"I killed Leila," etc. ....... What proof do you have that I killed Leila? I'll show you no mercy if you answer me!"
Ortó's eyes are lifting in anger. Sidi, however, continues to look at him without changing her expression.
At that moment, the Elf King stands up quickly and strikes a pose with his hand to control something. Meek's eyes are darting about, too. It seems that the elves around them are rustling.
"Now, let me ask you something..."
A dignified voice rings out, as if to calm the chaos in the room. Before I knew it, Sidhi was on his feet again, looking around the room slowly.
"You certainly didn't kill Leila-san. You say so?
"Of course! We elves should not be allowed to take the lives of our people. Leila is my subordinate. She has been like family to me, and it would be unthinkable to take her life. I don't understand why you are telling me this.
"Then why are you taking our lives?"
"This is another funny story. What proof do you have that I'm trying to kill you all?
This dish is poisoned.
"Well, what makes you say it's poisoned?"
"One moment, please."
Sidi said and put his hand in his pocket. But after a moment, her movements stopped.
"...... not here. ...... Shit, what did I do? That's right, they confiscated everything when I came in here."
Obviously, her expression clouds over. She bites her lip and stares heavenward. ......The point is to prove that this dish is poisoned?
"The Elf King."
He slowly turned his gaze to me at the sound of my voice. Sadie, too, looked surprised.
"I have a question for you. Are there any creatures other than elves in this land?
"...... what?"
"Dogs, cats, birds, ....... Anything."
"...... pastum."
"Pastam?"
The Elf King nods and quickly raises his hand. Then one of the elves left the room, looking puzzled. After a while, he returned to the room with a basket-like object in his hand.
"......"
With a groggy look on his face, the elf placed the basket on the table where we were sitting and walked away. When I opened the basket, I found a rather large, rat-like creature inside.
"Keune."
The creature called Pastam made a cute squeal and jumped out of the basket with a mighty leap. It moved around on the table, then jumped on Sidhi's plate with a "ping" and began to eat the food, moving its body with a "moo".
Pastam is eating with all his heart. But when he suddenly shook his body, he suddenly fell down on his back and started to convulse violently. Sidi, who had been staring at him, looked at me and nodded broadly.
"I knew it was poisoned, wasn't it?"
Ortó is clenching his fists and trembling. I expected him to say something, but he suddenly straightened his posture and turned to the Elf King, standing erect and immobile. He seems to be making an offer.
"...... I never poisoned him," he says in his defense. But your father is asking me what this failure is when he has ordered us to entertain you this evening.
Meek translates in a whisper. The king and Ortó stare at each other, not moving an inch. But Ortó's forehead is sweating. He seems to be in a tight corner.
Just then, the door to the room opens noiselessly and several elves enter. One of them is wearing a pure white dress, like a wedding dress, and stands out from the crowd. They stare at the king.
"...... Mother."
Meek mutters a few words, and her eyes are slightly glistening with tears. They seem to be having a rather bitter conversation.
"I want to ask you something.
Suddenly the Elf King started talking to us. This is unexpected and takes us by surprise.
"...... at your service."
"Did they have any other pressing desires than to send Meek back to the village?"
"Yes, such ......."
"Our people say they sense such evil thoughts in you."
Evil thoughts? You appraised us? Well, there are plenty of elves who have the skill to appraise. But at that level, they can look into the past of their subjects. ....... Then you know we have nothing to be afraid of. Wait a minute. Is it that the wards I'm putting up are interfering with their appraisal skills? Is that why I could only get a feel for them? But even so, I don't understand what you mean by "evil intentions". What exactly are they talking about?
I will explain it to you.
I hear Sadie's clear voice. All eyes in the room are focused on her.
"Perhaps it is because of me."
"What?"
"I have been looking forward to coming to this village. I had hoped to see the Sword of Excalibur in the possession of the Elven royal family.
The king's eyebrows twitched. Sidi, however, was completely unconcerned and continued to speak.
I am the daughter of the Dwarf king. My father taught me to be a blacksmith. It has always been a long-held dream of our Dwarfs to create a sword that would surpass the legendary Excalibur. However, no one has ever seen the sword, and even if we wanted to examine its sharpness, we were unable to do so. But now I have been allowed to accompany Princess Meek to the Elven Village. As a blacksmith, I could not resist the desire to see Excalibur. Please forgive me for my rudeness.
With that, she breaks her back. But the queen, looking alternately at Sidi and the Elf King, is telling him something.
"You have a vague sense of evil, don't you? No clear intent to kill, no evidence of a plot, just an atmosphere and a feeling to take our lives? If it is to be appraised, why not appraise it in more detail?"
Siddee's sudden remark made the queen look as if she had been struck dumb, and then she slowly turned away from us.
"My queen, why do you hate us so much, especially your daughter, Princess Meek? No, I understand even if you don't say it. You believe everything that Mr. Ortó tells you, don't you?
At Sidi's words, the queen looks up with a startled expression on her face. Sidi looked at the queen seriously, but then nodded slowly and turned to Ortó again.
"Now all my questions are finally answered. Master Ortó, from inviting Princess Meek and us to this castle, to Leila's death, to our murder, it was you who planned and carried out all of it, wasn't it? You are the culprit in this series of events!"
Sidi points at Ortó with his right hand. His expression turned serious and there was no trace of his previous softness.
"Perhaps you have been working on this plan on your own, without consulting the Elf King? It was a very well-thought-out plan. But, alas, your plan was too perfect. It's a shame, really."
"...... how impertinent if I may say so. So, do you have any proof?"
"Very well. Shall I tell you what has happened so far?
With that, she snatched up the glass that lay beside her, gulped down a glass of water, and drank it down. Her eyes were blazing, and the atmosphere emanating from her small body had changed to a godly one. .......