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The carriage carrying Princess Lucila passed through the massive gates of the Royal Capital.
"Phew... We made it back in one piece, at last."
Loretta, who had been riding in the carriage as her guard, let out a long sigh of relief.
"I’m sorry for forcing you to live in such a state of constant tension for so long, Lore."
"Don't mention it. It was clear that your presence was vital for this summit, and besides, this is my job. You have nothing to apologize for, Lucy."
"Thank you. The war has only just begun, so I fear restful days are still a long way off. But once we're back inside the castle, please, at least take the rest of the day for yourself."
"Yeah, I think I'll do just that."
While the two shared a moment of relief over their safe return to the capital, the carriage arrived at the Royal Castle.
When Loretta stepped out, she found several people gathered there to welcome Lucila home. After confirming that every person present was either a close aide or an attendant of the princess, she reached back into the carriage.
Accepting her hand, Lucila stepped down onto the cobblestones.
"Welcome home, Princess Lucila. It brings me great relief to see you unharmed."
Duke Azar, a dignified man in his late fifties, spoke for the group as their representative.
"Duke Azar, it is good to be back. And thank you all for coming to meet me."
Lucila had just begun to offer a warm smile of gratitude when—suddenly—everyone present except for her was violently blown backward, as if being physically torn away from her side.
"————"
Lucila’s eyes went wide, frozen by the suddenness of the event.
Before she could even process what had happened, a man was standing right beside her.
"Nobody move. Not a word. Disobey, and I will open her throat without mercy."
The man standing beside Lucila—the Great Hero, Felix Roots Kreuzer—delivered the cold ultimatum, his blade pressed firmly against her neck.
"...Prince Felix? Why are you here?"
Despite the cold steel at her throat, Lucila maintained her composure and demanded an answer.
"To bring this war to a swift conclusion," Felix answered, his clouded eyes looking down at her.
"Surrender, Princess Lucila. I have no desire for needless bloodshed. If you declare the Kingdom’s submission to the Empire here and now, I give you my word that the attacks on your lands will cease."
"...My brother, the Crown Prince, is the one who decides the Kingdom's future. Surely you know I lack the authority to make such a choice? And yet, would my words truly suffice for you?"
Following the King's passing, the Crown Prince had become the acting head of the Nohitant Kingdom. While Lucila held the prestige of royalty, she was not officially in a position to steer the state—at least, not in the eyes of the public.
"Hmph. Do you think us fools? You are the true leader of this country. In the Kingdom as it stands today, your word is law. Is it not?"
"............"
"Well, it matters little either way. If you refuse, I simply won't stop until the Kingdom admits defeat. Perhaps I’ll start by bringing this castle down on your heads, then move on to slaughtering every soul in the capital."
Felix's expression left no room for doubt; he meant every word.
He had suffered a defeat at Orun’s hands once before, but that was a secret known to very few. To the rest of the world, Felix was still the 'Strongest on the Continent.'
Indeed, with the loss of Warren—the former Hero and Royal Guard Captain—the Kingdom lacked anyone capable of challenging Felix in a fair fight. Even if the entire army converged on him, they would be no match for his power. Their only hope of resistance, the magic weapons received from the Hitia Duchy, were currently deployed at the front lines. There was nothing here to stop him.
My assessment was far too optimistic, Lucila cursed her own naivety. I never imagined the Great Hero would ignore the battlefield and strike directly at the heart of the capital...!
Because the Kingdom and the Empire were adjacent, Lucila and Felix had met and exchanged words many times in the past. From those interactions, Lucila had analyzed Felix as a kind-hearted person who cared for the people.
That analysis had been correct. However, it had required the premise that it was before he had undergone Perception Alteration. Lucila had predicted that Felix would eventually appear on the battlefield, but she had never anticipated him taking such a bold action as infiltrating the capital alone.
But how did he get here? It should be impossible for a man as famous as the Imperial Crown Prince to infiltrate the Royal Capital unnoticed. And yet, here he is. If such a thing were possible... could it be Long-distance Teleportation?
Based on the information she possessed, Lucila reached a conclusion that most would have dismissed as impossible. While the world believed the technology for Long-distance Teleportation had yet to be established, Lucila’s analysis of past incidents led her to believe that both Amunzaas and the Cyclamen Cult had already perfected it.
And her suspicion hit the mark.
If my theory holds, then even within the Cult, only the Executives are capable of such magic. If he used it to get here, then the Imperial Crown Prince is either an Executive himself or someone with equivalent standing.
The air around them began to grow physically heavy. The surrounding structures groaned and creaked under the weight of his mana.
If a Great Hero capable of Long-distance Teleportation decides to get serious, he wouldn't even need a week to wipe this nation off the map...
Lucila rapidly ran through every possible scenario, simulating the consequences of surrender versus resistance. Her priority remained the same: save as many of her people as she could.
"I have one question," she said, her voice heavy with regret.
"...What is it?"
"If we surrender, will the rights of my people be guaranteed?"
"Upon your surrender, Imperial Law will be established throughout the Kingdom, and your people will be recognized as citizens of the Empire. I have no desire to harm my own subjects. I give you my word as the Crown Prince. Of course, any who continue to resist will be eliminated."
Lucila hung her head, biting her lip as she fought back a wave of bitter frustration. Finally, her voice trembling, she forced the words out.
"...I understand. The Kingdom... will surrender."
And thus, the Nohitant Kingdom fell under the dominion of the Saubel Empire.