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I climb the tower where we think Princess Hilmera is in. 

We made all the preparations. All that’s left is to stop her…but the atmosphere is heavy. 

His plans are made by comprehending the other party as if they were friends for decades, and manipulating their actions. 

If he has finished preparations, that means all that’s left is to watch over the result. 

And yet, I can feel unease mixed in his atmosphere.

It is not that there’s uncertain factors, it is that he feels unease towards the countermeasures he thought of for the certain factors.

…There’s no need for hesitation. 

I just need to follow his orders as I do. 

Moving like myself is a fragment that will help realize his plan after all. 

I tinker with mana in my palm and try forming a simple spell.

It is possible someone fighting out there has gotten rid of the magic seal stone, so I have been forming spells at fixed periods, but…! 

“—I can use magic now. Someone must have destroyed the magic seal stone.” (Ilias)

“That was faster than I thought. The magic seal stone was either in a siege weapon storage or someone went to the supply storage by themselves… Probably the latter.” 

“You had an idea where the magic seal stone was?” (Ilias)

“The objective of Hilmera is to hurt this country. In that case, she most likely planned on using this chaos to get rid of the supplies. If she gets rid of the supplies in this country, they can hide something equally big there.” 

The siege weapons used when attacking and the supplies used for both attack and defense. It is true that the one that would be troubling if they were to lose it would be the supplies. 

I want to obtain information, but Mix-sama is the one who has the communication crystal. 

We will continue being in an isolated state to put an end to this mayhem. 

“It is great that you can use magic now, but that also applies to Princess Hilmera. She will most likely resist using necromancy. Make sure not to get too far from me.” (Ilias)

“Princess Hilmera herself is not that much of an issue. On the contrary, being able to use magic is something good.” 

I tilted my head a bit at his words. 

I can use basic magic, but I don’t battle using magic that much. 

It is not like I can use magic reflexively like Rakura does, and I can’t maintain high efficiency with both normal attacks and magic like Ekdoik does. 

Just how far ahead is he seeing? 

He has so much foresight it feels like he can see the future, but is his expression clouded because of the result it will bring? 

“…A door. I am kicking it open!” (Ilias)

I kicked open the door that was lying ahead of the stairs and entered. 

It is a room that was made on top of a tall tower, and there’s stuff like art pieces around. 

One of them has a big cloth covering it, and it is giving off a strange pressure. 

I use detection magic just in case, but I only got a reaction from one point. 

This place seems to be used for some sort of work. The ceiling is high and the center has a lot of empty space. 

Within that space, there’s Princess Hilmera with brush in hand and facing an easel. 

“It was unlocked. The knights of Taizu are so impatient.” (Hilmera)

“Princess Hilmera…!” (Ilias)

“Welcome as well, Envoy-sama, to my atelier. It is fine to think of you being the first one to show up in this place, Envoy-sama.” (Hilmera)

Princess Hilmera stood up and pointed the easel this way. 

The drawing on the easel was the bust statue of a man. It is peculiar to a degree where you can feel something warped in it, and I could tell that this was a drawing of Prince Washekt. 

But what bothers me the most is the stench wafting in this room. 

There’s the clear scent of blood mixed in the oil painting tools. 

“How is it? Don’t you think the red of Father’s blood pops out nicely here?” (Hilmera)

“—?!” 

I learned about what the scent of blood was, and the peaceful smile of Princess Hilmera froze my spine. 

This princess killed her father and went as far as doing something like this…

I couldn’t feel the reality of it until now but, after seeing her, I understood that there’s no doubt she is the one who created this tragic situation.

“And so, what brings you here, Envoy-sama? That knight over there is ready for battle, but I don’t feel killing intent or hostility at all from you.” (Himera)

“…Right. Honestly, I don’t feel much hostility towards you.” 

“Oh my, even though you should have at least noticed that you were being used. You are kind, Envoy-sama. And so, you came here to persuade me?” (Hilmera)

“I do think I would like you to calm down this situation if possible though.” 

Princess Hilmera took off the drawing from the easel and left it on top of a table a little bit away. 

