Three days have passed since my first night with Lord Yamato.
That night, I was welcomed along with my older sister, making it the best night ever.
However, the day after, just past noon, Lord Yamato confided a certain thought to me.
Honestly, I was surprised by what Lord Yamato told me, but my elder sister was likely the most surprised.
I’ve heard from everyone what happened that day.
So I understand why Lord Yamato and the others don’t think favorably of Lux, a High Human, and are instead wary of him.
However, my elder sister was temporarily associated with Trial Hearts, so her feelings must be very complicated.
“I don’t mind. I’m sorry to say this to Mana and Brother Rai, but I can’t trust him at all, and if he’s really thinking of doing something like that, I’ll have to stop him, even if it means killing him.”
Yes, just as Sister Prim said.
That High Hunter named Lux, incredibly, is trying to betray Trial Hearts and our country.
Furthermore, he received the Demon Crystals that produced many Anomalous Species in Feel, and even received a magic item to kidnap my elder sister…
It’s simply unforgivable.
“But didn’t you take away his Jade Silver weapon, and he doesn’t know the manufacturing method, right? It’s true that a High Hunter betraying the country is a problem, but still, compared to Amister’s fighting strength, it shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
“That’s true, but the fact that a High Class betrayed us is the problem. Moreover, if his plan succeeds even by chance, Trial Hearts will have no choice but to be punished, so Amister could lose as many as six High Classes at once.”
Yes, just as Marquis Frederica, no, Rika said.
If Lux betrays us, Trial Hearts cannot escape punishment.
Of course, it’s impossible for them to be enslaved, and as a country, it will likely be settled with a fine. However, the problem lies with the Hunter’s Guild.
The Hunter’s Guild has already lost face over the Feel issue, and if now, not only betraying the country but also kidnapping a princess of the Royal Family, Trial Hearts could face severe punishment from the Hunter’s Guild as well.
And not with fines, but in the worst-case scenario, they might be asked to pay with their lives.
“So, in the worst-case scenario, it means that all of Trial Hearts’ High Hunters could disappear.”
“Ah, that’s certainly a problem, isn’t it? But then, why don’t you keep an eye on Lux directly?”
Rudia’s question is understandable, but the issue is who and how.
The Order’s Guild cannot be mobilized.
Monitoring Trial Hearts, one of Amister’s top-tier raids, cannot be done without a substantial reason.
If the Order’s Guild were to be mobilized, we would have to clarify how Lord Yamato obtained the information, but engraving art of the exploration type is not something that should be easily spread. Therefore, even if Princess I or my elder sister requested it, they would likely not act.
Moreover, if Wing Crest were to move, it would definitely be detected, and since everyone except Lord Yamato and Sister Prim has not evolved, they could easily be eliminated and have their weapons, made of Lapis Laz—stronger than Jade Silver—stolen.
“So, you’re saying that you’ll ask hunters other than Trial Hearts to keep an eye on him? But you can’t even give a detailed explanation to the Hunter’s Master, so even if you get them to accept, it’s not guaranteed that you’ll get the result Lord Yamato wants, is it?”
“I’m aware of that. However, the ambassador from Retisencia has already made contact with Lux. If the ambassador notices the surveillance, wouldn’t there be a chance of him slipping up? That country has many people who act without thinking if they are at a disadvantage, and I’m counting on that.”
I see, so that’s how it is.
Indeed, that country, the Retysentia Empire, always believes itself to be superior and looks down on people from other countries.
However, if their position or circumstances worsen, they immediately stop trying to fix things.
Still, they don’t stop looking down on others, and they don’t stop believing in their own superiority without any basis, but their behavior clearly becomes suspicious, and their words and actions become incoherent.
Therefore, if the Retysentia ambassador notices that he is being monitored, he will likely act with a high probability.
Furthermore, the hunters from Retisencia who were in the Royal Capital have already been apprehended on suspicion of spying, so if the ambassador has anyone to rely on, it will only be Lux.
