Chapter 103 - Chapter 19: "Isn't She Trying a Bit Too Hard to Profit from Complaining?"
Good day to you! I am Violia Nico Fortesia!
I am currently following behind Carol, heading toward the royal castle's dungeon!
Now, our destination is the Pin-Hane Girl! I wonder how she is doing? I'm looking forward to it!
"This is the dungeon, is it?"
Carol has an indescribable look on her face as she steps into the basement.
"It is in a state of ruin."
"...When Violia Nico Fortesia escaped, many other prisoners were also let loose, and at that time, this area became a battlefield between soldiers and prisoners."
I know. I was there. But the one who made the holes in the walls wasn't me, it was the guy next to me wearing the Holy Knight armor.
"I see, so that is why it is in this state..."
"Yes. Currently, we are repairing the cells here and there."
It's been over half a year and they're still repairing? I wonder if they're just too busy with other things to attend to this...
As we passed through the quite dilapidated dungeon, a familiar cell came into view.
"This is Amavire Rent's cell."
...No wonder it looked familiar.
This is the cell where I stuffed bread into the keyhole...
The royal family has learned too. To prevent bread from being stuffed into the keyhole from inside the cell, a guard has been placed around the keyhole area.
While feeling quite nostalgic, we first watched as the King approached the Pin-Hane Girl.
"Amavire Rent. Have you felt like talking yet?"
As soon as the King spoke into the cell.
"I'm telling youuu! I haven't done anything at allll!"
...A energetic reply came back.
"What does this mean? Wasn't Amavire-rent-san supposed to know about Violia Nico Fortesia-san?"
"That is the situation. Ever since she woke up, she has refused to admit her crime. And as for information about Violia Nico Fortesia, she hasn't breathed a word..."
Oh. I thought she would be spreading all sorts of true and false things to confuse the scene, but is she even more confused herself...?
The Pin-Hane Girl is asserting her innocence to the King and Carol behind him. If she used her head a bit more, she might be able to get a conditional release, if not a full acquittal...
...No, could it be, really...?
"...Saint Carol. Do you truly wish to converse with that?"
"E-Eh, yes. After all, unless I try talking to her once..."
Carol is also put off by the Pin-Hane Girl's desperate appearance, but for now, it seems she has decided to push through with her Saintly spirit.
"Um... hello."
Carol approached the iron bars in front of the cell and began to speak to the Pin-Hane Girl inside.
"I am Carol. I have been granted the opportunity to borrow the strength of everyone at the Cathedral as a Saint. You are Amavire-rent-san, right?"
When Carol matched her gaze and spoke to the Pin-Hane Girl, the Pin-Hane Girl's expression changed in an instant.
...She might have remembered the day of the Saint vote from the title of 'Saint.' If the Pin-Hane Girl has been able to maintain her memories from before she lost her sanity, she should recognize Carol.
"...Saint? Has it already been decided thennn?"
"E-Eh, yes."
So that's where we're starting?
...Looking at the Pin-Hane Girl's face, it looks like she's thinking, 'As I thought, I failed to be elected as the Saint,' but could this person have seriously intended to be elected as the Saint...
"Um... Amavire-rent-san. There is something I would like to ask."
Carol, while being a bit troubled, asked the Pin-Hane Girl what she wanted to know.
"Do you know a person named Violia Nico Fortesia?"
"...I've already been asked that many times by the King tooo. I really have nothing I can sayyy."
In response to Carol's question, the Pin-Hane Girl turned her nose up and looked away. Does she not understand her own position?
Before us, as we wondered about her somewhat aggressive attitude... the Pin-Hane Girl, with a slightly mocking face, said this.
"Or rather, if I say something, will something good happen to meee?"
...Ah.
This girl... this girl!
She really doesn't understand her position at all, does she!?
"Yes. If you speak, it might lead to the peace of mind of the people of this country. Wouldn't that eventually be for your sake as well?"
"Eeeh? I don't really get ittt. Besidesss, why should I do something for the country when I'm locked up in a dungeon like thisss? I'm a victim who's been captured despite being innocenttt!"
