and say hello.¡±


    Haley stared closely at Elliott before standing up, putting both thumbs into his ears, and while keeping his other fingers unfurled, stuck out his tongue to give him a raspberry.


    {Stupid Stupid}


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Your Highness. It looks like he can¡¯t remember how to do it.¡±


    ¡°And yet his bad intentions got through just fine! Is this monkey your rtive or something!? How have you been teaching him!?¡±


    ¡°Very carefully and with lots of love.¡±


    ¡°Did you not teach him manners!? Common sense!?¡±


    ¡°You tterer¡±


    Elliott pointed towards the now yawning monkey.


    ¡°In the first ce, why is this guy here!?¡±


    Rachel put her hand to her cheek and smiled with a smallugh.


    ¡°It seems like he got lonely at my mansion, so he came here to meet with me.¡±


    Hearing her say it as if it was the most natural thing in the world, Elliott calcted the distance between the Ferguson ducal mansion and the royal pce in his head. It was roughly thirty minutes by carriage.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying!? Isn¡¯t there a considerable distance between your home and here!? That monkey should have never made it here!¡±


    The monkey pulled out a hand-drawn map that had been folded in half.


    ¡°Apparently a maid drew out a map, and he followed the pathid out for him.¡±


    ¡°What is the gatekeeper doing!? Don¡¯t just let the monkey through!¡±


    ¡°The gates here are practically open doors, ahahahaha¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the royal pce!? It¡¯s not something you should beughing about!?


    Elliott coughed and readjusted himself.


    ¡°I received aint that your monkey took some fruit grown for the birds without permission.¡±


    Elliott pointed towards the monkey that was nkly staring back at him.


    ¡°You can¡¯t keep a pet while in prison! Throw it away!¡±


    ¡°I, can¡¯t toss him away because I cannot leave myself.¡±


    ¡°Then let him go home on his own!¡±


    Hearing the Prince¡¯s orders, Rachel and her monkey hugged each other close.


    ¡°Haley, did you hear? His Highness wants to force you out into the city on your own......isn¡¯t he just terrible? Doesn¡¯t he have any empathy? What if you were to get lost and end up dead on the street? What will happen to this country if such a person were to end up as our next king? Our future really is bleak.¡±


    ¡°Ook............¡±


    Elliott began angrily yelling at the master and servant who were embracing each other with tears in their eyes.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you already make it all the way here by yourself!? If this small animal can make it to the royal pce one way, can¡¯t he return home with no problem!?¡±


    ¡°Oh how surprising, he came to a logical conclusion.¡±


    ¡°Ook¡±


    ¡°You were using crocodile tears together!? What a skillful pet, huh!?¡±


    As Elliott was raging on his own, Haley walked over to the iron bars, climbing up and suddenly presenting the prince with a crab apple.


    ¡°Hm? What?¡±


    ¡°Ook. Ookeke¡±


    Elliott unconsciously took the apple in hand while the monkey was saying something to him he didn¡¯t understand. Pulling open the book she was reading before, Rachel offered him a trantion.


    ¡°{Because you took one too, you¡¯replicit}, is what he¡¯s saying.¡±


    ¡°Is this guy really a monkey!?¡±


    The monkey climbed back on Rachel¡¯s belly as she sat back in her recliner. Sprawled across Rachel, he started using Rachel¡¯s chest as a pillow before ncing back at Elliott.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Holding Elliott¡¯s gaze, the monkey purposely bounced his head against his master¡¯s chest, emphasizing what he was feeling while giving Elliott a meaningful grin.


    ¡°.........this guy¡±


    The monkey went a step forward, sticking his tongue out at Elliott, putting his thumb to his nose and fluttering his outstretched fingers in a taunt.


    ¡°You, you son of a bitch!¡±


    Rachel nced over Elliott who had so suddenly started to yell.


    ¡°What¡¯s happened so suddenly, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°This primate is trying to make a monkey out of me!¡±


    ¡°Are you implying that a monkey said something to you?¡±


    ¡°No, but!? This guy just made me an aplice!¡±


    ¡°I just told you that on my own ord. Please use somemon sense.¡±


    ¡°Common senseing from you.......¡±


    ¡°A monkey can¡¯t do something like that. Your Highness really has a persecutionplex.¡±


    ¡°Damn.........! Fu, well then! Obviously a monkey isn¡¯t on the same level as me!¡±


    Bluffing his strength while looking down on the monkey, the monkey returned a provocative smirk after watching him get scolded by Rachel.


    ¡°This son of a bitch.......¡±


    While Elliott was grinding his teeth, the monkey noticed something behind Elliott and peeked around him. Margaret had arrived......


    The monkey¡¯s eyes had opened wide in shock, but soon an evilugh came out of his mouth as he peered back into Elliott¡¯s downturned re.


    {Wow, you have those kinds of hobbies!? Uwaaa, what poor taste!}


    ¡°Bastard! Come out here so I can beat you to death!¡±


    ¡°Again, what is it Your Highness......¡±


    ¡°This primate is doing everything he can to make me and Margaret seem stupid!¡±


    ¡°Eh, me!?¡±


    Hearing her name suddenly called out left Margaret quite surprised. But seeing the monkey further in the room brought a bright smile to her face.


    prison life v2 6


    ¡°Uwaa, such a cute monkey~!¡±


    With Margaret¡¯s excited voice filling the room, the monkey made a cute face while waving his fluffy tail about.


    ¡°So what did this child do?¡±


    ¡°Gu.........!?¡±


    There¡¯s no way the prince¡¯s heart would allow him to say it out loud.


    ¡°.........it¡¯s impossible for me to say it to another person in all sorts of ways.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.........in this short amount of time, just how well did youe to understand a monkey...........¡±


    Th prince¡¯s followers were all starting to look at him with suspicion as well.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not........¡±


    And hearing the pitiful attempt to give an exnation, Rachel decided to kick him while he was down.


    ¡°Monkeys can¡¯t speak in a specifguage, so you obviously cannot understand what they¡¯re trying to say in fine detail........but maybe His Highness unconsciously thinks the monkey is saying something because he identifies with him so well.¡±


    ¡°Gugu........!?¡±


    Elliott was grinding his teeth, surrounded by people who didn¡¯t understand, as the monkey in front of him was making an evil grin, shaking his fist at the prince.


    {Finished already? Hey, you finished already?}


    ¡°Bastaaaaaaaaard! It¡¯s already unforgivable, so get ready to be rust on my saber!¡±


    Not caring if the edge was going to get nicked, Elliott drew out his de and started randomly swinging it at the bars of the cell.


    ¡°Your Highness, what happened!?¡±


    ¡°Please get a hold of yourself! Calm yourself, calm yourself!¡±


    ¡°Ah, if only Sykes were here for times like this......¡±


    The hanger-ons were all making a mor, trying to pin down Elliott who had flown into a rage.


    ¡°Elliott, please calm down!¡±


    Elliott overexerted himself to the point where every breath he took was a stunted wheeze with Margaret desperately clinging to his waist before the prince finally began to back off a little.


    ¡°What happened!?¡±


    ¡°That primate, that primate is screwing with me..........!¡±


    ¡°The monkey is just lying down, not doing much of anything.¡±


    ¡°That guy is a crafty piece of shit! It¡¯s only when nobody else is looking..........!¡±


    Elliott turned his eyes back to the cell as he spoke, but when he looked, he found that that shady monkey was no longer resting on Rachel¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Huh? That guy, where.........!?¡±


    Elliott¡¯s eyes involuntarily started searching around, before long finding the monkey on the floor right next to the cell bars.


    The monkey was squatting down low on the ground, carefully lifting the edge of Margaret¡¯s skirt so he could peer underneath. When he noticed Elliott¡¯s gaze, the monkey pointed to some white cloth as if to convey a message.


    {They¡¯re white.}


    ¡°They¡¯re white!?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s white?¡±


    ¡°Eh!? No, that.........¡±


    Elliott was stuck trying to give Margaret an answer when she had heard his outburst but didn¡¯t notice the monkey. There was absolutely no way he was going to admit that a monkey had told him the color of her panties.


    Elliott was acting dubiously, and besides his close allies, even Rachel¡¯s gaze was starting to hurt.


    How could he exin though when nobody would ever believe that a monkey could show such human-like behavior. He started chewing on his lip worried about what he could say.........


    Elliott suddenly noticed the monkey was leaning its elbow against his leg, and when their eyes met, the monkey put out its hands and shrugged his shoulders.


    {You¡¯ve found yourself in quite the sticky situation}


    ¡°Who do you think¡¯s fault this is, you primaaaaaaaaaaaaaate!!¡±


    ¡°KYAAAAAAAA!?¡±


    Elliott began wildly brandishing his saber at his own feet. Margaret screamed while his followers scrambled to get out of the way.


    ¡°Your Highness, calm down!¡±


    ¡°A doctor, somebody call a doctor!¡±


    The monkey was just able to avoid the de¡¯s edge, retreating back to the safety of the other side of the jail cell and jumping into Rachel¡¯s bosom.


    ¡°Haley, are you all right!?¡±


    ¡°Ook........ook, ook, ookeke............ook? Ook, ook............¡±


    The monkey was making an adorable face as tears streamed down its cheeks, and with his head buried in Rachel¡¯s chest, he was making all kinds of hand signals and motions to indicate just how much Elliott had scared him.


    ¡°Oh, poor Haley. You must have been so frightened.........were you scared?¡±


    ¡°Ook..........¡±


    ¡°Your Highness! Picking a fight with an ordinary monkey is too low!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I will! This primate thinks he can just keep having his fun.........!?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying this monkey has done!? He¡¯s tugged on some people¡¯s clothes a little and taken a few things? Such crimes and you go right for your sword..........!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right Elliott! Isn¡¯t everything Rachel just said correct?¡±


    ¡°Margaret, I was........¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.......maybe you should settle down for a bit? Come on, let¡¯s return to your office and have some tea.........¡±


    ¡°You guys too!?¡±


    No one would believe him.


    ¡°Ookeke.........¡±


    ¡°There there Haley. Did you have to suffer a terrible experience? Do you want to cry? Good boy good boy, I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    ¡°Elliott, you know you can¡¯t just bully a monkey right? Hmph!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, this saber won¡¯t be able to cut anything anymore........how are you going to exin this to your instructor?¡±


    While all of his followers joined together in rebuking him, Elliott¡¯s gaze locked with the monkey still hugging Rachel¡¯s chest. At an angle where nobody else could see, that primate Haley was making a wicked smile to pronounce his victory.


    ¡°.......I¡¯m the one who wants to cryyyyyyyyyyyy!!¡±


    Elliott¡¯s shout echoed throughout the prison.


    ?


    When Elliott¡¯s group finally returned, the Archduke who just so happened to cross their path spoke up.


    ¡°How was it? Did you ask Miss Rachel about the monkey?¡±


    ¡°That is........¡±


    As all of his aides turned to look back at him, Elliott¡¯s resentment bubbled over into another shout.


    ¡°It¡¯s FINE!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that..........¡±


    ¡°............that¡¯s how it went.¡±


    ?


    Rachel pulled out some supplies Haley had brought with him when he arrived the other day. From them she gave Haley a rare tropical fruit called a banana.


    ¡°Yes, here¡¯s your reward Haley. You did a good job.¡±


    ¡°Ookeke!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s the owner, so of course she understands Haley¡¯s true nature.


    ?


    A few dayster


    The Archduke was sitting at his desk, rolling around a crab apple in front of him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that it¡¯s His Highness¡¯s share............his yearly stipend is being given to the monkey.¡±


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t think he would¡¯ve wanted his share anyway..........¡±


    1. I really wanted to write down ¡°What a bro¡± here, but I figured some old politicians wouldn¡¯t say something like that. At least they¡¯re saying it in my mind.

 Chapter 36 - Monkey Goes For a Walk in the Royal Palace

    <h4>Monkey Goes For a Walk in the Royal Pce</h4>


    Noticing the room had started to brighten up, Haley rubbed his half-open, sleep-weighted eyes. The outside light filled the stone room. Morning hade.


    Right when he was thinking it was about time to get up, something lightly hugged his body, pulling him back in. It looks like he had sleptst night while being held by his master.


    ¡°Ook (What to do..........)¡±


    With how today was, there was nothing for him to do other than wait for his master to open her eyes. It¡¯s not like his schedule for the early morning was jam packed. And besides, it would be too pitiful if he were to wake up to an empty bed tomorrow because he interfered with a cute girl¡¯s snoozing now.


    ?


    After spending another two hours in bed, the master woke up and started preparing herself breakfast with Haley taking a seat next to her.


    Haley has a very basic diet, consisting of mostly fresh fruit. There were also some vegetables he would pick himself from outside that could be eaten just as they were.


    He was capable of eating meat or bread, but Rachel refused to give him too much cooked food. She would say something strange like, ¡°Cooked meals are saltier.........¡± even though saltier foods taste better.1


    One thing about this stone room that he didn¡¯t fully understand is that there were no servants attending to his master like when they were at home. And so there were none of those beautiful older maids around to pamper him. However this did mean he could spend all day with Rachel instead. That was good in its own way.


    Once breakfast is done and his master has finished brushing him, Haley is ready for the rest of the day. He might spend a little time afterwards ying with his master, otherwise he¡¯d go out for a walk¨Cespecially if it seems like there was nothing else to do.


    Today there were neither any errands for him to run nor anybody to y with. So he used bodynguage to inform Rachel that he was going to go for a walk before heading outside through the venttion window.


    ?


    For now, Haley walked through the castle¡¯s backyard towards a nearby corridor while picking up trash off the ground and storing it in the basket always carried on his back. He made it a point to do this as much as possible when walking through a ce with high foot traffic.


    ¡°Oh Mister Monkey, you¡¯re picking up trash? Howmendable.¡±


    ¡°So cute~¡±


    While giving the girls sending him some encouragement a wave, Haley continued picking up any trash he found. It was always nice doing this where other people could see. His master¡¯s reputation would go up when he did things like this, so he tried to do it as much as possible whenever he went outside.


    As Haley threw the things he had collected into a garbage can he found, one of the blonde idiot¡¯s minions passed by. He was together with a girl and the two had a pretty good atmosphere going. The type of atmosphere where they were probably about to start holding each other¡¯s hand any second now.


    ¡°Huh? That monkey is surely, Miss Ferguson¡¯s pet...........?¡±


    ¡°Eh? But that noblewoman, isn¡¯t she in prison? Why is her pet in the royal pce...........?¡±


    Now Haley was a clever monkey. This guy might be one of the blonde idiot¡¯s minions, but he might get along better with Rachel if Haley were to give him something good here.


    But what would be a good gift...........that¡¯s it. Yesterday in a building filled with guys carrying weapons, Haley had picked up a book <i>ced behind a shelf</i> in a room lined with beds and kept it in his basket until now.


    ¡°Ook¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes rounded as the small monkey handed something to him. In order to increase his overall favorability rating, Haley made sure to give his biggest, most sincere smile. The emotion you project onto others is always important for things like this.


    ¡°Huh? What would a monkey..........um, <i>A Hundred Ways to Bed a Naive Girl.......</i>EHHHHHHHH!?¡±


    ¡°..............Hey you, what exactly are you having a monkey go buy for you..........!¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong! What reason could I have to ask a monkey for such a book!?¡±


    ¡°I, just because I was born and raised outside of the city........ Heh, so you thought I¡¯d easily get up in bed with you......?¡±


    ¡°D, don¡¯t be ridiculous! I never asked for this, truly!¡±


    ¡°Well then why, is this monkey handing you this.........¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! It really wasn¡¯t me!¡±


    Haley watched as the womanughed.


    ¡°Hey Mister Monkey. Did this guy ask you for that book?¡±


    Not understanding what the woman was trying to say, Haley assumed she was overjoyed by the gift because of howrge her smile was. Haley decided to do the man a favor and raise his stock even more. That¡¯s why the monkey smiled back with a confident nod.


    ¡°Now, see! Why¡¯s he even saying he got it for you!?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I¡¯m not lying! There¡¯s no reason why I¡¯d do something to you with this book!¡±


    ¡°So what? You really were just trying to hit on some countryside girl who doesn¡¯t know her right from her left!? You suck!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never thought something like that; I¡¯m not lying!!¡±


    It seems like these two humans were fighting over the book they had been given.


    Was it a good thing that these two wanted to monopolize it until the very end.........perhaps it would have been better to give it to Rachel after all. Haley was starting to feel a little regret, but he can¡¯t just ask for it back at this point. Haley decided it would be best to just leave these two be and rush ahead.


    <i>But, why. Because it¡¯s a book, can¡¯t you just take turns reading it?</i>


    Haley was unable to understand the mania behind rare books.


    Of course, that wasn¡¯t what was going on right now.


    ?


    After he finished picking up trash, Haley climbed up the tree with all the red fruits in it. He had been eating very well thanks to this tree, and there were still numerous fruits that had yet to ripen.


    He made sure to only ever pick the fruits that hadpletely reached maturity, and shared them with others for their lunch along with his. There was that one plump, older human man he had given part of his harvest before for instance when he had noticed that human watching him. As humans get older, their motor skills dull and they can¡¯t climb up trees like Haley can. Because he can grab the fruit without much trouble, why not hand some over so that those weaklings can eat some too?


    After he finished picking his harvest, Haley jumped to the overhang of a nearby building, aiming to go visit that fat man¡¯s room. Rachel¡¯s mansion was quiterge, but this ce was even more so, making movement here quite difficult.


    On his way, Haley came across a road where carriages frequently drove. Because such roads are often crowded with those carriages and even people walking on foot, great care must be taken whenever crossing one.


    While thinking so Haley took a look around, spotting a rope tied to both ends of the street that would be perfect.


    <i>Just right. Let¡¯s cross this and get to the other side.</i>


    .........was what he thought.


    When he reached about halfway across though, Haley realized his error in judgement.


    The knot on the other side of the rope was slowly bing undone.


    Apparently the original knot wasn¡¯t done properly, and the vibrations from Haley crossing over didn¡¯t help the situation.


    Even for Haley a fall from a height nearly three stories up would be dangerous. He might be able to do a ukemi if he were to throw away his back basket, but then all the red fruits he had collected would go to waste.


    His body moved before his mind could tell it to, dashing down the line in the direction he was aiming for. Dropping down was out of the question and turning back would take up too much time, so the only choice he had was to push on through from the front.


    Fortunately, while the knot was loose, it hadn¡¯t given awaypletely yet. The rate at which the rope was bing unfastened slowed slightly, and Haley was just able to make it to shore before plummeting to the ground below.


    ¡°Ook.......¡±


    A cool chill hadpletely run through the monkey¡¯s body. He would have to make sure to check more properly from now on.


    Haley reflected on his lesson while wiping the beads of sweat that had formed off of his forehead before tying the end of the rope he was just able to catch before it fell to the metal fitting.


    It would be difficult for a human to bring the rope back up to this height again. With Haley¡¯s weight it would be impossible for him to make the ropepletely taut again, but so long as the end remains it would be quick work for somebody to just do some repairs.


    After finishing up his clever patch job, Haley once again departed for his destination feeling good about the service he had done.


    ?


    ¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s been too long since I rode a horse like this!¡±


    The knightmander Sir Abigail was feeling hearty after pushing his horse into a run for the first time in so long, and was rushing his horse to go even faster.


    ¡°Captain, we¡¯re still in the royal pce! Isn¡¯t it dangerous to go so fast!?¡±


    Hearing the vain cries of his escorts so desperately trying to keep up with him, Sir Abigail released a thunderousugh.


    It was only recently that his son had been faced with a problem and subjected to an exile-like punishment, and he was feeling rather depressed as a result. Thinking about it, it had been a long time since he had inspected the suburban troops garrison, and even longer since he had ridden a horse as hard as it could go. There is an invigorating feeling when you move your body, and even the sour knightmander was perking up with his blood pumping like this.


    ¡°Is this the selfishness of a royal officer? You¡¯re likely to cause an ident with you galloping off like this!¡±


    Even though he was far from the battlefield, the knightmander was an old-fashioned knight who refused to sit while riding, traveling every day down themuter path towering over everyone else atop his massive war horse. From the condition of the road¡¯s surface to every corner, he had be so familiar with the path that he could travel down the road without needing to pay any attention to his surroundings.


    ...........and because of that, he was toote in noticing the drooping rope that had not been there this morning.


    ¡°*GUFUU!!*¡±


    The knightmander didn¡¯t notice the rope until about two seconds before he hit it, and unable to react in time, it caught Sir Abigail right in the throat, forcing him out of his saddle and hoisting him above the road.


    ¡°Captain!?¡±


    Theirmanding officer haphazardly dangling on a rope by his neck high off the ground. Seeing that figure, the two escorts who had lost sight of him on the winding road for only a second had their nerves crushed.


    Just what was this!?


    What had happened, it was impossible for them to guess. Being suddenly confronted with something like this.........you could say that would be natural. But because they were so shocked, they neglected to heel their own horses.........and after a few seconds, they joined their superior in his fate.


    ?


    The Archduke was looking through the mountain of documents loaded up onto his desk that needed to be signed when the Prime Minister walked in.


    ¡°It looks like even His Highness is bogged down by paperwork.¡±


    ¡°Umu, it¡¯s a lot of work just looking through them all.¡±


    The Archduke started to clean up some of his clutter as he talked, taking a sip from his already cold tea with a weary look on his face.


    ¡°Since His Majesty isn¡¯t hear right now, it falls on me to make the decisions around here. Originally all this should fall on Elliott¡¯s shoulders.......but he thinks this all trivial and has allowed it to pile up like this.¡±


    ¡°The matter with His Highness the Prince really is troubling. He¡¯s already an adult, yet he isn¡¯t showing any practical work experience. Like this his investiture will........¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Much of the funds that go to holding the harvest festivale from the fees for these business permits. Who knows what would happen if you were to leave them up to a minor chambein¡¯s discretion. If Elliott can¡¯t even keep track of these, then in the future........¡±


    When ites to distributing work, this would fall under the purview of an assigned official¡¯s duty. But with the King gone and Elliott throwing a fuss, it fell on the Archduke to take care of it personally instead.


    Suddenly a chambein rushed into the room.


    ¡°Urgent report. Earlier in the road in front of the central gate, the knightmander and two of his subordinates were knocked off of their horses by a low-hanging rope and have been injured!¡±


    The Archduke and Prime Minister shared a look.


    ¡°Really, what are they doing.........they travel that way to work every day, so what could have caused all of them to get into an ident?¡±


    The cause had already run away.


    ¡°It was only just the other day that that out of control girl left with themander¡¯s son, so perhaps the knights were just feeling a little off?¡±


    ¡°So the knightmander was careless and was injured by identally running into some rope..........seriously, what is Sir Abigail doing?¡±


    The Archduke and Prime Minister rose up with a deep, deep sigh. What can be said about the knightmander, a high-ranking member of the administration, getting into an ident right in front of the royal pce? When ites down to it, the Archduke had to investigate the incident otherwise he would never be able to exin this to the King.


    ¡°I wonder why there have been so many incidents like this recently.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been like this, ever since His Highness Elliott asked that his engagement be terminated.........¡±


    The three men left the room with the chambein taking the lead.


    A small wind blew through the Archduke¡¯s now vacant office.


    Haley had opened the room¡¯s window, carrying his back basket with him.


    Looking around and finding nobody there, Haley made a meek noise.


    ¡°Ook..........¡±


    It looks like the old man wasn¡¯t here. Apparently. Picking all that fruit must have taken too much time.


    Haley climbed up on the desk as if it were natural and dumped out about half a basket¡¯s worth of apples. Because Haley¡¯s basket was small, it only amounted to fix or six apples, but that was still a good portion size.


    <i>No, perhaps it would only be a light snack for a man of that size...........</i>


    About to head back home, Haley noticed some paper underneath the red fruit.


    He recognized this half-finished work. It was the same kind of documents that his master and his master¡¯s father had to work through. All you had to do was put a signature in the space at the bottom, and you were done.


    And Haley just so happened to be able to make such a signature.


    There was one time when arge amount of documents that Rachel needed to sign had piled up, and after watching her from the side for a bit, he became able to closely mimic the way that Rachel would sign. His master had said to him, ¡°Would you like to sign some yourself?¡± at the time..............and if it¡¯s that old man, the amount of papers here would probably be difficult for him to sign alone.


    So Haley picked up the pen that had been left sitting on the desk, and after observing how the old man signed his name, Haley tried to copy it.


    Haley can only recognize the characters as shapes like a drawing, but when hepared his finished work to the original, they certainly looked simr.


    <i>All right.</i>


    Haley silently moved his pen, putting the ones he finished in the neat, stacked up pile with all the others that had already been done. After four, five minutes he was leftpletely satisfied.


    <i>Yosh, that guy¡¯s work should be reduced considerably with this.</i>


    After helping like that, Haley started to get hungry though. It would be good to eat outside somewhere in a well-ventted ce.


    So Haley picked up his basket once again, reopened the window, and headed back out.


    Later on, two events that the Archduke would normally have rejected at a nce, the ¡°Royal Capitol Main Street Nudist Parade¡± and the ¡°First Annual Strange Food Fighter National Convention¡±2 wound up having their applications epted with direct approval from the Archduke himself.


    ?


    A nice smell wasing from the first floor of the building where that blonde idiot lived. So Haley took a peek through the window.


    A group of people all dressed in white were busily moving around, using various different tools to make something. Haley had traveled around and seen a lot at Rachel¡¯s house, so he knew that these people were all professional chefs.


    ¡°His Highness¡¯s lunch break is almost here, so hurry up!¡±


    There was one older man who looked to be the leader shouting out orders while the rest of the younger workers moved around doing a number of different things at the same time.


    One of those workers ran up to his boss while carrying a te with something that looked very delicious on it.


    ¡°A main dish of sausage with gravy. In the recipe, the sausage is supposed to be liver, but............?¡±


    ¡°Right, His Highness hates liver. He¡¯ll have no problem if you use frankfurter instead though.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    You could hear a woman¡¯s voice from outside the room, and the head chef headed out to talk to her. Most of the other cooks left as well, carrying pots and the other dishes they had made, leaving just one person behind who ventured out the front door to one of the outside warehouses to refill their now barren supply of food.


    Haley usually only ate fruits and vegetables, but he was able to eat just about anything. If he could get his hands on it, Haley could definitely enjoy a sandwich or even steak.


    But recently Rachel had only been giving him fruit, with no meat being served at all.


    And so, Haley broke into the now unmanned kitchen.


    He immediately went for the dish the young chef had talked to his boss about.


    It had a shape somewhat simr to a banana, and it looked delicious.


    Haley¡¯s mouth was salivating..........and so he picked up the hot sausage with his bare hand, a little steaming from the juicy meat as he sunk his teeth into it.


    <i>As I thought, meat tastes different. The taste of steak is tighter and more filling while this is a stranger taste with no hard parts in it. I don¡¯t hate it though.</i>


    Haley ravenously went after the sausage, and before he knew it, both of the sausages that had been on the te were now sittingfortably in his belly. He then turned to a <ruby>white, soft mound<rt>baked potato</rt></ruby> sitting to the side. The potato tasted like someone had kneaded milk together. This was also lip-smackingly delicious.


    In the end, Haley finally noticed that the only thing left on the ce were a few vegetables with some sshes of gravy here and there.


    Haley patted his bulging stomach, when a realization suddenly hit him.


    <i>..........this, did I do something bad?</i>


    Even Haley knew you weren¡¯t supposed to steal somebody else¡¯s food. It is, even if that other person is that blonde idiot. And taking away another person¡¯s food would assuredly look bad on the monkey¡¯s boss as well.


    The unusually upset Haley started to frantically take a look around the empty room. If he were to just leave it as is, he was afraid Rachel might punish himter.


    Looking up at the workbench, he found several pots containing both the brown sauce and those white lumps........after that, it would just be that meat that bends in the middle like a banana.


    He searched all he could, but there was no banana. And the people who were making it before were probably going to be back soon.


    Haley impatiently opened a nearby small door.......and found a lot of things that looked simr to what he was looking for hanging down from the ceiling.


    <i>Great! This will do fine.</i>


    The color was a little darker than what he had eaten, but they smelled the same, so he thought it would be fine. More than anything, there wasn¡¯t any time to find something else.


    Pulling down two of the fake bananas from the ceiling that were connected together, Haley made sure to properly cut them in half before setting them down on the te. Un, the size was just about right.


    From inside the storage room, Haley had retrieved some blood sausage (uncooked) and some liver sausage (obviously uncooked as well) and arranged them on the te, pouring on plenty of gravy with thedle he had pulled from the pot. There, now you couldn¡¯t tell the difference.


    As for the white lumps, they felt a little softer than what he had just eaten. Haley found some white powder sitting next to the pot however and poured it in, stirring for a moment, and when he checked the lumps again, they felt about as hard as the one he had eaten before. It should be fine like this.


    Haley had mixed in enough flour into the pot that the boiling water hardened into its own white sauce which he added on as a little extra bonus.


    It was just as the monkey was finishing up covering any evidence of his presence there when the chefs returned.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°For some reason our main dish feels like it¡¯s gotten cold..........?¡±


    ¡°His Highness has a cat¡¯s tongue anyway, so it¡¯s fine. Now hurry up and bring it to him!¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±


    The cooks once again disappeared from the kitchen, allowing Haley to suddenly spring out from his hiding spot on top of a shelf.


    <i>Excellent..........now I wonder if Master........¡±</i>


    Haley opened back up the room filled with the banana-looking meat, and once inside, he put back on his back basket. Since he was already there, he might as well pick another <i>harvest</i>.


    ?


    Having grabbed a couple of souvenirs as well, Haley decided to return to Rachel. He had had quite a few adventures today as well.


    Just as the sun had started to fall once again in the backyard, Haley plopped along back towards the dungeon filled with a sense of satisfaction.


    Haley returned home,pletely unaware how his actions affected his surroundings.


    ?


    As Haleyid down, tired from all his ying for the day, Rachel was staring at him feeling quite puzzled.


    ¡°This child, I wonder where in the world he got blood sausage from........for that matter, I don¡¯t have a pot in here to cook any of it..........¡±


    ¡°My Lady, should I take it home with me?¡±


    ¡°No, Haley won¡¯t be satisfied unless he sees me eat them.......just bring me a pot the next time you stop by.¡±


    Hearing the conversation of the two in a half-conscious state.........Haley started thinking about all the adventures he¡¯d have tomorrow too before drifting off into the world of dreams.


    1. Japanese monkeys have a serious obesity problem. Ones that live near people are about twice as heavy as ones in the wild. The little furballs will eat anything.


    2. When they say ¡®strange food¡¯ here, they mean food you would normally hesitate to eat. Like bugs or cat meat.

 Chapter 37 - The King Enjoys a Hot-Spring Treatment

    <h4>The King Enjoys a Hot-Spring Treatment</h4>


    It was a luxurious enough room for an inn, but it was quite in as far as a living room for a king would go.


    In such a room, a messenger was lowering his head after the King had raised his hand to silence him before His Majesty lightly flipped the hem of his royal robe and took a seat on his temporary throne.


    The King kicked off his slippers revealing his bare feet before taking a sip of his green tea and giving the messenger a rxed reply.


    ¡°I¡¯m healed, this is how rxing in a hot spring is supposed to be. Rx a bit like your lord.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The chambein adjusted his posture ever so slightly before pulling out arge stack of reports from the royal pce and dropping them in front of his king.


    ¡°We¡¯ve receivedints from every department.......when you divide them out, the majority are voicing their worries about the way Prince Elliott handles government affairs, particrly about how he broke off his engagement with the Duke¡¯s daughter Rachel Ferguson that we reported before.......¡±


    ¡°If the contents are simr to what was said before, just summarize it.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The chambein spread out the numerous reports in front of his king.


    ¡°Quicklye home. That¡¯s the gist of it.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Finding his ss empty, the King set his cup aside and examined the documents spread out on the low table before him.


    ¡°Hm. There¡¯s a mountain here of requests for me toe back, but my back has been killing metely.......¡±


    ¡°Hahah..........with that, the castle chambein was tasked with handing this to me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s addressed from Uncle?¡±


    As you¡¯d expect, an official letter from a heavyweight in the royal family couldn¡¯t just be read by a subordinate, so the King took the envelope, his jaw dropping when he read the contents. The message of the letter could be summarized in the following sentence:


    <i>My heart can¡¯t take much more of this, and my body is wasting away. Hurry up and get back here.</i>


    Using the envelope that Archduke Vivaldi had used to send his letter, the King took a pen, and scribed out his own letter on the paper in response.


    <i>I¡¯ll do my best.</i>


    ¡°Have this delivered to Uncle. I¡¯m really worried about the state of the city right now, but regrettably, the condition in my shoulder just hasn¡¯t been cured yet. I¡¯ll contact you again when I¡¯m ready to depart.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ?


    Once the messenger had left, the King vacated his designated audience room as well, heading to a detached lodging house.


    ¡°Wee back Your Majesty.¡±


    Sitting down on a lounge couch, the Queen alongside the Duke and his wife greeted him. They were all wearing bathrobes. And once the King removed his royal vestments, it was revealed that was all he was wearing underneath as well.


    The King flopped down onto the sofa next to them with a bored look on his face, receiving a somewhatrge beer stein from a serving maid.


    ¡°Seriously, it¡¯s nothing but people telling me e back¡¯ e back¡¯. I keep telling them my feet are in pain, and I need the hot spring to cure them........with my physical condition so poor right now, isn¡¯t riding in a carriage for so long too much to expect from me?¡±


    It was just yesterday that His Highness had worked up a good sweat ying a refreshing game of polo, and he was in at least good enough condition to gulp down his pilsner filled beer stein though.


    ¡°Well Your Highness, if that¡¯s the case then maybe we should cut back on the drinking.¡±


    The Queen gave the King a teasingugh, but the King gave her a calm response after a healthy burp.


    ¡°Nonsense. Alcohol is a disinfectant.¡±


    ncing over to the side, you could see a smorgasbord of strong-tastingmoner dishes lined up that you would never see inside the royal pce. The soy boiled chicken legs were already on their way to the King¡¯s mouth, coupled with some of that delicious golden carbonated beer.


    ¡°When you consider that we can¡¯t have fun like this when other people are watching, it really makes you wonder who the king is.¡±


    ¡°Image is just that important in this business. And cutting loose like this is fun because you can only do it once in a while.¡±


    Licking the grease from the chicken off of his fingers, the king fingered through some of the reports sitting on his side table.


    ¡°Really.......all of these reports from the government offices and the royal court, yet they¡¯re losing in both frequency and content to those sent by a noble girl currently sitting in prison.¡±


    The King had only given the mountain of reports the chambein had expressly brought him from the royal pce a simple nce through, but their contents could be mostly boiled down into two simple points.


    First was on how unreliable Elliott was. He was focusing all of his attention on harassing Rachel whom he had already thrown in prison while leaving any governmental affairs to rot.


    The second point also had to do with the strife created from Elliott neglecting his governmental duties. All of these weren¡¯t necessarily Elliott¡¯s fault, but they usually did have something to do with his group¡¯s mistakes.


    Therefore the only conclusion at the end of the day was for the King to quickly return home to bring about some form of order, and...........was how each and every single one of the reports concluded with a few subtle differences here and there.


    ¡°Those guys, saying before to go in peace, and they would show me they could take care of things while I¡¯m gone..........¡±


    The King made a face like he had just swallowed something exceptionally bitter while remembering the faces of those people he had left to take care of things in his absence.


    ¡°As expected, the strife this time around is a little more irregr.¡±


    Duke Ferguson let out his own slightly bitterugh. He knew the Prince and his daughter very well, but he never would have thought the two of them would cause this much of an uproar.


    ..........with his daughter, it was more like he just didn¡¯t <i>want</i> to think about it though.


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be too much to ask any politician or bureaucrat to skillfully cope with this. If it¡¯s like this, then our abilities will be called into question by the other nations.¡±


    Saying that much, an evil smile floated across the King¡¯s finely chiseled, intelligent face........unfortunately him wearing a bathrobe from the inn took away from his impressive, unshakable demeanor.


    ¡°At any rate, there might not be a single person who could actually handle this situation adequately, right Father?¡±


    Being called like that, the Duke frowned.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that like you could handle the chaos, but don¡¯t you mean you¡¯d just enjoy it?¡±


    The Duke nced over at the maid who was busy filling up everyone¡¯s steins again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want visits from some shadowy figure either, but if you¡¯re going to leave me a note, can¡¯t you just put it on my desk? Finding a letter ced at my bedside table when I wake up in the morning is bad for my heart.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s maid attendant, Lisa bowed her head.


    ¡°Master, the letter from My Lady I handed you the other day was the <i>first </i>one I¡¯ve ever delivered to you.¡±


    ¡°Officially you mean.¡±


    The worry that these maids were enjoying the current state of affairs too much was a valid one.


    The contents of the report that was delivered three days ago next to a man¡¯s pillow as he was sleeping was written in apletely business-like manner, yet there were numerous details inside just waiting to be tsukkomi¡¯d.


    The Queen set down her ss and handed over the report from Rachel that she had already read through to her husband.


    ¡°It¡¯s still impossible for me to think of anyone besides Rachel as the next queen. Just take a look at this report. The contents are so detailed and the main points beautifully arranged. Meanwhile we get iplete reports from those spineless fools back at the castle once a week..........¡±


    Speaking of the details in the report, the Duke figured it was probably purposely written with behind the scenes details to trip up the Prince. You can¡¯t expect the courtiers to draw something like this up when they¡¯re just the audience to the show.


    ¡°However after looking at this, there¡¯s no way we could continue with a marriage between Rachel and Elliott. Just from this you could tell their married life wouldn¡¯tst a year.¡±


    The Duchess threw in her own two cents on the matter, her head starting to spin from all the alcohol. The report in hand mentioned that Sykes had already been sent off to a remote region.


    The Queen poured some more cold wine into the Duchess¡¯s ss with the demeanor of a cold politician.


    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to detain Elliott and raise our second son Raymond as the crown prince. Originally I¡¯d try and convince Elliott..........but if he¡¯s guilty of all of this, then it¡¯s already toote for him.¡±


    The King climbed on to the Queen¡¯s words.


    ¡°Or more precisely, Rachel would have been thinking this way since the beginning.¡±


    The King drained another stein of alcohol before asking Lisa to fill up his cup once again.


    ¡°Firing back at Elliott, doing as much damage to her surroundings as she can, and creating one problem after another to keep Elliott¡¯s hands tied. By now I¡¯m sure everyone in the royal pce has seen enough of Elliott¡¯s talents for a lifetime. Hmph, it¡¯s best to beat down your opponents sopletely they will never even dream of revenge I suppose.¡±


    The King and Queen shared a look.


    ¡°It was no mistake picking out Rachel to be the next queen. She¡¯s showing great cunning, toying with an opponent who holds more authority than her. She was able to urately gauge how such a situation was going to develop, not to mention her ability to make preparations for the situation without anybody noticing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was astonished that time she pushed Elliott into a pond and started pelting him with stones.........but she left a deep impression with me when she exined her side of things so calmly. Maybe it was because she was somebody else¡¯s child? She seemed sopetent, thick skinned, and most of all appeared as if she understood everything from the beginning. I knew right away she was suitable to guide subjects and move this country.¡±


    ¡°Moreover she¡¯s able to run an operation of this scale despite being locked in a prison......just as you¡¯d expect.¡±


    ¡°The very fact that the subordinates of said operation stuck by her despite her losing virtually all official standing means she scores highly.¡±


    The more Rachel messed with Elliott, the greater the King and Queen¡¯s trust in her grew. As a result, rather than a conversation about who Elliott¡¯s next fiancee would be, they were discussing which prince would be her husband instead.


    Considering that Rachel¡¯s initial goal of running away from her queen¡¯s education was insteadting her even more responsibilities, well, Lisa was left thinking only of how ironic it all was.


    Meanwhile the King and Queen asked for another cup from the reflective Lisa and happily clinked their now full mugs together.


    ¡°Hooray for prison!¡±


    The Duke started to gather up the randomly strewn together collection of back reports, handing them over to Lisa who had slightly distanced herself from the group.


    ¡°However if you¡¯re thinking like <i>that</i>, then you¡¯ll have to solve this problem soon. You can¡¯t leave the administration¡¯s leadership empty forever.........¡±


    ¡°Ah, I suppose........oh dear, our fun two month hot spring treatment is about toe to an end.........¡±


    The King let out a weary sigh while leaning back in his seat. The Queen also shared a somber look with the Duke and Duchess.


    ¡°Our wonderful days of nothing but eating, bathing, and napping........¡±


    ¡°All that delicious street food you can¡¯t find in the royal pce with none of those annoying dinner manners required..........¡±


    ¡°Being able to act how we want without worrying about ¡®high society¡¯..............¡±


    ¡°No subordinates rushing us forward, or political enemies wasting our time with pointless sarcasm............¡±


    All four of these nobles let out one, long sigh on top of theirfy sofa.


    ¡°Ah~ I don¡¯t want to go home............¡±


    ?


    Inside the darkness of a dungeon, a maid wrapped in pitch ck clothes emerged from the shadows.


    ¡°My Lady¡±


    ¡°Hm? Today isn¡¯t a report day is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Rachel turned her attention away from ying with Haley towards the bowing maid and listened in to her report.


    ¡°We received an urgent message from Lisa at the Fracker Hot Springs. His Majesty and His Lordship are finallying back.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡±


    Rachel rose from her seat and put her finger to her chin.


    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s it for the surface of the report? What about underneath?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be able to get more details when Lisa returns this week..........but it seems that Their Majesties wish to cut Elliott off, making Raymond the new heir to the throne, or so the hidden message goes.¡±


    ¡°Well!¡±


    Rachel tilted her head to the side slightly.


    ¡°His Highness, I wonder what he could have possibly done to warrant that¡±


    It didn¡¯t seem like she was actually looking for an answer, so the maid decided to just let her master¡¯s shameless inquiry slide.


    Rachel remained quietly in thought for a moment before absentmindedly muttering a question aloud.


    ¡°By the way, about Raymond..........what kind of person was he again?¡±


    ¡°............even though you¡¯ve controlled everything until now, somehow the most important part failed to hold your interest.¡±


    ¡°I remember he was three years younger than His Highness Elliott.¡±


    ¡°............I¡¯ll have a report written up for you by tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Oh, in other words he has a disposition you don¡¯t want to talk about aloud?¡±


    ¡°Even if you say it..........¡±


    Rachel rolled back onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling of her cell.


    ¡°Ah~.........my vacation ising to a close after only three measly months.¡±


    ¡°My Lady.........generally speaking when somebody in this world is gone for three months, they¡¯d usually worry about still having a job when theye back.¡±


    ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    Rachel gave acentugh while beginning to roll around on top of her mattress.


    ¡°My Lady. Considering future utility values, then I believe My Lady¡¯s current way of thinking is unsuitable for a daughter of a duke to have.¡±


    Having heard the words of her maid who had so cleanly and calmly hit the nail on the head, Rachel stopped and looked back over to her heartbroken.


    ¡°.........please, can¡¯t you just let me enjoy my fantasies while I¡¯m in this room?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯ll be difficult for you if you¡¯re suddenly told to work without having realized it yet.¡±

 Chapter 38 - Attendant Worries about the Cheer Squad’s Heads

    <h4>Attendant Worries about the Cheer Squad¡¯s Heads</h4>


    Sofia and those like her who stand by Rachel are individuals trained into excellence by their master personally. They are a group that perfectly understands the temperament of their lord and willplete any task given to them using the most efficient means possible.


    Their colleagues in the other departments of the Duke¡¯s mansion all watch them and wholeheartedly believe, ¡°They can do anything with little effort.¡±


    They wouldn¡¯t deny it either. However, even for girls such as these there were things beyond their power. Sofia and the rest are only ordinary people after all; they weren¡¯t Rachel.


    They were all preupied aiding Rachel with her inactivity inside the dungeon.........but unbeknownst to Prince Elliott, unbeknownst to even Rachel, Sofia was able to take care of seemingly impossible situations from behind the scenes many times over.


