Chapter 55: Tournament Interim (Part 3)

[I'm the King of this country.] - King?

Wait King?!? As in the ruler of this country? As in the person that is one of our closest allies? And I called him an old man!!! I'm gonna cause and international incident!!! My anger, still simmering from the encounter with the Prince, was overwhelmed with panic as I waved my arms around. Annabelle, for her part, just bowed and introduced me formally while requesting proof of the man's identity. Wait why didn't I think of that? He could be lyi- and that's his seeal!

[F-Forgive me!!!] - Rose

[Hmm, oh she finally came back to us?] - King Nero aka Jim

[Forgive her, my Mistress is unused to meeting royals outside of her own family. Before that I believe it would be well to leave before we attract any more attention. Mistress do you agree?] - Annabelle

[I see you're just as commanding as ever Annabelle, you seriously didn't recognize me?] - King Nero aka Jim

[I apologize, you're incredibly old compared to our last meeting. I believe it's been nearly 14 years?] - Annabelle

[Oh how the years pass slowly for us mere mortals, you look not a day older than when I last saw you.] - King Nero aka Jim

[Pleasantries will get you nothing, they didn't woe the Queen neither will they sway me.] - Annabelle

[Shame... May I?] - King Nero aka Jim

[Yeah...] - Rose

Swept up in the momentum of what was going on I numbly turned my head back and forth, watching my personal maid and the most powerful individual in this country act as if they were old friends. My experience with Auntie Laura told me that monarchs were not to be trusted, they were all sadistic demons that would send you to etiquette training at the drop of a hat, or punish you with pink everything when you didn't call them Auntie, or continue stacking books on your head until you kept your back straight while moving! AHHHH!!!!

Internally panicking I went into automode and allowed the two of them to guide my listless self into the King's carriage and only came out of it when we came to a stop and the King held his hand out to help me down at a familiar mansion.

[Huh? Isn't that...?] - Rose

[Oh right you've already been here, where do you think your parents got this mansion on loan? I was the one that allowed them to use it for their stay in this city. Now let us enter quickly, we wouldn't want to attract... prying eyes.] - King Nero aka Jim

[Mistress this way.] - Annabelle

[...okay?] - Rose

[So first of all do you know about what's going on?] - King Nero aka Jim

[I'm aware, my task is to protect Mistress afterall.] - Annabelle

[Wait really? You knew? Then why the act at the restaurant?!?] - Rose

[Oh that? Because it was fun. Although I can't stand that arrogant little brat.] - Annabelle

[Oh you should remember his mother actually, he's just like her. Never could stand her or her family but you know how it is...] - King Nero aka Jim

My world was falling apart! My Mom was actually a spear-wielding badass delinquent, my dad was basically a teenager, my maid had an enormous sword that had vanished at some point without me noticing, and now I come to find out she knew the King well enough that they could banter like this?!?

[I-I need a moment...] - Rose

[Is she okay?] - King Nero aka Jim

[She needs a moment.] - Annabelle

[I heard, but...] - King Nero aka Jim

[She needs a moment.] - Annabelle

[...] - King Nero aka Jim

[...] - Annabelle

[Okay I think I'm ready to deal with this, phew... Okay so you guys know each other?] - Rose

[We were old lov...] - King Nero aka Jim

[I turned him down so he went after the Queen.] - Annabelle

[....did you have to tell her the truth?] - King Nero aka Jim

[Yes.] - Annabelle

[Oof, you're just as sadistic as before... why can't you treat me more like you did Laura?] - King Nero aka Jim

[Because you don't deserve i...] - Annabelle

[Hold on hold on! So Auntie Laura, Annabelle and King Nero all knew each other?] - Rose

[Ara Ara? Is Mistress jealous? Is she? Heheheh, hmmm maaaaaybe I can say but...] - Annabelle

[We were in the same Adventurer's Party, Ouch! Why'd you hit me?!?] - King Nero aka Jim

[Don't interrupt me you...] - Annabelle

[Ahem!] - Robert

Watching this new side of Annabelle was different, with me she always took the role of the older sister type with a teasing personality. She was my maid sure but strong personalities like hers had always been a weakness of mine in women so she took the dominant position most of the time. Seeing her go from the gently teasing older sister to the ice queen was disconcerting. Maybe that's her real personali- nevermind her teasing is back. Seems she's only like that with the King.

Watching the two of them argue back and forth was slightly entertaining but I had a feeling like we had, to coin a phrase, "Jumped the Shark", at some point about 5 minutes ago and while learning Annabelle's past was important to me it was something I could do later. It was while I was thinking of a way to get the situation back under control that my father cleared his throat behind me.

