The Immortal Queen Cannot Escape the Lies and Obsession of the Demon — Not That She Wants To - Chapter 12

After finishing her meeting with Valerio and returning to her room, Nala handed Ariana a book.

“By the way, a new volume came out.”

Ariana ended up completely absorbed in reading it, and before she knew it, the sun had set.

“Nala, you’re terrifying.”

“No, Your Majesty is just too easy.”

Fols, the knight stationed by his master’s side, corrected her.

Ariana honestly admitted defeat to her strategy and spent the rest of the day in her private quarters.

Then, late at night.

Feeling a weight on her body, Ariana opened her eyes.

Piled on top of Ariana, who was lying on her back, were her treasured books, with a water pitcher on the very top.

“If you move, things will get messy.”

“They’re already messy!?”

This was the worst sleep disruption she’d experienced all year, and her drowsiness vanished in an instant, making her raise her voice without thinking.

If she moved even a little, not only the books but even her bedding would be soaked. She could tell from the voice that Rai was in the room, but Ariana couldn’t tear her eyes away from the wobbling tower of books in front of her.

“R-Rai, um, please wait, these are all important books, please don’t use them for such a prank.”

The top one was the book she’d started reading today, given by Nala; in the middle was a foreign manuscript her mother had translated; below that was a book of letters her father had given her for studying; and at the bottom was a picture book her brother had given her for her fifth birthday.

The books piled on the unstable foundation lost their balance in an instant and began to tilt. She shut her eyes reflexively.

“Just kidding.”

Even after the weight on her stomach vanished completely, there wasn’t a single sound. Ariana timidly opened her eyes.

Rai was standing beside the bed, skillfully holding the water pitcher in one hand and the stack of books in the other, smiling cheerfully.

“I thought I’d wake you up properly tonight. Was the stimulus too strong?”

“Please never do that again.”

“Ah, I went too far. I won’t do it again.”

Slowly sitting up, Ariana quietly intimidated him with a fierce glare.

Sensing her genuine anger, Rai maintained his frivolous attitude but twisted his smile awkwardly.

It wasn’t a funny joke to Ariana in the slightest, but she suppressed her anger, thinking it couldn’t be helped.

If Rai said he wouldn’t do it again, he truly wouldn’t. She knew that well.

With Rai still holding the books, Ariana began returning them to the bookshelf.

Handing each book carefully to Ariana from the top, his attitude of helping with the cleanup also conveyed a sense of remorse.

“Thanks to you, I’m wide awake now. What is it?”

“I wanted your head to be clear. But oh well.”

Rai handed her the next book. It was one of the bestselling detective series.

“So, who was it this time that directed murderous intent at you, from where, and for what purpose? How much do you know?”

Ariana frowned at the sudden question.

As if expecting that reaction, Rai continued cheerfully without concern.

“The coronation was destroyed patriots of a ruined nation, the parade was hired assassins from another country trying to prevent magic stone shipment restrictions, the covered-up attempted poisoning was… well, never mind. So, what does Ariana think this time?”

“…By ‘me,’ do you mean you have some idea, Rai?”

“I’m not like humans; I get information quickly. I know up to the point that the count’s daughter who poisoned Ariana chose euthanasia, and no proper clues have been found. As for anything beyond that, who knows?”

His tone suggested he knew various things, making Ariana look at him suspiciously.

The book in front of her was waved as if urging her to take it. Reluctantly, Ariana resumed the tidying up she had stopped.

“…On the human side, we’re still at the stage of suspecting that the perpetrator, Grecia, wasn’t acting alone. But how much do you know, Rai? Please tell me.”

“No can do. If Queen Ariana learned things that I, a demon, found out, it might cause problems. You can’t make that distinction yet, can you?”

“Ugh…”

It seemed he was keeping quiet not out of malice but for a reason. Ariana felt a bit ashamed for glaring.

Indeed, no matter how useful the information Rai provided, if humans couldn’t verify it as a clue, it would be no different from a lie.

“So, I’ll tell you which magical beast the poison used on you came from. The human side will probably find out the day after tomorrow anyway.”

“! You’ve already identified it?”

