While they felt a sense of relief, the world leaders could not suppress a cold dread at the unfathomable power Maquina possessed.
With the ground finally silent, Jin gradually lowered the Konron 2. The passengers remained glued to the windows, captivated by the clear view of the destruction below.
On the ground, Fritz was putting his four remaining Golias units to work—excluding the damaged Golias 4—to clear the debris. Standing six meters tall, the golems displayed impressive strength as they moved massive chunks of stone.
"What incredible power," one delegate remarked.
"It’s actually quite satisfying to watch them work," another added.
Roughly a third of the Detached Palace’s exterior had collapsed. However, watching the Golias units toss aside debris weighing several tons gave some of the onlookers a sense of catharsis.
Within thirty minutes, the golems had cleared the exterior wall, and the main entrance finally came into view. However, a thick layer of smaller debris still blocked the way, making it impossible to enter on foot.
As the Konron 2 descended toward the palace grounds, the onlookers were treated to another surprise. Ten more golems—Land 11 through 20—converged on the site.
"W-What are those!?"
"Is that more of Maquina’s force?"
"...We should count our blessings that they aren't our enemies."
As the representatives voiced their awe and concern, Gloria watched with a different expression. "I knew it," she thought. "Those are the same golems from that day." She remembered vividly how they had saved her life.
The Land units began clearing the smaller debris that the larger Golias units were too clumsy to handle. Though "small" compared to the massive blocks moved earlier, these pieces were still far too heavy for any human to budge. The Land squad moved them with effortless precision.
In just five minutes, the entrance to the Detached Palace was fully cleared. The Land squad immediately rushed inside. Fritz, after ordering his Golias units to stand by, followed close behind.
"Brother!?" Elsa cried out. She had been watching the scene through the window of the Konron 2’s cabin.
"What’s wrong, Elsa?" Jin asked, poking his head out of the cockpit.
Elsa hurriedly explained the situation.
"Hmm... Fritz is being reckless," Jin muttered. "There’s no guarantee the palace interior is stable yet."
Large sections of the building had already collapsed, and the threat of further cave-ins was constant.
"Laojun, tell the Land squad to keep a close eye on Fritz’s safety," Jin whispered, making sure his instructions weren't overheard by the passengers. Elsa finally let out a sigh of relief.
The interior of the Guillaume Detached Palace was in even worse shape than it had appeared from the outside. Stone structures rely on a delicate balance of forces; while they are exceptionally strong when whole, the failure of a single arch can trigger a devastating chain reaction of collapses.
The Guillaume Detached Palace had several such precarious points.
"...Dammit... Not here either," Fritz growled.
He was searching for anyone left behind—specifically the King, the Prince, and the girl the Prince was protecting. Finding the first floor’s Great Hall empty, Fritz decided to head for the second floor. Navigating around collapsed ceilings, he managed to find a staircase and began a cautious ascent. Land 12 and 16 followed him, standing ready for any sudden emergency.
The second floor housed the terrace where King Richard had given his speech, but the area was deserted.
"Further in, then," Fritz said, pushing deeper into the wing.
"Wait..." He stopped. A pair of legs was visible beneath a pile of rubble. "Someone’s there!"
Fritz rushed to help, but he hit a wall when he encountered blocks of stone too heavy for a man to move. "Curse it! If I could just..."
Land 12 and 16 stepped forward. "Allow us."
"Master Fritz, please step back."
"Oh, right... you guys."
"We are those who serve Master Deus Ex Machina."
Responding briefly to Fritz’s query, the two Land units set to work. The debris that hadn't budged an inch for Fritz was tossed aside as if it weighed nothing at all.
"...Between that knight Rei and this Maquina person... just how much power do they hide?" Fritz wondered, his heart a mix of admiration and a touch of fear.
As he stood there, the rubble was cleared away to reveal the person trapped beneath.
"...Kirk?"
It was Kirk At, one of Prince Cesar's personal guards. He was bleeding heavily from a head wound, and his right arm had been completely crushed. It was a grave injury.
"He is still breathing. We must treat him at once," Land 16 said. He pulled a bottle from a pouch on his waist and sprinkled its contents over Kirk’s wounds. The bleeding stopped instantly.
It was recovery medicine from Hourai Island, a concoction with potency rivaling mid-level healing magic.
"The bleeding is stopped for now. I shall carry him out."
As Land 16 gently hoisted Kirk into his arms, Fritz spoke up. "Right. My sister, Elsa, is a brilliant healer. Tell her I sent you and ask her to take care of him."
"Understood."
As Land 16 departed, Land 14, 17, and 18 arrived to take his place.
"We shall assist you, Master Fritz."
Though taken aback that the golems knew his name, Fritz nodded. "I appreciate it. There should be more rooms further back."
With the four Land golems clearing the path in seconds, Fritz pushed on. They eventually reached a heavy, ornate door reinforced with metal and carved with the Celuroa crest—a dragon and crossed swords.
In the heat of the moment, Fritz didn't wait for a response after knocking. He threw the door open. It wasn't locked, but it groaned on its hinges.
"Hang in there!" Fritz shouted as he burst into the room.
Sections of the ceiling had caved in here as well. An elderly maid lay on the floor, presumably struck by falling debris. She was moaning in pain, which meant she was at least conscious. Land 14 administered more recovery medicine, and she soon regained enough strength to speak. Land 14 then took charge of escorting her out of the palace.
Deeper in the room, Fritz found another figure buried under debris. It was the girl with no memory whom the Crown Prince had been sheltering.
"That girl... Hey! Stay with me!"
She was unconscious and unresponsive. Fritz noticed a significant wound on her left shoulder, yet strangely, no blood was flowing from it.
In his rush, he didn't stop to wonder why. He cleared away the smaller fragments of stone and succeeded in lifting the girl into his arms.
"Master Fritz, my comrades have searched the other floors. They report no other survivors," Land 17 informed him.
Fritz shook his head. "No. The King and the Prince have to be here somewhere. There might be a hidden room. And there’s still one guard missing—I think his name was Skepe, or Skeve?"
"If there are hidden rooms, they would likely be in the basement. Regardless, we must evacuate. This structure is failing."
Fine dust and small pebbles had begun raining down from the ceiling.
"Fine. Let’s get out of here first."
The Konron 2 had landed in the square in front of the Guest House.
Those who had taken refuge on the ship disembarked once the immediate danger had passed. The international delegates began reuniting with their respective guards and servants, confirming their safety.
The casualties among the foreign guests were nonexistent—a stroke of luck, as only a small number had been allowed inside the Detached Palace when the rampage began.
The Celuroa Kingdom, however, had not been so fortunate.
"...It’s a disaster."
Many of the soldiers who had been stationed as guards—often just for show—had been unable to escape. The losses were heavy. While the full extent of the tragedy was still being calculated, the current tally stood at 15 dead, 21 seriously injured, and 11 with minor wounds.
The numbers were expected to climb as the search through the rubble continued.