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Shione struggled to open her mouth. No, rather than saying she couldn’t open it, it would be better to say that she chose not to.

With her chin resting on her hand, she was far too busy rolling her eyes at the elf looking up at her, without lowering her head even a bit.

Her demeanor was like that of someone coldly evaluating how to respond to her opponent, using a rational mind to carefully assess and probe.

“The Young Lady was like a seasoned veteran. The way she skillfully surveyed the battlefield and shot arrows at the right spots reminded me of our elves who have already completed their training.”

“That’s quite the compliment.”

“Compliment? I simply stated the truth, that’s all.”

The tension between Shione and Friel was palpable.

Their expressionlessness contrasted sharply with Friel’s sly smile.

“After my injury, I couldn’t wield bow and sword on the battlefield… so I relied on my spirit Piel’s sight to observe everything. I watched helplessly as the forest guardians Arielte and Chelness fell victim to the cult, their lives slipping away. And yet the guardians of Ianette appeared almost untouched, as if they were putting on an act in the same battle.”

“That’s not all.”

“My eyes also caught the image of you, Young Lady.”

Friel Arielte began to casually recount what I had missed while fainting on the ground.

“Your combat style was quite fierce. Unlike your usual support role, it seemed like such aggressive methods were your original intent.”

“Even amid that chaos, you meticulously observed Ianette and actively maneuvered to avoid becoming a liability in battle.”

“And… if I didn’t lose my composure and hallucinate, I definitely glimpsed a tinge of annoyance or a desire for revenge in your eyes.”

Friel wiped the cheeky smile off her face.

Lowering the hand resting on her chin, she straightened up respectfully before continuing.

“Please, Young Lady. Whether it’s driven by greed or some other scheme, if we do not firmly condemn Ianette’s actions, they may act again… We need your assistance.”

Shione merely gazed silently at Friel.

In truth, I had already briefed Shione on the discussion we were going to have over tea today and gained her affirmation.

However, Friel Arielte, being unaware of this fact, was doing all she could to persuade Shione, who was not on the same page as I was.

With an elven lilt that was soft yet firm, she boldly held the gaze of her counterpart.

‘Let’s just see what she has to say.’

Shione remained silent, wanting to gauge just how sincere Friel’s intentions were. She was also trying to assess whether she could trust her enough to craft a cautious plan together.

I was merely enjoying the sight of Shione’s reactions and Friel’s flustered demeanor compared to six months ago.

“There is nothing for you to apologize for. You, as an outsider, have no particular benefits by deeply entering the politics of our Great Forest, so I understand your caution. To be honest, besides condemning the actions of the extermination squad, this also serves to undermine the prestige of your family. We’re in the same boat now, and it’s inevitable that we’ll get involved. You might even come under Ianette’s scrutiny.”

Shione calmly sipped her tea.

However, her gaze was not directed at the clear color of the tea; instead, it was focused on Friel, her eyes radiating an unusual intensity.

“If you join us and suffer any losses, the Arielte family will fully protect you. But if you do incur any damages… I’ll do my utmost to compensate through our family’s ties, wealth, and everything.”

“…Can we discuss this in more detail?”

“By that, you mean…?”

“I do believe that condemning Ianette is indeed necessary. One of our knights almost got entangled in their conduct.”

“…Then let’s dive deeper into the conversation. However, from now on, this discussion must remain strictly confidential until we reach a concrete conclusion through a formal contract. Is that acceptable, Young Lady?”

“Of course.”

“Very well.”

From this conversation, it was clear that Friel Arielte was not just providing potential benefits on her personal level but also considering the connections stemming from Fleta Arielte, the head of the family’s decisions, and how many advancements we could achieve moving forward, along with a rough outline of their plans.

Friel Arielte began to pour forth her plans aggressively to recruit Shione.

Once the interests aligned just enough, and Shione finally seemed to place her trust in Friel and nodded, Friel finally began to speak about the actions she wished for me and Shione to take, not just the actions of their family.

