Chapter 195: 195

* * *

The grand hunting party started without any incidents.

The nobles split into groups however they wanted as they would occasionally work together or compete to increase their game. Once lunchtime arrived and it became time to take a break, dozens of servants returned carrying their masters’ games.

“Margrave Westfalen gives this as an offering to Her Highness Johanna von Habsburg.”

“Baron Richthofen presents this as an offering to Her Highness Elizabeth von Habsburg!”

“Margrave Rosenberg dedicates this offering to Her Highness Johanna von Habsburg.”

There were two ladies of the imperial family present during this hunting party, Her Highness Johanna and Her Highness Elizabeth. The nobles offered their game to the lady of their choice. Deer, boars, and other sorts of game were piled up splendidly before the two imperial princesses.

“Hee.”

“Oh.”

The two imperial princesses watched them with interest. The margraves and the nobles who belonged to the Crown Prince Faction interestingly offered their game to Her Highness Johanna. On the other hand, the nobles who belonged to the Imperial Princess Faction dedicated their game to Imperial Princess Elizabeth.

Her Highness Johanna grinned.

“What should I do, Elizabeth? It seems like I am the top mademoiselle today. ”

The Johanna who shook in fear before Elizabeth’s threat was nowhere to be seen now. There was only a mischievous and innocent imp left. Of course, Imperial Princess Elizabeth was a high-level trickster. There wasn’t a single moment where her casual smile had left her lips.

“That may be so at the moment. However, there is still much more hunting left to be done, Sister.”

“Hmm. Yeah, there is still a lot of time left for this event. But isn’t it boring to wait until then?”

“It is boring?”

Her Highness Johanna turned to glance at me. I received her signal and gave a respectful bow. I was smiling coldly in my mind.

It was time for us to show the ‘highlight’ of this hunting party.

‘Now then, Crown Prince Rudolf and Imperial Princess Elizabeth. Shall the games begin?’

The two of them had made a declaration of war to Her Highness Johanna. One of them did it directly, while the other did it indirectly.

Both of them were arrogant heirs to the throne. It was as I expected. They dared to be discourteous to Her Highness Johanna whom His Excellency the Emperor had personally elected as the host. ‘We’ had already predicted that these two would act like this.

“Kuh, gh.”

I ordered the servants who were temporarily placed under my command to carry over a large box. The servants grunted as they brought it here. Thud, the box made a loud sound as it was placed on the ground. The other nobles who were enjoying their light meals turned to look at us with interest.

“My beloved warriors! You have done well.”

Her Highness Johanna got up and clapped. Everyone’s gaze focused on her.

“However, I cannot help but worry about your hobbies after seeing you all try to court me so passionately even though I am young enough to be your granddaughter. The future of Habsburg is of great concern.”

“Hahaha.”

The nobles raised their glasses and gave a toast to Her Highness. People toasted from here and there throughout the crowd without any sort of order. This mess of a toast strangely became harmonious as it heightened the atmosphere. Only Crown Prince Rudolf looked sour.

“You have my gratitude, my beloved warriors. I have prepared a gift for you all.”

“Oh? What may that be, Your Highness?”

Margrave Westfalen asked. The volume of his voice was naturally loud. He had only asked a question, but it was heard by everyone.

“A prey to hunt. You all have presented this many beasts to me, so shouldn’t I, as the host, also capture a fair animal?”

“Hm? Did Your Highness go hunting?”

“Yup. It was quite the big game.”

Her Highness Johanna smiled boldly.

“It is unfortunate, but I must confess that my game is on a level higher than the game you all have gifted to me.”

“Hoho, I am looking forward to seeing it.”

The eyes of the nobles sparkled. They already knew that Her Highness Johanna wasn’t the type of person to bluff. If Her Highness was coming out like this, then it meant that it was either an impressive game or a quick-witted joke.

“Lolita.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I opened the lid of a large box. Once the box was opened and the ‘game’ was revealed, the nobles could only give a confused look.

This was because there was a young maiden inside the box.

