--next morning. Futa's private office.


"Excuse me. I see you didn't come back last night. ...... I've brought you breakfast.

　There was no answer to his knock.
　With a puzzled tilt of her head, the attendant girl slowly opened the door.

　If you are resting, close the door gently and leave.
　If you are still in the room, leave quietly.
　However, there is a separate manual for when something happens to the guest or when the guest is not present.

　However, there was no one in the room.

"...... again?

　"The chambermaids don't often interact with the guests in this room.

　After all, there was a fixed maid in the room. And that was on the direct order of Her Highness.
　The absence of the maid has interfered with the various schedules of the royal castle.
　To top it all off, as soon as the guests found out about her absence yesterday, they also ran away, and the castle is now in a minor commotion.

I don't hear of any meals being taken. ...... Oh.

　The maidservant girl suddenly realized.
　There's a music box that's been playing.

　Bright, joyful music. It's so out of place in this situation.

　She gently approached the side table with the music box on it and slowly tightened the lid.
　Just like that, the music stopped.

The music stopped. "It's damaged if it keeps playing. I can't find it at a glance, but I wonder if I should rewind the ...... spring.

　I thought about it and shook my head. It's a music box in a shape I've never seen before, and I'm afraid I'll break it if I mess with it.

　So this is it.

　So I cleaned up the room and she put the cold breakfast on the wagon and headed back.

　Then I suddenly realized.

　The music box he left playing yesterday when he left in a hurry.

　The fact that it was still playing meant that he hadn't returned to his room since then.















　The sun had just risen. Futa was in a back alley of the capital.

　He had been searching for the girl from dusk to midnight and into the morning, but he showed no signs of fatigue, running from one place to the next.

　There is no shame in this.
　There is no shame in it.

　He's a man who doesn't care about any of that.

　He simply bowed his head to everyone and continued his desperate inquiries.

"Oh?　I don't know.
"Oh, yeah? ......

　A slum in a back alley.
　A slum in a back alley, where I met Lilac when I first came to this city.

　It was difficult to get to know the people who slept and slept on the cold cobblestones.

We'd never leave a girl like that behind!
You betcha!

　They laughed and laughed.

　If you don't know her, then you don't have a choice, and that's when Futa turned away.


"Hey. Are you sure you don't know?


　I'm sure you've heard of it.

"Hee!

　I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I've seen it before.

I'll give you 10,000 gourdes if you give me some detailed information. Well, if you don't know, I have no use for you.

　The name of the weapon is the spear: Hourai.

　The cross spear, which can slit a man's throat in a single breath, reflects off the face of a frightened man.

"P-Prim?
"Yes. I knew you'd be here, Futa.
What are you doing? He doesn't know what he's doing.
Hmm, well, I don't need it.

　A death sentence whispered in my ear.
　The man shook his head as if in a froth.

"Well, if you want to talk about details!　There is!

　It was Futa's turn to open his eyes.

　I knew it," Prim muttered, letting go of the spear and spinning it dexterously around on her back.

　Then she stood side by side with Futa.

"So let's hear what you know, shall we?
"I didn't see him!　But there were people looking for her yesterday morning, just like you!
Yeah. What guys?
They were in disguise, but their faces were familiar!　They're the ones who hang around King's Landing!　You know, from one of the merchant associations!
Hmm. Well, I guess that's enough to narrow it down.
Well, well, well. ......



　Here," Prim said, scattering a thousand-garde bill.
　The men immediately fought over it, but he pulled Huta away.

I thought you said you didn't know anything about .......
"Information is candy and a blade, Mr. Futa. It's basic.
Oh, yeah. ...... Oh, yeah. ......
What's wrong?
No, I'm missing the part where you're the one giving the candy. ......
You've got to keep the money. Ask the princess or something.

　Prim shakes her head, "Oh dear.

But why did you come to me?
I have a message from my employer. My employer told me to tell the princess that we're even now.
Mr. Richter...

　Come to think of it, I think I know who he is.

You're no longer irrelevant. Or rather, you tell me. I'm about to get a war budget from His Majesty the King.

"As Lord Treasurer, the nobility would prefer that we not go to war.
"I see. That's very convenient.


　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that Richter's request has been fulfilled, and by the way, he was in Lilac's office when I went to inform him of Corona's absence.
　I wonder if he was in some kind of meeting.

So, Mr. Richter has teamed up with Master Lilac?
"...... No, yeah, well... I guess so.

　Prim's eyes were a little distant.
　His mouth was moving, "Poor Mr. Richter.

　Playing with the two black tufts, Prim strolled through the alleyway.

　Futa followed, looking as if he had no time to waste.

But how did you find this place?
"Oh, that?　You've heard of it?　I'm sure you're not the only one. You're no good at information warfare.
I'm sorry. It's just...
If the lowlifes find out you're on the move, ...... well, they may react, in a good way or a bad way.

　I've done my research," Prim said, opening her mouth.

I checked with the guards at the city gate, and there's no sign of the girl going out. We've been checking all the incoming and outgoing luggage, so it's highly unlikely that she was taken outside of King's Landing.
"Possibility?
Possibility. That's an interesting concept. It's an interesting concept, but it's not a bad way to eliminate the most unlikely places.
So you're sure we're looking in the right place?
I guess so.

　The two of them exchanged information as they ran quickly.

"It may be useless, but there were no sightings on the main street. I can't help you if you're lying to me.
"The hush money is reasonable, and I don't think they'd be that stingy if it was a store on Main Street. So let's just trust the witness for now.
"Okay.

　As time goes by, the frustration accelerates.

　If he just disappeared or went out, there would be no unnatural lack of sightings.
　She left the capital and went somewhere. If that were all, we could still see her intentions.

　But the reality is different.
　I don't know what she's wearing now, but that beautiful blond hair still stands out. Even if she was hiding it, it would make her stand out.

　And yet, there's little information about her, and even a story that some merchant group was looking for her.

I'm not sure what's going on with Corona ......!

　I'm not sure what to do.

"Futa-kun. I've only been here a short time, but does the phrase "business association" sound familiar to you in King's Landing?
No, it doesn't.

　No, I don't." - No, I didn't recognize the name of the business association.

　But...
　But I've seen a lot of them in King's Landing.

　Now that you mention it, I have some thoughts.
　The fact that they were often seen in the back alleys meant that they were one of the most prominent merchant associations in the city.

"I've heard from Master Lilac. "I've heard from Master Lilac about the head of the Chamber of Commerce that runs this city.
The Chamber of Commerce. I see. So there is such a thing in this country. Then let's find some kind of landmark of that business association and scare those vagrants again.
"Scare them again?

　I just thought that was a very rude thing to say, so I just said my honest opinion.

　But then Prim stopped and looked back at Futa.
　There was a hint of enthusiasm in her eyes.



Is that what we're talking about?
"...... Yeah, right. Master Lilac used to say it's all about priorities. My first priority is to find Corona.
Yeah.

　I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.
　I'm not sure if it's the decisiveness or the straightforwardness of the move.

　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's a little nervous about the whole thing.

Thank you, .......
"Yes.

　The familiar Prim gesture.

　Normally this would be the end of the conversation.

　In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. There's no reason for us to talk.

　There was supposed to be. But...



"I... I once killed my brother, right?



　These words pierced the heart of the running Futa.