Two-Bed Hospital Room (2)
"So, how exactly are you planning to lure out MacHart? Do you actually have a plan?"
Once all five of us committed to the MacHart subjugation operation had gathered, we sat down to a proper strategy meeting on how to bring the man down.
The preparations boiled down to two major things, and the first — as Gehmajoshigi-gwat had just pointed out — was setting a trap tailored specifically for him.
After all, before a hunter could begin his hunt, what he needed most wasn't a bow or a spear. It was the prey itself.
"Knowing Prince MacHart, he won't fall for just any trap. He's already come after me once and failed, so he's surely concluded that I know his true identity and have been preparing for him."
"…Likely so. If he were the sort to charge in without thinking, he would have approached you at least once or twice again by now. The fact that he hasn't attacked while Lady Blaze and I are constantly at your side suggests he's more careful than he looks."
"That's why the key is making Prince MacHart believe I'll be alone at some point. More precisely, we need to create a situation where neither you, Young Master Ethan, nor Miss Agnes — nor anyone else — can interfere. As for Miss Agnes, we've already manufactured a fake falling-out between us, so he'll assume she won't step in and let his guard down accordingly."
"And what about me and Serista? A cautious man like that will surely be watching for us too if we're anywhere nearby."
"Of course he'll be wary of the Hero and the Saintess, but he won't consider either of you as threatening as Young Master Ethan. You've hardly ever been seen socializing with me or the Young Master in public, Lady Serista has never met me outside this church, so as far as he knows, neither of you has any real connection to me."
From MacHart's perspective, the only true obstacles were Ethan and Agnes. After all, the two of them were openly known as the people closest to me.
"But it's not as though the Hero or I have never met Lady Lilith at all… If we're in the vicinity, wouldn't he be at least a little suspicious?"
"If a baron's daughter publicly claimed that the Empire's Fourth Prince was a puppet of the demonfolk, no one would believe her without extraordinary proof — they'd simply dismiss it as the ramblings of a minor noble girl. And if I'm the one slandering Prince MacHart, it'll look like nothing more than a jealous lower-noble daughter, spurned by the Prince, lashing out in revenge."
"I-is that so…"
Still, I counted myself truly fortunate that there were four people in this world willing to believe my absurd claims. Setting aside Gehmajoshigi-gwat, my fellow transmigrator, and Serista, who came bundled with the Hero, both Ethan and Agnes took my word as gospel without a shred of doubt.
If I had asked only one of them to protect me, MacHart would have found an opening and struck at least once during the semester. That would have meant facing him in battle unprepared — and walking into that fight would have guaranteed my defeat.
There was no reason to duel the man one-on-one once he awakened, even if he was technically a part-four boss. A raid boss deserved to be brought down the raid way.
"The bait we'll use to lure out Prince MacHart is the noble exchange hosted at the imperial palace over the summer holiday. It's a gathering for Prince MacHart to sink his fangs into… ahem, to socialize with unsuspecting noble daughters, so I expect he's guaranteed to attend."
"I receive invitations regularly, but I've always declined. Gatherings like that usually exist for the purpose of… impure socializing between men and women."
And indeed, that was exactly the use MacHart put them to, so Ethan's guess wasn't far off the mark.
Meanwhile, Agnes, who had been studying the invitation Ethan had brought along for reference, suddenly fixed it with a puzzled look.
"I've never gotten one of these."
"Hm?"
"I've never even heard of a noble exchange like this."
"Well, naturally, Lady Blaze. Did I not just explain the purpose of the nobles who attend this party? Lady Blaze is… hm, how to put it…"
"…What? Say it properly."
"Since Young Master Ethan seems reluctant to say it, allow me. As he mentioned, this party is a gathering where naive noble sons and daughters come together for 'impure' socializing. If Miss Agnes wished to engage in impure socializing, I'd say she first lacks the qualifications for it…"
"…Didn't we already finish the stomach-punching performance? Everything you say from now on, I'm taking as the truth, Lilith."
"My apologies. I only meant to explain why you never received an invitation…"
Among the tastes of modern people addicted to every manner of lewd media, a figure like Agnes's would certainly have its market. But in this world, any man who pursued impure relations with Agnes would inevitably have his refinement called into question.
"For the record, I've received them. Ever since I started properly acting as the Hero, I've been invited to every exchange. I turned them all down because I was busy."
"I-I've gotten them too…. W-well, only once, during last year's winter holiday…"
"I've received them steadily since enrolling at the Academy. Before that, I took almost no part in social activities, so no invitations ever came."
