Chapter 56

Meanwhile, at the Grand Manor. A woman with wavy, luxurious blonde hair tied tightly with a black ribbon stood on the castle tower. She was Elizaveta Urich Grand, the Lady of the Grand Manor and the half-sister of the Emperor. Elizaveta closed her eyes tightly as she watched the influx of refugees. The refugees caused more problems than expected. The crisis caused by the famine seemed trivial in comparison. For those who could not solve the immediate problem of survival, morals, norms, and ethics were worth less than a piece of bread on the ground. With the value of currency plummeting, how many could afford to buy food in a proper manner? In the face of hunger, fists were more powerful than the law. To address this chaos, when Elizeta provided relief, more refugees came upon hearing the news. Her manor, not far from the capital, even attracted some residents from the capital slums. Her manor was now saturated with refugees. When she heard that there was no more money for relief, Elizaveta clenched her fists. The footman who delivered her seething anger took two steps back.

"Damn, those bastards!!!!!"

Expressing her volcanic anger, Elizaveta spewed out a string of curses that could not be uttered. Duke Despoina. In his mad mind, there was no place for this country, only the thought of enriching himself. The throne? He did not want it. It was too troublesome. He did not want to bear the immense responsibility and scrutiny that came with the throne, yet he desired the power almost equal to the Emperor. What a selfish and childish desire! When she heard that he was infertile, Elizaveta burst into genuine laughter. She had been worried about what to do if he fathered a monster like himself, but it was a good thing. And to think that the Emperor himself was a puppet of that damn man! Karl, the son of the previous Empress, had never liked her from the beginning. Elizaveta also did not like him, who became the Crown Prince simply because he was a man. Still, they each maintained their own boundaries. Even when Elizaveta and Duke Despoina had a shouting match at the council, Karl did not immediately expel her, and Elizaveta did not directly criticize Karl. However, when she divorced Theseus, that delicate boundary completely collapsed, and the appearance of Dian left no room for reconciliation. The wind blew up the castle walls and swept past Elizaveta, carrying a pungent smoke that made her frown. The refugees had started fires in various places in the Grand Forest to avoid the cold. The forest, which had already been scorched by several fires, was now blackened in many places. But Elizaveta could not punish them. It would not solve the fundamental problem.

"I will go to the capital."

"Excuse me? The capital?"

"Yes. While I am away, I will entrust the affairs of the manor to Nibehn. Prepare immediately."

Several letters from Lady Gix had already arrived. She seemed to be deeply infatuated with the new Empress.

"…The Empress is a magician…"

Not only did she have the ability to destroy a tower alone, but she also showed the magnanimity to give gold ingots to Count Calvin. She needed to meet her.

* * *

The day after leaving the capital. The expedition set out at dawn and moved at a terrifying speed, only dismounting from their horses when the sun set. Unlike the previous day, when they were exhausted, the magicians were now full of energy. They had entered the magic radius of the tower. The magic radius was the area influenced by the magic emitted from the tower. The higher the tower, the wider the range, but ultimately, the magic was harnessed by the magician's ability. Even within the influence of a high tower, a magician could not exceed their own capabilities. The magicians swam in the sea of magic like fish in water. They felt weightless, and magic clung to them like a magnet with even the slightest movement.

"Ah… How long has it been since I felt magic?"

"Indeed. It feels like I've come back from the dead."

Adele, watching the two magicians move away, turned her gaze with a bitter expression. The sense of liberation as a magician sometimes brought her a feeling of guilt. The magic radius, which could only exist with magic, coincided with the activity range of the demons. Adele glanced at Lionel without realizing it. He was talking to the knights in front of his tent. Adele turned her gaze away and entered her assigned tent. Warm water and food were modestly prepared, and a triple-layered fur blanket was laid on the bed. Sitting on the bed, Adele swept the blanket and thought of Lionel. He was so considerate, even for such small things. She got up to wash her hands when a voice came from outside.

"Your Majesty, it's Lionel Valder. May I come in for a moment?"

When Adele gave permission, the tent flap opened halfway, and Lionel peeked inside.

"Is there anything uncomfortable?"

Adele smiled, pretending to look around as if satisfied.

"It's as comfortable as the Empress's palace, don't worry."

Lionel's face softened, and he stepped back at her joke.

* * *

In the deep, deep night, when even the crickets had stopped chirping, Adele, who had been lost in the sweetness of deep sleep, suddenly opened her eyes. For a while, she groggily searched the darkness, and as she gradually regained her senses, she tried to sit up.

"…What?"

But something seemed to be binding her limbs, making her unable to move.

"Pressure? …No."

It was different from the feeling of being pressed. A sense of danger washed over her. Trying to get up, Adele suddenly gave up and thought. The force pressing down on her body, preventing even the slightest movement, was…

"Magic."

Magic was delicately pressing down on her. Whoever could control magic so freely must be a magician of extraordinary skill. Adele racked her brain to think of who in the magician corps could have this level of skill.

"After binding me, what are you going to do?"

Adele sharpened her senses and listened. After a while, cautious footsteps approached, and someone slowly opened the tent flap. Soon, a sharp, metallic sound delicately cut through the silence. It was clearly the sound of a sword being drawn. Adele immediately summoned her magic. The opposing magic that was pressing down on her resisted for a moment, but soon began to retreat and disappeared without a trace. In that moment, the intruder, who had sneaked into the Empress's tent like a thief, lunged at her with a raised sword.

"It won't work."

The assassin, surprised by the Empress's voice, hesitated but then thrust the dagger at her neck with all his might. However,

"I told you it wouldn't work."

A chilling voice accompanied the block of the sword. The assassin instinctively realized that things had gone terribly wrong. As his instincts screamed, he quickly turned around. But he could not escape. An invisible force of magic tightly bound his entire body, making it impossible to move. A cold voice came from behind.

"Already trying to kill me?"

A candle was suddenly lit in the tent, and the Empress, who had approached silently, stared at him with a witch-like expression. Her golden eyes shone fearfully even in the dim darkness.

The moment he saw that light, the assassin realized he had taken on a task he should not have, tempted by a large sum of money. Before the magic paralyzed his face, he bit down hard on the poison bag in his mouth with his teeth. By the time Adele realized what he was doing and tried to open his mouth, the poison had already spread throughout his body.

"Oh."

Adele stepped back from the convulsing assassin and sighed. A moment later, the assassin's body slumped. Adele sighed deeply and ran her hand through her hair. There was definitely an accomplice among the magicians who had come with her. Someone of the highest level, who could control magic so precisely as to bind an invisible opponent. Even among the royal magicians, there were only a few with such skill. Probably Duke Despoina, Renox, and a few of their subordinates. The fact that they had acted so boldly…

"They must have been confident they could kill me."

The dead man could not speak, so they probably intended to frame it as an assassin's act. Adele, who had been lost in thought while staring at the corpse, secretly left the tent. She moved cautiously, aware that another assassin might be lurking in the darkness. She headed for Lionel's tent. Knights were on guard everywhere, but she could not trust any of them. She carefully examined the surroundings and secretly entered Lionel's tent