Chapter 222: I’ll do anything you say…
I served tea to Pope Mirishu and Kuna-san, who were red-faced and looking down, and had Ruu and Mimine wait in the corner of the room. I sat back down on the sofa across from them. They still had faintly red faces. I cleared my throat and started speaking in a soft tone.
“The truth is I came to consult because I am lost about how to move from here.”
“…With me? I hate to say it, but I am someone of the Kingdom of Libertonia.”
“King Aria… Lady Relia and Lady Tia advised that if I asked Raide-sama I might receive a good opinion.”
“An opinion, is it…”
If they were going to have her call Relia and Tia by those names, what was I supposed to call Pope Mirishu? Kuna-san saw my troubled face, smiled faintly, and whispered to Pope Mirishu. Hearing that, Pope Mirishu hid her mouth with her fingertips, smiled, and started looking at me closely with narrowed eyes. I was curious what she had said, but it was definitely nothing good…
“I am Mirishu, here to inspect Filim Academy.”
“No, what are you…”
“I am Kuna, the attendant. Please treat us well.”
“…”
…They went and did it, those tomboys! Using inspection as a pretext for anything and everything. That was a move you could only use if you were the winning country! Aah, I seriously wanted to hold my head… You are actually a country’s top. Please stop acting carelessly. These two were trying to make me drop honorifics… I wanted a break, but there was no sign they would allow it. Ruu and Mimine were turning their faces away with their shoulders shaking, you know? No, not just those two. Pope Mirishu and Kuna-san looked like they were enjoying themselves too. I got a slightly distant look like Erika, then let out a big breath and said,
“I think you heard from Relia and Tia, but my tone is rough, you know?”
“Don’t you think that will deceive the eyes around us better?”
“If Raide-sama treats us politely, people around will probably become wary.”
“…Haa. Mirishu, Kuna… I won’t listen to complaints later, so don’t corner me, all right?”
“I promise in the name of the Pope.”
“At that time I will do anything you say.”
I was full of feelings I could not stand. Please do not look that happy. Kuna, you should not say “I’ll do anything you say” so easily either. Honestly…
I stroked the back of my neck once with one hand, let out a small breath, put on a serious face, and asked,
“You said you wanted an opinion earlier… what kind of opinion do you want?”
“Kusu. Then… first, about my enemies. Raide-sama captured the Cardinal, but the enemy is not only the Cardinal. With the Cardinal who was effectively holding them together gone, the dark side who stay with me alone are not enough eyes for surveillance. It is a difficult situation.”
“Hm… then why not pull in the dark side the Cardinal was controlling and increase your numbers?”
“I thought of that too, but… their grudge toward the Cardinal is terrible, and it is doubtful they will listen. That is only natural. When I asked, it seems they were controlled for two years… doing work they did not want to do…”
“The way of putting it is pretty bad, but shall we use that grudge.”
Mirishu and Kuna made surprised faces. I smiled slyly and continued explaining. I had said a fake Cardinal was giving speeches in the Holy Kingdom of Kail, but there was a chance this fake was not being controlled. When you control with a crystal you can only give simple orders like “stop,” “rest,” or “fight.” You cannot give an order to think of something yourself and act. The force and duration of the effect were probably from the modification, but looking at the scenes where the Cardinal controlled people, the way he gave orders had not changed. Then the fake who was thinking for himself and giving speeches was not being controlled, but a collaborator. That was the answer the theory group had come out with. I agreed with that theory and thought it was right. I hid that it was the theory group’s talk and explained, then continued while looking at the two of them.
“We’ll have the fake become the real one. The dark side is no longer being controlled, and they have a grudge, but… when will the fake notice that?”
“…Kuna.”
“Yes. With this… with this we will not have to worry about surveillance. On the contrary, people on the Pope’s side will increase.”
“…? Increase, or rather almost everyone should become the Pope’s side… the Cardinal was holding them together, right? Watching the fake means we can control him. The ’dark side pardoned by Pope Mirishu’s mercy’ can get revenge for being controlled, and they can control in reverse, so they will be glad… they can control him like a limb, the way it was done to them.”
What’s with those dumbfounded faces. Really, Kuna as the close escort should have been the one to think of this, not me. I understand you cannot stay calm right after it happened, but these are lives you picked up. I want you to think a little more. Next time something happens I have no guarantee I will notice. I noticed because an event was involved. If one is not involved I will not notice unless I get word. And factions do not disappear easily. Then it is better to control them and pull them to our side. Even if you erase them they spring up. That is what factions are.
I explained that far and took a sip of tea. The two of them came back to themselves and started consulting with serious faces. After consulting for only a little while, Mirishu looked at me with the same serious face and opened her mouth.
“We should move on this quickly.”
“You should hurry, but… Mirishu should not leave the royal capital for a while. Kuna understands the reason, right?”
“Yes. It is easier for the dark side to manipulate information if Lady Mirishu is not in the Holy Kingdom of Kail. And if Lady Mirishu had been captured, I do not think the Cardinal would put her in front of people.”
I smiled with satisfaction at Kuna’s serious reply and nodded. I felt like I was being rolled around on Relia and Tia’s palms, but if I could save people I would let myself be rolled. Well, if I thought of it as payback for the trouble and worry I caused, it was cute. While I was thinking that and sipping tea, Kuna stood and headed for the door. Moving immediately was impressive. I followed her with my eyes. She stopped in front of the door and I heard the click of a lock.
…Why did she lock it? I did not understand and was looking at Kuna’s back when my left arm was wrapped in a soft, squishing feel. I turned my face in surprise. Mirishu, cheeks red, was clinging to my left arm. She had been right in front of me. When had she moved? Mirishu looked up at my face in embarrassment and squeezed my left arm further between those vicious breasts. Had she taken the bra off at some point? The feel was clearly different. Confused, I asked Mirishu, who was burying my left arm deeper and deeper over the blouse.
“May I ask what you are doing?”
“Um… let’s make a child.”
“Why does it become that…”
“I asked Maya and the others. Raide-sama has made Maya and the others your lovers, correct? Then the Holy Kingdom of Kail, Maya and the others’ homeland, and I who rule it also become your lover.”
“It does not. Haa. Sorry, but I at least want the circumstances. This is too sudden…”
I set the cup on the low table in front of me and moved my right hand to press my forehead. Someone grabbed my wrist and shoved it into something soft. …I do not want to look. Controlling the skill and trying not to think about my lower half is already hard. I really do not want to look. I turned my eyes toward Ruu and Mimine for help. They had their backs to me. I almost looked up at the ceiling. No mistake. They had definitely received some message telling them not to interfere. Besides Relia and Tia there was no one else, damn it!!!
I looked to my right with a tired face. Kuna had undone four buttons from the top of her blouse, grabbed my wrist with her left hand, and shoved it into her chest. Her cheeks were dyed red in embarrassment, and she sometimes went “nn,” so I could not even move a single fingertip of my right hand. From my right hand the feel of skin came through directly. My left arm was completely caught between breasts, in a situation like my body was caught too.
“Please. Tell me the circumstances…”
The two of them smiled a little at my words. Then Mirishu started speaking with an indescribable expression. It was the expression of a person saying there was only time now, and that it was not long.