Chapter 42
Imperial Palace underground prison. In a pitch-black cell lit only by the torches in the corridor, a man was groaning.
“……Ughhh. Damn Empire bastards…… I’ll…… kill them all……”
Former first prince of Creteia Kingdom, Taurus, spat curses that were barely intelligible. Ever since the previous incident, his regeneration had been sealed by the Saintess’s holy power, leaving him confined in the deepest part of the underground prison.
Many had tried to extract information about the Heaven God Cult from him, but even under brutal threats and torture, he hadn’t uttered a word. They’d decided to keep him locked up here until they found a way to make him talk.
Thud—
“Pathetic sight.”
“Who…… No! How is the Sub-Cult Leader here—?!”
Taurus jolted at the voice addressing him soundlessly. It was the man he’d spoken to via communication orb before the wedding—the one called the Sub-Cult Leader of the Heaven God Cult. He’d appeared in the prison undetected by anyone.
Taurus was dumbfounded, but despite his bound limbs, he struggled to bow his head. The Sub-Cult Leader waved him off dismissively.
“No need to strain yourself while shackled.”
“I-I’m sorry……”
“More importantly…… you lost? Even with that one’s power?”
His flat, emotionless tone carried a subtle undercurrent of rage. Sensing a terror he’d never felt before, Taurus squeezed his eyes shut.
“I-I’m sorry!! Please, let me atone for this failure with my life—”
“Interesting.”
“Your forgiveness…… What?”
He’d expected instant death for his blunder, but the Sub-Cult Leader’s reaction wasn’t negative at all.
“A new Lord…… The stars showed no birth of a new star…… Could it be he was born with the energy to defy heaven……”
Muttering incomprehensible terms, the Sub-Cult Leader’s face was hidden, but it was easy to tell he was thoroughly amused. Taurus hadn’t been with the Heaven God Cult long enough to earn the man’s full trust, but he’d never seen him smile so brightly.
A mix of joy at being the first to witness this glorious moment and dread at why he was so pleased wrapped around Taurus’s heart.
“Well done. Thanks to you, I’ve learned another Lord exists in this era. I’ll need to accelerate our plans slightly.”
“Th-thank you—”
Slash—!
“Guh! Cough!! S-Sub…… Cult…… Leader……?”
“Didn’t you say it yourself? You’d pay for this failure with your life.”
His throat severed, no words came out. With his windpipe cut, he couldn’t even gasp as blood filled his body and poured out in a rush, forcing him to savor the agony fully.
Drip—
Taurus’s neck, half-severed. Regeneration sealed, he bled out massively onto the floor. Soon, his body grew cold, and he breathed his last.
“So that you may realize what a blessing it is to atone for your foolish mistake with your life.”
And just as silently as he’d come, without a sound or trace, the Sub-Cult Leader slipped out of the prison.
“So…… the prince is dead? In the prison? Throat slit by someone?”
“Yeah.”
I woke up to Princess Astraia dropping this bombshell. Sometime deep in the night, someone infiltrated the underground prison, killed the captive Taurus, and escaped.
Only the body remained—no traces, no mana, nothing to identify the culprit. The investigation was stalled.
“Some say it was an assassin sent to silence him and prevent info leaks. But pulling it off without a single trace? No ordinary skill.”
The palace security couldn’t be lax. It was the empire’s most fortified place, home to the imperial family. Sneaking in undetected, killing the target, and escaping without alerting anyone? Impossible.
Except for one group.
“Heaven God Cult, right……”
We didn’t know their true nature or goals yet, but they were no ordinary foes—that much was clear.
Wait, but this was supposed to be a normal dating sim game?! Why do these weirdos keep popping up?!
“Fortunately, no other casualties. They probably just wanted to shut Taurus up before he spilled their secrets.”
She said it casually, but it was terrifying. It meant the culprit could’ve killed anyone they wanted, effortlessly.
Knowing a master assassin might be targeting your neck? Ordinary folk would pull all-nighters in fear.
“The palace is on maximum alert now. No one’s ever infiltrated like this before. Plenty have breached the capital, but they were good at escaping—not vanishing like ghosts.”
“That’s bad……”
“His Majesty’s tearing his hair out. So, uh…… Mars, could you guard me for the next few days……?”
“Oh? Your Highness? Shouldn’t you trust your own knights? A ruler needs faith in her subjects……”
Lady Celine, listening beside us, covered her mouth and teased the princess. We’d gathered the club members for pre-break announcements, and that’s when the palace uproar hit.
“Too bad—he’s already my full-time guard.”
“What? For real?”
“Yeah…… His Majesty asked me personally.”
More like strong-armed, but who refuses the emperor?
“A spatial teleport bracelet?! And this shield thickness—what?! National treasure level!”
“With this, Mars can come whenever I call. Guarded by an Aura Lord? Totally reliable.”
“Hmm…… Then you don’t need him glued to you, right? Instant summon means location doesn’t matter.”
“True.”
That’s why I still had personal freedom. I wanted normal academy life, not suffocating palace etiquette.
“Lady Euse…… You’ve been rude…… Do you want the empire’s princess dead?”
“Oh~? Changing your tone now won’t scare me~ I know Mars well—he hates being cooped up in stuffy places like the palace. Better he spends break with me in vibrant Euse territory, full of sights and fun, right?”
“You……”
“Uh…… I’ve got somewhere to be?”
“What?!”
“What?!”
Whip—!
Both turned to me, eyes bloodshot. Scary at night.
“Where? Who’re you meeting?!”
“Ditching me to go where?”
“Well…… I gotta go home too……”
““……Ah.””
First break since academy. Months away from family.
“Now that I’m out as a Lord, Dad’s swamped. He’s nagging me to come home quick……”
He loved his people, but wasn’t handing kindness to leeches eyeing his son.
Still nagging? Those parasites must be bold.
“Hmm…… Family time, huh……”
“Can’t be helped……”
They seemed to accept it. Polo chimed in.
“Hey, Mars! Mind if I tag along home?”
“Sure? Not much changed.”
“Fine by me! Wanna see Luna too—it’s been ages.”
“Luna?”
The Saintess, quietly listening, perked up at the unfamiliar name.
“Brother Polo. Who’s this Luna……?”
“Oh, Luna’s our childhood friend! Daughter of the Noctus family servants—same age, so we played together as kids.”
Whip—!!
They bickered but synced perfectly.
“Childhood……”
“……Friend?”
“Yeah. She likes Mars a ton, though he’s shy about it. Bet she’ll be thrilled after months apart……”
As if. She’d thrive without me. No nagging? Bliss.
“Hey, Mars Noctus.”
“Yes, milady.”
“I’m coming too.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m going.”
“Pardon?”
Pardon?
“If Brother Polo’s going…… I’ll join too. Be honored!”
And why you?!