Episode 147

“Come with me, Princess Yvonne.”

Francis had arrived—with his knights in tow.

“Francis.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Yvonne dismounted from Evony’s back and stood facing him. But Marquess Rohan and his knights quickly stepped between them, blocking her view. Judging by their uniforms, they seemed to be disguised as imperial guards. Still, among them were both knights she recognized from Yurian’s household and unfamiliar ones—likely from the House of Rohan.

“Step aside, Your Highness.”

“Stand down, Evony.”

“I cannot.”

Evony was ready to risk her life to save her daughter. Yvonne, though logically confused by her behavior, felt her heart warm. Perhaps something had been erased from her memory—something about the Marquess, something tied to Evony.

“If Your Highness comes with me willingly, I will let the others go.”

Francis spoke as if giving a warning. Yvonne stared at him—at the blindfold he wore, afraid he might kill her.

“Where is Hildebrandt?”

“His Majesty believes you’re still in the village.”

“Then why did you come alone?”

“I felt it was best I meet Your Highness first.”

“This time I mean it. Kill her in front of me.”

Francis recalled the emperor’s words. If he brought Yvonne back… the emperor would truly kill her.

“Why?”

“His Majesty has ordered me to kill you.”

“Then go ahead.”

At Yvonne’s words, the Marquess and his knights fell into full formation. Evony, too, released her mana with threatening force—ready to leap forward at any moment.

“If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t be walking around like this.”

“Francis.”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t you once say your duty was to follow orders?”

“I did.”

Francis didn’t know why she was asking that—but he could almost see the expression on her face.

“But you’re always thinking, aren’t you? Even though you say your job is to follow orders, you still wear that blindfold.”

“…”

“If the emperor ordered you to kill me, shouldn’t you just obey?”

“His Majesty didn’t mean it.”

“And how do you know that?”

“Because the emperor I know… isn’t like that.”

Yvonne realized then how perceptive Francis was. She raised a hand to stop Evony and began walking toward him, her steps slow and unsteady.

Francis watched her approach and sheathed his sword.

“Francis.”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

He waited tensely for her next words.

“Is your loyalty to the emperor?”

“It is.”

“Then… what if I told you I intend to become the emperor?”

Francis considered it treasonous—but this was the emperor’s chosen princess. And she was a Guide, without a doubt.

The Bricesys Empire was full of ability-users. Many of them suffered, unable to control their powers, often driven to madness even with stabilizers. It was no longer an era of war. Maybe she was right. Maybe it was time for a Guide to become emperor.

Her words were convincing—but Francis still shook his head.

“My loyalty lies with His Majesty the emperor.”

“Then take me. Just me.”

“Yvonne!”

“Your Highness!”

“Don’t hurt the others.”

“…Understood.”

Yvonne felt it—magic. Not the old kind that only hovered near her heart. Just now, Francis’s wavering will…

She realized she could push her thoughts into others. That if she used stronger mana, Francis would obey her.

She didn’t know when her awakening had occurred. But she knew, instinctively, that she could now use her powers.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Yvonne, wait!”
“Your Highness, no! Yvonne, wait—!”

Yvonne turned just in time to see Evony, panicked and calling her by her nickname, starting to follow.

She reached out and grabbed Francis’s arm.

“Don’t let Evony get hurt.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Francis gestured to his knights, commanding them to protect the others.

Then he turned, escorting Yvonne back to the emperor.

Yvonne’s mana—it was said to surpass even Hildebrandt’s.

And even if it meant death, she would rather die at Yurian’s side.

So she followed Francis without hesitation.

* * *

When Yvonne arrived in the village, the first thing she felt was fear.

The village had become a wasteland. There were remnants of buildings here and there, but most of them had turned to dust.

“Where is Hildebrandt?”

“You must call him Hilde, Your Highness. And you must persuade His Majesty.”

“You really think that’s possible? Is that why you insisted on coming to see me first?”

“Yes.”

Francis felt frustrated too. He knew how much the emperor loved her. Hildebrandt was insane—but just as brilliant. He was the greatest sword in the Bricesys Empire, unmatched in strength.

As an emperor, he was flawless. Even making his ministers tremble in fear was a form of talent.

But when it came to Yvonne—he collapsed like a fragile man.

“Why don’t you love His Majesty, Your Highness?”

Francis’s question felt unexpectedly sorrowful. It wasn’t just because he pitied the emperor’s unrequited feelings. There was something else—something he couldn’t quite name.

“How could I possibly love him?”

Something stirred inside Francis. Her actions hadn’t been light. She had always gauged the emperor’s moods, said what he wanted to hear, and pretended it was all sincere.

If all of that had been an act…

Then the pain she must have endured was no small thing.

Francis realized then—what had come to feel normal to him might have been unbearable for her. Their lives were different. It had taken him a long time to become the kind of person who could suppress emotion and live solely for the emperor.

If she had seen the world beyond the cage—if she had come to understand that there was more than that confined little palace—then how could he continue to live contentedly inside that cage?

“There are things Your Highness doesn’t remember.”

“I don’t want to know.”

“Once… you and His Majesty were in love.”

“Even if we were, that’s in the past.”

Francis had to admit—she was right. Everything he knew had come from the drunken words the emperor muttered now and then.

Still—

“I want His Majesty to find his way back.”

He truly meant that.

“Sir Francis.”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

Francis had been carrying Yvonne to prevent her from fleeing. Now, as she called to him and fell silent, he felt a growing unease. Her words always had a way of shaking his world and threatening his convictions.

Since the moment she questioned his loyalty to the emperor, he had been in turmoil.

He was a knight. Even if other knights scorned chivalry, it was his core. Serving the emperor, paving the way for him, clearing obstacles in his path—that was his mission.

But Yvonne had asked the one question that had broken through all of that. Was this truly all there was?

If he hadn’t been emotionally shaken—if he hadn’t feared the emperor’s descent into madness—maybe he wouldn’t have fallen under the influence of a newly awakened Yvonne.

“What is it that you truly want, Sir Francis?”

“What I… truly want…”

Francis’s body trembled. He felt he should never utter something so disloyal.

“I’m listening, Sir Francis.”

But with Yvonne urging him, his tightly sealed heart cracked open, and out came the truth:

“…To be happy.”

He had to finally admit it—his happiness and the emperor’s were no longer on the same path.

“And is taking me to him part of that happiness?”

“No.”

“Then what would make you happy?”

“I… don’t know.”

Yvonne increased the intensity of the mana she was using on him. Francis couldn’t even summon the will to reject the thoughts now being forced into his mind.

She had hoped her ability would manifest as something physical—but it hadn’t. It was clearly mental.

Yvonne pushed her will into Francis’s mind and spoke again, her voice firm:

“You said serving the emperor is the only way to be happy.”

“Yes.”

“Then if you’re unhappy now, it must mean the emperor has gone astray.”

“No… that’s not…”

He tried to deny it—

“What a load of amusing bullshit.”

The voice came from behind them.

A man dragging a corpse by its platinum-blond hair stepped into view.

“Your Majesty.”

“Hilde…”

Hildebrandt released the hair of the lifeless body in his grip and said coldly:

“Kill her in front of me now, Francis.”

And with that, he poured the full force of his power directly into Francis.