'Who the hell...is this brat?!' Cooper thought as he saw a little girl walking right behind those people.
As they made their way into the throne room, the other nobles began to talk with themselves.
"It's the Duke Welford."
"Such intimidating presence...behind him isn't that..."
"[The Sword Saint, Rowan]!"
"Woah...even [The Witch, Matilda] is here."
They keep muttering to themselves in a hushed hone, staring at two legends and very intimidating man—Duke Welford curiously.
However, they slowly shifted their focus on someone else, who were walking right behind them.
"A child?"
"Isn't she just a little girl?"
The mutterings continued, as they took in the little girl's appearance.
She has beautiful dark blue hair, a pair of eyes with the color of the blue sky and is currently wearing a formal outfit, a blue dress and a cape around her back.
Her face was calm, and the aura she emitted around her while walking behind them was like a reflection of her status. Calm and filled with confidence, like a True Noble, causing all of the people who were present inside the throne room rendered speechless with her presence alone.
Cooper stood aside when they approached the throne and knelt down with one leg, then bowed their head slightly in front of the King.
"Duke Welford, shall pay respect to Your Highness...The King." Henry spoke.
And as soon after that, Rowan, Matilda and Iris followed him, "We shall pay respect to your Highness...the King."
Bradley nodded his head, accepting their greetings.
"Thank you for coming here, Duke Welford." The aide spoke first and bowed his head slightly towards him.
"Indeed...it's been a while, have you been well Mr. Aide?" Henry spoke with a smile, speaking with the aide with such familiarity in his tone.
"Indeed and surely you know my name already, right?" The aide smiled, he has a short grey colored hair and pair of yellow eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses.
"Of course, who wouldn't know the aide of the King himself...Duke Ashdown."
[Norman Veit Ashdown], from one of the Five Great Family and the family who have served the King for generations to generations.
The Ashdown family specializes on keeping the king safe and supporting him. Therefore, most of their job is a [Mage] or [Swordsman], they were very skilled with their job and have undergone strict training befitting of a King's aide.
This family is just like The Welford because they don't produce specialty stuff because as long they can be useful for the kingdom nothing else matters.
But the difference between these two families is that…before they came into power, the Welford are Adventurers, unlike the Ashdown who were a Noble from the start.
Despite having different history and standings between their ancestors, these two Heads of the two families are friendly to each other.
"Are you sure you are not trying to mock my work?" Norman raised his brow, scrutinizing him while folding his arms.
"Heh, of course not! Why would I mock the noblest work one could ever had in this kingdom." Henry smiled, but that somehow made him feel more irritated.
"You haven't changed one bit." Norman sighed.
It was a surprising sight for Iris who saw them talking very casually like that, 'Woah...I never thought that Iris' father are friends with him.'
'[Norman Veit Ashdown] the King's aide and the one who has been supporting the royal family...and...the father of the [male target] from the game.'
'Well from the looks of it...he looks...nearly the same as him.' Iris secretly stared at Norman but she was noticed by him.
"Hmm? this girl is..." Norman touched his chin while staring at her curiously.
"Ah! I haven't introduce her yet...she is My precious daughter...Iris May Welford." When Henry introduced her, his tone was filled with warmth, feeling proud and pleased at the chance to show off his daughter.
Norman widened his eyes a bit after seeing such a rare smile coming from this man in front of him, 'Ahhh...it seems I was wrong...he did change. Only for a bit though.' he nodded.
The little girl bowed her body slightly while pulling her long skirt up, giving him a proper greeting, "Nice meeting you...Duke Ashdown, as my father told you my name is Iris May Welford~"
Norman blinked, a bit taken aback with such a graceful gesture coming from her, "Ohhhh...such a beautiful way of greeting, I am impressed."
"Thank you so much~ Duke-sama~"
"You don't have to thank me and nice meeting you too...Miss Iris, my name is Norman Veit Ashdown...I'm your father's friend since childhood."
"Since childhood??"
"Indeed, we have been together for so long, together with this stiff cranky guy sitting behind me of course." Norman softened his words at the end, whispering it to her ear.
Iris was taken by surprise again as she heard yet another thing that was never shown in the game.
'Father is friend with the King? I thought they both have bad connections in the game.' Iris thought while shook off those mind.
"I-i see..." Iris smiled awkwardly and she could feel the stare of someone from the throne.
It was from the King himself, Bradley who's sitting there and staring at her closely. Even from this distance and the way Norman whispered something to her, Bradley knew immediately that he was giving away rather embarrassing information.
"A-ahem." Bradley coughed, causing Norman to pull himself away from her.
The Queen who's sitting next to him, giggled at the sight of her husband.
Iris couldn't help but smile watching this scene unfold but then the atmosphere changed when Bradley began to speak, "It's been a while, Henry...how have you been doing?"
