Chapter 19
It should be a virtue of a dragon playing the game of hiding their identity.
Woraticus didn't seem to be trying to hide at all.
Whether she's like this only in front of me or not is not my concern.
She just seems crazy.
I wonder if she knows that even the shape of her eyes changed halfway through?
"...Ugh."
Perhaps because I forcibly exerted strength and endured, now all the muscles in my body are cramping and twisting.
More than the pain, it's absurd that she tried to press down on me to the extent that I had to exert so much strength to resist.
It's common for people to feel intimidated or fearful when facing each other due to pressure, but making it difficult to even move one's body is very challenging.
Especially in cases like Woraticus, who doesn't have an appearance that stimulates fear.
It requires many factors like the target's mental strength, atmosphere, situation, etc., but she tried to constrict me just by looking, in a situation where there was nothing.
Even the maid standing apart collapsed.
"I managed to get through it well, but..."
She said she'd come back, so my response wasn't bad in the end.
Given the decent treatment and her apology at the end, it's right to think that Woraticus was somewhat satisfied.
Although this is just the beginning.
I close my eyes again, trying to think about how to respond to the next meeting, when.
"What's this?"
The border of the mini-map flashed red.
Checking it, I saw two gray dots and one red dot approaching where I was.
The red dot was slightly ahead, with the gray dots following behind.
"..."
I concentrate on my thoughts.
Seeing that the gray dots, which appear to be palace servants, pass by without changing speed even when encountering others, and rather, other gray dots stay still or move as if avoiding them.
Someone who doesn't walk alone, and for whom it's not strange to wander around the palace.
Someone with enough weight that palace servants need to avoid first.
Someone with enough power to visit a prisoner at will.
I could roughly guess their identity.
Considering that Woraticus came in with only one maid, I can take one step further.
"A high-ranking noble?"
My guess is that it's a high-ranking noble who holds some hostility towards me for some reason.
It could be a general who fought against me, but there's not enough time for those generals to arrive at the palace.
Even my group took 4 days driving the carriage as fast as possible and using Phlegethon for instant travel.
Even taking the day Andrei stormed into the tent as a baseline, it's 7 days, so it's difficult for them to be at the palace already at normal speed.
So if it's a noble…
The fact that they're walking with two servants can be interpreted as them thinking they have power not inferior to the Empress.
If those following behind are not their servants, they might be a person of interest who needs surveillance.
-Click.
From grabbing the doorknob as soon as they arrive.
When I was certain that it was a high-ranking noble who came without any hesitation, a small and slender man who looked about my age opened the guest room door and entered.
He had his hair neatly slicked back with pomade and was adorned with accessories studded with red jewels all over his body.
Even his pants were red, and his face was flushed red as if he was very angry.
"...Are you Viktor?"
"...?"
"Show some manners. I am Duke Theodore Oppenstadt, head of the imperial faction."
The tone trying to look important, the forcibly lowered voice, even raising his chin to look down forcibly.
He was a familiar type of noble I often met in the kingdom.
"Ah, you probably don't know. The nobles of the empire are divided into the imperial faction and the noble faction, and currently, the imperial faction I lead is playing the main role."
By the way, Theodore Oppenstadt.
It's not a completely unfamiliar name.
I think he was one of the dukes of the noble faction, and I remember him appearing in strange events occasionally.
Did he confess to the Empress or something?
Glancing at the maids who followed him in, they were wearing badges of the same shape as the maid who came in with Woraticus.
"It means I'm the one voicing opinions closest to Her Majesty."
Seeing that the maids influenced by the Empress don't react to his words, it seems he's not lying.
The fact that he says he's in the imperial faction, and even the head, suggests that my actions have affected him.
To think that such a person is the head of the imperial faction.
It seems to show how little interest Woraticus has in state affairs.
"Well, I came because Her Majesty mentioned you occasionally, but you don't seem like much."
I leisurely watched him in my seated position, whether he was talking to me or muttering to himself.
There's no reason for 'Viktor' to show respect to someone who just flaunts their title and position.
Moreover, since such a noble doesn't even have the capacity to personally wield a sword and charge, there's no need to fear them in private.
"I heard you were captured quietly. Perhaps, was coming to the empire your goal?"
