Chapter 112 …
With her extraordinary vision and spatial awareness, Zeussia had no blind spots in her sight. Thanks to that, the noblewomen and their attendants had to keep running—running endlessly.
It wasn’t until their legs began dragging like zombies, unable even to moan from exhaustion, that Zeussia finally stopped the frenzied running.
“Stop for a moment.”
At that single command, the legs that had been frantically pounding the floor collapsed as if broken.
“How are you feeling, Lira? Do you think now you understand that it wasn’t such a big mistake?”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Before Zeussia’s question even finished, I nodded urgently.
Mistake or not, if these ladies—raised like greenhouse flowers—were made to run any further, at least a few of them would surely faint.
“I see?”
Yes, yes. Let’s just release them and go back to the room!
Zeussia, who had been quietly meeting my desperate gaze, gave a faint smile, then glanced over the noblewomen sprawled on the floor like corpses.
“Since your ladyship says you understand, the running can stop here.”
“T-Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Then we may… return to the mansion?”
“Do you think so? The main matter starts now.”
Approaching the nearest noblewoman, Zeussia lowered her gaze to look down at her.
“What were you all doing gathering at my castle at this late hour?”
The noblewoman’s eyes flickered nervously for a moment, then she quickly picked up the lantern she had dropped on the floor as if remembering something.
“W-We were preparing for the Lantern Festival after hearing the news of Your Majesty’s return!”
Lantern Festival?
Mulling over the strangely familiar word, I suddenly recalled the original story.
The Lantern Festival was an event in the Eastern Empire held from late night until dawn, where people held lanterns to await the return of knights who had gone on distant expeditions.
There was only one reason I remembered the Lantern Festival!
In the original story, a significant event happened during this festival.
It was likely the day of the Lantern Festival commemorating the safe return of the Chest Knights from the expedition Zeussia had forcibly sent them on.
The heroine, Sinope, handed a lantern to Clove Chest, the leader of the Chest Knights—an action witnessed by Saffran.
Saffran, who thought he was the only one aware that she was a girl, felt an overwhelming shock and a surge of jealousy…
‘From that moment, Saffran, who had always been the perfect prince type, began to darken, making the story thrilling.’
Blinded by jealousy and recognizing his feelings, Saffran forcibly took Sinope away from Clove, and then…
‘Stop! Up to here.’
I forced myself to stop imagining the rest, muttering “all-ages” repeatedly in my head, and cleared my throat.
Although it seemed suspicious in many ways, the excuse of preparing for the Lantern Festival was plausible enough that I couldn’t press further.
‘It’s better to step back and gather evidence first.’
But Zeussia, the ultimate action-oriented type, seemed to have a different idea.
“That’s nonsense.”
Her words, spat out like a crushing bite, froze not only the noblewomen but me as well.
“…What?”
“You, who never even show your face at the imperial palace properly, wouldn’t prepare a Lantern Festival in advance for me without being insane.”
“O-Our apologies, Your Majesty! We always think of Your Majesty. Even today, we were acting out of care for Your Majesty…”
“Apologies?”
Zeussia’s eyes flared, signaling she would not listen further.
‘S-Scary!’
I couldn’t help but shiver at her aura of menace, and a faint look of dismay crossed her face.
Exhaling a dry sigh, she looked around at the frightened women with a slightly softened expression.
“Adults like you lying so shamelessly in front of a child… I worry about what the princess will learn.”
The noblewomen immediately clamped their mouths shut, like chicks fed honey.
Even I was left speechless, albeit for a different reason, at Zeussia’s brazen claim while clearly being no better herself.
“I’ll ask differently this time.”
Zeussia scraped the tip of her long sword against the floor, warning that there would be no second ‘try,’ and asked:
“What were you intending to do to this child?”
How dare they.
The terrifying weight of her words chilled the entire room.
The women trembled but quickly exchanged glances.
We mustn’t get caught.
No, we won’t get caught.
Even if we were, we have powerful backing.
‘That’s exactly the kind of glance they were exchanging.’
Their gazes were so transparent that I could read their intentions easily.
Yet no one dared to speak. Being confident in evading suspicion was different from lying under Zeussia’s pressure.
While they hesitated, I sensed movement from the hallway I had fled from.
A boy, about a head taller than me, wearing a white cape—
the perfect embodiment of a budding talent, adept even at cute accessories—was none other than…
“Verdandi.”
The moment Zeussia noticed the long, swaying rabbit ears with each step he took, she frowned sharply.
“Where have you been appearing from? And what is that ridiculous appearance?”
Ridiculous? It suits him perfectly!
Of course, before I could argue, Zeussia continued.
“I told you to protect the princess while I was away at the imperial palace.”
Uh-oh, this could be bad.
I couldn’t have Verdandi get scolded because of me.
“It’s not that, Verdandi…”
I was about to admit that I had asked him for an errand.
Oops.
Knowing Zeussia’s personality, she would interrogate him about every detail, which would reveal the surprise I had prepared.
‘…What should I do?’
Meeting my panicked gaze, Verdandi winked slightly, as if to tell me, “Leave it to me.”
“My apologies. I was momentarily away patrolling the Megaira Castle barrier.”
Verdandi, nice!
I eagerly nodded at such a reasonable explanation.
“Y-Yes. Verdandi stayed by Lira’s side until she fell asleep! She woke up and wandered off midway on her own!”
“Hmm.”
Even after hearing the explanation, Zeussia’s displeased expression remained.
“Then you’re on your way back from Megaira Castle?”
“Yes. But there were dogs wandering the castle corridor, so it took some time to manage them.”
“Dogs were in the imperial palace corridors?”
“Yes. Many, of different breeds and sizes. Judging by how well they were managed, they probably had an owner.”
“…!”
At the mention of ‘dogs,’ I saw the noblewomen’s faces stiffen like parched earth.
As I suspected from their earlier glances, the dogs were likely theirs.
The noblewoman who unleashed the dogs was probably Lady Perkin or the Duchess.
Wait, didn’t Verdandi just say he had ‘managed’ the dogs?
‘He didn’t hurt them, did he…?’
As if reading my mind, Verdandi continued:
“I didn’t harm them. I placed them all in the annex garden.”
“…You went through all that trouble, Verdandi?”
“Yes. I promised never to harm even an ant again.”
Adding, “Life is precious,” Verdandi glanced at me, and I secretly gave a thumbs-up behind Zeussia’s back.
‘Our Verdandi has changed!’
Unlike my tearful excitement, Zeussia furrowed her brow as if listening to nonsense.
“You’ll need a checkup at the Mage Tower soon.”
