Chapter 11.10

She understood now. The words spat out by that fox-faced man, words like a threat. Syria finally realized the truth she’d ignored until now—why she’d suddenly woken up in this unknown place, why the original heroine died, and how she ended up in this body.

‘So it was all that bastard’s scheme?’

She still didn’t fully know why her father had kept his distance all this time, but thinking of his actions as those of a father whose daughter’s life was being held hostage made her heart ache.

“My Lady, it’s dangerous over here.”

“Lady Syria, come this way.”

Alpen and Firenze tugged at her arm, but Syria couldn’t move.

‘I don’t know what’s going on yet, but that guy is definitely the bad one, right?’

Forget it—she decided the Second Prince was the villain.

‘That bastard is definitely the one who scarred the Emperor’s heart.’

Just knowing he’d tormented a child was enough for Syria to conclude the Second Prince was a truly evil man. Watching the two men in confrontation, Syria began to piece together the situation, groaning in frustration.

“Miland, if you don’t act right now, I’ll use this.”

With a sharp warning, the Second Prince raised his hand.

From the black magic stone held high, a smoky gray energy seeped out—a power filled with the dark, eerie force of the abyss. The Second Prince twisted his lips.

‘You have no choice but to obey me.’

A sneer appeared on the Second Prince’s cruel face. It was finally time to restore the pride that had been shattered and torn apart by that lowly bloodline. It had taken longer than expected, but the thrill of this moment was immense.

“Miland, what are you doing? Hurry up and finish him off. Hahahaha!”

The Second Prince’s voice, full of malice, echoed chillingly through the banquet hall. As if he’d been waiting for this day, he began to laugh bizarrely in excitement. He looked so grotesque and terrifying, he hardly seemed human anymore.

As if that was the signal, the attendants standing next to the frozen nobles exchanged glances and all at once threw off their clothes. Beneath the Imperial Palace servant uniforms, they wore identical black knight order uniforms, each marked with the same emblem. They drew hidden swords and advanced menacingly toward the Emperor and Miland.

“You certainly prepared thoroughly…….”

Even as Karl braced for Miland’s attack, he kept an eye on the black knights closing in. Seeing the delay of the Imperial Guard meant the sly Second Prince had already set another trap. But from the start, neither the Second Prince nor those underlings were a match for Karl. The only reason Karl frowned was Miland—he had thought Miland would be a worthy opponent, but couldn’t bring himself to fight wholeheartedly.

The sudden appearance of the Second Prince, the suspicious knights, and Miland’s change of heart—the banquet hall was now as cold as if swept by a northern wind.

In this tense, life-or-death moment, even Alpen and Firenze hesitated to move. They too couldn’t grasp the situation. Why was Duke Dronia suddenly pointing his sword at the Emperor?

“Your Grace, why are you doing this?”

With worried eyes, Firenze urgently called out to his lord, but Miland kept his head high and stared at the Emperor, replying,

“Firenze, protect Syria.”

“But, Duke—!”

“Now!”

Miland cut off Firenze’s anguished protest, never relaxing his gaze from the Emperor.

‘If I just eliminate the Emperor… There’ll be no more threats against me.’

As soon as he finished the thought, Miland stamped his foot and, sword drawn, charged at the Emperor.

Clang!

A loud crash rang out as the swords collided. The Emperor blocked with his sword in a single desperate move, but at that instant, a fierce storm erupted between them. The wind blew so hard it obscured their vision, making it difficult to keep their eyes open.

Until now, people had joked that only the Emperor could match Duke Dronia—and now, Syria saw it with her own eyes. The skill of both men was so immense, it was impossible to predict the outcome.

Each clash of swords sent lightning-like sparks flying and thunderous booms echoing. Neither had even unleashed their sword aura yet—just sword against sword, but the force was enough that ordinary people couldn’t withstand it.

‘If either of them releases their sword aura, the other’s life will be over in an instant.’

Syria didn’t know the details, but she had seen the Emperor split enormous beasts in half with a single slash when he used his sword aura at the monster hunting tournament. Here, if either of them used it first, the fight would be over instantly.

