"Yes, she did. But that doesn't an everyone obeys. Damn it, I'll summon Achtschwietz!"
"Please calm down, Your Majesty. She's currently in captivity."
At those words, Emperor Yuri hesitated. Even so, his uneasiness didn't subside. If she had entered that room, how much of his affairs had been discovered?
If the report hadn't reached the Crown Prince yet, there was still ti.
"First, we need to find out how much she knows."
"We'll interrogate her."
"Yes, and for now, I'll summon Achtschwietz."
He intended to issue an ergency alert. All things considered, it was right to be prepared. As soon as the Emperor left the room, Adolf returned to the secret room.
The room was empty.
No, Zen's corpse was lying on the floor. With his leg bent and throat slit, the corpse lay there, and the stench of blood filled the room, making Adolf grimace. He looked at the magic circle. It would be a sha to destroy it after all their efforts.
He had to protect this sohow.
Thinking this, Adolf returned to the main palace. This ti, he didn't wait and rudely caught up with the Emperor. The guards grabbed their swords upon seeing him appear suddenly, but Adolf paid no attention and said.
"Your Majesty, they've escaped."
For a mont, it seed as if fire would shoot from Emperor Yuri's eyes, but he soon regained his composure. He spoke to the guard beside him.
"Close off the entire First District of the imperial palace. Issue an ergency alert and summon the Crown Prince and Crown Princess!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The guard disappeared swiftly, his robe fluttering. And before the Emperor could reach the audience chamber, ssengers ca running one after another.
"Your Majesty, the Western Nobles Alliance's soldiers have entered the capital!"
"The House of Lunatil and House of Blanche have also sent troops—!"
"The Crown Prince's palace and the Moon Palace are empty!"
Emperor Yuri growled.
"Close all the gates! Don't let any soldiers into the First District! And you!"
Emperor Yuri turned to Adolf and said.
"Go back imdiately and erase and destroy everything."
"But Your Majesty, it would take too much ti to prepare everything again."
"Then go and bring
the Crown Prince's head!"
Seeing him shout with spittle flying, Adolf bowed and disappeared. The surrounding servants gasped in surprise, but there was no ti to indulge them. The Emperor now spoke as he walked, almost running.
"Contact the nobles! Tell them the Crown Prince has started a rebellion!"
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Serios, befitting the highest commander, was wearing splendid armor and a cloak. He sighed as he looked up at the castle walls.
"So it cos to this after all. But we don't have ti."
"I know."
Duke Fienscha answered beside him.
"We've secured the secret room and evidence, but it's useless if the Emperor claims he was frad."
Beramund spoke slowly. He too was fully ard. Duke Fienscha glanced at him and asked.
"What about Lady Ankertna?"
"She's insisting she's fine."
"Magic that blocks Aura, how troubleso."
He said, rubbing his chin.
Currently, the Crown Prince's forces were in a standoff with the Emperor's forces.
The imperial palace was divided into three districts: the Third District where anyone could enter, the Second District where only nobles could enter, and the First District which couldn't be entered without permission. These were the three.
Among them, the First District beca an excellent fortress when sealed off. It was also well-stocked with supplies, allowing for a prolonged siege.
But an even bigger problem was that if another army entered from outside, the Crown Prince's forces would be attacked from both sides.
So they had to capture the imperial palace before the Emperor could employ various tactics.
"How many Aura users do they have?"
Beramund answered.
"Four."
"And us?"
"Five."
"We have the advantage."
"But they have magicians."
Beramund was polite, being in front of everyone. Serios looked at the castle walls for a mont, then whispered.
"What about our magician?"
"There's still no word from Arkana."
"Has sothing happened?"
"I hope not."
Looking at the castle walls as the sun slowly set, Duke Fienscha said.
"We need to settle this within three days at most. That's probably how long the neutral nobles will tolerate."
"Fortunately, neither Duke Alsekidna nor Duke Illisaine, the leaders of the neutral faction, have said anything."
Serios sighed.
Just then, one side beca noisy. Pushing away the healers, Sigrid strode forward.
"I am honored to be in Your Highness's presence."
