Chapter 20: WAAAHHHHHHHH!! (Second time in a week)

"Ah, I can see a town again."

"That’s our destination, Byuredesto, Princess."

Our journey with Berka and the others had stretched on for a week.

We stopped by two villages along the way to stock up on food, and I spent the rest of the ride swaying on horseback beside Luri-chan.

"…It seems a little tense, doesn’t it?"

"Well, it is a fortress city constantly at war."

Salipa is a small country, so you can get from the capital to the border in just seven days.

Which also means that if Yaiban were to invade, they could reach the capital in a week.

Of course, moving an army means hauling supplies too, so in practice it’d probably take a bit longer.

"You’ve held up well on the long journey, Princess. From here on, you can just rest."

"I’ll gladly take you up on that. It’s hard to truly relax when you’re camping out under the stars."

The border city Byuredesto, facing Yaiban, was a sturdy city surrounded by two layers of brick walls.

The outer wall was covered in cracks and chipped stone, evidence of past fierce battles.

"By the way, you are going to prepare a proper bed for me, aren’t you? I absolutely refuse to sleep in a stable."

"You're a hostage. Don’t push your luck."

"My impression still matters, you know~? I might even speak on your behalf after the war."

"Unnecessary. No matter the circumstances, kidnapping a princess means execution."

"My, how practical of you."

So these guys really kidnapped me knowing full well they might die.

Father isn’t someone completely unreasonable. If I put in a word for them, they might be spared.

"Actually, looks like you’ve already been sentenced to death."

"Eh?"

"They say when we delivered the statement with your dress as proof, the King of Salipa flew into a rage and declared he’d wipe out our entire bloodline."

"…Oh my."

Wow. He’s really mad.

I’ve never seen Father raise his voice like that.

"Apparently, they’ve already dispatched troops to Byuredesto. At least they’re acting quickly."

"…"

"So, do you still think you’ve got a chance of being spared?"

"Probably not, no."

Yeah, kidnapping a princess is definitely a serious crime.

If I tried to defend them too forcefully, that might just enrage Father more.

They’d look like they brainwashed me or something.

"But I still refuse to be locked up in a horse stable!"

"It’s a run-down house, but I’ll let you stay in my place."

"Ooh, as long as it has a roof, I’m good."

If they’re doing all this knowing full well they might die, then maybe there’s nothing more for me to say.

If Yaiban really is invading, then what they’re doing could end up saving the country…

But by the letter of the law, yeah—this is death penalty territory.

"Anyway, Princess. Turn this way a sec."

"What is it?"

If Berka’s telling the truth, maybe I can find a way to plead for leniency...

As I was thinking that, Berka brusquely pulled out a gag and held it up in front of me.

"From here on out, you don’t get to speak."

"Eh!?"

---

"Hey, it’s me—Jionozu! Berka here!"

"Oh! You’re back, Berka! How’d it go?"

"Smoothly."

Once again gagged, I entered Byuredesto with muffled protests.

Looks like I’m still not allowed to talk.

"Oh? Got yourself a new girl, huh? …Is that a gag?"

"Yeah. I brought her along for tactical reasons. If anything happens, I’ll take full responsibility."

"If you’re vouching for her, then no problem. Alright, opening the gate!"

As we approached the gates of Byuredesto, one of the guards greeted us with a smile.

He seemed to know Berka personally—spoke to him like an old friend.

"So the king agreed to send reinforcements after all?"

"Yeah, don’t worry. They’ll dispatch them right away."

"Thank goodness. That’s a relief."

…From the looks of it, Berka is pretty well-liked around here.

If thanks to him fewer people are dying, I can see why he’s earned their respect.

"Still though—Luri-chan’s here, so buying weird slaves isn’t a good look, Berka!"

"It’s not like that. Just let us in already."

"Yeah yeah, got it."

At the moment, Berka is technically my ‘enemy’—he kidnapped me to use for his plans…

But at the very least, his desire to protect his people doesn’t seem like a lie.

