Chapter 95

My sister and I exchanged a look for a moment. If the knights—who directly faced blades and claws on the front lines—said something felt off, then there was. And our mother wasn’t someone who would ignore her instincts.

“And there’s something else suspicious. A resident from a village at the northernmost edge said that a few days ago, people wearing mage robes came asking how to cross the mountains. We haven’t confirmed if anyone actually did cross, but…”

There was a chance those people had done something to the monsters.

If the fighting dragged on until spring, there was a possibility that both our knights and the monsters would end up destroying each other. With that risk in mind, Elga had led an elite group across the mountains to the monsters’ territory.

When I heard that, my fingers clenched so tightly that they turned pale.

The place she was heading to—so treacherous that snow never melted even in midsummer and almost no one who set foot there returned alive. And now my sister was going there.

“That’s why Her Grace can’t leave her post. But things here are on the verge of erupting too, so she sent me in her stead.”

“……”

Juela and I were both left speechless by the news. The lieutenant gave a faint smile.

“Of course, I could never replace my lord.”

I snapped out of it and quickly spoke, not wanting to let such a good man feel disheartened.

“No, I’m glad you’re here. Thanks to you, we know the situation clearly. And like my sister said, we trust you.”

Still, I couldn’t help but worry for Elga and our mother, who would now have to shoulder more burden in the lieutenant’s absence.

‘He’s been with us the longest, after all.’

That must be why she trusted him to protect us in her stead.

“You’ve worked hard, sir. Please take care of us until Mother returns… I hope things stay quiet, but just in case.”

“I sincerely hope so too, my lady.”

As soon as the lieutenant left the parlor, Juela leaned against me, almost collapsing.

My sister was always proud and composed—but that was only because she had strong support from her family. When that support became uncertain, even she couldn’t hide her unease.

Still, she laughed as if joking.

“Our baby’s all grown up now.”

“Sure, I am.”

I still didn’t feel completely grown up, but if I could be her support, I could pretend to be as composed as needed.

“The merchant guild is still quiet, right?”

“Yeah. Probably because they’ve been overseas so long, they haven’t made their way into the Empire’s inner trade circles yet.”

That was a relief. The Karnian Guild was one of the largest in the Empire, but if other powerful guilds teamed up against us, we’d struggle.

I had imagined the worst. Now, I breathed a bit easier.

“Oh, Minuelle.”

“Yeah?”

My sister flashed her signature confident smile and gave me a thumbs-up.

“I bought up all the bonds from those families you mentioned last time. Just say the word.”

After meeting Palos, I had tattled to my sister about the incorrigible students and their families. And she’d already moved?

I couldn’t stop the wicked smile from spreading across my face at that news. Once they found out that Karnian now held all their bonds, they’d come running like their tails were on fire.

‘Ah, playing the villain is just too fun.’

Just wait, you delinquent brats. I’ll see how serious you are about your studies.

But, as always, trouble doesn’t wait.

***

Late at night, as the Crown Princess was relaxing in her bedroom with a glass of wine after work, her hand froze. 

Nearby, her consort, Gunnar Ambrosetti, asked with concern, “Is something wrong, Your Highness?”

“Quiet.”

With a single word, Lumiere silenced him and quickly, though silently, picked up the sword she always kept within reach.

‘Something’s off.’

She had clearly heard someone fall outside just now. The clinking sound of armor made it obvious even in her exhausted state that it was a knight.

But now, there was complete silence—too quiet to be natural.

Lumiere imagined herself as the intruder. In such a case, one would most likely wait just behind the door, aiming to strike swiftly.

‘Lambert… Ah.’

She instinctively thought of her husband, Duke Lambert, and commander of the royal guard—but then clicked her tongue.

After Gunner had entered the palace as her consort, relations between her and Lambert had gone downhill fast.

They had ignored their feelings for the sake of their positions for a while, but one day it exploded into a full-blown fight.

Since then, Lambert had been staying at his family estate under the pretense of self-reflection.

Still, in a moment like this, he was the first person to cross her mind—not the delicate consort by her side.

Lumiere eyed the now visibly shaken Gunner and tried to gauge how much help he would be.

The answer?

