"Waaah."
Would that cute, whimpering child know?
That she was a precious granddaughter born between the Crown Princess of the current Pandragon royal family and the Prince who carried the last bloodline of the Kingdom of Britain.
For reference, the Kingdom of Britain was a hostile nation that had waged war against Pandragon three years ago, and said Britain had now been reduced to a duchy barely managing to keep its lineage alive.
Having won the war, Pandragon claimed most of Britain's territory.
'And that child will become a king who encompasses both Pandragon and Britain.'
A child who simultaneously inherited the bloodlines of not just Pandragon, but the British royal family as well.
Judging by the silver-white hair and eyes that were Pandragon's symbol, the child must carry strong Pandragon blood.
However, if she inherited Britain's blood, she would also possess mystical abilities befitting it.
That is what a royal bloodline means.
"You must know as well, do you not? This child is a symbol. A splendid bridge that will connect Britain and Pandragon, which are still no different from water and oil. This child possesses the legitimacy to unite the two."
"...I don't really understand politics."
"Hmph! Playing innocent. I know your vision is wider than any bug's. Do not pretend you do not know."
"Mm."
As Princess Isis said, he had some idea of how the country functioned.
That the Britain they had swallowed was still fiercely rebellious.
That the Prince, the last bloodline of Britain, was currently suffering from an illness and could die at any time.
Therefore, if that Prince grew up well and became the Crown Prince, then and only then would Pandragon and Britain achieve true unification.
If that came to pass, this country would wield power no less than an empire.
...Though that was still a distant story.
"Arthur Drake de Pandragon, Arthur Pandragon! My son will undoubtedly become a great king, hehe."
"......Haha."
Mm, somehow it's a very ominous name in many ways.
'Ah, no, it's true that he'll become a great king....'
Ihan decided to do his best to bless the child's name.
* * *
Around the time the small talk had continued for a while, Ihan relaxed his tense body and sat right where he was.
It seemed like this conversation would drag on a bit longer.
"So, Sister. What's the main point?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you play dumb either. Do I not know you? You're someone who can even see into others' hearts."
"I possess no such skill. I merely have confidence in discerning truth from falsehood by reading the atmosphere and tone of the other party, and in grasping their inner thoughts and intentions."
"...How is that different from looking into someone's heart?"
Personally, he respected this person.
Recalling when he first saved her from assassins, she was nothing short of a remarkable figure—no, an extraordinary heroine.
[You saved me? Splendid.]
Even in a blood-soaked tent, her nonchalant demeanor was enough to overwhelm everyone present.
Anyway, because she was such a heroine of the current era, Ihan knew.
This was not someone who would casually visit others.
Even if Ihan had saved her and she treated him comfortably as a sworn younger brother, this person would never meet anyone without political intent.
So what he had to do was—
"Haa, seriously. Being treated like a hunting dog again."
"Hehe, I apologize."
It was Isis who showed an apology for the first time at his grumbling of unknown intent, and the next moment—
Thwack!!
"W-why...?"
The chest of the maid attending beside Isis was pierced.
A hand axe she kept in her embrace ruthlessly pierced right through the center of the maid's chest.
In that state, Ihan moved like a swift hunting dog and grabbed the maid's throat.
Blood vessels stood out sharply around the eyes of the maid who could no longer even breathe properly.
In that state, Ihan said,
"Sister, if you have any questions, ask them now."
"My thanks. Tsk, I thought her well-groomed hair was commendable."
Isis looked at the maid with an expression of contempt.
This was a maid who had served Isis for over two years in the royal court, which was harder to survive in than a treacherous jungle, yet Isis only gave her a gaze as cold as ice.
"Are you a remnant of Britain? Or an assassin from the north?"
"I, I am...!"
"Hmm, you would hide the truth even at this moment? What remarkable loyalty."
Isis gave Ihan a brief glance, and Ihan ruthlessly—
Crack!
"Gaaargh!"
He pulled out the maid's teeth, and inside was a poison pill.
"Oh my, it seems it was treated with magic. It looks just like real teeth."
"It must be to avoid suspicion. Anyway, whether spy or assassin, they're all meticulously thorough."
Perhaps realizing everything had been exposed, the maid tried to move her hand.
Even with her chest pierced and her throat gripped as if about to snap, the mere fact she could move proved she was no ordinary human.
She had learned Qi techniques.
And ones with covert abilities.
Foolish.
If she was going to be this clumsy, she should have just killed herself.
Then at least she wouldn't have given away as much information.
Crack!
"Gaaargh!"
Ruthless hands.
The best way to seal movement was to tear off the limbs.
...Though normally not something one should do in front of a baby, given the circumstances, let it pass for now.
"Her movements aren't in the Pandragon style. Doesn't seem like Britain's either..."
"Are you certain?"
