Allrounders!!

I blinked in surprise.

Sword added, “…You keep tellin’ me, don’t you? That it’s fun if things get even more twisted. Or were you lyin’?”

*snap*

“You’re right! Now that you mention it!”

He opened my eyes! He’s completely right! I forgot!

“Shadow or whatever you’re called, I’m the type of woman who seeks thrill. In short! It’d be the standard route to acquit you here, ostracize you, and desire revenge! All while acting kind on the surface!”

I’ll carry out my initial plan! I must abide by the common practice, right!?

“…So as you can hear, Shadow-or-whatever, this one time I’ll be generous and overlook your evil deeds! You’re free to hate me for this, and seek revenge while snickering at my gentleness for letting you go free! I’ll wait in anticipation for your next move!”

When I told him all that in elation, Sword poured cold water on me, “Hmm, I think it needs someone with quite the backbone to take their revenge on you after you’ve said all that. At the very least, I doubt that Shadow got that kind of backbone. Especially when it comes to a fight with the life of his lord on the line.”

It’ll be alright! If things proceed according to theory, Shadow is the type of guy who doesn’t learn his lesson.

“It’s fine. This fellow is someone who’d answer 『Of course, at once! We’ll hurry right away!』 when being told 『Go and search for the Doskull Stones ~dabeee』!” 1

It earned me a comment from Damsel Scarlet: “Hmm…I kind of feel like I somewhat understand what you are trying to tell us and then again not.”

It didn’t get through! What a shock!

“Uugh…I’m sure Mr. Amato would have understood.”

“Oh my? So there are others like me around?” She asked me.

“Indeed. We’ve been sheltering a brave. I guess you can describe him as 『Active Otherworldler』. He’s a pitiful guy whose physical body got pulled into this world from our previous world.”

Shadow lifted his face in surprise, staring at me. Seeing him look at me like that, Sword knitted his eyebrows, and called out to me, “Oi.”

I cast a grin at Sword and then looked back at Shadow, “Come at me whenever you want, Shadow. I’ll answer with all my power and destroy everything that’s dear to you.”

“Please find it in yourself to forgive me.”

He prostrated himself once more.

“It doesn’t matter at all, even if he’s aware of it. Damsel Scarlet also possesses the same knowledge. Me too, and Mr. Amato, as one of the braves, too. But, all the people possessing that knowledge are under my control, and the one very likely possessing the biggest pool of knowledge is me. Neither Mr. Amato nor Damsel Scarlet will be able to build a Ryoku.”

I gently clapped the Ryoku who had drawn close to me.

…Damsel Scarlet looked at him with a somewhat doubtful face for some reason.

“…Ryoku? You are talking about that thing next to you? …Sorry, but to me it looks like no more than a spider monster.”

Another shock! For there to exist people who don’t know Ryoku…how unbelievable!

“…Humph, whatever. I’m pretty sure, you’re the type of person who would yell out, 『On behalf of the moon, I will punish you』 and things like that.”

“Ahh, okay, I will not say anything like that, but I know that line.”

Pheew, so it looks like she at least knows that line.

……With that said, I let Shadow get away for the sake of future thrills. I’m expecting great things from him. I’d love him to come up with all kinds of meticulous schemes from now on. I’m so looking forward to it.

Given that it was the perfect opportunity, I also told the prince, “Tell Shadow now and here that you’ll completely cut off all contact to Primrose and put all your effort into becoming king, or that you’ll become a commoner while at the same time announcing your betrothal to Primrose.”

After looking at Primrose, Shadow probably guessed most of the circumstances, and blamed the prince with the corners of his eyes lifted, “You didn’t have to choose Lady Indra’s sister of all things, did you!? Do you intend to ruin this country!?”

“That’s not it! It’s just that the woman I fell in love with was that guy’s sister by chance!”

Blood veins popped around Shadow’s temples.

“…Hoh? You think such an excuse is going to fly? I had such a disastrous experience just because I carelessly investigated her background a tiny bit, and yet you believe that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with you making a move on her sister, who’s the main cause for her character to have become like this!?”

That’s wrong. You’re mistaking the point in question here. Moreover, this character of mine is to be rather blamed on her father than Primrose herself. And my mother as well!

I’m not that much of a brute that I’d attack a little girl who doesn’t understand her own situation. I can’t get along with her since we’re not on the same wavelength, but it’s not like I hate her since she never gets discouraged, no matter how much sarcasm or cruel words I throw at her. That’s the very reason why I’ve been cruelly showering her with sarcasm, though!