The Beloved Fiancee Is Likely to Be the Villain

The party resumes with the exit of Miss Ulysses and Lars, and proceeds smoothly thereafter, but I leave the hall first and return to the royal palace.

Although the “Otohoshi” fiasco at the Royal Academy is over, the real work begins here.

I have to secure the magical stone with the charm of enchantment and rescue the wizard and his sister who are being held captive by the Duke of Druids. I have hoped to do this quietly, if possible.

–I had thought so.

When I enter the audience chamber, I find the Duke of Druids already tied and rolled in front of the throne.

Next to him is Lars, also tied up.

Next to him, in a cage five square meters, is Miss Ulysses. Her legs are chained so that she could not move from the center of the cage.

The three of their faces are pale and body trembling, but deep in their eyes, the color of rebellion can be seen, as if they are still not satisfied with their situation.

“Oh, you are too late!”

“Father, this is …….”

“The magic stone is here. The wizard is also here.”

Without answering my question, my father points to Lord Domenic, who is standing nearby. In Lord Domenic’s hand is a wooden box with a special magic circle on it to prevent magic from leaking, and behind him stands a man and woman in robes with indescribable faces. Their faces are so similar that they certainly look like brother and sister.

They are too deft to make any sense of it.

I look at my father again, whose lips curl up in a smile behind his beard.

“I sent the men to see if you had succeeded.”(King)

“You weren’t joking?”(Vincent)

“I was not joking. I’ve already prepared a warrant for their arrest. It states that the evidence may be destroyed and that they must be captured as soon as possible.

It’s …… to surprise those who don’t know what’s going on.”(King)

A small group of elite men riding in on horse-drawn wagons could be seen. If anyone sees them, they would think they are royal messengers.

He gives me a thumbs up. I can’t say what his thumbs up means because he’s my father, but yeah, …….

“The interrogation is over. You’re right. But all they do is blame each other. ……”(King)

“I was played by Lars!　I’ll have him disinherited, please!”(Duke of Druids)

“What are you talking about, Father?　It was you who encouraged Count Norden to buy the magic stone!　You’re the one who made him steal the magic stone, and you’re the one who had the charm engraved on it!　If anything, it was you who played with me!”(Lars)

“I know nothing about it. ……!　I was deceived. Your Majesty the King, have mercy!”(Ulysses)

“They have been like this for a while now. All right, I’ll pass the judgment.”(King)

Father shakes his head in disgust at the three who are making a fuss and blaming each other.

“All three of you will be permanently imprisoned, even though no damage has been done to you, because you have created and retained a first-degree forbidden spell. You should be thankful that you have not been sentenced to death.”(King)

“Oh, no. ……!”(Lars, Ulysses, Duke of Druids)

“The Duke of Druids is demoted to the rank of count and the title of head of the family is given to his younger brother. Half of the territory and property will be confiscated by the state. You may, however, choose what you wish to keep, and the ancestral lands and treasures will remain the property of the Druids. You may …… understand, this is a judgment of considerable leniency…”(King)

“You’re joking……! I’m a count,……?”(Duke of Druids)

The Duke of Druids’ eyes widens in astonishment and both the son and father duo freeze in their tracks, unable to hear Father’s words. For them, it seems that falling from their position is far more important than the joy of protecting the land and treasures they have inherited from their ancestors.

As expected, Father raises his eyebrows and tapps the armrest of his throne in annoyance.

” Your brother is the heir to the count’s throne. You are to be stripped of your rank, of course.”(King)

“Stripped of my rank!?”(Duke of Druids)

“That’s impossible!　We are royalty by blood, descended from the previous king ……!”(Lars)

“Do you think we have any …… grievances?”(King)

Father glares at them with a sharp glare. The two who have been making a fuss instantly become quiet.

“Lars,” he said, “we’re more frustrated than you think, Lars!”(King)

Lars shudders when he is called by my father, the King. His eyes are swimming wildly, though he is stubbornly keeping his mouth shut in mute defiance.

Still staring at Lars, who is unable to meet his gaze, Father says quietly, “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I can’t help it.”(King)

“I heard you bought a house.”(King)

“……!!!”(Lars)

“You were going to send Miss Elizabeth into exile from the academy and come for her when her engagement to the royal family was broken, weren’t you?”(King)

What?

