The Self-Proclaimed Villainess Makes Her Move (2)
The moment the self-proclaimed villainess stepped onto the stage, Park Bongpal was shattered in under a minute.
Leonhardt’s demonic blade swept in like a gale. One strike crumpled the iron helmet. The gauntlet seized Park Bongpal by the throat and slammed him into the stone floor. With a loud clang, the helmet burst apart, scattering shards in every direction. What it revealed was a shiny, bald head with only a single pathetic antenna of hair left standing.
“Huh. So the injury was a lie after all. That scalp looks healthy enough to shine like a mirror.”
“His skills are absolute garbage.”
“And this is the guy they called the Hero?”
The crowd watching the spar whispered among themselves. Altrich raised a hand to silence the murmurs and turned to Leonhardt.
“What’s your assessment?”
“He doesn’t even qualify as third-rate.”
“In your judgment, does the saintess’s accusation seem truthful?”
Leonhardt gave a heavy nod. He had intended to wrap things up nicely out of respect for a man who had at least fought for humanity, but Park Bongpal’s incompetence made even that courtesy pointless. The so-called Hero was already foaming at the mouth, unconscious from having his face driven into the floor.
“How should we handle his punishment?”
“The crimes exposed here alone would make a life sentence hard to avoid. For now, transport him north and lock him in the underground prison at the front lines. I’ll discuss the final disposition with the Minister of Justice later.”
Two servants dressed in black entered, grabbed Park Bongpal by both arms, and dragged him out of the banquet hall.
Once he was gone, the hall transformed into a strategy meeting room exactly as Elaine had predicted. Everyone present had poured enormous sums of sponsorship money into the Hero’s party, so they had every right to hear the information being shared.
The viscount acting as master of ceremonies sighed and placed a leather pouch heavy with gold coins on the dais.
“This is the special reward we prepared to honor the Hero… but it looks like it will never be used.”
Elaine cradled her chest with one arm, sipping white wine, and glanced at the pouch with obvious interest.
At the largest table in the hall, a heated debate had already begun with Altrich at its center.
“Then we must discuss what to do about that Red Mage, Jain.”
“How about having His Majesty issue a special conscription order? The previous Grand Sage has retired, leaving the position vacant. A carrot like the title of Grand Sage paired with the whip of a special decree that brands refusal as treason—he wouldn’t be able to turn it down.”
“A special decree, you say… I doubt it would have much effect.”
“Why not? If His Majesty himself issues the command…”
“Law is what the strong impose on the weak. Based on the saintess’s testimony, he is the strong one and we are the weak. The Emperor’s order only carries weight in conversations among ourselves. Don’t get drunk on the illusion of omnipotence that power brings.”
“B-but…”
Altrich’s words could easily have gotten him labeled a traitor, yet they were also a coldly realistic analysis.
“What meaning would there be in a bunch of mice gathering together to declare to a cat that they have passed a law requiring bells from today onward? He single-handedly defeated the Demon King, the Four Heavenly Kings, and perhaps even Balakthas the Extinguisher, who is said to be stronger than the Demon King himself. He is a superhuman. And from what I have observed, superhumans are like precision machines with one screw loose. They may look normal, but the slightest shock can make them collapse or go berserk. There is no reason to provoke him.”
“Then what do you suggest we do?”
“First…”
Altrich’s steepled fingers framed his monocle, and within its reflection Elaine appeared. She was fidgeting endlessly at the dessert bar in the corner of the hall.
“We should gather more information.”
Altrich called out to her in a loud voice. Elaine jumped as if she had been caught committing a crime, then hurried over and sat down in front of him with a nervous expression.
“W-what business could you possibly have with someone as cute and innocent as me, who was absolutely, positively not stealing any food?”
“I wish to collect more information. I called you here because I want to hear a more detailed account of that Red Mage. As you know, among the former party members, you are the only one genuinely affiliated with the Empire.”
Elaine’s face visibly relaxed with relief, and she immediately began chattering away with excitement. She told them everything—from the reason Jain had suddenly joined the party to the reason he had fallen into despair, gone berserk, and ultimately left.
“Anyway, that’s why! When that Red Mage fell into despair and cried endlessly, I hugged him tight and comforted him with all my kindness! And just like that, his rampage calmed down!”
