"Sir Whitney. Be ready to use white magic at any time."
"…What?"
"Just as I said, I will personally take charge of the interrogation."
I had been waiting idly for the rewards ceremony when, out of nowhere, I was dragged into the interrogation alongside the emperor. Startled, I quickly pulled myself together and focused on the soft voice that spoke beside me.
"You never know. Even if they're restrained, a black mage is still a black mage."
"Ah, um. Leave it to me?"
However, I was still dazed by the unexpected turn of events, so my response came out clumsily.
"Good. If anything happens, I'll be counting on you."
The emperor gave me a quiet smile before taking a step forward and speaking.
"Raise your head, black mage."
"Tch, what a load of crap."
However, the response from the black mage, who had been forced to kneel by the knights, was laced with a sneer and a curse.
"Sorry, but I'm not a kind enough black mage to play along with your little tea party."
"..."
"If you want to play soldier, why not do it with the dolls behind you?"
As she finished her words with a mocking smirk, the emperor's eyes gradually curved into a crescent shape, and the surroundings fell into a dead silence.
"As expected of black mages."
"W-what is this… Ugh?"
The moment the emperor snapped her fingers and muttered, the imperial guards standing behind the black mage suddenly fastened something around her neck.
"Aaaaaargh!"
A horrific scream soon filled the garden, which had now turned into the site of a public interrogation.
"The empire generally refrains from inflicting physical or mental torture on prisoners."
"Ugh… Cough, cough."
"But you lot are nothing more than monsters in human form."
If my information was correct, the device around the black mage's neck was a magic shocker designed to subdue magical beasts.
That meant the device was now inflicting an unimaginable level of pain on her, severe enough to instantly pacify even the most frenzied creature.
No matter how accustomed to pain she might be as a black mage, there was no way she could endure such agony.
"Lift your head and look at me, black mage."
"Ugh…"
"Don't make this harder on yourself with meaningless resistance."
As expected, she couldn't withstand the pain and ended up pressing her forehead to the ground, drooling uncontrollably. But at the emperor's final warning, she finally struggled to lift her head.
'If she recognizes me, what should I say?'
At the same time, my hair, which had been completely white a moment ago, was beginning to—
'Should I just shout that I'm innocent and insist on it? But that would make me look even more suspicious…'
As my mind raced desperately to escape the crisis of a lifetime—
"…Please, spare me."
'Huh?'
To my utter surprise, the black mage, who had been staring blankly at both me and the emperor, blurted out an unexpectedly weak surrender.
"I swear to tell you everything truthfully."
"Hmm."
"So please, just spare my life…"
I wondered if she was planning something, but with her face streaked with tears and drool, she only looked utterly exhausted as she pleaded for her life.
'I can understand if she didn't recognize me, but… why does she seem so different from before?'
"That depends on what you say next."
While I silently frowned at the inconsistency in her behavior, the emperor seemed pleased, smiling in satisfaction as she spoke again.
"I will answer everything I know truthfully."
"Then, do you have any information on the whereabouts of the kidnapped Saintess?"
I had been feeling somewhat relieved, but at that question, I suddenly sucked in a breath and glanced at the black mage nervously.
"…I do not."
"Not knowing the most crucial piece of information makes you useless."
"That is because we were not the ones who took the Saintess from the scene."
At her unexpected revelation, I could only close my eyes and let out an internal sigh.
"And that culprit is here, in this very place."
The only silver lining was that the weight of her shocking statement had drawn everyone's attention, preventing my own unnatural reaction from being noticed.
'Right… The waiting room lights hadn't even been turned off back then. There's no way she wouldn't remember me.'
Of course, that one sentence also meant my life was now hanging by a thread.
"Then, who exactly is the culprit?"
Before I could even prepare myself, the emperor, who alone wore a faint smile amidst the bewildered officials, issued an order to the black mage.
"Point them out with a nod."
A heavy silence filled the garden, suffocating enough that even breathing seemed impossible.
Slowly, the black mage's head turned.
"Uh?"
"My god…"
"Oh…"
As soon as her gaze settled on one spot, the faces of the ministers, who had been struggling to keep up with the sudden turn of events, twisted in shock.
'What?'
I was no different. I had been silently gritting my teeth, steeling myself for what was coming.
"It's that person."
Because the person standing in the direction of her gaze was—
"That person took advantage of the chaos and stole the Saintess from my custody."
"Huh?"
Not me, but Lady Meredia, who had been leisurely observing the situation until then.
"What is this…?"
"Oh dear, Sir Whitney. It seems you've pledged your loyalty to the wrong person."
Still dumbfounded by the absurdity of the situation, I turned my gaze unconsciously toward the emperor as she spoke to me.
"But don't worry."
"….!"
The next moment, a chilling sensation crawled over my entire body, and before I knew it, I had instinctively taken a step back.
"I know full well that you were merely a victim who was used."
