"Princess, you must get out safely. Promise me!"
"Understood. Don't worry about me. Just go with Pembe. Make sure these people get out safely. I'll trust you, Carol Demirant. Let's make sure your father's death wasn't in vain. I'll do my best, and you should do yours, too."
"Yes, Princess."
I spoke sternly to Carol, who kept looking back.
I deliberately called her by her full name to force a sense of duty on her.
Tears welled up in her eyes, but Carol held them back and calmly called out to the people.
And before escaping, we explained the plan and divided the group into groups.
As expected, she is a great talent.
This time, I turned my head towards Pembe, who was looking at me with a grumpy expression, and smiled.
The distance between the main palace and the eastern gate, where this dungeon was located, was quite long, so a reliable escort was needed so Pembe had to go with them.
Pembe gave his final instructions just before escaping with a large group of people.
"Yvonne. If you're in danger, be sure to summon me! Don't fight alone."
"Yeah. Pembe, I understand. Please take good care of these people."
“...Please don’t get hurt, Yvonne.”
After sending Carol and Pembe away like that, I was left completely alone for the first time in a long time.
I leaned against the windowsill of the quiet dungeon and closed my eyes, listening to the distant explosions, shouts, and screams of the monsters outside.
It's okay, it's okay.
Everything is okay.
Because I worked hard and did my best, I won't give up either.
I suppressed my fear. I had to wait here.
Surely... I was sure that the warlock, who was losing the fight, would come here to kill the servants trapped here to obtain black magic.
Soon, the sound of someone entering, stamping their feet impatiently and nervously on the floor, was heard.
Very, very happily, just the right number of people.
And then, Lady Alentia, a high-ranking warlock, appeared.
She acted hastily, as if she had encountered a ghost just before coming here, as if she were terrified.
She was so sensitive that she couldn't fight rationally. It was funny how she'd go wild whenever I provoked her.
Wouldn't you be scared by something like a guard's club I just picked up from the floor?
Having whetted my appetite, I first aimed for Lady Alentia's servant, Velvet, who spewed out a stream of purple water.
Carefully.
As the attack magic Lady Alentia had implemented while under the protection of her familiar poured down on me, I gritted my teeth, leaped forward, and then dashed out of the way.
I didn't want to waste my magic power from now on. Since there was still the great warlock, Empress Giselle, I'd just deal with her with my body.
But she looked at me with great bewilderment, as if she had expected me to remain motionless and cast defensive magic.
And then she prepared the next attack magic in a hurry.
I'm not like those wizards who just stand there and cast spells or recite them.
Taking advantage of this gap, I quickly looked up at the lights hanging from the ceiling.
Trying to remember the pose in which Rosie had thrown her dagger and spear, I quickly threw my club, aiming for the joints in the ceiling and other structures.
Squeak―.
Hit!
As the seam broke, the tilted back fell rapidly upwards onto her head.
Lady Alentia, terrified, cast a teleportation spell and instantly fled the scene, disappearing somewhere.
Kwarung!
The large back crashed to the floor and exploded loudly.
But to protect Lady Alentia, the purple stream still remained in place, idling.
I had been waiting for the familiar to be left alone without its owner, so I raised the corners of my mouth and quickly threw her a piece of chocolate that I had prepared in advance in my bosom.
Pieces of pitch-black chocolate were sucked into the purple stream.
"...Hmm?"
As if in confusion, the familiar Velvet spoke for the first time.
And then the purple stream of water, emitting bluish smoke, slowly stopped spinning and transformed into a purple fox as big as my arm.
It's crazy.
Look at those sharply upturned eyes, tail, and triangular ears.
It was so cute that I covered my mouth.
Then, I quietly handed more chocolate to the familiar fox who was staring blankly at me.
“I’m Yvonne. Would you like some more chocolate?”
"Well, if you insist on giving it to me... I'll eat it. Give it to me, Yvonne."
Velvet came over, her plump tail wagging, and nimbly ate more chocolate.
The fact that you ate the dessert I gave you means that I have already succeeded in seducing you.
And Lady Alentia, who had teleported about 100 meters away, collapsed on the spot due to the shock of having her contract with her familiar Velvet forcibly severed.
.
.
That's how I captured her so easily.
“What on earth did you do to my familiar?!!”