"I fought British soldiers to the point of being sick of it during the war. Saw plenty of knights too. Just like us, their fighting styles all have foundations. But this one doesn't particularly?"
"Oh ho, you know such things as well? For someone who self-deprecatingly claims to have no talent, you have quite the good eye."
"This is more sensory than talent. You know, right? That my senses are a bit special."
"Hoho, that's true. Better than ten hunting dogs."
"......Seriously treating me like a dog."
Whether it was Isis giggling as if watching a comedy, or Ihan acting calmly even in such a situation.
Neither of them looked particularly normal, and the maid whose throat was seized struggled in terror.
Until finally—
Crunch!
"Ah, see, why did you struggle like that."
"Is she dead?"
"Yes."
"What a pity. I wished to extract more information."
She waved her hand.
As if telling them to clean up since it was no longer of value.
The moment the hand gesture fell, people in black clothes who had been outside the carriage appeared.
They removed the maid's corpse as if it were familiar, and inside the carriage, there was now only Ihan, Isis, the baby, and a maid tilting her head with a somewhat blank expression.
And perhaps it was no illusion, the maid said,
"Excuse me, Your Highness the Princess."
"Crown Princess, or address me as Your Highness."
"Hehe, yes, Your Highness. I don't really understand the situation, but was she a traitor?"
She really seemed to be a bit lacking in the head.
"Foolish thing. To be precise, both of you were under suspicion."
"Ah ha!"
"...The reason I suspected you was because you were too foolish and innocent. How can one's brain be so pure?"
"Hehe, my parents also often praised me for having a clean head."
"Most likely, that was not praise."
"??"
"Haa..."
Isis sighed, and seeing this, Ihan understood.
Why Isis, who was ghost-like in reading people, found it difficult to find the traitor, and even came to find him.
'So there are cases where you get suspected for having too pure a brain.'
This too was an amazing thing.
* * *
Isis was one of the few people who knew Ihan's secret.
Nol's Olfaction.
An olfactory sense that detected scents ordinary humans could never smell could pick up even the faintest of odors.
In daily life, he suppressed this sense of smell, but when he used it with intent, Ihan's nose could take in massive amounts of information through scent.
Perhaps it was thanks to his experience of once belonging to an assassination organization?
The scent of poison, the scent of blood, the smell of iron, and even the uneasiness inherent to a person—he could detect how suspicious someone was just by smelling their cold sweat.
And the maid earlier, though she had washed her body clean and used strong perfume, still reeked of poisonous herbs that couldn't be hidden by that alone.
"From some day onward, people poisoned by toxins started appearing in the royal court. Even Arthur showed symptoms of poisoning."
"...You're insane, using poison on a child?"
"Fortunately, the Pandragon bloodline has strong immunity to poison."
"......"
That didn't mean it wasn't painful.
Swallowing his next words, Ihan shuddered, calling it vicious.
Despite having so many grounds for suspicion, instead of suspecting all the royal court personnel, the royal family narrowed the suspects down to two people and brought them here.
And to catch the woman who definitely smelled of poison, she even called Ihan.
'She really is an amazing person.'
Any other mother would have burned with rage and lost her reason, but she maintained extreme composure.
So thorough it was terrifying.
"There are many who find Arthur troublesome. If Britain and we achieve complete unification, that power would become unimaginably mighty. From other nations' perspectives, there would be many who wish to kill Arthur as well."
"......It's chilling."
"That is the politics of a nation."
Isis calmly recited the cruel facts, and stroked Arthur.
At first glance, she appeared a mother filled with maternal love, but on the other side, the cruelty of a monarch also stood out.
Ihan clicked his tongue, wondering if he could do the same.
He instinctively sensed that he could never imitate that woman's audacity.
"...Then, is it over now?"
Ihan asked respectfully if he could go home now that he'd played the hunting dog, and to his question, Isis replied,
"No, there are still about two more things."
"...T-two more?"
"I shall repay you, so worry not. If you wish, I can allow you to kiss the back of my hand."
"No, I absolutely decline. Who are you trying to turn into a pervert?"
"Hehe, in my youth I was the kingdom's foremost beauty, and you're throwing away the chance to kiss the back of my hand. What a wasted opportunity."
"Please give it a rest."
He'd admit she was beautiful, but thorns laced with poison were something he'd always decline.
"Then it cannot be helped. I shall give the reward later on my own."
"No, I said I don't need it."
"I shall decline your refusal. Anyway, I will now speak of what I wish to 'request' of you, so engrave it in your mind."
"...You say request, but how is this different from a threat."
Whether Ihan grumbled or not, Isis's request=command continued.
......And the moment he heard the command.
"...Sister, have you lost your mind?"
"Hehe, not at all. I am perfectly sane."
"......"
That's the real problem, Ihan thought seriously.
For good reason.
'...Asking someone to kill her own brother, is that something you say to a person?'
An assassination request had just come down.