“Wow, never thought I’d hear those words from you, Gill.” I pat his head gently. “Thank you for coming. You’ve helped a great deal, Gill.”
“But I haven’t done anything yet.”
“Haven’t you? You made me remember what it is I need to do.”
Don’t worry, this is nothing. I can get out of this mess easily—I beseech him with my eyes. Still, if I want any chance of winning, I have to pull out all the stops.
“……You’re so petty, Alicia,” Gill says with a smirk.
“Prince Duke, you can have this back.”
I remove my pendant from around my neck and toss it at him. He catches it with one hand and stares at it.
“Exile me at once.”
I spit out the words, almost daring him.
“When your memory eventually returns and my innocence is proven, Prince Duke…then I will be ready to receive your apology.”
Duke is silent as he stares at my bold expression. The townsfolk begin to yell at my insolence.
The peanut gallery is shouting things like: “You unrefined bitch,” “You don’t belong in Durkis,” or “Drop dead,” and “Prostrate yourself and apologize.”
Well…I can understand the urge to join the hatred bandwagon. Their opinions of me hold no water, though.
“Those are some rather damning accusations—are you all worthy enough to serve them to me?”
The townsfolk burst into scornful laughter. I know I’m only fanning the flames—it’s all part of my strategy. I need the public to know this exiled daughter of a noble is an unhinged baddie.
I gotta give props to the developers who made these NPCs so insufferably stupid. My reputation as a villainess will contort and propagate!
“……Are you sure you’re okay with being exiled? You’re fifteen—you’re only a child.”
“Even children must accept consequences.”
Duke glares quietly at my cool smile, and Gill watches us both without a word. He’s better than most at reading a room. I can tell by the look in his eyes that he’s staunchly against my banishment, but he’s holding his tongue. He knows what will happen if he tries to object.
“I shall grant your wish, then,” Duke says.
Amnesia sure is terrifying. Everything is escalating so smoothly.
Seriously, who erased his memory? And why’d they only erase memories of me?
“Alicia Williams, you are hereby exiled to Laval. Guards, take her away.”
A horde of guards piles into the room.
Yeesh! This many of them were waiting outside?!
Did he have them on standby in case I went ham? I guess this is a typical “Take ’er away, boys!” scene. I can’t believe I get to experience this—totally a dream come true!
Okay, Alicia, stand up straight and dignified until the end. You need to show them all you’re a bad bitch who never falters.
Just as the guards grab my arms to take me away, Gill cries out, “Wait, Alicia, don’t go! Don’t leave me all alone…”
Oh my. Gill, I wasn’t expecting you to cry out now…
Gill may be quick on the uptake, but he also tends to suppress a lot. Turns out, he’s a lot more childish than I gave him credit for.
“Please take me with you,” he begs.
I ignore his plea. I can’t let him be exiled with me. He’ll be fine. He has a bright future ahead of him; he shouldn’t be caught up in my mess. Henri and my father will look after him.
“Duke, are you sure you want to do this? You’ll hate yourself for it later.”
Gill is glaring hard at Duke, but Duke says nothing. Meanwhile, the angry mob is just as obnoxious.
“Please, Alicia…please don’t leave me.”
He’s acting like a lost child… Oh, Gill, I didn’t know you could look so pitiful.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen Gill’s softer side. He’s been so sassy with me lately, I’m flattered to see him turn his puppy-dog eyes on me.
Even the biggest baddie in the world would feel a tug on her heartstrings when presented with that sweet little face.
The guards yank on my arms and drag me away. I can’t let my expression show even a tinge of loneliness. I have my ego as a villainess to protect, after all.
Of course, I’ll miss Gill, Old Man Will, and everyone else. I just can’t help myself here. I long to see the world.
I refuse to die in ignorance.
The guards restrain Gill so he can’t come any closer to me. Gill’s grief-stricken cries shake the room, penetrating my ears mercilessly.
Stop that… I don’t want to leave an awkward last impression.
I shove my arms free and approach Gill. One guard grabs my arms and yanks them upward.
“Behave yourself,” he grunts.
Aren’t I? I’m not being particularly violent. I simply want to deliver to Gill some parting words.
“Release her.” Duke stops the guards. His kindness never fails to show in moments like this.
I approach Gill gratefully. His eyes are flooded with tears.
I smile. “Gill, you don’t usually cry.”
Gill shakes slightly. “Well, whose fault is that?”
“You’re my pride and joy, Gill.” I remove the bracelet from my wrist and place it in his hand. “Take it.”
Gill stares at the bracelet. “The bracelet I’ve been wanting…”
Without another word, I return to the guards. They grab my arms just as roughly as before. I’ll say it again, you boys need to treat me more like a lady!
I’m just about to leave when someone places a hand on my neck, their touch gentle enough that it doesn’t cause even the slightest pain.
“I’ll come for you.”
The words were whispered in my ear. Quietly, so nobody else could hear them.
…What? You’re joking…
His memory is back?
I look at Duke. He’s looking back at me with his usual mischievous grin.
He never lost his memory to begin with.
It was all an act. He duped me, completely and utterly.
For some reason, I burst into laughter.
Duke…I understand why you went out of your way to pull such a giant farce. You see right through me. You know I want to go to Laval.
For decades, nobody from the nobility has ever been banished from Durkis. The last ones were the highly gifted people the current king’s mother banished…
If I think about it, the current king has no reason whatsoever to banish me. My father is one of the Great Five nobles, after all. In other words, no matter how fiercely I beg, it is impossible for me to actually go to Laval. So Duke fabricated a story accusing me of using my high-level magic to erase his memory—he even agitated Liz’s devout zealots to help give him a reason to banish me.
……This guy is a 4D chess master.
He played everybody in this room.
I smile softly and leave the room with the guards.
The game is finally back on course.
“Alicia Williams: Exiled to Laval.”