Chapter 15: RMLIP

Chapter 15

It was a textbook extortion scheme, but Kassel had no way of standing up to the Western Alliance when they kept invoking the Emperor's name.

As a result, the moment Lisid's curse was lifted, he had to throw himself into hunting monsters like a madman just to refill Eppenterion's emptied treasury.

But every battlefield claimed sacrifices.

Lisid himself came close to death several times and suffered countless injuries.

Naturally, that only gave him even more reason to hate the person who had cursed him.

If he had been able to attend the welcoming banquet as originally planned, the western nobles would never have dared to go this far.

And now the very cause of all that is standing right in front of me?

There's no reason for me to stay out of this.

The original story had already gone off course.

There was no point leaving such a dangerous variable untouched just because I wanted to avoid drawing attention.

Of course, if the Duchess found out, she'd probably clutch the back of her neck in horror.

But in the end, the one destined to kill Airel was Lisid Eppenterion.

Compared to the Duke's household...

The Lisid hiding inside my hat was much scarier.

"Ridiculous? What could Your Ladyship possibly know about any of this?"

"If you're cornering one person with a whole crowd without a single piece of evidence, then what else would you call it? Why don't we ask everyone here?"

Marquis Langard flinched and glanced around before falling silent.

No one watching the spectacle spoke up, but neither could anyone deny that the western nobles were ganging up on Kassel.

Realizing the situation was beginning to turn against them, one of the men standing behind the Marquis stepped forward.

"Excuse me, but aren't you the one who's famous for cornering people? On what authority are you saying such things, Lady?"

"That's exactly why I know so well."

I smiled sweetly.

"People of the same kind always recognize each other."

Airel...

For the first time, I'm actually grateful that you're a villainess.

I lifted my chin toward the ill-tempered noble.

"It seems you all rushed over the moment you heard His Grace wasn't here. In any case, that's enough for today. If you truly suffered damages, prove it properly before a judge."

Since it was all fabricated anyway, they'd probably exhaust themselves preparing a lawsuit before anything came of it.

Of course...

I had already thought of a way to stop the lawsuit altogether.

"Come on, Sir Elvience."

With a sigh, I lightly tugged at Kassel's sleeve.

But Marquis Langard stubbornly stepped in front of us again.

"Wait! Do you even realize how long it will take to prepare a lawsuit? Do you know how severe the damages in the West are? If Eppenterion doesn't pay compensation immediately, the Imperial citizens living there will all starve!"

Wow... he's persistent.

Maybe if they didn't waste all their tax revenue on luxury, their territories wouldn't be broke.

Pretending not to hear him, I looked him up and down.

His extravagance was almost blinding.

From head to toe, he glittered.

Two necklaces.

One watch.

Eight rings.

He looked like a walking jewelry display.

Honestly, if he sold everything he was wearing, he'd probably have enough money to support his territory.

By this point, I was hoping Kassel would say something, so I looked at him.

Instead, he simply stared at me in complete bewilderment.

Well... can't be helped.

Just as I was about to blurt out anything that would let us leave—

"Then let them starve."

Lisid...?

"The West was never suitable for farming in the first place. It hardly rains, and the land is dry enough to be closer to a desert."

A quiet whisper came from inside my hat.

Lisid's low voice carried nothing but weary disgust.

"Especially that bastard's territory. Whatever little they harvest, they keep for themselves while inflating taxes. The Imperial citizens in the West have been dying every year because of it. It was only last year that more of them started migrating north."

They're exploiting their own people...

They're even worse than I thought.

I frowned and looked at the Marquis and the western nobles.

Lisid lightly tapped the inside of my hat.

"What are you doing, Lady? Aren't you going to repeat what I said?"

Ah!

Right!

I gave a tiny nod and gathered my courage.

"Then..."

I looked directly at them.

"You should be the ones to starve."

"...What?"

"If you're truly worried about your people starving..."

I smiled.

"Then you should starve first."

Silence fell.

"Or perhaps you could open your granaries and distribute food to your people."

I tilted my head innocently.

"Surely your granaries aren't empty... are they?"

As I spoke, I deliberately looked up and down at the plump figures of the Marquis and the western nobles.

Leaving the stunned nobles behind, I finally turned away with Kassel.

Of course...

As I did, I "accidentally" stomped hard on Marquis Langard's foot.

"AAAGH!"

"Oh dear."

I smiled brightly.

"I'm... not sorry."

Looking back at him, I raised the corner of my lips.

"It was merely a little mistake made by a young lady."

"I'm sure you'll be generous enough to forgive me."

"Um... Lady Blandiche?"

After being dragged out of the banquet hall, Kassel carefully removed the hand that was holding onto his arm.

"Ahem... Thank you very much for helping me out of such a difficult situation, but... I should be taking my leave now."

"...Hm?"

The young lady stopped walking and blinked in surprise.

Why is she reacting like that?

Scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, Kassel forced a laugh.

"Well... I was planning to head back as soon as the official ceremony ended anyway... haha..."

Naturally, he couldn't tell her the truth.

How could I possibly say to her face that I'm uncomfortable being around her?

Lady Blandiche attracted attention even when she was standing still.

And today she was wearing that bizarre hat on top of it all.

But more importantly...

If His Grace finds out, he'll definitely be angry!

The Grand Duke absolutely hated the young lady.

Well...

"Hate" wasn't quite the right word.

He found her unbearably troublesome.

At least, that was what Kassel believed.

After all, Airel had spent years following Lisid around, causing one incident after another.

It was only natural for Kassel to be suspicious of her sudden kindness.

She might use today's incident as leverage to demand something from His Grace.

The smartest thing to do is leave now before getting any more involved with her.

Kassel clenched his fist inwardly.

But then—

"Permission to return home is denied, Kassel."

...What?

A low, icy voice came from the young lady's lips.

Her expression had become unexpectedly firm as she grabbed Kassel's arm.

"Kassel Elvience."

"Come with me. Right now."

Without another word, she began dragging him toward the garden behind the banquet hall.

Inside his head, Kassel screamed.

Why... why does Lady Blandiche suddenly feel exactly like His Grace?

Don't tell me...

She swallowed His Grace or something?!

At that exact moment, the lamps throughout the evening garden flickered to life one by one.

And beneath the warm orange glow...

A tiny silhouette briefly peeked out from the top of the flower-covered straw hat before disappearing again.

D-Did I just...

Was I seeing things?

Kassel rubbed his eyes and stared at the hat.

The lamp flickered once more.

This time he involuntarily swallowed.

No... I wasn't imagining it.

That was...

"...A doll?"

H-Haha... impossible.

A doll inside Lady Blandiche's hat?

What kind of ridiculous idea is that?

No one would buy a novel with something that absurd.

Lady Blandiche may be outrageous, but even she wouldn't go that far.

Sure, she might publicly humiliate people.

She might lose her temper.

She might relentlessly chase after the Grand Duke.

But...

A doll hidden in her hat? Absolutely not.

He had to be seeing things from exhaustion.

Kassel shook his head repeatedly.

Although he was still following the young lady, all he wanted was to return to the Eppenterion residence in the capital as soon as possible.

Fortunately, before long she stopped in front of a secluded bench surrounded by dense bushes on all sides.

Not another person was in sight.

"So... Lady Blandiche..."

Keeping a cautious distance, Kassel nervously looked around.

"Did you wish to speak with me about something in private?"