* * *



You've done well. Nice work.

　As soon as I walked into Mr. Cigarone's office, I was praised for some reason.


'Did you think I'd say that?　You wasted the opportunity. You could have killed Nova Barthélémon. And the result is a draw?　It's a friggin' blunder. What peace, this is ridiculous. Now the Orangi Kingdom will rise.


　It's not.

　No, well, that's true. I had done the exact opposite of what Mr. Cigarone had ordered.


'In a manner of speaking, I defeated Nova Barthélémon.

'Just in case?　Just in case, oh yeah, hahahaha!　What's the point of it all at .......

'No, I've been talking to her and I think I can get along with the Orangi Kingdom.

"She'll be gone sooner or later!　I don't know if it's ten or twenty years down the road, but I could resign as early as the end of this month!　If we do that, they'll make peace a moot point, and the next thing you know, we'll find ourselves inundated with Orangemen in the small country of Cizon!

!


　I see, so it's the future.

　It's true that as long as Nova and I are here, the Marvel Empire and the Orangi Kingdom will be able to get along with each other. But what happens to the relationship between the two countries if one of us is missing?　Surely they would not believe each other and would soon be restored to a state of tension.

　Cigarone-san seemed to have thought that far and told him to take this opportunity to defeat Nova.


''Quicksilver, you're looking at the big picture.

...... That attitude alone is utterly brilliant, with no remorse, remorse, or apology, even if it's wilful.


　Did he give you a compliment this time?　No, the irony?

'How do you explain that? Think and say it with your shit-filled head.


　It was ironic, it seems. Mr. Cigarone is the crown jewel.

　But an explanation?　I don't understand.


I don't have to explain anything. His Majesty's already praised me.

Are you saying you were right to disobey me?


　You're right, or rather, umm .......


"Seven, you've been used, and now you're about to be used even more. And now you're going to be used even more. You're not the one who doesn't understand that.


　...... hmmm?

　Utilization, when you work for the emperor, isn't it natural for the emperor to use you?


Who the hell is using you?

............


　I didn't understand a bit, so I asked her.

　Then Mr. Cigarone's face was silent with no expression on his face.

　It's not his usual angry face, but a cold expression, akin to disappointment.


...... You too," he said. That's enough, go home.

Me?

'Do you have shit in your ears?　I told him to go home. I don't even want to see your face.

Yeah.


　I don't know how to explain it, but after being told this much, there's no way I can leave.

　What is this? I'm not sure if it's a good idea for me to be able to say that I'm sorry.


"Excuse me,

　While nodding my head, I bow with a bow and leave the office.


'You too?' - Mr. Cigarone had said that at the end.

　Disappointed that I didn't realize I was being used?　No, it wasn't like that. He's probably discouraged about something much bigger.

　I'm ......, which means something similar must have happened to me before.

　You too," he said, "and you too," and the word "betrayal" comes to mind. When Raz was attacked by someone who betrayed his expectations, he often said something like "Bullshit". According to him, when he was betrayed by something, it was amusing to say, "You too, Brutus? It's an intellectual gag that actually leaves a junior high school graduate behind.

　Anyway. Mr. Cigarone has been betrayed by someone in the past. And I betrayed Mr. Cigarone, too, in a way. So that's why you said "You betray me too?" ...... and that's what you were saying?

　No, I don't know. I'd like to ask him straight already as usual, but by the looks of it, he wouldn't talk to me even if I met him. Well, I don't know what to do: .......


　Shucks, but it's strange nonetheless. Mr. Cigarone's thoughts are almost the opposite of those of the emperor. On top of that, he doesn't seem to bend his opinion and obey the emperor, or he may issue orders to his subordinates at his own discretion that are the opposite of the emperor's, as was the case with the Sizun Small Kingdom.

　I wonder how he is able to continue as Prime Minister with such a situation, but for some reason he seems to be able to do so. Is that how capable he is?


Oh.

　As I walked down the hallway, thinking about everything, I saw Olympia and Joe around the corner.


'What are they doing?'

'The Knight Commander!　Has the meeting already taken place?

Yeah, that didn't take long.

　That's about enough time. Perhaps it was because he didn't expect it to end so quickly, but Olympia seemed to be trying to make the most of the time.


''I beg your pardon for this. I was just about to bring Joe, the guard that the chief knight has appointed. How shall we treat him?

　What, you brought me all the way back here?

　Treatment?　Yeah, I'd have to think about that too. For now, I just wanted to keep him by my side as I was brainwashing him, so I wasn't really thinking about the details.


'I guess I'll just be Olympian's man,'

!
!

　Olympia will have a job as a knight of the Kingsguard, so I can get Joe to help me with my entourage's work. That's why I mentioned to Olympia's men that I would be ...... surprised at the two of them.


'I mean no disrespect. Can this man be my man?

