As the dust from the explosion near the Castle Gate was carried away by the wind, the knights who still remained conscious widened their eyes in disbelief.
They had been certain their colleagues were horribly injured—or at worst, dead. Instead, though their comrades were covered in soot and grime from the blast, none of them seemed to have sustained fatal wounds.
In their place, the knights under Tilleul’s command stood firm, shields raised high in front of the unconscious guards.
The sight made it immediately obvious what had happened.
"They... saved them?" one knight muttered under his breath.
It was a casual observation, but he froze in surprise when a voice responded from right beside him.
"Of course we did. We aren’t exactly looking to kill you, after all."
"Lady Vihera!?"
Recognizing the voice, the knight reflexively turned his head. There he found a mage collapsed on the ground, with Vihera standing over him.
"Honestly. I know mages are rare, but is someone who panics like that truly useful? From where I’m standing, he only seems to put his own allies in pointless danger."
"Y-yes... well... he was introduced by a high-ranking Noble, and his raw power is decent enough, as you just saw. We were planning to correct his temperament over time..."
"I see. Well, looking at that performance, it sounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you. Good luck with that."
"Thank you very much."
The exchange between the two former enemies proceeded with bizarre civility.
As they spoke, Vihera reached out and placed her hand against the knight’s armor.
"Hah!"
With a sharp exhale of focus, she sent a shockwave directly through his body.
"...Eh?"
Before the knight could even process what was happening, his vision darkened.
"Letting your guard down so easily against an enemy is a point against you," Vihera said, her words barely reaching his fading mind before he lost consciousness entirely.
"Well, I suppose his attention was pulled too far by the unexpected explosion."
Vihera looked down at the unconscious man for a moment, then scanned her surroundings. The only people left standing were herself, Tilleul, and his subordinate knights.
Ordinarily, the Castle Gate would be teeming with people, but today, most of the castle staff had gone to the arena to witness the Finals of the Fighting Tournament. While a certain number of guards remained behind for emergencies, security was significantly laxer than usual.
"Tilleul, can we assume this was enough to draw the attention of those remaining in the castle?"
Vihera looked out over the fallen knights. They lay scattered about like a field of corpses—though they were merely unconscious, not dead. Tilleul nodded, gesturing for his men to carry the fallen guards into the shade.
"Indeed. Given the scale of the commotion, they have undoubtedly noticed us. Our objective to draw the enemy’s attention has been met."
"Good. Then, while we hope Theoreme is handling things well on his end, shall we run a bit more wild?"
"It would be a joy to witness Lady Vihera’s beautiful combat... but are you certain that is wise?"
"Things might descend into civil war regardless, so it’s better to reduce the enemy’s military strength while we have the chance."
Despite her talk of civil war, Vihera watched with a soft expression as Tilleul’s men moved the unconscious knights out of the scorching heat. For Vihera, an 'enemy' was someone worthy of a fight, but she held no malice toward these common soldiers.
Tilleul, ever devoted to her, chose not to voice any further concerns. Unless he felt a decision was truly unacceptable, he would never countermand her wishes. He simply nodded.
"Understood. Then, where shall we head first?"
"Well... I’d like to go straight to where the boy is being kept, but..."
"That would be a bit too obvious, wouldn't it?"
They had gone to the trouble of creating a diversion; it would be counterproductive to reveal their ultimate goal so soon. Tilleul spoke with caution, but Vihera only offered a wry smile.
"I understand your concern, Tilleul. You're thinking of his safety. But even the enemy shouldn't be able to say for certain that my presence here is part of a plan to rescue him. If Theoreme were standing here instead of you, it might be a different story."
Vihera glanced at him with a playful glint in her eyes.
"But Theoreme is moving toward the boy separately from us. If that’s the case, wouldn't it be better if we drew the eyes of everyone in the castle while heading toward that location anyway? If we happen to cross paths with the Separate Unit after they’ve secured him, we can bolster their strength and break out of here all at once."
Tilleul considered this and found it logical.
Waiting outside the Imperial Capital were the knights and armies of the Third Prince Faction and various Nobles who had answered Vihera's call. Their numbers were not vast—the Second Princess Faction was relatively small, and the time to prepare had been short. If the total military power of the Bestia Empire was represented by the number twenty, their forces wouldn't even total one.
Yet, Tilleul was amazed they had gathered even that much. Vihera was technically an Imperial princess who had fled the country. To have so many people risk execution for treason just to support her was a testament to her overwhelming charisma.
Just like me, the devoted Tilleul thought, finally nodding in agreement. Despite his lingering anxieties, he judged that with Vihera’s strength and his own support, they could handle whatever remained of the castle’s depleted guard.
