A Trap of One's Own Making
I was standing in front of the mirror, choosing my outfit for the day, when an elderly maid asked me, "Um, Princess. Are you visiting the Queen's chambers again today?"
"Yes. Oh, my? How did you know?"
"Your face always lights up on the days you meet the Queen. I am so glad to see you getting along so well with your new stepmother."
So that is what my maids think. Carmel's maids, on the other hand, likely felt the exact opposite. After all, Carmel's temper must have been thoroughly ruined every single time I paid her a visit.
I smiled softly and replied, "Fufu, of course. You have no idea how delighted I am to have such a beautiful and wonderful stepmother."
And I truly meant it. Just thinking of Carmel made my heart swell, feeling as though it might burst like a ripe fruit. Surely, this could be called nothing less than love.
I selected a lovely dress that perfectly complemented Sera's angelic beauty. Then, I headed straight for Carmel's chambers.
Of course, it wasn't simply because I wanted to see her face. This time, there was something I absolutely had to confirm with her.
The elites of the Kakas tribe. Had they already crossed into the territory of the Rustie Kingdom?
"Your Majesty, Princess Sera has arrived."
"Let her in."
Carmel received me without any particular enthusiasm. For some reason, the furniture in her room seemed to have been replaced with much sturdier materials than before.
"What is it this time? The Princess's daily life seems rather leisurely, unlike that of the Queen."
Leisurely? Far from it. Between the various lessons required of the heir to the throne, maintaining my appearance, gauging public sentiment, and acting on behalf of the King for certain state affairs, my workload was reminiscent of my days at that exploitative black company. Of course, unlike back then, this suited my aptitudes and personal tastes, so it didn't feel deathly exhausting.
The only times I could visit Carmel like this were when our schedules happened to align. In a way, it was a highly special moment for both of us.
"If only you would behave yourself, Mother, I might have a bit more free time. Fuhut."
"Hmph. Tell me to behave all you want... but I am not doing anything in particular right now. As you already know, I have realized that obtaining a Grimoire is far more beneficial than holding hands with those foolish nobles."
Her attitude was utterly nonchalant. With a relaxed movement, Carmel picked up a grape from the fruit plate on the table and popped it into her mouth.
"Is that really true, Mother?"
"Yes."
"Then what about the barbarian band that the northern garrison captured recently?"
"Ha?"
Carmel raised her eyes, looking genuinely clueless.
"How should I know about such things? What does the northern defense have to do with me? There is a limit to your nitpicking."
"I heard the leader of the captured barbarians is a woman. Her name was Rika, was it not?"
The moment she heard that name, Carmel's expression shifted drastically. Her face filled with hostility and anxiety.
Rika. That was the name of the Kakas tribe's leader whom Carmel had summoned in the original novel. Even if the scale of their forces had been reduced, my guess was that Carmel's most trusted confidante would still be leading them.
To Carmel, Rika was not just a mere subordinate; she was practically a younger sister. It was only natural that she would be flustered by the sudden mention of her name.
However, Carmel quickly composed herself and spoke.
"So? What does the name of some barbarian leader have to do with me?"
She asked in a bored, languid tone, as if she had never been shaken in the first place. So she won't be easily rattled by this level of pressure anymore? Impressive. In that case, I will have to push harder.
"Fuhut, your eyes are trembling, Mother. Actually, capturing them was done under my direct orders. Do you remember? I told you before that I can read your mind. Thanks to that, we were able to capture them alive quite easily."
The look in Carmel's eyes changed. Her ignorant facade vanished, replaced by blatant hostility.
"...You..."
"Right now, they are merely waiting for my command. Whether they are executed immediately or allowed to keep their lives... their fate depends entirely on your attitude, Mother. You understand what I mean, don't you?"
A hostage situation without any actual hostages. It was an impromptu idea, but if things went well, I might be able to subject Carmel to another round of humiliation.
Carmel furrowed her brow and spat, "You expect me to endure humiliation again for the sake of a few barbarians' lives?"
I do love how quick-witted she is. Her hand resting on the table trembled, causing the fruit plate to rattle softly.
"Well, if you refuse, I will have no choice but to put them to death. I shall simply abide by whatever choice you make, Mother."
Anguish flickered in Carmel's eyes. Unconsciously, she wrapped one hand around her arm on the table, adopting a defensive posture. It was likely an instinctive reaction, anticipating the sexual torment to come.
