Late awakening (10)
The chamberlain gave Oslo a greeting.
"Welcome, Your Highness."
"...What are you doing here?"
"I'm planning to take Young Lady and go out to support her for a while."
"What about Father?"
"His Majesty is waiting inside."
It couldn't be an illusion anymore.
These are the sources of the stench, especially the baboons.
But Baba said Vivi died at Baba's hands. What happened? Did Baba get tricked by Vivi?
I looked at Vivi again.
She, who had been observing me with such interest until now, didn't even pay attention to me today.
She just stares at the floor with a calm expression.
'This person is not Vivi...'
A person's body odor doesn't change that easily. If this was Vivi, I should have felt a unique spicy and bitter smell.
It wasn't such a terrible stench.
Am I the only one who can sense this horrible, putrid smell coming from her?
The knights standing guard at the gate and the entrance all looked calm.
A foul, pungent smell as if it were coming from a corpse that had decayed beyond recognition.
It's a smell I clearly remember. Where have I smelled this before?
'Ah!'
Yes, I smelled a similar stench from the monster Ian brought when we were stranded at Eldern's cottage.
Of course, it was much weaker than before, but it definitely had the same smell.
Then who is this person who looks exactly like Vivi? It's like a monster stole Vivi's face.
'A monster...?'
A shock, like being hit in the back of the head, pierced through my mind.
The smell of a monster, an appearance that resembles a human as if stamped out. Isn't this the ability of the highest-level monster that appears just before the Great Rift?
'That's also top-notch.'
My whole body trembled with instinctive fear. I froze and swallowed dry saliva. The attendant asked me.
"Young Lady, your face has become even paler. You'd better go out."
This time I couldn't answer either. My head was filled with only one thought.
Why did the monster appear here now? For what purpose?
Are you trying to assassinate the Emperor to win the Great Rift?
'No.'
If the Emperor is killed, there may be a brief moment of chaos, but the Allied Forces will not collapse.
The Empire isn't the only country participating in the Great Rift.
Rather, it could boost the morale of the Allied Forces, as they seek revenge on the monster that killed the Emperor.
'There's no way a top-tier monster would make such a stupid choice.'
Now that I think about it, there was one question that remained unanswered in my past life.
Why did the Emperor hand over the throne to Oslo?
Even though Oslo had surrounded the capital, there were enough troops to respond, so why did he give up?
It was a choice that was completely incomprehensible. It was to the point where I even thought that the Emperor might have had some kind of illness.
'The premise is wrong.'
In the past life, the one who handed over the throne to Oslo was not the Emperor.
It was a monster that had the appearance of an Emperor.
A cold sweat ran down my spine.
My heart is pounding like crazy and my head feels like it's going to explode.
I closed my eyes tightly and then opened them.
'The Emperor is his target. He wants to transform into his appearance.'
So that's why Oslo asked for a private meeting with the Emperor?
Even the chief chamberlain who had served the Emperor like a shadow was now by my side.
Everything was going according to Oslo's wishes. Even if the demon killed the Emperor and took his skin, no one would notice.
If things continue like this, the future will be exactly the same as my past life.
Oslo glanced at me and raised his voice.
"Father, I'm going in."
"Do so."
"Yes, Father."
Oslo answered calmly and gave an order to the monster wearing Vivi's mask.
"You wait here."
"Understood, Your Highness."
If I were to scream here and now that that thing is a monster, how many people would believe me?
And how am I going to prove it? No one else can smell it but me.
'I just need to be by the Emperor's side.'
If there are witnesses, Oslo won't be able to do anything.
The fact that he joined hands with a demon is something that can be revealed after I get out of this situation.
At that moment, Oslo came in, leaving the demon disguised as Vivi outside the entrance.
"Why don't you hurry up and go to the sponsorship? Don't block the road."
Oslo, with a frown on his face, forced his way between me and the attendant.
The walking sticks that we both dropped rolled out of the entrance.
"Oh! Please wait a moment so I can pick it up."
As the attendant clicked his tong lue and went out to pick up the staff, the monster wearing Vivi's mask spoke.
"Young lady should come out too."
It was even more creepy because It sounded so different from a human voice. I clenched my cold hands tightly.
"Chamberlain, I will forget the walk. I will stay in the waiting room."
"His Highness the Third Prince has requested a private meeting with His Majesty. You must not interrupt him."
Before the bewildered attendant could answer, the monster spoke soothingly. I stared straight at it.
"No, I said I wouldn't go."
The monster wearing Vivi's mask stared at me and then chuckled.
"You noticed?"
The next moment, the door closed without me even touching it. It was a frightening speed, but there was not even a sound of wind, let alone a loud noise.
I hurriedly turned the doorknob, but it didn't budge. I put my ear to the door and concentrated.
'I can't hear anything.'
There was no sign of life outside. It was as quiet as a completely sealed space.