“Hmm, I see. Impressive.”
Altrich offered appropriate interjections, gently guiding Elaine’s testimony while quietly evaluating its credibility.
‘Aside from the rather heavy embellishment of her own exploits, most of it appears to be true. She doesn’t seem to be hiding anything. A bit dim, but a genuinely pure child.’
After hearing the entire story, Altrich let out a sigh so deep it seemed the ground might cave in.
“This is absurd. Far from needing salvation, we’re now in a position where we must fear retaliation. Why is it that people burdened with the mission of saving humanity can’t endure even a few months…”
The knife in Altrich’s hand twisted pathetically out of shape. Though he now served as Prime Minister, in his youth Altrich had been a warrior. Elaine loudly voiced her agreement.
“Exactly! I completely agree!”
“Lady Elaine, you weren’t part of that group, were you?”
“Absolutely not!”
Elaine puffed out her chest and declared it proudly. The ridiculous sight seemed to ease some of Altrich’s anger. He tossed the now-useless knife aside and continued.
“Well, since the Hero Park Bongpal turned out to be like that, getting angry over this is pointless. The important thing now is how we proceed…”
“Aren’t you worrying too much? He is still human. If the remaining Demon Army and Demon Generals attack humanity, wouldn’t he step forward as the vanguard out of a sense of duty?”
“As I said, he is a superhuman. Do not think of superhumans as human. If he were a dragon, would you still think that way?”
“Well… no, but…”
“A dragon that can love other humans, grow angry, fall into despair, and seek revenge—that is what a superhuman is. Being human does not make him safe. On the contrary, it makes him far more dangerous.”
Altrich’s approach was extremely cautious. Having witnessed countless superhumans across three previous Human-Demon Wars, he knew that what mattered to them was not wealth or fame, but something else entirely. He had come to believe that such bias might itself be the very qualification of a superhuman.
“In the long run, we will have to hand the Hero’s burden over to that Jain fellow, but now is not the time. First we must calm his rage and sorrow and make it clear that we are not his enemies…”
Altrich removed his monocle and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“And that’s exactly where I come in!”
When he opened his eyes again, an enormous pair of breasts filled his entire field of vision. Elaine had thrust her upper body forward with the shout. Altrich didn’t so much as twitch an eyebrow.
“You?”
“I already built up a mountain of affection while traveling with him in the same party! To outsiders it may not have looked like it, but we were practically lovers even without an official confession!”
“Oh? Is that really true?”
“It is! So if you dispatch me to that Red Mage, I will comfort him and ensure that he never, ever harbors any grudge against humanity or seeks revenge!”
The people around them brightened at her words. But Altrich’s face remained as cold as ice.
“Were you truly that close?”
“Yes!”
“Then I would like to hear some evidence.”
Flustered by his piercing gaze, Elaine twirled a lock of hair around her finger and desperately began squeezing out proof.
“U-um, well…”
“Go on.”
Those sharp eyes seemed capable of detecting any lie. Elaine stammered.
“It was to the point where he even had a special nickname just for me!”
“And whenever he was with me, just smelling my scent made his heart race so much he got dizzy!”
“And when he was interrogating the other party members, he trusted me so completely that he didn’t even question me at all—hic—sniff—that much!”
“I see. Then why are you on the verge of tears?”
“Because it’s so touching! It’s just so touching!”
Altrich watched with icy eyes as Elaine wiped her tears and forced a bright smile that showed her slightly protruding canines.
“Then why do you believe he held affection for you?”
“B-because my breasts are big? And because I’m cute!”
Altrich remained silent for a long time, deep in thought. Finally he let out a long sigh and gave a hollow smile.
“I can’t say I find you particularly trustworthy, but at the moment it seems we have no other options. Very well. As requested, I will dispatch you to the Red Mage.”
“As expected of the brilliant Prime Minister! What an excellent decision!”
“However, do not act on your own initiative. Focus solely on conveying this one fact. Tell him that the Empire is truly heartbroken over the misfortune and tragedy Jain the Red Mage has suffered, and that on purely humanitarian grounds we are prepared to provide unlimited support for any request he may make. Do not carelessly mention any price or compensation. Understood?”
