「Oops, we don't have time for this. We need to hurry!」
Once again running up the stairs, we landed in a long corridor. In front of the room the guardsmen, which were heavily armed, recognized the duke and moved out of the way. They bowed their heads reverently as they opened the big door behind them.
「Elder Brother!」
Inside the room that the Duke jumped into, light streamed into the room from a large picture window on the wall, the bed had a luxurious canopy attached. Everyone had looks of despair toward the man lying on the bed, who was most likely the king.
Next to the bed was, a young girl clutching the hand of the King that was lying there; in a chair was a woman fighting back tears, wearing a calming expression; an elderly person wearing a gray colored robe; the person with a golden wand, who's eyes were covered by jade green hair, who's shoulders shook in anger, was a woman; and a man with a splendid beard wearing a military uniform.
The duke walks briskly up to the elderly person in a gray robe beside the bed and calls.
「What is elder brother's condition?」
「I've tried every trick in the book but, I've never seen the symptoms of this poison before...if it stays like this then...」
The elderly person closed his eyes, and tilts his neck sideways. At that time, the king opens his mouth and with a hoarse voice,
「Elder Brother」
「My wife and daughter...I implore...you...Misumido...the alliance with the kingdom...」
「Touya-dono! Please!」
As I ran up the person with the beard in the military uniform tried to stop me but was prevented by the duke.
The king looks at me with the eyes of a dead fish, "who are you?" asks with voiceless lips. The lips were dry and cracked and his face looked frail, it was indeed the face of death. If I don't hurry up.
I concentrate magic in the palm of my hand and raise it over the king.
「Recovery」
A soft light flowed from the palm of my hand into the King. After a little while it subsided, the King's breathing became calm and his complexion improved as well.
His eyes fluttered, then open and blink several times, then he sits up after a short while with great force.
「Father!」
「Dear!」
While the king was being clung to by the woman and girl, he open and clenched his own hand a few times.
「...There's nothing. It's as if the suffering just a short while ago was a lie.」
「Your Majesty!」
The elderly person wearing gray robes took the kings hand and measured his pulse, and looked into his eyes. This person is a doctor, oh I see.
「....The very picture of health. Surely this kind of thing...」
The family doctor stood apart with a blank surprise, the king turned his attention toward me.
「Al...Alfred. Who is this person?」
「This is Mochizuki Touya-dono who remedied my wife's eyes. By chance, he was at my residence so I brought him with me. He is the one that saved your life.」
「...Ah–, hello. I'm Mochizuki Touya.」
I'm not sure what greeting would be appropriate so just imitated a response. It might have been bad in front of the king.
「Oh that's right, Ellen's? You really saved me, you have my gratitude.」
The King returned an expression of gratitude, while I was still contemplating how I should respond; the bearded guy pounded on my back. Hey that hurts!
「Thanks for saving the king! You're Touya-dono right? I like you.」
Says the bearded old guy still beating my back. I said that hurts!
「General, let's leave it there. But, that non-attribute magic "Recovery." That's interesting indeed.」
The woman with the golden wand smiled while stopping the bearded old man. I'm saved.
「Elder brother, and what do you wish to do with the Misumido Kingdom's ambassador?」
「What about the ambassador?」
「The ambassador is being restrained by Earl Balsa as the mastermind in your assassination attempt. What shall we do?」
「That's absurd! If Misumido were to kill me what would they stand to gain? This is the work of someone else trying to obstruct me, that is the criminal.」
The King so declares. Meaning that toad is suspicious after all.
「However the fact is, the wine that was presented by the ambassador. At the scene there were many witnesses. As long as that suspicion doesn't clear up...」
The bearded general explained to the king. Well, until we can't prove their innocence can we at least make it so they can move around?
「What kind of poison was used? That's something we don't know. It might be a special poison that demi-humans use. We should first examine that...」
The elderly family doctor muttered in a worried voice.
「For the time being, we should meet with the ambassador. Please call for them, General Leon.」
The bearded old guy scuttles out of the room.
The ambassador was probably used and then unjustly accused. Kill the meddling king, then use the ambassador as a scapegoat. Then use that as a means of dividing the two countries and start fighting...seems about right. It's completely comprehensible.
