[Part 4/4]
To gain the rightful status of the next head of the Onitsuki family, to be recognized as the legitimate successor, she needed to achieve the results the court desired flawlessly, surpassing them by a wide margin. At the very least, the court would pay greater attention to her as someone more useful and beneficial. Contributions to the court would serve as the cornerstone for enriching and elevating the Onitsuki family.
"Father will surely come to understand that I'm a much better daughter than that one..."
That was the purpose of her recent actions. Aoi understood this from the preliminary instructions. There was no way she couldn't grasp the reasons behind the detailed teaching that led to safe zones scattered deep within the territory. This was an expectation, a trial, an examination, Aoi immediately realized. And she readily accepted that challenge, like a child, eager to outdo herself. Her father probably wouldn't have expected her to conquer everything. That's why surprising him would be worthwhile.
And when she achieved that and returned triumphantly, she thought about it. Her father would surely praise her. He would embrace her, the one who had brought great achievements and benefits to the Onitsuki family through her actions. Unlike her mother, who treated her like a nuisance...
"...We'll be out in about two hours. There's another area nearby where spiritual herbs grow. We should head there."
Could it be that she was a bit sleep-deprived? She had a headache. Irritating. Was it because she was still a child? There was also a sense of weariness. Frustrating. Irritating.
"Princess, the medic is here."
"...What for?"
She asked, clearly uncomfortable, holding her forehead while responding to the laborer's call.
"Princess, it appears you're fatigued. Since entering this forbidden territory, you've been continuously exterminating youkai. You shouldn't overexert yourself. You should take a break."
His voice was oddly high-pitched. When she looked at him, she saw a slightly shorter but stocky man with a thick neck and large eyes. Far from handsome. His frog-like appearance made his head and eyes look large. She hadn't really bothered to remember the names of the unimportant subordinates. However, she knew the reason for this individual's presence this time. He belonged to her father's faction, and with his role as the family's medic, he was knowledgeable about the spiritual herbs thriving in this forbidden area. It was probably one of her father's considerations.
Nevertheless, that didn't mean she would readily accept his words.
"Enough with the jokes. We have a rare opportunity here, and I won't just bring back the requested items. I intend to visit at least three or four more locations."
"Is that so..."
"More importantly, don't you have a rare opportunity too? You don't need to go harvesting. Just do it for inspection. You won't be noticed if you take a little, will you?"
"Please rest assured. I've already..."
Saying that, he opened his robe, revealing a bag tied to the inside, filled with several test tubes. Almost half of them were already filled.
"...You're pretty fast, aren't you?"
"As you said, Princess, it's a rare opportunity. I have no intention of obstructing your goal. So at least, please take this..."
And he took out a folded sheet of paper. A folded piece of paper. When unfolded, there were several spoonfuls of white powder on it.
"What's this?"
"It's a nutritional supplement for fatigue recovery. Please rest assured; it doesn't contain anything strange. If you doubt it, feel free to examine..."
"..."
Regardless of his position, Aoi couldn't help but grimace at his unsightly appearance. She took the sheet, and with her fingers, picked up some of the powdered medicine. She smelled it and tasted it with a lick.
"...!"
The bitterness spread on her still-childish tongue. The young princess twisted her face even more, but she didn't spit out the medicine used for inspection. Aoi was a prodigy. As one of the pinnacles of exorcists with her lineage, she was considered complete. Therefore, even in her current state of fatigue, her senses were still keen, especially her sense of taste. There was no way she couldn't recognize the composition of the powder she had placed directly on her tongue. She examined the ingredients and understood that there was no poison. Certainly, the nutritional content was perfect. ...It was terribly bitter, though. She gulped it down.
"...I understand. I'll take it. Hmm!! Someone, bring me some tea. Make sure there's plenty of sugar! The effects are fine, but the taste lacks refinement!!"
Aoi bravely endured the urge to cough, acting tough despite her watering eyes. Suppressing the urge to cough, she called for a laborer to bring tea. It needed more refinement in terms of taste!
"...Well then, I'll take my leave here. There might be other interesting things in this area that we should explore."
The medic respectfully bowed and stepped back with a smile, resuming his stroll within the safety zone, which he had begun for exploration.
"Princess, your tea is here!"
"You're too slow!"
Aoi scolded the laborer behind her in response, and the sound of her fan striking something echoed. She must have been unable to bear the bitterness any longer. Unladylike sounds of gulping and her throat clearing started.
