“The council members will arrive shortly. This is where we’ll discuss the plan to rescue Alter.”

Callios gestured toward the large round table and held out a robe to Selina.

“All other members will attend with their identities concealed. That’s the rule. So you should wear this as well, Vice-Captain.”

Selina accepted the robe and pulled the hood down over her head.

Shortly afterwards, five or six people entered and took their seats around the circular table. Like Selina, they were all wearing robes and clearly intent on keeping their identities hidden.

“…But who is that person?”

One of them pointed out Selina, who had already been seated, sounding openly uncomfortable.

“Ah. She’s someone who brought us crucial information.”

Callios replied smoothly, bowing politely as he explained.

“She’ll also need to participate in the operation going forward, so we had no choice but to include her. I ask for your understanding.”

“Crucial information, you say…?”

“We’ve confirmed the whereabouts of Alter—one of Thalia’s former Knight Commanders.”

“W–what? Alter?”

“Hah. So he really was alive! Where is Sir Alter now?”

At the news that Alter’s location had been discovered, the council erupted into murmurs.

“He’s being held in Holchester Prison.”

“Holchester… isn’t that the island of death where only condemned prisoners are sent?!”

When Callios nodded, silence fell over the room in an instant.

After finally locating Alter, of all places—Holchester.

“If he’s been sent to Holchester, then seeing him again is impossible. Countless Thalians have died there.”

“…Sir Rocheste was imprisoned there as well—and died.”

“Those damned Imperial bastards! So they intend to kill Alter too!”

The members expressed their anger openly, treating Alter’s death as a foregone conclusion. This was understandable — nobody had ever returned from Holchester Prison alive.

The prison was particularly brutal towards Thalian prisoners. Anyone who knew this could do nothing but seethe with anger.

“Everyone, please calm yourselves.”

While everyone else was seething with rage, Callios remained calm, as though he were standing at the eye of a storm. As he soothed the council members with his measured composure, the heated atmosphere gradually cooled.

“But how did you obtain this information?” one man asked, voicing his doubts. “Even our agents inside couldn’t uncover it.”

“What if it’s bait? They might be trying to lure us there so they can capture us.”

“If someone knows where Sir Alter is being held, they must hold considerable influence within the Empire.”

“So who told you?”

“Is this information truly reliable?”

One by one, they laid out their concerns. Perhaps because fear loomed so large, they didn’t even seem inclined to attempt a rescue.

‘If this continues, we’ll never move forward.’

After observing the situation, Selina took a long, steady breath and removed her hood.

“I can guarantee it.”

Her silver hair spilled free, and the violet eyes she had hidden between its strands were revealed.

“I am Selina—daughter of Duke Bryson, and formerly the Grand Duchess of Thalia.”

The moment Selina introduced herself with a composed expression, the room erupted into chaos.

“Bryson’s daughter?!”
“How dare you come here!”
“Cut her throat at once!”

Shouts rang out as they clamored for her immediate execution.

“Please, calm yourselves. She is also the one who brought us the information about Alter.”

Although he kept his voice steady while restraining them, the look he gave Selina was anything but warm. Clearly, he hadn’t appreciated her revealing her identity without warning.

“I knew I wouldn’t be welcome. But now that I’ve revealed who I am, you can at least trust where the information about Sir Alter came from.”

“Are you mocking us? You expect us to trust information brought by a duke’s daughter?”

“I’m not here as a duke’s daughter. I came here as someone who wants Alter to live.”

“And how are we supposed to believe that?!”

The discussion went in circles, no one willing to yield.

Then—

“Either way,” a voice cut in,
“we have nothing to lose.”

Callios cut off the aimless back-and-forth with a low, even voice.

“The one who will enter Holchester Prison to rescue Alter won’t be us. It will be Selina.”

The atmosphere in the chamber instantly turned cold, as if someone had thrown a bucket of ice water over everyone. The unexpected turn that the discussion had taken left everyone speechless, their eyes fixed on the situation as it unfolded.

‘So that was his intention from the start.’

Selina remained silent and looked at Callios. He stood there with his arms crossed, his expression saying, ‘Since you revealed your identity of your own accord, you should take responsibility for the consequences.’

