Empress Giselle, who had been lost in thought while staring at the trembling Adrian, soon smiled brightly.
"It's okay, Adrian. Our Cordelia has come up with a lure to lure Princess Argenthoz. Forget that mission. Adrian has more important things to do."
Adrian shouted in surprise as he spotted Cordelia standing there like a shadow.
“Cordelia?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“How long have you been there...?”
Cordelia didn't answer his blank question and just smiled coldly.
As she looked at Adrian, who was disheveled and confused, she felt a pang in her chest because it reminded her of herself.
How did it come to this?
It was lonely and empty.
One day, as she was growing up in poverty after being abandoned as an illegitimate child of the Mare royal family, Empress Giselle came to see her and said.
She told her to become a warlock and follow her. And to take revenge on everyone, including the Mare royal family, who made this happen for her.
Cordelia was so naive and foolish.
What do you do when you become a great high-ranking warlock?
Anyway, Cordelia Mare, I am destined to be sacrificed as the 'key'.
The fact that becoming the key would ultimately lead to death was something shr realized belatedly when she came to the Verbent Empire with Adrian and observed the true nature of Empress Giselle up close.
It's too late now, but...
'The little Duke of Barden Argenthoz. I have no choice but to stake all my luck on that man and that Princess.'
“Cordelia.”
Cordelia thought of the captured Barden and then turned to face Empress Giselle, who was calling her.
“Yes, Your Majesty, the Empress.”
"Still, thanks to Adrian, I got a close-up glimpse of Princess Argenthoz's power. Duke Iels, too... He's considerably stronger than I expected. I can't delay any longer."
Empress Giselle smiled sinisterly.
"Enough of the teasing, let's open the gates to liberation. For the sake of all of us, we need Cordelia and Adrian to cooperate."
Her voice was gentle, but Cordelia gritted her teeth at her words, which seemed to be a death sentence.
Empress Giselle smiled at Adrian, who was trembling without knowing what was going on, and reached out to the two of them.
“Let’s go.”
Adrian and Cordelia were unable to even choose death themselves.
That early autumn dawn, when Crown Prince Adrian and Princess Cordelia Mare disappeared into the abyss.
[ The Verbent Empire has declared a state of emergency. The entire capital has been locked down. For further details, please refer to the official document. ]
A state of emergency was declared out of the blue in the capital of the Verbent Empire.
A state of emergency, directly ordered by Emperor John Ser Verbent, is the Emperor's exclusive right to declare in times of emergency within the Empire.
All imperial laws are suspended, and the Emperor's military power is enforced to maintain order and allow for summary executions. The basic rights of not only commoners but also nobles are restricted.
In the history of the empire, a state of emergency has rarely been declared in such a special case.
But Emperor John decisively declared a state of emergency, and the reason was so clear that no one could refute it.
'Threat of treason.'
It has been discovered that several high-ranking nobles, including the Argenthoz, Iels, and Flos families, are conspiring to rebel.
The empire, including the capital, was turned upside down by the treason of the loyal subjects who were trying to overthrow Emperor John to establish the third prince, Felix Delk Verbent, as Emperor.
“Treason?”
"Like this, all of a sudden? Have you seen the nobles on the list of traitors? Weren't they all living peacefully, without needing anything?"
“Oh my, I don’t know. It’s so scary and uncomfortable.”
“Since movement is prohibited, I guess I’ll just go home...”
The people living in the capital could not hide their doubts even while complying with the state of emergency.
Even the common people were well aware of the noble families that protected and safeguarded the empire.
They were particularly suspicious of the involvement of the Argenthoz and Iels families in the rebellion.
Eight out of ten people thought the state of emergency imposed by Emperor John was suspicious.
But its power was resolute and fierce.
Seven knights and soldiers of the Imperial Palace took control of the streets of the capital, and outsiders were forbidden from entering the Verbent Palace.
All the servants and maids working in the palace, even the lowest-ranking employees in charge of laundry, were locked inside the palace.
Emperor John declared that he would trust no one except the Duke of Cardin and his vassal family.
