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The situation was resolved relatively early.

The demonic creature that appeared was ‘Big Snail’.

It was a giant snail-shaped intermediate-level demonic creature that lived in the western desolate forest area.

These creatures secreted a highly concentrated acidic fluid that could dissolve skin upon contact, posing a risk of emitting a strong odor if left unchecked, making early containment crucial.

Under the command of Duke Vert, a purification operation was carried out, successfully eliminating the Big Snail and preventing the spread of contamination.

With the additional support of the Imperial Army, the task was accomplished more smoothly.

“I don’t feel as young as I used to.”

Emperor Dionne chuckled softly as he sheathed his sword.

“Now that the beasts have been vanquished, it’s time for you to return to the rear, Your Majesty.”

“I know without you having to remind me. By the way, did the princess manage to evacuate safely?”

He belatedly thought of his daughter’s safety.

Fortunately, the knights informed him that she had safely retreated to the rear without any issues.

“That’s a relief. Let’s head straight there.”

As the fire mages dealt with the corpses, the Emperor made his way to the rear where the princess was waiting.

“You’ve been through a lot, Father.”

Arin, the princess, who had been waiting at the rear camp, was the first to rush over and greet him.

“I’m relieved to see you unharmed.”

It seems she waited quietly without any major issues.

“…!”

Arin’s eyes, which had been lowered in silence, met mine.

A gaze filled with intensified disdain compared to before.

Seems like camaraderie has turned into nothing but resentment.

It went against my father’s wishes, but it was better this way than holding on to the rotten rope.

As the commotion settled down, the sun of the battlefield had already shifted to the western horizon.

“Why don’t we return to Velias? I’ve already sent word to the stewards in your estate to ensure you can rest comfortably.”

My father wanted to escort the emperor to safety, but ironically, the party in question seemed uninterested.

“Well, is there really a need for that? I’ve decided to spend a day here at the rear camp instead.”

“Y-Your Majesty… Even so…”

“I don’t particularly need lavish treatment. Besides, in emergencies, shouldn’t I fight as a knight myself? Moreover, there are things to discuss between us, right?”

Even though it was a rear camp near the border gate, this place was clearly part of the front line.

For the emperor to spend a night on the front line was not only dangerous but unprecedented.

Knowing that the emperor must have some other purpose, my father immediately ordered the preparation of a royal residence.

Arin, the princess, watched indifferently as the residence was being constructed.

The emperor is staying, but is the princess planning to stay here too? Not my place to say.

There’s probably no need for her to stay any longer now that the emperor’s visit is over. It’s best to end the meeting with the princess here.

I returned naturally with the knights heading back to the camp without any further reports.

* * *

“It’s been a long time since we shared a drink like this, Willius.”

Drinking on the front lines is clearly prohibited.

Violators are usually disciplined severely, but when there are individuals who transcend the law, things can change.

Although there was alcohol in the glasses, the Duke had yet to empty a single one.

“Did you say Cyan? Your son… despite his young age, he’s truly impressive.”

Even with the emperor’s sincere praise, the Duke didn’t show much reaction.

“He’s still a child with much to learn. I’m grateful for your kind words.”

“Much to learn…”

The emperor emptied his glass with a hearty gulp, then asked with a meaningful smile.

“Did he also express a desire to uphold the family’s legacy?”

The Duke hesitated to answer immediately.

“I’m just watching over him. It’s not something he can do just because he wants to.”

The emperor chuckled modestly as he refilled his glass.

“Well, aren’t you someone’s father before you’re the guardian of the continent? It’d be strange not to worry about your children as parents. I’m the same…”

For a moment, silence fell.

The emperor’s expression, which had seemed relaxed, soon turned solemn, and the atmosphere naturally grew darker.

After emptying his glass once more, the emperor began a more serious conversation.

“Lately, there have been assassination incidents targeting several nobles throughout the empire. It’s indiscriminate, targeting specific factions…”

“Do they have anything in common?”

“Common? Yes. The murdered nobles were all corrupt officials who engaged in wrongdoing. Moreover, the discovered bodies were all horribly mutilated…”

“…!”

The Duke’s gaze was visibly shaken.

With just the two facts mentioned earlier, it was easy to guess who might be behind it.

“Could it be the followers of the Black Mist…?”

“It’s still speculation. But within the palace, they’re almost certain it’s their doing. Besides them, who else would commit such acts?”

The so-called nobility hunt.

There was only one group crazy enough to carry out such madness in the world.

“If so, we should quickly organize an investigative team. We need to start tracking them down, shouldn’t we?”

“Tracking? Well, yes. They’re causing chaos in the country, so of course we should…”

But it seemed the emperor’s attention was elsewhere.

From the way he rolled his glass, one could glimpse his complex emotions.

“From your perspective, what do you think the 5th princess’s position is?”

It was a somewhat abrupt mention.

“Sir, she’s practically unrelated to the throne, isn’t she? I believe she has no supporting faction…”

“Having no supporting faction means she could be utilized anywhere without causing suspicion.”

“…!”

The Duke immediately grasped the emperor’s words.

“Are you suggesting there’s a move to link Princess Arin with those individuals?”

The emperor nodded silently.

Far removed from the throne.

Yet politically convenient to exploit.

With the emperor glaringly aware now, there was no way such a move could succeed, but the mere existence of such a scheme indicated how complex the current state of the empire was.

If such a move were indeed afoot, there was a high chance it originated from the current empress’s faction, the Count of Nepellis.

“What crime could that young one possibly have committed? As long as I’m still standing strong, there shouldn’t be a major problem.”

