Chapter 565.3

Flanticas neck is thin enough to fit in my hand.

Y-your Majesty, this isright, a misunderstanding! I was also deceivedhiguuh!

The woman stopped her excuse midway because she felt bloodl.u.s.t from meno, it was because my hand unconsciously tightened its grip.

Guhd.a.m.n you

Flantica rolls up the hem of her maid outfit, pulls out a needle concealed in her underwear and stabs it in my arm with both hands.

But the needle is barely noticeable.

My arm wont budge from a tiny hole being made in the skin.

Gigh

Realizing it was ineffective, Flantica throws the needle away and tries to twist my wrist with her hands.

But even if ten of her attempted it together, they would lack the strength to twist one finger.

Gahd-die

Flantica scratches my arm helplessly as her legs go limp

Then I feel a judging gaze on my back.

Gnuuu.

With a growl aimed to intimidate myself, my arm releases the woman just before her life is taken.

Kaahah.

Flantica falls to the floor on her hands on the verge of suffocation, gasping for air.

She stands up before catching her breath, only to stumble, and is quickly pounced on by Celia and Carla, and immobilized.

You didnt kill her.

Lucy smirks as she checks her woundor rather her torn dress, since her wound has healed at this point.

Yeah, it was what you taught me initially after all.

I punch myself in the forehead several times to suppress the excessive anger and also to punish myself for seriously squeezing the womans neck.

Right, you must not kill girls no matter what happens.

She pats my head for a job well done, dissipating my anger.

That was close. If I choked Flantica to death, even if it was for Lucys sake, she might have abandoned me.

Flantica, whose arms and legs are locked by Celia and Carla respectively, lifts her head.

That expression is perhaps one of relief.

Aegir definitely wont kill a woman. Thats Aegir.

I suppose Ill give credit for stabbing her. Fumu, his looks are to my taste too. If youre going to eat her, give me half.

Flantica hunches over on the floor, seeing the fangs of Lucy and Brynhildr that humans dont possess.

She lets out a scream as Celias joint lock pulls harder on her non-resisting body.

My fury and hatred towards the a.s.sa.s.sin that stabbed Lucy hasnt completely vanished, though my heart has somewhat relaxed from the idiotic exchange.

Man. How nasty of you to b.u.t.ter me up so cleverly. I didnt notice anything wrong.

I move Celia and Carla off Flantica and take off every single piece of her clothing.

Fumu, she has a nice body.

You stripped her like it was the most natural thing to do.

Cant begin without sticking your d.i.c.k in her first?

Nonna and Sekrit sigh.

No youre wrong, I wont f.u.c.k her.

I doubt you planned all of this. Spit out who youre working for. If you dont, Ill have to torture you. I wont show any mercy to you since you targeted my beloved mother.

I brush my hand down Flanticas shoulder to her chest and firmly grab her breast.

You better not bite your tongue or ingest poison. You cant escape even if you die. I want you to talk while alive.

Flantica looks at Lucy and Brynhildr, and gives up, dropping her hidden drug on the floor.

Flantica explained everything.

She had been trained in espionage and a.s.sa.s.sination as a child by a prestigious family and sent to be a lady in the inner court through Baron Mildorian. However, the previous king didnt entertain her advances or show any openings for her to act, thus she remained on standby within the inner court.

And now with my usurpation and new policy, her main family worried greatly and decided to move.

I couldnt resist the perfect invitation from her, who successfully became an innocent court lady.

The room is silent.

I didnt think you would fail to see through heryou certainly cant be that dumb.

Surprised, Head-helmina literally peeks just her head through the crack in the door.

Lets get back on topic.

So that was how Flantica was able to carry out the plan setup over many years, of which it went well 90% of the way.

The a.s.sa.s.sins goal was not to kill me.

Excluding the fact that it was difficult to defeat me, killing the king would cause another uprising and it was uncertain what the resulting outcome would be. Although the ringleaders family is a distinguished house, they did not have the power to control messy fighting nor the guts willing to take a gamble.

Their desire was probably to take either Lucy or Nonna hostage and have me voluntarily concede the throne, recommending them to be the successors while making it appear like a peaceful switch to the publicor something along those lines.

Further, her guarantor, Baron Mildorian, who knew nothing of her background, would be the poor soul that played decoy for her main family if she failed.

A trap laid over several years, huhyet you talked about everything rather forthrightly.

