Chapter 93
Chapter 93
[SHOCKING! Demonic Beast Incident Originated from ‘Ice Cream’?!]
[Irina Seike’s ‘Ice Cream’ Revealed as Medium for Summoning Demonic Beasts]
[Luwin Ducal Family Aided in ‘Ice Cream’ Distribution]
The empire was in an uproar.
Immediate pressure was applied to Cassis and me, the two people who had the most influence on ‘ice cream’.
“So they want us to explain this situation.”
“Yes.”
“The summons is for next Monday. Today is Friday.”
We didn’t have much time.
How would the procedure go?
“Irina, listen to me carefully.”
“I’m listening.”
Since I told him to speak casually, Roen had become very comfortable with me.
I actually preferred it this way.
“When you’re summoned, you’ll first be called to an unofficial state council meeting before the public hearing. There, you must explain that you’re innocent and that ice cream has nothing to do with the Demonic Beasts.”
“Yes, and then?”
“But since it’s an unofficial setting, you don’t need to feel too pressured.”
I held my chin with a “hmm” while scanning through the list of expected questions prepared by Luwin’s core members.
I had been so anxious before this situation broke out, but now that it had actually happened, it felt more manageable.
“Lord Cassis won’t be at this meeting, only at the public hearing, right?”
“I’m sorry, I tried to prevent it.”
“No, it’s obvious why.”
I cut off Cassis’s words.
Cassis had temporarily lost his right to attend state council meetings.
In such a situation, it was obvious why only I was being summoned.
They saw me as much easier to handle.
They wanted to call me in advance to manipulate me as they pleased, then send both Cassis and me to the official venue.
In this situation, even the Emperor didn’t seem particularly interested in whether ice cream and the Demonic Beasts were really connected.
After all, from the moment he helped Marquis Cloi bankrupt Luwin, the Emperor had practically despised Luwin.
“Since it’s an unofficial setting, is it okay to be aggressive?”
“Yes. Not just okay – you must. You have to defend yourself, protect ‘Lu & Cream’, and furthermore, assert Luwin’s innocence until the end.”
Roen spoke to me firmly.
By the end, he was practically grinding his teeth as he said, “assert Luwin’s innocence.”
I quietly looked into his green eyes.
Roen Blende was said to have abandoned his own family to protect Luwin.
I wondered if it was right for me to cause such a huge disturbance to such a family.
“What if they demand evidence?”
“Demand evidence from them that ice cream summoned Demonic Beasts.”
Roen grabbed my shoulders and spoke fiercely.
I stared at him with an expressionless face.
“…”
“Even if ice cream really was the medium for summoning Demonic Beasts, say you don’t know. You absolutely must not get caught up in it.”
“Yes.”
Seeing Roen pressuring me so intensely, Cassis stepped in first.
He pulled Roen away and gently held me.
His hot hand lightly gripped my forearm.
Through the thin fabric, Cassis’s body heat transferred directly to me.
“Don’t be nervous.”
“Okay.”
“Though I can’t be there with you, Isiel and Isolini will be present.”
They are among the most influential members of the noble faction.
And while the noble faction and imperial faction aren’t directly opposing each other currently, the situation is said to be building toward confrontation.
“Isiel will likely help Irina.”
“Why?”
Isiel doesn’t need to help me.
Because helping me would mean taking on great risks.
Even if he doesn’t help me, and even if we eventually overturn public opinion and prove our innocence, Luwin and ‘Lu & Cream’ will still need Isiel’s investment.
We’re in a position where we have to yield.
So why would Isiel help us?
“Because Isiel… owes me a debt.”
“…”
“During Luwin’s worst period, Isiel offered to repay that debt. But I refused.”
Cassis whispered to me with a gentle expression.
“He’ll probably try to repay that debt this time.”
“It doesn’t matter anyway…”
The evidence Marquis Cloi would present was extremely weak.
Moreover, we had leaked that evidence ourselves.
It wouldn’t be difficult to overturn it.
Should we just overturn it?
We had prepared everything needed to firmly imprint in the public consciousness that ‘ice cream and Demonic Beasts are unrelated.’
Although it would require quite a bit of my strength.
And I would need to ask Seiren for holy power for that.
“It does matter.”
But Cassis firmly contradicted me.
“As you already know, the Emperor isn’t interested in the truth. In a place where someone who doesn’t care about truth sits at the highest seat, the treatment you’ll receive…”
Cassis bit his lip.