“You’ve thought of another troublesome thing. But, even without doing something like that, isn’t the Retysentia ambassador already being monitored by the Order’s Guild?”
Ah…
“Ah…”
Lord Yamato, and I as well, had not considered that possibility.
Yes, as Rika said.
It’s unthinkable to leave the Retysentia ambassador, who did so much in Feel, unmonitored.
The Order’s Guild must be monitoring him, and experienced individuals must have been dispatched.
“Is that so, Mana?”
“Yes. Because there was a possibility that they would come to rescue Princess Marianne through the ambassador, we’ve been monitoring him for several days before he was escorted here.”
As expected.
Float is several days away from Retisencia, so I didn’t think that was possible, but my father, elder brother, and elder sister were different.
“Does that mean that, perhaps, a report has already been made to His Majesty?”
“I can’t say it’s impossible. However, given the content, my elder brother might be keeping it to himself.”
That’s possible for my elder brother.
After all, it concerns Trial Hearts, with whom he is close, so it’s understandable if my elder brother decides to handle it himself without telling anyone.
“In that case, should we stop the request to the Hunter’s Guild…?”
“No, go ahead and make it. But let’s inform Tolman and have the Order that is monitoring cooperate as well.”
“…Is that okay?”
Lord Yamato seemed to consider stopping the request, but my elder sister seemed to have made up her mind and proposed involving Tolman.
Certainly, if the Order is monitoring, they will be suspicious if hunters arrive.
However, if they are informed beforehand, even if the hunters join in monitoring the ambassador, they will not be suspicious as long as their identities are clear, and they might even cooperate.
“Understood. Then, I’ll go to the Hunter’s Guild later. However, the request will remain anonymous.”
“That’s fine.”
And so, Lord Yamato went to the Hunter’s Guild and submitted a surveillance request for the Retysentia ambassador.
The Head Hunter’s Master was initially suspicious of the request for High Hunters other than Trial Hearts, but when I explained that I had been targeted by hunters from Retisencia, he seemed to accept the request, which was fortunate as I didn’t have to provide detailed explanations.
Of course, I did provide a thorough explanation later, and they understood.
Then, for three days, the High Hunters who received the request fulfilled their objective.
The hunters, under the guise of making mistakes, exposed their surveillance to a degree that wouldn’t arouse suspicion.
This was also included in the request’s content, and the Hunter’s Raid, no, Union Riot Flag, who accepted the designated request, was also outraged by Retisencia’s arrogance and gladly cooperated.
Although not everything was told, the reason for submitting a designated request to Riot Flag was also because they had hunters and healers from Feel.
As a result, today, Trial Hearts has been summoned to decide Lux’s punishment.
For this purpose, Tolman and Dianos, as well as the Head Hunter’s Master and Riot Flag, have been called.
Although, I apologize to Riot Flag, they have been asked to refrain for a while.
“Your Majesty, you summoned us on short notice, but is something wrong?”
Usually, when Trial Hearts visits the castle, they are often taken to my elder brother’s private room, but this time it is in the Audience Chamber.
It’s not the first time we’ve been in the Audience Chamber, but it’s certainly not a common occurrence, so Bout, the leader of Trial Hearts, also seems puzzled.
“Ah. Something has come up that I need to confirm urgently.”
“Urgently? That’s fine, but why is there such strict security?”
“…Bout, are you really not noticing?”
“Noticing what?”
He really doesn’t seem to notice.
No, he probably does notice, but he might not want to suspect his comrades.
He might also feel guilty about drawing his sword to stop Lux from speaking ill of Sister Maruca that day.
“No, it’s fine. What I need to confirm is about you, Lux.”
“…What is it?”
Lux flinched. He probably didn’t expect to be called by name here.
“There have been reports from the Order’s Guild and the Hunter’s Guild. Lux, you met with the Retysentia ambassador twice in the past few days, haven’t you? And in secret from Bout and the others.”
Lux and Trial Hearts are surprised, but in contrast, the High Classes, including the leader Bout, only lowered their heads.
