Chapter 75

"Ah! Malti and Melti! It's good that you've defeated the Shield and returned. But why is Malti bound and has a cloth in her mouth?"

As soon as she entered the castle, the queen instructed Bitch and Melti to go ahead while we followed behind. The other heroes also followed behind us. The three of them seemed to be in a bad mood, as if they didn't like me being at the front among the heroes. However, since the queen had announced loudly that I was the hero of this incident, they couldn't complain.

By the way, the queen told us about the Three Hero Religion on the way, sitting in Filo's carriage. The death of the Pope had not yet fully permeated the town, and the Three Hero Church appeared to still be active, but it was already under lockdown. All the relevant people had been captured and were being transported.

"Because she's noisy. Should I sew her mouth shut this time?"

The queen marched into the throne room and declared.

It sounded like she was incredibly angry, as if sound effects could be heard.

As soon as the queen's followers understood that I was there, the scoundrel, Kuzu, twisted his face in anger.

"Why is that guy here! Execute him immediately!"

"I won't allow it!"

The royal guards, prioritizing the queen's orders over Kuzu's, did not follow his command.

"Hey, that queen is a fake! Capture her!"

"You... to mistake me for someone else... I have no choice."

'The queen, the source of power, commands—'

"Ugh!? This incantation—"

'Truth, once again, interpret and create a binding of ice for this person.'

"Dryfa Ice Prison!"

A cage made of ice appeared and enclosed Kuzu's entire body. Inside the cage, Kuzu tried to argue with the queen, but his voice didn't carry.

"Really... how foolish have you become?"

With a snap, the fan closed, and the ice cage disappeared.

"Your magical power, its quality, confirms you are indeed my wife! What has happened to you!?"

Kuzu, looking at the queen as if he were seeing something unbelievable, argued.

"Perhaps it's the Shield's fault!"

Is he trying to blame everything on me again!?

Enough is enough.

That's why I didn't want to come to this castle.

"It's not. Honestly, do you still think the Shield Hero has such power... Foolish."

The queen, approaching Kuzu, slapped his cheek.

Kuzu, stunned by the slap, trembled and glared at me for some reason.

"I've been saying it's not Iwata's fault all along."

"Ugh!"

Another slap.

Before Kuzu could say anything, the queen slapped him again.

"I'm listening. While I was abroad, you continued to exercise power, ignored my repeated instructions not to discriminate against the heroes, and you want a war, don't you!"

"But, but—"

"No buts! Now is the time for people to unite against the waves, and you—!"

The queen scolded Kuzu, not allowing any rebuttal.

This was to show the other heroes that she was superior.

"Well, let me introduce myself again. I am the Queen of Melromarc, Miliaria Q Melromarc. Nice to meet you."

"Ah... ah."

"Nice to meet you."

"Wow... that was intense."

The other heroes each expressed their thoughts on the exchange.

All three were completely taken aback.

"I propose that the heroes give me a little time starting today."

"What's going on?"

"That can be discussed during the meal. The other heroes, please relax in your guest rooms."

"Hey, what about Main?"

Yuan Kang, worried about Bitch, who couldn't speak, asked.

"I have some matters to discuss as the ruler of the country. If necessary, I will send someone else, so be prepared."

"Yes..."

The queen's stern demeanor forced the other heroes and their party out of the throne room.

Left were me, Raphatalia, Filo, and Melti.

"Phew..."

Kuzu let out a sigh of relief, as if embarrassed to have shown such an unseemly side to the heroes.

"What do you mean 'Phew'? We're not done yet!"

"I'm not at fault! It's all the Shield's fault!"

"Right, right!"

The moment the restraints were removed, Bitch sided with Kuzu.

She's really noisy.

"Mom! That guy tried to rape me!"

"What's the problem with that?"

"What's the problem...? Mom, I'm a virgin! Don't you care!?"

"You weren't a virgin to begin with, were you? Did you think I didn't know? You lost your virginity—"

Ah, so she wasn't a virgin from the start.

Thinking about it, when she accused me of rape, she was just an adventurer, and later she publicly claimed to be a princess. If the princess was raped, even if the Spear Hero saved her and it was an attempted rape, the rumors would be bad.

So, the Spear Hero saved a female adventurer, not the princess, in the public eye.

Either way, Bitch is a terrible troublemaker, and she's getting what she deserves.

Great.

"Why do you know!?"

"Did you think I wouldn't know? If you truly had a relationship with the Shield Hero, Iwata, there would have been some hope..."

The queen glanced at me.

Me? With this trash?

"No way!"

"You're excluded. Let's count on Melti."

She just said something crazy.

"What are you talking about! Melti is still young!"

"Exactly!"

I don't want to have a relationship with Melti, and I'm not so degraded that I would lust after a child!

"You're right! What are you saying!?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Filo, you don't need to know about this!"

Well, I'll ignore these guys.

"No! Melti should be married to the Shield Hero, Iwata."

"What!?"

"Really don't understand? It's a perfect opportunity to subdue a long-standing enemy."

"What do you mean?"

I understand this.

Siltvelt probably worships the Shield Hero, the country's archenemy.

If the Shield Hero, me, marries the princess of Melromarc, the country would have a saint.

Without knowing the internal situation, if the Shield Hero is flattered and has a child, it would be perfect.

Then, the country could be infiltrated from within.

"Unfortunately, it's too late."

"Right... Melti, try to seduce the Shield Hero, Iwata."

"No way!"

