176. The princess’s reward (3)
After leaving the central imperial palace with Leah.
I broke down with her at her entrance.
“I have work to do, so I’ll go first.”
“Where are we going? “I’ll give you a ride if you want.”
Leah asked with sensual eyes.
However, I firmly shook my head.
“No. “The road is different, so it’s easier to go alone.”
I said, tapping the messenger bag on my shoulder.
“Okay, then go carefully. Veil.”
The first princess of the empire looked at me intently.
She was alone with her arms crossed.
“Why are they so busy?”
I left the princess and left the center of the capital.
And then, I entered the back alley of a quiet street.
Dark shade.
The sound of a cloak fluttering can be heard in a place where no one is around.
Hearing that sound, I quickly took out Count Timan’s elixir from my chest.
And then, I drank the remaining medicine to nullify magic.
Soon….
“You’re here.”
Like magic, a black knight appeared from the darkness.
A direct attendant who serves the crown prince.
“I’m sorry, I was called to the central imperial palace….”
I faced him with a pure smile.
However, the black knight with black hair and pitch-black armor looked cold.
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“Follow me, Your Majesty is waiting.”
“Yeah….”
Feeling embarrassed, I followed him through the dark alley.
And then, let’s go up the dark stairs….
“… !”
The back door of the small hotel was revealed.
When I entered there, a familiar hallway unfolded.
The same space as the hotel where the crown prince was treated privately a few days ago.
‘Could it be that there are several places like this throughout the empire? .’
I swallowed deeply.
Afterwards, I followed the door opened by the Black Knight and entered the guest room.
And, there….
「Baron Veil.」
Unlike when I first saw him, a colder prince was waiting for me.
“Meeting His Highness the Crown Prince.”
I put down the bag I was wearing on the floor.
Then, as I bowed my head politely, the Crown Prince pointed to the chair across from me.
「Please sit down.」
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The two people sat across from each other at the hotel table.
However, neither of the two opened their mouths.
In the room, the only sound is the sound of a clock ticking.
「Do you know why I called you?」
The crown prince asked in a cold voice.
Then, I took a deep breath and said.
“I’m not sure….”
The crown prince sighed deeply.
And then, he said while looking at the crystal ball placed on one side of the table.
「Did you know?」
“Nothing. What do you mean….”
As I looked around, Leon’s eyes became somewhat fierce.
Like a leader lion stalking its prey.
「High-purity mithril is weak to blunt weapons.」
“I had no idea….”
I bowed my head.
And, he answered with a trembling voice.
「What did you do with all the melted steel?」
“We released it into the market to prevent material monopolies…. As a superior in various parts of the capital….”
When the crown prince heard that, he snorted.
And then, he asked with an awkward smile.
「Did you know that all the steel you unlocked fell into the hands of the princesses?」
He asked in a voice filled with laughter.
But, I knew.
His eyes are not smiling at all.
He was deliberately pretending to be bright and looking at me.
“….”
Without even using a crystal ball to reveal lies.
“Yes, I knew that.”
As if responding to this, I spoke honestly.
Then, not only the crown prince but also the black knight standing around glared at me coldly.
“I went to the imperial palace for the first time today because of that incident.”
「To the imperial palace… ?」
Leon tilted his head when he saw me speaking honestly.
“Yes, after finding out that I had been distributing a large amount of steel into the market, I was briefly called in to determine the source.”
「So, what did you say?」
“He said he melted down the armor he bought from a local mercenary group and sold it.”
I told you one by one, mixing in lies moment by moment.
Then, the crown prince smiled and waved his hand.
「Why did you lie to the imperial family?」
“That’s right….”
I looked up at Leon.
And then, taking into account his ambition, he answered.
“I thought Your Highness would not like it.”
「….」
The crown prince was silent for a moment in response to my answer.
Then, I burst out laughing.
「Baron, I am a very suspicious person.」
Leon didn’t even pour the whiskey that was on the table.
He began to interrogate me in a cool-headed state.
「Although I chose Mithril myself, there were too many strange things in the process of purchasing it.」
He pointed his finger at my face.
「You couldn’t possibly have colluded with the princesses to induce me to buy Mithril at a high price, right?」
“Oh, no. Majesty! “How could a mere orphaned baron like me know about the princesses!”
Leon didn’t pay any attention to my answer.
On the contrary, the cold blue eyes only sparkle more.
「After melting the steel, you disappeared from the capital. “What on earth have you been doing all this time?”
“Well, that’s…” .”
As I hesitated, the Crown Prince pushed forward, almost biting his prey’s neck.
「Didn’t you meet the princesses and plot to embarrass me?」
The crystal ball sparkles.
He spoke with the help of the light of truth.