After all, it was the five High Classes, including Bout, who worked tirelessly to clean up Lux’s mess. If Lux had been acting suspiciously, they would have been wary.
“So, Bout, you guys noticed.”
“…I apologize. However, we did not know that he was meeting with the Retysentia ambassador.”
According to the report, it was at a noble’s mansion, not the Retysentia embassy, so it can’t be helped.
No matter how outstanding the Order’s Guild or the Hunter’s Guild are, it’s difficult to penetrate into a mansion.
“Your desire to believe in your comrades is something I understand well. Honestly, I didn’t want to do this either. However, considering what Lux received from the Retysentia ambassador, it’s impossible to let him go unchecked.”
Riot Flag has never seen the Demon Crystal in person, but they know about the other item.
After all, it has been discovered several times in the Royal Capital.
“The item Lux received from the Retysentia ambassador?”
“That’s right. One is a Demon Crystal. It is a crystal created by Abaricia that can evolve monsters into Anomalous Species or Catastrophe Species by using it on them.”
Even Trial Hearts couldn’t help but change their expression at this explanation.
Retisencia used these Demon Crystals, brought from Abaricia, on monsters around Feel, creating numerous Anomalous Species and Catastrophe Species, then abandoned Amister and planned to rule it themselves.
“Th-that kind of thing…”
“Lux, you…!”
Not just Bout, but everyone’s eyes showed anger.
The damage caused by the Demon Crystals was not only the lives of all hunters from Feel, including G-rank Hunters, but also economic damage, such as a decrease in the supply of Magic Silver and Crystal Silver.
Fortunately, thanks to Lord Yamato and Sister Prim, the worst was averted before it happened, but if the two of them had not come to Feel, it would not have ended with just the abandonment of Feel, and the country could have been ruined.
Receiving such a thing is nothing less than betrayal.
“And the other is an item of subjugation. Considering how fixated you were on Mana, you probably intended to use it on Mana and forcibly abduct her, didn’t you?”
Yes, the other item Lux received from the Retysentia ambassador was an item of subjugation.
Moreover, it wasn’t an item for a betrothal contract, but one for forced subjugation, a type that Amister despises as creating illegal slaves.
Of course, simply possessing it is a serious crime.
At this point, Lux’s expression disappeared from his face.
The evidence is likely in Lux’s storage, but both the item of subjugation and the Demon Crystal are registered as prohibited items under the Divine Magic Regulating.
Therefore, they can be confirmed using Knight Magic Scanning.
The Order and Lord Yamato have already used scanning and confirmed the presence of the item of subjugation in Lux’s storage, so he cannot deny it.
“Bout, do you have anything to say?”
“…Just one thing. I don’t care what happens to me. But please, be lenient with the members of Raid.”
Bout bowed his head deeply.
Possessing prohibited items is already a problem, but further possessing Demon Crystals means Trial Hearts cannot escape punishment.
“I have no intention of doing that either. It would be unforgivable to lose friends over such a trivial matter.”
My elder brother would say that.
In fact, Trial Hearts has saved my life before.
That being said, it was during a hunt, not because they were attacked by assassins from another country.
Apparently, they were quite reckless when they first became hunters.
“Your Majesty…”
“However, Lux cannot be treated that way, can he?”
“…Yes.”
Bout and Trial Hearts nodded powerlessly.
“…Are you kidding me? All of you, just getting in my way!”
Suddenly, Lux became enraged.
He stood up abruptly and took out a Demon Crystal from his storage, astonishingly placing it against his chest.
What is he trying to do?!
“I didn’t think I’d have to use it here, but this is Amagi Castle’s Audience Chamber. In other words, the very center of Amister! If I kill Reinhardt and the others here, I’ll become a hero, and I’ll get Mana too! I won’t let anyone get in my way!”
The Demon Crystal glowed, and then it was absorbed into Lux’s body.
The moment it happened, immense mana emanated from Lux, and the normal hunters of Trial Hearts, who were nearby, lost consciousness from mere proximity.
What incredible mana…
