Protagonist! Please Stay Away from Me!
Chapter 97: A Table Full of Warnings

Chapter 97: A Table Full of Warnings

Third POV—

"So, you want me to create a tool to disguise someone to act as Sharon?" asked Suroralia.

Eleven people were sitting at a table, discussing their next course of action.

Leon replied, "I believe Lady Suroralia can help us in this meticulous task as you must have known about our incapability to create something like this. Although, I never thought that you already knew about Her Majesty’s disappearance." He shot an accusing glare at Kaerin and Maria.

Maria cleared her throat and said, "We have said every necessary detail to her, and she has expressed her desire to help us."

Diana sneered, "Why should we even believe you two? How stupid of you to disclose everything to Suroralia? Not only her but also, we have Princess Pristine who certainly knows everything," she turned towards Pristine, "am I right?"

"Diana," Leon warned her in a low voice. Right now, he didn’t want to make Suroralia angry. She was the only one who could help them. The same went for Pristine. Offending her would result in having some problems with Duke Rinkshel.

Diana pursed her lips and shook her head in anger.

"We needed help. So, we had to tell her. And as for Princess Pristine, she was last one who saw Her Majesty, didn’t she?" said Maria.

Nodding, Kaerin said, "When we told her about Dar... er, Her Majesty’s disappearance, she agreed to help us. In a way, it shows how kind Princess Pristine is. She is a perfect ducal princess." Her words were oozing of sarcasm. Everyone could tell that quite easily.

Duke Rinkshel looked at his daughter. His face full of worry. "Pristine, are you alright? Do you really want to help us in this tough time? If you don’t want to, tell me right now. No one here would dare to pressurize you. I can guarantee that."

His words agitated Leon but he didn’t say anything. Duke Rinkshel was the one who had a very weak presence in the group. It wasn’t because he was weak or anything. The reason was his weak participation. He had no goals. Being a passive member of their faction raised a sense of satisfaction for him.

Pristine shook her head and replied, "I want to help, Father. It’s my decision."

Vederon asked, "Why?" He had never suspected the princess of Rinkshel Duchy. Not even one. Yet, her words made him a bit sceptical. Why would she help them? She hated Her Majesty, didn’t she? Them, what purpose did she have?

"In a way, I am responsible for Sharon’s disappearance. If I had accompanied her, then maybe she wouldn’t have disappeared. Also, I want to apologize to her for my previous actions. I was a bit immature," said Pristine.

Her words shocked everyone except the trio of Kaerin, Maria, and Suroralia. Did she want to turn a new life?

"It’s good that you want to bury the deep-rooted hatred for Her Majesty. I am sure, she would be happy to hear your words. Princess Pristine, can you tell us about your encounter with Her Majesty? Also, I would like to hear about your sudden desire to open a dessert store. You don’t like sweets, do you?" asked Vederon.

Duke Rinkshel shouted angrily, "Vederon! Mind your words!"

"Duke Rinkshel, I suggest you to have a cool mind. Our intention is not to interrogate Princess Pristine. We are just asking casually. I believe that we are entitled to ask some questions, right? Days have passed without getting any desirable result. All of us are at the end of our wits... especially me. So, it would be better for us to have a calm attitude. If not, then maybe some accidents might happen," said Leon. His last words were full of warning.

Duke Rinkshel could understand Leon’s hidden threat. If he tried to hinder them, then Leon might lose his self-control. For an experienced person like him, he knew about Leon’s character. How could a dangerous person like him could stay at the emperor’s side like an obedient servant?

"The same goes for me. Duke, I am good with swords. And humans do have deep-rooted prejudice against us, demi-humans. So, don’t expect me to follow normal human rules and regulations. Killing you is a quite an easy task for me," warned Kaerin. Unlike Leon indirect approach, she took a direct approach. Out of all of them, Duke Rinkshel was a loose end. It would be better to cut all the loose ends lest they hinder them.

"Kaerin! Don’t dare to threaten my father!" yelled Pristine.

