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Chapter 140: Timeless

~Princess Luna’s Perspective~

At present, I was traveling in the opposite direction along the emergency escape route to the imperial castle with Nelfie-san, a member of [Black Thunder]. The Council of the Seven Sphin Nations should be starting around this time.

If this escape route is used to escape from the imperial castle as intended, you can reach the exit by going straight on all the three-forked roads and choosing the right route at the two-way branches. When it comes to entering from the exit, it is not that simple. In order to prevent anyone other than the royal family from entering, the route is built like a maze. Once you get lost, you will never be able to get out again.

Furthermore, only the royal family knows of the existence of the escape route itself. In other words, excluding me, it should only be my father, the Emperor. However……

「Nelfie-san, I can’t say that this passage will be completely safe either. Now that the Emperor is being brainwashed by the demons, it would be better to assume that the demons know about this passage.」

「It would seem so. Seven traps have been set 5 to 20 meters ahead. I’ll disarm them quickly, so please wait here for a while.」

It seems that traps have been set right before reaching the imperial castle.

I used this escape route when escaping from the Imperial City, but no traps were set up at that time. In other words, it seems that the existence of this escape route is known to the demons as well.

Even so, Nelfie-san is no wonder a member of Aun-san’s party, after all. To be able to accurately see through traps 20m away even in this darkness…

I’ve witnessed Aun-san’s abnormalities many times since arriving in the Arto Kingdom. His success in the war against the Ibrudian Imperial Army, his composure when confronting No Face himself, and his peculiar abilities as a Dungeon Master… It may be inappropriate to say this, but I felt that he was no doubt a “monster”.

No, it was not just Aun-san. Drake-san of the Dragonewt tribe who destroyed five magic air battleships single-handedly, and Shinku-san who trampled the battlefield with Aun-san. Furthermore, Kinu-san, who was able to calm down those two, is undeniably strong as well. However, I had not seen Nelfie-san display that sort of ability.

But now that we were moving as a duo, I felt that she was “hiding her true ability”. This person must also be a considerable heroic figure who can stand shoulder to shoulder with those four…

「Sorry for the wait. It doesn’t look like there are any more traps in the range I can detect for now. I’ll disarm them if I detect anymore, so please stay behind me.」

「Okay. Thank you very much.」

The imperial castle should be just up ahead. There are no more forks on the road, so we just have to follow the road. Right then, unusually, Nelfie-san brought up a topic first.

「Your Highness Luna…If imperial soldiers arrive to obstruct the completion of this plan, are you prepared to kill them?」

「I really don’t want to kill them if possible. However, the execution of the plan is the first priority. If they get in the way of that, then I understand that there is nothing else that can be done about it.」

「I see. I’m relieved, then.」

…Why is she asking that now…? Right when I thought that, I immediately understood the reason.

「Seven, huh…. Why don’t you show yourselves already? You guys are quite obvious.」

Seven people dressed in black appeared in response to Nelfie-san’s words.

3 from the front and 4 from the back. I didn’t notice them at all…. It seems that we were being followed along the way. Probably from the area where the trap was set. Or rather, this attire…

「The Imperial Assassination Squad…」

「As I thought. They were hiding quite well.」

We are at a disadvantage in terms of numbers. I can fight too, but we are limited in options with only 2 people. If we don’t break out of this situation somehow, we will not be leaving with our lives, let alone accomplishing the plan.

If it’s Nelfie-san, she should be able to deal with even five people… Believing that, I tried to take out the dagger fastened to my waist, but was stopped by Nelfie-san.

「We’ve already won.」

「Eh……?」

As I was puzzled by those words, all the members of the assassination squad that were caught in vines that suddenly grew from the ground, floor, and ceiling, blocking their movements. Judging from what she just said, this must be Nelfie-san’s magic. I never imagined that magic could be manifested so accurately in an instant.

「Shall we move on?」

「But at this rate, the restraints will eventually be released! If we want to be completely safe, we have to kill them here!」

「It’s fine. I’ve already killed them all.」

EH……?

EEEEHHHHH!!??

It was not a matter of when she attacked. The tree-attribute magic is for restraining the limbs, not something that could take lives. Nelfie-san never left my side, so how did she…? However, it doesn’t look like she was lying.

Looking at the 7 members of the assassination squad that had been released from the ivy, they all laid on the floor, bleeding from their chests and necks, motionless.

And what’s more, the opponent was the Empire’s assassination squad. They are, of course, well trained. Fierce men who can reach A or S rank if they were ranked as adventurers. In an instant, and moreover, seven people at the same time. Their lives were ended without even allowing a death cry.

I couldn’t even believe my eyes…

As far as I know, there is only one person who could…

「…No Face…」

「Hmm? Did you say something?」

「No! Nothing… Let’s hurry.」

Nelfie-san, who had felt so reliable until just now, suddenly felt like a frightening existence.

Her slender body contains an overwhelming amount of power that can instill fear in even her allies…

I forcibly suppressed the strange thoughts that passed through my mind, and now chased after her delicate back. There are various things that I want to think about, but the first priority is to accomplish the plan.

…Killing the Emperor, my father, is my duty. It’s the only way to save this country.