When My Younger Sister Enrolled in a Female Knight Academy, She Somehow Became a National Hero. Or R

Chapter 80 – How About I Set a Honey Trap, Then?

After my training with the mine managers, both of them became much more docile. They seemed to think that Yuzuriha-san’s tale of heroism was not a lie at all.

Then they showed us around the mithril mine. At least on the surface.

However…

“It’s still not right.”

After a guided tour of the mine, we were shown to the guest room in the administration building.

It is said that this room was also used when successive margraves visited.

The VIP room has a table for meetings, and it’s connected to a bedroom for attendants. It’s very well equipped.

“Nii-san, what’s wrong?”

“It’s the production of mithril.”

I answered Suzuha, who was sitting on the bed.

By the way, Yuzuriha-san left because she wanted to check something.

“There are that big of a mine and that many people, but the amount of mithril produced is too low by any means.”

“…Is that how it is?”

“I know because I did a lot of research with Ayano-san before I came to visit.”

“So does Nii-san think there’s something fishy going on…?”

“I think it’s possible. It’s already late today, so I’ll have to check carefully tomorrow.”

“Those mine managers have a very bad guy look on their faces, and I’m sure they’ve done some sort of illegal activity. Wouldn’t it be quicker to crack down on him if that’s the case?”

“Don’t say that even if that’s what you think.”

As I was chiding Suzuha, Yuzuriha-san came back.

“Welcome back, Yuzuriha-san.”

“Yeah… I was actually talking to the mine managers because I felt that the mithril production was somewhat low for the size of the mine. Well, this is something I noticed only because I have a mithril mine in my territory as well…”

“No, Nii-san also noticed that.”

“Keep quiet, Suzuha. So, Yuzuriha-san, how did it go?”

“It’s just my intuition, but…I think something fishy is going on. After all, they have bad guy faces.”

Yuzuriha-san’s thinking was on the same level as Suzuha’s.

“So, what do you think about torturing those mine managers for a bit?”

“We can’t do that without proof!”

“Both the female knight and the experienced duchess are saying the same thing… There’s obviously something fishy going on. There’s no way there isn’t.”

“But that’s still not good enough!”

“Nii-san, how about I set a honey trap, then?”

“What’s that!?”

“I think they truly understand Nii-san’s and Yuzuriha-san’s strength, but they must have underestimated me as a commoner girl. Therefore, if we spread rumors that I suffer from sleepwalking and have them attack me when I’m alone in the middle of the night…”

“Of course not!”

“Don’t worry. Those mine managers are as strong as middle-ranked knights, but Suzuha-kun would crush them like insects.”

“That’s not the point!”

＊＊＊＊

By the time I managed to calm them down and finally came to the conclusion that we would do a proper investigation tomorrow, it was already dinner time.

“Ah, by the way, Nii-san, it seems that dinner will be shrimp chili.”

“Shrimp chili?”

“After all, after a hard day’s work, you need to eat something salty. Right, Yuzuriha-san?”

“Well, I suppose so… But if possible, I would’ve preferred to eat Suzuha-kun’s older brother’s homemade shrimp chili…”

“Yes, yes. I’ll make it when we get back to the castle.”

When we went to the cafeteria where shrimp chili was prepared for the executives, waiting for us were the mine manager, the deputy mine manager, and one other person…. We were told that he was the treasurer of the mine.

He was a bald-headed, bulky old man just like the mine manager, so it was a bit like a banquet for bandits. 

Anyway, it seemed that they were going to offer hospitality, even if it was just a token gesture. 

And the shrimp chili that was prepared looked…extremely salty. 

It looked so salty that I thought eating it would cause death from high blood pressure. After all, there were lumps of undissolved salt floating in it.

At this level, even if there were poison in it, I wouldn’t even be able to tell that it tasted weird.

“……”

It also bothered me that the mine managers were grinning at us for some reason.

At first glance, it appeared to be, ‘Can you handle the saltiness of our shrimp chili?’, but it seemed to me that they were hiding some kind of secret motive.

“Ah, there’s a wandering white-haired vampire over there!” 

““”What!?”’”

Once everyone’s attention was diverted to the window, I quickly replaced the plate of shrimp chili. 

Our plate to the mine managers, the mine managers’ plate to us.

Of course, there shouldn’t be any particular problem if I switched the shrimp. Under normal circumstances.

“I must have imagined it. Shall we eat then?”

And as dinner began, after a while…

Suddenly, the three mine managers’ mouths began to bubble up and they turned over.