Prison Freedom - 1
The Crown Prince must have felt sorry for the long journey I had to make, because he even sent a teleportation mage—a thorough gesture if ever there was one. To show even this sort of minor consideration to a subordinate… he truly possessed the makings of a sage king.
More accurately, he was just making sure the son of a traitor who had caused a massive incident didn't run off somewhere strange by picking him up immediately.
Not that I had anywhere to go in the first place.
In a situation where I'd been summoned over an assault on royalty, straying off the path would get a bounty slapped on my head and a wanted notice issued on the spot. I was a little curious, though—how much would the reward be if I beat up a royal and fled? Starting today, would I become a rising star?
Of course, I had no desire to become anything of the sort. I just wanted to live as an unemployed freeloader in my small, precious home.
I'm going insane.
But the moment the Crown Prince's palace came into view, what floated into my mind wasn't the life of a freeloader—it was the image of me serving time. This incident probably wouldn't land me in actual prison, but confinement and imprisonment were the same thing: being locked up either way.
"His Highness the Crown Prince is waiting."
I swallowed a sigh and approached. The knight guarding the Crown Prince's palace opened the way at once.
Honestly, I'd been half-hoping for a situation like, "We cannot receive visitors without an appointment!" Naturally, the Crown Prince had already given word, so I got a free pass.
With every step I took, the servants and escorts I passed bowed their heads, and the sight left me thoroughly dejected. Before long I'd be bowing my head just like them.
No—maybe not just bowing. Maybe I'd be grinding it into the floor.
"Audit Department Chief."
"You've been working hard."
When I arrived at the Crown Prince's office, the escort knight greeted me with a salute. It had been a while, so I was glad to see him—but the reason we were meeting was not so pleasant.
—Knock knock
"Your Highness. The Audit Department Chief has arrived."
"Send him in."
The escort knight's report. The Crown Prince's brief reply.
"You may enter."
"…Right."
Ah, I really don't want to go in.
Not long after I told him to come in, the door opened. I shifted my gaze from the documents I'd been reviewing to the doorway and watched the Audit Department Chief enter with careful steps.
So he knows what he did wrong.
Ordinarily, the Audit Department Chief wore an expression as if he'd bitten into a bug and radiated pure annoyance with his entire body. For that same man to be reading the room this carefully meant he understood just how disadvantageous his position was.
Of course he should know. If he didn't, he wouldn't even be human—he'd be some beast with both the courage and the intelligence of an animal.
"Well now. The supreme loyal subject has arrived."
"Your words are too gracious."
"Did I not share this unique piece of news out of concern for how weary you must be from your work? Is there another loyal subject like this in all the world?"
At that, the Audit Department Chief quickly lowered his head. What he'd really meant was: I'm drowning in work and you dump this kind of news on me? You're a real bastard.
Yes, it certainly was the sort of news that injected some life into a work-ridden daily grind. When I heard the Ministry of Education's report, I was so dumbfounded I seriously wondered for a moment whether fatigue had destroyed my hearing.
How bad was it? I even found myself thinking that a man who'd once killed a member of the Imperial family must have been exercising restraint by merely assaulting a royal.
It still makes my head spin.
Recalling the emotions I'd felt then made me want to needle him further, but the Audit Department Chief in front of me was already in a state that needed no more prodding. Prod a man already muttering "I am a sinner" and all you'll get is a rampage.
If the situation had turned ugly, it might have been different—but fortunately this matter had been resolved without incident. In that case, there was no need for me to blow up.
Of course, if I admitted there was no problem at all, the Audit Department Chief would recover his boldness, so I maintained an irritated demeanor.
"Sit. This is not a conversation for standing."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Watching the Audit Department Chief take his seat so quickly, a strange anger welled up in my chest. If he were only half this obedient in ordinary times, how much better would things be?
But I held it in. I was the one who had put him in that seat knowing full well he was not the obedient type. Getting angry over the Audit Department Chief's personality at this point would be strange.
"I heard about yesterday's incident."
Besides, even without losing my temper I already held an overwhelming advantage.
"When energetic students of that age gather, regrettable accidents do occasionally happen. It was the same when I attended the Academy—nothing has changed."
Of course, this accident was not simply the result of overflowing energy. How on earth did events have to unfold to end up like that?
A sudden vacancy right before the match, the Audit Department Chief filling that gap, and a royal just happening to be participating in that same match. When coincidences piled up this thickly, one started to wonder if they weren't fate.
"Fortunately, it seems it ended as a simple injury."
Truly fortunately, Armaine had not made an issue of the matter. The prince's participation had been his own will, and getting injured during a match was nothing unusual.
A student enrolled at the Academy and a competitor in a match getting hurt during Academy schedule—it was unavoidable. If they protested because a prince who had volunteered had been hurt, it would look even stranger.
If they protested, the public reaction would be that it was a regrettable injury and the culprit should be punished. But behind closed doors people would certainly say things like, "It happened because his own skill was lacking." From Armaine's perspective, not touching the matter was the profitable choice.
"Is the prince all right?"
"Yes. He has fully recovered."
