Vast open space in front of the prison.
Only she and I stood in the center.
"Derek Minster. Do you know why I've come?"
She asked, with the massive Landruin slung over her shoulder.
In my memory, she'd swept away hundreds of enemy soldiers from a neighboring country with that spear.
An insane character who possessed absolute magical power and martial prowess at the same time.
It wasn't for nothing that the game balance required her assassination.
She had to die for a flood of empire-destroying flags to pile up.
Her very existence was overbalanced.
"Warden of Berryhill Prison greets Your Highness the Princess."
I greeted her as naturally as possible.
Any sign of groveling here, and she'd think the thief's foot was shooting—obvious guilt.
"If I may presume to grasp Your Highness's deep intent, would you kindly withdraw this immense magical pressure?"
"That depends on how well you cooperate."
"Understood. Then, as your humble servant, allow me to offer my modest perspective."
"Keep it short and clear."
Fortunately, the Princess was giving me a chance.
In return, I straightened my disheveled uniform cap.
"First, I suspect it's due to the recent incident at the Holy See. I appear to be a prime suspect."
"Correct. You know it well."
The Princess haughtily brushed back her hair whipping in the north wind.
But my next words halted her hand mid-motion.
"However, it seems you have no evidence. Just bringing the empire's pride, the White Horse Knights, makes it clear."
The warden of this remote prison had read her intentions perfectly.
"You hoped seeing the army would scare me into confessing. If I deny it, you'd have to resort to Confession Magic."
I placed a hand over my left chest and bowed politely.
As courteously as I had in my days as Imperial Knight Commander.
"Confession Magic inflicts great pain on the subject. So, you wish to resolve this as humanely as possible."
I slowly raised my face.
Emerald-green eyes curved into a gentle smile.
"I thank you for your merciful consideration."
Clea, watching from afar, let out a sigh of relief.
Grand Elder Dark, observing from the cell, snorted at my sly reception.
"You understand my position perfectly. Thank you for that, Warden."
Yet the Princess's expression remained unchanged.
Like a beautiful ancient statue come to life, utterly devoid of emotion.
"Indeed. Since you grasp my intent so well, you should respond accordingly."
Everyone feared the Princess, who could force the truth from anyone.
But my view, shaped by three regressions watching over Camillia's life, differed.
The woman before me was a steadfast guardian of the world.
The Princess, blessed from childhood with talents in both magic and spearmanship.
That led to even harsher training and envy from nobles.
Most imperial kin would go mad or give up in such a life.
But she silently devoted herself to training, protecting her own path.
In short, a woman optimized for rulership, unswayed by her environment.
Perfectly suited as the next emperor to preserve the empire.
For my comfortable noble life, Camillia had to survive.
"Understood. Straight to the point, then. I have no involvement in this incident."
First, establish my innocence.
Only then could she heed my future advice and prepare for assassination.
"I lack the means to hire a beast-taming sorcerer. My family discarded me, after all."
"I figured you'd say that."
The Princess sighed shortly at my firm denial.
She leaned her face against the spear on her shoulder.
"Everyone I meet denies their guilt first."
Camillia, unaware of my true thoughts, gazed down imperiously.
She pointed at the old prison and commanded.
"Then, per procedure, summon the witnesses. Bring Saintess Anje and Grand Elder Dark."
As expected, it wouldn't be easy.
But that was fine.
They had no connection to this either.
Of course, the Saintess was highly suspicious, but she was the only one whose mental magic surpassed Camillia's.
Confession Magic wouldn't work; she could just play dumb.
"Understood. I'll summon them immediately."
I glanced at Clea standing at a distance.
The quick-witted woman nodded and obeyed promptly.
In truth, freely extracting disaster-class prisoners was absurd...
But the Princess, a Swordmaster and grand sorceress, paid it no mind.
Confidence she could handle them all, no doubt.
"..."
A few minutes later, Clea brought the handcuffed Saintess and Grand Elder.
Fortunately, both prisoners looked remarkably calm.
"It's been a while, Your Highness the Princess."
"Two months. Good to see you, Grand Elder."
Uncle Dark greeted flatly, while the Saintess remained expressionless.
Sensing something off, Camillia probed her first.
"Self-proclaimed Saintess Anje. How's life in confinement?"
"No issues."
The soldiers on standby finally laid eyes on the Saintess.
True to her infamy for mass brainwashing the populace, they all tensed.
Grand Elder was equally intimidating.
Even in this remote exile, the pressure felt like the imperial palace.
"Good. I've called you for a few questions."
The Princess first turned to her uncle.
The top political figure who valued ability over good or evil.
"First, Grand Elder. While staying here recently, any suspicious behavior from the Warden?"
"No idea. How would a mere prisoner know the Warden's affairs?"
"The Grand Elder I know doesn't speak so vaguely."
"I'm merely responding to my station."
The Princess's face hardened at her uncle treating her like a politician.
She already disliked his moral ambiguity, but today he was defending a prime suspect.
It fueled her suspicions further.
'No, just say I didn't do it—why dodge like this?'
Grand Elder glanced at me with a cynical smile.
Acting ignorant, so hide the evidence well—his eyes said.
That gaze drove me madder.
