The Villainess That Was Once A VRMMO player - CH 60.3

“…Can you guarantee the safety of these people?”

“Carol-sama!”

I said with a sigh, and Maia’s wailing voice echoed. It was difficult for me to escape safely with the three of them in such an alarmed state.

“Fine. If you say you will not let the Spirit of Darkness run rampant, then I, Dirk, will take responsibility for the custody of those people.”

“…Nn.”

Nodding at Dirk’s words, I give Maia and the others a look, indicating that they should move. Their safety was my top priority right now.

As I approached Dirk, he patted my shoulder with a sickening motion of his hand and started chatting uncomfortably in my ear.

“Kukuku, don’t worry Carol, perhaps your status will cease to be a noble, and you will be placed in the custody of the state, but I will buy you back as a slave with this reward money. Hahahaha.”

“…”

Should I kill him right here after all?

A few hours later, a group of knights from the royal castle came and took me away to the castle, where I was shackled with [magic shackles].

The shackles may not have been very effective, but they certainly kept magic from being activated.

In the carriage, I tried to sort out the current situation until we reached the king’s castle.

The current state of affairs is close to the execution of the harem end, but it is still too early and there were so many other flags in the mix that I honestly could not predict what was going to happen.

At worst, I would be dragged through the streets and burned at the stake for aiding the Daemons …I would fight back as soon as Maia and the others were safe, but how much of what Dirk said could be trusted?

I doubt they’d let down their guard at any point, but would Maia and the others flee that night after the King’s judgement was passed? How would I know where they would be at that time?

The timing would be difficult… Dirk being untrustworthy would be the most troublesome. Maybe I should have shown up at Cam’s place first after all.

When I arrived at the castle, surrounded by a large group of knights, I made my way to the simple audience room where the trial was to take place, and a familiar face spotted me and shouted.

“Carol!!!”

“Cam…”

A few senior knights stopped Cam as he was about to run up to them. A man in a luxurious costume in the upper seat ridiculed him.

“Camille, I know you probably have a lot of feelings for your ex-fiancée, but please don’t embarrass me.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

Cam clenched his fists so hard they bled.

I’d never seen him before, but is that the king?

The man who murdered his father while his half-brother Cam was abroad and ascended to the throne. I knew I was biased, but he appeared to be the type who would do it.

“Then, let me state the charges against Miss Carol.”

The Prime Minister announced, and the trial for a crime that never happened began.

There wasn’t much to say about the contents. It was a denunciation of me, an agent of the Daemons because the righteous Caenista Kingdom had been harmed by cowards when they attempted to punish the wicked Daemons.

“That is an extreme punishment. But you are my brother’s ex-fiancée. If you have something to say, I’m listening, okay?”

“…”

Death penalty? Perhaps… he wanted to humiliate and torment me by having me cling to Cam because I was so terribly distraught.

“Nothing… I have nothing to do with him.”

“Carol…”

“Oh, that’s very suspicious, subhuman girl. Take her away!”

The senior knight gave me a strong push on the shoulder to take me out of this place, and seeing that the King and the Prime Minister’s eyes were momentarily away from me, I conveyed my thoughts with my lips only to the dejected-looking Cam.

—-Believe in me—-

No matter what happened, even if it was a capital crime, even if it was against me – I would still be there for you.