Our movements were anticipated, but they couldn't have known Lady Vihera would be among us. Does that mean the forces inside are unprepared? Or, if they were already ordered to arrest me, have they already guessed that I—and by extension, the Second Princess—am cooperating with Theoreme?
While Tilleul remained lost in thought, Vihera had already begun to march forward. Her target was the high-security guest wing deep within the castle where those of high status were placed under house arrest.
"Lady Vihera, please wait! You shouldn't go in alone..."
"Oh? Do you think there’s anyone in this castle right now capable of stopping me? Well, if there is, at least I’ll have some fun."
Knowing her brother’s life was on the line while still craving a challenge from a strong opponent was the very essence of Vihera’s character.
Tilleul knew it was useless to argue further. Besides, he wanted to see her fight from the best vantage point possible. He led his knights in her wake without another word. The knights, well-acquainted with their master’s obsession, shared a small laugh before following.
Near the Castle Gate, only a mountain of unconscious knights and a single rookie mage remained. Since they had been moved to the shade to protect them from the midsummer sun, they were safe, but their pride would likely never recover from the humiliation.
Vihera advanced through the castle with bold confidence. Tilleul trailed just behind her, eyes darting about to intercept any threat, while his knights watched their master’s back with knowing smiles.
"Her Highness Vihera?"
A sudden voice brought the group to a halt.
Standing in their path was a man Vihera recognized. He was exceptionally wide, weighing well over a hundred kilograms. Despite the Magic Items providing cool air throughout the halls, his forehead was slick with sweat.
"Aktor. It’s been a long time. You’re sweating quite a bit—don't you think it's time you lost some weight? You look even heavier than when I left."
"Hahaha. Such harsh words. But no matter how hard I try to slim down, it's a difficult task when the world is so full of delicious things."
As Aktor wiped his brow, Vihera gave a wry smile. Behind her, Tilleul’s face twisted in distaste. To a man who worshipped aesthetic beauty, someone like Aktor was an eyesore. Still, he kept his mouth shut because his goddess was speaking.
"Even so, you’ve chosen quite the time to return... and that provocative outfit seems a bit problematic for an Imperial Princess, wouldn't you say?"
Aktor's eyes drifted to her translucent clothing with a leering grin that contradicted his polite tone. Vihera, long accustomed to such looks, merely shrugged.
"I’m no longer a princess. I’m free to wear what I like, aren't I?"
The movement of her shrug caused her voluptuous curves to sway, momentarily capturing Aktor's gaze. He maintained his smile as he continued.
"So, why has the Lady Vihera returned to us? Could it be you’ve had a change of heart about your exile? If so, I would be more than happy to mediate with His Majesty the Emperor on your behalf."
"I’m afraid not. ...But surely someone like you would know, Aktor. That the boy is being held under house arrest."
The instant the words left her mouth, Aktor’s eyes grew incredibly sharp. It only lasted for a heartbeat, but Tilleul noticed it and looked on in surprise.
In Tilleul's mind, Aktor was nothing more than a Libertine Noble obsessed with food and women. Yet, inexplicably, he was popular with both the common folk and the maids. He was a man of many contradictions.
"You mean... Prince Mercurio?"
"Yes. I’ve heard he might be in some danger, and it seems a shame to keep him locked away forever. I thought I’d help him get some fresh air."
At her casual remark, Aktor let out a heavy, ostentatious sigh. Tilleul bristled at the gesture, but Aktor ignored him, focusing entirely on Vihera. His gaze was now far sharper than before, radiating a pressure that felt like a physical weight.
In that moment, he didn't seem like a dissipated noble at all.
"Since Viscount Boogle is with you... I assume that means you are serious?"
"Yes. That's exactly right."
The exchange was brief, but it was enough for both sides to understand the stakes.
"This could lead to a civil war, at the very worst."
"If people weren't trying to take his life, it never would have come to this."
"Even if this is all according to His Majesty's designs?"
"Yes. I understand my father’s thinking. But that doesn't mean I’ll stand by and watch my own brother be murdered. I have no interest in the throne myself, but if he wishes for it, I’ll help him take it."
Standing there resolutely, Vihera exuded the unmistakable aura of Imperial royalty. Combined with her mismatched attire, she left a vivid, haunting impression on Aktor.
Aktor forcibly broke the spell of her presence and spoke.
"I see. That is truly a pity. I shall step aside for now. As you can see, I’m not much for exercise. But... the next time we meet, it may very well be on a battlefield."
With a respectful bow, Aktor wiped his forehead once more and walked away.
Vihera watched his retreating back with a satisfied smile, her eyes tracking him until he disappeared from sight.