His Royal Highness's cats are very hairy.

"Lady? Lady, are you okay?

When Adeline woke up, the sunset was slipping through the window. I left my back on the door and it seemed like I was asleep at some point. I guess it's because I couldn't rest properly last night.

"Lady?"

From across the door, there was a voice from Lyle.

"Lyle?"

"I'm sorry. … because it was very quiet…"

"Oh... sorry, take it easy. I think I was asleep a little bit."

"Really... I'm sorry. You woke me up."

"Yeah. I'm fine."

Phew, and Adeline breathed. My back hurts a little because I slept in a weird position. My head is slightly heavy, I'm sure it's because I cried too much.

"... Lyle"

"Yes, ma'am"

"Did Ruto get hurt somewhere?

"No... because the thief could not touch His Highness with one finger"

"Yes..."

Adeline lowered her chest.

-... good...

The blood on the coat must have returned blood.

Now that I think about it, I guess Rutvias also cared right after he attacked me. There. Adeline told me about Bianca, the dissolution of her engagement, etc., and I felt blamed, maybe I was so mad at her. If you calm down, I'm sure Rutvias will respond to the dissolution of your engagement, too.

"... Lyle. That was amazing. There were five of them in there."

Wanting to change his mood, Adaline spoke to Lyle.

"... thank you..."

"If that hadn't happened, maybe you'd lined up with His Highness Rutvias in the finals, but you've lost your honor once in a lifetime"

I hear Deo's there, too. Adeline was relieved to have him bright.

"Nevertheless, I was surprised that Lyle unleashed an arrow on the backup seat."

"Me too! You, you meant that."

"That's not true. In front of His Majesty."

"If it wasn't for your tournament, you'd be shooting!

My mouth breaks on the conversation between the two of us at the usual rate. If the engagement between Adeline and Rutvias is dissolved, we may not have a chance to talk to them this way either. That's a little shameful.

"Ah... me..."

Speaking of which, I offered Rutvias the dissolution of my engagement without consulting them of any kind. If Adeline had married Rutvias and joined the throne, Lyle and the others would have been in charge of the First Squad. If Adeline were not to marry Rutvias, it would mean that neither would their glory.

-... it's not disappointing, I'm sure...

Just imagine, I feel sorry for them.

"Ma'am? What's going on?

"Oh, um... I have to apologize to both of you..."

"Lady Adeline"

"Huh?"

To a voice that wasn't Lyle or Deo, Adeline stood up.

"May I open it?

"Huh? That's... yeah, of course..."

While Adeline took a step back, a crouch and keyhole rang and the door opened immediately.

"Are you..."

There he was, one of the samurai officers with Rutvias. Not the young samurai I've seen a lot lately, but the old samurai, who served even before Rutvias went to the Empire. Surely the name...

"Arb, it was, wasn't it? What's wrong with you?

"Yes, Lady Adeline has ordered you to return to His Highness the Chancellor's mansion once."

"... to the Mansion?

"Yes."

……

Adaline tangled her hands fingers in front of her body and took a small, deep breath.

"... ok"

Returning Adeline to her residence would mean that Rutvias accepted the dissolution of her engagement. All Adeline has to do is convince the Chancellor to adopt Bianca after that.

"Wait a minute."

When she picked up the flower hat rolling near the door leading to the bedroom, Adeline peered into the mirror. I stroke my shamefully messy hair with my hands for now and wear a flower hat. Then I opened the desk drawer that was dropped at the window. There was a book there.

-... let's just take this...

Millet will do anything with the luggage later, but I just want to take that book to my chest.

Adeline looked over at the room. There will be no more coming to this room. Round table where I dined with Rutvias. The chair we sat in together. Sleeping table for the offering. If there's a way to fold it up small, I want to put it all on a bag and take it. His eyeballs got hot, and Adeline lay her eyes down.

"Ma'am, I have a carriage for you."

"... Yep"

To Urb, Adeline nodded. If I stay here any longer, I'm sure I'll cry out again. As she waved her untrained, Adaline turned her back on the room. When I finally walked down the hallway after the leading arb.

"Why are you leaving the palace?

Deo tilted his neck in the face that he really didn't know. Lyle frowns at her partner like that.

"Were you talking? On Your Highness's orders..."

"Why would His Highness give such an order? That happened during the day, didn't it? I can't believe we're moving a lady to the mansion of His Excellency the Prime Minister..."

"... speaking of... right..."

"Oh, you know what? Both of you, it's..."

Adeline flicks her mouth with awkwardness in an attempt to uncover the matter of the dissolution of her engagement.

"Actually..."

"What I've been trying to calm down."

"... Huh?

When Adeline looked back in surprise at Arb's voice, which suddenly changed shape, a blade was placed on Pittari and her throat.

"Ah..."

"Lady!"

Don't move.

Adeline is grabbed by a samurai and drawn to her. The book slipped off my hand on the clap.

"Ah...!

I try to pick it up in a hurry, but I get a blade in front of me and I just have to grab my hand.

"Shall I make you an adult, my lady?"

"You..."

