The Hero Party Couldn’t Kill Me

Chapter 7: The Madness of the Saint and Iris (3)

“… Why the hell are you calling me in this situation?”

The next day. Iris entered the imperial palace with her tired eyes.

She had nightmares yesterday and couldn’t sleep well. Even though I took sleeping pills, I was forced to wake up because of nightmares.

Thanks to that, her fatigue was at its peak. Even so, she managed her facial expressions to the fullest with her superhuman mental powers.

Still, there’s nothing good about being photographed by the princess. No matter how much you support Etoile.

“You look very tired. Is it very difficult to carry out the duties of the lord of Roswell?”

“… Yes, it is difficult.”

“At that time, it is important to take a short break. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

… I want to, but I can’t sleep.

Her words rose to the top of her throat, but Iris couldn’t bear to speak.

“Perhaps my proposal today can lighten your burden.”

Iris was instantly enticed by the princess’ words. However, when she heard the princess’ next words, her Iris expression crumpled.

“… As you know, the previous Duke of Rossier originally nominated your younger brother as the next successor. But since he is still young, you have inherited the title and lordship instead. So, in principle, he should step down when he becomes an adult.”

“Why are you bringing up that story?”

“I think you will be very anxious about this issue. But don’t worry. There is a way to keep her lordship until the end.”

“So you’re asking me to become Her Highness’s dog?”

It was unpleasant. It was, in effect, a threat masquerading as an offer.

So, you’re telling me to join your side since you can take away your title of nobility at any time?

“That’s too harsh. Rather, she was telling her to make a clear choice between Etoir and the Imperial Family. I can relieve you of one worry, but what can the saintess do for you?”

… It was not wrong. And if you look closely, it is rather the saintess who comes out more coercively. Because she is forcing her to persuade other nobles using her own weakness as an excuse.

Even so, Iris couldn’t betray her saintess because her weakness was too strong.

“… I’ll think about it.”

It is wise not to respond quickly to questions like this. Iris evaded her answer for the moment.

The princess looked at Iris with her meaningful expression.

“Yes, there is still time. Oh, by the way, did you see the official letter I sent yesterday? The imperial family is trying to find out who has been issued indulgences. Even nobles are no exception to that.”

For a moment, Iris’ pupils shook greatly. She tried to hide it as best she could, but her condition was too poor to keep her sanity at bay.

“… Okay.”

“And the greater the amount paid for indulgences, the greater the punishment. Even if she is an aristocrat, she is no exception. I will strip them of their titles.”

For a moment, the thought of whether the princess already knew her secret made her heart skip a beat.

‘Calm down, the princess is looking at me right now.’

But Iris held onto her mentality as much as possible. If she was a keen princess, she might have already read the change in her expression, but that couldn’t prove it.

“Sooner or later, there will be more people who will be deprived of their nobility titles in the empire.”

“Yes, there will be big changes. So please use your wise judgment so you don’t get caught up in it.”

The princess even had a light smile, but the weight of those words felt too heavy.

Iris forced a smile as much as she could to avoid being caught in her weakness, then she left the palace as quickly as possible.

It was when she arrived at her mansion that she threw off her mask.

“Damn!!”

As soon as Iris arrived at her mansion, she vented her anger by tossing a vase she caught next to and throwing it on the floor.

She is currently under pressure from both the princess and the saint. One already had a grip on her weakness, the other doubting it.

The damn nightmare and the risk of Edmund’s assassination were a bonus.

“Duke! Are you okay?”

The maids came to me in surprise at Iris’ unusual behavior and asked.

“What the hell… Why are all these things happening all at once…….”

Iris sat down on her floor and sobbed.

She wanted so much that she became a duke. She wanted to become the lord of Roswell.

But the current situation was too much for her to endure.

‘If my father had been alive, would it have been different? ….’

If that was the case, at least she wouldn’t have been pressured by both the princess and the saint.

Maybe I wouldn’t have had this damn nightmare, and I might have been safer from Edmund’s threat.

Of course, she could never have become Lord of Roswell instead.

‘… ….’

Iris tried to get her heart together again.

Already spilled water. And isn’t it what she longed for, to become the lord of Roswell?

She had to bear that weight on her somehow.

– Duke Rossier, let’s discuss the location of our next meeting.

But soon after receiving a call from the Duke of Valois, she was shaken again.

***

“What are you talking about? Isn’t it going to be held at our mansion, as usual?”

“But wasn’t there an unexpected situation the last time we went? The sorceress named Mina appeared. It seems that the other nobles feel uneasy about this.”

“… ….”

Iris’ anger rose to the top of her head.

That self-made play was planned not by Iris, but by the saintess and the wizard. Iris objected. That’s why she didn’t want to use it unless she was in a really embarrassing situation.

… Of course, she ended up writing it as a result, and thanks to that, she got through her crisis well.

“Our mansion is safe. Security has been strengthened since then, so there is no problem.”

“How can you be sure of that? So did you catch her?”

“That… ….”

“So I think it’s safe to have our next meeting at our mansion.”

I know very well what the trick is. They must be trying to gradually bring the initiative to their side while gradually taking over the meeting place.

“I think other nobles will also listen to this.”

“We have already received 15 consents.”

Iris bit her lip at this. She’s already done her number. So, the answer was fixed.

‘But where is the guarantee that Mina will not come to your mansion?’

