It's late afternoon in the living room, alone with Angel, enjoying a cup of freshly brewed tea.

　The wedding ceremony with Avalon is coming up, but we've done what we had to do, so we have some time to spare.

Do you have any unfinished business?
"Huh?　What is?

　I just remembered a memory from a previous life.

It depends on the person who gets married, but many people get busy with unfinished business. They have a lot of things they want to do at the end of their life as a single person. So I thought, what about Angel?
"Hmmm.

　Angel put a finger to his cheek and pondered, "Maybe it's not .

Maybe not .......
Is that so?
Yes. You see, ...... I'd rather marry Mr. Alec soon and then we can do things together.
"And then what does ...... mean after you're married?

　For a moment, my heart skipped a beat.

Yes, like a honeymoon, for example.
...... I see. You haven't gone out alone with Angel much since you started working. Do you want to go to Zeahorse again?

　Zeahorse is a spa town that Angel and I visited some years ago.
　As a result of solving a small case, the hot springs in Zealhose have a decent beauty benefit.

'Yes!　Let's go. I want to do many other things with Alec.
Yes.

　I'm wondering how your relationship with Angier will change after you clearly become a couple and what you will do together.
　I, too, am beginning to look forward to that.

"Master.

　After knocking, the head maid, Amelia, came into the living room.

"What's up, Amelia?
The imperial envoy is here to see you.
"Imperial envoy?
"Your sister?

　The one who comes with the emperor's order, the imperial envoy.
　It was a rare presence for us.

Why an imperial envoy?　Is something wrong with your sister?
I don't know. Anyway, send me in.
"I'll get right to it.
"Angel, help me get dressed.
"Yes!

　Nodding, we left the living room and headed for the dressing room.
　When the imperial envoy is here, we should be properly dressed.

　With Angier's help, I changed into the formal attire in accordance with the vice-imperial's formalities.
　I went straight to the parlor to meet the imperial envoy who had passed through earlier.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find a good deal more information on this.
　I wonder if the eunuch is .......

"Juyi
"Ha!

　After a high-pitched voice, I bowed on one knee to the imperial envoy - the Emperor's distinguished eunuch.

On the occasion of the marriage of my father, the Vice-Emperor Sir Alexander Carlyle, and Princess Angelica Silva, I hereby grant pardon to all criminals in the Empire. That is all.
"...... grateful happiness

　Trying to guess Eliza's true intentions caused me to delay my reply by a breath.

"Congratulations, Father, this is an unmistakable honor.

　When I got up, the imperial envoy's tone changed from his earlier, stiff tone to one of considerable contempt, "Your Majesty didn't say anything else?

"Didn't Your Majesty say anything else?
Well, I don't know. But I've been left with one thing that Father Kuoi is probably curious about.
What do you mean?
"Everything, including the rebels, seems to be the case.
"That's really everyone at ......, isn't it?

　Rebellion is, of course, the most serious crime in imperial law.
　Those caught in the act of treason are usually guilty of the death of their clan.
　To such an extent, and with such an eye for an example.

　If there is a pregnant woman in the family, they will even put her baby to death after she gives birth.

　If you're going to go that far, it really is "everything.

　I asked the imperial envoy for more information, but I could not get any more information.

I understand. May I ask your majesty to respond?
What is it?
"In my name, please do it in my name.

　The expression on Teshima's face grew stronger for a moment.
　It's a face that says "what are you going to say?

Are you sure you want to tell ...... that?
"Yes.
"...... Got it.

　From the congratulatory face of earlier, the chancellor walked away with a bitter expression on his face.


　A royal pardon is, in a cynical view (and indeed there are many nobles and ministers who take that view), a means of buying the emperor's mind.

　Human law is not a panacea, for example, if a man whose parents were slaughtered by a murderer seeks revenge, he must be judged for his revenge.
　There are many cases in which the law has no choice but to judge, even if you want to take justice out of consideration.
　It's a special pardon to do this on a case-by-case basis, and it's a pardon to do it willy-nilly.

　I'm asking for a pardon to buy the emperor's heart.
　No wonder the emperor walked away with a bitter look on his face.

Sir Alec, why?
"What?
That's not like Alec. It's not so much what Alec does to get people to thank him.
No, I would do anything to make Angel happy.
"That's not what it's about,

　Angier looked troubled, sulky, and somewhere in between.
　I chuckled.

Well, to tell you the truth Angier, I've been thinking about forgiveness too,
Is that so?
Yes, I'll make a suggestion to Eliza if I need it. If not, I can pardon a lot of people in Avalon on my own authority.
"Yes.

　Father of the Nation, Vice-Emperor, the real ruler of Avalon.
　I have the authority to do as I please with the pardon.

So I've heard it from the angels.
"Dear Angel ......?
Yeah. So, it seems that a pardon is a negative thing in the assessment after death.
"Really?

　Angel is astonished.

Yes, because it's all about releasing criminals, in essence. It's really not that different from the escape route.
Oh, ...... if that's your point of view, you might as well ....... Then you have to stop your sister.
It's useless.

　I laughed even harder.

"Eliza didn't make the imperial envoy come by herself. That was a declaration of 'I've decided to do it'. If I was going to consult with you, you would have come here in person to consult with me in secret.
That's right: ......
I think this edict is already running all over the Empire. It says to release the guilty on the occasion of Sir Alexander's wedding.
"Isn't ......
So I said, do it in my name.
But then Alec will have to bear the guilt.
"Have you forgotten, Angier?
"Huh?

　What?　Angel, who prints a blank stare like, "I have to do an angel a favor and sin regularly.

"I have to sin regularly for the angels' sake.
"Ah, ......
This time it's more of a ferryboat.
I see. ...... You were thinking that much in the last second, Alec.

　I smiled at Angier and called Mari.
　I asked her to write a letter and send it to Elisa with instructions.

　I'm sure Elisa will have the same questions as Angel, so I wrote a letter to her to tell her the story, including the story of the angel, without hiding it.