Chapter 80
Chapter 80
Chapter 80
Palace Assault (1)
Karen woke up again the next morning.
"Are you conscious?"
"Where is this... Huh?"
Karen threw off the blanket and urgently sat up.
It was because Pruna's voice and yesterday's memories quickly surfaced.
"You exhausted considerable strength by forcibly drawing out that power. Lie back down."
"N-no!"
When Karen came to her senses and looked around, this wasn't a place Karen knew.
Not the imperial palace, not the knights' lounge, not the mansion where Karen lived.
"This is my house."
"T-this is the Captain's mansion?"
"Yes, though it's a place I visit maybe once a month."
Pruna personally brewed tea and poured two cups.
For a noble of Pruna's standing, it wouldn't be strange to live luxuriously with dozens of servants, but strangely, no other presence besides the two of them could be felt in the mansion.
"Drink."
"A-ah, yes!"
Karen sipped the tea Pruna poured while feeling honored.
Even so, Karen kept rolling her eyes to take in the appearance of the room.
"Haha, even if you look like that, there's nothing particularly luxurious."
"Ah, I'm sorry."
"Disappointed?"
"N-not at all!"
At Karen's appearance of shaking her head vigorously, Pruna chuckled and spoke while bringing the teacup to her lips.
"I'm the Captain of the Imperial Guard and hold the title of Count, but... If you're not born with an excellent bloodline, it's just wealth that will last only one generation."
"Is... That so?"
"I'm also a fallen noble like you. I entered the knights with not a single penny and climbed up desperately while receiving all kinds of persecution."
"......"
"Even when I tried to do something with the position I gained that way, I was no match for nobles who had accumulated wealth and power over several generations. My lack of business acumen played a part, but in the end, this is how it turned out."
Pruna laughed self-deprecatingly and met Karen's eyes.
"Yes, unless heaven and earth are turned upside down, you can't overturn your destined life. Especially in times like these..."
Karen blankly listened to Pruna's words.
For some reason, Pruna was continuing to reveal her inner thoughts to Karen, thoughts Pruna had never shared much before.
"Whether by sword, wealth, or family name, whenever I tried to overcome any limit, someone kept blocking my path. So to overturn that, I crossed a line that humans shouldn't cross."
"C-Captain...!"
"Well, don't worry. I'm the only one who crossed the line. You just need to become my successor under the new order I create and look down on everything."
"......"
Karen remained silent.
Though Karen respected Pruna, the path Pruna was trying to take was truly the path of inhumanity.
No matter how blinded by revenge Karen herself was, Karen felt vague doubt and anxiety about whether Pruna could truly grasp the ending Pruna desired.
Pruna, unbothered by Karen's gaze, took out a sword decorated with gorgeous jewels from a drawer and handed it to Karen.
"What is this?"
"It's a magic sword. It's paired with the one I use, a sword bestowed upon me by my lord."
"...!"
"Since I don't use twin swords, I was just keeping it at home, but I think this sword would be good for you to use."
"I-I couldn't dare accept it."
To Karen who shook her head, Pruna smiled and pressed the sword into Karen's hand.
"Even though it's called a magic sword, it's not some low-grade item that erodes the user's mind. Without any particular penalty, it will amplify the power rooted in your heart dozens of times over."
Pruna recited to Karen exactly what she had heard from Marbas about the sword's utility.
Not a single point of doubt existed in Pruna's expression.
"Come, let's go. Today I'll assign you to the duty of monitoring the Emperor. It's an easy job, so work with peace of mind."
"A-ah, understood. And... Thank you, Captain."
Karen eventually accepted the magic sword and stood up.
"Soon everything will be decided. The time my lord spoke of will come soon, so keep your wits about you and just follow me."
"Yes! Captain!"
......
The two knew nothing.
That the time when everything would be decided had come not soon but right now, right under their noses.
***
The Imperial Guard cannot leave the Emperor's side except for considerable matters.
Especially the Captain, she had to spend all hours of palace duty by the Emperor's side.
Therefore, Pruna Silent couldn't notice the machinations of others that had begun from outside the imperial palace.
"Captain!"
When a subordinate on duty at the palace outskirts came running urgently, Pruna frowned.
"What is it?"
"A fire! A large-scale fire has occurred in the southeastern outskirts of the imperial palace!"
"...What?"
Before Pruna could order follow-up measures, another subordinate came running urgently and began reporting.
"Intruders! Multiple intruders have appeared at the Winter Palace where His Highness the First Prince resides!"
"What? What were all the guards protecting the palace doing! Move the troops immediately!"
But the bad news reaching Pruna's ears wasn't all.
"Captain! Intruders to the west!"
"The eastern villa has completely collapsed! It seems large-scale attack magic was cast!"
Among the flood of continuous reports, one report made Pruna's eyes flash wide.
"Captain! Someone presumed to be Rudian Belstad is leading Glory Knights and entering through the main southern gate!"
"...!"
"The members patrolling nearby gathered guards to respond, but they broke through in less than 5 minutes! Please give instructions!"
"Damn it...!"
Pruna realized who the mastermind of this situation was and cursed.
'Could the target be the Emperor?'
Pruna, who quickly grasped the situation, gave orders.
