Sirius Empire Capital Milrain.
The capital returned within a month and was noticeably more peaceful than during the Olympics.
It was much better than when it was tightly packed.
“Now that the festival is over, there’s another feeling.”
“That’s true. Personally, I think this level of crowd is the best.”
I was taking a stroll with Lux and Black Wolf.
Naturally, our destination was the Imperial Palace, and the others had split up as soon as we arrived in the capital.
I thought about just taking a carriage, but since they said we wouldn’t go through the main gate, we were following Lux’s lead on foot.
“Can Black Wolf even enter?”
Isn’t it true that only those permitted can enter the palace?
When I voiced this common-sense thought, Lux blinked her eyes and replied.
“I am the Imperial Princess, you know?”
“…Ah ha.”
Why do I keep forgetting this?
If she’s the princess, then she has the authority to allow entry.
“It’s not like I can bring anyone in, though.”
“That’s fair. So where are we going now?”
“There are a few secret passages allowed only for royalty. We’re heading to the closest one.”
“…Is it okay to tell me this?”
This kid knows way too many things.
Why don’t we just go through the main gate?
“Hmm… A scheme to keep you from wandering off…?”
“If I weren’t your professor, I’d probably poison you by now, right?”
“Haah… Don’t regret it later.”
I didn’t really expect anything from saying that.
Lux’s heart was too pure to be swayed by just a few words.
Well… let’s focus on what’s in front of us for now, like dealing with the guys trailing us.
“By the way, is anyone supposed to meet us?”
“…Yes.”
Lux seemed to have noticed them too.
Two in front, two behind, and one on each side—about six in total.
Their positioning is good, but are their skills up to par?
“Black Wolf takes the rear, Lux the front, and I’ll take the sides.”
“Understood.”
“Got it.”
We didn’t need many words.
We continued walking as if we hadn’t noticed them.
And the moment they stepped slightly into our territory, we swiftly moved.
[Light Magic: Radiant Glory Spear]
“Ugh…! We’ve been spotted! Attack…!”
“Attack? What attack? Should I punch your cheek instead?”
So you were watching from the roof all alone, huh? Does that concern you?
I quickly threw a punch at the guy’s face.
Still, he managed to dodge my fist quite skillfully.
“Keh!”
As proof of his criminal status, the guy had his mouth covered by a black hood.
That fashion is outdated already.
Having roughly gauged his abilities, I lightly circled around him, grabbed his neck, and pulled him down to the ground.
“…!”
Despite their grand appearance, these lackeys were pathetically weak, not even requiring Divine Power.
“Restraint.”
-Uhoom!
“This, what is this?! Ugh ugh!”
Responding to my will, Opheucus instantly subdued the guy.
I quickly leaped to the opposite side and dragged out the guy hiding in the shadows of the alley.
“Keh!”
With a light kick to the chest, the guy spat up bile and collapsed face-first on the ground.
After confirming he was completely incapacitated, I looked toward the front where Lux was handling things.
[Earth Magic: Mud Prison]
“It’s done.”
Seeing the mud prison containing the enemies, I gave Lux a thumbs-up.
Then how about Black Wolf…
“This side is done too.”
“…Hey. What if you killed someone?”
Looking at the person with a small hole pierced through their neck, I couldn’t help but slap my forehead.
Even so, killing someone in broad daylight—what would we do?
“…? The enemy must be eliminated.”
Black Wolf tilted her head as if asking what the problem was.
With that look, I could only sigh.
“Haah… Alright. Four should be enough.”
Four should give us decent information.
As I was about to move the fallen guy, Lux called out to me cautiously.
“Professor…?”
“Why? …Ah.”
The enemies trapped by Lux’s magic were lying unconscious, foam coming from their mouths.
They had taken their own lives.
“Did they take poison? Seriously, people like this actually exist?”
I saw shadow snake guys self-destruct when captured a few times…
But I never imagined humans would make such a choice.
If they were barbarians, I could have dealt with it earlier.
I underestimated because they were human.
“Since two remain… It should be fine.”
Out of caution, I applied more force to the hand gripping the neck of the guy I caught.
“Ke, keh…!”
Even pressing the carotid artery doesn’t make him pass out?
Actually, that’s good.
I inserted my hand into the gasping guy’s open mouth.
“In novels, it’s usually near the molars… Ah, found it.”
Finding something distinctly different from human teeth, I grabbed and pulled it out.
“Krraaah!”
“Is it connected to nerves? Black Wolf!”
“…Disgusting.”
Though frowning, Black Wolf caught what I threw and put it in her pocket.
“Are there more?”
“…”
“Ssssh, seems like there’s more.”
Annoyed by his silence, I grabbed his molar, causing him to convulse.
“Hey! Why won’t you talk? You’re gonna die, you know.”
Normally, I would have pulled it out, but since it’s in front of a student, I restrained myself.
After pondering how to handle it, I simply knocked him unconscious.
“…!”
Knocking someone unconscious is easy.