    ?


    The preparations for making and delivering Rachel¡¯s weekly report had all but been finished, and Sofia had started excitedly thinking about her nned tea outing during her next day off.........when one of her subordinate maids jumped in.


    ¡°Miss Sofia! The president of the ck Cat Firm is in immediate need of your help.........we received a message directly from the vice-president.¡±


    ¡°Campbell does? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Needless to say, the Dark Night ck Cats are a secret organization, and as such, each department is prohibited from making direct contact with any of the others. Even when someone from the ck Cat Firm has to visit the Duke¡¯s house, they do so in disguise and under the pretext of a business rtionship. A merchant arriving breathless at the Duke¡¯s mansion is something that simply shouldn¡¯t happen.


    ¡°That is, a visitor showed up at the office unannounced and said she wouldn¡¯t talk unless it was to Miss Sofia directly...........¡±


    When Sofia heard the name of this unannounced visitor her usually calm expression distorted and turned away with a sour look. The other maids all gasped, ¡°Uwaa........!¡± when they saw her like that.


    But Sofia paid them no mind and rose up out of her chair.


    ¡°Meia, Mimosa, follow me.........also, call Sylvia and Melina.¡±


    ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am!¡±


    Having named the two subordinates most suitable for more........physical confrontations, Sofia boarded the carriage waiting for her. The man who hade to pick her up, vice-president Simmons of the ck Cat Firm, was looking quite blue in the face upon meeting with her.


    ¡°Should I have someone run down to Waters¡¯s ce, have the people down theree in........?¡±


    Simmons proposed summoning the subordinate yakuza belonging to the firm¡¯s supervisor in charge of the downtown undergroundmunity, but Sofia silently shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯d be pointless. If things get violent, those guys would only get in the way.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s.........!?¡±


    Sofia left the vice-president in his speechless state, instead focusing on herself, taking a number of small, deep breaths to try and calm herself down.


    An unwee guest had arrived.


    In other words, one of Rachel¡¯s friends.


    ?


    There was a calm atmosphere in the ck Cat Firm¡¯s reception area as Sofia squared off against some ¡®customers¡¯.


    In her mind the person before her was almost equal in status to Rachel, so even if she was only acting as a ¡®representative¡¯, she couldn¡¯t simply take a seat on the sofa next to this guest when offered. So sitting down respectfully with a coffee table inbetween her and the guest, Sofia had her four subordinates stand at attention at her back.


    The ¡®customer¡¯ was sitting rxedly on top of the sofa with her legs crossed, lightly waving her hand.


    ¡°Why, it¡¯s been too long since Ist saw the youngdies of the ck Cats.¡±


    Giving a spirited greeting, this woman was an exceeding beauty in her mid-twenties.


    She was a simr type to Rachel¡¯s best friend Alexandra. She had wavy, golden locks that reached down to her waist, and a soft smile that didn¡¯t match her provocatively sharp eyes.


    Until that point she wasn¡¯t much different form the Marquis¡¯s daughter.........but with the difference in their social stature and experience, this woman¡¯s charisma and aura of power made her presence seem muchrger.


    Sofia bowed her head down to show the maximum amount of respect with the four aids behind her following suit.


    ¡°And Your Highness the Grand Duchess seem to be in high spirits........¡±


    This woman was the Grand Duchess, Eliza Rosandal. Peerage-wise she would stand at equal footing with Archduke Vivaldi, however there are actually three small countries sandwiched between this nation and the Rosandal Grand Duchy. So in reality, her position would be more closer to that of the King where she ruled.


    She and Rachel became acquainted with one another at a ¡®benefit society¡¯, and they had kept in contact with each other ever since.


    The Grand Duchess spoke to the attendant casually, as if the two were a couple of old acquaintances. Unfortunately Sofia had a rather straight-forward personality which was why she wanted to circumvent even the customary greetings to cut straight to the matter at hand.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s skip the stiff pleasantries. It¡¯s regrettable, but the fact of the matter is I¡¯m here. I heard that Rachel was unjustlymitted because of the Idiot Prince. I couldn¡¯t bear to stay still, so I came rushing over here.¡±


    Sofia silently stared at the Grand Duchess as she exined her presence there with augh for a moment before slowly asking her own questions.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯re here........and for that we are thankful, but did you have toe all the way here in such a conspicuous, ¡®uniform¡¯?¡±


    The Grand Duchess tilted her head to the side, acting as if she was unable to understand the attendant¡¯s question.


    ¡°Yes? You see, that cute Rachel had her engagement <i>unjustly annulled </i>after all. So isn¡¯t this the outfit to be worn in this country?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I suppose that would be considered formal wear........but I wouldn¡¯t think somebody would casually walk around the city like that.¡±


    Sofia had a slight problem with the way the Grand Duchess¡¯s clothes looked........she was wearing a long, ck dress.........mostmonly seen as ¡®mourning¡¯ clothes.


    And not just the Grand Duchess either.


    Just as Sofia had her subordinate maids lined up behind her, the Gran Duchess had four women lined up at her back as well, each one wearing a veil covering their faces as if they really were in mourning. Each of the women, who appeared to be young beauties going by what you could see of their mouths, were standing side-by-side, staring right back at the maids.


    Moreover, even though they all looked to be in mourning........they were all standing there with their arms crossed behind their backs, standing straight with their legs spread out shoulder-width. In addition, they were wearing a sword belt overtop their mourning clothes with a saber hanging off their waists. Just seeing somebody wearing mourning clothes as an everyday outfit would be strange enough, but with the women wearing them acting as if they were dressed in full military garb.........


    Of course Sofia and her subordinates were also armed in the event a confrontation broke out. If they were to reach their hands into the small slit inside their skirts located over their hips, they would be able to grab the long dagger hidden underneath.


    The reception room for a trading firm was currently filled with one group of armed maids and another group of armed mourning women. What is this?


    ¡°Is it so weird to walk through the city? Hahaha, I was in a bit of a hurry. So, let¡¯s not mind it.¡±


    Whether to mind it or not isn¡¯t up for the person being seen to decide.


    But the Grand Duchess paid that fact no mind, correcting her posture away from how she was casually sitting before and leaning forward as if she were sharing some secret with Sofia.


    ¡°So? When will be assaulting the castle to rescue Rachel?¡±


    She was in terribly high spirits.


    Already she was breathing excitedly through her nose as if she were ready to hop off this momentum and lead the charge right then and there.


    Rather than the Grand Duchess feeling ¡®worried¡¯ about Rachel¡¯s situation........it¡¯s more like she was feeling ¡®confident¡¯ that there was going to be a big taking down Elliott party, and she didn¡¯t want to miss it.


    Any way you looked at her she was a beautiful woman..............thinking like that, Sofia gave Eliza an apologetic bow.


    ¡°Regrettably, My Lady has ordered us to maintain the status quo for a while.¡±


    ¡°I see. For a while, so three days then?¡±


    ¡°Why so fast?¡±


    The Grand Duchess unconsciously started impatiently tapping her foot..........even though she was a Grand Duchess.


    ¡°Then, how long will it be?¡±


    ¡°Well Your Highness. In the first ce, My Lady has already scheduled Elliott¡¯s punishment, so........¡±


    Before Sofia could finish her exnation, the Grand Duchess dropped her cup.


    ¡°That......even though I put in so much effort, desperately doing everything I could to be here for Rachel¡¯s <iunch</i>, and only being able to make it here by <i>passing over</i> all my work onto my head attendant!?¡±


    A broken engagement causing problems across the globe.


    ¡°Sorry¡±


    Thinking that she hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, Sofia lowered her head. It¡¯s not like anyone had asked her toe here, but she still had to be shown a modicum of decorum here.


    ¡°My Lady had received information on everything that was to happen in advance and is currently enjoying a fun vacation while in the dungeon.¡±


    Sofia properly exined the current situation. Rachel had mostly overlooked the plot against her, only making ns and gathering supplies so she could enjoy azy, selfish life inside the prison.


    The whole story caused Grand Duchess Eliza to stroke her chin.


    ¡°Hmph, as expected of Rachel.......well then, I suppose there¡¯s no need for us ¡®Mourning Noble Girls¡¯ toe out. And after we put in so much effort thinking this was a chance to promote Rachel from just support to full membership.¡±


    ¡°That is.......a chance is it?¡±


    ¡®Mourning Noble Girls¡¯. They were a secret society spread across the worldprised of girls who aimed to relieve the burden on the victims of unjust engagement dissolutions. They devote themselves to helping the young women who have lost everything because of skillful and atrocious engagement abandonments from men, and their activities range from providing new secret homes for these victims to providing them with swords to exact revenge on their former fiancees.


    Now because they are a secret society, most of their actions aren¡¯t known to the general public, but the Dark Night ck Cats were able to find out that along with a dozen princesses and a queen, there were also hundreds of young aristocratic wives and daughters who were participating in its management........although to be frank, what is going on in this world that there are so many simr events going on in the first ce? was what Sofia was thinking.


    Rachel and the Grand Duchess became acquainted together at that benefit society. From there Rachel agreed with what their organization was doing and had begun providing financial assistance for several years now, even attending regr meetings. There¡¯s absolutely no way she had joined feeling some premonition about her own dropped engagement with Elliott though.........


    It was thanks to Rachel¡¯s charity that she had such allies...........and was why Sofia was having so much trouble rejecting the forceful assistance of said allies.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Rachel want that Idiot Prince¡¯s neck though? All it would take is a little *Swish* and she¡¯ll feel refreshed.¡±


    This Grand Duchess, when she was around Rachel¡¯s age her fiancee from an ambitious noble house was sessfully enticed by an enemy nation and stabbed her in the back during a battle that would have determined the fate of her country.


    From there her front line copsed, and it was only with her loyal retainers that she was able to execute the traitors, retake her kingdom, and revive her duchy.........she brushes it off as just one part to her grand adventure, but still she doesn¡¯t want anyone else to be forced to go through such a harsh experience.


    ¡°My Lady seems to be going for a softer approach this time.¡±


    ¡°Say no more........although why waste time grinding him away when you can just cut off his head instead?¡±


    ¡°So she should execute.........did you waste your time Duchess?¡±


    Most outsiders would preach forgiveness here, or so Sofia thought.


    With the way this carnivorous woman was going, not just Elliott and his entourage, but possibly even the whole knight¡¯s order would be crushed.


    ¡°Beheading might have been over in an instant, but that moment before, when he was fruitlessly begging for his life, that was truly tantalizing. But now that I think about it, perhaps the execution did go too cleanly1........I¡¯ll be sure to reflect on it for next time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s supposed to take more than one though.¡±


    Somehow this woman¡¯s way of thinking is simr to the Lady¡¯s. Was a thought shared by all of the maids there.


    Then like a child, the Grand Duchess puffed up her cheeks in a pout.


    ¡°Beheading a fool is fine whether it be one, two, ten, or twenty don¡¯t you think? Since they¡¯re already causing trouble let¡¯s just quickly kill them all. I don¡¯t remember his name, but wouldn¡¯t it be better if that former fiancee was dead? Just a *Swish* and he¡¯s dead!¡±


    ¡°That is My Lady¡¯s decision to make. And even if I did hear something like that I¡¯d think her to be drunk.¡±


    Even as Sofia was trying to refuse, Eliza was pushing forward.


    ¡°If you justck the manpower, then please rest easy. My troops can easily take whatever that shitty prince has to offer! Already my subordinates have gathered at the castle, so how about we bring the whole thing down right away?¡±


    ¡°We already have quite a few of our own operatives inside the royal pce, so please do try to avoid having our two groups kill each other........just a moment please. The whole royal pce.........no way, then not just here........!?¡±


    These women Eliza had brought with her were apparently well-known to others as being especially skilled inbat in the Western District.


    The district head there had passed along a message that these skilled fighters were gathered, so Sofia had hand-picked her own skilled subordinates to meet them.......the district head had said they were experienced in battle, but there is no way the whole castle would beid to waste by only four or five people.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that natural?¡±


    Eliza blinked as if it really were the most natural thing in the world.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how many talented people that shitty prince has on his side after all. That¡¯s why I brought all four squads of our Night Combat Units under mymand with me.¡±


    ¡°Forty people!?¡±


    That¡¯s not on the level of being just dangerous anymore. With those numbers you really could crush the knight¡¯s order.


    The knights of this kingdom have been operating in an era of peace for a while now, so upon meeting with four elite squads headed by the crippling warrior Grand Duchess......it¡¯s no good. They might as well be pushing back against a hundred crazed Martinas. The contents of those women could all be described as simr. The knights may be able to make up the difference in experience through sheer numbers...........


    But we¡¯re talking about that prince leading a royal pce which has already been brought to its knees by a monkey.


    Sofia rested her face into her palm, losing herself in her thoughts, but an unconvinced Meia raised her hand, cutting into the conversation in Sofia¡¯s stead.


    ¡°Um, Miss Grand Duchess........your group is made up entirely of noble women........so where are the forty of you staying?¡±


    When pushes to shove, the Mourning Noble Girls could always camp outside, but in the end, it¡¯s still an organizationprised of originally well-to-do noble girls. If they¡¯re traveling under the guise of being ordinary, harmless people, then surely they would all stay in a nice hotel.


    However rumors would surely have spread if forty upper ss noble girls were all looking for lodging, so it¡¯s strange that such information wasn¡¯t caught.


    It¡¯s natural that Meia, an executive in their group¡¯s informationwork would hold her doubts, but the Grand Duchess replied in turn with a refreshing smile.


    ¡°What, do you have doubts since you didn¡¯t see use in? That¡¯s because right now, we are staying in the royal pce as special envoys, here from Bakura Kingdom on a cultural mission.¡±


    It was.


    It was reported before.


    It was reported several days ago that arge number of ambassadors were visiting the castle for a so-called cultural exchange.


    .......and, the girls never thought at all that a group of unrted diplomats would actually be these guys..........


    Seeing the answer right in front of her, Meia (the person in charge of politics) covered her face with her hands in shame as well. Yep, this would definitely result in a pay reduction for her and Heidi who is in charge of the royal pce both.......of course that goes for their supervisor Sofia as well.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you informed? Our vice-chairman is the third princess of Bakura.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t know........¡±


    ¡°If we include the men and women we brought along as attendants, then our forces would be almost a hundred strong. And since we are staying inside the castle, we have no need to go up against those solid walls. Won¡¯t we definitely be able to win?¡±


    So without even knowing it, Prince Elliott had already allowed his worst enemies entry into the castle.........


    ¡°And so openlying out of the royal pce while in full mourning garb.........¡±


    ¡°As you¡¯d expect, we couldn¡¯te out fully armed, so we told the people in charge of entertaining us, ¡®we are going to the funeral of a friend¡¯s fiancee¡¯ as we were leaving. Hahaha, there¡¯s no way they could have ever known we were talking about their own prince of course.¡±


    The Grand Duchess was smiling broadly, but Sofia¡¯s group found it impossible tough. It was their job to silently carry out Rachel¡¯s intentions, so there is absolutely no way they couldugh in this situation.


    Sofia let out a small cough and tried putting some pressure on the Grand Duchess.


    ¡°Your Highness, unfortunately My Lady is currently enjoying living her prison life while teasing the prince, and she ns on cornering him until he bes a neurotic wreck and have the king dispose of him. Until a resolution has been reached...........it¡¯s <i>My Lady¡¯s intention</i> to avoid a show of force. But I¡¯m sure if you are willing to hold, there will be an opportunity for you to enjoy yourself.¡±


    A crease formed between Eliza¡¯s brows as she thought about Sofia¡¯s words.


    ¡°Hmm.......so what you¡¯re saying is Rachel really is enjoying a vacation while locked away in a prison?¡±


    Sofia wanted to say that she didn¡¯t want to hear any objections about what is or isn¡¯tmon sense from someone like her, but she kept her thoughts to herself.


    ¡°However, what does Rachel intend to do to the other side? Idiot men tend to hold fast to their roots. Can you say for certain that the Idiot Prince won¡¯t simply explode?¡±


    As expected of a ruler and experienced politician. This is an obvious worry to have if you were to think about this situation seriously.


    ¡°I managed to recover from my situation, but it took me nearly two years to hunt that guy down and capture him. Don¡¯t look down on the stubbornness of crap........so after all, we should clean up the Idiot Prince right away. Yes, that makes sense. Let¡¯s go kill him right now.¡±


    .........why does she keeping back to this one crazy suggestion? Is the Grand Duchess also in vacation mode?


    ¡°.........No, we are to wait until My Lady makes a decision first........we have several agents in every department monitoring the royal family and the knight¡¯s order, and we have troops that can be moved immediately to protect My Lady should anything happen. There is nothing to be worried about.¡±


    As might be expected, ¡°Because the opponents are Elliott and his group of idiots,¡± is enough of a reason to not worry about Rachel being in any real danger. However you can¡¯t really say something like that to a group of outsiders.


    ¡°Muu......and I was so looking forward to having a sword fly into that Idiot Prince¡¯s neck......¡±


    She was getting her priorities mixed up after all.


    But the Grand Duchess looked as if she had a sh of inspiration suddenly and patted herp.


    ¡°That¡¯s it Sofia, how about this? We¡¯ll save Rachel the hassle, cut off that idiot¡¯s head right now and then not tell her for now so she can keep enjoying herself. How¡¯s that for a solution!¡±


    ¡°That idiot visits My Lady almost every single day. It would be inevitably exposed.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...........that¡¯s it! Because the Prince is such a fool, so long as the de runs cleanly through, then people shouldn¡¯t notice his head¡¯s no longer physically attached to his neck for two, maybe even three months!¡±


    Rather than the Prince, it was the Grand Duchess who was making some truly idiotic suggestions.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re talking about fish fillet here2........and on that note, can you guarantee that it¡¯d be apletely clean cut?¡±


    ¡°If ites to that we can just im it to be an unfortunate ident. Everyone screws up once in a while!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even believe in your own n!¡±


    No more.........I want to go home.........


    Everyone was getting tired, but Sofia, the most tired of them all finally snapped.


    ¡°Why do you want to execute the Prince so much in the first ce!? It¡¯s My Lady¡¯s right to decide on what punishment Prince Elliott receives, so it is also her right to cut off his head if need be!¡±


    <i>No, it¡¯s actually supposed to be the king¡¯s decision.</i>


    The Grand Duchess¡¯s shapely lips edged out a bit.


    ¡°Because, I really want to use my sword.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no use trying to be cute here.........¡±


    Sofia pressed her fingers to her temple feeling a little dizzy. There was no doubt, this woman was Her Lady¡¯s friend.


    ¡°Anyways, My Lady¡¯s revenge n for the destruction of the engagement is perfectly on track! Quit trying to butt in and return peacefully.¡±


    ¡°.......all right.¡±


    ¡°Do you really understand?¡±


    ¡°Rather, hasn¡¯t that old gentleman in the back been carefreely feeding a bird since we started talking about beheadings and such?¡±


    ¡°GO BACK!¡±


    ?


    A few dayster.


    Sofia unsteadily walked across Rachel¡¯s office, plopping down on the sofa in the reception area. Ordinarily she would be punished for acting so unbingly in her Master¡¯s room, but she would ask for forgiveness just this once.


    ¡°Suddenly so tired..........¡±


    ¡°..........thanks for all your hard work.¡±


    Lisa wearily called back while brewing some tea. For a while, the calming noise of water flowing into the pot was the only sound echoing in the quiet room.


    After making a very dissatisfied Grand Duchess promise to draw back, the Dark Night ck Cats monitored her fake cultural exchange mission until it finally finished and they all returned home. Whenever the other party went out to town, knights would insist on apanying them and young hoodlums in town would follow them for the sake of ¡®always keeping them monitored¡¯. The number of personnel they had keeping watch on Elliott at night tripled as well.


    You¡¯d think they would have given up after all that..........but when night fell, some women dressed all in ck sprung out onto the roof trying to use the darkness as cover and ran into this extra security......the tension from that critical situation left Meia and the other on-sitemanders¡¯ stomachs hurting so bad they couldn¡¯t bear to have any food pass down their throats.


    Luckily all the girls have a second belly reserved exclusively for sweets, so they were able to properly maintain their calorie intake.


    And now.......the report from the spy they had sent to follow the group just arrived announcing the group had crossed the border. The announcement had caused all of Sofia¡¯s energy to leak out.


    ¡°We had nearly twenty people lined up on the roof of the Prince¡¯s bedroom, each one thinking they¡¯d have to draw their swords at any moment.¡±


    ¡°.........Meanwhile with the person himself sleeping soundly in bed, I felt so stupid being stuck in the middle..........so depressing, to think I had to help that prince with all my strength......¡±


    ¡°Aplete contradiction........¡±


    ¡°Wepletely took care of the situation, and the person in question doesn¡¯t even know it........ I¡¯d like to tear that Idiot Prince and that Grand Duchess into a bunch of little bits..........¡±


    ¡°Agreed...........¡±


    Lisa started pouring her own cup after setting Sofia¡¯s down on the table in front of her as Sofia took arge swig of her tea, ¡°Ha........,¡± and let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°At any rate, it does seem like the Grand Duchess is getting the means and the end mixed up........¡±


    ¡°........my anger at that time just won¡¯t settle, and the grudge over having to help in that fight refuses to clear away........¡±


    Sofia understood how Lisa felt, but since she wasn¡¯t there when the incident happened, she didn¡¯t want to trouble her by chiming in.


    Sofia was resting her eyes, using the couch¡¯s armrest as a pillow, but she was just starting to think that it was time to get up...........


    Just then she thought she heard the footsteps of someone rudely running down the hallway, and suddenly the door burst open.


    Sofia and Lisa¡¯s eyes opened wide in surprise upon seeing that the person who had run all this way was actually Mimosa.


    ¡°Sofia, it¡¯s awful!¡±


    ¡°........what is it this time?¡±


    ¡°The worldwide feminist organization that the Lady is friends with, <ruby>¡®Moonlight Ladies<rt>Lunatic Ladies</rt></ruby>¡®, has had their ck-ops unit Saint Rose infiltrate the city........it seems that theirmander is Rhodesia Kingdom¡¯s Princess Sophie.¡±


    Lisa dropped the tea cozy she had been folding.


    ¡°Princess Sophie is it........the one who thoroughly tormented her cheating husband and ultimately formed her own women¡¯s group afterpletely breaking him, that Sophie.........?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It seems that she heard about Our Lady¡¯s ¡®tragedy¡¯ and decided to gather the resources to do something about it herself.¡±


    Having alreadycked the energy to pick herself up off the couch, Sofia yelled out her orders while her face was still buried into the sofa¡¯s armrest.


    ¡°Everyst one of them.........enough already!!¡±


    ?


    Rachel was busy enjoying the book she was reading when an unusually off-kilter Sofia came in for the regr report.


    ¡°My Lady, I have a request.......¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Sofia gave her something simr to a ticket.


    ¡°In truth, I wanted to increase the type of rewards for your subordinates.........¡±


    ¡°I have no problem with it...........what¡¯s this? A ¡®Deep tissue shoulder massage coupon¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes. One ticket would allow somebody to do whatever they want to My Lady for thirty minutes.¡±


    Rachel put her book down on her end table and thought for a bit.


    ¡°So ¡®to¡¯ me? Not ¡®with¡¯ me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s only for the girls who work at the Duke¡¯s mansion.¡±


    ¡°No, I figured that.......so for recognition of your services, my body is the one getting massaged?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s obvious.¡±


    Sofia held out both her hands, excitedly flexing her ten fingers.


    ¡°For the sake of relieving stress, we¡¯ll rub you down with everything we have.¡±


    Rachel was silent, but Sofia¡¯s expressionless face was showing more emotion now than ever before.


    ¡°Recently, thanks to My Lady¡¯s <i>very wide</i> circle of friends, everyone has umted quite a bit of back pay........we were able to safely and sufficiently clean up My Lady¡¯s mess, so I would like to ask for you cooperation with this.¡±


    ¡°........somehow, can¡¯t we try something else?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately I already started distributing the tickets ording to a person¡¯s contributions. Everyone is looking forward to <i>having so much fun</i>.¡±


    ¡°......hold on, we¡¯re not to the point where I¡¯ve given my approval though?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so looking forward to it.........oh, and by the way, I¡¯ve already umted thirty myself.¡±


    Arge smile broke out across Sofia¡¯s iron mask.


    Rachel was drawn in and broke out into arge smile herself.


    However, neither¡¯s smile reached their eyes.


    ¡°Ah.......I want to stay here forever.¡±


    Rachel was trying to run away, but Sofia¡¯s smile only grew.


    ¡°No no, there¡¯s no way we can leave somebody as important as My Lady to rot in a dungeon for forever! All of your devoted servants will work ourselves to the bone to make sure you can get out of there <i>as soon as possible</i>.......really though, aren¡¯t you looking forward to it?¡±


    ¡°Come now Sofia..........ufufufufufu¡±


    ¡°No no, this much is natural.............fufufufufu¡±


    A master and servant too simr to each other, quite a bit of time would pass while theyughed at each other from opposite sides of the iron bars.


    1. As in it only took the axeman a single swing to lop off his head.


    2. So I don¡¯t know that much about cooking, but this was originally referring to a specific way of cutting a fish by cutting off the head and then the body into three slices vertically. When it¡¯s sold, it¡¯s grouped together and looks like a solid fish although it¡¯s already been cut and gutted.

 Chapter 39 - Noblewoman Hosts a Fun Party

    <strong>Noblewoman Hosts a Fun Party</strong>


    Prince Elliott set down his teacup and stared up at the ceiling while resting his chin in his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking.......in order to corner Rachel, how about we try asking some of the girls who were at odds with her for help? I¡¯ve heard that women are better at using biting words and breaking hearts.¡±


    All of his followers gathered around him drinking tea fell silent for a moment........and then grew extremely noisy the next.


    ¡°Did His Highness juste up with a decent idea.........!?¡±


    ¡°Did you know he could have such deep thoughts!?¡±


    ¡°Who are you, and what¡¯s with this incite!?¡±


    This condescending attitude from his subordinates struck like a bolt of lightning..........without George here, they all had toe up with their own tsukkomis, making Elliott want to cry just a little.


    While watching such an Elliott begin to kick his other subordinates about, Wnski had a thought.


    Eh? It took him this long to think of this?


    Now returning to the main topic.


    Quite an impressive list was made when all the girls who had aggressively tried to sell themselves with ¡®Choose me instead of Rachel¡¯ and all the girls from families with an ax to grind with the Ferguson families were lined up. Almost thirty of them to be exact.


    ¡°Yosh! If we use all of these girls to torture her, then surely even Rachel will die! Kukuku.......yosh, let¡¯s contact them right away!¡±


    ¡°RIGHT!!¡±


    While all the men there were getting excited thinking they had finallye up with a sure-fire strategy, Margaret tried speaking up in a fearful voice.


    ¡°Um.........it had nothing to do with me, but.........¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, Margaret is so gentle! However, Rachel is someone who always does as she pleases. If we are going to corner her, then we need to give it everything we¡¯ve got in one shot!¡±


    ¡°I see.......¡±


    Elliott was so excited that Margaret found it impossible to say anything else.


    At least, there¡¯s no way she could say something like, ¡°she already smashed half the girls on that list.......¡±


    ?


    Elliott¡¯s posse returned after finishing their mission.


    ¡°Your Highness, we hit up those noble girls..........well somehow, all the girls who were trying to steal Your Highness away from Rachel have recently all locked themselves in their houses, and apparently they have no ns oning out to the royal pce at all.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that? It used to be whenever it came to me they would take whatever opportunities they could get in order to sell themselves.¡±


    The reason was standing uneasily right next to him.


    ¡°Also, as for the girls from factions who go against the Ferguson house.......it seems that there is a tea party today, so all those girls are already near the royal pce.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Elliott tilted his head to the side.


    The royal pce was certainlyrge, but there¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t have heard about such arge event. A ce near the castle where the the prince wouldn¡¯t have heard about it normally.........


    And after thinking that far ahead, Elliott remembered that there was only one ce recently where mysterious events would be happening.


    ?


    After rushing to the dungeon, the men found the Prison Guard sitting at a desk just outside the dungeon¡¯s entrance. As soon as they saw the necktie he was wearing over his usual dirty work clothes, they knew something was going on again.


    ¡°Ah, Your Highness¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on today!?¡±


    With a look as if he had sessfully escaped reality stered over his face, the Prison Guard handed over a small leaflet.


    ¡°Today¡¯s meeting is by reservation only. Please present any advance tickets you bought ahead of time.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®advance ticket¡¯ for a party!?¡±


    ¡°Today is meant to be a fun condolences party.........let¡¯s me see, I think it was supposed to be, ¡®For the sake of the poor Rachel Ferguson who has been thrown in jail under false charges, we shall be showcasing some of the best performers ever trained in the capitol¡¯? I can¡¯t read, so I¡¯m not sure what the flyer says exactly.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re not just letting it happen, but working the reception desk as well!?¡±


    ¡°Haa..........honestly, recently I¡¯ve started to think that it¡¯s useless to even try and go against that girl........¡±


    ¡°Prisoners aren¡¯t supposed to train prison guards!¡±


    Elliott pushed past the Prison Guard and ced his hand on the door.


    ¡°Ah! Your Highness, entrance is forbidden unless you have a ticket.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, back off! Remember that you work for me!¡±


    Elliott took the lead heading down the steps........but once they reached the bottom, the men found arge curtain which had been set up to form a sort-of dressing room, a stage using that curtain as a backdrop, and a magician up on top of said stage making an announcement.


    ¡°And knocking on this box.........Tadah! My wonderful assistant Haley appears from within the drawer!¡±


    For some reason Rachel¡¯s pet was acting as the magician¡¯s assistant.


    The magician basked in the audience¡¯s apuse, taking off his silk hat and giving them all a bow, before immediately announcing his next trick. The man looked really familiar, but he didn¡¯t seem to be one of the Duke¡¯s retainers.


    Wnski started pping his hands.


    ¡°Ah, that guy just now is James Matisse from the super popr Central Circus! Awesome, it¡¯s my first time seeing him perform at someone¡¯s home.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not visiting someone¡¯s home, he¡¯s here!?¡±


    Looking in front of the stage the men were able to see that some guest seating had been set up, chairs and desks crowded together filled with noble girls who were watching the act. There were also several girls gathered around a table, sharing a spot of tea, and talking mostly amongst themselves paying only a little attention to the act on stage. There were many girls gathered here including the ones that Elliott¡¯s group had originally nned on contacting before. If they had to guess, there were probably almost forty people here.1


    Even though Elliott¡¯s group had arrived, the girls in the room paid them no mind, focusing so intently on the stage that it took the Prince slightly aback.


    ¡°H, hey........aren¡¯t these girls strangely excited about this?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.........all of the noble girls gathered here are of a high social status, too high to be found simply walking around town. Although their parents may have brought them to the Grand Theater or an opera, this is almost certainly their first time seeing a street performance that the regr masses are able to enjoy.¡±


    ¡°But to get this excited about it.........¡±


    But, right now wasn¡¯t the time to worry about that.


    ¡°Oi Rachel, I never said you could hold a performance here!¡±


    Ignoring the intense boos he was getting, the Prince broke through the stage set up in front of the stairs and charged right to the cell bars at the back of the room where he was met with a surprised look from Rachel and a, ¡°You¡¯re saying something so unexpected!¡±


    ¡°After all Your Highness, I never set up any performance.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s all this then!?¡±


    ¡°It is what it is.¡±


    Rachelughed as if she was unable to contain the overwhelming joy she felt.


    ¡°You see, all my friends came to visit me, and it all unexpectedly turned into a condolence party........¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie so easily! Didn¡¯t you make fliers, and sell tickets in advance!?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, I wonder if the order was reversed. Well, it¡¯s a trivial detail.¡±


    ¡°What scale are you using to think that¡¯s trivial!?¡±


    While Elliott was busy arguing with Rachel, Wnski received a warning from the magician.


    ¡°Pardon me customer, please be quiet during the performance.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t be quiet! This show is over, so get out! And don¡¯t apologize!¡±


    As Elliott turned on the magician, the jeering and protests from the noble girls in the audience grew louder.


    ¡°Despot!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had trouble sleeping all week waiting for this!¡±


    ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re all a part of Rachel¡¯s scheme!¡±


    Elliott started shouting back at the angry protests,pletely forgetting that his original n was to get their help to defeat Rachel.


    While all this was going on, the curtain behind the magician stirred, and a middle-aged man stepped out from behind them.


    ¡°Huh? Is it already time for me toe out?¡±


    ¡°Eh,edian John Smith? The one famous for his amazing parody songs!? Uwaa, I want to see him too!¡±


    ¡°Thank you~!¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not getting a turn! And Wnski, what did youe here for!?¡±


    ?


    Unable to rely on his subordinates, Elliott stood alone in his efforts to get an army of noble girls to leave.


    ¡°Your Highness, why are you making a scene during our fun party!?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Everyone here, has been so anxiously looking forward to today!¡±


    ¡°Mu, the daughter of Duke Gordon and the daughter of Marquis Tuft¡±


    Elliott was immediately confronted by two passionate objections, both from high-ranking daughters whose fathers should have been against Duke Ferguson. They weren¡¯t people he could just order around without hearing what they have to say.


    Elliott was taken aback being faced with such troublesome opponents, but he resolved himself to wreck Rachel¡¯s scheme.


    ¡°This is a prison! Rachel was put in here to punish her, so such a show.........¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about something like that!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s enough tedious talk, so just retreat already.¡±


    ¡°Wh, What!?¡±


    Interrupted before he could finish what he was saying, Elliott¡¯s eyes started swimming as the noble girls tried to get him to leave with force.


    ¡°Quickly go back!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! If you keep pushing the schedule back like this........then Adam Stuart¡¯s turn will be shortened!¡±


    ¡°Eh!?¡±


    ¡°Is that true, Katherine!?¡±


    At the Marquis¡¯s daughter Katherine Taft spoke, all the other noble girls stood up in unison.


    ¡°Come Your Highness, quickly go back!¡±


    ¡°Shortening Adam¡¯s time is a crime worthy of death!¡±


    ¡°Go home already!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a hindrance!¡±


    ¡°Ehh!?¡±


    Elliott unconsciously took a step back when confronted by the intensity of the crowd.


    ¡°A, Adam!? Awesome, I can see him live!?¡±


    ¡°Margaret!?¡±


    Seeing the woman he loved get so excited about another man hurt Elliott quite a bit.


    ¡°O, oi..........what kind of person is this Adam for him to bring out such wild enthusiasm?¡±


    Elliott secretly turned to Wnski as did the rest of his followers who clearly had no idea who he was either.


    ¡°He¡¯s a hugely popr actor from the Central Theater. He¡¯s a handsome man with chiseled features, well defined muscles that seem to bulge out no matter what he¡¯s wearing, and an adult charm that just oozes sex appeal. All the women in the capitol are unable to take their eyes off of him.¡±


    ¡°Eh? What¡¯s an actor going to do on such a narrow stage?¡±


    Even Wnski was stumped by that question, so the young noble daughter of the Gordon family exasperatedly exined it to them.


    ¡°Today Adam is performing a special strip show!¡±


    ¡°Hah?¡±


    From about halfway through, Elliott couldn¡¯t help but think that the words he was hearing were actuallying from anguage originating in a different dimension.


    ¡°A man strip?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lump our show together with the act you nasty men want to see! Obviously thatst piece will be protected no matter what!? But, to have that tempered body on full disy, and the happiness thates with being able to appreciate it from up close........! For today everybody, we¡¯ve all dreamed about sticking a twist2 in Adam¡¯s boomerang underwear and spent the entire night folding bills just for the asion!¡±


    ¡°Hah............?¡±


    While Elliott was unable to understand what was going on at all, Margaret tried giving him some additional information while breathing heavily through her nose.


    ¡°Being an actor is still an unstable profession, so many of them will try and get a noble or rich person as a patron! But Adam is able to sell so well, he doesn¡¯t need any kind of mistress contracts, private performances, or pillow deals! For him to make not just a house(?) call, but even a NSFW strip show..........the extent of Rachel¡¯s influence, it¡¯s truly incredible!¡±


    ¡°I, I guess I get it..........?¡±


    Elliott didn¡¯t really get it.


    However, at least now he understood why all the noble girls gathered here were staring so intently with bloodshot eyes. Rachel, she had once again shown her immorality, using the evils of money to get a popr actor to visit her and curry favor with the noble daughters who would ordinarily stand against her.


    And so Elliott.......


    ¡°Okay, you all........¡±


    continued trying to persuade everyone.........


    ¡°quickly leave!¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t pay to see your face!¡±


    ¡°ADAM~!!!¡±


    and his heart was promptly shattered.


    ¡°Wh, What¡¯s with these girls.......¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re already so excited, they can no longer recognize who they¡¯re talking to or what house they¡¯re from........¡±


    ¡°D, damn........¡±


    If a punishment was to be given out, then it would have to be delivered to everyone present........and there are so many of them, it would be almost impossible to confirm which house every girl came from.


    In addition, the reason for their punishment would be because they ignored the prince due to how excited they were for a strip show.........there¡¯s no way they would be able to exin that to the King.........


    Moreover.


    ¡°I want to see~, I want to see Adam~!¡±


    Margaret wanted to sink her teeth into this as well.


    ¡°Margaret!?¡±


    But then, things don¡¯t always work as well in the real world as they do in theory.


    ¡°Hey you, you can¡¯t juste in and see this for free!?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! We had to go through a lot of hardship to get these tickets!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s~..........¡±


    Having not bought a ticket in advance, Margaret was rejected by the other noble girls.


    ¡°Please, let me in~¡±


    ¡°NO!¡±


    But Margaret was a fighter! And she wasn¡¯t above begging either.


    ¡°M, Margaret. Even without seeing something like this........¡±


    Elliot tried calling out to such a shameful Margaret to try and bring her back home........but at that time,


    ¡°Now now, everyone¡±


    a goddess of salvationRachel descended.


    ¡°After all, Margaret would like to see Adam as well right?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I want to see, please let me see!¡±


    ¡°O, Oi Margaret..........¡±


    Rachel motioned over to a single empty chair.


    ¡°The truth is I actually kept a spare seat just in case. If you¡¯d like, I would be more than happy to allow Margaret to have it.¡±


    ¡°Really!?¡±


    ¡°Oi, Margaret!?¡±


    Rachel nodded her head with a smile like that of the Holy Mother¡¯s.


    ¡°Yes. Everyone here has had their hearts stolen away by Adam¡¯s smile. So,rade Margaret, please take a seat.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Margaret!?¡±


    Margaret sat down without hearing Elliott¡¯s voice and joy clearly spread across her face when Rachel offered out her hand. Two gold coins were resting in her palm.


    ¡°And I shall give you these as well.¡±


    ¡°Um? Gold coins?¡±


    Knowing that all the other noble girls were straining their ears listening as well, Rachel lowered her voice to quietly exin to Margaret.


    ¡°Adam will be wearing stic boomerang underwear.........normally you would give your twist by just sliding a banknote into his pants........but a coin, if you were to slip in a particrly heavy gold coin instead¡±


    ¡°.........if I did?¡±


    ¡°A heavy gold coin in pants that would stretch........then that, what an amazing sight.......¡±


    ¡°An amazing sight!?¡±


    All at once the other noble girls grew even more excited.


    ¡°I never thought of that!¡±


    ¡°That......too great!¡±


    ¡°Y, you all........¡±


    While Elliott was shocked by what he saw, Margaret knelt down before Rachel and politely received the gold coins.


    ¡°O, Oi.........Margaret?¡±


    ¡°Ga..........¡±


    ¡°Ga?¡±


    ¡°God exists underground!¡±


    ¡°Margaret!?¡±


    prison life v2 7


    ¡°Oi, you¡¯re all being irresponsible........!?¡±


    Elliott raised his voice trying to take control of the situation.


    But at that time, a handsome young man whose muscles looked like they were about to rip apart the suit he was wearing stepped forward.


    ¡°KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!¡±


    Elliott¡¯s words were pulverized by the loud cheers of the noble girls.


    The truly dandy young man performed the familiar gesture of blowing a kiss to one of the noble girls in the audience before giving them all a coolugh.


    ¡°Hello, kittens. The show will start in just a minute; do you mind waiting?¡±


    ¡°Oi, you too............¡±


    ¡°KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!¡±


    Elliott tried to stop Adam, but he was blown over by the girls¡¯ chorus of cries that hit his back like a tsunami.


    Acting cautiously, Elliott realized that now that the noble girls had seen Adam, his presence didn¡¯t even register in their eyes.


    ¡°You all, don¡¯t be unreasonable.........!¡±


    ¡°ADAM! ADAM! ADAM~!¡±


    ¡°...........hey, listen...........¡±


    ¡°ADAM! ADAM! ADAM~!¡±


    ?


    The Prison Guard greeted Elliott¡¯s group after they came out from the dungeon lookingpletely exhausted.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, His Highness is.........¡±


    Elliott fell to his hands and knees, deep tears of regret flowing down his cheeks.


    ¡°Damn.......I¡¯m a handsome guy too........when they were at the castle they were all going ¡®Kyaa Kyaa¡¯ over me too........damn it all, an actor in my territory.....


    ¡°So you lost a match in handsomeness then.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like it was a match to begin with!?¡±


    ¡°Aah, you had a bad opponent is all it was.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m amazing too after all!¡±


    ¡°So it was a match after all then..........?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    As Elliott continued to put the cart before the horse, the Prison Guard held out his collection box.


    ¡°My apologies Your Highness. Because you¡¯re like that........and since it was standing room, feel free to pay me as much as you¡¯d like?¡±


    ¡°So there were same-day tickets then!?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re getting side-tracked again.¡±


    1. So it¡¯s probably a littlete to say this, but I am officially having a hard time picturing howrge this dungeon is actually supposed to be.


    2. A twist is money you throw at a performer. Not just money you give to strippers, but also money you would hand out to a musician ying on the street or other things like that.

 Chapter 40 - Pervert Shares a Drink with a Monkey

    <strong>Pervert Shares a Drink with a Monkey</strong>


    Prince Elliott was in a bad mood.


    ¡°Damn, Rachel.........I¡¯ll get you back.¡±


    Looking over his shoulder, he called out to the son of an earl who was among his followers.


    ¡°How is Margaret¡¯s condition!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not looking good. She¡¯s still in critical condition.¡±


    The boy shook his head, a solemn expression on his face. Elliott¡¯s mood was growing even more violent.


    ¡°Damn! That demon, I should kill her right now.........! Making Margaret like this............damn it! Ah, isn¡¯t there any way we can get that damn gue out of here immediately!? Grrrrr, let¡¯s just set the dungeon on fire and cook her to deeeeeeeeeeath!!¡±


    He screamed as loud as he could................and then Elliott¡¯s shoulders fell.


    For right behind him,


    ¡°Uhehehehe...........Adam¡¯s stunning abs...........ah, so wonderful............¡±


    Margaret was wrapped up in a moment of bliss, drool leaking from her lips with her eyes clouded over in a dreamy state of mind. Three days had already passed, yet her soul still refused toe back to her.


    The earl¡¯s son went on to give a report, still carrying a gloomy look.


    ¡°Assuming the worst.........the possibility of her bing a devout Adam Stuart groupie is...........¡±


    ¡°Wha-!? Th, then we¡¯ll just have to stop her if ites to that! Damn, why is there no doctor for this kind of illness!?¡±


    Watching on as Elliott shouted, raved, and took out his anger on the rooms furnishings, his followers whispered to one another while huddled close.


    ¡°Like this, he might really end up setting the dungeon on fireter.¡±


    ¡°Yeah........but whose job do you think it will be to actually start the fire?¡±


    ¡°As if we had to guess........as expected, killing someone to harass them is..........¡±


    ¡°Something, isn¡¯t there anything at all to clear away his anger...........?¡±


    Without Elliott noticing, his followers began passing around some ideas.


