Chapter 63: Offense and defense at the castle.

Somehow, I managed to escape the endless lecturing. The adults were already reading the documents I have prepared when I woke up and were holding a meeting.

It’s noisy at the entrance. They seem to have come at last. Someone knocked on my door. After giving the permission to enter, Marta came inside.

「Ojousama, a messenger from His Majesty came, you are to go to the castle」

「All right」

I was fired up to get dressed more than usual. I choose the deep red velvet dress the Villainess Rosalia often preferred. Shades of crimson suit Rosarin’s appearances quite well too. Then I applied a make-up which is necessary for a woman’s battle attire. Using a bright red rouge to match the dress, I changed the Warrior Maiden’s ring into a folding fan and put on the shawl my Mother made for me.

Now then, let’s the battle begin!

During the audience in the castle, names of the nobles and their charges were stated one after another. Wow~ what a big catch. About forty people in total? The Knights & and the Beastmen Unit worked really hard.

Father was doing the answering, and I was really fired up in the beginning, but I am getting bored.

Holy Beast-sama came behind me. Yaay~ when I tried to mofu him... huh? Is he in a bad mood?

『Rosarin, why did thou left me out』

I activated a sound-scattering magic just in case. I made sure to hide my mouth behind the folding fan, so people couldn’t read my lips.

「... No, I wasn’t intending to ostracize you. It was a covert action this time, so... your dignity would stand out no matter what, Holy Beast-sama. Besides, evenings aren’t your strong point, no?」

『Muu...』

It seems that he understood for the time being. I got the permission for mofu too. Yaay~ mofumofu~

Not feeling a speck of tension, I was called out while proficiently enjoying the mofumofu.

「Regarding this matter, we were set up by Miss Rosarin!」

That indeed is the truth, but that does not remove your crimes. It’s something you guys did.

「My...」

I pretended to be surprised. Holy Beast-sama, don’t laugh next to me! I inquired while feeling like watching the year-end program at which you must not laugh at.

「Me? What for?」

I threw a question at Duke Gerald. No, don’t say the unreasonable. I am 7 years old, okay? I don’t have the technique to pin non-existing crimes onto you, alright?

「The Knights worked too proficiently, no? You must have planned this beforehand, right?」

「My! Are you saying that the Knights fabricated the evidence!?」

The people in the hall became noisy. I pretended to be very surprised.

「This is ridiculous. Even if Your Excellency is a Duke, I won’t allow you to slight the Knight’s Order」

Rudolf-san glared at Duke Gerald. Actually, nothing was fabricated, all right?

Elegantly shaking my folding fan, I showed a relaxed expression.

「Well, the actual performance was indeed very good. The most skilled and reliable members of the Knight’s Order were chosen, but there still was a possibility that they would be going on fool’s errand, so I had the troops stationed near the homes of the involved nobles. I would be troubled if the evidence got destroyed after all」

I cracked a cheerful smile.

「Fumu, in that case, Miss Rosarin. Why did you have the Knights on standby?」

「There was an assassination plot on me, you see? I caught the news from a certain someone. Because the culprit seemed to be the same person, I found it just the right opportunity to clean everything up as a set」

Holy Beast-sama, stop trembling. You will make me laugh too. Stop it.

「A set... huh」

That’s not the important thing, Your Majesty. Stop it, my facial muscles will soon explode... I don’t feel like hiding it behind the folding fan though.

「Assassination of Rosarin!? Who was it!?」

The honest Aldin-sama made an honest interjection. Thank you, my facial muscles loosened a little thanks to you. I was about to burst into laughter. Too close, too close.

「Fufu, I will invite the person who tried to kill me in」

I had the noble who tried to kill me yesterday brought in, in restraints.

「I was kidnapped by this girl! I am the victim!」

Duke Gerald grinned. Nono? You cannot match your thoughts with your mouth.

「Will you still say the same after seeing this?」

I snapped my fingers, and a recording magic tool activated, projecting the scene from that time.

「That person... I am surely going to die here anyway... the person who wants me dead, who is it?」

My feeble voice resounded. My acting is quite good, isn’t it? The restrained nobleman’s face turned pale while his body trembled.

「I will tell you so you have a pleasant memory to take to the afterlife. The one who ordered your death is Duke Gerald」

The nobleman raised his knife overhead.

I snapped my fingers again and the projection disappeared.

「This is a forgery! I have been framed!!」

The nobleman shouted while crying. Actually, this recording cannot be tampered with, but I wish I did... while thinking such, His Highness Alphage exclaimed.

「... It’s not like Rosarin wouldn’t be able to tamper with the recording, but it should take her time. Besides, this looks like the original. The background noises are way too fine. There’s no noise either」

His Highness Alphage reviewed my magic tool. Ahaha, I have licensed it just the other day, but to know this much about it already, as expected of him.

