Black clothes and a black mask.
Klisha’s gaze staring at Eugene gradually cooled down.
That blonde knight from earlier said that nothing was wrong with His Majesty. Judging from the commotion just now, it seemed His Majesty was indeed fine.
Whether a thief or a spy, anyway, this person dressed in black, with a mask on, exuded a clear intent of crime as they blatantly roamed the Inner Palace in the dead of night. Why is it that neither the guards nor the escort knights know anything about it?
“…….”
Well. Even she, an escaped convict, was just wandering around.
It seemed that the security of the Inner Palace was questionable.
Seeing Klisha questioning him with a sharper attitude unlike usual, Eugene was a little flustered.
The faint red aura emanating from Klisha’s entire body was both strange and somewhat familiar.
After leaving the central garden of the Inner Palace, he avoided the guards stationed here and there. For some reason, he couldn’t help but feel like he was unintentionally heading toward the main palace, so he stopped in front of the lake for the time being.
At that moment, Eugene noticed… a homeless woman lying in front of the lake?
In the Emperor’s Inner Palace… Why is a woman there?
And then, he had no choice but to hide behind a tree due to a series of commotions.
“My Lady. What brings you here?”
“Black attire and a mask. Aren’t you going to explain your outfit, Mister?”
Klisha slightly loosened her wrist and took a stance of attack.
Her father always said, if you’re doubtful and confused about something, just strike first. He said that if you exchange your true feelings while fighting, most doubts will be resolved.
Eugene was slightly surprised by Klisha’s strong attitude. He had thought she was a bit of a strange woman, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.
‘Well. The owner of the hybrid horse can’t be just an ordinary person.’
If another commotion arose here now, the knights would surely rush in. Even worse, that crazy Emperor could also appear. Right now, the only way to silence this woman was……
Thump.
Eugene lightly dodged the punch that came at him like lightning, and grabbed Klisha’s wrist, pushing her forcefully against a large tree.
In the series of action, he had unexpectedly ended up holding Klisha, who was small in stature, in his arms. Looking down at her red hair in surprise which looked unusually shiny today, he glanced at the top of her head for a moment before opening his mouth.
“That.”
“?”
Eugene hesitated for a moment, then tightly closed his eyes and spoke word by word as if chewing on them.
“That. Um. Explaining something… isn’t sexy.”
“Pass.”
“Pfft, haha.”
Hiding his presence, Lian approached the two and heard the unexpected words uttered by the assassin in black clothes. He couldn’t help but burst into laughter the next moment
In such a tense situation.
Eugene Wigner. Isn’t he such a hilarious guy?
He erupted in laughter, causing the rune he had barely activated in his right hand to scatter.
‘Wow. I never thought there would be a person who would actually say something like that……’
Lian kept rubbing the goosebumps that had formed on both of his arms.
‘Whenever he’s bored, Brother always nags me to find Eugene Wigner.’
It must have been fun to watch him, probably that’s why his brother kept looking for him every time.
As he got closer, he could clearly see that Eugene Wigner and 3358 were both wary of each other.
‘Aren’t they on the same side? But…..’
Just as Eugene Wigner is a master of humor, 3358, with his patriotic devotion, might also be a master of acting. It’s not something to dismiss completely. Maybe he should start a conversation first.
“Hey.”
“!”
“!”
The blond knight appeared, stroking both of his arms.
“You two, the masked man and 3358.”
“…….”
“This isn’t some kind of secret meeting place for criminals. What are you two doing here?”
Klisha and Eugene’s eyes wavered.
‘When. When did he approach us?’
The blonde knight who had silently walked up to them, placed one of his hands on his waist and spoke up.
“Ah. I laughed so much that my stomach hurts. Hey, 3358. This is the main palace area. I warned you not to come this way.”
“…….”
“And you. The one over there. With the mask. Judging by your outfits… you seem to be someone of quite high status.”
The smile on Lian’s face stretched further as he continued speaking with his arms open.
“Well, since you made me laugh once, I’ll let it slide. You’re not my target today. Go away now.”
“Why are you letting us go?”
“Don’t ask me…… the reason. Because explaining things…… um…… isn’t sexy…… puhahaha.”
Eugene’s face turned red as if it was going to blow up as he looked at the blonde knight laughing while grasping his stomach.
He had never realized until now that making others laugh could be something that brought tears to his own eyes.
“…….”
He pulled up his mask to cover his bright red nose and, deliberately ignoring the knight who was waving his hand gently behind him, vanished like the wind.
The blonde knight spoke to Klisha, who was left staring blankly at the scene.
“3358. You should leave quickly too. And that person with the mask from earlier is dangerous, so don’t get close to him.”
“I have something to do…….”
“What business does an escaped convict have in the Inner Palace? I just sent a signal, and the Royal Guards are on their way. Don’t you know that an escaped convict gets a mandatory 3-year sentence, regardless of the reason? Or are you a homeless person with nowhere else to go and want to stay in prison longer?”
“!”
Klisha flew in the direction the knight was pointing without saying a word.
‘That person.’
Lian slowly shook his head as he turned around, his eyes sparkling with half interest, half amusement.
The patriotic 3358 is a rune manipulator.
