C92
It was an incredible situation for me, but Elliot apologized to me.
"The speculation that Tara and you were in contact has not changed now. However, after experiencing it myself over the last few days, I have come to the conclusion that you are not as villainous as I thought. Although there are moments when you can anger someone."
It's an apology... isn't it?
"Anyway, I'm sorry. At that moment, I deliberately tried to be more aggressive to unsettle you."
I felt dizzy.
"You made my blood boil by making Liena cry..."
"Well, I thought about it again later, and just because Lady Liena shed tears doesn't necessarily mean you're a bad person. Isn't a human relationship something where you can get hurt due to misunderstandings, even if someone doesn't make a big mistake in the first place?"
It's surprising. I can't believe Elliot can think so normally and rationally even when it comes to things related to Liena. It was hard to imagine him as he was before.
"Ah, yes."
Now that I had received the apology, it was my turn to give a response.
"I was very angry at that moment and felt a lot of pressure because of you, but that's already passed, so I'll accept your apologies. But there is a condition."
"A condition?"
"It's not that difficult."
"I'm not someone who just talks. As long as it's not an unreasonable request, I'll accept it."
A moment later, I passed my hand through the iron bars and hit him on the head with a fan. It was exactly like what Elliot did to me last time.
"Are you satisfied with this?"
"Yes! I really wanted to return the favor."
"Well, touching someone else's body is quite insulting. I went too far."
After completing my revenge, I extended my fan. Colorful geometric patterns were embroidered on the blue fabric.
Originally, it was one of Elliot's possessions that were confiscated when he was transported here, but they were retrieved from the storage room some time ago.
"It's a pretty fan."
"It's a gift. You can use it."
"Really? Isn't it an expensive item?"
"Not exactly. Besides, I'll either be dead or rotting in prison for the rest of my life, so why bother with something like this?"
"Oh... Yes, thank you."
The atmosphere was extremely uncomfortable as Elliot continued to do things he had never done before. Fortunately, Elliot changed the topic to something else.
"So please..."
"Yes, please! As long as it's not an unreasonable request, I'll consider it positively."
"It seems like the second prince might do it more than you. But I find him very annoying."
"What is it?"
"If I am sentenced to prison in the trial, I want to be imprisoned in the El Sinza prison."
"If it's the El Sinza prison..."
"As the name suggests, it's located in the El Sinza region, bordering the western frontier."
"Wait a moment, then it's not near Count Miloam's county?"
"It's close."
"Mmm."
"What's that smile for?"
"When did you become so close to the Count?"
Elliot hit the desk.
"Don't get it wrong! I just don't want to let go of something I've already done!"
"What did you do?"
"This is the development plan for Count Miloam's county that I wrote for him. The more we talked, the more I realized that his knowledge of regional development was at its lowest level."
Elliot sighed and shook his head.
"If things continue like this, all the plans I've elaborated so generously will end up in vain. If I get closer, I can give advice to the count if he comes to ask for guidance, and that's not a bad thing."
"The west is a relatively underdeveloped region within the empire, so the prison facilities will be lacking. Is that okay?"
"That's nothing to me. It would be gratifying to develop it."
Well, that's what the person who hasn't eaten the food here while complaining that it's not good says. And there was one more point that needed to be clearly pointed out.
"What about Liena? If you go west, it will be difficult for Liena to visit you frequently."
"......"
Elliot seemed a little sad.
"I know. However, Lady Liena won't come to see me often. From an external perspective, I'm the one who was blinded by greed and ruined the Iver guild. If she visits me frequently, others will inevitably suspect."
That was my thought too. Liena wouldn't be the type of person who would visit Elliot, which would raise suspicions that he might secretly escape from prison and turn him into her subordinate again.
"And to be honest."
Elliot hesitated and then opened his mouth.
"I really don't want to see her."
A shock several times greater than when I received Elliot's apology hit me.
"Are you sick somewhere...?"
"I'm extremely healthy."
"Then why?"
"I'm afraid that if I stay by her side, I won't be Elliot Rudd."
A shadow fell over Elliot's face.
"I am a logical person. As a human, I can't say for certain that I have always been logical, but I have lived most of my life based on logical thinking. However..."
"However?"
"After meeting Lady Liena, I can't control myself. When it comes to the young lady, I dive in without any calculation."
"......"