    ¡°Right, let¡¯s go with this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. This should definitely allow him to let off some steam.¡±


    ¡°Yosh.........Your Highness, can I ask you something?¡±


    With the results of the meeting prepared, the marquis¡¯s son Wnski acted as a representative for the others and raised his hand.


    ¡°What is it!?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a one-shot n for getting back at the growing more impudent by the day Miss Rachel.¡±


    ¡°..........Hoh?¡±


    Having caught Elliott¡¯s interest, Wnski and the others started to exin their n. Gradually Elliott¡¯s rage began to subside, eagerness rising in its stead, and each of the followers shared a wink with each other.


    ¡°Yosh, let¡¯s do it! We¡¯re carrying out the n tonight, so make the preparations!¡±


    ¡°Roger!¡±


    Unfortunately the busy young followers failed to notice.


    There was a small object sticking to the curtain swaying in the breeze.


    ?


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    ¡°Wee home. How far did you go today?¡±


    Rachel warmly weed Haley back after he crawled in through the venttion window. After she carried him down in her arms and gave his fur a good brushing, the monkey moved over to the end table feeling refreshed.


    ¡°Ooki, ook, ook?¡±


    Haley put his finger to his forehead, twirling it around as if to say someone was crazy before in the end making a fist as if swearing revenge.


    ¡°Ah, so you went to visit His Highness Elliott then?¡±


    Haley kept going, picking up a nearby pen and striking it against his butt, imitating how somebody would strike a match to start a fire.


    ¡°Hmm, do they intend on firing off some fireworks outside my window?¡±


    Haley nodded.


    Rachel then hugged Haley close once again, patting the top of his head while praising his efforts.


    ¡°Thank you Haley, now I can make a counter n. Can I ask for your help for a little bit longer?¡±


    ¡°Okkii!¡±


    ?


    Late that night.


    The men quietly approached the dungeon building under the cover of darkness.


    ¡°It looks like her lights are off.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That girl should¡¯ve fallen asleep........right about now.¡±


    Elliott and the others fanned out around the venttion window, quietly setting down the few candles they had brought with them. They then all began to unwrap the bundles they had brought with them.


    These were thetest toys, easy-to-use rocket-like fireworks. When you light them, they haphazardly fly into the sky, exploding and creating a loud sound right before the gunpowder runs out..........and they would be firing these toys right into Rachel¡¯s cell. These things would make a good weapon if they were bigger, but right now they had nothing in the way of destructive power other than a shy noise.


    However, that was all they needed for tonight¡¯s aim.


    ¡°Kukuku........tonight, we see that woman¡¯s flustered expression. Yosh, fire away.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The men all opened up the bags for therge number of fireworks they had bought, each of them grabbing one at random in preparation to fire..........but when they tried to light them


    *papopp!*


    A light popping noise could be heard from the venttion window..........and then the same type of fireworks they were just about to ignite came flying at them. A lot of them.


    ¡°Uoh!?¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    Because the men had all spread out to try and surround the window, someone could easily fire from there in any direction ande close to hitting somebody. The fireworks that kept firing one after another tore through the men¡¯s positioning.


    ¡°Damn, she beat us to the punch!¡±


    ¡°Miss Rachel is only one person, how is she shooting so many like this!?¡±


    Although there were seven, eight people eagerly returning fire, the small venttion window was a difficult target to hit as it was, and that was without the inurate fireworks oftentimes flying off towards the day after tomorrow.


    ¡°Why.........!?¡±


    ¡°Oi, why isn¡¯t this working at all!?¡±


    Elliott¡¯s side fell into chaos as if they never had a n to begin with.


    ¡°This is actually pretty fun too.¡±


    From the beginning Rachel had been firing off fireworks after setting them down on a corrugated sheet. Once ignited, they would follow along the grooves set in the sheet and fly off out of the dungeon. She had never fired fireworks before, but her uracy was still much better than Elliott and the other guys who were all trying to aim the fireworks by pointing them in a general direction.


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    Haley was also having a fun time setting the fireworks down on the sheet.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s about time for our special fireworks?¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    ¡°Calm down! We only have one target, so if everyone aims together, we can win this!¡±


    Elliott was trying to quell the chaos in his ranks.


    *PAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPA! CRACK!!*


    All of the sudden, one shot made a loud, shy noisepletely different from what was echoing before.


    ¡°What¡¯s that!?¡±


    ¡°Oii, the sound and power are so different!¡±


    As these new fireworks continued firing their way, the son of a baron who had also be an apprentice knight was able to figure out what they were from their silhouette as they flew through the air.


    ¡°She¡¯s bundled the fireworks together! Three, four of them........she¡¯s tied firecrackers around them!?¡±


    ¡°Such a move.........!¡±


    Even if you understand that these fireworks don¡¯t have any power to them, there¡¯s still that moment of shock when theynd right next to you. Moreover the sound and power of the explosion was more powerful then what they guys had been expecting......¡±


    A situation where seven, eight people were being outgunned by just one other person.


    But the real tragedy had yet to begin.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    As one of the men prepared to take his next shot, he was left slightly confused when he noticed there were no more fireworks in his sack. He looked around to see where they might have gone........when he saw that a monkey had collected everyone else¡¯s bags as well, and was just about to light all their fuses in one go.


    ¡°H, Hey wait! If you light those like that..............!?¡±


    At the same time as the monkey jumped back, the fire he had lit spread out, resulting in the gathered fireworks exploding out, erratically flying in every single direction.


    ¡°Uwaa!¡±


    ¡°R, Run away!!¡±


    Everyone was running around aimlessly as the fireworks flew off in any direction with no rhyme or reason, exploding at their feet. To help the chaos along, the monkey was lighting some extra firecrackers too, throwing them this way and that.


    And then, the greatest tragedy of all.


    Once all the explosions had finallye to an end, a figure suddenly appeared before Elliott after he sat downpletely exhausted.


    ¡°...........?¡±


    Elliott raised his head........and saw the head courtdy.


    ¡°Your Highness........I believe we had a talk about this the other day, but I guess it didn¡¯t really sink in huh............?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no.........¡±


    ¡°My office is a good ce for a sermon don¡¯t you think? Or........perhaps you¡¯d prefer to sit in seiza at the front entrance for the people who have to work the night shift?¡±


    ¡°.............the office.¡±


    ?


    ¡°That was awful.........¡±


    Elliott plodded along back to his living room.


    He had eaten a sermon that seemed like it would never end, gone on to scold those underlings who hade up with such an awful n, and was now mentally exhausted in all sorts of way.........he just wanted to get some sleep at this point. No longer thinking about anything, he just wanted to fall into his bed.


    Taking off his jacket in his living room, he opened up his bedroom door deciding to just sleep with his shirt on just as he was........when thest tragedy of the night struck.


    Once Elliott opened the door to his bedroom.............he found a monkey.


    ¡°Hah?¡±


    Rubbing his eyes, the monkey was still there. It had a stern look on its face..........and a torch in its hand.


    ¡°Eh? You, hold on, that is!?¡±


    The monkey tossed the torch over to Elliott, using the opportunity from Elliott flinching to run past him.


    ¡°Damn, guards! An arson monkey is running away!¡±


    Not even fully understanding what he himself was saying, it would be impossible for anyone else to think that a monkey had been carrying a torch around in Elliott¡¯s bedroom.


    ¡°Rachel, suddenly sending someone tomit arson.........!?¡±


    There¡¯s only one fool in the royal pce with a white haired monkey for a pet. Elliott stepped on the torch the monkey had thrown at him to put it out, wondering what exactly it was he had set on fire with it.


    After a quick sweep of the room, the monkey hadn¡¯t lit any of his furniture on fire.


    There was nothing burning at all actually, and he was starting to think that maybe the monkey hadn¡¯t nned on setting anything on fire in here. However.........he did end up finding something in this room that wasn¡¯t there before.


    ¡°What the, this is...........?¡±


    When Elliott walked further into his bedroom, he found a few saucepans lying here and there scattered across his floor. There were probably about ten of them.


    There was a pile of pine resin and wood chips mixed together on top of a te underneath the saucepan. It was this blended fuel the monkey had set on fire. The saucepan was being heated up over this medium me, and upon further inspection, these saucepans were filled with oil and corn kernels.


    Elliott didn¡¯t know what popcorn was.


    Before Elliott was able to do anything (of course even if he had tried putting out the fire right away it wouldn¡¯t have gone out so easily.........), the first grain exploded out of the saucepan.


    *POP*


    ¡°Eh, what!?¡±


    There was just a single, light popping sound, but it quickly elerated into something more.


    *POPPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPA!!*


    A slew of white kernels flew up at him.


    In the blink of an eye the situation had gotten out of control as Elliott was struck from top to bottom by a violent downpour of white hail.


    ¡°Ow, OW! What is this!?¡±


    And then the powerful smell of the oil filled the room...........


    The guard knights who rushed into the room were unable to do anything to help. They didn¡¯t know what popcorn was either and were unsure if throwing water at it would just make things worse.


    The white kernels continued to grow in number even as the head courtdy rushed into the room...........and by the time the explosion that nobody understood was finished, Elliott¡¯s bedroom was coated in a bed of fluffy, white grains.


    ?


    An exhausted Wnski was walking down a hallway near the rear garden in the back yard. Partway down he wanted to rest for a bit, so he sat down on some steps a little ways away.


    ¡°Haa...........I¡¯m worn out.¡±


    The strain from today¡¯s pointless efforts were particrly bad. By no means had he ever thought Miss Rachel would be able to perform a counterattack with her own fireworks.......did she have those things on her since she was first imprisoned? She really is a dreadful noblewoman.


    ¡°Ah.......it would be great to be abused by such a noblewoman with a t chest.........¡±


    Miss Rachel was the exact opposite. She was tall and beautiful,cking that cute atmosphere.


    ¡°She¡¯s overflowing with her own natural charms as well of course........but after all, Miss Margaret is better, surely.¡±


    Agreeing with himself, he looked out ahead of him.........and found a monkey. It looked like he was just passing through while carrying a basket on his back. His name was surely.......


    ¡°...........Henry?¡±


    Wasn¡¯t he Miss Rachel¡¯s pet? Almost assuredly.


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    The monkey earnestly shook his head, but Wnski was pretty sure there wouldn¡¯t be two such monkeys in the royal pce. He wasn¡¯t sure why this monkey was so stubbornly trying to deny the obvious, but well, he wasn¡¯t like His Highness and wouldn¡¯t try to bully the poor creature.


    ¡°I don¡¯t particrly mind if you prowl around........or are you causing a bit of mischief somewhere?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure if the monkey could actually understand him, but he decided to talk to it anyway. As expected, Wnski had no way of knowing he was on his way back after causing a grand scene in Elliott¡¯s room.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Before Wnski had realized it, Henry had started to get closer, staring at his face. Apparently pets tend to get anxious when they¡¯re around people who aren¡¯t their owners.


    Henry reached into his back basket, pulling out an orange. He then presented it to Wnski.


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    ¡°What, for me? You, such a good guy.........¡±


    Henry handed over the orange before taking a seat next to Wnski. The monkey looked up at him as if to say, ¡°If you have something you need to get off your chest, I¡¯ll listen.¡±


    ¡°I see, pets are cute like this.¡±


    Understanding Henry¡¯s intentions, theints slowly started flowing from Wnski¡¯s lips, his irritation and grumblingsid out in full disy.


    ¡°And that¡¯s how it is. I¡¯m trying my best, but it¡¯s impossible to get any results........¡±


    Whether or not the monkey really understood what Wnski was saying, he was nodding his head ¡°Right right¡± as if he did. And when a break appeared in Wnski¡¯s story, he motioned as if to say, ¡°Just a moment,¡± and then disappeared somewhere..........ing back a few minutester carrying a mini-bottle of whiskey and a couple of small sses.


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    He set the two cups down on the ground, dexterously pouring some of the amber-colored liquid in each one, before handing one of the sses over to Wnski.


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    ¡°Hey, where did thise from?¡±


    ¡°Ookiki!¡±


    ¡°Eh? Your Master¡¯s? She¡¯ll only get angry at you, so I shouldn¡¯t worry about it? Henry you, you¡¯re a real man........¡±


    prison life v2 8


    Wnski was ovee with admiration while clinking his ss against the monkeys.


    Obviously Henry didn¡¯t actually drink from his cup because monkeys can¡¯t have alcohol, but just the motion really helped make the atmosphere that they were a couple of buddies at a tavern talking about their feelings. Henry did pretty well as a server, continuing to listen to Wnski¡¯s worries and nodding his head all while continuing to fill up Wnski¡¯s cup every time it was emptied.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Wnski to end up dead drunk, grumbling to Henry with the pain of an abused office worker.


    ¡°His Highness re~ally tru~ly doesn¡¯t care about my hard work.¡±


    ¡°Ookiki¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah you¡¯re right! Hah, a subordinate¡¯s troubles might as well be a stranger¡¯s!¡±


    ¡°Ooki~!¡±


    ¡°Understand? You get it? That¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°Ooki, Ookiki!¡±


    ¡°I should p him with my resignation letter? Ahaha, I should!¡±


    Although this might count as being by himself, it was still nice having someone there who can listen to your problems. If the other party was another noble or even someone he was married to, it would be difficult to justpletely let yourself go like this.


    By the time the bottle had been drained, Wnski was feeling a lot better.


    ¡°All right, I should head home.¡±


    ¡°Ookii!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, no worries, I¡¯ll grab a carriage at the doors. Yeah, thanks Henry!¡±


    Henry put the no longer needed empty bottle and sses into his back basket, and then tried handing over some kind of hard cloth.


    ¡°Hm? What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Ooki. Kiikii!¡±


    ¡°Something good? Most guys greatly enjoy this? Hahaha, thanks for the treasure, I¡¯ll happily receive it.¡±


    ¡°Ookiki!¡±


    Giving Henry a firm, farewell handshake, Wnski walked away under the starry sky.


    He felt like all of his troubles had been washed away. Starting tomorrow he would be able to do his best.


    Gazing up at the night¡¯s full moon, Wnski narrowed his eyes in a good mood.


    And then when he tried passing through the castle¡¯s first gate, he was stopped for questioning by the guards because of how suspicious he looked.


    ?


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the marquis¡¯s heir Wnski...........thanks for your hard work.¡±


    Contrary to his courteous words, the knight blocking Wnski¡¯s path had suspicion written all over his face. Another knight circled around behind.


    ¡°It seems he¡¯s had a lot to drink.........there wasn¡¯t a party tonight was there? Were you drinking with His Highness?¡±


    ¡°No, but I was drinking with another friend just now.¡±


    ¡°Hoh........and this person who was giving you alcohol in the royal pce is called.........?¡±


    ¡°Umu, Henry the monkey.¡±


    Perhaps if this was the usual Wnski, he may have been able to present the truth in a better way. But he had a lot to drink before this. And though it may have just been a mini-bottle of whiskey that he drained, it¡¯s no exaggeration to say that drinking even that much alcohol on your own can make most humans dead drunk.


    But it wasn¡¯t a question about alcohol that caught the knight¡¯s attention, it was the monkey who supposedly gave it to him. The look in the knights¡¯ eyes during their interrogation changed.


    ¡°........Your Grace, this isn¡¯t the time for jokes?¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not joking!¡±


    ¡°I see. So then, who did you drink with?¡±


    ¡°I told you, Henry the monkey.¡±


    ¡°..............I see. Well then, let¡¯s put aside my hundred doubts and say you drank with a monkey. Why were you drinking with this monkey?¡±


    Wnski puffed out his chest, giving a grand reply only alcohol can draw out.


    ¡°Ah, he was listening to mein about my job!¡±


    ¡°..........in about your job? With a monkey?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    ¡°...........What did the monkey?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. He rmended that if I¡¯m having a hard time, I should p my boss in the face with a resignation letter!¡±


    ¡°........the monkey did?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course. After all, there was nobody else there besides me and Henry.¡±


    ¡°............I see.¡±


    After thatst question the knight in front sent a look to the one standing behind Wnski. This knight charged with cutting off the suspect¡¯s escape route left for a moment, returning with another guard from the castle gate for backup.


    ¡°By the way.........what¡¯s that thing Your Grace is holding?¡±


    Wnski was still holding in his hand the [something] that Henry had given him some time ago.


    ¡°Now that you mention it, what is it?¡±


    Unfolding the cloth........something to support the bulges on a woman¡¯s chest, was what it was.


    ¡°.........it looks like, some underwear for a young girl.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, it is. One on the bustier side as well.¡±


    ¡°..............so would you mind telling us where you got it?¡±


    ¡°This? Henry gave it to me while we were drinking together.¡±


    ¡°The monkey?¡±


    ¡°The monkey.¡±


    The knight didn¡¯t know what else had to be said, so he told the other guards waiting that they would be bringing the young nobleman to the Knights¡¯ Order¡¯s office.


    ¡°No, wait wait! Really. I really did get this from a monkey!¡±


    ¡°..........putting my ten thousand doubts aside............why did this monkey, give Your Grace some poor woman¡¯s underwear?¡±


    ¡°He did it as proof of our friendship!¡±


    The interrogating knight whispered to one of hisrades.


    ¡°Hey, it might be better to get more backup.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make the preparations.¡±


    ¡°Why are we going that route!?¡±


    ¡°The very fact that you¡¯re wondering that is amazing.........but okay, let¡¯s change the question. Why do you think the monkey gave you somedies underwear as a sign of friendship?¡±


    ¡°Ah, because.........what kind of guy wouldn¡¯t enjoy getting these?¡±


    ¡°Hey, go look for any women nearby who may have been assaulted. Aftering this far, any victims this guy in heat may have gotten his hands on could have been a woman of high status.¡±


    ¡°Thinking about this guy¡¯s mental state, I don¡¯t think he¡¯d discriminate by age either.¡±


    ¡°Just-a-mo-ment, why are you guys treating me like I¡¯m so strange!?¡±


    ¡°The very fact that you have to ask is proof enough...........pardon me. It¡¯s because you¡¯re saying that a monkey gave you these.¡±


    ¡°But I know the owner!? I¡¯m certain that this underwear I got from Henry belongs to Miss Rachel Ferguson¡±


    ¡°So then tell me, why didn¡¯t you try and return them?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s packed full of Henry¡¯s friendship!¡±


    ¡°Hey, for now go to the dungeon and check on Miss Ferguson.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should throw this guy in the dungeon first?¡±


    ¡°Did you honestly suggest we put a noblewoman and a degenerate in the dungeon together!?¡±


    Wnski tried to protest as the knights started openly discussing what to do with him in front of him, not even making any attempts at whispering by this point.


    ¡°You guys, do you think I have a hobby of stealing Miss Rachel¡¯s underwear!?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Well, to be honest¡±


    ¡°Gimme a break!¡±


    Wnski struck his chest out in pride............and then, he spoke with the eternal prestige that came with being the president of the Kingdom Petaism Association.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for me to ever be interested in Miss Rachel¡¯s underwear! I am a Petaist!? Only t chests can hold my interest!¡±


    ¡°Oi, grab as many people as you can! It¡¯d be a major problem if we let this lolicon escape!¡±


    ¡°You guys!? I just told you, I¡¯m a Petaist! Why are you treating me like I¡¯m a lolicon!?¡±


    ¡°Considering everything you¡¯ve told us so far, how are we not supposed to think of you as a lolicon!?¡±


    ¡°You guys are all idiots!¡±


    A man of his beliefs, Wnski advanced on the guards, making a grand deration for all to hear.


    ¡°Petaist¡¯s are people who love modest bulges! Lolicons are people who love small children! These two things arepletely different, and it¡¯s a mistake to think they¡¯re anything alike! There¡¯s a single moment of ovep, but the interests and preferences arepletely different!¡±


    ¡°Yes yes, we¡¯ll hear the rest over in the Knights Order¡¯s office. Now, don¡¯t resist!¡±


    That day.


    Those who bore witness to a young nobleman being dragged away by some of the pce guards saw him sorrowfully cry to the heavens.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong! They¡¯repletely different! It¡¯s fine, petas aren¡¯t lolis! PETAS AREN¡¯T LOLIIIIIIIIIIIIS!¡±


    ?


    At an unusual time in the dungeon, the chief agent Sofia came to deliver a report.


    ¡°His Majesty the King¡¯s group is slowly making their way back to the capitol, and I wanted to discuss our n of action.¡±


    ¡°Yes. There will be an uproar once His Majesty returns, and I don¡¯t want any problems at that time.¡±


    As his Masters continued with their discussion, Haley was eating an apple when he recalled the young man he had met in a corridor a short time ago.


    He was a careless man who couldn¡¯t get Haley¡¯s name right, but he was a funny guy too the way heughed and cried. He was upset about a bunch of things that Haley didn¡¯t really understand that well, but since he went home in a good mood, his problems were probably solved.


    In addition, Haley had given him the thing that all human guys like. Master has plenty of them, so it¡¯s probably fine.


    Hopefully he gets to live a happy life.


    Haley wished that from the bottom of his heart while looking up at the starry night sky through the venttion window.


    ?


    ¡°Your Highness, ording to the chefs, this stuff is apparently called popcorn. Are you going to eat it?¡±


    ¡°Why would I care about that right now!? Damn you Rachel, I can¡¯t sleep like thiiiiiiiiiiiiiis!!¡±

 Chapter 41 - Noblewoman Fears the Storm

    <strong>Noblewoman Fears the Storm</strong>


    ¡°Prince Elliott is just too stupid.¡±


    If you were to thoroughly investigate everything that has happened, this would be the natural conclusion. But at the same time, this simple sentence could easily summarize the matter entirely as well.


    The Prince¡¯s attacks up until now weren¡¯t anything to really write home about.


    Because of that Rachel may have be unconsciously overconfident.


    Nothing could break the peace that had been established inside the dungeon.


    But then around the time that the King¡¯s return was on everyone¡¯s lips.


    .........a storm came to the dungeon.


    ?


    The news of Wnski¡¯s arrest sent shockwaves through Elliott¡¯s office.


    ¡°What, Wnski has........!?¡±


    All the color drained from Elliott¡¯s face. With this, along with the incidents involving George and Sykes, his three closest friends had left him. The Prince¡¯s shock was immeasurable.


    The son of an earl continued his report, unable to hide the depression on his face.


    ¡°ording to those who had witnessed the incident, he was on his way home after being released by the head courtdy..........he was apparently drunk, shouting strange things, and was stopped by some guards at the castle gates when they heard him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s.........!? No, certainly someone would want to have a drink after a sermon like that.......but even then, Wnski didn¡¯t do anything to justify him being arrested! I¡¯ll immediately send the guards an objection, and..........¡±


    ¡°As I understand it, he was apparently dead drunk when he reached the castle gates, and besides wearing some women¡¯s underwear on top of his head, he kept yelling, ¡®Loli¡¯s are the best!¡¯ over and over again.¡±


    ¡°...........No, I see..........I hope they let him go soon.¡±


    Elliott sunk down into his chair without any energy.


    Silence filled the room around him as unfortunately, the Prince didn¡¯t understand the difference between a peta and a loli either. Wnski was already half convicted.........and not even Elliott believed in his innocence.


    Margaret worriedly rushed to Elliott¡¯s side. After all this time she had finally snapped out of the trance she had put herself in from reliving that supreme time over and over again.


    ¡°Elliott.........please lift your spirits!¡±


    ¡°Margaret........I¡¯m already, what should I do..........?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it! If you have this, then I¡¯m sure everything will turn out all right for you!¡±


    From her pocket, Margaret pulled out some kind of shy purple cloth.


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°I had to give it everything I had until the very end, but I managed toe out victorious over the other noble girls and walked out of that party with Adam¡¯s briefs.¡±


    As to be expected it apparently wasn¡¯t forcefully stripped from him.


    ¡°That guy¡¯s!? No, I¡¯m fine!? I don¡¯t need that!¡±


    ¡°Eh? Howe?¡±


    Margaret unconsciously took a step back, giving Elliott apletely mystified look.


    In the middle of such a fun-filled atmosphere, one of the Prince¡¯s followers came storming into the office.


    ¡°I beg you pardon! But Miss Rachel in the dungeon........¡±


    ¡°What is it now!? With our spirits already so low, is she doing something again!?¡±


    ¡°No, actually..........it seems like she has some visitors who are rebuking her, and she is being forced to scream back at them.¡±


    ¡°HUH!?¡±


    ?


    Rachel shuttered herself in the dungeon.........in the depths of the dungeon, Rachel had shuttered herself behind her shower curtain.


    By the time Elliott had rushed in, that was the state Rachel was in.


    The preceding visitors didn¡¯t notice Elliott¡¯s group when they came in, focusing all their attention trying to call out Rachel.


    ¡°Rachel! Every day off is two days¡¯ worth of effort wasted! Hurry up ande out!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! ¡®Whatever doesn¡¯t kill us just makes us stronger¡¯ or so they say. It¡¯s already going to take half a year to get back what you¡¯ve lost you know!?¡±


    ¡°No ¨C No ¨C NO ¨C NOOoooo! His Highness has already broken off his engagement with me, so I don¡¯t need a queen¡¯s education anymore!¡±


    ¡°Juste out of there without saying such stupid things!¡±


    That Rachel was being pushed back.


    Gazing at the two women angrily yelling while striking an imposing stance inside the prison, Elliott had a simr, ¡°Oh no........¡± feelinge over him.


    ¡°The Duchess Somerset and Countess Marlborough...........¡±


    Duchess Somerset was a walking encyclopedia and in charge of culture lessons for anyone taking the queen¡¯s education. As Archduke Vivaldi¡¯s older sister, she was a member of royalty and held the title of Duchess even as a bachelor.


    The other Countess Marlborough was a retainer, but she had a unique life having been born and raised inside the royal pce and was in charge of etiquette. Because both her father and husband are ceremonial officers, she is nothing less than a demon when ites to maintaining public morals.


    These two women are beings to be feared when ites to manners in a person¡¯s queen education and in the imperial court both.


    ¡°About this case, I have sent the location where Their Majesties have been staying multiple letters continuously pleading for your liberation and asking for a confirmation on their stance on this policy..........and atst we received a reply from Her Majesty. His Highness¡¯s insanity always made me clench my teeth in vexation whenever I even thought about it........but now that we have a clear path moving forward, we will work harder than ever before to make up for lost time!¡±


    Madam Marlborough shouted out with her hand wrapped up in a fist. Not exactly what someone would describe as good manners.


    ¡°Really.........for more than two months we¡¯ve been sending these letters only to get a reply now, Their Majesties are much too indecisive. When they return home, I¡¯ll have to have a word with them.......¡±


    A crease formed in Madam Somerset¡¯s brow.


    His Majesty the King didn¡¯t even want to touch any letters from such nit-picky people, calling it good enough to just have his chambein summarize the contents. And now him receiving a sermon had been set in stone.


    ¡°Im ¨C poss ¨C i ¨C ble! I¡¯m trapped in here and cannot leave! I can¡¯t go with you for any queen¡¯s education!¡±


    ¡°Then we can just have you study here! The only thing we wouldn¡¯t be able to do is have you practice your dancing!¡±


    ¡°I went to great pains to get into this prison1, why should I have to study here!?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you have a lot to study!¡±


    No matter what the grannies told her, Rachel refused to give up hope. However. These women wouldn¡¯t be fit to be educators if they were forced to back down by the whims of some young whipper snapper.


    Rachel continued arguing vehemently while hiding her face behind the curtain.


    ¡°What meaning is there to continuing with my queen¡¯s education when His Highness has already broken his engagement with me!?¡±


    ¡°So that you can gain the necessary skills to be the next queen!¡±


    But they aren¡¯t engaged.


    ¡°That¡¯s why His Highness is..........!¡±


    ¡°When ites to Elliott, I don¡¯t care!¡±


    Duchess Somerset loudly rebuked Rachel¡¯s pitiful excuses.


    ¡°Rachel will be the queen! That is set in stone. This was the response we received from Her Majesty, and His Majesty appears to agree with her. All Elliott needs is two or three shots of true grit and it¡¯ll be easier for him to hear!¡±


    The Duchess prescribes to an old-fashionable method of education.


    ¡°And if he still says he hates me.............!?¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll hit him with twenty to thirty shots of true grit, and he¡¯ll be ready to go!¡±


    This Duchess would get along marvelously with Martina.


    ¡°In the first ce, I don¡¯t like him! I don¡¯t even want to look at that Idiot Prince!¡±


    Even though they were words said by someone he had broken off an engagement with, the Prince let out a small groan as if those words had shot through him like a stray arrow. The women who had still yet to notice his presence were heating up.


    ¡°It¡¯s because Elliott is a narcissist with an empty head that he needs a solid queen to stand by his side!¡±


    Madam Somerset was getting heated up as well. Still nobody was aware that Elliott¡¯s group was there.


    ¡°In the first ce! We knew that someone whose head was as useless as a vase with a hole in the bottom was unfit to act as a king for the rest of their life. As the first born though he was destined to inherit, so that¡¯s why Rachel is needed, to fill in all the cracks!¡±


    The Madams were unknowingly pelting the man in question with new facts about himself he didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°To be the queen and marry His Highness, after all I really don¡¯t want to!¡±


    ¡°We could care less about such a trivial thing!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t care!? Isn¡¯t that quite important!? Don¡¯t you have any respect for my will!?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the daughter of a nobleman, marriage for political reasons is basic! And His Majesty has ordered it, so you have no choice in the matter, Rachel!¡±


    ¡°But still I haaaaaaaate that Idiot Prince!¡±


    All of these stray arrows were digging themselves in Elliott¡¯s flesh. He was forced to crouch down, unable to stand up straight anymore.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like him, then you can just marry Raymond instead. It¡¯s already decided that Rachel will be the queen, we can figure out who your husband is going to beter on.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that reversed!? Generally wouldn¡¯t you change the bride marrying into the royal family!?¡±


    ¡°This country won¡¯t survive if we hang on to such minor details!¡±


    Elliott¡¯s hands and knees fell to the floor as all the damage from these women saying whatever they wanted left a deep wound on his heart.


    ¡°Elliott! Stand strong Elliott!¡±


    Margaret tried tofort Elliott by rubbing his back, and cutting through the bickering of the women in front of her, she tried chiding the grannies for what they were saying about their prince..............so reckless.


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing denouncing someone as important as Elliott!? Elliott only stood up because he thought he had to do something about Rachel¡¯s oppression!¡±


    ¡°Margaret.........!¡±


    Elliott¡¯s eyes became wet with tears.


    ¡°Elliott..........!¡±


    The two shared a loving gaze.


    And then the voice of an older woman shattered such a boorish atmosphere.


    ¡°Elliott!? You dare brazenly show your face here like this!?¡±


    ¡°Elliott........you¡¯ve always run away whenever I¡¯vee to lecture you before, so I was wondering whether or not you¡¯d grow up to be a decent human being........but congrattions for being able to make such a happy face in this ce! Let me teach you the differences between right and wrong!¡±


    ¡°I, I can do the right thing..........!¡±


    ¡°I2!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Like an ogre straight out of the legends, Countess Marlborough¡¯s anger caused her face to warp into a terrifying mask as she approached step by step.


    ¡°Elliott.........this attitude of yours, a good spanking is in order before you apologize to Rachel don¡¯t you think.........!?¡±


    ¡°Eh, what, are...........!?¡±


    Suddenly, Elliott was turned around and held under Countess Marlborough¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Uwah!?¡±


    While the Madam was lightly carrying the grown man that was Elliott underneath her arm...........


    *Slip*


    ¡°Eh!?¡±


    ¡°KYAAaaaaaaa!¡±


    Elliott¡¯s pants were pulled down around his knees.


    ¡°Madam Marlborough, what are you doing!?¡±


    ¡°I want to ask you that very same question! I¡¯m here to punish you for your idiotic behavior, and Rachel needs to see you receive your spanking as an act of good faith!¡±


    Countess Marlborough raised her hand up high, aiming for Elliott¡¯s bare and unexpectedly smooth ass, when.........


    *WHACK!*


    ¡°S, Stop!?¡±


    ¡°Trying to quit after the first one, your endurance is astonishingly low.¡±


    ¡°Th, That¡¯s not the problem..............!¡±


    The Madam didn¡¯t care to listen, once again raising her hand high overhead...........


    *WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!*


    A refreshing, uplifting noise continued to echo inside the dungeon.


    ¡°H, Hold on Madam Marlborough!? There are others, and I (ore)...............!?¡±


    ¡°I (watashi)!¡±


    The ps got even worse.


    ¡°Stop, stop it..........!¡±


    Elliott wanted the pain to end, but that wasn¡¯t all.


    His beloved Margaret was watching.


    The most-hated Rachel was peeking her head out from behind her curtain.


    The surrounding followers were still as stone watching this indignity.


    Although there were all sorts of different people lined up together, here he was having his ass beat with his butt in full view like some small child.........the mental anguish was just as strong as the physical one.


    However it didn¡¯t bother Countess Marlborough none.


    *WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!*


    prison life v2 9


    It kept going on and on.


    Lasting an eternity.


    ¡°I¡¯m begging you, stop this! It hurts! Please!? This is embarrassing!¡±


    No matter how much Elliott begged and pleaded, it just wouldn¡¯t end.


    His entourage too..........they can¡¯t try to stop it because they understand who the other party is. If they were high ranking knights they may have given priority to Elliott¡¯s instructions, but as simple members of the nobility, the punishment they¡¯d receive from this demon granny would be far worse than doing something as simple as ignoring a prince.


    Already Elliott was left with nothing but a swollen ass and the ability to groan. Seeing the Prince in such a state, Duchess Somerset spoke up to Countess Marlborough.


    ¡°Madame, any time now...........¡±


    Although he was already unable to say anything, Elliott was still able to show his overwhelming relief in his expression...........¡±


    ¡°..........it should be my turn.¡±


    Later on, Elliott would describe this as the most despair-inducing moment of his life.


    A watchman for the royal family and three years older than Archduke Vivaldi, Elliott was held down with a type of force you wouldn¡¯t expect toe from someone of such an advanced age.


    ¡°Watch and learn Countess Marlborough. When you get to be my age, you can¡¯t strike someone with an open palm over and over again like what you just did.¡±


    Under one arm, she was carrying a semi-adult man.


    In the Duchess¡¯s other hand, she was holding a leather sandal that seemed to havee form nowhere.


    ¡°So instead, you must make up for the decline in your body¡¯s health with your experience and knowledge.¡±


    *THWAK! THWAK! THWAK! THWAK!*


    The echo of a crisp whack that was both stronger and faster than the ones before filled the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m learning a lot here. Thank you for the lesson.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unnecessaryyyyyyyyyyyyyyy..............!?¡±


    Elliott waspletely silent as he was lowered to the ground...........


    ¡°Hold on you two! Just what have you done to Elliott!?¡±


    Margaret recklessly tried chewing out the two grannies. The surrounding people were throwing wild gestures all obviously tranting to, ¡°Stop!¡± but none of their movements entered Margaret¡¯s eye.


    ¡°Oh, you are?¡±


    Margaret stuck out her chest with pride.


    ¡°I am Margaret Poisson! The Poisson baron house¡¯s Margaret!¡±


    ¡°Well then, what kind of mouth is that on a noble daughter!? .........this requires a spanking as well.¡±


    ¡°Fue?¡±


    Countess Marlborough already had Margaret underneath her arm before the girl could figure out what was going on, and with one tug pulled down her skirt and underpants down around her knees.


    ¡°No, hold on!? I¡¯m a girl!? What are you doing when everyone is looking!?¡±


    ¡°No man is going to get turned on seeing a blue butt.¡±


    ¡°No, everyone look away!? And shouldn¡¯t it be red!?¡±


    *WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!*


    ¡°GYAAAAAAAA!!¡±


    ¡°How is a noble daughter able to raise such an immodest shriek?¡±


    ¡°Elliott wasn¡¯t silent, so why am I (atashi) getting lectured on it!?¡±


    ¡°I (watashi)! Why is a noble girl speaking like some working-ss riff raff!¡±


    *WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!*


    ¡°GYAAAAAAAA!!¡±


    From behind the curtain Rachel could tell that the sound of the spanking had changed, so she peeked back around the corner once again.........and raised a loud shriek.


    ¡°That¡¯s mine! That¡¯s my sandbag! I was looking forward to being the first one to hit it!¡±


    ¡°Who is your sandbag!?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this, such an indecent way of speaking!¡±


    *WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!*


    ¡°Madam, you can let me hit her anytime now.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t you wanting to help with the punishment a lie!? Don¡¯t you want to just enjoy yourself!?¡±


    ¡°Speak properly, I (watashi)! I!¡±


    ¡°You shut up too! You ridiculous, sadistic asshole!¡±


    ¡°Why are you unable to improve the way you speak!?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you stop first!¡±


    *THWAK! THWAK! THWAK! THWAK!*


    ¡°Uuh, how it must feel to beat her!¡±


    ¡°So, had enough?¡±


    ¡°Ahhn, someone else is banging my sandbag.............!¡±


    ¡°You can all go to Hell!¡±


    ¡°What is this, such filthynguage!¡±


    ?


    ¡°That¡¯s enough Rachel. If you think you can stay in there forever, then I¡¯m sure you know you¡¯ll end up like this as well?¡±


    After the twin demon instructors of the queen¡¯s education had finished handing out their lessons, they walked out of the dungeon looking satisfied.


    ¡°...........¡±


    Left behind with Rachel...........the PrinceElliott and noble daughterMargaret were left lying on the ground with their butts still in in view, and all of Elliott¡¯s followers standing to the side as an awkward silence filled the room.


    Nobody said a word.


    Elliott slowly rose to his feet, trying to pull his pants back up.........but his swollen butt hurt too much, so he gave up halfway. Margaret was sniffling as she stood up, and she was somehow able to put her underwear back on. Her skirt draped back down without any problems.........naturally.


    Everyone in the room was still keeping quiet.


    Rachel, the lord of this room, kept looking around trying to find something to say...........so she gave them a wink and a thumbs up.


    ¡°Cute!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Feeling something knocking against his knees, Elliott looked down and found Haley looking at him pitifully while holding up an orange.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it man. Here, eat this.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! I don¡¯t need a monkey¡¯s sympathy!¡±


    ¡°Damn, I¡¯ll remember this!¡±


    Elliott was crying as he ran away. Margaret followed.........but all of the hanger-ons didn¡¯t know if they should follow after him and just kept standing there looking at each others¡¯ faces.


    ?


    A week passed. Elliott had still not left his room.


    1. The kanji she uses here means vi, but it can also be ng for prison.


    2. Elliott uses the more boyish, less formal ore the first time, and the teacher corrects him and tells him to use watashi instead.


    3. atashi is ¡®I¡¯ for young girls who are trying to sound cute.

 Chapter 42 - The Prince Assassinates the Noblewoman (Plans)

    <h4>The Prince Assassinates the Noblewoman (ns)</h4>


    A strange atmosphere was hanging inside Prince Elliott¡¯s office.


    Elliott had finally ended his seclusion inside his bedroom and was now leaking a ferocious aura simr to a chihuahua that had been backed into a corner.


    Every remaining member of the Prince¡¯s entourage had been summoned here now and were watching Elliott closely having never seen this side of him before.


    ¡°Gentlemen. As soon as tomorrow, Mother and Father will be returning from their inspection. They stayed over at the city of Tyrell justst night, and I¡¯m told they should be arriving back at the royal pce as early as noon tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re finally back.........¡±


    ¡°Their inspection trip was so long this time.........¡±


    ¡°His Majesty¡¯s health apparently started to deteriorate along the way.¡±


    Elliott raised his hand and the din of his close associates¡¯ conversation instantly stalled before he continued on with what he wanted to say.


    ¡°Originally our n was to drag Rachel in front of Father, forcing her to confess her sin, thus resulting in him approving the dissolution of our engagement and approving my engagement to Margaret. However..........!¡±


    Elliott raised both his fists high over his head and mmed them on the table as hard as he could.


    ¡°Let alone admitting any wrongdoing, that outrageous witch has been allowed to do whatever she wants, having a grand old time while in prison! I never expected her to feel any real guilt, but why is she having more fun every day in there than she would have if she were outside!? Isn¡¯t that strange!?¡±


    The followers all shared a look with each other.


    Certainly everything the Prince said was true, a fact that painfully stung.........but they didn¡¯t understand why it was necessary to gather them all up to hear the obvious thiste in the game.


    While everyone else was tilting their heads to the side, Elliott went on.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not all. Because Father¡¯s inspection trip took so long, Rachel was able to have her subordinates move in secret.........she¡¯s been able to orchestrate a number of incidents, all turning out in her favor. Now all of us have been hearing remarks from the people inside the royal pce proving they are all on Rachel¡¯s side!¡±


    To be precise, the story traveling between residents of the royal pce were things ranging form ¡°The Prince can¡¯t be counted on,¡± to ¡°Wasn¡¯t Rachel mistakenly convicted?¡± so it¡¯s not like they¡¯re directly taking Rachel¡¯s side.


    Rather, it¡¯s the type ofments that wouldn¡¯t havee about at all if Elliott was able to take care of things without any problems, but Elliott and his men are unable to make that distinction.........because little Eli is an idiot.


    ¡°If Father returns like this, then these misunderstandings surrounding us will be our end. This isn¡¯t a joking matter! Just what did we struggle these past three months for!?¡±


    The situation was actually pretty simr to what Elliott described, but the way he came to his conclusions was way off the mark.


    ¡°So then¡±


    Elliott finally entered the main subject of the meeting. All of his followers around him watched with bated breath.


    ¡°I¡¯ve run out of patience. We assassinate Rachel tonight!¡±


    You didn¡¯t have any patience to begin with.........such a tsukkomi never came out.


    A silent tension ran through the boys as the impact of Elliott¡¯s words slowly soaked in.


    Today¡¯s deration had a different weight to it than the usual ones. Everyone looked at Elliott¡¯s face seeing a mad dog that had been driven into a corner and knew that he meant every word he had said. Yes, it was exactly like a cornered long hair chihuahua recklessly trying to bite a mastiff to death.1


    Elliott pointed to the earl¡¯s son.


    ¡°You go procure the weapons. Rachel has her crossbow. I want at least three shields and three of our own crossbows. If possible, get us three long pikes too so we can stab the body afterwards and make sure she is dead. Take three people with you, and go make the preparations immediately!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The Prince then turned his eyes to the other side of the table towards the son of a viscount.


    ¡°Take two men with you and watch everyone who goes in and out of the dungeon. In any case Father will be returning tomorrow. Besides the general ins and outs, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll see Rachel¡¯s minionsing and going as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°To prevent being found out until tomorrow morning, we¡¯ll do it after the Prison Guard has returned home for the night.¡±


    ¡°Although he¡¯s a prison guard, he doesn¡¯t really do any night shift work though.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that right now. Now let¡¯s go!¡±


    At Elliott¡¯smand, all of the boys jumped out of his office at once.


    A little whileter.


    A maid who had been serving tea for the meeting left after tidying up the leftover cups. As soon as she entered the servants passageway however, she left her teacart behind and broke out in a run.


    ?


    The earl¡¯s son was rushing alongside hispatriots when he identally leaked out a quietint.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to rise up............His Highness too, I just wish he could have told us about this sooner.¡±


    It was currently dusk.


    .............Yes, dusk. The same day as their appointed n.


    The Prison Guard was most likely returning home any moment now. And any passing knights running patrols through the castle would have their suspicions raised if they saw a light burning in the dungeon in the middle of the night, so the boys couldn¡¯t put their n off for too much longer.


    ¡°If he had just told us yesterday instead........if he had at least told us before noon, we could¡¯ve grabbed the supplies from home.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t thinking about how he would have smuggled in spears or crossbows past one of the gatekeepers however. Because he was one of Elliott¡¯s men.


    Without any idea on how to get the supplies they needed, the men had no idea where to go. And with no idea on what to do, the group of would-be assassins continued to walk aimlessly around the royal pce.


    ¡°Should we steal them from the knight¡¯s armory? But, with their security..........¡±


    Right about the time when the blue-blooded son of an earl house was worried about the biggest issue he had ever had to face in his life..........the three men he had brought with him all from different baron households tapped his shoulder.