But soon, Carmel lifted her head and questioned me.
"Where were they captured?"
"Hmm?"
"Answer me, Princess Sera. I am asking where you captured that band of barbarians. If everything you said is true, it shouldn't be difficult to answer, should it?"
Faced with Carmel's counterattack, a faint smile played on my lips as I replied, "Hmm... the Sigrul Plains?"
"Ha... I knew it. It was all a blatant lie. Did you really think I would fall for such childish trickery?"
What a pity. I thought she had fallen for my childish trick at least halfway.
However, I had already achieved my primary objective. The reaction Carmel showed was impossible unless Rika's forces had already entered Rustie. If I had claimed to capture people who didn't even exist yet, she would have simply scoffed.
They had already infiltrated the kingdom. Furthermore, they seemed to be keeping Carmel closely informed of their movements. That was why she reacted the way she did—because they had never set foot on the Sigrul Plains.
Believing she had completely seen through my bluff, Carmel wore a triumphant expression. It was a face that practically begged to be devoured.
"It seems you have run out of tricks, Princess Sera. Besides, if you could truly read my mind, answering a simple question like that would have been child's play. Fuhut, your true colors are finally showing, aren't they?"
"Hmm, indeed. And here I was, looking forward to seeing you naked again today, Mother."
"How vulgar...!"
Carmel grimaced at the explicit words. I offered her a bright smile and said, "Do not worry, I will make sure you aren't bored for long. I shall take my leave for today."
I stood up and stepped out of Carmel's chambers. The maids waiting outside the door looked visibly relieved that no storm had broken out today.
"What? A vacation?"
"Yes, Father."
Pehart frowned as he looked over the official document I had submitted. In truth, there was nothing wrong with taking a vacation. I had been performing my duties as princess so diligently that no one could possibly object to me taking some time to rest.
The issue Pehart was hesitant about was likely not the vacation itself, but my escort.
"An escort of only twelve for the Princess's journey? Is that not far too dangerous, Sera? Who knows what might happen..."
"What could possibly happen within our peaceful Rustie? Besides, the public won't even know that I am going on vacation. Dragging a massive escort along would make it difficult for me to truly rest, Your Majesty."
"Hmm, even so..."
Pehart stroked his beard, looking troubled. Just then, Carmel, who had been listening from the side, chimed in.
"I believe it is perfectly fine, Your Majesty. Surely Princess Sera has given this matter deep thought before bringing it up? The skills of the Royal Guard are exceptionally outstanding, so even with a small number, there will be no vulnerabilities."
"My Queen, even you... Hmm, very well. I shall grant my permission then. Sera, as the Queen said, make sure to select the finest of knights, those with ample martial prowess and experience, to form your escort. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Father."
Excellent. Everything was going according to plan. The reason Carmel had gone out of her way to support my request was, of course, not out of concern for my rest. To me, this was a deliberate opening; to Carmel, it was a massive opportunity.
A situation where the Princess was leaving the royal palace, traveling far away with only a minuscule escort. It was the perfect chance for her to use Rika's forces to assassinate me.
To catch those who had managed to slip past the tight net of the border garrison and infiltrate deep into the kingdom, I had to take some risks myself.
Of course, to avoid falling into my own trap, I needed to ensure my escort consisted of elite knights, each worth a hundred ordinary soldiers, just as the King had said. I wasn't particularly worried about that. The Royal Guards were all exceptionally capable, and besides...
Just then, a knock sounded from outside the door.
"Princess, Commander Filgret has arrived. What shall we do?"
"Oh? Ah, yes, let him in."
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Well, I hadn't even spoken his name aloud, but still. What could his business be?
Entering the room, Filgret dropped to one knee. He spoke in an incredibly solemn voice.
"Princess, please ensure that I, Filgret, am appointed to your escort for this upcoming vacation."
Of course, I had already intended to include Filgret in the escort by any means necessary. As the Commander, his skills were far superior to any of the other knights. However, I hadn't expected him to come and request it personally.
I couldn't help but ask him why.
"Why is that, Sir Filgret? You have a duty to protect the royal capital. Why do you wish to escort me on my vacation?"
Filgret's reply was somewhat out of the blue, and it was something even I had not anticipated in the slightest.
"Princess, I know who was behind the recent poisoning of His Majesty the King."