‘Dead weight.’

His hands had no calluses, his long fingers looked more fit for playing instruments than holding weapons.

But she wouldn’t abandon someone once they became hers. And she couldn’t exactly tell him to jump from her third-floor window.

“Stay behind me. No matter what happens, don’t move.”

“Y-Yes…”

Gunner trembled as he covered his mouth with a hand, nodding. Lumiere nodded back and added, as if she’d forgotten: “And don’t scream.”

She’d learned through experience that many men who weren’t knights were oddly squeamish about blood. A scream would ruin everything.

Gunner nodded again, more firmly. Lumiere spun her sword once in her hand to loosen her wrist.

CRASH!

As if waiting for that moment, the door burst open, and an assassin charged in. Lumiere cut him down instantly.

She might enjoy leisure and art, but the crown princess’s seat couldn’t be held with a deck of cards.

Still, the ease of the encounter made her lower her guard, uncharacteristically.

“You must’ve been—gah!”

A thin rope silently slipped around her neck from behind and tightened.

“Forgive me, Your Highness.”

As she struggled, she recognized the voice and realized the attacker was Gunner.

“Y-You… Why…”

But instead of answering, the rope tightened more, and her vision swam.

Before she could hear the reason, she blacked out.

Gunner caught her in his arms. Contrary to her assessment, his strength was real.

“You were good to me.”

Lumiere had been proud, perhaps a bit arrogant as royalty—but she had been kind. Gunner appreciated that, especially since he knew all too well what really happened in his father’s harem.

But even that couldn’t stop him. Gunner was a citizen of Chitrum.

Recalling Austin’s words, he erased his guilt.

“Chitrum, too, can flourish under the gentle sun like Preseria.”

Not a blazing desert or endless wasteland, but fertile land to settle and farm.

Who in Chitrum wouldn’t want that?

Ten years ago, snow had fallen in Preseria’s southern region, and it had caused a major drop in Chitrum’s temperatures. Many in the royal family still remembered that day.

Gunner was one of them. He’d been a child then, but he could still recall the cool air on his bare skin.

Naturally, Chitrum’s king had accepted Austin’s offer. That’s why Gunner had entered the palace as a consort.

“All royals must make sacrifices for their country.”

I’m sorry.

He whispered the last words before walking away, carrying Lumiere.

While he waited in the Crown Princess’s quarters, lights flared throughout the royal palace, and the clash of weapons echoed.

“This way.”

Gunner walked as though none of it existed, stopping before a dilapidated palace overgrown with withered ivy.

Lumiere was imprisoned in the innermost part of that place, behind a massive lock.

He stared at the lock for a moment—one that wouldn’t break even with a hammer—before turning away.

***

And it wasn’t just the crown princess facing upheaval.

At the same time, in the main palace where the emperor resided, chaos broke out.

“Shift change soon. You heading home? Or wanna grab a drink—”

Just as one guard casually greeted another, his eyes widened in shock.

Pain like searing fire bloomed in his chest, and his breath caught.

“Why… you…”

“Sorry about this.”

The last thing he saw wasn’t his loved ones, but the expressionless face of a man offering hollow apologies.

Scenes like this played out all across the palace. The disturbance spread from the outer halls to the heart of the palace, eventually alerting the Royal Guard.

The commander had taken leave for his daughter’s birthday, so the deputy acted in his place, issuing calm but firm orders.

“Find out what’s going on. The rest, raise alert levels.”

“Yes, sir!”

But even among the Royal Guard, betrayal struck. Many were attacked by comrades they had trained and dined with just hours before.

Still, the Guard’s training was no joke, and some quickly counterattacked.

“How could you… Have you no pride as servants of the emperor?! Lay down your arms and surrender. Once the reinforcements arrive, you’ll stand no chance. At least try to save your lives!”

But drawing a sword within the imperial palace was already treason. And treason meant not just death—but the extermination of one’s entire family.

Everyone knew this. Even so, the officer shouted with everything he had, trying to prevent even one more death.

Three doors past the one he guarded lay the emperor’s chambers.

But on quiet nights like this, even distant noise traveled clearly.

And now, the chaos had finally reached the emperor’s ears.