Chapter 252 - Execution (I)

Tina couldn't believe what she just heard.

"Of course, those things are just speculation so unless you really trust your men, I wouldn't bother listening to a rambling of someone you don't know like me. However, even though those are just speculations, those are speculations based on what is happening and what happened the last few days while you are inside the stomach of the Giant Devouring Sandworm."

Queen Tanya stood up from the bathtub and her servants immediately put a towel on her wet body for her to use to dry herself.

"Still, I don't think I am going to think that everyone betrayed me. No one treated me badly and I think it is impossible for them to do that."

"..." Queen Tanya looked at Tina with a stern face. However, she didn't say anything and just continue to wipe off the water dripping from her body.

"Let's continue this back on the throne room now that I am done with my bath."

SNAP!

In a flash, her naked body is covered in bright light before her body immediately got covered with the battlesuit she uses in adventures or expeditions. As expected of Queen Tanya, even for changing clothes, she can just do it in a snap. If only I can do that, I don't need to bother looking at my wardrobe for clothes to wear and just snap my finger to wear something on my body.

We followed Queen Tanya on her way to the throne room. While we are walking in the hallway, Queen Tanya started talking.

"Did you know that the Insect Kingdom would be already obliterated if not for the help of humans, elves, merfolk, and dwarves fend off against the abyssal monsters coming from the deepest of the sea?"

Tina raised her head in surprise when Queen Tanya started talking about the Insect Kingdom's rise to civilization.

"What do you mean?"

"So you don't know about it? Maybe the current generation of the rulers of the Insect Kingdom already have forgotten that incident already but I also think it is kind of weird."

"Um...is there something that I didn't know?"

"We should continue the conversation in the throne room. That way, we can properly discuss your current situation."

Queen Tanya was silent after that and even though Tina is trying to inquire more info on Queen Tanya, she didn't respond and just continued to walk towards the throne room.

When we arrived at the throne room, she headed straight to the throne and clap her hands twice. A servant carrying a bowl of grapes appeared from somewhere and handed a few pieces of grapes to her. She then stares at Tina like how she tries to scrutinize someone.

"I have a question for you Tina and I hope you answer this truthfully."

Tina nodded. "Yes, I will."

"Do you trust all of your family in the Insect Kingdom?"

"Huh?" Tina frowned.

"Do you fully trust everyone  you have met so far in the Insect Kingdom?"

"Yes! Yes, I do trust them!"

"I see, then let's see how your own men trust you."

SNAP!

Queen Tanya snapped her fingers again and two people dressed in assassin garb appeared out of nowhere and kneel at the bottom of the throne, in front of Queen Tanya.

"Tell me the results of your investigations."

"Yes, my queen!" the two people said simultaneously.

One of the two move forward and stood up from kneeling, pulling up a scroll that contains the details of his investigation of some sort.

"My queen, as instructed, we followed the guards who are all part of the Insect People that came here a while ago and tailed them after they left. As expected, they are not just guards but they are also hired assassins."

Tina was about to say something but I stopped her from doing so. We will have to hear it clearly from them and learn the truth. It's not going to be a good idea if they are false.

"The situation where the Princess of the Insect Kingdom was killed was indeed part of their plan. We also got good info from one of them when we tried to extort him some information and we found out that the one who planned this assassination attempt is none other than the king of the Insect kingdom himself."

"That's a lie! My father would never plot something like that! My father is an honorable man!"

"Silence! When someone is talking, you should remain quiet until that someone is done speaking! That is a sign of disrespect to me and to my people."

"But..."

"Remember, Princess Tina. No matter how frustrated you are, we need to determine what is the truth and the absolute truth. We are not just grasping fake info here. We are trying to determine, whether you should continue to place your trust in someone like this."

Tina went quiet and despite her urge to speak, she didn't do so as the assassins that were sent to tail on the bodyguards of the convoy of Princess Tina.

"We also discovered that not only the guards are responsible for this but also the coachman who is responsible for steering the carriage where the princess of the Insect Kingdom is riding to reach our kingdom. In fact, according to our resources, he is the main source of the Giant Devouring Sandworm in the area and if not for Sir Bladeheart here slaying the Giant Devouring Sandworm, the sandworm will keep attacking people and in the worst case, will keep on popping up even after killed."

"Good. So, did you guys bring a proof to solidly get the proof?" Queen Tanya asked.

This time, the other one who was just kneeling is the one who moved forward and answered the question of Queen Tanya.

"We didn't disappoint you, my queen. We brought one of the guards of the princess in the convoy who is also part of the plan."

He disappeared for a moment and appeared once again. But this time, he is carrying a sack containing something- or to be exact, someone inside. He took off the sack on that guy and it revealed a figure that turns out to be one of the guards of the convoy of the Insect Kingdom's princess due to his uniform and his mark on his shoulder with a four-petal flower symbol of it which signifies him as part of the Insect Kingdom's workers in their palace.

"This insect person is someone that we have given the truth potion. Anything he says will be the truth and he will not say any lies. We also let him consume the Interrogation Potion that would allow him to explain things when asked even if it is something that he doesn't want to reveal."

"Sir Tran!" Tina immediately recognized the person tied up.

When the guy named Tran heard the familiar voice, his face turned darker than usual and his vibrant color during his arrival started to go dark. Then, his butterfly wings started to fade in color and slowly turned to black.

"Tran, what is going on?! Are they telling the truth? That everyone plotted my death?"

"He... Hehehe... Hahahaha!"

Everyone around the throne room didn't expect to see such a reaction to someone who was tied up.

"To think that our attempt to kill you failed. I didn't expect that! But it is within the scope of our expectation that you will survive even after all of that. But to think you will still be able to show that disgusting face of yours!"

Tina couldn't believe what she just heard coming from his mouth.

"Why? What did I do wrong to be treated like this?"

"You? Ha! Don't make me laugh. You as our ruler in the Insect Kingdom? It will surely degrade to a certain extent especially to someone as useless as you. After all these years I have spent my time serving the royal family of the insect kingdom, I have never seen someone as unfit for the position such as you."

Queen Tanya decided to intervene and decided to ask a few questions too.

"What is the main reason why she is targeted for assassination?"

"What else? Since she was automatically the heir of the throne, the only way for her to relinquish the throne is for her to give it up willingly or to take it from her by force. The former one is impossible since she is very adamant about taking over the role once her father steps down. The other princes and princesses are a much better fit. So to make her relinquish it, we decided that it is a better fit for her to be assassinated in the other lands so that the public will not panic, though I doubt that will be the case as they also oppose and are disgusted at the sight of her."

He was still speaking when all of a sudden...

SWISH!

Tran who was still tied up on the floor became two. No, he didn't duplicate nor his body double. His body was torn in half and he is now dead.. The one who did the deed is none other than Tina with glowing red eyes, showing her readiness to kill.