Chapter 16

Some time later, after passing through the capital’s main gate, Aiden and his party could not hide their darkening expressions.

“What in the world…”

Scott’s hollow voice drifted through the air.

The quiet words reached the knights riding behind them as well.

The state of the city was completely different from what it had been at the departure ceremony.

“We believe in you, Your Grace!”

“Please save Strovana!”

The citizens who had once packed the streets to cheer them on were nowhere to be seen.

No—

there were hardly any people in the streets at all.

Aiden had expected large crowds because of what he remembered from the send-off.

Even if there had not been many people, he would not have been disappointed.

But this was not that kind of situation.

Looking at the streets, empty enough that not even a rat could be seen, only one thought came to mind.

‘Something has happened in the Imperial Capital.’

Blue veins stood out along Aiden’s sharp jawline.

“Scott comes with me directly to the Imperial Palace. Everyone else returns to the estate and prepares defensive measures.”

“Yes, sir!”

Gripping the reins tightly, Aiden spurred his horse forward.

“Hyah!”

No one stood in the way of the two riders as they raced through the heart of the capital.

Aiden and Scott accelerated as though they were galloping across open grasslands.

Yet when Aiden finally arrived before the Imperial Palace, his expression twisted even more than before.

“So that’s where everyone went…”

At Scott’s words, Aiden’s heavy amber-red eyes swept across the area.

The entrance to the Imperial Palace was so crowded with the capital’s citizens that there was barely room to set foot.

Without even chairs, they sat directly on the ground, staring blankly toward a single point.

“Now then, we shall begin the Feeding Competition!”

With the loud announcement echoing from beyond the palace walls, the people abruptly jumped to their feet and surged toward a single individual.

Dressed in an attendant’s uniform, the man stood beside a sack larger than himself, handing out slips of paper of some sort.

“One at a time! One at a time!”

“Number 3! I’ll bet on Number 3!”

“I’m taking Number 7! Hurry up!”

“I said wait your turn!”

“What in the world…”

Scott stared at the scene in utter disbelief.

Unlike usual, Aiden headed straight for the main gate, which was guarded by Imperial Knights.

“I am Aiden Gloucester. I must deliver a report on the war with Brang to Her Majesty. Open the gates.”

“Do you have an invitation?”

“An invitation?”

“If you do not possess an invitation to the event, you should have entered on a first-come, first-served basis. Otherwise, you cannot enter the palace at this time.”

“Did you not hear me? I must report the conclusion of the war to Her Majesty. Inform her immediately.”

“I’m afraid that’s impossible. Her Majesty’s orders are that no one is to be admitted until the event has concluded. If you wait, someone will contact you.”

“Did you not hear the Duke? This is a war report!”

Unable to contain his frustration, Scott stepped into the conversation.

The knight, however, repeated the same words like a parrot.

“I cannot. Those are Her Majesty’s orders.”

The Imperial Knight simply refused to listen.

In the end, Aiden and Scott had no choice but to turn away.

“What exactly is happening here…?”

Scott looked completely bewildered.

“What kind of event takes precedence over a report on a war?”

“…”

Aiden said nothing.

But as he looked over the sea of citizens gathered before the palace and listened to the cheers erupting from beyond the walls, a deep shadow settled over his expression.

Beside the fuming Scott, Aiden walked forward without a word.

When they finally reached the place where the horses had been tied, he noticed a woman he had never seen before.

As their eyes met, she lowered her head in greeting.

“Duke Gloucester, my greetings. I am Lilia Grenzach, a maid serving Princess Evelyn.”

“Princess Evelyn…?”

“Her Highness has asked that I escort you. Please come with me to the Imperial Palace.”

“You’re saying it’s possible to enter the palace?”

“Yes. However, only Your Grace may accompany me. We must avoid the guards, so I ask for your understanding.”

“Your Grace, absolutely not.”

Scott stepped forward and positioned himself between them.

“Something about this situation is strange. It’s far too dangerous for you to go alone.”

“This is for a private discussion. There is no need for concern.”

“I am the Duke’s adjutant. My place is at his side. I will accompany him.”

“That will not be possible.”

Lilia and Scott faced off stubbornly.

Neither showed any intention of backing down.

The first person to speak was Aiden.

“Scott, return to the ducal estate.”

“Your Grace!”

“Her Highness would not have summoned me without reason. If she intended to kill me, she wouldn’t have given me those warnings before.”

“…”

“You needn’t worry. Return to the estate and protect it with the knights.”

Aiden stepped forward until he stood before Lilia.

“I’ll come.”

