Tilea's Worries

Edim’s fist came flying at me like a shooting star.  

I-I’m going to die—

"Ahh! So here you are, Ediiim!"  

Just as I prepared for death, I heard a familiar voice.  

It was Tilea-san!  

At the sound of her voice, Edim’s fist stopped right at the tip of my nose.  

I-I’m saved! I collapsed weakly to the ground.  

I really thought I was going to die. That punch had the force of a champion boxer behind it.  

Edim’s fist had looked massive, like it belonged to a seasoned warrior.  

If she hadn’t stopped, I could clearly picture my face being smashed in.  

When did Edim get so terrifying?  

She never had that kind of strength before.  

Where did she learn it?  

It must have been during her service to the Eastern Kingdom.  

Maybe Nielsen-san, the perfect butler, trained her in combat?  

That would make sense.  

Even the arrogant Ortissio, who had shown me his overwhelming strength, couldn’t hold a candle to Nielsen-san.  

If Nielsen-san trained Edim, it wouldn’t be surprising if she improved dramatically.  

Edim is my best friend, and we’ve been great rivals at the magic academy.  

But now, she’s awakened to a new level of power.  

I feel kind of left behind.  

It’s a little... jealous-making.  

Edim, unaware of my mixed feelings, continued glaring at me with murderous intent.  

She crouched again, ready to throw another punch.

Wait, didn’t she just stop?  

Her second punch was coming right at me!

"W-wait—!"

"Hey! Edim!"  

Just as my life started flashing before my eyes, Tilea-san called out to Edim again.

"Please wait, Tilea-sama. I’m currently dealing with a traitor."

"Edim, this isn’t the time for that!"

"But I can’t just let a traitor walk free."

"I said, now’s not the time to be fighting with Miresu-chan!"

Tilea-san grabbed Edim by the collar.  

Thrown off balance, Edim almost fell but quickly recovered, turning to face Tilea-san.  

Even though she was determined to kill me, Tilea-san shook her by the collar, demanding that she stop.

...It was incredible.  

Edim’s neck was shaking violently.

"O-okay, okay, I get it! Tilea-sama, p-please forgive me!"  

At last, Edim gave in, speaking with a trembling voice.  

Tilea-san let go of her collar once she received a response.  

Freed from her grip, Edim took a moment to catch her breath.

"Hah... hah... So, Tilea-sama, what has gotten you so worked up?"

"It’s just... ugh! The more I think about it, the angrier I get!"  

Tilea-san stomped her feet, clearly frustrated.  

Her face was flushed red, and it seemed like something had really gotten under her skin.  

Edim, seeing her like this, calmed her down and asked for an explanation.  

Once Tilea-san settled a little, she began recounting what had happened with Elizabeth’s chef.

Apparently, Tilea-san had barged into the kitchen and, according to her, very calmly pointed out the use of protected birds and the sloppy cooking process.  

But the chef had exploded in anger at her comments.  

Not backing down, Tilea-san had argued back.  

It became a full-blown shouting match, and in the end, the furious chef had raised a knife, threatening to kill Tilea-san.  

Even while dodging the blade, Tilea-san hadn’t stopped hurling verbal attacks.  

One of the party guests, a man named Azion, who turned out to be a big name in the culinary world, had witnessed the scene. He stepped in and diffused the situation.

However, neither Tilea-san nor the chef were satisfied with the outcome.  

In the end, they agreed to settle things with a cooking duel, putting Tilea-san’s restaurant’s reputation on the line.  

The judge would be none other than the esteemed Azion.  

If Tilea-san lost, she’d be imprisoned for slandering the chef and would lose her restaurant.

As expected, Tilea-san had gotten herself into trouble.  

She was all fired up, swearing, "There’s no way I’ll lose to such a lousy chef. I’ll win, for the sake of my father’s name!"  

Edim, listening to the whole story, nodded along.

"I understand the situation. Such disrespect toward Tilea-sama is unforgivable. That chef must pay."

