Does the Assassin Girl Dream of the Mana Doll?

“An accomplice…?”

“Yes, an accomplice. What do you think?”

The prince’s question was met with a moment of silence as she pondered. The prince of the Balandia Kingdom—seeking an accomplice, a partner in crime. Given his status, what kind of criminal act could he possibly be considering for him to seek an accomplice? As that thought crossed her mind, she shuddered.

She took a long breath, in and out.

“If you’re asking for something that makes us accomplices, and it’s as I suspect… I’ll need 100 mithril coins for the job.”

“Hmm, as sharp as ever. What do you think, Georg? Do you think she’s worth that much?”

Despite Egret’s vague response, the prince nodded in satisfaction. He turned his mischievous smile toward Georg, the man who had brought her here. Georg’s face twisted into a complex expression.

“That’s quite a cruel question, Your Highness… You’re asking me, the man she almost killed, to assess her worth?”

After a brief pause, Georg added, “To be honest, if we can win her over, she’s worth every bit of 100 or even 200 coins.”

“Is that so? Well, if you say so, then it must be true. It seems like you suffered quite the defeat.”

“Please don’t say things like that,” Georg grumbled.

Although his pride as a warrior had been wounded, he still understood what his priorities were. It was only natural for him to frown even more when someone made light of the situation.

After teasing his retainer for a while, the prince turned back to Egret.

“So, I have no qualms about giving you 100 mithril coins. We could even make up a contract if you like. All that’s left is for you to make up your mind.”

His cheerful smile grew more intense. Feeling a pressure she had very rarely experienced, even in the midst of a fierce battle, she consciously took slow, deep breaths.

She thought of Ellie, then of Thomas. She considered what she needed to do.

She nodded slowly.

“All right, I’ve made up my mind. Tell me your plan.”

“Thank you. It’s fortunate to have someone like you on my side. Now, where to begin… Well, I suppose you’ve already guessed. To put it simply, we’re talking about the greatest taboo, both as humans and as royalty—patricide. To fix the current situation, this is the only option left.”

He explained that due to the kingdom’s extreme expansionist policies and the queen’s own extravagant spending, supported by harsh taxation imposed on the entire kingdom, those who resisted were harshly punished, often with extreme cruelty. As a result, there was no one left in the court who could offer proper advice.

As mentioned earlier, the expansion strategy was not grounded in reality and was based on a precarious balance that could collapse at any moment. Although the prince had tried to advise against it until the very end, his advice had been ignored, and he had recently begun to feel threatened for his own life.

The last resort he had considered was…

“Calling it a coup sounds nice, but at the end of the day, it’s a child’s failure to correct their parent—a mother’s murder. But even so, I have to do it,” the prince said, his tone suddenly devoid of the confidence he had displayed earlier. Beside him, Georg stood silently, emanating a resigned air.

“There were two reasons why I stationed the Third Knights here in the first place. The first, as you might have guessed, was to warn the expansionist faction. The second was… to distance ourselves from the capital, observe the movements of other knights and armies, and find the right moment to attack the capital. Honestly, if the First Knights stationed in the northern city of Balstadt had attacked Azal, we would’ve used that opportunity to march on the capital and leave Azal to fend for itself.”

The prince spoke matter-of-factly, without any sign of remorse. There was a brief flash of vulnerability, though perhaps it was just Egret’s imagination. He let out a breath and continued.

“But in that case, even if the coup succeeds, our relationship with Jurastin would deteriorate rapidly, and depending on the actions of the First Knight order, we might lose control of the border. Also… the Third Knights would suffer heavy casualties. After all, the queen is protected by the ‘Emperor of Thunder.’”

“‘Emperor of Thunder’? Is that the magical weapon Balandia used?”

“Exactly. I can’t go into the details until we’re ready to act. But that’s why I’m glad you came. Your arrival has given me more options.”

Having said that, he finally regained his previous composure. Egret, who had been listening quietly, thought for a moment before speaking.

“So, you’re thinking I’ll infiltrate the castle alone and assassinate the queen?”

“That’s a last resort. What I’m thinking now is that a small, elite group will infiltrate the castle, and I will personally slay the queen. To create a cover for this, I’ll have you accompany me, and you will make sure that the queen is truly eliminated.”

“Why would you put yourself in danger?”

“Because, if the queen were to be simply assassinated and I ascended the throne afterward, people might believe I would continue her policies. For that reason, it must be clear that the prince who opposed the queen’s policies is the one who defeated her. That’s the only way to signal both domestically and internationally that the policies will change.”

The prince answered Egret’s curious question calmly. A cunning expression, similar to the one he had shown earlier, appeared on his face. There was a hint of discomfort, but it was understandable given the gravity of the situation. Egret studied his expression, confirming that he was telling the truth, and slowly nodded.

“I see. If it works out, Azal should remain relatively peaceful.”

“Exactly. But the question is how we’re going to get past the ‘Emperor of Thunder’ protection and kill the queen.”

Reaching the queen wouldn’t be impossible. However, if the queen were to use the ‘Emperor of Thunder’ when they confronted her, they would be doomed.

Apparently, the prince had planned for Egret to kill the queen while he himself acted as a decoy to distract her. Hearing that, Egret replied.

“However, Prince, it seems you’re in luck. I happen to have an ally who is likely the most knowledgeable person in the world about the ‘Emperor of Thunder.’”

Hearing this, the prince looked surprised for the first time. He exchanged glances with Georg.

“If that’s true, then 100 mithril coins would be a bargain,” he said, chuckling and shrugging his shoulders.

**Next:The Accomplice Will Be Tested**