And then, she faced back here and spoke with an emotionless face. 

“Do you want to persuade me? What words will you be using to persuade me, I wonder. Are you going to say the same things as Father and Chisante? ‘Onii-sama doesn’t wish for this’, ‘Onii-sama would be saddened’? Are you going to chide me with the obvious?” (Hilmera)

I heard that the whereabouts of Prince Chisante and Princess Yumis were unknown, but they are most likely already…

Princess Hilmera caused this mayhem for the sake of her beloved Prince Washekt. 

If we are going to persuade her, we have no choice but to poke there, but…

Prince Chisante and the king of Serende would have most definitely tried to persuade her more intelligently than me. 

And yet, they couldn’t… 

Will he be able to do this…? 

But I have no idea at all what else we could use to persuade her.

“Persuade? I won’t be doing that. Persuasion is done when you can prepare something more profitable. You are moving for the sake of benefiting you the most, and I can’t prepare something that can benefit you more.” 

I wasn’t the only one that was left speechless by what he said. 

I could tell Princess Hilmera had surprise mixed in her smile. 

“…I feel like your words and actions don’t match though?” (Hilmera)

“Really? Your objective is pretty much accomplished at this point. I understand that there’s no point in doing something to you at this point.” 

He moved to the place where Princess Hilmera was drawing and grabbed the brush she left there. 

“It is a brush that has been used for a long time, but the tip is a mess. You must have used it pretty roughly today. You must have wanted to show us just how dyed you were in madness.” 

“What are you—” (Hilmera)

“You haven’t gone mad. Everything you have been saying has been a pretense of madness.” 

The face of Princess Hilmera stiffened at his words. 

He looked unfazed in contrast to Princess Hilmera as he unveiled her inner workings. 

“You needed to show as if you were crazy. Even if you created an opportunity for Washekt to take the throne by tipping the country, you being the culprit -someone who loved Washekt greatly- would put unnecessary doubts on him. That’s why you are taking actions that project madness, in order to prove that it was all your handiwork. Chisante and Yumis might have died, but the king of Serende might be unexpectedly alive and restrained somewhere.” 

He placed the brush down and looked around. 

There’s stone statues like the ones in the ruins of Serende lined up here and there. 

“Interesting theory, Envoy-sama. To say I am not crazy, and that I am acting as if I am.” (Hilmera)

“I already know the motive. The front is that you are doing it for the sake of Washekt, but it is actually for the sake of satisfying yourself. You want to offer yourself to Washekt just like Washekt has done for you, right?” 

“…I see. So you can tell that much.” (Hilmera)

“Hilmera, I could tell from the first time I met you that you had special feelings towards Washekt. You must have been attracted to the dedication of Washekt, right?” 

Princess Hilmera and Prince Washekt. 

I thought Prince Washekt was the one who doted on his little sister, but Princess Hilmera also had feelings that surpassed that of siblings towards Prince Washekt…

I had been informed of that much, but I don’t know the root of it. 

This is most likely a theory of his, but I can tell that all of it is true with the change in attitude of Princess Hilmera. 

“Prince Washekt continued being your absolute ally even if it meant throwing away his position as a prince that competes for the throne. Your heart was smitten by this unfaltering devotion of his and admired it. But you were restless about this. You are not blood related to the king of Serende. Even the people around saw you as not having the qualifications for the throne. You had no position to give.” 

His eyes were as usual: deep deep eyes as if swallowing up the other party. 

He is not unveiling the true feelings of Princess Hilmera, but speaking while thinking about the words that will shake her emotions. 

He is currently calling himself as me. 

In those times, he stirs up the heart of the other party as if he was devoid of honor. 

He is currently speaking about the inner feelings of Princess Hilmera as if he were Princess Hilmera.

“You thought about many ways to offer yourself to him. But Washekt didn’t accept them. There were times when he did, but it was not dedication that you could be satisfied with!” 

He is speaking in a theatrical manner as if visualizing the excruciating pain. 

He uncovered the inner feelings of Princess Hilmera like a jester. Is he provoking her? 

I at the very least can’t see the leisurely smile on the face of Princess Hilmera anymore. 