“Is this young lady Your Highness’ game?”

Margrave Westfalen tilted his head. His body was as large as a gorilla, so it was rather awkward to see him do that head tilt. Her Highness Johanna spoke with a smile.

“Indeed. She is a traitor.”

“……Pardon me? My apologies, Your Highness, but I do not believe I heard correctly.”

“I said that she is a traitor, Margrave Westfalen.”

A traitor.

The nobles started to stir. They gave each other doubtful looks before turning to look at the girl.

I paid them no mind as I quickly turned to check Crown Prince Rudolf and Imperial Princess Elizabeth. The Crown Prince was just scowling while the Imperial Princess had an even smile on her lips. This was enough to put two and two together.

‘Imperial Princess Elizabeth, it was you.’

I furtively clenched my right hand.

* * *

Sebastian and I had been making plans for weeks. We predicted that Her Highness Johanna would become targeted by the other heirs to the throne since His Excellency the Emperor had left the grand hunting party to her.

The First Imperial Princess, the Third Imperial Prince, and the Fourth Imperial Prince, all three of them had died of unknown causes. As long as you weren’t naively stupid, anyone could tell that there were ulterior motives behind their deaths. We believed that “the threat of assassination will approach Her Highness Johanna” and that “it will arrive quickly”.

“Eh. Aren’t you guys thinking too much?”

Her Highness Johanna was skeptical after she heard our thoughts.

“It’s only been a few days since I was given this task. Would Rudolf and Elizabeth really move that quickly?”

“Life may go as fast as an arrow, but death moves faster than that, Your Highness. Please put this into consideration.”

“But how do they intend to kill me?”

“I’m in the imperial palace. This is the safest place in the world. There’s no way an assassin could get in.”

“Your Highness, there are already numerous assassins spread throughout the palace.”

“Hah? Who?”

“The maids and attendants. Are there any guarantees that they will not get persuaded?”

Her Highness Johanna got upset once she heard this.

“There’s no way that could happen, idiots!”

Her Highness Johanna had been in the palace since she was little. Thanks to this, she was close to the maids and servants. In truth, all of the workers inside the palace adored this cute Second Imperial Princess. Nonetheless, schemes start in places where you believe that something isn’t possible…….

Sebastian and I barely managed to persuade Her Highness after our joint effort. Her Highness fumed as she shouted.

“Fine! Do as you please. But if it’s revealed that there was no assassination attempt, then know that I’m going to reveal your asses and spank you!”

When Her Highness threatens to hit our asses, then she was being serious. We sweated profusely as we told her we understood and thanked her for giving us a chance.

Our plan was simple.

“If someone is planning to assassinate Her Highness, then they will definitely try to do so through a servant. The issue is the fact that Her Highness only has 2 exclusive servants.”

I told Sebastian.

“The assassin will most likely not try to use you, Mr. Sebastian.”

“Why is that?”

“It’s because Mr. Sebastian is an old palace resident. Your loyalty to Her Highness Johanna is certain and you’ve resided in this palace for decades, so it would be difficult to use you for an assassination.”

“Hm.”

Sebastian stroked his mustache.

“I understand. In other words, they will try to carry out their assassination through you…….”

“Indeed. His Highness Rudolf and Her Highness Elizabeth have most likely ordered their vassals to keep an eye on me by now.”

I smiled.

“As proof of that, there has already been a total of 23 maids who’ve asked to secretly spend the night with me.”

“Hahaha.”

Sebastian let out a strained laugh.

“It seems you have become the most popular servant in the history of the empire. Congratulations, Lolita. I envy you.”

“This is why it’s troubling to be popular. Well, there may have been some women who approached me with the pure intent to simply get to know me, but……I refused them all.”

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Sebastian raised a brow at me.

“Why did you do that? We can only prepare for the assassination beforehand if you bait them in.”

“Did I not tell you already? Some of those women may have genuinely only wanted to sleep with me. There isn’t enough proof to point one out as an assassin.”

Therefore, I suggested.

