After choosing to leave, they regretted it.

After her expression froze on her face like a sculpture for a few seconds, Heidi uttered another sound of pain, clutching her stomach and curling up into a ball.

After a lot of random thoughts, my emotions, which had finally calmed down, were on the verge of collapse again.

Heidi doesn't need anyone to mock her. She has developed to the point where she can break down her own defenses.

Putting aside other things, at least he has really grasped the comedic talent.

In Aize's vision, Heidi's expression flickered at a speed visible to the naked eye, like a short-circuited light bulb, which was a bit weird.

"...No, are you really okay? Or should we find a doctor to check you out?"

"fine!!!!!"

Heidi pulled herself up, forced a smile, and tried desperately to reject the proposal.

In order to divert the topic and her own attention, she asked without waiting for Aize to speak:

"Compared to this, how's the progress? I heard that you just went into the infected area to investigate in person. Did you find anything?"

There were gains, and in this near-stalemate situation, it can be considered a breakthrough.

But after thinking for a moment, Aize shook his head:

"I ordered a search of all magic workshops in the capital, but found nothing. There's been no report from Constantine yet, but it's hard to expect any progress."

It's not impossible to tell Heidi about the vampire assassin and the mysterious shadow.

However, Aize cares about one thing.

Although the assassin had poor fighting ability, he casually revealed the top secret that Aize and Charlotte had a cooperative relationship.

How did this information leak?

The possibility that comes to mind more easily is that there is an undercover agent around Charlotte.

But after a little thought, Aize basically denied this possibility.

After all, he had been cooperating with Charlotte for more than a year, during which time she had passed on a lot of intelligence from the high-level demons that was enough to interfere with the war situation.

If there really was an undercover agent among her confidants, even if she had not been exposed and killed long ago, at least the work of Aize and others would not have been so smooth.

Then, it was I who leaked the information.

Taking all factors into consideration, the most likely time for the secret to be leaked was when Charlotte came to the palace last night to convey the information to him.

If this is true, then there must be a traitor inside the palace.

Moreover, this... or this group of traitors must be closely monitoring the situation in the palace.

This is also one of the reasons why Aize indirectly suspects Arthur.

But no matter what, you still have to be careful with your words and actions when speaking and communicating in the palace.

So, anyway, Heidi won't be directly involved in things for the time being.

I'll find a chance to tell her later.

In order to avoid being questioned about the matter, Aize also tried to change the subject:

"Come to think of it, before I came here, you seemed to be communicating with Arthur about something. Did I disturb you?"

Heidi was stunned for a moment, then smiled and shook her head:

"No, nothing much, he just asked me some questions about what happened in the past few days."

lie.

In fact, Heidi took advantage of Aize's absence and went into the kitchen to continue working on making coffee. As a result, she made a noise and was discovered by Arthur who was passing by.

Arthur was extremely shocked and angry that his own princess would actually do such a lowly thing.

He was just short of shouting something like "The princess is dirty".

Naturally, he didn't care about the relationship between master and servant, and used his status as an elder to pull her here and lecture her.

Tried to rebuild Heidi's shaky aristocratic ideas, but the effect was naturally not good.

Just when the situation was at a stalemate, Aize arrived.

It was also a favor to Heidi.

And it is precisely for this reason that when Arthur and Aize first started talking, the former's targeting was so strong.

After all, Heidi's coffee was made for him.

Who are you, Aize, to deserve to drink the coffee brewed by the princess of the Kingdom of Art?

Then they started arguing.

The standard is to be objective and not personal.

Heidi was still frightened by the fight between the two of them, but that conversation also served as a wake-up call for her.

"Oh, speaking of this..."

Her Highness observed Aize's reaction and spoke slowly and cautiously:

"Do you have time tonight? If so, I'd like to host a small banquet to formally introduce you to the officials of the capital, and then to the people..."

This is the truth.

After all, it is an important transfer of command. Although I have already given the order, it would be safer to announce it publicly if possible.

