In the room after Ryze-san left, Alice, after being scolded by me... soon revived and slouched on the sofa.
[Anyway, for him to speak that much about things hidden in his heart, as expected from Kaito-san ehh~]
[Unnn? Alice, do you know Ryze-san? Wait, you're also one of the Six Kings, so that should be obvious huh...]
[Well, you're right. However, I know that guy pretty well because he's a "regular customer".]
[...a regular customer?]
[Well, it seems that he's changing the person he was sending to me to make his request~~]
There's some hidden meaning to what Alice is saying... That means he's a client for her underworld job huh.
[He's an interesting human in his own way. Just as he said, his talent is average. Her Majesty, the Emperor would be far superior to him in terms of excellence. However, he had a good nose, and he knows very well that he's an ordinary person.]
[...Unnn?]
[He understands where a person's openings are going to be, and he's making use of it by laying down his traps, waiting for the other person to be ensnared... Just when you thought you've successfully outsmarted him, he will gobble you up instead... If Her Majesty, the Emperor is worth one copper coin as a human and one white gold coin as a king, the Symphonia King would be worth one silver coin as a king and five gold coins as a human. Well, as far as assessing a human goes, it's perfectly right up my alley. I feel close to the people who play the role of the fool like him.]
[...Hmmm, I don't really understand.]
[Ahaha, Kaito-san is just fine the way you are. I like you when you're open and not acting like another person.]
[...T- Thank you.]
Seeing the joyful smile on her lips as Alice told me she likes me, I can't help but feel embarrassed... Even though she's just Alice, this feels kind of vexing.
It was a bit embarrassing to continue with this topic at this point, so I decided to change the subject.
[S- Speaking of which, Alice. What happened to that matter I asked you to do last time?]
[Unnn? Ahhh, the evidence from that incident four years ago. We've gathered them~~]
Saying this, Alice pulled out various items out of nowhere and placed them on the desk.
[This is the real information report that was switched out, this is the ink on the pen that was used to create it, this is the paper that was discarded because it was miswritten, this is the report of the actions of the person involved in the swap over the next few days, and I've also secured the person who had given the instructions to do it.]
[Secured?]
[Yes, with some Illusion Magic, I shook his head a little—– and he has become quite cooperative.]
[...What the heck did you just say?]
I thought I heard some very frightening words just now, but I thought it was just my imagination... No, I'd like to think that it was just my imagination.
H- However, I guess that should be expected from the Phantasmal King huh... I wonder how they managed to get all this evidence together in just a few days, even though the incident happened four years ago?
[A- Anyway, in that case...]
[It's easy to expose their crimes... but let's not do it now.]
[Eh? Why?]
[No, there are actually two nobles involved in that incident, but they were driven out to the frontier about two years ago.]
[...Ehh?]
Alice is saying that the nobles who ensnared Lilia-san's knight corps are currently being driven out to the frontier... but why?
[Incidentally, the one who drove them out was Symphonia's King.]
[Ryze-san did!?]
[Yes, as I said before, that guy has a good nose. It seems that he has already found out who the culprit is... but he can't find any evidence. That's why they were dealt with a little high-handedly because of some "other matter", and kept them away from Duchess Albert~~]
[If Ryze-san told that to Lilia-san...]
[It's just that he didn't have access to any evidence regarding the incident four years ago. The other party was a noble with a certain amount of influence, so I'm sure he didn't tell her so that Duchess Albert wouldn't get ahead of herself.]
Apparently, Ryze-san already had his eyes on the culprits, but he couldn't get ahold of their tails that would definitely name them as the culprits.
That's why they were forcibly forced away from the capital because of another incident.
[Well, that's why they were in the frontier right now. So, even if you expose their crimes at this time, we can't immediately detain him. It would be quite a hassle dragging him out if he secludes himself there, so we need to find the right time. Well, I could easily catch him, but that's not the way you want the situation to go, right, Kaito-san?]
[When you mention the "right time"...]
[Those two are in the First Princess' faction, and they will definitely be at the First Princess' birthday party on the 21st day of the Earth month. We will strike at that time.]
[...….]
It seems that Alice has already decided what to do with them.
But in the end, I still want Lilia-san to be the one deciding this matter.
As if she could see through my thoughts, Alice calmly smiles at me.
