Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 9 - Chapter 5

Ruth vs. Clan

Thursday, February 11th

Ruth went to visit the Cradle after school the following day. Koutarou’s armor had Clan registered in its communication device, and Ruth had used that to contact her and arrange for the meeting.

“So, what was this important thing you wanted to talk about?”

Clan dismissed the hologram floating around her and adjusted her glasses in a slightly irritated fashion. She had been working on research up until Ruth arrived, and she was displeased at the interruption. Clan was cutting out all pleasantries with her so she get could back to her research as quickly as possible.

“It’s something very specific.”

But Ruth didn’t mind. She was anxious to hurry the discussion along as well, and she got straight to the heart of the matter.

“It’s about what you and Satomi-sama are hiding, Clan-sama.”

“W-We aren’t hiding anything.”

Clan’s expression changed repeatedly. Her irritation turned into surprise and then panic before fading into resignation.

It’s just as I thought. They’re definitely keeping something from everyone...

That was how Ruth interpreted the rollercoaster of emotion that was written all over Clan’s face. She looked like she was taken aback and then tried to pretend like she wasn’t.

“I have proof,” Ruth said calmly.

“There’s no way that’s possible,” Clan replied as she turned her back on Ruth.

The data has all been erased. Pardomshiha must be bluffing. There’s no way there’s actually any proof left...

Clan took several small breaths to calm herself down before turning back to Ruth with a confident smile.

“After all, we’re not hiding anything.”

Clan had promised Koutarou to keep what happened in the past a secret. Things would be less of a hassle that way, and it would keep present-day Forthorthe from falling into confusion. Besides, there was something in it for Clan too. In return for her cooperation, Koutarou had agreed to let her hold on to Signaltin. She knew there was no more powerful tool than Signaltin, especially as a princess. And she certainly wasn’t about to do anything that might jeopardize her hold on it.

“My first piece of evidence is simply that you allowed me aboard your ship, Clan-sama.”

However, Ruth didn’t flinch in front of the confident Clan. She just carefully observed her reaction as she started to confront her with her evidence.

“What?”

What Ruth said was most unexpected, so Clan could barely help the surprised face she made. Ruth took careful note of it in case it might serve as a clue down the line.

“Just half a month ago, you were trying to kill us, Clan-sama. Despite that, you’re now meeting with me on peaceful terms. You’ve shown no sign of hostility, and you haven’t tried to kill me even though I’m right here in front of you. Why is that?”

“That’s...”

Clan fumbled for an answer. She had no need to attack Theia or the others because she had the Blue Knight and Signaltin in her back pocket now. They were more useful to her than her claim to the throne, so trying to spoil Theia’s trial would have no meaning for her anymore. Moreover, she now considered Koutarou a friend. They’d been through a lot together. Clan had no intention of harming Ruth, Koutarou’s friend. But as simple as that was, she couldn’t reveal it to her. In a quandary, she tried to keep her cool while racking her brain for a way out of this.

“That’s because I’ve realized such things are unbecoming of a princess. I have decided that if I am going to get in Theiamillis-san’s way, I will do so boldly and without reservation. A true princess faces any challenge with that degree of candor.”

That was what she came up with on the spot.

Jeez, things are becoming quite troublesome...

Clan was relieved to have gotten out of the hot seat for the time being, but she made sure not to let her guard down.

“Then why do you still remain on this planet, Clan-sama? You say you’ve chosen not to come after Her Highness, yet you haven’t returned home either. Just what are you doing, then?”

Ruth tore apart Clan’s excuse and dug even deeper for answers.

“Tha...”

This question would be more difficult to get around. Clan was staying on Earth to study Signaltin, but also to try and make Koutarou her vassal. She couldn’t admit to either of those, so she racked her brain again.

“That’s because I’m making a weapon to fight Theiamillis-san. Once it’s completed, I plan on challenging her to a proper duel with our rights to the throne on the line.”

“That’s a lie, isn’t it?”

Ruth narrowed her eyes. Her voice was chilling. She’d seen right through her.

“I-It’s not a l-lie!”

Clan was shaken and her voice was shrill. Seeing that, Ruth realized her chance to attack.

“If that’s your plan, why haven’t you called back the Hazy Moon? Surely your flagship is better equipped to develop such a weapon. What benefit could there possibly be to staying on a tiny ship like this?”

Clan was currently using a ship known as the Cradle. It was a small, all-purpose craft that docked inside her personal space battleship, the Hazy Moon. The sensors and observational equipment aboard the Cradle were advanced, so they were more than enough to begin studying Signaltin, but it was true that the Cradle had inferior facilities compared to the Hazy Moon. If Clan were really going to make a serious weapon, calling back the Hazy Moon from Forthorthe would be the logical choice, just as Ruth had said.

“I-I don’t have to answer that!”

