Chapter 4.11

“Hey, why are you getting angry in front of the coffin? I was just telling you to have a respectful heart for the dead, but calling their sad story useless… I’m worried the deceased will be offended…”

Lusell shook his head sadly and slightly lifted the lower part of the coffin lid. Having just heard several ominous words, the guard instinctively squeezed his eyes shut.

Lusell leaned in close and whispered to him,

“You shouldn’t do inspections half-heartedly. You need to check carefully, so take a good look. The deceased are already waiting to meet you.”

“I-I’m not doing it half-heartedly…”

Through the slightly opened coffin, two small feet and two large feet appeared. Peeking through, the guard, eyes half-open, suddenly recoiled.

“U-uh…!”

“What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing, the inspection is done…”

As the guard jumped out of the carriage as if fleeing, Lusell bit his lip to keep from laughing. After being informed that there was nothing unusual, the captain finished the inspection, and the carriage carrying Brienne and her companions set off again.

“Your Highness! Miss Brienne! Are you both all right?”

Once he confirmed the guards were gone, Lusell immediately opened the coffin lid. Brienne shot up, gasping for breath.

“Haa…! I thought I was really going to die!”

“Seriously. Just when I thought we’d gotten past the hardest part, I never expected they’d actually open the coffin…”

“Still, Lusell, you acted so well! When you lied about the Prince thing, I didn’t think you could do it, but how did you manage?”

Supporting Brienne as she climbed out, Lusell sighed.

“Oh, that… I meant to call His Highness by a nickname… Ahem, never mind, I just did it desperately. I’d rather deal with heretics than get caught by the lord, who knows what would happen then.”

“You did great, really impressive!”

“No, Miss Brienne, you were amazing. How did you think of this? I heard Rontiano people consider anything related to death extremely ominous.”

“I’m a Rontiano myself, so I used that. Well, in the end, Lusell did everything.”

Brienne shrugged and straightened her wrinkled clothes. Meanwhile, Lusell glanced curiously at Garzen, who was still lying motionless in the coffin with his eyes closed.

“But, Your Highness… Why are you still like that?”

Garzen, lying among the glittering gold coins, didn’t seem intent on getting out. As Lusell approached, Garzen’s face and even his ears turned red as he whispered,

“Lusell, please… Don’t ask me anything, just shut up.”

“…Excuse me?”

Suddenly insulted, Lusell thought back to what might have happened in the coffin in such a short time, noticing that the coffin was far too small for Garzen’s size.

“…”

It was obvious. Being crammed in that tiny space with Miss Brienne… Feeling awkward, Lusell cleared his throat just as Brienne brightly asked Zen,

“By the way, why was that guy so scared? Did Zen use some scary magic effect?”

“…What?”

“Oh, that! It was amazing. Black smoke and a spooky wind came out of the coffin. When did you learn to do that, Your Highness? I almost got fooled myself!”

“…”

“…Your Highness?”

As Garzen’s silence dragged on, a chilly air filled the carriage. Sensing something was off, Lusell shifted his eyes and laughed awkwardly.

“Haha, could it be…?”

“…”

“…”

“Did we get cursed by the deceased?”

* * *

“…”

Soft waltz music from an old record player filled the antique drawing room. The clattering of teacups mixed in, and Derrick, staring at the stubbornly floral wallpaper, sighed.

Melosi, calmly pouring tea and humming along with the waltz, still didn’t speak. After being left alone for fifteen minutes since arriving at Bailey Earldom, Derrick’s patience was running thin.

“Hey, how long are you going to…”

At that moment, Melosi stopped humming and looked at Derrick. Tilting her head with a gentle smile, she spoke.

“It’s been a while, Derrick. All the servants are gone, so speak freely. What brings someone like you all the way here?”

“What do you mean, ‘it’s been a while’? You finally open your mouth after all this time and that’s what you say… Hey, Melosi Bailey. Why are you doing this to me, huh? You’re the one who called me out yesterday.”

Derrick, incredulous, stared at Melosi as she poured tea for him. Melosi blinked slowly, as if puzzled.

“If you mean yesterday, are you talking about my engagement ceremony?”

“What?”

“Oh, I see, you came to comfort me about that… The engagement ceremony where my fiancé disappeared on the day itself. The capital is in an uproar, right? I must be the only one in Rontiano who’s ever gone through something like this.”

With a bitter smile, Melosi handed Derrick the tea. But Derrick was no longer fooled by her pitiful face.