…What’s the best way to resolve all this, I wonder.

"Still, that’s one heck of a pretty slave girl you picked up."

"Mmm-mmm-hmm♪"

The guard gave me a look with a bit too much heat behind it.

It wasn’t exactly a pleasant gaze, but as royalty, I returned his stare with a polite wave and a smile.

Even without words, I can still communicate.

"…Why the heck is that slave girl cheerfully waving at me?"

"She’s got no sense. Total airhead. Just ignore her."

Berka called me an idiot, even after I went out of my way to be polite.

…Yeah, maybe I won’t put in a good word for him after all.

---

As Berka had declared, his house was indeed a small, dirty standalone home.

But that was only in comparison to the royal palace—Berka wasn’t poor by any means.

In fact, owning an entire house in Byuredesto probably made him part of the wealthy class.

…The average commoner lived with their family packed like sardines into rented apartments in shared buildings.

"You’re not to take a single step out of my house until the national army arrives."

"Mmm?"

"Sigh. Luri, take the gag off for a bit."

And so, it looked like I was going to be imprisoned in Berka and Luri-chan’s home.

Not only that, I wasn’t even allowed to go outside.

What about my human rights? They’re treating me like I’ve been kidnapped or something!

"If you cause a scene, I will kill you. No joke."

"Pwahh. …Still no chance I can take a little walk?"

"Why would that be allowed?"

Well, I suppose no kidnapper in their right mind would let their hostage roam around freely.

I just have to endure until the royal forces arrive in Byuredesto.

At the end of the day, it’s my fault for straying too far from my guards and getting kidnapped.

"Besides, if word got out that the princess was here, there’d be chaos."

"So the people of Byuredesto don’t know you kidnapped me?"

"Correct. I acted on my own. The people here aren’t involved in your abduction."

"…Thought so."

I figured as much from how the guards acted. Apparently, the people of Byuredesto were told Berka had gone to the capital to request reinforcements.

If they found out he’d actually kidnapped the princess, panic would be inevitable.

"Once this is over, you can do what you want with me—execute me or whatever. For now, follow orders."

"Aaah, I really did want to walk around town a little…"

"You should probably start acknowledging that you’ve been kidnapped."

Berka said that, then suddenly turned serious.

He picked up the gag he’d just taken off a few minutes ago.

"You are not to leave this house. You’ll be fed, but that’s the extent of your freedom."

"If I shout, 'I’m Princess Rishali, someone help me!' what will you do?"

"I’ll kill you on the spot. That’s not a threat. I’ll just say Princess Rishali was 'killed by the enemy.'"

"Ughh…"

With a wicked smirk, he tied the gag back onto my face.

"You should be grateful I’m keeping you alive."

"Mmm! Mmm!"

"If you hate me, fine. Take all the revenge you want after the war. But don’t forget—you’re a captive princess right now."

"Mmmmmm!"

What followed was truly awful treatment.

My underwear was stripped off, and I was tied to a pillar inside the house.

Then they sat me down over a small jar and said, "If you need to relieve yourself, use this."

I wasn’t being treated like a princess… not even like a girl.

"MMMRRFFF!!?!?"

"Shut it, or I’ll kill you."

"MMMGH HAAAI"

How dare he treat a royal princess like this!

I mean, sure, I was kidnapped, and yes, I can begrudgingly accept being held captive.

But if I’m rescued and the soldiers see me tied up like this, that’s going to be humiliating!

"MMM MMRRFF! MMM MMRRFF!"

"Too noisy. You’ll be released once the royal army gets here. Until then, keep quiet."

A princess is supposed to have dignity! I protest this treatment with everything I’ve got!

I glared at Berka to make my position clear, but he just gave me a smug half-smile and waved.

That bastard… he’s completely underestimating me.

"Alright then. I’ve got things to do. Luri, keep an eye on her."

"Okay."

Fine. Let him strut around while he still can. Once the royal army gets here, it’s over for him.

Berka seriously doesn’t respect royalty enough.

I was considering putting in a good word for him, but now… forget it.