「Tell the truth, Baron. Otherwise….」
The Black Knight placed his hand on the scabbard.
The crown prince and his murderous spirit invaded the guest room.
「Because you won’t be able to survive here.」
“….”
I stared blankly at the blue crystal ball.
That smooth cross section was demanding the truth from me.
However, the effect of Count Timan’s elixir is running out.
If you block the magic just twice, the effect will disappear… !
「Then, let me ask you a question. Baron.”
The crystal ball shakes strongly.
With that vibration, the Baron asked.
「Did you know the problems with high-purity mithril?」
“….”
I swallowed deeply.
And, he answered quietly.
“I didn’t know….”
The blue light of the crystal ball fills the room.
Soon, with a loud wave, the lie was identified.
「Truth.」
‘I used it once…’ . Now there’s only one lie left….’
Even after hearing the satisfactory answer, the crown prince still widened his eyes.
And then, he asked the most fatal question.
「What did you plan to do with the princesses? Isn’t that also true?”
“Yes, absolutely not, Your Highness…” !”
I shouted at the top of my lungs.
Then, I heard the sound of the glass bottle of Timan, which I had kept in my arms, breaking.
Awesome—!!
「Okay… , then let me ask you the last question.”
The crown prince took a deep breath.
And then, he looked down at me with murderous eyes like a tyrant.
「Where were you and what were you doing while I was on the battlefield?」
“….”
I pursed my lips.
Now we don’t even have Count Timan’s elixir.
If you lie again here….
‘The crystal ball will immediately shout out lies… !’
When I hesitated, the crown prince’s eyebrows furrowed like a lion.
He shouted in a loud voice.
「Tell me now!!!」
The window of the room is shaking like crazy.
The financial secretary standing next to him also trembled, and the Black Knight also placed his hand on his sword sheath.
As if he would immediately pull out his sword if I told him a lie.
“Your Highness, I….”
As if responding to this, he finally opened his mouth.
And, I answered.
More honestly than anyone else.
“While Your Majesty was on the battlefield, you stayed in my territory.”
「Truth.」
The crystal ball shouted the truth.
Then, the crown prince asked again and again.
「What did you do there?」
“Yes, of course…” .”
I placed my hand on the bag I had prepared in advance.
“I predicted His Majesty the Crown Prince’s victory the entire time I was in the territory.”
I opened the bag cover.
And…
“So, I was making ‘celebratory liquor’ to celebrate the victory.”
A transparent glass bottle is revealed.
I placed the bottle proudly on the prince’s table.
“With our farm’s specialty, ‘watermelon’.”
With eyes wide open like a fox.
「….」
Congratulations.
Watermelon.
The moment I hear those two insignificant words.
The crown prince looked dumbfounded.
The powerful mana that was released just a moment ago.
Anger at losing trust from his father.
It disappeared in the insignificant red liquor in front of me.
「Ha….」
I just burst out laughing.
“My hobby is making fruit wine these days…. I have a lot of expensive alcohol at home because someone gave it to me as a gift….”
I smiled like a simple country boy.
Then, the crystal ball that was watching the scene reacted without notice.
「Truth.」
When the crown prince saw that all my answers were true, he was silent for a moment.
I was speechless as I was clearly suspecting that I was the culprit.
「….」
Thanks to this, his room became insanely quiet.
「Ha, hahahaha…. Yes, that’s right….」
Leon let out a short sigh.
Then, the financial secretary who was watching from the side cautiously asked.
“Your Highness, I wonder if there may be a problem with the crystal ball…” .”
It seems he was also suspicious of me.
「Is there a flaw in my mother’s tools now?」
“Well, it can’t be! Just in case… !”
In response to the prince’s cold question, the financial secretary kept her mouth shut.
「There is no error in my mother’s magic. “Because it’s the essence of Echina magic.”
Leon has strong faith in Rosanna.
Thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice that I had a medicine that nullifies magic.
But still, I can’t believe I’m under this much pressure.
He is indeed the son of Rosanna and the Emperor.
「I had a lot of doubts, Baron.」
“Oh, no. I think I have done something that should be sufficiently suspicious….”
I answered in a slurred voice.
Then, the crown prince chuckled.
「I overestimated you. “You are just a businessman and not the princess’s henchman.”
“I don’t have the courage or courage to do that. I just want a quick retirement and rest….”
Leon clicked his tongue.
Then, he ordered the Black Knight to take his hand off the fear.
「Yes, you are that kind of person. “Please forgive me for having any unnecessary doubts.”
The crown prince approached me slowly.
And then, I gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder.
「Forget about today and go back to the territory. “Because I can’t afford to drink your alcohol right now.”
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
I carefully got up.
