◇28: "The Net of Heaven is Wide, but It Lets Nothing Through"
■Note: This is the second story for today. Please take care.
The goodwill party proceeded without incident.
The Prelude Kingdom and the Menouet Queendom had each split off into their own groups, engaging in pleasant conversation with the nobles of the Symphonia Empire. For the upper nobility, this was likely an opportunity to forge valuable connections. Some were busy promoting their territories’ specialties, eager to establish ties with the other side.
Luca and Tifa, in particular, seemed to have it rough. Gaining favor with royalty would be a tremendous boon, after all.
But something about Luca and Tifa felt off today. Their movements seemed unusually brisk—sharp, almost. It was hard to tell from a distance, though. They didn’t seem to be talking much either; their attendants were handling everything. They almost felt like decorative figures. …Maybe it’s just my imagination?
In each of the four corners of the garden stood a statue of a goddess atop a pedestal. Those were likely the magical devices creating the barrier that sealed "Gifts" and magic. Each was guarded by two knights—probably to ensure they weren’t tampered with or destroyed again.
That said, those devices only blocked Gifts and magic; they had no effect on other magical tools. Naturally, the party attendees must have had their belongings inspected, but magical tools can be tricky to identify. Some look like nothing more than accessories, after all.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure if that barrier could stop a rampaging [Beast Summoning]. Frankly, the power levels were on a whole different scale…
I’d given Elliott the paralysis potion I’d made, hoping it’d help if he got attacked again. But just because it worked in the game doesn’t mean it’ll work in this world—there’s no guarantee.
I’d told him it was just for peace of mind, though…
“Lady Sakuraile?”
“Oh, wh-what? Sorry, I spaced out…”
Estelle, sitting beside me, peered at me with a worried expression. Oops, focus! I’ve done what I can. Let’s leave the rest to the adults.
“Those ‘hot dogs’ we ate earlier were amazing! The red and yellow sauces went so well together, and the way the meat burst with flavor when I bit into it—it was incredible!”
“You liked them? Then how about I treat you to some more after the party?”
“Really!? Thank you so much!”
Estelle beamed with a radiant smile. It seems she’d taken a liking to the hot dog she ate while on her way to help her mother.
Now that I think about it, I heard from Father that the Chancellor had arranged to import tomato seedlings from Luca’s Prelude Kingdom to start producing ketchup. By next year’s Founding Festival, we might even see hot dog stalls lining the streets. Hm?
My gaze suddenly landed on a familiar face. It was Marquis Ragtime, the man with the Kaiser mustache and dark circles under his eyes. As usual, he had that sinister look about him.
…And he’d actually been plotting something sinister.
Marquis Ragtime was staring intently at Luca and Tifa, a faint smirk on his face.
‘I already know about your scheme, you know. Don’t think it’ll go as planned.’
Luca and Tifa passed by the pond together, heading toward us—toward me and Marquis Ragtime.
As Estelle and I stood to greet them, several men in black clothing suddenly burst out of the pond with startling force, blocking Luca and Tifa’s path.
In their hands were knives. They spat out long, cylindrical objects they’d been holding in their mouths onto the ground before lunging at Luca and Tifa in unison.
“Assassins! Protect the princesses!”
Marquis Ragtime seized the moment to shout, and a handful of nobles around him—apparently having smuggled them in—drew longswords and charged at the black-clad assailants.
Their swordplay wasn’t refined like that of nobles or knights. It was rough, crude—hardly the style of aristocracy.
The black-clad attackers fought back, but they were quickly overwhelmed by sheer numbers and cut down in moments.
Screams and shouts erupted from the partygoers as the sudden carnage unfolded.
“Well, that was a close call. Thankfully, both Their Highnesses are unharmed,” Marquis Ragtime said, stepping forward toward Luca and Tifa.
The men who’d felled the assailants stood there, swords still in hand, grinning smugly.