Clan had been backed into a corner this time. She couldn’t think of a good excuse for why she hadn’t called back the Hazy Moon if her intent was to fight Theia. Not answering at all seemed to be her best choice now.

There’s absolutely no mistaking it. Clan-sama and Satomi-sama are hiding a very important secret!

Assured of herself after Clan’s reaction, Ruth brandished her last question to deal the finishing blow.

“Then let me ask you this... What did you and Satomi-sama fight in past Forthorthe?”

That question was Ruth’s trump card. All of the other questions had been leading up to this. Ruth thought that if she rattled Clan a little bit before asking, she might actually get something out of her.

“H-How do you know that?!”

And Clan fell for it.

“So that really is what happened?!”

Upon seeing Clan’s reaction, Ruth’s expression lit up. At the same time, Clan clapped her hands over her mouth to keep herself from saying anything else.

O-Oh no! She tricked me!

What Clan had said was practically the same as admitting that they’d traveled to the past. It was a fatal mistake.

“Satomi-sama’s armor had Lower Ancient Forthorthian prioritized in its translation device. That indicates he was using it more than Modern Forthorthian, so I started to suspect something like this might the case, but... to think it’s really true...”

Ruth had reached her conclusion by piecing together all the tidbits of information she could gather, including the clues from the translation device. She’d confronted Clan about it after getting her a little worked up, and she’d gotten exactly what she’d hoped for. Clan had essentially confessed, but it was still a surprise to hear.

Ah, the priority of the translation device! I didn’t think about that!

Clan had erased the logs from the armor at Koutarou’s request, but she didn’t go as far as resetting all the various programs and such in the armor. She never imagined any information that could be gathered from those would be enough to discover the truth. It wasn’t really a mistake on Clan’s part; it was simply a sign of how keen Ruth was.

“Clan-sama, please tell me. Where did the two of you go and what did you do?”

At this point, all Ruth really knew was that the two of them had traveled to some point in the past where Lower Ancient Forthorthian was spoken, and that they had fought something there. She wanted to know what that something was. Any problems Koutarou had might become Theia and Ruth’s problems in the future, so she considered this a concern of utmost importance.

“...I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Now that she’d been found out, Clan regained her usual calm demeanor.

It’s not like Pardomshiha has figured it all out. In that case, it might be prudent to tell her something of what she wants to know in order to satisfy her and get her to leave...

Clan quickly gathered her thoughts and smiled at Ruth. Ruth grew excited and pressed the matter further.

“Please don’t evade the question, Clan-sama! I know it’s the truth based on how you reacted just a moment ago!”

“I’m not evading the question. Just listen... Even if it’s as you say, that Koutarou and I really did travel to Forthorthe in the past, do you think I could freely admit to that?”

“Wh-What are you suggesting?!”

On the verge of uncovering the truth, Ruth lost all of her calm. It seemed the tables had been turned in that regard. Clan was the composed one now.

“It’s simple. If I admit to traveling to the past, it would be the same as admitting that I’ve interfered with the past. That would be very problematic. Something of that gravity has the potential to shake the very foundation of the royal families of Forthorthe.”

“Th-That’s...”

Ruth stumbled on her words. She understood what Clan was trying to say. Koutarou and Clan hadn’t really changed the past. There were minor alterations, of course, but on the whole, things were still the same. Yet just publicly admitting that they’d traveled to the past would spread doubt about that. There was no telling what they had or hadn’t altered because there would simply be no way to know. It could even call the founding of the royal families into question, and that kind of uncertainty would rock all of Forthorthe.

“So regardless of the truth, I can only give you this answer: Koutarou and I have not traveled to the past.”

Ruth gritted her teeth. Though she was yet another step closer to the truth, she was barred from going all the way. It was incredibly frustrating.

That’s all I can tell you, Pardomshiha. Please just accept it.

Clan carefully observed Ruth. This was difficult for Clan, and she had to judge the situation carefully.

“I... I understand...”

In the end, Ruth gave up on pursuing the matter any further. She understood that Clan couldn’t tell her anything more.

“But tell me one last thing.”

“What?”

“While the two of you were gone, did Satomi-sama behave as a knight?”

Even if Clan couldn’t tell her the truth, there was something Ruth absolutely had to know. And that was if Koutarou had stayed true to himself. Rather than the details of what had happened in the past, that was what she really cared about.

Thank you, Pardomshiha...

Clan internally let out a sigh of relief, and then smiled at Ruth. It was a rare smile for her, pure and devoid of any malice.

“Rest easy, Pardomshiha. Koutarou remained stupidly true to the path of a knight from start to finish.”

“I see...”

Ruth’s shoulders relaxed. She had been able to confirm what she wanted to know the most, but the truth was still shrouded in mystery. Clan understood the awkward position Ruth was in, and even began to feel sorry for her.

Wait, when did I get so nice...?

Puzzled over her own feelings, Clan offered Ruth a few words of comfort.

