“You.”

“...Yes, Your Majesty.”

“What is your name?”

“...Ednet, Your Majesty.”

“Ednet. Should I remember your name? Do you want me to?”

Ednet lowered his head, unable to answer Philly's words.

“I am well aware that the Shadow Unit has often been at odds with Frondier. The recent incident was also the case. Of course, from my perspective, it seems Frondier handled it very well.”

“...Your Majesty.”

“I have tolerated the Shadow Unit so far. Because I believed it was a group that benefited the Empire. But.”

Philly's voice was as white as her hair and as red as her eyes.

“If you don't know your place and act out, I will kill you.”

“... .”

“If I had to choose between Frondier and the Shadow Unit, the one that benefits the Empire, I would choose Frondier without hesitation. Who dares to suspect, worry about, and investigate whom? Do you believe the Empire will protect a group that threatens Frondier?”

At that, Ednet bit his lip and stood there, not knowing what to do, until...

He eventually knelt down and prostrated himself.

Indeed, it was unexpected, causing Philly's eyes to widen slightly.

“Please listen, Your Majesty. I want to make it clear that this is not an attempt to slander Frondier.”

“...Oh? You start with suspicion based on something absurd and then claim it's not slander.”

“Of, of course. It is true that our Shadow Unit began this with animosity towards Frondier. The Shadow Unit is a huge voice. In these chaotic times, a mere member like myself simply follows orders.”

“...So?”

“Nevertheless, there is something I must report! Please believe me, Your Majesty!”

Philly looked at Ednet, who was prostrating himself before her, with a cold gaze.

She didn't know how much sincerity was hidden within that posture, but it seemed like he had made some kind of resolve.

“Frondier went to the Hitchcock Company just a few days ago.”

“Did you investigate that too?”

“One of the individuals involved with the Shadow Unit's mana injection is Arald Lemer, the chairman of Hitchcock. When we went there due to that connection, the Hitchcock Company was already in a state of chaos with Pros and police!”

Philly had heard about that too.

Frondier entered the Hitchcock Company, initially welcomed, but faced immense vigilance and resistance upon leaving.

However, Chairman Arald stepped forward to defend and support Frondier, so the matter was settled without escalating further. In fact, it could be said that things had already escalated as far as they could go when the Pros stormed in.

The leader of the attacking Pros, the No. 1 Pro, Eden Hamelot, himself said,

──If the chairman of Hitchcock says so, then that must be the case. Let's go back, everyone.

He personally stepped forward to send the Pros back and left himself, so it ended rather anticlimactically.

“After that, corpses were found at every banquet Frondier attended!”

“...Corpses?”

“Devil corpses, Your Majesty!”

Philly was surprised and frowned at the same time.

“How did you know they were devils? It's difficult for humans to distinguish high-ranking devils.”

“There was a note left on the corpses. ‘This person is a devil. Investigate their blood relations. You will find that they are not connected to anyone.’ Upon hearing that, we actually investigated, and they were completely alone!”

“...That condition is enough to suspect them as a devil.”

At that point, Ednet slowly raised his head.

“Frondier is connected to devils, Your Majesty. However, whether he is hostile to them or on their side has not been revealed.”

“... .”

“But if he is hostile, why wouldn't he report it to the Empire? Frondier is favored by Your Majesty, isn't he? That's why the Shadow Unit is concerned and worried.”

Philly pondered for a moment at his words.

Honestly, she didn't think Frondier was on the devils' side at all.

If Frondier were on the devils' side, why would he risk his life fighting against the Seven Deadly Sins, the supposed top of the devils?

However, the reason for not reporting to the Empire, that definitely bothered her. What bothered her was whether Frondier's bad habit of trying to do things alone had surfaced again.

‘...It seems like he's trying to do something alone again, Frondier.’

As Philly was thinking, Ednet, sensing that his words were having some effect, spoke again.

“And one more thing. The former 1st Princess Elysia, who we were keeping an eye on, has not been seen recently. The fact that she has been quiet since being spotted near the banquet hall where Frondier was present, perhaps Elysia is also involved with Frondier...”

Thwack!

This time, he was hit. By the teacup Philly threw.

Philly shouted with a bewildered expression.

“You should have reported that first! You idiot!!”