Fated to Die to the Player, I'll Live Freely with My SSS-Class Ship!-Chapter 47: Subterfuge

I was alone—surrounded by tough-looking Royal Guards, fully armored and equipped. No matter how I think about it, judging by the atmosphere, there was no way I could say "No" to his demand.

"Alright, I’ll cooperate." I sighed, raising both arms in surrender. "I’m innocent anyway. You won’t find anything on me." I made sure to sound confident as I lied through my teeth.

The knight’s voice darkened. "We’ll see about that after the interrogation, " he said, flicking his head.

Immediately, the knights grabbed my shoulders, pressing down with overwhelming force. Before I could react, a thick, metallic fist shot toward my face.

’Is this how you treat your suspects?!’ I cursed inwardly—

Then everything went black.

---

Inside the clothing store, the two girls browsed the racks in silence, their serious expressions betraying the slight enjoyment in their eyes. Even Eva—who never spent money on unnecessary things—seemed to appreciate the little distraction.

*BEEP!*

A sharp chime from her wrist terminal broke the moment.

Frowning, Eva dropped the dress she was holding and checked the message. The sender was encrypted—untraceable—but the content was short, direct, and informative.

[I’ve been taken by the Royal Guards—Enemies. Protect Cassandra and avoid the Falcon for now. Wait for my return before making any moves.]

Eva clenched her jaw.

"...That dumb bastard. This is way faster than what’s planned!" She cursed under her breath, deleting the message immediately.

Turning, she spotted Cassandra idly muttering to herself while browsing for clothes, completely unaware. Right. Shopping time is over.

"Come here."

Before Cassandra could protest, Eva grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a nearby changing room. She yanked the drape shut, enclosing them in a small space.

Cassandra blinked, confused. "What’s going on?" She whispered, asking.

"Arthur got caught by your knights." Eva’s voice was also low but urgent. "We need to lay low."

Cassandra stiffened. "...Arthur—?!"

"But first," Eva cut her off, "we need to change. Some people might remember us as that bastard’s crew members from our attire."

She didn’t wait for Cassandra’s confirmation and walked out. "Stay here."

Eva moved swiftly between racks. She wasn’t picky, but she still grabbed items that would fit them well enough. Returning, she shoved half of the clothes into Cassandra’s hands.

"Change into that. If you need help, say so."

Without another word, Eva began undressing.

She peeled off her spacesuit in seconds, revealing a simple pair of pink underwear—a color choice that completely didn’t suit her personality and style. Arthur would’ve pointed that out if he were here.

"A-Alright..."

Detecting the urgency in Eva’s tone, Cassandra finally moved. The "plan," after all, included only Arthur and Eva, leaving the person in question, Princess Cassandra, in the dark.

She carefully ejected herself from her powered suit, stepping out in nothing but the same space suit Eva had worn earlier. Then, with practiced efficiency, she stripped—completely.

Eva barely glanced, though she did take note. Cassandra changes her clothes without hesitation... Not common for nobility.

Most royals relied on maids for even the simplest tasks, but Cassandra’s movements were smooth—almost second nature. Still, Eva focused on herself first.

Her new disguise was simple but effective:

A deep black turtleneck sweater, paired with a gray longline vest secured with two stomach hooks—keeping a sleek, streamlined silhouette.

Long, beige high-waisted trousers tucked into raven-black knee-high boots completed the look.

For extra precaution, she donned a green ponytailed wig and large, mirrored round glasses—obscuring her face enough that even Arthur wouldn’t recognize her at a glance.

"Hurry up."

She turned her attention back to Cassandra, assisting with the final touches.

Unlike Eva’s muted tones, Cassandra’s disguise focused on contrast—hiding what was normally seen and exposing what was normally hidden.

She wore a white cropped sweater, leaving her stomach bare, but layered a brown bolero vest over it to keep herself from looking too exposed.

A beige high-waisted slit skirt revealed glimpses of her inner thighs, complemented by white thigh-high socks and matching beige sneakers—a blend of casual and modern styles.

For accessories, Eva added waist chain dangles and a semi-transparent veil covering Cassandra’s nose and mouth. Her striking eye color was concealed by adaptive contact lenses, while her recognizable golden hair was hidden beneath a short brown wig and topped with a white-and-blue baseball cap.

Eva stepped back, assessing her handiwork.

"...Alright. Nobody should recognize you now."

Without hesitation, she activated the emergency disintegration function on their space suits and Cassandra’s powered suit, reducing them to base energy particles—separating protons, electrons, and neutrons altogether—removing any "evidence" of their presence.

Then she pulled open the drape and stepped out.

"Let’s go."

She strode toward the cashier, paying with a nameless Cash Card amounting to 50,000 Credits. "Keep the change." She muttered, then grabbed Cassandra and led her away.

Eva didn’t need to be told twice. Right now, Arthur’s safety wasn’t the priority. He’d given them direct instructions: Protect Cassandra. Lay low. And most importantly—avoid the Falcon.