“That’s right.”

Selina finally opened her mouth.

“I’ll go to Holchester Prison myself. Of course, it would be impossible to get Alter out on my own, so I’ll need a few people assigned to support me.”

“…And how are we supposed to trust that? What if you’re planning to deceive us and escape?”

“If that were my intention. I wouldn’t have come here alone in the first place.”

Her crisp answer left the room speechless.

“This is how we can save Alter. It’s dangerous—but it can be done quietly, without being discovered.”

Selina’s proposal was risky yet straightforward. A small group of elite operatives would infiltrate Holchester Island and extract Alter directly. Although infiltrating such an infamous place was daunting, following her plan made it possible.

However—

“That’s like hanging a bell around a cat’s neck! Sure, if the bell is hung, you can hear it and avoid the cat. But who’s going to hang the bell?”

Most of the reactions were negative. Understandably so, given that Selina’s plan had a fatal flaw. It required someone to take on a role so dangerous that it was like tying a bell around a cat’s neck.

Just as the room seemed ready to dismiss her proposal—

“I’ll do it.”

Selina raised her hand, volunteering for the most dangerous role.

“I’ll take the front line. You only need to follow behind me.”

In truth, Selina had always intended to undertake the most perilous task herself.

To her, saving Alter was no different from keeping her promise to Rocheste. She wanted — no, she needed — to honor the vow she had made to protect those he held dear. Alter was precious to Selina, but he was also important to Rocheste and Thalia.

“……”

Once Selina had volunteered, there were no more objections. When she offered to face the danger alone, it was clear that there was no reason to argue.

‘At this rate, we can save Alter.’

Of course, what awaited them on Holchester Island would be perilous, but Selina couldn’t help feeling relieved as she looked around.

It was then that her eyes met Callios’.

He was looking at her with clear dissatisfaction.

‘Come to think of it, I never discussed this plan with Callios.’

They had barely had time to meet before the meeting began, so they didn’t have the opportunity to deliberate together. He was probably annoyed that she had proceeded with something so important without consulting him first.

‘But I can’t think of a better way.’

Selina quietly averted her gaze.

A small sigh slipped from between Callios’s lips.

“Let’s begin the rescue operation once preparations are complete. You may return for today.”

With those words, the meeting came to an end.

***

Everyone who had attended the meeting had left.

Callios was the only person left at the round table.

Resting his chin on his hand, he lost himself in thought.

“Elder.”

At that moment, a man wearing a robe and with a limp approached him. He leaned on a crutch, as though he had impaired mobility in both legs.

Recognizing him, Callios scoffed softly.

“There’s no one here. What ‘elder’?”

“Wasn’t it His Grace the Grand Duke who said we should be prepared for any situation?”

As the man slowly pushed back his hood, his face was revealed.

It was Zenfri—the same man whose face always seemed etched with fatigue.

Callios asked, sounding genuinely puzzled.

“What is it? You’re usually the first to disappear the moment a meeting ends.”

“Something came to mind during the meeting.”

Zenfri recalled what Selina had looked like when he saw her. Her complexion had improved since the last time he had seen her, but now she looked weighed down by an indescribable sorrow.

He carefully asked Callios.

“Do you truly intend to place my lady—no, Lady Selina—in that role?”

“It was her decision. What is there to worry about?”

However, Zenfri noticed the briefest hesitation before Callios responded. It lasted only a fraction of a second, but it was unmistakable.

Since the Day of the North Wind, Callios had treated Selina as though she were poison incarnate. He even avoided saying her name, to the extent that anyone watching might have thought he ground his teeth at the mere thought of her.

But Zenfri, who had remained at his side the entire time, saw things differently.

To Callios, Selina was not poison.

She was more like strong liquor — something he was afraid to taste, even by accident, for he was certain that, once he did, he would keep drinking until he lost himself.

Perhaps that was why he had avoided her so fiercely.

‘This is why being perceptive is exhausting.’

Letting out a quiet sigh in his chest, Zenfri continued,

“Lady Selina doesn’t realize that this isn’t merely an operation to rescue Alter.”