“Yes.”

Ir answered without hesitation. She could still feel Kilim’s slimy voice lingering in her ears.

Ir knew well how cruel nobles could be when they felt insulted by commoners. Moreover, judging by the clothes Sirha was wearing earlier, it was clear that Kilim intended to crush her with his perverted inclinations added to the mix.

“What exactly did you see to make you act like this so suddenly?”

Ir explained everything to Nergal. Who Kilim was, what had happened between him and Shulat, and both Sirha’s appearance she saw downstairs and the conversation she had overheard.

“So that’s why you were late. I was wondering why you hadn’t returned, thinking you might have found something you liked…”

Nergal muttered with an unpleasant expression.

“What if you had been caught?”

“Even in this form, I’m not that careless.”

“Still…”

Nergal, who was about to say more, closed his mouth and fell into thought for a moment. Ir, who had been waiting for his words, finally couldn’t hold back and spoke first.

“They should still be waiting downstairs. So let’s go down and look more closely…”

“No. I don’t think you need to meet them right now.”

“What?”

“I don’t think you need to meet those people right now.”

Ir was momentarily at a loss for how to respond to Nergal’s unexpected answer. She had secretly thought he would agree and go down with her right away. After all, he had promised to help with what she was doing.

“But Sirha…”

Ir, who was about to say she was in danger, closed her mouth.

Come to think of it, the scope of his help hadn’t been clearly defined. Nergal was already taking on a great risk by accepting her.

‘Perhaps His Highness thinks this is an absurd request.’

To look after the 9th Knight Order, and not even its members but their family. Maybe Nergal was now considering how to limit his help.

Her heart, which she thought had finally stabilized, began to stir again. It must be the wavering brought on by the anxiety and guilt she felt after seeing Sirha. Knowing this, Ir still found herself quietly withdrawing from him.

“I’ll speak to them about it.”

Perhaps noticing Ir’s expression growing increasingly rigid in her silence, Nergal reached out and took her hand. Ir managed a strained smile and nodded, without asking further about what he intended to do or how.

***

Even after finishing their conversation, Nergal stayed at the shop for quite a while longer, continuing to place orders. While the owner’s face grew brighter, Ir couldn’t take in any of it.

It was nearly dusk by the time the two left the shop.

Since considerable time had passed, there weren’t many people left waiting at the shop. It seemed the spectators had left, probably thinking the two had already departed through another door after staying upstairs for so long.

Still, the 3rd Knight Order remained. Judging by their stiff expressions, they must have been standing there unable to go elsewhere, not knowing when Nergal would come down.

They straightened their postures and bowed their heads upon seeing Nergal. Even as they did so, some of them cast furtive glances at Ir.

“Oh my, you were all waiting? I apologize.”

Nergal said in a voice that didn’t sound sorry at all. But no knight was crazy enough to grumble in front of him.

“What are you saying, Your Highness? We are bodies prepared for the Imperial family. We’re merely doing our duty.”

Speaking words of loyalty that contradicted their feelings, they slowly raised their heads. They wanted to confirm who this woman was that Nergal had brought, as much as they were interested in Nergal himself.

Then, the moment their eyes met Ir’s.

“…!”

All members of the 3rd Knight Order, including Kilim, flinched. Though their skills might be inferior to the 9th Knight Order, they were still knights who had passed the knighthood test. As such, they could sense the strong killing intent directed at them.

At that moment, Ir smiled sweetly and gave them a slight bow in greeting.

“I look forward to working with you.”

With that brief greeting, the pressure that had been weighing them down instantly vanished. In its place stood only a delicate and beautiful woman who seemed like they could subdue her with one hand. A woman who appeared to give them no reason to fear.

The knights, finally able to breathe easily, bowed in confusion.

“Ah, likewise…”

Then they suddenly realized something. It was natural for them to bow to Nergal as he was royalty. But the woman beside Nergal was someone they didn’t even know, and they hadn’t even been introduced to her name, yet they were all naturally trying to bow to her.

Belatedly realizing their mistake, they cleared their throats and turned their heads away, thinking: What was that just now?

“Well then, I’ll be going now. You may leave as well.”

