Chapter 53
Deep night. The High Wizard’s laboratory at the top of the Imperial Palace tower.
“Genba. Is the work progressing well?”
“Yes, we have almost gathered all the sacred artifacts to be offered as sacrifices. However…”
Genba bowed his head, yet his face was laced with worry. The High Wizard, Pelles, seemed to understand Genba’s concern and patted his shoulder.
“This is all the fault of those humans. We are simply correcting things and bringing peace to His mind.”
“But, Lord Pelles. The whereabouts of His daughter are still… Ugh!”
Genba could no longer speak. Pelles’s eyes had turned gold, radiating an ominous energy. The sinister aura that wavered off his body like heat haze made Genba tremble.
“Genba. His mistake was merely conceiving a child with a mere human. A half-breed cannot be called His child.”
“Yes, yes.”
Genba quickly agreed. He was suffocating, overwhelmed by Pelles’s terrifying power.
“Exactly. It is wrong for Him to waste His time on something so insignificant. All of this is because of those human scum.”
“Th-That is right.”
Pelles withdrew the hand resting on Genba’s shoulder and slowly approached the window.
The view of the Gratie Imperial Palace from the tower was magnificent. He accurately glared at the room where the Emperor resided, which was among the magnificent buildings, and muttered.
“Humans who do not know their place deserve to die.”
In his murderous, golden eyes, Genba felt both fear and respect simultaneously. The attraction to a powerful being was the same for both humans and demons.
Pelles turned his head and looked at Genba.
“Is tonight’s task prepared?”
“Yes, it is ready.”
Pelles’s eyes curved into a crescent shape as he smiled.
“Begin.”
CRASH!
I jolted awake at the sound of the monstrous roar.
I sprang out of bed and looked out the window, seeing flames soaring up far in the distance. I quickly changed my clothes and rushed outside.
The former Grand Duke and Madam Marché also came out, barely dressed properly.
“Marion, what in the world is happening!”
The former Grand Duke shouted, his face flustered. I stared at where the flames were rising and said,
“It seems something has erupted in the west of the capital.”
The Grand Duke’s household staff, who had heard the roar, also started coming outside one by one. Suddenly, Bethel stood next to me, his face tense.
[Marion, was something like this in your prophecy book?]
Blair asked from beside me. I bit my lip slightly and shook my head.
It was definitely strange. Nowhere in the original novel did such an unsettling incident occur at this time.
‘…What was supposed to happen around this time, originally?’
[Hurry, think!]
I rummaged through my mind, trying to recall the original plot.
‘…Ah! I remember. Now is when I was supposed to backstab Kaiden and align myself with the Crown Prince…’
For a moment, I felt sorry for the original Kaiden, but I snapped back to reality at the sound of another monstrous roar.
‘One thing is for sure, this didn’t happen. Is the original changing because I stuck with Kaiden instead of the Crown Prince?’
[I don’t know. But it’s ominous that this happened just when Kaiden is away.]
That made sense. Didn’t it seem as if the incident was timed to occur precisely in Kaiden’s absence?
As time passed, the flames grew higher, and ominous noises and people’s screams could be heard.
The Grand Duke’s household staff shivered with fear and anxiety. The former Grand Duke shouted in a loud voice.
“Knights, line up here! Madam March, you evacuate the household staff to the training grounds!”
“Yes, Grand Duke.”
Madam March quickly took the servants and evacuated. Soon, the fully armed knights were lined up in front of the Grand Duke’s residence.
Naturally, I stood at the very front, holding my sword. Seeing this, the former Grand Duke tried to stop me.
“Marion, you go inside.”
“I cannot, Grand Duke.”
“You rascal, the situation is not to be trifled with! You have a child, you must be careful!”
I bit my lip. To be honest, everyone here looked weak. If not me, who would protect them?
“I am fine. The physician said that light exercise is good for expectant mothers…”
“Lady Marion—!”
A shout calling my name was heard from afar.
A Imperial Knight was approaching from outside the Grand Duke’s residence with urgent hoofbeats. At the sight of him, both the Grand Duke and I realized what was happening.
“This is His Majesty the Emperor’s command! A horde of monsters has invaded the 8th district west of the capital! By His Majesty’s order, Lady Marion Krugman, the Red-Haired Knight, is commanded to eradicate the monsters!”
“Damn it! Is Marion the only knight we have!”
The Grand Duke exploded in anger.
And I suddenly realized.
‘No way, did they cause this just to get me?’
The timing, the circumstances—everything was strange.
It happened precisely when the world’s strongest person, Kaiden, was away, and when I had acquired the weakness of fainting at the sight of blood, a situation where I could potentially die.
Everything felt wrong.
“Marion, you go inside. I, your old grandfather, will show you my monster-slaying skills from my youth—!”
“No, Grand Duke.”
I quickly stopped the former Grand Duke.
No matter what, I couldn’t send an elderly man nearing seventy in my place.
And since I didn’t actually have a child in my belly, causing innocent people to lose their lives just to maintain an act was not something I could do.
“I will go. Grand Duke-nim, please protect the Grand Duke’s residence.
”
“What nonsense are you speaking!”
I looked at the Grand Duke, who was fuming, and persuaded him.
“ Grand Duke. I am strong.”
The Grand Duke tried to say something, but I was faster.
“You once told me that with great power comes great responsibility, did you not?”
“…Marion.”
I grinned at him.
“I will take responsibility.”
The Grand Duke lowered his head.
The wear and tear of time were etched on the old warrior’s face. He must have felt frustrated too. But the person who could do it had to go.
I took a deep breath, then exhaled as I shouted,
“Knights of the Grand Duke’s Residence!”
“Yes!”
The lined-up knights responded.
“Are you prepared to save the people of the Empire in the name of Waldstein!”
“Yes!”
The knight who had come with the Emperor’s command wore a displeased expression. He must have wished for me to say we should save the people in the Emperor’s name.
‘Why should I save the Imperial citizens in the Emperor’s name when I don’t even like him?’
I scoffed inwardly and turned around dramatically.
“Let’s go.”
If the world is trying to kill me, I will cling to life and give that world the finger.
Meanwhile, in the Marquis of Fernandi’s territory.
“You have worked hard, Grand Duke”
“Not at all. I am sure the Marquis has a great deal of worry.”
“But we must protect what we have.”
Kaiden looked at the Marquis of Fernandi. He could see the worn, exhausted appearance and resignation of one who had endured much etched on his face.
Kaiden quietly looked at the flood-damaged area. When he first arrived, the monsters were running rampant as if the place was their own home.
Indeed, the situation was bad enough for the Marquis to request his help.
Though currently, the monsters were not coming out, having been scared off after Kaiden swept through once.
“How long has this situation been ongoing?”
“It began about 20 years ago, but the last three years have been the most aggressive.”
“That long…”
The Marquis’s encampment, lit by torches as darkness descended, was quiet.
Thanks to Kaiden, they had a temporary reprieve from worrying about monsters, but the knights already seemed to know that the monsters would run rampant again two days later when he left.
“Please go inside and rest, Grand Duke. I ask for your continued assistance tomorrow as well.”
“…Yes. You rest as well, Marquis.”
Kaiden entered his tent with a heavy heart. Vito, who was waiting inside, greeted him.
“You have worked hard, Grand Duke.”
“What did you find out?”
When Kaiden asked, Vito handed him documents.
“The Marquis’s daughter, ‘Charolize Fernandi,’ allegedly ran away from home about 25 years ago after falling in love with a traveling mercenary. The Marquis searched everywhere for his daughter, but three years later, all that returned was her corpse.”
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