Chapter 3 – The princess who drank poison is destined to be saved by the prince’s kiss after seven days.
With seven days left until the announced date.
“I contacted the imperial palace but…how are the security arrangements going, Director?”
In the director’s office of the Magic Museum.
While standing behind Princess Krell sitting on the sofa, I asked Director Strom Clayburn facing us across the desk.
With the announced date of the crime approaching, surely they haven’t taken no preventative measures. But with this guy, I can’t help but feel a little uneasy. Really.
Although I had some concerns about the director’s competence, unexpectedly, the director smiled contentedly.
“Of course, it’s perfect. When I requested it, the imperial palace agreed to dispatch twenty of their imperial mages on the day. Also, I’ve increased the number of resident security guards, and security around the ‘Magic Key Room’ in particular is even more robust.”
“Well, I suppose you could say it’s excellent work. If I were greedy, I would want fifty imperial mages for maximum security, but I can’t complain. Let’s deal with twenty mages and the resident guards.”
This museum is very large, so ideally I wanted to place more manpower both outside and inside. Since unforeseen situations arise unexpectedly, in order to respond to any situation, the more people the better. I’m scheduled to help with security on the day too, but…I’d rather not get too involved.
While voicing dissatisfaction internally, I continued asking the director.
“Has anything unusual happened inside or outside the museum? Even small things are fine.”
“No, nothing in particular. The museum continues to be open as usual, and we haven’t limited the number of visitors. It’s completely normal.”
“I see.”
I cupped my chin in thought.
I figured they would take some kind of action beforehand, but it seems my prediction was off. Normally when committing some kind of crime, you’d scout the location and check escape routes, I’d think… Or maybe they already finished their preliminaries without anyone noticing or getting suspicious. Can’t rule out that possibility either.
While organizing my thoughts internally, the director suddenly made an anxious face.
“However,”
“Did something change?”
I immediately asked, and after a pause, the director said this.
“Lately, my daughter has been ignoring me.”
“Don’t care.”
I immediately replied to his trivial concern. What, his daughter isn’t talking to him? Definitely unrelated to this case.
However, ignoring my words (annoyingly), the director continued.
“She’s turning fourteen this year but…I don’t remember doing anything to make her hate me, and I have no idea what’s causing this.”
“……”
I desperately suppressed the urge to jab my fist into the back of the director’s head.
Fourteen years old is a rebellious adolescence. She’s in transition between child and adult, so she’s just a little mentally unstable. It’s the so-called rebellious phase, and she’ll settle down on her own after a while, so wait it out patiently.
“Are you sure twenty people is enough…? I’m starting to get worried.”
If this guy is the director, I should’ve asked for at least a hundred people rather than fifty.
Glancing back at me with a troubled expression after observing the situation silently, Princess Krell tilted her head cutely. Ah, adorable.
“Isn’t twenty mages enough?”
“It’s enough, but the more people the better for security. And the director is like this too… Besides, since it’s an important national treasure being targeted, you shouldn’t hesitate to commit manpower. Did the prime minister request this, by any chance?”
“Yes. This is the maximum number of people he can lend.”
“That trash…”
I pictured the unpleasant face of the prime minister in my memory, filled with the urge to smash my real fist into it. What does he mean by maximum he can lend? There are over two hundred imperial mages, so dispatching sixty or more shouldn’t be a problem. He probably just didn’t want to reduce the personnel protecting them. Uncooperative in protecting an important national treasure, how disgraceful for a prime minister.
“Did he say anything else?”
“Um…he strongly emphasized to protect it no matter what.”
“Giving the bare minimum help yet acting all high and mighty…” Princess Krell. Shall we head to the imperial palace tomorrow or so? I’m just in the mood to punch that thing called the prime minister and send him flying.”
“Don’t use violence on national leaders. Roth is already disliked by those in power.”
“Then there’s no problem. Rather, I want to be more hated by them. No one has the power to punish me anyway.”
“That’s why you’re called a troublemaker…”
Princess Krell rests her palm on her forehead.
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Watching our exchange, the director looked at me with a gaze like he was seeing something unbelievable.
“V-Violence against national leaders?”
“That was a story from about a month ago.”
“I don’t think that counts as a while ago… Just what did you do?”
I answered indifferently.