“…What are you trying to do? Are you playing games with me?”

“Pardon?”

“I came here to confront you about your reply! What do you mean you don’t know what I’m talking about?”

Derrick, trembling, slammed Melosi’s reply onto the table.

[Were you drunk and dreaming? I don’t know why you’re saying this to me. If there’s a misunderstanding, please speak freely.]

How could she instigate such a thing and then so shamelessly back away?

Derrick’s face flushed with anger. Lowering his voice, he spoke fiercely.

“After causing all this trouble, you want to escape alone? Someone like you, with just one word from me…”

At that moment, Melosi’s face, as she stared at Derrick, broke into a delighted smile.

“…How could you.”

Melosi rose gracefully, picking up the thin letter Derrick had placed down.

“Did you know? My father always says I have no eye for people, but I always think he’s wrong.”

“What the hell are you talking about all of a sudden…?”

“You never stray from my expectations, not one bit. Do you have any proof I was trying to back away? Or any evidence I ordered such a thing?”

“What? That’s in your hand…”

“Oh, this?”

Melosi smiled sweetly and opened the teapot, dropping the letter inside. The thin paper floated, dissolving in the red tea.

“Oh my, what now.”

“Hey, hey, are you crazy…? Have you really lost it?”

Startled, Derrick jumped up and grabbed the teapot. But the letter had already melted away, useless.

“Who knows? Maybe I have. But of all the possibilities I considered, you made the stupidest choice.”

“Hey, you…”

“Such a pity… No matter how desperate, if only you hadn’t come all the way here.”

Speechless, Derrick stared at Melosi, mouth agape. As she gazed back, Melosi picked up her still-warm teacup and leisurely poured it over her dress.

“I appreciate your effort in coming here, but I know exactly which cards to throw away. I’m sure you get it now, so I won’t bother with a long farewell.”

“Wait, what are you doing…!”

Startled by the dripping tea, Derrick hurriedly backed away from Melosi. Without even glancing at him, Melosi swept all the tableware off the table.

Clatter!

“Ah, ah…! Please don’t do this!”

“W-what, hey! Why are you doing this!”

“H-help! Someone, please…!”

Melosi shouted loudly, her face terrified, and ran to the closed door. Her urgent voice stirred the servants waiting outside.

“Miss? Are you all right?! Miss…!”

“We’re opening the door!”

At last, Derrick realized something was wrong. His face turned pale as he staggered toward Melosi.

“Wait, wait, Melosi, let’s talk. Why are you doing this, really…!”

“D-don’t come near me! Don’t touch me again!”

“I was wrong, just…! D*mn it! Please, please just shut up, you crazy woman…!”

And when the servants opened the door—

“Miss Melosi!”

There was Melosi Bailey, collapsed and trembling at the door, and Derrick Harrington standing over her.

Derrick’s eyes, drained of color, shook violently.

* * *

“Miss, wake up! We’re getting closer to the capital, there might be another inspection.”

Brienne, who had dozed off on the carriage floor, woke abruptly to Garzen’s voice. She sat up, looking around in confusion.

“…Did I fall asleep? When?”

“You curled up saying you were scared and then just drifted off.”

“Really? Maybe it’s because I didn’t sleep well last night…”

Strange. She hadn’t thought she’d be able to sleep.

Tilting her head, Brienne got up and approached the ventilation window where Lusell stood. They really were getting close to the capital. Familiar scenery came into view, making her feel odd.

Brienne turned her gaze from the window to Garzen and Lusell.

‘…They’ve found the heretics’ base and the secret ledger, so those two will be leaving for Roeta soon.’

She felt relieved knowing it was finally over, yet a little sad at the same time. Smiling, Brienne spoke up.

“When are you two leaving? I was wondering if we’d ever meet again.”

“Ah, His Highness and I will probably head back right away. We’ve got enough evidence, so the rest will be up to the Inquisition. Or we could leave it to the Demekia Temple.”

‘Right, Roeta had its own Inquisition.’ 

Brienne recalled reading that in the newspaper and asked curiously.

“Then why did you two come alone? And hide your identities?”

“Ah, that…”

Lusell’s eyes turned to Garzen. With everyone’s attention on him, Garzen folded his arms and sighed lightly.

“Well, you could call it a struggle for the throne…”

“A struggle for the throne?”

“Yeah, Roeta still hasn’t chosen a crown prince. Who’d have thought I’d go through all this at my age just to claim the throne?”

So he meant he needed to make achievements to win the throne? That only made less sense.