Thus, the Duke's townhouse and his vassals' noble residences were protected by the Imperial Knights, and all public and private gatherings were prohibited.
Even if the carriage was just rolling, the imperial knights mobilized under a state of emergency would rush in and check their identities, brandishing their swords.
The atmosphere in the capital suddenly became cold.
The mansions of those labeled as nobles involved in the rebellion were on the verge of arrest and were literally on thin ice.
Those who had gathered secretly in the secret conference room of the Argenthoz mansion each vented their anger.
“This can’t be happening!”
“…You got hit, haha.”
“Does this make you laugh?”
“No, what? Did I really make you laugh, Count Raize?”
“I’m sorry. I feel so wronged, so I took it out on myself...”
“Let’s calm down. Haa.”
The group that had banded together to save the empire from the warlocks was in shock.
Successfully destroying the ancient demon sealing artifact, they captured the warlock, Viscount Arthur Rognier.
Now, they were about to start publicizing the threat posed by the warlocks, including Empress Giselle, but they called it treason!
They never, ever attempted to commit treason.
To protect the safety of the Verbent Empire, the leader of the warlocks had to be captured, and that leader was none other than Empress Giselle, who was at His Majesty the Emperor's side.
They were just trying to protect the Verbent Imperial Family by eliminating the dangerous Empress Giselle and uprooting the warlock.
But then another problem arose in this situation.
The little Duke of Barden Argenthoz was kidnapped by the warlocks.
Count Olit ground his teeth.
"My goodness. To take the Little Duke hostage. Cowards!"
“I never thought of that. Ahh...”
“Is it for the purpose of exchanging with Viscount Arthur Rognier?”
“I wonder what kind of trouble the Little Duke is going through.”
Duke Argenthoz, who had been silent until then, stepped forward amidst the murmuring nobles, sighing with concern.
“Don’t worry about the Little Duke.”
His deep voice silenced the room.
The Duke of Argenthoz was indifferent.
"The Barden Argenthoz may look fragile, but his core is quite strong. Just like me."
He pointed at his face, which resembled his son's, with a serious expression.
It would be okay if the father, Duke Argenthoz, said so...
Count Raize jumped up from his seat.
“We will confirm the location of the Little Duke and rescue him as soon as possible!”
"Count. The order has changed. The Little Duke is no longer the problem."
“But, Your Excellency!”
"This is not normal. His Majesty the Emperor has declared a state of emergency. He is on the side of the warlocks. This is not the time for public discussion. We must now prepare for a full-scale battle."
"Ah!"
“Surely not, then.”
“It seems there is no other way than an all-out war.”
The Duke of Argenthoz's sharp eyes were staring straight at reality.
He made a cool-headed judgment about what was more important than the life of his child, who was dragged away to the limbs.
The room was enveloped in silence.
Before they could even guess what Duke Argenthoz was feeling, the conference room door opened abruptly.
"We've received word from Duke Iels. He says he'll be returning to the capital tonight at the latest."
“Oh, I see.”
"Thank goodness! The capital is sealed off, but I'm sure Duke Iels will find a way in."
When the aide, who had received a call from Duke Iels through the magic communication device, relayed the news, everyone inside the conference room breathed a sigh of relief.
Duke Argenthoz nodded and calmly gave instructions for the next operation.
"Good. Then, before the Duke arrives, we must first evacuate Prince Felix and Consort Evelyn from the Palace of the Deep Sea. I'm worried about their lives if they're mistaken for treason."
“Yes, I understand.”
"It won't be easy to get you two out, I'm worried. But whatever happens, we have to hurry. I never thought His Majesty the Emperor would come out here."
Duke Argenthoz rubbed his chin and frowned thoughtfully.
Emperor John sided with the warlock.
But Emperor John is absolutely not a warlock.
The Verbent royal family cannot become wizards because they are blessed by the sun and cannot possess magical powers.
In other words, it means that you can't become a warlock either.
'Then.'
He used all his knowledge of black magic to guess Emperor John's condition.
Unlike white magic, black magic has special techniques called 'curse' and 'brainwashing'.
