A Knight's Silence, A Queen's Despair
Splash! A harsh bucket of water was thrown over her.
Rika glared at me with wide, fierce eyes. Her body was bound in heavy chains. Her arms were pulled back and tied behind her head, and her ankles were secured so tightly she could barely lift them off the stone floor. To be able to maintain such defiance even in this state—her spirit was truly remarkable. Meeting her fierce gaze, I offered her an angelic smile.
"Good morning, Rika."
"Pah!"
Filgret swiftly extended his arm, blocking the spit Rika aimed directly at my face. Filgret had interrogated her almost all night, but she had reportedly refused to utter a single word.
"Do you really have no intention of telling us who gave you your orders? We've promised to spare your life if you simply reveal the mastermind."
"Hmph, there were no orders. I came here entirely of my own accord..."
"Then how did you obtain the information that I would be visiting that village?"
"I'm just exceptionally good at sniffing out the stench of a bitch."
In an instant, Filgret's hand shot out and gripped Rika's throat. I raised my hand to stay his hand.
"Sigh, being stubborn won't change anything. It seems you are just as loyal to the one who sent you as they are fond of you."
Rika glared at me and clamped her mouth shut. Perhaps she had realized that speaking carelessly in front of me was a dangerous game.
"As you must know, what you did is an atrocious crime. Attempting to harm the princess of this kingdom—the sole heir to the throne, no less. Even the most brutal execution wouldn't be enough to expiate your sins."
Rika glared at me in silence. Her gaze was incredibly intense. Though she didn't quite match Carmel's level, Rika was still an exceptional beauty. Her strong, toned body, pulled taut by the chains, possessed a strange allure. It was the kind of beauty that made me want to trace the definition of her muscles and discover the shape hidden beneath her clothes.
"Filgret. Please wait upstairs for a moment."
"Are you certain you will be safe, Your Highness?"
"Yes."
"Understood, Your Highness."
Filgret leveled a silent, warning glare at Rika before passing through the iron gate and heading upstairs. Only Rika and I remained in the dim, damp cell.
"It was Carmel who sent you, wasn't it?"
Rika's expression flinched. She's a much easier opponent compared to Carmel. I detected the sudden wave of agitation rippling beneath her tough exterior. Carmel likely hadn't shared the intricate details of our complicated relationship with Rika. There was no way Rika knew that I was unraveling Carmel's conspiracy specifically to use it as leverage against her. Right now, Rika didn't even seem to realize that she herself could become Carmel's fatal weakness.
I picked up a long, thin wooden rod resting alongside the torture instruments. It was the perfect size and flexibility to grip and swing. Its purpose, of course, was to serve as a switch. I placed the tip of the wooden rod under Rika's chin. She glared at me with the ferocity of a rabid dog. Slowly, I slid the tip downward.
"You're a bit rough around the edges... but your face and body are certainly enough to make any man drool. If you wore more feminine clothes and took proper care of yourself, you'd be quite popular in Rustie's high society."
"What are you talking about..."
"Ah, of course, there's no way such a sweet fate awaits a traitor like you. But if I set my mind to it, I could easily make you the princess of the prisoners."
The tip of the wooden rod lightly pressed against the fabric stretched tight over Rika's chest. Though humiliated by this treatment, she seemed unable to shake my words from her mind.
"Me... to the prisoners...?"
"Yes. After long years of confinement, those men must be absolutely starving for a woman. If you go in, they will welcome you with all their heart and soul. You'll soon find joy in it, I'm sure. After all, you won't receive such a passionate welcome at any high society party."
"Ugh... ah..."
Fear began to take root on Rika's face. I withdrew the rod, smiled brightly, and asked again.
"Rika, the one pulling your strings was Carmel, the Queen of this kingdom, wasn't it?"
Rika squeezed out her last ounce of strength to glare at me. Then, closing her eyes tightly in anguish before opening them again, she squeezed out a response.
"...I don't know... any such name...!"
"Is that so?"
Clatter! The wooden rod I carelessly dropped made a sharp, echoing sound against the stone floor. I turned around, my expression turning ice-cold.
"How impressive, Rika. Your loyalty is the real deal. Though it will lead to your own ruin."
Behind me, I heard the sound of violent struggling. The clashing of chains echoed through the cell, accompanied by Rika's anguished cry.
