Chapter 250: Great Escape (1)
xqlgThree days after Sidherst joined, a strange incident took place across the entire continent.1sfOt
H7H7PIgAt the top of every Magic Tower in the world, an illusion spell was simultaneously projected. The gigantic figure of an older man, short-cropped graying hair, and a rugged look appeared and introduced himself.fe5Lan
pxt“I am Sidherst, Master of the Magic Tower.”xM8B
Gp6JAXImmediately afterward, he proclaimed that the Empire was already corrupted by black magic and that the dark forces it wielded were an evil that should never exist in the world.4Z6sC
wPLHis voice carried a deep resonance that inspired trust in those who heard it.EFMyA5
5KTThe impact was enormous.TB9
iUGNow that even the Magic Tower was aligning itself with Yuri Briol’s claims, people could no longer dismiss the existence of black magic as mere slander.H4VeX9U
0BoFSome demanded that the Emperor clarify his stance on black magic, while others claimed that even the Tower’s Master had been won over by the anti-imperial forces.SLmtG
DrWafThe incident threw the entire continent into chaos.wyR6L
uhBBdaAnd in the Imperial Palace—the epicenter of this entire crisis—the Emperor and his children met for the first time in a long while.0GHArVt
QXWIa“Father. It seems you’ve recovered your health.”ZPsWtf
NrbrLFGAt Yekaterina’s words, Eugen scolded her.ftwUv
1OKwcpu“Yekaterina. What kind of way is that to speak? You must call him Royal Father or Your Majesty.”2g2
50kjMtfYekaterina ignored him. Ivar chuckled.eJrIv
f1SyUap“What does it matter? I see no problem in my daughter calling me father.”mXRP
nqp91Ie“It’s disrespectful.”WIstcC
d8Qs“There’s no need for such formalities among us.”PapzK
LqzTCI“Even so—”C1vl
q6RiJZ“Enough.”I4xJel
UymAAfter a long period in seclusion, Ivar had reappeared and summoned his children.rucdW
92VEugen, Georg, and Yekaterina stood before him.2DK
ED9YblcYekaterina spoke again.VZMi
U4jSm“You seem in good spirits today. Have you fully recovered?”rSRE
xwv“Yes, that’s right. Everything is much better now. My body and spirit are more full of vitality than ever before.”H0ZR4
0ZeIn Ivar’s eyes, as he sat upon the Imperial Throne, there seemed to be a strange light.uF2Ssk
EO1Be“I truly feel well. I haven’t felt like this in a long time. Taking a break was a good idea.”mELD
Hv7EqhqHe swirled the wine in his hand, making the red liquid ripple inside.oV6
SGMOW“But while I was recovering, I heard there was a great commotion outside. Everyone shouting… hahaha… Black magic, they say. What nonsense…”UmZo
ObLF2aGeorg stepped in.cCIo
1lM“I’ll take care of silencing them. They think too lightly of us because we haven’t acted. We should use force.”OkPVm
HJ9L“Will it really be necessary to go that far?”LkhFx
mwcQEWw“Your Majesty has been too lenient.”siiJ4N
WC2“You think so?”8Lu
RoV2Ivar let out a soft laugh.9vK
Qkue“Eugen, my son, tell me what you think. What should we do?”cGDn
DvBCn“I…”u4Kyc
VVebaAEEugen lowered his voice, lost in thought. Ivar watched him closely, waiting for his answer.DN1
fNE7To Yekaterina, the scene felt staged, as if everything had been set up so Ivar would readily accept Eugen’s words without question.L0F
fe8lsBShe made a mental rule for herself—if Eugen suggested something outrageous and her father followed it to the letter, then she would no longer trust Ivar.39Dozv
tyIP55lThe palace was full of strange rumors about him. Some servants even feared him, convinced he had become something no longer human.JtV98b