"Right? Right? You get it, Edim. He insulted my cooking and mocked my restaurant, Belm, calling me a ‘second-rate hack.’ He even insulted my father! This guy uses protected birds and cuts corners because he’s lazy. He’s the lowest of the low. Who’s the real hack here?!"

"Your anger is entirely justified, Tilea-sama. Should I kill him for you? Or would you prefer to do it yourself?"

K-kill him...?  

Edim never used to talk about killing people, no matter how unfairly she was treated.  

She really has changed.  

But then again, she’s now a knight serving her country. If her master was insulted, it’s her duty to protect their honor. As a knight serving the Empire’s princess, it’s probably the right way of thinking.  

Still, it makes me a little sad.

"Ediiim, don’t do that."  

Tilea-san cut off Edim’s suggestion without hesitation.

"With all due respect, that scum deserves to die. We should kill him."

"Sigh. Edim, I’ve been meaning to say this for a while now. Every time something happens, you’re always saying ‘kill, kill.’ You’re not some street thug! I know whose influence you’ve been under, but it’s time to stop sounding like a kid."

"M-my deepest apologies. You’re right, saying ‘kill, kill’ like that does make me sound like some street brat. I’m ashamed."

"Do you understand now?"

"Yes, next time, I’ll just kill them without saying a word."

"No, no, that’s not what I meant! Think before you act!"

"O-oh, right. In that case, I’ll just say ‘I killed them’ afterward. Is that acceptable?"

"Ediiim, if you keep this up, I’ll grab your chest and squeeze it. With all my strength."

Tilea-san wiggled her fingers in a menacing way, threatening Edim.  

Edim let out a frightened squeak and crossed her arms over her chest to shield herself.  

Tilea-san, that’s harassment. You’re scaring her.  

But that’s just like Tilea-san.  

Even while joking around, she’s really looking out for Edim.  

That chef had committed a serious offense by being disrespectful to Tilea-san, a member of the royal family. As Edim, the chef would have to be executed for treason, and his head might even have to roll.  

Tilea-san didn’t want Edim to be burdened with such a grim task.  

She didn’t want Edim to dirty her hands.  

I understand.  

I wonder if Edim understands Tilea-san’s true intentions.  

There aren’t many masters as compassionate as her.  

Edim seemed to be thinking hard, stroking her chin thoughtfully. Finally, she raised her head.

"So, are you saying you’re going to forgive that chef?"

"No, absolutely not. I won’t forgive him. But killing is off the table. He insulted me through cooking, so I’ll settle the score with cooking. I’ll kill him through my food. I’ll take him down in the name of Belm’s reputation."

"Kill him... through cooking?"

"Exactly. What? Do you doubt my skills?"

"N-not at all! Of course not. That makes perfect sense now that I think about it. If you just killed him outright, he wouldn’t even realize that your cooking is superior."

"Exactly! And sure, I’d also like him to learn the value of life, but whatever. Anyway, I need your help in this cooking duel."

"Understood. What would you have me do?"

"Well, could you head back to Belm and bring me the stockpot?"

"The stockpot?"

"Yes, I need it for the cooking duel. It’s on the right side as soon as you enter the kitchen. The medium-sized one. The broth has been simmering overnight, and it’s packed with flavor. I’m going to show them what real orc stew tastes like."

"Understood. I’ll retrieve it immediately."

"Thanks. Also, I’ll need some Peking bird and a few drops of Lemo Lemonade. Could you send someone to gather the ingredients? Is anyone free?"

"I’ll send Darf and Milio to get them."

"Thank you! I’ll be in the kitchen preparing. I’ll wait for you there."

Tilea-san, after storming in like a whirlwind, hurried back to the kitchen.  

Edim also left Elizabeth’s mansion to gather the ingredients as instructed.

A cooking duel, huh?  

Tilea-san really is like a storm.  

Oh no! In all the chaos, I didn’t get a chance to speak up.  

This is bad.  

I wanted Tilea-san to leave Elizabeth’s mansion as soon as possible...

Should I chase after her and warn her again?

"Hmph, what a crude and noisy bunch,"  

Ronde grumbled, clearly irritated.

I had spent too much time getting involved with Tilea-san and her situation.

