066 – The Escapee

Ella’s face was on the verge of exploding, turning a fiery red in the middle of the street.

So, I quickly grabbed a room at a nearby inn together with her.

“A, a child is still.. not possible..!”

For Ella, whose eyes were now also trembling violently.

Just a moment, a chance to compose myself…

“Now, strip, Mistress!”

“Pardon?!”

*Whoosh-*

“Eeyaa?!!”

Without hesitation, I tossed Isabella-ssi out the window.

A bizarre shriek echoing as the talking cat vanished.

“..!! Y-you shouldn’t have thrown her outside..!”

Even if she seems like this, that cat is the strongest in our household’s worldview, you know?

“It’s alright.”

They say, if your arm hurts, make your leg hurt to make the arm no longer feel the pain.

By shocking Ella-ssi, who was flustered by the pregnancy, by throwing a cat to make her flustered so that she no longer feels burdened by having a child.

Of course.

“Bad owner!”

Somehow, Isabella-ssi had naturally re-entered the room.

So, I naturally went to stroke the cat…

“Why is there blood on your claws..?”

Suddenly, Isabella-ssi’s claws were stained with red blood, and I asked, wondering what on earth had happened.

“Oh? Ah! The one you threw me near. There was a guy who kept following me. I thought you threw me to kill him.”

“???”

“Cat-sama… D-did you kill someone…?”

“I killed a criminal.”

With the lesson that I should never throw the cat out the window again.

I darted out of the inn’s door and headed to the place where Isabella-ssi had been thrown.

Fortunately, there was an alley right below the window…

“..Wow.”

Inside the dark alley, I could confirm the corpse of a man collapsed with a perfectly round hole in the center of his chest.

“Woaah..”

The fault of a pet is the fault of the owner, so am I a murderer now?

They say there are plenty of spaces in the imperial palace’s underground prison, so will I now begin a life of incarceration for having a poorly behaved pet?

Come to think of it, I have a history of escaping from the imperial palace.

Should I continue my life as a fugitive?

No!

‘People don’t know why this man died.’

It’s still okay.

Because no one knew why this man died.

“Kyaaack!”

Ah, now they know.

…

The woman’s scream reverberated.

Magic investigators patrolling nearby quickly stormed the scene.

A thought flickered – should I slip away using stealth skills?

But if I fled, face already seen… I’d be branded a criminal beyond any hope of explanation.

So, with my most amiable smile, I raised both hands to greet the investigators.

Of course.

“…What to do?”

A sliver of hope sparked, that the voices of the two women overhead might rescue me.

“He threw his pet outside, so the owner is getting scolded.”

“Mihan-nim was wrong to do that, though.”

‘Uh-oh?!’

The moment I heard their voices, I understood.

No one here would save me.

“Hah…”

Since I hadn’t actually killed the man.

Surely the magic investigators, abiding by the principle of presumption of innocence, would prove my innocence.

Of course.

Whether the Magic Kingdom even had such a law was another matter.

“I didn’t kill him!! Really!!”

“Slowly raise both hands and walk towards us.”

“Understood!”

…

There was no reason the magic investigators wouldn’t recognize a freshly deceased body.

Naturally, suspicion fell on me as the man’s murderer.

And I couldn’t provide a decent answer to the question of why I was in this alleyway.

Click- Clack-

“Lie down.”

Etherium cuffs locked on my wrists, I obeyed the investigator’s command.

“Hmm? Hey, rookie. Bring that here.”

“That?”

“Yeah, that.”

“Uh… The cuffs?”

“Aish! Seriously, where did they dig up such trash?”

“Sorry…”

“That official document the Imperial Family sent down earlier, get it!”

“Ah…! Yes! I’ll get it right away!”

“Get the cuffs? It’s not like we’re cuffing a corpse, honestly.”

The magic investigator, seemingly training the rookie, received a piece of paper and began staring intently at the man’s face.

Then.

“Send a notice to the Knights Order. An escaped convict has been found.”

“Huh?”

“…Huh? Did you just say ‘yes’ to me?”

“Y-Yes, I did…”

“…”

“…”

“…Why aren’t you sending out an official report?”

“Ah! I’ll send it immediately!”

I was able to realize that the man Miss Isabella had killed was one of the criminals who had escaped from the Imperial underground prison.

‘If that’s the case?’

My mind raced for a brief moment.

I hadn’t killed an innocent civilian, but a criminal who escaped from the Imperial underground prison.

“Ah, thank you for your hard work. I didn’t realize the Imperial report had reached the Magic Investigation Unit.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“That’s right. The man I killed was, in fact, a filthy criminal who escaped from the Imperial underground prison. I merely killed him under His Majesty’s orders.”

Just act natural… …Wait, why is he looking at me like he wants to kill me now…?

“Transport the criminal. The rest of the investigation will be continued at the Magic Precinct.”

