Chapter 61

At that moment, the knights were also busy praising the Empress.

"He waved his hand at the wyvern and tore its wings apart!"

A story that had already been exaggerated,

"Would a mere wyvern even dare to face our Empress? She just flicked her finger, and the beast plummeted to the ground!"

It had been blown out of proportion to the point where,

"When the Empress said she wanted to save us all, I saw the tears in her eyes. She shed tears and even spat blood to protect us!"

No one knew where the tears came from, but the fearsome image of a death god had been distorted in this way. For the knights, death was both familiar and easy, yet terrifying, as they faced the deep black disaster and the red-mouthed demons. Please help us. Please fight with us. They had desperately sought the help of the mages thousands of times whenever they crossed the line between life and death, and today, the Empress fought alongside them as if it were a matter of course. The knights' hearts burned with passion.

"I will organize the guard around the Empress's room."

As soon as Henri Jacal's words were spoken, the knights sprang to their feet in unison, shouting,

"I'll do it!!!"

So many people volunteered to guard the Empress that even Lionel was taken aback. Too much of anything is worse than not enough, so after considering the individual conditions of the knights and excluding the necessary number, Lionel sent a considerable number of them back, yet there were still plenty left.

"Minister, with so many knights, you should go and rest."

The Duke Bueta came forward to suggest this, but Lionel politely declined.

"I'm fine. I just have one request."

"Please, speak."

"Ensure that the lanterns remain lit all night, not just in this corridor but also on the terrace in front of the Empress's room."

"Keep the lights on all night?"

"Yes. Additionally, I will remove the lock from the inside of the door for now."

"Understood."

"Please also manage the people entering and exiting the Empress's room thoroughly."

"Of course. The maids will change shifts at dawn, and the same physician will come."

The Duke marveled at how even the guard was perfect with Lionel Valder and turned to leave. As he moved away, Henri Jacal approached and whispered,

"I've assigned guards to watch not only the terrace but also the small windows."

Thanks to his personal inspection and placement of the knights, the Empress's room was as secure as a vault, but Lionel did not relax for a moment.

"Tell everyone to detain anyone who shows suspicious movements."

"Understood."

The current state of unconsciousness was the perfect opportunity for anyone plotting to assassinate the Empress. Lionel was determined to protect Adel from any assassin who might appear tonight, no matter what form they took. ＊ ＊ ＊ As the chimes of midnight slowly sounded, the maid forced her heavy eyelids open. She had to guard the Empress from midnight. She rubbed her stiff eyes and was about to wake her colleague when a sudden, pungent smell hit her nose.

"Hmm?"

The chill that ran down her spine instantly cleared her drowsy mind. As she tried to open her eyes wide and look around, a voice whispered from the darkness.

"Make a sound, and I'll kill you."

"!!"

The voice was so chilling that the maid couldn't move a finger. Soon, a candle illuminated the dim room. The maid had to cover her mouth to prevent herself from screaming. The other maid, who was already awake, was in the same situation. On top of the blood-soaked figure, a demon appeared silently and smiled at them.

"Are you going to see the Empress soon?"

＊ ＊ ＊ At that time, in front of the Empress's room, the knights guarding the door looked more relaxed. The physician who had just left had given them good news about the Empress's improving condition. As the night deepened and even the occasional chirping of insects faded, a profound silence settled, with only the sound of the wick burning in the lanterns. It was time for the shift change, and two maids appeared. Lionel, who had been leaning against the wall, stood up. Having been introduced to the maids by the Duchess, he nodded in approval, and the knights guarding the door stepped back to let them through. However, Lionel stopped the maids for a moment. Their faces seemed unusually pale.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, no, I'm fine."

As they answered, the maids who had been on duty opened the door and came out, sensing something from inside.

"Then we'll go in now."

The maids quickly entered the room before Lionel could stop them. Lionel frowned for a moment, then knocked on the door. When it opened, he slowly entered and looked at the maids with a piercing gaze, asking,

"Is everything alright?"

"No, no, everything's fine."

The maids shook their heads and hid their trembling hands behind their backs. After a moment, Lionel approached Adel to check on her. Her breathing was stable, and she seemed to be in good condition. He scanned the room thoroughly but found nothing out of the ordinary. Still, he couldn't shake off the ominous feeling. Reluctantly, he left the room. While the maids tended to the Empress, Lionel occasionally opened the door to check on the room, but found nothing unusual. Just as everyone thought the night would pass uneventfully, the door burst open, and one of the maids shouted,

"She's suddenly running a fever!"

Lionel and the knights immediately stood up.

"Cold water, a wet towel, and, uh, medicine are needed..."

The maid, fidgeting and stammering, was calmed by Lionel's composed tone.

"Stay calm. The Empress has a fever?"

"Yes, yes..."

"Where can we get the wet towels and medicine?"

"Downstairs, there are maids waiting..."

"Go get a basin of cold water and a wet towel, and bring the physician."

Lionel nodded, and two knights at the end of the corridor hurried down the stairs. The maid, who had been pacing nervously, tried to return to the room, but Lionel, who had been watching her suspiciously, grabbed the doorknob.

"I need to see the Empress myself."

The maid shook her head vigorously.

"She's only wearing a nightgown to bring down the fever."

At that moment, hurried footsteps were heard, and a knight appeared with a basin of water and a few towels, accompanied by a maid. Lionel frowned as he looked at the new maid, who had not been introduced by the Duchess.

"Do you know her?"

Their eyes met as Lionel asked. The maid on duty slowly nodded.

"Yes."

"Move aside. I heard she has a fever!"

The new maid, with a peculiar appearance—extremely ordinary yet forgettable—spoke urgently. She stepped aside, and Lionel's gaze followed her closely. ＊ ＊ ＊ As the door slowly closed, the maid put down the basin and towels and looked for the lock.

"..."

Realizing the lock had been removed, she gave up on locking the door, muttered a curse, and walked calmly toward the two maids shivering in the corner.

"Do you know what will happen if you make a sound? If you want to save your lives, you need to cooperate fully."

The maid, or rather the assassin, smiled and stepped back. She was known as a skilled assassin because she could create a natural death that fit the situation. The sudden fever and the claim that the Empress was only in a nightgown, which prevented the knights from entering, were all lies she had orchestrated. The assassin turned to face the Empress, took a small vial from her pocket, and opened it. The drug would destroy the lungs, causing a high fever for days before a slow death, making it impossible for anyone to suspect an assassination. She quickly approached the Empress, holding her chin with one hand. If she killed this woman, she would receive a large sum of money, enough to never have to do this again. It would take just one minute. Just as the assassin smiled triumphantly, the door burst open without warning.