「Why did your testimony change from the beginning to now?」
「Ahaha～. Well, you see… so many shocking things happened that I got totally flustered～」
The girl forces a strained smile, desperately trying to gloss over something.
Halfren taps his fingers irritably on the desk.
When Frea, her superior, shoots him a sharp glare, he sighs and shrugs, reluctantly easing off the intense questioning.
The person currently in charge of the girls is the commander’s younger brother.
With him badly injured and on rest, the acting captain isn’t Noie but her vice-captain, Frea.
Frea has received only one direct order from her injured superior.
『Always attend Lutte’s questioning. If he tries to force statements out of her using excessive authority, report it immediately. I’ll send Noie right away.』
In other words, proof that he’s using his power to silence Lutte.
No need to wonder what he’s protecting.
He thinks only of his 「most beloved person」.
For her sake, he’d pick a fight with anyone, even the entire kingdom, and never back down.
「You said at first that Noie was laughing, right?」
「Ahaha. I just mixed her up with the big enemy lady who was laughing～. Our captain laughing? That’s impossible, right～?」
She averts her eyes frantically, piling on excuses.
Halfren waves his hand as if to say 『Fine, I get it. Get out』 and allows her to leave.
「Excuse me～」
Lutte hurries out like she’s fleeing.
Frea stands up as if following her.
「Hey, Frea.」
「Yes?」
「Your report mentions these 『slashed marks』, right?」
「Yes. I wrote it because that’s what I saw.」
「A mad, laughing voice. Slashed marks…If you spread that story around town, anyone of a certain age would tremble and name one person, don’t you think?」
「Blood-Soaked Fashi, right?」
Even she would think of her if he heard those two details.
But,
「She was executed.」
「That’s right.」
「Which royal family member witnessed the burial in the criminals’ cemetery?」
「Uncle.」
「Then that settles it.」
Yes.
Frea can only agree.
The idea that the criminal they executed is still alive…is something the kingdom cannot allow.
But Halfren’s expression turns bitter.
「The general in charge of her execution… was connected to that facility.」
「The one where Captain was held?」
Frea is visibly shaken.
That fact has never once been made public.
「Aniki has been digging through related documents these past few days and investigating. And also, 」
「There’s more?」
「Yes. Besides that, we’ve confirmed he was involved in multiple other criminal executions.」
「……」
「Among the notable ones are 『Demon Eye Camieu』 and 『Slaughter Princess Glodia』, plus plenty of other famous names. Including the one connected to you.」
「……」
Frea averts her eyes for a moment to steady herself.
「You’re saying they’re alive?」
Even saying it herself sends a chill down her spine, making her hug her arms.
The two names she mentioned were the perpetrators of the queen’s attempted assassination and the massacre of the royal sister’s entire family.
「Well… Camieu is problematic in her own way, but Glodia is truly dangerous. She was removed from the line of succession, but she still holds royal blood. If the Republic finds out, they’ll move heaven and earth to track her down.」
From the weary smile on his face, it’s clear he’s already mobilized his covert agents to search.
「But she was supposed to have been executed, right? His Majesty and the royal brother both attended, and they witnessed the head inspection.」
「Yes. But this incident has prompted a re-investigation.」
「……」
「If anything comes up, it’ll be a crisis. I don’t want this made public except to trusted people.」
「That’s why it’s me…」
She sighs and shakes her head wearily.
All these years of indulging his selfish whims have already ruined any chance she had at a normal life.
「If anything comes up, I’ll tell you.」
「Good. But make sure you get a proper 『confession』, okay?」
「Oh? I’ve never once forced testimony from anyone. Everyone confesses willingly.」
She flashes an angelic smile with her adorable face.
「While repenting for their sins, of course.」
Halfren scratches his head helplessly at his childhood friend’s soft giggle.
「By the way… has Mische come back?」
「Who knows?」
「……You’re technically her superior right now, even if it’s temporary.」
「If you’re that worried, just put a collar on her again.」
Frea sticks out her tongue playfully.
Their only real connection is this problem-child prince.
『Execution team and rear support』
They were in different positions during their active days, so they never met face-to-face back then.
They only learned each other’s identities in the last year or two, and even then, it was just 「Oh, really?」 and brushed off.
「Mische will come back eventually. Her one good point is that she’s thick-skinned and hard to kill.」
「……Only you would say something like that. To other countries, just hearing her name makes them tremble.」
「Why not just reveal her identity completely?」
「Hm?」
Frea chuckles softly and heads toward the door.
「It’ll make her marriage prospects even worse, and she’ll sulk forever.」
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