Chapter 58 Torture
"Rifine's reputation and, a... wound in her heart...?"
I couldn't believe Alvine's words and kept mulling them over.
To that, Alvine nodded as if it was obvious, saying, "That's right."
"Thanks to your support, her popularity in the country has skyrocketed. To ensure Prince Sigurt's coronation and his reign afterward, it's preferable that the Royal Family's popularity is focused on the prince. To put it simply, she's an eyesore."
"...!!"
I wanted to scream at him, "What the hell!"
Sigurt's coronation is practically a sure thing at this point.
Rifine doesn't even want to be queen.
She gathered Noble support at the party purely for self-defense...
I just wanted Rifine to be loved more by those around her, to be an ordinary girl.
And that's what you call an eyesore?
After hearing Rifine's words at the party and seeing her smile and presence... that's all you can say!?
"So I thought about calling the princess in and reviving the image of 'an unreasonable princess who uses undue violence against Nobles she dislikes'."
Looking around, I realized that the Nobles restraining me were the same ones who had been at the party, aligned with the Royal Family.
...Are they planning to use me as an excuse to spread the narrative that the violence Rifine used while trying to help me was unjust!?
They figured they could easily suppress my testimony since Rifine had acted that way from the beginning!
"Of course, it would be easiest to just kill you... but if anything happened to the prince, that princess would be the only one to take his place. I want to keep her as a backup, just in case. As much as possible."
Those words confirmed it for me.
This guy doesn't even care about Sigurt himself.
He's only interested in the title of the next king, that absolute power.
In that case, I absolutely cannot let this guy have his way.
I have to escape from here, no matter what.
But... at this moment, I couldn't do anything.
"I'm asking you to call Princess Rifine, alright? That's why I went through the trouble of giving you a direct communication device."
"Absolutely not...!"
So even the present was prepared for this.
Since using messengers and other means risks eavesdropping, they made sure to use a homemade communication device that couldn't be overheard.
As I cursed internally, Alvine reached out, saying, "That's a problem," and snatched the earrings away.
"Well then, I'll just call her directly."
Alvine activated the magic inscribed on the earrings and connected the call to Rifine.
Please, still be asleep──my wish was in vain, and I could hear Rifine's voice from the earrings.
'Yumie...? What's going on, so early in the morning...?'
"I have taken custody of that young lady. If you want her back, come alone through the underground passage of the Royal Palace to the abandoned church on the outskirts of the capital. Don't tell anyone, okay? If you do, this young lady's life is forfeit."
Alvine calmly spoke into the earrings, altering their voice with magic.
Even through the communication, I could tell that Rifine was shaken.
'What's going on...? Is Yumie there!? Hey, Yumie, if you're there, please answer me!!'
"The princess wants to hear your voice, right? Go on, tell her 'help me.' That's what you should say."
Alvine held the earrings close to my mouth.
But I didn't say a single word... not even "don't come."
If she became certain that I was here... Rifine would undoubtedly come here alone, just as Alvine intended.
"..Hmm, stubborn, aren't you?"
Placing the earrings right next to my mouth, Alvine stood up.
I followed her movements with my gaze, wondering what he planned to do.
He suddenly lifted his foot... and stomped down on his already broken arm again.
Putting his weight on it, he crushed it thoroughly.
"Ugh──!!!"
It was more than just pain.
It felt like the nerves in my head were about to fry, and I nearly screamed out loud.
Even so, I absolutely won't raise my voice.
Just a little, I want Rifine to doubt whether I really got caught or not.
I want her to think that maybe she should consult someone else... like Lisa or the knight from Granbell.
"That can't be helped... So how about this?"
He adjusts the position of the earrings and moves it closer to my feet.
Then, he steps on my foot... mercilessly, crushing bones.
"Ugh...!!"
Crack, a dull sound echoes again, and no matter how much I try to hold back my voice, that physical sound is picked up by the earrings.
With that, Alvine called out to Rifine again.
"I couldn't deliver my voice, but... did you hear that? That was the sound of a human bone breaking. If you don't want Lady Yumie to never walk again on her own 2 feet, you better come quickly."
'Wait!! I'm coming, I'll go alone!! Please don't do anything terrible to Yumie!!'
As expected, Rifine fell for Alvine's trick.
Knowing that holding back any longer was pointless, I shouted out.
"Stop it, Rifine!! They're after you!! I'll be fine...!! Talk to someone else properly!! You absolutely can't come alone!! That's exactly what they want...!!"
"Oh, you're talking too much there."
"Ugh...!?"
Alvine grabbed my hair, forcing me to look up at her.
"I always get what I want, you know? If the princess talks about this to someone, I will definitely kill you. To prove it, let's see... you seem pretty confident about your looks, don't you?"
In front of me, preparing for something, Alvine's bracelet glowed, and flames of magic lit up in her palm.
She slowly brought it closer to my face, showing it off.
"If you end up in a state where you can never face anyone again... will you beg for your life a little then?"
"Your Excellency, that's just too much..."
"Shut up, you all better quietly do as I say."
Out of fear, my heart started racing.
I think I've been relying on this cuteness to get along with the people around me, and just thinking about how they would look at me if I lost it is terrifying.
I want to scream for them to stop, to help me.
But... even so.
"Who the hell would beg for their life... idiot."
I'd rather lose everything I've had than put Rifine in danger.
That's right, as I said this with a smile, Alvine looked back at me with a sadistic grin.
"Good determination... that's what makes it worthwhile to break you. Really."
'Stop it... please stop!! I'll go, I'll go by myself!! So, just Yumie!!'
With Rifine's voice, which sounded far more pained than mine, the blazing ball of fire was pressed against my face.
Finally unable to hold back, I let out a scream.
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