And then, following the Black Knight, he quietly headed out of the room.
「I will continue to do business like that from now on.」
The crown prince didn’t even look at me anymore.
He was lost in thought alone, probably because he thought he was a resourceful businessman.
It seems that he didn’t like the idea of drinking watermelon wine to win his favor while he was struggling on the battlefield.
“….”
The room door was closed.
Thanks to you, I was able to escape safely from his powerful killing power.
“Whoa…” .”
I raised the corners of my mouth.
Then, he leisurely walked down the hallway with watermelon wine in both hands.
“This is the Crown Prince’s order to take you outside. “Follow me.”
The black knight who brought me here led me outside.
I asked him gently.
“Um, knight?”
“What is it?”
As soon as I was out of sight of the crown prince, he looked down at me with an even colder gaze.
However, I did not give in to this.
“I should have given this to the crown prince….”
In fact, he acted more naively.
Like an innocent person in the world.
“….”
A moment of patheticness passed through the black knight’s expressionless eyes.
Afterwards, he took a deep breath and answered.
“They say there is no need for it.”
“Oh my, I soaked it so hard….”
The Black Knight indifferently took the lead and opened his back door.,
And then, they kicked me out into the crowded city.
“Go.”
I quietly lowered my head.
After that, we mingled among the crowd as if nothing had happened.
The corners of my mouth naturally rise.
I tried my best to hide my expression in order to hide that appearance.
He will definitely lose.
Weaknesses of high-purity mithril.
Because I knew everything.
What is there for the crown prince to do after returning from work?
I guess they are just doubting me.
He was going to research everything he could do during his hard time, so he had no choice but to stay in the watermelon field.
“Thanks to you, I survived.”
I opened the cork of the watermelon wine that saved my life.
Then, a refreshing sound and a deep fruity scent came out.
True―――!
I put sweet alcohol in my mouth.
And then, after taking a gulp, he fired a chuimsae.
“Keuuu-.”
I feel like I’m getting drunk these days.
「――――――」
The moment when the watermelon liquor is coolly opened.
Clear champagne caps were also opened at the table where the princesses were gathered.
―――.
Pungent golden liquid fills the wine glass.
The princesses each raised their glasses and celebrated the success of the operation.
“How did each of you receive recognition for your military prowess?”
“Now it’s like I’ve finally been recognized for being on the same level as Leon.”
When Leah opened her mouth, Irina responded happily.
Lydia also helped in a charming voice.
“I guess Leon will be a little upset that the principle of primogeniture succession has been broken?”
For the first time in their lives, the women looked at each other and smiled.
With the help of a man who planned this operation.
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Thanks to his touch, their relationship with each other began to improve.
“Now, if we just solidify our power, the power gap with Leon will be evenly maintained.”
Irina, with beautiful silver hair, answered.
Her confidence rose to the limit, and her eyes now overflowed with courage rather than misfortune.
“Well, do you have any ideas?”
“No, we should consider it slowly.”
Irina answered Leah’s question by raising a glass of wine.
“It looks like it’s not there yet. I have it?”
The Empire’s eldest daughter narrowed her eyes as she looked at her younger siblings.
Then, the two younger siblings looked at Leah and tilted their heads.
“What is it…” ?”
The first princess opened her moist lips in response to their question.
And then, she said with a wide smile.
“It’s marriage.”
Marriage.
The princesses’ eyes widened when those words came out of her mouth, having eliminated all thoughts of marriage during her 24th birthday.
“Fuha… !”
Irina squirted the wine glass that was in her mouth.
Lydia swallowed her saliva deeply.
“Ho, I’m talking about getting married…” ? You?”
“So…. “I thought you were a person without emotions?”
Leah smiled at the enthusiastic response.
And….
“It’s just that there has never been a man she likes.”
She answered with feminine eyes that she had never shown before.
“You are still young, but I need to think about it more seriously.”
Leah looked at her two younger siblings as if they were still young girls.
Then, the two princesses instinctively felt it.
Who is the man that this cold eldest daughter likes?
“What do you mean, I’m 21 years old too? “You’re at the prime age to get married!”
Irina placed her hand on her own chest.
And then, jumping up from her chair, she huffed.
“What is the order of marriage?”
Leah looked at Irina, whose dress was soaked with her wine.
Then, she asked leisurely.
“Yes, there is nothing else. But, wouldn’t the person who gets it first become the true partner?”
A true companion.
Irina’s emerald eyes trembled at those words.
“Do you think I’ll let you take the veil first?”
Because I knew that man before anyone else.
“Oh my, I haven’t even told you who it is yet, but the veil comes out right away?”
Leah chuckled.
With sharp and wild eyes like a lioness.