‘What should I do…….’

Syria anxiously looked back and forth between the two men. Both Miland and the Emperor seemed reluctant to fight. The proof was that, even as they clashed, both kept glancing at Syria, unable to fully focus.

‘Why is Father attacking the Emperor?’

Syria’s sharp gaze turned to the second floor—the root of all this. That unfamiliar man, not even a supporting character, was definitely controlling her father.

‘Wait? What’s that?’

Looking closely, Syria saw something in the Second Prince’s hand—a small black stone. It was the same shape as the one she’d picked up a few days ago, left behind by a suspicious person in the Imperial Palace.

While Alpen and Firenze were still unsure whether to intervene or help, Syria quietly slipped away and retreated toward the stairs leading to the second floor. She faintly heard her name being called from behind, but ignored it.

Slaaap.

She pushed aside the curtain and entered, seeing the Second Prince’s back. Sensing her presence, the Second Prince twisted around, his eyes widening with amusement.

“You really are alive. Fascinating.”

Syria strode forward, staring at the Second Prince’s hand. He didn’t seem to be on guard against a lone woman, only following her movements with fox-like, narrow eyes.

“Did you kill me?”

“Well, you could say that. But I’m curious how you’re alive.”

The Second Prince’s pupils narrowed like a snake’s as he circled around Syria, answering. His gaze was so interested, it was as if he’d discovered a new experiment. He scanned her from head to toe, as if observing her, making Syria shudder as if a snake’s scales brushed against her skin.

“……Why are you asking me? You did it, so you should know.”

Apparently, this fox had used some trick to kill the heroine. The heroine’s soul had vanished, and Syria had possessed her body, but the Second Prince, not knowing this, was curious how she was still alive.

“You. What’s that?”

“……This?”

The Second Prince gave a strange look when Syria suddenly asked about the object in his hand. With an odd expression, he glanced down at the hall below. The Emperor and Miland, locked in a contest of swords, seemed to have no intention of deciding a winner.

‘Will she survive again this time? Well, it doesn’t matter to me.’

The black magic stone was the medium for his dark sorcery, holding his power. Back when he still had influence, he’d found it through shadowy channels.

He’d recently learned it could curse and kill a person instantly, and had used it to threaten Duke Dronia. But the woman who should have died had come back to life, and even he couldn’t explain it.

Just as the Second Prince thought of a more amusing scheme, hurried footsteps sounded behind him, and two young men burst in—Duke Roxihart and the Deputy Commander of the Dronia Duchy’s knight order. Seeing these unwanted guests, the Second Prince’s face twisted in annoyance.

“Oh!”

As Syria turned her head to follow the Second Prince’s gaze, a hand shot out from behind and roughly yanked her backward. Her body lurched, and a strong grip pressed down on her shoulder.

It all happened in the blink of an eye. The sharp, metallic scent of a blade at her throat stung her nose.

“Don’t move!”

The Second Prince, holding a dagger to Syria’s neck, shouted at Alpen and Firenze. Taking a woman hostage was a better move than confronting the two armed men.

“Have you forgotten the honor of being in the Imperial Family? Release the Lady!”

“My Lady!”

Alpen, with sword drawn, glared sharply at the Second Prince, and beside him, Firenze adjusted his grip on his sword, closing the distance in a threatening manner. However, because of Syria’s safety, neither dared approach recklessly.

“Tch. I threw away honor long ago because of that bastard. If you come any closer, I’ll cut this woman’s throat.”

Muttering with a wicked face, the Second Prince pressed the dagger even closer to the woman’s neck. With just a slight movement of his hand, her pale neckline could be drenched in blood.

“Syria!”

Miland, who spotted the commotion on the second floor, cried out in horror. The Emperor’s voice followed right after. By then, the deafening clamor and clashing blades had stopped.

‘I let my guard down.’

Alpen and Firenze’s faces darkened with tension, and seeing the Emperor and Duke about to rush upstairs, Syria sighed inwardly. She had wanted to help, but ended up becoming a hostage that held them back.