"Kelly! Right now, immediately inform Count Marbas that Rudian Belstad has infiltrated the imperial palace!"
"Yes, Captain."
"Rohan, you go to the Third Prince's palace. If Lady Sitri is there, inform her of this fact, and if not, go to a place called the Red Pleasure Mansion in District A-23."
"Understood!"
"The Vice-Captain should be there, so make sure to bring the Vice-Captain as well!"
The two Imperial Guards Pruna named were comrades who had been persuaded by Pruna and decided to join her cause.
In this situation, losing two Imperial Guards as fighting power was a significant gap, but Pruna concluded that this movement wasn't something aimed only at them.
Then Karen, who had been silently watching Pruna, stepped forward with enthusiasm.
"Captain, give me orders too."
"No, you must stay with me. Watching... No, protecting His Majesty is the Imperial Guard's mission."
With regular guards abundant around them, Pruna couldn't carelessly use the word monitoring.
Then a low voice came from behind the knights.
"What is this commotion now?"
"Your Majesty!"
Emperor Rausa I, who had appeared leading several guards, asked Pruna.
"Imperial Guard Captain, I asked what this commotion is."
Pruna hurriedly bowed her head and explained the situation.
If they were alone it would be different, but now this was entirely an official setting.
"Yes! A traitor named Rudian Belstad has dared to rebel against the current imperial dynasty and attempt to overthrow the state. The exact scale is still being assessed, but I will suppress the rebellion as quickly as possible!"
"Hmm, is that so?"
The Emperor showed a thoughtful expression, stroking his beard.
But that thought didn't last even a few seconds, and soon the Emperor's official command fell upon Pruna's ears.
"Then Captain Pruna should bring that traitor's head."
"...Pardon?"
Pruna raised her head sharply and looked directly at the Emperor.
"Why are you like that? If you cut off the ringleader's head, can't you easily suppress a rebellion?"
"B-but I couldn't dare leave Your Majesty's side..."
"That depends on the situation too. My side is full of skilled and loyal Imperial Guards, so there's no need to waste your abilities by having you stick only by my side."
"......"
At the Emperor's words, Pruna frowned and pondered.
The regular guards aside, all the Imperial Guards currently deployed around the Emperor were Pruna's people.
These people could at least threaten enemies while holding onto the Emperor's life even in the worst situation.
'Besides, they're not the only fighting power.'
There were many succubi disguised as maids in this area.
Even if their combat power itself wouldn't be of great help, they could at least buy time by uniting with the Imperial Guards.
'Rather than allowing enemy infiltration all the way here, it would be much better for me to go out and trip up that person to buy time.'
Having finished her calculations, Pruna bowed her head and accepted the imperial command.
"I obey! I will follow your command."
"You certainly think long about it. Then, good luck."
The Emperor sneered with a strange smile and went back into the palace.
At the Emperor's excessively relaxed attitude, Pruna was momentarily swept by a strange sense of discomfort.
'...What is it?'
An attitude as if the Emperor had known about the current events in advance.
But the security of this imperial palace had never once been breached.
'Even if I briefly left my post, it's impossible to avoid the eyes of the maids who monitor this area 24 hours a day. Am I being too hypersensitive?'
Pruna deliberately shook her head and brushed away the worst assumption that had risen in her mind.
Whatever the case, right now Pruna had to intercept the intruders and trip them up as much as possible.
But was it because Pruna's mind was urgent?
Pruna failed to notice that a sword that had always been fastened at the Emperor's waist was missing.
"Karen, you stay here and protect His Majesty together with the Imperial Guards."
"Captain, let me come with you too...!"
"No! I'm also going just to buy time. Not just you, but anyone else who comes with me would only be at the level of being a hindrance!"
"T-that..."
Deep disappointment appeared on Karen's face.
But Pruna deliberately ignored that gaze and gave her final command while gripping her sword hilt.
"No matter what happens, protect His Majesty! When those people outside the palace come, this rebellion will be suppressed quickly!"
"Yes! Captain!"
While the guards couldn't understand what Pruna was talking about now, the members nodded vigorously and accepted the command.
Thus Pruna quickly left the palace to stop Rudian.
A strange silence descended in front of the Emperor's audience hall, now vacant of its leader.
Step by step.
That silence was broken about 5 minutes later.
"As expected, the eunuchs are well-versed in palace affairs. I didn't think there would really be a shortcut..."
"Ugh, I wanted to stay with Rudian..."
The ones who broke the Imperial Guards' silence were ten people who had used exactly the same shortcut that Rudian had used when he infiltrated the palace in the past.
Karen cast an unbelieving gaze upon confirming the identity of the one leading those intruders.
"H-how are you here..."
"As expected, you were here, Karen."
The intruders numbered ten in total.
The blonde man standing at the front, Elvin Kepler.
An ordinary girl with orange hair whom Karen had never seen before.
And eight Psychic Luminous psychics following behind them.
The other Imperial Guards who grasped the situation also quickly drew their swords and entered combat readiness, and Karen also belatedly came to her senses and drew her sword.
Elvin, without giving even a glance to the others, looked directly only at Karen and said:
"I came to settle things, Karen."