「I, I am not related to this! It’s that person and Miss Rosarin’s conspiracy... no, these people did this on their own to make me take the fall!」

「Duke Gerald...」

Nobleman-san received a shock from being discarded. I pity you, but you were just a sacrificial pawn too.

「I don’t think so! I have a written permission right here. I have received a permission from His Highness Alphage and His Majesty」

A mischevious smile floated on (malicious) prince’s face.

「Ahh, I remember. You are talking about the permission to bug Duke Gerald’s office and several other places, right?」

「Yes. We got good results. There was no trouble at all. I just happened to record something like this」

This device still needs an improvement as it was difficult to check the results. Snapping my fingers, the magic tool projected an image once again.

The projected image was Duke Gerald’s office. It was the conversation between the very nobleman and the Duke.

「That annoying Rosenberg lass!」

「Duke Gerald, I will surely dispell your sorrows by all means. You should just dispose of a lass like that」

「Do you have a plan?」

「We just have to let Walse take the blame. Everything for the sake of your plan, Your Excellency」

The projection paused with the nobleman giving a respectful bow.

「Are you unrelated even after this? By the way, I have recorded much more interesting things, but I gave them to His (malicious) Highness Alphage. I carefully selected infidelity and other potentially useful materials」

「... What have you done, Rosarsin?」

Dirk asked with a delicate expression. Incidentally, the infidelity was such a big hit I screamed. The image was too much so I had to confirm it separately.

「The society is give-and-take, you know?」

I smiled at Dirk. His (malicious) Highness Alphage approved the dispatch of the Knights Order after a thorough conversation.

「That recording isn’t definite. I admit that I find you, Miss Rosarin, unpleasant. But, it’s still not clear that it was my order」

As expected of His Excellency. He won’t get shaken up by a frontal attack of such degree, huh.

「Indeed. Let’s leave the main course for later. How about we bring up your other crimes first? Your other crimes include: Embezzlement of taxes, unauthorized use of forces, and information leakage to Wolfanea」

「... Wha-?」

I handed the documents to His Majesty.

「Not only Duke Gerald, but much more noble’s admitted of taking a part in this matter」

His Majesty confirmed the documents. Malicious Prince was reading as well.

「However, you investigated this much? If there wasn’t even a traitor...」

As expected of His Malicious Highness. Clever. I grinned and laughed.

「Regarding that, I have an accomplice. They are a commoner, but would you give them a permission to talk please, Your Majesty?」

「Granted」

「Then, Rabisha, come here」

「Yes, Master」

A beautiful girl with bunny ears dressed in maid clothes appeared. She gave an elegant greeting. Although she was trained just yesterday, she’s doing very well.

「Explain, Rabisha」

「Yes, Master. I am the eldest daughter of the Walse Company. We took custody of poor children for free. However, individuals have their limits... when we were troubled about money, we received a word of assistance from Master. Just when I wanted to talk about it with my Father and Elder brother... I overheard their conversation」

Rabisha-chan trembled. Her frail bunny appearances brings forth the desire to protect her from people. Yes, my acting still has a way to go. There is an actress over here.

「Are you all right, Rabisha?」

I showed my worries for her. Woah, her acting is supreme!

She showed a brave smile while trembling.

「I am all right. This is for Master’s sake after all. I have caught my Elder brother getting threatened by a noble. He threatened him to do as told, or both his family and the children he was taking care of will be killed...」

Rabisha-chan shed large drops of tears. She continued speaking clearly while sobbing.

「Elder brother has refused for our sake. I couldn’t bear it and went to consult with my Master... with Rosarin-sama. Rosarin-sama said: “Let’s use it against them then.” In order to catch the whole herd, she told me to endure. The documents you are currently holding are what I gathered while enduring endless humiliation, Your Majesty. Our customer was much more important than the fate of the Walse Company. We have no hope of recovery. No matter how much evidence I gathered, we have committed a sin. A sin we cannot compensate for」

Rabisha-chan straightened her back and spoke to His Majesty while looking into his face with her teary eyes.

「Your Majesty, I am of a humble origin, but I plead you. Please, please pass a judgment onto these nobles...!」

The place was overwhelmed by her. I did choose her to act as my accomplice from the Walse Household, but... this is more than I expected.

With her overwhelming acting ability and the ability to read the situation, she put up a splendid performance. Wonderful.

「Umu. This evidence is the result of a proper investigation. I accept it. I will make sure the involved nobles receive a proper punishment. Girl, you have worked hard」

「... Yes, thank you very much. Thank you very much...」

Rabisha-chan sobbed. Wow, seriously, a job well done. On top of upping the credibility of the evidence, she painted the image of Duke Gerald black. She has done a good job.

「Don’t cry, Rabisha」

「... Jend?」

Jend wiped Rabisha-chan’s tears.

「Oneechan, that uncle is the bad uncle who has bullied us. Did the bad uncle bully Rabisha too?」

W H A T?

