Chapter 147 - Episode 9: "That's Something That Definitely Won't Make Them Sleep, Isn't It?"
G-g-g-greetings! It is I, Violia!
I have done it! I have inadvertently kidnapped two princesses before I even realized it!
Just when did this... Ah! That was it! The two noble ladies having a tea party in the courtyard! Those were the princesses! I should have confirmed more carefully before stuffing them in!
The fact that I've brought two princesses back here means that right now, I am picking a fight head-on with the royal family.
Unluckily for me, the current royal family is desperate to find an excuse for the attempted assassination of Saint Carol... As soon as it's discovered that the two princesses have been kidnapped, they'll likely fabricate something like 'The culprit's goal was to cause a commotion and kidnap the princesses!' It's so infuriating!
...In fact, this is the royal family that was trying to kill Dactor-sama along with Carol. They might just abandon the two princesses. In that case, will the royal family set out for war as a 'battle to avenge the two princesses'? No, they probably know they can't win even if they set out, so will they use it as material to gather sympathy votes from others?
At the very least, they'll probably say something about this to the Cathedral... Since Carol is philanthropic, if it's said that the two princesses have been kidnapped, she won't be able to just kick the royal family away after that. For now, even if only on the surface, she'll have to sympathize with the royal family, and if she's requested to dispatch troops to search for the princesses, she won't be able to refuse...
T-The more I think about it, the more troublesome it is! I shouldn't have accidentally kidnapped such things!
What should I do! What should I do with these two!
...For now, I can't keep grumbling forever in front of the 5th and 8th princesses, so I'll turn them both into slaves immediately.
Whether I release them later or whatever, it's safer to make them slaves once for the sake of preventing escape and restricting their actions!
"Stay quiet. Unless you want unerasable scars on that beautiful skin of yours."
"Hic..."
...Due to Saki-sama's dignified threat, the two princesses were visibly cowed. Even though they knew a Slave Collar was about to be put on them, it seems they were too terrified to resist when a rusted knife was flickered next to their faces.
Humans really are creatures that live by instinct, so even if they know 'If I don't escape even if I have a painful experience here, I'll face an even more painful experience,' they cannot move...
"...There, alright. It's finished."
"Thank you very much. Here is the payment."
While paying Saki-sama, I immediately stood before the two princesses who had easily fallen into slavery. The 5th princess is older than me. The 8th princess is younger. It's truly pitiful that they met such a fate just because they were having a harmonious tea together. Incidentally, I, who ended up bringing such things back, am also pitiful...
"W-What do you intend to do with us!"
"Please, at least spare my sister..."
Looking at the two princesses trembling in fear, honestly, I wanted to say 'I'm the one who wants to ask what to do,' but it would be a spoiler to say that. I answered with a smile.
"It's alright. I won't treat you poorly. Yes."
Whether they believe my words or not is up to them, and whether my words are true or false depends on what happens from now on!
"What should we do..."
...It was precisely because I didn't want this trouble that I went out of my way to leave Dactor-sama alive! And yet, to accidentally pick up princesses! I really wonder what to do!
"Isn't it fine? Just sell them off appropriately."
"Your thinking is wonderfully simple..."
I was a fool to try and ask Chesta for his opinion...
"Hmm, well, that might not be bad either? If you just flush them into the market quickly, the trouble will decrease, right?"
"If we do that, it would just mean we picked them up and sent them back! It would just be the royal family spending a little and us profiting a little!"
I understand Giovan's point, but since we've gone to the trouble of kidnapping them, I'd like to use them properly.
"...If anything, wouldn't it be fine to just return them to the castle right now?"
"I cannot do that. Because if I return these two to the castle, won't they talk about me? Even if I sealed that part with magic, I feel like a flaw would definitely appear somewhere..."
In fact, I'm troubled because this method is exactly the same as with Princess Scola!