4ict7And now, suddenly, he appeared more energetic than ever.bwIi2T
oRF2Perhaps the worst possible sign.Ctx
Rg6hHAq“I think…”Jf4c
uPyIkPFinally, Eugen spoke.hhnvIc
EKAYUD“No matter what’s said outside, the truth does not change. But there is something we must beware of—internal enemies.”LUL
TLg“Internal enemies?”NCzezX
RTv“We can use this situation as an opportunity to arrest those within the Empire who align with our enemies’ opinions and undermine your authority. If the Empire stands united, that arrogant Briol and the rest of the rabble can be reduced to ashes without effort.”Z9Iqqe
0Y5Di“Well, well… Are there really such traitors in the Empire? Who dares insult me?”gQCXL
bROx76“I didn’t dare say before, Your Majesty, but—”IO6wd
0DyF6Yekaterina blinked.F9oB
JaLqShe felt a strong sense of déjà vu, though she couldn’t quite recall why.Z6e
5gxHer memories of her previous life were like blurred, colorless images covered in static. Still, something about this moment felt disturbingly familiar.hB8O
xV5JyAn image came to mind—an endless line of ants marching. In her past life, she had seemed to view the Empire as an ant colony, people moving in unison, following the Emperor’s orders as if responding to invisible pheromones.ZoamH
n9RIIeKilling their neighbors, hanging corpses, sacrificing themselves—even as if bewitched.CAL9
NATmcShe remembered how it had filled her with despair.HjGe
7YqnfAnd then, within those far-off memories, a scene became vividly clear.XnSqTZ
2ePSVm“Ah.”4Kzz
gMS9e9At some point in her past life, she had been standing in a tower, looking out toward the imperial capital.EdWayT
JrcThe entire population was being controlled by some unknown force. People who had lost their will, obeying the Emperor blindly like living corpses.Tl8
JhhPvShe had wanted to escape that vile Empire, but was trapped in the tower.0obpp
S6PZpUnable to flee, she could only sigh deeply, longing for someone she could not see.q6hldy
WBfTvdVThat was how it had been in those days.K0Se4OV
OYENn“Ah…”87MlF
GyxNNThe sound escaped her lips, but neither Ivar nor Eugen paid her any mind, absorbed in their conversation.Gur
DkD9S7At her side, Georg asked in a low voice,yFd
4mg“What’s wrong? Do you feel unwell?”9Yk
AKefgTrThough he was known as a cruel, cold prince, with his little sister he was surprisingly gentle.xc1
oV1w6g“No, it’s nothing.”y4V
yuGBut she didn’t trust even Georg. Black magic could manipulate the human mind, and she didn’t know if his was already corrupted.uQlSPi
81GQvThen Ivar spoke.xiqbjr
e3vd“You’re right, Eugen. I hadn’t realized how much you’ve grown. I thought you still had a long way to go before inheriting my Empire, but you’re ready. You could be Emperor right now.”Ngo
dqt2“Don’t say that. I only wish to help Father.”ibF
k2F2wbn“And now you call me father… hahaha…”IwT3
fxp4rCTIvar refilled his glass with red liquid and drank greedily. He used to savor wine slowly, but now he swallowed it like a man dying of thirst.FPFeiQ
dn1aFRTo Yekaterina, it seemed ravenous—almost repulsive.2cv
DUtt“Eugen, you’re right. Let’s do as you say.”BBxTQ
pbe7pY“Thank you.”dkY
5ja“You have my approval. Issue an emergency order to the entire Empire.”0uI
iUHP4pBLost in thought, Yekaterina didn’t quite follow the conversation and opened her eyes wide.7lWT
i9aIvar suddenly stood.5lS
