“So, what’s your plan for drawing out McHart? Do you have one?”

Once all five of us who were part of the plan to take down McHart had gathered, we began our meeting in earnest. There were two main things we needed to prepare for the operation, and the first, as Gwyn had just pointed out, was to create a trap to lure McHart in.

A hunter’s most essential tool isn’t a bow or a spear—it’s the prey itself.

“Prince McHart won’t fall for just any trap. He’s already tried to target me once and failed, so he’s likely expecting that I’m prepared and aware of his true nature.”

“…That makes sense. If he were the type to charge in recklessly, he would’ve approached you at least once or twice more recently. The fact that he hasn’t attacked while I and Lady Blaze have been frequently by your side suggests he’s more cautious than he appears.”

“That’s why it’s crucial to make McHart think I’m alone. Specifically, he needs to believe that Ethan, Agnes, or anyone else won’t be interfering. With the fake fallout between Agnes and me, he might feel reassured that she won’t be involved.”

“What about Seraphine and me? If he’s that cautious, wouldn’t he also be wary of us being nearby?”

“You and Seraphine are definitely threats in his eyes, but probably not as much as Ethan. Sir Gwyn, you’ve rarely socialized with Ethan or me outside of necessary interactions, and Seraphine, aside from meeting in the church, we haven’t had any official encounters.”

From McHart’s perspective, the biggest obstacles were Ethan and Agnes since they were the two people most publicly associated with me.

“But even though Sir Gwyn and I have met Lillis before, wouldn’t that still raise some suspicion if we were nearby?”

“Generally, if a baron’s daughter claims that the fourth prince of the empire is a demonic collaborator, most people would dismiss it as nonsense unless they have solid evidence. If I were to insult Prince McHart publicly, it would likely be seen as nothing more than the jealousy of a lower noblewoman who couldn’t gain the prince’s favor.”

“I see…”

I was fortunate to have four people who actually believed in me. Setting aside Gwyn and Seraphine, who were in the same situation as me, Ethan and Agnes had trusted my claims without hesitation.

If I had only asked one of them to protect me, McHart might have found an opening to approach me during the semester. In that case, I would’ve had to face McHart in an unprepared state, which would have surely led to defeat.

When it comes to a raid boss like him, you need to fight with the right strategy and not take on the challenge alone.

“We’re going to use the upcoming noble exchange event at the imperial palace during the summer break as bait to lure Prince McHart. It’s a gathering where he’ll likely prey on unsuspecting noblewomen, so I expect he’ll definitely attend.”

“I’ve been regularly invited to those events, but I’ve always declined. Such gatherings are often just an excuse for nobles to engage in less-than-pure relationships.”

Ethan’s assumption wasn’t wrong—McHart had indeed been using those events for that purpose. As Ethan showed us the invitation he’d received, Agnes looked at it with a puzzled expression.

“I never received anything like this.”

“Hmm?”

“I’ve never heard about these noble exchange events.”

“That makes sense, Lady Blaze. Didn’t I just mention the purpose of these gatherings? Lady Blaze, you’re… well…”

“…What?”

“If Master Ethan finds it difficult to explain, allow me. As Master Ethan mentioned, these gatherings are often for immature noblemen and women to pursue ‘impure’ relationships. I imagine that you might not have received an invitation because you might not fit the criteria for such engagements.”

“…I thought the fake fallout plan was over. So can I take what you’re saying seriously now, Lillis?”

“I apologize, I was merely trying to explain why you hadn’t received an invitation…”

In the modern world, where all sorts of tastes are catered to, someone like Agnes would certainly have her admirers. However, in this world, men who sought an “impure” relationship with someone like her would likely be considered lacking in refinement.

“For the record, I have received invitations before. Ever since I started my activities as a hero, I’ve been invited to these exchange events regularly, though I’ve always declined because I was too busy.”

“I-I’ve received one too… just once, during last year’s winter break…”

“I’ve also been getting them consistently since I enrolled in the academy. Before that, I wasn’t involved in many social activities, so I never got any invitations.”

