5. Back to the Imperial Capital (1)

Time flew like an arrow.

They completed various preparations and got ready to return to the Imperial Capital.

They used the maximum time limit set by the Imperial family.

As this was proclaimed throughout the nation, the nobles in the central territory watched the capital’s situation with hawk eyes, and the empire’s citizens were also counting down the days until the new Oathkeeper’s identity would be announced.

Fortunately, they didn’t know about the warp gate’s existence—if they had, they would have camped around it. Looking at it now, it was truly fortunate that the warp gate’s existence wasn’t public knowledge.

“Wow, we did it.”

Saena released Constantine’s hand and let out a long sigh of relief after passing through the Imperial Palace’s warp gate.

‘Ah… my Guardian Spirit, Yuri…’

Being an Oathkeeper…

The power of the Guardian Spirit…

Every time she used this power, she became freshly aware of these facts.

It was so amazing. A smile bloomed on her face like a fully blossomed flower. Seeing that smile, Constantine caught her withdrawing hand again.

“…You shouldn’t travel alone using this.”

“What?”

“I mean traveling between warp gates.”

They had just moved through a warp gate opened by Saena’s power.

“Though each gate’s building entrance is guarded by sentries, the inside isn’t…”

Constantine anxiously lectured about safety protocols with a somewhat restless expression.

“Why would I go to Castle Cream alone?”

Saena laughed, thinking he was worrying unnecessarily.

“Not just Castle Cream…”

“What?”

“Like Aberdeen territory…”

“……”

Was he telling her not to suddenly go to Aberdeen territory alone?

“Why would I go there without saying anything?”

“Would you go…?”

“……”

Could this be…?

“Are you… jealous?”

“……”

“That time, I just went to meet a friend, okay?”

“…You also spent time with Duke Aberdeen.”

“I’ve never had any particular interest in him though?”

“…But with Erenhorn too…”

He slightly averted his gaze while speaking, seeming embarrassed even as he said it.

‘You might not know, but actually Erenhorn is my favorite Guardian Spirit.’

Was it because of what she had said before?

‘This definitely seems like jealousy, huh?’

Finding his behavior both funny and cute, Saena burst out laughing.

“I…”

Saena’s languid yet clear voice flowed like music.

“I have a man I love.”

She turned the angle of their joined hands to grasp his hand back. Pulling his hand behind her back, she made him hold her waist. Saena also wrapped her arms around his waist and tilted her head up to look at him.

His blue pupils trembled visibly, but he didn’t avoid her eyes. Looking straight into his matched gaze, Saena opened her mouth.

“I’m not interested in other men.”

“……”

“Because that man is enough.”

Ha. He closed his eyes tightly and sighed. His exposed ears turned red.

Seeing his reddened ear tips, Saena smiled broadly, but suddenly her waist was pulled tight in his grip.

In an instant, he trapped her between himself and the wall and devoured her lips. The way he urgently parted her teeth and invaded seemed to have lost all patience.

“Wait… this place… mmph.”

Even though they were alone, it was still a public place.

Though not just anyone could use it, someone could enter at any time.

Moreover…

“Mmph, they’re waiting.”

“Just a little, just a little more…”

She could feel his urgency in how firmly he gripped the slender part of her waist, and she could also feel how he was barely holding back as his fixed hand trembled slightly.

Only after he had thoroughly opened her lips, deeply invaded, and greedily stolen plenty of her breath did he finally pull away.

Haa, haa. Their breaths burst out. He released the body he had been holding so tightly.

“Really…”

Saena glared at him and complained softly.

“So please show some restraint in public.”

“…What? Shouldn’t I be saying that?”

Saena protested at what seemed like turning the tables.

“When you keep saying such pretty things, I lose all sense of place and end up like this.”

He brazenly added while fixing her disheveled clothes and hair.

“Hmm. Then should I stop saying them from now on?”

“……”

He subtly avoided answering while pretending to focus on smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirt.

“Alright. From now on– mmph–”

Before she could finish speaking, her lips were captured again.

When he slightly pressed his body against hers, Saena found herself trapped against the wall again. Her small struggling movements were instantly controlled as he thoroughly sucked her lips.

“Mm, nn…”

Though it was unfair, she found it cute and ended up yielding her lips completely once more.

* * *

“I’ll move them first and come back, so please wait a moment.”

“Alright.”

They crossed back to Kramer territory through the warp gate.

They had crossed over first to practice whether Saena could use the warp gate or not, but they hadn’t planned to go to the capital alone.

Though he could have told Saena to wait in front of the palace gate, Constantine crossed back to Kramer territory to leave her in a safe place and gather the remaining personnel, blocking any possible situations.

“This is where it begins. Everyone remember your roles and positions well.”

“Yes!”

Including Commander Wesley, there were fifteen core members of the knights. They would be responsible for Saena’s escort and safety in the capital.

That wasn’t all. Five more people wore deep hoods hiding their appearances.

They were the key figures in the second strategy set up for information disruption.

“Join hands.”

As if they had trained and arranged positions beforehand, the knights divided into several groups and took positions with their escort targets in the middle.

