From today until the end of March, I will be closing the comment section.
It's spring break, and I don't want any spoilers for the story about whether this future will change or not.
If you really need to, please send me a message. m(__)m
Harem.
In the fifth concubine's room, the chestnut-haired maid was reporting to Zandra and Zuzan.
"Is that certain?"
"Yes, it's certain. The level of vigilance was not ordinary."
"Since you were trained as an assassin from a young age, I suppose it must be true."
Zuzan, sitting in a chair, spoke to the maid with a face full of trust.
Zandra also did not treat the maid with condescension.
She understood that among the many maids, the one in front of her was in a different league.
"I thought the ability to see the future was only in literature... Mother, I want it."
"Yes. She will surely make a good test subject. Don't you think so, Xiaomei?"
The maid called Xiaomei bowed her head and replied, "Yes."
Satisfied with her answer, Zuzan pondered.
No matter how much she wanted it, the target was a princess. Direct action was too dangerous. Moreover, she was the daughter of the second concubine. If anything happened, she would be the first to be suspected.
"Can Xiaomei bring her?"
"Use your head. If you act so directly, it will definitely lead back to me. I'm already under suspicion even if I do nothing. It's not a problem to be suspected, but if they trace it back to me, you will be destroyed too."
"I also find it difficult to deceive the prodigy of the Amsberg family... But I have a good plan."
"Oh? Let me hear it."
"Let's use the merchants that Lady Zandra favors. We will ask them to kidnap her, as usual."
"What are you saying!? If they get caught, who will bring me children!?"
"Zandra, calm down."
Zuzan calmed the agitated Zandra and urged Xiaomei to continue.
Xiaomei, who was used to Zandra's anger, nodded and began to explain the plan.
"Since Prince Leonardo has been dispatched to the south, it's only a matter of time before the kidnappings in the south are linked to those merchants."
"That's not necessarily true! Uncle would never show his tail to someone like Leonardo!"
"You mean there's a risk?"
"Yes. That's why we should use them here. If successful, we get Princess Krista, and if we fail, only they will be destroyed."
"What if the survivors reveal their connection to us?"
"Don't worry. I'll take care of the cleanup."
Xiaomei smiled, a smile that was devoid of warmth.
It was a smile that sent shivers down the spines of both Zuzan and Zandra.
However, they still kept Xiaomei. She was overwhelmingly excellent, and like the other maids, Xiaomei was under a "curse."
A powerful assassin with an unremovable collar.
This was the type of person Zandra and Zuzan preferred.
Thus, they accepted Xiaomei's plan.
Zandra was excited about the innate magic she had never seen before, and Zuzan imagined the second concubine's daughter being used as a test subject by Zandra, both smiling.
And so, the plan was put into action.
■■■
"The Fifth Concubine has invited you. She says she has something to discuss with Princess Krista and Lady Elna."
Elna frowned when she heard this from the maid who had come as a messenger.
Elna had heard about the second concubine and Zuzan.
Taking Princess Krista, the daughter of the second concubine, to Zuzan was like leading a small animal into a den of wild beasts. There was no telling what might happen.
However, in the harem, the concubines were absolute. The higher the rank, the more power they had. The third to fifth concubines were engaged in power struggles within the harem, while Mitsuha, who was not involved in such struggles, was worlds apart in terms of power.
"Since Lady Mitsuha is not here, I will visit another day."
"That is understood, but the invitation stands."
If Mitsuha were here, she could have refused, but unfortunately, Mitsuha had been summoned by the emperor.
The emperor had given tasks to Al and Leo one after another, so he was considerate of Mitsuha.
Elna looked at Krista, who was hiding behind her.
Whether she took her or left her, it was a hellish situation.
Refusing was not an option. If she did, Mitsuha might suffer as a result.
However, taking Krista to a woman who might be her mother's enemy was too cruel.
Still, there was the matter of the future vision. Leaving her behind was also too dangerous.
"Please tell the Fifth Concubine that I need a little more time."
"Understood."
The maid stepped back.
But this was only a delay.
"Is that clear, Your Highness?"
"Elna... I don't want to go..."
"Of course. You stay here. I will go alone."
"Elna, are you going...?"
"If I don't, Lady Mitsuha will be in trouble. So, you must not leave this room. Do you understand?"
Elna gave orders to the harem guards assigned to Mitsuha.