If Empress Giselle, who had the opportunity to meet Emperor John up close, were a warlock, she could have spent a long time brainwashing him.
"Ha!"
Duke Argenthoz sighed.
'Empress Giselle has slowly blinded the Emperor's eyes and heart. How could I not have known this until now? It's my fault... I was too arrogant.'
A sigh escaped the Duke of Argenthoz's lips.
Can this be called a family of founding fathers?
Because they believed that protecting the capital was the duty of the Argenthorz family, they focused solely on their role as the capital's greatest defensive line - the Tower Lord.
But even that was lost.
Because he didn't know about the poisonous mushrooms that had invaded deep into the heart of the capital and were growing openly.
Perhaps it was just punishment that even his son was taken away by those bastards.
But unlike his rational mind, his insides were torn apart.
"Ah...?"
At that moment, Duke Argenthoz was startled and stopped gesturing with his chin.
'Where's Yvonne? Where's Yvonne?!'
Come to think of it, his daughter's whereabouts were even more mysterious.
‘What if Yvonne is being captured by a warlock and tortured right now...?’
Duke Argenthoz's face turned pale as he imagined his daughter being beaten by the warlocks, coughing up blood, and fainting.
As he began to worry about his daughter, Duke Argenthoz, who had completely forgotten that Yvonne was much stronger than others, quickly called Yvonne's secretary, Liana Rognier, through his butler.
Eventually, he asked Liana Rognier, who had been summoned to the secret underground conference room, about Yvonne's whereabouts, but she only gave the frustrating answer that she did not know.
'This.'
Duke Argenthoz rubbed his temples as a headache throbbed.
He thought Barden was better off. At least he could confirm whether he was alive or dead.
And it was certain that it was within this capital.
'But Yvonne? Where the hell is Yvonne?'
Duke Argenthoz was at a loss.
Of course, Yvonne is stronger and more physically fit than Barden, and her magical skills are also stronger and more resilient...
The problem was that Yvonne's personality was so fiery.
His heart ached as he thought that she would rush in with a grin, fall into a trap, be caught by the warlocks, and cry.
"It's okay, Adrian. Our Cordelia has come up with a lure to lure Princess Argenthoz. Forget that mission. Adrian has more important things to do."
Adrian shouted in surprise as he spotted Cordelia standing there like a shadow.
“Cordelia?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“How long have you been there...?”
Cordelia didn't answer his blank question and just smiled coldly.
As she looked at Adrian, who was disheveled and confused, she felt a pang in her chest because it reminded her of herself.
How did it come to this?
It was lonely and empty.
One day, as she was growing up in poverty after being abandoned as an illegitimate child of the Mare royal family, Empress Giselle came to see her and said.
She told her to become a warlock and follow her. And to take revenge on everyone, including the Mare royal family, who made this happen for her.
Cordelia was so naive and foolish.
What do you do when you become a great high-ranking warlock?
Anyway, Cordelia Mare, I am destined to be sacrificed as the 'key'.
The fact that becoming the key would ultimately lead to death was something shr realized belatedly when she came to the Verbent Empire with Adrian and observed the true nature of Empress Giselle up close.
It's too late now, but...
'The little Duke of Barden Argenthoz. I have no choice but to stake all my luck on that man and that Princess.'
“Cordelia.”
Cordelia thought of the captured Barden and then turned to face Empress Giselle, who was calling her.
“Yes, Your Majesty, the Empress.”
"Still, thanks to Adrian, I got a close-up glimpse of Princess Argenthoz's power. Duke Iels, too... He's considerably stronger than I expected. I can't delay any longer."
Empress Giselle smiled sinisterly.
"Enough of the teasing, let's open the gates to liberation. For the sake of all of us, we need Cordelia and Adrian to cooperate."
Her voice was gentle, but Cordelia gritted her teeth at her words, which seemed to be a death sentence.
Empress Giselle smiled at Adrian, who was trembling without knowing what was going on, and reached out to the two of them.
“Let’s go.”
Adrian and Cordelia were unable to even choose death themselves.
