9 Under Suspicion (3)

"... You have got to be kidding me..."

I murmured under my breath quietly when I saw the dead body of Gray in front of me.

My eyes subconsciously move slowly as I observe his body.

His brown hair was scattered in multiple places, stained with dried blood.

His kind emerald eyes were wide open, as I could feel that a dead gaze held a sudden sadness.

And the smell that was the most disturbing thing I had ever sniffed.

'... He didn't deserve this fate.'

I glance at the dead body quite saddened before my eyes gradually move to another sight.

In front of his lifeless body, a knight is glancing over the body with a boring expression.

' ...He... No. Is it a 'She'?'

My eyes wandered as I was startled by the appearance.

Unlike the previous Directive Knight I've seen, the person's main color isn't white.

Instead, they wore black armor with a black cape hanging behind them as well as black leather boots.

The design is also slightly different. Despite that, I could tell it's a knight uniform.

There is even a distinctive rabbit-like black helmet covering its face except for the mouth.

Everything is plain black, the opposite of what I used to see before.

"... If she is a Directive Knight... That means she could kill me on the spot when he found out what we did.'

I gulped at the thought.

The aura was also so intimidating. It actually sends a shiver down my spine.

When he noticed my presence, he turned around before greeting me with a bright smile.

"Oh? So, is there's another guest inside this household? How lively~"

I was stunned.

Unlike the usual robotic and toneless voice I used to hear, this one is playful and slightly cheerful.

Most of all, it's a voice that belongs to a female.

'... This is the first time I've met a female, no... an expressive knight inside this kingdom.'

I immediately noticed what my current situation is as I sweatdrop.

"..Why did you kill Gray Oswald?"

The knight in front of me just smiled as she called out the situation.

"Order #5 of Directive Order. Thou shall not reject once a month's inspection. Unfortunately~ this old man here rejected me to inspect his small house~"

She exclaimed with a fake disappointed tone along with a wide grin.

"Considering he broke one of the orders, I decided to end his miserable life and free him from his sins."

My eyes went wide at how easily she exclaimed those sentences.

'...I've never known someone could act so calmly and full of enjoyment in this kind of situation.'

I clenched my fist as I tried to hold myself back from rampaging against her.

Because if I said or did something wrong that would be connected to the Directive Order, she might kill me the same as Gray.

".. Who are you? I've never seen a knight like you before."

I asked with a slightly curious tone. It also has a purpose to buy some time before Azrael gets here.

'Where the hell is Azrael? Is he still in the basement?'

I thought worriedly and filled with panic.

But thankfully enough, the knight shows some interest in my question.

She gestures her hand to her chest as she slightly bows.

"My name is Althea Genetta Third Order."

She introduced herself confidently as her lips curved into a sinister smile.

"I am one of the Five Directive Special Knights."

My eyes went wide.

'Special?'

I can understand why she called her knight-self special.

Perhaps it was because I've never seen a female knight or even an expressive one either.

That is what makes her 'special'.

"Sooo~ What are you doing inside the Oswald Household, Your Highness?"

My eyes grew wider when she suddenly changed the subject.

I stayed silent.

'She knows that I'm a Princess?'

The knight was still smiling like she could enjoy every second of her time regardless of the situation.

"... The clock is still ticking, Your Highness~ Please be careful of lies .. because telling lies, even white lies, is a violation against the Directive Order.."

I was stunned when I heard those words.

I fully realized it's a warning from her.

She was telling me that even if I tried to lie, she would know right away.

In the worst scenario, I might end up like Gray.

I clenched my fists in frustration.

'What should I do..?'

Her lips curved into an amused smile. It was as if this situation was like a hunter cornering its prey.

"Not gonna talk, huh~"

It feels like my blood rush through the opposite side the moment she left her spot and slowly walks towards me.

I don't have energy left inside me to move out of the way, to answer her, or to move backward.

"Please choose, Your Highness."

As a matter of time, her sword was unsheathed and she pointed it at my throat in a flash.

"Answer or die?"

Her playful attitude disappeared in an instant as the personality was replaced by a cold tone.

"What are you doing Miss Althea?"

A familiar voice exclaimed from behind me as I slowly turned my head to be greeted by a pair of familiar black eyes and made me sigh of relief.

"A-Azrael ..."

"Please lower your blade. I hope you understand that the person that you pointed your blade on is the only heir to the throne of this great Kingdom and my best friend."

My eyebrow twitch when he mentioned such an unusual word.

'Best friend?'

After a long, heavy pause, Althea finally lowered her blade.

Her eyes look suspicious towards Azrael.

"Since when did Your Grace became friends with Her Highness?"

I mentally facepalmed because I knew this was going to come.

Azrael put on a playful smile before he walks towards me as he clings his arm around my shoulder casually.

"Truth be told. It was when Her Highness decided to investigate me. She was really suspicious of me for something that I don't even know of. It was to the point she requests to meet in my household! However, it was all a misunderstanding on her part. After a lot of talking and discovering that we both love the same genre of books, we immediately get along perfectly like best friends!"

He exclaimed about our relationship without leaving a second to pause.

My eyes went wide by how amazed I was with his perfect explanation since it's not all lies.

'... That's quite smooth.'

I indeed investigate him because I was suspicious of him but he also doesn't know the whole thing as I misunderstood him a bit.

The genre we both taking interest that he was talking about was indeed in the Historical Genre.

Because we want to search for something about the history that happened 120 years ago.

Because of that reason and we become allies, we get along well.

'That's really a perfect truth. But he didn't tell the whole truth.'

I'm also surprised since I just noticed something.

In this Kingdom, calling someone with their first name is considered best friends because they don't need formalities.

Considering Azrael asked me to call him by his first name, I immediately understand it.

'... He predicted it.'

It was for this situation he assumed will happen.

"Ho? If your story is true, why are the three of you are inside Sir Oswald's house?"

She asked as she was still suspicious of us.

I gulped.

"It's because of books~!"

Azrael laughs it off before explaining,

"I know Oswald for quite a long time and I've been borrowing his books."

Althea raised her brow in confusion.

"Do you mean, all three of you, like the same genre?"

I can see Azrael slightly glance at Sir Gray's lifeless body.

"No, of course not! My head butler collected many genres of books. That's why we came here since we love to see his collections."

I slightly sweatdrop.

"If you already planned this, then, please explain why did he refuse to let me inspect the household."

"I don't know about that."

My eyes widened in surprise with Azrael's answer to Althea's question.

Althea stayed silent as if she's observing us and she finally sighed as her lips curved into the same playful smile I was greeted with on our first meeting.

"Sir Oswald's case was indeed unfortunate. This is it for today! I deeply apologize for taking Your Highness and Your Grace's time."

She slightly bows and turned around, passing Gray's lifeless body just like that.

"Also, Sir Oswald's body is going to be burned. Don't move the corpse elsewhere or touch it. He's a sinner and must remain there. I will inform the Directive Knights about this sinner."

'... It's always about sinners.'

After saying that without turning back, she exited the house without a single apology.

I was angry.

The tears want to roll down, but they are too stubborn. They just wouldn't come.

Now that I think about it, I haven't cried since I got reincarnated inside this world.

'... maybe because this kingdom is too beautiful.'

I glance at Azrael and notice that his friendly expression vanished within thin air as he witnessed his only head butler got killed because of a stupid order.

'... Wow. It amazes me how this kingdom is full of surprises.'

"... Azra-"

"His life was indeed unfortunate."

My eyes widened.

"How could you say such a thing?"

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