“Nothing really. I just punched and hospitalized the Minister of Finance and Foreign Minister for badmouthing Princess Krell within my earshot. To be precise, I broke eighteen bones in each of them.”
“So that’s why they’re on leave…”
“Yes. Though I do regret it a little. I should have beaten them until they could never stand up on their own again. Princess Krell, I’m sorry.”
“You shouldn’t be apologizing for that…”
Sighing, Princess Krell picked up one of the baked treats on the desk and tossed it into her mouth. Next, she turned to me and scolded me.
“Roth, though it’s true that you won’t be punished no matter what you do, there are still good and bad things, as they used to say a long time ago, right? Even if it’s for my sake, when you send people to the hospital without a second thought, everyone gets scared when we go to the imperial palace.”
“I don’t care what they think of me.”
“I’m really troubled by it! Please show some restraint.”
“I don’t want to.”
“That’s why you should think before giving an answer!”
Princess Krell shouts, but I have no intention of compromising.
No servant who loves their master would stand idly by when their master is insulted. It’s the same for me.
However, it’s not desirable for me to do things Princess Krell doesn’t want. Just this once, I’ll reluctantly compromise.
“I guess there’s no helping it. Let’s make it just enough to say to the Prime Minister, ‘Don’t get cocky; I’ll expose evidence of your affair.'”
“So stop doing things that would make enemies… Also, why on earth does Roth have evidence of the Prime Minister’s affair?”
“Gathering information is a butler’s duty, Princess Krell.”
“I’ve never heard of a butler doing that.”
“That’s because Princess Krell knows too little about the world; she’s a novice when it comes to information.”
There are many butlers who gather information. Especially if they’re personal butlers, they are like close aides to their masters. They gather information to protect their masters and to gain an advantage in negotiations by having valuable information. In particular, because Princess Krell holds a special position, I put extra effort into gathering information for her. By the way, Princess Krell is afraid of ghosts. It’s adorable. I love her.
As I pour tea into the empty teacup, the museum ‘s director asks Princess Krell.
“Your Highness, who is Roth… I mean, what kind of person is he?”
“What kind of person?…”
“Well, I mean, is he really just a butler? It’s not ordinary for a butler to confront the dignitaries of the empire without fear, and also, the fact that he can’t be punished…”
It’s only natural to be curious.
However… it’s not something that’s hidden, and it doesn’t matter if it’s known, but explaining everything would be troublesome. Roth and the museum’s director will only be associated for a very short time until this incident is resolved. There’s no obligation for me to explain everything in detail.
I nod to Princess Krell, who meets my gaze for a moment, and she lowers her eyes and nods back.
“I’ll spare the details, but let me tell you that Roth is a very important person for the empire.”
“…Such a person, why would he be a butler? Couldn’t he obtain any position he desires?”
“Hah.”
I laugh and reply.
“It’s precisely because I desired it that I ended up in the position of Princess Krell’s butler. Titles and high-ranking positions are like garbage to me. They were actually offered to me, but I immediately declined.”
“Why are you so fixated on being a butler?”
It’s decided.
“Because the person I love needs me.”
I have no interest in titles, fame, or money. Many people have those things, and there are substitutes even if they lose them. The happiness derived from such things is fake.
On the other hand, as a butler, the happiness I get from being by Princess Krell Calerond’s side is unique and irreplaceable, something no one else has. It’s my one and only happiness.
My happiness equals Princess Krell’s happiness. That’s the equation. I think we should get married. Let’s do it.
As I speak what I have understood since the moment I was born, Princess Krell blushes and covers her face with both hands.
“Roth… Please don’t say such things in public, I told you so many times…”
“I apologize. Then, I’ll tell you after we return home. In about eight hours.”
“That’s enough already!”
“I’m not satisfied. If you keep me waiting, I’ll have withdrawal symptoms.”
“What kind of symptoms are those?”
Ignoring Princess Krell’s yell, I inform the museum ‘s director.
“Basically, I act with Princess Krell in mind. If, for example, you were to offend Princess Krell and I judged that she was hurt… I’ll crush you mercilessly, so be careful. Many of the empire’s officials have already become human flower arrangements, so I won’t hold back. Honestly, I felt a strong urge to kill when your previous trap misfired.”
“I-I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good. Also, your daughter is just going through a rebellious phase; she should calm down as time passes.”
“Oh!”
And just as a harmonious atmosphere started drifting about,
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