Blood Princess, Kill them All

Cheap Questions

Ami was swiftly taken care of, receiving the immediate treatment she needed. Mary held her gently in her arms as Tinny led them to the medical room. Once they reached the room, a woman in a white coat promptly began examining Ami. Meanwhile, Jasam, who was supposed to accompany them, had to rush back to his room after receiving an urgent message.

By Tinny’s side, Mary kept a watchful eye on Ami’s condition while also taking in the details of the room. The medical facilities were undeniably impressive, rivaling those found in hospitals outside.

There must be some influential noble supporting this organization.

At that moment, Tinny turned to her and asked, “Princess, are you curious?”

“Well, the scale is just too big to ignore.”

“I thought the same thing when I first joined. The patron of the Riverta Liberation Front seems to hold a grudge against Dugan. Even our leader was originally a noble.”

“Jasam? That person?”

“Yeah, he’s fighting alongside the commoners, even sacrificing his own wealth.”

“Does he personally know the patron?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure about that. I didn’t pry too much. But the patron goes by the name Mr. K when addressing us.”

“Mr. K huh…”

“Hehehe, it’s a strange name, isn’t it? He even uses a voice changer, so nobody knows what he really sounds like.”

“What about his looks?”

“I haven’t seen him either. Rumor has it that not even Jasam knows his true appearance.”

“You’re putting a lot of your trust in this mysterious person.”

“Not entirely. I wouldn’t go that far. You see, nobles have a knack for using and discarding commoners without a second thought. But we gotta play their game if we want to stand a chance and fight for our cause,” Tinny spoke with a tinge of sadness.

“It’s like they say, if you’re going to swallow poison, you might as well lick the plate clean…”

If the nobles are using them, they’ll make sure to make full use of the nobles as well. That seems to be their mindset.

Tinny pondered, “Even those soldiers we’re up against are just disposable pawns to those in power, aren’t they?”

“If we start listing them, there’s no end to it.”

“But that’s not the case when you’re a princess, right?”

“Not really. Even someone like me, with no power or value beyond the princess title, was just a pawn in the game. My arranged marriage with Romeo was one of those things,” Mary spoke lightly, a hint of self-deprecation in her tone, which took Tinny by surprise.

“Even for a princess, it’s not that simple huh… I feel like if you become a king or a duke, you can do whatever you please.”

“I wonder. Maybe they too are being pulled by some invisible strings,” Mary jokingly replied.

Tinny hugged herself, shivering, and said, “Now that’s a scary thought.”

Mary could only respond with a smile. Perhaps because she had managed to get Ami the much-needed treatment, her heart felt lighter.

At that moment, Jasam entered the room. “Sorry, I kept you waiting.”

“You came back quickly. Are you ready to discuss?”

“Well, when I mentioned you to the other party, they expressed their interest in talking to you as well. Princess, I apologize, but could you spare some time?”

“Are they a part of the organization? Or is it the mysterious patron, Mr. K?”

“Tinny, were you talking about him?” Jasam turned to her.

“Am I not allowed to?”

“No worries, it actually saved me the trouble. Yes, it’s Mr. K who wants to have a conversation.”

Mary had no reason to decline. She nodded and left the room with Jasam.

◇◇◇

Mary strolled alongside Jasam as he led her towards the meeting room.

I wonder if this hideout is still new? It’s spotless, and there’s a faint, peculiar scent in the air.

“It’s quite impressive, isn’t it? Dugan would never have imagined that we could have such a hideout here in Captis,” Jasam said.

“It’s certainly well-hidden.”

“Folks in the bustling district hold grudges against the nobles for various reasons. Even if they have a rough idea of the hideout’s location, they can’t just barge in,” Jasam explained.

Since Mary wasn’t familiar with the culture, she couldn’t fully grasp the implications. But considering that many of the people working in this district were commoners, it wasn’t far-fetched to think that some of them had been sold off to the nobles.

