85 – The Trojan Chariot

――Near the border of Liebenracia and Burnak.

Megumi muttered quietly at Ooki’s bold actions.

“I can’t believe Ookin would do something like this…”

“I’m sorry, Lady Megumi… I don’t want to do this either. But… if I don’t, I don’t think Yokota will trust me…”

Even over the noise of hooves and wheels on the road, Ooki, gripping the reins in the driver’s seat, picked up her words. Judging by his expression, biting his lip hard, he looked as though he’d been forced into a decision too bitter to bear.

He was driving a carriage with Megumi, Freesia, and Lily inside bound tightly with ropes. Their destination was, of course, the Kingdom of Burnak.

“Onee-sama…”

“It’s all right, Lily. If it’s Brad-sama we’re talking about, then I’m sure he has some plan far beyond what we could imagine.”

Lily, unusually, wore an anxious expression as she turned to Freesia. But Freesia, though a prisoner, remained completely unfazed.

It was probably the same strength of heart that had carried her through the unjust bullying of her stepmother and Lily. Despite her fragility, she had a core that would not bend to hardship. No wonder the super darlings were always swayed by her.

I like Freesia’s mental toughness too!

…Setting aside her lewd side, that is.

I quietly reassured myself of that, then returned to my usual hiding spot. From there, pebbles kicked up by the horses occasionally struck my body. The stones themselves were nothing, but the dust that slipped into my clothes was impossible to deal with.

“Return Freesia-sama, Lily-sama, and Megumi-sama!”

“I can’t believe you’d stoop this low!”

“You coward, how dare—boof!”

Omonel and the others were pursuing Ooki’s carriage, leading cavalry as they shouted. The soldiers loosed their arrows toward the carriage in unison.

But though countless arrows flew, they only grazed the wheels and the frame, never striking true.

The skill of the cavalry Omonel led was impressive.

“You fools! What if you hit Freesia-sama?!”

With one hand raised, Omonel stopped the soldiers from shooting. But the line was so woodenly delivered that even Sontac and Kobiu, let alone the soldiers and even Freesia herself struggled to suppress their laughter.

I’d thought Omonel was capable at just about everything, but apparently acting wasn’t his strong point.

I’d have to give him proper coaching later. For now, Ooki’s carriage, still pursued by Omonel and company, reached the boundary marker between Liebenracia and Burnak.

No sooner had they crossed the border than they encountered Burnak soldiers stationed there for border security.

“P-Please help! They’re chasing me!”

Standing up from the driver’s seat, Ooki waved his arms, signaling that he was an ally. The soldiers exchanged glances, uncertain how to respond.

“I’ve taken important figures from Liebenracia as hostages!”

“You should have said that first!”

At once, the soldiers began surrounding and protecting Ooki’s carriage.

“Damn… they got away.”

“Such misfortune…!”

“Lady Freesia! Lady Lily! Oof—!”

Omonel and the others withdrew without engaging further.

It was such a clean, well-timed retreat I almost blurted out a compliment, but I held it back. With everything arranged for infiltration, no one would doubt Ooki now.

At the gates leading into Burnak’s royal palace, the carriage was stopped for inspection.

“I’m Ooki. Let me through.”

“All right, proceed!”

He showed the pass given to him by Yokota, the classmate who bore hostility toward Megumi. Even though Ooki’s appearance had changed so drastically it would probably trigger errors in any face-recognition system, the gatekeepers let him through without hesitation.

To think they would so easily bring someone like Megumi, with her outrageous combat power, straight into their midst…

Burnak’s defenses really are full of holes.

Even in another world, they could use some kind of fingerprint-recognition-style magic tech.

“Stop right there!”

Just before the palace itself, the carriage was halted and Megumi and the others were dragged down from the wagon bed.

“Hey! Where do you think you’re touching?!”

One of the palace’s handsome butler-like retainers touched Lily’s waist to help her down, and she snapped. It wasn’t even some sleazy soldier, but she still got mad.

Puzzled by what could have upset her so much—

“There’s no need for your assistance. The only one allowed to touch my hand or my body is Lord Brad.”

Freesia answered for her.

It makes me sad that I can’t even reach out and touch a woman if I’m not careful.…

Still, to think that even offering a hand to escort someone could now be dangerous, it felt kind of sad.

Out of sight of the soldiers and butlers, Megumi flashed a discreet peace sign behind her back as she was carried into the palace.

As for me, I had remained hidden under the carriage the whole way. Once the passengers were gone, the abandoned carriage was promptly wheeled off by one of those butler-types, like a bellboy at some luxury hotel.

Exactly as Ooki had reported: the royal palace’s carriage depot was the closest spot to the underground prison.