His message was too confident. Making Eva realize that he most likely had other plans. For now, they had to trust him—that Arthur would survive, and come for them.

Thus, the pair’s covert operation had begun.

---

*Splash!*

A bucketful of freezing water crashed over me, shocking my system awake. I gasped, shivering, my breath ragged from the sudden cold. My senses reeled, and I struggled to take in my surroundings through the dim, suffocating darkness.

’Last I recall, I was…’

My gaze darted around, but visibility was poor. The room was barely lit, with only vague silhouettes forming in the gloom.

Three gigantic shadows loomed before me, with two more presences lingering behind.

"Finally awake, huh?"

A gruff voice spoke from somewhere at my back. I tried to turn my head, but my body refused to move. Thick restraints pinned me against a bolted chair—it didn’t so much as budge when I shifted my weight. My wrists burned from the tight bindings.

"You are…?" I rasped, my throat raw from the cold.

I barely finished my sentence before—

*CRACK!*

A fist shot from the darkness, slamming into my cheek. My head snapped sideways, sharp pain radiating through my skull. The bitter taste of iron spread in my mouth—I was bleeding.

Dizzy, I barely caught the voice that followed, taunting and playful.

"Non, non~! You don’t get to ask questions, but I. You can only answer them. You understand that much, right? Mister Arthur Grail~?"

That intonation—slightly theatrical, laced with amusement—was far too familiar. It took barely a second to confirm my suspicions.

"So it’s you, Prince Leobert." I exhaled, spitting blood onto the floor. "I’m honored that someone of such high standing would personally come all this way to interrogate me." My voice dripped with sarcasm.

"But I’ll save you the trouble—I don’t have the information you want."

The air turned deathly still. My words echoed in the silence, tension thickening like a vice. I felt the weight of their stares.

They hadn’t introduced themselves. I hadn’t seen him. And yet, I’d called his name. From behind, anxiety stirred—but then, laughter. A short, amused chuckle.

"To think a commoner like you knows of this prince… color me surprised~!" Leobert’s voice was light, almost as if he was entertained.

"But!" His tone sharpened, removing all pretense of his usual façade. "Denying knowledge before we even begin? That only proves you do know something, no?"

*THUD!*

A boot slammed into my stomach, knocking the air from my lungs.

Sharp pain exploded through my ribs. I choked, my body instinctively trying to curl in, but the restraints held firm. Agonizing seconds passed before I managed to rasp a cough, forcing oxygen back into my system.

Still, Leobert didn’t give me enough time to recover.

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"Now, tell me…" His voice dripped with false patience. "Where is my dear sister, Cassandra?"

"Hurgh…" I sucked in a breath, forcing down the ache, then grinned. "I already told you, Your Highness… I don’t know."

The room’s temperature seemed to plummet. For the first time, the playfulness in Leobert’s tone vanished. Boots clacked against the metal floor, approaching.

He emerged from the shadows—a tall, elegant figure dressed in royal blues, grays, and silvers. His sharp blue eyes gleamed with menace, his long blond hair cascading neatly past his shoulders.

If I didn’t know better, I would’ve mistaken him for Cassandra, who got a hair rebond, crossdressing in disguise. The resemblance was uncanny.

Leobert studied me for a moment, then leaned in, his grin widening—his gaze sadistic.

"Well, then…" He whispered, eyes alight with twisted amusement. "Let’s see how long you can keep up this act."

*Clink*

Behind him, his men moved. Tools gleamed under the dim light—a bolt cutter, a serrated knife, other things I didn’t want to think about how they’re gonna use it.

I swallowed hard.

"...W-Wait…" My voice trembled, just enough to sell the moment. I did not doubt what they were going to do.

"I get it… I’ll tell you." I muttered, lowering my head in feigned submission.

But Leobert’s eyes narrowed. "That was quick." He clicked his tongue. "How disappointing."

Still, he stepped back, giving me space. "Then, speak." His voice turned cold. "Where is that bitch of a sister of mine hiding?"

I sucked in a breath, then—"...We left her in an escape pod."

Leobert’s expression darkened.

"Where?"

"Deep space." I coughed. "Somewhere along the way. My ship, the Range Falcon, is probably still tracking her movements—"

"But," I continued, voice steady, "my ship is… unique. If I’m not there, you’ll need at least a week to break through the encryptions I set on all data aboard..."

’Can you afford that much delay?’ This was my silent question to him. A challenge, a taunt of sorts. Silence spread, and Leobert’s eyes gleamed with suspicion.

"In short…" His voice dropped, dangerously low. "You want us to keep you alive."

I didn’t answer. I only stared straight into his eyes without blinking. A tense standoff stretched between us—before, finally, he exhaled, tilting his head.

"If I discover you’re lying to me…" His voice turned cold. "You’ll die there and then."

A smile almost curled my lips, but I forced it back. Despite my initial surprise at seeing the prince here, the "interrogation" went just as I predicted.

All things considered… Everything was going exactly as planned.