Chapter 85

The castle is in a flurry of activity. They say that before a storm, there is always a calm, but this time, the storm came suddenly and noisily. Who, then, is at the center of this storm...?

"Spathiphyllum, what's going on?"

Since morning, the absence of Prince Lancer, who usually shows up, felt odd, so I asked the woman standing beside me.

"I'm not sure if I should say, but let me just tell you that a big catch has arrived."

"Big catch? Can you tell me? I won't tell anyone."

"I can't do that."

"I'm curious too."

Iris also seemed worried about Lancer, who hasn't been showing up recently.

"Since Iris-sama says so, I have no choice. Let me explain."

What! The gap between Iris and me is huge, isn't it? And to think she said 'that much.' I didn't say anything significant. I just asked a little favor, that's all. I had a vague feeling, but I was acutely aware of it. Isn't that strange!

"The head of the Datarne family and his son have come to the castle. They have been making unreasonable demands for quite some time, and the fact that they came in person suggests they are serious about it. Prince Lancer and Prince Arc are also attending the official meeting."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to involve you."

If my memory serves me right, Eliza's father has been doing some shady things behind the scenes. If he is caught on that, and uses economic pressure as leverage, it might not be an impossible situation. It's not about not wanting to involve me; it's a matter of various related issues. It seems my life is finally entering a critical phase.

I want to be there. It's a matter that concerns me. At the very least, I want to be present.

Just as I was thinking that, a familiar knight entered the room. It was the knight I first met in the cavalry barracks.

"Sir Kurri Heran, you have been summoned to the meeting. Please come with me."

"Me...?"

"Yes, you."

I shouldn't be directly involved, so why?

Spathiphyllum also seemed confused.

I have no choice but to go, even though I'm anxious. I had been wishing to be present, so I have no other option but to follow.

The location is the King's Hall, a place used for official meetings. It's not a place where the general public can enter. I've never been there before.

After a thorough body check to ensure I wasn't carrying any weapons, I stepped into the hall, still confused.

The actors were already in place.

The King sat on the throne at the back. Prince Lancer and Prince Arc stood on either side, and Eliza's father, the Prime Minister Eyan Doville, stood nearby.

Across from them, at a distance, stood a father and son, presumably from the Datarne family.

Knights lined up along the aisle leading to the throne, flanking the Datarne family. The imposing figure of the Captain of the Knights was also visible. This setup makes it impossible to harm the royal family. There shouldn't be anyone with such intentions, but even if there were, it would be impossible.

I was guided to stand next to the two from the Datarne family. Is this the right position for me?

"Since all the necessary people are here, let's begin."

The man on the throne, the King, spoke... I know this man. I know him, indeed. Yes, I know him!

This is the worst. This is the man I met in the bath, who talked about how cute Iris is and even discussed the military of the capital. I can't forget it. The man with the golden hair is unforgettable. Prince Arc's golden hair is inherited from his father...

"Ahh..."

I couldn't help but let out a sound. Did the King's eyes mock me for a moment? It must be my imagination.

"For the sake of my Datarne family, and for my son Brau and my foolish son Fregen, I am grateful for the time you have given us, Your Majesty!"

The well-built man standing next to me announced this in a loud voice that echoed throughout the hall. He must be the head of a merchant guild. As expected, his voice is powerful.

"That's fine. However, I, my sons, and even the red-haired guest you insisted on bringing are not idle. Please state your purpose."

The red-haired guest is me. Good, I'm treated as a guest... By the way, was I summoned by Brau Datarne? Why?

"Then I will do so!"

Come to think of it, the foolish son standing next to me, Fregen, is someone I know. He's the one who sent me a letter and admired me. Moreover, I knew him even before that. Yes, he's the one who tried to assault Iris at the masquerade ball and ended up bloodied. That hopeless person. No wonder Lancer despises him so much. He's also in conflict with Prince Arc...

What did the Datarne family come here for? Is it the demand Spathiphyllum mentioned? If so, I should stand by Eyan Doville. I don't owe him anything, but Eliza is already important to me. I will fight as much as I can to protect her.

"Firstly, there is a fox in human form by Your Majesty's side. Entrusting the country's affairs to a fox is a cause for concern for the future of this country. There are also rumors of unrest in the neighboring kingdom of Amiral. It is not right to keep such an incompetent prime minister by your side."

A direct and bold request. I'm worried it might turn into a brawl. I could see the veins on Eyan Doville's face twitch.

"Eyan Doville is a man I judge to be competent and have by my side. I don't think my judgment is wrong, even without your words."

"Is that so? Your Majesty is quite lenient towards people's actions. What may seem small to you is not small to a weak citizen like me. There are many officials who commit small crimes. Especially, I often hear that Eyan Doville is a representative of such petty criminals."

Indeed, they are targeting that. Eliza's father may not show it on his face, but he must have a lot on his mind. Please keep a poker face.

"You are not weak."

"No, no, in this situation, I am as weak as a rabbit surrounded by wild beasts."

"Very well. More importantly, do you have any evidence that Eyan is committing crimes? Your one-sided claims make it sound like you are trying to bring down the prime minister for your own selfish reasons."

"Hah... Of course, I do. However, as befits a prime minister, he doesn't easily show his tail. But I will say that it's only a matter of time. I will surely gather the evidence."

"Is that so... Your daily demands for the prime minister's position are weak without solid evidence."

"I am not greedy. I just have the confidence that I can do better than others. If you entrust it to me, I have the confidence to develop this country like my merchant guild. This is a petition for the good of the country."

The King's calm response and Brau's persistent pressure... Despite that, it feels anticlimactic without any evidence or weapons. What did they come here for? The Prime Minister's position should still be firmly held...

"Your Majesty, of course, your words are the most important, but there is one more important matter I would like to discuss today. I would like to request a little more of your time."

"I didn't think you would return without any gain. Speak quickly."

He cleared his throat, creating tension in the hall again. It seems his main point is yet to come.

"Forgive me for summoning you, Sir Kurri Heran."

"Me? What about me?"

The conversation was between the King and Brau, but now it's directed at me. Could I be the key to the conversation? If so, I need to be careful with my words.

"Yes. I am deeply grateful for the time of the next lord of the Heran territory. However, today, I must speak about your crimes in front of the King."

If I heard correctly, he said 'crimes.'

My crimes? My charming cheeks? My bouncy butt?

"Your Majesty! Today, I would like to use this opportunity to speak about how dangerous this man, Kurri Heran, is."

"Is that your purpose? Fine, the red-haired guest is a formal guest of this castle and an important figure for the future of the Heran territory. If you accuse him of crimes, be careful with your words. Do you understand? Speak."

The King's words were a threat. However, neither Brau nor his son showed any signs of anxiety. Why am I in the spotlight? I have nothing to hide. My father... doesn't, right!? The King seems to be on my side. Lancer looks worried. Prince Arc... I can't tell. If I'm in trouble, will he help me? I can't tell, the human heart is complex.

"The crime of Sir Kurri Heran, a very primitive crime, is that he is an extremely savage and barbaric man. My son was recently subjected to violence by him. It seems it was a one-sided attack..."

Ah, that incident... He was covered in blood. But I didn't do it. The right was on my side.

I raised my hand to speak.

"Speak," the King said.

"Yes, it is true that I used violence, but there are