The princess was the last person he ever expected he would see here — no, it would be more accurate to say he would never even imagine it. So to see her sitting across from him was too much of a shock that he was unable to squeak a voice out after muttering her name. But what was most baffling of all was the dagger she held in her hand and now laying on her lap.

She looked at him with a lack of emotion permeating from her face. Her gaze almost felt empty, no joy, no sadness, no life, no light. With those eyes she gazed at him, causing him to feel a slight chill on his spine. When Hevrik regained a little amount of composure, his brain began working again and his heart pumped hard at what this could imply.

There was no way that the princess came here alone. No, that was not only it, why would the princess be here if he was ever discovered? It didn’t make sense. It would have been more acceptable to his thoughts if one of the princes came, but to be the princess herself? It was absurd.

He gulped and forced himself to speak.

“P-Princess, what a surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Stop with the pleasantries, marquis,” she said in almost monotone. “I am sure you are aware why I am here before you.”

“... What?”

“Traitor.”

He put a palm on his forehead, his sweat sticking to his skin. That made it certain, she knew. There was no escape, if she knew, then the crown definitely does as well.

“I suppose knights already await me outside.”

“What do you think?”

He pursed his lips, she may have answered with a question, but it made him feel certain.

“What of my coachman?”

She slightly tilted her head. “That? He’s outside.”

“Oh…” he slightly smiled, feeling relieved. But then the princess added…

“... Lying dead.”

“What?!” In utter shock, he jerked up. His eyes widened so much that it seemed they would almost pop out. However, suddenly, before he could make any other moves, red transparent restraints suddenly formed around his arms and legs, holding him in place, locked down on his seat.

“Behave yourself if you want to live for a while.”

“Why… Why have him killed? He’s innocent!”

“Really? He doesn’t seem like it. Isn’t he the one that brings you to your meeting place?”

“Y-Yes, but he knows nothing. Killing him would not have been necessary, he would have surrendered without doing anything.” He gritted his teeth. “He has a family…”

“Really?” she sounded unbothered. “Even so, he is still an accomplice of yours. It’s my choice whether to kill him or not, even if he has a family it does not matter at all.”

“W-What…?”

Who is this?

He could not believe his ears. Her behavior, her ruthless words, it didn’t sound like the innocent and pure princess he met and heard about. It felt as if he was speaking to a different person.

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“In any case, let’s chat. If you respond properly I will think about sparing you.”

“I can’t speak out…”

“Those you are afraid of are not here, nor do they have any idea this is happening. You are fine. Either way, if you don’t, you will be punished and lose the chance of safety. Will you cooperate?”

“...” he had no other choice, if he wanted to live and save his family from terrible punishment, he needed to comply with her highness. “Yes, princess…”

“Now then, you put poison in the wine in the colosseum, yes?”

She realized?!

“... Yes…”

“Hm, you seemed to put them on several glasses.”

“I was ordered to kill the royalties, meaning the entire family.”

There were no changes to her expression and she merely gave another question. “This poison, where is it? Give it to me.”

“I have it in my pocket, may I take it out?”

“Go ahead.”

The transparent restraints on his left arm disappeared, his less dominant hand. He pulled out a vial from his coat pocket containing a small amount of suspicious liquid. He slowly extended his hand towards the princess, the shackles appeared again while the princess reached out to grab the vial. Then his arm was forced back down.

She scrutinized the poison. “It’s the same…” she then looked at Hevrik again. “Who are your masters?”

“... I don’t know their name…”

She narrowed her eyes slightly.

“B-But I know where they came from! From the Empire, they’re from the Empire!”

For the first time, there was a slight change of expression on her face as if surprised. “Tornridge?” she asked as if to make certain of something she didn’t expect.

“Yes.”

“Are they seeking to destabilize Wisteria?”

“P-Precisely…!”

“... Now then, tell me why they specifically after me.”

“Huh?” Hevrik was struck by confusion from that weird question. Didn’t he have technically answered it already?

“Did they not give you instructions to particularly kill me especially?”

“N-No… my main target is the king.”

“I see... Then you know nothing else? Something that’s of value to me?”

“N-No. They only told me what to do.”

“... You are but a disposable pawn then. But I wonder, why did you betray my father? After everything he has done for you.”

“P-Please forgive me, your highness. I never wanted this! I was threatened. If I do not follow their orders, they’ll kill me and my family!”

“And you did not even try to tell us?” her voice was stern as she sharply glared at him.

“The Empire is strong, I have no choice. They can kill my family before the crown could do anything.”

“Are you the only one they have in the palm of their hands?”

“As far as I’m aware, I’m the only one.”

“You better not be lying to me, Hevrik.”

“I’m n-not, princess.”

“Then you have no use to me anymore.”

The restraint tightened, and Hevrik began to wriggle in panic. “What?! P-Princess! You said you would spare me!”

“I said I would think about it, and my I answer is no. I will not spare you.”

His mouth opened in realization. “Y-You… You never intended to spare me.”

“You are more of a liability than an asset.” she lifted her dagger. “Besides, you…” she pursed her lips for a moment. “You tried to kill my family, I will not let you live after all that.”

“No! Please! I beg you! Spare me! Please!”

A tiny smile slowly lifted on the side of her lips. “How I miss this…” her cheeks slightly turned red as if she expected pleasure from what she was about to do. “Ah, I think I should also pay your family a visit.”

“W-What?”

“Don’t you want to be with them forever? I can help you with that. Of course, I might do more than a swift death after what you attempted to do.”

Hevrik’s lips trembled, her words shook him to the core. She was not trying to scare him, she appeared to be serious. There was no hint in her eyes that she was bluffing. Her small smile, her chilling eyes, it brought terror to the depths of his heart. He squirmed in hopes to escape, but the restraints wouldn’t budge.

“Await your family in the afterlife.”

“N-No! Please wait! I beg you please! Spare us! I was only forced to do it!”

She inched closer.

“I don’t care.”

It was at that moment that Hevrik saw the truth about the princess. She was not an innocent and pure girl, one so fragile, so kind, and generous. Not one so elegant and beautifully gentle that should be protected. No, she was not that at all.

She deceived the world that she was so precious, so innocent, so pure, one that should be protected and kept safe like the most valuable treasure. No, she was something worse than all evil he have ever encountered.

A great deceiver. A heartless witch.

A devil in disguise.

His muscle stretched and strained, struggling to free himself. He even resorted to using his untrained magic, but the restraints covered his hands and muffled his magic. Before he could shout, another crimson restraint covered his mouth.

Then, she slowly pushed her blade into his chest, precisely to his heart. She did it so carefully as if she didn’t want to be smeared by his blood — and perhaps savoring it as well.

The last thing Hevrik saw was the apathetic eyes that looked at him as his life slowly dwindled.

There Marquis Hevrik Fumine Vekenas died.