Bouncing off Carol's maximum Saint-like words, the Pin-Hane Girl is... she's amazing. She's trying to profit from complaining even at this stage...!
"Innocent? Are you saying you do not admit your crime?"
"Because I really didn't do anythinggg... You should be able to tell if you checkkk. Please check properlyyy."
That's right. If they check properly, they might find out. And it might be found that the Pin-Hane Girl was innocent, and she might even receive compensation for being imprisoned on false charges.
But there's no way they can check properly!
"If you are innocent, then what is your connection to Violia Nico Fortesia-san?"
"Violia? ...I know a little bit about herrr, but I haven't done anything wronggg... If it were a proper room instead of a place like this, I might be able to talk a little bittt, but it's cold hereee..."
Furthermore, whether she's trying to buy time to prove her innocence or truly trying to profit from complaining, she's saying some very bold things! Even I am surprised by this!
"I see. Then, to a room..."
"...That will not do. We cannot simply release a criminal so easily. If it becomes a repeat of Violia Nico Fortesia, I will finally be unable to show my face to the citizens."
Well, the dungeon of this country has a history of many people escaping from it...
"I won't do anythinggg! Why won't anyone believe meee!?"
No one can believe someone who was acting all lewd in the waiting room of the polling station.
...Now then.
After talking for a few more minutes, we decided to give up on further conversation with the Pin-Hane Girl.
Or rather, it was a temporary retreat. Even if we do something about the Pin-Hane Girl, it will have to be in consultation with the King.
"As you saw, she refuses to talk at all. She hints that she 'knows something,' but she demands release and 'compensation' as a condition. In other words, she is saying we should make it so that she was 'captured on false charges.'"
She really is quite something!
To be able to show such thick-skinned greed while being thrown into the slammer, it's truly magnificent! I'd like to slap that face of hers!
"...But we cannot simply let someone who has a connection to Violia Nico Fortesia go, can we? Much less, how could I tell the citizens that 'she was innocent'?"
That's right. The King's opinion is also reasonable. It would be a bit difficult for the King to let her go. From the King's perspective, the moment he lets the Pin-Hane Girl out, there's no guarantee that 'Violia Nico Fortesia' won't come to rescue her...
Besides, the citizens won't be convinced. Especially the citizens who saw that lewd state of hers at the polling station.
"And... if we treat her inhumanely, it might cause problems later. That is why we are also troubled by how to handle her."
"I see..."
The King, with a truly troubled face, let out a deep sigh... and faced Carol.
"Do you have any good ideas?"
As expected, that's asking too much...
For now, the Lady Saint is taking a break, so we borrowed one of the guest rooms and consulted with her there.
"What should we do? From the Saint's position, it's hard to say we should torture her to make her talk..."
"That's right. But the royal family is probably thinking of torture first, you know? The fact that they're still troubled without resorting to torture means they're probably afraid of retaliation or the leakage of information."
If the Pin-Hane Girl were bluffing, saying 'if you do anything inhumane to me, I've made preparations so that the world will know of your deeds,' the King would probably be intimidated by that alone. Well, even if not, I think the Pin-Hane Girl has some kind of countermeasure. Probably.
The royal family is in a position where they cannot afford any more failures. That's why they want to move as cautiously as possible...
"Even so, 'Do you have any good ideas?' is quite carefree."
"For the royal family, it would be best if the Cathedral moved and did something about the Pin-Hane Girl. They're quite dependent on others, aren't they?"
...Well, it's no wonder they're dependent on others.
If they kill the Pin-Hane Girl here, they won't get any information.
If they torture her, there's a possibility that information will leak from somewhere and lead to distrust of the royal family.
On the other hand, they can't accept her demands.
It's understandable that things aren't going well with such constraints. I don't think there's anyone in the royal castle who is exceptionally good at interrogation either.
...Now then.
What we need to think about here isn't 'how to make the Pin-Hane Girl talk.' There's no need to be that helpful to the royal family.
What is needed is 'what to make the Pin-Hane Girl talk.'
"It can't be helped. Carol. You should manage to stay at the castle tonight."
"Eh?"
"We'll sneak into the dungeon in the middle of the night and settle things."