Diana snorted, "Duke Rinkshel, tell us one thing. Do you want to help us or not?"

"Of course! I want to help! Why won’t I help you?" Duke Rinkshel was offended. Were they doubting on him? How could they?

"If yes, then keep quiet. The only time you can open your mouth is, when you can give us useful intel. If no... then, you can get out from here," Diana hissed.

Pristine banged her hands on the table. She yelled, "After Sharon, my father has the highest authority. How dare you to threaten him?"

"Technically, there are three dukes in this empire, right? Your father is one of them. All he could was sharing power with them," Vederon said slowly as if he was talking to a child.

Maria sighed, "Stop everyone, please. If this continues, we will waste more time. Our motive should lie in finding Sharon, not fighting among each other."

Duke Rinkshel grumbled, "You are just a maid. Have you forgotten your place?"

Maria didn’t say anything and just kept looking at him with a blank gaze.

Marquis Hamilton hissed angrily, "Do you know what you are saying? She is the personal maid of Her Majesty. Are you that of an idiot? What if this rude behaviour attracts Her Majesty’s wrath on you?"

"I don’t believe that she will angry over a maid."

Leon shook his head and said, "Her Majesty favours both Maria and Kaerin. I suggest you to keep quiet, Duke Rinkshel."

Suroralia said, "Shall we stop this pointless fight? This meeting’s objective is not fighting... it’s to discuss the more pressing matters," she turned towards Leon, "I am quite worried about something."

"For what?"

"This meeting’s security. What if this meeting is overheard by some unwanted elements?" asked Suroralia.

Leon replied, "Don’t worry about this. I have listed this meeting as our faction’s meeting. Lady Suroralia, leave these matters to me. Do what you are requested to do. By this, we can maintain the overall efficiency, right?"

Suroralia nodded and didn’t say anything. Leon was an unpredictable man, who she couldn’t risk fighting against.

"Shall we move on to questions? I don’t think Duke Rinkshel has any objections, right?" asked Diana.

Duke Rinkshel begrudgingly nodded.

"Great. This is what I was talking about. In this tough situation, we need to cooperate with one another. Arguing will lead us to nowhere. So, Princess Pristine... what did Her Majesty go to buy from your store?" asked Leon.

Pristine replied, "Desserts. She likes them."

Frowning, Diana asked, "How did you know this?"

"It’s obvious that I follow her. You know, we were once friends. So, it’s genuinely not okay to know about this." Pristine’s words like jabs directed at Diana’s heart.

Pristine smiled in a provoking way. In her past life, she had seen Diana’s feelings towards Sharon. The girl was in love with her.

Pristine hated this fact and so did the others. Diana’s behaviour was not shocking for them. But that didn’t mean she is allowed to have feelings towards Sharon.

Vederon asked, "Princess Pristine, why did you open a dessert store? Technically, your wealth is comparable to royal family’s treasury. I don’t think you have any money related problems. And Duke Rinkshel would never allow his only child to be penniless, right?"

"What are you implying?" asked Pristine, sharply.

Instead of Vederon, Leon answered, "We want to know your motive, that’s all."

Rubbing her nose, Pristine answered, "I wanted to gain some experience. It’s about time that I need to inherit my father’s businesses."

Honestly, she was embarrassed to say the real reason. Who would believe her if she said that the store was for Sharon?

Leon asked, "Why did you choose desserts?"

Pristine wanted to say the real reason, but she withheld it. "Desserts are liked by almost everyone. It would be a good way to establish my business journey’s foundation. So, I choose desserts. Any more questions you want to ask."

Leon shook his head in denial. "That’s all we needed to ask. Thank you for your cooperation, Princess Pristine."

Nobody could refute Pristine’s words. Each and every word from her mouth was unobjectionable.

Suroralia raised her hand and asked, "Shall we restart our discussion? I believe we have wasted enough time."

Vederon handed some documents to every one of them and asked them to read it. It was a list of possible suspects.

Among the suspects, Kelshin’s name was on the top. He was their primary suspect.