"Y-Yes, indeed," I agreed quickly.

"That Tilea girl... at first, I thought she was the daughter of some wealthy merchant. But from what I gathered, she’s just a mere cook. And related to that silver-haired brat too! A complete enemy."

"Yes, just a simple cook and definitely an enemy of Elizabeth-sama. She’s of no use to you, Ronde-sama."

"I tolerated their chatter, thinking there might be some business opportunity, but it was a complete waste of time."  

Ronde sighed in disappointment.  

It seemed she had kept quiet in the hope of exploiting Tilea-san for profit, assuming she might be from an influential merchant family.  

Ronde, as always, is obsessed with sniffing out any potential for money.

"I simply cannot comprehend Elizabeth-sama’s decision. Why would she invite someone as lowly as a cook—especially someone related to that silver-haired brat? To bring a commoner into Elizabeth-sama’s faction? Unthinkable! Do you have any idea how much money I’ve invested to rise to this position? I won’t allow it!"

"...You’re absolutely right."

"I strongly oppose Elizabeth-sama’s stance on this matter."

"I understand."

"Ah, but complaining won’t get us anywhere. We’ve already wasted enough time on these commoners. We can’t afford to keep Elizabeth-sama waiting any longer. Miresu, let’s go!"

"Y-Yes!"  

Ronde urged me to hurry along.  

It didn’t look like I’d be able to stop by the kitchen to warn Tilea-san.  

I’ll have to give her a warning after I meet with Elizabeth.

We moved quickly through the party, finally arriving at the table where Elizabeth was seated.  

There she was...  

Elizabeth had finished greeting her guests and was standing elegantly, a wine glass in hand. She was draped in a luxurious crimson dress, her face adorned with a calm smile.

She was smiling, yes, but her eyes...  

They were sharp, like the gaze of a hawk targeting its prey.  

She was a predator, and I could feel the intense danger radiating from her.  

Honestly, I didn’t want to get any closer.  

I tried to steady myself, but the moment was upon me. There was no time to hesitate.

Elizabeth, surveying the room, noticed us approaching.

"Elizabeth-sama, it’s an honor to see you,"  

Ronde greeted her immediately, bowing deeply.

"Yes, I was in a good mood... until you arrived."

"O-oh, how you jest!"  

Ronde responded with a nervous laugh.

Elizabeth’s reply was cold and detached, her eyes looking at Ronde as though she were nothing more than a bug.

What’s going on?  

Ronde is supposed to be one of Elizabeth’s favored followers...  

And yet, here she was, desperately trying to flatter Elizabeth, only to be met with an icy reception.

"I was hoping to praise your great accomplishments, Elizabeth-sama—"

"Enough. I’m tired of your empty compliments. They’re irritating."

"M-my deepest apologies!"  

Ronde, sensing Elizabeth’s displeasure, immediately bowed her head in submission, practically groveling on the ground.

This was bad.

"So? What do you want?"

"W-well, as I mentioned earlier, she wishes to join Elizabeth-sama's faction."  

Ronde stepped forward to introduce me, and I followed suit, stepping ahead and grasping the hem of my skirt to bow.

"Miresu Vincent of the Vincent family. I am here to offer my congratulations on your eighteenth birthday, Elizabeth-sama."

"Oh, my, my, my! Look who it is—the sneaky little silver-haired brat’s lackey. What brings you here, I wonder?"

Tch, what a way to address me.  

I didn’t expect a warm reception, but still...  

Calm down. Stay composed. This is the crucial moment.

"I am not a lackey," I declared.

"Oh? Quite the attitude today. Aren’t you the one who’s always cowering behind that silver-haired brat?"

It’s true.  

I used to hide behind Timu-chan.  

I won’t deny it.  

But I’ve been working to change. I want Timu-chan to acknowledge me as an equal, a true friend standing by her side.  

I took a deep breath and gathered strength in my core.

"I’ve come today to clear up a misunderstanding, Elizabeth-sama."  

I looked her straight in the eye and spoke clearly.

"A misunderstanding?"

"Yes. I am on your side, Elizabeth-sama."