Arb glanced at Lyle and Deo to see where the gentle face had gone until earlier.

"If you do anything strange, your husband's neck will fall off."

"Damn..."

With my hands on the sword pattern, neither Lyle nor Deo can move. Adeline complained, frightened.

"Duh, why? You... have been serving the rut..."

"You can't take a prince like the one fed by the Empire to the divine throne of my Rude Saxony."

"..."

Adeline was stunned by those words, which scorned the bottom of her heart, Rutvias.

"Come on, just walk"

Arb sticks the blade to Adeline's back and encourages Lyle and the others with his jaw.

"Head to the back gate. Again, don't do anything strange."

Deo and Lyle led the way, Adeline bladed, and finally Arb continued. Arb masterfully hid the blade in his sleeve, so it only seems that the samurai supports Adeline, who feels ill beside him. In fact, the wrong woman didn't notice the plight of Adeline and the others at all.

"... daytime assassins. Is that one of yours, too?

Lyle looked forward and asked Arb.

"Oh, yeah. Damn, the young guys are full of mouth and halfway through what they do. Thanks to this, I'm starting to execute a preliminary plan."

"Spare?"

"It's you, ma'am. Take you hostage, Your Highness Rutvias, and you will relinquish your right to inherit the throne."

"What the hell!?

Adeline tried to look back, but remembered the existence of the blade and bit her lip.

-... we have to get out of here somehow...

If I leave the royal palace like this, it will be used as a good way to get Rutvias' feet together.

"... unfortunately, I dissolved my engagement with Ruto"

"Huh!?

"Huh!?

Lyle and Deo were the ones who raised their voices in surprise.

"I'm just a prime minister's lady. But the throne isn't as light as forfeiting inheritance for the minister's daughter."

Adeline meant to say that she was not worth the hostage, but Arb laughed it off with his nose.

"But for the minister's daughter, it doesn't taste like poison."

Adeline took a breath. If you were a Rutvian samurai, you would of course know that the poison was served on Rutvian meals. But this tone...

"... you... no way, you poison me?

"Yeah, you're right."

Arb started talking, as if to brag.

"That prince finds out he can poison his own meal. No, he started running into your room and eating.

Well, it was convenient for us. If a prince is poisoned in your room, the eyes of suspicion will be directed at the Chancellor, and Marcelio, who betrayed His Majesty Albuquerque, will soon lose his legs. Assuming you are poisoned to death, the Chancellor will suspect Prince Rutvias, who was eating with you. The Chancellor can't allow a man who might have killed his precious only daughter. Prince Rutvias loses his political back shield, and the Standing Prince ceases to come true "

"... how cowardly..."

When Adeline roared, Arb laughed happily when he saw it.

"Well, it didn't work. That's just the grandson of His Highness Albuquerque. He didn't die when he was poisoned. But instead, I found weaknesses."

"Weaknesses?"

"Yeah. It's you. Lady Adeline. At first, I thought the prince had escaped into your room. But no matter how many times he poisoned your meal, Prince Rutvias did not stop eating with you. On the contrary, go to your place until tea time... isn't that bullying? Not so long ago, the prince seems obsessed with you. So much for poisoning yourself with what you say!

"..."

That's not true. Rutvias was poisonous, just because he was sweet. Even if his fiancée wasn't Adeline, he would surely have poisoned himself. But I just said that, and I don't think Arb will let Adeline go anymore.

-... what to do... what to do...

While I was in a hurry, I followed him into the backyard. The back gate, where the ingredients are brought in early in the morning, is illuminated and quiet back at dusk.

"Come on, it's that carriage. Lady."

Right beside the rusty gate indicated by Arb, the carriage was stopped.

-... what about the guards?

Adeline explored the area with her eyes, but no figures. The guards are supposed to be in place, but I wonder what's going on.

"Please hurry."

"Geez."

Shoulder pressed, Adeline mellowed.

"... let me!

Lyle screams and Deo pulls out his sword without turning around. Rather than lay low, Adaline gave in to the spot to fall.

"Wow!

Deo wielded a sword tip that tore Arb's arm apart and splashed blood.

"Lady! Over here!

Lyle reaches for Adeline. Seeing the shadow suddenly revealed behind it, Adeline peeled off her eyes.

"Lyle! Behind... eh"

To Adeline's cry, Lyle tries to turn around...

"... Gu"

Lyle knelt down, holding her shoulders down.

"Lyle!"

Adeline runs over to Lyle. A large amount of blood runs down Lyle's arms, and the bloody accumulation on the ground widens.

"Oh, my God! I need a hand... quick!

"Lady!"

The flower hat rolled onto the cobblestone. Adeline, whose hair was pulled up so much that her body floated, gasps for pain.

"Ouch... don't..."

"Is this the prime minister's lady? You're a plain woman, as rumored. What did the prince care about such a woman?

Goddamn it, the man laughs creepy.

"... damn. You had company..."

Deo bit his teeth with remorse as he covered his sword.

"Hey!"

Two, no, three men reveal themselves from the shadow of a tree.

"Just get him in the carriage! Alternate guards are coming!

