CHAPTER 20.

I Entered a Class S Gate (2)

* * *

Somewhere in the imperial palace, which had now become the Crown Prince’s palace instead of the First Princess’s palace.

A knock sounded in Ariel’s ears as she awkwardly looked over his uniform. Ariel habitually tried to tidy his long hair, then flinched and dropped his hand.

‘Ah right, I cut my hair.’

For someone who had lived with long hair down to his waist for twenty-one years, the short hair he had now felt strange.

In the end, Ariel styled his bangs neatly upward, just like his brothers did, and left the mirror.

“Come in.”

A calm, low voice. The fact that he didn’t have to hide it anymore was what Ariel liked most about living as a man.

Soon, the door opened, and Otrion, breathing heavily, entered.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, there’s an urgent message from Dame Marien, the commander of the Red Knights.”

A message from the Red Knights, not the White Knights? It was beyond surprising; it was strange. Could it be that they were rebelling against the change in the commander of the knights?

“Speak.”

“Ah, yes, yes!”

Otrion stammered, momentarily entranced by Ariel’s stern demeanor.

The empire’s most beautiful woman, Ariel the First Princess. He was so heartbroken when he learned she was actually a man.

When all the lovely maids were replaced with the sons of noble families, he thought he was dreaming. But at this moment, he had no choice but to acknowledge it.

Like other men, he has shaving marks on his philtrum and chin, a manly thick neck, a broad and flat chest, and thick blue veins protruding on the back of his hands.

Ariel Valenia. He was the most handsome man among the handsome men that Otrion, the third son of a Marquis family and his secretary, had acknowledged.

“Th-the message.”

Shaking off his dazed state, Otrion straightened his shoulders and spoke.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, this is Dame Marien Toston, commander of the Red Knights. Through the Millerain passage, I received a brief message saying ‘The person Your Highness is waiting for is in danger,’ along with a letter. The sender is someone named Sergi from Pumong. I tried to handle it myself, but just in case, I left an urgent message.”

…Blah blah.

After reading the message, Otrion laughed awkwardly. He tensed up, thinking it was an urgent message, but it seemed no different from a prank.

“Your Highness, it seems the commander of the Red Knights is overwhelmed with work…”

“Where is the letter?”

But the Crown Prince’s expression was unusual. It wouldn’t be strange for him to sneer at the waste of paper, but he approached Otrion, pale-faced.

Otrion swallowed hard and carefully handed over the letter from his pocket.

Ariel snatched it and read it anxiously.

“Y-Your Highness?”

A short letter. But it was enough to tighten Ariel’s chest.

“No, Rosé…”

The dignified Crown Prince’s demeanor was gone, replaced by the face of a terrified girl.

The letter crumpled in Ariel’s delicate hands. With a face that looked like he was about to burst into tears, he turned to Otrion and spoke.

“Inform the… the entire knight order immediately.”

“Your Highness, what…”

“We’re leaving for Kamit to rescue Ro… no, the Black Cloak. This is a direct black order from me.”

A black order.

The highest priority order within the knight order, issued only by the Emperor and one designated person.

Otrion felt a chill down his spine as he rushed to the knight order’s headquarters. It was the first time a black order had been issued since the Moir War.

The landscape of the imperial family was changing around Ariel.

* * *

In the late afternoon, the knight order’s headquarters was bustling due to the black order issued by the Crown Prince.

Not only the Blue Knights who had returned to the headquarters but even the off-duty White Knights gathered in the central operations room.

The central operations room, which opened only when a high-level boundary appeared in Monchen or when a war broke out in the middle of the continent, was crowded with knights in full uniform.

From the Blue Knight Order, the entire First Division; from the White Knight Order, seventeen members of the Second Division attached to the Crown Prince’s palace; and finally, from the Red Knight Order, twenty-five reserve members including the commander, Marien.

On the desk was an internal map of the ‘unclosed boundary’ hastily prepared by the commander of the Red Knights.

The White Knights frowned deeply as they looked at the map. Since they work in the warm palace all year-round, they had never imagined they would set foot in the freezing northern lands.