「Jend? This is very important, so will you tell your Oneechan?」

「Yea」

「Was that uncle the one who left you starving and wounded at that place?」

「Yes. It was that uncle. Not only me. He said that all Beastmen are filthy, so he bullied us. The day Oneechan found me, I couldn’t endure anymore and bit the bad uncle, so he hit me and threw me out in nude. The rain was so cold, and just when I thought I was going to die, Oneechan saved me」

The place fell silent. The entire hall was filled with the intense magical power swirling with anger that erupted from me.

「Your Majesty, Jend is the son of my Father’s little sister. He is my cousin」

「... Is that so?」

「First of all, can I bestow the same emotional torment upon Duke Gerald?」

「...... Leave it for later」

All right! I will show him a hell later! I will show him a realistic hell that Jend and the children went through!

「Understood. Then, let’s return to the main topic and let’s talk about the attempted assassination of me」

I handed my assassination contract to His Majesty.

「This is a document that was stored in a box with magical power authentication in Duke Gerald’s mansion. Furthermore...」

「I brought them~」

Led by Mother, Arc and Martha brought the arrested insects. Assassination contract, unlike a normal contract, will cast a curse onto you as a penalty was the contract to fail.

「If this is genuine, then these people should have a reaction was the contract to be breached」

I brought the contract close to the insects. The insect with the smallest body... a boy, begun to suffer. The contract shined, and the curse got activated. In a severe pain, but still not talking, that’s why he’s an assassin.

「Alissa」

「Yesss~」

Alissa activated a spell and dispelled the curse. The little boy who was relieved from the curse breathed lightly.

「Who is your client?」

「That man. Dunno his name. He requested your assasination」

The boy pointed at Duke Gerald, and glared.

「I know nothing about it! Why must I murder such a young lass?」

「A motive, is it?」

Coming this far, I thought I would have a plenty of evidence and didn’t have to say it. But, I won’t forgive this fellow who bullied my cute Jend!

I have a professional at breaking hearts! I will have him expose all of your darkest secrets, and make you repent!

Sui-san! Please!

「You are my light. Lumia, your eyes are like gems. You are my flower. You are the most beautiful. My beloved Lumia. Respond to my love. Your indifference is just an act, I know that」

「I hate people with a rotten character like you the most! How dare you treat my precious son like that! You are the worst! I hate you, hate you, I detest you-!!」

Sui read Duke Gerald’s love letter from the past aloud → Lumia-san gracefully replied → Duke Gerald broke into tears.

「Moreover, he was self-importantly fanning himself with a folding fan, he’s the worst~」

Sui-san precisely struck the wound. As expected of him. I felt sorry a little for asking him to do this.

「In other words, because his love, Lumia-san, whom he couldn’t marry married a Beastman, he came to detest them and started tormenting the Beastmen children. He detests me because I resemble Lumia-san. We are blood relatives on top of that」

「The worst!」

Lumia-san glared at Duke Gerald with an absolute zero glare. Well, he’s the worst. I am of the same opinion.

Sui seemed to be having lots of fun.

「There’s still more. There’s his own poem~ a diary he wrote while drunk too. Let’s continue!」

「Stop it please! Stop it alreadyyy!! I did, I did it all!! Please transfer me to the prison!」

Ah, Duke Gerald sunk.

「Eh~ I want to read the poem though, I can’t?」

Sui also likes Jend quite a lot, so he was seriously angry. Since it couldn’t be helped, I gave him a permission.

「... Well, if it’s just one」

「Then, this one.

The tile is: Your Eyes Are 1 Million Volt

Your smile hits my heart in the right place☆

My tingling chest is numbing my face☆

Stimulating, worth 1 million volts.

You are burning me.

Just like an electric E☆E☆L☆」

「......」

Sui read with pointlessly pitched voice. This is terrible. The hell is this. Poem? Is this a poem??

「Strange~」

An innocent child spoke of their honest thoughts.

「Oneechan thinks so too. Rather, it’s difficult to comment. It’s so terrible it hurts. It hurts so much. Even those listening received damage, I feel there might be a certain talent here」

「Ugaaaaa!!」

He went mad with my honest comment. Duke Gerald sprung towards me, but Dirk who stood beside me defeated him in a single blow.

「Dirk, so cool...」

「Rosarin, are you injured?」

「I am not!」

I clung to Dirk’s arm while smiling. Dirk patted my head. Sui spoke to me who was in a good mood.

「However, as expected of you, Rosarin. You have gouged out the opponent spectacularly」

「... I, I didn’t do anything like thatmon」

In the end, Duke Gerald was imprisoned with various crimes, and he won’t be able to escape a capital punishment either.

Everyone has dissolved and I went to help Father with work. Our investigation regarding the leakage of information wasn’t perfect, so we were cross-examining the matter.

Like this, the lengthy assassination attempt of Rosarin came to an end.