“Will include condemnation and excessive criticism.”
“…”
“I don’t want you to receive such treatment, but now that the situation has come to this, it seems all I can do is worry.”
I could feel the concern of this man standing before me.
“Don’t even worry about that.”
“How can I not?”
Well.
I sighed openly with an “eh” and smiled.
Of course.
“We mustn’t forget that we’re putting on this ridiculous play because we need to imprint something in the minds of the nobles and the public.”
If we could just say ‘Our ice cream summoning Demonic Beasts? No way!’ prove it, and end it there, we wouldn’t be making such a big deal of this.
But once the public labels someone a criminal or problematic, they don’t look back even when it’s proven wrong.
They only look at sensational, fragmentary public discussions and condemn.
And they don’t look at the subsequent explanations.
In the end, victims remain victims and fade from memory.
That’s why it’s better not to get caught up in major controversies when first launching a brand.
Even noise marketing is only possible to a certain degree.
But in a situation involving human casualties…
“Remember that we’re going through all this process to make the most spectacular revival at the last moment and soar even higher.”
So it can’t be helped.
To soar, you need to recoil.
And for recoil, you need a momentary fall.
This is just that momentary fall.
A fall guaranteed to bounce back.
So if I just remember that fact, I won’t be hurt by each word I’m about to hear.
After spending the weekend like that, Monday came.
I left for the imperial palace confidently, telling them to just trust me.
***
‘I’m going crazy.’
[‘We’re going to make a spectacular revival at the last moment~’]
[Haha. After saying such cool things back then.]
[Nervous? Yes, our Irina is tense, right?]
[Hahaha!]
That’s right.
After saying such cool things back then.
Even until I left the mansion and got into the carriage, I acted nonchalant, saying things like ‘Well, I just need to go there, smile, and say it wasn’t my fault, right?’
And as I walked down the long, majestic palace corridor, practically being escorted by threatening knights surrounding me, I thought:
‘I’m dying here.’
The systems tried hard to ease my tension by teasing me, but it wasn’t very effective.
Then, seeming to realize the gravity of the situation, they changed their approach.
[No, Irina.]
[This is nothing to be nervous about!]
[Like you said, if we just get through this well, success is somewhat guaranteed.]
‘How would I know that?’
[? Didn’t we give you the quest?]
‘I never received it.’
[…..]
[…..]
Ding.
[SYSTEM | Sub-quest ‘Crisis and Slander – Fall for Rebound’ for ‘Marquis Cloi’s Slander’ has arrived.]
“…”
I stopped abruptly.
What’s with this title?
[What!]
“You’re really careless with these quests.”
When I muttered this, the knights surrounding me started urging me on with irritated voices.
“My lady should know this isn’t the time to dawdle.”
“Time is of the essence. If you don’t want to be arrested, walk faster.”
“Yes, yes, I’m not going to run away.”
Why are they so sensitive when I’m not going to run away anyway?
I grumbled while continuing to walk.
While doing so, I secretly checked the quest with its hastily made name.
[Crisis and Slander – Fall for Rebound
In the end, Marquis Cloi… (omitted) So he submitted evidence! (omitted)]
I skimmed through the quest content.
That’s not what’s important.
What’s the reward?
[Reward: 30% increase in success rate for ‘Marquis Cloi’s Slander’]
‘Yes!’
The success rate had already reached 50%.
This probability concerned the parts we couldn’t control anymore.
I thought this probability represented the chance that the nobles and public would listen to our side.
[Irina, try to look a bit dejected.]
‘Huh, why?’
[The knights are looking at you suspiciously!]
I rolled my eyes to examine the four sturdy knights surrounding me.
They were looking at me with fierce eyes, almost like they were looking at a criminal.
Their eyes held a hint of contempt, which left a bitter taste in my mouth.
‘Sigh, it’s fine. This will soon change to regret and admiration.’
This long, long corridor finally came to an end.
The majestic door at the end slowly opened.
Fortunately, it wasn’t a courtroom for judging criminals.
However, dozens, no, hundreds of fierce eyes poured toward me all at once.
I swallowed dryly.
One of the knights behind me slapped my back.
I was pushed forward to stand at the small, shabby desk placed in front.
‘This is…’
It’s scary to lift my head.
However, to show that nothing was wrong and that I had done nothing wrong, I slowly raised my head.
‘This is perfect for creating trauma.’
I couldn’t see people’s faces, only rolling eyeballs seemed visible.