"A part of me felt that something was off. But people say that's love, so I thought I was adoring her."
"Now that you think about it again, don't you believe that to be the case?"
"I don't know. I was away from the young lady for a few days, and after hearing that from the Count yesterday, I couldn't fully understand it."
The genius who acted as if he knew everything complained that he didn't know. With an expression full of confusion.
"I still like Lady Liena. I miss her. I think she's cute and charming. But I also have doubts that these feelings are not truly mine."
"Calm down. You're too excited right now."
Elliot held his breath at my words.
"So, I want to spend some time away from Lady Liena. Somehow, I can say it. If I see her like that again, I'll go back to how I was before."
He looked down for a moment and lamented.
"My uncle told me to become a person who helps the world. I didn't want to be a great person, but I thought I would at least try not to be a bad guy..."
An empty question echoed between the iron bars.
"Where did it all go wrong?"
...
Early the next morning, the imperial family issued a statement.
It expressed that the main culprit of the Iver guild incident that caused a stir in the world in recent days was Elliot Rudd, the second in command of the guild, and that there was no direct connection between this incident and Princess Cassius.
With this, the Iver merchant guild incident came to an end. The work of the investigation team was also completed.
Elliot Rudd's personal matters were handed over to the security forces. It was also time to bid farewell to the person I had encountered face to face over the past few days.
"Goodbye."
Elliot Rudd, who had been transferred from the security wing to the main building, said this to me as he exited the room he was staying in. I responded simply.
"Likewise."
"Please, thank you for listening."
"Just because you spoke well with the prince doesn't mean it will happen, right?"
"Even so."
"Okay. Everything will be fine."
It was a vague statement that didn't exactly indicate what would be good, but it relaxed his expression. It was Elliot's mocking smile that I had never seen before.
"If you commit a crime and end up in prison, ask to be sent to El Sinza Penitentiary. It would be less boring if there's at least a familiar face."
"That won't happen."
Elliot's eyes were bluer than usual as he spat out hateful words to the end.
Suddenly, I felt that his eyes had cleared. Just like I felt when I saw Duke Cassius before.
In the afternoon of the same day, Terence came here to return the annex that the investigation team had rented from the security forces. I told him my final decision about Elliot.
"Very well. So let's assume there was no plan to eliminate Elliot Rudd."
Surprisingly, he obediently followed my opinion.
"That's unexpected."
"Why?"
"Honestly, I thought Terence would be against it. I thought you hated Elliot."
"I do. But regardless of that, I trust Ethel's judgment."
"...Aren't you thinking too highly of me?"
"No. Didn't you even receive a sincere apology from that person?"
"The person who changed Elliot was Count Miloam. I didn't do much."
"I think differently. And it was Ethel who assigned Count Miloam to Elliot."
"Is that so? Then I'll say I'm quite good."
As she spoke confidently, following her previous promise not to underestimate herself anymore, Terence smiled happily.
That night, after returning to the ambassador's residence after a long time, I fell asleep and had a strange dream.
"Is he? The person you prayed and wished the best for?"
It seemed as if someone were whispering next to my bed.
"You're also very strange. The first wish you ask for is for someone else. You're different from that girl who always prays for herself."
It was the same voice I heard in the temple of the Wandering Forest.
"Oh, yes. I know. There is a big difference between that girl and you. The degree of using the ability and its power. Is it unfair? But what can I do? The world is inherently unfair."
I was about to find it annoying that the way she spoke seemed to be mocking me.
"Hey, don't get so angry. Instead, I'll give you a gift."
A gift?
"What you most want to know right now. Although it violates the law of causality a bit... It's not like I can't do that much between us! No matter. Anyway, you won't even remember it correctly when you wake up."
I wanted to ask what that meant, but my voice didn't come out.
Instead, my vision, which was white before, distorted. When I regained consciousness, I found myself in front of an unfamiliar landscape.
It was a castle. Rather a fortress that looked very sturdy. Perhaps because it was built in a mountainous area, the vast fields surrounding the castle were visible at a glance.
I saw a watchtower. The highest place in this lofty castle. There was an old man standing on the watchtower looking down.
[Usted está aquí.]
Another person said as he approached the watchtower. This time it was a middle-aged man. The old man let out a hearty laugh without even looking back.
[Oh, isn't our tactical genius here?]
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