「We realized this from the beginning. 『Why did the Republic use Lady Rashem to shake us up?』 It was obviously for personal gain. The Republic is currently in the midst of a succession struggle. There are two top candidates: the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Minister of Finance. They must have thought like this: 『If we make the Prince of Univance, who embarrassed the Minister of Finance, suffer, and if we can secure his wife through our efforts, our positions will become absolute.』 It’s a good idea, but they made one mistake.」
My reasoning, pondered over an all-nighter, should be perfect.
Let’s move forward before they retort with 『Actually, that’s wrong』 and make me look foolish.
More than anything, I’ve reached my limit. Truly.
「Don’t drag out an infant like this and cause a scene! Don’t joke around!」
The string of my patience had snapped long ago.
「You dragged us into this for your own convenience! Thanks to you, I’m already swamped with work and now have to deal with extra problems, and above all, I dislike the fact that you involved Noie! Just because you don’t have a Dragonslayer in your country, you think you can just take my Noie? That thinking pisses me off! If anyone has a complaint, stand up! Shall I beat the strength of one of the continent’s foremost figures into you!」
I slammed my foot onto the chair and barked with all my might. And I absolutely did not look back. I heard several people clearing their throats with coughs, but summer colds are nasty, so everyone please be careful.
Then, the man sitting in the center of the VIP seats stood up. It was the Minister of Internal Affairs.
「You speak as you please. Who do you think you are!」
「I am the Dragonslayer’s husband! Don’t you know that, you idiot!」
「Those insolent words… you say them with resolve, I assume?」
「Yes. I decided on my resolve the moment I joined Noie!」
I stared directly at the enraged Minister of Internal Affairs.
But a white shadow appeared, blocking our gaze. It was Noie.
Holding the baby in her arms, she stared at the Republic’s VIP seats.
The atmosphere in the room froze in an instant. Everyone knew Noie’s true strength.
「Lies…」
Noie muttered softly and looked at me.
「Arg-sama. Are lies bad?」
「Ah～ Yes. Basically, they are bad.」
I’m sorry, Noie-san. Despite the tense atmosphere, you are being too natural right now.
But Noie moved her feet and stood in front of Lady Rashem. Then she stared into her face.
Since I was positioned behind Noie, facing Lady Rashem, I had a clear view of Noie’s face.
Her usual dark red eyes turned purple, and—
-0-
『Close your eyes. Your soul will be eaten.』
At the unpleasant voice that suddenly echoed in my mind, I reflexively closed my eyes.
What was that? What is Noie trying to do?
『……』
Are you ignoring me!
『There is no way Noie could use the mental spell formula 『Forced Confession』… Someone must be drawing a strange spell formula inside her.』
…I probably know who the culprit is.
Wait, Forced Confession? What is that, a truth serum? If such magic existed, silence would disappear from this world… Scary!
『It’s not such a lukewarm magic. It has hundreds of times the power of the Republic witch’s magic you suffered before. Such a terrifying thing cannot be used…』
Huh? Wait? Don’t stop in the middle! I’m curious!
My retort was completely ignored.
It’s really unfair to talk to me so unilaterally.
So, how long do I have to keep my eyes closed?
「Noooooo～!」
Hearing that scream, I reflexively opened my eyes.
Lady Rashem, who had been peered at by Noie, was staggering while holding her head.
What did you really do? Is she okay?
But ignoring my anxiety, Noie moved around in front of her and opened her mouth.
「Speak. Everything. Lies are not allowed.」
「…Shut up!」
Pushing Noie’s shoulder, Lady Rashem looked at me.
With an expression of extreme exhaustion, she extended a trembling hand and pointed at me.
「Ahaha… That’s right. It was all lies! That man never laid a finger on me! No matter how much I clung to him, he gave me cold looks as if I were a bug and treated me harshly. He didn’t even acknowledge me. I was so frustrated, so frustrated… I indulged in playing with men to distract myself. There were even partners among the witnesses who appeared in court today! I was just frustrated. I was frustrated that he wouldn’t even look at me or speak to me. So when I had a child whose father I didn’t even know, I thought of revenge. Just then, people from the Republic side sniffed out my 『lies』 and came to me, so I jumped on the bandwagon! They swallowed my story without even investigating properly. And this is the result! I was danced around by a foolish woman’s foolish lies and ended up humiliating myself in a foreign country. Ahahaha… Ah～ haha! It’s so ridiculous I can only laugh!」
Then, as if her strings had been cut, she collapsed to the floor, pounding it as she cried.
It was uncomfortable to watch… but she was the one who had brought this upon herself.
I slowly turned my gaze to the chairman’s seat. His Majesty the King, wearing a grim expression, nodded deeply.
「There were various developments along the way, but Lady Rashem has admitted to her falsehoods. Does anyone have objections?」
Even the Republic side seemed to have no objections regarding this matter.
「Then we shall conclude this case… but it seems I must have a word with Usheltzen-sama.」
His Majesty the King stood up with an uncharacteristically stern expression… which was a bit scary.
But the Minister of Internal Affairs also glared back at the King with a frightening face.
「We feel the same. Do you expect us to remain silent after suffering such humiliation?」
「Wasn’t the shame incurred because your nation touched a place in our country that should not be touched… a spot known as the dragon’s weak point?」
His Majesty the King, standing calmly at the chairman’s seat, cast his gaze around.
The doors were closed… and the chamber was sealed.
「And do not forget. Our nation is Univance, renowned as one of the most stubborn nations on the continent. If you challenge us, we will never back down.」
It seemed more intense than when it was my turn… Are we heading straight into war?
「The charges do not matter. For now, arrest them for inciting internal strife.」
「Is that wise? If you go that far, there will be no turning back.」
「It does not matter. If you cannot return home, who will succeed in that country?」
「……」
「You may be hated openly, but you will be thanked in secret.」
Ah～. I understood. In other words, causing a scene here would trouble the Minister of Internal Affairs the most.
He had picked a fight with a foreign country on his own and ended up captured… a perfect example of adding insult to injury.
「Now, what will you do? We are willing to negotiate.」
A cold final verdict was delivered from the chairman’s seat.
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