Chapter 182
Chapter 182
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 182
Chapter Title: Demon King Citadel Escape Operation (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
With Olivia's appearance, the unique 'Aura of Terror' of high-ranking undead swiftly engulfed the surroundings.
Just being near her made one's entire body tremble and breathing grow ragged. Facing her presence head-on shattered one's composure, causing thoughts to stutter and break.
Riley gritted her teeth, desperately trying to steady her mind as she tightly clutched Hesperon to her chest.
'Banshee Queen Olivia. The monster recorded in history books for its infamous deeds under the command of the Second Immortal King...!'
She was also personally the one who had kidnapped Olivia beside Isea and presented her before the Immortal King.
Back then, protective spells and various magical artifacts had made overcoming the fear relatively easy. But now, confronting an elite-level undead bare-handed when her own power wasn't that high left her struggling just to hold on.
[Hmm... I've heard much about otherworlders... but I never imagined you'd actually escape from here...]
Olivia stared silently at Hesperon, who was vomiting blood from the mana backlash, then slowly shook her head.
[Still, I can't simply overlook this...]
In truth, she hadn't just arrived at that moment.
Her ghostly form's overwhelming stealth advantage had simply evaded detection by those of lower rank.
Precisely, she had arrived while Hesperon was thoroughly thrashing the crown prince, quietly observing to assess the situation.
'If it had ended as a mere fight, I planned to slip away unnoticed...'
She had received prior instructions on how to handle them, so she hadn't intervened while the crown prince was getting one-sidedly beaten.
But she stayed to the end in case they tried to kill him after subduing him, or if he counterattacked and wounded the other two.
Then suddenly, they started discussing escape?
Not just talk—they seemed ready to act immediately, so she hurriedly intervened, first disrupting Hesperon's mana circulation.
'His body took some damage in the process... but with time, he can recover from injuries like that easily...'
Injuring someone the Immortal King himself was interested in might earn her a reprimand.
But it was far better than letting them slip away due to an unexpected turn.
[For the time being, I'll take charge of that man separately... Princess, stay obediently here...]
"Kuh—!"
Riley bit her lip until it bled at the Banshee Queen's resolute approach.
Hope found amid despair was right before her, only to slip away so futilely...
Above all, the fact that she could do nothing made her feel even more pathetic.
'...What Iron-Blooded Princess? What future emperor? I can't do anything myself, relying on others, and I'm useless in a real crisis!'
She hadn't realized it outside.
She was the one who stood above all, pointing the way, always surrounded by those ready to execute her orders.
Even in her childhood, unable to stand up to her siblings, her authority as a princess remained, and after Isea became her emotional pillar, she actively built her faction.
Once fully engaged in the imperial throne struggle, her supporting faction became her weapon and armor.
But now...
Riley glanced down at the man in her arms.
The mana backlash had hit him hard; he was squeezing his eyes shut, breathing raggedly in pain.
'...I can't hide behind others forever. At least, the emperor I aspire to be isn't like that.'
No one left to protect her now.
She had to forge ahead with her own strength alone.
The chance of a miracle was slim, and she didn't even know what to do.
But could someone called the 'Iron-Blooded Princess' really just give up without trying anything?
Smooth—
Riley channeled mana to reinforce her body and slowly rose to her feet.
Clutching Hesperon tightly, as if she would never let go.
[Haah— You know such resistance is meaningless... Just submit quietly...]
Seeing her unwavering eyes, Olivia lightly cupped her cheek with one hand and shook her head.
To someone already weakened by mana backlash, her mere presence was poison.
Taking him required delicate handling of her energy, but defiance would make it troublesome.
'Just a minor inconvenience, really...'
She had plenty of time anyway.
Olivia smiled faintly and slowly floated toward them through the air.
"Hup, haah—."
'Is there really no way?'
Riley took deep breaths, backing away bit by bit while her gaze fixed once more on the approaching Banshee Queen.
Truth be told, she had no special countermeasures from the start.
Maybe it really was pointless defiance, as the enemy said.
'But.'
She clamped her bleeding lips shut, overcoming the encroaching terror through sheer willpower alone, glaring straight at the approaching foe.
'I know it won't work. Even if it's meaningless... I don't want to give up without doing anything!'
If she didn't, she lacked the confidence to endure whatever time remained.
And the moment she reaffirmed her resolve.
Grip—
Sudden hands seized Riley's arm tightly.
She flinched instinctively but quickly realized whose they were, her face lighting up as she looked down.
"Heron? Are you oka—!"
Squeeze—
The hands gripped even tighter, wordlessly.
Hesperon stared straight at her, eyes gleaming fiercely despite blood drenching his mouth.
"...Heron?"
Sensing something unusual, Riley cautiously called his name.
Olivia noticed their odd shift as well.
[What are you plotting now...]
Discarding her leisurely demeanor, she reached out toward them immediately.
She'd secure them first and worry about Hesperon later...
[Ah...? Wait, what is this...!]
But events unfolded differently than expected.
Her power was blocked—as if by something... no, as if space itself was severed—unable to affect them at all.
[This is impossible... This is a space personally prepared by the King...!]
Shocked, Olivia flew directly toward them.
But even her ghostly form couldn't approach their location anymore.
Despite holding overall management authority over the Immortal Citadel, granting her spatial control!
