It was a good holiday!
Yes, I also got to know Lakra's mother-in-law very well.

　Lakra and Marya came back from Mejlis and joined us. Now that we are under the watchful eye of the Mejis, we can move into full-scale action. By the way, is it my imagination that the meaning of Marya's mother's words is somewhat offensive?

"Mr. Shosho, are you feeling all right?
"Walking is fine. I'd like to avoid strenuous exercise. I'd rather not.
But don't worry, I'll be there to protect you and your people! I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... Well, with Ilias and Wolfe around, it's a small price to pay. ......
I'm sure you're not the only one. I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what to do.
Hahi: ......

　I can't imagine that those princes are going to come straight at me. If you're in a position to attack, you'll want to weaken your guards, take hostages, and check your surroundings. Of course, the goal is not to weaken the guards, but to break my heart.
　I'm sure there are men in Serendipity who are skilled in their own right. When they see the Iliad or the Wolfe, they'll know they can't do it the hard way. Therefore, a position like Marya's, which is relatively easy to attack among the people around me, is likely to be more dangerous than me.
　I'm sure she's just remembering how she was targeted by Solide, but I'll have Lakra and Wolfe keep an eye on Marya to make sure she doesn't go off on her own until Ekduik returns.

So, we're going to Prince Nuhusa's today, right? How do you plan to find out what he's up to?
"I'm going to be rather straightforward. I'm going to be rather straightforward. I'm not going to get into any trouble.
Well, if I go with you, won't it only take one question?

　Lakra may be referring to the skill that Yugra clerics have in detecting lies, but unfortunately we can't count on that. But unfortunately, we can't count on that, because our conversation with Washekht has revealed that there are some troubling things going on around the royal family of Selende.

"Well, yes. We can never be sure, and it might be a good idea to check with them directly.
What?

　Thanks to Washekht, I've already made an appointment to meet Prince Nuhusa. Thanks to Washekht, I've already made an appointment to meet with Prince Nuhusa, and he replied, "There's nothing to talk about. But I can't afford to ruin your father's face. If you want to end up in vain, you can do what you want.
　Prince Nufusa uses a room in a mansion near the castle of Serende as his office. It is said that he does this in order to save the time and effort required for outsiders to enter the castle. Reports from all over the world are also sent through the house, and it functions as a real contact point.
　Furthermore, Prince Noufusa never leaves the house, but stays indoors day and night. He is a workaholic in the simplest sense.

I didn't think you could even understand sarcasm.
If you don't have anything to say to me, I have something to say to you.

　Prince Noufsa is immersed in his desk work without looking at the "me" who entered the room. The three of us who entered the room were me, Ilias and Lakra. I thought that the sight of a Yugoslavian cleric might elicit some reaction, but in this case I had to conclude that Washect's information was correct.

If you have business to attend to, get it over with. Even if it's just a person in the corner of your eye, you'll lose work efficiency.
So, frankly, have you been cooperating with the Lahtiites?
No. It's impossible for me to help people who bring trouble into my life.

　Based on Lakra's response, he's not lying. ......, but it needs to be verified. You can see that in this question.

"Are you actually a woman?
"Yes, I am. How did you know?
What? What? He's a man, for crying out loud!

　Needless to say, Prince Nuhusa is a man. The fact that he has a larynx shows that he is definitely a man. Then the meaning of this exchange is that Prince Nuhusa is following our way of thinking.

"I'm surprised you bothered to verify it.
He must have been skeptical about what Washekht had told him. He chooses not to use this technique.
"Technique?
Why don't you at least share the information with your friends? In the same way that Yugra clerics acquire techniques to expose lies, the royalty of Selende and their people have all undergone special training to ensure that their own magical powers are not shaken by mental changes. To sum it up, the secret techniques of the Yugra cult will not work on us, as we consider Mejis as a virtual enemy.

　Selende had developed a countermeasure to detect the lie told by Seiya Yukura. It's not that strange that Serende had developed his own technology against the Medis, a major power that had refused to accept the Yugra religion and over which the Yugra religion had total control.
　It's not that I don't like it, but it's not that I don't like it. Judging from Lakra's reaction, Prince Nuhusa's magic hadn't been altered in the slightest by the lie.

"......, is there no point in me staying here anymore? Can I go home then?
"Hey, escort.
Oh, that's right.
In the first place, the people in the center of the Yugra cult would have at least known this information. I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure I'm not the only one.
"Well, they've made peace with the Demon Lord in the form of a light threat. I'm not sure what to make of it.

　Pope Euparo trusts me, but that's not the same as the trust Marito has. He will help you as long as you can defend him, but if you cross a certain line, he will not hesitate to deal with you as an enemy. If Marito had to choose between "me" and his country, he would choose his country with a bitter face.
　The information about Selende, which considers itself as a hypothetical enemy, is also the information about how much Mejis knows about Selende's situation. As long as there is a possibility of us becoming enemies, Pope Eupharo will have to minimize the disclosure of the information he holds.

"Are you satisfied with that? Then leave the room and close the door quietly.


"No, I came to talk to you. Out of all the princes, except for Washekht, I think you've got the least to worry about.

　Prince Noufsa's hand stopped working. Prince Nuhusa lets out a small sigh, takes out some kind of bottle from a nearby shelf, and pours the liquid in it into a cup. The liquid is thick and purple, clearly suspicious. Ilias and Lakra are a little wary, but Prince Nuhusa doesn't hesitate to offer the cup to us.