They likely already know that the Slave Collar incident with Fawn Tart Hornbone and Princess Scola was my doing, so if that's the case, the commotion at the royal castle this time won't just be a commotion between the royal family and the Cathedral, but might be made out to be a commotion caused by the 'root of all evil, Violia Nico Fortesia'! No, that's exactly right! It's the correct answer!
"Therefore, if there is a time to return the two princesses to the royal family, it will be when they return as corpses..."
"You're merciless, aren't you?"
It can't be helped. I'll just have to write it off as the fault of those who were born into the royal family and stayed in the royal castle at this stage.
...Now then.
Whether I eventually turn the princesses into corpses and return them to the royal family, or have them work as slaves here... how should I deal with the various problems that will likely arise from kidnapping the princesses?
First, regarding the treatment of the two princesses. This is, well... it can't be helped since I've brought them back. Let's use them effectively. Specifically, I'll have the two princesses spit out the information that I couldn't fully obtain when I infiltrated the royal castle this time. Things like the location of the treasury, or the current movements of the royal family. I'm sure I'll find out if I ask the princesses. Ohohohoho.
Next, measures against the royal family likely running to gather sympathy votes. As for the various nobles, I don't care anymore. They can't be moved by sympathy votes anymore. After all, they are nobles, you know? They'll only move based on profit and loss calculations!
...On the contrary, I'm troubled because there seem to be people among the commoners who would become pro-royal family because of this. The 5th and 8th princesses were gaining popularity for their beauty and kindness. Well, putting aside their beauty, that kindness was just a matter of distributing a small amount of the squeezed taxes in a visible form...
But the foolish masses won't understand such logic. If the kind princesses are kidnapped... and moreover, if it's said that the culprit is the Revolutionary Army, our public image will worsen slightly!
Since that happens, putting aside the present, it will affect the public order of this country after we've killed everyone in the royal family. Considering the future, I want the Revolutionary Army to remain as apostles of justice.
...Then. Regarding the princesses... I just have to lower the stock of those two!
I just have to show the commoners a side of the two princesses that will make them think, 'Ah, if it's these two, it can't be helped even if they are brutally murdered by the Revolutionary Army'!
And... how to move the Cathedral. There's no doubt they'll be made to dispatch troops under the pretext of rescuing the two princesses... but at that time, the Cathedral will... umm...
...I don't care anymore! Yes, it's become too much trouble to think about! There's no meaning in smoothing things over anymore!
Let's have the Cathedral cast aside its neutral stance and take an anti-royal family stance!
Yes, let's do that! It will be a somewhat radical method unbefitting of a religious facility like the Cathedral, but I don't mind! If the Saint leads the people and fights for justice, all the minor problems will be blown away and vanish by that beauty! The people should be convinced as well!
If the Cathedral declares 'The royal family is evil! Now is the time to burn down this rotten royal family together with the Revolutionary Army!', at that point, the will of God will be ours. Justice is with us! God is also with us! Perfect!
...And so, let's get to work immediately.
"Now, Chesta! The time has come for your life as a drug addict to be useful!"
"I'm in a delicate mood, not knowing whether to be happy or not..."
The one I've called here is Chesta! ...I have confidence that I have more knowledge about poisons than anyone else here. I myself am like a specimen box of poisons, so I have quite a lot of confidence. Yes. However... when it comes to 'medicine,' I lack a bit of confidence.
The time I started indulging in medicines was completely after I had gained poison resistance. It was only after I thought 'Maybe not only poisons but medicines don't work on me either!?' and tried drinking them that I hit the jackpot, realizing later that I had become a young lady who doesn't get high at all even if she drinks medicine. Therefore... well, even though I said I indulged in medicines, I haven't really experienced their effects. I don't really know which medicine has what kind of effect...
"Now, Chesta. Is there a medicine that makes one as ill-tempered and aggressive as possible? It would be best if they also became vulgar and unsightly in the process."
"Aggressive? Hmm... ah, then wouldn't that thing be good? You know, the one taken from that strange slime. I forgot the name, though."
"Ah, the one from the Bubbling Slime? But that's no good. That has almost no persistence and the effect is weak."