"Oh? You’re saying you want to join my side?"

"Yes. I've been caught up in a string of unfortunate events. I only ended up with that girl by chance. She’s been nothing but trouble for me."  

I said it as calmly as possible.  

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes, studying me like a reptile watching its prey.

Such a cold gaze.  

Her eyes seemed to pierce through to the very depths of my soul, completely devoid of any emotion.  

My heart pounded.  

Stay calm. If she realizes I’m lying, I’m dead.

"Hmm, you’re betraying that girl, huh?"

"Elizabeth-sama, it seems that Miresu has finally come to recognize your power. She’ll be a useful tool against the silver-haired brat," Ronde chimed in to support me.  

It was the result of a hefty bribe. I had spent a lot of money, so I expected at least this much help.

"You, stay silent," Elizabeth snapped.

"B-but it was I who persuaded Miresu to see the truth—"

"Enough! Sebastian!"

"Yes, my lady."

"Take this one to the usual place."

"As you command."  

The man, apparently named Sebastian, forcibly dragged the panicked Ronde out of the room.

I knew it.  

Ronde had lost her influence within Elizabeth's circle.  

This is bad.  

I have a terrible feeling.

"W-what will happen to Ronde-sama?"

"That’s none of your concern. Now, let's continue my questions, shall we?"

Elizabeth began firing off more questions.  

Each one was sharp, like a blade, designed to catch me in a trap or expose inconsistencies in my story.  

It was mentally exhausting.  

But I stayed calm.  

Everything I’d rehearsed with Gil-san was paying off.  

So far, I don’t think I’ve made any serious mistakes in my answers.

"Hmm, well-rehearsed, I see. I’ll give you some credit for that," she sneered.

"N-no, this is how I truly feel!"

"Hmph, well, fine. You’ve passed. I’ll allow you into my faction."

"R-really?"

"Yes, normally, someone of your low rank wouldn’t even get past the front gate, but I’ll make an exception."

"Thank you very much!"

I did it.  

Her words were irritating, but I’d successfully infiltrated Elizabeth’s faction.  

Now...  

If possible, I’d like to find out the location of her vault.  

No, that’s too risky right now.  

Building trust with Elizabeth is still in the early stages. That can come later.  

The priority is to get Tilea-san back to her restaurant as soon as possible.

"Elizabeth-sama," I began.

"What?"

"I actually have another engagement after this. May I take my leave a bit early?"

"Oh? Wait a moment. There’s something I’d like to show you first."

"W-well, I’d love to see it, but unfortunately, I’m pressed for time..."

"Are you really trying to say that something is more important than me now that you’ve joined my faction? How bold of you."

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed dangerously.  

If I upset her now, everything will be ruined.  

I had no choice but to play along.

"I-I’m terribly sorry! Of course, nothing is more important than Elizabeth-sama."

"Naturally. Then follow me."

I followed Elizabeth out of the party hall and into the main house.  

By sheer luck, I was now inside the mansion itself.  

This might be my chance...  

If I play my cards right, I could find out where the vault is located.  

I adjusted my plan accordingly and began taking mental notes of the layout.  

As expected, the mansion was filled with artwork and sculptures, all of which looked incredibly valuable.  

Even for a noble, this level of wealth was astounding. It was on par with the décor of the Arcdas Royal Palace.

"Oh my, you’re quite the observer, aren’t you? It’s only natural that my home’s grandeur would astonish you."

"Hahaha..."  

I let out a dry laugh at Elizabeth’s misunderstanding.  

Compared to the world-class treasures I’d seen, these seemed almost unimpressive.

"Hmm... I don’t like that look in your eyes," she snapped.

"I-I’m terribly sorry!"  

Oops. I almost earned her ire again.  

I couldn’t let something like this derail my mission. I had to focus.  

Still, how long were we going to walk?  

We’d come all the way to the far end of the mansion, deep inside.

Finally, we reached a dimly lit room.  

It was sparse and uninviting.  

There was a staircase leading down from the room.  

A basement?  

We descended the stairs.

"W-where are we going?" I asked nervously.