　Olympia rolls her eyes and then says something like that terribly calmly.

　He's trying to say that he's not competent. And in fact, he probably is. Joe is just a guard, and Olympia is high in the pecking order among the Kingsguard knights. But .......


'Competence has little to do with it. What matters is trust.

......!


　It doesn't matter if Joe has the ability or not. He's brainwashed and he can't lie to me. I mean, I feel like the information he puts out is very trustworthy ....... That's why I just wanted to keep him by my side somehow.

　Olympia said, "Right! He opened his mouth with a huff.


''Knight Chief, you have a wonderful idea. It is true that with a person as good as a knight in chief, it is easy to raise an ordinary person to become a powerhouse in a few days. Then, skill aside, a trustworthy person is the one you need by your side. Aha, this Olympian, I admire you. I, too, will do my best to put my faith in the Knight Commander.

　Something self-servingly misunderstood Olympia is self-satisfied, but, well, that's generally what it is, probably.


"So it's nice to meet you, Joe. Let's go out for a drink again.

'Ha!　Thank you very much for your patience and support: ......!

　When I spoke to him, Joe was very awed and thanked me. He looks very frightened.

　...... It's no wonder, when you think about it. You're sandwiched between a general and a knight of the Kingsguard. I'm sorry to hear that you're being brainwashed for free.


'Olympia. "Olympia, don't be too rough on Joe. Start with the easy stuff. And don't buy him dinner and drinks when I'm not around.

Ha. I'll act like a good boss.

　That's it.


Oh, yeah. Joe, I had a quick question for you.

Ha. If it's okay with you, etc.

Mr. Cigarone says I'm being used. Who do you think I'm being used by?

!

　It was Olympia who showed a look of surprise when she heard my question.


'It must be Your Majesty or Lady Spica. Next in line is His Highness Melson.

!

　When asked a question, Joe answered nonchalantly.

　Olympia was even more surprised to see that.


''It's the only way, isn't it?''

''His Majesty and His Excellency the Prime Minister are constantly at odds with each other these days. It wasn't so much in the past, but when I think about it ...... it seems like it's only since Master Spica became His Majesty's personal fortune teller.

Hey, you!　That kind of thinking, that kind of disrespect--

It's okay, Olympia.


　Olympia almost yelled at Joe for being disrespectful when she saw him slurring his words.

　But if you're going to yell at me, it's at me. I'm the one who has brainwashed her to speak even profanity. Hence, I immediately stopped the Olympian.


''You should rather be this spastic, too.

Na......!

　Olympia froze with her mouth wide open. I thought she was angry because she stopped me after I warned her for goodness sake, but by the look on her face, she apparently wasn't.


'So?　So you're saying that His Majesty has become so attuned to Miss Spica's views that he has come to disagree with Miss Cigarone?

There's a rumor among the guards that this is not so.

I see. I see. And His Majesty's confidant, Mr. Cigarone, has been replaced by Mr. Spica?

''Yes, sir. 'I believe, myself, that His Majesty's transformation from a hardliner to a moderate was, after all, due to the influence of Lady Spica.'

"Hey, Spica. ......


　Did he successfully seduce that talented-looking fortune teller, the Emperor? Or is he really doing his best as a moderate for the sake of the empire?

　At any rate, I understand that Spica-san and Cigarone-san are bees.

　In other words, I'm not the emperor, I'm being used by Spica-san ......?


Hmm.

　Hmmm.

　I've only talked to her once. But at the time, I didn't have such a bad impression of her. She seemed smart, well-mannered, and most of all kind. She had a depth to her that made me rethink the job of "fortune teller".

　Oh well. We'll figure it out.


Joe, just one more thing. Has anyone ever betrayed you in the past, Mr. Cigarone?

Betrayal ......?

'Yeah. Someone who was thrown out by Mr. Cigarone, or who was fired for making a mistake or something.

'There are countless times for the latter, but ...... sorry, I can't think of anyone who has been shunned. I can't think of anyone who has been shunned.

Well, thank you.

　There was no clear betrayal, apparently. Funny, when it comes to the intellectual "You too?", it should be a betrayal relationship.


...... ki, knight in chief.

　Cigarone, maybe he wasn't actually a bull. Raz, is this the right use?

　As I was thinking about this, Olympia spoke to me with a nervous look on her face.


'What's wrong?'

'I'm still trying to decide whether or not I can say this: ...... but as a close associate of the Knight Commander, I am.'

Oh.

"Uh, ......

?

　Olympia seems to be stammering on about something. Is it something that is difficult to say from the position of an aide?


''Previously, before Lady Spica became His Majesty's personal fortune teller, there was still a kinsman knight attached to His Majesty at that time.

Yeah.

　On the other hand, you don't have it now?


