Chapter 104: Mastermind of the Assassination

“Quickly, a doctor! And inform Highness Leticia not to eat or drink anything here!”

The Zamasu head lady-in-waiting shouted, and an attendant maid ran towards the garden where Imperial Princess Leticia was. Watching the collapsed Imperial Princess Risha, my head fell into panic. Poison? Poison in the sports drink? That’s absurd. However, that sports drink was in a barrel filled with ice water, accessible to anyone. The possibility of contamination isn’t zero. But for what purpose!? Could it be the Traditionalist faction aiming to ruin the Autumn Cooling Party…!? …Wait, now isn’t the time for that! Must save Highness Risha! Right! With Estelle‘s [Holy Miracle]! Should be able to neutralize poison too… wait, Estelle isn’t here! Isn’t she taking too long in the restroom!? Antidote… should be in the castle infirmary but…! Whether it will make it in time… Ah! Remembered! The potion set Leon left at my place! I stuffed it in the four-dimensional pochette! I took out the antidote potion from the four-dimensional pochette hanging from my shoulder. Check the label. Alright, no mistake! I hurriedly tried to make Highness Risha drink the potion, but my hand was slapped by the Zamasu lady-in-waiting, causing me to drop the small bottle.

“Wh…!? ” “What are you trying to do! Making her drink poison again!” “Wrong! This is an antidote potion…!” “Unbelievable! Do not do unnecessary things!”

This stubborn woman! What to do. The more time passes, the lower the chance of survival! No choice, asking Kohaku-san here to deal with this head lady-in-waiting…!

“────[Gravity Change]” “Guh!?”

Suddenly, the head lady-in-waiting crawled on the ground and stopped moving. The female guard knight behind her too. As if crushed by weight… wait, this is…!

“Sakuraile, the antidote!” “Elliott!?”

Emerging from the hedge surrounding the gazebo were Elliott, Jean, and Leon—the three idiots, no, the three of them. Why come out from there!? No, more importantly, is it okay for a Prince of a country to do this!?

“Antidote quickly! It will be too late!” “O-Okay!”

I was panicking due to the sudden events, but yelled at by Leon, I picked up the dropped antidote and ran to Highness Risha. Opening the small bottle lid, forcibly pouring it into her mouth. Is she swallowing this? Is it okay?

“This antidote is absorbed immediately upon entering the body, reacts to mana in the body, and spreads throughout the body. Effect should appear immediately.”

Leon explains to the worried me. Does that mean antidote effect spreads to whole body from inside the mouth? Then okay… maybe?

“Judging from symptoms, it’s Bellthus poison. Good thing she drank a small amount. If she took a little more, might not have made it…”

Chilled by Leon‘s mutter. One step wrong and Highness Risha would have died? After a while, Highness Risha‘s breathing gradually became gentler. Complexion also looks a little better. Okay now… maybe? Haa… wondered what would happen for a moment…

“────What is the meaning of this?”

To the relieved me, such a chillingly cold voice flew from behind. Turning around, Fourth Imperial Princess Leticia clad in cold air all over her body was glaring with eyes like shooting us dead.

“Highness Leticia…! Umm, this is…!” “Highness Leticia! Kingdom people poisoned Highness Risha!”

The moment the head lady-in-waiting pinned to the ground by Elliott‘s ‘Gift’, [Gravity Change], shouted so, killing intent like even colder anger overflowed from Imperial Princess Leticia. Scary…!

“To poison my sister…! Was the Kingdom this foolish!”

With the explosion of emotions, surroundings of Imperial Princess Leticia begin to freeze. What is this!? Is this Highness Leticia’s ‘Gift’!? ‘Gifts’ should be sealed here except for Royal Family…! Saying it has power to break that!? Bad…! Surely she won’t attack, but anyway need her to calm down…! While I was thinking how to survive this crisis, suddenly Elliott stepped forward—su.

“Please wait! Certainly Highness Risha was poisoned, but we have already apprehended the culprit here! Therefore, this is not a Kingdom problem, but your country’s problem I believe!”

At Elliott‘s words, Imperial Princess Leticia‘s brow twitched—piku. Apprehended the culprit here, he said… Eh? When I looked at the head lady-in-waiting, her face turned pale blue.

“…Are you saying that head lady-in-waiting there poisoned Risha?” “If you doubt, why not check yourself. There should still be a small bottle of poison in her skirt pocket.”

Imperial Princess Leticia walked past Elliott—katsu katsu—and put her hand into the head lady-in-waiting’s skirt pocket. Eventually, the hand taken out held a small bottle of poisonous purple color. Eh, why does Elliott know such a thing!? Wondering, I noticed Jean holding opera glasses. You guys… were peeping, weren’t you?

“W-Wrong! This is…! This is a trap by Kingdom people! I do not know such a small bottle!”

Head lady-in-waiting appeals to Imperial Princess Leticia with a pale face.

“So this person claims?” “Impossible. After Highness Risha collapsed, no one was there to slip that into that head lady-in-waiting’s pocket. Assuming it was slipped in before that, is that head lady-in-waiting so stupid as not to notice such a small bottle in her own pocket forever?”

Tifa returns to Imperial Princess Leticia. Probably thought this testimony is better coming from non-Kingdom human. Grateful. But why did the head lady-in-waiting poison Imperial Princess Risha? Did she hate her that much? Poisoning her own country’s Imperial Princess is too much no matter what. Moreover in the middle of such an event. We were almost made culprits… Eh, could it be… Could it be THAT?

“────Brother Darkel, is it.”