I nodded at that. From the way he affirmed it so firmly, the prince truly must have been fine.
I had already heard through the Ministry of Education that the prince had recovered, but listening to the perpetrator's opinion as well made things more certain, didn't it?
No need to worry about it, then.
Publicizing this affair would only damage Armaine's and the prince's dignity, and the injury that had been the problem had healed completely. The prince himself had even stated that the incident was nothing more than an accident that occurred during a match.
Thanks to that, a massive royal-assault case had erupted—yet we could quietly wrap it up. We'd been lucky. Or rather, if we'd truly been lucky, this sort of thing never would have happened in the first place.
And now that the matter was over, it was time for the follow-up measures.
"Audit Department Chief."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"You were not careful enough."
The Audit Department Chief's gaze dropped to the floor once more.
"Perhaps Enen was watching over us—it did not grow into a larger problem."
Whether by true heavenly luck or something else, the Armaine forces present at the Academy had ended the situation before the Empire even needed to do anything.
Of course, if I left it at that, the Audit Department Chief would think I was deeply displeased by this affair.
"Even so, considering a royal's dignity, should we not show something as well?"
In truth, there was no particular need to show anything. From Armaine's perspective—wanting to pretend the whole thing never happened—if the Empire said something like "We're sorry, please accept this," they would throw a fit instead. The more the Empire moved, the more the fact that Armaine's prince had been beaten would be illuminated.
Of course, if I left it at that, the Audit Department Chief would think I intended to show some sincerity toward Armaine.
"Remain in seclusion for a while."
"I shall obey."
The way the Audit Department Chief calmly bowed his head and answered was almost wondrous. Was this really the same man who, when told to write a single disciplinary report, would submit a mass of characters seething with rage?
"Considering the Audit Department Chief's labors, a week should be sufficient."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
At the words that the confinement period was one week, the Audit Department Chief's face brightened somewhat.
Even if it was a disciplinary measure, confinement meant stepping away from work and remaining only at home. A week free from duties was enough time to catch one's breath.
Any longer than a week and the aftermath would become worrying, so from the Audit Department Chief's perspective it might even feel like a reasonable vacation.
Not a chance.
As if I would grant ordinary confinement for someone else's benefit.
"Still, the role the Audit Department Chief performs at the Academy is considerable, is it not?"
Indeed. The Audit Department Chief held the important duty of watching over key figures from other nations at the Academy. I could not keep such a talent tied up in the Imperial Capital for a whole week.
"Serve your confinement in the Academy dormitory."
Confinement was carried out at the disciplined party's residence.
But was the Audit Department Chief's house not his workplace? How dare he try to clock out. Starting today, the Audit Department Chief's home was the Academy.
"Your High—"
I raised a hand and stopped the Audit Department Chief as he tried to object. He immediately closed his mouth and fell silent.
This. This was what I wanted. I wanted to see the Audit Department Chief quietly accept even an unreasonable result.
Did he think I had sent that brief summons and made a show of anger for no reason? I did it so the Audit Department Chief would meekly accept the discipline I handed down.
Not bad.
Of course, when I first heard about the massive royal-assault incident, I had nearly spat curses in earnest.
But as time passed and my heart settled, only laughter came out. The fact that the Audit Department Chief had participated in the inter-academy match was funny, and the way he had apparently tried to control his strength and failed was funny too.
Decisively, it had not become a diplomatic issue, so I could enjoy myself with peace of mind.
"Since the place of confinement is not your own residence, you will need to prepare. I shall show that much consideration. Confinement may begin tomorrow."
"…I am grateful for Your Highness's consideration."
For the first time in a long while, a sense of satisfaction filled my chest.
Fuck.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck…
That damned bastard.
Please live a long and healthy life and become an immortal with eleven long lives.
Hearing the Crown Prince's insane disciplinary measure nearly drove me insane myself. What kind of confinement was this? Who the hell serves confinement at their workplace?
Right here, apparently.
That would be me. Damn it.
Rest is out of the question.
As if I could rest while stuck at the Academy. I'd probably be fretting in the dormitory about whether something would go wrong, and if something really did happen, I'd try to clean it up somehow.
On top of that, I was officially under confinement, so I couldn't step forward myself. I'd have to find detours and handle things in complicated ways.
Damn it.
It was unfair. So unfair I thought I might lose my mind.
Working at the Academy wasn't unfair. I was just doing the work I already did—what was there to resent?
But receiving a confinement order and still not being able to rest was something to howl about in every direction. If the confinement stack was going to pile up anyway, I might as well have gotten some rest out of it.
And I can't even argue.
In this incident I was the clear culprit. The Crown Prince's eyes had probably spun, so if I misspoke here the problem that should have ended with confinement could grow larger.
My third confinement…
Behind the unfairness, a bleak emptiness rushed in. With this, my record stood at three confinements and nine disciplinary reports.
…One more to go.
One more disciplinary report and it would be immediate detention.
Not confinement level. I would have to enter a cold prison.
Honestly, I felt like I'd be going in before the year was out. I was screwed.
Ex-convict Audit Department Chief.
My chest tightened with petty dread. Was this right?