The Perfect Frame
"It fell off... Well, it can't be helped. At least you'll be a bit more comfortable now, Juliana."
"Ah, y-yes, Princess..."
Juliana wore a somewhat conflicted expression.
The remaining three tentacle patches were in areas that couldn't absorb moisture, meaning their activity would remain sluggish. Her pussy was finally free again. Now that her most sensitive spot had been liberated, enduring the remaining time would be much easier.
"You may put your clothes back on, Juliana. This item seems quite useful. Where did you acquire it?"
"F-from a magic merchant who occasionally visits from the Empire... He comes irregularly, and his wares change every time, so I don't know when I might get my hands on them again..."
"Hmm... Is that so?"
It was a rarer item than I thought. I felt a slight pang of regret for wasting four of them on Juliana. Well, it was a necessary step to verify its effects. I couldn't very well use a potentially dangerous item on Carmel without testing it first.
"I'll take the remaining tentacle patches. I'll pay you for them, of course. Is that alright?"
"Yes? Ah, yes, of course... You can just take them... No need to pay me..."
Juliana hurriedly gathered her discarded clothes and began putting them back on. However, she wasn't dressing properly; she seemed content to merely drape them over herself to cover her body, much like how she looked when I first entered the Chancellor's office.
"A-are you leaving now?"
"Yes, it's about time I head back. I only came to check on the development progress anyway... Could you bring the remaining tentacle patches down so I can take them?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Snap. With a flick of Juliana's fingers, the entrance leading back down to the workshop opened.
She had mentioned that the tentacle patches originally here were the entirety of her purchase from the magic merchant. Out of ten in total, four had been used on Juliana, leaving six.
On the table where the patches had been laid out, there was a card-holder-like case meant for storage. I slipped the remaining tentacle patches inside and tucked the case into my breast pocket.
Knowing I had tentacles resting inside my clothes gave me a strange sensation. I knew they would be fine as long as they didn't touch my bare skin, but... I would have to be careful to avoid any sudden impacts.
While I was packing the tentacle patches, Juliana stood before a table cluttered with her ongoing projects, wearing a strangely solemn expression.
"Juliana."
"...Yes? Ah, you're leaving, right? Let me escort you—"
"You're planning to do it the moment I leave, aren't you? Masturbate."
"Hic...?"
Juliana flinched violently. Did she really think I wouldn't notice? After a hesitant pause, she answered in a tiny voice.
"...Yes..."
"Even after coming like that... it still wasn't enough?"
Juliana squirmed with embarrassment as she whispered her reply.
"It didn't... reach deep inside... And... because of the tentacle patches still attached to me... the arousal... even now, it won't stop..."
I wasn't sure whether to call this incredible willpower or sheer stamina. Either way, it was impressive.
Masturbating while her nipples and anus were being stimulated by tentacle patches... Then again, for a pervert among perverts like Juliana, this was probably an opportunity too good to pass up.
Well, it was none of my business whether she came ten times or a hundred times a day. It wasn't as if she could ask her husband to touch her while wearing those things anyway.
"Don't push yourself too hard. Keep up the good work on the development side as well. I hope you have a wonderful time."
With those parting words, I climbed the stairs. The moment I stepped out of the Chancellor's office, I heard the heavy clack of the door locking behind me.
Upon returning to the royal palace, I hid the tentacle patches in my bookshelf. Tucked neatly between two heavy volumes, they were completely invisible.
I hadn't taken them simply because they seemed useful. Watching Juliana's pathetic, aroused state had given me a very clear idea of where to use them.
On Carmel, of course.
Rielia's heart was already leaning heavily toward me by now. At the very least, I could rest assured that she wouldn't go around spreading rumors that could be used against me.
Which meant I could frame Carmel for the curse placed on Moot without a single worry.
Without delay, I paid a visit to Carmel's chambers.
The moment I stepped inside, Carmel glared at me with a murderous intensity. It seemed she still hadn't forgotten what I had done to her during our last encounter.
"It has been a while, Mother. Have you been well?"
"...Shut up."
How prickly. Still, the fact that she let me into her room meant she was willing to listen to what I had to say.
"I must admit, even I was shocked this time. To think you would try to murder the First High Priest of the Goddess Church... You truly fear nothing, Mother."
"Wait, what on earth are you talking about?"
Her face fell into a look of genuine bewilderment. Of course it did—this was the first she was hearing of it.
"Hehe, there's no need to play innocent... You cursed him, didn't you? First High Priest Moot. A terrifying curse that robs him of his sight and leaves him utterly emaciated."