"Oh, welcome back! Yes, you returned earlier than I expected."
"I couldn't bring myself to rest when there are state affairs to worry about. Besides, the hot spring was so wonderful that my fatigue melted away in no time."
A three-day vacation. It was short, but it had been incredibly meaningful. After all, I had succeeded in capturing my target, Rika.
"Mmm, you look radiant indeed. Haha, I'd like to visit that hot spring myself sometime!"
Unlike Pehart, who was delighted by my quick return, Carmel's expression was grim. She looked as though she were sitting on pins and needles. Of course, that was only natural. Since reports from Rika had ceased and I had returned completely unscathed, Carmel knew better than anyone what that implied. I purposely locked eyes with Carmel and said with a sweet smile.
"I have returned, Mother."
"U-Uh, yes... I see..."
Putting aside the failure of my assassination, she seemed desperately worried about Rika's safety. Carmel's restless, anxious state was something I wanted to bottle up and admire whenever I pleased. The moment I finished reporting my return to Pehart and stepped out, Carmel approached from behind and grabbed my arm.
"What is the matter, Mother?"
Of course, I knew exactly what was wrong. Looking at Carmel's desperate face, I had to struggle to keep my lips from curling into a smirk.
"Princess Sera... let's talk for a moment. Y-Yes! Tell me... in detail about what happened during your vacation. I really, really want to hear it...! Come, quickly, to my room...!"
Carmel looked utterly desperate. It was probably the first time I had seen her this frantic since the letter reading. Of course, I fully intended to talk to her as well. I smiled gently and accepted her invitation.
"Of course, Mother. I must tell you all about it. Shall we go?"
I naturally linked arms with Carmel. I walked while enjoying the sensation of our soft skin pressing together. Carmel walked beside me with an awkward smile, desperately suppressing her disgust.
Carmel's room. I subtly exchanged glances with Shinia, who was waiting inside. Shinia also seemed to have something to tell me. I would have to listen to her in secret later. After dismissing the servants, Carmel and I were left alone in the room. Looking at the anxious Carmel, I began to speak in a leisurely tone.
"First, I must tell you about the hot spring water. Honestly, I went there expecting quietness, so my expectations for the hot spring itself were low. But the water was much more wonderful than I imagined. Moreover, the scenery from the open-air bath..."
"Not that garbage!"
Anxious Carmel's patience did not last long. I smiled playfully and said to her.
"Then what are you referring to? Is there any reason why some grand incident should happen in a peaceful countryside village, Mother?"
Carmel bit her lip in frustration. I had not reported the incident where Rika attacked me to anyone. I had strictly ordered the knights to keep quiet. Of course, even they probably perceived it as nothing more than a random attack by unidentified barbarians on the princess. In the end, it was something Carmel shouldn't know about. Just knowing about it was as good as confessing her involvement. Well, her current attitude was practically doing just that anyway.
"I-I saw the state of the guards. It looked like there was a battle... S-Something happened, didn't it?"
"To think you would watch even the maintenance of mere knights with such interest. Truly, your consideration is as vast as the sea. Well, yes. There was indeed an incident. It was nothing major. Just a group of ignorant barbarians who didn't know their place attacking us."
I could clearly see Carmel's insides burning up. She couldn't even pretend to be relaxed like usual.
"S-So...? What happened? Did you capture the leader?"
"Yes."
At the word "captured," a brief flash of relief crossed Carmel's face. But soon, it turned extremely grim.
"How dare mere barbarians target the princess of Rustie... Fufufu, it is a terrible sin that cannot be paid for even with death. So, I handed down a punishment fitting for it. Since she happened to be a female, I threw her into the prison to live as a plaything for the prisoners for the rest of her life."
"What?"
Shock, anger, and grief passed through Carmel's face in turn. Carmel's wide, trembling eyes were a magnificent sight in themselves. Carmel's hand on the table was trembling uncontrollably. And then, a single drop of water fell onto it.
She was crying. Carmel was crying. That terrifying villainess who, in the original novel, seemed like she wouldn't bleed a single drop even if pricked with a needle!
It was only a single tear, but it was a heart-bursting thrill. I wanted to raise my hands and cheer right then and there. Controlling my intense emotions, I waited for Carmel's next words with a calm smile.
"I lost, Sera... Release Rika... Please..."