"Luri. Make sure she doesn’t get free, no matter what."

"…Okay."

I’ll make sure he regrets making me angry.

Being held captive is one thing—but being bound and denied the ability to even move? That’s just inhumane.

What happened to the Geneva Convention!? Restraints that damage health are banned, you know!

"Well then. I’ll go talk to the townspeople. I’ll be back by nightfall."

"Have a good trip."

"MMM!!"

After saying that to Luri-chan, the bandit Berka gallantly walked out of the house.

I watched him go with a low, rumbling growl in my throat.

---

"MMMRFF! MMMRFF!"

"…Please don’t be mad. I’m sorry, Princess."

Even after he left the house, my anger just wouldn’t subside.

I hadn’t expected to be allowed to walk around freely, but being treated like some kind of animal? That, I couldn’t accept.

"Mmmph…"

"Big brother’s gotten really nervous. He can’t afford to fail."

As I continued to fume and groan in protest against Berka, Luri-chan gently wiped me down with an apologetic expression.

…Maybe, in his own twisted way, assigning a girl to watch me was Berka’s version of being considerate.

"And if you do anything reckless, I really think my brother will kill you. So it’s better to behave."

"MMWHA!?"

"I don’t think you’re a bad royal, Rishali. But still… we might have to kill you."

Yeah, that’s the thing. When Berka threatened to kill me, he didn’t sound like he was bluffing.

He honestly seemed like he was prepared to do it.

Even if you’re just a commoner, don’t you realize how serious a crime it is to murder a princess?

"…This is just between us, okay? But originally, the plan was to kill you."

"MM!?"

"My brother changed his mind and decided to keep you alive instead."

Luri-chan said this while looking at me with eyes full of sorrow.

…I had been told they didn’t mind dying, but wait—was I originally supposed to be killed!?

Seriously, what would killing me even accomplish? Wouldn’t that just make things worse for them?

"Mmm?"

"Um, well… It was after the letter to the king got rejected, but—"

As I nervously listened to her explanation, sweat gathering on my brow, I began to uncover the shocking depths of Berka’s conspiracy.

---

“They refused to send the royal letter. Bastards.”

“Even with Count Zister's seal?”

“They said the payment wasn’t enough.”

Apparently, after asking a neighboring noble to deliver the royal letter, Berka had planned to return to Byuredesto immediately.

With Yaiban's invasion looming, he didn’t want to stay away from Byuredesto for long.

“Boss. What if we disguise ourselves as the noble courier unit and deliver the royal letter directly to the palace?”

“If we can get hold of their seal, it might be doable...”

“Then I’ll steal it.”

“No. Even if we manage to call for reinforcements that way, if they make contact with that noble while we’re en route, it’ll be exposed that the courier unit was fake. Can’t say it’s a great plan.”

However, with their request for official postage denied, that plan had fallen apart.

If reinforcements didn’t come from the capital, the fall of Byuredesto was certain.

To save their homeland, they would need to resort to some more forceful methods.

“What if Berka storms the palace himself and negotiates directly?”

“If they’re willing to mobilize the army on the spot, then sure.”

“If he brings the secret letter found in Count Zister’s estate and reports it—”

“Count Zister apparently has the king’s trust. Without substantial circumstantial evidence, they’ll just suspect it’s a forgery.”

“Yaiban could move their army as early as next month. If we can’t get them to act now, the reinforcements won’t make it in time.”

Berka had made preparations to face a larger army than ever before and had fortified his defenses like never before.

But due to food and supply constraints, Byuredesto couldn’t fight alone.

Reinforcements and supplies from the capital were essential to defending Byuredesto.

“Is there a way to get the army moving almost immediately, with near certainty?”

“...There is one. Not entirely out of the question.”

What Berka proposed then was—

“There’s an idea: we abduct and assassinate the princess under the pretense of orders from Count Zister.”

“!”

A bold and ruthless plan to assassinate a royal.

“The outline is like this. First—”

Berka’s strategy was, in short, a self-made crisis to provoke a response.