    ¡°There! Take a look over there!¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Just outside his line of sight.........there was something lying up against some type of warehouse. On closer inspection, it was three shields, three crossbows, and three spears all resting up against the warehouse¡¯s wall. There was even a quiver there filled with bolts for the crossbows.


    There was also a sign posted up on the wall.


    <i>[Currently being aired out. DO NOT TOUCH! Knight¡¯s Order]</i>


    The boys delightedly started patting each other¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°It¡¯s our lucky break!¡±


    ¡°So good, there¡¯s just enough here too! If we take these to His Highness we can finish without him yelling at us!¡±


    So the four men confirmed there was nobody around to see them before hurriedly escaping with the weapons in tow.


    Why did there just so happen to be the right number of weapons there?


    Why were the knights airing out such a small number of weapons?


    Why were the weapons left unattended without any lookouts?


    The boys never once stopped to ask any of these questions. Because they were Elliott¡¯s men.


    ?


    As you¡¯d expect a warning needed to be delivered to the dungeon after the viscount¡¯s son had set up his surveince.


    After leaving the Prince¡¯s office the maid had passed the baton over to a gardener who was now confirming the new surveince system that had been set up a distance away from the dungeon¡¯s entrance.


    He kept his distance, walking around the outer circumference of the area to carefully survey the surroundings.........and then tilted his head.


    ¡°They¡¯re not only watching the entrance are they...........?¡±


    Just as he heard, there were three noble boys keeping an eye on the dungeon.


    They were certainly there doing their jobs, but the three of them were standing right next to each other out in the open and only watching the dungeon¡¯s entrance. At the moment, there was a knight hiding in a thicket right next to them who was part of the Prince¡¯s original monitoring detail that was confused about what they were doing there as well.


    Honestly the gardener thought this was all part of some borate trap.........but by all appearances this trap was crap. The gardener waspletely confused, but that was because he didn¡¯t understand the qualities it takes to be one of Elliott¡¯s men.


    For the time being it doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯ll be an obstacle, so the gardener wrapped around to the back venttion window. Since the knight in charge of monitoring behind the dungeon was arade, the gardener waved the knight over, exining the current circumstances and asking him to spread the word.


    Seemingly anticipating his voice, Rachel responded as soon as the gardener tried talking to her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I¡¯ve never had a direct emergency call before.¡±


    ¡°Yes, in fact........¡±


    The story didn¡¯t take long to wrap up, but Rachel made sure to listen in on every detail.


    ¡°Well, were they able to procure their weapons?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Just as a safety precaution we had a knight prepare them some useless weapons for the asion.¡±


    ¡°Then in that case we will allow His Highness¡¯s group go through with their attack. We¡¯ve gone through great pains to pile up circumstantial evidence, so let¡¯s end this all with a bang and grab something they won¡¯t be able to make any excuses for.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Rachel turned her gaze from the gardener to the knight and started giving orders for the knight¡¯s order to follow as well.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to handpick our own subordinates for tonight¡¯s shift. But, try to have one of ours act as the toon leader on duty at the very least.¡±


    ¡°Should we withdraw the surveince around the dungeon? His Highness seems to have forgotten the detail he himself put on you.¡±


    ¡°Leave it as is. After the incident, questions would rise about why there was no surveince on this particr night. Rather, we can have those guards His Highness forgot about run the role of reporting to the knight¡¯s order¡¯s office.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    At that time Elliott¡¯s group was growing more excited now that they had their weapons in hand.


    But Rachel¡¯s side was making their own preparations as well.


    ?


    When the sky had beenpletely enveloped by darkness.


    ¡°Go!¡±


    On Elliott¡¯smand, all of his followers rushed the dungeon all at once. The sound of their footsteps echoed loudly inside that front room as the men broke off into pairs, one man standing in front with the shield and another standing behind with a loaded crossbow aimed at the cell.


    Elliott was thest one to enter and began talking towards the cell¡¯s inhabitant after all other noises ceased. He looked calm on the outside, but when you looked into his eyes, all you saw was madness.


    ¡°Rachel, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard that my father is returning tomorrow. If you make an appeal to Father and Mother at that time, then I¡¯m sure your n was to have my mother who favors you let you out..........but it¡¯s truly regrettable. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t wake up to see tomorrow¡¯s sunrise.¡±


    Taking in the scene around her, how would Rachel react? In front of Elliott who was so eagerly waiting to see what she¡¯d have to say now..........Rachel let out a long sigh as if she were truly bbergasted.


    ¡°And here I thought His Highness was finally thinking a little harder...........¡±


    ¡°Huh? What? Did you think I¡¯d never resort to force? I might look sweet, but I¡¯m a man who does what¡¯s necessary when the timees.¡±


    ¡°Then let me give such a ¡®man¡¯ one piece of advice...........isn¡¯t it better to not wait until the other party finds shelter?¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    While the men were left confused, Rachel took refuge behind her stacks of wooden crates and set up her crossbow. So, she had set up a standing firing position that served as much better cover than a simple shield.


    ¡°Why did you guys allow her to get into cover!?¡±


    ¡°No but, we can¡¯t just suddenly start shooting at her.........¡±


    ¡°You should have yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± at the very least!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    While Elliott was thrown into a fit of anger at his own subordinates¡¯ ipetence, Rachel offered him some more advice.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯ve nned for every detail........if you don¡¯t do something like that, won¡¯t you end up with a lot of trouble in the future? At the very least you¡¯ll end up with a butt on fire.¡±2


    Rather than being enraged, Elliott was honestly impressed that Rachel could continue to run her mouth despite being surrounded. This was the result of someone in the mindset where they misunderstand, thinking they¡¯re in an advantageous position, and look down on others while feeling omnipotent.


    ¡°Hoh........so even while you¡¯re surrounded by us like this you can still run your mouth like some important person. Hahaha, just keep that mentality in mind. Rather, you¡¯re the one who is going to have their butt on fire in a little bit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong Your Highness¡±


    ¡°Fu, your mouth is really good at...........hm?¡±


    As Elliott was talking, his butt suddenly started to feel strange.


    Taking a look behind him, the bottom of his pants were burning.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Shifting his gaze a little further down........at some point Rachel¡¯s monkey had circled around behind them, and had brought a lit match to Elliott¡¯s butt. As soon as he fully understood what was going on, Elliott¡¯s butt started to feel even hotter..........


    ¡°Uwa!? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!¡±


    The hanger-ons were all dumbfounded as Elliott began rolling around on the ground. Thankfully a couple of the guys noticed what had happened and helped in the firefighting effort, so it ended with just Elliott¡¯s pants and underwear getting scorched. It¡¯d be impossible to tell what damage was done to his butt without seeing a doctor tomorrow.


    ¡°Wha, What does your pet think it¡¯s doing!?¡±


    ¡°Well Your Highness, your butt was ¡®literally¡¯ on fire there, so isn¡¯t it a naughty joke on his part?¡±


    ¡°Am I supposed tough at this!? I thought I was going to die!¡±


    ¡°What a lukewarm iming from a bunch of people currently here to kill me..........¡±


    With her monkey returned to her side, Rachel shared a look with her pet before shrugging her shoulders.


    ¡°Haley worked hard on this joke........but I guess a person can¡¯t understand a monkey¡¯s sense of humor.¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    ¡°Kill him! Kill the monkey first!¡±


    While Elliott was screaming at his archers to switch targets, Haley climbed up the wooden crates and escaped out the venttion window.


    Looking stupid with a goofy hole right on his butt, Elliott¡¯s shoulders started to shake as he broke out into a fit of insaneughter.


    ¡°Fu, fufufufufu.............Rachel. You, you¡¯ve angered me!?¡±


    ¡°I think I might be more upset than you that Haley put his body on the line for such a small joke.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid!?¡±


    Getting more worked up, Elliott ordered his followers to take aim. Rachel raised the tip of her crossbow as well.


    And then as Elliott was about to give the order to fire...........the son of a viscount who was the closest to the door let out a fearful voice.


    ¡°U, um..........¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    The young man recoiled at Elliott¡¯s enraged voice, but still he thought he had something that should be reported and pointed to the door leading outside.


    ¡°Um........since a little bit ago, there¡¯s been some noiseing in from outside. Someone, some people are........¡±


    ¡°What? .........go take a look!¡±


    ¡°Y, Yes!¡±


    The viscount¡¯s son rushed up the stairs, and after being gone for only a second, he rushed back down with the same momentum.


    ¡°Y, Your Highness! The monkey, the monkey is shooting off a bunch of shy fireworks outside!¡±


    ¡°.............huh?¡±


    The men couldn¡¯t understand what he was saying at first.


    So the young son of a viscount had to repeat himself.


    ¡°Miss Rachel¡¯s monkey, it¡¯s been shooting off more of those rocket fireworks for a while now!¡±


    From behind Elliott, thezy son of an earl muttered something in nk amazement.


    ¡°Now that you mention it, why did he have that match from before to begin with............¡±


    It happened just after everyone in the dungeon understood what the monkey¡¯s actions meant.


    ¡°Everyone drop your weapons!¡±


    A number of knights all rushed into the dungeon. Every single one of them had been on duty and so were already fully armed.


    ¡°Wh, what¡¯s going on!?¡±


    As Elliott shouted at the interlopers, the grim faced toon leader answered in kind.


    ¡°That¡¯s my line. Just what is going on in this dungeon?¡±


    Already the other knights had surrounded Elliott¡¯s group, disarming his men.


    ¡°Th, That¡¯s confidential! There is no need to say anything to someone unrted like you!¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡±


    While Elliott was high-handedly bellowing, the knight leader easily withdrew. Only to then yell at his subordinates.


    ¡°Check their weapons!¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    ¡°Just recently, I found that some weapons I had left to air out had disappeared. I had hurriedly gathered up these people before when we found this uproar.¡±


    One of the soldiers suddenly shouted.


    ¡°Everything is ounted for. They¡¯re the stolen goods!¡±


    ¡°Got it. Take these guys to the knight station! We¡¯ll be sure to listen to <i>everything</i> they have to say there.¡±


    ¡°Hiiiiiiii!?¡±


    Elliott stood there dumbfounded as all of his followers were rounded up and dragged out of the room.


    ¡°..............wha................¡±


    The knightmander then brought down a verdict on the open-mouthed Elliott.


    ¡°Your Highness. As a rted party, we¡¯d like to ask you some questionster as well. Is that fine?¡±


    ¡°..........understood. However!¡±


    Elliott pointed to Rachel who had secluded herself further inside.


    ¡°That woman is already in prison, yet she has a weapon!¡±


    The captain peeked over at Rachel.


    ¡°Your Highness, why is that young noblewoman carrying a weapon right now?¡±


    ¡°Why? Why are you asking me!?¡±


    The knight gave an answer with obvious distrust in his eyes.


    ¡°As far as we know, this young noblewoman was suddenly arrested one night during a party, and you immediately put her in this prison.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Then, why does she have a weapon? Was she carrying a crossbow under her dress?¡±


    ¡°Uh, that is.......¡±


    He was stabbing a sore spot.


    ¡°No........it was pre-arranged inside the prison.¡±


    The captain¡¯s gaze grew even more intense.


    ¡°In the prison? When you suddenly restrained her during a night party? A young noblewoman who didn¡¯t even have a change of clothes on her?¡±


    ¡°No, you see! Doesn¡¯t she have plenty of things in there with her!?¡±


    Even when he looked inside the cell, the knight¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change.


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s a prison for nobles. Isn¡¯t it natural that there would be at least the bear minimum of furniture in there? However I doubt there would be some crossbow as a wall ornament in a jail.¡±


    ¡°Y, You........!¡±


    With Elliott unable to respond, the toon leader turned to Rachel.


    ¡°Mdy, why do you have a crossbow in there?¡±


    Rachel was shaking as she gave a terrified response.


    ¡°H, His Highness is..........he suddenly barged in, he wanted to kill me before His Majesty returned......... After surrounding me, he said it would be bad to kill me for no reason and threw this at me........I didn¡¯t want to let him just kill me, so I tried to fight back, but.........¡±


    Rachel¡¯s voice broke down as she tried to choke back the tears.


    ¡°Your Highness........I believe there¡¯s another case I need to ask you some things about.¡±


    The knight¡¯s eyes werepletely locked onto the self-centered Prince like the criminal had already been found. Elliott panicked.


    ¡°W, Wait!? That thing belongs to her! I didn¡¯t bring it in!¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you have heard about such a thing earlier? And you still haven¡¯t exined to me how a noblewoman who had been suddenly imprisoned like a bolt out of the blue would have a crossbow on her in the first ce.¡±


    But she did.


    Elliott was getting pushed back more and more with questions that were difficult to answer..........but then a memory from back them struck him.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! The night we put this woman in prison, the other knights on duty also saw that woman pull a crossbow from her luggage! Just ask one of them!¡±


    ¡°From three months ago? All of us knights work on a rotation, so the ones on duty then were moved to the front two months ago. They won¡¯t be back for another four months.¡±


    ¡°Such a-!?¡±


    Elliott, he had forgotten that his great uncle and the prime minister had also seen Rachel using her crossbow.


    .........but in any case, this toon leader under Rachel¡¯s control would never ept Elliott¡¯s exnation.


    ¡°A, Anyway isn¡¯t it a problem that that woman has a weapon!?¡±


    Elliott cried out in desperation, and so the toon leader once again turned to look at Rachel.


    ¡°Pardon me Mdy, I¡¯ve already taken those men outside, so would you mind passing that over to me?¡±


    ¡°Sure¡±


    ¡°Um!?¡±


    Right in front of a jaw-dropped Elliott.........Rachel really did just simply hand over her crossbow with no fuss.


    ¡°So then Your Highness. I¡¯d like to ask you not to try to runaway. I¡¯ll be waiting for you at the guard station.¡±


    ¡°I got it!¡±


    Themanding officer was acting superficially polite as he put out his reminder before pulling out with the rest of on-duty knights.


    ¡°Damn, that bastard..........¡±


    The Prince was fuming about how a knight who should work for the royal family was treating him.........when Elliott suddenly felt the arrival of an opportunity.


    Right now I can stab Rachel from behind.........


    Elliott still had his own personal saber. With all his followers gone, Rachel had dropped her guard. If he were to throw it at her when she wasn¡¯t expecting it, he might be able to score a critical, fatal hit.


    ¡°Yosh........¡±


    Keeping his eye on Rachel who still had her back to him, Elliott grasped the pommel of his saber and slowly started to unsheath it...........


    ¡°Heave-ho¡±


    Rachel then suddenly pulled out a different crossbow from a nearby wooden crate.


    ¡°...........huh?¡±


    Rachel adeptly pulled back the string, readying the firing mechanism, and loaded on a bolt.


    ¡°Preparations finished!¡±


    ¡°Y, You........you had another one of those things lying around!?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness........¡±


    Rachel scratched her head as if she were truly amazed.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it amon rule that you should always prepare a backup in case of a breakdown.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know!?¡±


    Rachel was talking like she was a veteran mercenary now.


    ¡°So, shall we talk for a bit?¡±


    Elliott¡¯s saber was obviously inferior to Rachel¡¯s projectile, and if it came down to it, he wouldn¡¯t get a second shot like she would.


    Elliott had suddenly found himself at a disadvantage.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I really have anything to say to you.¡±


    Rachel suddenly lowered the crossbow she was pointing at Elliott¡¯s chest.


    ¡°?¡±


    Elliott grew suspicious seeing her suddenly lower her weapon like this........but then he heard a door opening behind him followed by the sound of someone slowly walking down the steps.


    ¡°Wee! Sorry, I know you only finished your honeymoon the other day.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I had some business to take care of here anyway.¡±


    In response to Rachel¡¯s cheerful wee, an impossible voice echoed behind Elliott.


    ¡°...........no, way.......?¡±


    As if he had been turned into a rusty door, you could just hear the creak as Elliott jerkily turned his head to look behind him.


    ¡°Yo Your Highness, long time no see.¡±


    A girl with ck hair tied into a ponytail was standing there staring at him.


    ¡°.........why is Martina here............?¡±


    Hadn¡¯t she been sent back to the frontier, dragging Sykes along with her?


    ¡°I, came back here because there was a little something I wanted to hear about from Your Highness.¡±


    There was madness in those wide open eyes, and the original crazy girl broke out into a twisted smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ve read this book ¡®His Highness is Aiming for Me¡¯.............the fact that Your Highness forced Sykes down and ¡®ate¡¯ him, is it true?¡±


    ¡°Eh? No, what.................a book?¡±


    ¡°When I asked Sykes, he said he didn¡¯t know anything, so is what¡¯s written in here a lie then? As a matter of fact, Sykes continued to insist as such even after he had been hospitalized.............so I came to ask Your Highness about it instead.¡±


    Rachel cheerfully tried to give a small warning.


    ¡°Martina, it¡¯s okay to ask His Highness about it.........just be sure to limit the physical punishment to ces other people can¡¯t see.¡±


    ¡°I know. ¡®Appearance-wise¡¯, he¡¯ll be in perfectly good health.¡±


    Patting him on his head with the palm of her hand, Martina pried off her new friend from the leg of a desk he was so desperately holding on to.


    ¡°Come now Your Highness.........our time is limited. Please clearly tell me everything.¡±


    Until the sun began to shine on the horizon, a man¡¯s screams continued to echo in the backyard.

 Chapter 43 - Newlyweds Hold a Conversation

    <strong>Newlyweds Hold a Conversation</strong>


    This was a short time before the King and Queen decided to return to the city.


    Four days before Martina ¡®asked¡¯ Prince Elliott a few questions in a way some people might describe as torture, there was a previous small quarrel between a loving couple at the frontier fortress..........


    ?


    In preparation for any possible attacks on the border fort, it is quitemon for soldiers to live in bunks inside the fort.


    Although tensions don¡¯t run very deep on the eastern border, it¡¯s not a ce where you would want to simply build a house with it being so far from any other cities and the surrounding area being nothing but wastnds.


    That¡¯s why, it was the perfect ce for the just married Abigail couple to live inside their brand new home.


    Martina Abigail set down some food on the table in a wonderful mood, as her new husband Sykes Abigail stared ahead dazzled.


    There was most definitely not a drop of fear in his gaze...........was what he kept thinking to himself.


    ¡°What, you¡¯re in such a good mood. Did something good happen?¡±


    Hearing Sykes¡¯s question, Martina bashfully nced over to her beloved husband with upturned eyes.


    ¡°Hm? There wasn¡¯t anything in particr.........I just wanted to treat Sykes to a feast.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Even though he answered with a bright smile, Sykes still felt a little ufortable with Martina¡¯s behavior.


    A feast.........is what she says, but they can¡¯t cook any food in their private home forcing them to rely on distributed meals from the fort¡¯s cooking team. What was being served was most assuredly not Martina¡¯s home cooking.


    Bacon, potatoes, and leafy vegetable stew was often on the menu.........it wasn¡¯t any more extravagant than usual.


    Suspicious.


    Sykes¡¯s Martina Sense was sounding off like an rm in his head.


    But he didn¡¯t remember doing anything recently.


    If he were to even look at another woman he would be beaten on the spot, and the other fort soldiers would just dismiss it as, ¡°Martina¡¯s bad habit.¡± He hadn¡¯t turned down any particr request from her, and there wasn¡¯t anything out of the ordinary when they went to bedst night.


    For now, he would just eat the meal in front of him and then mix in with the long distance patrol unit in the fort. He would ask some of his friends who were good at reading Martina¡¯s mood to check her out while he was gone........and just as Sykes was forming his future n of action in his mind, Martina suddenly asked him something with arge grin still spread across her face.


    ¡°So? Is it delicious?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, it¡¯s really tasty. Is there something special about today?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Setting down an empty pot, Martina walked behind Sykes with a natural movement.......and then gently ced her hands on his shoulders and began to give him a massage.


    ¡°Because.......depending on your response, this will be yourst meal.¡±


    Sykes kicked his feet off the floor, trying to make a dash for the door, but Martina¡¯s hands on his shoulders had himpletely pinned down in his seat.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter...........Sykes?¡±


    ¡°How should I react to something like that!? I can¡¯t help but try to run away when somebody suddenly tells me I¡¯m going to be killed!¡±


    From behind his head, the trembling Sykes started to feel an icy atmosphere at the top of his spine.


    .........No, the temperature was actually getting rather hot. Then it cooled down..........Sykes¡¯s instincts were telling him he was getting closer and closer to getting murdered here.


    ¡°S, Something........I, I haven¡¯t done anything recently that should have bothered you though!?¡±


    ¡°Right, I was overjoyed that Sykes was being such a good boy recently........but in the past¡±


    ¡°What could I have done so long ago!?¡±


    Sykes¡¯s cheek was lightly pped with some kind of book.


    ¡°This morning, I was doing a little cleaning........when I found this.¡±


    With trembling hands Sykes received the book in question from over his shoulder........His Highness is Aiming for Me!


    ¡°What!? I should have thrown this book away when I was packing!¡±


    He unintentionally yelled out what he was thinking. Bad move.


    The cold feeling on his back suddenly got worse.


    ¡°After all, you recognize it.......¡±


    ¡°M, Martina.........¡±


    While giving off an oppressive force that prevented Sykes from turning around, the beloved bride addressed him with an overly sweet voice.


    ¡°I was careless too...........I always took care with any filthy sows who would dare call out to Sykes, but I never paid men any mind..........¡±


    ¡°No, wrong! I don¡¯t have any romantic feeling towards men!¡±


    ¡°But, if it had been forced on you the first time.......then His Highness would be to me, such a thing I could ept..........I ? could ? be ? calm.¡±


    Sykes gathered up all his courage and strength in order to turn around and face Martina.


    ¡°Wait Martina! Really, I truly have no interest in other men! This, it¡¯s just something that somebody wrote.........nothing like this has ever happened between me and His Highness Elliott.¡±


    ¡°Hoh?¡±


    Martina made a refreshing smile.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s really how it is?¡±


    ¡°Really! It¡¯s just a story that somebody selfishly created on their own! His Highness Elliott is deeply in love with Margaret you know? His Highness would never be interested in me to begin with!¡±


    ¡°...........Margaret?¡±


    ¡°Ah.............¡±


    Martina¡¯s frozen smile was truly horrifying.


    ¡°Hey Sykes. I, should I be jealous of Margaret as well?¡±


    ¡°Eh? No, there was really nothing going on between me and Margaret...........¡±


    ¡°Ohhhhh? But there is something I should be jealous of though?¡±


    Martina¡¯s grip around Sykes¡¯s hands began to tighten like a vice and would soon crush them at this rate.


    ¡°Such a pig woman is taking up Sykes¡¯s limited memory space with her filthy name, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that unreasonable!? Ow! Stop, it hurts!¡±


    ¡°Hey Sykes........if there is that kind of space in there, isn¡¯t it fine for my name to take up that space instead?¡±


    ¡°I got it, I got it! Do my best! I, I will do my best!¡±


    ¡°Yes, please do.¡±


    Martina let out a smallugh and smiled.......however, the strength in her grip didn¡¯t disappear.


    ¡°........Martina?¡±


    ¡°Well, the main subject is still about His Highness. Hey, is His Highness fierce?¡±


    Martina hadn¡¯t wavered.


    ¡°So, that book is a lie! None of it is real! Believe me!?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Of course I believe in Sykes! But, what¡¯s the real story?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe in me at all!?¡±


    ¡°Sykes is my everything........even if my opponent is His Highness, I will never give up.¡±


    ¡°But, there¡¯s never been anything between me and His Highness!¡±


    ¡°But then why, does Sykes have such a book with him?¡±


    Martina removed her grip off of Sykes only to take the hard cover book back and tear it in half with a crazed smile.


    ¡°Hey Sykes........do you love His Highness so deeply that you wanted to keep your memories of love close at hand at all times?¡±


    The two equal sized halves of the books were set on top of each other.............and with double the thickness and the ¡°His and Me¡± portions of the title touching, Martina tore the book into fourths. For the first time that mysterious power of hers had gone beyond the realm of human strength, and all of Sykes¡¯s blood ran ice cold.


    prison life v2 10


    ¡°It¡¯s different! I just happened to buy it by chance; I didn¡¯t know what it was about!¡±


    ¡°Heh..........you love each other so passionately?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s, it¡¯s fiction...........please believe me..............¡±


    Martina silently stared at Sykes for a while as he knelt on the floor, trembling and begging for forgiveness.


    A little whileter, Martina knelt down herself, resting her hands over top of Sykes¡¯s.


    ¡°Right, I understand.¡±


    ¡°Martina..........¡±


    ¡°Until I¡¯ve achievedplete confirmation, I¡¯ll just ask your body.¡±


    ¡°BELIEVE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!¡±


    ?


    At the headquarters located at the fort¡¯s center, the staff came in one after another all with a cramped expression.


    There had been reports of cmitying one after another from the room in the government office block closest to the Abigail home.


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s happened this time!?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand! Until the person himself reports in..........¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    For the time being, the men decided to evacuate people from the nearby area, at least until things with the people involved and the man they were all waiting for managed to show his face.


    Later on, a cheerfully smiling Martina would bring her husband over to the medical ward.


    The medical officer fearfully asked Martina a question.


    ¡°Wha, What happened today? Since morning.........¡±


    The ck haired young girlughed.


    ¡°Ehehe, Sykes slept in a bad position..........¡±


    It was easy to understand even without a medical examination. The injuries belonging to the tattered Sykes that Martina had brought in weren¡¯t from some fall.


    However, the doctor wouldn¡¯t dive too deeply into that.


    ¡°I see.........well, can you just ce him over there then?¡±


    ¡°Yes~¡±


    Life is precious, so you shouldn¡¯t ask things you don¡¯t want the answers to. Martina was still in her evil god mode. The evidence for that,


    ¡°All right then.........Sykes, can you be a good boy and stay in the doctor¡¯s office?¡±


    Martina carried Sykes over and set him down on a nearby bed.


    ..........Sykes had a muchrger physique, and yet Martina was still easily able to princess carry him all the way over to the medical ward.


    The diagnosis results could be described as blunt force trauma caused by some kind of assault, but Martina would prefer to call it ¡®persuasion¡¯.........the fearful blue-faced doctor never gave a reason for why he ordered one month of absolute bed rest for Sykes, nor did he say anything as he put up a ¡®No Visitors¡¯ sign up on Sykes¡¯s bed.


    ?


    ¡°Now then¡±


    Martina cracked her knuckles and turned towards hermanding officer.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry general, but I¡¯m going to the capitol for a small vacation. Would you please look after Sykes for me?¡±


    Themander of the eastern troops unintentionally frowned. There definitely wasn¡¯t a good reason to suddenly request for leave behind this.


    ¡°.........what is it for? Didn¡¯t you juste back with Abigailst week?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Martina was smiling sweetly, all while she squeezed the scrap paper remains of a book into a tightly packed dumpling.


    ¡°It¡¯s just for a bit, there¡¯s just something I need to confirm with a certain someone.¡±


    ?


    Later on, the general deeply regretted not properly asking any more questions after hearing about what would happen in the capitol.


    ............still


    At the same time he was painfully aware that even if he had known everything in advance he couldn¡¯t have stopped her, so he decided not to worry about it too much.

 Chapter 44 - The King Condemns

    <strong>The King Condemns</strong>


    The royal pce, has finally seen the return of their King and Queen.


    A carriage slowly passed by a line of royal guardsmen, and both military and civil officials poured out of the pce to greet them after their long absence.


    ¡°Hahaha, now this is quite the wee.¡±


    The enthusiasm from the courtiers at their lord¡¯s return brought out a cacophony of delighted cheers, causing the King to ease up on his formal poise. Even though a wee like this was against custom, it would certainly make anyone feel popr.


    The Queen was smiling as well.


    ¡°We have been absent a long time. They must have fully realized how grand Your Highness¡¯s existence was in that time.¡±


    ¡°But after 1 week, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll start saying how oppressive I am again.¡±


    ¡°Well, in that case Your Highness. I¡¯ll have to begin to distrust the loyalty of your retainers.¡±


    ¡°Hahahahahaha¡±


    From the window of the slowly moving carriage, you could see the numerous clerks and military officers rushing forward one after another to meet the King¡¯s carriage. And the courtiers lined along the road looked truly happy from the bottom of their hearts.


    ........they actually looked a little too happy.


    ¡°...........My Queen. Isn¡¯t there something strange about all of this?¡±


    ¡°...........I was just thinking the same thing.¡±


    The people who had run up to greet them were waving their hands in the air way too energetically.........rather thaning back from a business trip, it was more like the King and Queen were being weed by a parade after a sessful military campaign........no, it was more like they were desperately needed reinforcements arriving during a difficult siege.........


    ¡°Perhaps.........Elliott¡¯s disturbance.........¡±


    ¡°...........let¡¯s go back to our chambers topose ourselves, and we can confirm everything then.¡±


    So with mixed feelings swirling around in their hearts, the King and Queen¡¯s procession continued through an enthusiastic wee.


    ?


    Informed of his parents¡¯ return by a chambein, Prince Elliott¡¯s expression tightened.


    ¡°So then Father and Mother have finally returned........yosh! Since things have alreadye to this, I have nothing left to do but toin about Rachel¡¯s injustices with all my heart!¡±


    Last night, the viinous noble girl was so heinous that as a man he had to try and assassinate her.


    ¡°In an hour¡¯s time, they shall immediately hold an audience in the small hall to make a ruling on the previous engagement abandonment.¡±


    ¡°Mm. I¡¯ll head over there at once as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes. .........would you like me to push you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please!¡±


    And so the chambein pushed Elliott¡¯s wheelchair out of his office.


    Rachel deted a bit when Sofia informer her the King, Queen, and her parents had returned.


    ¡°Is that so.........I wish they would¡¯ve been a little slower.¡±


    The word ¡®bothersome¡¯ was written clear as day on Rachel¡¯s face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think a trial by absentia would work out too well for you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right..........I guess I don¡¯t have any other choice.¡±


    For the time being Rachel changed from her loungewear into a walking outfit.


    ¡°..........before heading there, aren¡¯t you still too lightly dressed?¡±


    When Sofia tried to point out the unceremoniousness of her outfit, Rachel snorted through her nose.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been locked away in a prison this whole time, so it¡¯d be strange for me to suddenly show up in formal wear. And these type of clothes are good enough if you¡¯re just going to greet someone.¡±


    ¡°And the real reason?¡±


    ¡°If I were to wear a dress, then I wouldn¡¯t be able to go back to sleep until theye get me.¡±


    As she was saying as much, Rachel was already halfway back under her covers.


    ?


    The small hall was a ce used for informal talks or courtesy visits, and it was in this very room that everyone was now gathered where Elliott had canceled his engagement three months ago.


    Other than the King and Queen¨CRachel, Elliott, and Margaret had gathered here as well. Others included the Prime Minister and the Archduke, and other major cab-level individuals such as the knightmander and the chief minister. Duke Ferguson and his wife were there as well.


    But that was it.


    ¡°............just this?¡±


    Elliott¡¯s expectations were betrayed when he saw how few people there were here.


    Margaret kept quiet.


    Seeing the King¡¯s countenance and each person that had been gathered here, Rachel was able to guess how things were going to go.


    ¡°Hmm. We¡¯ll be having an informal trial.¡±


    The King gave arge nod to her words.


    ¡°Now then¡±


    The King sat down on his thrown, ncing at the faces of everyone who had gathered here.


    ¡°We are gathered here today to put an end to all the confusion that has spawned from Elliott breaking his engagementstupidly during that party a few months ago.¡±


    All the vassals unanimously voiced their approval. The Archduke especially breathed a sigh of relief.


    As if waiting for this very moment, Elliott cut through the others as if a me had been lit.


    ¡°Then Father, allow me to exin why the engagement was cancelled........¡±


    ¡°Ah, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    A wet nket was immediately thrown over that me.


    ¡°............Huh? Why?¡±


    The King rested his chin in the palm of his hand and made his response to his son a little clearer.


    ¡°I said, I don¡¯t care about such a thing.¡±


    ¡°No.........eh? Even if you say that it doesn¡¯t matter.......didn¡¯t you gather us here to talk about it?¡±


    ¡°There is nothing to talk about. I have already confirmed all the facts for this case long ago.¡±


    The corners of his mouth moved as the King looked down on his son.


    ¡°Do you think we visited the hot springs to enjoy ourselves?¡±


    Of course they did.


    ¡°Even as I was using the hot springs to help cure my stomach condition, I was still collecting and analyzing information.¡±


    He means his subordinates were.


    ¡°So as for why we¡¯ve all gathered here...........¡±


    The King moved his legs and rearranged how he was sitting.


    ¡°The reason is so I can announce my decision on the future of the Kingdom¡¯s inheritance.¡±


    Stunned for a moment, Elliott buckled over confused.


    ¡°P, Please wait Father! Even though you said that the circumstances behind my broken engagement don¡¯t matter........!?¡±


    ¡°To be precise, should I say this is the result of the past three months?¡±


    The King stared directly into Elliott¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°In truth, after the first two weeks I hadpleted my investigation on you and your friends¡¯ horsey. I asked everyone and all of their stories matched up. There is no evidence that Miss Rachel bullied anyone. So without any solid reasoning to back it up, you abandoning your engagement and everything you did afterwards waspletely unjustified.¡±


    ¡°That is........!? That¡¯s wrong, because.........!¡±


    ¡°Well then listen! After we had finishedpiling our evidence, Duke Ferguson joined me at the hot springs, and we began talking about countermeasures. And so just as we were considering how to best end this issue without creating any serious problems.......we realized it wouldn¡¯t be that great of a loss.¡±


    In front of the King¡¯s eyes, chambeins set down a couple mountains of documents that had been in the King¡¯s carriage with him.


    ¡°Elliott. The mountain on your left is from all the reports I received from government officials and cab members telling me about how each department was faring. The mountain on the right is from my people who work behind the scenes, reporting on all the information they had collected for me. And as for that center mountain nearly twice the size of the others, those are all the reports Miss Rachel made herself and sent to her father reporting on her current condition using one of her subordinates. Even though the Duke and I were in a city so far away, these reports were so well made we felt as if we knew everything that had happened because we were there to witness it.¡±


    The King¡¯s intense gaze once again focused on Elliott.


    ¡°So, where are the reports from you?¡±


    ¡°...........!¡±


    Elliott didn¡¯t have an answer to the King¡¯s question.


    ¡°Typically while I am away, you would send any inquiries you have to the government offices so that you¡¯re not wasting time by having to confirm every little thing with me every single day. However........something like abandoning your engagement and changing who the future queen of this country would be, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a major incident slightly out of your authority? You never thought to inform me of your decision, or to even exin your reasoning to me?¡±


    ¡°T, That is.........¡±


    Elliott cleared his throat.......and then thought for a bit before squeezing out an answer.


    ¡°...........I was going to do it all at one timeter.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk like you were some child who procrastinated everything.¡±


    The King picked up some documents that a fourth chambein brought over on a tray to him.


    ¡°This is a summary drawing its conclusions from all these other reports, detailing everything you and your subordinates did and the consequences of those actions. There were so many, do you have any idea how hard it was boiling all this down?¡±


    Hard for his subordinates he means.


    ¡°Reading this, it bes easy to understand how you allow important government affairs to rot. You spent all of your time trying to find new ways to harass Miss Rachel, using up valuable resources in these asinine plots, and then always took damage from some counterattack, so you neglected your duties for nothing. And then you went ahead and did it over and over again.¡±


    ¡°Because Rachel is........!¡±


    ¡°Miss Rachel was also almost always reacting on the spot. Even while you were off nning things on your own, she was finished after giving out a few orders and spent the rest of her time reading or napping or doing other hobbies..........i¡¯m so jealous.......but so you weren¡¯t even capable of forcing her hand.¡±


    As expected, the King doesn¡¯t seem to understand that Rachel has been spending her time writing BL novels either.


    ¡°Think about all the trouble you¡¯ve caused for the royal pce because of how preupied you were with Rachel. After breaking off your engagement, did you think about anything else other than forcing Rachel to dere she gives up?¡±


    The King¡¯s gaze locked with Elliott¡¯s only grew more severe.


    ¡°Youck the ability to understand national politics and are unable to understand what should take priority. The reports from each department are clear. Did you ever wonder how much work your mess created for the royal pce? It wouldn¡¯t be a stretch to say that the courtiers have lost all trust in the nobility because of this.¡±


    The King turned through the pages of the report he was holding.


    ¡°There was one night where you kept the whole castle up with all the noise you were making, and with the counterattack you received, the whole affair left a huge mess that the cleaning staff had to pick up. In addition, there were numerous injuries and extensive damage to equipment during that incident with Miss Evans, and the forced mobilization of the knights without permission caused major issues with the shift schedule afterwards. And far beyond just the Ferguson Duke house, you¡¯ve received many fierce protests because of your actions from even the houses that oppose the Duke¡¯s house.........how in the world did you turn every noble family faction into your enemy when you haven¡¯t passed even a single policy yet?¡±


    It¡¯s because he tried to stop a strip show.


    ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t think you were this ipetent.........I wanted Rachel to make up for the things youck, but rather than asking for her help, you got picky and decided to get rid of her. If you were around the rank of an earl, perhaps if would be fine for you to marry a woman you like. However, a King isn¡¯t allowed that kind of leeway.¡±


    ¡°F, Father.........¡±


    Elliott looked away.


    ¡°Well, about Mother.........¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me!¡±


    ¡°No, I was just doubting you a little. Didn¡¯t Father and Mother¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send that right back to you!¡±


    After forcibly pushing aside Elliott¡¯s doubts, the King rose up from his throne.


    ¡°I remain uneasy about either of my sons inheriting the throne. To that point, Miss Rachel who fails as a human being yet has excellent stats cannot be removed for the sake of the next era¡¯s reign.¡±


    ¡°Who fails as a human being?¡±


    ¡°And so!¡±


    ¡°Excuse me? Are you ignoring me?¡±


    ¡°If Elliott refuses to marry Miss Rachel, then my second son, Prince Raymond shall be the crown prince.¡±


    ¡°Oiiiii, Oiiiiiii¡±


    ¡°That is, Father!¡±


    ¡°If the parent and child could please not ignore me~¡±


    ¡°It has already been decided!¡±


    ¡°That ruby on the crown is very lovely~, maybe I¡¯ll try stripping it off and bringing it home with me~¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a no-go!¡±


    After pacifying Rachel, the King pped his hands.


    ¡°Raymond! Enter!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards the door as the King¡¯s voice rang out. And in response to his father¡¯s call, the second prince..........didn¡¯te in.


    ¡°?¡±


    A guard knight standing nearby fidgeted ufortably with everyone¡¯s attention suddenly focused on him, so he left out into the hallway to take a look around.


    ¡°Um, His Highness isn¡¯t here..........¡±


    ¡°But I summoned him! Where could Raymond have gone..........enough already, these brothers..........¡±


    ¡°Father, I¡¯m right next to you.¡±


    ¡°Uwaa! You surprised me!¡±


    If you looked closely, you could see a boy several years younger than Elliott standing near the throne.


    ¡°W, When did youe in here!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been here since the beginning.¡±


    Everyone thought back on it...........


    ¡°Ah, I have a feeling.........¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯ve been here since the beginning...........¡±


    ¡°It seems like nobody noticed when he came in though...........¡±


    In his grand debut, the second prince was worried because he didn¡¯t have much of a presence.


    ¡°But I was already in the hall when you came in...........¡±


    Nevermind, this wasn¡¯t his grand debut after all.


    As if he were just a smaller version of Elliott, Raymond was also a young, beautiful blonde-haired boy.


    Rachel started wondering if the next volume of His Highness is Aiming for Me should go the shota route.


    ¡°To think someone like this was hiding inside the royal family..........¡±


    Raymond looked over dejected at the impressed Rachel.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t hiding. I¡¯ve been standing next to my brother during almost every special event.......Big Sister Rachel, you really don¡¯t remember my face...........¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but rather than your face, I didn¡¯t even remember you existed.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s amazing you can say such a careless remark to somebody else so boldly Big Sister.¡±


    The King cleared his throat to try and regain a portion of his dignity before asking his stealthy second son a question.


    ¡°Raymond. Will you take Rachel as your wife and seed the throne?¡±


    The fourteen year old boy gave an immediate reply.


    ¡°Yes, absolutely!¡±


    The boy¡¯s eyes were sparkling as he puffed out his chest.


    ¡°I never thought my turn woulde around because Brother was here..........but if things are going to be like this, I will happily be the crown prince!¡±


    Elliott was stunned by his younger brother.


    ¡°Raymond, so you were aiming for the throne! ...........even though I thought your only merit was having a thin shadow...........¡±


    ¡°Brother, having a thin shadow isn¡¯t a merit.¡±


    Raymond put his hand to his chest.


    ¡°And honestly I don¡¯t care about the throne..........but if it means I can marry my beloved Big Sister Rachel, I will happily endure this position I don¡¯t want.¡±


    prison life v2 11


    ¡°So the incidental conditions are more important!?¡±


    The King released a loud tsukkomi at his shocking second son,


    ¡°You, you want to marry a woman like that!? You¡¯re going to see hell!¡±


    but Elliott¡¯s shout drowned out his words.


    As his brother¡¯s words continued to echo in the hall, Raymond smiled as if in a dream.


    ¡°Since my shadow is so thin, my personal maid would oftentimes forget to pour me tea during teatime orpletely disregard me whenever I called out to her.........and the lovely Big Sister¡¯s continued coldness always made me tremble! Big Sister Rachel is beautiful, has big breasts, is really cool, has big breasts..........isn¡¯t she already the greatest! I¡¯ve always wondered how great it would be to be ignored by someone like her. And then she says shepletely forgot I had even existed.........aah, what a wonderful person!¡±


    ¡°Pull yourself together Raymond! That coolness your talking about is just her not caring about anyone other than herself! Don¡¯t mix up a careless made with the devil Rachel! Don¡¯t think that just because it¡¯s safe to sip plum wine you can guzzle down steins of whiskey!¡±


    ¡°Brother, please don¡¯t wory!¡±


    Raymond pped his thin chest full off self-confidence.


    ¡°Even though I¡¯m like this, my tutor still says I¡¯m, ¡®The kind of guy who can learn something after hearing it ten times¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Little Brother, I¡¯m really worried about you!¡±


    The King leaned over towards the Queen who was sitting next to him.


    ¡°Hey, what now..........the future is looking bleak no matter which son we have take over.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of that very fact,¡±


    The Queen used a folding fan to hid her lips


    ¡°isn¡¯t that why we insisted on Rachel being queen?¡±


    The King pped his hands together to gain everyone¡¯s attention again.


    ¡°Well then my friends. The engagement between Elliott and Miss Rachel has officially been broken, and Miss Rachel¡¯s new fiancee shall be my second son Raymond. And at the same time we shall recognize Raymond as the new crown prince........Elliott meanwhile shall keep his position as a member of the royal family, and I grant him the peerage of Earl, bing the new Earl of Reefren.


    ¡°That is.........!?¡±


    Elliott groaned.


    The title the King had handed down to him was a traditional title passed along the royal family for generations........the territory holds great historical importance yet is small and poor, and if not managed correctly, its financial power would lose out to even a baron from a richer region. Honestly it was little more than a title.......usually something added on to an Archduke¡¯s duties unless it¡¯s given to a retiring member of the royal family as a way to take some burden off the pension.


    ¡°Father! Like that, it¡¯s almost as if you¡¯re hiding me away from the world!¡±


    ¡°No, not almost, that¡¯s exactly what we¡¯re doing you fool! We¡¯re not going to leave someone who¡¯s lost and holds a grudge against the current administration the power to revolt. You¡¯ve brought about your disinheritance through your own blunders, and even if it is just a title, you should feel grateful you¡¯re still being treated as a member of the royal family.¡±


    ¡°But!?¡±


    ¡°Unless¡±


    Before Elliott could protest, the King brought something forward that made the young prince cringe.