[It's fine. I understand what you want, Kaito-san. I'm not just going to expose their crimes and bring them down, I'll make it that Duchess Albert is the one defeating them... I'll be preparing the stage for that time.]
[...Thanks, I'm counting on you.]
[As my lord wishes.]
When I thank Alice for reading my intentions so well, as if she's playing the role of a knight in some kind of theatre, she lowers her head as she tells her thanks.
I chuckled in response, but I'm really filled with gratitude with her...
[...Ahh, I'm getting the goosebumps. Serious mode rele—— Ouch!?]
[....You...]
However, Alice is still the same as she usually is... She immediately started messing around again.
While I'm wondering if her seriousness can't last a little longer, I suddenly remembered something and asked.
[Speaking of which, I'm changing the subject but... I told you before that you have to leave some money for living expenses, right...]
[Now! I've got to start getting things ready!]
[Wait a minute there, oi...]
As soon as she heard what I said, Alice instantly turned around and tried escaping, but I caught her by the scruff of her neck.
She did tell me that she was giving her subordinates half of her wages, but the other half of it was wasted on gambling, so I scolded her and told her about making sure to leave some of it but...
This f*cking b*stard... I knew she would use it when I wasn't looking at her...
[I told you before already, didn't I? You should keep some money behind, and using it all up is unforgivable...]
[T- T- There's no problem. I- I- I've properly kept some behind.]
[How much?]
[Ehh? Ahh~~ Well, that is...]
[How much do you have left?]
[...10R...]
I feel like I'm about to faint... When I was scolding her before, Alice should have more than 10 white gold coins in hand, excluding her subordinates' salaries, she spent all of them in just a few days...
Even after I told her not to use it up, it seems like she only has 10R left... Somehow, it's making me even angrier than if she had used it all up.
However, what the heck is going on? At this rate, it's unlike she would improve even if I scolded her again, and no matter how much I hit her, I can't expect to deal any clear damage to someone like her, who is one of the Six Kings.
No, wait? Speaking of which...
[...If you're going to be like that, I may have an idea of how to deal with you.]
[...Ehh? An idea? Ah, wait, Kaito-san, your face kinda looks scary, Hyyyiiihhhh!?]
Reaching out my hand while muttering that with a low voice thinking of punishing her for a bit, Alice cowered as if she thought I'm going to hit her again.
However, my hand went past Alice's head and grabbing the strap of the opera mask Alice was wearing on her face, I pulled it off.
[...Ehh? A- Arehh?]
[...]
[T- T- That's my mask... A- Ahhh... Hyyyaaaahhhhh!?]
[!?]
Her beautiful blue eyes that are usually hidden by the mask are exposed, and surprised, Alice's eye grew wide.
Thereupon, when she saw the opera mask in my hand, her face turned bright red and screamed as if she was going to explode.
[Awawawawa, K- Kaito-san, g- g- give it back... I- I- If I don't h- h- have that...]
W- What should I do? I was just trying to teach her a lesson... but she started crying.
It's easy to forget because of the impact of normally seeing her with a mask, but the Alice who took off her mask is a beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl, with loose, wavy hair, and seeing her crying like that makes me feel like I'm doing something very bad.
[I- I'm sorry! That was too much of me!]
I hurriedly returned the mask to Alice, who was clinging to me while crying.
Alice immediately took the mask from me and put it on... And slowly, she hugged her knees.
[...I've been defiled... I've been completely assaulted... I can't become a bride anymore...]
[N- No, I'm sorry... I didn't think it would affect you that bad, I'm really sorry!]
[...A fancy dinner...]
[I- I understand. I'll pay for everything.]
[...Go on a date with me with a fancy dinner...]
[...I- I understand.]
[Then, I'll forgive you!]
[Isn't that too fast!?]
I tried my best to apologize to Alice, who looked extremely depressed but... she quickly became very lively again. Could it be that she was just acting before...
For some reason, it's not like I don't think that Alice has set me up but.... Since I'm the one in the wrong, let's just say I'm glad that Alice's mood has been restored.
Dear Mom, Dad—— It seems like Alice, the Phantasmal King, has already collected the evidence. However, she's still the same no good person as usual, so I tried teaching her a lesson—— But for some reason, I ended up promising to have a date with her.
**********
{Author's Notes}
Serious-senpai: "...I'm just gonna go home..."
Incidentally, it was Ryze's subordinate who was previously commissioned for the death of the Baron and his family.