"Let's calm down."
Luckily, there is a watchman outside. The door suddenly closes and won't open, so I'll ask the knights for help.
I just have to hold on until then.
I turned around and walked into the lobby, but before I could even take a couple of steps, I started feeling impatient.
I started running.
"Haa, haa!"
Oslo sat on the Emperor's stomach. The tip of his dagger, raised above his crown, gleamed sharply.
"No!"
I grabbed a handful of soil from the flower pot and sprinkled it on Oslo.
He was so focused on stabbing the Emperor in the heart that he rolled over, clutching his eyes.
"Ugh! My eyes! What the heck is this! Shit! Shit!!"
"Your Majesty! Come to your senses! Your Majesty!"
No matter how much I shook the Emperor, there was no response.
Fortunately, there was no bleeding. He seemed to have fainted after being attacked unexpectedly.
"Your Majesty... Ugh!"
I tried to grab the Emperor's arm and drag him towards the entrance, but he was too heavy. Oslo would catch him before he even reached the entrance.
"What the hell! What the hell did you spread!"
Oslo blinked his reddened eyes.
Still not being able to see clearly, he staggers back and forth, hits his shin on the table, and starts swearing.
"Oh, shit! If I catch you, you'll die by my hands! I'll tear your limbs off!!!"
It is difficult to drag the unconscious Emperor to a safe place with my own strength.
'We must stop Oslo.'
I jumped at full speed and hung onto Oslo's back. Oslo, who was rubbing his eyes, fell to his knees on the floor under my weight.
"Ugh!"
"Not twice."
And bit the back of his neck.
The teeth dug through the firm skin and hard muscles. The pungent blood quickly filled the mouth. Oslo's scream echoed through the waiting room.
"Kuaaaah!!!"
The next moment, a burning pain spread across my shoulder. Once, twice. Soon, the strength left one arm.
But I stubbornly held on with my teeth buried in his neck. Oslo's blood kept flowing down my throat. I held back the nausea.
'Just hold on a little longer. Just a little longer.'
How long had it been? It was around the time I felt like I had lost feeling in my jaw.
With a "Woojikkul" sound, the knights poured in.
"First, take His Majesty out and in /form the 'Savior' of the situation! Quickly!"
I heard S/Chevio's voice. In an instant, all the strength left my body.
At the same time, a pain I had never felt before surged through me. I fell from Oslo's back to the floor.
"Arrest the Third Prince!"
"No! It's your fault! You ruined me!!!"
"What are you doing? You're not stopping that kid!"
"Yes, Sir!"
All sorts of noises were ringing out from all directions. What was going on?
I was lying on the floor, not even able to turn my head when suddenly I felt a warmth on my cheek.
Chevio sat down next to me and I looked down at me.
"Oh my god..."
He couldn't even touch me properly.
A large hand that had been hovering near my face transformed into a fist and covered his mouth.
"Youngest. Our youngest... Ah, what should I do, what should I do?"
"...His Majesty?"
"Is it time for you to worry about other people now?"
"Brother. You shouldn't be here. You have to protect His Majesty..."
"His Majesty is fine! He is already being healed by Lord Rahon, so worry about yourself!"
"Am I that messed up? Am I hurt a lot?"
"Is Lord Rahon still healing? Someone go and check on her!!!"
Chevio screamed fiercely and wiped his face. The tears that had not yet been wiped away gathered at the tip of his chin and fell on my cheek.
What kind of knight is this so weak-hearted? I laughed weakly.
"Damn it! Why aren't you here! Someone go and drag the Guardian bastard here!"
Right now, Rahon is probably checking on the Emperor, so how can he come so quickly?
I wanted to grab Chevio's hand, but my arm wouldn't move. Then I heard Rahon's voice.
"Guardian... I'm here, hoo, don't yell in front of the kid."
The words were cut off abruptly as if trying to suppress his rapid breathing. Chevio grabbed Rahon with a desperate look on his face.
"Rahon, hurry up! Please look at our youngest!!!"
"I told you to be quiet. She must be scared because she thought she was badly hurt."
Chevio bit his trembling lips.
Only then did Rahon look at me. As soon as his expressionless purple eyes met mine, he smiled.
"It's nothing."
"It hurts..."
"It's a little scratched. Do you know what I'm capable of? I'll make it heal perfectly."
Rahon brought his hand, wrapped in a halo of light, near my shoulder.
"Ugh..."
A groan escaped my lips. Why does it still hurt?
Rahon's head tilts slightly.
He looked at my hand for a moment, then reached out again. His hand, bathed in light, touched my shoulder.
I gritted my teeth. The pain didn't lessen at all.
Chevio asked with a puzzled look on his face.
"What's wrong? The bleeding won't stop."
The smile that had been mechanically spreading across Rahon's lips slowly disappeared.
"Healing... doesn't work."
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