    ¡°Perhaps you wish to curry favor with Miss Rachel and get your engagement with her reinstated? Even though you continuously tried harassing her after you were the one who broke off the engagement to begin with, and even tried assassinating herst night by your very own hand? I think the scales have already swung wildly out of your favor. Although even if that were not the case, I¡¯m sure you already understand it¡¯s quite difficult for Miss Rachel to have a positive opinion on someone?¡±


    ¡°Damn!?¡±


    Abandoning Margaret and trying to win Rachel back, it was something impossible for Elliott on a psychological level.........


    ¡°After that Elliott. You seem to have forgotten........¡±


    Since Elliott wasn¡¯t responding, the King opened up his dark past.


    ¡°When you were young, there was a trivial argument during a garden party, and the person who responded by throwing stones and a beehive at you was Miss Rachel. The Queen was charmed by that severe retaliation for such a rtively small offense which was why we forced through your two¡¯s engagement by saying it waspensation for your injuries.¡±


    ¡°..........then perhaps, that time when cousin Earl Grosvenor was ruthlessly beat over and over again with a club............¡±


    ¡°That was Miss Rachel¡±


    ¡°.............then really, the person who wasughing as they threw stones at me and tried drowning me in a pond...........¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just Your Highness¡¯s persecutionplex. I, wasn¡¯t reallyughing at that time. I just wanted to quickly finish up a boring job so I could head back and eat some dessert.¡±


    ¡°Killing me is a boring job!?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, so rude. I, am not really the type of person who finds murdering others fun. I wanted to quickly deal with Your Highness so I could head back to the buffet, but I was in trouble because you just wouldn¡¯t sink..........really, what would I have done if I had missed out on the limited cheesecake?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t your priorities a little mixed up!?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from Your Highness who can¡¯t prioritize his job.¡±


    Rachel deflected Elliott¡¯s words with an uncaring air, and so the King asked him once again.


    ¡°So, what will you do? Will you obediently retire? Or will you once again challenge Miss Rachel?¡±


    ¡°..........I, no...........I will.........¡±1


    Elliott¡¯s mind was a mess, memories of long ago torment and all of his efforts over the past three months swirling together.


    And so he finally stood up from his wheelchair, only to pitch forward and fall to his hands and knees in anguish........


    ¡°.........I shall be the Earl of Reefren.........¡±


    and his heart finally broke.


    ¡°Well then, now that Elliott¡¯s situation has been settled...........¡±


    The King turned his gaze on Margaret. The baron¡¯s daughter squirmed like a worm on the floor. Early on she had tried going right up to the King and Queen¡¯s carriage to try and speak about Elliott¡¯s righteousness, and she was was subsequently assaulted and tied up. She still tried to raise her objections even while gagged despite this mess.


    A servant who was standing behind Margaret finally removed her gag after receiving the King¡¯s signal.


    ¡°Fuah!? Just a minute King, this isn¡¯t right!? No matter how you put it..........¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t keep quiet I¡¯ll cover your mouth with a horse harness.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep quiet.¡±


    The youngdy who had been bouncing around since earlier quieted down immediately, and so the King was able to ask her a question.


    ¡°Well then, the noble daughter of Baron Poisson. The requirements to being a prince.......what do you think they are?¡±


    Margaret tilted her head to the side while twirling around her twintails.


    ¡°Umm.........a good face?¡±


    ¡°............anything else?¡±


    ¡°Hmm..........money?¡±


    ¡°..............and?¡±


    ¡°More!? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...............ah, his horse should be white.¡±


    The King turned his gaze back towards everyone else.


    ¡°As you can see, since this girl grew up as amoner for the most part, she iscking a bit in aristocratic knowledge.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like there¡¯s a more fundamental problem...........¡±


    Ignoring the Prime Minister¡¯s doubts, the King pointed down at Margaret.


    ¡°We can¡¯t just leave the person responsible for all this turmoil alone. And so you shall be forced to take on an apprenticeship2 for an indefinite amount of time to an influential noble family.¡±


    ¡°Fue!? That¡¯s all?¡±


    Margaret was shocked. After seeing Elliott tossed aside like that, she was wondering what would be of a halfmoner like her.........even an airheaded girl like her understood that much.


    ¡°Mhm. We¡¯ve already confirmed everything with Duke Ferguson. It seems his daughter has already be quite attached to you.¡±


    Everyone in attendance took a moment to think about the meaning behind the King¡¯s words.


    Reality suddenly struck Margaret.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Rachel!? You¡¯re just using pretty words to say I¡¯m going to be Rachel¡¯s toy!?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying? They¡¯ve expressed a willingness to teach you some proper manners.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still just using pretty words!? My main job will be acting as Rachel¡¯s toy!¡±


    The King sighed.


    ¡°That¡¯s right..........it¡¯s better to juste out and say these kinds of things.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Mm. Miss Rachel¡¯s feelings can¡¯t be settled down after this mess that Elliott made just by abusing him you know? So we¡¯re offering you up to her as a human sacrifice instead.¡±


    ¡°Is it fine to juste out and say that!? And to begin with, I¡¯m a minor. You need parental permission whether it be an apprenticeship or a human sacrifice! And Mama will never give out permission for this!¡±


    After listening to Margaret¡¯s cries, the King gave a signal.


    ¡°Pardon my rudeness, but I am obliged as a vassal.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s personal maid, Sofia walked in.


    ¡°Baron Poisson, he and his wife have already given their permission for the youngdy¡¯s apprenticeship.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s stupid!? Mama isn¡¯t so stupid as to not understand the meaning of this!¡±


    But Papa is?


    ¡°Yes, and for that reason I¡¯ve been entrusted with this letter.¡±


    Sofia withdrew an envelope.


    ¡°Ehem. My beloved Margaret. I traveled to Duke Ferguson¡¯s mansion where I heard from His Majesty about your apprenticeship. I hesitated at first, but finally I gave my approval.¡±


    ¡°A lie!? That¡¯s a lie!¡±


    ¡°After all, they said they would give us three days worth of tinum tickets for premium box seats to Adam¡¯s stage if I were to sign the consent forms. I couldn¡¯t possibly pass that up right? Ciao, and do your best studying manners..............is all she wrote.¡±


    Margaret listened to the whole story, but instead of wriggling around like before, this time she started bashing her head against the floor.


    ¡°She decided to ept after those were taken out!? Adam¡¯s stage!? Even I would have been happy to sell two, maybe three daughters for something like that! I mean they¡¯re my rights, so let me sell them for those tickeeeeeeeeeeeets!! Please let me go just for one daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!¡±


    ¡°Then, you understand you¡¯ll be taking part in this apprenticeship?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaate it! I understand her reasoning, but I don¡¯t want to goooooooooooo!¡±


    Margaret suddenly stopped and nced over at Rachel. Right now Rachel was making a never before seen radiant smile with her arms spread wide open in greeting.


    ¡°Wee~!¡±


    ¡°Just like I thoughttttttttttttttttttttttttt!!¡±


    Archduke Vivaldi breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°So it¡¯s finally finished?¡±


    The Prime Minister had all of his built up tension leave his body all at once.


    ¡°That¡¯s right..............¡±


    ¡°No more Enriques being eaten?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡±


    ¡°No more monkeys eating apples?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    The two men embraced each other crying tears of joy.


    ¡°............Uncle, what happened?¡±


    Not everything had found its way into the King¡¯s report.


    ¡°Hmm, with this everything is finished.¡±


    The King spoke his satisfaction............not noticing the evil that lurked behind him.


    ¡°Robert¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    The King turned around............and found Duchess Somerset and Countess Marlborough there waiting for him.


    ¡°If it isn¡¯t Auntie. Sorry for the dy in greeting............¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that.¡±


    Duchess Somerset was holding a literal teaching cane in her hands.


    ¡°Robert. During this incident I¡¯m sure there is a story behind why your judgement, instructions, andmunications skills were socking.¡±


    ¡°No Auntie!? That¡¯s why............!?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it. Back!¡±


    The Duchess took a swing, her cane cutting through the air like a sharpened de.


    ¡°Or perhaps...........you¡¯d like to take your pants off here and now?¡±


    ?


    Although the King¡¯s judgement had been handed down, the small hall was still bustling with activity..........and Rachel watched all of it with a fleeting smile.


    Would the engagement cancetion be over with this?


    As long as the current punishment is followed through, then the situation should return to normal. So now it was just a matter of what was toe.


    Rachel quietly backed away from all the rest of the preupied gathered people.


    ¡°My role here, it too, is done.¡±


    And so..........


    Quietly making her way out onto the terrace, Rachel gave one more quick nce back at everyone while smiling.


    Everyone, I already.............it¡¯s fine now for me to go back to the one I love now right?


    ¡°Ah, good grief..........hey Rachel, let¡¯s head out from here and go home.............Rachel?¡±


    Fed up with all the noise inside the hall, the Duke thought it was about time to call his daughter and head home. This would be the first time in three months that Rachel¡¯s been out of prison as well. She¡¯s probably homesick.


    ...........or so he thought.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±


    When the Duke turned towards Rachel, he found nobody standing where she had been..........only a pair ofrge curtains swaying in the wind from an opened window.


    ¡°RACHEL!¡±


    ¡°Nn~¡±


    Rachel happily turned over in bed while ignoring her father¡¯s shouts.


    ¡°Hey, Rachel! Wake up!¡±


    ¡°Nnn........what is it, even though somebody is sleeping sofortably............¡±


    ¡°No ¡®what is it¡¯! Wake up Rachel!¡±


    Duke Ferguson started shaking the iron bars of the prison cell.


    Even though everyone else was still embroiled in the uproar of everything ending, the noble girl who was supposed to be at the center of this story suddenly disappeared.


    There was a quick search..........and she was found sleeping back in her cell. What was this girl thinking? The Duke didn¡¯t know, but seeing Rachel¡¯s happy sleeping face brought out a bit of anger.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s been taken care of, so why are you back in the dungeon!? Get out of there already!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡±


    ¡°Wha............¡±


    The Father¡¯s angry voice waspletely blocked by his foolish daughter.


    Rachel lifted up herforter, disappearing further down into its hold while enjoying the soft, velvety feel of her bed.


    ¡°Right now, I just want to avoid all the hindrances and enjoy my tryst with the one I love. And you¡¯re being a boorish hindrance..............¡±


    ¡°Tryst?¡±


    The Duke tilted his head to the side as his daughter started saying something strange, but Sofia having been quiet up until now stepped forward and calmly asked.


    ¡°My Lady, the one that you love............perhaps, is it your bed?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.........we love each other so deeply............Zzz¡±


    ¡°You and your bed love each other, don¡¯te out and say such stupid things!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying though~¡±


    Rachel lifted herforterpletely over her head, and you could just barely make out her muffled voice.


    ¡°When everything started I was just sleeping on a cushion...........but I realized after switching to a bed. Ah, this is so much morefortable.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s obvious! Of course it is!¡±


    ¡°When I thought about it.........my bed has been warmly supporting me ever since I was born.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what they¡¯re made for!¡±


    ¡°During both sleepy times and sad times, my bed always gently held me without saying anything...........¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t even say anything anymore.......¡±


    Even with her Father unable to tsukkomi anymore, Rachel rolled over in her bed and went on having not been paying him any attention to begin with.


    ¡°And so, I reaffirmed by appreciation for my bed over these long three months. I already no longer need something like a queen¡¯s education. So please do not disturb this lovey dovey time between two people.¡±


    ¡°So in short, you¡¯re just skipping out on your sses again!? Oi Sofia. You too, say something to this stupid girl!¡±


    On the Duke¡¯s orders, Sofia looked into the bed covers.


    ¡°My Lady, are you happy?¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    For a short while Sofia thought about something while staring off into space,


    ¡°I see. Then best regards.¡±


    and then stopped thinking about it entirely.


    ¡°Why are you just going with it!? Aren¡¯t you going to try convincing her at least a little!?¡±


    ¡°My Lady¡¯s happiness is my happiness.¡±


    ¡°All of you look like you¡¯re capable, buy aren¡¯t you all just worthless junk!? Oi Rachel, get up!¡±


    ¡°Zzz.¡±


    The Duke turned back to the Prison Guard who was trying to keep his distance.


    ¡°Oi, you forcibly drag her out! Use the key and open it up!¡±


    ¡°Um...........¡±


    Hearing the Duke¡¯s order, the Prison Guard scratched his head.


    ¡°That is..........¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°When the youngdy came back, she said something along the lines of, ¡®From now on it will be the person inside the cell¡¯s duty to watch over the key,¡¯ and then confiscated it from me..........¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you think that was strange!? Isn¡¯t it!? What type of prison has the prisoners watch over the keys!?¡±


    ¡°No, of course I thought it was strange..........¡±


    The Prison Guard looked off into the distance as if he had somehow reached enlightenment.


    ¡°But it¡¯s pointless to try and go against that youngdy...........¡±


    ¡°Why is everyone around Rachel like this!?¡±


    Something hit the raging Duke¡¯s knees. When he looked down, he found the monkey that his daughter had said looked cute holding up an apple for him.


    ¡°If you take this, would you mind forgiving us and forgetting we were here?¡±


    ¡°Enough already, everyone around Rachel..............!?¡±


    With the shouts of her father creating some soothing background music, Rachel rolled back around on her warm bed, falling into a deep sleep with a happy smile on her face.


    It seems like the noblewoman¡¯s slow prison life will continue on for just a bit longer.


    1. Elliott switched from the boyish ¡®boku¡¯ to the more formal ¡®watashi¡¯ here. He¡¯s probably remembering the spanking he got from a couple chapters ago.


    2. The ¡®apprenticeship¡¯ they¡¯re using here is more specific in Japanese. It¡¯s referring to somebody who takes sses from an aristocrat in how to properly behave/manners.

 Chapter 45 - Prince Learns the Limits of His Power

    <strong>Prince Learns the Limits of His Power</strong>


    Garden parties get regrly held at residences inside the cities suburbs, and while these parties are meant to be events where different noble families can mingle and form connections, for the children in attendance, it is more of a dull get-together where no fun is allowed.


    In the beginning children are always forced to stand next to their parents and greet the other party-goers, but once the adults start talking, it would be normal for them to neglect their children. And so the children would inevitably gather together as well, spending their time chatting with one another or exploring the garden. While the parents all form their factions, the children were off building cliques.


    Such a situation had developed with one group where Elliott (6 years old) stands at the center, and it was safe to call this group thergest faction amongst the children.


    No matter what Elliott is the first prince. Even children can understand he holds a special status. Furthermore there were a number of royalty or high ranking nobles older than them surrounding him as escorts. So naturally, the other noble children would keep their eyes on him.......so Elliott walked everywhere with a big head on his shoulders.


    ¡°So then Your Highness, do you want to explore the Eastern Forest?¡±


    As the boys moved from the cobblestone party area into a ce in the garden with more nature-orientated terrain, the second son of a marquis walking a half-step behind Elliott made a suggestion for what they should y today.


    The eastern side of the venue had a small forest growing there..........well it was actually a grove rather than a forest, and an adult could make their way through in under two minutes.........but it was still a good piece of property that stimted the boys¡¯ adventurous spirit.


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s right...........¡±


    Thinking for a moment, Elliott was about to say they should go.........when he noticed a girl with chocte colored hair crossing his path. The girl was around Elliott¡¯s age wearing an apron dress but because of its size it looked more like a regr one piece. She was holding a dish in her hand and looked like she was just about to go grab some food.


    What is this!


    Elliott is great.


    ¡®The Prince¡¯ is amazing.


    How dare somebody cross in front like this when that Elliott and his ¡°retainers¡± are walking along!


    No, even Elliott thought it couldn¡¯t be helped if somebody was in a hurry, but this woman was just going to go get some food.


    In such a case she should have stopped and waited for Elliott to pass, but she just walked past as if it were normal.


    ¡°Oi, you!¡±1


    Elliott started shouting at the girl who had already showed her back to him.


    And he was promptly ignored.


    ¡°Oi, you over there! Hey, are you listening to me!?¡±


    The girl continued on her way while still ignoring the increasingly furious Elliott. The boys who had been following him quickly ran forward and detained the girl.


    The girl looked to be in a bad mood having been forcefully brought back like she was, but having been ignored up until now, Elliott¡¯s own bad mood wouldn¡¯t lose out.


    ¡°Oi, you! What is it with you ignoring somebody when they¡¯re calling you!¡±


    ¡°Pardon my impoliteness. I didn¡¯t hear you.¡±


    Answering as if she had done nothing wrong, the girl pinched the edges of her skirt and performed a curtsy. The girl looked to be around the same age as the boys yet the way she spoke and the way she curtsied was no different from a well-mannered adult.


    Elliott couldn¡¯t help but get irritated seeing this ¡°adult¡±. It made him somehow feel stupid.


    ¡°You, even though the Prince told you to wait, ¡®I didn¡¯t hear you¡¯ is all you have to respond!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s disrespectful that you didn¡¯t notice His Highness!¡±


    The followers all started berating the girl as well. In response, the nasty, disagreeable girl once again gave them a curtsy.


    ¡°My sincerest apologies. A limited time, limited avability cherry cheesecake is currently being handed out that I must urgently secure, so I shut out any unrted or low priority information that would distract me from that goal.¡±


    ¡°I, I see.........¡±


    The girl had used a bunch of words that were hard to understand, and the only thing Elliott really got from her exnation was ¡®cherry cheesecake¡¯. Well, that¡¯s fine. He didn¡¯t want to admit he didn¡¯t understand what she was talking about, so he had no choice but to veer the conversation off into a different direction.


    ¡°Mu..........fine then. You will join us on our adventure. Feel honored.¡±


    Elliott made an arrogant deration. He was going to take her on an adventure that usually only his ¡°vassals¡± coulde along with. This girl should naturally be appreciative of his good will.


    However the girl, didn¡¯t seem happy with the invitation at all and refused.


    ¡°No thank you. As I said earlier I¡¯m in a hurry to get some cherry cheesecake. I don¡¯t have time to get involved in any unimportant, inessential tasks. So then adieu.¡±


    The words she was using were polite, but it didn¡¯t seem like she was paying the other party any respect at all.


    Elliott was stunned by the girl¡¯s attitude, and then after realizing this wasn¡¯t a dream, grew angry at her arrogant way of talking.


    ¡°You!? I just gave you the great honor of inviting you to go on an adventure with us!?¡±


    ¡°And please take care. However I hold absolutely no interest at all in any adventures(LOL), and will instead with Your Highness good fortune while smacking my lips in the sweets corner. Now then¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s ¡®adventure(LOL)¡¯ supposed to mean!? .............rather, what are you saying!?¡±


    The girl was going off somewhere irregardless of Elliott¡¯s rebuttal. Even though her tone and the words themselves were polite, her attitude and responsespletely rejected the Prince. Exemry superficial courtesying from a child.


    He couldn¡¯t stand it any longer.


    He¡¯d never been very patient to start with, but he absolutely couldn¡¯t put up with this girl!


    ¡°T..........This girl!¡±


    All the blood rushed to Elliott¡¯s head, and before he realized what he was doing, he threw a stone at the girl who had shown her back to him.


    This girl!


    The girl stopped after the stone hit the back of her head.


    ¡°You are being disrespectful to the Prince! How about it, do you get it now!¡±


    The Prince¡¯s proud voice mixed together with his followers¡¯ cheers and ttery........while the girl silently stroked the stone she had picked up.


    For this girl, things wouldn¡¯t end until she puts her head up and apologizes. Elliott walked over to grab her shoulder with that thought in mind.


    This!


    The girl used the sound of Elliott¡¯s footsteps to tell his position, so right when he got close enough to be able to reach for her, she swung her fist around, back-handing him in the face and blowing him away.


    ¡°UGYAaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!?¡±


    Some of the hanger-ons rushed over to Elliott to try and help. The other boys blocked the girl in, keeping vignt of the girl who had just assaulted the Prince.


    ¡°This girl! ..........UWAaaaaaaaaaaaa!?¡±


    The third son of an earl reached out to try and grab her arm. But he ended up getting tripped up, performing a somersault, and rolling away.


    ¡°How did you do that! ...........GUFouuuuu!?¡±


    The eldest son of a marquis tried attacking the girl, but she jumped into his chest, mming her fist into his upper jaw. He floated up in the air for a second before crumpling down in the dirt.


    ¡°What is this!?¡±


    ¡°Dangerous, what!¡±


    Even discounting the physical disparity between genders.........no matter how you look at her, this girl is the same age as Elliott and the others, yet there was so much weight behind her punches.


    ¡°Ow, Ow, stop it!?¡±


    As a special bonus, thest kid to fall over got the gift of being cruelly kicked over and over again to wrap everything up.


    .............this girl is dangerous.


    Naturally Elliott and his friends would start to think they¡¯d run into some kind of unknown monster seeing this extreme girl capable of first-ss overkill.


    ¡°Damn, smash this girl!¡±


    Finally helped up, Elliott shouted out his order while holding his sore nose and tears in his eyes, and all of his underling boys rushed the girl all at once..........or not.


    Honestly, everyone was already showing pained expressions after attacking wildly........four, five guys were already lying sprawled out on the ground while the girl practiced a little shadow boxing throwing a couple jabs here and there into the empty air.


    What¡¯s is the best thing to do?


    The girl looked like she was around the same age as Elliott, but most of the other boys here were older. Even though they had all hit growth spurts and were almost a head taller than her..........none of them could see themselves winning by just punching or kicking. So the second son of an earl standing behind Elliott shouted out to all his friends.


    ¡°Oi, everyone get help! This girl has hurt His Highness!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°I-I see!¡±


    It was a n to call for backup that the others hadn¡¯t thought of in their haste. It sounded like a very good hand to y.


    Seeing a ray of hope, the boys surrounding the girl moved to execute this new n as if it were their only chance. And so they all ran back to the main venue to go get their seniors.


    ............and so, Elliott and that second son of an earl found themselves alone standing besides the other boys who were still sprawled out on the ground not moving. The area had gone quiet, the only sound being the earl¡¯s son¡¯s shocked breath and the crack of the girl¡¯s knuckles as she walked over to the two.


    ¡°.........to purposefully reduce the number of people here........quite confident, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Huh? Oi, hey somebody.........FUGYAaaaaaaaaa!?¡±


    ?


    Inadvertently all of the uninjured boys had run off to get help and came back with just three older boys.......and found the girl just about to leave the scene of the assault after having dealt her finishing blow.


    ¡°.................Bleh!¡±


    Seeing that reinforcements had arrived, the girl stuck her tongue out at all of them.


    ¡°This, this girllllllll...........!?¡±


    A disastrous situation spread out before them..........and seeing Elliott, who must be protected especially, was in tatters, the older boys felt more a sense of crises rather than any anger.


    The fact is that these boys had all been gathered together to act as bodyguards, and they all had their butts kicked by a single girl with the all important prince beaten and bruised........


    As an excuse, the fact that these older boys weren¡¯t there when it happened would probably just get them in even more trouble...........


    So one boy gave out somemands to his friends around him.


    ¡°Damn, go beat that girl!¡±


    ¡°But Steve, beating up a little girl..........¡±


    The leader of the boys started yelling at one of his friends who hesitated and was still saying sweet things.


    ¡°Do you think we won¡¯t have to answer for His Highness being in this state!? Whether she¡¯s a girl or not, if we don¡¯t beat the hell out of this girl and get her to apologize, just how angry will His Highness be..........!¡±


    This boy, he was the most adult out of anyone else in the boys¡¯ group.


    He was an adult who was able to figure out just how poor of a position he now found himself in.


    However, the actual problem is that he¡¯s still just a ten year old boy.


    And so, he wasn¡¯t mature enough to know to be wary of his surroundings while trying to persuade his friends.


    ¡°Good? Do you get it!?¡±


    ¡°Steve!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Behind!¡±


    ¡°...........huh?¡±


    Looking back, what was reflected in the boy¡¯s eyes..........was the figure of a little girl who had at some point snuck up on him carrying a long, slender stick.


    ¡°Grosvenor¡¯s been done in!¡±


    ¡°UWAaaaaaaaa!?¡±


    The girl had gotten a stick from somewhere and promptly started using it to beat the older boy. The remaining two older boys tried to stop her, but they just ended up beaten and sprawled out on the ground as well. The backup that hade at great pains waspletely annihted.


    Neither using superior numbers nor calling older boys for assistance did any good. It was just one little girl, and she was facing almost a dozen boys all older than her. Yet none of them could picture themselvesing out on top against her.


    ¡°What do we do? What can we do!?¡±


    While helping those with minor injuries, the boys couldn¡¯t figure out what to do next. Although the Prince should have surrounded himself with a bunch of excitable, go-getter kids, theirck of judgement was being exposed and they were reduced to an indecisive lump.


    However they were keeping an eye on the girl now even while they were talking, so you could say they¡¯ve done some growing up through this ordeal.


    Having been woken up with the help of the older hanger-ons, Elliott was chewing his lip seeing what the situation had be.


    ¡°Why is one person...........¡±


    Seeing the current situation get so out of hand for his followers............Elliott suddenly had a sh of inspiration.


    ¡°Oi, everyone throw stones!¡±


    Dozens of projectiles being thrown when the enemy is a single little girl.


    But the boys were in a secluded area, and theirmon sense had already long flown away.


    So on Elliott¡¯s orders, the boys started gathering up stones lying on the ground around them and started throwing.


    ¡°!¡±


    As expected even this girl couldn¡¯t do much against getting stoned, so she retreated away to get some distance. That simple sight excited Elliott, prompting him to push forward with that momentum.


    ¡°Yosh, let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°We can win!¡±


    It¡¯s a shameful victory even if they do win with this difference in strength, but right in front of these kids who didn¡¯t understand that...........the girl finally ran.


    ¡°Hooray!¡±


    ¡°Now let¡¯s hunt her down and force her to bow her head to the Prince!¡±


    Thinking that the other side had lost their fighting spirit, all the boys had to do was cut off her escape route and force her to surrender. And so the boys started running in the direction the girl had left in while carrying their stones..........only to find that the girl had climbed up a tree.


    Throwing rocks upwards is hard, and no matter how hard they throw them, none of them are reaching the girl.


    They were supposed to be hunting her down, but now they¡¯ve been driven into a situation where half-measures wouldn¡¯t work...........


    Elliott and the other boys gathered at the base of the tree and looked up. The girl was clearly aiming for a counterattack from her branch, and the cute smile on her face made their faces twist dissatisfied.


    The boys started talking countermeasures.


    ¡°What do we do? The stones won¡¯t reach her.¡±


    ¡°If we wait for her, we have no idea how long before she¡¯lle down.¡±


    A siege wouldn¡¯t turn out well was themon consensus between the boys........when all of the sudden a banging noise started up above their heads.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Looking back up you can see that the girl was now hanging off of the thick branch she was on and is now kicking some gathered branches below her.


    The boys didn¡¯t have the time to wonder what she was doing before a thin branch fell right in the middle of their group..........and then arge number of bees started attacking from the splendid 20 cm in diameter beehive that was attached to said branch.


    ¡°UWAaaaaaa!¡±


    ¡°HELP!¡±


    In the bees¡¯ eyes, the people gathered around the nest appeared to be the criminals who broke their home.........so rather than the girl above them, it was Elliott and his followers that the bees attacked.


    In a fit of anger, the bees haphazardly chased after boys. The boys themselves tried running away, everyone going in one direction or another, but in the chaos there were those with bad luck who got stung and cried out in pain. It was the very picture of hell.


    Elliott managed to escape the scene and found refuge at the shore of a pond. The situation was changing so rapidly, he didn¡¯t know where he was right now nor what was going on.


    ¡°I-I thought I was going to die..........¡±


    He no longer had the energy to stand up any longer..........when a shadow came up from behind him.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    When the exhausted Elliott slowly raised his face...........right there in front of him, was the girl who should¡¯ve been up in that tree. That girl currently had one of her legs pulled back.


    ¡°Eh? ..........GUEH!?¡±


    Elliott rolled away after getting kicked, but when he tried to pick himself up, he got kicked again in the butt. He rolled across the ground again,nding on all fours, but his hips were kicked once again and he rolled head over straight into the pond.


    ¡°Ubobidi elpaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    Somebody help! was what Elliott would¡¯ve shouted if it wasn¡¯t lost in the bubbles and muddy water he was swallowing.


    In the green water he couldn¡¯t tell if his head was pointing up or down. As he desperately struggled, water kept pouring into his mouth and nose. Every time he tried to breath out, water came in instead, so Elliott was left continuing to fruitlessly struggle with water filling his throat and unable to say anything.


    (I¡¯m finished.............)


    It was at the moment he thought that.


    The moment that Elliott saw his own deathing that his head finally jumped out from the water.


    ¡°Fuah!?¡±


    The sight of hazy green smoke suddenly cleared away and his eyes were exposed to the bright sun overhead. It was an absurd miracle that Elliott¡¯s head was able to break through the water¡¯s surface when he thought all he¡¯d done was sink until now.


    ¡°*Cough* *Cough* So-Somebody!¡±


    Because his head had finally left the water, Elliott was able to breathe in the air he so desperately needed. He inhaled as if this were thest time he would ever taste fresh air again and tried calling out for help inbetween spitting out the pond water he swallowed.


    While struggling as hard as he could, he saw how far away the shore was from him. He must have pushed himself so far out while he was desperately struggling, or at least the girl standing at the edge of the pond seemed to be a long ways away in the eyes of a child.


    Elliott continued pping his limbs, somehow getting himself closer to drynd. The sleeves of his jacket and regr clothes got tangled together in the water, so moving his hands was extremely difficult.


    But just as he was finally starting to make some progress getting back to shore.


    *WHACK*


    Elliott was only able to see it for an instant. But at the same time that he was able to understand that something bumped into him, his forehead grew hot.


    prison life v2 12


    ¡°Eh? What?¡±


    Elliott couldn¡¯tprehend what just happened.


    But as he continued to force his way back to shore, an answer to his question would show itself in a few seconds.


    Immediately after the girl standing at the shore moved her arm, another pebble hit Elliott¡¯s head. As Elliott was trying to get over to drynd, the girl seemed determined to block his way by throwing stones at him.


    ¡°U...............UWAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?¡±


    If Elliott were to stay in the center of the pond she¡¯d overlook him, but if he continued trying to make it to drynd, it would be the stones for him. Her uracy was great as well, so she would definitely hit Elliott if she wanted to.


    ¡°E-EEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!¡±


    It was hopeless. He couldn¡¯t just give up and stay in the pond. The pond wasn¡¯t shallow enough that a six year old Elliott could reach the bottom.


    During the time that Elliott had desperately tried to float up and thought he was going to drown, all of his followers had gathered around the girl standing on shore. It looked like they were all begging on Elliott¡¯s behalf, but the girl was ignoring them. She just kept ying with a couple of small stones in the palm of her hand while silently staring down Elliott.


    Elliott slowly faded out of consciousness as he watched a group of adults rushing towards the gathered children.


    ?


    The area around the pond had be the stage for a terrible incident with agonizing cries filling the air.


    While the maids took care of the wounded boys, some of the other servants jumped into the pond to rescue the sinking prince. Nobody looked to be seriously injured, but everyone needed medical attention and follow up. The royal court physician was thus called just to be safe.


    The King and Queen arrived at the scene after receiving a sudden report, and were clued in to details that sounded straight from a battlefield.


    ¡°............and so if the only calm one of the bunch, Duke Ferguson¡¯s daughter Rachel, is to be believed, then it¡¯s worse than we thought.¡±


    Even though this incident involved only young people whocked a certain level of judgement with such things, it¡¯s still hard to believe that a dozen boys would gang up on a single noble daughter just because of some perceived disrespect..........and then just one personpletely annihted the Prince and his entourage that was supposed to protect him..........


    This wasn¡¯t on the level where you could call this a failure in education. Elliott¡¯s group and the girl too. Figuring out what to do with these kids was giving the King a headache.


    Duke Ferguson was down by the pond, his face a rich shade of blue and holding his daughter who was at the center of all this. No matter how much anybody tried to persuade her, she wouldn¡¯t stop throwing stones at Elliott, so her father had to forcibly hold her in his arms so that she couldn¡¯t throw any more.


    She was a cute little girl that looked like an expressionless doll, and she seemed all the more doll-like being held up in her Father¡¯s arms the way she was..........however, while her face may have been expressionless, there was clear anger and murderous intent in those eyes that made even the King shudder.


    The King was looking into the Duke¡¯s arms at the calm face of a young girl the entire time the Duke was rattling off his apologies and excuses.


    ¡°So you¡¯re Rachel? May I talk with you?¡±


    Hearing her name, the eldest daughter of the Ferguson house tilted her head to the side.


    ¡°Your Majesty, will this be a long talk?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±


    While the King was speaking as gently as possible, the six year old daughter of a duke was speaking quite seriously.


    ¡°Because the distribution for the cherry cheesecake will soon end, is it fine if we continue this after I¡¯ve received at least one?¡±


    On the King¡¯s orders, a servant ran back to the venue to get a slice of cake.


    Naturally the King was left stunned by this development, so the Queen who was standing beside him spoke up.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°This is a big deal for Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Well.........I can¡¯t deny that.........¡±


    Rather, even a generous man would have to admit she¡¯s focusing on the wrong thing, the King thought to himself.


    ¡°I¡¯vee to a decision. Rachel shall be Elliott¡¯s bride.¡±


    The Queen made a sudden deration as if a brilliant idea had suddenly struck her.


    ..........But in that situation, how was such an idea formed? Even the King was unable to understand his wife¡¯s train of thought when seeing this little girl.


    And so the King unintentionally responded.


    ¡°.........seriously?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very serious. She was able to do all of that, and now here she is, calmly and objectively describing everything that happened. It¡¯d be difficult for anyone to do that.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right...........but isn¡¯t it just that they didn¡¯t understand what they were doing because they¡¯re kids?¡±


    So the Queen asked Rachel.


    ¡°Rachel. What were you thinking when you injured Elliott.¡±


    ¡°I, was giving him the death penalty? I wanted to take his neck before the cherry cheesecake ran out.¡±


    ¡°How about it Your Majesty? Even though it may havended her in prison, she still calmly describes her actions!¡±


    ¡°More than that, I¡¯m worried about this cherry cheesecake that Rachel seems so obsessed with.¡±


    ?


    Elliott awoke as if he had only dozed off and had no memories of the garden party.


    To be exact, he remembers that something happened at the garden party, but those memories were random and fragmented as if he had dreamed it all.


    This was quite fortunate for the Queen who proceeded to introduce Rachel to Elliott as his future bride rather than as the criminal who almost killed him. Although Elliott was struck by the sudden decision, he thought it didn¡¯t matter since it would be over a decade before he¡¯d get married.


    ¡°For that reason, since Elliott agrees to it as well, you can send your daughter over.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd!¡±


    The Duke made a firm protest after everything had been cleaned up, but it¡¯s not like he could resist the decision of the King and Queen. Not to mention, his daughter did just assault the Prince.......the Duke¡¯s house can¡¯t show any opposition if they want to secure that acquittal.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t it? Isn¡¯t it about time you found a marriage partner for her anyway?¡±


    ¡°Yes I suppose so..........but are you sure you¡¯re fine with this?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    The Duke let out a sigh while wiping his face with a handkerchief.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re fine taking in a girl capable of that into your family as a bride.¡±


    ¡°.............¡±


    Now that he mentions it.........no no, the King shook his head and tossed out his newly emerging thoughts.


    ¡°W-Well........Well, I¡¯m sure such an incident will never happen again. Hmm.¡±


    ¡°I hope so...........¡±


    It would be another ten years before those two kids would cause a muchrger incident.


    1. Just wanted to point out that Elliott is still using ¡®kisama¡¯ even as a kid to address Rachel. So he has always been foul-mouthed and rude.

 Chapter 46 - Day of Departure, and then a New Normal

    <h4>Day of Departure, and then a New Normal</h4>


    A cloudless clear sky. A suitable morning for a departure.


    .......However, if you¡¯re being forced to flee the capitol after a reduction in rank, the mood is bound to have a little misery mixed in as well.


    Today is, the day of departure for the former Prince Elliott on his way to the Reefren territory.


    ¡°Good grief........there¡¯s something really moving about looking out at some scenery you¡¯ll probably never see again.¡±


    Elliott was looking out at the trees in the garden next to his carriage. George, who hade to see him off, wiped the tears out of his eyes.


    ¡°This is how it is..........I never would¡¯ve expected things toe out like this four months ago........¡±


    ¡°Haha, knock off those tears. Isn¡¯t this a peaceful end after losing a court battle?¡±


    In Elliott¡¯s case, he had already beenpletely defeated before a power struggle could even take ce.


    ¡°However George, is it okay for you toe see me off like this? Aren¡¯t you in a pretty precarious situation yourself?¡±


    The fact is he was seeing off someone who was almost as good as exiled, a pretty dangerous move from a survivor¡¯s standpoint. No matter what the era, honoring a loser wouldn¡¯t be looked kindly on by the winners.


    ¡°Yes, thanks for your concern. But for the time being at least, Alexandra has given me her permission..........¡±


    ¡°........I see. I wonder if she really cares.¡±


    ¡°She also sent over a few gifts for you. Um..........a picture book to read along the way, a few coins so you can buy some food or other supplies during the trip, a knight doll to kill some time in the carriage...........¡±


    ¡°That bastard, does she think I¡¯m still a child.............¡±


    Elliott refused to take the gifts that Alexandra had sent over, so George pulled out another bag.


    ¡°This too........bringing this, I honestly had to think about it.........¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I was entrusted with this as well.........it¡¯s apparently a gift from Sis.¡±


    ¡°...........Rachel...........?¡±


    The both of them took a look at the suspicious looking bag with the wariness it deserved.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to bet that there¡¯s absolutely nothing decent in there.¡±


    ¡°........yes, I was worried the entire time I was carrying it...........¡±


    Sharing a look, the two men carefully opened the bag. After making sure nothing was going to pop out at them, they start pulling out everything that was in there one by one.


    ¡°Medicine..........?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s medicine.¡±


    The bag was filled with medicine for different ailments and injuries, bandages, blood clotting medicinal herbs, anti-bacterials, absorbent cotton, triangr bandages, pain relievers........


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there too much medicine for wounds in here!?¡±


    ¡°Knowing her, there¡¯s definitely got to be a reason for this...........¡±


    At the very bottom of the bag was a card with a message scrawled across.


    <i>Hang in there!</i>


    ¡°.........without knowing her intent here, this is a very foreboding message.¡±


    ¡°Is there something in the earldom, some other problem............¡±


    As the men thought, both of them realized quite a bit of time had passed since George hade to visit.


    No matter what the meaning behind Rachel¡¯s message was, they couldn¡¯t worry about it forever.


    ¡°Well now, George. Once things have calmed down, feel free toe over to y.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness should be careful too........¡±


    George had to rub his nose a little as Elliott moved to board his carriage.


    An escorting knight then got on as well, yelling it was time to leave as they shut the carriage¡¯s door behind them. The carriage¡¯s coachman then locked the door for his passengers before jumping up to his seat and grabbing the horses¡¯ reigns.


    George waved farewell as the carriage began its departure, and he continued to do so until it had left through the main gate and was no longer in sight.


    ¡°.........I wonder when next we will meet............¡±


    George turned his eyes back in the direction of his office.............but after a few steps, his legs stopped.


    ¡°Just a moment.........before, did they lock the cabin doors from the outside?¡±


    The carriage that had left the royal pce cut through the city and traveled over to the highway. As the meadows of the countryside spread out from the cabin¡¯s window, you could finally start to feel like you had left the capitol.


    ¡°.........so, I¡¯ve alreadye this far.¡±


    There was a small cough to Elliott¡¯s deeply emotional words,


    ¡°We¡¯ve finallye this far,¡±


    and the knight escort gave their own carefree sounding impression from underneath their face covering hat.


    ¡°!?¡±


    Hearing that carefree attitude, Elliott took a good look at the knight...........


    ¡°Martina!?¡±


    It was only a few days ago that this female knight tortured Elliott all night long just outside the dungeon.


    ¡°Wha!? You shouldn¡¯t be part of the escort department? Why are you here...........¡±


    Martinaughed frivolously, and then smiled with eyescking any light in them.


    ¡°Hm? We¡¯re going in the same direction as the fort I have to return to. The Reefren territory is just a short ways away, so they asked me to act as an escort.¡±


    And so she was smiling.........while holding in her palm an all too familiar broken off leg from a desk.


    ¡°Now, during this time I asked Your Highness about your rtionship with Sykes..........but because we only had a single night together, I was forced to leave the job half finished? I want to take my time........and just as I was thinking that, they offered me this escort job.¡±


    Elliott jumped over to the door handle, desperately pushing and pulling to try and get out..........but the door wasn¡¯t showing any sign of opening.


    ¡°Oi coachman! There¡¯s an emergency here, open the door!¡±


    He started screaming loudly while banging on the door, but there was no reaction.


    ¡°It should take around three days to reach Your Highness¡¯s territory.........I asked our driver to keep going without stopping the whole way there, so he shouldn¡¯t get in our way? But because I couldn¡¯t ask so much from an ordinary person, Rachel gave me a hand.¡±


    ¡°Damn, should I have realized when I saw all that earlier medicine?¡±


    Elliott was just about to tear through the carriage¡¯s door after ramming it a few times with his shoulder when Martina gently held him down.


    ¡°Your Highness........during our time together, I only had one night, so I had to use my time efficiently and heard your <i>story</i> about one book.¡±


    Martina started stacking books, one after another, in the seat next to hers.


    ¡°Now, to confirm everything with Your Highness, I bought everything up to thetest issue.¡±


    And then, the corners of her mouth lifted, giving the former prince a wide smile and a close-up view of her white, shiny teeth.


    ¡°Ufufu......three whole days, treat me well.¡±


    ?


    Ordered by the Duke to pull Rachel out from the dungeon, Sofia reluctantly visited her cell to perform her task.


    ¡°My Lady, as expected, it¡¯s time toe out, is what the Master says.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand that. However I noticed something serious.¡±


    ¡°And, what are you talking about?¡±


    Rachel made a deration with a serious look on her face.


    ¡°I, this would be a good life for me.¡±


    Sofia stared into the void for a good long while.


    ¡°Thanks for telling me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no good! Rachel, don¡¯t juste out saying a bunch of stupid things!¡±


    While the Duke came out from his hiding ce in the back, Sofia gave a dissatisfied protest.


    ¡°Master.......if you¡¯re going toe yourself anyway, then don¡¯t get me involved to begin with.¡±


    The Duke grimaced at the maid showing a little attitude while pointing at his daughter.


    ¡°It¡¯s because you know Rachel the best! Now think about the best way to get her out!¡±


    ¡°Even if you say that.........then, my ace in the hole.¡±


    As hired help, she really wanted to say not to bring her inbetween the two of them. Sofia sighed and pped her hands, signaling two maids toe in while carrying somerge baggage.


    ¡°?¡±


    Rachel watched closely as the maids set the bag down on the floor, opening it wide and pulling off the gag.


    ¡°Pwah!¡±


    ¡°Well, Sand Bag! You came!?¡±


    What emerged from the bag was Rachel¡¯s favorite feels good to hit person.


    Rachel was screaming happily, but the person themselves yelled back clearly in a foul mood.


    ¡°I told you not to call me Sand Bag! Can¡¯t you tell by looking!? I didn¡¯te here; I was taken captive! What¡¯s the meaning of this, can¡¯t you carry somebody without tying them up!?¡±


    ¡°No, this is special treatment.¡±


    Rachel picked up on Sofia¡¯s words and made a in-no-way-evil smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s good right, special treatment.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the worst!? Only aplete moron would do this, so you guys!¡±


    Margaret kept shouting while bouncing around in the bamboo mat tied around her as Sofia and the other two maids hung her from the ceiling.


    ¡°Oi hey stop! What are you doing!?¡±


    Ignoring Margaret¡¯s furious protests, Sofia gave Rachel a bow, who until now was excitedly clinging to the iron bars of her cell while watching them work.