"I am doing fine myself, your highness." Henry replied.
"Hmm, that's good...because I've been wondering...what you have been doing these days but I could guess that you have been spoiling your daughter to the rotten."
"Yes your highness...she is my pride and my most beloved daughter." Henry spoke while meeting his gaze, making the atmosphere around them grew much tenser.
"Hmmmm...even so she is pretty educated... it seems you cherishes your daughter so much so that you have changed...Henry."
"That is true, your highness."
"Then you are aware what is this meeting for, right?"
When Bradely spoke like that, he let out those heavy pressure around him once again.
But Henry stayed calm and nodded his head, "Yes...I know fully well."
"Then you know about incident inside Baron Allura territory right?"
"Yes, Your Highness." Henry replied.
"Hmmm...do you have something to say, Baron Allura."
When Bradley spoke his name, Iris and the others who were facing the King just now, turned their head towards the man who stood right beside them who looked at his feet depressingly.
"Ah."
They completely forgot about him.
He looked so pitiful now as his existence was immediately ignored when they came into the throne room, even Iris could see the grimace on the King's face after the realization hits.
"What do you want me to do, Your Highness?" Henry asked Bradley instead and smoothly ignored the Baron once again.
Iris somehow felt bad but at the same time amazed at her father ignoring this person.
"I'm afraid...I'm gonna have to give you a punishment that befitting of what you did." Bradley spoke.
'Huh??' Iris was taken back of what he said and confused, 'Befitting of what he did? But Father didn't do anything.'
But Rowan decided to interject, "Excuse me, Your Highness."
Bradley turned to him, "What is it."
"I know full well you are going to punish my disciple...so as his former teacher...I want you to reconsider the punishment and share it with me."
"Sensei!" Iris called out, but Rowan ignored her, bowing his head in front of the King.
'What happen in this short time, did I miss out something.' Iris keeps being confused.
Then Matilda bowed her head as well, "Same as me...Your Highness, since I'm his daughter's teacher and I did participate with the attack, I want you to share the punishment to me as well."
When Matilda spoke like that, it made the Noble and the King himself widened their eyes in surprise.
Even Iris who saw that, was more surprised than any others.
[The Witch, Matilda] who was known as hard-headed person who's also the strongest mage in this Kingdom, and even [The Sword Saint, Rowan] bowed his head for something like that.
'Master...'
Iris couldn't help but feel bad about this. She has a plan of her own to manage this situation, but confused of what happen for the King to blame her Father.
It just that she didn't seem to have the perfect chance to tell it. Not to mention the irritation she felt when she noticed a hint of celebration hidden behind Baron Allura's perfectly controlled face.
It was him all along.
'This bastard–tsk.' Iris clicked her tongue a bit, 'Calm down...no need to rush...my chance will come.' Iris thought, her eyes flashed red for a moment as her skill once again activated.
[Notice!]
[Skill "The Villainess" have been activated]
Bradley was rendered speechless upon hearing what they had said. They were the Legends who protected this Kingdom from the attacks of the Demon King and the two people he used to fight alongside with so he knew them really well. Today's event was unexpected but he managed to gather his composure again.
"I see...then I shall give you both the same punishment with Duke Welford."
And just like that, The Nobles started chattering among themselves with his judgement.
Bradley spoke while closing his eyes, "Duke Henry Von Welford, Matilda Threston, and Rowan....without further ado I will announce your punishment right here...right now...after you tell me of what you did wrong."
"Yes, your Highness! I, Henry Von Welford...will take full responsibility of what my [daughter] did for attacking Baron Allura's territory."
After he dropped the bomb, the whole room fell into silence and Bradley almost balked.
Henry blinked at him in confusion, "Huh?"
"What did you said just now...Duke?" Norman asked while fixing his glasses.
"Like I said...I will take full responsibility of what my daughter did for attacking The Allura's territory?" Henry parroted his speech and that made them even more confused.
"Wait...hold on...your daughter is the one who's attacking Baron Allura's Territory?"
Henry knitted his brows a bit, "Uhhh...yeah? I thought you already know."
"No...We did not...since we just heard it directly from the Baron himself...isn't that right, Baron?" Norman answered and suddenly all eyes were on Cooper who looked nervous and flinched at their gaze
"H-huh??"
"Baron Allura...can you tell us specifically...who attacked your territory?"
"Y-yes...It is the Welford's family!" Cooper looked somewhat unsure as he spoke, causing The King to rub the bridge of his nose with a sigh.
"This is getting nowhere...."
"What do you mean by that Norman?" Henry asked, looking at the aide in question.
"We heard the report from Baron Allura that your family attacked, and since the only one who could lead your army...is [you] the Duke himself...we thought it was you who planned this attack." Norman explained.