On the grass at the feet of the men, I saw the uniform of a bloody wet guard. Adeline was frightened.

-... I killed him...

The guard was killed because it would stand in the way of the plan and for just that reason.

"... for God's sake..."

"Come on, just walk!

The man pulled Adaline's hair, as if dealing with a livestock tail, and Adaline was dragged to the ground.

"Hey!"

"Let it!

Deo screams and waves his sword. However, it seemed that it was best to deal with the three men and prevent them.

"... get rid of the lady!

Lyle pulled the sword out with one hand.

"Lyle!"

"Ha! Are you still willing to do that with that injury? You're a fine knight."

The man grinned lightly, taking his hand off Adeline's hair and waving his sword down against Lyle. A metallic sound sounds like a spark, and Lyle's sword is bounced off. The man grinned thinly, kicking Lyle's injured shoulder up, and Lyle rolled to the ground screaming in pain.

"Lyle!"

"Finish it quickly! Mellows."

Arb turned in an angry phase as he bled out of his arm.

"Every knight who serves a weak king stands in the way of our noble aspirations!

The man called Melows did not reply to Arb. But he regains his sword and approaches Lyle.

"No! Stop..."

Adeline screamed. But Mellows lifts his sword high. Lyle closed her eyes and turned away as she was ready.

"No!!

Obsessed, Adeline kicked the ground. Stick to Mellows and bite into a hand with a sword.

"This woman... Huh!

Mellows' hand slaps Adaline's cheek with momentum. There was a shock like a giant slapping his hand in his ear, and Adeline blew up momentum.

"Lady!"

"Lady!"

Lyle and Deo shouted, turning bright blue. I should have been slapped with my bare hands, but the power is so awesome that I don't think so, I feel so dizzy. Adeline spit out the gravel that went into her mouth because she stuck it in the ground from her face, along with her spit.

"The lady in the deep window can hear you! This guy bit my hand!

Uplifting his face with anger, Mellows approaches Adeline. He couldn't even stand on his feet to escape, and Adaline tried to get away from Mellows, albeit slightly, by shifting his hips back. And my left hand, which was crawling on the ground, touched something.

-... what?

Looking over his shoulder, it was a flying Lyle sword. Take it in your hand without hesitation and point your cut at Mellows. Mellows laughed angrily, but disgustingly.

"Shall we fight? Stop it. You've never even held a sword, have you?

"... right. No."

Adeline nodded. And point the cuttoe that was pointing at Mellows at his own neck.

"... so you could hurt yourself by mistake"

"What?"

Mellows distorts his face.

My hands shook. But your voice must not tremble. Adeline licks and swallows her thirsty lips.

"The body... won't be held hostage to anything at all, will it? What are you gonna do? Do you have any plans for a spare when I die?

Adeline doesn't think that far about what to do when she says there is. This is a bet.

"Those are proud knights who have sworn allegiance to the royal family and the goddess. Touch those knights with even one finger. I will harm myself on this occasion. If that happens, isn't it you who's in trouble?

"Clear!

Arb screams.

"Such a courageous thing! Just kill the knight!

"Well, calm down. Hey, lady. You calm down, too. There's nothing for the knights if you get in the carriage. I'll leave you alone."

Mellows laughed as if he'd forgotten about his earlier anger or something. It was a lowly laugh, like seeing an interesting show.

"... if you're lying... I'll cut your neck off"

"I get it. I promise you. So get in the carriage."

……

Apparently, there's no alternative if Adeline dies. Secretly relieved, in the meantime, Adeline rises.

"... Yes, you shouldn't! Lady! At least I'm with you..."

"Deo!"

Deo's eyes and shoulders swayed at Adeline's strong voice. Adeline giggles, careful not to let the blade go from her neck.

"Put your shoulders on Lyle. I'm fine. 'Cause you'll be here soon to help, won't you?

-... don't tremble, no. Laugh, laugh, laugh.

Adeline said desperately to herself.

Lyle would be too late if he hadn't handled it quickly. Now, even if Adeline falls into the hands of the enemy, if only Deo could escape safely, he would tell Rutvias the situation quickly and accurately. This is the best course of action.

As Adaline's mood conveyed, so did Deo, grinning and nodding, even though he was tight.

"... of course, of course I'll be right there! So don't worry about anything! Please wait loosely!

Adeline smiled again. Relax, like Rutvias.

-... rut...

My throat is blocked and my tears make me so. I might really never see you again, keeping you apart like that.

"Come on, shall we go then? Lady."

……

Mellows opens the carriage door, and Adeline goes inside and lowers her hips. As soon as the door was closed from the outside, the carriage began to run.

As Adeline throws her sword out, she kneels down on her back and peeks out the back window. The Melows jumped on a horse that they apparently kept hidden and immediately chased him to the carriage. I could see Deo running after me for a while, but when the carriage increased its speed, I couldn't see that either.

"…………………"

The tears that I had endured flood me.

My beaten cheek hurt and I held it down with my hands.

"... rut...!

Definitely. It's, like, the worst birthday ever.

The sunset fell on the western mountains, and the night was about to come.