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ABZ 27
"Warehouse?"
Lumi, who had been quietly looking at the paper with writing on it, raised her head.
"I see, you mean we should manage them in a warehouse?"
"Hmm, yes. Now that I think about it, a prison wouldn't work. It's too dangerous to release the imprisoned zombies and move them again."
Heresdon nodded as if he understood.
"In that case, the logistics warehouse near Lehman Port would be the best."
"When I saw it on the way to the capital, there seemed to be a few warehouse-like buildings around the railroad."
Lumi, resting her chin on her hand as if recalling her memory, frowned slightly.
"But unlike other warehouses, the logistics warehouse in Lehman Port is built of brick, so it's large and there are many of them."
"Indeed, I think the other warehouses were made of wood."
Lumi nodded as if she understood Heresdon's words.
"You found a way faster than I thought?"
"It seems like we've secured a location."
Heresdon nodded.
"But in that case, we should also talk about the cages to hold the zombies. The cage seems more important than the location."
"Hmm, something like an animal transport cage would be good. What do you think?"
After that, Heresdon and Lumi talked about things that could be used as traps.
Heresdon, who was quickly organizing the conversation, raised his head as if he thought it was enough.
"Is there anything else to talk about?"
"I think this is a plausible plan. I don't have anything else."
They looked at me as if asking if I had anything else to say.
"Um, it would be safe unless someone maliciously approaches and releases the zombies."
"Maliciously?"
After thinking for a moment, Heresdon picked up his pen again.
"...I'll put up guards, but it would be good to build a wall around it to control it one more time."
Heresdon looked at me as if asking if I had anything else to say.
I nodded, thinking that we had discussed everything we could think of on our end.
"Then I'll deliver this to His Highness."
Idorian said to talk about it in the evening, but Heresdon didn't think there was any reason to wait until then, so he picked up the paper and got up from his seat.
"Or, would you like to come with me?"
He was about to leave the room when he suddenly looked at me and asked.
"Yes, it would be good to go together. Let's go, Penelope."
Before I could say anything, Lumi got up from her seat.
But Idorian was nowhere to be seen, not in the kitchen or in the backyard.
"He must be in the watchtower."
I followed Heresdon, who was leading the way, and started climbing the long spiral staircase.
"Princess Consort, I heard you were held back a year at Belmont academy?"
Heresdon, who was walking ahead, suddenly asked that question.
Quickly recalling Penelope's memories, it was as he said.
"I think it was because of academic achievement, not violation of regulations. In major subjects..."
"No."
However, I soon remembered that this fact was kept secret for Penelope's face and the family's honor.
"To be exact, I didn't get held back, I dropped out to take customized classes that were right for me. The academy has too standardized teaching methods."
Heresdon's eyebrows furrowed slightly as I cut him off and denied it firmly.
"...I see."
But he nodded without saying anything else.
'Why did he ask?'
Why is he suddenly curious about Penelope's academy days a few years ago in this situation where we are trapped in the fortress?
I was worried, but I couldn't ask why he asked such a thing and was looking at Heresdon's expression when Lumi said.
"Belmont academy. You went there. I heard Idorian also studied there and went to university."
To be exact, Idorian entered Belmont and Penelope followed him and entered, but.
"It seems that the children of noble families in the Empire usually go to that academy?"
Lumi, who didn't know that fact, said as if she was amazed.
"But, Grand Duke, why did you ask such a thing?"
"Because you seem very different from your reputation."
Even though it was a question Lumi asked, Heresdon looked at me and said.
"Reputation?"
Lumi tilted her head curiously.
There was no way there would be anything good in my reputation, so I turned my gaze elsewhere.
Then, I made eye contact with Idorian, who was feeling a presence below the watchtower and had come out to the landing.
"Your Highness, can you spare some time?"
Idorian, who glanced at me, read the paper Heresdon handed him.
He nodded at Heresdon's brief report.
"Then, instead of waiting until tomorrow morning, I will write a letter to His Majesty right away and send it now."
At those words, Heresdon said he would stay in the watchtower instead of Idorian.
"Idorian, isn't this a convincing solution?"
Lumi stopped Idorian, who was quickly going down the stairs first.
"Yes."
Idorian, who turned around, nodded.
"However, even if the state prioritizes capture, it will not be forced on individuals. Protecting yourself is the priority."
At those words, Lumi looked at me as if it was a good thing.
"Don't be too happy yet. I don't know if His Majesty will accept it."
Idorian said quite skeptically.
However, if Crown Prince Idorian gave it strength, it seemed like there might be some possibility.
"Yes, I understand."
This was all I could do, so now I had no choice but to wait for the results.
When we came back into the Inner castle, Lilia was standing in front of the entrance hall, as if she had been waiting for us.
"What's going on?"
It seemed strange that we were all looking for Idorian together.
"Ah, what Idorian said, together in the evening..."
When I stopped next to Lumi, who was slowly explaining to Lilia, Idorian, who was walking ahead, turned around.
I looked at Idorian with a puzzled expression as he stopped at a distance without approaching, and then we made eye contact.
I felt like he had something to say to me, so I approached him, and he started walking again, climbing the stairs.
I wondered if he was telling me to follow him, so I chased after him.
"Your Highness."
However, he didn't seem to care and the distance between us kept increasing, so I finally called him.
He turned around and tilted his head.
"Penelope?"
Despite the fact that I had followed him in a hurry, he looked at me with an expression that he didn't have anything to say to me in the first place.
"Ah, I thought you were looking at me a little while ago, so I thought you had something to say to me."
Then Idorian thought for a moment and opened his mouth.
"The reason I was looking at you was... I was curious how you came up with the idea that saving the zombies would avoid war with neighboring countries."
Ah....
Only then did I understand why Heresdon had brought up Penelope's academy days a little while ago.
The reputation he was talking about was not about personality.
So, to them, Penelope was not only vicious but also stupid. So much so that they didn't expect her to propose such a plan at all.
'Ah, well....'
Because I remembered the bizarre things Penelope had done in the meantime, I soon completely understood Idorian's evaluation.
She lacked not only personality but also common sense, and she didn't have the sense to hide it, so as a result, Penelope always made the worst choices in her actions.
"I also like this countermeasure."
Idorian slightly raised the paper Heresdon had handed him.
"Ah, that was... Grand Duke and Lumi came up with it."
I quickly added an explanation because there was no point in being suspected.
"Anyway, good job."
Unlike me, who had suddenly become serious, he shrugged lightly and continued.
Fortunately, my puzzlement didn't lead to suspicion.
'Or....'
When I think about it, Idorian knew that there was no shortage of food, but he didn't say anything when I dropped out of chores to catch birds.
And when I raised my voice to Lumi, he ran over as if he was going to say something, but in the end he didn't come.
"I'll let you know when I send the letter. Get some rest."
He said briefly and then went into his room and closed the door.
I stared at the closed door for a while and then walked to my room.
I somehow felt like he was avoiding me.
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