“Thank you.”

Leaving behind a stunned Scott, the two began walking along the towering walls of the Imperial Palace.

How long had they walked?

By the time they reached a place where neither Scott nor even the main gate could be seen, Lilia finally stopped.

A strangely secluded scene greeted them.

The palace wall, heavy with moisture, was completely covered in creeping vines.

The lower portion, where sunlight never reached, was thick with green mold.

The ground around it was overgrown with weeds and shrubs.

Compared to the rest of the palace grounds, this area had been particularly neglected, as though no human hand had touched it for years.

“Would you please wait a moment?”

When Aiden nodded, Lilia pushed her way through the dense undergrowth.

Unfazed by the rough branches scraping against her, she parted the bushes until she stopped at a certain spot.

At the same time, a creaking sound echoed through the air.

Aiden’s usually relaxed eyes narrowed slightly.

“You may enter through here.”

“…”

As she straightened up, a door became visible in the ground.

“That is…”

“A secret passage reserved for the direct imperial bloodline.”

“…”

“Even Her Majesty the Emperor is unaware of this place, so you may enter without concern.”

‘A passage for the direct bloodline that even the Emperor does not know about…’

Had Emperor Philip truly never considered Mary his daughter?

Aiden stepped closer and peered inside.

Pitch-black darkness filled the interior.

Nothing could be seen.

‘Could this be a trap?’

For all he knew, this maid might not truly be serving the princess at all.

The passage was undoubtedly narrow.

Being ambushed from both the front and rear inside a straight, dark corridor was one of the worst possible situations in battle.

And yet, for some reason, it did not feel threatening.

More than that, he had the strange intuition that if he did not follow her now, he would regret it deeply.

At that moment, Lilia spoke from beside him.

“Then I shall go in first. The passage is dark, so please be careful not to lose your footing.”

Following after her without hesitation, Aiden stepped inside.

The moment he did, an old grinding sound echoed behind them, and darkness descended over their surroundings.

***

“How boring.”

Meanwhile, inside the arena filled with the same noise as always, the Emperor, who had been watching with weary indifference, muttered quietly.

The green eyes that usually showed at least a trace of interest during these events were now filled with nothing but deep darkness.

“Y-Your Majesty! I am certain you will enjoy today’s event.”

Viscount Cornwell hurriedly rose to his feet and added,

“We have prepared participants far more aggressive than usual, so there should be much more stimulating beha—”

“Stimulating?”

Mary interrupted him with a disinterested tone and lowered her gaze.

The thoughts of the absolute ruler were unbearably heavy and cold.

“At most, a little blood will be spilled. How is that supposed to entertain me any longer?”

“Th-that…!”

“Your Majesty.”

At that moment, Evelyn’s gentle voice sounded.

It was unusual for her.

Whenever these events took place, she normally sat like a stone statue, showing no expression at all.

“I believe the problem is that most of the participants are unfamiliar faces.”

“Hm.”

“Since Your Majesty does not know who they are, there is less enjoyment in watching them.”

“Yes. You make a fair point.”

The Emperor readily agreed with Evelyn’s observation.

Among the roughly twenty participants, there were a few familiar faces.

But as the princess had said, most were such insignificant people that even the Emperor did not know them.

“Th-Then…! Next time, I shall find participants whom Your Majesty is likely to recognize! If you would only grant me some time—”

“Is there any need for that?”

Once again, Evelyn cut off the viscount’s words.

Viscount Cornwell shot her an irritated glare.

The princess kept interrupting him at every opportunity.

‘Things are already unstable enough as it is…!’

Lately, he had been pushed around from all sides by the Head Attendant.

“Her Majesty is bored. You’ve been filling these events with insignificant nobodies for weeks. That’s probably why.”

“Most of the Second Empress faction has already been purged. There simply aren’t any suitable candidates left…”

“If there aren’t any, then go farther and find some.”

‘Isn’t that your job, Viscount Cornwell?’

Remembering the Head Attendant ’s words, he clenched both fists tightly.

People throughout the capital called him Wilcock’s hunting dog.

Not the Emperor’s hunting dog—

the hunting dog of a mere Head Attendant.

At first, the title had wounded his pride deeply.

But eventually, he changed his way of thinking.

‘The real powers are the Head Attendant and Count Edenbarker anyway.’

‘The Count doesn’t easily let anyone into his circle, so if I want to succeed, I need to attach myself to the Head Attendant.’

No matter what others called him, once he was wielding power openly and living in luxury, wouldn’t they all shut their mouths?

That was why Cornwell worked tirelessly day and night.