If she was obediently following instructions, then the tea was filled with cold water and plenty of sugar. She seemed to be desperately trying to wash away the bitterness that lingered on her tongue with the coldness and sweetness.
"..."
While still smiling, the medic turned to look as if peering once more. After a brief silence, he resumed his leisurely stroll. It was a carefree and unassuming pace of exploration, with no hint of scheming or conspiracy.
"Kukukuku..."
The sinister laughter of someone echoed faintly...
"The personnel in the corridors should be doubled. Prepare for immediate response to the use of the Nation Breaker at any time... Send messengers to the Provincial Commander and nearby garrisons immediately."
While he couldn't know what was happening within the forbidden territory, the Chief overseeing Minami-kan (Southern frontier pass) had started taking action within the limits of his authority, assuming the worst. He was busy giving instructions to the soldiers and officials in the tower.
Two hours earlier, they had granted entry... well, it was a bit of a misnomer... to the Onitsuki servants who had entered the forbidden territory. Although the Chief had expectations, he neither trusted nor blindly believed in them. Having stayed near the forbidden territory's deep forest, he understood well. No matter how much experience and knowledge they had, once they set foot in that cursed place, there was no guarantee they would return alive. Frankly, he assumed that about eighty percent of them would end up inside a monster's belly and based his command on that premise.
Hence the messengers, requests for reinforcements, and the heightened alert in the tower. The tension would likely remain until the situation was under control.
"It can't be helped. I hope the mission is completed safely..."
"Chief, I have a report. A group is approaching from the city road!"
A guard who entered the room reported as the Chief was sighing. The Military Commander and his aide, who were present, wore puzzled expressions.
"A group? Who could it be?"
"That alone isn't enough to judge. Don't you have any identifying marks on them? Think a bit!"
At the prompting of the two, the guard hurriedly turned back and, after a while, shouted with a rough breath.
"I confirmed their banners and the family crest on the ox cart! I assume it's a group from the Onitsuki family. From a distance, I could see about twenty of them!"
Those in the tower who were receiving the report exchanged glances. There was not agreement but skepticism.
"Onitsuki? Could it be the escort team we contacted?"
"But, twenty? Isn't that too few? Are there multiple exorcists among them?"
The Military Commander and his aide discussed among themselves.
"I see... that's how it is. I apologize that our Princess has caused so much trouble for you."
"Huh!?"
The voice responding to the doubt and confusion was unfamiliar, and when they turned their gaze, they found an unknown person.
"...It seems like the Onitsuki family enjoys surprising people, doesn't it?"
The Chief replied slowly as he turned around. The figure that appeared in his field of vision was that of a man in a coat, his form somewhat obscure, as if some curse's influence were at play.
"As expected, that girl is not quite a princess. She is really a terrible naughty girl. She does an important job in a messy way, doesn't she?"
His words were a mocking sneer aimed at his own family's princess. It was far from humility; it was a clear and outright contempt. It was an attitude that shouldn't have been directed at outsiders. ...But no, that wasn't the issue.
(Why does he know that the princess is doing things on her own?)
From his careless task and demeanor, the implications were evident. The problem was that the person who had just appeared here seemed to know about it. Did he communicate with the rear team? No, the servants who arrived two hours ago seemed unaware. Moreover, based on this man's attitude, it didn't seem likely that the rear team had been informed in advance. So, it was hard to believe that he had communicated with them...
"Could you open the gate? Don't worry, I'll make sure to retrieve the requested item."
The man had an equally insolent attitude as the princess. The officials crowded in the tower twisted their faces in discomfort. Only the Chief maintained his stoic expression as he inquired.
"Please go ahead. Are you only retrieving the item?"
"Huh? ...Oh, don't worry. I'll take care of it properly. Especially the Princess, you know, if even a single bone of hers were found inside, those monsters would get really excited, wouldn't they?"
The Chief didn't strongly deny it. He couldn't. The sight of the monsters flooding in like an avalanche the moment the princess sneaked through the gate at night had thrown the soldiers of the pass into a panic. His true desire was for them to complete their mission and leave as soon as possible.
"Well... It's not guaranteed that we'll be able to bring her back alive, though."
In the dangerous and unpredictable forbidden territory, the head of the Onitsuki servants group hit the mark with his words. But they were irresponsible and superficial to the core.
At the very least, it wasn't a statement expressing concern for the well-being of their own people.
A new group passed through the gate of the forbidden territory...
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