The mucus of the Bubbling Slime has the effect of making anger and vitality bubble up. That's why it's sometimes used as a restorative or stimulant... but well, it's basically a non-toxic substance.
"Then how about that? The one with the leaves that look like they're burning."
"The leaves of the Berserk Mandarin? Hmm, with those, reason flies away too much at the same time... If possible, I want something where they remain rational, their personality stays the same, and yet their aggressiveness increases."
The fruit of the Berserk Mandarin itself is edible, and it's popular for cooking due to its taste, which is a combination of spiciness and acidity, and its exotic scent... but its leaves are, well, a stimulant that works too well, so to speak... I've heard that ancient berserkers challenged battles while munching on Berserk Mandarin leaves. Yes. It's that kind of thing.
"You're quite demanding, hey."
Just be glad there's a turn for a drug addict!
Chesta thought for a while just like that, but eventually, he gave an answer.
"...Then how about that? Dragon's Heart."
"Isn't that 'medicine' (kusuri) rather than 'drugs' (yaku)?"
"I've never used that to get high, though. But according to what I heard from my drug buddies, that thing is amazing."
"I've never heard of that."
A Dragon's Heart is, well... a natural medicine that combines its own medicinal properties with magical effects. In addition to temporarily increasing vitality and physical strength, it makes one able to fight bravely, or become fearless... well, it has many good effects. From long ago, it seems heroes would drink dried Dragon's Heart ground into powder, or drink liquor in which a Dragon's Heart had been steeped, during crucial battles.
...And more than anything, there is an important effect. It is a 'sense of omnipotence.' ...This is a very good effect. If one leads with plenty of confidence, even subordinates will feel like following, and even arrogant behavior will be a win if it's made to seem like the backing of ability. And more than anything, one's power actually increases due to the effect of the Dragon's Heart. It's the perfect medicine to become a 'capable charismatic leader.'
"A sense of omnipotence? Is that what it's called? You can really fly with that."
"Are drug addicts really that lacking in scruples...?"
A Dragon's Heart wouldn't be cheap, and yet to go out of one's way to try it... they must be quite the eccentrics... ...Or so I thought.
"No, that's why I'm saying, don't just use the Dragon's Heart. You combine it."
Combine? ...Meaning...?
"With leaves, or even your 'Mystic Ruby.' I hear it's the best."
...I see. That was a blind spot. If the sense of omnipotence from the Dragon's Heart is combined with the sense of euphoria from the Mystic Ruby, it might indeed make one fly. As expected of a drug addict. His point of view is wonderful!
"Which means, if I make them feel bold with the Dragon's Heart, and then put in a bit of Bubbling Slime mucus or something... and incidentally, also put in a few more Berserk Mandarin leaves..."
"Looks like you could make something amazing."
This is it! I'll go with this!
"And so, it's decided. You two will be returning to the castle. Of course, I don't mean as corpses."
Immediately after having them spit out as much information about the royal castle as possible, I reported that to the two princesses. To kidnap them and then properly send them home, I'm truly kind! I am! Well, I did have them go through some terrible things to get the information out of them, but that's just a margin of error! A margin of error!
"I haven't handed you any information that would be troublesome if it were spread. Even if you were to speak ill of the Revolutionary Army with those cute mouths of yours, no one would listen at this point anyway."
Since it's clear that the royal family is in conflict with the Revolutionary Army, if a member of the royal family speaks ill of the Revolutionary Army, the credibility is thin to begin with. ...Moreover, if they are unpleasant people who are halfway full of confidence and arrogant, then even more so.
"Therefore, for the time being, I shall have you drink some sleeping pills. Once you drink this, I'll let you go. By the time you wake up, you'll be in front of the royal castle."
Saying that, I presented the princesses with the powdered sleeping pills and a cup of tea!
By the way, the powder is Dragon's Heart powder, and the tea is brewed with Bubbling Slime mucus and Berserk Mandarin leaves. With this, they definitely won't sleep. Ohohohohoho.