The unclosed boundary of Kamit. It wasn’t far from Monchen, but it’s almost like another country compared to Kithlode.

Hearing they were being dispatched there, the White Knights sighed heavily.

Marien, who was in charge of the operation, glared at the White Knights.

Those attached to the Crown Prince’s palace were arrogant, since they’re expecting to serve the Emperor soon.

Marien didn’t know why the Crown Prince sent his knights, but operationally, they were a hindrance. Those who risked their lives for promotion couldn’t possibly fight monsters properly.

The only consolation was that the Crown Prince took this matter very seriously. So even they wouldn’t wield their swords carelessly.

“You must have heard the situation in your respective commanders’ offices, so let’s get straight to the point. Our mission, as confirmed in the order, is neither to close the boundary nor to exterminate monsters. The mission is one.”

Everyone’s tense gazes focused on her.

“To rescue the Black Cloak.”

Marien added, “There’s no need to explain who the Black Cloak is,” and pointed to Mount Kaitored on the map with her baton.

“This is the predicted current location of the Black Cloak, considering the place of abduction and the route.”

Mount Kaitored.

When she added that it was a major habitat for monsters, a heavy silence fell over the operations room.

Raiden, who volunteered without hesitation upon hearing about the abduction of the Black Cloak, clenched his fists nervously. The members standing behind him felt the same.

All of them had volunteered for the Black Cloak, who could be considered their savior at the Kunalgi boundary.

But what they had to face was the unclosed boundary, a boundary beyond measurable levels of dark energy.

Having failed to close it initially and left it open, the number of monsters had exponentially increased, making it an area they couldn’t approach.

Simply put, it was a place where high-level monsters roamed freely.

“We received an opinion from the commander in Kamit that we could enter through the frozen Lake Ires. Though there is a forest path, it takes a long time and has poor visibility, which is disadvantageous in combat situations. Therefore, we will advance across the lake.”

Marien added that they would cross the lake wearing blades. Most nobles had attended winter balls at least once, so it wouldn’t be difficult for them. Those who hadn’t, like her who came from a commoner background, would remain on standby.

Marien unfolded a prepared formation chart on the map. It was a search party formation with those accustomed to walking on ice at the forefront.

“The search party will wear blades made of red magic stone on their boots, cross the lake, and search the area around Mount Kaitored. Captain Raiden will lead the search party.
Captain Raiden.”

“Yes, Dame Marien.”

“Please take good care of the Red Knights.”

Marien gestured with her chin toward the White Knights standing with their arms crossed, signaling, “If you have time, take care of them too.” Raiden nodded, confirming his role as the search party leader.

Marien took out another list and continued.

“And the personnel listed here will remain outside the lake as a precaution. We will distribute blades equally, just in case.”

Five from the Blue First Division, ten from the White Second Division, and thirteen including herself from the Red Knights would be on standby.

The precaution was in case the monsters descended the mountain. If that happened, the fortress could be at risk, so a cleanup crew was essential.

“Lastly.”

Marien, who had put down her baton, took a deep breath and continued speaking.

“When more than half of the operation personnel become casualties, we will completely revise the objective to ‘escape.’ This is my sole decision as Marien, the person in charge of this operation.”

This decision was far from the orders of the Crown Prince. However, as the leader of the Red Knights who had wielded her sword for a long time, she had no choice but to say this.

An unclosed boundary was dangerous. The lives of all the knights here could be at risk.

‘Minimize sacrifices.’

Marien gritted her teeth. This is the worst operation. But she would not let it end in failure.

* * *

The knights, who disbanded with heavy expressions, decided to gather again at the main base after writing letters to their families.

Raiden was also on his way back to the main base after sending a letter to his fiancée, Eliza. Then, he suddenly thought he should see his friend Emmett’s face before going.

Although they often treated each other more as commander and captain than as friends these days, if today was the last day to wear the knight’s uniform, he wanted to leave a greeting as comrades.

However, the knight commander’s office was unusually open. Emmett, who hated distractions, would not have left the door open, so was there a visitor?

Raiden, who lowered his hand to knock, smiled regretfully and took a step back from the door. And just as he was about to turn away.

A familiar woman’s voice came through the crack in the door.