Sigrid greeted, lightly placing her hand on her chest. On the battlefield, one doesn't kneel due to mobility issues. Serios gestured for the disgruntled-looking healers to withdraw and beckoned Sigrid closer.
"Are you alright?"
"Completely fine."
"You're not fine!"
Beramund shouted, suddenly upset. Sigrid turned to him and protested quietly, "I am fine." Then she turned back to Serios and said.
"I heard you're having trouble with the attack."
"Yes. It would be troubleso if our Aura users, like you, couldn't use Aura."
"I've solved that."
Sigrid sighed and held out her hand. Aura flickered over her hand and disappeared. Serios brightened and asked.
"How did you undo it?"
"The magical power was blocking the flow of Aura. So I adjusted the flow of Aura within my body and incorporated the magical power into my Aura."
At those words, Serios nodded and said, "I see," but Utulu and Beramund gaped. Beramund whirled to face Serios and said.
"It's not 'I see'! No, I an, the others can't imitate that."
"I agree with Lord Lunatil's words."
Utulu agreed in a low but trustworthy voice. Beramund glared at Sigrid.
"I've thought this before, but your delicacy in handling Aura goes beyond re delicacy to sothing almost perverse—"
Beramund cut himself off and cleared his throat, noticing the stern gazes of those around him. People were looking at him as if to say, 'What kind of behavior is this in front of His Highness the Crown Prince?'
Beramund spoke again, more politely.
"Anyway, my lord, that thod can't be used by anyone but her."
"Is that so? That's unfortunate."
Serios nodded. Sigrid continued.
"What if I go inside and open the gate?"
"!"
All eyes turned to her. Sigrid bowed her head slightly and said.
"I know of a secret passage into the First District."
In fact, she had assud the Crown Prince would naturally push troops through that passage. But even though the sun was setting, they remained in a standoff with no movent.
'Then, does this an His Highness doesn't know?'
Sigrid had spoken to Serios thinking this, and indeed, Serios groaned upon hearing about the secret passage.
"A passage even I don't know about."
"His Majesty trusted
and told
about it."
"I see."
Serios nodded. Sigrid swallowed quietly. The effects of the antidote were gradually wearing off. Whether because it was old or for so other reason, the ergency dicine she had prepared was losing its effectiveness faster.
This was not at all a welco developnt for her.
Even if they captured this place, if she couldn't find the antidote, she would probably die.
"The idea is for two or three people, including myself, to quietly enter the castle and open the gate."
"We can't send all the Masters. We have guarding issues here too."
Serios said, crossing his arms.
"Leave two behind."
"I'm going, of course."
Sigrid raised her hand as she spoke. Beramund objected.
"No, you just guide us on the route. Then I'll go with Lord Utulu and Lord Al."
"The path is complicated, so it would be better if I went along."
Sigrid said, frowning.
"It's like a maze."
"No."
Beramund objected. Sigrid looked at the sky for a mont, then spoke politely to Serios.
"May I speak with Lord Lunatil for a mont?"
"Go ahead."
Serios nodded. Sigrid gestured to Beramund, and the two stepped away from the group.
"What are you doing?"
"What do you an? I'm trying to keep you from dying."
"Beramund, I won't last three days anyway. I only have enough antidote for tomorrow."
Beramund's face hardened at Sigrid's words. Sigrid sighed and smiled.
"So, no one is more desperate than . My Aura has returned, and I can fight properly. And you know, right? I'm the one who works best with you."
Sigrid cleared her throat and smiled, and Beramund tried to smile back but grimaced instead. He covered his eyes with his hand and said.
"You're really cruel."
His lips trembled.
"Beramund......?"
A flustered Sigrid grabbed the hem of his clothes.
"If you say that, I—"
He gritted his teeth. If you say it like that, what does that make , wanting to protect you? An idiot? A fool?
Beramund took a deep breath. When he lowered his hand, his face was perfectly expressionless.
"Don't leave my side."
His order was brief, but the aning was clear. Sigrid nodded.
"Let's go."
As he turned away, Sigrid grabbed him.