The harem guards were all women and were responsible for the security inside the harem. Each concubine had a unit of guards, and even higher-ranking concubines could not interfere with other concubines' guards. They were almost like private armies.
The only exception was the empress, who oversaw the harem, but the current empress would not act unless there was a public disturbance, making the guards even more like private armies.
"Yes, I understand."
"Under no circumstances are you to let her out of the room, even if she wants to leave."
"Yes, ma'am!"
As a temporary but sole protector of Mitsuha and Krista, Elna was also in charge of these guards.
However, Elna was uneasy about not being able to use her direct subordinates.
There were not enough people.
If she could bring Mark, the situation would be different. However, the harem was a women's domain, and men could not enter without permission.
"Is that clear, Your Highness? Promise me you won't leave the room."
"I understand... I won't leave the room..."
"Thank you. Even if they mention my name, you must not leave."
Elna stroked Krista's hair and left the room.
Without Elna, Krista was suddenly overwhelmed by anxiety.
So, she curled up on the bed, hugging her favorite rabbit plushie.
But a report shattered her attempt to find calm.
"Your Highness! It's an emergency! Ah, Prince Arnold!"
Reacting to the voice amidst her anxiety, Krista saw the maid who had come to report was covered in blood. Seeing that the maid was unharmed, she realized the blood was not the maid's.
Something had happened.
Krista's body trembled with this realization.
"What...?"
"It seems the Duke of Reinfeldt was attacked by monsters and is severely injured."
"Such...?"
"Prince Arnold sent for you, so I came here... Please hurry."
The cold voice shook Krista.
She tried to rush to her brother, but the guards held her back.
"Wait! Your Highness!"
"Let me go! It's my brother!"
"Elna said not to leave the room under any circumstances!"
"My brother is in danger! Please let me go!"
"Lady Mitsuha is already there! Please hurry!"
The maid's urgency pushed Krista to break free from the guards and run.
The guards, seeing no other choice, followed her.
The blood-covered maid led the way.
"Hey! Where are we going!? This is where the merchants come and go!"
"To avoid a commotion, he entered the city this way! He can't be moved, so he's being treated on the spot!"
"Hurry!"
Krista ran faster than ever.
In her worry, she threw her favorite rabbit plushie aside, as it was hindering her.
As she turned a corner, she saw someone lying on the ground, covered in blood, being treated.
"Brother!!"
Krista ran to the person.
But as she got closer, she saw it was someone else, with only black hair.
"It's not... my brother...?"
"Yes, it's a trap."
The pudgy man beside the injured person covered Krista's mouth with a handkerchief.
"Ugh!!? Ugh..."
She tried to scream, but the adult's strength was too much.
The smell of the drug on the handkerchief made Krista's consciousness fade.
At the same time, the sound of someone falling was heard.
The three guards who had followed Krista fell, bleeding from their necks.
"Still as impressive as ever, Gunther."
"Cut the flattery and hurry up."
Gunther, the middle-aged assassin who had once targeted Al, usually used magic for assassinations but this time used a simple knife to avoid being traced.
"Then I'll take her."
"Yes. I know you understand."
The pudgy man, who had a lecherous smile, made Gunther uneasy.
Gunther knew this man was one of the most prominent merchants in the capital but secretly trafficked slaves and was a pedophile.
He could guess that a girl Krista's age would be his favorite.
"This isn't a joke, understand?"
"Yes, I understand."
The pudgy merchant, intimidated by Gunther's gaze, had his subordinates carry Krista.
Krista was placed in a modified carriage. The bottom was double-layered, used to smuggle illegal goods into the castle.
Although there was usually no thorough inspection when leaving the castle, this was a princess. Caution was necessary.
The merchant felt no guilt. While kidnapping noble daughters and turning them into slaves was common, kidnapping a princess was new.
Still, he was confident since Zandra had requested it.
As long as he didn't make a mistake, there would be no problem.
The merchant laughed as he got into the carriage, and Gunther had his subordinates dispose of the guards' bodies and left the scene.
The carriage slowly started moving. But a child was chasing it.
Rita.
Rita held Krista's rabbit plushie and managed to grab onto the carriage, throwing the plushie outside.
"I'll save you... Kuu."
After a while, the news of Krista's disappearance spread throughout the castle, and unprecedented security measures were put in place.
But by then, the carriage had long left the castle.
Thus, the capital was steadily moving closer to the future Krista had seen.