IMRELM 11

Chapter 11

As Rodrigo moved carefully, avoiding the guards’ eyes, his thoughts were a tangled mess.

Had he ever agonized over anything this much in his life? Aside from that one person, he couldn’t remember ever thinking so deeply about anyone.

She’s annoying.

She somehow always managed to find him.

She hated the imperial family.

She had destroyed a building.

And now she had even ended up sharing his solitary cell.

In some ways, she was even more stubborn than the Emperor.

Yet he couldn’t simply push her away.

The fact that she constantly occupied his thoughts—if that was a talent, it was certainly an impressive one.

Tomorrow… I suppose I’ll have to talk to her.

For the past two days, he had remained silent for one reason only: to observe.

How would the child behave?

Would she do anything suspicious?

He had watched her carefully.

But she had shown nothing unusual.

If anything, she had shouted herself hoarse calling for him.

She was probably asleep by now, so he could choose the right moment to speak.

Just as he settled on that plan—

“…!”

The guard who served as Sis’s trusted subordinate unlocked the door.

Rodrigo stepped inside—

Then stopped.

Bang.

The door shut behind him.

As he slowly walked forward—

“There you are!”

A little girl gripping the iron bars with both hands lit up with sparkling eyes.

“I’ve been waiting for you!”

“…”

Rodrigo narrowed his eyes.

How long has she been awake? I checked earlier. She was definitely asleep.

“I was so sleepy I almost gave up and went to bed, but I forced myself to stay awake!”

“…Why?”

“Because I wanted to make you a proposal!”

“To me?”

“Yes!”

Just as countless possibilities flashed through his mind, the child looked at him with wide, shining eyes.

“Would you like to rebel with me?!”

“You insane little brat.”

* * *

Before the Duke arrived—

Left alone, I thought long and hard.

Should I just force the issue?

Or should I keep waiting?

After a great deal of deliberation…

“Would you like to rebel with me?!”

I came up with the perfect line to grab all of his attention and interest at once!

“…”

Just as I thought.

He’s interested in my proposal.

Otherwise he wouldn’t be standing there so quietly!

Compared to how he’d ignored everything I said over the last two days, this was real progress!

“I’ve thought about it a lot, and I think Your Grace and I have the same goal.”

“…Goal?”

“Yes. Rebellion!”

Everyone knew that Bankadium hated the imperial family.

And with good reason.

The temple had joined forces with the imperial family to wipe them out entirely just to kill a single dragon.

In my previous life, I’d even read a newspaper article saying that Bankadium, still holding a grudge, was planning a rebellion.

“That’s an interesting thing to say.”

The Duke looked straight at me.

“What makes you so certain that I want to rebel?”

“Because Bankadium hates the imperial family.”

“And how do you know that?”

“It’s famous!”

“…”

See? You don’t have anything to say!

I grinned as the Duke fell silent.

“I hate the imperial family too. I even told the warden.”

“What does the warden have to do with—”

“He’s your subordinate. I know you heard everything we talked about.”

There wasn’t much time left anyway.

Going in circles would only waste it, so I decided to be completely honest.

“You know far more than I expected.”

The eyes looking down at me suddenly turned ice-cold.

“I-I just mean I’m really interested in you, Your Grace!”

“Interested enough to uncover confidential information that even the Emperor doesn’t know?”

“Then that just means the Emperor’s an idiot for not figuring it out!”

“…Hah.”

Rodrigo stared at me in disbelief.

But I wasn’t backing down.

After all, the Emperor really was an idiot.

He had appointed that man as the prison warden without even realizing he belonged to Bankadium.

“I’m different from the Emperor.”

“In what way?”

“I’m smarter. I notice things faster…”

And most importantly—

“I like Bankadium!”

“Our family?”

“Yes!”

“What nonsense.”

“Huh?!”

But it’s true!

“W-Was destroying one building not enough?”

Maybe dragons just had higher standards.

“Hmm… Destroying two might be a little difficult…”

“…Don’t seriously think about doing something so stupid.”

The Duke muttered irritably.

“But if I want to show how much I like you, shouldn’t I smash one more—”

“What a pointless thing to do.”

Rodrigo clicked his tongue.

Then he walked over to me.

“!”

He sat down in front of the bars.

“Tell me.”

“Everything you’re thinking.”

“You’re finally going to talk to me?”

“‘Finally’?”

“You’ve been gobbling up everything I said for two whole days.”

“…”

Apparently speechless again, the Duke pressed his lips together before changing the subject.

“Just talk.”

“Ah! Um…”

Now that he’d actually given me the chance, I was getting nervous.

“If you already know the warden is from Bankadium, then imagine how much more I know. I’m not a spy, and I’m definitely not on the Emperor’s side. If you want, I can start insulting that damn Emperor right now! I can even blow up another building if necessary. If you need more proof, I can—”

“Enough!”

The Duke cut me off sharply.

“That’s enough. Now tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

“What you want.”

“What I want?”

“That’s right.”

His golden eyes, bright as jewels, shone with a clear light.

As though they were searching for the truth.

“I…”

I carefully voiced the goal I had repeated to myself countless times.

“There’s someone I want revenge on.”

“Revenge?”

“Yes. Someone I want to make suffer until they’re crying and begging.”

They had exploited my pain for their own gain—

And then framed me for crimes I didn’t commit and had me killed.

Even thinking about it now made my blood boil.

“So you want Bankadium to lend you its strength?”

“No.”

“No?”

“What I want is protection. When you escape from prison, take me with you.”

“…You really do know everything.”

“Because I’m interested in Bankadium!”

At my answer, the Duke let out a short, incredulous laugh.

But unlike before, he didn’t stop me from speaking.

Maybe that meant it was okay to continue.

“When I leave this place, I won’t have anywhere to go.”

I still had my aunt…

But if things went wrong, I could endanger the rest of my family.

By now, the Count’s household was probably searching desperately for me.

“I need somewhere that can truly protect me.”

Somewhere incredibly strong.

“Somewhere I can trust.”

“And you believe Bankadium is worthy of that trust?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because we’re going to make a contract.”

For the first time, Rodrigo visibly faltered.

This wasn’t like the moments before when he’d merely been left speechless.

His reaction was completely different.

“That requires an explanation.”

“I want to make a deal with you, Your Grace.”

“…”

“That’s why I’ve been trying to talk to you all this time…”

It had simply kept getting postponed.

“I can take my revenge myself. Just keep me safe until I become an adult.”

“And if I do?”

“Bankadium will clear its name.”

And…

“Your rebellion will succeed.”

Backing down now…

“That wouldn’t be like Bankadium, would it?”