“I will spread a rumor that I’m in charge of all of Her Highness’ snacks.”

“……Are you not actually already in charge of that?”

“The important part is the ‘rumor’, Mr. Sebastian.”

I stared at him seriously.

“Until now, I have obtained all of the snacks through your connections. It will be different from now on. I will be visiting the kitchen myself to acquire the snacks.”

“But……if you do that, then you will have to beg the kitchen servants shamelessly.”

“That is my goal.”

Sebastian still seemed confused. It couldn’t be helped, so I elaborated.

“I will be placed in a difficult situation where I have to struggle to obtain Her Highness’ snacks. Let’s say that this rumor was to spread. What would the people aiming to assassinate Her Highness think of this?”

“……!”

Sebastian’s eyes widened in realization.

“Is that it? They will try to take advantage of your distress!”

“Indeed. There will be people who will try to introduce me to confectioners or snack shops.”

I grinned.

“If they try to mend my relationship with the kitchen servants, then there is a low probability that they are the assassin. However, if they try to introduce me to a professional confectioner or a shop outside of the palace, then……it’s certain. That person is the assassin.”

We calmly set out the bait.

Sure enough, a single maid approached me a few days before the grand hunting party.

Eliel.

Not only was she the fourth daughter of a declining palace noble, but she was also the daughter of a mistress so she was basically cast out of her family. There was no one more suitable than her to be used as an assassin.

It came as a shock to Her Highness Johanna.

There was someone among the maids who was aiming for her life. To Her Highness Johanna who had never experienced even a fraction of familial affection before, the servants were like her real family……and yet one of them had betrayed her.

Furthermore, the person who schemed this assassination was either Crown Prince Rudolf or Third Imperial Princess Elizabeth. Her older brother and little sister. This was probably the perfect moment to say that we were reaching the climax.

Her Highness Johanna let out a depressed sigh.

“Yeah, I knew the palace was a place like this, but it’s still sad. In the end, I don’t have something like a family…….”

“Your Highness.”

“Lolita. Tell me what I should do.”

Her Highness Johanna’s gaze was dark and calm. This pained me, but there was also a part of me that believed that this was also necessary…….

* * *

“She has already confessed to being an assassin. However, she has maintained her loyalty and refused to reveal the name of her employer to the very end.”

Her Highness Johanna chuckled as she spoke. The nobles were aghast as they stared at Her Highness.

A few days ago, I pretended to accept Eliel’s advances and lured her in. Eliel followed me happily, completely unaware of the fate that was awaiting her.

A cruel type of torture followed. A type of torture that involved knives, an act which a woman couldn’t possibly endure, was carried out. She only managed to endure it for two hours before confessing. However, there must have been a type of spell cast on her as she couldn’t say who her employer was.

Her Highness Johanna grabbed a sword and tossed it at Eliel’s feet.

“Now then, pick up that sword, assassin.”

“…….”

Eliel looked down while shaking.

You couldn’t see it because of her clothes, but her body was already a mess because of the torture she received. The torture was carried out before Her Highness Johanna. Eliel was clearly trembling in fear. Her Highness Johanna smiled. It was a cruel smile.

“What’s wrong? You tried to kill me. A member of the royal family. You tried to kill me, I, the Second Imperial Princess, Johanna von Habsburg. I’m giving you this opportunity.”

“Uh, gh…….”

“I am warning you, but the battle will commence whether you hold the sword or not.”

Eliel held up the long sword with her shaking hands. There was no way a maid’s thin arms could hold a sword properly, especially after having been tortured.

Her Highness Johanna nodded after she saw this. She unsheathed a sword of her own. The duel had begun.

“U-Uuaaaagh!”

Eliel let out a scream as she charged at Her Highness. Anyone could tell that her posture was a mess. Nonetheless, the fact that the end of a blade was approaching Her Highness’ body was enough to make the nobles around us panic. They were about to rush in to stop the maid.

“Your Highness, it is dangerous!”

However, Her Highness Johanna took a step first before they could.