[W-Wait... Don't tell me it's real...?]
Truly flustered for once, she surged with dark mana to respond—
Whoosh—
The two vanished in an instant from where they stood.
Not just hidden—their presence was gone from the residential district, the entire Immortal Citadel.
[This... What...?]
Dazed by the unforeseen event, Olivia scanned the area for a long while before finally accepting it.
They had truly escaped the Immortal Citadel.
[No... If I start searching now and recapture them... Ah?]
But just before deploying ghosts for pursuit—
A sudden signal rang in her mind; she halted everything and bowed politely in midair.
[You called, my King...? Command me at any time...]
The Immortal King had arrived and summoned her right then.
His visit was due soon anyway; she had wrapped up other matters to await him.
She hadn't anticipated it coinciding with this mess.
[My... my King... Forgive my impertinence, but I have one matter to report...]
It would have been better if he'd come after she'd tidied up.
But she couldn't skip reporting such a grave incident.
Bracing for scolding, she detailed events and cautiously suggested immediate pursuit.
[Yes? Yes... Understood... I shall obey...]
Yet the Immortal King responded nonchalantly, as if he'd foreseen everything—making her tension seem pointless.
Abandoning guesses at his intent, she dismissed her prepared ghosts, gave the residential district one last look, and vanished from the spot.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Immortal Citadel's Second Residential District's garden fell into sudden silence.
With the two and even Olivia gone, only Crown Prince Simon lay there pathetically, beaten to a pulp and alone.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Three or four hours after the commotion.
"Ugh— Damn it, my head..."
A figure crumpled on the dirt twitched repeatedly before slowly raising its upper body and looking around.
But the silent garden held only him, ragged and alone.
"Grit— Those damned wretches dared to do this to me, the Crown Prince...!"
Recalling events before blacking out, Simon ground his teeth in surging rage.
That arrogant bastard whose magic was questionable, and Riley looking down on him from behind.
He pictured them mocking his fallen form as they left.
"Kuh, did I fall into a trap? If they premeditated this humiliation and set up a barrier in advance..."
Unable to accept defeat, he quickly conjured a plausible hypothesis.
Upon closer scrutiny, it seemed highly likely!
At least to him, it was far more realistic than losing to a mage in hand-to-hand.
"Right, otherwise his movements make no sense. That coward dared deceive me...?"
Convincing himself with his hasty excuse, he vented frustration, scanned around, and staggered to his feet.
This wasn't suitable for rest; he'd return to his lodgings to recover properly.
'No doubt. They knew I'd approach and dug a trap beforehand. I was too reckless entering a mage's domain.'
Moving along, his returning reason analyzed the failure and planned countermeasures.
He was an imperial heir, the crown prince, after all.
No matter how stressed and uncomposed lately, he wasn't stupid enough to charge again without preparation after one loss.
'Fine, I'll admit defeat this time. But next will be different.'
Of course, he had no intention of letting it slide.
He'd underestimated Hesperon and grown complacent, leading to this setback, but serious intent meant no repeat of the same trick.
'For now, recuperate and plan. They're mages, but not high-level, so traps have limits. If I stay vigilant and fight properly, I won't lose.'
His only worry was Lilith returning before revenge, but opportunities would persist.
Time was plentiful here anyway—no need to rush.
Simon dragged his aching body to his lodgings, washed, and lay on the bed.
They were probably celebrating victory and mocking him now...
'Enjoy it while you can. Once I'm fully recovered, I'll give you proper hell.'
Thus dreaming of revenge, he drifted into sleep.
Anticipating the day he'd make those two kneel.
Unfortunately, he still didn't know he was now alone in this residential space.
He'd grasp the truth only after much time passed.
By then, his plans would all be meaningless...
Revenge is futile by nature—perhaps meaningful in its way?
"Mmm— Fuhuhu... You lowly scum... I'll make you slaves... Mnya."
Maybe this sweet dream was his happiest moment.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Immediately after the sudden transfer.
"Hup—!"
Riley's eyes flew wide as she drew a deep breath.
The long-distance spatial shift made her head ring momentarily, but trivial compared to now.
"...Outside? No way—we really succeeded from that situation...?"
Blue sky with proud white clouds drifting, intense sunlight pouring warmly down.
Around them, not a manicured garden but diverse plants thriving wildly, insects buzzing about their domain.
Natural scenery unseen in nearly two months amid artificial gardens.
She could only stare blankly for a while.
"Cough—! Kuhuk—!"
Until harsh coughing erupted from her arms.
"Ah! Heron! Are you okay?"
Having overexerted in crisis, he vomited even more blood and barely opened his eyes.
"...Riley? The escape... how'd it go...?"
"Success! Heron, you really...! Ah, don't talk now—close your eyes and rest. I'll handle the rest somehow!"
She urgently silenced his raspy voice, cast reinforcement magic, and hoisted his sturdy frame onto her back.
He'd succeeded in escaping them despite this state—she couldn't hesitate here.
"Hoo— Just in case, I'll move carefully. Southward."
About two months since Azerion Empire's crown prince and fifth princess were abducted by the Immortal King.
Finally, Fifth Princess Riley escaped his clutches, seizing freedom.
'Good, that's a pretty satisfying wrap-up.'
Along with a certain director's satisfied smile.