At Nergal’s words, the 3rd Knight Order couldn’t hide their troubled expressions. The reason they had waited here for almost half a day wasn’t just because Nergal was a prince.

‘The Third Prince is anxious.’

When the Holy Sword appeared, how confidently he had acted, saying he could immediately suppress the First Prince or Second Princess if he could just get his hands on it. The Third Prince had shown such self-assurance while talking with the captain of the 3rd Knight Order.

“The Holy Sword has appeared at just the right time! There’s no problem now!”

“But if that sword chooses someone else as its master…”

“What? Are you saying I’m not worthy of being chosen?”

“That’s not it, I’m saying we need to prepare for any possibility.”

To the captain’s words, the Third Prince had patted his shoulder and said:

“Don’t worry about that. Once we find the Holy Sword, I have a way. So let’s hurry and go to Lagash together.”

The Third Prince’s eyes sparkled with overflowing confidence. He really seemed to have something he believed in. But that confidence soon crumbled.

“We just needed to find the Holy Sword! Damn it all to be buried!”

Since the cave collapsed and there was no way to find the Holy Sword, the Third Prince had become irritable and anxious from then on. In contrast, the First Prince and Second Princess, who had originally been more likely to become the next emperor, became even more dominant and began their work toward succession to the throne. Not only had the potential variable disappeared, but they had also learned who might betray them during that time, so they began cleaning house.

The 3rd Knight Order was also unsettled. Seeing their supported candidate suddenly pushed back, they thought it might be better to align with someone else even now. However, the probability of the First Prince or Second Princess accepting other knights at this point was minimal. Moreover, they already had many excellent knights who had pledged their loyalty. Even if they were accepted, it was obvious they would only be given very minor positions.

‘Then the only remaining line is His Highness Nergal.’

Someone who would maintain power even if the emperor changed.

Since he hadn’t particularly built his own faction until now, if they followed him, they would surely be able to secure positions right beside him. Isn’t that why they had waited so long? Moreover, if they could build a relationship with the woman who came with him in advance, wouldn’t they be able to move to Nergal’s side more quickly…

“Then… take care on your way back.”

None of them could hold Nergal back any longer and bowed their heads. They kept the fact that they had momentarily felt fear from the woman beside him buried deep in their hearts.

***

As soon as they returned to the villa, Nergal had to leave again. Ishin had sent word that he was to return to the Imperial Palace.

Before departing, Nergal said to Ir:

“I’ll contact you soon, so wait.”

Ir spent the night wide awake. It was her first night alone since meeting Nergal, but far from sleeping soundly, she was sick with anxiety.

As soon as dawn broke, Ir went to Seviti first and asked:

“Has there been any contact from His Highness?”

“Not yet. Don’t worry too much. Since he has so much work at the Imperial Palace… It seems he’s delayed due to pending matters. But since you’re here, he’ll surely return quickly.”

Seviti seemed to think Ir was asking because she missed him terribly, so she tried her best to comfort her. Unable to tell her that wasn’t the case, Ir just replied with a vague “I understand” and returned to her room.

Two days passed like that.

‘What should I do?’

For the past two days, Ir had been constantly consumed by anxiety. Even though she had been trained to maintain composure as a knight, it was difficult to hold onto her reason at the thought that something might happen to Sirha.

‘Should I go by myself?’

Since she had passed by and visited a few times, finding Shulat’s house wouldn’t be difficult.

‘His Highness isn’t here, and Lord Ishin is gone too.’

If that’s the case, couldn’t she just say she wanted to go out for a while because she felt restless? Looking at Seviti, it didn’t seem like she would say no if Ir wanted to go out.

As Ir was contemplating what to do while heading back up the stairs:

Clang!

Suddenly, there was the sound of metal hitting the floor.

‘What fell?’

But she hadn’t seen any decorations of that kind on the walls of this villa. Curious about what it could be, she approached and found a small dagger on the floor. A very old, unmaintained blade. Judging by its form, it seemed to have been made at least hundreds of years ago.

“Why is this here…”

Just as she picked it up, thinking she should at least give it to Seviti.

“…!”

Suddenly, a scene completely different from the villa appeared before her.