"To a special place," Elizabeth said with a sly smile.  

Her smile was terrifying.  

It was a smile, but at the same time, it felt like pure rage.  

I’d never seen such a frightening expression.  

My heart was racing.

Elizabeth had ruled the academy through fear.  

A normal person couldn’t even look her in the eye.  

She had ruthlessly crushed every one of her political enemies.  

Maybe this was a mistake?  

Maybe Elizabeth had never trusted me?  

My instincts screamed at me:  

I’m going to die.  

Forget about finding the vault—there’s no way I can investigate anything right now.  

I’m in serious danger.  

I have to back off and reassess.

"I-I’m not feeling well. Elizabeth-sama, may I please leave now?"

"Oh? Then why don’t you rest here?"

"H-here? But this is... the basement..."

"Yes, now keep moving."

N-no...  

She grabbed my shoulder and pushed me forward.  

I couldn’t resist her strength and was dragged deeper into the basement.  

And finally, we reached the lowest level.

What is this place?  

It’s dark and eerie.  

The floor was damp and sticky underfoot, and a foul stench filled the air.  

The ground was wet, and there was some kind of sewage flowing through the room.  

This didn’t feel like it belonged to the Elizabeth mansion.

"Elizabeth-sama, I’m really not feeling well. Please, let me go back."

"No."

"I’m leaving!"

"Look!"  

Elizabeth grabbed my face and forcibly turned it toward the murky water.

"W-what is this? I can’t see anything, it’s too dark!"

"Then why don’t you take a closer look?"  

She shoved me closer to the water.  

The smell was unbearable.  

The sewage was thick, dark, and filled with floating objects I couldn’t quite identify.

"It smells horrible... What is this place? And what are these white things floating in the water?"

"Don’t you recognize them?"

"N-no..."

"Take a good look!"

"Kyaaaa!"  

Suddenly, Elizabeth pushed me into the filthy water.  

It was disgusting.  

The water was filthy and reeked, worse than anything I’d ever smelled before.  

I brushed off the clinging garbage.  

W-what is this...?  

I picked up a white object that had stuck to my clothes.  

This isn’t trash...  

Is this... a bone?  

And a human bone at that.  

As I slowly came to this horrifying realization, I looked around.

Bones.  

Bones and more bones.  

Some were recent, still vaguely retaining a human form.

"W-what is this...?"

"Ah, I see you’ve finally realized. Yes, all of this... are corpses."

Elizabeth spoke as if she were discussing

 the weather.  

C-corpses... so many corpses...

"Urk!"  

I couldn’t stop myself from vomiting.  

Chunks of pasta and bile floated in the water around me. I threw up until my stomach was completely empty.

Panting heavily, I struggled to process what I was seeing.  

This place... this is where the Elizabeth family disposes of their victims.

"W-why...?"

"Why, you ask? Hehe, did you really think I was stupid enough to fall for your lies?"

"W-what do you mean?"

"You might have fooled that idiot Ronde, but you can’t fool me. A gold mine in your territory? You suddenly became wealthy and wanted to join my faction? All of it was nonsense. I already had Ronde’s story investigated."

I... I was too naive.  

Elizabeth had seen through my plan from the very beginning.

"N-no! I’m telling the truth—"

"Shut up, you filthy traitor!"  

Elizabeth shrieked, her face twisted in fury.  

"Did you really think I wouldn’t notice you trying to spy on me? You little wretch! I’m going to make you regret it. You won’t die easily—I’ll make sure you suffer first."

Elizabeth’s hair flared around her, and her face contorted into a ghostly snarl.  

This was bad—Elizabeth was absolutely livid. No amount of reasoning would calm her down now.

I had to escape.  

I tried to dash for the exit, but—

"You really think you can run from me?"

"Gah!"  

One of her guards threw something hard at my forehead, knocking me off balance.  

W-what was that?  

I held my forehead, blinking through the pain.

W-what...?  

I froze in horror.  

It was... a head.  

Ronde’s severed head.

His face was contorted in terror, eyes glazed over, tongue lolling out.  

How could they do this?  