He must think it was me, since the victims were my tournament opponents.
"Favoritism with the new Warden would be problematic. Your sentence could increase."
"Of course. You can extract the truth if you wish. No reason to lie."
Still, Grand Elder drew the line well.
I was just starting to relax when...
"Our Warden is so thorough, you see. Whatever happened, it won't be easy to uncover."
"Cough...!!"
His loaded addition made me cough involuntarily.
At that, the Princess narrowed her eyes like she'd caught the snake's tail.
"Indeed. The Minster family commits so many assassinations yet keeps their countship."
A creak sounded as her grip tightened on Landruin.
Once the empire's downfall was resolved, she'd toss my father and brother into empty cells.
"Understood. We'll skip that for now."
The Princess turned to Anje, arms crossed alone.
A clash of magic pinnacles; the air crackled with intensity.
"Anje Renault. What's your connection to this incident?"
"Beats me. I've been locked in solitary; no clue."
"Unlikely. Someone like you would sense a great beast moving nearby."
"How, with this around my neck?"
Anje pointed to the sealing artifact on her graceful neck.
Indeed, with the necklace on, she didn't seem as formidable as when peering into my memories.
"Then, you wouldn't mind me using Confession Magic on you?"
Yet the Princess didn't let it slide.
Her high magic and spearmanship honed her senses acutely.
She instantly realized the seal didn't fully suppress the Saintess's power.
"Go ahead if you're confident."
Anje stood her ground.
A massive shadow of death loomed behind her red-eyed smirk.
"N-now, ladies. Please calm down."
I slipped between them like a flexible serpent.
Caught in their immense mana, both arms tingled.
"As you see, no beast-control power from prisoner Anje. Seal's intact."
"You could have released it briefly. If allied."
"Where would I get that power? These prisoners terrify me."
"..."
The Princess paused at my aggrieved expression.
Yes, a mage of your caliber senses honest emotions!!
The Princess could infer feelings through superior mana and senses.
While she pondered, finger to chin...
"Exactly. So stop harassing the Warden."
The ultimate wildcard I'd hoped would stay silent spoke up.
Defending me, after Grand Elder.
"The Warden's a far better ruler than you think. He might govern beyond this prison someday."
"What do you mean, Anje Renault?"
Practically lèse-majesté.
The Princess's brow furrowed sharply.
"While you fail to govern the north properly, letting heretics like the Holy See run rampant, Derek's developing this place daily."
"It's just a small prison, Your Highness!!"
I shoved my face into the Princess's glaring at the Saintess.
With the world's gentlest smile.
"The prisoners must be excited from fresh sunlight after so long. Please forgive generously."
"Is that so?"
The Princess tilted her head, leaning on Landruin.
Now, like she'd found the snake's body after the tail.
"Curious, Warden."
Her hostility had clearly grown since first sight.
My wastrel body's old instincts screamed to flee.
"The Grand Elder I know doesn't defend just anyone. Nor that self-proclaimed Saintess."
Grand Elder protected only the talents he handpicked.
Anje brainwashed favorites into slaves.
Yet here she defended someone without enslaving.
The puzzle clicked; a sinister-eyed man entered Camillia's view.
"All signs point to you as the culprit."
Camillia placed hands on hips, glaring coldly up at me.
"Seems I'm fulfilling my warden duties well. The prisoners trust me that much."
I glanced at Grand Elder and the Saintess, eyes begging them to shut up.
They responded with bland faces.
"Don't worry. No hard evidence means Confession Magic's illegal."
"Right. All she can do is intimidate."
Yes, true, but...
It makes me look like a smug perfect criminal!!
"So that's your stance."
Look at that glint in Camillia's eyes.
Not even when she single-handedly crushed a foreign cavalry.
To her, I was now Holy See Pope-level enemy.
"I'll withdraw for today. No 'solid evidence,' as you say."
The Princess drew her body-length spear one-handed.
Normal men couldn't lift it with two, by my knowledge.
"But next time, be prepared."
"Of course. I'll serve diligently as Warden."
She backed off smoothly, at least.
I had advice for her future, but she seemed thoroughly pissed—save for later.
"It was an honor to meet you today, Your Highness."
I knelt on one knee, properly courteous.
My waist sword clinked against the ground.
Clank.
"Hm?"
The Princess eyed my sword.
High quality for a remote warden's gear.
Realizing something, her lips parted slightly.
She knew its original owner well.
"Derek Minster."
"Yes...?"
As I tilted my head.
Landruin pressed swiftly to my throat.
"Seems I've found evidence you're the culprit."
Her golden hair rippled faintly.
Empress-like eyes glared coldly down.
"That sword. Belonged to Bern's lord, didn't it?"
My lips parted.
Bern's lord—the one the Saintess brainwashed and killed.
"If you had no dealings with prisoners, why's the Saintess's stolen sword at your waist?"
Blue mana blazed at the spear's tip.
The empire's judge declared.
"Berryhill Warden, Derek Minster. I charge you with conspiring with prisoners to murder two Holy See knights and the chief guard."
A massive magic circle formed around my kneeling knee.
"Today, you face Confession Magic interrogation."
Damn it all.
I closed my eyes in resignation.