Constantine passed them through the warp gate in pairs of two groups.

After several repetitions, he returned and extended his hand to Saena. Two people remained: Saena and Sir Rupert.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

As Saena moved toward Constantine, Rupert urgently asked her.

“By the way, Miss, what about that beast?”

“What?”

“Aren’t you taking Yolly with you?”

Having seen how preciously Saena treated Yolly, Rupert found it strange.

Currently, Rupert knew Saena was an Oathkeeper, but he didn’t know Yolly was a Guardian Spirit.

Saena answered with a slight smile.

“I am taking him.”

“…What?”

“I’ll explain later. Let’s move first.”

“Understood.”

Though something seemed odd, seeing Saena’s bright face, Rupert concluded there was nothing to worry about and dropped the thought.

With a strange sensation, the three passed through the warp gate.

The personnel who had already been moved must have been instructed to go up ahead, as they weren’t visible. Well, the underground space wasn’t that large anyway.

“Your Grace.”

Suddenly, urgent footsteps echoed through the underground space. A knight hurriedly came down and approached Constantine. Though his voice was deep, there was a strangely urgent tone.

“What is it?”

The knight reported something quietly in Constantine’s ear. Though unknown what it was, seeing his brow immediately furrow, it couldn’t be anything good.

At that sight, Rupert automatically took a defensive stance but felt his waist and cursed softly.

“Ah, my sword.”

Because the warp gate was inside the Imperial Palace where weapons weren’t allowed, Rupert had to move unarmed each time he passed through the gate. His original sword was in Delvon, and the sword the Duke had granted him to use while in Kramer territory was left at Castle Cream.

“Wouldn’t it be too chaotic if we needed swords in the Imperial Palace?”

“Well, I feel uneasy since something seems to have happened.”

They followed Constantine up to the ground level.

“Kyaaa—!”

“Block them!”

But perhaps they had thought too lightly of chaos. Unlike expected, the situation above ground was already complete mayhem.

Even though they were excellent knights, they were all unarmed. In that state, they seemed to have been attacked, as many were rolling on the ground.

‘What is this…’

Honestly, she hadn’t expected to encounter such a situation right after crossing the warp gate. Wondering who could have done this, Saena looked around.

Looking at the uniforms of the knights opposing the Kramer knights… she saw the Imperial mark.

‘…Imperial Guards?’

Noticing they were Imperial Guards, Saena immediately turned her gaze to Constantine.

But Constantine didn’t seem to care that they were Imperial Guards, immediately raising his power as he entered the chaotic scene. The figures tangled like dolls were scattered and fell.

With just Constantine’s single intervention, the situation reversed instantly.

“Argh!”

Just then, she saw a figure in the distance being thrown back by his power and falling with a dull impact.

Light blue hair.

As expected, if anyone would do this…

It was Prince Gillian.

“—Duke!”

The prince, whose power had been broken and who had been thrown to the ground ungracefully, staggered to his feet. Then he shouted in anger.

“How dare you attack me! Are you in your right mind!”

“So it was His Highness the Prince. Why did you attack my knights?”

Constantine didn’t diminish his power but rather increased his pressure. His cloak fluttered in the wind pressure as killing intent struck down the surroundings.

“Kh… ugh, withdraw your power this instant!?”

“They were even unarmed.”

Someone approached Saena, who had slightly stiffened upon seeing the prince.

“Madam.”

It was like a whisper.

“…Darielle? Why did the Imperial Guards attack?”

“His Highness tried to take me away.”

“What?”

Darielle explained the situation in a small voice while pretending to hide behind Saena in fear.

Darielle was a volunteer.

In the situation where Constantine had to escort the Oathkeeper to the capital, he had decided to increase the number of companions. It was to create confusion so Saena wouldn’t be immediately identified as the Oathkeeper.

While selecting people who could keep their mouths shut in various environments, Darielle volunteered to go with them. Even after warning her about potential dangers, Darielle’s determination remained unshaken.

‘Better I be in danger than you, Madam!’

Having received Constantine’s permission, Darielle showed no concern, saying she could serve as a maid while going along and also get to see the Imperial Capital.

Thus, the group including Darielle arrived at the Imperial Capital through the warp gate first. However, since the underground space wasn’t large enough for everyone to wait, they went up to wait on the ground level, where the prince and Imperial Guards appeared shortly after. She explained that they seemed to have been monitoring the building entrance beforehand.

‘Where is Duke Kramer?’

‘He will come up soon.’

Though something felt odd, Commander Wesley, not expecting they would be attacked, carefully addressed the prince.

‘It seems the duke has followed my instructions well. Tell him I appreciate his efforts. Now, Oathkeeper, come this way.’

‘……’

‘Why no answer? Who is the Oathkeeper?’

‘Your… Your Highness. Why are you doing this?’

‘Obviously to escort the Oathkeeper. Who among you is the new pillar of this empire? I have prepared a separate palace in the Imperial Capital. You will be treated as an honored guest of the imperial family and receive a title. I will take the utmost care of you. Come this way quickly.’

‘……’