“Lizard Balfa—a name you often hear in crop damage reports. If their nest isn’t nearby, they basically only threaten; even if you encounter one, they’re relatively safe.”

That magical beast primarily eats insects that infest grains and is low-risk in terms of human harm.

However, while eating insects, they also tear up crops, trample fields, and contaminate soil and water, making them quite a pest industrially.

“That one shows up more often than the reports that reach you, Ariana. If it’s a swarm, we put out extermination requests, but if it’s just a few, nearby farmers kill them.”

“Wait, surely they’re not fighting with farm tools, are they?”

“If they did that without anti-magical beast coats, either iron consumption would increase from replacing tools, or crops would rot and productivity would drop. It’d show in the numbers. But neither has happened.”

Ariana searched her memory and, since there had been no major fluctuations in records over the past ten years, nodded for now.

“So, there’s another extermination method. Lizard Balfa open their large jaws to threaten, right? You throw strongly acidic fruit into their mouths, and they die on their own.”

“That’s all it takes!?”

“Yep. Well, when you do that, their bodily fluids become highly toxic, and if left alone, the area’s magic essence gets contaminated, so incineration is mandatory. Whether they understand or just hate the smell, I don’t know, but throwing and burning became a standard set.”

“…You’re oddly knowledgeable about this?”

“I’d like you to be grateful, you know?”

“I’m very grateful.”

Both connections and experience were things she should have built up before her coronation. Ariana became king before gaining either, so she could only compensate with knowledge. Knowledge like this, which can’t be gained from text alone, is extremely hard to come by.

“Fols might know about that. If we can get information from him, maybe we can identify the poison faster.”

“If he knew the poison’s properties, wouldn’t he be the prime suspect?”

Ariana’s eyes widened at the unexpected words.

The possibility that Fols, who knew the poison’s properties, was the mastermind who hired Grecia for the assassination.

“Absolutely not.”

“What? You trust him that much?”

“Of course. He wouldn’t need to use poison; he could kill me and escape abroad with ease.”

“That’s your reason? Not that he’d never betray you?”

“People betray if they have a reason. In any form, nothing lasts forever with people.”

Ariana’s expression as she stated this firmly was as calm as if discussing the weather. Rai shrugged and handed her the last book.

After placing it on the bottom shelf, they faced each other.

“Then, what about your exclusive maid?”

“Nala’s family is mainly in forestry, but since it’s the largest production territory, Hanokanomi, she might have means to know. However, if she were plotting an assassination, I think she’d come herself. She should know I’d let my guard down the most around her.”

“Hmm. Then, what about the successor? Wouldn’t their guardian also help to make them king?”

“Hmm… The main reason for the assassination is resentment and rejection of the current monarchy. If I disappear, the next king would likely be chosen from nobles in the royal capital involved in politics. Theo, who has the same Earth Eyes, would have a bleak future, and the Marquis would never gain the status of royal kinship. I think they’d be the ones most hurt by my death. In three years, maybe, but now it seems unlikely.”

“I see. Then, what about your fiancé?”

“Valerio, I can’t really imagine it. I think we have an amicable contractual relationship. Ah, but if the contract details were known to the Duke, it might cause some inconvenience… Still, I can’t believe he’d aim for my life.”

As Ariana muttered with a puzzled expression, chin in hand, Rai made an exaggerated gesture of wiping tears. Of course, his eyes were dry.

“You made a contract? With someone other than me?”

“Um, as queen, I have to make various contracts, so my personal contract with a demon is only with you, so please let it slide.”

“Hey, I said it was a joke. Are you trying to make me slip? Make me fall? Well, whatever.”

Confirming he had cut off Ariana’s brooding thoughts, Rai immediately dropped his meek act.

No problem.

Seeing her calm judgment devoid of personal feelings, Rai deepened his smile and declared.

“One of those four people’s associates is the mastermind.”

“—Are you sure?”

“That reaction feels like you’ve thought of something.”

Ariana nodded, her face twisting bitterly.

After looking stunned as if she couldn’t believe it, she fell into thought again. This time, she racked her brain, her expression showing urgency and desperation.

(If Rai’s words are true, I might not have much time left.)