[Part 3/4]
In response to Aoi's high-handed orders to her direct subordinates, they withdrew daggers from their pockets one after another. And... they pointed the sharp tips at the princess.
"What are you doing...?"
"We're obeying our lord's orders and trying to eliminate the nace to our family."
The leader of Aoi's direct laborers responded to her increasingly frantic questions, unruffled and dignified.
"!!? Betrayed!? Who!? Who send you!? The Head of the Hidden Group!? The head's assistant of servant group!? Or soone from the Advisor's faction!? Those collateral families that support that woman!? Speak! How much did they offer you!!? You disgraceful lot!!"
Aoi shouted the nas of the suspects one after another, her anger boiling over. She couldn't forgive her own subordinates for betraying her. And it wasn't just her; she couldn't tolerate an act of betrayal against her father, either.
The servants standing beside Aoi had all been talents chosen by her father. Their betrayal was an insult to him, as well as to her...
"I've told you, Princess. We follow our lord's orders."
"What does that an!?"
"Our lord is not you. We are only appointed to you, have you forgotten?"
The head of Aoi's direct laborers responded to her questions with increasing bewildernt. She couldn't understand what the conspirators were trying to convey...
Or perhaps, she didn't want to understand.
"What are you talking about? I don't understand. Do you intend to deceive !?"
"There should be no such intention. If you use your wise Princess's head, you should understand this much. Please refrain from being obtuse, Princess."
"What...!!?"
The laborers bowed respectfully. It was clear who had assigned them to Aoi and under whose command they operated. The sa applied to the dic. In other words, the one behind these orders that would harm the princess were...
"Lies."
"They are not lies."
Aoi muttered, and one of the laborers answered politely.
"Lies."
"They are not lies. Everything is just as the Princess imagined."
Aoi spoke again, and one of the laborers replied courteously.
"Lies. Lies, lies, lies, lies!!!"
The young princess denied it repeatedly. She vehently denied it. It was an unbelievable story. It shouldn't have happened. It was irrational, unreasonable. After all, wasn't it? She, herself, a prodigy, a vessel of talent, in the midst of fulfilling her duty to the court, such a beautiful person as herself! Her own daughter...!!!!
"Impossible! Such a story can't be true! Don't make things up!! Such... such transparent lies...!!"
"Princess, do you still not understand? The reason your lord has distanced himself... When did you think you were loved?"
"Wha-!?"
From the very beginning, it had never been like that... the head of the laborers gloated. The princess let out a small scream.
For soone with Aoi's powers of observation, who could easily mimic human skills without a hint of falsehood, there was no trace of a lie in their words.
"...It's a lie. It's a lie. It's a lie. It's not true. It doesn't make sense. It goes against reason. Don't mock . It's a lie. It's a fabrication. It's a lie. It's a lie, a lie, a lie!! No, I won't believe it!! Lie! Lies!! Liar!! Sothing like that!! Impossible!! I am! I am! I am...!!!"
Like a broken clockwork doll, the princess remained hunched over on the spot, muttering incessantly. Her eyes were shaking violently, as if about to shatter, and tears stread down her cheeks without end.
Those who knew her usual self couldn't hide their astonishnt. The princess, who usually had a brilliant and agile mind that could handle multiple complex matters simultaneously, was now completely overwheld by these words, trying only to deny, reject, and brush them away. Her once sharp intellect was now fully occupied with just this.
"...Has she gone mad?"
"It should be temporary. There's no way the princess could be so affected by this level of shock."
"Indeed. If left alone, the poison may wear off."
"So we need to hurry..."
The laborers glanced at the murmuring Aoi and exchanged words. They then began to act according to their preditated plans.
"Well then, just having the princess hide is no fun. Because the princess is so precious, Lord has instructed us to follow various procedures... Hahaha. It seems she can't hear us."
In response to the head laborer's call, the young princess continued to mutter words of denial and rejection, her eyes not once shifting towards the traitors. It seed as if she had no interest or concern for such matters anymore.
It was a form of escapism... in a sense, it was a manifestation of her arrogance and pride.
"Well, well. Truly, truly, it's just like the princess. That's the way she is... Such an arrogant little brat!!"
With an angry shout, the dry sound of a slap echoed. Aoi, who had fallen to the ground from the impact, ca back to her senses and blinked her eyes. She couldn't grasp what had just happened. She didn't even understand the aning of the slight pain she now felt in her cheeks.
"Huh? Uh, uh...?"
She touched her swollen cheek with numb hands. She caressed it. Had she been punched? Slapped? Why? Why on earth?
Unfortunately, no matter how many tis she questioned herself, the answers didn't co, and the reality remained unchanged.
"Why don't you show so restraint, you impudent little brat!! Don't underestimate us!!"
"Ghh!!?"
Then, another laborer kicked the young girl in the stomach. The young princess scread with a bitterness she had never known before, in response to the pain she felt for the first ti in her life.
"Let have a go too!!"
"This d*mn brat! Made us do all the dirty work!"
One after another, the laborers shouted and rushed to her, kicking her, trampling her, and hitting her.
"Stop!? Stop, please...!??"
Aoi cried out in request, command, and pleading, in a situation she couldn't comprehend at all. Imdiately after, with a forceful kick to her abdon, she let out a painful cry. It was definitely not a voice a child should produce, and the laborers' actions were equally reprehensible.
"It hurts!? It hurts!! Stop it, stop it!! My clothes, they're getting dirty!! Father bought them for ...!!?"
"That old man threw you away, you brat!"
As her elegant garnts were dirtied and tarnished by the mud, Aoi begged, her hands protecting her head. Instantly, the insults and mockery were returned. It was as if they were simply fulfilling her wishes, saring the mud all over her.
"No, nooo!! Stop it, please!! ?"
"Shut up! Be quiet!!"
They grabbed by the collar, lifted her up, and punched her in the abdon without rcy. Fortunately, the princess, who was unusually sturdy, did not vomit even though she was gurgling.
Really, that's all there was to it.
"Hmm? Hey, look at this, guys!"
"Hahaha! It's disgusting! She's wetting herself!! So weak!!"
"Ugh...?"
Insulted, Aoi beca aware of it and looked down at her lower abdon. There was a stain spreading on her vibrant and luxurious clothing—a stain with the faint, unique sll of urine. She had wet herself, a result of her bladder muscles relaxing due to the shock of the blow to her lower abdon.
"Oh, oh no... My clothes, the ones Father gave ...!!?"
This ti, Aoi cried like a child. She sobbed uncontrollably. For her, the gift from her father was a cherished possession, regardless of whether it was just a simple protective charm or not. It symbolized her father's love.
Or at least, she wanted to believe that.
"Don't make a fuss! Shut up!!"
She was slapped across the face with a thud again. Because of her body's resilience, there were no bruises from the full force punch, but the sound still made those who heard it uncomfortable, and her oral mucosa was injured again. The taste of blood spread on her tongue. It was another first-ti experience.
"Look, guys! This one here, it's ti for so 'special treatnt' for this female brat!!"
"Isn't she dirty?"
"It doesn't matter. We're going to undress her and sell her anyway!"
"That's right. She's given us a reason to undress her. How fortunate for us!"
"Ugh, ugh!? Undress? What are you talking about...?"
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