While the mediation was going on, I raised my voice. I was taken aback by the princess (I think her name is Princess Yumina) who was staring at my face.
Guessing her age, she was in the same age group as Sue, about 12 or 13. Just like Sue had the same blond hair, and large eyes, but if you looked closely the left eye and right eye were different color. The right is blue while the left is green. That thing called the "odd eye"? She had on a light, white dress. She was wearing a silver ornament on her head.
「Thank you for saving my father」
While saying this she bowed her head politely. She's a nice polite child isn't she? Not some selfish, stuck up princess.
「No, please don't worry about it. It is best that he is well isn't it?」
With her repeated thanks was a bit embarrassing, so I just smiled to deceive her. However, princess it's embarrassing... for you to keep looking at me like that. What is it?
「Um... was there something else?」
It became impossible to ignore the passionate stare, asked while looking away. Before long, the princess's cheeks blushed slightly and she said
「...Do you dislike younger ones?」(Tln: she's asking if he likes younger girls but he doesn't get it)
「What?」
I couldn't understand the meaning behind the question, and tilted my head. At that time, the door opened, following the bearded general, a demi-human, about 20 years old, entered the room. Huh? That person?
「Olga Strand, I have come.」
Coming in front of the bed, kneeing on one knee, bowing there head was a demi-human woman. On that head were beast ears that stood up. At her waist was a long, bushy tail. She was a fox.
「I will ask in no uncertain terms. Did you come to this country with the intent of murder?」
「That is unthinkable! I would absolutely never poison His Majesty!」
「I would think not. You aren't the kind of person that would do that kind of thing. I believe you.」
The King asserted while smiling at the ambassador who expressed a great sigh of relief.
「But, the wine that was presented by you was poisoned is also true. What do you have to say about that?」
「Tha- that is...」
At the words that came from the oneesan with the wand, the demi-human hung her head. There was no way for her to prove her innocence. But it didn't really feel like the woman with the wand was actually placing any blame, and what was needed to solve this problem was quite nearby.
「Can I say something?」
「Touya-dono?」
Hearing my voice, the surprised fox oneesan looked up. Ah, it's the oneesan from that time. When we were in the capital before we had helped the lost demi-human child, Alma's oneesan. Olga did she say it was?
「Are you already acquainted with the ambassador?」
「I got along well with her younger sister. It was only for a short time though. Putting that aside.」
I threw away the question from the Duke, with a gesture of throwing it in a box nearby, there was no response from anyone. Ku!
I asked something that had been bothering me for a while to the bearded general.
「Where did the King fall?」
「In the dining hall for our most important guests... what about it?」
「Is the scene exactly as it was?」
「Ah? Oh, just as it was... well, the wine that was taken for inspection but we still haven't found anything...」
Which means, it hasn't been detected yet. It's probably that isn't it? That common trick. It's something thats not really a trick at all. The fact the wine wasn't poisoned was exposed right away. How negligent. However, should we confirm it anyway?
「May I be taken to that room? I might be able to find out the ambassador's innocence」
Although everyone looked at each other, the king gave his permission, and General Leon led me to that room.
The room was a large hall, it had a white brick fireplace; navy blue curtains on the wall that faced the garden; there was something that looked like a picture, high on the wall; on the ceiling was a luxurious, gorgeous chandelier. On the long table was a white table cloth, more over silver candlesticks. The tableware on the food was just as they had left it.
The general brought out the wine that I asked for.
「Is this wine something unusual?」
「I don't really know but it seems so. From what the ambassador says it's from a certain village in Misumido, it's considerably valuable it seems.」
「I see」
Well, shall we confirm it?
「Search: Poison」
The retrieval magic was activated. Looking from the wine, to inside the room, to on top of the table. Yep, it's there after all. Well, someone would find out eventually but no servant could use retrieval magic like me.
Now, what should we do? We could go accuse them directly, but they might just say that they foresaw everything. If I were to fail it wouldn't end in being doubted, right?
「I have a general understanding. General, can you call everyone here. Oh, call Earl Balsa as well. I also have a small favor to ask...」
「Favor?」
The general inclined his head in puzzlement while listening to my request. If there is no absolute proof, then we'll just get them to confess on their own.
Now then, let's put on a show.