Melti, blushing, refused the queen's political marriage.

Being used for politics at her age must be unpleasant.

Of course, I have no intention of doing anything to benefit this country.

And she's not giving up, is she?

"Ah? I heard from the shadows that Melti has a crush on you."

"Shut up."

"Hmm..."

"What? You were so upset about being seen as a child?"

It's a troublesome age.

"See, she does have a crush. How about it? Melti will be the future queen. Wouldn't she be a perfect puppet to destroy the country from within?"

"If I agree, I'll become your puppet. Besides, I have no intention of staying in this world."

"No problem. ...If Melti bears Iwata's child, it will be fine."

...That's a nasty thing to say.

In essence, if there's a child between the Shield Hero and the royal family, I can return to my world.

I see, so when she said she was good at diplomacy, she meant this kind of aggressive approach.

What a wild idea. It's like a manga.

"All the good opportunities were taken by my incompetent husband and daughter. It would have been fine if Iwata had gone alone. If he had been brought in as an ally and controlled, you would have been the undisputed next queen by now."

"Who would marry this ugly person!"

What the hell, this trash.

This time, I'll make her understand her position—

"Ugly, not!"

Raphatalia, Filo, and Melti all objected at once.

What's with you guys?

"What? I just stated the facts. Your anger proves it's true."

"That's right. The fact that you're not a virgin is undeniable."

"There's no proof of that. Ask Motasu. I was a virgin."

"No, you admitted it just now. Your actions don't match your words."

"Maruti, if you're going to lie, make it a convincing one. You can fool the Spear Hero, but not me... Besides, you've always had the habit of setting people up for your amusement—"

The queen started lecturing Bitch.

However, Bitch was just pretending to listen; it was obvious to everyone that she wasn't really paying attention.

She must have been used to the queen's lectures.

"When your sister was involved in a conspiracy, you didn't defend her but joined in, and even tried to hand her over to the church."

Huh?

Bitch just joined in, but she wasn't part of the church? Maybe Kuzu wasn't either?

Could these two just be stupid...?

"Probably, you thought the next queen would be yours."

"No, that's not true!"

Well... considering the magic incantation, you were thinking that. That phrase could have been a title or a reference to yourself.

For her to say "the next queen" like that, she must have been confident she would be the queen.

I was speechless when I heard it.

"Lying!"

"Speaking the truth!"

"...Such trivial matters are irrelevant now."

Wow... she sees through everything.

Even if they're rotten, they're still family. She knows everything about them.

"Next, Ortklay."

As soon as she looked at him, Kuzu flinched and stepped back.

"What have you been doing? Not investigating the truth and leaving the Shield Hero, who should be specially protected in this country, naked... I'm speechless. In the past, you would have had the capacity to control him, no matter how much you disliked him internally..."

"That's the Shield's fault!"

"Maruti wasn't raped. It was a setup. So... what do you have to say for yourself?"

"Ugh... It's the Shield's fault!"

He wants to blame everything on me, as usual.

Given the situation, it's just adding fuel to the fire.

"Really... in the past, you would have been wiser... in the past!"

The queen, with a vein popping on her forehead, sighed and put her hand on it.

"It seems there's no need to defend you."

Kuzu and Bitch averted their eyes, as if the wind was blowing from somewhere.

It's clear they have no intention of apologizing to me.

I'm getting irritated. Why did the queen put me in this situation?

These guys won't reflect on their actions.

"I was trying to avoid saying this, but there's no choice."

The queen, who had been opening and closing her fan, pointed at them and declared.

"I will permanently strip you two of your royal authority."

"What!?"

"Mom!?"

Kuzu and Bitch exclaimed in shock. They seemed to think the punishment was too severe.

It's fair.

Actually, I'm starting to enjoy this. I want to see more.

"Naofumi... why are you laughing?"

"Don't you get it?"

"I do, but... it's rude."

"Mother... she's serious."

"Hmm?"

Filo tilted her head, clearly not understanding the situation.

She's a bird, after all. She only thinks about eating and the carriage.

"Why!?"

"Because your actions have strayed far beyond what can be tolerated. If you were truly remorseful, I could have tried to plead with Iwata for forgiveness..."

"Would he forgive us?"

"I also considered various bribes to get you to nod."

Bribes... I'm interested, but this is more fun right now.

"If I'm no longer part of the royal family, what will happen to this country!?"

"Melti is here. She is far more capable than you, and the country will prosper."

Well, Melti is a better successor than Bitch.

She's a bit headstrong, but she's grown a lot from this incident.

"If I'm no longer part of the royal family, the relevant parties won't stay silent."

"I've already taken care of it. If you thought I did nothing for the past three months, you're mistaken."

"Wha—"

Kuzu, looking incredibly shocked, couldn't even speak. He just opened and closed his mouth repeatedly.

"First, we need to address the issue of why you performed the hero summoning without authorization! That's the real problem."

"...What do you mean?"

"Didn't you wonder, Iwata? Why the highest authority in the country was out doing diplomacy and couldn't attend the summoning?"

Indeed, I had wondered about that.

From her actions, she didn't seem like someone who would delegate such an important task to others.

She could have cleverly guided us and used us to her advantage.

At least, when I first arrived in this world, I could have been easily manipulated.

She could have even pushed the second princess, Melti, to create a political marriage disguised as a love match.

"First, we need to address a fundamental issue. This country... decided to be the fourth to summon the Four Holy Heroes at the World Conference."