"I did no such thing! I heard he was ill, but... a curse? I know nothing about that!"
"Is there really any need to hide things between us, Mother? Hehe, who else in this palace could possibly employ the curses of the northern tribes besides you?"
Listening to me, Carmel scowled in disgust. Hearing the playful, amused tone in my voice seemed to trigger a sudden realization.
"...This is your doing, isn't it?"
"Pardon? Me?"
"If it wasn't me, it could only be you. You either hired a hexer or used a cursed object. I know you did."
She certainly had a capacity for learning. Or perhaps I should call it intuition. To grasp the truth so quickly based solely on my demeanor was impressive. Too bad for her, it was a completely useless truth.
"Why would I ever do such a thing? I gain absolutely nothing from Moot's death."
"Right. It could have been anyone. Your goal was simply to frame me, wasn't it? And then use that as leverage to force me into another... 'deal.' Am I wrong?"
"My, you truly are remarkable, Mother. An excellent deduction. But what shall we do? Moot already believes you are the culprit."
"...What?"
Thanks to the suggestions I had planted during my first visit and my passionate defense of Rielia last time, Moot wouldn't even dream of suspecting me. He was highly likely to believe my claim that Carmel was the culprit.
"I suppose you didn't realize I paid him a visit? I gave him a little hint. I told him that many cursed objects are hidden right here, in the Queen's chambers."
Carmel's face contorted. I absolutely loved this moment.
"You may know my true colors, Mother, but do you think anyone else in the kingdom would believe you? An angelically kind princess versus a queen harboring cursed items... Hehe, after all, even you couldn't think of anyone else besides yourself when I brought up the curse just now, could you?"
Bringing something as ominous as a curse into the royal palace was a crime in itself. If an official investigation into Moot's condition were to begin, the chances of Carmel being pinned as the culprit were extremely high.
"Sera... you..."
Carmel grit her teeth, her fists trembling violently. From her perspective, this was nothing but pure, unfair persecution.
"That is why you should have gotten rid of that cursed object sooner. As long as that weakness remains, I will strike at you again and again."
A cursed object was hidden in Carmel's room. The mere existence of Mystillia was already a massive risk. This incident would make Carmel realize that painful truth to her very bones. It would save me a lot of trouble if she disposed of it herself, though.
Carmel glared at me and spat out, "Don't make me laugh. Do you really think I'll dance to your tune just because of this? Besides, without that, I..."
Whatever she was about to say, she cut herself off, staring intently at my face. I could see the venom of Mystillia swirling thick in her eyes.
"Well, if that's how you feel, it can't be helped. There are plenty of other ways."
It didn't matter. I would exploit Mystillia as an easy weakness for as long as I could, and then use Rielia's power to dispel it. No matter which path I chose, there was no losing scenario for me.
Carmel, who had been glaring at me with sheer malice, slowly lowered her gaze. When she spoke again, her voice had lost its sharp edge.
"What do you want this time... Surely what you want is... t-that kind of thing anyway, isn't it?"
She was accepting the deal much more easily than I expected. Considering the defiance she had shown just moments ago, this was remarkably quick. The curse of Mystillia didn't erase learned memories. This was the result of her training—her conditioning—firmly taking root.
"No, I don't need a deal this time."
Carmel, who had clearly assumed I would demand her body again, looked taken aback.
"Huh? Th-then...?"
"Moot wants a sincere apology from you. He says if you do that, he's willing to bury the matter. For my proud mother to bow her head and beg forgiveness from an old man for something she didn't even do... What could possibly be more entertaining than that?"
"...What did you say?"
Carmel's eyes widened in shock before instantly filling with raging fury.
"Apologize? Me? Don't be ridiculous! Why on earth should I apologize? I didn't do anything! I did absolutely nothing!"
To an outsider, she would look like a shameless culprit throwing a tantrum when asked to apologize. But in reality, Carmel was entirely innocent.
"Indeed. However, the cursing of the First High Priest is not a matter that will easily blow over. If you do not apologize, Mother, Moot will make this incident public."
Of course, he wouldn't. Moot had already been healed by Rielia's power and had no intention of demanding an apology. The crucial point was that I knew this, but Carmel did not.
"Don't make me laugh! Stop joking around...!"
Carmel trembled from head to toe with sheer indignation. To me, it was a beautiful, heartwarming sight.
"I'm afraid that is your only way to survive, Mother. Apologize to Moot. Perhaps kneeling before him would do the trick? Old men tend to be soft-hearted, after all. Hehe, I truly can't wait to see it."
My words rubbed her raw, and Carmel glared at me with eyes that practically dripped with murderous intent.