Chapter 71
The Imperial Harem.
In the Fifth Consort's chambers, a brown-haired maid reported to Zandra and Zuzan.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes, there is no mistake. The way she was on guard was extraordinary."
"If you say so after being trained as an assassin from childhood, then it must be true."
Zuzan, seated in a chair, spoke to the maid. Her expression was full of trust.
Zandra, too, did not treat the maid with her usual condescension.
They knew that among the many maids, the one standing before them was in a league of her own.
"I thought innate magic that allowed one to see the future existed only in old texts... Mother, I want it."
"Indeed. She'll make an excellent test subject. Won't she, Shaomei?"
The maid called Shaomei kept her head lowered and answered in the affirmative.
Satisfied with the reply, Zuzan began to think.
No matter how badly they wanted her, their target was a princess. Taking direct action was far too dangerous. On top of that, she was the daughter of the Second Consort. If anything happened, Zuzan would be the first person suspected.
"Couldn't Shaomei bring her here?"
"Use your head. If we act so directly, the trail will lead straight to me. I'm already under suspicion even without doing anything. Being suspected isn't a problem, but if they trace it back to me, you'll be ruined as well."
"Even I would have trouble deceiving the child prodigy of House Amsberg... Still, I have a good plan."
"Oh? Let's hear it."
"Let's use the merchants favored by Zandra-sama. We'll have them carry out the kidnapping, just as usual."
"What are you talking about!? If they get caught, who will bring me children!?"
"Zandra. Be quiet."
Zuzan stopped the enraged Zandra and urged Shaomei to continue.
Accustomed to Zandra's anger, Shaomei was not frightened. She gave a single nod and began explaining her plan.
"Now that Prince Leonart has been dispatched to the south, it's only a matter of time before the kidnappings there are linked to those merchants."
"That doesn't necessarily mean anything! There's no way Uncle would expose himself to someone like Leonart!"
"So there is a risk?"
"Yes. That is why we should use them now. If they succeed, we'll have Princess Krista in hand. Even if they fail, only the merchants will be wiped out."
"What if the survivors reveal their connection to us?"
"Don't worry. Leave the cleanup to me."
With that, Shaomei gave a joyless smile.
It was so eerie that even Zuzan and Zandra felt a chill run through them.
Even so, neither Zuzan nor Zandra would part with Shaomei. She was overwhelmingly capable. Besides, like the other maids, Shaomei was also afflicted by a 〝curse〟.
A powerful assassin wearing a collar that could never be removed.
That was exactly the kind of person Zandra and Zuzan liked to have around.
And so the two of them accepted Shaomei's plan.
Zandra's heart leaped at the thought of an innate magic she had never seen before, while Zuzan imagined the daughter of the Second Consort she hated being turned into a test subject by Zandra. Both women wore smiles.
Thus, the plan was put into action.
■■■
"The Fifth Consort has invited you. She says she wishes to speak with Princess Krista and Lady Elna."
Hearing that from the maid who had come as a messenger, Elna frowned.
Even Elna had heard about the Second Consort and Zuzan.
Taking Krista, the Second Consort's daughter, to Zuzan was like bringing a small animal into a den of beasts. There was no telling what might be done to her.
However, within the Imperial Harem, a consort's authority was absolute. The higher a consort ranked, beginning with the Empress, the greater her authority. In particular, the Third through Fifth Consorts were engaged in power struggles within the harem alongside the battle for the throne. Their power was worlds apart from Mitsuba's, who had never involved herself in such conflicts at all.
"Lady Mitsuba isn't here, so we'll visit another day."
"I know that. That's why I'm inviting you."
If Mitsuba had been there, Elna might have been able to refuse. Unfortunately, Mitsuba had been summoned by the Emperor.
The Emperor had given Al and Leo assignments one after another, so he had also been considerate of Mitsuba.
Elna looked at Krista, who was hiding behind her.
Take her along, and it was hell. Leave her behind, and it was hell.
Refusing was not an option. If she did, there was no telling what might be done to Mitsuba under that pretext.
Even so, taking Krista to the woman who might have been her mother's killer was cruel beyond words.
Nevertheless, there was the matter of Krista's visions of the future. Leaving her side was far too dangerous as well.
"Tell the Fifth Consort that we need a little more time."
"Understood."
The maid said that and withdrew for the moment.
But it would only buy them time.
"Now, Your Highness, listen carefully."
"Elna... I don't want to go..."
"Of course. Please stay here, Your Highness. I will go alone."
"You're leaving, Elna...?"
"If I don't go, Mitsuba-sama will suffer. So you must not leave this room under any circumstances. Do you all understand?"
With that, Elna ordered the harem guards assigned to Mitsuba.
The harem guards were an all-female unit responsible for security within the Imperial Harem. Each consort had one squad assigned to her, and even a higher-ranking consort could not interfere with another consort's guards. They were practically the consorts' private soldiers.
The only exception was the Empress, who oversaw the harem. However, the current Empress did not act unless trouble broke out in public, making the guards even more like private soldiers.
"Yes, leave it to us."
