Volume 2 Chapter 24 Threat
"Wait, are you being taken outside...?"
That ominous sound made my spine chill on its own.
Feeling the air getting heavier, I hesitantly asked.
"Is it possible that this means you're being 'kidnapped'? But why would Ms. Kikrys..."
'Most likely, it seems to be a threat aimed at Lady Nemophila. I overheard a conversation about that.'
Threat.
So, someone took Ms. Kikrys as leverage to threaten Ms. Nemophila.
That's why Ms. Kikrys is forced to communicate from outside the castle.
Indeed, Ms. Kikrys is now the only weakness Ms. Nemophila has...
"What kind of demands are they planning to make? Ms. Nemophila hasn't even become a king yet; she's just an heir right now..."
'I don't know the details. But from what I gathered, they're threatening Lady Nemophila to equip some kind of 'magic tool' in the next succession battle. If Lady Nemophila complies, they say they'll release me.'
"...W-What is that supposed to mean?"
A threat against Ms. Nemophila.
And the content of that threat is pretty twisted.
Threatening her to equip some kind of 'magic tool' in the next succession battle?
What's the point of that threat?
And what kind of magic tool are they trying to make her use?
I finally understood why Ms. Nemophila was acting that way.
If she doesn't follow what the kidnappers say, Ms. Kikrys is in danger.
That restlessness was because she was worried about Ms. Kikrys.
She must already be receiving some kind of instructions from the people who kidnapped Ms. Kikrys.
"What kind of magic tool are they planning to make Ms. Nemophila use?"
'I think they were saying something about restricting physical abilities or sealing the effects of divine blessings.'
"..."
So, they're planning to weaken Ms. Nemophila, huh? If that's true, I can guess who those guys are that took Ms. Kikrys.
Who benefits from Ms. Nemophila getting weaker? Of course, it's 'Crocus,' the opponent in the next succession battle.
They probably realized after witnessing Ms. Nemophila's strength the other day that they can't win in a fair fight.
It's either Crocus himself or someone backing him.
Given what I've heard about Crocus's personality, I think it's probably his doing.
"...But why go through the trouble of using magic tools to weaken her? I could understand if it was something like 'throw the match' or 'forfeit,' but..."
I tilt my head in confusion at the baffling orders.
But then I quickly grasp the true intention and gasp.
"...No way, are they doing this on purpose to show off their power in front of a crowd?"
If Ms. Nemophila forfeits, they won't be able to demonstrate their strength to the nobles they invited.
Even if they win the succession battle, if it looks like a forfeit or a fixed match, a lot of people won't be satisfied.
So instead of threatening her to 'forfeit,' they instructed her to wear 'weakening magic tools' Using Ms. Kikrys as a hostage.
"...Could it be that Ms. Kikrys wants Ms. Nemophila to fight with all her might, so you asked me to deliver a message? If I told her directly, 'Don't worry,' it would just make her worry more..."
'...Yes. I thought that if it was a message from you, Sir Roezé, whom she trusts, Ms. Nemophila would surely believe it. Please don't worry about my safety; I want her to become the king.'
So that's why she wants me to convey that there's no need to worry about Ms. Kikrys.
However, after hearing that situation, I felt even more reluctant to nod in agreement.
If Ms. Nemophila went into the inheritance battle without the magic tools to weaken her, then Ms. Kikrys would be in danger.
But if I kept listening to what the kidnapper said, Ms. Nemophila would end up suffering in the inheritance battle.
I can't allow either of those to happen.
I have to avoid that situation at all costs.
What the heck am I supposed to do...
"...Why didn't Ms. Nemophila tell me about this?"
'Maybe there were orders not to. Like, if she spoke out, her servant's life would be at stake or something.'
"...Well, they're completely breaking the rules of the inheritance battle, so if it gets out, Prince Crocus might get disqualified."
They must be really worried about a lot of people finding out about this.
If I could talk to that reliable Lady Clematis, she'd probably solve the issue right away.
But they're probably on guard about that too, which is why they've forbidden any talk about it.
However, it seems they didn't know about Ms. Kikrys's ability, since I found out through the Holy Song Magic's telepathy.
So, what if I did the same and told Lady Clematis about this? If I connected with Lady Clematis through Ms. Kikrys's Holy Song Magic, I could convey the situation without anyone noticing.
