Chapter 75 · Cyrus's Choice (3)

During the plague in my past lives, Santra’s researchers were desperate to find a cure as well. Since it didn’t kill immediately, they didn’t think much of it at first, but later it spread even to the nobility.

They tried every method imaginable and barely managed to learn of the herb of life’s existence, confirming that the flower grew only in the desert regions of Kalisa and in Batias on the eastern continent. In the end, after dragging things out, they paid Batias a fortune to import the herb. Though they ran into a second hurdle when they couldn’t cultivate it in large quantities.

‘But why didn’t they threaten us with Leo? They had him as a hostage, so they could have easily done so.’

That part was a little puzzling. It was exactly the kind of thing the despicable Santran royal family and nobles would do. In any case, this plague had never spread to the hot, humid southern continent. That much was certain.

So why was that man lying?

‘The reason is obvious.’

“So Brilia has had this disease before as well? G-good, is there a cure?”

The king asked urgently the moment the interpreter finished speaking.

“Yes, I believe there is a cure.”

“Is that true? What a relief!”

“Yes, but since I am merely an interpreter, I believe I can inform you of the exact treatment method after consulting with the delegation.”

“As expected, Lord Lux watches over our Santra. If you would only share the treatment method, I will reward you generously.”

The king’s face lit up, but the interpreter was smiling awkwardly for some reason.

‘Of course he would.’

He was in cahoots with Aquila to pull off a scam. They intended to provide a false treatment and let everything descend into chaos.

“As expected, it seems it was right to proceed with the trade, just as our niece suggested.”

Aquila’s characteristic high voice sounded especially chilling.

“Perhaps our niece really is ‘the one who will bring light to Santra.’”

“…”

I could see Aquila’s plan: plant the bait this way, then
1. prove that I was wrong after all,
2. prove that Brilia really was a pack of ungrateful barbarians,
3. ensure Santra can never trade with any other nation again,
4. and lay all the blame for the disaster on me.

Rage boiled up inside me.

Fine, wanting to get rid of me is one thing. But this involves the lives of Santra’s people! Bringing in a false cure will only delay the research further! And look at those seemingly good-natured people. How unjust would it be for them to be saddled with such a crime when they did nothing wrong? They all came all this way, braving a difficult sea voyage, just to somehow trade with Santra.

‘Does that woman simply not care about such things?’

Hatred welled up anew, making it hard to breathe. Just then, the interpreter rose from his seat.

“Please excuse me for a moment.”

He asked to be excused and hurried out of the banquet hall, and I pretended to go to the washroom and followed him. I lost sight of him for a moment and panicked, but soon found him in a small arched alcove in a corner of the corridor. He was crouched down, sighing and clutching his head.

Goodness, look at that, his whole chest is showing. Truly indecent, indecent.

I crept closer, hiding behind a pillar.

“What am I supposed to do…”

It was the southern continent’s language.

“Ahh, damn it… I’m screwed, really.”

“That’s a curse word, isn’t it?”

He nearly fainted when I popped out from behind the pillar.

“Eeeek!”

“Shh.”

I put a finger to my lips and spoke in the southern continent’s language.

“You shouldn’t be loud in the royal palace.”

“?!”

His eyes grew almost as big as saucers.

“H-how do you speak the southern continent’s language…”

“What’s your name?”

He stammered and couldn’t answer.

“Your name!”

“…C-Cyrus Sohrab.”

“Hmm, Sohrab is hard to pronounce, so I’ll call you Cyrus.”

I smiled brightly and switched back to Santran.

“I only know a little of the southern continent’s language. If you knew how little, you’d laugh.”

“N-no, that’s not true. It’s rare for a Santran to learn the southern continent’s language at all, isn’t it?”

“That’s true. These people have no intention of leaving Santra.”

Cyrus looked quite shocked. Given how eloquent he was, the fact that he couldn’t even think of taking control of the conversation said a lot.

He was staring at me as if I were some kind of monster, terrified. No, if he was this startled by a little southern continent’s language, he’d faint at my next words.

“How much did Aquila say she’d give you?”

“What?!”

“A thousand arum? Is that too little? Then five thousand arum?”

“Wh-what on earth do you mean!”

I thrust my face close to his as he panicked.

“You think I don’t know you’re scheming with Aquila to pull off a scam?”

“I-I-I have no idea what the princess is talking about!”

“Cyrus doesn’t know the cure for that plague.”

“N-no, I do! I… I know it, I do!”

“Do you know what Cyrus is about to do?”

I put on a serious face. Whether my face actually looked intimidating, I wasn’t sure.

“Cyrus is about to commit murder. Of tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of people! Santrans will die because of you.”

“…!”

Honestly, I wasn’t sure this would get through to him. If it didn’t, I’d have to use another method… but somehow I had a strong intuition that it would work on this guy!

I kept pressing him.

“Is money really more important than human lives? Could you live comfortably after doing such a thing? Probably not even if you lived. And countless vengeful spirits would haunt Cyrus every night. Do you want to live like that?”

