104 - - Blood ties are important, aren't they?








 The sound of the deer's tale echoes in the bathhouse.



"Fuwa~~" (Charlotte's pleasant voice)

"Phew......" (Irisphilia's ecstatic exhale)

"Huh ......" (Marianne's lustrous sigh)





 The four girls at the waterfall site were soaking in an open-air bath under the azure sky.

 On the other side of the wooden wall, Hurt and Lias are also there. Incidentally, Haruto hid the king's crest on his left breast. He was not careless.



 Marianne was at first hesitant about soaking in the open-air bath for the first time, but she decided to do it because the other three were so open.



The water is nice, isn't it? Besides, my skin feels smooth.



 She pulled her supple arm out of the slightly cloudy water and stroked it with her other hand.

 Charlotte was not looking at the gesture, but at the princess's bosom. She wondered if she would float.

 On the other hand, there is also something that sinks in, though these two are unaware of it.



"Hey, Frey, are you okay?"



 Irisphilia pulls up Frey, who has sunk to the bottom, and makes him hold her against the edge of the bath.

 Again, Charlotte is watching intently.

 The fruit of the two is bountifully ripened by the gravity.



(Mother is no slouch either. Someday I will be like you (......).



 But, but...

 He clutches his own flat chest with his hand and shivers, wondering if he will ever be able to reach that realm.



 He shakes his head and shakes his head to the side, shaking the unpleasant thoughts out of his head.

 Then, he sat in the hot water for a while, and said, in a relaxed manner, "I'm not sure I'm ready for this.



"Now, I have something to say to you all, or rather to Princess Marianne and Prince Lias.



 Marianne's expression tightens at the mention of her name.



"There is a student council-like organization behind the scenes at the academy right now. We are in trouble.



"What?"

"......"



 Marianne shouted in a deranged voice, and an atmosphere of dismay flowed from behind the board wall.



"Um, ...... Charlotte-chan? What kind of backstage student council is ......?"



"Yes, in fact, a group of students known as the "Numbers" are trying to overthrow the front student council and take over the academy!"



"What?"

What?



"And there is a huge dark organization that controls them behind the scenes. That is the Luciphira cult that plans to revive the Demon God and rule the world!



"What?

What?



 At first Marianne and Lias were at a loss to grasp the meaning, but when the name of the cult was mentioned, they could not dismiss it as a delusion.



 Incidentally, Harto had mentioned something about a demon god in passing one day, but Charlotte was able to imagine the true purpose of the cult with the little information she had.



"What is a demon god?"



A fallen god from a mythical age. He is very bad."



 It was Raius in particular who was shocked.

 He picked up voices from the other side of the wooden wall (Hurt had warded the voices to be a little louder) and shuddered as he soaked in the hot water.



"No way, Mother. ......"



 Aside from the uncertainties of a demonic god, rumors abound that Queen Mother Giselotte is funding the Order.

 If the Order was planning to dominate the world, Mother was clearly intent on using it to take over the kingdom.



"Oh, hey Charlotte! What are you trying to do?"



"First, we will expose the Numbers and convert them. No bad things are allowed.



"And then what?"



At that point, the Order will realize that we are not going to be able to do anything about it. We are Camelot!



"That's not necessary. You guys aren't going to start a war with the cult, are you?



 I look at Hurt next to me.

 Harte was soaking himself in the bathtub.

 Charlotte responds cheerfully.



"Of course! According to one theory, the recent disturbance in King's Landing was also led by the cult. We will not tolerate any more evil!"



"Seriously, ......?"



 I didn't want to believe it.

 But then I realized that Charlotte's story was not a total lie or delusion.



 Lias himself was in a tight spot during the King's Landing riots. If he had made a mistake, he would have been bitten by the Elder Ghouls and turned into a corpse.

 If the mother had been involved in the case, her son would have had no way to avoid the danger.

 No, maybe...



(Was she trying to get rid of me along with my sister at that time ......?)






 For all of my life, my mother and I have never treated each other like a normal parent and child.

 I will be the next king, and my mother will reign behind me. I have always had the suspicion that she was just a pawn for that purpose.



(Am I even a pawn anymore? ......)



 Lias bit his back teeth.



 In the women's bath, on the other hand.



"What's this?" "I feel like there's a serious atmosphere emanating from that bath.



 Charlotte was a little apprehensive.

 Marianne said hesitantly.



"There is speculation that the Order is financed by Queen Giselotte. My feeling at the palace is that this is the case.



"Huh?"



 Irisphilia responded on behalf of the surprised Charlotte.



"Then, inevitably, we will meet up with the Princess Flashlight at some point, won't we?"



"Fluffy ......"



 Depending on the situation, the real parents and their children may kill each other.



"Yes, that kind of development is common in anime, but if it becomes a reality, it would be ahwah ......."



 Charlotte's head was about to overheat at the sudden serious question.



"It's fine.



 Harte says carefree.



"Blood ties are trivial, aren't they? It's just that the enemy standing in our way happens to be our own parents. We can crush them without hesitation.



 Lias shifts his gaze to Hurt.

 His face was soaked in hot water and his words seemed to have an indescribable "power" in them.



 Harte's origin is not quite clear.

 The Count of Semphis on the frontier had merely told him that he had taken in a commoner orphan.



 Perhaps Harte's words may have come from his own experience.

 Whether it is true or not.



"Yes, I do."



 Hurt's words gave Lias strength.



 My mother is acting stranger than ever these days.

 She had been irritable for the past five years since the strange collar was put on her, but lately she had become sickeningly cheerful.



 She's up to something. Maybe she's already started.

 Either way, there is no longer any doubt that this is an act against the Kingdom.



 It's time for us to part ways.



I don't care if it's your mother... if she disturbs the kingdom... I'll take care of her.



"No, you can't do it. You're not good enough.



Just let that part slide!



 In any case, even the princess and the prince have joined Camelot.



(Well, what about me? ......)



 It's a hassle, but I want my sister to have fun.

 Hurt is soaking himself in a nice hot bath and planning his next move...