“We have no concrete evidence. Ianette was cunning, and merely relying on the proof we experienced wouldn’t do much damage even if we held a trial. It would simply turn into an ugly courtroom brawl.”

“……”

“Only when our Arielte family has the neck of Ianette in our grasp might we have something to show.”

“What you mean is?”

“The conflict between Arielte and Ianette is nothing new. Legal battles occur often. Now, other people don’t pay much attention to our disputes. There may be others who think that Arielte is simply trying something again. But you all are different.”

Friel’s eyes began to sparkle.

“You and Ray are the heroes invited by the Grand Elder to the Great Forest. And the truth is, you, Young Lady, have been tracing the nightmares that visit you every night, boosting the morale of our allies, while our spirit mage has single-handedly defeated a half-demon. These are remarkable feats.”

“Since you’ve accomplished such great deeds for the Great Forest, your words now carry more weight than ever, surpassing previous standards. Especially for those involved in this matter.”

“And that’s why we need your help. Coincidentally, the Grand Elder also mentioned that he would call you both.”

Our help.

“The moment you meet with the Grand Elder, please conduct a trial on behalf of the Arielte family.”

Friel was indeed asking for a trial to be held.

“Not just any trial, but a grand trial where the wise Grand Elder presides, evaluating everything meticulously.”

A trial where the absolute judgment of the High Elf would prevail.

“If you request the Grand Elder’s intervention, the trial must be held. Moreover, you have the justification to compel Ianette, who would otherwise attempt to evade judgment.”

“The trial’s subject will be you. And perhaps a few factions from our Arielte and Chelness families will assist us. We’ll handle all preparations for the trial.”

“What we need right now is a solid opportunity to capture Ianette and ensure a fair trial. This opportunity can only be created by you, Young Lady and Ray.”

“…Will you help us?”

Shione and I took a moment to exchange glances before responding to Friel’s words.

If we were the ones to hold the trial, we would inevitably have to establish a political conflict with Ianette, which would make the situation much larger than anticipated. Given that Ianette was one of the three representative families of the Great Forest, the pressure would undoubtedly be significant.

Shione hesitated.

Watching her reaction, I began to slowly draw upon my mana.

Honestly, with the solid evidence of Ianette’s identity and actions in hand, I had no reason to hesitate. I possessed the means to drag them down to a point where they could never retaliate against us.

Summoning my spirit nonchalantly, I spoke comfortably.

“Friel, you mentioned that you would somehow fetch evidence for the trial from Arielte.”

“Of course… Since I’ve already made a significant request, I wouldn’t want to—”

“As for the decisive evidence, I already have it all assembled. The evidence I possess is more than enough to utterly dismantle Ianette, allowing Arielte to prepare a more grandiose scheme for her downfall.”

“…What?”

Friel seemed incredulous, her formalities slipping.

But I continued without hesitation, feeling confident enough to be audacious at this moment.

“Not just Ianette, but I’ve already secured the legitimacy needed to uproot the malignant burden of the Kalia Marquis Family, Allen Kalia as well.”

Elvis was summoned.

And as previously instructed, the moment Elvis appeared, he immediately summoned the memories of the wind he had gathered.

─How troublesome, how bothersome. Make sure to remember everything clearly. If you keep bothering me, you’ll need to be silenced decisively.

─Silencing, you say?

─Indeed, the decapitated cannot wag their treacherous tongues.

“This is…”

Friel looked at me in disbelief.

─According to the Head’s orders, once our Great Forest is swept and trampled upon, only Ianette will remain, reigning over everything. I wish to witness that day not among these miserable wretches but at the Head’s side.

“Arielte will undoubtedly become busier than expected.”

─As for Kalia Marquis Family’s Allen… He may not seem trustworthy given how he’s steeped in magic. But since we’ve made a contract, it’s worth taking the plunge this time.

“I must capture everyone who posed a nuisance.”

Friel stared at me, shock written on her face as her voice trembled.

“T-This madman—”

Despite her rough words, Friel’s lips curved upward, filled with an unprecedented amusement.

 

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