She easily avoided Eliel’s sword by turning her body. She followed the dodge with a swing of her blade. The blade accurately slit Eliel’s throat. Eliel couldn’t control the momentum of her charge as she fell over. The maid never got back up after her face hit the dirt.

“…….”

Everyone became silent. The nobles were speechless as they gazed at Her Highness. Only Her Highness was standing with her back straight. She flicked her sword and scattered the blood off of her blade and onto the ground.

“Beloved warriors of Habsburg. Great Margraves who are the guests of honor to this hunt. I’m aware that unsavory rumors and bad news from the imperial throne have continued to reach your ears.”

She was referring to the suspicious deaths of the imperial princess and princes.

“But I hope that you will keep in mind that Habsburg has yet to forget its honor. No matter what sort of illegal method threatens the imperial throne, and even if a disreputable group dirties the name of the throne, I, Johanna von Habsburg, will show you that I will protect the honor of a warrior until the day I die.”

“…….”

“Thus, you do not have to worry about the imperial throne. Return to your lands. Return to your battlefronts. Manage your territories according to the duties given to you and protect our borders. I, Johanna von Habsburg will faithfully devote myself to the imperial palace while you are protecting the ramparts of Habsburg.”

Her Highness Johanna smiled.

“This is the game that I am presenting to you.”

* * *

The grand hunting party came to an end.

The hunt continued after lunch, but there wasn’t a single noble who could focus on hunting anymore. They realized that the Second Imperial Princess, who had been living a life of seclusion until now, had officially entered the race for the throne. Furthermore, she did so by using a sacred method that had been passed down since ancient times called the ‘duel’.

Nobles with more refined tastes believed that this method was barbaric, but a majority of the nobles who were passionate about chivalry were deeply moved by Her Highness Johanna’s actions. Especially the margraves who have always been soldiers continued to declare their support for Her Highness Johanna long after the hunting party was over.

The night grew deeper as the day ended.

Her Highness Johanna didn’t enter her bed like usual. She kept drinking wine. I stood next to her and quietly poured her more wine whenever she asked for it.

“Lolita, I never thought that I would ever compete against Rudolf or Elizabeth.”

She muttered.

Rather than speaking to me, it felt like she was talking to something outside the window. I kept my mouth shut.

“I would’ve been satisfied even if I died after living happily like this. But, even the servants whom I thought were my friends tried to assassinate me. If I continued to live like this, I would’ve probably been silently assassinated one day…….”

“…….”

No. A more cruel demise was waiting for you. But I couldn’t say this out loud. I mustn’t.

“I killed someone for the first time today. Will this continue to happen from now on? Have Rudolf and Elizabeth……already done something like this numerous times? Why……? The throne has absolutely no value…….”

Her Highness’ shoulders trembled slightly.

I turned away. A mere servant shouldn’t watch their master cry, after all. However, I may have turned away, but I could still place my hands on this young princess’ shoulders.

That’s right, Your Highness. We will go through this dozens, hundreds, and thousands of more times. This is because the person aiming for our lives is the woman who will one day become the supreme ruler of the continent.

But don’t worry. I will never abandon you. I will support you so that you will never feel lonely. Just as you had saved my life, I will protect yours as well.

Even if you were to die, I will die with you. That’s something even a mere servant like myself can accomplish…….

The night grew darker. We quietly supported each other, unaware of how much darker the night was going to become…….

***

Author’s Afterword

– IF Route END.

After this, Imperial Princess Johanna von Habsburg, Lolita, and Sebastian will most likely rely on each other to get through these perilous times. How they will face the future supreme ruler and survive will be left up to your imagination.

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. Well, that’s the end of this IF Route. It was definitely a long one. I don’t think there’s going to be another one for quite a while, so we’ll be back to the main story. It would’ve been pretty cool if the author decided to continue writing this after he finished everything, but oh well. Nothing much else to say since the weather has been pretty cool and nice now. I hope you guys have a good day.

See you guys in the next chapter.

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