ion“Establish reeducation centers and arrest all who show insolence. We will govern the Empire with firmer methods until the situation stabilizes. And arrest all foreigners remaining here—especially those from Briol—and thoroughly investigate any suspicions.”7at
aPqU“Yes, Your Majesty.”YcxWeG
9a0MJsiEugen bowed his head in respect.noGM0A
vogxXYekaterina followed with a slight delay, even as she thought to herself—xx3XC
e0BpssI definitely have to leave.tYPTaff
fqACf***wFVBx
aUHcrgzYekaterina had long anticipated that this day would come.Gjzv2
b1OThough her memories of her past life were hazy, she carried an unshakable certainty in her mind—that she should not remain in the Imperial Palace for too long.nGXzYRo
KA9trW8That was why she had insisted her father prepare a residence for her outside the palace grounds, and why she had employed various methods to discreetly send her fortune abroad on a constant basis.ClFtJyi
w03pEven so, she had not expected to have to leave so suddenly.y8m
6ctjThe first thing she did was summon the only person she trusted to her residence.Disii
qHGn“I’m that person?”FULbX
K1b“Yes.”NyA
6fVu“That someone you’ve only just met is your only ally…? Your Highness must not have very good social connections, haha…”8OueHy
QR9zElaine joked the way she often did with those around her.CENOCT
WVIH7But Yekaterina was not the sort of person she was used to dealing with.CWO
5pr0uz9With a melancholy expression and eyes downcast, Yekaterina asked,R89u4eU
iSBVb“Is that strange…?”WcL1
pVJYU4Elaine immediately lowered her head.qg4syw
5g2n“No. I’m the one who should apologize.”INX9xwt
WfxpVqA beauty beyond the ordinary—just one sad expression from her could stir guilt in whoever looked upon her.IKe
zhyVYekaterina leaned toward Elaine’s face.fx44
gHx“Was it my fault…? Is it because of me…?”8JL
04xvn“No, of course not. Please stop saying that.”kCusc
qCcj5L“Alright.”xMo
SWxcXmWith effort, Elaine managed to lift her head.j0aAUi
kAkCJThen, as if nothing had happened, Yekaterina returned to her usual proud bearing and shrugged her shoulders. In her past life, they said she had been Yuri Briol’s lover—at least in that moment, the resemblance was uncanny.360Qe
KayiJTH“It’s not my fault. The world is what’s wrong, isn’t it?”8kFnvR
spkra“That’s right.”T1P6T4
BeuHt“By tomorrow, they’ll start harassing those from Briol. So, Elaine, you’ll have to leave with me.”CVO
ylbEeR“Yes… although…”4X8Q6u
6Hw1Elaine sighed.1PtH
rU2RQ“Leaving the rest of Briol behind…”BxORZ6T
nzDB6F“Well, you turned out to be quite sentimental.”I07QTA8
aKF“What do you mean by that?”Nbaxth
sZLoQ“With such a large guild, anyone would think you were just a cold merchant chasing profit.”Mr3xqQB
AKuIRNH“What I buy and sell aren’t just goods. It’s trust. And trust is the heart of people. In other words, my business is with people.”vyo
YCo“Human trafficking is illegal.”lUr7nO7
kDP7“Well now, you really are like that man…”oxNWL
VCwzm“Really?”m9batv
8a678“Don’t be pleased about it.”ZmUo0JS
seWxny“Don’t worry. They won’t be killed right away or anything like that.”7wAS
bMG5qLR“I hope not…”oGJ
n5wxu0IStanding before the wardrobe, Yekaterina suddenly removed her dress, revealing her slender neck and straight shoulders.4fimw
qTiD3SWhen Elaine, startled, averted her gaze, Yekaterina smiled.6MXGkD
S1p“Why act like that between women?”e4tjMG
c0K“It was just reflex…”XNMOXro
kS7GElaine cleared her throat. To her surprise, Yekaterina was wearing a camisole and long undergarments beneath.SbO
JHvgas4“Are you leaving right now?”Xxza
