Dargo's eyes widen as he looks at me expectantly.
"If Princess Alara were to direct more concerning actions towards one of us, and those actions were not proportionately condemned by the royal family, then you'd be effectively complicit in her actions. So, for the sake of our relationship, I hope that doesn't happen. I doubt that you'd be willing to seriously reprimand the First Princess of your country." (Mizuki)
Dargo nods confidently.
"I can assure you that she will have no such opportunity. Going forward, she will be excluded from interacting with you during your diplomatic visit here. I am sure my Queen will agree with me that this is for the best." (Dargo)
I smile at him reassuringly and nod my agreement.
"Then I'm sure that we have nothing to worry about, and this will soon just be something in the past." (Mizuki)
Dargo nods appreciatively and we continue walking. As we do, I send a thought message to Nina.
[Nina, I think we may have another Kent situation. So, I'll need to stay in my room alone tonight.] (Mizuki)
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
Before going to bed in my royal guest room, I place a silencing spell over the entire room. I also apply a max body enhancement in case it will hang around while I sleep. Finally, I create a magic barrier around my bed, like the one I used to protect the elves at Nina's nest.
However, I give this barrier the property of forcefully attracting, rather than repelling, matter that contacts it. This way, an intruder will be unable to penetrate it, but they will also be stuck until I wake up.
After laying my traps and preemptively filling them with as much magic as I can, I go to sleep without a worry.
Sometime later in the night, I'm awoken by the sound of grunting. I sit up in bed a little dazed, then remember my situation and immediately reapply max body enhancement and the room-wide silencing spell.
Looking around for the source of the noise, I see a man stuck in an uncomfortable position to the side of my bed. He's dressed in all black, wearing a mask, struggling to move, and has a dagger in his hand pointed towards me. As far as I can tell, both of his hands are stuck against the barrier.
"So, who sent you to kill me?" (Mizuki)
I address him calmly, and he seems to notice that I'm awake for the first time. Seeing this, he starts struggling more furiously. He doesn't respond to me, which is disappointing.
I teleport behind him, bypassing my own trap barrier, and grab the back of his head and cock it towards me.
"If you don't want to die right now, I suggest that you start talking." (Mizuki)
When I say this, he looks briefly conflicted, then starts screaming for help at the top of his lungs. So, then, that's how you're going to play it?
I grab his mask, and I pull it off from behind so I can talk to him face-to-face for interrogation. Seeing his face…I freeze.
"You have got to be kidding me, dude." (Mizuki)
It's Princess Alara's personal member of the royal guard.
"Man, with all due respect, your Princess Alara is an idiot. Who sends their single most recognizable connection to assassinate someone with all the circumstantial evidence already pointing towards them? Your country is in truly terrible hands next generation." (Mizuki)
"Shut your mouth you filthy human, I don't know what you're talking about." (assassin)
"Dude you can save your breath. I've already decided to kill you, and there is a spell in effect that silences your screams. If you have any last words, please tell them to me now and I promise to pass them on if I can. I hope you can understand my position. You came for my life, so you've forfeited your own." (Mizuki)
He starts screaming again, which is pretty disappointing. Why do these guys never take me up on my offers of final courtesies?
"Tch…suit yourself, man. Sorry about this." (Mizuki)
With that, I deactivate the trap barrier and teleport us both to Nina's clearing, then toss him onto the ground. I quickly pin him with a gravity spell.
"GAAHHHHHH!" (assassin)
"Sorry, man, it gets harder to hold back my own strength as I get more proficient with magic. I'll make this quick." (Mizuki)
I pull my dagger and step behind him, then stab into the back of his neck in one clean motion. After a moment, he goes still.
I grab his dagger and clean my own thoroughly on his clothes, then I disintegrate his body and equipment into oxygen.
I sheathe my dagger, look up at the night sky, and sigh deeply. This is becoming an execution ground of sorts.
I teleport back to my room at the palace, then use magic sense to search for Ilina. I have a promise to keep to her, even if it's inconvenient. I locate her, and I can see only one other magic signature close by. I'm guessing that's Klaus.
I apply full concealment, then teleport to where I remember her room being. When I arrive, I see Klaus sleeping against the wall outside her room. I walk over to him, and I expand my silencing spell to surround both of us as I shake his shoulder to wake him. He begins to stir, then looks around in confusion.
"Hey, Klaus, it's Mizuki. I'm sorry to do this to you, but I'm going to need to speak to Ilina now. It can't wait, and I promise you that she will be livid if you refuse. I made it so nobody can hear us talk, so feel free to speak if you have anything to say." (Mizuki)
Klaus jumps in surprise initially, then looks conflicted.
"Mizuki, man, that's a big ask. I know I couldn't stop you, but it's still my job, you know? Is this about that fiasco with Alara yesterday?" (Klaus)
"Klaus…is that something you'd really want to be in the loop on? Think hard." (Mizuki)
He seems to take my advice, then hangs his head dejectedly and waves at me to go on in. I oblige, and once I shut the door behind me in the room, I drop my invisibility spell and expand my silencing spell around Ilina and myself.