If I revealed Crocus's wrongdoing to Lady Clematis and asked for her judgment...
"......No, that won't work."
I immediately shook my head at my own thoughts.
Telling Lady Clematis is extremely dangerous.
The one who ordered the kidnapping of Ms. Kikrys is definitely Prince Crocus.
And the thing Crocus is most worried about right now is this incident getting out.
The person he's most wary of is either the king, who's in charge of the inheritance battle, or the caring Lady Clematis.
If Lady Clematis finds out about this kidnapping incident and takes some action, it'll immediately catch Crocus's attention.
If that happens, the worst-case scenario is that Ms. Nemophila will be judged to have leaked information, putting Ms. Kikrys in danger.
'Honestly, I don't want you to worry about me, so please tell Lady Nemophila that there's "no need to worry." I don't want to be a burden to her.'
"..."
Right now, there's only one person who can act without raising suspicion and knows about this situation.
I took a deep breath and resolved to tell Ms. Kikrys.
"...I'll go help."
'Huh?'
"I'm just a guest of Lady Clematis, called to the guest room. I don't think Prince Crocus knows about my relationship with Ms. Nemophila or Ms. Kikrys. So, I'll go help Ms. Kikrys."
I could sense Ms. Kikrys's surprise through our mental link.
I'm not entirely confident about this, so I can't say for sure that I can help.
But this seems to be the best plan given the current situation.
"So until then, let's have Ms. Nemophila act according to the kidnapper's instructions, and once we ensure Ms. Kikrys's safety, we'll properly tell her that there's 'no need to worry'."
'But, I can't let Sir Roezé go through all that trouble...'
Ms. Kikrys said that apologetically, but I ignored her and sent her instructions.
"And Ms. Kikrys, please refrain from discussing this any further. If Crocus finds out that you leaked information, it could put your safety at risk."
'I-I'm okay with that. If my lady becomes king and is recognized by many people, that's enough for me...'
"This isn't just about Ms. Kikrys's safety. This is deeply connected to whether Ms. Nemophila can become king or not."
'Huh?'
Caught off guard by my unexpected words, Ms. Kikrys fell silent on the other end of the mental link.
I can say this with certainty.
"Ms. Nemophila aiming to be a king is also for Ms. Kikrys. In fact, she said herself that the main reason is for Ms. Kikrys. If something were to happen to Ms. Kikrys, she would lose her reason to aim for the throne."
'W-well...'
"Honestly, if something were to happen to Ms. Kikrys, Ms. Nemophila would definitely blame herself, and it wouldn't just be about the succession war anymore. So if you want to make Ms. Nemophila a king, you should ensure her safety and directly tell her, 'You don't have to worry'."
'...'
After that persuasion, Ms. Kikrys fell silent again.
She probably hates the idea of causing trouble for so many people.
However, it seemed like she found my argument convincing, as she looked deeply troubled.
It's something I understand because we've been together since we were kids.
Just as Ms. Kikrys cares for Ms. Nemophila, Ms. Nemophila cares for Ms. Kikrys.
Their relationship isn't something you can just label as "master and servant"; there's a bond between them that's even stronger than family.
So if you want to make Ms. Nemophila a king, Ms. Kikrys should prioritize her own safety and not throw herself into danger.
Eventually, it seemed that Ms. Kikrys changed her mind after my persuasion, responding apologetically.
'...I understand. I'm sorry for the trouble, but I appreciate your help.'
"No, this is, in a way, part of the request."
To strengthen Ms. Nemophila and make her a king.
Since Ms. Nemophila isn't a king yet, I'll offer my assistance for that.
For now, it seems best to ask where Ms. Kikrys is and decide how to proceed.
"It would help if you could tell me your location using Holy Song Magic. Can we keep the telepathic link for a while longer?"
'Looks like I'm about to run out of Magic, so it's gonna be tough to keep this connection going.'
"..."
I was hoping to keep the telepathy open as long as possible, just in case the culprits decide to move us somewhere else.
But I guess it can't be helped.
"Then please just tell me where you are right now. After that, let's cut the Holy Song Magic and only connect telepathically in case of emergencies."
'Y-yeah.'
"Oh, and if you have some Magic to spare..."
As I conveyed my request to Ms. Kikrys, I got ready with one hand and left the guest room.
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