"No matter what happens, do not let Her Highness leave the room. Even if she says she wants to go out."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Although Elna's assignment was temporary, she had taken sole responsibility for guarding Mitsuba and Krista, and was also in command of these guards.
But Elna was uneasy about being unable to use her own direct subordinates.
They were short-handed.
If she could bring Mark here, the situation would be different. But the Imperial Harem was a fortress of women. Men could not enter without permission.
"Now, Your Highness, promise me. Promise that you absolutely will not leave the room."
"I understand... I absolutely won't leave..."
"Thank you. Even if they use my name, you must not leave, all right?"
Saying that, Elna stroked Krista's hair and left the room.
The moment Elna was gone, Krista was seized by a sudden wave of anxiety.
So Krista climbed into bed, wrapped herself in the blankets, and hugged her favorite rabbit plushie.
But just as Krista sought a moment of peace, a report arrived that tore her heart apart.
"Y-Your Highness! Something terrible has happened! P-Prince Arnold!"
"Brother Al!? You're back!?"
Alarmed by the voice, Krista saw that the maid who had come to report was covered in blood. Since the maid seemed unharmed, it was obvious that the blood was not hers.
Something had happened.
That instinctive realization made Krista tremble.
"W-what happened...?"
"It seems he protected Duke Reinfeld after the duke was attacked by a monster... He is seriously wounded."
"No..."
"He was calling for Princess Krista, so I came to fetch her. Please hurry."
The maid's cold voice jolted Krista.
Krista tried to rush there immediately, but the guards stopped her.
"Please wait, Your Highness!"
"Let go! Brother Al is...!"
"Lady Elna ordered us not to let you leave the room, no matter what happened!"
"My brother is in danger! Please, let me go!"
"Mitsuba-sama is already there! Please hurry!"
The maid's added insistence drove Krista onward, and she broke free of the guards and ran.
Seeing no other choice, the guards followed after her.
The bloodied maid led Krista onward.
"Hey! How far are you taking her? This is where the merchants come and go!"
"He was brought into the castle through here to avoid a commotion! We can't move him, so we're treating him where he is!"
"Hurry!"
Krista ran faster than she ever had before.
She was so worried that even her favorite rabbit plushie got in the way of running, so she threw it aside along the way.
When Krista rounded a corner, she saw someone lying beside a carriage, covered in blood and receiving treatment.
"Brother!!"
With that cry, Krista rushed toward the fallen figure.
But when she got closer, she saw that it was someone else whose only matching feature was his black hair.
"He's not my brother...?"
"Yes. It's a trap."
With those words, a portly man who had been standing beside the fallen figure covered Krista's mouth with a handkerchief.
"Mmph!!?? Mmph..."
She tried to cry out, but she could not overcome the strength of an adult pressing the handkerchief firmly against her mouth.
The drug's scent, soaked into the handkerchief, sent Krista's consciousness into darkness.
At the same time, the sound of people collapsing rang out.
The three guards who had followed Krista collapsed, blood flowing from their necks.
"As impressive as ever, Gunter-dono."
"Skip the flattery and hurry up."
The man called Gunter was the middle-aged assassin who had once targeted Al.
Gunter normally used magic to assassinate his targets, but this time he had used an ordinary knife.
He had done so to keep anyone from realizing that he had taken part in the crime.
"Then we'll take custody of her."
"Yes. You understand, I assume."
"Of course. I won't lay a hand on her. Yes, of course."
Seeing the portly man leer at him with a vulgar smile, Gunter regarded him suspiciously.
Gunter knew that although this man was one of the capital's foremost merchants, he was secretly a slave trader who gathered slaves from across the land and sold them. He also knew the man was a pervert who liked children.
It was easy to guess that a girl around Krista's age would be his favorite kind of prey.
"This isn't a joke, you know? You understand that, right?"
"Y-yes, I understand."
The portly merchant faltered beneath Gunter's gaze.
He then had his men carry Krista away.
The unconscious Krista was placed in the cargo compartment of a specially modified carriage. Its floor had a double bottom, used when smuggling illegal cargo into the castle.
Although there was almost no inspection when leaving, they were taking a princess out of the castle. They could not be too careful.
The merchant felt no guilt. This was his first time abducting a princess, but kidnapping noble daughters and selling them into slavery was nothing unusual for him.
Of course, he was afraid. Their enemy was simply too powerful. But this request had come from none other than Zandra. If that was the case, the merchant thought, everything would be fine.
As long as he did not make a blunder, there would be no problem.
Watching the merchant climb into the carriage with a grin, Gunter had his men dispose of the guards' bodies and left the scene.
The carriage slowly began to move.
But a child was following it.
Rita.
Rita had Krista's rabbit plushie clutched in her hands. Somehow, she clung to the carriage's cargo compartment and climbed inside. Then she threw the plushie outside.
"Rita will save you... Kuu-chan."
Some time later, word that Krista had disappeared spread throughout the castle, and the strictest security measures in its history were put into place.
But by then, the carriage had left the castle long ago.].replace("castle long ago.].replace", "castle long ago.")],