Because the emperor, who had whispered those words in a gentle voice while staring at me, had her normally narrow eyes—
"So if you swear allegiance to me from now on, you will suffer no disadvantages."
—slightly open.
"And on the contrary, the benefits you receive may even double."
That look… in the game I played in my past life, it only appeared in one situation.
"What do you think, Sir Whitney?"
'This is the route where you choose the emperor as your partner, isn't it?'
I had no idea why.
'But I've never taken the emperor's route before, not even once.'
It seemed that the highest authority in the empire had taken an interest in me.
***
"Haha, Your Majesty?"
Caught off guard by the emperor's sudden 'offer,' Whitney scratched his head with an awkward smile.
"Even if you suddenly say that to me…"
"That's rather unpleasant to hear."
However, his words were immediately drowned out by Meredia's mocking tone.
"It's as if Your Majesty has already decided I'm the culprit."
"Hmm, but given the circumstances, what else can I do?"
"Hah. This is beyond ridiculous."
As the emperor spoke with feigned helplessness, she coldly snapped back, unfazed by the suspicious gazes being cast her way.
"When the knights asked for my cooperation, claiming they had discovered new evidence, I was somewhat curious. I wondered what kind of absurd accusation they had prepared for me this time."
"Hmm."
"But now, watching you all being swayed by the unverified words of a mere black mage… Even a passing dog would laugh at this."
As she swept a cold gaze over the room, the ministers, who had been watching with doubtful eyes, hurriedly lowered their heads.
"Your Majesty, did you truly think a farce like this would shake my standing even a little?"
"..."
"Rather, have you considered that it might be your own position that wavers?"
Turning the tables, Meredia aimed her words at the emperor, but—
"You are right, Lady Meredia. Even I have grown weary of the ancient pact between the House of Embergreen and the royal family."
To her surprise, the emperor readily admitted her point.
"Even as emperor, I cannot imprison or detain you based on this testimony alone."
"Then why go through all this trouble?"
"It seems you misunderstand. I had no expectation of today's events unfolding this way either."
Casually dismissing her accusation, the emperor smiled, her eyes crinkling as she continued.
"I merely wished to celebrate the birth of a young hero. Unfortunately, an unfortunate incident occurred, leaving me quite troubled."
"How terribly unfortunate."
"But I do have a duty to verify the suspicions that have been raised. Wouldn't that be in your best interest as well, Lady Meredia?"
Of course, few people truly believed that today's events were an accident, least of all Meredia herself.
After all, before she even ascended the throne, Lilieth Winter Clouds had a habit of encountering suspiciously 'fortuitous' coincidences.
"Or are you suggesting that I orchestrated all of this from the start?"
"…Hah."
"Now, now, that would be going a bit far, wouldn't it?"
But unfortunately, no one in the room had the courage to point out that every single one of those coincidences always seemed to work in her favor.
"So, just cooperate for a little while, if you please."
And as Meredia was no stranger to standing alone against the noble society and the imperial family, she had no allies here to come to her defense either.
After all, the emperor was the one who had deposed her tyrant brother and ascended the throne at a young age, ushering in an era of prosperity.
Anyone with half a brain knew which side they should take.
"…Do as you wish."
"Good. Now, returning to the topic at hand… Black mage, do you have any evidence that Lady Meredia took the Saintess?"
As soon as Meredia, biting her lips, reluctantly agreed, the emperor turned her expectant gaze toward the black mage.
"…Lady Meredia and I briefly fought over the Saintess."
After staring blankly at the emperor for a moment, the black mage turned her gaze toward Meredia and began her testimony.
"The wound on Lady Meredia's hand is proof."
"…!"
The moment those words left her lips, Meredia's expression stiffened, and she hastily moved to hide her hand behind her back.
"Now that I think about it, Lady Meredia, what have you been wrapping around your hand?"
But it was already too late.
"This is… my fiancé's—"
"Yes, I can see it's your fiancé's handkerchief. What I'm asking is why you've wrapped it around your hand."
Realizing the predicament she was in, Meredia quickly attempted to explain, but the emperor, having found her prey, pressed on relentlessly.
"I doubt you would indulge in the childish romantic gestures popular among young noblewomen."
"That's…"
"Rather, isn't it more likely that you have a reason to hide your hand?"
As Meredia faced the emperor, who was smiling at her with narrowed eyes, her head slowly drooped downward.
'So this was her goal from the start.'
Of course, the mark on Meredia's hand wasn't a wound—it was the trace of the curse that had been exposed at the ball last night.
The problem was the consequences she would face the moment she revealed the curse to prove her innocence.
Due to the semi-permanent nature of black magic, anyone afflicted by a curse was classified as a potential threat who could be controlled by a black mage at any time—according to imperial law.
In reality, even Meredia had been suffering from the effects of the curse, to the point where she had attempted self-harm. That said enough about its severity.