When Lady Alentia started to fuss, my ears started to hurt so much that I was starting to get annoyed.
A cruel human who banished her nieces, Liana and Eudela, into the mud.
Suddenly, I felt a surge of anger, so I slowly lifted her chin with my finger and smiled coldly.
"Why should I tell you? And I think you need to be more polite to me... Considering your rank and your current situation, you seem to be completely out of place. Don't you think that's quite rude?"
“...Ugh.”
When I raised my fist, Lady Alentia was startled, and her lips twitched; then she lowered her head.
I guess she finally knows her place.
She muttered weakly.
"Is this the true face of the Princess? Was what you've shown me all this time just a play?"
“Think whatever you want.”
“...That’s ridiculous. Do Liana and Eudela like this Princess’s true self?”
"Of course, they like it. And you have no right to call the names of the nieces you abandoned. It's unlucky, so don't call them again."
I grabbed her slender wrist tightly and pressed it down, threatening her even though she didn't want to resist anymore.
"Understood. Don't worry about me. Just go with Pembe. Make sure these people get out safely. I'll trust you, Carol Demirant. Let's make sure your father's death wasn't in vain. I'll do my best, and you should do yours, too."
"Yes, Princess."
I spoke sternly to Carol, who kept looking back.
I deliberately called her by her full name to force a sense of duty on her.
Tears welled up in her eyes, but Carol held them back and calmly called out to the people.
And before escaping, we explained the plan and divided the group into groups.
As expected, she is a great talent.
This time, I turned my head towards Pembe, who was looking at me with a grumpy expression, and smiled.
The distance between the main palace and the eastern gate, where this dungeon was located, was quite long, so a reliable escort was needed so Pembe had to go with them.
Pembe gave his final instructions just before escaping with a large group of people.
"Yvonne. If you're in danger, be sure to summon me! Don't fight alone."
"Yeah. Pembe, I understand. Please take good care of these people."
“...Please don’t get hurt, Yvonne.”
After sending Carol and Pembe away like that, I was left completely alone for the first time in a long time.
I leaned against the windowsill of the quiet dungeon and closed my eyes, listening to the distant explosions, shouts, and screams of the monsters outside.
It's okay, it's okay.
Everything is okay.
Because I worked hard and did my best, I won't give up either.
I suppressed my fear. I had to wait here.
Surely... I was sure that the warlock, who was losing the fight, would come here to kill the servants trapped here to obtain black magic.
Soon, the sound of someone entering, stamping their feet impatiently and nervously on the floor, was heard.
Very, very happily, just the right number of people.
And then, Lady Alentia, a high-ranking warlock, appeared.
She acted hastily, as if she had encountered a ghost just before coming here, as if she were terrified.
She was so sensitive that she couldn't fight rationally. It was funny how she'd go wild whenever I provoked her.
Wouldn't you be scared by something like a guard's club I just picked up from the floor?
Having whetted my appetite, I first aimed for Lady Alentia's servant, Velvet, who spewed out a stream of purple water.
Carefully.
As the attack magic Lady Alentia had implemented while under the protection of her familiar poured down on me, I gritted my teeth, leaped forward, and then dashed out of the way.
I didn't want to waste my magic power from now on. Since there was still the great warlock, Empress Giselle, I'd just deal with her with my body.
But she looked at me with great bewilderment, as if she had expected me to remain motionless and cast defensive magic.
And then she prepared the next attack magic in a hurry.
I'm not like those wizards who just stand there and cast spells or recite them.
Taking advantage of this gap, I quickly looked up at the lights hanging from the ceiling.
Trying to remember the pose in which Rosie had thrown her dagger and spear, I quickly threw my club, aiming for the joints in the ceiling and other structures.
Squeak―.
Hit!
As the seam broke, the tilted back fell rapidly upwards onto her head.
Lady Alentia, terrified, cast a teleportation spell and instantly fled the scene, disappearing somewhere.
Kwarung!
The large back crashed to the floor and exploded loudly.
But to protect Lady Alentia, the purple stream still remained in place, idling.
I had been waiting for the familiar to be left alone without its owner, so I raised the corners of my mouth and quickly threw her a piece of chocolate that I had prepared in advance in my bosom.
Pieces of pitch-black chocolate were sucked into the purple stream.
"...Hmm?"