"I-I was always famous, you know…. N-not that I wanted to be, but I attended social events regularly too…. Why…"
It couldn't be helped. The odds of receiving an invitation to this event were calculated fundamentally off one's 'Charm' stat. For Agnes, whose Charm stat was rock bottom, the probability of being invited hovered infinitely close to zero.
Granted, the standard play was to skip the event entirely — there was hardly anything worth looting, and attendance only tanked your reputation. This time, however, the participants themselves were the whole point, so I reluctantly resolved to join.
For Agnes, who had no invitation, the conclusion was settled: she would attend as Gehmajoshigi-gwat's partner. Serista's expression stiffened with momentary bitterness, but since the matter involved the demonfolk, she nodded in resignation all the same.
"As for luring out Prince MacHart, I'll engineer the situation myself. We'll stage what looks like a lovers' quarrel between me and Young Master Ethan, creating a temporary rift between us. Knowing Prince MacHart, I doubt he'll let a long-awaited opportunity like that slip away."
"…The problem is whether such a simple plan will actually work. The fact that he's waited all this time without attacking you points to a cautious nature. Wouldn't a man like that look at an obvious situation unfolding right in front of him and call it a trap?"
"Then shall we treat it as a test? Watch my performance and judge for yourselves whether Prince MacHart would swallow it. Young Master Ethan, please play along for a moment."
"Wait, even if you tell me to act out of nowhere, you need to at least tell me what I'm supposed to—"
"You'll figure that out as you go."
Those things had a way of spilling out on their own the moment they happened, so I launched straight into the performance, leaving a flustered Ethan behind.
Armoring myself in the suggestion that I was no longer a noble lord's personal maid, but a venomous noble daughter.
"Ed. We need to talk. Now."
"…Lilith?"
"Oh my, have you grown tired of pet names already? Fine, then I shall return the favor in kind, Mr. Ethan Richard Blackwood."
"S-sorry. That just slipped out, Lily."
"Only your words slip out, do they? Because a moment ago I could have sworn you were drilling holes through that young lady over there with your eyes. I suspect it wasn't your mouth misbehaving, but your eyeballs."
"N-no, Lily, it's a misunderstanding! Why would I ever look at another girl when I have you by my side?!"
"Ha. Is that so? Then am I to believe my eyes are crooked and saw wrong? How terribly sorry I am — for nearly making poor Ed a lecher over a mere misunderstanding."
"N-no, Lily, that's not what I—"
"Come to think of it, I should have known something was off the moment you brought me to a party like this, one that reeks of foul intent. So you're no longer satisfied with just the one woman in your bed, are you? If you'd warned me beforehand that you came here hunting for a young lady to lick Ed's long, hard candy stick alongside me, I would have dutifully gone searching for girls with big mouths and long tongues for you."
"D-don't say things that could be misunderstood, Lily! I-I really didn't intend anything like that, a-and I never once laid eyes on another girl to begin—"
"Of course. It's not Ed's fault — it must all be mine. If only I were a little prettier, a little more charming, I could have held your gaze every waking moment without ever letting it slip away. Should I have worn a shorter hemline, perhaps? Ah, no — you favor breasts, don't you. A deeper neckline would have been the wiser choice."
"W-what are you saying, Lily?! You're every bit as beautiful and charming now as you've ever been!"
"Enough. I'm going out for some fresh air, so don't follow me."
"Lily, wait—"
"Take one more step toward me and the engagement is off. You've been warned, Mr. Ethan Richard Blackwood."
"…"
"…"
"…"
For an improvisation I'd dragged him into without warning, Ethan gave a surprisingly solid performance, and the scenario came off reasonably well.
Granted, we'd need to start from a more natural footing in the field, but as material for convincing the three of them, this much was more than enough.
"That's the tone I intend to use in the field. Would that be insufficient, do you think?"
The moment I finished speaking, three heads — no, four, counting Ethan's — shook left and right in unison.
"L-Lily."
"That's Lilith, Young Master Ethan. Thank you for humoring my sudden request."
"R-right. …Just to be sure I'm asking — you're not actually angry with me about anything, are you, Lilith?"
"Of course not. I'm grateful to you always, Young Master Ethan, so there's nothing to worry about."
"O-okay. If anything ever makes you angry, tell me anytime — don't hold back. I'll fix it right away, I promise…"
Somehow, his answer left me with the odd feeling that a small distance had opened up between us. And yet it had started as nothing more than a performance — I was certain I'd said so.