Furthermore, it was the Fire Rune, the one only a handful of people across the entire continent capable of wielding it.
A subtle red glow spreaded across the body from behind. Light movements. Incredible speed.
“…….”
There was a figure that had been lingering in Lian’s mind since earlier.
Issac Mezerine.
The Red Lion of Schmarin.
It was the same Fire Rune that he wielded.
* * *
A beast crouched in the darkness. Its golden eyes sparkled as they blazed with resentment toward the world.
She heard it. Last night, a large number of assassins appeared in the Royal Palace, but His Majesty dealt with them with shining majesty and executed them all.
Both the Royal Guards and Escort Knights were busy capturing troublemakers inside and outside the capital, making the city center as bright as midday in the early hours of Sunday.
As of today, it had been a week since she left home.
During the short but long journey.
She had accumulated a debt worth the price of three average houses.
Her beloved horse was taken as collateral.
Her beloved sword was lost.
Her dagger was stolen.
She blew up a building of bad people.
And became a vagrant wandering in the plaza.
A criminal with a history of assault.
An escaped convict from the Royal Guards.
And now…….
It seemed her name was also on the list of attempted assassins of the Emperor. That is, if anyone recognized her yesterday…
‘What should I do? Should I just die?’
Then, wouldn’t it be possible to regress like those in serial novels? If only time could be turned back, Klisha was prepared to jump up and disappear to the Isle of Lakai the moment His Majesty ordered her to go there.
How nice it would be to rest in a quiet place with a peaceful atmosphere for ten years…… How nice it would be. The entire estate would quickly disappear with her. Klisha fervently wished for this in her heart.
‘God of serial novels. Please send this girl back to that day. Please…….’
What the hell. What should I do now?
As soon as Klisha left the Outer Palace, she stole the first set of laundry she spotted hanging on a terrace. One set, top and bottom. The fabric felt soft, so it didn’t seem like it was cheap.
In these dangerous times, with assassins hiding throughout the capital, there’s no way she could walk around wearing a prisoner uniform with 3358 stamped on the chest and back.
‘Now… I’ve become a clothes stealing thief too.’
Her list of titles kept increasing. At this rate, she might even make it into the ‘Criminal of the Year’ published annually by「Imperial Times」, climbing up the list as a named criminal.
Klisha felt overwhelmed, her ears blocked, her nose stuffed, and her vision blurry.
She still had no money, and her stomach was beginning to growl with hunger.
Anyone could see that, she was obviously acting suspicious and had nowhere else to go.
Would she be able to hold on until Monday without being caught?
“No. Wait a minute. Even if I go to the bank in this condition, will I be able to get my money?”
Klisha lifted her head to hold back the rising tears. She missed her hometown, the warm Schmarin, so much. Then, a question suddenly flashed through her mind like lightning.
“But wait! Why was I trying to get the money in the first place?”
Klisha, who suddenly felt confused about the purpose of coming to the capital, hid herself in the darkness to avoid the rising sun, and began to curse the world again.
…… Damn this life.
* * *
The aides waiting in the main palace’s large Audience Hall wanted to rub their bruised faces, but for some reason, they refrained, sensing the tension in the air.
Since earlier, His Majesty, who had been sitting on the high throne with an expression like the King of Hell, was elegantly tapping the armrests of the throne, intricately crafted from pure gold and jewels, with his finger.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap. Tap.
Tap.
“?!”
Mirhi covered his mouth with one hand, fearing that criticizing the rhythm might cause his head to fly away.
‘I must not say anything today. I will absolutely not.’
Count Mirhi clenched his fist tightly and resolutely decided that he would not speak a word today.
“Explain the reason for all of you coming here.”
The main culprit of this situation, Lord Lian, appeared with a smile that seemed brighter than usual.
“…… So that’s what happened.”
The Emperor smiled softly as he listened to Lian’s explanation, who bragged about the past events with sparkling eyes.
“So, to summarize.”
“?”
“My dear brother and the Captain of the Royal Guards. He conspired with the remnants of the enemy nation to assassinate me, sent assassins into the palace, and then let Eugene Wigner, who had walked into the Inner Palace on his own, leave?”
“Haha…… Your Majesty. If you put it that way, doesn’t it make me sound like a bad guy? Ha. Ha.”
“…….”
“…….”
The aides, pale to the point of almost turning white, alternately glanced at Ian and Lian with trembling eyes.
Ian curved the corner of his lips in an elegant smile.
“What’s the trendy thing these days… Hmm, what was it again?”
Mirhi, who had been blankly observing the situation, muttered softly.
“The villain mastermind…….”
“Yes. That.”
Ian stood up while drawing the sword that had been resting against the majestic throne.
“My dear Duke Lian Bartier. So, you are the infamous, villainous, mastermind Duke I’ve heard so much about?”
“Huh? What? No, Your Majesty. Wait!”
“No, it’s true. This day has finally come. You…….”
“Your Majesty! No, Big Brother! There’s a misunderstanding! You have to believe me!”
Krrrrrr.
Kwarrrrr.
Clang.
The main palace’s Grand Audience Hall, just six months after its repairs, had to undergo yet another long and tedious interior renovation.
