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Chapter 228: Blueberry Rush (6)
The next day.
After seeing the Emperor, the Hasfeldt sisters were on their way to a prison in the capital.
“How... do we convince them?”
“We have to somehow.”
Although they had received help, Rosemary was a Beast–the very person who had caused the ‘Steam Rain’ incident and half-destroyed the Empire.
Of course the upper echelon of the Empire wouldn’t have a good perception of her.
“Still, we were able to talk to His Majesty so we should be able to avoid the worst.”
“Not all is finished just because His Majesty understands. We need to convince the other nobles. Duchess Totzfel, for example....”
“We’ve been talking about that since the hospital. Let’s just try.”
The two of them weren’t doing this because they were fond of the Demon Army.
The world was going to end if humans and Beasts didn’t work together. Now was the time to put aside whatever feelings for the moment and combine forces.
“This way.”
When they entered the cell, Heerlein was already there. She was in the middle of interrogating Rosemary.
“Is that really everything?”
“Yes, I’m telling you. Have you been lied to your whole life!”
Rosemary’s hands were cuffed.
“Haven’t you asked enough? Forget it, just let me out of these.”
“How shameless for someone who made a mess of the Empire.”
Heerlein was also holding back as much as possible. A part of her wanted to send Rosemary to the scaffold.
“If it weren’t for Klais, you’d already be dead.”
Because the Hasfeldt sisters had defended her at first. Because for a Cataclysm, they could actually talk to her. Because she let herself be captured the moment she got here without causing trouble.
They were trying to do this according to the law as best as they could. It was the most Heerlein and the Imperial people could do for her.
“Hmph, sure....... Oh, you two! Good timing!”
Waving her cuffed hands enthusiastically, Rosemary welcomed the sisters.
“Get me out of here.”
“It’s not that easy.”
“Hmm.”
While Rosemary held back a noise, Klais continued.
“You’ll at least have to be tried.”
“The world could come to an end yet you still value those formalities. How inflexible.”
“You.......”
Heerlein narrowed her eyes at Rosemary jeering.
“You dare say things like that.”
Heerlein threw her a menacing look.
For a human, the intimidating force that she was giving off was no joke, so Rosemary stopped before she snorted.
Instead, her eyes went cold and she faced Heerlein head on.
“Lady Blanton, I suggest you not forget what you did before you talk about the end of the world. Even if what Klais said is true, that doesn’t mean the sins you’ve committed against the Empire will ever go away.”
“Ah, that so.”
“So much for being remorseful.”
“Hah, I’m sure telling a Beast to feel remorse is going to work.”
Trying to destroy the Empire did certainly warrant the wrath of the Imperial citizens, but from Rosemary’s perspective, she had just been doing her job.
She wanted to scream ‘What did I do wrong!’
But that’d make her lose dignity as a Cataclysm if she did that. Usually, the one raising their voice lost the argument.
Calming herself, Rosemary opened her mouth with a considering expression.
“If that’s how you’re going to play it, then you guys were the ones who started it. Your ancestors were the ones who destroyed my country, the Golden-Eyed people.”
“What.......”
“Whatever. I’m only going to apologize for what I did wrong, and I said I was sorry to Klara Hasfedlt properly.”
Heerlein let out a sigh.
“How shameless can you be.......”
Not only did throw the Imperial order and economy into disarray, but she also brought destruction to the Academy where the students lived and took the lives of innocent people, yet she was saying such irresponsible things? As a prisoner, even?
She was the most infuriatingly unperturbed person that Heerlein had ever seen.
“......It’s fine, Miss.”
Just then, a deep voice came from behind her.
“That Beast won’t be sorry unless it’s a big deal. You have lots of things to get done so there’s no need for you to waste your feelings already.”
The gazes of Heerlein and the Hasfeldt sisters shifted to the back. Even Rosemary looked surprised, brows twitching.
“You’re....... That elf.”
Vermel Horde.
“The bastard who leeched off of my sis.”
“That’s mean.”
“How are you in here when you’re only an exchange student?”
Rosemary looked Vermel up and down with a pout.
The Vermel in her memories was a mere nerd, even looking like some pretty boy. The things he did? They were weak and foolish.
“Hmm.”
And that Vermel now had a face to behold.
“You used to run away scared back then, but now you’re looking pretty manly. Or are you bold because I’m locked up like this?”
“No, it’s because I’ve been gearing myself up since that day.”
“That day?”
“Yes, that day.”
He must be talking about the ‘Steam Rain’ incident.
“Oh yeah, you took down my dear underling that day. I forgot.”
“So I was given special privileges by the country thanks to that.”
“Aha, and that’s why you’re able to come and go freely?”
Despite a poor first impression, Vermel was acquainted with Prince Klion Philiut. She couldn’t deny the possibility that the two may have been meeting secretly especially during the time she was focused on controlling the Imperial court.
Hence, he was given an important position by the court for having taken down Vanta Tortus. Being under the protection of the Hasfeldt family was a bonus.
It was quite the fortune for Vermel who didn’t have an Elemental.
“So, why are you here? To laugh at me?”
Rosemary snickered, jangling her cuffs.
Actually, her hands weren’t the only things that were tied. Including her legs and waist, it wasn’t easy to move her body overall.
