As Ailie had hoped, the journey back to the Imperial Palace was put on hold.

In order to find Breni, who was still missing, the entire count’s territory was searched from end to end. Notices announcing her disappearance were posted in every town square, and people went door to door, asking if anyone had seen or heard anything. Ailie spoke of Breni so often that she found herself murmuring about her appearance in her sleep.

Places that she had never dared to approach during her time in Erdei were included in the search, such as abandoned streams and derelict buildings on the outskirts of the village. Clinging to even the faintest hope, Ailie could not bring herself to overlook a single location.

All the while, Ailie considered every possibility.

If Breni had been taken deliberately, who was responsible?

Who would harbor such malice towards the House of Erdei or Ailie herself?

‘The thieves…’

Further thought was unnecessary.

The thieves had lost their stolen goods and their hideout, and were now imprisoned in the dungeon beneath the lord’s castle. Needless to say, they bore a deep grudge against the House of Erdei.

But they were imprisoned.

From what she had learned during the previous operation, there didn’t appear to be any other accomplices.

‘They were a ragtag group to begin with.’

Nevertheless, it was the only plausible lead.

Breni had disappeared without a trace, as though she had never existed. No matter how tirelessly they searched day and night, they found nothing.

They had reached a dead end.

However, even if it wasn’t definitive, they had to grasp at the slightest clue and try to link it to Breni’s movements.

On the second day since her disappearance, Ailie therefore decided to interrogate the thieves, accompanied by Liton.

“It was strange from the start—how that number of people managed to place magic on so many stolen items.”

“……”

“You’d better start talking. Is everyone here?”

Ailie summoned the thieves one by one and asked them all the same questions.

Rather than asking where they had hidden Breni, she asked whether there were any accomplices beyond those imprisoned in the underground dungeon.

After all, it would have been impossible to abduct Breni while she was held there. No matter how skilled a criminal might be, escaping a lord’s castle under constant surveillance day and night would be no mean feat.

Even if this had somehow been possible, there was no way they could have done so without causing a disturbance.

This is why establishing whether there were other accomplices had to come first.

“Yes. There are no other people.”

Most of the thieves responded in the same way, glaring at her resentfully.

As Ailie met their gaze, she imagined a pair of poisonous golden eyes. These men were not much different to Donata in terms of rudeness and vulgarity. Dealing with Donata Seidler had been simple; Ailie had only needed to wear a mask.

These men were no different.

“Tell me, and you’ll be the only one to escape. From this point onwards, I won’t hold you accountable for any crime. You can live as an ordinary person.”

“That can’t be true.”

“Can’t be true? Of course it sounds like a lie. But what other option do you have? Other than earning my favor?”

Ailie changed her approach, choosing to coax the thieves gently instead. Of course, her promise of leniency in exchange for cooperation was a lie.

However, this tactic proved far more effective. Panic spread across the thieves’ faces, their lips trembling as they wavered. Ultimately, they managed to resist, shaking their heads — but only just.

Even so, Ailie did not relent. She continued the interrogation without pause, sometimes lacing her words with threats, and at other times offering endless warmth and reassurance.

During a brief lull, Liton remarked.

“Seeing you interrogate them like that, I suppose I should be careful not to get on Your Majesty’s bad side.”

Ailie answered with a playful smile.

“Is that so? But Sir Liton, you’ve already gotten on my bad side, haven’t you?”

“…My apologies.”

“I was joking. Don’t worry about it.”

Perhaps still bothered by what she had said in front of the coachman, Liton became flustered at the slightest thing, even words intended as a joke.

Watching him, Ailie smiled bitterly. If Liton had any fault, it was simply that he was an honorable man through and through. As deputy-commander of the Imperial Knights, he could never disobey the Emperor.

She understood that much.

It had been foolish of her to think that she could turn someone so loyal to the Emperor into her ally, even temporarily.

‘I promised myself I wouldn’t expect trust so easily.’

Ailie engraved those words into her mind once more.

People around her were to be used according to circumstance—or discarded otherwise. That was what she had decided.

The problem was that it was never as easy as it sounded.

‘Breni too.’

Why did that single line—It’s not your fault, miss—keep gripping her so tightly? She had resolved not to grow attached, and yet Breni kept resurfacing in her thoughts.

No matter how much she endured and waited, she was always cast aside in the end…

Was this simply her foolish nature?

***

The following day, they finally found a lead.

After relentless questioning, the youngest of the thieves — a boy in his early teens — broke down and revealed their secret.

According to him, the thieves imprisoned in the dungeon did not make up the entire gang. They were little more than disposable underlings; the true core members were elsewhere.

The core members had found a location in Erdei where they could enchant stolen goods, and they were responsible for placing magic on every item that had been taken.

“Then where are they now? You’re saying there’s another hideout?”

“I’ve only been there once, so I’m not sure. But, as far as I can remember, there’s a forest near the capital. Deep inside that forest stands an old tower.”