    ¡°My Lady, please have a look. Sand Bag is ready as well, and she¡¯s been looking forward to seeing My Lady too.¡±


    ¡°We~ll!¡±


    ¡°Who is ready!? Don¡¯t forcibly hang somebody and then say such rotten things!?¡±


    ¡°How about it My Lady? You haven¡¯t tried an open palm or even just a fist yet right?¡±


    ¡°Uuuuh, saying things I¡¯m weak against...........¡±


    ¡°Listen to people when they¡¯re talking!¡±


    Margaret was invisible, even though she was the central topic they were talking about.


    Seeing that Rachel was still hesitating, Sofia pped her hands again.


    ¡°Furthermore today, there were a couple of people here who wished to review My Lady.¡±


    ¡°Here, people?¡±


    At Sofia¡¯s signal a third maid entered guiding in the new guests............


    ¡°The Duchess Somerset, and Countess Marlborough.¡±


    ¡°GYAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    Rachel screamed and dived back underneath the covers of her bed.


    ¡°OLD HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGS!¡±


    Margaret started bouncing around from her spot on the ceiling even more energetically while shouting at the neers.


    ¡°Well, what a foul mouth. And there¡¯s never a reason to be so loud!¡±


    Seeing your faces is reason enough to go ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAA¡±


    Sofia guided the two older women to a spot right next to Margaret.


    ¡°My Lady, today we invited these two experienced people here........to talk about the charm of Sand Bag.¡±


    ¡°Oh my¡±


    ¡°You nned thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis!¡±


    Returning Sofia¡¯s gaze, Countess Marlborough rolled up Margaret¡¯s skirt right in front of an excitedly watching Rachel.


    The Duke asked Sofia.


    ¡°I can imagine what you¡¯re about to do, so I probably shouldn¡¯t be here for this right?¡±


    ¡°I think it will be fine. I¡¯ll just report to the Mistress that, ¡®The Master was more curious about a younger ass than My Lady,¡¯ the next time I see her.¡±


    The Duke left.


    ¡°Rachel, is it really okay? This Sand Bag Baron¡¯s Daughter¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a teacher!? Properly remember other people¡¯s names!¡±


    ¡°The charm here is in the sticity!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t ignore me!? My name is Margaret Poisson, now say it!¡±


    ¡°When you pat the ass meat you can feel the firm skin, and below that you can feel that horrible sticity followed by that final solid center........once you get that feel after that very first hit, you will definitely get addicted!¡±


    ¡°Fuaaaaaah!¡±


    ¡°Rachel, why are you getting excited about her exnation!?¡±


    Sofia rolled down Margaret¡¯s pants.


    ¡°So around here, it¡¯s about time we have Duchess Somerset take over. Duchess, if you would.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well then, by your leave..........¡±


    ¡°Oi old hag, you know this no longer has the shape nor shadow of educational guidance anymore right!?¡±


    Duchess Somerset adjusted her posture, pulling off her gloves and raising her right hand.............


    *WHACK*


    ¡°OWWWWWWWWWWW!¡±


    Looking over at the right hand that had just spanked a young girl¡¯s ass, the older woman let out a feverish dream-like face simr to a young maiden in love.


    ¡°..........ah, truly wonderful. I¡¯ve spanked countless asses during my 60 years as an educator...........but Sand Bag¡¯s ass is truly unprecedented! Any type of attack is fine, it has such a wonderful feel to it that makes you just want to beat it all day long!¡±


    ¡°Oi, what¡¯s an unprecedented ass supposed to be!? My ass is not a toy!!¡±


    ¡°Why I, to think that I was hitting this with sandals the other day! The taste of this ass can only be truly appreciated by using your bare hands. I¡¯d end up breaking my hand if I hit this nonstop, but with this ass, I¡¯d have no regrets in my life!¡±


    ¡°No regrets in your life!? Is your life that cheap!? Why are you so fond of hitting butts!?¡±


    With a backdrop of Margaret being forced to eat the Duchess¡¯s lone hits while the Countess tried to say it was her turn, Sofia started talking to Rachel again.


    ¡°Is this fine My Lady? If you were toe out right now, you too could hit that ass.¡±


    ¡°Uguuu.........¡±


    Rachel¡¯s feelings of wanting to hit her Sand Bag and her wish to not leave the prison were fighting each other.........and seeing Rachel¡¯s silent torment, Sofia put up the pressure.


    ¡°If My Lady doesn¡¯t need her.........then I suppose we could just give her to the duchess then?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Have! My! Have but...........auuuu...........¡±


    Rachel¡¯s torment forced her to crouch down and cover her head.


    By some chance, it might be almost time for Rachel to give up her prison life...........


    Sofia whispered over to the caterpir-like Margaret.


    ¡°If My Lady leaves her cell here, it will end up being your achievement you know?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t really matter!? In one way or another all of these people are funny in the head!¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    ?


    Sitting up on the terrace, not saying anything with a cup of tea, Raymond was staring up at the sky when a chambein rushed in.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Oh, did you receive a reply from Rachel!?¡±


    Raymond had sent Rachel a letter requesting permission to visit her in the dungeon three days ago, but he had yet to receive a reply.


    Because he had made the decision on bing Rachel¡¯s partner himself, he had written her his thoughts and asked to meet with her alone........surely she¡¯s a little perplexed that her partner suddenly changed from Elliott to somebody else.


    Raymond wanted to properly propose to Rachel, and he already had a ring prepared. As long as they coulde together, he felt that the two of them coulde to understand each other.


    Raymond had been eagerly waiting to receive her reply.......and, the chambein who had rushed to his side was now saying nothing.


    ¡°Wh-What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    With Raymond staring at him, the chambein gave his report while fidgeting a little out of embarrassment.


    ¡°Your Highness........that, the letter you sent to Rachel...........¡±


    ¡°Mhm?¡±


    ¡°The maid you asked to send it, it seems she misced it in the kitchen, and we just found it now.........Your Highness!?¡±


    Hearing the news, Raymond tumbled off his chair,nding t on his face on the ground.


    The chambein rushed to help him.


    ¡°Your Highness, please stay strong!¡±


    ¡°Fu, Fufu..........I¡¯ve been waiting for a reply every single day.........I was starting to think it wouldn¡¯te.........¡±


    ¡°This is absolutely inexcusable! This colossal failure, the maid who would forget your imperial order........¡±


    ¡°Ufu.........reward her greatly!¡±


    ¡°I will have her take immediate responsibility..........huh? Just now, what............?¡±


    ¡°Kukuku, far from not getting a response to my once in a lifetime message, to think it got misced..........this is the first time I¡¯ve ever gotten to experience this level of neglect y!¡±


    The chambein, seriously started worrying about the future of this country.


    ?


    ¡°Stop Martina, I truly don¡¯t know anything! How many times do I have to tell you those books are bullshit!?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, I don¡¯t know Your Highness. You know where there¡¯s smoke, there¡¯s fire.¡±


    ?


    ¡°Come now My Lady. If this goes on Sand Bag is going to get all used up.¡±


    ¡°Aan, such.......wait, unfair. Sloppy!¡±


    ¡°GYAaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?¡±


    ¡°Unbearable! This feeling is..........Mmm, it¡¯s truly unbearable!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s rxed, and yet somehow tenacious........ah, this really is the best ass in the world!¡±


    ?


    ¡®That, is it really okay to reward someone for not serving you.........¡±


    ¡°You idiot, it¡¯s good because she treated us like a cold older sister. You fail as a man.¡±


    ?


    Having left the prison, the Duke walked out into the backyard and stared up at the heavens.


    ¡°Originally it was just the destruction of a stupid engagement.......why has it caused all this fuss...........¡±


    When the Duke looked down after feeling a light tapping on his knees, he found the monkey Rachel keeps as a pet holding up a cup and a bottle of whiskey.


    <i>¡°Sometimes you can¡¯t help feeling a little uneasy. Let¡¯s share a cup.¡±</i>


    ¡°............to beforted by a monkey...........hold on monkey, that, isn¡¯t it from my collection that Rachel brought with her.......¡±


    <i>¡°Is there something wrong with that?¡±</i>


    The Duke turned his eyes away from the monkey that was currently tilting it¡¯s head wondering what the problem was, and looked back up towards the heavens.


    A beautiful, clear sky with no clouds in sight was looking down on the ground and at all the humans crawling on it.


    It was the type of weather that makes youugh at all the insignificant problems humans have, but for some reason the Duke was sighing.


    ¡°Ah.........today too the sky is blue.............¡±

 Chapter 47 - Noblewoman Encounters a Scene of Carnage

    <h4>Noblewoman Encounters a Scene of Carnage</h4>


    ¡°KYAaaaaa.............So CUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE...............!¡±


    Rachel frantically turned down the volume after her surprise, but it was impossible for her to hold back the shout of joy that inevitably leaked out. Nor could she stop a smile from unconsciously leaking out.


    Standing right before her was a light gray striped cat.


    That¡¯s right, a cat.


    It had somehow made its way into the royal pce¡¯s dungeon and was now sitting in front of Rachel.


    ¡°Nya~¡±


    The long-haired cat that had easily entered the dungeon let out a small cry before starting to groom itself with its paw. It had be magnificently lost, yet it was able to rx inside a dungeon as if it lived here.


    Rachel loves cuddly animals most of all. Dogs are nice, but she certainly didn¡¯t dislike cats. And it can¡¯t be helped that she finds bunnies and wolves adorable as well. For some reason carnivorous beasts that people always tell you are dangerous to avoid always end up acting meekly in front of Rachel, and they let her cuddle up to them as much as she wants.


    Nevertheless this is the first time she¡¯s seen a cat since her slow life in prison began.


    ¡°Hey.........is it okay for me to pet you a little...........¡±


    The cat noticed Rachel reaching out to it and met her halfway..........


    Even while licking his back the cat didn¡¯t dislike having its head softly pet.


    Even when Rachel slowly scooped it up and held it close to her chest, the most it did was let out a yawn. When she hugged it close and beganbing its hair, the cat¡¯s eyes narrowed, and a small purr echoed.


    ¡°So friendly.........Mm~, such a good girl~¡±


    ¡°Nya~n¡±


    Rachel was in daze trying to fill up her cat meter. Who knows when she¡¯d get an opportunity like this again if she were to miss out now.


    However at this time, she had no idea this would prove to be a tremendous blunder.


    ?


    ¡°That¡¯s right Mister Cat, would you like some corned beef?¡±


    ¡°Nya!¡±


    While carrying a happily singing away cat in one hand and preparing a can of food in the other, Rachel suddenly heard the dry sound of something dropping to the floor.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    When Rachel turned around, she saw Haley who had juste back from his walk drop a pinecone he had picked up from somewhere on the floor. Haley was standing next to the dropped item too stunned to pick it up.


    ¡°Haley?¡±


    While walking around an area he didn¡¯t normally pass by, Haley found some strangely shaped fruit. It didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d be able to eat them, but there was some novelty to these weird new fruit.


    <i>¡°Let¡¯s take some with, and then give them to Master.¡±</i>


    Haley climbed up the tree and picked some fruit. He didn¡¯t bring his basket with him today, so he wasn¡¯t able to grab much. Still, he knocked down as many as he could hold, and picking them up off the ground when he was done, he quickly made his way back to Rachel¡¯s room.


    Rachel was carrying a ¡®hairball¡¯ in her arms. That guy was called a ¡®cat¡¯ when they were back in Rachel¡¯s mansion.


    Now Rachel was cuddling up to such a cat.


    It was right there in <ruby>Haley¡¯s spot<rt>her chest</rt></ruby>.


    And now Rachel was trying to feed that cat.


    And it was eating canned food that even Haley wasn¡¯t allowed to have.


    ¡°Haley?¡±


    Puzzled by Haley¡¯s frozen state, Rachel called out. Her voice got Haley started again, and he began moving around with jerky movements as if his body was fully listening to him.


    ¡°Oo............Ooki..............¡±


    Haley picked up his basket and with trembling hands, started filling it with his personal items.


    His favorite toy that he and Rachel always yed together with.


    A scarf with a lovely pattern on it Rachel had given him.


    A sweet and solid apple from his lunch box.


    A piece of something that¡¯d broken off of something that he liked because of how sparkly and glittery it was.


    A couple of sharp pebbles that the blonde idiot had stepped and hurt himself on.


    Haley put the basket filled with his favorite treasures onto his shoulders and then turned to Rachel.


    ¡°...............Ooki...........Ookiki¡±


    And then he gave her a small bow before starting to climb up one of the wooden boxes to go outside.


    ¡°...........Ah!? Just, Just wait a moment Haley!? Wrong, you¡¯re wrong!¡±


    ¡°Ookiki!¡±


    Haley angrily wiped away the tears that had started to umte in his eyes as Rachel set down a confused cat to rush over to him. But when she forcibly picked him up into her arms, Haley finally started to violently sob.


    ¡°Ooki, Ookii!!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, you were shocked!? You¡¯re wrong, I¡¯d never throw Haley away!¡±


    ¡°Ookii!!¡±


    ¡°Please, believe me! I¡¯m not cheating on you! It just happened, just happened!¡±


    Rachel was desperately trying to soothe Haley who thought he had been abandoned.


    ¡°Nyah!¡±


    And then the cat who had not yet received its food raised a cry from behind her still sitting next to the can of food.


    But Rachel wasn¡¯t in a position to open the can right now.


    ¡°Ah.......Mister Cat, could you wait just a bit!? It¡¯s a little difficult right now!¡±


    ¡°Ookkiiii!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why Haley........¡±


    But the cat was thinking.


    <i>The human, even though I¡¯m calling for her, she¡¯s ying with that funny white guy instead of preparing me my snack.............</i>


    ¡°Roww!¡±


    ¡°Wa, even Mister Cat!?¡±


    Rachel already had her hands full trying to take care of Haley, and now the cat was getting angry at being made to wait and throwing a fit.


    While stamping the round can of corned beef with its paw, the cat had lifted up its back and started hissing to try and get immediately fed.


    With that being said, if Rachel were to put Haley down to open the can of food, this time he would truly believe he had been abandoned and end up leaving.


    ¡°Just.........oh, which one to soothe first.........¡±


    Rachel was being overwhelmed by the gazes of the two animals and didn¡¯t know what to do. She is a city kid who is surprisingly weak to pressure from anything not a person.


    But while she was flustered, the situation got worse.


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    Haley had been acting angry at the cold-hearted Rachel, but suddenly he started yelling at the cat who was acting all self-important to his master.


    ¡°Roww!¡±


    Already frustrated because no snacks wereing out, the cat raised its head and growled back at this white bastard taking up the human¡¯s arms.


    ¡°KII!¡±


    ¡°ROWW!¡±


    ¡°Both of you wait!?¡±


    The face of that person who only ever shows up when he¡¯s not needed crossed Rachel¡¯s mind as she tried to keep these two apart before things got out of hand.


    ¡°Seriously, why isn¡¯t that idioting now!? Even though he¡¯s able to hold a conversation with Haley, what¡¯s he doing when he could actually be of help for once!?¡±


    In Rachel¡¯s whole life, has there ever been a time where she¡¯s wished Elliott was here before?


    Meanwhile she was sandwiched between a cat that has already popped its ws and Haley who pulled out a miniature bottle of wine from somewhere and holding it like a club..........in front of these two¡¯s seething anger, the noblewoman let out an extremely rare scream.


    ?


    When Elliott arrived in the dungeon looking for his little brother¡¯s missing pet, he found the prisoner lying down on the rug on the floor lookingpletely exhausted.


    A monkey was snoozing away with its back lying on her chest and its arms desperately wrapped around her neck while the cat Elliott was looking for was curled up on her thigh.


    Elliott tilted his head seeing this scene that was hard to understand.......and then started yelling at Rachel when he remembered why he hade to this ce to begin with.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the one who arbitrarily took the cat without permission Rachel! With his cute cat gone, Raymond was........¡±


    ¡°Slow!!¡±


    Rachel responded to the shouting with a scream of her own. Even though he was the prince.


    ¡°.............worried.............eh?¡±


    Elliott forcefully swallowed what he was going to say as this rarely anger Rachel continued to viciously denounce him.


    ¡°Really, why are you here only now!? You really are useless you know that!? It¡¯s already over!¡±


    ¡°Eh? It¡¯s over.........what is?¡±


    ¡°Not what! When you¡¯re only redeeming quality is being able to talk with animals on the same level as you, what were you doing when you were needed during a real emergency!?¡±


    Elliott furrowed his brow when he heard Rachel¡¯s unreasonableint.


    ¡°Haah!? You, what are you saying! My only redeeming feature is my face, the face!¡±


    Somebody who doesn¡¯t notice they¡¯re on the same level as a monkey while saying something only somebody on the same level as a monkey would say.


    ¡°Your Highness, you shouldn¡¯t be saying that yourself!¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    While Wnski was chiding Elliott, Rachel continued.


    ¡°Do you know how grave the situation was!? Ooh, I couldn¡¯t understand what Haley or Mister Cat were saying.......you can¡¯t arbitrate a fight unless you have the same level of intelligence as the participants, so try and be alert for when you¡¯re needed! You¡¯re always here when you aren¡¯t needed after all!¡±


    ¡°Oi wait Rachel, are you telling me to be an interpreter for a monkey and a cat!?¡±


    ¡°What else are you good for!?¡±


    ¡°Eh? No, that is.........maybe something.........I¡¯m capable of...........I could...........¡±


    ¡°What is ¡®maybe something¡¯ supposed to be!? I don¡¯t expect much from you, so do your best at the things you¡¯re actually capable of! All right? Then take care from now on!¡±


    ¡°Ummm? That........sorry I guess..........¡±


    ?


    When Elliott returned above ground with the recovered cat, he hesitated for a moment before asking Wnski a question.


    ¡°Hey Wnski.........this cat and Rachel¡¯s monkey¡¯s fight isn¡¯t my responsibility right?¡±


    ¡°Why would it be?¡±


    After getting a confirmation from his close friend, Elliott started to get his confidence back and let his emotions leak out.


    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s right! That¡¯s right, I¡¯m not at fault here! The cat, monkey, and I can¡¯t be so easily disciplined!¡±


    That¡¯s not the problem here.


    Rachel may have acted disrespectfully back there, but it¡¯s not Elliott¡¯s duty to arbitrate on her behalf, and why should he rush there when Rachel needs help anyway, not that it matters at this point.


    Elliott wrote off the previous incident just like that, but there was one part of the previous discussion that did interest him which was why he asked Wnski another question.


    ¡°..........Hey, Wnski.¡±


    ¡°Huh, what is it?¡±


    ¡°If I really could do what Rachel described, perhaps I would end up ruling the animal kingdom?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness. Before trying to rule the animal kingdom, perhaps you could put in a little effort to ruling the human kingdom instead?¡±

 Chapter 47.1 - Extra 1 Akihabara Limited Edition

    <h4>Extra 1 Akihabara Limited Edition</h4>


    ¡°Oi, Rachel! You, are you properly listening!?¡±


    Elliott continued to preach to Rachel day after day since her attitude wasn¡¯t getting any better at all.


    ¡°............I¡¯m listening. You¡¯re talking about that time you scooped up an amazingly big fish while at a banquet.¡±


    As prompted, she gave him some false praise.


    ¡°Who did that when!? From what I was just saying, where exactly did that topic appear in my story!?¡±


    ¡°Enough, you¡¯re being too noisy and I can¡¯t read.¡±


    Elliott¡¯s face was turning red as he continued to shout, but Rachel wouldn¡¯t leave her bed and kept her eyes glued to her book. He was beingpletely looked down upon.


    ¡°While the Prince! Is Talking! You don¡¯t read a book!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t Your Highnesse backter?¡±


    While Elliott was stamping his feet around, Rachel was giving him half-hearted replies and ignoring the noise. Such arrogance towards a prince cannot be allowed. Elliott tried to yell at her even more.......but just as he opened his mouth


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    a monkey yelled at him from behind. Turning back he found Rachel¡¯s monkey carrying a mountain of paper bags. Because he was carrying so much luggage, it looks like he was forced to take the front entrance and walk down the stairs.


    ¡°Wh-What is it?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, isn¡¯t he telling you to stop blocking traffic?¡±


    ¡°A, Ah. I see.¡±


    Once Elliott had stepped out of the way, the monkey took a small bow in thanks before walking past him, and then pushing the goods he had brought with him inbetween the bars of his master¡¯s cell.


    Rachel, who had been lying back reading a book until now, happily stood up because her monkey had returned.


    ¡°Wee home Haley! Did you buy everything I ordered?¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    When the monkey opened up the bag marked from a major retail store, one after another there were manga and light novels...........and the monkey started stacking these books he just bought up on the desk.


    And then he opened up a stic bag he had been carrying, and pulling out two parcels wrapped in paper, he immediately handed one over to Rachel.


    ¡°Thank you Haley. I really wanted to eat this after how long its been.¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    The one human and one animal unwrapped their little parcels, and with the still steaming contents exposed, they showed extremely poor manners and immediately sunk their teeth into it.


    ¡°Delicious~!¡±


    ¡°Ooki~!¡±


    At the moment that Rachel and her monkey cheerfully cried out because of how tasty their food was,


    ¡°.........no, a prince stepping aside for a monkey is impossible!¡±


    Elliott returned to his senses.


    ¡°Your Highness, that was much too dyed.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°And didn¡¯t Your Highness tell me before that nothing is impossible for you?¡±


    ¡°Yes but!? I did but!?¡±


    Elliott ground his teeth unable to retort..........when suddenly, he became interested in the items that the monkey had brought in.


    ¡°Oi Rachel, what is that you¡¯re eating?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Rachel and Haley shared a nce.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a normal doner kebab.¡±


    ¡°Where in our country do we usually sell doner kebabs!? Where the heck did this monkey go!?¡±


    ¡°Where..........¡±


    Rachel tilted her head.


    ¡°Akihabara¡±


    Elliott took a moment to digest Rachel¡¯s words.


    ¡°Akihabara?¡±


    ¡°Akihabara.¡±


    Rachel answered Elliott¡¯s question with a very serious look on her face.


    ¡°This monkey, did he go all the way to Akihabara on his own?¡±


    ¡°Oh my Your Highness, are you doubting Haley¡¯s awesomeness?¡±


    ¡°My doubts are a different problem. How did this monkey get all the way there?¡±


    ¡°Well Your Highness. Haley has a good head on his shoulders? Anyhow¡±


    From on the desk, Haley pulled out a silver and green card out of his pouch.


    ¡°needless to say with his rail pass his switch between subways is perfect!¡±


    ¡°Ooki! Ooki!¡±


    The monkey mimicked the motion with the card as if he were shing it before switching rail lines.


    ¡°How about it, he can even use a Suica pre-paid card! Amazing!¡±


    When Haley pulled out a silver and pink card, he jumped up so that he could violently throw it down on the ground.


    ¡°Ookii!¡±


    ¡°So! He enjoys the feel of dunking a Pasmo pre-paid card that much!?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s just not supposed have it.¡±1


    Rachel stroked Haley¡¯s head after he rested it on her chest.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not all. Haley can do even more amazing things!¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    Haley took a stance with both his hands out as if he were holding the top of a ring.


    ¡°Haley is able to travel through the entire Shuto Expressway without a car navigation system!¡±


    ¡°Like a countryside bumpkin bragging about how they¡¯ve mastered Tokyo..........wait, what I meant to say is, Hey! Is this monkey driving!? He wouldn¡¯t be able to see out the front even if he stood on the seat!? And to begin with how would he work the elerator and the brake!?¡±


    Haley pulled out another card and swung his arm again to mimic a couple of swipes.


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    ¡°How is it! Haley¡¯s handling of an ETC card!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not how ETC cards even work!?¡±2


    ¡°In addition, Haley¡¯s recently started using a rare manual transmission car these days.¡±


    ¡°So he has to work even even the clutch and a shift knob!? A team!? Do you have a whole group of animals gathered together to work this thing!?¡±


    In front of Elliott who was getting tired out from yelling so much, the monkey suddenly remembered something and started fishing through a handbag from an electronics retailer. When he found what he was looking for, he pulled out a cardboard box. He then presented said box to Elliott.


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    ¡°A souvenir for His Highness. Buying souvenirs even for people you don¡¯t care about in the slightest, Haley¡¯s such a good boy!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t care, Rachel you...........¡±


    While thinking to himself, ¡°I¡¯m going to kill this woman,¡± Elliott reflexively took the box the monkey was offering him. When he looked, a bunch of cute girls were drawn on the package in vivid pastel colors with the title scrawled across the front in big bubble letters.


    <i>Simply Petaism 2 ~A Maiden¡¯s Romance Continues!~ </i><strong>[18 YEARS AND OLDER]</strong>


    ¡°..........Monkey¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    ¡°You, what kind of man do you think I am buying an adults only game for me!?¡±


    ¡°Ooki?¡±


    The monkey tilted his head to the side, now sure what the prince wanted him to say as Elliott furiously pointed towards the box in his hand.


    ¡°And it¡¯s a half-baked joke as well! Wnski is the petaist, not me!¡±


    ¡°No, doesn¡¯t Your Highness have those tendencies as well?¡±


    ¡°Shut up George. And why is it ¡®2¡¯ anyway!? Only idiots abruptly buy the sequel, so you should have bought ¡®1¡¯ instead!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, I¡¯ll take it. I¡¯ve been meaning to get 2.¡±


    ¡°You be quiet too Wnski. Moreover Monkey. This shit game came out three years ago, so did you just pick something up from the bargain bin!? Are you making fun of me!? Or are you just too simple to have picked something out from the new stacked shelves area!?¡±


    ¡°This monkey, he¡¯s definitely trying to put you down.¡±3


    ¡°Shut up Sykes! ..........And back to what we were originally talking about! The game has apletely linear story, only giving you a choice of three options at the very end, so how dare they call it a grand adventure game with multiple endings!¡±


    ¡°As expected of Your Highness, the weight of something a man has to say is certainly different after someone¡¯s stepped on andmine.¡±


    ¡°Outsiders should keep quiet!¡±


    Elliott threw the game box back at his aides who kept making unnecessaryments behind him. But once his back was turned, a chilly voice asked him a question from the cell.


    ¡°Your Highness. How do you know so much about a game after just seeing the title.........?¡±


    ¡°Putting that aside¡±


    ¡°How about we leave it right where it is and discuss it a little more instead?¡±


    Anyhow it looks like the blonde idiot is dissatisfied with the souvenir he got.


    Haley figured it couldn¡¯t be helped, so he pulled something else out.


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Once again Elliott took what Haley was offering without a thought. It was a CD for a girls band whose headquarters rested in Akihabara and whose numbers stood at a static 48 although if you included secondary groups that rose to around 4 to 500 members.


    ¡°Hoh, the monkey actually has good taste...........is what I¡¯d like to say, but why is it already open?¡±


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll give me the CD because you just needed the ticket for the handshake event? You, isn¡¯t that the most valuable.........!?¡±


    While Elliott started protesting, the monkey walked over with a small pile of CD¡¯s and started handing them out to the hanger-ons as well. It was the same one that Elliott had received although none of them had been opened yet. But in the middle of handing them out, he ended up scratching his head when he saw there were still some disks left even after everyone had already gotten one. And so the monkey asked Wnski.


    ¡°Ookii!¡±


    ¡°No, even if you say you¡¯re giving me three because some are leftover.........I wonder if I need three of the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Ooki..............¡±


    ¡°So His Highness has fewer friends than you thought? Even though I told you.........¡±


    I give up. Feeling that way, the monkey nced over at Elliott.


    ¡°Ooki?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re just going to give me the leftovers, you idiot! Why is it that these guys all get my favorite CD while I get this shit video game!?¡±


    ¡°So Your Highness, that story about that shit video game you were telling...........or rather Haley you too, just how much did you buy with the money I gave you?¡±


    ¡°No Rachel, how much pocket money did you give to a monkey!?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t he going to Akiba!? No matter how much money I gave him, it wouldn¡¯t have been enough for him to go rummaging around!¡±


    ¡°I actually agree!?¡±


    Rachel narrowed her eyes in nostalgia as if she were opening a new vinyl record.


    ¡°But, these days Akihabara has been changing.........it¡¯s so different than it was in the past.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t think you¡¯d feel that way after thisst trip..........I mean certainly the area around the station has undergone some redevelopment, but it¡¯s still the Electric Town.¡±


    Rachel inted her cheeks at Elliott¡¯s denial.


    ¡°It¡¯s almostpletely different, now it¡¯s almost entirely meant for otaku. Thinking back..........back when you¡¯d fish through street stalls with no signs looking for junk parts, or wandering through those buildings with multiple stores in them looking for vacuum tubes.¡±


    ¡°Are you pretending to be older than you are!? Do you think you¡¯re older than your father here!?¡±


    ¡°Does Haley remember?¡±


    ¡°Oi, don¡¯t ignore me!¡±


    Haley thought for a moment after Rachel asked him and started throwing out gestures as the memories came to him.


    ¡°Ookii. Ooki, ooki!¡±


    ¡°Ah~, standing in line in the middle of the night for the countdown event the day a new OS is released huh? That¡¯s right, recently there haven¡¯t been any of those. It¡¯s lonely right?¡±


    ¡°Ooki~¡±


    ¡°How old is this monkey!?¡±


    When a break in the conversation formed, Elliott beckoned Haley over to his side.


    ¡°Ooki?¡±


    When Haley reached Elliott¡¯s feet, Elliott crouched down and whispered into his ear.


    ¡°Oi Monkey, you¡¯re gathering tickets for a handshake event........who are you a fan of?¡±


    ¡°Ooki...........¡±


    Haley whispered back into Elliott¡¯s ear........and then the man and monkey shared a firm handshake.


    ¡°..........the two of them are the same?¡±


    The two of them suddenly started to hit if off? A slightly shocked Rachel wanted to ask, but she then fiercely shook her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say something stupid Rachel! We¡¯re not the same!¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    ¡°..........huh?¡±


    Elliott and Haley both objected to Rachel¡¯s rare surprisement, but neither of them seemed to notice how excited they were getting.


    ¡°Some guys refuse to ept another person¡¯s opinion. But we can¡¯t all be number one! Otherwise there¡¯d be a war between fans!¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    ¡°Ri.........right..........¡±


    Not noticing that Rachel was slowly drawing further away from them, Elliott and Haley were slowly bing more and more excited.


    ¡°Monkey you, are you going to next month¡¯s live event?¡±


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    ¡°I see, you have the ticket, but you can only go if it fits into Rachel¡¯s schedule? Oi Rachel, try enjoying your vacation without relying on the Monkey from time to time. A boss¡¯s generosity means finding ways to work around a subordinate¡¯s circumstances doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Right.........I never thought I¡¯d hear Your Highness say something like that though.¡±


    Rachel was falling behind in this talk as Elliott, who had reached a high after finding a brother who shares the same interest, pulled out a glow stick as if it were his saber.


    ¡°So then Monkey, allow me to show you the results from my special training.¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    ¡°Huh? What?¡±


    Leaving behind Rachel who didn¡¯t know what was about to start, Haley hurriedly brought out a boombox and inserted a CD. All the hanger-ons pulled out their own glow sticks, one for each hand, and lined up spectacrly behind Elliott who had struck a pose.


    ¡°¡±Um? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    ¡°And, START!¡±


    There was no exnation. Right in front of Rachel who had arge question mark floating above her head while seeing the iprehensible.........and as the first note popped into existence from the speakers, the men all raised their glow sticks at once, and began dancing the Wotagei? in high spirits. All so they could show off to a monkey.


    ¡°What!?¡±


    ¡°Ookii!¡±


    ¡°Haley, could you exin this, just a bit!? What are they doing!? George too!?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re doing all three songs in one goooooooooooo!¡±


    ¡°WOooooooooooooooooooo!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with His Highness!? George!? Sykes!? Haley, um, exin thiiiiiiiiiiiis!?¡±


    The Prince and his group of noble sons continued to dance as if in some sort of trance before a bewildered and captive noble daughter as a monkey leaped for joy. Inside the dimly lit dungeon, the dazzling gleam of the glow sticks cut through the darkness and was truly beautiful.


    As something she had no idea about unfolded before her eyes, there was just one thing Rachel understood.


    <i>This, I have no intentions of trying to understand these people............</i>


    So with a lone girl getting left behind, the men¡¯s revelry continued on.


    1. Suica and Pasmo are two different type ofmuter passes. They look simr, and the only difference between them is what stations you get them at. But when you¡¯re finished you¡¯re supposed to return the cards to get a deposit back.


    2. The Shuto Expressway is aplicated toll road in Tokyo. There are a lot of sharp turns and on-ramps, so you have to be careful while driving it. An ETC card is an electronic payment card that you can use to pay the tolls on the Shuto Expressway without having to stop. The reason why Elliott shouts that this isn¡¯t how you use one is because you have to insert the card like a chip card rather than swiping it like a subway card.


    3. So I¡¯m pretty sure this is meant to be a joke here. Mounting in katakana can refer to how Haley is making fun of Elliott, but it might also be referring to the ¡®mounted¡¯ disys you¡¯d have for new games.


    4. A type of energetic dancing people do for idols at their concerts.

 Chapter 47.2 - Extra 2 Cabaret Limited Edition

    <strong>Extra 2 Cabaret Limited Edition</strong>


    While sorting letters inside Elliott¡¯s office, George¡¯s hand suddenly stopped.


    ¡°Did thise for His Highness..........?¡±


    As his friend sighed while pinching a pink envelope, Prince Elliott¡¯s pen stopped as he confirmed what was going on.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong George? Is it some kind of unsavory letter?¡±


    ¡°Well........well, you could say it¡¯s an unfortunate letter.......¡±


    ¡°...........where is the idiot who¡¯d send something like this to the Prince¡¯s office?¡±


    ¡°We already know where Sis is.¡±


    Everyone in the office kept silent as an indescribable atmosphere settled in.


    ?


    ¡°Seriously, what is it this time, that woman¡±


    Elliott rushed to the dungeon while once again reading the letter he had received.


    ¡°Dear Elliott, how have you been?


    I¡¯m sorry for not contacting you in a while, but my ce of business has finally opened again after finishing our renovations.


    A bunch of cute new guests have started visiting, so we need you to prepare various kinds of liquor.¡±


    ¡°What does she mean, ¡®not contacting in a while¡¯? I just saw her yesterday.¡±


    ¡°And the way she was talking was strange too. Sis has always just called you ¡®Your Highness¡¯, and then there¡¯s this ¡®ce of business¡¯ she mentioned.........¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s Rachel, hasn¡¯t she juste up with another new game for her to y?¡±


    ¡°In the worst case.........¡±


    Something was absolutely going on. There is absolutely no way that whatever was lying in wait for them wasn¡¯t no good. Because ¡®that¡¯ Rachel was in high spirits.


    Everyone was currently heading there to get a confirmation, but honestly nobody truly wanted to go.


    But if they were to just ignore this, it could very well develop into another dangerous situation. In the entire history of this country, has there ever been a more cumbersome prisoner...........?


    ¡°Now now, Elliott. Maybe Rachel is doing something rather interesting this time.¡±


    Margaret tried tofort him, but Elliott wasn¡¯t holding his breath.


    ¡°..........something interesting for that Rachel.........¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Elliott let out a deep sigh while thinking about Rachel¡¯s letter stuffed in his pocket.


    And then what Elliott saw before him when he finally reached the bottom of those steps...........


    ¡°Wee~¡±


    When Elliott¡¯s group arrived, the voices of nearly a dozen young women rose up to greet them.


    ¡°What!?¡±


    The girls were all wearing tight fitting dresses moreplex than a normal evening dress, and each of them started motioning for the men to take a seat next to them with their brightest business smile. Each one of them was beautiful with an excellent style, and they all had excellent manners..........yet none of the men ever remembered seeing any of them in court.


    ¡°Eh? Eh? Eh?¡±


    ¡°Come this way~¡±


    Not knowing what was going on, each of the men had their arms grabbed and were pulled over to the couches and made to take a seat. Elliott too had both of his arms grabbed and was dragged over by two women.


    ¡°Fufufu, wee¡±


    ¡°Please take a load off. Ufufu¡±


    One was a bewitching and mysterious beauty for which the word ¡®beguiling¡¯ really would suit well. The other woman was a more motherly-like beauty with a much more serene air about her. Both of them were older than Elliott, yet he was somehow able to feel strangelyfortable with them.


    Elliott had already been sat down in the middle of a 3 person sofa when he realized he was sitting right in front of some iron bars. Rachel was sitting inside her cell, wearing an unusually heavy amount of makeup and a dark dress that showed off her chest.


    ¡°Wee, Elliott. You haven¡¯t stopped by our shoptely, so I was getting lonely.¡±


    ¡°No, I just saw you yesterday!? What is this!? What are you up to this time!?¡±


    ¡°What.....as you can see, it¡¯s a cabaret.¡±


    Elliott shook his head when his senses came back to him.


    ¡°You, a cabaret..........what the hell are you thinking.........¡±


    ¡°Well! If it¡¯s like this, what do you think I am thinking about Elliott?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know damn it! I can never figure out what¡¯s going through that skull of yours!¡±


    Rachel made a pleasantugh while pping her hands together.


    ¡°Since my friends came to visit me, I thought we could y a game together.¡±


    ¡°Why would you y at being a cabaret club when your friends visit............and who would go along with that...........¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. I need to introduce you Elliott!¡±


    Rachel made a grand gesture as if she were truly the hostess for a club and motioned to the two women leaning on Elliott¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Today in charge of handling Elliott¡¯sfort we have our store¡¯s pride and joy neers. On Elliott¡¯s left we have Eliza who cut off her boyfriend¡¯s head after he betrayed her. And then on your right, we have Sofie who hung her cheating husband from a high ce and nudged him forward.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going home¡±


    ¡°Now-now-now-now¡±


    Elliott tried to stand up, but the two girls on both sides of him hit the back of his knees and forced him back down.


    ¡°Come now Elli. You¡¯re going to hurt our feelings leaving without even having a single cup.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right Elli. You can¡¯t rush out of here before even having three cups.¡±


    Elliott had two older women on both sides of himing onto him. The sex appeal was too strong, only outdone by that soft feeling casually being pressed onto both arms.


    ¡°Ah, um, you¡¯re both older than me, but calling me Elli is a little..........¡±


    Elliott tried feebly fighting back using the apparent disrespect to royalty as an excuse, but Rachel¡¯s carefree voice drowned him out.


    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no problem there. These two would also be considered, ¡®Your Highness¡¯ where theye from as well.¡±


    ¡°What are you making royalty from other countries do!?¡±


    Elliott was beingpletely held down against his will. He really wanted to get up and leave, but the women around him were skillfully holding him down where he could barely move.


    He stiffened as the beautiful women on both sides of him tried happily taking his order.


    ¡°Elli, what would you like to drink? How does a 192 proof vodka sound? You could be seeing heaven after a single drink?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine!¡±


    ¡°Well, perhaps you¡¯d prefer something lighter?¡±


    ¡°S-Sure!¡±


    Elliott already felt like a mouse between a couple of lions licking their lips. If he were to get some strong alcohol and be drunk like this.........it¡¯d be over!


    Elliott shook his head as he started to sweat. The beautiful older woman to his right then called back.


    ¡°Some Dom Perignon all around!¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much~!!¡±


    ¡°Just a moment!?¡±


    Elliott involuntarily shouted out in response to the chorus of women¡¯s voices that rose up.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I just ask for something light!?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, but shouldn¡¯t the amount and price be irrelevant?¡±


    ¡°Sure but!? That¡¯s right but!?¡±


    ¡°So we can¡¯t give someone with such a fine palette as the Prince any kind of cheap alcohol.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that too but!? That certainly makes sense..........!?¡±


    Elliott is the first prince, so naturally he almost never worries about the price whenever he makes any purchases........which was why this country¡¯s greatest noble daughter was currently ripping him off. At these prices, you could trade this alcohol in for a house.


    While Elliott was mumbling to himself about any reservations he had, a Prison Guard whose eyes hadpletely glossed over after he escaped from reality came in pushing a cart.


    So many champagne bottles, and a pyramid made from sses that extended upward towards the ceiling.


    ¡°Alright then let¡¯s get started.¡±


    ¡°HOLD ONnnnnnnnnnnn!?¡±


    Elliott tried stopping the woman who had begun climbing a stepdder and reached out towards the topmost cup.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say, ¡®something light¡¯!? So why are we suddenly bringing out a tower of champagne!?¡±


    ¡°Because we¡¯re a high-ss luxury business used even by royaltyyou. We need to bring out the highest grade alcohol if we are going to produce the highest grade hospitalityharassment.¡±


    ¡°And the money for all of this!?¡±


    ¡°High-ss customers shouldn¡¯t worry about things like that.¡±


    A beautiful yet expressionless woman ignored Elliott¡¯s attempts to stop her and used both hands to start pouring some champagne into the topmost ss. Because of how high the tower was, she had to open another bottle, and then another one after that. When the tower waspletely glowing gold like a bright chandelier, the girls all raised a cheer.........while Elliott was already feeling groggy.


    ¡°I order something light and you bring out the highest grade alcohol.........what an awful rip-off..........¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a rip-off because you¡¯re properly enjoying the product.¡±


    The expressionless womanSophia gave a calm reply, but Elliott no longer had the will toin anymore.


    Unaffected by Elliott¡¯s mood, Margaret let out some honest praise looking upon a spectacle she¡¯d never seen before.


    ¡°Absolutely amazing! Elliott, may I drink some too!?¡±


    ¡°Sure, yeah, drink as much as you¡¯d like...........¡±


    ?


    No longer in the mood to drink, Elliott spent his time taking measured sips of champagne every once in a while. That was fine since ¡®Eliza¡¯ and ¡®Sofie¡¯ were more than happy to drink his share. Their cheeks were already starting to turn red, and they started drunkenly poking Elliott¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Ufufufufu. After all the effort Elli put intoing to visit us, how about we y a game?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Um, but ying a game like this........¡±


    Elliott didn¡¯t brag about it, but because he had Margaret, he had never gone drinking in a store with girls like this before.


    ¡°That¡¯s right~, it¡¯s a simple game........oh, and really easy too.¡±


    Eliza made a sweet smile.


    ¡°Elli, I will go ahead and poke you with the edge of your saber? If you don¡¯t die, then you win.¡±


    She was smiling so sweetly, but there was nothing sugary about those eyes of hers.


    ¡°No!? Tha-That¡¯s a little difficult for me!¡±


    ¡°I wonder~¡±


    As Elliott tried desperately to refuse, Sofie who was sitting beside him pped her hands together.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, we have to get Elli something to sit on.¡±


    Sofie started tough happily while starting to poke Elliott all over his body.


    ¡°How about calling it Elli¡¯s Close Call? All Elli will have to do is sit down in a barrel. That¡¯s all, and then the girls will take turns stabbing the barrel with knives with the girl who delivers the killing blow being the winner. I suppose Elli will be the winner if you survive though right?¡±


    She wasughing happily, but her eyes weren¡¯t getting the joke.


    ¡°No, wai, such a......!? ...........Nobody would want such a terrible game!?¡±


    Desperately taking a look around the store.........


    ¡°Wow~, how fun!¡±


    ¡°I want to go first!¡±


    ¡°Just a moment, you can¡¯t just take being first so seriously you know!? We have to spread it out, make sure that everyone gets a turn!¡±


    All the girls in the store were getting excited. Some of them had already started pulling out their own sabers rather than short knives.


    ¡°Oi Rachel, what¡¯s with these people!?¡±


    Although he had never been to a cabaret before, this was definitely not how cabaret¡¯s are supposed to work. Even a naive man like Elliott could figure that out.


    But Rachel seemed to be having a grand time while drinking her own champagne.


    ¡°Huh, didn¡¯t I say before? All of our hostesses are subordinates of Eliza or Sofie. They¡¯re all also youngdies who have been forced to go through hard times because of their fiancees.¡±


    ¡°So why are they all here!?¡±


    ¡°For Elli of course.¡±


    ¡°Damn, somebody help........¡±


    Elliott suddenly remembered that he had brought his subordinates with him and hastily started looking around him............