“Understood!”
Elaine pulled out a writing utensil, jotted down Altrich’s words, and answered energetically. Altrich chuckled and rose from his seat.
“At least your answers are refreshingly clear. I look forward to an equally energetic report next time.”
The back of Altrich as he turned and walked away was broad. It was the dependable back of a man who had carried the Empire—and by extension all of humanity—for decades. Elaine called out to him in a hurry.
“U-um, wait just a moment!”
“What is it now?”
“Well, when I’m dispatched… could I possibly receive the reward money that was meant for the Hero as operating expenses?”
Altrich glanced back over his shoulder, eyebrows twitching, then spoke with a blank expression.
“You wish to be exempted from submitting documentation and receive it as special operating funds?”
“Special… exemption? Y-yes…”
“Understood. It will be disbursed.”
“Dis… bursed?”
Altrich sighed so deeply it seemed the ground might collapse and said,
“It means I’ll give you the money. No receipt required.”
Elaine’s face lit up instantly. She dashed over in an undignified sprint, grabbed the pouch of coins, and bowed with a radiant smile.
“Thank you so very much!”
“No, thank the citizens who paid the taxes that funded that operating budget, not me.”
With those words, Altrich walked off to the far side of the hall with Leonhardt. Elaine clutched the money bag with trembling hands.
These are all real gold coins. With this much, I could buy several sacks of potatoes… No. I have to break the habit of converting everything into potatoes the moment I see money.
Still, she couldn’t stop the bright smile from spreading across her face.
This is the first time my villainess scheme has actually succeeded. I betrayed them, fooled the clever Prime Minister with my words, and even got money out of it.
Clutching the money bag, Elaine continued grinning like an idiot as she quietly slipped out of the banquet hall.
From the dessert bar in the corner, Leonhardt had been watching her with concern.
“Prime Minister, are you really sure it’s all right to trust that woman?”
Altrich took a sip of brandy with ice, then smiled faintly.
“Don’t worry. I have my reasons.”
His gaze was fixed on the dessert plates that had been swept clean as if by a vacuum.
*
A mule. A hybrid of horse and donkey. An unattractive beast useless for military purposes, raised solely for its stamina. That was why mule-drawn carriages had the cheapest fares of any transport.
The mule that usually hauled hay or manure was now carrying the most unusual cargo it had ever borne, heading toward the Enfield estate.
“We’re here, miss.”
That cargo was Elaine. She had been lying atop a pile of hay. Now she grunted as she lifted the mountain of bundles and climbed down. The driver pointed at the mansion with his whip.
“Is this really the place?”
“Yes!”
“Pretty modest. Normally I’d charge extra for a destination in this neighborhood, but I’ll give you a discount since you’re such a pretty young lady.”
“Really? Thank you so much!”
Carrying the enormous pile of bundles, Elaine gave the shabby driver in the straw hat a perfectly upright bow. Then she trotted briskly toward the mansion.
Watching her retreating figure, the driver chuckled.
“Don’t see many polite young ladies like her these days. Her clothes were a bit strange, though.”
Finally arriving at the front door, Elaine threw open the shabby door—clearly patched many times—and shouted.
“Everyone! Your cute, beautiful, and wise big sister has returned!”
“Ah, sis, you’re back?”
“Wash your hands and come eat! I made potato soup, potato salad, and baked potatoes!”
Welcoming voices rang out in unison. Elaine’s younger sisters and brother were busily moving about inside the mansion. Elaine set the bundles down with a thud and puffed out her chest.
“You can forget about potatoes now! I’ve brought a feast!”
“Whoa, what is all this?”
“It’s tart, a dessert that rich nobles eat! And I even bought a whole turkey!”
The younger sisters gathered around Elaine’s bundles, eyes sparkling as they tasted the chocolate tarts and cinnamon pies, their faces filling with pure happiness. Watching them, the boy with the long rat-tail braid sighed from his desk.
“Sis, you can’t give the kids sweets before dinner.”
It was an incredibly humble scene for a noble household. That was only natural. The Enfield family had fallen into ruin after the sudden death of their parents. Elaine Enfield was the eldest daughter of that ruined house.