Celia stares at Flantica to ensure she wasnt lying.

I mean, with those vampires there, they would turn me into their servant after I died and make me talk anyways. Ive been lavished with luxury since I was a little girl, promising to lay down my life for the family head, but its not worth it to be a servant forever after I die.

How simple of you.

Sekrit also stares at her.

I guess if you act as a vivacious stupid girl for several years until your role comes

You actually become one?

Carla stares at Flantica, who chuckles nervously.

Anyways, Ive heard everything I wanted to know.

The investigation is over and Im glad I dont have to torture her.

All thats left is to decide how to deal with the girl, and thats when Lucy speaks with a disgusted face at Casie who turns paleI think she does or at least she is afraid, Im not sure since shes transparent.

Lets talk somewhere else. This place is a little too loud.

Lucy covers her ears and exits the room.

I wonder, I dont really hear any noise.

Uuuuutheyre gathering. Theyre starting to clamor.

Casie hides behind my feet.

Close your eyes and listen carefully.

I do as Brynhildr tells me and hear faint whispers all around.

Blood, blood, the blood wont stop. Its cold, so cooold.

Im dead. Ive been killed. Aah, it hurts, it hurts.

Hot, its hot! How cruel it is to be burned to death. Curse him, Ill curse him!

The overlapping resentful voices ring directly in my brain.

Its not just one or two, its more than twenty. There are a staggering amount of voices.

When I opened my eyes, something swirls over the corpse of the person I killed like a whirlpool.

At first it was like a thin haze, but it gradually became thicker like a translucent shadow, and eventually it transformed into the anguished face of a woman.

Hiii, a ghost! Its the evil spirit of a woman!!

Casie clings to my back in tears.

It undoubtedly is a ghost and an evil spirit, I just dont know what to say.

The inner palace is the dwelling place of snakes and scorpions. Concubines, mistresses, and their childrentheyve been murdered and a.s.sa.s.sinated left and right. It was horrible when I initially came too, though I ignored them because they calmed down for some reason.

Brynhildr looks at the spirit like she would look at a piece of filth.

Good thing I made preparations.

Celia brandishes a silver knife and stands in front of me.

Her judgement of using garlic instead of that on Lucy was wonderful.

I squeeze her cheeks from behind as a form of praise.

T-thid id a dangerous thiuation, plead stoffh!

By the way, evil spirits are outside Carlas jurisdiction so she is glued to my back.

Theres actually a spirit by the name of Casie on my back though.

Let us in that safe s.p.a.ce too.

Single person use? With how big the madams are, Im sure she can fit three people.

Nonna, for the second time today, uses her b.o.o.b technique and plunges her head in her cleavage, followed by her two attendants who also try to bury themselves between the giant mounds from the side.

Is that a simple shelter or something?

Mmmu, I cant see!! I cant see anything!!

No matter how hard Irijina strains her eyes, she cant see anything in the direction everyone is looking, so she ends up eating her garlic. Its no use even if the carpet is being lifted up and the whole room is shaking.

It seems they reacted to the blood and dead people. In the end, they are merely ghosts haunting those in the inner palace. I guess I should scatter them.

Sekrit is totally pumped up and faces the human-shaped forms with her sword.

As expected of someone who has survived countless h.e.l.ls, there isnt a trace of fear in her.

But she is a little hasty.

They might be evil spirits, but they are still women so we cant cut them. Besides, theyre only reacting to the corpses and wont actually attack us, right?

The ghosts only have a scary appearance and are just spouting their grudges, they arent attacking.

Im sure they are haunting this place because of the cruel way they died.

They were quiet this whole time. If we leave them for a while, theyll settle down shortly. Thats right, this is perfect timing.

I guide Nonna, who is still buried in her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and Carla to the exit.

This will be one of Flanticas punishments. She will stay here for one night and reflect on her actions. Oh yeah, and bind the arms and legs of the corpse, itll turn into a zombie.

Celia, who carefully inches back, and Sekrit, who was drenched in water, also leave the room.

Wahahaha! I feel like drinking to go along with this garlic!!

Close that d.a.m.n stinky mouth. If you dont, Ill ripuurk, stinks. Enough, never get near me again

Irijina and Brynhildr leave next.

Eh? Huh? No way. Corpses and evil spirits alone with me?

I give a small cloth bag to Flantica.

