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Posted on February 21, 2017 by xtostos

“Say, Leon. Aren’t there any hidden passages we can be using?”

Hidden passages, huh ..
Sure enough it looks like there would be some.
Hm, for example inside that fireplace over there.

” .. there are. There’s no choice since this is a state of emergency. Don’t tell anyone about this, Aren.”

“I know~ Now, hurry, hurry.”

And without delay Leon-sama started fidling with the fireplace.
Ah, I was spot on.
Having activated a button or something similar a klick could be heard and the inner wall of the fireplace opened.

“Fuu, it opened. This pathway connects to two locations. The first is the outside of the castle, the other is the audience hall. It ends in a place somewhat hidden by a curtain. For now let’s head to the audience hall and ascertain the situation.”

Thus the three of us headed towards the audience hall.
The order was Leon-sama in front, then Aren-sama and last me.
It’s not like I could be walking in front because I didn’t know the way.
I hoped that no pursuers would be following us into this place.
While staying alert about what lied behind us I had something I wanted to ask Aren-sama, so I tried asking.

“Aren-sama, I am sorry that it must be while walking but would it be alright to ask something?”

“Yes! If it’s a question from Ririina-sama I’ll answer anything! Now then, please do tell!”

It made him really delighted?
He was looking forward while walking so I didn’t see his face, but his voice was really bright.

“Ano, the Duke tried to make your elder sister Anjiu-sama into Leon-sama’s bride, didn’t he? In that case, why would he start a revolt with this timing? It’s only a guess but the Duke should be aware that my engagement has been broken off.”

“Hm, that stupid father is an idiot amongst idiot, but his official stance is pretty much that he is acting for the good of the country. The one who had taught me all what had happened to you from Leon’s side was him. And apparently, that is exactly the reason as well. In short, would be country be alright in the future with a prince like that? – that is.”

‘Ufu’
Leon-sama who was walking in front and had been listening in on our conversation almost toppled over for a moment.
Well, it was quite the harsh evaluation after all.

“Oi, Leon, are you alright? Eh? ‘It’s fine, let’s just go’ you say. Yes yes, I know. Anyway, where was I? Ah, right. The reason why is is starting a revolt right now. It’s probably because he realised that it would be difficult to make Anjiu into Leon’s bride. As expected, I don’t know any more details than that. Sorry. Still, the issue of the cancelling of the engagement I have reported to that idiot father. Since I was the one trying to implement it, after all.”

Fumufumu, in that case the Duke knew about the engagement matter.
That means the one who had hired those masked men that had appeared on my way back to the territory was ..

“Thank you very much for answering me.”

“No no, I would do any request from Ririina-sama. Don’t hold back to ask me anything, alright.”

There’s no need to guess but hasn’t he completely become attached to me?
I can kind of see an illusionary tail.
One that is shaking like immensely.

After walking for a while Leon-sama stopped.

“If we turn around at this corner we’ll be at the audience hall soon. First, I’ll go have a look so you wait here.”

Leon-sama is going to go alone?
Will that be alright?
Me and Aren-sama waited for Leon-sama’s return in silence.
A few minutes later he returned.
With a dispirited face.

“How was it, Leon?”

“Aah .. Father and Mother have been detained, it seems. It didn’t seem like they got injured but ..”

It looked like he had received a shock.
That’s not surprising though, no matter how much he might have trained for it, a real combat situation like this shouldn’t have occured to often for him, or rather, it should be the first time.
After he had almost been attacked by a monster in our territory in the past there hadn’t been any wars, monsters didn’t appear in the capital either, it has been very peaceful in fact.
Fighting scene’s didn’t suit Leon-sama.

“Leon-sama, did you find out out many of the revolt army were in the audience hall?”

“Let’s see .. from what I could see about 15 people. The Duke was there, as well.”

15, huh ..
That wouldn’t be a problem if they didn’t have hostages, though.
But it seems like the Duke doesn’t know about my power so they should be letting down their guard.
After that it depends on how Rachel-sama will act, I guess?

“Still, I wonder what the Duke is planning to do after this revolt completes?”

“Hm, I’m sure he’d make Anjiu Leon’s Queen and control them from the shadows or something. As for the King and Queen I think he wanted to put them under house arrest somewhere without killing them. He did say he didn’t want to let any blood flow.”

Ooi.
For someone who doesn’t like blood he was pretty casual about having me killed off, wasn’t he?
Even just before he had ordered them to kill me if I resisted.

“Fu~n, making me a puppet, huh.”

“But I wonder whether it will really work out that well. To be honest,  even though both me and Anjiu had been commoners until only recently, if he the country was peaceful enough not to be in danger of falling apart then it shouldn’t have been a problem despite Leon being an idiot.” ^[1]

Ah, he called him idiot right in front of the person in question.
That was bad, after all, and looking at Leon-sama thinking so .. he wasn’t angry?
On the contrary, he made a resigned face.

“I guess, I am an idiot, aren’t I. Depending on Ririina, depending on my parents and this is the situation I got ..”

He’s completely fallen into his depressed modus.
Right now that was a problem.

“Leon-sama, right now let’s concentrate on rescuing those two. If you feel any regret about your actions thus far then now is the time to start redeeming yourself!”

” .. aah, understood. For now let’s only think about saving them. Sorry, Ririina, becoming timid. If I don’t save them who will.”

Good, somehow his spirits returned.
Now then, we have to prepare.
I bound together my hair into one with a string I had brought.
And then I cut the skirt of my dress shorter with the sword I had gotten from the soldiers that had attacked us before.
It turned a little bit short but it was far easier to move like this.

“Wh-wait, Ririina! What are you doing, really!”

Is what Leon-sama yelled with a bright red face.
Aren-sama’s face was a bit flushed red as well.

“Eh? What you ask, I tried cutting my dress in order to make it easier to move, but ..”

“No no, why did it come to this? Moreover, suddenly doing that despite being around two guys is bad, isn’t it?”

“Ah, I apologize. I showed you something strange.”

” .. ah — yeah, whatever already. It’s an emergency situatio right now, so while I don’t think it’s good it can’t be helped. But don’t do stuff like that in front of guys next time, you hear!”

Ara, I got scolded at by Leon-sama.
But he seems to have recovered from his depression earlier, so that’s good.

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Translator’s note

We just spent a whole chapter inside a hidden passage. Just saying. You people don’t seem as pressed for time as you continue to claim.

[1] So this is the first time I couldn’t make any definite sense at all of a sentence to this extend : そんなに上手くいくものかねぇ。正直俺やアンジュみたいにこの間まで平民だった者にしてみれば国が荒れずに平和ならレオンがバカでも問題はないんだけどね。
I have honestly no idea what he really said. I do have several ideas what it might be but really, I am not gonna pretend I actually get this one. My best guesses of the intentions are either ‘if the country was stable enough that a commoner and idiot could lead it without making a mess of it, he wouldn’t be revolting in the first place’ or ‘there’s no way the country will remain peaceful and not turn into a mess if he uses a commoner and idiot to reign’.