For a moment, Iris wanted to argue, but there was a high probability that it would backfire on her. Because the Duke of Valois is someone who will exclude her from attending the meeting with that as an excuse.

So I’m angry now, but I had no choice but to hold it in somehow.

“… Then we will.”

Iris barely suppressed her anger and agreed. But as soon as communication with him was cut off, Iris threw the crystal ball at the wall.

“aaa!!!!”

Starting with that, Iris screamed wildly, throwing and tearing whatever she could find on the desk.

“Duke, calm down!”

An escort knight worse than her entered her room and stopped her.

Starting with him, the other servants stopped her, and only then did Iris calm down.

“… I can’t possibly do it. Anything. I have to do something.”

She thought for a moment in a daze, then picked up her orb again. And she tried to contact the saintess.

Unlike usual, the saintess did not respond.

In response, Iris squeezed her crystal ball tightly until the blood lined up, but she managed to hold it in.

‘… This makes her look just like Calia.’

Suddenly, Iris thought of Calia. She suffered from an anger control disorder where she was angry all the time.

Her

Even though she begged her because she was her warrior, Iris honestly hated her.

But somehow, she seemed to be starting to resemble Calia.

“Let’s stay calm. It can’t collapse like this.”

Iris took another deep breath and suggested herself. But even she was honestly not sure.

How long can she last?

***

Same time. The saintess came to the Blue Magic Tower.

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It was to interrogate Edmund’s collaborator, Rachel, whom Godfrey had previously spoken about.

It won’t be easy compared to the Noir Mage Tower. Because there is a lot of money poured into the Noir Tower, it is not as easy to buy it as it was back then, and unlike Mina, Rachel has been favored by the previous and current Tower Masters.

However, she couldn’t leave the person who helped Edmund alone, so she decided not to delay the saint any longer.

“We no longer do business with the Etoiles. So please go back.”

But her plan wasn’t easy from the start. Because her long blue-haired sorceress, who was waiting at the front door of her Blue Mage Tower, stopped her.

“Why is that?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know? The Etoile Church is also responsible for Isabel’s death. Didn’t the goddess say that she would protect the warrior Calia and the great Edmund party? But what happened now?”

“I’m sorry about Isabelle’s death. But will you remain in your sorrow? Will you not avenge her?”

“Now admit it. There’s no way to hold Edmund anymore. So please don’t reach out to us any more. I don’t want to get involved with you anymore. This is not my personal opinion, it’s the opinion of everyone in the Blue Mage Tower.”

The saintess was angry at the blue-haired mage’s harsh words, but she hid her expression as much as possible.

Instead, the saintess breathed her divine power into her own words as much as she could and spoke.

“Did you know that there might be someone in the Blue Mage Tower who betrayed Isabelle?”

This time, the blue-haired wizard also flinched.

“Are you talking about Rachel?”

“Yes, after that day’s debacle, we did our own research and realized that when she went to scout Speth, she returned much later than expected. Perhaps that’s when she was captured by Edmund and forced to cooperate with him. Also, there is a possibility that we leaked our power to him while he was being held captive.”

“… ….”

“Of course, either way, it’s likely that she was blackmailed. So maybe it’s harsh to call her a traitor, and I don’t intend to take this into account and hold her accountable. But I don’t know what conversation she had with Edmund. I want to know if you shared it.”

After hearing the saintess’ words, the wizard thought for a while. And he still looked at the saintess with suspicious eyes.

“Only the saintess please come in. In particular, that person can never be brought into this mage tower.”

The wizard pointed to Magnus behind the saintess and said.

“Well, I can’t help it.”

Magnus backed away with his characteristic friendly smile.

It was a bit of a burden for her to enter the Mage Tower alone, but the saintess held her heart and entered her Mage Tower.

The wizard led me to Rachel’s lab.

Smart smart.

“I said no now!”

Rachel’s nervous voice came from inside the lab.

“This is Saint Lucy. She came to ask me a question.”

At this, the saintess opened her mouth. Then, the inside of her lab became quiet as if a rat had died.

Kikik.

Then Rachel opened her door and greeted her saintess. She looked at the sorceress who guided her saint with her incomprehensible eyes.

“Everybody agreed to cut ties with Etoile. But why did you let them in?”

“I heard you wanted to ask me about what she went through while she was held in space.”

“If you’re trying to get information on Edmund, I don’t know much about it. Except that when we went, he seemed to be in much better shape than expected. Raphaella’s treatment was probably great. “

Rachel wants to get her saintess out as soon as possible.

“I’m going to ask you a question. First of all, when I first went out on patrol in Speth, Rachel arrived much later than expected. Could you tell me why?”

“I searched longer to find Edmund.”

“…Can I trust you?”

The saintess looked at the wizard who had brought her. She hesitated for a moment before summoning her Orb of Truth.

“Amy, what is this?”

“Sorry, Rachel. I trust you. So prove your innocence here.”

Rachel’s eyes began to shake. She, of course, has released her contract with Edmund, so she won’t lose her magical powers if she tells the truth.

However, it may become difficult for her to remain in the Blue Magic Tower.

“…It was a moment. A lightning bolt fell from the dry sky, and when I woke up, I was tied up. And Edmund was in front of me.”

She seemed to have no escape anyway.

Eventually, Rachel grabbed her truth orb and told her the truth.