"It's poison. Do you want some?
"I don't drink!

　Lakra's conditioned reflexes made her snort, but Ilias was amused by Prince Noufsa's behavior.

I was trying to express how much I wanted nothing to do with you.
"I understand your feelings. But if you put poison in a place like that, won't they use it against you and kill you?
If you want to kill yourself, you don't have to do it.

　With that, Prince Nuhusa drank the liquid from the cup in one gulp. Even Lakra could not help but look at him with a stunned expression.

"Is this some kind of elixir?
Because the taste is worse than the poison. The taste is worse than the poison, so I take it when I feel like stirring up some discomfort. And when I want to cut my sleep in half.
I think you'd be more efficient if you slept better.

　Well, I'm also the type of person who makes more progress working late at night, so I can't speak for others. However, he seemed to be more or less willing to accompany me. It seems that Prince Noufusa's problems are something he doesn't want to be belittled.

Let's at least hear the reasoning first.
"Prince Chisanthe and Princess Yumyess are trying to look good. In short, they need to be seen well, otherwise they can't be hidden. But Prince Nuhussa, you're the opposite. There's something I want to protect even if it means deliberately distancing myself from others and ruining my credibility as a prince.
"It's not that big of a deal. I'm only doing what I can to protect myself, in line with my father's wishes.
To compete for the next king?

　The reason why princes pretend to be something they're not is to compete for the throne. They don't want to show their weaknesses to the competition.

"Yes. The next king of Serende will not be someone who is simply superior. It will be the one who overcomes his brothers who seek to overthrow him. That's what Serende is all about.

　Prince Nufusa returned to his seat and continued to speak with his pen. His hand moves fluidly as he speaks, as if the story is natural to him.

We all had different mothers. But there are no queens in this country anymore.
"Does that mean that anything short of directly killing the ...... prince is encouraged?
I'd say it's especially encouraged. I'd say it's especially encouraged, because that way the princes will be aware. They know who their enemy is.
"When King Selende told Washekht to cooperate with me, was he trying to hit the princes as an obstacle?
There are degrees. I'm sure my father wouldn't approve of anyone getting involved with the demon race. In addition to that, they may also be trying to test themselves to see if they can expose their own hidden weapons to outsiders.

　I see, that's why they're all looking at us as enemies. In Serende, it's a good idea to have the princes compete for the throne. Each of them has a trump card to play to dethrone the other, a secret that must be kept secret.
　Therefore, I, who am trying to find out the secrets of the princes, am only an obstacle in the battle for the throne. Whether you're a collaborator or not, there's a reason for your hostility.

Did Washect get off on his own?
He's an easy guy to understand. He had been afraid of his own situation and the other brothers and sisters since he was a child, and he had looked to the innocent Hilmera for support. But when Hilmera's mother died and Hilmera herself understood her situation, she broke down. I guess she didn't want to make an enemy of Hilmera by any means.

　Washekht's secretive nature was not only for the sake of Princess Hilmera, but also for himself. If Washekht had pretended to be something he was not, his relationship with Princess Hilmera would have been like that of the other princes, an adversarial one of mutual probing.
　For Washekht, who had suffered the baptism of losing his mother, Princess Hilmera was the only person he could trust. Washekht put his own peace of mind before the succession to the throne. ......

Don't you ever want to change that?
I have thought about it in the past. Let's just say that I did once.

　The princes believe it is necessary to compete with each other. Their relationship with Mejis, the malice that surrounds them, has robbed them of their righteous conviction to choose. Just as I have accepted that I need to be on the wrong side.

"Still, Prince Nuhussa, you are thinking about the future of your country. You're thinking about the future of your country, Prince Nuhussa, because you're more likely to be involved in politics if you become a tool of the state than if you become king.

　Prince Noufsa is appealing to the other princes as someone who is more valuable than his credibility as a prince.
　If he were to behave like Prince Chisanthe or Princess Yumyess and fail to inherit the throne, he would certainly be deprived of the opportunity to participate in politics. However, if he is perceived as a useful person and not eager to succeed to the throne, Prince Nuhusa will be a useful pawn for the other princes who became kings.
　Either way, Prince Nhussa is going to stay involved in politics. He's choosing to make this country a better place than becoming king himself.

"Those who cooperated with the demons may have done so because they thought they could use them as weapons to succeed to the throne. But they are no longer useful. Whether that person becomes king or not, that's the end of the story. Don't try to expose it.
"Nektohar, if the reward from the demon tribe was the resurrection magic they wanted, then so be it. The only thing I'm worried about is if it's not.


"...... I've given you enough advice to get you out of trouble in the country. I'm not going to be transparent about it anymore.

　The removal of the Nektokhar must have been gratifying for Prince Nuhusa, who is obsessed with politics. That's why he thanked me and explained how the princes were feeling. But he also said that he would deal with them as enemies if they went any further.

"I'll be on my guard. See you later.
Don't come back. You'll be cutting into my sleep. Don't let me poison you more than I have to.
Let's cut down on the work, shall we?

　This alone does not prove Prince Nuhusa's innocence. Personally, I feel that he is as gray as white. It is necessary to compare him with other princes.