That early autumn dawn, when Crown Prince Adrian and Princess Cordelia Mare disappeared into the abyss.
[ The Verbent Empire has declared a state of emergency. The entire capital has been locked down. For further details, please refer to the official document. ]
A state of emergency was declared out of the blue in the capital of the Verbent Empire.
A state of emergency, directly ordered by Emperor John Ser Verbent, is the Emperor's exclusive right to declare in times of emergency within the Empire.
All imperial laws are suspended, and the Emperor's military power is enforced to maintain order and allow for summary executions. The basic rights of not only commoners but also nobles are restricted.
In the history of the empire, a state of emergency has rarely been declared in such a special case.
But Emperor John decisively declared a state of emergency, and the reason was so clear that no one could refute it.
'Threat of treason.'
It has been discovered that several high-ranking nobles, including the Argenthoz, Iels, and Flos families, are conspiring to rebel.
The empire, including the capital, was turned upside down by the treason of the loyal subjects who were trying to overthrow Emperor John to establish the third prince, Felix Delk Verbent, as Emperor.
“Treason?”
"Like this, all of a sudden? Have you seen the nobles on the list of traitors? Weren't they all living peacefully, without needing anything?"
“Oh my, I don’t know. It’s so scary and uncomfortable.”
“Since movement is prohibited, I guess I’ll just go home...”
The people living in the capital could not hide their doubts even while complying with the state of emergency.
Even the common people were well aware of the noble families that protected and safeguarded the empire.
They were particularly suspicious of the involvement of the Argenthoz and Iels families in the rebellion.
Eight out of ten people thought the state of emergency imposed by Emperor John was suspicious.
But its power was resolute and fierce.
Seven knights and soldiers of the Imperial Palace took control of the streets of the capital, and outsiders were forbidden from entering the Verbent Palace.
All the servants and maids working in the palace, even the lowest-ranking employees in charge of laundry, were locked inside the palace.
Emperor John declared that he would trust no one except the Duke of Cardin and his vassal family.
Thus, the Duke's townhouse and his vassals' noble residences were protected by the Imperial Knights, and all public and private gatherings were prohibited.
Even if the carriage was just rolling, the imperial knights mobilized under a state of emergency would rush in and check their identities, brandishing their swords.
The atmosphere in the capital suddenly became cold.
The mansions of those labeled as nobles involved in the rebellion were on the verge of arrest and were literally on thin ice.
Those who had gathered secretly in the secret conference room of the Argenthoz mansion each vented their anger.
“This can’t be happening!”
“…You got hit, haha.”
“Does this make you laugh?”
“No, what? Did I really make you laugh, Count Raize?”
“I’m sorry. I feel so wronged, so I took it out on myself...”
“Let’s calm down. Haa.”
The group that had banded together to save the empire from the warlocks was in shock.
Successfully destroying the ancient demon sealing artifact, they captured the warlock, Viscount Arthur Rognier.
Now, they were about to start publicizing the threat posed by the warlocks, including Empress Giselle, but they called it treason!
They never, ever attempted to commit treason.
To protect the safety of the Verbent Empire, the leader of the warlocks had to be captured, and that leader was none other than Empress Giselle, who was at His Majesty the Emperor's side.
They were just trying to protect the Verbent Imperial Family by eliminating the dangerous Empress Giselle and uprooting the warlock.
But then another problem arose in this situation.
The little Duke of Barden Argenthoz was kidnapped by the warlocks.
Count Olit ground his teeth.
"My goodness. To take the Little Duke hostage. Cowards!"
“I never thought of that. Ahh...”
“Is it for the purpose of exchanging with Viscount Arthur Rognier?”
“I wonder what kind of trouble the Little Duke is going through.”
Duke Argenthoz, who had been silent until then, stepped forward amidst the murmuring nobles, sighing with concern.
“Don’t worry about the Little Duke.”
His deep voice silenced the room.
The Duke of Argenthoz was indifferent.
"The Barden Argenthoz may look fragile, but his core is quite strong. Just like me."
He pointed at his face, which resembled his son's, with a serious expression.