Father’s eyes are fixed on them. A quiet anger rises in his emotionless eyes. It is the first time I have even seen the look of anger on his face, Because he was always playing the role of a good-natured old man.

It is the first time I have seen such an expression of fury in my father.

“You, Lars,” he said. “Did you intend to take Miss Elizabeth away from me and the Queen?”

Father, you’re showing your true feelings. Please tell that to me, your son.

The most important thing to remember is that the Queen is not the only one who has a problem with this. He(Lars) is a hateful man who tried to bring Elizabeth down, but when he is exposed this much, I feel sorry for him.

To such Lars, Father gives an icy smile.

“How would you like to live there with your father?　I hear that the house is already furnished for the two of you and servants have been selected. I see you’ve had some free time while you were on leave.”

…………”(King)

Lars’ mouth is flapping like a fish being launched ashore, but in the end he closes it without saying anything.

The Duke of Druids is also in a stunned state.

Father, who has driven the two of them into a state of recalcitrance, next looks at Miss Ulysses.

“Your Majesty the King, please believe me. I only did what Master Lars told me to do. I was afraid of what would happen if I disobeyed him. ……”(Ulysses)

Miss Ulysses folds her hands in front of her chest with tears in her eyes with her eyes shining brightly. She still believes in her miraculous powers.

When Lars glares at her for her guilt-inducing comments, she quickly ignores him and looks at my father. She is a bold girl, even though she is in a cage.

“I see, so you fabricated all sorts of harassment of Miss Elizabeth because you were threatened by Lars and you had no choice?”(King)

“I am afraid so, Your Majesty.”(Ulysses)

“It is true that you were not accustomed to aristocratic society, and it must have been difficult for you to distinguish between lies and truth.”(King)

Father, who is clearly speaking on Miss Ulysess’s side, has a black aura about him. But Miss Ulysses is oblivious to this, and she pulls back her tears as the wind picks up.

Her eyes are already full of anticipation, despite the bad feeling that she has.

“In fact, there is a house that, knowing your sins, still wants to be close to you …… and accept you as an apprentice in manners.”(King)

“Really ……!”(Ulysses)

“The Marquise de Marshall has offered to take you on as an apprentice. Do you accept?”(King)

“The Marquess of Marshall!　Yes, Your Majesty!　Yes!”(Ulysses)

As soon as I heard it, “Ah, I knew it,” rang in my head. I hear a vigorous acceptance from Miss Ulysses, and my eyes widens.

Incidentally, Lord Domenic is also blowing up diagonally in front of me. The wizard siblings are looking everything bewilderment, as he(Lord Domenic) is choking in his spit.

Lord Domenic’s family name is Marshall. Since Lord Domenic, the head of the family, did not know about this, the owner of this proposal is…….

“I’m so glad you’re coming to me after all~”(Raphael)

“Oh, no!　Oh, it’s not that, Raphael-sama!”(Ulysses)

Raphael suddenly appears from behind Lord Domenic’s huge body.

Having been caught by surprise when she thought he was not there, Miss Ulysses, as usual, screams without any outward appearance.

Raphael makes a rolling sound of laughter, and then he quickly narrows his eyes and lifts the corners of his mouth.

“Yes, my name is Raphael de Marshall. I told you my name first.　That’s what happens when all you see is His Highness Vincent.”(Raphael)

“Oh, no. ……”(Ulysses)

“You wouldn’t lie to His Majesty, would you?”(Raphael)

The figure silently gazing into the air is looking at him like a broken doll. I’m not sure what you were doing to her, Raphael, really.

Lord Domenic, next to the cage, is holding his head in his hands, but this is probably not about accepting Miss Ulysses, but about his son’s change.

But he(Raphael) decides that he could not be a cat even in front of his father in order to have Miss Ulysses at his side.

Raphael, you are too serious.

“The Barons of Merryfield can’t afford to keep you,” Lord Domenic said. “They want you to be cut off and put in the dungeons of the royal palace.”

“A dungeon. The place is full of felons, rats, and slugs, but if you insist, I’ll have it set up especially for you.”(King)

“……!”

With Father’s assistance, Miss Ulysses falls.

Thus, the fate of each of the three souls is decided.

Raphael, who uses magic, carries the entire cage lightly and brings it back home, but the look in his eyes toward Miss Ulysses is completely that of a “cute pet”.