...Did he figure it out?
"Well, it's not strange to be captivated by Her Majesty's charm."
It was just nonsense.
There's no way he could have figured it out.
I almost panicked, feeling guilty over a casual remark.
"Seeing that you're still here even though she visited in person, it seems you didn't meet Her Majesty's standards either."
"..."
"...Hey. Are you ignoring me now?"
He, who had been chattering at the entrance, approached me with wide strides that didn't match his short legs.
"To you, who will end up living in a corner, I! Am giving you an opportunity that won't come again."
Setting aside the unnecessarily sharp parts, I smelled the familiar scent of Andrei from Theodore, who was speaking with great excitement.
"Have you realized reality? You must have enjoyed fooling around with incompetent people in the kingdom. Unfortunately, the empire is crawling with people like you."
Both his delusion of speaking as if his imagination was truth, and his unnecessarily overflowing confidence.
"It seems Her Majesty was disappointed by your appearance, but if you swear to listen to me well from now on, I might be able to arrange a position for you."
Even crossing the line in the end.
...I apologized inwardly for calling Woraticus crazy.
One needs to be at least that level to deserve being called crazy.
Even if I'm a prisoner, to look down so much on someone who rose to the position of commander-in-chief in an enemy country.
"I can give you ample compensation. You can also ask for anything else you want."
Conveniently, the maids who came in together are the Empress's maids.
This means that the conversation we're having now is likely to reach the Empress's ears.
I don't know why he's acting like this towards me, but there's no reason not to use it.
When he leaned in, bringing his face close, I stood up from the chair.
"Theodore, was it?"
"...What."
It's not a wise choice to push through with just a rigid appearance, but I just treated the Empress like that a moment ago.
Now I need to maintain the same stance.
It's also not good to be polite even to enemies.
I slowly approached Theodore one step at a time as he backed away in surprise.
The maids seemed to have no intention of interfering, moving out of the way in advance.
"How dare a prisoner..."
He retreated bit by bit, and I kept approaching slowly.
"What are you doing! Stop him quickly!"
Theodore desperately called out to the maids, but they stood still watching as if they couldn't hear.
-Thud.
Since the guest room wasn't that spacious, his back soon hit the wall.
I approached until I was within arm's reach,
"Wh-what..."
"Because I'm a prisoner..."
As I placed my hand on his left shoulder, I bent slightly to meet his eyes.
As he will be my future competitor, I need to leave a strong impression in advance.
"Eek."
"...You're alive despite talking about betrayal."
Before I could apply force to my grip, Theodore quickly slipped away to the side.
"H-how dare you defy me! You'd better be prepared!"
As he hurriedly grabbed the doorknob and spoke predictable words,
"It would be better if we don't meet again."
"Ugh...!"
I added one more sentence.
He frantically opened the door and ran away.
The maids who had watched the entire process bowed their heads to me once and followed him.
-Thud.
After the door closed, I sat in the chair and waited for the next person to come.
It's normal for someone from the noble faction to try to approach me now that the head of the imperial faction has made a move.
***
A problem has arisen.
The sun is setting, but no one has come.
Theodore doesn't seem to be a particularly difficult person, but a variable is a variable.
Seeing that there's no movement at all from the noble faction even though Woraticus and Theodore have come and gone...
"The noble faction has become too weak."
It seems the noble faction is much weaker than I thought.
I knew the noble faction would be in a weak position since the Northern War failed, but…
My expectation was that the imperial faction, which doesn't move without the Empress, wouldn't be able to actively expand its power.
But seeing Theodore attempt such a clumsy persuasion.
Although it's close to a mishmash, it seems he's succeeded in gathering power under the name of the imperial faction.
It feels like the difficulty has increased.
It might be easier than the Rus Kingdom where nobles are tightly united holding power, but it seems I'll need to struggle to establish my position.
Since I'll have to compete with Theodore, who's probably firmly holding power now.
While pondering the future direction.
-Knock. Knock. Knock.
I heard a knocking sound.
Three times, in rhythm.
Could it be?
-Click.
"I said I'd come back."
I don't know how far she's trying to raise my standards for judging crazy people in my mind.
Before even a day had passed, Woraticus appeared again, bringing a maid with her.