“If that’s true, it doesn’t sound very far from here, Your Majesty.”

Ailie nodded. At least that much was fortunate.

It had been three days since Breni disappeared. Now that they had a lead, there was no time to waste. After repeatedly asking for the exact location, Ailie left the interrogation room immediately. Her heart was racing.

“You said it’s near the capital. As there aren’t enough horses for everyone, it would be better to travel by carriage for as long as possible.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. We won’t be able to mobilize as many people as last time. We’ll only be able to gather those who can leave immediately.”

“My brothers went to another village in the territory yesterday. The only person who can accompany us is likely to be Prince Alvaro.”

“Then I’ll contact him at once. Please return to the Count’s residence and wait by the carriage, Your Majesty.”

“Good. Don’t be late.”

The moment she had finished speaking, Liton swiftly pulled out the communication device.

Ailie hurried back to the Count’s residence and gave the coachman his instructions. She had also spoken with her parents beforehand, resolving to rescue Breni from the tower at all costs, after which they would head straight for the imperial palace.

It took Ricciardo and Liton less than an hour to return.

The three of them left Erdei with grim expressions; not a single joke was exchanged. They had discovered a second hideout, but there was no proof that Breni would be there.

Nor was there any guarantee that she was safe.

All Ailie could do was cling to the desperate hope that she was.

Time passed in heavy silence.

After three or four hours, the carriage finally stopped at the side of the road. When Ailie turned her head, she saw the entrance to a dense forest.

The coachman, who had been checking whether they had reached the correct location, opened the window and spoke.

“It seems the carriage can’t go any farther from here.”

“Good. Wait here. If the thieves appear, hide yourself.”

“Yes. Please return safely.”

Ailie nodded, tightening her grip on the sword she had brought with her from the Count’s residence. Under normal circumstances, she would have remained in the carriage for her own safety, but this time, the situation was too urgent, and there were not enough of them.

The two men tried to dissuade her, insisting that entering the hideout was far too dangerous. Yet, in the end, they failed to change her mind.

After all, if a thief managed to escape and target the waiting carriage, staying behind would hardly be any safer. In a search like this, even one extra person could make a difference.

While Ricciardo and Liton dealt with the thieves, Ailie needed to find Breni as quickly as possible.

She had only studied swordsmanship a few times as a child and was far from proficient. But there was no time to dwell on that now.

She had to find a way. Somehow.

The three of them dismounted and set off along the forest path.

Just as the youngest thief had said, the road was not especially treacherous. There were no signs of enemies lying in ambush, either.

The quiet forest path stretched endlessly before them. Step by step, they ventured further in until a sense of unease crept in. Had they already passed the tower without realizing it?

Then—

“Ailie. There.”

Ricciardo held out his hand and pointed ahead.

Following his gaze, she saw an ancient stone tower, cracked and covered in moss, looming ahead. It looked as though it might collapse at any moment. The warped wooden door was unable to close properly and the interior felt empty; there was no sign of life.

Was this really the second hideout?

The three of them doubted it, stopping at a distance and looking up at the tower.

“I’ll go in first.”

Liton whispered, drawing the sword at his waist.

“There may be spatial magic inside again.”

The magical red gemstone embedded in his sword, which could detect and control mana, remained still for now.

If the same spatial magic was in place, that would be an advantage. They would not have to hunt down each thief individually. Rescuing Breni would be easier, too.

Of course, this would only be possible if the same trick had been used again.

“All right, Sir Liton. Be careful—there’s no telling what might come out.”

“Yes. Your Majesty must also remain vigilant.”

“I know. Ric—you too.”

“As if I wouldn’t be. You know me.”

Ricciardo shrugged with an easy smile, as though all this were unnecessary worry.

“Prince Alvaro, this operation is critical. If you make even a single mistake—”

“Yes, yes, Deputy-Commander.”

“I’ll withdraw my recommendation.”

“Ah—no, please, not that…!”

His smile vanished instantly, replaced by a crestfallen expression. The playfulness drained completely from his pitch-black eyes, which sharpened.

The jokes and probing stopped there.

Now, all that remained was to enter the tower, capture the thieves and rescue Breni.

The three of them advanced carefully towards the tower. There didn’t seem to be any traps for intruders.

After carefully checking for any signs of movement, Liton slowly raised his hand and grasped the door handle.

Then he pulled the door open.

—creeeak…

At the same time as an ominous sound echoed from somewhere, Liton’s magic tool flared with an overwhelming light—so intense it was impossible to keep one’s eyes open.

Ailie squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the light to subside.

‘Is it the same magic again?’

But last time, the light had only appeared when Liton held the pendant…

As that thought crossed her mind, the light suddenly faded, her vision settling.

The moment Ailie cautiously opened her eyes—

—CRASH!

With a shrill, ear-splitting crack, shards of the magic tool’s red gemstone exploded outward in all directions.