“Father, I’m fine, so don’t listen to that man!”

Syria shouted as calmly as she could to reassure the startled Duke, but inside, she was burning with anxiety.

‘What should I do?’

With a sharp blade aimed at her neck, she couldn’t act rashly. Still, she needed to find a way out of this crisis. Suddenly, she noticed the black stone in the Second Prince’s left hand. From the start, that stone had seemed the most suspicious.

She might get her throat cut if she made a mistake, but she decided quickly.

While the Second Prince was distracted by Alpen and Firenze, Syria deftly snatched the black stone from his hand and twisted her body away.

“Give me that!”

Syria shouted as she snatched the black magic stone from the Second Prince’s hand. In the blink of an eye, she was already on the opposite side of the room.

“…No!”

The Second Prince, who had expected Syria to be paralyzed by fear, was startled and shouted, his eyes wide.

But when he saw her bare hand holding the stone, he actually seemed pleased, his mouth curling into a long smile. The woman was holding the black magic stone with her bare hand. Though it was snatched away so easily, the foolish woman before him would soon scream and collapse.

‘Stupid girl… This time, you won’t come back.’

The Second Prince smirked viciously, tossed aside the dagger, and folded his arms, waiting to watch what happened next.

But the woman showed no reaction at all. She just examined the black magic stone curiously, her eyes sparkling, and even began to shake the stone upside down.

“What is this? It’s just a rock.”

She muttered in confusion, showing no signs of change. The one shocked was the Second Prince.

“H-how…”

Syria, watching the Second Prince’s trembling hands and disbelief, asked,

“What were you planning to do with this? What is it, and why did you threaten my father with it?”

Syria succeeded in snatching the stone like a hawk, but its ordinary appearance left her frustrated. What was it about this that allowed her father to be threatened? She couldn’t find anything special about it.

“Don’t tell me… You just bluffed?”

It was absurd. To threaten her father—the only one in this world with such magnificent apple hips, whom even she dared not touch—with just a stone?

Slap!

Syria approached the Second Prince, who was frozen in disbelief, and smacked his b*tt hard, expressing her exasperation. This time, it wasn’t because she wanted to, but as discipline for a child who had done something bad.

“You villain!”

Slap!

Syria mercilessly slapped the Second Prince’s b*tt. The black magic stone nearly fell from her hand several times, leaving the Second Prince unable to resist. He was too shocked by the Lady’s behavior to even feel humiliated. The woman holding such a dangerous object was no ordinary human.

“N-no way… Who are you?”

The Second Prince’s already narrow pupils shook violently, as if staring at a terrifying monster.

“Me? Who else—I’m the only daughter of the Dronia Dukedom.”

Thud!

With Syria’s firm kick, the Second Prince crumpled pathetically, hit in a sensitive spot. He trembled so much he couldn’t even scream, the pain evidently overwhelming.

“Ugh…! It doesn’t matter… At this point…”

Collapsing from a single kick, the Second Prince began to mumble incoherently. Just in case, he had hidden another black magic stone somewhere in the Imperial Palace. If he uttered the activation words, everyone in this space would have their minds destroyed.

“O great evil god of the Empire! Your servant now seeks your mighty power…”

“Wait, this looks the same?”

Ignoring the Second Prince’s nonsense, Syria pulled another black stone from her pouch. The two stones looked exactly alike, like twins. Seeing this, the color drained from the Second Prince’s face.

“T-that’s…!”

“What is this, anyway?”

Syria rubbed the two stones together, even striking them like flint.

“N-no! Haaah!”

The Second Prince screamed, clutching his head and collapsing.

“…What are you doing?”

She hadn’t hit him that hard, but he collapsed embarrassingly, muttering like a madman and now putting on a one-man show.

‘Is he possessed or something…’

She stared blankly as footsteps echoed from behind.

“This time, I’ll finally behead you.”

The Emperor Karl’s voice rang out low from behind. Soldiers who had followed dragged the Second Prince away as he choked and drooled.

“N-no… Impossible… Who… are you… Ugh…”