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~Chapter 6~
“Nice! That’s it! Well done!”
I clenched my fist and loudly cheered David on. Moving at incredible speed, David took down the assassins one by one.
In the middle of it, one assassin who had been menacingly swinging a dagger had his arm struck by David’s fist. Apparently, he hadn’t expected to drop the dagger in a single blow, and the assassin looked flustered. David grabbed him by the collar, and I shouted at the top of my lungs,
“You coward! Punch him!”
Following my command, David slammed his fist into the man’s face, and with a thud, that assassin also collapsed onto the ground.
That was the moment all the assassins were subdued.
Khh, yes. Justice wins.
As I trembled with emotion, clenching my fist tightly, Jean the chef brought over a folding chair and table.
“My lady, I’ve set up the table and chair here. Please sit and rest. I’ll go report this to the police.”
After kindly preparing a seat for me, Jean went off to notify the police as usual. I leisurely sat at the table and slurped my shaved ice. Watching the assassins roll around on the ground tied up in ropes and groaning in pain was deeply satisfying.
Compared to the last time assassins had attacked, David had dealt with the intruders much faster this time. The traps I’d secretly installed here and there had really done their job.
David began tying the assassins together like dried fish using ropes, preparing to hand them over to the police.
“Oh, this shaved ice is so good! Lana, your skills are getting better and better!”
I showered Lana with sincere praise. She smiled softly at me.
“I only did what Jean taught me. I’m just glad you like it, my lady.”
As she spoke, Lana lovingly brushed my hair to the side so it wouldn’t fall into my shaved ice. I grinned happily at her thoughtful care.
The assassins, dressed head to toe in black, groaned while bound in ropes. At first, they had charged in confidently, but after being thoroughly beaten by David, they were now all whining in pain.
One of them even looked at me with an aggrieved expression.
I glared fiercely back at him.
‘What? Why are you giving me that unfair look? You’re an assassin who tried to kill an innocent person! Hmph!’
When I glared at him, the assassin quietly turned his head away and stared gloomily at the ground. I clicked my tongue in disbelief.
In case they regained their strength and tried anything, David occasionally kicked them while they were tied up to keep them weakened.
Then, a carriage stopped in front of the main gate.
At first, I thought the police had arrived, but instead, a flashy-looking person in extravagant clothes stepped out of the luxurious carriage.
He widened his eyes at the sight of David tying up black-clad assassins and kicking them around at the front gate, then brightened when he spotted me eating shaved ice.
“Ah! Count Miller.”
Who’s that?
I blinked, and while he walked toward me with the gait of a peacock, Lana whispered to me,
“He’s His Majesty the Emperor’s attendant. He often personally delivered His Majesty’s letters.”
“How should I address him?”
“You usually just called him ‘Jenol.’ That’s his name.”
“You just called him by his name?”
“Yes.”
Watching Jenol’s peacock-like stride, I worried he might step on one of my traps, but he safely reached me and bowed politely.
“It’s been a long time, Count Miller.”
“…Welcome, Jenol.”
For now, my amnesia was a secret from the outside world. So I pretended to know him while observing the elaborate patterns embroidered on his flashy suit.
‘Is that the imperial crest?’
Jenol took an envelope from his coat and respectfully offered it to me with precise movements.
“A personal letter from His Majesty the Emperor for Count Miller.”
“Ah, thank you.”
I accepted the letter.
Then, without hesitation, I violently tore open the envelope.
Jenol looked horrified at the sight of me ripping apart an envelope containing the Emperor’s letter, and Lana hurriedly asked,
“M-My lady! Shall I fetch you a letter opener?”
“It’s fine. I already ripped it open.”
I roughly yanked out the Emperor’s letter from the mangled envelope, not caring in the slightest if it got crumpled. Jenol stared at me with his mouth hanging open.
Ignoring his gaze, I tossed the ruined envelope onto the table and unfolded the thick, luxurious stationery to read.
To Count Miller,
I hear that because you haven’t been working lately, Countess Libre is having trouble dealing with the backlog. Why don’t you do some work?
Instead of doing what you’re supposed to, what exactly have you been up to?
This morning, I heard you turned the finance manager’s office in the city into a complete mess.
I’ve also heard rumors that Count Miller has become obsessed with dark magic and that corpses keep appearing at your estate. What’s that about this time?
Come to the Imperial Palace tomorrow at once and report to me the truth behind these rumors.
After reading the Emperor’s letter, I blinked.
Then I turned the paper over front and back.
There was nothing else.
Without realizing it, my face twisted.
“…Is this the entire letter His Majesty sent?”
Seeing my expression, Jenol looked flustered.
“Y-Yes? Yes, that is the full letter His Majesty instructed me to deliver, Count.”
“I see.”
I frowned and pressed my lips together.
Was he pretending not to know I was in danger, or did he genuinely not know?
From this letter alone, I couldn’t accurately determine the Emperor’s intentions.
He wanted me to come to the palace tomorrow?
Should I go or not?
‘If the Emperor is in league with the culprits, the moment I step into the palace, he might try to kill me.’
But if the Emperor wasn’t allied with them, then as David said, making him my ally would be advantageous.
I watched David kick the assassins, who rolled across the ground like soccer balls, while I thought it over.
Just then, the police finally arrived.
As expected, today’s officer was another unfamiliar face, and he looked utterly horrified.
“W-What in the world happened here…? Count Miller, are you alright?”
I rose from my seat, approached the officer, and smiled kindly.
“Ah, hello there. Your name?”
“Y-Yes, ma’am! I’m Officer Thomas Ban, newly assigned to this district. It’s my first time meeting you!”
Not an imperial native—his name sounded foreign.
As I listened to the new officer’s introduction, I nodded.
As expected, were the officers sent here eventually being “disposed of” behind the scenes?
Pointing at the assassins, I explained the situation.
“You see, for several days now, assassins keep coming after me like this… No matter how many times I report it to the police, nothing improves.”
“Oh! Is that so? This isn’t the first time? I’ll return immediately and make sure to report this—!”
“I’ve already heard that response many times, but only the visiting officers keep changing, while the police have done absolutely nothing. Hmm.”
Hearing my words, Thomas blinked a few times, then began to understand the meaning behind my steady gaze.
Soon, he pulled out a handkerchief and started wiping cold sweat from his forehead.
Praying he wasn’t an idiot, I addressed poor Officer Thomas—who seemed to have been discarded by corruption within the police.
“Officer Thomas.”
“Yes, yes, Count.”
“Could you personally inform His Majesty the Emperor about the situation I’m in?”
Thomas looked startled.
I made him an offer.
“I think it would benefit us both if someone trustworthy directly informed His Majesty of my circumstances. And then, could you return to me with His Majesty’s response?”
Thomas’s eyes trembled as he looked at me.
Whether the Emperor had ordered the officers who met me to be eliminated, or someone else was interfering, I couldn’t know for sure—but if this man personally delivered my message and returned with the Emperor’s reply, then the Emperor wouldn’t be able to kill him.
“…Yes, understood.”
Fortunately, Thomas seemed to reach the same conclusion I had. He answered firmly.
Jenol, who had been listening nearby, interjected.
“Then shall I escort Officer Thomas to His Majesty, Count?”
“Yes, please do, Jenol.”
As I smiled, Jenol once again began striding toward us with his trademark peacock-like confidence.
And in rhythm with his flamboyant steps, an ominous sound reached my ears.
Click.
Fwoosh—
The sound of Jenol stepping on a trap was immediately followed by an arrow shooting straight toward the Emperor’s messenger.
‘Huh?’
