Avalon's Dungeon

Fransisca still felt uncomfortable, so Alexis allowed her to clean herself up.

Instead, he asks the knight to stay.

「What is your name?」

While waiting for Fransisca to return, Alexis turns the question to the knight.

「...Eden. Eden Empery.」

Through the helmet, Alexis could hear a muffled soprano voice, albeit softly spoken, and he was sure that Fransisca was right about the woman inside.

「You're Aniki's Kingsguard, aren't you?」

Eden nodded her head in affirmation of Alexis' words.

「Aniki told you to report what you saw in the dungeon. Am I wrong?」

「......」

Eden was silent, but eventually gave a small nod.

「Did you get anything that you think he would like?」

Alexis asked with a smile, and Eden fell silent again.

Alexis then asked again, "What do you think?"

「...I don't have to tell you.」

Eden's replied so, and Alexis nodded "I see, I see".

「I'm Krangal royalty too, you know?」

「......」

「As a knight of Krangal, you can't deny my order, can't you?」

「...My master is only Jerome-sama」

"...I see," Alexis smiles.

（Aniki. He has a very loyal subordinate...）

Seeing this, he'd be lying if he said he didn't envy him.

After all, it hasn't been long since he came to the fort, but is there any Krangal soldier who is so loyal to him? Maybe not. Thinking that...

「...Enough?」

Eden bows to him.

「What I want... is just a matter of business. Return... I've been told. Excuse me.」

As usual, Eden tells him the bare minimum in a muffled voice.

Her blunt tone is similar to Fatima's. However, the type is totally different. Fatima's tone seems to be a habitual way of speaking, while Eden seems to avoid talking to others as much as possible.

「No, it's not good.」

Alexis told her.

「I haven't finished my business yet. You'll be here for a while, okay?」

「......」

Eden responded with silence, but the atmosphere conveyed that she was offended.

For a moment Alexis stood in front of Eden and glanced at her through her helmet.

As he did so.

「Sorry to keep you waiting, Alexis-sama!」

Fransisca came back to the command center in a hurry.

She had cleaned herself and changed her clothes, and came into the room breathless in a white one-piece dress.

She had probably done her business in a hurry.

「Ah, now we're all here. Fransisca, go stand in front of the door there and block the entrance.」

Alexis told her to do so. Fransisca nodded her head and did as Alexis said even though she was puzzled.

After slamming the door, she puts her back against the door to prevent it from opening.

Even Eden is not willing to forcefully push away the person whom Jerome has his eyes on.

So, she just stands still and silent.

"—Well," Alexis opens his mouth, but his eyes are on Fransisca.

「We've talked a lot while you were gone. This guy's still going to tell Aniki, you know? About the dungeon.」

「...I see. Well, Eden-san, would you please keep your mouth shut?」

Fransisca turns the question squarely on Eden.

Alexis thinks she is an idiot. Of course, Eden shakes her head.

「...I see. I'm in trouble.」

Fransisca tilts her head with a puzzled look on her face.

「Alexis-sama told me too. Don't tell Jerome-sama what the dungeon looks like now.」

「...Why?」

Eden finally speaks up.

「Why, Princess... you're the one in charge. You don't work for anyone... why are you taking orders from Prince Alexis?」

「Why?」

Fransisca looks puzzled.

「...And also, earlier...」

Eden shakes her head as she continues before Fransisca can answer.

「You were giving in to an evil power that was 'holding' you. Why don't you resist? Jerome-sama will save you. If you ask for help, right now...」

「...Do I look like I need help?」

Fransisca asks, and Eden falls silent.

Fransisca smiles softly at Eden.

「And you are mistaken. Alexis-sama is not a bad person.」

「......lie.」

「I'm not lying. I'm his...—」

Fransisca chokes on her words as she reaches this point.

She remembers that Alexis had told her not to reveal the relationship.

