48 – Too Late for Apologies (3)
The situation passed like a storm,
Witnessing Gabrielle’s actions of sending the two devil hunters to prison in one fell swoop, I couldn’t help but feel deep confusion.
“Hey… Is it really okay like this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well… Even if you are playing the role of a queen, won’t there be problems in the future if you handle things this forcefully?”
“Are you worried… about that?”
“Of course I’m worried. What if something happens to the real queen later?”
If it was the real queen, that would be one thing, but I didn’t know if she, a mere substitute, could wield power so recklessly without causing any issues.
However,
“…There’s no need to worry. Nothing that could cause concern will happen. I can assure you of that.”
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Looking at me expressing my concerns, Gabrielle smiled a little happily for some reason and said.
With a deep-seated confidence that I couldn’t understand.
“Sigh. Fine. If you insist on talking about it like that, let’s move on for now.”
Honestly, I was a little curious about what had happened between them and Gellert.
Furthermore, I felt slightly sorry for causing them to be in a dangerous situation unintentionally.
However,
However, I never wished for the situation to become strange because of those guys.
Now that I have established myself and have a good career path, I can’t let everything be ruined by these people who are my former disciples, whom I don’t even know.
Although I have curiosity and a slight feeling of guilt, I think it’s best to keep my distance from those guys like this, so I decided to let Gabrielle handle this matter.
*
“Snap!”
-Clank!
Fiona and Charlotte suddenly found themselves trapped behind iron bars.
Due to the chaotic situation that had unfolded, they were feeling more bewildered than despair in this moment.
“Sigh… How did things end up like this…”
Charlotte sighed heavily, feeling remorseful.
She had prepared herself to be beaten to death by her master, as she had committed a sin.
But she couldn’t even imagine that things would turn out this unluckily, ending up in prison and disturbing the queen’s mood.
Thus, a heavy silence filled the prison for a while.
In this suffocating and seemingly hopeless situation,
Despair slowly started to creep into Charlotte’s heart.
“I finally managed to meet my master, but things have turned out like this…”
They were the ones who had invoked the anger of the queen, the ruler of this country.
Although they had fallen into a recent decline, the person they were facing had incomparable power compared to themselves as Devil Hunters.
It was nothing for that person to effortlessly erase their lives.
“Could it be that we… will really meet our end like this?”
Sharlotte, who tells stories with a sense of despair.
At that moment,
“No need to worry.”
“What?”
To Sharlotte’s surprise, Fiona’s voice sounded unexpectedly light, leaving her feeling bewildered.
Since Fiona was not in a good mental state to begin with, Sharlotte had thought that Fiona would have fallen into despair before her.
But at this moment, Fiona spoke to Sharlotte in a somewhat brighter voice.
“It’s true that we were disrespectful to the Queen when she is our superior and we didn’t mean to. However, separate from that, we are under the control of Count Ramot. It would be foolish for him to arbitrarily execute us.”
“But… But now, Count Ramot is openly defying the Queen, and because of that, we are in even greater danger…”
“No, that’s exactly why we can be safer.”
“What?”
“Remember what we did to meet our master? That thing we did to fulfill our contract with Ellie.”
“Yes, I know about that, but… what does that have to do with anything?”
“That’s what I mean…”
Not understanding the situation, Fiona began to explain in detail to Sharlotte.
About the things that will happen in the future and their roles there.
However,
Apart from these facts, Fiona was withholding one thing.
‘I still… can’t be certain. But if my guess is correct… then there is still hope for us, right?’
A memory lingering in Fiona’s mind.
It was… the face of her teacher, who showed a bitter emotion when looking at her, not at anyone else.
Like apologizing for something, while hiding one’s true intentions.
While pondering the meaning contained within…
At the same time, wondering if that’s what she is thinking.
She came to the conclusion that it is necessary to determine exactly what the relationship between Fiona, her teacher, and the queen is.
“If… if my teacher is being threatened by that king, I will never let it go, I will expose that queen’s true colors at once…”
*
“…”
“I request once again. Please forgive them, Your Majesty, and put aside your anger.”
Eli pleading in a serious voice.
In response, Gabriel maintained a heavy silence for a while.
The two demon hunters from the northern region who may become annoying interruptions later in relation to Geralt’s business.
Ideally, she wanted to get rid of them immediately, but Eli was strongly requesting leniency for them.
“If we eliminate them here, it may disrupt the plan that has finally come together. We must avoid that, even if it means alleviating the people’s suffering.”
“…Sigh. Understood… do as you wish.”
“I am deeply grateful, Your Majesty.”
In the end, Gabriel accepted Eli’s words with a deep sigh.
Apart from personal anxieties, looking at it objectively, it was the right answer to release them for now.
There were various reasons why it was lacking justification to deal with the high-ranking demon hunters from the north, who were not even part of the central command.
In such a situation, if she acted arbitrarily, there was a risk of the situation escalating and the northern side getting involved.
Above all, they were the ones who helped Ellie with her work.
For now, Gabriel had no choice but to put aside the thought of wanting to strangle the two until the situation was resolved as quietly as possible.
“We have come this far, so let’s make sure this job is a success. I cannot tolerate it if this goes on any longer than it already has.”
“Of course, Your Highness. Please trust in my loyalty.”
With those words, Ellie left the room as it was.
Immediately after, in front of Ellie’s eyes, there was the sight of the man who had been waiting for her in front of the door, having finished his work for the day.
Gerard’s figure came into view.
“Did it go well?”
“Yes, he eventually agreed.”
“Thank you. Honestly, they are probably insignificant at this point, but ending it like this doesn’t feel too satisfying.”
“I understand. No matter what, ending the relationship between the priests is not something that can be done easily.”
Ellie responded with a smile at Gerard’s words.
With that, the atmosphere she exuded became quite different from before, as she calmly and eerily spoke.
“Well then… let’s start moving in earnest too. The guys must have finished their preparations by now. Please handle it well.”
“I understand. I will make sure to do so.”
After nodding in response to Ellie’s words, Gerard disappeared from the spot.
Watching his figure,
Ellie smiled, the smile that was still on her lips, and immediately began to move towards the conference room.
The general assembly where numerous nobles gathered together.
The meeting, held to discuss the affairs of a country, was always chaotic and annoying, just like now.
“Our situation is reaching its limit due to the continuous appearance of demons.”
“That’s right. If we don’t raise taxes higher in this situation, we won’t be able to withstand it.”
“Raise taxes! Don’t they know that the lives of the people are already deteriorating! If they squeeze any further, who knows what will happen!”
“What can those lowly people do? Don’t worry, if we squeeze them enough, they will vomit everything out.”
The nobles were divided in their opinions regarding the urgent tax increase.
In the midst of them, the queen who should lead the situation just maintained her silence.
She had a lot to say.
As someone who had witnessed firsthand the lives of the suffering people just days ago, she already knew that a tax increase was madness.
However, she didn’t say a word in this situation.
Because she had someone who would lead the situation in her place, even better than herself.
That person was…
“I suppose it’s about time to put an end to this boring debate.”
“!”
“Hmm…”
A figure spoke in a cold voice.
The queen’s confidant, and practically the one leading the national affairs at this moment.
Ely Helleut.
With her words, the once noisy conference room immediately fell silent.