Apparently, it is a charm to disperse spirits. Well, its just a precaution.

Flantica clutches the charm to her chest.

An old alcoholic at the bar gave it to me after treating him lots.

The crude st.i.tching and c.r.a.ppy letters that say ward spirits scream handmade, but Im sure its fine. Whats worrying is that it had no effect when placed on Casies head, thats about it.

The door closes, leaving Flantica in the room to scream.

What I saw last was countless black shadows flying all over the room.

Now then.

I casually crack my shoulders and stretch.

With a few slaps to the face, I refresh my mood.

That house the head and his family should be in a mansion within the capital.

I call Celia over and tell her to pick up the Dual Crater which should be in Flanticas room.

What that woman said isnt proof though.

I interrupt Sekrit before she can finish.

I dont need proof. I decide what is the truth.

That is the special privilege and duty of the king.

Celia and Irijina carry the Dual Crater together.

Sekrit smiles happily.

Since the enemy is in the capital, an army is not needed.

Morning.

Im not proud of the one-sided carnage that cant even be called a battle, nor do I particularly want to remember it.

I knock on my b.l.o.o.d.y forehead until my face goes back to normal, back to the one I can show my women and children at home.

Except Iimmediately sliced the head of the family in half as soon as I met him, beat the eldest son to death, and crushed the head of the younger brother as he was begging for his life. The females of the family rushed out when they heard the ruckus and didnt even lament at the sight of the tragedy that happened to their relatives, they just lay prostrate on the ground in fear.

After sparing the women and children younger than ten years old, I stripped them of their status and banished them.

I killed the restit was an easy-to-understand way of disposal.

There was something unnecessary at the end though.

I dont remember anything.

You banished them andthen you said, if you become my woman and bear my child, you will be reissued the status of a n.o.ble.

A woman who has lived her whole life as a n.o.ble will only have a miserable future if I exile her so suddenly. Thats too sad.

Then again, didnt I just offer them to be my mistresses in spite of killing the men in front of them?

Putting that aside, I think its about time to let Flantica out of the room.

Im sure shes thought long and hard about her actions during the one night in the room filled with spirits.

If she has reflected and wet her pants in fear, then the anger in my heart may diminish.

Thats if shes alive.

Sekrit snickers.

No need to worry, she has a protective charm.

Thats when Flantica comes into view in the corridor, walking unsteadily and wobbling unnaturally.

Hey, you cant just come out on your own.

Flantica responds, her head tilting 90 degrees to the right.

I-I-I-I-I-I-

Im not sure what she means by repeating that one word.

Her head proceeds to tilt 90 degrees to the left this time.

I-Im terribly sorry. I w-will be m-more careful in the future.

When she bows politely, I dont feel like condemning her further.

I guess well keep you confined in a room somewhere, but for nowyour eyes are weird. Do you need eye drops?

It feels like her eyes are rotating in separate directions.

And her speech is old-fas.h.i.+oned, was she traumatized that badly?

I-i-it is nothing. P-pardon me.

Flantica starts walking shakily.

Im concerned. Ill get a doctor to check on youokay?

When I turn around, Celia and Sekrit are stuck to the wall for some reason, watching Flantica.

No, I think she needs something other than a doctor.

Yes, that is definitely what it is.

I wont know what youre talking about if you dont say it clearly.

I-I have-I have gotten inside. Im in, Im in. Kekekekeke.

And Flantica, dont run around screaming weird things.

Youre actually bound for execution or the dungeon.

I chase the odd Flantica and try to think back.

It feels like Im forgetting something.

Do you mean me, Your Majesty?

Peeking one eye through the crack in a door is Rosario.

sorry Celia, catch Flantica for me.

I have urgent business to attend to.

Celia and Sekrit look truly reluctant to do so as Flantica screeches and bounces around, meanwhile Rosario looks at me sadly from behind the door.

About the matter that became blurry yesterday.

Nonna comes over.

Why do I have to be behind you!!?

Fufu, Im Aegirs mother after all. Ill be enjoying the bath first.

Lucy walks along while arguing.

D-dozens of people got inside that personmigyaa!

I heard were having roast veal today! I cant wait!!

Casie is trembling about something, then gets stepped on by Irijina.

I check my face in the mirror in the corridor, then turn back to everyone after confirming it is suitable. I feel Head-helminas gaze.

What is a king, I wonder?