side. Anastasia (11)

The blood drained from my face the moment I saw the written order His Highness handed me. It bore the unmistakable, heavy imprint of the King’s Great Seal.

"Daughter of Duke Ramslett, Anastasia Kleiner von Ramslett, is hereby ordered to marry Gunter Werner, Magic Division Commander of the Est Empire."

I tried to protest, the words tumbling out in a frantic rush, but His Highness didn't even blink. He looked at me as if I were a nuisance already dealt with.

"With the Great Seal attached, this is a royal command," he said coldly. "Refuse, and both you and House Ramslett will be officially branded as traitors."

"Guh..."

But was such a thing even possible? No matter how much authority the Royal Family wielded, to order a ducal house—without any prior consultation—to marry a daughter off to a foreign nation, especially to a man whose social standing didn't even come close to mine... it was madness.

His Highness barked an order for me to be taken into custody. When Allen moved to protect me, I reflexively signaled for him to stop.

If Allen drew his blade now, he would be a rebel. No matter the status of a ducal house, openly revolting against an order backed by the Great Seal and using force to resist the Crown Prince was a death sentence. I wouldn't be able to protect him from the fallout.

"Wait, Allen! I cannot believe my father would have ever consented to this. Go to him. Tell him what is happening!"

"Ugh... I understand."

I thrust the written order into Allen’s hands just as a group of knights closed in around me. Their formation was tight, clearly designed to ensure I had no path for escape.

Wait. Knights? Were these men truly knights?

Something about their posture and the way they carried themselves felt off, sending a flicker of doubt through my mind. I saw Allen—who seemed to have been provoked by something that woman said—reach for his sword again. I shouted to stop him before he did something irreversible.

"Allen, I’ll be fine! Trust me!"

"Kuh..."

And so, I was led away like a prisoner. The knights escorted me to a carriage with a surprisingly rugged, utilitarian interior. I pointedly refused their offer of an escort to board, my way of maintaining at least a shred of dignity in protest.

It was only after I sat down inside that a critical realization struck me.

A carriage with such a crude interior? Why doesn't a carriage from the Royal Palace bear the royal crest?

"Wait! Don't tell me you lot are—!"

"Took you long enough," one of them sneered. "You’ve been sold out by that Crown Prince of yours. Welcome to the Est Empire, princess."

I was too slow to react. Several men lunged at once, pinning me down before I could move. They bound my hands behind my back, shoved a gag into my mouth, and stuffed me unceremoniously into a large sack.

It was dark. I could hardly breathe.

I’m such a fool. I was so blinded by my own common sense and the rules of nobility that I missed what was right in front of me.

Allen!

Help me...!

＊＊＊＊

It felt as though I had been changed between several carriages before being smuggled out of the Royal Capital through the sewers. Now, I was back in a carriage again, being transported to some unknown destination.

I could piece together the journey based on the sensations. There were several times I felt like I was floating—likely when they were tossing me from one carriage to another like common luggage. Later, someone had carried me on their shoulder. During that time, I’d heard the constant rush of water and smelled a stench so foul it made my head swim. That had to have been the sewers.

But if the Est Empire knows the layout of our sewers, the kingdom is in grave danger.

The city walls would be utterly useless in the event of an invasion.

I almost laughed at myself when my thoughts reached that point. After the way His Highness—the man destined to be our next king—treated me, why am I still worrying about the fate of this country?

The carriage eventually lurched to a halt. I was hoisted up once more, carried for a short distance, and then dropped roughly onto the hard ground.

The mouth of the sack was pulled open, and I finally tasted fresh air for the first time in what felt like ages. As soon as they ripped the gag from my mouth, I glared at the men surrounding me.

"Heh... hah... You lot... do you really think you’ll get away with this?"

The man standing directly in front of me was massive—likely the one who had been carrying me. There were about ten others encircling us.

"Whoa, look at that. The little lady of House Ramslett still has some bite in her," the big man said, a greasy, unpleasant smirk spreading across his face. The other men were just as bad, their eyes traveling up and down my body as if they were licking me.

"But yeah, we’re gonna get away with it just fine. See, the Crown Prince sold you to us. And as for your family? Every last one of 'em is scheduled for execution for high treason soon. Failing to cooperate with the crown during a foreign invasion makes 'em traitors, right? Well, it’s all going exactly according to our plan, anyway."

The men erupted into vulgar, raucous laughter.

"And so," the man continued, "the one who put in the request to buy you was none other than the Magic Division Commander of our Est Empire."

"I would never become the wife of such a man!" I snapped, my voice trembling with rage.

But the response I got was nothing like I expected.

"Ah, see, it’s not really gonna be like that."

"……What?"

"I don't know the details, but the boss said as long as your body stays in one piece, he doesn't care if your mind is shattered. So, from now until we reach the Imperial Capital, the boys and I are gonna take turns passing you around every night. Hope you're ready."

"Eh...?"

The thought was hideous. To have anyone other than Allen touch me...!

I reflexively reached for my magic to strike them down.

"O Mana, root of all things! Become a spear of ice and strike my enemy! Ice Spear!"

Nothing. The magic I had practiced since childhood failed to manifest.

"W-Why...?"

"The lady’s supposed to be a genius, but she’s pretty dim-witted, ain't she? Those ropes we used to tie you up have a Magic Sealing effect. They’re high-quality goods we got straight from the Magic Division Commander."

"No... that can't be..."

Despair flooded my heart as I realized my only means of resistance had been stripped away before I even knew I was in a fight.

"Now then, let's get this started."

"N-No! Stay back!"

I tried to scramble away, but I was immediately backed against a wall.

"Gyahaha! Listen to that. You can make a real cute voice when you want to, can't you?"

The men reached out, their filthy hands closing in on me.