It is an expression showing caution. One of someone who has realized once again just how fearsome he is.

“That’s why you wanted to make Washekt the king. You wanted to make you two as equal as possible by getting back what he abandoned. But even that scheme of yours was unfulfilled. This matter is your last opportunity. You are going to shoulder all the crimes and throw away everything in order to return what you have been given by Washekt -for the sake of your devotion towards him.” 

“…I see. I now understand the reason why Murshto likes you. Right, I would like to give back to Onii-sama just like he has given to me. I have been living with just that thought. I don’t mind this being the end. No, I should end it here.” (Hilmera)

Princess Hilmera laughed. 

It is not the smile I have seen until now, but a peaceful smile that came from the heart. 

She admitted that what he said was true and it looks like she is spilling it all out without playing it off. 

“Onii-sama is my everything. I want to devote my whole self to Onii-sama just like he has done for me. It must be a laughable reason for you, Envoy-sama.” (Hilmera)

“Not really. I comprehend you, and empathize with it. I might have done something similar if I were in your shoes.” 

“Oh my, you are kind.” (Hilmera)

“But I wouldn’t have allowed Washekt to pass on the throne to Nuphsa in the first place.” 

“—!” 

Even someone as dense as me could tell that those words of his stabbed Princess Hilmera. 

“I have no intention of denying you, but I shall point out your mistakes. You were hesitant to speak to his heart because you deified him so much. You didn’t try to seriously learn about him.” 

“That’s not—” (Hilmera)

“You should have been able to tell if you were watching him. He doted on you, but there’s barely any influence from you. Even though you didn’t like your standing of being doted on, you didn’t have the courage to step into his heart. I would have done the effort of changing him even if it meant him hating me a bit.” 

Anger showed up in the face of Princess Hilmera. 

It is only now that I understand what he is trying to imply here. 

Princess Hilmera says Prince Washekt is her everything, and yet, he says that he would have been able to guide Prince Washekt. That he understands him better. 

He is trying to surpass what she has offered him. 

The words just now definitely wouldn’t have resonated with her if he had been a complete stranger. 

But he is someone who has comprehended her and shared the feelings, so it is hard to deny the words just now. 

“…What do you want to achieve by provoking me? Do you want to invite carelessness and capture me? You don’t need to worry. I will rampage as revenge, but I don’t think I will be able to defeat that knight there.” (Hilmera)

So she would rampage…is what I thought as I watched Princess Hilmera, and she took out a wooden whistle from her pocket. 

I don’t feel any magic in it, but I can’t help but be on guard of something she has brought out in this scenario. 

I got in front of him and observed the situation, and she began to blow on the wooden whistle. 

When she did, the things that I thought were pieces of art began to move, and the fabric covering them fell. 

It is the beast undead I saw before. 

There’s around a dozen of them and we are completely surrounded. 

They were corpses to begin with, so they could hide by being completely silent and they wouldn’t make a single sound. 

I couldn’t detect them with detection magic, so these undead can even stop their internal mana perfectly. 

That said, it is not a factor to worry about now that they have shown themselves though. 

“Looks like you have disciplined them to move by sound regardless of whether there’s a magic seal stone or not.” 

“It would be better to not carelessly approach the things that are placed here. It seems like they don’t get caught with detection magic when they are in hiding.” (Ilias)

“They are all the ones that are here, you know. I may not be able to kill you, but I can at least show a bit of resistance. I won’t hold back anything.” (Hilmera)

The undead jumped at us all at once at the next blow of the whistle. 

Princess Hilmera was not planning on defeating me to begin with. In that case, her target will be solely him. 

It would be pretty hard to fight against enemies with high mobility that attack all at once while protecting him.

But I can imbue purification magic in my sword now that the effects of the magic seal stone are gone. 

“Fuh!” 

I carry him and jump above the undead attacking from behind. 

I lop its head off as I pass by and land on the ground. 

It is…not regenerating.

They may be animals, but they are still undead. It looks like purification is effective. 

I ready my sword and observe the undead. 

I have to finish this fight as quickly as possible for his sake. 

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