The emperor took another sip of his drink.

However, the Duke knew well how much anxiety the emperor held about this.

“As a friend rather than an emperor, I have one request for you.”

“Please, speak.”

“If, hypothetically, I were to die before you… quietly remove her from the scene. Let her live as an ordinary civilian unassociated with the royal family. That’s all I ask.”

The fierce storm foretold after the current emperor’s passing.

In the midst of such a storm, the emperor believed that the young princess could never survive.

As a father before an emperor, all he wished for was his daughter to live peacefully.

“I will uphold the emperor’s command.”

The Duke accepted his request without a moment’s hesitation.

“I wish I could do something truly emperor-like. Honestly, I’d love it if those Black bastards killed the trash in the palace.”

The emperor revealed his inner thoughts, somewhat fueled by intoxication.

The Duke couldn’t help but ponder deeply. Why had they appeared at this time?

Those who weren’t appointed as gods among the gods.

Aeru, the god of the black mist.

And the Mist, the continent’s foremost assassination group who followed him.

Their reappearance after a long absence surely had a reason behind it.

Whatever that reason might be, it would undoubtedly stir significant changes in the delicate balance of power on the continent.

It wouldn’t necessarily be for the better…

“The Mist…”

The Duke gazed intently into his glass of liquor, vividly recalling the mysterious figure he had encountered in the valley the previous night.

* * *

As the sun was setting, clouds began to gather from somewhere.

-Rumble

Before long, heavy rain started pouring down from the darkened sky.

-Roar!

Followed by deafening thunder.

While most people would prefer to stay buried under their blankets, my body was restless.

“So, is that it? Is that all?”

Emily asked, sounding somewhat disappointed.

“What more do you need?”

“Seriously! You escorted none other than the princess herself! Isn’t it a big deal to conclude escorting someone you’d probably only meet once in a lifetime in such a manner?”

Anyone listening might mistake it for a date.

Isn’t it exaggerated to call it a remarkable connection just because we escorted her during her brief visit?

“I knew you were really indifferent, but you shouldn’t be like that! The princess is also a woman, you should have comforted her carefully!”

She loves attention to detail.

This isn’t some playground; if she wants that kind of treatment, she should dress up nicely and go to a flower garden or something.

“You know, even though women may seem tough on the outside, they’re very delicate inside, so if you don’t treat them gently, they’ll get hurt! If you keep being so blunt, you won’t be able to get married later, you know?”

She even gives marriage advice, such a faithful maid.

It’s a very profound piece of advice that reminded me of that perverted demonic sword.

I might start bleeding from my ears if I listen any longer.

Just when I was pondering whether to go out or not, my beloved maid made the decision for me.

I got out of bed and changed clothes right away.

“Are you really going out for exercise again today, even though it’s raining like this?”

It’s only been a day since the riot, but I couldn’t afford to miss a day like today.

Just as there are creatures that come out when it rains, this place also has monsters that only appear on rainy days.

When the wet ground turns into a swamp, slimy monsters filled with moisture appear, and you can’t help but get a taste of their blood.

They may look a bit more intimidating than other monsters, but they’re all good for the body, so you shouldn’t avoid them.

“If you skip exercise for even a day, it breaks the flow. It won’t take long.”

After changing clothes, I wrapped the black cape hanging on the pillar around my body.

Putting Kaeram into my arms, as I was about to step out of the barracks.

– Thump! Thump, thump!

Suddenly, unfamiliar footsteps echoed.

Whether by direction or resonance, it was undoubtedly someone approaching the barracks.

What’s this? Knights wouldn’t patrol at this hour, would they?

I strained my ears to focus on the sound, realizing that it wasn’t just one set of footsteps, but several.

I paid closer attention to the footsteps leading the group.

Although not familiar, there was a sense of familiarity.

Confident yet modest.

More like a noble than a knight.

Not an adult but a child.

Not a man but a woman.

Footsteps I encountered not too long ago.

“…!”

It wasn’t until the unidentified footsteps reached the front of the barracks that I could discern their identity.

And then, the tent flaps were swiftly drawn aside.

The first thing that caught my eye was the red brooch, evidence of her affiliation with the royal family.

Slowly, I raised my head to meet the unexpected nighttime visitor’s face.

As she examined my attire, she tilted her head with curiosity.

“Where… are you going?”

It was clearly Princess Arin, who should have been at the rear camp.

“Who has come…?”

Emily also leaned forward at the sight of the unfamiliar visitor.

Though she didn’t recognize the princess’s face at first, the moment she saw the emblem on her chest, her expression changed to one of shock.

“P-P-Princess!?”

Was it a scream or a shriek? It was an indistinguishable cry.

To top it off, even the perverted sword seemed to rise from within the embrace.

[Good morning, master~]

It sounded like a morning greeting.

[Hmm? Why is our master frozen like this?]

As she stretched and yawned, she prodded my still figure with curiosity.

But the moment she spotted the princess standing at the door, she seemed taken aback, as if it was a surprising sight.

[Master, is this your type?]

Ignoring her trivial remarks was the best response.

“Sorry for dropping by out of the blue. They said I could find you here…”

“You came to see me?”

“Yeah. Could we talk if you’re not busy?”

Her sudden request for conversation caught me off guard.

Looking outside, I noticed several guards as well, making it seem like there was an unusual number of eyes on us…

If I were to suddenly leave for exercise in this situation, it would only raise suspicion.

I might need to delay tonight’s workout a bit.

“Please come in, Your Highness.”

I greeted her with a slightly uneasy expression.