“Pardomshiha, since you came all the way here, I can’t just let you leave empty-handed. I’ll tell you a little something in return for your trouble.”

“Clan-sama...?”

Ruth raised her head, her eyes opened wide in surprise. She was truly shocked at such a kind gesture coming from Clan. It was rather unlike her.

You don’t have to make a face like that! I’m well aware that I’m behaving strangely!

Grumbling internally about Ruth’s surprise, Clan tried to decide what she would share with Ruth. She decided to go with what would be most useful to her.

“Pardomshiha, you recently received an arranged marriage offer, did you not?”

“Yes... You’re aware of it?”

Ruth’s eyes opened wide once more. She hadn’t expected Clan to bring up her marriage.

“Yes, of course. I’m keeping tabs on Theiamillis-san, after all.”

“I don’t really know how to respond to that...”

Ruth smiled wryly. Not long ago, she felt like she was in the presence of an enemy, but now she could feel herself lowering her guard. Something was different about Clan, and Ruth had started to pick up on that.

“Regardless, you should be wary of the offer you’ve received.”

“Be wary? What do you mean by that?”

“DKI is planning on expanding into the military sector.”

“The military?!”

That struck a chord with Ruth. DKI was a large company, but they had no connection to the military industry. It was because of that that they were on good terms with Theia’s mother, Empress Elfaria, who was an advocate of disarmament. That was a serious consideration when it came to choosing Ruth’s fiancé. But if DKI was planning on expanding into the military sector, Elexis’s push for marriage took on a different meaning.

“Is that true?!”

“It is, though it doesn’t surprise me that Pardomshiha’s intelligence division hasn’t gotten hold of that information yet. As you know, the Schweiger family is a frontrunner in the field of science, so we’re often informed of military affairs.”

Clan’s family—the Schweiger family—had a long history of producing exceptional scientists. As a result, they had strong ties with the military. It was only natural. The military had a lot more to gain from a healthy relationship with the Schweigers and their inventions than they did a relationship with the Mastirs, proponents of disarmament. As a result, when the military learned that Clan was headed to Earth to interfere in Theia’s trial, they’d shared confidential information that was mutually beneficial for both them and Clan. That included a tip regarding DKI’s future plans.

“Elexis wants to expand into the military sector to expand his business. But doing something like that when there aren’t many buyers wouldn’t be very lucrative, and so DKI’s plan is to bait the military with an arranged marriage into the Pardomshiha family. You understand the rest, don’t you?”

Clan finished her explanation with a shrug. Ruth’s face went pale.

“If DKI expands into the military sector after our marriage, it could drive a wedge between the Pardomshihas and the Mastirs!”

“And in return, the military has promised to make a big order from DKI. It’s quite a deal.”

With the influence he would have after acquiring the Pardomshiha name, Elexis was planning on working with the military. But as long as he could marry Ruth, he had nothing to lose. If the military didn’t uphold their end of the deal, then he could just keep operating DKI as he had been until they changed their minds. Under the Mastir family’s rule, disarmament would eventually gain more traction, and the military would have no choice but to come to Elexis to try and fight it. Either way, Elexis was due to make a tidy profit. It was a splendid scheme that lived up to his reputation as a shrewd businessman.

“Then I can just decline this arranged marriage and there won’t be any problems, right?”

Ruth was already planning on declining, but if the entire marriage was a trap, then she could do so without feeling badly about it.

“Normally that would be the case, but I’m left wondering why Elexis was in such a hurry to meet you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that Elexis’s sudden visit might be an excuse to bring a military squad to this planet. And if it seems you’re about to decline his proposal, they might come up with some excuse to split you and Theiamillis-san up. And while you’re gone, it’s possible that Theiamillis-san will have an unfortunate accident.”

“You can’t mean—”

In order to respectfully decline the arranged marriage, Ruth had been planning on temporarily returning to Forthorthe. But now Clan was suggesting that Elexis might use that opportunity to attack Theia. He could either kill her and claim that it was the work of barbaric Earthlings, or take her prisoner and use her as leverage against Elfaria.

“Are you saying that’s what he’s here for?!”

“It’s just a possibility.”

Clan had implied that Theia would be killed, but she actually believed that the chances of her being kidnapped were much higher. Since the military had gone out of its way to let Clan know about Elexis, it seemed to be politically motivated, and Theia was likely worth more alive than dead.

“Oh no! Her Highness!”

Ruth decided to hurry back to Theia. She had to eliminate any possible danger that might befall her.

“I’ll thank you properly later, Clan-sama!”

The normally polite and formal Ruth ran out of Clan’s laboratory with very little in the way of a farewell.

“There is no need to worry. It’s just a little gift.”

Clan let out a small sigh as she watched Ruth go.

“Hahh... For some reason, I just keep ending up helping Veltlion... Really, when did I get this nice?”

Clan then ordered her bracelet to open up its comms.