「...Anyway, I...um...」

"What should I do?" Fransisca think. They had just had sexual intercourse in front of Eden. Alexis didn't criticize her for it too. How is it? So she turns her eyes toward Alexis.

Then Alexis folded his arms and shook his head, perhaps sensing this or for some other reason.

「...There is a 'traitor' in the fort who has been spreading rumors about me. But it was not a true rumor. I hear that I'm blackmailing you and forcing you to become my outlet for my carnal desires? Well, half true, isn't it?」

Alexis smiles bitterly.

Fransisca's eyes twinkled, as this was the first time she had heard of this.

「Oh no! Such a terrible rumor, who...! Who is it...? Then, what was the conversation between Alexis-sama and Jerome-sama just now, about "beasts"......」

Fransisca finally realized the truth.

Alexis's smile deepens.

「...You finally realized it, huh? —Well, that's all right...」

「Ugh... terrible. It's terrible, Jerome-sama. Even if he is Alexis-sama's brother, he can't insult him by talking ill of Alexis-sama.」

Fransisca was angry.

「I'll clear up the misunderstanding! Alexis-sama is not such a bad person.」

"Well, that can wait. But right now we have to deal with this guy first," Alexis turns to Eden.

Fransisca follows suit and looks at Eden.

「What is Alexis-sama going to do?」

At Fransisca's question, Alexis ponders.

「Well, I wish she would just shut up. But she seems to be very loyal to Aniki, doesn't she? —Oh, I see.」

Alexis had an epiphany.

「...Blackmail—Should I do it? Like the rumors someone was spreading about me, saying "If I talk, you'll be disadvantaged."」

「...I don't give in to blackmail...!」

Eden turns to glare at Alexis.

She must have thought that he was a scumbag, as the rumors say. But Alexis gives a chuckle at Eden's hostile attitude with his hand on the sword at his waist in a wary manner.

「Well, I wonder. Will she give in or not?—I don't know until I try.」

「...Ah, Alexis-sama, what exactly are you threatening her with?」

Fransisca is asked, puzzled.

「Hmm... Well, I don't know...」

Alexis crossed his arms and wondered.

In fact, the threat is not something he is talking about when he says he has a concrete idea of what he should do.

「...Oh, then, how about this?」

This is what Fransisca said with an innocent smile.

「Alexis-sama should give her a lot of tastes of the penis. Then I'm sure Eden will be willing to obey Alexis-sama's wishes. Because never tasting it again would be more painful than having one's body ripped open.」

「Hey, you...」

Alexis was stunned.

He gulp at the thought that he's actually a beast....

No, but there is a problem before that.

「...Are you sure you're not the only one?」

「...No, that's not true!」

Fransisca, her cheeks flushed bright red, retorted.

「Alexis-sama's a man that no woman can stand up to. Not only me, right? Fatima, Sara, Valencia, Dorothea...—」

Fransisca starts to give specific names.

「Is that so...?」

（But, I can't help but feel that those guys are acting quite freely...）

Alexis was thinking like that.

「Well, but sure...」

He doesn't know how effective tentacle dick is, but Fransisca has a point. It's not a threat, though.

But there are torture techniques out there to enforce mind control over prisoners of war.

（I don't know how far this will go—）

Alexis thought, but it might be worth a try.

「Okay, let's do that.」

Alexis nodded and then spoke to Eden.

「There is a small prison in the basement of the fort, as I recall. No one is in there now, but I'm going to torture you there, so follow me.」

「...What kind of a fool would follow you so easily?」

Eden makes a good point. But...

「Hmm? Are you trying to stir things up? Against the prince?」

「......」

Eden is silent, and then decides that there is nothing she can do.

（...I just have to bear it...）

After thinking this, Eden nodded her head.

As they left the room, she asked Fransisca

「...Tell Master about this... Then, I'm going to go.」

「Do that. But Fransisca, if you're going to Aniki's place, you should at least wear a sword.」

Alexis told Fransisca so, and she wondered if she had to wear a sword. However, Fransisca nodded her head.