“I was already well-known… not that I wanted it, but I participated in social events regularly… So why…”

It was unavoidable. Invitations to these events were generally based on one’s “charm” stats. With Agnes’s lower charm stat, the chance of her receiving an invitation was almost zero.

Of course, attending these events wasn’t really worth it; there were few useful items to gain, and it could damage your reputation. However, this time, our goal was to target the attendees, so participating was necessary.

Since Agnes didn’t have an invitation, we decided she would attend as Gwyn’s partner. Seraphine’s expression momentarily darkened, but she nodded in agreement, understanding the necessity given the demonic involvement.

“I’ll do my best to create a situation to lure Prince McHart. By staging a fight between Ethan and me over some relationship issues, I’ll distance myself from him temporarily. If I’m right, Prince McHart won’t be able to resist taking advantage of the opportunity.”

“…The problem is whether such a straightforward plan will work. If Prince McHart has been cautious enough to avoid attacking Lillis until now, won’t he suspect it’s a trap?”

“Why don’t I show you a demonstration? After seeing my performance, you can judge whether or not Prince McHart would fall for it. Master Ethan, could you please play along for a moment?”

“Wait, if we’re going to act this out, shouldn’t you give me some idea of what to say…”

“You’ll understand once we start.”

Knowing that things often come naturally in the moment, I left a flustered Ethan to quickly dive into character. I was no longer the personal maid of a nobleman, but a fierce noblewoman ready to act.

“Ed. We need to talk.”

“…Lillis?”

“Oh, are we not on nickname terms anymore? Fine, I’ll address you properly then, Ethan Richard Blackwood.”

“S-Sorry, it just slipped out, Lilli.”

“Oh, sure. It’s not just your words that are slipping up. Just a moment ago, I saw you ogling that young lady over there as if you wanted to bore a hole through her. I guess it’s not your mouth but your eyes that have been misbehaving.”

“You’re mistaken, Lilli! There’s no way I’d look at another lady when you’re by my side!”

“Is that so? So, I must have misseen it, then? My apologies, Ethan, for falsely accusing you of being a lecher.”

“N-No, Lilli, that’s not what I meant…”

“Honestly, I should’ve known something was wrong when you brought me to such an obviously improper party. I suppose I’m not enough for you anymore, is that it? You came here to find a lady who can join us in bed, someone who can share in your long, hard ‘lollipop’? If you’d told me that earlier, I would have helped you find a lady with a big mouth and a long tongue.”

“D-Don’t say things that could be misunderstood, Lilli! I-I never had that intention, and I wasn’t even looking at any other lady…”

“Sure, it’s all my fault, right? If I were just a bit prettier and more charming, I could have kept your attention on me entirely. Should I have worn a shorter dress? Oh no, wait—since you like breasts so much, I should have worn a dress with a lower neckline, right?”

“W-What are you saying, Lilli?! You’re already beautiful and charming!”

“Enough. I’m going to get some fresh air, so don’t follow me.”

“Lilli, wait…”

“If you take even one more step, it’s over between us. Consider yourself warned, Ethan Richard Blackwood.”

“……”

“……”

“……”

Ethan, who had reluctantly gone along with my act, did quite well. The scene we acted out might have been rough around the edges, but it was convincing enough to get the point across.

“In the real situation, I plan to act something like this. Do you think this level of performance will be enough?”

As soon as I finished speaking, I was met with three, no, four heads nodding in agreement, including Ethan’s.

“L-Lilli…”

“Yes, Master Ethan? Thank you for helping me with my sudden request.”

“Y-Yeah… I just have to ask… you’re not actually mad at me, right?”

“Of course not. I’m always grateful to you, Master Ethan. You don’t need to worry.”

“G-Good. If you’re ever angry or upset, please don’t hesitate to tell me. I’ll do my best to fix it right away…”

For some reason, it felt like there was a bit more distance between Ethan and me now. Even though I had clearly said it was just acting from the start.