CH 60

“Gah!?”

“…It’s overly sweet.”

Hanna dashed behind the waitress, grabbed her arm, and held her down to the floor.

“Hanna.”

“…I’m afraid it’s an assassin aiming for your highness. Perhaps the tea she served was poisoned…”

“I see.”

It’s not uncommon to have been targeted by assassins in the last year and a half.

Hanna and Gustav have always saved mine and Liz’s lives. I did not expect them to do this in Rhinesbrook, the home of the Border Marquess of Metzelder.”

“Liza and Nora.”

“”Y-Yes.””

I motioned for them to leave, and they did so with worried expressions on their faces.

This is not going to be a pleasant experience.

“So… which hand are you from?”

“…”

A female assassin turns her head without saying anything in response to my question.

“Hanna.”

Yes.

“Aaahhh?!”

On my signal, the assassin’s index finger is shattered.

I’ll just break her fingers one by one as long as she stays silent.

I keep breaking the assassin’s fingers. Even so, she remains defiantly silent.

The assassin screams each time, but I don’t care.

… she attempted to harm my precious woman, which is a heinous crime.

All ten fingers are eventually broken, and the woman’s body convulses as she drools.

“Fumu… She’s not making a lot of noise anymore.”

“Why don’t we let her taste the poison, Your Highness?”

“I understand.”

I take Hanna’s advice and pick up the teacup on the table.

“Come on, let me help you with your drinking. This is normally a privilege reserved for Liz, so accept it gratefully.”

After that, I placed the cup’s edge on the woman’s lips.

She covers her mouth and tries desperately to resist, but Hannah is pressing on her and I am holding her nose, so she can’t breathe.

After that,

“Ah! Puha?!”

I poured tea with milk into her mouth when she couldn’t hold her breath any longer.”

“Ggh… Ggh…gah…gah…”

The woman was so distressed that she desperately clawed at her neck with her broken fingers before collapsing and dying.

—○█○—

“Hannah, did you come across anything recognizable?”

“This time… there was no clue.”

Hanna, who was checking on the assassin woman, shook her head in response to my question.

I knew it wouldn’t be easy, Fumu.

“At the very least, we know she’s not from the Carolin empire.”

“Can you explain why?”

“Yes. If you are an assassin from that country, there’s a mark that will always be engraved on your body.”

“Huh?”

According to Hanna, a dark-pact exists in the Carolin Empire to have a small tattoo on a part of the body to avoid friction between them.

That is the depth of the darkness in this great country.

Anyway, let’s summon the military police and have them conduct a thorough background investigation. It would be preferable if we could determine whether this is the hand of the second prince’s or the first queen’s faction.”

“…Once again, this is a long shot.”

“Well…”

Hanna and I exchanged nods.

So

“Um… Are you done?”

Liz and Nora, who were standing outside the cafe, inquired timidly.

“Yes… The military police will handle the rest. Please call them Nora.”

“Yes!”

After some time, some military police arrived with Nora.

“Your Highness Dietrich, is it true that you were attacked?!”

“Yes—this is the assassin.”

The military police gulped as they examined the assassin who had been poisoned.

“But it’s a different kind of assassin, so I’d appreciate it if you investigated it another way.”

“Ha!”

We’ll leave the rest to the military police.

“Shall we then continue our stroll?”

“No. Let us return to Her Excellency Metzelder’s residence today.”

Liz responded strongly to my suggestion.

The other two nod and look at me with serious expressions.

“But even though we’ve come all the way, you’re not having fun.”

“What are you on about?! —Dee-sama has endangered himself!”

“W-Well…”

Liz’s depressing appearance made me flinch.

“Dee-sama—We are happiest when we can smile alongside you. Please keep that in mind…!”

I’m speechless in front of Liz, whose amber eyes are welling up with tears.

…I’m not sure if there are any other words that could make me happier.

I’m a fortunate man.

“I understand. I’m sorry for being shallow, you three.”

“P-Please stop!… Dee-sama is a really nice person who is quick to admit and accept his mistakes.”

Liz hugged me as I bowed deeply and smiled brightly.