But Cyrus exceeded my expectations. With a shocked face, his whole body trembling, he burst into tears.

“Hngh… You’re right…! I’m trash!”

“?”

Ah, no… I hadn’t even called him trash yet.

He collapsed onto the floor, covered his mouth, and wailed.

“I must have been insane! Trusting the innkeeper who said he’d make me a fortune! That bastard! If I could, I’d kill him myself!”

Seeing him weep so openly made me feel a little sympathy. Just a teeeeny bit… kind of cute, too? Well, no human can avoid greed for money. The problem was that he’d grabbed a rotten rope.

‘Still, it’s a relief he seems to have a conscience. It would have been complicated if he’d been completely shameless.’

I approached Cyrus and patted him on the back a few times. Then I whispered into his ear.

“Hmm… Sorry to interrupt your crying, but either way, you’re admitting you conspired with Aquila, right?”

“What?”

I pulled out the locket necklace from inside my dress, held it up, and gave him a devilish smile. A sparkling light was leaking from the locket.

“Sorry. I had the image recording magic activated before I even came to see Cyrus.”

“!”

He stopped crying in an instant and his mouth fell open.

“Wh-what are you doing…!”

“What do you mean, what am I doing?”

Heh, I sometimes really like how thorough I am.

“I’m going to make Cyrus my slave.”

“…!”

“Now Cyrus’s lifeline is in my hands, isn’t it?”

He couldn’t say anything, his face blank. It seemed he still couldn’t quite take in the situation. I dangled the locket necklace in my hand and added playfully.

“What should I do? Should I show this to His Majesty the King right now?”

“Aaaah, no! You can’t! Please!”

Cyrus grabbed my dress and began begging desperately.

“My neck will be on the line! I-if a talent like me disappears from the world, what could be more of a loss?”

“Hmm? Is Cyrus really worth that much?”

“Of course! I can speak ten languages. A-and I’m good with numbers, and I have a knack for finding money-making opportunities! My information network could be called the best in the world!”

“Ten languages? How?”

“I-I traveled all over the continents following my father from a very young age.”

“Wow, then you’re almost not Brilian at all, are you?”

“That… actually, my nationality isn’t Brilian. I was hired by the delegation, you see…”

“Then where are you from?”

He hesitated for a long while, then answered in a cowering voice.

“Um… Eldina.”

“What? You’re Eldinan?!”

“Y-yes. It’s such a small island nation that you probably don’t know it…”

No, of course I know it! It’s my dream and hope, the earthly paradise that will bring me peace!

A godsend had rolled right into my lap. But I didn’t let it show, and narrowed my eyes.

“A remarkable person who speaks ten languages took on a lowly job like this?”

“Khh… The truth is, I needed money. My father is drowning in debt and being chased…”

“Then do many people know Cyrus is Eldinan?”

“No, I’ve kept it hidden, so almost no one knows.”

‘This guy is my destiny. Destiny.’

Destined to become my slave, that is. Hehehe.

“Well, if you promise to be my slave thoroughly, I could help Cyrus become free of Aquila. I’ll even pay off all of Cyrus’s debts.”

“R-really?”

“Of course. Is Aquila the only princess around here? I’m a princess too!”

Cyrus muttered with a somewhat disbelieving face.

“But… the princess is…”

“What? Finish what you’re saying.”

“Th-the princess is… a-a-a bast…”

“A bastard, you mean?”

He jumped at those words. Hmph, he said it first himself and then got scared.

“Didn’t you see His Majesty the King earlier? He’s completely wrapped around my finger.”

“I-I did see that, but…”

“You saw it, but since my origins are so lowly, you don’t think you can rely on me?”

“No, no, that’s not it…!”

Cyrus fidgeted, then clung to me. There were tears welling in his eyes.

This is a first for me… He’d be so fun to tease!

“Even if you hadn’t caught my weakness, Cyrus would have been killed by Aquila before he even crossed the border.”

How thorough is that woman? Would she just leave a loose end like him? Even in my seventh life, when I posed no threat to her whatsoever, I was assassinated while escaping the palace.

“So don’t just bite into anything that looks tasty, big brother. It could be a poisonous mushroom. Consider this a life lesson, and let’s overcome this crisis together.”

“…This is strange.”

He said in a tiny voice, trembling.

“What is?”

“E-excuse me, Princess, how old are you?”

“I’m eight.”

“But why do I feel like I’m talking to someone around forty?”

“Hehe, that’s why you should trust me. I possess the wisdom of ten lifetimes.”

I shamelessly spoke the truth and pulled him to his feet.

“Operation begins right now. Got it?”

◇ ◆ ◇

“Wh-what did you say?”

The moment the king heard my words, he spilled the black tea he was drinking all down the cup.

“I’d like this gentleman to become my foreign language teacher!”

“A foreign language teacher?!”

“I spoke with him outside for a moment, and he’s truly, truly amazing, you see? He can speak ten languages!”

I lifted Cyrus’s hand and spoke brightly. And I watched with delight as Aquila’s face, seated beside the king, slowly curdled.

‘This time too, things won’t go the way you want.’