    ¡°George!¡±


    George waspletely blue in the face with Alexandra leaning against his shoulder insulting him.


    ¡°Ufufufu, does Georgee to these kinds of ces often?¡±


    ¡°No, this is my first time! Honest!¡±


    ¡°But, you¡¯re curious aren¡¯t you? Should I tell your parents about your amazing night life?¡±


    ¡°Id- Don¡¯t say anything stupid!? I¡¯d never do something so stupid!¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, I found a lovely 5 carat ck diamond being sold.¡±


    ¡°Y-You want me to buy it!? But, the price is a little........¡±


    ¡°Well, then perhaps a month confined to doing foreign affairs might help?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s buy it tomorrow! No of course, that doesn¡¯t mean I hate work!?¡±


    ¡°S-Sykes!¡±


    Sykes was already dead inside as Martina fawned over him while sitting in hisp.


    ¡°Does Sykes oftene to ces like this? I¡¯ll get angry if you say you have an active nightlife.¡±


    ¡°..........no, I¡¯ve broken all contact...........¡±


    ¡°Hufufu, I¡¯m just joking with you. Ah, Alexandra seems to be getting getting a ck diamond. How nice, I¡¯m, just a little jealous.¡±


    ¡°Oh, would you like some new jewelry? What, what would you like me to buy............?¡±


    ¡°Is it okay!? Well then, our marriage certificate¡±


    ¡°..................So a ck diamond, 10 or maybe even 20 carats...........¡±


    ¡°Our marriage certificate¡±


    ¡°How about I buy you a gorgeous ne!? Or, perhaps something you can wear in your hair!?¡±


    ¡°Our marriage certificate¡±


    ¡°No, not Wnski too.........¡±


    Wnski was off drinking with Haley who just so happened to be wearing some ruby red lipstick and a tight-fitting dress.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, His Highness doesn¡¯t watch his feet so he always makes a big show of tripping himself up!¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, he does it quite often. And one time, he was so flustered that when he stood up, he stuck his head right into the rear-end of a horse!¡±


    ¡°Ookikiki!¡±


    ¡°Hahahahaha!¡±


    ¡°Why are you the only one having a good time here drinking with a monkey!?¡±


    Rachel casually tilted her head as Elliott wearily screamed towards the ceiling.


    ¡°Hey Elliott, yourplexion looks a little bad.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I wonder why myplexion has started looking bad!¡±


    ¡°You know that if you drink alcohol with an empty stomach, you¡¯ll get drunk faster don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it!? How could I get drunk in this cold atmosphere!?¡±


    Rachel pointed towards Wnski.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to fill your belly like that one over there?¡±


    Wnski had just ordered arge te of fruit.


    ¡°Here you go Henry, eat as much as you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he giving the fruit away though?¡±


    ¡°Whether the customer eats it or has the hostess eat it instead, the shop doesn¡¯t care as long as it gets paid for.¡±


    Elliott suddenly got curious and took a close look at the tter.


    ¡°Hey.........that te, isn¡¯t it too decedent? There are a lot of fruits in it I¡¯ve never seen in our country before.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, and it¡¯s because we werepletely serious while preparing it!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps........it¡¯s more expensive than the champagne?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve priced them ordingly.¡±


    ¡°.......Wnski, he might faint after seeing his bill after this¡±


    Completely unaware of his boss¡¯s pitiful gaze, Wnski smiled andughed at the monkey who was hesitating to eat the fruit in its hands.


    Haley stared at his banana for a second before looking up.


    ¡°Ooki.........?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Isn¡¯t this really expensive? It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine!¡±


    Wnskiughed away Haley¡¯s concern.


    ¡°His Highness is paying for all of it¡±


    ¡°Wnski, you bastaaaaaaaaaaard!¡±


    Was it because of all the yelling or the terrible pressure he was feeling on both sides? Either way, Elliott suddenly started feeling hungry himself. Rather, he was probably just feeling exhausted, not having the mental power to keep walking the tightrope during this stressful situation.


    ¡°Damn........I¡¯m terrified of what¡¯s toe, but I too...........¡±


    ¡°Would you like a fruit tter?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the price for that way too scary to eat!? And besides, I¡¯d like something a little more snack-like¡±


    Rachel tilted her head.


    ¡°Hmm.......well, how about some sandwiches then?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that sounds nice........is what I¡¯d like to say, but you definitely put in some kind of outrageous ingredients right!?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s ¡®normal¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!?¡±


    Rachel pped her hands, and the expressionless woman who had brought in the champagne tower before appeared again to take the order. After being gone for a moment, she brought back a te filled with sandwiches........and for some reason immediately brought them over to Rachel.


    ¡°My Lady, if you would¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±


    Elliott watched them with obvious suspicions.


    Rachel then held her hand out over the sandwiches that her attendant was holding towards her.


    ¡°Looks tasty¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much¡±


    The untouched sandwiches were then brought over to Elliott.


    ¡°Thank you for waiting. Here are you sandwiches handmade by the daughter of a Duke.¡±


    ¡°Just a moment!?¡±


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying Rachel just did!? Or is there something else!? Is there some other Duke¡¯s daughter in the back who made these!?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expressionless subordinate gave a monotone reply.


    ¡°My Lady just gave up on her desire to eat these delicious-looking sandwiches. After that kind of effort, it¡¯s no exaggeration to say these are handmade by her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely an exaggeration! How does such a thing add any value at all!?¡±


    ¡°Picture it as an idol event.¡±


    While Elliott dishearteningly nced at the snacks he ordered not sure if he really wanted to eat them, Sophia did a rough calction of the night¡¯s sales and reported their progress to Rachel.


    ¡°Our sales are terrific, My Lady. Our numbers are soaring as if a river of gold were flowing into our ounts. Our new product is a rousing sess.¡±


    ¡°Mm, indeed. Our profit margin is wonderful. Our night business is popr.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re all awful.........¡±


    Rachel took another look at her ount book when after suddenly noticing something, she raised her head.


    ¡°Speaking of which.........didn¡¯t Sand Bage too?¡±


    ¡°She did. A while ago she was doing everything she could to bring down that champagne tower¡±


    Rachel and Sophia both started looking around for the twin-tail girl.


    ¡°Mmm, high ss alcohol is re~ally tasty!¡±


    She was dead drunk, surrounded by four, five other girls.


    ¡°Oh, you girls all have such big boobs! Let me touch them~¡±


    In addition she was acting like a drunk old man screwing around with the other hostesses.


    ¡°........amazing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, as expected of Sand Bag.¡±


    ¡°Surely everyone in the Mourning Noble Girls knows of Sand Bag¡¯s identity?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. They see her as a homewrecker who stole another person¡¯s spouse, and they originally surrounded her hoping to traumatize her through intense sexual harassment..........she would have been safer if she had just wrapped herself in raw meat and thrown herself in a cage with some wild animals.¡±


    ¡°Indeed........I, this might be the first time I can say that Sand Bag has my respect.¡±

 Chapter 47.3 - Extra 3 Kyoto Limited Edition

    <strong>Extra 3 Kyoto Limited Edition</strong>


    ¡°Finally here. It¡¯s so far away.¡±


    The Prison Guard descended from the bullet train to the railway tform with his luggage.


    He had a short vacation, so he decided to visit Kyoto for a couple of days. He didn¡¯t have much money to spend because of how thin his sry was, but he thought he could still have fun acting as a tourist and visiting ces he was interested in. Traveling like this is expensive, but he waspletely exhausted from that youngdy and prince constantly abusing their power. He needed to spread his wings every once in a while.


    After the Prison Guard left the ticket gate, taking the passageway leading to the northern end of the rail station, he was left marveling at the massive ss roof and wide atrium as he made his way down the steps.


    Once he had made it above ground, he stretched out his tourism guide in front of him.


    ¡°Now then, how to get to where I want to go............the station is so big I don¡¯t even know where I need to go to ask.¡±


    Kyoto¡¯s station isrge andplicated, so tourists who are visiting for the first time always have a hard time as the Prison Guard was having now while looking at the map of the station listed in his tourism guide.


    ¡°Umm, am I on the ground floor right now? ........where is the map for the ground floor? And why are there three underground shopping malls connected together to begin with?¡±


    The epitome of Kyoto¡¯s ancient history.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask for help at the information desk, but I need help finding the information desk..........¡±


    The Prison Guard worriedly turned his head when a passing maid stopped and pointed to one point on the floor n.


    ¡°Take this passageway here and then hang a right, the teller window is in the same building as the city transportation bureau.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. Sorry for the trouble.¡±


    The Prison Guard gave a small bow in thanks, but by the time he looked back up, the maid had already disappeared.


    ¡°.........what, that¡¯s strange.........well, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    The Prison Guard searched for the area the nice maid had pointed him towards and got in line. The girl sitting at the ticket window gave him a bright smile when it was finally his turn.


    ¡°Please wait one moment. I will prepare a map for you detailing where you want to go and your means of transportation.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. Thank you very much.¡±


    The Prison Guard lowered his head in thanks while the attendant prepared his things, but he then noticed something a little strange.


    ¡°.........Huh? But I, haven¡¯t told you where I want to go yet.¡±


    ¡°Right, sorry to have made you wait. Here¡¯s your guide map, a mobile phone, and your instructions. Next person please!¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry sorry.¡±


    Because of how busy things were right now, the Prison Guard hurriedly got out of the way after the teller window receptionist called for the next person..........only now realizing he had just gotten something really strange.


    ¡°...........This is........should I know what this is for? Something is wrong here.¡±


    The Prison Guard looked closely at the items he had just gotten.


    Guide map..........this will be helpful.


    Mobile phone.............why?


    Instructions...........nobody else was meeting him here or anything.


    As the Prison Guard was still staring at the items in his hands, the phone suddenly got an iing call. The name ¡®Mister X¡¯ was shing across the LCD screen. He answered the phone,


    ¡°Pardon Miss, but shouldn¡¯t you have had the caller ID on the phone read Ms. X or perhaps Mrs. X?¡±


    and immediately addressed the most important problem.


    Now then, for those instructions I got.


    The Prison Guard hung up the phone, putting it away into his back pocket, and then unfurled the map he had gotten.


    ¡°Hmm, right now I¡¯m on the northern end of the station........I wonder if the north and south exit are both no good.¡±


    The Prison Guard tried ignoring the cell phone¡¯s continued ringing and walked up to a nearby bus line, but then the maid who had given him directions from before came running up to him slightly out of breath and holding out a ck toy rotary phone on top of a tray.


    ¡°Your boss works you too hard.¡±


    ¡°This is also part of my job.¡±


    The Prison Guard finally gave up, pulling out the cell phone from his back pocket, the voice of a young noble daughter came through.


    ¡°About time! And to think I put in all this effort to making Mister Prison Guard¡¯s vacation as fun as possible!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re trying to support me, then how about starting with making my job not so stressful?¡±


    ¡°On that instruction sheet you were given, I¡¯ve detailed everywhere Mister Prison Guard should head to from here.¡±


    ¡°.........hold on, how did you know about all the ces I wanted to go?¡±


    ¡°I guessed after seeing the page of the travel guide you were reading thest time you yed hooky from your job by hiding down in the dungeon.¡±


    The Prison Guard had thought his prisoner was too busy to notice.


    ¡°Miss..........keeping a watch on you is part of my job though?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Since when?¡±


    The route Rachel had nned out for the Prison Guard really was wless. The Prison Guard traveled by bus to his first destination in Fushimi1 and traveled one by one to the various breweries located in the area. However.........


    ¡°Fushimi got its name from the ¡®fushimizu¡¯, the underground water running underneath all of Kyoto that finally makes its way above ground here..........ah, be sure to taste the well water out in the courtyard. Oh and there¡¯s a unique triangr building in one corner of the area right? This used to be a research facility, but it¡¯s been turned into a museum showcasing replicas of bottles from otherpanies............¡±


    unfortunately the youngdy¡¯s telephone guided tour was really annoying.


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re even more detailed than the guide............have you been here before?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been there before, but all this ismon sense for us heavy drinkers.¡±


    Rachel Ferguson: 17 years old.


    Profession: Duke¡¯s daughter.


    Hobbies: Sleeping and drinking.


    ¡°That¡¯s it! For my souvenir, please buy me a vintage bottle of sake from the corner gift shop! The dark soy sauce prepared in the Meiji style! It¡¯s really tasty!¡±


    The Prison Guard was starting to understand why the imprisoned noble girl was being so strangely nice.


    However.


    ¡°I¡¯m in the gift shop right now, but I¡¯m a foreigner who has no idea what a vintage bottle looks like.........¡±


    The Prison Guard is a foreigner with no idea about the differences between a vintage bottle and a modern one. But the girl on the phone with him gave an answer without skipping a beat.


    ¡°Where are you looking!? Upper shelf by the window, it¡¯s the second bottle to the right!¡±


    ¡°Hey Miss, are you sure you haven¡¯t been here before? And recently?¡±


    The most enjoyable trip to the whiskey distillery would be put off for tomorrow, so the Prison Guard dropped his stuff off at his hotel on Kujo Dori street. ording to the instructions Rachel had left him, he apparently still had a special nighttime viewing at a temple.


    Honestly the Prison Guard had only visited Kyoto to see this and that about the alcohol they make here, but since he already had a ticket, he thought it would be a waste to not use it.


    .............but by the time he arrived, that temple¡¯s gate had been shut tight for quite a while already.


    ¡°Umm, I¡¯m here for a nighttime visit..........am I too early?¡±


    The instructions came with a ticket that, other than the note ¡°Special Bonus ?¡± scribbled on the back, definitely had the words ¡®Nighttime Visit¡¯ printed on the front. And yet the temple was deathly quiet, the gate was barred shut, and it didn¡¯t seem like anything would be opening up here anytime soon.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the Lady would get the time wrong or send me to the wrong ce. She¡¯s not His Highness.¡±


    That¡¯s the man you work for you¡¯re talking about there.


    Not knowing what else to do, the Prison Guard tried calling out to someone passing by and showing them the ticket. It was an older man in ordinary clothes who looked like he lived around here.


    ¡°Pardon. I got this ticket for a night visit, but am I in the wrong ce?¡±


    The old man looked the ticket over for a moment before shaking his head, suddenly in a really good mood.


    ¡°Yes, this is for somewhere else. Here, let me guide you since I live here.¡±


    ¡°Eh? You¡¯ll take me there? Sorry to bother you.¡±


    ¡°No no, it¡¯s been a while for me, so I wanted to go as well.¡±


    The old man started walking with arge smile spread across his face.


    ¡°But really, we have been getting quite a few people like youtely. I¡¯d heard that tourists these days were looking to visit more local favorites.........but for even foreigners toe check out Toji Temple¡¯s deluxe night visit¡±


    ¡°Huh............?¡±


    The Prison Guard followed the old man into a conspicuously tall building you wouldn¡¯t normally think would be a temple.


    It was a fun way to let the time pass.


    After returning to his hotel room, the Prison Guard remembered the ticket arrangements had all been prepared by Rachel.


    ¡°.......that girl, she is really good at using her carrot and stick. How does a daughter of a noble think up this kind of reward?¡±


    Thinking about things that far, the Prison Guard remembered the hugemotion inside the dungeon the other day.


    ¡°..........ah. I suppose this is the same girl who gathered up all her friends together for a pity party..........¡±2


    Day 2


    The Prison Guard was left quite perplexed after finally making it to the ce he was looking forward to visiting the most.


    ¡°I see.......I didn¡¯t know I had to make a reservation in advance.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Recently we have had so many tourists visiting that we¡¯ve had to require reservations.¡±


    He had finally gotten to visit the whiskey distillery, but apparently he wasn¡¯t allowed in because he had not made a reservation the previous day. Although he wasn¡¯t aware they were necessary, the fact that he had failed to call ahead and get any information beforehand truly was a regrettable failure.


    The Prison Guard disappointingly turned back towards the bus stop, but the receptionist stopped him after she turned over her reservation list.


    ¡°Ah, are you perhaps Mister Prison Guard from the kingdom?¡±


    ¡°Eh? What?¡±


    The receptionist smiled and pointed towards a name she had on her list.


    ¡°We had somebody call and make you a reservationst week. Please wait for a little bit, and I will guide you to your tour group.¡±


    While waiting for the tour to start, the Prison Guard pulled out the cell phone he had been given and called Rachel.


    ¡°Hm? Mr. Prison Guard? Isn¡¯t it about time for you to visit the distillery? Since I have you on the phone, when you¡¯re at the gift shop I¡¯d like..........¡±


    ¡°Wait Miss, you really saved me by making this reservation for me. But there is just one thing I wanted to say..........I, my name isn¡¯t really just Prison Guard.¡±


    ¡°................r-really?¡±


    From the other end of the call, Rachel¡¯s silent shock came through all too clearly.


    ¡°Now then, I¡¯ve looked around a lot........this will be myst stop.¡±


    Although Prison Guard had certainly seen quite a bit, nearly half of his stops have involved him acting as a gofer for someone currently locked up in a prison..........but since the Prison Guard hade here without a real n in the first ce, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to see half as much as he had without the nned route he had been given anyway. Rachel had nned out a route that gave him the most efficient use of his time so that he¡¯d have more time to run errands for her. Honestly, the Prison Guard was left a little impressed with thatzy noble girl.


    Also, it gave him an excuse to also buy those things he wanted but didn¡¯t necessarily need.


    ¡°..........well, I¡¯m sure making such a n was a good way to kill time for her.¡±


    Getting off the bus and stepping onto main street, the Prison Guard had to call out to a monk who was sweeping the sidewalk in front of a shrine. At this point, he wasn¡¯t surprised in the slightest when the old man gave an answer before the Prison Guard could even ask his question.


    The Prison Guard stood to the side of the shrine¡¯s gate and called Rachel once again.


    ¡°Yes~ this is Rachel! It¡¯s about time for my mochi!¡±


    ¡°...........Miss, why is your voice so high?¡±


    ¡°I was praying that Mister Prison Guard¡¯s ¡®first errand¡¯ would be a sess by having a little bit to drink.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. And since when have you needed an excuse to drink?¡±


    The Prison Guard cleared his throat.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine...........Miss, you told me to buy you some mochi. But there are two stands here. Which one should I buy from?¡±


    He alternated looks between his left and his right.


    ¡°So, one of the stands says ¡®head of the house¡¯ up top and the other reads ¡®ancestor¡¯........¡±


    ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t say anything else Mister Prison Guard!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°That topic is off limits. Or do you want to get swallowed by the darkness of the former capitol!?¡±


    ¡°Why is this such a big deal!? Why is buying some candy so much trouble!?¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t paying enough attention to their thousand year history and exclusive sales rights!¡±


    ¡°Oi, that second one actually sounds like it could be trouble!¡±3


    ¡°So, which one should I go to then?¡±


    After all if he doesn¡¯t get an answer, he won¡¯t know which one to buy to bring home as a souvenir.


    ¡°We~ll. Please buy some mochi from the one that looks more like a teahouse.¡±


    The Prison Guard once again looked at the two shops on his left and right.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t tell a difference.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the one with a bench outside its door.¡±


    ¡°They both have benches outside their doors.¡±


    ¡°GEEZE!¡±


    Rachel drunkenly shouted out in frustration.


    ¡°Look closely!¡±


    ¡°Okay¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the stand with a bench outside its doors where Haley would be able to sit down and absent-mindedly stare up at the sky!¡±


    ¡°Hey Miss. Couldn¡¯t you just send that monkey here to buy you some?¡±


    ¡°Food tastes different when you get it as a souvenir!¡±


    ¡°I have your souvenirs from Kyoto.¡±


    ¡°Yay! Thank you very much!¡±


    Rachel looked truly ecstatic after getting her souvenirs from the Prison Guard. She lined up her ¡®loot¡¯ on top of her desk. Although really, why would a noble daughter be so giddy about a bottle of alcohol?


    ¡°Anyway, you had the funds for your souvenirs tucked in with those instructions you gave me. So I don¡¯t know if you could really call these souvenirs......but it was very courteous of you to send in a little extra money so I could buy my own souvenirs.¡±


    This ability to make intricate ns for things that don¡¯t matter in the slightest is something that Prince will never be able to beat.


    But no matter how he thought about it, the Prison Guard could not imagine that the youngdy¡¯s preparations would have been cheaper than the money he had spent on travel expenses.


    But for this girl, all of that is probably the cost for messing with him than anything else. The Prison Guard just couldn¡¯t follow the way a rich person thinks.


    Rachel called out to the Prison Guard in a good mood after she heard him sighing by himself.


    ¡°So then, how was your trip to Kyoto? Were you able to rx and enjoy yourself.¡±


    ¡°Ah.........for some reason I kept thinking about work while I was over there, so I don¡¯t feel like I really rxed any.¡±


    ¡°Well!¡±


    Rachel worriedly tilted her head.


    ¡°You can¡¯t rx even while on vacation? What part of your job is bothering you so much?¡±


    ¡°Forget it!¡±


    1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fushimi-ku,_Kyoto


    2. So I¡¯m sure this is meant to be a sex/brothel joke for people who don¡¯t know about Toji Temple which is why the author is so vague here. In reality, the area around the temple has a bunch of beautiful lights set up, and you¡¯re allowed to go into the temple at night to see them from up above. This chapter really is meant to be one of those ¡®oh yeah, I know what they¡¯re talking about¡¯ things directed for people who live or have been to Kyoto. Here is a picture though to give you an idea.


    Image result for toji temple at night


    3. I¡¯m pretty sure this is just a reference to how Kyoto used to be the capitol for a thousand years before changing to Tokyo. The Prison Guard is asking which one is better, the ancestral leader (Kyoto) or the current head of the family (Tokyo). It¡¯s one of those arguments with no real answer like whether Gifs are pronounced with a hard g or a soft g.

 Chapter 47.4 - Extra 4 Hometown Limited Edition

    <strong>Extra 4 Hometown Limited Edition</strong>


    Rachel was enjoying the taste of a fresh cup of tea while snuggled under her kotatsu.


    ¡°Hah.........¡±


    Satisfied with the fragrant aroma of her tea, she then picked up a toothpick and took a bite of the thumb-sized abekawa mochi hanging off the end.1


    ¡°Mm~, tea made from the first leaves of the season and an assortment of abekawa mochi. So good........the best. Campbell has really outdone himself this time.¡±


    Rachel was in high spirits, and so she decided to share some of her extensive knowledge with Haley who was waiting for his own tea to cool down while underneath the kotatsu as well.


    ¡°Is it good Haley? The size of the mochi is really important. They say that the first abekawa mochi was made by a tanuki as a gift for the gods. It was powdered with golden kes the Abe river had carried down from a nearby mine. Supposedly there wasn¡¯t any type of flour added, just mochi with gold kes sprinkled on top.¡±


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    ¡°In other areas along the Abe river they sell abekawa mochi as big as the palm of your hand, but that¡¯s too big you know? That yfulness derived from its origins is important. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    Hearing Haley¡¯s lifeless answer, Rachel insisted on her point while ying with her toothpick inbetween her fingers. For the record, Haley had no interest in food that he wasn¡¯t able to eat anyway.


    ¡°And surely mochi that finds its roots with the Abe river is best served with motoyama tea from the Abe river basin. That¡¯s the one thing I refuse topromise on. That¡¯s a historic production area for motoyama tea, and it is said that it is the birthce of Shizuoka tea after an esteemed monk brought the first seeds from his home country to the region.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s extensive knowledge spread even to vague foreign countries. However, more importantly...........


    ¡°...........Haley?¡±


    Haley wasn¡¯t saying anything back. Having listened to Rachel¡¯s long speech, he was now looking at the new bag of tea Rachel had just opened.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Haley? Curious about something?¡±


    Haley was transfixed by the brand name printed across the front of the bag.


    Kakegawa Deep Steamed Green Tea


    ¡°.............¡±


    ¡°.............¡±


    Haley shook the bag. The only noise in the room was of the leaves in the bag being jostled around.


    ¡°.............¡±


    ¡°.............Ooki?¡±


    Haley turned his head demanding an answer, but Rachel continued to silently sip her tea.


    ¡°Ooki?¡±


    ¡°.............¡±


    Haley inched himself closer and tried asking again, but Rachel quietly turned her head away.


    ¡°Ooki?¡±


    ¡°.............It¡¯s only about fifty kilometers away from the basin.¡±


    Haley walked over, forcing himself into Rachel¡¯s line of sight and tilted his head again.


    ¡°Ooki?¡±


    ¡°.............okay so it¡¯s fifty-five kilometers.¡±


    Haley grinded the bag of tea into Rachel¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Ooki?¡±


    ¡°.............Nearly 75 percent of Japanese tea is Yabukita tea! Even if the area it was produced is slightly off, it¡¯s stilling from the same nt!¡±


    Haley shrugged his shoulders and shook his head while his owner started angrily yelling at him after being backed into a corner.


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    ¡°Are you thinking, ¡®My oh my, what a stubborn little kitten,¡¯ right now? I don¡¯t want to be condescendingly called a little kitten by a baby monkey!¡±


    ¡°Ookii¡±


    ¡°What kind of conversation are you trying to have with a monkey!?¡±


    One person and one animal turned their heads after Prince Elliott made an astonished tsukkomi.


    ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t the little puppy.¡±


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    ¡°You two, how are you able to act like everything¡¯s fine after a conversation like that!?¡±


    Rachel pulled up the covers on her kotatsu up to her shoulders and started grumbling herints to this prince who keeps showing up day after day with nothing to show for it.


    ¡°Here I was greatly enjoying my tea, and now I¡¯ve got a chill after seeing your ugly mug. It¡¯s so cold now.¡±


    ¡°B-Bastard........how dare you always take such an attitude with me!?¡±


    Enraged, Elliott stuck his thumb towards his face.


    ¡°No matter how you look at me I¡¯m the most handsome man in the capitol!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, that¡¯s not the problem. Did you reallye here to get Sis to reflect?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Elliott answered honestly to George¡¯s tsukkomi..........


    ¡°However this is exactly the type of attitude that needs toe to an end!¡±


    ¡°Hah.........¡±


    Elliott did his best to act as menacing as possible to his prisoner.


    ¡°Tell me Rachel! What part of my face are you dissatisfied with!¡±


    ¡°Asking something like that to your ex¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it Sykes. This is really important to His Highness.¡±


    ¡°And you two be quiet!¡±


    Still almostpletely embedded in her kotatsu, the noble daughter took a sip from her tea looking as if the taste had beenpletely ruined.


    ¡°Haa..........do you really want to know?¡±


    ¡°If you have a good reason then say it! You¡¯re talking about my greatest charm point! What fault could there be!?¡±


    While making a deliberate sigh at the Prince¡¯s fit, Rachel looked directly into Elliott¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Whenever I am forced to act politely to Your Highness, I automatically associate you with Duchess Somerset because of my queen¡¯s education.¡±


    ¡°..................I see...............Sorry.¡±


    ¡°P-Putting that aside Rachel!¡±


    Elliott tried readjusting himself in order to restart his sermon.


    .........but whatever he was going to say was suddenly cut off.


    ¡°Ooki! Ooki!¡±


    The monkey suddenly started patting Rachel¡¯s upper arm while pointing at something.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right! Thanks you Haley!¡±


    ¡°Hey!? Rachel, somebody is talking..........¡±


    The Duke¡¯s daughter rose up from her seat while the Prince was talking and hurried over to a pot that was resting on a fire. She moved the pot to an already prepared pot stand on top of the kotatsu before pulling off the lid.


    There was a mixture of different ingredients in the pot..........and several skewers conspicuously sticking out as if they were swords lodged in stone.


    ¡°.........Oi, what is it this time?¡±


    ¡°What you ask? It¡¯s Shizuoka oden no matter how you look at it.¡±


    After Haley added on some toppings from a jar and they both said a prayer, Rachel started sorting through the ingredients and piling them on to the te Haley was holding out. Truly a beautiful scene between pet and owner.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start eating when the prince is in the middle of giving you a sermon!¡±


    ¡°Come now Your Highness, what are you talking about now? We aren¡¯t eating yet.¡±


    Brushing off Elliott¡¯s angry warning, Rachel thanked Haley for bringing her over a small cup of sake. She gulped down the alcohol in a single swig, ¡°Mm~¡± and let out a pleased moan.


    ¡°A piping hot pot of oden with a cup of sake during cold weather! Irresistible!¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    The noble daughter and her monkey shared a nod while the seething prince was about to boil over.


    ¡°Don¡¯t have a mid-meal drink when the prince is in the middle of giving you a sermon!?¡±


    ¡°But the oden was done cooking?¡±


    ¡°Do you think that reason justifies such disrespect!?¡±


    Why was Elliott so angry? Haley thought it was strange at first, but realizing what the problem probably was, he pulled out one of the skewers from the pot.


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    Haley brought over the oden he had picked out over to Elliott.


    ¡°...........no, I¡¯m not telling you to give me some of your oden.¡±


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    Saying he understood, even though it was quite clear he didn¡¯t understand at all, Haley pierced a round slice of daikon with the skewer and held it out.


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to go, ¡®Thanks, Ahn~¡¯. Letting you have some of his food, Haley is so kind.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not being kind though!? He¡¯s not using his head!¡±


    ¡°Ooki?¡±


    ¡°No I don¡¯t hate daikon radish! Think about how hot that food is right now!¡±


    ¡°Ookiki!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t just go, ¡®okay, eggs then,¡¯ when there¡¯s the exact same problem, monkey!¡±


    ¡°Ooki?¡±


    The monkey twisted his headpletely mystified on what to do. He stared at the egg hanging off his skewer for a moment before thrusting it in a different direction.


    ¡°Ookkii!¡±


    ¡°For me!? Thank you Mister Monkey!¡±


    The Baron¡¯s daughter didn¡¯t hesitate for a second, gobbling up the piping hot oden the monkey held out for her.


    ¡°Wait!? Margaret, you¡¯ll burn yourself eating it like that.........¡±


    ¡°Mm, Mm, Mm! Yeah, this is pretty good...........Elliott, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°No..........as long as it¡¯s safe.........¡±


    A young girl raised in the slums, Margaret was confident in the strength of her tongue and digestive system.


    Elliott peered into the pot of oden.


    ¡°By the way..........why is all the food skewered?¡±


    Every ingredient in the pot had been pierced by a skewer. There was adle resting on the side as well to help pick anything up.


    Looking back up after asking his question...........Elliott was greeted to the sight of Rachel, George, and Sykes all shrugging their shoulders and shaking their heads as if to say, ¡°Hah, what an amateur.¡± Even the monkey was doing it.


    ¡°Wha- What¡¯s with you guys!?¡±


    The Prince winced as everyone, with the exception of the Baron¡¯s daughter who was ravenously going at the oden she had been given, all joined together to ridicule him at once.


    ¡°Your Highness, isn¡¯t it justmon sense that everything is skewered?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to call this Shizuoka oden if it wasn¡¯t like this.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, Your Highness is really ignorant.¡±


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    ¡°What!? What¡¯s with this!? What¡¯s with everyone!? Especially the monkey!¡±


    Elliott was getting upset, so Rachel acted as the group¡¯s representative and exined things to him.


    ¡°Originally this stuff was sold as an easy-to-eat snack at small candy stores and stationary shops. The skewers were really convenient because they could be eaten just as they were, and the leftover sticks could be counted up to find out how much the bill would be before they leave.¡±


    ¡°...........Rachel, what did you say just now?¡±


    Rachel looked proud of her abundance of useless information, but Elliott had to stop her after hearing something a little strange.


    ¡°Huh? The skewers were convenient..........¡±


    ¡°Before that! Where were these being sold!?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s, small candy stores and stationary shops.¡±


    ¡°Why is a hot meal like this being sold in ces like that!?¡±


    Rachel, Sykes, and George all shared a look.


    ¡°Because children love to buy snacks, they were being sold in candy shops and stationary stores.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that natural?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like kids could visit a tavern after all.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it weird!? That, it¡¯s not natural at all!?¡±


    The Prince was scratching his head, trapped in the weirdness of it all when Rachel gave him an answer.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal for each region to have their own unique customs?¡±


    ¡°That is, sure...........but isn¡¯t it too different from what the stores are actually supposed to be selling? Is there something wrong with their heads?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, that the pot calling the kettle ck.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you!¡±


    Rachel made a gracious smile with Elliott¡¯s point.


    ¡°Your Highness shouldn¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about some region in another country.¡±


    ¡°Strange people live all over the ce, not just in this one region.¡±


    ¡°The story got worse!? Now I suddenly am worried!¡±


    Ignoring the prince that was shaking at her words, Rachel sped her hands together and made a dreamy smile.


    ¡°Shizuoka is such a wonderful ce. It¡¯s full of such incredible and inspiring people.¡±


    ¡°...........there¡¯s no way they¡¯re good people if you¡¯re saying something like that. What did they do?¡±


    ¡°What is it, are they a bunch of mob bosses¡±


    Rachel put her finger to her lip..............and made a cute yell when she thought of some examples.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, for example.........a certain irrigation channel of theirs.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with that?¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t have enough water, so they dug an irrigation channel to ake in a neighboring country by hand. The person in charge of the construction was apparently arrested at one point when he tried to illegally cross the border.¡±


    ¡°...........that, wouldn¡¯t that be a major diplomatic issue?¡±


    ¡°It was, and because it was a sourceke that they traditionally had water rights to, the neighboring country held a grudge for the next one hundred years.¡±


    ¡°Of course they did! What was that official thinking!?¡±


    ¡°That official? Hmm, ah, was he the person who built a steelworks in his family garden because he wanted a cannon?¡±


    ¡°What is with this official!? Why!? What reason did he have for doing something like that!?¡±


    ¡°No, or as I hear...........they weren¡¯t being sold anywhere, so he had to make his own.¡±


    ¡°Of course nobody was selling one!? And why would a local official build a steelworks just so he could have a canon!?¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t buy something, make it yourself. That¡¯s the basic rule of ¡®Do-it-Yourself¡¯ living.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem!?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just the kind of ce it is. A certain railpany had a vehicle inspection on a steam engine while storing it in a garage.¡±


    ¡°An inspection?¡±


    ¡°Incidentally, by the time they were finished, they had a diesel lotive on their hands.¡±


    ¡°What kind of, and how much of an inspection did they do!?¡±


    ¡°They said, ¡°Right now, Diesel is hot!¡± or something along those lines.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just remodel something like that because of a feeling! And how do you nonchntly switch from a steam engine to a diesel!? What were the blueprints like!?¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t know enough to be able to make a blueprint.¡±


    ¡°.............Just a moment. This story is too strange. You write a blueprint to guide your work; it¡¯s not something you make after all the work has been done.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that natural?¡±


    By now Rachel had already managed to finish off her hot sake, so Haley grabbed a regr bottle of alcohol and refilled Rachel¡¯s cup.


    ¡°An engineer¡¯s can-do spirit let¡¯s them make all sorts of new things.¡±


    ¡°I can understand that. I can understand that, but this is still way too strange.¡±


    ¡°Besides that........there were some people who thought it too tiresome to peddle their bikes, so they made a market for bicycles with engines strapped on.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a bicycle anymore.¡±


    ¡°As long as you design it in a practical way, it won¡¯t break even if you handle it roughly, and it could still run even if you were to drop if off the roof of a couple story building.¡±


    ¡°Would that kind of sturdiness be necessary normally? Hey?¡±


    ¡°So going off that momentum, a president of a sessfulpany participated in a motorcycle race in a foreign country, but he went into a turn too fast and was blown away from the centrifugal force.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what it¡¯s for at all!? And why is the president of a corporation going himself!? Couldn¡¯t he hire a professional driver instead!?¡±


    ¡°Thepany president had so much fun flying through the air, he decided hispany would start building airnes after that.¡±


    ¡°What happened to the bikes!?¡±


    The drunken nobleman¡¯s daughter turned a nostalgic face towards the ceiling, recalling even more tales as the distressed Prince was getting left behind. The monkey, who had been drinking with her, was already dead drunk, doing the jitterbug on top of the kotatsu as the Baron¡¯s daughter continued crying ¡°Cute, So cuuuuuuuute!¡± as he went.


    ¡°But really Mister Trask has to be the best!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still more!? So this guy.......¡±


    ¡°He was a watch maker with a store that repaired medical equipment, and¡±


    ¡°And the story is strange from the very beginning! Rachel, how drunk are you right now?¡±


    ¡°He received a call from the nearby elementary school asking him to ¡®fix their organ¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Why is a watchmaker running a medical equipment store being asked to fix a musical instrument!?¡±


    ¡°There were no other craftsmen who could fix instruments in the region because this was the first organ imported to the area. So it was a, ¡®You know how to handle delicate equipment right?¡¯ sort of situation.¡±


    ¡°The people around this guy seem pretty weird in the head too. How many people who are like this are out there...........¡±


    ¡°After looking it over, he was able to understand the organ¡¯s structure.¡±


    ¡°So he was able to fix it then?¡±


    ¡°Thinking that he could now build his own, he decided to be an organ carpenter on the weekends.¡±


    ¡°Is he an idiot!?¡±


    ¡°He started work with the assistance of his friend the jewelry store owner, and thanks to a few suggestions from the local fish monger, they were able to finish building their first organ after two months.¡±


    ¡°Why are they taking suggestions from a fish monger!? A watch maker, a jewelry shop owner, and a fish monger, there isn¡¯t an expert among them!¡±


    ¡°Like I already said there aren¡¯t any people in this region who knew anything about organs! But the fish monger had been taking lessons about how to use a shamisen.¡±


    ¡°Just because he was learning about apletely different instrument!? In other words, the other two didn¡¯t know the first thing about music to start with!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good deduction Your Highness. So they were able to finish their first organ, but they quickly realized they had a problem.¡±


    ¡°What? It¡¯s probably something stupid isn¡¯t it.¡±


    ¡°As you¡¯ll recall nobody in the region knew anything about organs, so nobody knew if the one they built sounded right.¡±


    ¡°How many times have I wondered this by now? Why didn¡¯t they think of this while they were building it!?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because they were only thinking, ¡®I want to try building this¡¯ at the time? But so the two men put their heads together and had a thought. ¡®Surely someone in the capitol will know¡¯¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no good. Something smells here..........¡±


    ¡°And so the two men packed up the organ into a crate and carried it by resting poles they attached to the sides onto their shoulders. It took them seven to ten days to carry that organ all the way to the capitol over unpaved roads in their search for ¡®somebody who understands music¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Are these idiots going on a religious pilgrimage or something!?¡±


    ¡°They arrived at the capitol safely and started asking around. ¡®Is there someone here who understands music?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Running around without a n.........¡±


    ¡°And yet they were sessful in finding the perfect person? And that person asked them, ¡®Are you aware of what a musical scale is?¡¯¡±


    ¡°What are these guys doing.........it makes me want to cry just hearing about this.¡±


    ¡°And so, while one of the men went back home to begin preparations on building another organ, the other man stayed in the capitol to learn the foundations of music from his new excellent teacher, and they would try again after two months! On their retry they managed to get a passing grade and sessfully started a new business!¡±


    ¡°Hey, just because they¡¯ve learned the basics of music doesn¡¯t mean they can start building perfect organs without a blueprint right?¡±


    ¡°The people who live in this region really prefer to run before they walk.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not really bad people, but every single one of these guys are just way too weird..........¡±


    ¡°You write it as ¡®calmly odd people¡¯, but it¡¯s read as the people of Shizuoka.¡±2


    George leaned over and whispered into Elliott¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re going to look like an idiot if you respond to everything Sis is rambling off.¡±


    ¡°R-right. Indeed, there¡¯s no way anything she¡¯s saying is true.¡±


    Rachel frowned and made apletely dissatisfied face as Elliott confusedly nodded his head and muttered aloud his thoughts.


    ¡°Well Your Highness, do you doubt me?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way anything this absurd has actually happened! You almost tricked me.¡±


    ¡°Well, then allow me to give Your Highness this book on their local history as a gift.¡±


    ¡°What kind of stuff are they putting in their history books!?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness. She¡¯s just drunk, extremely drunk.¡±


    Sykes furrowed his brow and gave a wary nce to the suspicious looking history book of a foreign region that Rachel was trying to pass along.


    ¡°Why were you reading this anyway? What were you trying to confirm?¡±


    Rachel let slip a small, erotic giggle. She waspletely drunk.


    ¡°Nfufufu, then I¡¯ll let you in on my special little secret. I, want to enhance the education of themoners for the sake of our country¡¯s future.¡±


    Elliott and George took a long, hard look at the book they had been given before sharing a look with Sykes.


    ¡°.............really though, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything educational about those stories you just told.¡±


    ¡°Rather, I think all those stories would do a lot more harm than good.¡±


    ¡°All of these guys sound like they¡¯d be able to rte really well to you though Sis.¡±


    Rachel ignored the negativementary from the peanut gallery and made a grand deration up to the ceiling.


    ¡°In the future, I will make this country full of people just as wonderful as those in Shizuoka!¡±


    Elliott moved his gaze from the book Rachel had given him to the woman herself who was now stuck striking a pose with a dream-like expression on her face.


    ¡°You¡¯re more than enough for this country as it is.¡±


    1. My teacher always just called this powdered mochi, but since she goes into some exnations of the name, I left it as is.


    2. Calmly odd = ¡®shizuka ni okashi¡¯. So not too far off from Shizuoka. Puns are the height ofedy even in Japan.

 Chapter 47.5 - Extra 5 Ariake Limited Edition

    <h4> Extra 5</h4>


    <strong>Ariake Limited Edition</strong>


    George Ferguson managed to find an empty space near a wall and was able to sit down for the first time in over three hours.


    ¡°Ugh, my legs already feel as stiff as sticks...........¡±


    His leg muscles were screaming after doing nothing but standing in line all this time. Naturally he was used to standing all day from attending different events inside the royal pce, but the environment there was monstrously different from these tightly packed lines in the middle of a hot day.


    ¡°Because the line could start moving at any time, you can¡¯t afford to be negligent. Plus you will have to look at the catalog carefully in order to know exactly what you want to buy as soon as you¡¯ve reached a circle........I can only imagine what it must feel like to jump into the end of a line for a wall instead.¡±1


    This was George¡¯s first timeing to Comiket, and he had never thought it would be this hard............George sighed, opening up his knapsack to pull out a stic bottle only to find that it was already empty.


    ¡°..........that¡¯s right, I had to buy another one. Haa...........is there a long line in front of the store as well?¡±


    It¡¯s almost noon now, but his exhaustion and the heat was making it really hard to get any food down his throat. Well, it¡¯d be another terrible line if he were to try and buy a meal anyway.


    ¡°Lunch aside, I¡¯m going to end up dead if I don¡¯t get myself something to drink.¡±


    Since there was no other choice, George started moving to jump into another line for some juice..........but before he was able to stand up, a stic bottle of water suddenly appeared in front of his face.


    ¡°Eh? Is this for me? Thank..........¡±


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    A white haired monkey pulling along a bag was standing before George¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°..........You¡¯re Sis¡¯s pet...........Haley?¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    For some reason, his sister¡¯s pet had suddenly materialized in front of him. George didn¡¯t bother looking around. There was no way hiszy sister would be here as well...........


    Haley opened up his own bottle of mineral water and took a big gulp.


    ¡°Ookii! Ookiki!¡±


    ¡°Eh? When drinking under this kind of heat, you want to avoid taking small swigs because it wastes energy and will make you waste time having to go to the bathroom more often?¡±


    As George repeated aloud the warning he had just been given, Haley nodded his head and shoved a tiny finger right in George¡¯s face.


    ¡°Ooki! Ookiooki, Ook!¡±


    ¡°You should avoid drinks like pop because they just end up making you thirstier!? You should stick to water, tea, or sports drinks to quench your thirst?¡±


    The monkey gave a cocky, self-satisfied look after having beenpletely understood.