As if in confusion, the familiar Velvet spoke for the first time.
And then the purple stream of water, emitting bluish smoke, slowly stopped spinning and transformed into a purple fox as big as my arm.
It's crazy.
Look at those sharply upturned eyes, tail, and triangular ears.
It was so cute that I covered my mouth.
Then, I quietly handed more chocolate to the familiar fox who was staring blankly at me.
“I’m Yvonne. Would you like some more chocolate?”
"Well, if you insist on giving it to me... I'll eat it. Give it to me, Yvonne."
Velvet came over, her plump tail wagging, and nimbly ate more chocolate.
The fact that you ate the dessert I gave you means that I have already succeeded in seducing you.
And Lady Alentia, who had teleported about 100 meters away, collapsed on the spot due to the shock of having her contract with her familiar Velvet forcibly severed.
.
.
That's how I captured her so easily.
“What on earth did you do to my familiar?!!”
When Lady Alentia started to fuss, my ears started to hurt so much that I was starting to get annoyed.
A cruel human who banished her nieces, Liana and Eudela, into the mud.
Suddenly, I felt a surge of anger, so I slowly lifted her chin with my finger and smiled coldly.
"Why should I tell you? And I think you need to be more polite to me... Considering your rank and your current situation, you seem to be completely out of place. Don't you think that's quite rude?"
“...Ugh.”
When I raised my fist, Lady Alentia was startled, and her lips twitched; then she lowered her head.
I guess she finally knows her place.
She muttered weakly.
"Is this the true face of the Princess? Was what you've shown me all this time just a play?"
“Think whatever you want.”
“...That’s ridiculous. Do Liana and Eudela like this Princess’s true self?”
"Of course, they like it. And you have no right to call the names of the nieces you abandoned. It's unlucky, so don't call them again."
I grabbed her slender wrist tightly and pressed it down, threatening her even though she didn't want to resist anymore.
She was terrified and trembling as she begged.
"Ugh! The little Duke of Barden Argenthoz is being held captive here in the main palace. I'll tell you where he is right now, so please spare me!"
Aha. Our brother was captured by the main palace.
But that wasn't the only answer I wanted to hear.
'There's another reason I deliberately waited for a high-ranking warlock.'
When I stared blankly at Lady Alentia without answering, she rolled her eyes and trembled.
"Why...!"
“No, that’s not all.”
“What did you say?”
I smiled and whispered in her ear.
"The gateway to liberation is opening. We need to use the keys, Crown Prince Adrian and Princess Cordelia. You need to tell me where it is. Oh, and of course, I'll save my brother too."
Lady Alentia trembled as she muttered, “How did you figure that out!”
Do you think only warlocks are smart and the rest are stupid?
Do you think the magic tower exists for nothing?!
I was contemplating whether to give Lady Alentia another beating for ignoring the magic tower my father was in when she suddenly spoke.
“Princess, the little Duke is being held in His Majesty’s quarters with Him.”
"Yes?"
I narrowed my eyes because the way she answered obediently made me even more suspicious.
But Lady Alentia asked impatiently.
“I told you the truth, so Princess, please answer one question properly.”
“What is it?”
“Arthur Rognier. Is he alive?”
I was about to frown, but soon my eyes widened.
Why him all of a sudden?
Last time I overheard their conversation, it seemed like Arthur Rognier and Lady Alentia were getting along well.
Were you quite close? No way?
Even if I'm not very perceptive... This is giving me a strange feeling of infidelity.
I opened my mouth slowly.
"He's a loyal high-ranking warlock who hasn't responded to torture, so he must have been brainwashed quite well. He's still alive and imprisoned in our mansion, but he'll probably die soon anyway."
Even though she had clearly been told the ending was hopeless, Lady Alentia's face brightened faintly.
'What?'
An uneasy intuition crossed my mind.
She muttered.
“Yeah, he's alive. It’s a good thing I died first...”
“What on earth are you talking about by yourself?!”
Lady Alentia laughed at me as I spoke in an excited tone.
"Arthur can live if only the gates of liberation are opened. But do you think I'll tell you where it is? Your brother is indeed imprisoned there, so take him or leave him alone."
"What?"
"You're all going to die here anyway. Meet your final death with your beloved brother. It's a shame it's so late."