We can also use Aize's name to comfort the frightened people.

And of course, Heidi’s little thoughts are also included in this.

It’s not complicated, I just want to stay with Aize for a while longer.

very funny.

In the past, no matter what Aize did, I took it for granted and didn't take it to heart.

Now, even such a humble request has to be made in such a troublesome way.

But even though she knew her behavior was extremely clownish, Heidi still wanted to stay with her for a while.

After all, now that one's worldview has been shattered and has yet to be reorganized, one's spirit is highly unstable, and one's emotions are extremely tense and sensitive, even fragile.

Aize is the only one who can give her a sense of security.

"No, sorry, I don't have time."

Aize declined the invitation without thinking.

"Once Mr. Arthur's affairs are settled, there will be a mountain of documents to review. How can I have time to attend a banquet?"

Aize paused, then looked out the window, in the direction of the workshop.

"Also, I have to follow up on the progress of Weier's ongoing research on the blood plague."

"Hmm...ah, that's it...then there's nothing we can do."

Heidi felt unusually embarrassed.

It's not surprising to be rejected.

Not to mention the past, even when I was in Tafia and nothing serious happened, I was not accepted.

What about now?

But just refuse, and even add a reason for the refusal that it is because you want to be with other women.

Heidi began to smile bitterly and wondered if this guy did it on purpose.

But isn’t it good?

It's all your own fault anyway.

Just treat it as punishment for all the mischief you've done in the past and let yourself rot alone.

"……Um?"

Heidi, who was depressed to the bottom, suddenly realized something.

Weir?

That guy, that woman, isn’t her name Vivian?

I heard news before that she could control the puppets and easily flattened large buildings.

Then he plunged into the workshop and carried out extremely complex research work.

So, who exactly is this guy...?

Chapter 66 Hindsight

Heidi had never paid much attention to the purple-haired woman who stuck to Aize like a piece of taffy and kept saying all kinds of outrageous things.

After all, according to her own words, she was just the little daughter of a minor imperial noble, who met Aize by chance, a purely second-rate character.

After the contact more than a month ago, Heidi was quickly drawn into the turmoil caused by Brian.

Since he couldn't even take care of himself, he naturally didn't have the energy to care about her affairs.

But now, after putting together everything she had seen and heard, Heidi, who had realized it belatedly, finally began to doubt the possibility of this statement.

Don't say anything else.

Her ability to control several large puppets at the same time alone is enough to make her famous in human society. It is impossible that Heidi has not heard of it.

Therefore, the so-called Vivian, the daughter of an imperial noble, is most likely a fake identity.

So her true identity is——

"Um……"

Vivian.

Weir.

Purple hair.

Proficient in magic and extremely powerful.

The first time it appeared was a month and a half ago after the battle with the demon clan in Anlin Plain.

There seems to be a character that meets all these elements at the same time. Who is it?

……

……

……

One of the Thirteen Leaders, the Great Witch Villian!!!?

Heidi herself was shocked by this idea. She was lost in thought when her body trembled as if she had been electrocuted, and she almost jumped up from the sofa subconsciously.

Such a reaction made Aize even more speechless:

"...What's wrong? Why are you so startled? Are you really okay?"

Realizing her own gaffe, Heidi quickly tried her best to hide her surprise.

Then he pretended to rub his legs and said with a flattering smile:

"It's okay, it's okay. I sat... sat for too long and got a leg cramp. I was just startled, that's all..."

"……cramp?"

Aize had an expression on his face that said, "Are you kidding me?"

The most muscular hero in the world, Lord Heidi, who can withstand sword cuts and fire without leaving even a scar, can actually have cramps in his legs?

I'm afraid something is wrong with my brain.

But Heidi's mental state has had some minor problems recently, which Aize knows, so he doesn't intend to delve into the details.

Besides, I have so many things to do and I can’t just stay here and chat all the time.

So, taking this opportunity, he stood up:

"If there's nothing else, I'll leave first."

"...Huh? Leaving?"