[So you took her from the restaurant where your son was and did this entire skit to stop her from destroying a city block in her anger?!? What's wrong with you Jim?!?] - Robert

[H-Hey you know I'm the leader of a country ri...?] - Just Jim

[Shut it! I'm a Dragon! Which of us ranks higher?!?] - Robert

[...I figured it was a good way to calm her down without losing my son! Is that so bad?!?] - Just Jim

[...] - Everyone

[Do you have any idea how difficult it is for me to sign away my son like that?!? Let him either die or be universally hated by my country?!?] - Jim

[...you're right, I'm sorry.] - Robert

[...hah, that was... that was improper of me, it seems that seeing old friends brought back a few emotions that I shouldn't have revealed. Now. Lady Rose, I believe you had questions.] - Jim

The King of this country looked pathetic, groveling before my father like a beggar. My father, angry at the King even pulled the Dragon card which I didn't even know was a thing. I'd have to ask about that latter. It was at this point that the King's eyes glazed over with tears, shocking all of us into silence as he laid into Robert and Annabelle. At this point instead of mirth and the ridiculousness of the situation I only felt sympathy. A father was being forced to choose between his country and his son. Even if said son was trying to kill him, even if he was a horrible person, it wasn't a choice that anyone could make but he had done so.

My father, realizing that he'd pushed too far, apologized and the King sighed before his face became completely unreadable. The pain that was visible only seconds before vanishing in moments to become stone. Taken aback by the sudden change I didn't react immediately to his question to me and only after being prodded by Annabelle did I finally open my mouth.

[R-Right.... I-I think you answered most of them. O-Oh right I was told by my friends to ask about the possibility of the Prince framing our help as an invasion to the public.] - Rose

[Friends?] - King Nero

[Some of Rose's close allies, we believe they are trustworthy but are keeping an eye on them regardless, I'll brief you on them later.] - Robert

[Right, now as for your question... We think it's almost guaranteed that will happen. But it doesn't matter.] - King Nero

Nervously I asked my question, after seeing how distraught the King was over his son I was hesitant to bring him up again but my worries were unfounded as the King reacted to my admission that I'd shared this plan with friends more than about his son. His face immediately became immensely grave as my father told him that he'd apparently ordered my friends watched without telling me, was this his way of letting me know? My cooled anger, long since brought back to a manageable level reacted to his words slightly but I quickly brought it to heel. I'd chew him out later for that. Of course what happened next blew that thought out of my mind completely.

[Huh?] - Rose

[We know he'll attempt to act the victim in this but it doesn't matter, your mission is just to keep him from realizing what's going on until it's too late. We'll deal with everything else.] - King Nero

[F-Fuck you! Filthy bitch!] - Unnamed Guard

[Yeah yeah see you in hell and all that, hey are we close to the Big Boss yet do you think?] - Judy

[And I would know that how exactly? We'll reach him eventually if we keep heading upwards it's not like he is...] - Moon

[You mean her, so you're Moon huh? Harris said you'd be coming, bastard was right as always.] - Leathered-up Slut

Judy and Moon had slaughtered their way through dozens of guards, freed nearly 200 prisoner's and made a basic mess of the situation the whole way. Yet in all this time not a single person had raised a general alarm, this had made it easy to kill everyone in their path but it was also extremely suspicious. It was like someone was daring them to go all the way to the top. Moon, however, couldn't give up because of suspicions. Her little brother and sister were at stake here and she'd give up anything to keep them safe. Moon, contrary to what she had said to Judy HAD been thinking it was about time they met the big boss and lo and behold the self-proclaimed boss had immediately come out like she had been waiting for the right time to announce herself.

Dressed entirely in black latex mixed with dyed leather the person facing them seemed like she belonged in a dominitrix den rather than her claim of being the boss. Despite her seeming strangeness Moon immediately went into a stance, which allowed her to react when a blurry flash came from both above and below at once. Dodging to the side she saw a gash in the wood she had been standing on a second before but the woman in front of them showed no signs of having gotten closer. She waved her hands mockingly.

[You wanna die bitch! Just stand there while I...!] - Judy

Judy charged forward angrily at the mockingly still woman in front of us only for the sword strike that should have struck true to embed itself in the ground as the image faded away into smoke. A second later Judy blocked a strike with her sword that once more came from nowhere only to be flung backwards like a ragdoll. Our opponent was invisible.