Amon reflected on his situation. In the past, he would have acted just like Philip suggested—doing anything to avoid becoming a burden to Ferdin. But not anymore. He recalled his conversation with Erin and after a moment’s consideration, he spoke.

“I’m going to… survive, Philip.”

Philip stared at Amon briefly, his face showing mild surprise. “I didn’t expect you to make that choice, my lord.”

Amon smiled bitterly at Philip’s words. He hadn’t expected to say such things either.

“Erin told me something once,” he said. “She asked me to live. She’s quite strange, that one. Always putting herself in danger while acting like everyone around her is going to die.”

Amon met Philip’s eyes. “I still have a debt to repay to Erin. She saved a life I had already resigned to death.”

Philip’s face darkened upon hearing these words.

“I’m a knight who values honor above all else.”

“You…”

“But you’re right. I too have a debt to repay to Erin. Giving up my life before that would be nothing but avoiding responsibility.”

“…”

“I almost made a terrible mistake.”

Philip spoke with a somewhat hollow smile.

“When I think about it, what a foolish thought that was. Do you know what my goal is, Lord Amon?”

“What is it?”

“To someday defeat Erin in a duel.”

Amon gave Philip a withering look.

“I know it’s difficult! But I’d like to at least come close enough to graze her clothes.”

Amon looked at Philip and laughed with a deflating sound.

“All the more reason to live longer, then.”

He had never paid much attention to the junior students apart from Erin. If Philip hadn’t been friendly with Erin, Amon wouldn’t have given him a second thought.

‘He’s quite a decent fellow,’ Amon thought as he stared outside the iron bars.

Just when he realized Philip was a good person, they found themselves in a situation where they might die at any moment. No, it was worse than that.

‘The entire academy is in danger.’

Corelia must have targeted knight trainees like them for a reason. It was shocking enough that the group Ferdin was chasing had secretly infiltrated the academy, but perhaps… the Emperor’s target was the academy itself.

Amon assessed his physical condition. ‘My mind is clear, but my body is still in terrible shape.’

Looking at Philip’s torn upper garment, it seemed he had hastily ripped his clothes to stop the bleeding from Amon’s shoulder. However, the wound was deep, and the bleeding hadn’t completely stopped. They had no needle and thread to stitch the wound either.

In this situation, Amon felt his mind becoming surprisingly calm.

‘Fortunately, these bars aren’t made of mana control stone.’

Cages made of mana control stone were very expensive. Therefore, except for imprisoning important criminals, ordinary iron bars were typically used. The cage they were in was like that. Their captors had taken their weap*ns, thinking that would be enough to contain them.

Having confirmed this fact, Amon’s eyes gleamed.

* * *

Erin arrived safely at Atenz Academy after asking Lilia for spatial teleportation magic. Seeing Erin’s urgent expression, Lilia had granted her request without hesitation. An inexplicable anxiety had overwhelmed Erin, making it impossible for her to remain still.

Erin sensed that at the end of this path lay the answer she sought.

“Have you heard the rumor? They say Prince Ferdin will hold his coronation ceremony…”

“What? How is that possible when His Majesty is still alive?”

Conversations drifted to her ears as she walked.

Upon arriving at Atenz Academy, Erin felt the gazes of students fixed on her.

“It’s Erin Liserth.”

“My goodness. I heard she had left the academy for good, but I guess not.”

“She must be just visiting. Why would a Sword Master attend the academy?”

“Do you think she would duel with us if we asked?”

“Don’t be disrespectful.”

The way people looked at her had definitely changed from before, but now wasn’t the time to worry about such things.

Erin headed to the infirmary where Amon had been staying, but he was nowhere to be found. Only a young, inexperienced-looking student remained, staring at Erin with wide eyes.

“L-Lady Erin?”

“Have you seen Lord Amon by any chance?”

The student trembled as he looked at her, his expression filled with awe. Soon realizing her question, he frowned and spoke.

“Ah, well… I’m confined to bed here myself, so I don’t know much, but I’ve heard no one has seen Lord Amon since yesterday. They’re searching for him throughout the academy.”

“Since yesterday?”

“Yes. When he left the infirmary yesterday, he told me he was going straight to training. He’s such a diligent person. But the people at the training grounds say they haven’t seen him.”