    ¡°Haley you, are you perhaps a pro at Comiket?¡±


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    Haley nodded once again, skillfully opening a locket that was attached to the bag he had been pulling along. Under a blue sky and where several pavilions had been set up together, it was a picture of several different cosyers wearing sailor scout costumes all gathered around and pampering Haley.


    ¡°Ooki, kiki!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re on apletely different level than some whipper-snapper who doesn¡¯t even know what Gamera Pavilion is!? So..........what is Gamera Pavilion then?¡±2


    George was proving Haley¡¯s point by asking a question on something he really didn¡¯t know anything about, but Haley didn¡¯t pay the question any mind as he unexpectedly started fishing through George¡¯s knapsack.


    ¡°Oi, don¡¯t just grab somebody else¡¯s bag!¡±


    Haley continued ignoring him, only handing George his bag back after looking through all of it and making a disappointed shrug.


    ¡°Ook...........Ooki...........¡±


    ¡°As you thought it¡¯s only major group books from the first floorerotic things of the annex and aren¡¯t very interesting? That¡¯s none of your business! .............is there anything else on the first floor of the annex to buy though?¡±


    George¡¯s newbishness was showing, so he readied himself to receive instruction from Haley who was turning out to be an experienced veteran.


    ¡°Ooki, Ookiki, Ookii!¡±


    ¡°So I should pay more attention to the smaller circles too? Take a good look at the circle¡¯s samples inside the catalog? One of the event¡¯s great pleasures is taking a look at the future talents? ................so, it¡¯s something like I should support the artists¡±


    Haley made a serious nod as if to say that¡¯s only natural, and then turned his head off towards the distance and remembered his long gone youth.


    ¡°Ookiki, Ooki¡±


    ¡°You can always buy the new books from major groupster on at bookstores? Isn¡¯t the whole reason why we shed our normal lives ande to this hall so that we can have fun and share passionate discussions with our unnamed allies?¡±


    Thinking about Haley¡¯s words for a moment, George eventually shook his head.


    ¡°No, more than anything I just really want to read the newest works from famous authors as quickly as possible¡±


    ¡°Ooki........¡±


    ¡°What an asshole customer..........you don¡¯t have to go that far¡±


    While George was getting a scolding from the monkey, Elliott came into sight from within the dense crowd. Elliott¡¯s face stood out quite well among the flock of Japanese people. George waved his hand, catching Elliott¡¯s attention and getting him to run over.


    ¡°Oh, George! So you¡¯re safe!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness! I¡¯m safe and well! I¡¯m relieved to see you are too!¡±


    George let out a relieved sigh and instantly became more cheerful since the two friends could reunite after being separated as soon as they had entered the assembly hall.


    .............only for the men to notice Haley¡¯s outspokenly scrutinizing gaze.


    ¡°Ooki?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Did we get so caught up in buying things that we forgot about each other¡¯s well-being? Hahaha, we were just joking Haley.¡±


    The tired Prince crumpled down to the ground, not paying any attention to his vassal and the monkey¡¯s conversation.


    ¡°Really, there are even more people here than I¡¯d heard. I nned my path with the catalog to be able to see as much as I could, but there were so many ces that were already sold out by the time I got there, I couldn¡¯t really buy that much.¡±


    ¡°Seriously.........I feel like I¡¯vee to a sold-out pop idol concert.¡±


    Haley once again started rifling through Elliott¡¯s bag on his own, and pulling out Elliott¡¯s marked floor n, he spread it out on the ground without permission.


    ¡°Ookii...........¡±


    ¡°¡®There¡¯s no way you can go around to all these super famous circles!¡¯ is what you¡¯re saying right? Well it¡¯s our first timeing here.¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    ¡°We should¡¯ve marked each booth in order of importance through an ABC system and then systematically worked our way down the list? No Monkey, we really didn¡¯t know this was such a serious event.¡±


    Suddenly noticing something, Elliott started looking around.


    ¡°By the way George, have you seen Sykes?¡±


    ¡°After going through the adultics, he separated from me and headed towards the industry booths.........¡±


    ¡°Ooki.......¡±


    Seeing Haley press his hands together and offering a small prayer, Elliott and George were able to guess the type of results Sykes was meeting with.


    Haley started fishing through his own bag.


    ¡°Ooki, Ookiki¡±


    ¡°Since it can¡¯t be helped, you¡¯ll share with us some of theics you were going to give away as souvenirs..........¡±


    Haley handed several doujinshis over to Elliott.


    ¡°Ooki okii!¡±


    ¡°¡®They¡¯re racy, so don¡¯t die from the excitement¡¯, is it? You, what¡¯s a monkey doing buying adult only human content? Does Rachel read stuff like this?¡±


    Elliott lined up the small books the monkey had given him on the ground in front of him.


    Hot Night in the Gori House


    Chimpanzee in Your Eyes


    The Man, Bonobo


    *NTR Warning* My Pygmy Marmoset with that Charismatic ManRing-Tailed Lemur...........!


    When I Reincarnated Into Another World, I had a Snub-Nosed Monkey Harem


    ...........................


    ¡°What circle did you buy these from Monkey!? The person who wrote these, what were they thinking making a doujinshi like this with such a niche fanbase!?¡±


    ¡°As expected of Comiket, they have something for everyone.............and it¡¯s a big world out there.¡±


    Suddenly Elliott stopped berating Haley for his carefully selected collection of doujin, and he gave a panicked look at his watch.


    ¡°Oh no, is it already that time? Dang it!¡±


    ¡°Ooki?¡±


    ¡°All of the popr circles would be sold out now anyway? No not that, Margaret told me she would be in the cosy za at noon! I have to perfectly record Margaret¡¯s gant figure!¡±


    Elliott hurriedly stuffed the doujin he had bought back into his bag and pulled out his camera before slinging his knapsack over his back.


    ¡°Ooki..........¡±


    ¡°Even if I am excited over my first time, I should avoid getting too greedy or else risk falling over? Haha, you¡¯re misunderstanding something here Monkey! It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say I came here for this exact moment, so I made sure to bring the proper equipment here with me!¡±


    Elliott fixed the extended camera lens onto his tool and slung the strap around his neck.


    ¡°What I have here is a full lens 105mm / F2.5 with a medium telephoto lens capable of shooting 10 frames a second! It¡¯s difficult to photograph someone who is moving using a single focus, but I¡¯ve done a ton of practice in advance! With this I will be able to capture Margaret¡¯s cuteness in full!¡±


    ¡°Ooki............¡±


    The monkey timidly pulled on the continuously excitable Prince¡¯s trousers.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Elliott and George nced over in the direction that Haley pointed towards...........


    ¡°Please No Pushing! Please No Pushing!¡±


    A member of the facility¡¯s staff was shouting over a microphone while the east-west connecting passageway to the cosy za was packed with people as far as the eye could see.


    ¡°It Will Take Two Hours to Cross Over at this Point! Major Congestion Problems! Please Don¡¯t Go Unless Absolutely Necessary!¡±


    ¡°Ugh.........!¡±


    Even for the heavily attended Comiket, the area was ridiculously crowded, surpassing even the crowds of themuter train during rush hour..............


    Haley climbed up on top of George¡¯s head and tapped Elliott¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Ooki?¡±


    The monkey had clear pity in his eyes and made it clear it was time to give up, and so Elliott¡¯s resolve shook............


    ¡°................U, UOOooooooooooh! I WON¡¯T LOSE!!!¡±


    ¡°Y-Your Highness!?¡±


    Elliott raised his camera above his head so that it wouldn¡¯t get smashed when he rushed the line as his shout left his subordinate dumbfounded.


    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s impossible!?¡±


    ¡°ALWAYS FORWARD! NEVER BEG! DON¡¯T LOOK BACK! THAT¡¯S HOW I LIVE MY LIFE!¡±


    Regardless of George¡¯s shouts, Elliott charged the crowd...........and was immediately swallowed by the wave of humans and disappeared.


    While Rachel was lying in bed and reading a literary magazine, she received a visitor at an unusual time during the middle of the day. Most likely they had slipped in while the castle was receiving its supplies.


    Without taking her eyes off the magazine she was reading she called out to this mystery woman even before they had a chance to pull back their hood.


    ¡°It¡¯s rather rare for Sofia toe at this time of day yourself.¡±


    The ashen haired girl gave a bow before answering in a slightly fed-up tone.


    ¡°Most of the other maids have the day off. As a result I¡¯ve got my hands full and¡±


    ¡°Did they all go to Ariake together? Standing in line inside a foreign country, thank you all for your hard work.¡±


    ¡°There are people who like that kind of thing.¡±


    Sofia forcefully pushed over a small bundle of thin books. They were all the books she had been asked to give to her Lady.


    ¡°Almost all of them participated in the event by making their own circles.¡±


    ¡°To go that far¡±


    ¡°There are many people who choose to live by My Lady¡¯s example, for better or worse.¡±


    ¡°It makes me a little proud to hear that I¡¯m their role-model.¡±


    ¡°On that note¡±


    Sofia¡¯s face was expressionless as she opened up one of the doujins and pointed out the publication information.


    ¡°The most influential group among the maids have taken to calling themselves the ¡®Fujoshi Maids¡¯.¡±3


    ¡°.........that, isn¡¯t on me.¡±


    While disinterestedly flipping through her copy of the book, Rachel nced up at Sofia.


    ¡°It would have been fine for you to go too you know?¡±


    Sofia shrugged her shoulders while continuing to direct the rest of the goods being delivered.


    ¡°Participating in circles, running around in cosy¨Call of that should be left to the indiscretions of youth..........I¡¯m fine as I am.¡±


    ¡°But, you and I are the same age?¡±


    ¡°A woman¡¯s past is a mysterious thing, My Lady.¡±


    Sofia looked back at her master.


    ¡°Although, I would think My Lady would be interested in this kind of event.¡±


    Rachel was a natural shut-in, so this didn¡¯t really have to be explicitly asked...........


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss it.¡±


    and yet Rachel surprisingly affirmed Sofia¡¯s suspicions. She then proudly motioned to all of the electrical equipment that had just been brought in.


    ¡°And now, the preparations are finished.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s cell had just been outfitted with a 100 inch monitor and 5.1 surround sound.


    ¡°Actually, because I wanted to experience the feel of Comiket inside the venue, I gave a camera to somebody who was going there and have a live feed streaming back to here!¡±


    ¡°Hoh¡±


    Rachel sat down in her chair surrounded by her new speakers, and she pressed the power button on the remote while keeping an expectant eye on Sofia and the other members of the ck Cat Firm that were with her.


    The oversized screen lit up, showing a clear image from the camera...........but, the point of view was only about a foot off the ground.


    ¡°?¡±


    The scene changed as the cameraman zipped this way and that through a forest made up of a myriad of feet. The video stopped and focused on a pair of denim jeans, getting an extreme close-up, but apparently not satisfied, it quickly moved over to some id pants instead. In an instant the view shot upwards, glossing over someone¡¯s back until the person¡¯s full head of ck hair was in in view.


    Therge venue was packed, a sea of ck hair spreading out across the screen. The camera then suddenly jumped high into the air, and right when you think it¡¯s flown up several meters, itnded a short bit away. Immediately afterwards the image jumped again, floating a few seconds in midair before once againnding on somebody¡¯s head. The camera continued repeating this movement over and over again without end.


    Rachel watched all of this silently for a moment before pausing the video and quietly standing up from her chair.


    ¡°My Lady¡±


    ¡°..............what is it?¡±


    ¡°I think you would have been much better off handing the camera over to one of the maids rather than attaching it to Haley¡±


    ¡°Haley¡¯s more nimble, and I thought it would make a more interesting video...........*ugh*¡±


    ¡°Would you like to drink something to help with your motion sickness?¡±


    ¡°Asking me if I want something to drink right now............for just a bit, please don¡¯t talk to me............¡±


    Inside the train heading home, Sykes was left depressed after not being able to get any spoils from his hard fought war, yet he was still able to exhaustively tug on George¡¯s sleeve.


    ¡°Hey George?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Sykes pointed towards the seat across from his own where Elliott was lying back,pletely burned out with all the blood drained from his face.


    ¡°His Highness, what happened to him?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡±


    George gave the empty husk that was once his boss a pitiful look.


    ¡°After spending his whole afternoon crushed and ttened trying to get to the cosy za, he found out that Margaret was cosying a male character.¡±


    ¡°Oh..........I wonder if he¡¯s going to start crying¡±


    1. Here is a handy guide I found online to help exin a lot of terminology when ites to Comiket. https://blog.otakumode/2014/12/27/winterike/


    2. Comiket is held inside the Tokyo Big Sight. The Gamera Pavilion is what otaku call the building that is usually used as the main venue for anyrge event.


    3. Fujoshi are girls who really love gay male love.

 Chapter 48 - The Prince Thinks about Evolution

    <h4>The Prince Thinks about Evolution</h4>


    Haley is a monkey.


    To be clear, monkeys can be a little bothersome.


    Monkeys have to understand the strength of their herd and the types of fruit avable to them.


    If they can¡¯t figure out who is above and below them, they won¡¯t be able to understand their ce in the pack which can cause chaos.


    It¡¯s very important that a monkey knows just who is in charge.


    And for the record, Haley like bananas more than apples. Persimmons are best when they¡¯re harder and ripe.


    Prince Elliott had once again visited the prison where his former fiancee had been secluded to in order to kill some boredom by berating her..........but before he started, a question popped up in his mind.


    ¡°Oi Rachel. I¡¯m a little curious about something.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°This monkey, why does he always climb up to a high ce and start acting cocky whenever Ie visit here.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because he¡¯s satisfied with where he is in life?¡±


    ¡°That guy¡¯s definitely doing it out of malice, and for some reason I feel like he¡¯s treating me like I¡¯m an idiot.¡±


    Rachel took a sip of her tea and turned the page of her book, not paying Elliott¡¯s grumblings any mind as he stared down a monkey.


    ¡°Oi, are you listening to me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening¡±


    The Prince was being noisy. Unable to enjoy her book in peace, Rachel raised her face clearly already bored.


    ¡°That¡¯s right........they say you see yourself when looking into the pure eyes of an animal. So if you think he¡¯s acting maliciously towards you, then perhaps Your Highness thinks that you yourself are deserving of such an attitude.¡±


    Rachel tried giving a sarcastic reply, but Elliott was a man who never doubted himself and readily spat back.


    ¡°As if I¡¯d believe that! Hey monkey, get down here for a bit!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s monkey epted Elliott¡¯s challenge and started climbing down the prison bars. When he reached Elliott¡¯s height, Haley stopped and stared directly into the Prince¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What do I have to feel guilty about! Look, look into these gloomless eyes! Well monkey, do you understand now!?¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to get a monkey to understand.............?¡±


    Elliott continued to stare seriously into the eyes of this monkey, irreverent of the Rachel who was so amazed by what she was seeing that she had finally closed the book she was reading.


    It was unclear whether or not he truly knew what this human was saying. But Haley continued staring into Elliott¡¯s eyes............until the next moment the little monkey made a smallugh and climbed down off the barspletely. As if he had lost all interest, Haley turned around, climbing up the tea table and sitting down on the bed...............before sticking his butt out towards the Prince.


    Elliott had forgotten to breath when he had seen how this monkey was treating him, but that breath returned along with the rest of his sense.


    ¡°..............YYYYYYYOOOOoooooOOOOOoooooUUUUUuuUUUuuuuUUUU!? Hey, that¡¯s some attitude for a beast like you to have! Oi, are you listening to me!? Get out here and face your death like a man!¡±


    The shouting continued..........but no matter how long Elliott went on for, the monkey never replied back or did anything in response. Finally understanding the monkey really wasn¡¯t paying attention to him, the Prince quit banging on the prison bars and rounded on the animal¡¯s owner.


    ¡°Oi Rachel! Isn¡¯t this enough evidence that this guy is clearly acting spiteful!?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness is much too distrustful. It¡¯s all in your head. All ? in ? your ? head.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is on the level where you can just say it¡¯s my imagination!? You take a look too! Now! This monkey is obviously acting discourteously!¡±


    ¡°Discourteous..........Haley is a very well-behaved monkey though? Haley,e here¡±


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    The monkey gave a proper response when Rachel called for him. He walked across the bed and knelt before his master. When Rachel held out her hand, Haley took hold of her index finger and kissed the tip of her finger.


    ¡°Well how about it? Aren¡¯t his manners perfect?¡±


    ¡°Tch.........monkey, look over here!¡±


    But no matter how much Elliott shouted or motioned his arms for the monkey toe over, Haley merely yawned and ignored him.


    ¡°Oi, hey you! Don¡¯t ignore the Prince!¡±


    I should try scolding him.........Haley thought for but a second before using his arms as a pillow and lying down like he was going to take a nap on the tea table. In the end the Prince had beenpletely ignored.


    ¡°Damnnnnnnn.............¡±


    Having seen all of this go down from behind him, Wnski tried giving Elliott some advice as the Prince ground his teeth in vexation.


    ¡°Your Highness, this monkey doesn¡¯t have any kind of master-servant rtionship with you right now. No matter what Your Highness says, the monkey is probably thinking that it doesn¡¯t have anything to do with him.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I see.¡±


    ¡°Miss Rachel is the one who feeds him, so of course the monkey is going to recognize her as his master. If you don¡¯t give him anything yourself, then the monkey won¡¯t be able to recognize Your Highness¡¯s value.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, yeah...........oi monkey, have this!¡±


    Elliott pulled out a silver coin from his (or rather Wnski¡¯s) pocket and slid it through the cell¡¯s iron bars. This time Haley¡¯s interest was caught, and he quickly ran over. When he picked up the silver coin, he rubbed it between his fingers and held it up towards the sun to see how the light gleaned off of it. He seemed to really recognize the value of what he had just been given and started jumping around happily.


    Haley turned towards Elliott,


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    and the monkey gave the Prince a two finger salute before taking the bounty to his treasure chest where he kept the rest of the coins he had gotten.


    That was all.


    ¡°.....................Light!?¡±


    Elliott was stunned for a moment before rearing on Rachel who was busy looking for a new book to read.


    ¡°Oi Rachel, aren¡¯t you letting this monkey live too luxuriously!? I just gave him a silver coin, yet he gives me such a thin reaction!¡±


    ¡°What did you expect giving coins to a monkey that doesn¡¯t understand the value of money?¡±


    ¡°Guh............!¡±


    While Elliott was at a loss for words, Wnski kept an interested eye on the monkey as he put away his new coin.


    ¡°This guy, I wonder what he¡¯d do if Miss Rachel were the one to give him a coin.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Right........¡±


    For some reason the Prince¡¯s line of sight along with that of his followers all fell on Rachel.


    ¡°...........I do not believe anything interesting would happen.¡±


    Having attracted everyone¡¯s attention, Rachel shrugged her shoulders in defeat and called Haley over again.


    ¡°Haley, let me give you some pocket money.¡±


    ¡°Ooki!?¡±


    Whether he knew what the term ¡®pocket money¡¯ really meant or not, Haley raised his head from his treasure chest and happily rushed over to Rachel. Perhaps he was thinking she was about to give him a snack.


    What would happen if a monkey, thinking it was about to get some food, got a metal coin instead.........


    Elliott and the others watched on in anticipation.


    ¡°Here, Haley¡±


    Rachel handed over a copper coin. After receiving the money, Haley carefully looked over the front and back.


    ¡°Ookii!¡±


    He bounced up and down a few times in joy before running back to his treasure chest with another new coin. But this time he came back to Rachel just as quickly while carrying a small cloth bag. He climbed back on top of the tea table and turned the bag over, emptying the contents in front of Rachel.


    Twelve copper coins ttered out.


    ¡°Ooki! Ooki!¡±


    The monkey gathered up the coins into his hands, and Rachel quickly realized what he wanted as he held the coins up above his head.


    ¡°Oh, are you looking to exchange your twelve copper coins for a silver one? Here you go Haley.¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    The monkey was quite pleased to have gotten another silver coin. He quickly brought this new silver coin back to his treasure chest as well.


    In the now silent space where only the footsteps of a monkey resonated, one man took two deep breaths.


    ¡°............Doesn¡¯t he absolutely understand the value of money!?¡±


    Elliott screamed.


    ¡°This monkey son of a bitch, making a fool out of me...........!¡±


    The monkey was carefreely grooming himself as Elliott continued grinding his teeth in anger. For the record, Elliott was most assuredly not above trying to threaten a small animal, and he had already trying stabbing the monkey by shoving his saber inbetween the cell bars.........but the monkey was rxing far enough inside that the edge of the de couldn¡¯t reach him. The moment Elliott realized his de wasn¡¯t going to reach just so happened to be the same moment he learned how unusual a monkey¡¯sugh sounded.............


    ¡°Hey Wnski. Why is it that this monkey¡¯s behavior always seems so close to human whenever he¡¯s giving me a bad attitude?¡±


    ¡°How about we do a little research and find out?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll reincarnate into a schr in my next life.¡±


    ¡°We have time right now.¡±


    ¡°I hate studying.¡±


    The third son of a count standing behind Wnski suddenly craned his neck forward.


    ¡°This monkey, why is it always His Highness that he looks down upon? He treats everyone else pretty normally with the exception of Miss Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it, his attitude is the worst with His Highness.¡±


    The other men started to rustle.


    The correct answer here is that Haley has caused problems for others before, it¡¯s just that nobody has seen the results...........but it¡¯s not like Elliott knew that.


    So looking to have a little fun, Rachel looked over and gave Elliott a small, pitiable nce.


    ¡°They say that monkeys judge a person by the dignity they carry...........since Your Highness is always kicking and screaming like an idiot, perhaps he thought you were the most insignificant member of the group.............?¡±


    It was just a light provocation that the duke¡¯s daughter gave out without even looking up from her book, but it caused the greatest of all princes (self proimed) to explode.


    ¡°I¡¯m the least dignified............!? I am the picture of grace whenever I¡¯m not in a ce like this! I am the first prince! And I will not be talked about behind my back by a monkey!¡±


    He hasn¡¯t yet realized that he lost all dignity when he startedpeting with a monkey. That is the first prince, Elliott.


    ¡°Haley spends all of his time in the dungeon though. So if he only ever sees His Highness when he¡¯s here..........¡±


    ¡°..............what is it?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t make me say it out loud.¡±


    ¡°Ku, you..............¡±


    Rachel trying to be considerate was annoying in its own right! Of course Elliott was on the verge of blowing up!


    ¡°Well..........thanks to Haley being a knight as well as a monkey, he might be a little more courteous than other monkeys.¡±


    The detestable former fiancee gave an implied, ¡°Your manners are on the level of a monkey?¡± forcing Elliott to erupt in a somewhat strange direction.


    ¡°Damn, I¡¯ll teach this monkey how a real knight show his thanks! Are you watching carefully!? All right, Margaret!¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯te with us today...........¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah!¡±


    Perhaps it¡¯s because these men tend to crash right at the starting line that a monkey has started looking down on them.


    The monkey was watching Elliott with immense curiosity after the man had frozenpletely still upon dering he would set an example. Theplete opposite of how he was ignoring him before.


    Elliott couldn¡¯t just back out now even though he really wanted to, so Rachel threw him a small lifeline.


    ¡°Margaret may not havee, but as for Wnski............he has long hair.¡±


    ¡°When did I suddenly be a woman!?¡±


    The Marquis¡¯s son shrunk back as the Prince¡¯s gaze inevitably fell on him.


    ¡°Wnski, we all have to make sacrifices for the greater good...........you can take Margaret¡¯s ce for a bit! You need to stand up for my honor against this monkey!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, please spare me! And also, that¡±


    Wnski pointed back towards the prison cell.


    ¡°why is it that Miss Rachel is giving us such a passionate look, and why do I find it so ufortable................?¡±


    ¡°No please go on, this is just in time for the next book!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about!?¡±


    Wnski and all the other men declined on participating.............so, when it came to needing a woman, there was just one..............


    ¡°Fine, it can¡¯t be helped at this point! I really don¡¯t want to do this, and it¡¯s going to be super weird...........Rachel, be thankful for this honor I am bestowing upon you! It¡¯s something your descendants can boast about!¡±


    ¡°I, am supposed to stay in this jail cell until the day I die or am executed though right?¡±


    ¡°Quitining! This monkey needs to be shown something proper!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s no dignity to be had putting on this exhaustive y for the sake of a monkey...........but it can¡¯t be helped. Although I am reluctant to do this as well.¡±


    Rachel approached the bars to her cell. Elliott knelt down as smoothly as water flowing through a brook in front of the monkey¡¯s eyes, and held out his hand.............allowing Rachel to shove her foot into the palm of his hand.


    ¡°Now lick my shoe.¡±


    Aftering to understand what had just happened, Elliott¡¯s subsequent storm of rage should need no exnation.


    After the high-pitched ringing that came from a set of prison bars being uselessly shed at by a saber hadpleted, Wnski was able to pacify his lord.


    Meanwhile the Duke¡¯s daughter who happens to be better at lighting conflict than any kind of match chortled from the safety of her cell.


    ¡°No pardon my rudeness. For some reason I suddenly got this overwhelming feeling of nausea and I unconsciously put my foot out.¡±


    ¡°Now that I think about it, aren¡¯t you far more rude than that monkey of yours!? You¡¯ve been reading that book even though your prince is here! And then in the end you tell me to ¡®lick your shoe¡¯!? And now you¡¯re saying you did all this unintentionally!?¡±


    ¡°There was no ill will behind it? It was unintentional.¡±


    ¡°There was nothing there besides ill will!¡±


    As Elliott continued yapping on, one of his followers behind him suddenly noticed something.


    ¡°Huh? ..............¡¯Lick my shoe¡¯, but Miss Rachel isn¡¯t wearing any shoes to begin with........¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Rachel¡¯s feet at the man¡¯s words.


    Rachel had been lounging around on her bed until now, and when she came over, she had only slipped on a pair of sandals. So nothing was really covering her feet.


    Realizing this fact, Rachel¡¯s cheeks blushed and she started getting all bashful.


    ¡°Oh no I didn¡¯t notice........to think I gave His Highness the exceptional reward of my bare feet¡±


    The second round of Elliott vs. the prison bars quicklymenced.


    Haley watched all these humans make all this noise with a sense of crisis.


    For some reason these men were being a lot louder than usual. It also looked like they were fighting.


    It might be the case that the blonde idiot was trying to challenge his master to a fight over the position of boss.


    Whatever the case, there¡¯s no way that the blonde idiot would be able to win over his master, but if things got too serious, there¡¯s always the chance that his master might get injured.


    With things as they are, Haley would have to try and diffuse the situation as the sub-leader of the group.


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    The monkey¡¯s cry cut through the other noise, calming down Elliott and his hanger-ons. Everyone¡¯s eyes unconsciously turned towards Haley as he climbed up onto the tea table with piece of violet cloth in his hand.


    ¡°..........what?¡±


    Everyone paid extra attention as the little white monkey began unfolding the cloth. It was shaped like a triangle and looked like a pair of briefs........no, that¡¯s exactly what they were everyone realized as Haley started sticking his legs through the spread out cloth. No matter how you looked at them, they were definitely a pair of violet boomerang underwear.


    Once they were all the way on, the monkey stood back up straight on the table.


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    Elliott¡¯s group started getting noisy together all at once.


    ¡°Un...........the monkey¡¯s wearing underwear!?¡±


    ¡°The monkey is wearing underwear!¡±


    ¡°Why!? Wearing a piece of clothing like this, it almost looks like the monkey has started evolving!¡±


    ¡°Are we witnessing the birth of a new species of humans..........!?¡±


    While the rest of his friends were getting themselves worked up, Wnski was just a little confused.


    ¡°Hm? This figure, I feel like I¡¯ve seen it somewhere before..........¡±


    ¡°Ookii!¡±


    Ignoring his bewildered surroundings, the monkey started to dance. His hips kept rhythmically moving back and forth as his back continued twisting this way and that in a crazy dance. Seeing the monkey¡¯s moves, a sudden realization struck Wnski and he pped his hands together.


    ¡°Ah, he¡¯s mimicking Adam Stuart!¡±


    Hearing that, Rachel started patting Haley¡¯s head as he continued to dance.


    ¡°Haley, did you remember how happy and excited everyone got when Adam was dancing? So now you¡¯re trying to relieve some of this tense atmosphere.........good boy, good boy.¡±


    ¡°Ooki!¡±


    The longer you watch, the more you realize that he¡¯s performing quite the rhythmic dance without any music to back him up. Some members of Haley¡¯s audience got caught up in the act and even began cheering.


    However........


    Currently standing next to the prince, Wnski was too scared to look at his lord. After all, this monkey was currently imitating Adam Stuart, the man who had captivated their goddess Margaret just a few days ago...........with this exact dance!


    Considering that Elliott had fallenpletely silent, probably stimted into thinking this or that as the dance went on, there was no way Wnski couldugh at this monkey¡¯s show.


    Whether or not he was aware of the audience¡¯s feelings or not, Haley¡¯s dance was reaching its climax. When Rachel spread out a towel in front of him to act as a makeshift partition and hide his lower half, Haley continued to dance while taking off his underwear. He started swinging the underwear in the air just as he had seen the human do before releasing it into the crowd.............the small piece of violet cloth flew through the air, slipping through the iron bars andnding right on the Prince¡¯s head.


    ¡°Wow Your Highness, you sure are a lucky one! You caught it the same way Margaret did!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s tone was innocent despite her words being loaded with venom..........but Elliott remained silent as he slowly pulled off Haley¡¯s little ¡®special service¡¯ from off of his head


    ¡°This monkey has evolved too much!¡±


    until he suddenly started screaming and threw the underwear onto the ground.

 Chapter 49 - Noblewoman Wants to Leave Prison

    <strong>Noblewoman Wants to Leave Prison</strong>


    At the center of the kingdom, you will find a beautiful scenic countryside mostly undeveloped by man¨Cthat is the Reefren Earldom. Located off the beaten path from the main highway, what itcks in major industries and towns is made up for in its abundant history and greenery.


    Because of how thend is, the castle of Earl Reefrencks any moats or ramparts and is more like a fortified mansion than any kind of castle.


    And it was here that a rarely seen carriage made its stop.


    Informed of the carriage¡¯s arrival by his vassals, Earl Reefren refused to wait for his guests toe to him and rushed towards the entrance.


    ¡°Jonathan! Walter!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°You look in good health................and you Walter, this is such a relief!¡±


    Earl Reefren.........the former prince-heir Elliott came to wee the men personally, and his former followers from the far off capitol rushed forward from their carriage to greet him. The strong bonds between this master and his servants had not been severed, and none of them had a dry eye as they all shared a handshake.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s such a bother visiting and as far out as this. I am truly happy to see you.¡±


    Elliott was removed from his role as crown prince after he tried to forcefully change his fiancee without consulting the King first. After that he fell to the role of subject and became the Earl of Reefren.


    The third son of a count and second son of a viscount both confusedly shook their heads as if he was saying utter nonsense.


    ¡°We are truly sorry it took us this long to show our faces. Even from prison we heard the story of how Your Highness was demoted to an earlship...........so we counted down the days to our release, running here immediately after being let out! It might be presumptuous, but we¡¯d like to serve under you once again!¡±


    ¡°Kuuu...........saying something like that!¡±


    The ex-prince was once again brought to tears by his loyal aides, a fact that made his subordinates almost cry as well. There were three other men from Elliott¡¯s former group of followers who had also left for Reefren as soon as they got out of prison. These men came out from Elliott¡¯s mansion, circling the two new recruits and patting them on the shoulders.


    ¡°You both really came!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you were released without any issues!¡±


    ¡°Everyone seems to be in good health at least!¡±


    All of Elliott¡¯s friends who had stepped into the dungeon that night to deal with the root of all evil noblewoman had been safely released. Unfortunately there were some members of their group such as George and Sykes who were forced to take other paths in life........but after such a long time, theserades had finally managed to join together once again. Elliott thus raised his fist high in the air with a bright expression on his face.


    ¡°With everyone going out of their way like this, I feel like I have the strength of a million men! Yosh, we¡¯ll use our power to turn this territory into and of wealth! We¡¯ll get Rachel to release Margaret as soon as possible, and then make this ce truly worthy to be called an earldom!¡±


    ¡°WOOOOOOOOO!!!!¡±


    Elliott¡¯s subordinates got caught up in the ex-prince¡¯s fervor, and a loud cheer was raised at the mansion¡¯s entranceway.


    (These guys, they haven¡¯t even realized yet that they were all driven away from the capitol for being too much trouble to deal with............)


    The subordinate who had been secretly sent from the royal pce to watch over Elliott could only let out a sigh at the foolish young men who had regathered together.


    At the moment, Rachel¡¯s mood wasn¡¯t the best.


    Today as well she was busy cleaning up a mountain of documents while deliberately sighing loud enough for others to hear.


    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s the matter Rachel? Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°How I¡¯m feeling really isn¡¯t the issue. If I had to say, it¡¯s more concerning a few pests¡±


    As her mother tried showing her concern, Rachel responded with cold, hard bluntness.


    ¡°My oh my, perhaps we should take a small break for some tea.¡±


    ¡°No. You can go have your tea whenever you want.¡±


    Sofia dropped arge pile of documents inbetween the mother daughter pair with a considerable difference in temperatures, and she gave her master a small suggestion.


    ¡°My Lady¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You know how the Madam is, so I don¡¯t think voicing yourints through indirect means will do you any good. What if you were more direct in your grievances?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Rachel set down her pen............and then stood up while mming her hands on top of her desk.


    ¡°What are you doing here Mother!?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Izerina responded with her usual calm tone.


    ¡°I thought Rachel might be getting lonely here.¡±


    ¡°Well you thought wrong!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s room was even more gorgeous since the time that Elliott had barged in trying to kill her. The carpet had been rid, and the amount of furniture had increased. It was wonderful.


    Then there was the front room.


    Just a few weeks ago, it carried the same look it had for decades, just a desk and chair for a prison guard...........but it had now been transformed into a chic and luxurious spaceparable to Rachel¡¯s own room in terms of quality.


    An irritated Rachel continued to bang on her desk.


    ¡°Why is my Mother moving in!?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because Rachel hasn¡¯t moved back in to the mansion even though that matter with His Highness has already been cleared.¡±


    ¡°And so where did you make the leap in judgement that you should just move from your mansion to the royal pce!?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve moved from our mansion. I merely made myself a small vi with His Majesty¡¯s permission.¡±


    ¡°What was His Majesty thinking!?¡±


    The Duke walked in to put a stop to this quarrel between parent and child.


    ¡°Now now, calm yourself Rachel¡±


    ¡°Father!¡±


    The very same man who used to always grimace at Rachel¡¯s antics was now giving his daughter a calm smile.


    ¡°Come now Rachel. We¡¯ve talked about this issue before..........Izerina and I were too busy when you were young, and we failed to connect with you enough which we are now reflecting on.¡±


    ¡°And how does that trante into making a vi in the royal pce?¡±


    ¡°Umu. In order to increase our bonding time, I thought it would be easier to talk if we lived together. For the time being we¡¯ve left the house to George, so it¡¯s not a bad idea to have the three of us enjoy this vi............¡±


    ¡°I like living alone! Your care is misced!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I mean! Rachel has always acted like an adult even when you were young, and we¡¯ve only now realized just how much we left you alone!¡±


    The Duke started polishing his pipe while nodding his head.


    ¡°Regrettable. Simply regrettable. Rachel, isn¡¯t there anything troubling you? There aren¡¯t many vassals here, so feel free to say what you want without holding anything back.¡±


    ¡°This situation is the only thing here that is troubling me!? ............although there is one other thing I want to say.¡±


    Rachel pointed usatorily towards the Duke who had moved his wife onto hisp.


    ¡°Quit flirting right in front of your daughter! Let alone be with you, do you want me to not want to even see you anymore.........!?¡±


    ¡°Well¡±


    ¡°Oh dear¡±


    The Duke and his wife blinked in surprise.


    ¡°I never expected to be told something so unexpected.¡±


    ¡°How is that unexpected!?¡±


    ¡°When you have the shining example of a harmonious marriage, these kinds of things pass you by?¡±


    ¡°Where did your aristocratic manners go from before you were married!?¡±


    ¡°There aren¡¯t many vassals in our new vi, so we can flirt as much as we want here.¡±


    ¡°Mother, you¡¯ve already dropped the act!¡±


    Haley was starting to get anxious seeing Rachel so unusually wound up, so jumping out of the prison cell, he tapped on the Duke¡¯s leg and held out a banana. Two of them.


    ¡°Ooki........¡±


    ¡°Hey, you can have these...........so please pardon us¡±


    Haley was trying to show just how sincere he was feeling by offering up this most favorite bananas.


    When the Duke noticed the monkey sitting at his feet, he scooped the critter up and set him down on hisp.


    ¡°Ooki! Ooki!¡±


    The monkey tried his best to object to having his head patted, but the Duke ignored him and mixed in a few kind words.


    ¡°Listen, Monkey-kun. If Rachel were to lose the goodwill of the King, her life could be seriously in danger. That¡¯s why we need to work hard and show good results, otherwise we¡¯ll never be able to leave here. So will you help us Monkey-kun? Help us to lighten Rachel¡¯s workload.¡±


    ¡°Ooki!?¡±


    It seems that the monkey understood what the Duke was trying to say.


    Haley jumped off of the Duke¡¯sp as if he had been shocked by lightning, and grabbing the documents Sofia had been carrying with both his hands, he carried them over to Rachel¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Ooki! Ookiki!?¡±


    The monkey was making a frantic expression as he began tidying up the other documents that were already in front of his master, pleading her to finish quickly. For the sake of his pitiful master, Haley would be a demon.


    ¡°Ku, to move into a prison and even trick a monkey............Father, have you lost allmon sense!?¡±


    As Rachel ground her teeth in vexation, Sofia slid a freshly brewed cup of tea onto Rachel¡¯s desk through the iron bars and shrugged her shoulders slightly while making a face that could not be read.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never felt the blood connection between My Lady and the Master as strongly as I do this day. Speaking from the position of a servant..........I can only hope that this simr parent and childbo can work things out themselves without dragging other people into it.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, it seems like that Wnski is ying an active part in the capitol now.¡±


    The third son of a count nodded his head at Elliott¡¯s words.


    ¡°Yes, for a time there he was discouraged because of his disinheritance..........but it sounds like he¡¯s quite busy now having to move from this ce to that giving lectures.¡±


    ¡°I see...........so that guy is doing his best too.¡±


    Elliott whispered on..........


    ¡°Even if his Petaism Association has sparked a naturalist movement..........¡±


    ¡°I have no idea where his supporters keep popping up from........¡±


    ¡°Even though that guys¡¯ preferences are in the minority.........¡±


    During these talks the second son of a viscount got a nostalgic look on his face as he suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I was asked a favor before leaving the capitol..........it seems like a letter arrived for Your Highness from Sykes through the knights.¡±


    ¡°Oh, from Sykes! Is he doing well?¡±


    Elliott immediately opened the letter his subordinate handed him in a good mood...........but he furrowed his brow when he saw the actual note inside.


    ¡°...........What¡¯s this? There are two sets of handwriting here.¡±


    The Earl looked into his surroundings slightly confused.


    ¡°This..........did Martina tag on an extra message after Sykes finished his letter?¡±


    ¡°I think so. You can tell which part was written by Sir Abigail because of how inly he writes, but there is someone using feminine pronouns who wrote a line after each of his. Martina is a talented woman, so she could¡¯ve added an extra message here while linking the text together.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think they just took turns writing each line?¡±


    Everybody there took turns passing around the strange letter, singing praises for how uniquely it was written............


    Elliott was the first to notice the truth.


    ¡°Hey, wait...............if you line up the first letter of each line that Sykes wrote himself, it spells out ¡®HELP ME¡¯.............¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.............if you match up the first letter of each line that Martina wrote, it spells out ¡®DONT INTERFERE¡¯................¡±


    ¡°..........those two, sure get along well................¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.............¡±


    It seems like Rachel was working hard, and since the atmosphere in the dungeon (although a little ufortable) wasn¡¯t too bad, Haley was feeling relieved.


    ¡°Ooki¡±


    Having been told about a scary future, he watched over his master as she read a bunch of hard to understand books and slept like a rock. If she keeps working like this, surely she won¡¯t be killed.


    Having been able to calm down a little, Haley decided to help out Rachel any way he could.


    Pulling out an empty wash basin, Haley set it out in front of a convenient machine he had just learned about and twisted a lever. This machine produced boiling water. Filling the wash basin about halfway, he stopped the flow of boiling water before starting to add some cold water from a jug sitting to the side. Once the temperature was just right, he mixed in some of that magic powder that makes Rachel feel good.


    With everything perfect, Haley submerged himself into the water and let out a long, drawn-out breath.


    ¡°Ookiii..........¡±


    Baths are wonderful.


    He can rx, and once his body¡¯s been all warmed up, he can slip inside his master¡¯s nket making her feel warm and good too. Today too he would do his best to heal his master.


    Having watched from the side, Sofia called over to Rachel.


    ¡°My Lady¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Haley just used the samovar1 to heat up water for his bath.¡±


    ¡°Such a smart monkey.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit to that, but he just mixed in our tea leaves thinking they were bath salts as well.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why he¡¯s been smelling like chamomiletely............¡±


    About to dose off from all thefort, Haley suddenly raised his head and called out to a guy standing off to the side.


    ¡°Ooki?¡±


    Suddenly asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± by a monkey, Raymond ignored the question, instead speaking in utter ecstasy to himself.


    ¡°For two hours I¡¯ve been standing here, and let alone offering me a chair, Rachel hasn¡¯t even acknowledged I¡¯m here.........she truly is the best!¡±


    ¡°Ooki..........¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with this guy, he smells fishy............he¡¯s the one who needs a bath.¡±


    Rachel continued grumbling out curses as her pen raced across all the homework that had umted over her long vacation.


    ¡°Aaaaah, enough...........even though I was rejoicing over the great pains it took to start living alone, now my Father keepsing over here to harass me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really not that surprising when you look at who his daughter is.¡±


    ¡°Every day things keep escting.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a tainted bloodline?¡±


    Since it seemed like there was a visitor waiting outside, Meia headed out to greet them, only to return a little bitter unable to hide the fatigue on her face. Following immediately behind her was the King and Queen.


    ¡°Dan, I¡¯m here today to get what I¡¯m owed!¡±


    ¡°Hahahah, you¡¯re going to have the tables turned on you tonight Your Highness!¡±


    The Duke, Duchess, King, and Queen were all getting excited together while the young noble girl was forced to work alone, and when Lisa brought them their alcohol, their card games began.


    The noblewoman screamed as she had grown ustomed to doing every night now.


    ¡°Are you going to stay up all night ying again!?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t feel like you need to keep uspany or anything Rachel; feel free to go to bed before us.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep youpany at all!¡±


    Rachel crumpled down onto her desk, firing off idleints with a tired face.


    ¡°With these people all together, I can¡¯t drink and have any fun myself.............¡±


    ¡°Well, it would be improper to get dead drunk in front of one¡¯s parents.¡±


    ¡°Father and the others, have they already forgotten that they were originally trying to force me out of here?¡±


    ¡°It looks like they¡¯re reliving their time at the hot springs.¡±


    ¡°And I can¡¯t run away from here..........uuuuuuuuuugh, being locked up is a pain.¡±


    ¡°You reap what you sow. It¡¯sughable.¡±


    Rachel raised her face from her desk and turned a suspicious eye towards her top subordinate.


    ¡°...........Sofia, haven¡¯t you been pretty harsh towards metely?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head attendant¡¯s eyes werepletely glossed over as she matched her gaze with her master¡¯s.


    ¡°It would be truly helpful if you could understand about an employee¡¯s inability to get involved when they have no room to breathe as it is.¡±


    ¡°Everyone at the mansion has it easy¡±


    ¡°There are no finicky bosses there to trouble you.¡±


    Apparently George is an exception to the bloodline curse.


    Rachel and Sofia both turned a nk look towards the older generation that was already starting to get rowdy in their small banquet...........and the two of them shared a heavy sigh.


    1. An old Russian water heater. Often used for heating tea, but not always.


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