The depths of darkness ran much deeper, but such heavy topics were beyond Mary.

“If you have any questions, feel free to ask,” Jasam offered.

“Can it be something trivial?”

“Yeah, of course. Fire away.”

“Is it just me, or are there a lot of clocks here?” Mary paused and pointed to a clock hanging on the corridor wall.

Jasam glanced at it and chuckled, his shoulders shaking. “Haha, I’ve had the same thought. There are some jittery folks around here. Since Tinny brought you here, there’s a chance you might have even met with the man himself.”

“You mean a member of that unit?” Mary inquired.

“He goes by the name Indy, the captain. He’s serious from head to toe, and he’s a stickler for punctuality,” Jasam explained.

“He seems peculiar, but it’s taking it to the extreme…”

“Yeah, it creates a certain pressure. Funny thing is, some members have actually requested to get rid of the clocks. But if we bring it up to Indy, he gets all riled up.”

“Leading an organization comes with its own set of challenges, huh?”

“Just having you, a princess, show appreciation is enough to lift my spirits.”

As the two strolled along, engaged in casual conversation, they arrived at the meeting room. A large monitor was mounted in front, displaying the back of a man.

“Mr. K, I’ve brought the princess,” Jasam announced.

“Thank you. You may leave,” came the response.

“Got it. Well, Princess, I’ll be outside. Just give me a shout when you’re done.”

As Jasam exited the room, Mary settled herself into a comfortable chair.

“Pleasure to meet you, Princess Mary. I’m Mr. K,” resonated a male voice. As Tinny had mentioned, it sounded artificial.

“Due to certain circumstances, I cannot reveal my name or show my face. It might come across as impolite, but I assure you, there are valid reasons for my anonymity. I hope you understand.”

“That’s fine. I’ll probably figure it out soon enough,” Mary replied.

“Oh? And how would you do that?” Mr. K inquired.

“With only a handful of nobles capable of supporting the organization on this scale, narrowing down the possibilities isn’t too difficult.”

“Haha, I must admit I may have gone too far. But all of this is driven by concern for the Slaver’s dominion and ultimately, the future of the world. I hope you understand that,” Mr. K stated, presenting his dubious statement.

Mary glared at the suspicious man.

“You didn’t like my approach, Princess?”

“Can you actually see me?” Mary asked.

“Oh yes, I can see your lovely face crystal clear. You’re even more composed than I imagined. Quite different from the previous image of Princess Mary.”

“I don’t have the luxury of keeping up that image anymore. The princess act had to go.”

“It’s a pity, isn’t it?”

Mary smiled mischievously. “By the way, Mr. K, your comment earlier seemed to suggest that you know me from before.”

“Y-You have quite a frightening expression. Truly befitting someone of royal blood.” Mr. K momentarily faltered in his words

“Don’t change the subject.”

“Princess, as a noble, it wouldn’t be unusual for me to have met with you at least once, right?”

“True, but speaking of which, Mr. K,” Mary continued.

“What is it?”

“What if I told you that I already knew your true identity and have been observing you?”

“That would certainly throw a wrench in the gears… But as I mentioned before, I might have met you once. I highly doubt you remember my name.”

“But right now, you’re probably thinking to yourself, ‘Oh, she’s so annoying! Just like her sister!’ Am I right?”

Mr. K fell silent.

“Just as I suspected,” Mary said.

As Mary narrowed her eyes at the monitor, a sigh could be heard through the speakers. Suddenly, the image on the screen transformed, revealing a woman with blonde hair styled in twin tails.

She looked at Mary with frustration and spoke, “I thought you would never catch on! You’ve become quite the sly one, Mary.”

“It’s been a while, Cassy. You still haven’t changed, I see.”

Appearing before Mary was none other than Cassy Marjoram, the managing director of Marjoram Technology, who was supposed to be an ally of Duke Slaver.

***