They would kidnap and assassinate a royal family member whose death would cause minimal political fallout.

Then, using the clothes the princess had been wearing as evidence, they’d deliver a proclamation to the palace stating, “Count Zister has betrayed the kingdom and joined Yaiban, bringing the kidnapped princess as a gift.”

The enraged king would almost certainly form a punitive army immediately. Leaving the matter unaddressed would damage the royal family’s prestige—he’d have no choice but to respond.

Before the punitive force could reach Byuredesto, Berka’s group would turn themselves in and say:

—Count Zister suddenly declared his allegiance to Yaiban, throwing the people into chaos.

—When we learned of his heinous crime—the abduction of the princess—we couldn’t just stand by.

—Driven by justice, we rose up and executed Count Zister.

—Now, the furious Yaiban army is approaching Byuredesto. Please, send reinforcements.

They would then present Count Zister’s severed head and evidence of his treachery.

“We’ll say the kidnapped princess was already sent to Yaiban and is now missing. What do you think?”

“Honestly? Not a bad idea.”

That was the first plan Berka proposed.

They would pin the crime of abducting the princess on Count Zister to force the army’s hand—and position themselves as his opposition to earn the king’s trust.

...However, if they went down that route, then the princess—who would inevitably know that Berka’s group were the real kidnappers—would have to be killed.

“But that means killing an innocent princess.”

“...We did everything we could to protect our homeland. If that still isn’t enough, then the blame lies with the kingdom.”

“True. It’s the royal family’s missteps that led to this. They’re not entirely innocent.”

Those who agreed with the plan went on to kidnap me from the palace.

Berka and his comrades weighed their homeland against the life of a princess they didn’t even know—and chose their homeland.

---

“And... that’s the story.”

“Wha—!?”

Hearing all that, my face turned completely pale.

If they had actually gone through with it, proving that these people were the ones who kidnapped me would’ve been nearly impossible.

As long as the evidence of Count Zister’s collusion was real, there’d be no reason to doubt Berka’s testimony.

It would’ve been almost a perfect crime.

“Mmmgh!! Mmmgh!!”

“Don’t be mad... We were desperate too.”

They had even talked, partway through, as if my death was a given...

But really, the entire plan required that I be killed.

“...But when we tried to stab Rishali, Big Brother said, ‘Let’s wait a bit.’”

“Huh?”

“Big Brother’s face was completely pale. He hesitated again and again, and in the end—”

---

“Big Brother, I kidnapped her successfully.”

“Then let’s kill her.”

I had been abducted and, still unconscious, was brought before Berka.

Right then and there, the plan was to strip off my dress and cut off my head.

“……”

But—Berka, sword in hand, stood frozen, unable to move.

He understood, logically, that he had to kill the princess.

“If the boss can’t do it, should I handle it instead?”

“N-no. That’s not it. I was just... thinking about something.”

The kidnapped princess was just a young girl.

She was about the same age as Luri, the precious little sister figure Berka held dear.

And now, Berka was terribly conflicted about taking the life of a girl like that.

“If we’re going to kill her, we can do it anytime. Let’s keep her alive a little longer.”

“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden, Berka?”

“I just had a bad feeling. Like... what if the princess is doted on by the king, and when he hears she was brutally murdered, he snaps and launches a campaign to wipe out the entire Zister domain?”

“Yeah... That is a real possibility.”

After about ten minutes of agonizing over it, Berka made up his mind to spare my life.

Berka had always been furious over Yaiban’s invasion—over the act of taking others’ lives for one’s own gain.

And perhaps, even if this was a plan to save his homeland, he couldn’t help but see his own actions mirrored in that same brutality.

“So what do we do now?”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m just not killing her now. If it becomes necessary, I’ll kill her.”

“Hmm?”

“Word is she’s a useless and obedient princess. If we talk to her, maybe we can fool her.”

Berka knew full well that this was a soft resolve.

But he clung to a reason not to kill Princess Rishali.