Henry blinked for a moment as he rubbed his forehead, "It seems you have misunderstood... the one who planned the attack wasn't me...it was my daughter." He spoke it out bluntly.
That took the entire room by surprise and they directed their eyes once again towards this little girl who stood behind those Legends and her father.
Iris smirked as if she was expecting it to happen.
'I see...now I get the gist of it...I was wondering why the King...is giving his punishment to Father instead of me,' Iris thought while she turned her eyes a bit to look at the confused Baron. 'Heh...then this is my chance.'
Iris tossed her hair aside while looking straight at them, "Your Highness."
"The one who planned the attack towards Baron Allura's territory....it was me." While bowing her head slightly, she flashed a smile towards him.
More loud murmurrings of the surrounding nobles erupted, talking to themselves in disbelief, even Norman was taken aback after hearing such words coming from a little girl who was barely 10 years old.
The calmness on her entire being and those cold eyes…didn't look like it came from a child like herself.
Norman fixed his glasses, "Iris May Welford...can you kindly explain to us, why did you attack the Baron Allura's Territory? Moreover...are you really the one who planned it."
Iris giggled, "Fufufu~ hmmm~ well I wonder~" Iris spoke as she made a childish look on her face.
"H-huh?"
"But before that….you have to promise me first~"
"What kind of promise?" Norman asked.
"Promise me~ that I want you to take my words seriously~ not from a child's perspective....but someone who knows what happened with this very eyes of mine~" Iris smiled, her eyes that once blue changed into red as she explained it.
"W-what?!–"
And Norman noticed that, 'Her eyes...did it change?'
But that aside, she made him felt uneasy and conflicted about what exactly he should do with her proposal.
Then something unexpected happened...
"I promise you...as the King of this Kingdom." Bradley nodded.
"Your Highness!" Norman turned his head around to look at his King but Bradley shook his head, telling him not to interrupt. That didn't faze Iris though and instead, she looked at him straight in the eyes.
"Very well, I will accept that promise~" Iris smiled as if she was the one who's holding this meeting, the attitude that didn't fit her age.
It's almost as if...
She was a ruler that reincarnated into this body.
"Since the King himself promised me, I shall tell you the reason why I attacked his territory~"
"The reason is...that because he offended me and my mother." Iris pointed a finger to the Baron accusingly.
"Ridiculous! Is that the only the reason you destroyed my fort!! Even so! We have never met before this!"
"Of course we haven't met Baron~ but your wife the Baroness and your beautiful daughter of yours did~"
"But not only after we first met~ instead giving a warm greetings, she dared to slander our family name with such ill based rumor." Iris glared, seething with repressed anger.
Bradley looked skeptical about it, and glanced at the Baron, "Is it true...Baron Allura?"
"N-no I did not–"
"Of course you don't know~ why would she tell you the truth?~ when someone did something wrong, they will soon lie for their own safety~ that's what humans are...Baron Allura." She called his title with such a cold tone, causing him to tremble a bit.
But then…she smiled again, as if she didn't just called him with his title maliciously, "Well I'm not blaming you for what happened, cause rumor is a rumor~ they spread around and will try to use it for their advantage~ since your daughter did something like that, I have my payback to her~ so I did some prank on her~ and now we're even~"
Cooper sighed as he was given some relief, for a moment but he still felt something unease as if something gonna happen.
"But...there is something that I won't forgive Baron."
"H-huh??–"
Suddenly, the heavy and cold atmosphere returned once again as Iris emitted her magic aura around her.
"And that is...when you and your family are plotting to poison my mother."
Everyone in the room was shocked with her revelation, even Cooper, Norman and Bradley who's sitting on the throne with his wife was in shock too.
"What is the meaning of this...Baron Allura." Bradley demanded as his eyes went towards him once again, but this time it's more like in disbelief.
"N-no...No! That's a lie! Who poison who!? Are you seriously going to believe a little girl–"
"Of course they would~ more like His Highness would~ he promised me as the King of this kingdom...but you...does that means you dared to deny what the King promise to me!" Iris suddenly spoke with her cold tone as her face darkened a bit and her eyes shined a bit.
The man took a few steps back, "N-no!! G-guhh...Y-you...you!!"
"But of course~ I won't deny it~ I'm just a little girl who are barely ten years old~ of course the people except the King, wouldn't believe a single thing I said~"
"T-that's true–!"
"But unfortunately~ I have proof~" As soon as she said that, Iris pulled out something from her [Inventory].
A letter…which came out from thin air, was a suprising sight for the others but when Cooper saw that letter, he began to tremble and sweat profusely.
"W-wait...how can this be...w-where...where did you get that from!! You brat!!"
"Ehe~"
And with that innocent smile, the phase two of her plan in this judgment had begun.
To be continue...