Amid the lingering commotion, Father, the Chancellor, and His Imperial Majesty—accompanied by Elliott—emerged from behind Luca and Tifa.
“What in the world is happening here?”
“Oh, Your Imperial Majesty! It seems bandits infiltrated the party from somewhere and targeted the lives of both princesses. Fortunately, I had arranged for mercenaries to be on standby just in case, and they dispatched the intruders… though it appears the lax security was exploited,” Marquis Ragtime said with a hint of sarcasm.
Ignoring him, the Chancellor picked up one of the long, stick-like objects the assailants had been holding in their mouths.
“Your Majesty, this is a magical device from the Empire, designed to allow breathing underwater. It seems these men were hiding in the pond for quite some time.”
“Assassins from the Empire, then?”
“Most likely. This was probably an attempt to sow discord between our nation and the Prelude and Menouet kingdoms.”
A device for breathing underwater… like an oxygen tank? But “quite some time”—how long, exactly? They couldn’t have been lurking in that pond for days, could they!?
Should I admire their professionalism or be dumbfounded by it? I’ve heard master hunters can wait hours to ensure they take down their prey, but still.
Even so, this was within the castle walls—well, not inside the castle itself, but still not a place one could infiltrate so easily. Which means…
“Marquis Ragtime,” His Majesty interjected, “what is the meaning of sneaking private soldiers into an official event like this?”
“I am prepared for any reprimand, Your Majesty. I had received word of a planned attack on the princesses of Prelude and Menouet. Waiting for knights from my territory wasn’t an option, so I made the decision to deploy them as an emergency measure.”
“If that’s the case, wouldn’t it have been prudent to inform us beforehand?”
“The information wasn’t certain enough to act on. I had hoped it was mere paranoia.”
Oh… The Chancellor and Marquis Ragtime were going at it. His Majesty and Elliott watched silently, as did the surrounding nobles, who merely observed the exchange.
“Indeed, I apologize for not consulting you in advance,” the Marquis continued. “But thanks to this, both Their Highnesses are safe. Shouldn’t we instead be questioning the lax security and negligence that allowed this to happen? One misstep, and we could have been at war with Prelude and Menouet. What does the Chancellor make of this?”
“…The fact that these intruders got this far means someone inside aided them,” the Chancellor replied coolly.
“…What did you say?”
Marquis Ragtime’s eyebrow twitched at the Chancellor’s words.
“This individual struck a deal with the dark guild and lured in the Empire’s assassins. Had both princesses been harmed, the trust between Symphonia, Prelude, and Menouet would have crumbled. That’s likely why the Empire agreed to this plot—unaware they were being used as disposable pawns from the start.”
As the Chancellor spoke, Marquis Ragtime’s expression visibly shifted. The surrounding nobles began murmuring in shock at the revelation.
“I-If that’s true, it’s outrageous! Do you have any proof?”
“Oh, yes. Irrefutable proof—right here.”
The Chancellor reached into a waist pouch—likely enchanted with [Storage Magic] like my own satchel—and pulled out a rectangular device slightly larger than the pouch itself.
Marquis Ragtime eyed the unfamiliar object with suspicion.
To be fair, I’d been puzzled by it the first time I saw it too. But since it was something from Grandma’s house, I vaguely knew how to use it.
Painted in red and black, with several buttons on top and a hinged lid that revealed a “cassette tape” inside—it was a “portable radio cassette player.” I’d bought it from a pawn shop I’d summoned with [Shop Summoning]. Oh, and I’d charged it using the shop’s outlet.
They even had blank cassette tapes for sale—lucky me! I guess tapes are considered antiques now. I’d never seen one before either.
The Chancellor pressed the play button and cranked the volume to max.