Sure, he was greedy, but to be killed like this...

"You... you killed your own follower so easily... how could you?"

"Hehe, what are you talking about? I was merciful to him. I didn’t even torture him. Consider that my kindness."

"Y-you call that mercy?"

"Of course. When my followers betray me, they meet far worse fates. Just look around you."

I glanced around the room.  

I had already noticed the corpses, but...  

No, these weren’t just corpses.  

W-what is this...?  

My mind refused to comprehend it.  

How could such horror even exist in this world?

"Oh? You’ve finally realized, haven’t you? Yes, those are all victims of my wrath—people I personally ensured suffered. I cut off their limbs, gouged out their eyes, and burned their throats and ears with poison."

"A-a-a..."

"Hehe, they’re what I call my little pigs."

"N-nooooooo!"  

I screamed.  

There was no other response I could give.  

"This... this is monstrous! You’re no human—you’re a devil! What could these people have done to deserve this?"

"They defied me. That’s enough of a reason."

"You... you won’t get away with this! You’ll face divine punishment—no one can escape the judgment of the gods!"

"Hehe, divine punishment? Don’t be ridiculous. No one has ever stopped me before, and no one ever will. The gods are on my side."

Elizabeth spoke with absolute arrogance, as if she truly believed it.  

I had thought she was evil, which is why I agreed to the plan to rob her.  

But this?  

This was beyond mere evil.  

Looking at the mangled remains around me, I realized just how much these people had suffered.

They must have endured unimaginable pain.  

It must have been agonizing.  

Tears welled up in my eyes as I imagined their torment.  

I had underestimated her.  

Elizabeth wasn’t just a villain.  

She was the embodiment of pure, unbridled evil.  

She had to be stopped.  

I glared at her with all the hatred I could muster.

"Oh my, showing your true colors at last? I like that look in your eyes," Elizabeth purred.

"I’ll kill you. I swear, I’ll kill you."

"Hehe, you’re so brave. Of course, being brave is just as laughable as being honest, like that little blonde brat."

Blonde brat?  

Is she talking about Tilea-san?

"What do you plan to do to Tilea-san?"

"Hehe, of course, I’m going to destroy her relationship with her silver-haired sister."

"It’s pointless. You could never tear those sisters apart."

"Hehe, is that so? I failed once when I tried to buy them off. That was unlike me. I should have used torture instead."

"Torture? What are you planning!?"

"Hehe, I’m going to torture that naïve older sister. Money didn’t work, but no one can withstand pain forever. I’ll make her beg me to kill her own sister. Just you wait."

How dare she!  

How could she even think about doing something so cruel to someone as kind and gentle as Tilea-san?  

I could feel the heat of my anger rising.

"I won’t let you. I swear, I won’t let you touch those sisters. If you try, I’ll make sure you regret it!"

"Hehe, such big words. But I think you have more pressing concerns. You’re about to experience the same fate yourself."

"W-what!?"

"Hehe, if it weren’t for this party, I would have personally enjoyed torturing you. But alas, the hostess must return to her guests. Ebeanz!"

"Yes, I’m here."

A man, presumably named Ebeanz, stepped forward.  

"Ebeanz, you know the drill."

"As you command. What level of pain shall we inflict this time?"

"Oh, I’d love to go all out, but that wouldn’t suit my current mood."

"Then perhaps..."

"Yes, let’s go with the highest possible level of agony, but don’t break her too quickly. I want her to savor every bit of despair. I’ll come back to shatter her mind myself."

Elizabeth’s ugly, twisted grin was the last thing I saw as she and her guards left the room.  

Now, it was just me and Ebeanz, the torturer.

Panting heavily, I knew I had to act fast.  

Elizabeth was serious.  

Tilea-san is in grave danger.  

This is an emergency.  

I need Ortissio’s help.  

I tried to gather my magic and send out a distress signal, but...

"W-what’s going on? I can’t seem to use my magic..."

"Hahaha! Of course you can’t! This room is designed to block all magic. You think we’d let a little magician like you use her tricks in here?"  

Ebeanz laughed cruelly as he explained.