His added, meaningful words made me burst into a cough.
At that, the Princess’s eyes narrowed, as if she had finally found the tail of the snake.
“Indeed, it seems so.
Just look at how the Minster Family maintains its Count title, despite committing so many assassinations.”
I could hear the sound of the Princess’s hand tightening its grip on Landruin.
Once the ruin is averted, I’ll throw those things I call my father and biological older brother into an empty cell.
“Understood.
Then let’s move on for now.”
The Princess turned her gaze to Ange, who stood alone with her arms crossed.
As both had reached the peak of magic, their battle of wills was tremendous.
“Ange Lenoir.
What is your connection to this incident?” “I wonder.
I’ve been locked up in a solitary confinement cell, so I have no idea.”
“Impossible.
Someone of your level should have been able to sense an arch-monster moving nearby.” “How would that be possible when I’m wearing something like this on my neck?”
Ange pointed to the sealing artifact resting on her beautiful collarbones.
Indeed, while she was quietly wearing the necklace, she didn’t look as strong as when she peeked into my memories.
“Does that mean I can perform Confession Magic on you?”
Nevertheless, the Princess didn’t let it slide so easily.
In addition to her high magic skill, as a spearman, her sense for detecting auras was also outstanding.
She instantly realized that the sealing device wasn’t completely controlling the Saintess’s mana.
“Go ahead, if you’re confident.”
As expected, Ange didn’t back down either.
Behind her smiling red eyes, a massive shadow of death lurked.
“Now, now.
Please, both of you, calm down for a moment.”
Like a lithe snake, I slipped in between the two women.
Sandwiched between their immense mana, both my arms tingled.
“As you can see, I can’t feel any power to control arch-monsters from prisoner Ange, can I?
The sealing device is also intact.” “You could have released her for a moment.
If you’ve formed an alliance, that is.”
“Where would I get such power?
The prisoners here are terrifying.” “…”
At my world’s-most-wrongfully-accused expression, the Princess paused for a moment.
Right, a wizard of your class should be able to feel my sincere emotions!!
The Princess, who could deduce the emotions of those around her with her outstanding mana and senses.
Thanks to that, while she placed a finger on her chin and pondered for a moment…
“That’s right.
So stop bothering the Prison Warden.”
The unprecedented bundle of variables I had prayed would stay quiet opened her mouth.
Following the Great Elder, she spoke up to defend me.
“The Warden is a more outstanding ruler than you think.
Perhaps he’ll come to rule a place larger than this prison.” “What is that supposed to mean, Ange Lenoir?”
Words that were practically insubordination.
The Princess’s brow furrowed deeply.
“While you failed to properly govern this northern part, allowing heretics like the Holy See to run rampant, Warden Derek is developing this place day by day.” “At best, I’m just in charge of a small prison, Your Highness!!”
I pushed my face into the Princess’s line of sight as she glared at the Saintess.
With the gentlest smile in the world.
“It seems the prisoner is excited after seeing the sun for the first time in a while, so please forgive her generously.” “Is that so?”
The Princess tilted her head, leaning against her great spear.
This time, as if she’d found the snake’s body after its tail.
“This is strange, Prison Warden.”
Her hostility was clearly greater than when I first saw her.
The body from my scoundrel days screamed at me to run away right now.
“The Great Elder I know doesn’t protect someone so easily.
The same goes for that self-proclaimed Saintess.”
The Great Elder only ever protected the carefully vetted individuals he chose.
Ange, on the other hand, brainwashed humans she liked and treated them as slaves.
Even she was protecting someone for the first time without brainwashing.
As all these puzzle pieces fit together, the man with the gloomy eyes came into Camellia’s view.
“All signs are pointing to you as the culprit.”
Camellia placed a hand on her hip and looked up at me coldly.
“It seems I am fulfilling my duties as Prison Warden well.
To the point where the prisoners trust me this much.”
I looked back at the Great Elder and the Saintess, cursing at them with my eyes to please shut their mouths.
To which they responded with nonchalant expressions.
“Don’t worry too much.
It’s illegal to perform Confession Magic without clear evidence.” “That’s right.
The most she can do is try to scare you like this.”
Yes, that’s true, but.
Doesn’t it look like I’m gloating after committing the perfect crime?!!
“I see.
So that’s how you’re going to play this.”
Look at that expression in Camellia’s eyes.
She didn’t even have that look when she single-handedly crushed another country’s cavalry.
To her, I’m already a political enemy on the level of the Holy See’s Pope.
“I’ll be leaving for today.
As you said, there’s no ‘clear evidence’.”
The Princess drew up the spear, longer than she was tall, with one hand.
As far as I know, a normal man can’t even lift that with both hands.
“But you’d better be prepared for when we meet again.” “Of course.
I will continue to work diligently as the Prison Warden in the meantime.”
Still, at least she’s backing down obediently.
I have a lot of advice for her future, but she seems furious, so I’ll have to postpone it.
“It was an honor to see you today, Your Highness.”
I bent one knee, showing my respect.
As I did, the treasure sword at my waist touched the ground with a metallic sound.
Clank.
“Hm?”
The Princess’s gaze fell on the sword I wore.
Certainly high quality for something belonging to a Prison Warden of the borderlands.
Finding it strange, her lips soon parted slightly.
Because she knew who the original owner of that sword was…
She knew very well.
“Derek Minster.” “Yes…?”
The moment I tilted my head in confusion.
The Princess’s great spear, Landruin, was swiftly at my neck.
“It seems I’ve found evidence that you’re the culprit, don’t you think?”
The Princess’s golden hair began to stir faintly.
She looked down at me coldly with the haughty eyes of an empress.
“That sword.
It belonged to the lord of the neighboring city of Bern, did it not?”
My lips parted slightly.
Because the lord of Bern was the one the Saintess had brainwashed the people into killing.
“If you have no collusion with the prisoner, then why is the treasure sword the Saintess killed for and stole hanging at your waist?”
Blue mana flared from the tip of the Princess’s spear.
She, who was called the Empire’s Adjudicator, finally declared.
“Prison Warden of Berihill, Derek Minster.
I charge you with the crime of conspiring with a prisoner to murder two Holy Knights and the Head Guard.”
A giant magic circle formed, centered on where I had bent my knee.
“Today, you bastard will be subjected to a Confession Magic interrogation.”
This is crazy, really.
With an expression of resignation, I closed my eyes.