Chapter 67 – Princess dates Lord Selim in the church
When she received a request for a meeting from Lord Selim, Princess Rafaela was in the dungeon.
“We caught the peddler who sold monster meat containing poison to the village where Prince Bergmann went for treatment.”
The man in prison shook his well-fed body, twisted his face, which was originally supposed to be friendly, into a desperate look, and begged the princess for forgiveness.
“I… I was only ordered by a high-ranking person in the church! A mere peddler couldn’t go against the church, which has influence over the whole kingdom… Please, have mercy…!!”
After looking down at the spitting, begging filthy man, the princess looked at the knight next to her.
“You heard him. Have you caught the so-called high-ranking person of the church?”
“Yes.”
Next, the princess was brought before a slightly cleaner prison.
The woman inside who was related to the church was an acquaintance. The princess remembered that she was on good terms with her entourage.
“Her Royal Highness Crown Prince Rafaela, this is a conspiracy! I have never met that lowly peddler. I’m sure he must have sniffed out the scandals of the church and blamed us for unconfirmed crimes.”
The woman’s voice, which continued to scream in self-defense, had the peculiar ringing of a liar. To the princess, it was a familiar ugly voice.
――unbearable. So much so I wish I could clean her up right away.
Three people were reported dead in the village. Not a single mourning voice came from this dungeon.
The princess’s right hand trembles by the sword. But she knew it wasn’t right for her to act according to her emotions.
A close aide came running to the princess who was walking in the dungeon.
“How did you find yourself in a place like this!? Lord Bergmann has requested a meeting. I have preparations, so please come immediately.”
After leaving the dingy dungeon, the princess went to a bright room with beautiful furnishings, colorful sweets, and various scented tea leaves arranged in front of her.
She will decide what she will serve Lord Selim tomorrow.
When Princess Rafaela chose a lovely cup, her entourage complimented her incessantly.
Yesterday, many villagers suffered and some died.
On the day after the tragedy, the people who were having fun with their ornate tea utensils looked like the ones who were seen in the dungeon.
＊ ＊ ＊
The next day after the tea party, the Crown Princess went to pick up Lord Selim with the promise to accompany him on the investigation of the church.
As he walked from the front door to the entrance of the mansion, a squirrel under the garden tree circled his feet, and a small bird landed on his shoulder. Lord Selim calmly muttered, “It’s lively today too,” and got into the carriage. The small animals politely stopped beside the carriage and saw him off.
“Is that squirrel owned by you, Lord Selim?”
“No. For some reason, they started coming to me. When I go to the forest, rabbits often come as well. Is it not peculiar?.”
Being by the smiling lord’s side made the princess feel at ease.
When they entered the church grounds, several people in vestments rushed towards them.
Without caring about them, Lord Selim looked around and proceeded to the back of the church. He had the knights prevent those from the church from trying to stop him. Lord Selim seemed to be walking with a purpose.
He ignored the main chapel and entered another small chapel at the back of the garden.
Inside the chapel, there was only a stone statue of the main deity of the church in front of it. The stained glass windows are beautiful, but the rest are just a few chairs. Already examined by royal knights, nothing came out of them.
When the prince gently touched the stone statue, it shattered in an instant. A church official screamed and tried to grab Lord Selim, but was subdued.
The shattered statue vanished into black mist, revealing a staircase beneath it.
“Uu…”
Suddenly, a foul odor fills the air. Is it a sewer or something?
The princess followed Lord Selim as he descended without hesitation.
They proceed while illuminating the surroundings with the light of a magic device.
After they have completely descended, there were several cages lined up, inside are dried humans and skeletons. Some were dying, but some were still alive.
“Something like this exists in the underground of the church!?”
The princess was confused.
Without a word, Lord Selim pushed forward and found a large black flame burning at the dead end in the back.
One of the knights who approached the flames suddenly collapsed.
Some crouched against the wall, nauseated.
Looking at the black flames, the princess also felt sick.
『……Puppet Princess』
She suddenly recalled what Marc Sarmiento said to her yesterday.
――It was a pleasure to cut that man.
Those who have power but are selfish and unable to think of anything else. If we kill them all, wouldn’t the world be a better place?
The princess was suddenly possessed by delusions that she often had when she was alone.
It was then that Lord Selim did something. The worst feeling has become a little better. In the eyes of the princess, Lord Selim was shining brightly. As he approached the princess, the cold feeling that she felt seemed as if it had touched something warm.
“It’s a very dangerous situation here. I have done <Purification>, but I need help. Please allow me to summon Leo Bergmann.”
Lord Selim asks to call for help. It was a student of the academy, a man who was stronger than the princess.
“Am I not strong enough?”
Why did I ask so? What Lord Selim needs is not necessarily combat ability.
“I do not mean to say so. However, if I use my power alone in a place without other people from the Duke Household present, it would make my vassals worried.”
“A guardian you could trust? So you are saying I cannot become one.”
“…my apologies.”
There’s no other way. Lord Selim is someone with a rare ability. It is only natural that the Duke Household would manage it fussily.
The princess sent a messenger to House Bergmann
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