“Yes, sir!”

W-Wait a minute!

‘Miss Ella…! Help, help…!’

…

‘My life.’

I had said things were going too smoothly today.

I succeeded in sealing the abandoned Heart Reaper, succeeded in modifying my body to be able to use magic, and even succeeded in escaping from the Imperial Palace, yet I’m getting caught here.

Even…

‘…Why aren’t you helping?’

Miss Ella and Miss Isabella were watching me locked in a cell inside the Magic Precinct from afar, giggling like they were having the time of their lives.

I wanted to use my abduction skill to keep Miss Ella by my side.

But I knew that would only make things worse, so I decided to remain obediently locked up.

‘Looks good.’

Actually, I was always worried about Miss Isabella.

She was someone who wouldn’t even have a friend to talk to if it weren’t for me.

No matter how strong she was, I was worried about her living her entire life without friends.

But seeing her spending such a fun time with Miss Ella…

‘…Let me join in! Me too!’

Ugh, I can’t stand this.

I’ll just use my infiltration skills to escape from here-

“Attention!”

Suddenly, all the members of the Magic Investigation Unit stood up and assumed the Magic Kingdom’s salute of loyalty.

Wondering who had arrived, I turned my head.

“I knew it would be like this.”

“We greet the Sun of the Magic Kingdom.”

“Make yourself comfortable.”

“Thank you!”

I could see His Majesty entering the magical investigation office.

“I wished to speak with the prisoner for a moment, would that be alright?”

“Yes! Of course, Your Majesty!”

His Majesty requested to speak with the prisoner to the magical investigator, and now he was walking this way.

The magical investigators, naturally, hastened to provide a chair for His Majesty.

The instant His Majesty was seated, they drew their swords as if I might make a slip of the tongue and be executed on the spot… truly.

“So, this was the result of your escape?”

“Mihen needs freedom.”

“Anyone would think you were the one who broke out of prison.”

“How did you know to find me?”

“Your lover sent a letter by way of a cat. It said that Mihen was in a very difficult situation, and that I should come to help.”

‘Ah, so he was just watching.’

“A very clever cat, indeed. How did you train it? Even when it was just playing with Asher, I knew it was intelligent. But what I saw today was beyond imagination.”

“I’m just naturally gifted, I suppose.”

“I had forgotten that.”

Each time His Majesty erupted into delighted laughter, I could see the expressions of horror growing on the faces of the magical investigators.

Good.

You guys are in big trouble now.

Didn’t I tell you? I was acting under His Majesty’s orders, dealing with criminals.

Now, if I could just get out of this cell and actually rest…

“I have a favor to ask of you. Though, it seems you’re already doing it.”

“…Yes?”

“The reconstruction of the palace is proving difficult. As the academy is on temporary break, I was hoping you could help with the search for inmates in the underground dungeons.”

“I am a criminal. I should be in here.”

“Hm?”

“Magical investigator! Hurry and send me to prison! I am the heinous kidnapper, Mihen!”

Please.

I just want to rest.

“Release Mihen at once.”

“Yes, Your Majesty…!”

“No! You mustn’t release me…! I am…! I will be heinous…! I definitely will be!!”

…

“I’m counting on you.”

“I apologize in advance if I cannot live up to Your Majesty’s expectations.”

“Just the fact that you are helping is already a great comfort to me.”

“I just feel more pressure now.”

I just wanted to rest, so why is it that I always end up with more work?

It seemed like I’d truly spent my day productively…

“If there is any reward you desire, name it. For you, I will procure anything, *anything* that exists within the Demon Realm.”

“I wish to rest.”

“Anything but that.”

“?!?!?”

Unable to refuse, I departed, ready to fulfill His Majesty’s command.

‘A doppelganger, then.’

Barely visible now, with little time remaining.

I had located the doppelganger hiding within the Demon Realm, and for a moment, considered dealing with it cleanly, myself.

‘Wait a moment, though.’

I could recall that I was now the lord who reigned over all vampires.

‘Could this be…automated hunting?’

I realized that I didn’t need to personally move to resolve His Majesty’s command.

“Welcome, esteemed guest. What can I get for you?”

And so, I immediately entered the eatery.

“Do you know what this is?”

“…!”

“Yes, I am the new lord.”

“Greetings to you, Lord…!”

I subtly displayed the necklace given to me by Nepira Lilith as proof of my lordship, and began issuing my first command to the doppelganger disguised as the eatery’s owner.

“Bring me the most expensive and delicious meal you have. Enough for three.”

“Right away, Lord…!”

Even Mt. Kumgang is best viewed on a full stomach…

“…Mihan-nim?”

“Yes?”

“…How did you do it?”

“…Ah, that’s right.”

I’d forgotten, lost in the naturalness of Ella-ssi’s conversation with Isabella.

Ella-ssi still didn’t know… That I was a vampire lord.