Just use aura to briefly stop the heart.
Without even letting out a scream, the guy passed out as I tossed him aside, and Black Wolf approached me.
“Not professionally trained.”
“A proper opponent wouldn’t have been caught this easily.”
The unconscious guy and the one bound by Opheucus—what should we do with these two?
“I’m going to gather information.”
“How? Torture?”
“So how else do you get it?”
Watching Black Wolf confidently speaking, I could only sigh again.
“Haah… Fine. Let’s just hand them over to the palace…”
At that moment, an odd sensation struck me like lightning.
“Wasn’t this place originally quieter?”
“Yes. This area is entirely owned by the royal family, so there are no commoners here. It’s a residential zone for those working in the palace.”
“Lux added,” “Because there are many people working in the palace.”
“So if someone works in the palace, they know all about this place, right? Even if they don’t know about the secret passage.”
“Yes. Originally, guardian knights patrol, so unless you’re part of the palace staff, you shouldn’t be able to enter…”
So these guys managed to slip past the guardian knights and reach here.
After a brief thought, I looked at Black Wolf and spoke.
“…Black Wolf. Gather information.”
“Who?”
“The guy tied up there. I’ll take the other one to the palace.”
-Uhoom?!
Startled by the comment about leaving him behind, Opheucus trembled.
Lifting its snake head made me feel a little sorry, but there was nothing I could do.
If something happens, Opheucus can act faster to save the guy’s life.
-Uhoom…
Seeming to understand my meaning, the little guy lowered his head obediently.
“Understood.”
“Alright. I’ll be back soon. Stay here.”
“I’ll leave a code.”
Saying that, the guy disappeared instantly with the Opheucus-bound captive.
Watching the whole scene, Lux quietly asked.
“Do you think there’s a traitor in the royal family?”
“Traitor… I don’t know if that term fits, but it’s better to be cautious.”
“Should I say the rest are all dead?”
“Yeah.”
Indeed, it’s good that my student is smart enough not to require unnecessary explanations.
On the other hand, it’s also sad that Lux doesn’t flinch at the sight of death.
After briefly patting the kid’s head, I lifted the guy lying on the ground using telekinesis.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
Lux, whose cheeks turned red, changed her expression as if nothing happened and moved forward.
I silently followed behind her, floating the unconscious dark lump behind me.
***
Through the secret passage, we entered the palace and headed straight to the headquarters of the Guardian Knights.
Dropping the unconscious guy on the floor, the faces of the guardian knights who realized the severity of the situation turned pale.
“I have committed a grave sin!”
“Please kill me!!!”
The loudly shouting guardian knights bowed deeply.
All the remaining ones stopped what they were doing, rushed outside, and knelt down, making an impressive sight.
Well, if the royal family gets attacked right in front of the palace and the guardians neither notice nor prevent it, they have no choice but to react like this.
Lux, looking coldly at the kneeling figures, quietly spoke.
“Knight Vincent.”
“Yes! Your Highness, the Princess!”
The man kneeling at the front shouted loudly.
Lux called his name again.
“Yes! Your Highness, the Princess!”
“Knight Vincent.”
“Yes! Your Highness, the Princess!”
Lux’s charisma was incredible.
To suppress a giant man twice her age with just words…
Moreover, the man was a master.
The dignity of the royal family is far beyond my imagination.
After calling his name for quite some time, Lux slapped the man’s cheek with her mana-infused hand.
“…”
The blow was quite strong, as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
His posture remained unchanged.
Even though being hit without any resistance should be shocking…
Do all guardian knights have such deep patience?
Lux wiped her hand and said.
“Does becoming a master mean you can handle things carelessly?”
“No, it does not.”
“Is your meager position as deputy captain above the princess?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then why did I have to catch this vermin myself? Are all the guardian knights just rice bags?”
“…I have committed a grave sin.”
Quietly watching Lux’s actions, I poked her back with my finger.
That was enough.
“Find the culprit within three days. If you fail, I will consider it your command.”
“I follow the meaning of the stars.”
Lux, maintaining her cold gaze until the end, slowly turned away.
I quietly followed her while whispering.
“Is your hand okay?”
“…It hurts a bit.”
Considering the increased destructive power from surrounding mana, the recoil must have been significant.
I held Lux’s reddened hand and cast a healing spell.
A spell I originally couldn’t use, but after practicing while training students, it became somewhat usable.
As I infused mana, her hand returned to its original pale color.
“I could have done it myself…”
“Stay still.”
Even though Lux muttered with a slightly flushed face, I just wanted to do it for her.
“Was it too harsh…?”
Now showing caution, Lux received a mischievous smile from me in response.
“You have to give them that. Besides, masters probably didn’t even feel much pain, right?”
What kind of delicate hands could possibly hurt?
Maybe they were embarrassed.
I playfully tapped Lux’s head while laughing.
“I saw it again. Your regal presence was pretty sexy, huh?”
Deliberately teasing, Lux giggled softly and whispered.
“…Idiot.”
