If their current planned attack failed, they might flee to Silentium.

Once they escaped, it would be hard to catch them. So she only had one chance.

“But it’s not normal recovery, it’s rather grotesque. According to records, when a dark mage had a large wound on their shoulder, instead of new flesh, rotting flesh that reeked grew there. It’s not normal healing. Since they’re not completely immune to wounds, we have the advantage.”

“Still need to kill them then. Fortunately or not, they’re close by. They’re still within the empire while attacking our merchant guild.”

“Though that fortified place couldn’t possibly be breached……”

“Yes, my pride is hurt. And though it’s just a small speck now, who knows what might happen later.”

“Do you have a plan?”

“I left them alone for the plan. They should be completely off guard by now. That’s when we strike.”

Adelia pulled up the corners of her mouth.

She had been waiting until now to deliver a decisive blow to them. Though it was irritating that the future had changed and troublesome matters had increased, killing them would lead to a happy ending for everyone.

If they were to kill the King of Silentium, now when he was close by would be perfect.

“I added attack magic to the defense formation in the merchant guild. Though I hid it so they wouldn’t notice, its power is strong.”

Adelia brought out a scroll from her spatial storage to show what she had been preparing.

She unlocked it with magic and spread it out on the bed.

It was full of magic formulas with even denser and more solid equations than before. Kai raised his body and scanned through the magic formulas.

Adelia quietly watched Kai like a student having their homework checked by a teacher.

After reading the magic formulas, Kai placed his front paw firmly on the scroll.

“It’s all good, but the attack here would be better done with the holy sword. Since dark magic might nullify white magic. But the holy sword’s attack is physical, so while it can be blocked, it can’t be nullified.”

“Is that so? I thought nothing would be better than white magic, but I guess not.”

“Different situations require different elements. That’s why we need the holy sword. Where is it now? Let’s get it.”

“Um…… His Highness the Crown Prince has it……”

Adelia turned her gaze away and smiled awkwardly. As she scratched her cheek while avoiding the answer, Kai glared at her with suspicious eyes.

The holy sword was naturally with Lucian. After deciding to hide it as the imperial family’s hidden card, the holy sword was living comfortably in Lucian’s room.

To borrow the holy sword, she needed to meet Lucian, but unfortunately, they hadn’t had any proper conversation since parting at the Crown Princess’s Palace last time.

Kai looked at Adelia with a face full of disappointment.

“A lovers’ quarrel.”

“It’s not a lovers’ quarrel! We didn’t even fight in the first place, it’s just…… things are a bit awkward?”

Adelia furrowed her brows, feeling uncomfortable.

Was that day’s incident a fight?

Adelia thought it was just a simple argument.

There had been several times when voices were raised due to differences in opinion. When discussing trades between the merchant guild and the imperial family, or talking about the white magic stone trading rights that Adelia had agreed to hand over, they had spoken in even more heated atmospheres than that time.

“If it wasn’t even a fight, what’s the problem?”

“Well…… listen, Kai!”

When Kai spoke with an indifferent face, Adelia planted both hands on the bed and leaned her body forward.

She lowered her eye corners as if feeling wronged.

“It wasn’t even at the level of an argument! Just voices getting slightly raised, okay? But do you know what happened the next day?”

Adelia continued the story with an excited voice.

* * *

The day after they parted like that. Adelia went out for her usual morning walk. Walking in the quiet time when the morning dew hadn’t yet dried helped calm her mind.

Due to the rain the previous day, the garden path she usually took had turned into sticky mud. Even the stone path was messily covered with soil soaked with moisture.

“Your Highness, how about changing the walking route today?”

“Yes, the path is too dirty, and we’re very worried about dirtying Your Highness’s dress.”

“I suppose so. Then Gina, please guide me.”

So Adelia changed her walking route differently than usual. Gina, now fully adapted to the imperial palace, skillfully led Adelia to a new walking path.

Near the noisy training ground where sandy winds blew, there was a clean and beautiful walking path. It was famous as the path where female servants attending to the imperial family and imperial knights exchanged glances.

As they approached the training ground, the sounds of knights training could be heard. The ladies-in-waiting and maids following behind walked proudly while stealing glances at the training ground.

They were just like children, blushing at the sight of knights training with their upper clothes removed and knights in neat uniforms. Finding their behavior cute, Adelia moved her steps toward the training ground.

The imperial knights seemed to be in their free practice time as they were each training individually.

“Oh! Greetings to Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

With her entourage of ladies-in-waiting and guards, and Adelia’s presence itself being noticeable, they couldn’t pass by quietly.

Knight Commander Deon, who spotted Adelia, approached while giving his greetings. As he politely bent his waist in courtesy, Adelia also received his greeting warmly.

“It’s been a while. Sir Deon, have you been well?”

“I have been well. What brings you here?”

“I was just taking a walk. My lady-in-waiting guided me here as this walking path is famous for being nice.”

“Ah, yes. The training ground’s walking path is famous for its beauty.”

When Adelia smiled brightly while praising the walking path, Deon smiled back in response.

Deon scanned the servants Adelia had brought through his narrowly curved eyes. Though he had no interest in women, his hot-blooded subordinates were different.

Deon side-eyed the ladies-in-waiting. Though they tried to secretly look at the knights with quick, short glances, it was all obvious to Deon’s eyes.

“Everyone, give your greetings! Her Highness the Crown Princess has arrived!”

Deon turned around and shouted to the knights who were training. The knights who hadn’t dared to approach the noble Crown Princess came forward as if they had been waiting for the Knight Commander’s words.

Though she couldn’t carefully listen to each of their greetings, just smiling and greeting back was enough to raise the knights’ morale significantly.

“I wonder if I’m interrupting your training time too much.”

“Interrupting? It’s break time so it’s fine.”

“Then that makes me feel even more sorry. You should rest during break time, but with me here, everyone probably can’t rest comfortably.”

Adelia said while furrowing her brows. Since everyone was training hard, she hadn’t thought it was break time. Nothing was more terrible than a superior interrupting break time.

As Adelia worriedly tried to turn away, Deon frantically waved his hands.

“Not at all! Your Highness is always welcome. Everyone was just training during break time while feeling depressed after getting thoroughly beaten by His Highness the Crown Prince. Thanks to Your Highness, we can rest without feeling conscious. And break time was almost over anyway.”

As Deon rambled as if making excuses, the knights behind him also nodded their heads vigorously.

Adelia pondered for a moment looking at their behavior.

“Where is His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“He just went into the knights’ building.”

“Would you guide me? I need to speak with His Highness the Crown Prince for a moment. It might take some time, would that be alright?”

“Of course! I’ll guide you!”

When Adelia indirectly suggested that she would keep the Crown Prince occupied so they could rest, the imperial knights’ faces brightened considerably.

Deon also clasped his hands together while his eyes sparkled.

“Ah, since I’m going to see His Highness the Crown Prince with the Knight Commander, all of you wait here. With the imperial knights and my guards here, it should be safe.”

“Yes! I mean, yes, understood, Your Highness.”

Adelia left the ladies-in-waiting and maids there and set off with the Knight Commander.

If it were anywhere else, the servants would have refused at least once to follow Adelia, but this was the training ground full of imperial knights, and where Adelia was going was the knights’ building.