“…”

“It’s not just Lord Amon. I heard several other knight trainees have disappeared together.”

“Thank you.”

When Erin thanked him, the student’s face turned red. He shook his head and bowed to her.

Erin’s face hardened severely as she left the infirmary.

‘If he disappeared yesterday, there’s still time.’

Though she still didn’t understand exactly what was happening, it generally matched the dream she had. If so, there was a high possibility that Corelia was involved in Amon’s abduction. Erin closed her eyes and concentrated.

She needed to find him quickly.

* * *

At that moment, Amon was gripping the iron bars with all his strength. His hands turned red and pain surged through them, but he didn’t stop.

“Lord Amon, what are you doing?”

Philip looked at Amon with a puzzled expression.

“We can’t just die trapped in here. We have to struggle at least.”

“…”

“Before Corelia returns, we need to grab those weap*ns outside and escape. Hurry up and help me.”

“Do you really think we can escape like this? Even if these aren’t mana control stones, it’s impossible.”

Despite Philip’s words, Amon continued applying force until his face turned red, trying to bend the bars.

“This is how Erin escaped too.”

Philip was speechless. The story of how Erin had bent prison bars made of mana control stone with her bare hands to escape was famous throughout the academy. He too had been so shocked when he heard about it that he had remained dazed for quite some time.

‘I never thought it possible for a person to bend mana control stone, even for a Sword Master.’

Amon was now attempting to do what Erin had done. It was possible because the bars weren’t made of mana control stone, but it was still an unreasonable task.

“Corelia might catch us. Besides, you’re in poor physical condition…”

“Well, then we’ll fight honorably.”

“Step aside. I’ll do it now.”

“Good, let’s take turns.”

Philip sighed and began helping Amon.

* * *

Corelia was waiting for the Emperor with her knights.

“What shall we do with those knight trainees down there?”

“His Majesty will deal with them when he arrives.”

“…”

“We could use someone like Amon Hedor as a hostage.”

“Ah, I see. Duke Hedor is the leader of the noble faction.”

“Correct. And his son is a member of the Second Prince’s knight order. He would be the hostage His Majesty desires most.”

Corelia said this with a deep smile. While turning Amon into a monster would be entertaining, using him as a hostage wasn’t a bad idea either.

“Do not treat his wounds under any circumstances. He resisted fiercely. If we heal him, who knows what he might do.”

Corelia knew Amon’s injuries were quite severe, but she deliberately neglected them. She didn’t think he would die from such wounds, having reached the level of a high-ranking knight.

Whether turning him into a monster or using him as a hostage, Corelia intended to inflict terrible pain on Amon. She had learned during her last visit to the academy that he was quite close to Erin.

‘I needed someone to take out my frustrations on instead of Erin, and this works out perfectly. That’s what happens when you don’t choose your friends carefully.’

In truth, Corelia had begun to think that k*lling Erin might be impossible. Failing to kill the Princess from the beginning, losing the monsters in the west, being driven out of the Liserth household—everything seemed to indicate their defeat.

‘Of course, His Majesty’s monsters are strong. But can they really defeat them?’

For the first time in her life, she felt uneasy. The emotion she had felt since seeing Erin at the Imperial Palace had only grown stronger. Since then, terrible nightmares had plagued her every night.

Corelia asked one of the knights beside her, “Do you believe in prophetic dreams?”

“Prophetic dreams, my lady? Those who believe in the gods say prophetic dreams are the gods’ final arrangements. I’m not sure myself.”

“Indeed. I don’t believe in dreams either.”

Saying this, Corelia stared ahead. The nightmares she had been having lately were simple.

‘It was a mansion like this.’

In her dreams, Erin would come to find her at the mansion. Corelia felt something chilling brush past her heart.

‘It’s an absurd dream. There’s no need to worry…’

As she was trying to calm herself, Corelia narrowed her eyes. Her heart began to race. She clenched her fists tightly. Cold sweat had already formed on her forehead.

“Lady Corelia, are you alright?”

Even the knights beside her could sense her agitation. Corelia stared ahead. She had never felt fear, not even from Duke Asili. But at this moment, she felt an instinctive terror.

She spoke to the knights in a low voice.

“She’s coming… here.”

The knights turned their gaze in the direction Corelia was pointing. Someone was rapidly approaching from the forest.

“Erin Liserth.”