To distinguish them from the knights of the Kingsguard with His Highness, the knights of the Kingsguard with His Majesty were specially called knights of the Kingsguard, and the Chief of the Kingsguard was also a high-ranking position that doubled as a general.

...... No way.

''Yes, sir. The chief knight in chief who has been in the imperial capital recently does not appear to know you. Two years ago, the knight-in-chief of the Imperial Guard was His Highness, Cigarone Eleveni, the present Prime Minister, who was suddenly removed from the general's service. He was suddenly removed from the general's service and assumed the role of Prime Minister.

　I've already heard that story. However, I didn't know that he was the pro-guard Knight Commander.


''Perhaps the betrayal that the Knight Commander says is ...... that's what he's referring to.

　I see!

　It wasn't that Mr. Cigarone pushed someone away, but that the Emperor pushed Mr. Cigarone away.

!

　Well, I had only thought that I had been shunned by Mr. Cigarone, but rather the opposite was true.

　If I had admitted at the time that I was being used by Ms. Spica, even for a moment, Mr. Cigarone would not have said, "You too?

　Mr. Cigarone was trying to determine at the meeting to see if I was on Ms. Spica's side or not. As a result, he thought my words were "blunt," and I, who hadn't offered any explanation, was completely on Mr. Spica's side, so I said, "You too," as if to say, "Are you on that side as well as His Majesty? I guess that's what he meant.

　...... No, I don't know, that's for sure. I'm sure Yukari or Raz or Nova would have figured it out, but I can't.

　But it's not too late. Olympia made me realize that. It's been nice having someone on my side. We have a feast later today, so we'll go to Mr. Cigarone's place again after that, or in the morning, and we'll talk about it again.


'Olympia.'

Ha!

Thank you. That was a good story.

Ha ...... ha!

　When I expressed my gratitude, Olympia was stunned for a while and then saluted in a fearful manner.

　It must have been really hard to talk to him because of his position. He could be fired if someone else heard about his boss's boss rumouring that the emperor had betrayed him, for example. So, thank you.

　Olympia looked at Joe and said something like that, "As a close associate of the Knight Commander, he seems to have a lot to learn.


By the way, what's going on with the pro-guard knights now?

The form is changing, Your Grace. "A covert, so-called 'The Shadow,' guards you at all hours of the day and night."

Or what?

'No one has ever seen it. But his skill seems to be good enough.

Wow, that's really something.


　A shadow that no one has ever seen before. That's pretty cool.

　That's how you protect yourself. I'm impressed. It's a deterrent to assassination by not revealing the identity and number of people to both friend and foe.


So maybe you're a shadow too?

Yeah, no.

　When I said jokingly, Olympia laughed elegantly and denied it, and then mouthed in a hushed voice: ''But, Knight Captain, be careful.


''But knight-in-chief, please be careful. Truly, you don't know where they are lurking. And the shadow does not only protect you. Sometimes it is a shield and sometimes it is the lance.



　　* * *



　Even though he had been so outspoken, he was too calm - Cigarone looked to the door where Seven had left the room, and took a slow, deep breath with his eyes closed.

　Time to reflect for one breath. Cigarone reflected on himself for having mixed his emotions with his words to Seven, just a little bit.

　He knew it too thinly. That attitude of Seven was not just a formality.

　Seven was plainly unaware that he was being used by Spica. Cigarone realized after all this time that his attitude was not just a formality.


'You're an incorrigible idiot, totally ......'

　Cigarone couldn't help but mutter to himself.

　If you ask him, most people were idiots. But Seven was a different kind of idiot among them.


'Fools and scissors, shall we use them?'

　Cigarone is resolute in his resolve. He is strongly convinced that he must do something about this country.

　In order to do so, I had to increase my hand of cards. A joker, more powerful than any of the other cards, a joker that I could save.

　And I was ready.


Now, one by one, expose your cards to the ...... vixen.


　　◇ ◇ ◇


　A woman murmurs in the dark room.

...... serum. The feast is always accompanied by poison. I'm sure someone will be planting it in Seven's glass as well.

　I'm not going to say who. I'm just referring to the person who has just spoken to me.

　In other words, someone is guessing and setting things up on their own. She had nothing to do with it at all.

'Ha--'

　A man nodded in the darkness and quietly dismissed the sign.


　　◇ ◇ ◇


　In a room that was too glittering to be described by the word "luxurious", the dressed woman spoke with a happy expression on her face.


Father," she says, "don't you think that boy Seven is really good? That boy Seven is really good, don't you think?

Hmm.

'He seems very strong, very smart, very pacifist, very protective, and very handsome~'

Hmm.

'Does your father forgive me?　Wouldn't your father be jealous if I married Seven?

Hmm.

Yes!　Then I'll marry Seven.

Hmm.

'Oh, I'm so happy to have a wealthy life, a father, and a marriage. ...... I wish these days could go on forever.

Hmm.