Though the sound quality was rough, a clear voice came through:
<…And so, my mercenaries will defeat the Empire’s attackers, earning favor with Prelude and Menouet. We’ll hold His Majesty and the Chancellor accountable for their lax security and force them to take responsibility. If all goes well, the Chancellor’s seat might just fall into my lap.>
<I see… But this is still within the castle grounds, even if it’s just the garden. Can they really infiltrate that easily?>
<Leave that to me. The castle interior would be tricky, but the garden’s no problem. You just need to lure the Empire’s men through the dark guild. Don’t mess this up. With this, House Ragtime and the traditionalists will seize control of this nation. It’ll be the dawn of a new empire…>
“Wha—!? W-What…!?”
Marquis Ragtime was rendered speechless by the sudden development. Understandably so—his scheming from the other day was now being broadcast for all to hear.
“You seem to recognize it,” the Chancellor said. “This is a rare magical device that records sound. It was provided as evidence by a certain individual. Thanks to it, we were able to take precautions safely.”
The Chancellor glanced at Luca and Tifa, who nodded slightly and removed the bracelets they’d been wearing. Wait, what?
Their forms shimmered, and in place of Luca and Tifa stood two entirely different girls.
Upon closer inspection, one was Bianca—the villainess and Gene’s childhood friend—and the other, with long hair… could that be Gene’s older sister, Cecil? They’d been disguised with magical tools!
“You brought in the Empire’s assassins yourself, only to defeat them and claim glory. What a pathetic charade. ‘A noble of tradition’? What a disgrace to the empire’s aristocracy!”
Father’s furious voice thundered toward Marquis Ragtime. It might be the first time I’ve seen him genuinely angry. H-He’s kind of scary…
“Marquis,” His Majesty said icily, “do you have anything to say for yourself?”
His cold gaze bore into the Marquis.
“Tch… So I’ve been set up, have I…? When did you get your hands on a device like that—wait!”
Marquis Ragtime’s eyes snapped to me. Oh no. He’s figured it out.
I was the only one who got close during that conversation. Even a dimwit like him could connect the dots—I’m the one who planted it.
“You little brat… You’ve done it now!”
“Uh, haha…”
I flinched under his venomous glare and took a step back. But then, a black, whip-like shadow shot out from a short tube in the Marquis’s hand, wrapping around me and pulling me toward him.
“Lady Sakuraile!”
Estelle reached out, but I was yanked straight into the Marquis’s grasp. A binding magical tool!?
“Nobody move! Do you care what happens to this girl!?”
The black shadow that had been a whip morphed into a dagger-like shape, pressing against my throat. Oh no—I’m a hostage!?
“Sakuraile!”
“Marquis, stop this foolishness! Do you intend to compound your crimes!?”
“Shut up! If it’s come to this, I’ll take this girl as a gift to the Empire!”
A gift!? I’m not worth that much! …Wait, as His Majesty’s niece, maybe I am?
A cornered rat will bite a cat, as they say. Who knows what a desperate man might do?
But I’d prepared for a moment like this, just in case. I gripped the item in my pocket tightly.
With a swift motion, I pulled out a water gun from my pocket and fired it full-force at the frantic Marquis’s face.
“Take this!”
“Gah!? You—What… ARGH!?”
The Marquis dropped both the magical tool and me, clutching his face as he rolled on the ground in agony. The water gun was loaded with Tabasco sauce from the hot dog stall. It was so brutal I’d hesitated to use it, but mercy’s wasted on a villain. It mostly hit his nose and mouth instead of his eyes, though.
That said, this was all I could do. I bolted away from the Marquis like a startled rabbit and threw myself into Father’s arms.
“Sakuraile!”
“Seize the Marquis! And those mercenaries too!”
At His Majesty’s command, the guard knights sprang into action, apprehending the Marquis and his mercenaries.
Outnumbered, the mercenaries dropped their swords and surrendered quietly.
The Marquis, still writhing from the sting on his face, couldn’t even resist as his hands were bound behind him. He rubbed his face against the ground in desperation.
Ugh… Sorry about that, I guess?
—
ToC