She, who had been chattering vehemently, closed her eyes tightly. Then, suddenly, red blood gushed out from her mouth.
“!!!”
“...Arthur, you must live. And...”
“What, what are you saying?”
Lady Alentia, who had been smiling meaningfully, could no longer speak.
“Alentia!”
I rushed to check on her condition, but she was dead.
‘You really committed suicide...!’
I remembered the day when Lady Alentia boasted to me that she was one of Empress Giselle's confidants.
It wasn't nonsense.
'It's a disaster.'
I tried to find a way to liberate her by threatening her, but she ended up taking her own life! I should have prevented her from committing suicide a long time ago...
It was clearly my mistake.
I bit my lower lip hard and jumped up from my seat, leaving her dead behind.
There was no time to go out and find another high-ranking warlock, or to wait here endlessly.
'Ugh.'
An unexpected situation brought on a headache.
I took a deep breath and rubbed my temples roughly to calm myself down.
First, after rescuing Barden, I decided to search thoroughly around here.
'Do you think I'll give up?'
I called out to Velvet, who was standing blankly next to me.
"Velvet, let's go! Come here. Hurry up and jump on my shoulder!"
"Huh? You're giving me a lift?"
“Yeah. I can run much faster than you. Hurry up!”
“It’s my first time having an owner take care of a service horse, so I’m a bit embarrassed.”
The purple fox looked at me with bewildered eyes, then slowly climbed up my back.
“It’s warm.”
“...I feel very uncomfortable.”
Contrary to her grumbling, Velvet, who comfortably rested on my shoulder, was quite cute.
I chuckled and started running towards the Emperor's quarters with my fresh Velvet that had become a fluffy fox scarf.
It was fortunate that the Emperor's residence, where Barden was being held, was the main palace.
The main palace was still a place that could be visited frequently during various annual official events.
I ran breathlessly through the dungeons to the central hall, then bounded up the wide central staircase without hesitation.
Why do there seem to be so many stairs today?
"Yvonne, you're quite different from the wizard I knew. Are you in good health?"
Velvet held onto my shoulder tightly, perhaps afraid that she might fall.
"So? You're a bit shy, aren't you? You're a bit different from the familiar I know, aren't you?"
I answered Velvet as I ran up the stairs like crazy.
"I am a familiar who knows manners."
“Yeah, I think you’re kind of elegant.”
“...Well, that’s about it.”
I glanced at this enchanting fox, who seemed very embarrassed and quickly turned her head away from my gaze.
"Haha."
After a brief laugh, I finally left the stairs on the fifth floor, where the Emperor resided, and ran straight down the hallway on the right.
The Emperor's residence began to appear in the distance.
After saving Barden, I was at a loss as to where to look next.
As I ran to the Emperor's residence, I realized that the main palace was much larger than I had imagined, and that in addition to the Imperial Palace in Verbent, there were six other palaces.
'This is driving me crazy!'
Lady Alentia's words, which said that it was too late anyway, kept lingering in my head, making me even more anxious.
There is not much time left until the entrance to liberation opens...
“Hmm.”
Finally standing in front of the Emperor's quarters, I let out a groan.
Normally, more than ten people, including servants, guards, and maids, would have been standing guard in front of this door.
But now I was even more anxious because there was no one there.
"Velvet. Do you feel anything inside? I don't know."
"There are no warlocks."
“Hmm. Then it gets even stranger?”
I squinted my eyes.
You locked up Emperor John and Barden? Because the situation was so dire? What would you do if Barden escaped?
Barden is the successor to the Argenthoz magic family.
I've been ignoring him for being weaker than me and for not having enough magic skills, but he's actually a very capable magician with a bright future ahead of him.
I was suspicious, but I couldn't afford to be any more relaxed, so I threw open the door and quickly went in.
“Brother!”
I immediately spotted Barden in my sight and ran towards him in a hurry.
Barden was sitting with his upper body bent over, his limbs tightly tied to a chair in the middle of the living room.
He seemed to have fainted, as he hadn't come to his senses even at my call, and even a quick glance showed that he looked much more disfigured than when I last saw him.
“Brother, come to your senses. Ugh!”
I instinctively rolled my body as a sharp energy suddenly rushed towards me.
'What is this!'
Someone was attacking me.
Comments
Post a Comment