Of course, because she was a Cataclysm. It wouldn’t be a restraint if they didn’t do this much.
It was ridiculous from her perspective as well. A Beast that humans could capture alive was a Cataclysm?
Rosemary’s lips twisted once more.
Stupid elf, she could see right through him.
“You’re trying get back at me for what happened, right? Yeah, it’s obvious.......”
“No.”
“...What.”
Rosemary was about to burst out laughing when her thoughts froze.
“I came to get you out.”
“Hah......?”
Did I hear wrong just now?
“Who’s going to help who?”
“I, you.”
Rosemary dropped her arms and just stared at Vermel. It was such an unexpected answer that she had no idea what to say.
“I’ll get you out of here, so cooperate with me.”
“You whelp of an elf bastard.......”
Rosemary chewed on her lips.
“The world might be ending, but that doesn’t mean you can go spouting words without any power or authority.”
Rosemary raised her voice.
“And you’re being favored by the Imperials? So what can you do? You’re nothing but a student! If you want to talk with me, bring a high-ranking politician or the Emperor of this country!”
Rosemary did need the Empire’s help, and so she had been planning to get a meeting with the Emperor through the Hasfeldt sisters.
If she could go back to being ‘Lady Blanton’ once more, then she could accomplish a lot of things.
“If you try to do that, you’ll never succeed.”
“What?”
“The people here no longer want you to be in power, and neither do they want a Cataclysm standing before His Majesty. Your return is also a disaster for the people of this country even if it is to stop an apocalypse.”
“Why don’t they know that it’s the most efficient way? How utterly stupid. Humans, I tell you.......”
“You were human, too.”
“Ah...?”
“Rosemary Tarkenil, the last princess of the Kingdom of Tarkenil.”
“Wait, that, how do you know about that.......”
Rosemary’s former identity was something that only a few knew about even in the Demon Army. And she especially hadn’t told any human or elf.
And he’d seen through her whole assassination plan before, too.... Just how much did this elf know?
“I know all about why you came to hate other humans, the Imperial people.”
“Hah.”
“So I can understand you, who came to despise humans.”
“You’re spitting nonsense. You didn’t even live through that period.”
Now Rosemary was laughing in disbelief. It was so ridiculous that she couldn’t help it.
As Rosemary held her stomach and snickered, Vermel continued.
“I also know how much the Golden-Eyed were persecuted. No, they were called ‘Golden-Eyed’ rather than humans simply for having yellow eyes.”
“Yeah, because we weren’t able to use normal magic at the time.”
“There was no one who knew what electricity was back then, but then Aether appeared and the foundation of scroll magic was laid. If the restrictions set by the Goddess are removed, you’ll no longer be looked down on.”
Vermel took a step forward. His brilliant emerald-like eyes fully took in Rosemary.
Because of that step, Rosemary moved backwards; it wasn’t because she was scared or anything.
“Once everything is done and over with, I promise to create a utopia for the Golden-Eyed. For you, and for Aether. For everyone with gold eyes.”
Rosemary had had enough.
“Ahahaha─!!”
An unpleasant laugh rang out through the prison, and yellow eyes glowed faintly through pinched lids.
It was a frightening sound to hear. The Hasfeldt sisters as well as Heerlein felt their lips drying up.
Only Vermel stood there firmly and waited until her laughing stopped.
“......For a kid who just broke out of his shell, you’re quite ambitious. You couldn’t be more of an idiot.”
“I already heard that numerous times from your sister.”
She might have been thinking about this wrong.
This elf kid, he was more eloquent than she thought.
Or had he changed this much in only a month?
“Well, fine.”
Clang!
Rosemary snapped her wrists and broke all the chains on her arms.
“G-guards......!”
Heerlein didn’t even have time to react. Rosemary removed all the restraints on her chest, shoulders, and legs in less than three seconds. It all happened so quickly.
“I’ll give you the thousand and first chance on behalf of my sister.”
Tok!
Creeeeak─!
“But unlike Aether, I’m not that patient. This will be your only bonus coin.”
Cruuunch! The bars bent apart like taffy strings.
Rosemary made the opening as big as she could, then casually stepped out of the cell like nothing happened.
“H-how.... Weren’t you not able to move on your own?”
“You fuckers, do us Cataclysms look like a joke just because sis made you Flare?”
Rosemary snorted at the stunned party, then her gaze soon turned to Vermel.
The Hasfeldt looked at each other and sighed.
“We weren’t able to do anything.”
“Since it has come to this, our job is to get permission from His Majesty and strengthen the security.”
If Rosemary decided to, the Empire could be wiped out once more. And it was proven that she couldn’t be kept in prison by the show of strength a moment ago.
In truth, Rosemary had been waiting–waiting for a trustworthy person who could keep her safe despite knowing who she was.
For that reason, she stayed put in prison for a week. And the one who happened to be chosen was Vermel Horde, not the Hasfeldt sisters.
“Horde, we’ll assist you in the political aspect. We’ll soon set up a place to talk with that Golden-Eyed... no, the Princess of Tarkenil, so let’s move from here.”
Vermel bowed at Klais’ words.
“If you would, I’d be grateful.”
