The Condemnation Play (2)

Nothing was going according to plan, and Koleha was starting to panic.

"Kuh, if it's come to this… I pushed that Saint down the stairs!!! Isn't that right, Hiiro!!"

"… Is that so?"

"Eh? Ah… yes, I was pushed down the stairs…"

It wasn't that she'd expected "this might come up"—she had simply prepared the fact that she'd pushed her, after ensuring it was safe, just to cover all her bases.

There had been no witnesses. No injuries. She'd just wanted to try it a little.

She had hoped Hiiro would phrase it in a way that made the prince misunderstand, but she couldn't think of a good approach and had shelved the idea.

"Well, you weren't hurt, were you? … And how many steps did you fall?"

"… One step. She said, 'I'm going nowww, I'll pushhh, ready, set,' and it was cute…!"

"Hey, Hiiro!! Whose side are you on!? Remember you're a Saint!?"

"I'm sorry! I can't take it anymore…!!"

Hiiro crumpled in tears.

Oh, this kind of looks like bullying! Yes! Koleha thought, then shook her head. The lines weren't landing right.

"Because I, because I love Ojou-sama too much!! His Highness threatened me to keep quiet… but he actually already knew!!!"

"… Knew? W-wait, Hiiro!? 'Already knew'…"

"That I'm Ojou-sama's lady's maid. Honestly, he knew since the first day!!"

Koleha felt as though she'd been struck over the head.

"Hey, Hiiro. I told you to keep that one a secret."

"Sniff… I'm sorry, Ojou-sama…!"

Hiiro and Harks spoke with a certain familiarity.

… Well, they were close, so it wasn't strange, but…

Having the Heroine appear close with a capture target had been part of the plan from the start, yet nothing about this was going as planned.

Koleha despaired.

She had thought she had them dancing in her palm—only to find she was the one being led.

—At this rate, would she fail to be condemned…?

No, even so! There was still no grounds for condemnation!

For precisely this reason, Koleha had put in the work! Built up legitimate excuses! Avoided all the flags!

She'd sent seasonal greetings and birthday gifts, never once neglecting her duties as a fiancée!

Harks had given her dresses and never neglected to escort her; call it even, but at the very least, Koleha was not at fault!

"H-heh. But Your Highness. You cannot condemn me, can you…? Because I have done nothing wrong!"

"Ah, yes. Various rumors may have spread, but after what we've just gone through, they've all been dispelled, haven't they."

"Yes! Meaning even if we part ways, the fault could only lie with Your Highness!!"

"That's right, Koleha. In short, it's been proven that you, as my fiancée, are completely without fault."

"Hm?"

He had accepted her words so readily that Koleha tilted her head in confusion.

"From the start, your training as a consort has been perfect, and aside from those rumors, you've been without blemish as my fiancée. If anyone is at fault, it's me."

"Eh? Y-yes. That's so…?"

Seeing Koleha genuinely flustered by his praise, Harks grinned.

"Now then, everyone, this is the truth behind these so-called 'misdeeds'! Do you see? All the rumors were misunderstandings! It's been proven that my fiancée is without blemish! She and I both acknowledge it! You are all witnesses!!"

Harks called out to the crowd once more.

The partygoers murmured in agreement: "Those rumors did seem odd," "So it was just boasting," "I've heard Lady Nyarlathotep is quite capable on the council…"

"Eh!? That's… the truth…!?"

"That's right. —Ahem. With graduation approaching, I didn't want these misunderstandings to linger, so we put on this little farce. And—"

"Eh?"

Harks knelt before Koleha.

"Koleha. Our engagement is over."

"… Didn't you just prove I was without fault?"

"Yes. You are without fault, Koleha. Which means—everyone will accept you as my wife. So please, would you marry me?"

"… Excuse me???"

She tilted her head.

Harks gazed up at Koleha with an imploring look and reached out his hand.

"Koleha. From now on, as my wife, will you walk beside me?"

"… Eh? You never mentioned this?"

"I asked if I could shoukasublimate our engagement. You said yes."

"That wasn't a slip of the tongue!? I thought you'd misspoken kaishouannul… which shoukasublimate OR extinguish!?"

"I chose that word on purpose because I knew you'd take it that way. Shouka… as in elevating from one state to a higher one."

From engaged to a higher state… in other words, marriage. The realization dawned on Koleha.

"…!? Eh!? Was I being proposed to!?"

"Heh-heh-heh, that's right. I've finally outplayed you… What a feeling."

"Your Highness Harks…!?"

"What is it? Or, am I at fault?"

Still kneeling, he smoothly closed the distance by one step.

Harks gently took Koleha's hand.

"…! Wait, the contract! Your Highness, you remember our contract!? The fine for touching someone of the opposite sex!! That would be a violat—… It's not."

"It's not."

It wasn't a violation. Kurushu was at Hiiro's side. Harks had eyes only for Koleha.

"Um. Come to think of it, I've never collected a fine from Your Highness."

"Well, that's because I've never violated it."

"… Why not!?"

"Because you taught me the importance of honoring contracts."

"Is he serious, Hiiro!?"

"Completely serious, Ojou-sama. His Highness hasn't touched me even once, not even through gloves. Even handshakes were delegated to Lord Kurushu…!"

If Hiiro said so, it wasn't a lie.

"… Eh? Then how did you practice dancing?"

"With Kurushu, among others. I also had a male dance instructor. I used my authority as First Prince to arrange that. I haven't even had contact with Mother these past few years."

Really, why? Why? Question marks swirled endlessly through Koleha's head.

"…! The contract was meant to prevent infidelity! If you had been unfaithful, that would have been a problem!"

"Oh? Infidelity? Was I unfaithful?"

"Yes! Behold!!"

Koleha pulled a bundle of letters from her pochette.