At the freezing voice of Imperial Princess Leticia, the head lady-in-waiting flinched—biku—and looked down with a pale face. Oi hey, silence is taken as affirmation. If I recall, Darkel was the name of the Empire’s Second Imperial Prince. That guy is the mastermind.

“Originally I was against bringing Risha. Brother Darkel pushed it through forcibly because he wanted a just cause to declare war on the Kingdom triggered by Risha‘s death. Am I wrong?” “W-Wr-Wrong…! This is, this was my own decision…!” “Unsightly. I knew you were secretly exchanging something with Brother Darkel‘s subordinates. I thought you were just reporting the situation within the Kingdom and tacitly permitted it but… Never thought you were thinking of such a foolish thing.”

Glared at sharply—giro, the head lady-in-waiting gulped—hi, and started trembling—gata gata. Cold air is leaking from Imperial Princess Leticia‘s whole body again.

“Using one’s own sister’s life as a trigger for a selfish, stupid war…! If he has fallen that low, I will no longer remain silent. Brother Darkel is not fit to be the Emperor of our Empire. From now on, I will side with Brother Frost. I will absolutely not let a war happen…!”

Ooh…? Could it be Imperial Princess Leticia cares about Imperial Princess Risha quite a bit? Can’t tell at all from expression though. Frost was the First Imperial Prince if I recall. If neutral faction Imperial Princess Leticia turns to First Imperial Prince faction, won’t the Empire’s power balance tilt at once? We also absolutely refuse war, so First Imperial Prince faction gaining power is grateful but…

“Highness Leticia. Please take Highness Risha to the infirmary. Poison is removed, but Bellthus poison inflicts numerous physical and mental damages. Don’t know how much influence it has on Highness Risha. I think applying recovery/healing magic is better too.”

Leon steps in front of Imperial Princess Leticia and proposes so. Means just removing poison doesn’t allow optimism yet?

“…True. You guys, take Risha… !?”

The next moment Imperial Princess Leticia tried to have the attendant maids behind her carry Imperial Princess Risha, something like dimly glowing thorns appeared from her body and spread to cover the whole body. This is…

“[Phantom Garden]…!” “[Phantom Garden]?”

I inadvertently parrot-echoed the words Imperial Princess Leticia uttered.

“It is Risha‘s ‘Gift’ granted by the Dream God, Dorim-sama. When that child dreams, a part of it becomes illusion and appears in surroundings.”

That is… Quite a subtle ‘Gift’. Means dream contents are known to others? Not a very happy ‘Gift’… Well, if ‘a part’, detailed content probably unknown though… Imperial Princess Risha‘s whole body is wrapped as if protected by pale green glowing thorns. Does it mean she is dreaming of thorns coming out?

“Those thorns are strictly illusion. No problem carrying. Take Risha to the infirmary. Requesting guidance. Please apprehend the head lady-in-waiting and guard knight together. I will be present at the interrogation too.” “Guard knight too?” “That person is also sent by Brother Darkel.”

Oh my. Means surroundings of Imperial Princess Risha were solidified with Second Imperial Prince faction… No wonder Imperial Princess Risha is taken lightly. Their superiors are trying to cut her off after all. Our female knights who rushed in apprehend the head lady-in-waiting and Imperial Princess Risha‘s guard knight.

“Lady Sakuraile, please convey to everyone in the venue that the problem is resolved. Apologies for reaching such a situation. I apologize on behalf of the Empire.”

Imperial Princess Leticia performed a splendid curtsy and left the garden with the carried Imperial Princess Risha. Watching the leaving figures, guests start buzzing. Eh, wait a minute, I have to calm this down!? Lightly panicking on what to do with young ladies starting to make noise—zawa zawa. Umm, umm… wh-what to do…!

“[Ripple of Tranquility]”

Suddenly quiet wave sound echoed in my head, and panicked feelings calmly settle down. Huh? What was I panicking about…

“Everyone, please calm down. There was a little trouble, but the problem is resolved. Explanation will be notified later, so please continue to enjoy tea.”

Appearing with a clear voice echoing is the Empress. Was that just now the Empress’s ‘Gift’?

“Mother’s ‘Gift’, [Ripple of Tranquility]. Has effect to calm minds of surrounding people. Perfect ‘Gift’ for times like this.”

Elliott explained to me wondering. Certainly, young ladies buzzing until just now became quiet and started conversing again. Seems avoided panic including me. Mental interference type ‘Gift’, huh. Heard ‘Gifts’ acting on mind are rare but… Her Majesty the Empress bowed to the underage young ladies and turned her gaze to me.

“Then Sakuraile, I leave here to you continuously, okay?” “Ah, yes! Understood!” “And…”

Face smiling, but with obviously not smiling eyes, the Empress glares at the three boys standing behind me. Elliott and others stood at attention with a biku.

“You three there. Here is not a place boys should come, you know? Later, I will have you listen to a story veeery carefully, so be prepared, okay?” “Y-Yes, Mother…” “Crap, gonna be killed by Mom…!” “I was just dragged into this…”

All three are depressed with pale faces. Personally I was saved, but from Empress’s perspective, ‘That is that, this is this’, I guess. The three are taken away by guard knights attending Her Majesty the Empress as if being escorted. There was a figure of Estelle watching that with a dumbfounded face—pokan. Ah, finally returned.

“Eh, umm… wh-what on earth!?”

Watching leaving Empress and escorted Elliott and the three, I watched Estelle in petit panic with a wry smile. Estelle also needs Empress’s ‘Gift’, huh.