It would be okay if the father, Duke Argenthoz, said so...
Count Raize jumped up from his seat.
“We will confirm the location of the Little Duke and rescue him as soon as possible!”
"Count. The order has changed. The Little Duke is no longer the problem."
“But, Your Excellency!”
"This is not normal. His Majesty the Emperor has declared a state of emergency. He is on the side of the warlocks. This is not the time for public discussion. We must now prepare for a full-scale battle."
"Ah!"
“Surely not, then.”
“It seems there is no other way than an all-out war.”
The Duke of Argenthoz's sharp eyes were staring straight at reality.
He made a cool-headed judgment about what was more important than the life of his child, who was dragged away to the limbs.
The room was enveloped in silence.
Before they could even guess what Duke Argenthoz was feeling, the conference room door opened abruptly.
"We've received word from Duke Iels. He says he'll be returning to the capital tonight at the latest."
“Oh, I see.”
"Thank goodness! The capital is sealed off, but I'm sure Duke Iels will find a way in."
When the aide, who had received a call from Duke Iels through the magic communication device, relayed the news, everyone inside the conference room breathed a sigh of relief.
Duke Argenthoz nodded and calmly gave instructions for the next operation.
"Good. Then, before the Duke arrives, we must first evacuate Prince Felix and Consort Evelyn from the Palace of the Deep Sea. I'm worried about their lives if they're mistaken for treason."
“Yes, I understand.”
"It won't be easy to get you two out, I'm worried. But whatever happens, we have to hurry. I never thought His Majesty the Emperor would come out here."
Duke Argenthoz rubbed his chin and frowned thoughtfully.
Emperor John sided with the warlock.
But Emperor John is absolutely not a warlock.
The Verbent royal family cannot become wizards because they are blessed by the sun and cannot possess magical powers.
In other words, it means that you can't become a warlock either.
'Then.'
He used all his knowledge of black magic to guess Emperor John's condition.
Unlike white magic, black magic has special techniques called 'curse' and 'brainwashing'.
If Empress Giselle, who had the opportunity to meet Emperor John up close, were a warlock, she could have spent a long time brainwashing him.
"Ha!"
Duke Argenthoz sighed.
'Empress Giselle has slowly blinded the Emperor's eyes and heart. How could I not have known this until now? It's my fault... I was too arrogant.'
A sigh escaped the Duke of Argenthoz's lips.
Can this be called a family of founding fathers?
Because they believed that protecting the capital was the duty of the Argenthorz family, they focused solely on their role as the capital's greatest defensive line - the Tower Lord.
But even that was lost.
Because he didn't know about the poisonous mushrooms that had invaded deep into the heart of the capital and were growing openly.
Perhaps it was just punishment that even his son was taken away by those bastards.
But unlike his rational mind, his insides were torn apart.
"Ah...?"
At that moment, Duke Argenthoz was startled and stopped gesturing with his chin.
'Where's Yvonne? Where's Yvonne?!'
Come to think of it, his daughter's whereabouts were even more mysterious.
‘What if Yvonne is being captured by a warlock and tortured right now...?’
Duke Argenthoz's face turned pale as he imagined his daughter being beaten by the warlocks, coughing up blood, and fainting.
As he began to worry about his daughter, Duke Argenthoz, who had completely forgotten that Yvonne was much stronger than others, quickly called Yvonne's secretary, Liana Rognier, through his butler.
Eventually, he asked Liana Rognier, who had been summoned to the secret underground conference room, about Yvonne's whereabouts, but she only gave the frustrating answer that she did not know.
'This.'
Duke Argenthoz rubbed his temples as a headache throbbed.
He thought Barden was better off. At least he could confirm whether he was alive or dead.
And it was certain that it was within this capital.
'But Yvonne? Where the hell is Yvonne?'
Duke Argenthoz was at a loss.
Of course, Yvonne is stronger and more physically fit than Barden, and her magical skills are also stronger and more resilient...
The problem was that Yvonne's personality was so fiery.
His heart ached as he thought that she would rush in with a grin, fall into a trap, be caught by the warlocks, and cry.
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