IWI“If not now, there won’t be another chance. You have to go when no one expects it.”vXfI3SJ
4NW“Ah…”fwJRNQC
PHo2“Decisions must be made quickly, Elaine.”exxxH57
C3W2E1With her travel clothes prepared, Yekaterina now looked the part of a traveler. She was so slim that her curves were almost too delicate, so she had to put on several layers of clothing.V0bqR
AIe6Then she used a magical device to change the color of her eyes and hair, put on a mask, and covered her gaze with a hood.3Xu1g
T2KT“How’s this?”z8ILM
PQqtCfX“Yes.”11Y
ZS2gz73“Perfect.”UJ4
RpGbShe smiled and lifted her head; even just the elegant curve of her eyes was enough to draw attention.t7rVy
t7VWOElaine pulled her hood back down.yVA1o
3mT9EG6“Keep your head lowered.”5Ya
SPT4“It’s uncomfortable…”kP5
WNSh9oToo much beauty could be just as troublesome as ugliness when it came to escaping.jNw
HOa“By the way, how do you plan to leave the mansion? We don’t know who might leak information.”bi4cy
PlOBb“Leave it to me. If I say not to disturb me because I’m tired, no one will enter. I’ll leave pretending to be part of your entourage. No one will know until tomorrow morning.”rMN
T1oRfU“But I came alone.”taWgQt
hq6u“That’s fine, just insist.”9yOfvAL
Bmf7Mp“Huh?”yE32XH
XJmF“I knew this day would come, so I made sure to have a difficult personality beforehand.”7HkP1o
vI8“Hmm…”SiuSW
6jfSElaine nodded.sqT2
HlNAlthough Yekaterina didn’t seem to have a particularly bad temper, the mansion’s staff treated her with a kind of wary respect, which Elaine had always found odd.0HNYyh6
QONf0“Do you know how tiring it is to fake being angry? It’s even changed my personality.”cXtOrbW
fPKf“I see…”m0w
yvkeJ“If you slap someone, you know it hurts your hand more, right?”TE3luV
OhwUF“I didn’t know.”0Pq
lJcoEb“Don’t look at me like that. I’ve always taken good care of them. I care about their well-being, which is why they still work here.”9wdn
159K2“Understood.”KUTV0
CCcbQxEWith Yekaterina urging her along, Elaine gathered her belongings.43w
EmBVr“I’m ready. Are we just leaving like this?”E2o
Nfk“Yes.”94BF06Y
WCOSLYekaterina banged on the door from the inside. Soon, the voice of a maid could be heard outside.GvQsp
hJyRQfL“Did you call for me, Your Highness?”d9T
89n“Elaine and one of the staff are leaving. Escort them to the exit. I’ll be resting and I don’t want anyone entering or looking for me, understood?”8aBYpMq
iWDeFR“Yes, but… I believe Lady Elaine came alone…”NzlVt8i
tHl“I told you I’m tired.”MYzKn
wDLgUj“I… I’m sorry, Your Highness.”Y4wd
pF0H“Did you hear me?”TVrPV
iOR5z“Yes. I’ll do as you ordered.”kXxHLeS
pLyeBWBam!WX4
zvXu“Do it well.”rxGo
WMLli“Forgive me. Rest well, Your Highness.”quIMJs
Ubt9After striking the door, Yekaterina held her hand in pain.X6y
ClC“Ow…”UlJI
1FjG3G6“Why hit it like that?”k17h
poi“To seem fiercer.”G29D
o4pAfter composing themselves, the two walked out together.n9t
GnLi6Without suspecting that the woman beside Elaine was Yekaterina in disguise, the confused maid escorted them out of the mansion.oV0
IE71q6IOnce outside, Yekaterina stretched.5kWuRz
yAMrkAo“That’s why I chose to live outside the palace. Don’t you think I made the right choice?”eopX
ijS“Yes, you did.”mWeUx
Ej8Sif“I would have liked to build a secret passage, but that was too complicated. Well then…”VSLQ6KB
aZj0Yekaterina linked her arm with Elaine’s and said,592K01
o1MYRLw“Shall we begin the great escape?”StgC4
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