As he turned back, puzzled, Sigrid stood on her tiptoes with an "Eep," grabbed his shoulders, and lightly kissed him on the lips. Caught off guard by the unexpected kiss, Beramund looked as if he'd been struck. Sigrid turned her head away, fidgeting with her fingers as she spoke.
"I don't intend to die. I absolutely won't die. Because I'm going on a s-second d-date with Beramund."
Sigrid was surprised at herself for being able to say such things so smoothly(?).
But she might die in three days, right? She might even die during the operation. The future was uncertain.
The words she wanted to say now, it was right to say them now.
There were no words that beca more brilliant by being postponed or suppressed. All words should be said at the right ti. Especially if they were good words, honest words, all the more so.
"......Alright."
Beramund answered and smiled. He bent down to kiss her lips again and winked.
"Let's save the next one for later."
As he turned and walked away, covering his mouth with the back of his hand, he thought.
'Ah, really, getting all soft over just one kiss. Beramund Lunatil, your future is bright, so bright.'
But he didn't dislike it at all.
So after a discussion, Sigrid, Beramund, and Utulu beca the infiltration team.
The plan was for the three of them to enter the castle through the secret passage, open the gate, and then the soldiers waiting outside would storm in at once.
It wasn't much of a plan, but it was a matter of life and death. Sigrid was worried about Arkana, who hadn't shown up, but decided to focus on what was in front of her for now.
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The secret passage was an escape route for the imperial family. Designed for rebellion, one end was inside the imperial palace and the other outside. But it couldn't just be any outside location. The next escape had to be easy. Therefore, the passage was connected to the outskirts of the imperial palace, near the stables. The passage existed inside a dry well near the riding grounds in the outer palace of the Second District.
As they entered the narrow passage, Utulu groaned. Even Beramund had to stoop awkwardly.
"It's tight."
For Utulu, not just the height but the width was a problem. He wrapped his cloak around his armor to prevent the sound of it scraping.
Beramund asked.
"Should we light a fire?"
The underground was naturally pitch black without any light. Even Beramund's good eyes were useless in such darkness. Sigrid pondered, then nodded.
Beramund took sothing like a crystal from his pocket and lightly tapped it against the wall, causing it to start glowing faintly. Utulu glanced at it and asked.
"Fairy stone?"
"A specialty of the North."
Beramund grinned and handed the gem to Sigrid. Sigrid, who had been staring curiously at the softly silver-glowing gem, started walking again.
"I've heard about it, but this is my first ti seeing one."
"They say you can find them in the northern snowfields. Rare and expensive."
At Utulu's words, Beramund chuckled and said.
"I just picked up a few in the snow."
"You picked them up?"
"I have good eyes."
Utulu snorted at Beramund's words. The three walked through the passage, relying on the faint light. As Sigrid had said, it was not only narrow but the passages were tangled like ant tunnels. There were even places where they had to crawl through small holes, forcing Utulu to eventually give up on his armor.
Who wouldn't dislike being stuck in a hole, unable to move, in this underground?
After about twenty minutes of this, Beramund muttered.
"I think I'm developing claustrophobia."
Utulu silently agreed. Sigrid, fiddling with the crystal, asked.
"How do you turn this off?"
"Just tap it against the wall again."
At Beramund's words, Sigrid carefully tapped the fairy stone against the wall, and the light gradually faded.
Sigrid said.
"We're now under one of His Majesty's bedrooms in the main palace."
At those words, both n's deanor changed sharply. Sigrid said.
"The distance from here to the gate is considerable, so let's aim to move as quietly as possible, as planned."
"If we're discovered, I'll be the decoy."
Utulu said. With his large build, he was the most noticeable. If their infiltration was discovered, it was right for him to beco the target.
Agreeing in silence, Sigrid reached up to push open the floor above, but Utulu, noticing, lifted the floor first. It was an easy motion for him with his height. Sigrid enviously watched him effortlessly lift the secret door with one hand without using Aura. As there was no one in the room, the three erged from the secret passage in turn, closed the floor back up, and laid down the rug.
"It's quiet."
Beramund murmured softly.
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