"Lady Meredia, why are you not answering?"
"..."
"If it's untrue, all you have to do is show your hand."
The higher one's status and the more crucial one's position, the greater the losses.
At the very least, she would be stripped of her temporary authority as the acting head of her house, and the succession structure would be critically damaged.
Meanwhile, the emperor only needed to offer an apology and compensation for tarnishing her reputation.
But refusing to show her hand until the curse faded would only serve to legitimize the emperor and the black mage's accusations.
"I have no obligation to show my hand."
"How absurd. That's an unworthy and foolish excuse for a noblewoman."
Yet, since there was no better way out, Meredia clung to that feeble reasoning.
As if she had been waiting for it, the emperor let out a mocking sneer.
"I'm not asking for something difficult."
"..."
"Hmm, remaining silent? Very well."
When Meredia stubbornly refused to respond, still bowing her head, the emperor, as if she had expected as much, turned away.
"In that case, I have no choice but to rely on you, Sir Whitney."
With a smile full of victory, she issued a simple command to Whitney.
"That handkerchief—it seems you were the one who tied it for her. Would you be so kind as to retrieve it yourself?"
"Hmm…"
At those words, Whitney, who had been standing beside the emperor, frowned slightly.
For a brief moment, a faint glimmer of hope passed through Meredia's mind.
Would he refuse the emperor's order and take her side?
"Maybe, if he—"
"…Haha."
However, as soon as the emperor leaned in and whispered something into Whitney's ear, a laugh burst from his lips.
"Lady Meredia. Please stay still for a moment."
"…I see. So that's how it is."
As Whitney, now wearing the exact same smile as the emperor, approached her, Meredia felt the strength drain from her body.
"There's no such thing as 'my side' in this world."
After all, the very reason she had ended up in this predicament stemmed from Whitney's actions.
Had he been in league with the emperor all along?
Or had her fiancé, upon realizing their plans had gone awry, simply decided to switch allegiances?
'Well, it doesn't matter anymore.'
Meredia no longer cared about those questions.
Either way, now that she had lost her usefulness, she was certain she would be discarded.
"Lady Meredia, would you kindly extend your hand?"
"…Fine."
So when Whitney, now standing before her, softly made his request, she wordlessly held out her hand.
"Her Majesty just told me something interesting."
"..."
"She said that if I untie this handkerchief, she will guarantee my safety."
As she gazed at him, unable even to muster anger, Whitney grasped her hand without hesitation.
"And that under her command, I would be given far greater rewards."
"Well. Congratulations to you, then."
Meredia responded in an emotionless tone as she waited for the inevitable.
But—
"?"
"...?"
The expected moment never came.
"Isn't that funny?"
As she tilted her head in confusion, Whitney's low voice reached her ears.
"I am your fiancé, after all."
At those words, Meredia's dull, lifeless eyes widened for the first time.
"I would never do anything to harm you, Lady Meredia."
She stared at him in stunned disbelief.
"Hah?"
Then, in the next instant, she realized that the space around her feet had begun to shimmer with pale gray-white magical energy—undoubtedly Whitney's white magic.
"What are you…?"
"This is an ability-sealing spell. Any white mage can use it, but its effectiveness is guaranteed."
Whitney's response was nonchalant, as if this was nothing significant.
The energy had already spread throughout the entire garden.
"No matter what kind of magic, sorcery, or curse it may be—"
"Ugh…!"
"As long as I maintain my white magic, it will not be able to manifest."
He had just finished explaining when—
"What the hell… Where am I?"
The black mage, who had been kneeling blankly, suddenly furrowed her brows and muttered irritably.
"It won't last long. This spell is incredibly effective, but it consumes a tremendous amount of life force to maintain."
"What…?"
"Which is why white mages usually avoid using it unless absolutely necessary."
Despite the emperor's piercing gaze growing increasingly menacing behind him, Whitney, now visibly strained, merely smiled wryly at Meredia.
"Yesterday, you trusted me and took a risk."
"You… Don't tell me—"
"So today, I'll trust you and risk my life."
Hearing those words, Meredia's gaze wavered for the first time.
"Someone placed her under mind control, but now she has just regained her senses."
"Before I'm dragged away by the knights based on her false testimony…"
"Or before this spell drains all of my life force, find a way to turn the situation around and save me, Lady Meredia."
Despite the fact that he was actively consuming his own life force, Whitney finished speaking with such ease that his presence overshadowed even the emperor's ominous killing intent.
But in truth—
'If I don't hold this spell until she turns the situation around…!'
Whitney's mind was in turmoil over the desperate gamble he had just made to escape the emperor's route.
'If I follow the emperor's route, I'll definitely die!'
Perhaps it was because of that desperation—
That he didn't even realize the residual energy of his white magic was seeping into the hand he was holding.
"...!?"
Only Meredia noticed it, staring down at her hand in shock, unable to believe what she was seeing.