“If she’s as gentle and obedient as the rumors say, and beloved by her father—then it’s safer to assume the king could go berserk. In that case, let’s aim for persuading her instead.”

“Think that’ll actually work?”

“If it doesn’t, we kill her. Killing can be done anytime—but once someone’s dead, you can’t bring them back.”

“No argument there.”

And so, Berka had the princess wrapped in a straw mat, loaded onto a cart, and transported outside the capital.

He decided to speak with her first, and based on that conversation, determine their course of action.

“Until we see how the king reacts, let’s keep her alive.”

“Yeah, that probably is the safer bet.”

“No point in rushing to kill her right now.”

And so, Princess Rishali was not killed, but abducted by Berka’s group.

However, there was still one thing that worried Berka.

So he gave his companions a stern warning:

“This girl may still have to be killed. Don’t let your emotions get in the way.”

“We understand.”

He feared that, while traveling with the princess, someone might start to care about her.

---

“That’s the reason you’re still alive.”

“HOGYAAAAAAAH!!!”

Wait, my life was hanging by a thread way more than I thought!?

Just like Berka said, I should be grateful I’m even alive right now!!

“Mmmgh! Mmmmmmgh!?”

“D-don’t worry. I’ll ask Big Brother not to kill you.”

Luri-chan said that as she stroked my head with a worried look.

No, that doesn’t make me feel any better at all! Berka could decide to kill me tonight if he felt like it.

Wh-Wh—… What should I do?

“……”

“That’s why, Rishali, it’s better if you stay quiet, okay? I’m sure Big Brother doesn’t really want to kill you—”

Think. Think. I’m not ready to die yet.

Freaking out won’t improve the situation. Stay calm. Analyze it.

…Wait a sec?

“BUUURGHGHGHLRGHH!!!”

“Wah!? Rishali just threw up from fear!”

Overwhelmed by terror and stress, I suddenly vomited the contents of my stomach.

Because the liquid came out all rainbow-colored, Luri-chan panicked and quickly removed my gag.

This was my chance.

“Cough cough…”

“A-are you okay? Want some water?”

“Y-yes. Thank you kindly.”

I took the water Luri-chan handed me and, after taking a breath,

I smiled at her calmly.

“Thank you so much, Luri-chan.”

“Y-you’re welcome. But, um, sorry, I have to put the gag back on again—”

“Oh, but how distant you’re being. If only Berka-san had told me how serious he was about all this, I would’ve cooperated from the start.”

Keeping my serene smile intact,

I leaned toward the visibly confused Luri-chan and whispered softly.

“Luri-chan, there’s a huge flaw in Berka-san’s plan. If you’d gone through with it, it would’ve ended very badly, you know?”

“Eh? W-what do you mean?”

“The royal family carries a magical tool called the ‘Mirror of Malice’ as a safeguard against assassination. When one of us dies, the person we most strongly resented at the moment of death appears in the mirror.”

“Wha—!?”

Of course, no such convenient magical item actually exists!!!

This was a total bluff—a ridiculous lie spun from thin air...

“If I had been killed, Berka-san’s face would’ve shown up in the mirror instantly. And if the royal court suspected that all of Byuredesto had conspired in my assassination, the whole town might be wiped out.”

“T-that can’t be...”

“If you don’t believe me, feel free to act however you like.”

Listen, I’ve been practicing high-society poker faces since birth.

No way some commoner girl is going to see through one of my lies.

“Whew. I’m glad I told you in time. If this had continued, it would’ve ended in a way that made no one happy.”

“U-um... so what should we do?”

“Please, don’t worry. Even though I’ve been kidnapped, I don’t hold anything against you. Sounds like the royal family made mistakes too, and I feel responsible.”

It seemed Luri-chan believed my lie. She stood there fidgeting, clearly distressed.

So I gently offered her a lifeline.

“What if I told you there’s a way to save both Berka and me?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t worry. Just leave everything to me.”

I spoke softly, like luring her into a warm embrace.

“I’ll save you and all of Byuredesto.”