The Returnee Wants Peace

As Rosha expected, the palace was a very strange place.

“This way, please.”

Following the almost silent guide, the palace they entered had an atmosphere like an ancient temple.

The ceiling height was more than twice that of a normal building, and the windowless walls on both sides had embossed temple pillars. Even the candle holders on the walls were not in the style used nowadays.

Only the drapes hanging from the ceiling and the soft carpet on the floor looked relatively new.

However, that wasn’t the part to focus on.

‘The palace we saw earlier didn’t seem this big… Is it a labyrinth?’

The internal structure was very peculiar.

No doors, stairs, or corridors leading to other places – just a single straight path.

Moreover, even for a palace, there should be a limit to its size, but it felt like they had been walking on this single path for at least 15 minutes.

“How much longer do we have to walk?”

“We’ll arrive soon, Sir Cassis.”

“That’s the third time you’ve said that.”

“Cassis.”

Instead of Cedric, who was quiet, lost in thought, grandfather lowly restrained him.

It meant to stay quiet and not say unnecessary things, but Cassis had his own intentions.

Swoosh-

For a moment, stairs leading to a lower floor appeared and then disappeared like a mirage.

‘Did you see that?’

‘Yes.’

Now it was starting to make sense.

Until now, they had examined the palace thoroughly but couldn’t find any traces of abilities or magic. It seemed that rather than magic, this place had special ‘settings’.

Like the setting ‘crystal walls can never be destroyed’ from the second trial.

‘Of course, this seems a bit more complex… For example, something like ‘the palace guide can hide the structure of the palace from outsiders’.’

However, since settings were a concept that only appeared in places related to trials, it was just a hypothesis.

For now, nothing could be confirmed with certainty.

At this moment, all they could do was…

‘We must protect them no matter what.’

Rosha quietly took grandfather’s slightly trembling hand.

Judging by how his expression had hardened considerably, he seemed afraid, but he soon smiled at her without showing it.

This time, for sure.

There would be no losing of precious people.

She made this vow while feeling grandfather’s warm touch.

* * *

It was about 10 minutes later when the guide stopped walking.

“This is the place. Please enter inside.”

“Finally arrived. That took quite a long time.”

“…”

Cassis kept making comments that grated on the guide’s nerves.

Although the guide didn’t lose composure, it seemed they didn’t want to stay with them any longer, quickly bowing and moving away.

Regardless of that.

Rosha looked at the thick door in front of her.

‘I can feel the power of an ability from inside here too…’

The Emperor’s ability that she had seen and directly experienced outside the palace.

Unlike magic, abilities have their own unique aura.

Usually, people sensitive to mana can also distinguish the aura of abilities well. For example, if Froy’s ability felt like colorless, odorless fog, the Emperor’s was like an oil painting mixed with bright colors.

“…More flowers.”

As she expected, the inside of the door was decorated like a bright indoor garden.

Despite the complete absence of sunlight, the plants were growing lush and green as if they had been basking in sunlight in a place with good air and water.

She could see several people standing among them.

“Hello, everyone.”

It was Count Nigel. Behind him were about five or six Imperial Knights, including Nox.

“…”

Nox timidly waved his hand, keeping his arm lowered. He seemed to be watching the Count’s reaction.

“…Count Nigel. Surely it wasn’t you who called us here.”

“No, I was merely summoned here by His Majesty’s order to welcome you all. It seems His Majesty the Emperor will arrive a little later, so please sit over here and wait for a moment.”

Count Nigel guided them to the center of the garden.

On the circular open space paved with intricately patterned tiles, there were several chairs and a table with refreshments.

However, grandfather, without touching the refreshments, asked the Count:

“Where is this place?”

“It’s His Majesty’s hobby space. He enjoys gardening.”

“Hmm…”

Rosha, listening to the conversation, remained silent.

In fact, until now she had thought it was just a hobby, but seeing it displayed in so many places made her think differently.

‘Isn’t it a waste of ability unless you can store ability in plants?’

It was a fleeting thought, but quite plausible.

While she was pondering this possibility, the conversation between her grandfather and the Count continued.

“That aside. Do you know why His Majesty invited only our family here?”

“Of course I know. I’d like to answer that it’s for strengthening ties with an excellent family like House Aper, but…”

“…But?”

“This time is a bit different. Lady Roshanak probably knows better.”

“What do you mean…”

“I believe His Majesty had some separate instructions for Lady Roshanak before the conquest party’s departure. Ah, excuse me for a moment.”

The Count interrupted the conversation upon seeing an Imperial Knight entering through the door.

The knight immediately approached the Count and whispered in his ear.

In the seemingly ominous atmosphere, everyone exchanged glances briefly.

Soon, Count Nigel, as if he had expected this, lifted the corner of his mouth crookedly and said:

“Aide Cedric, I have one question. Did you by any chance tamper with the magic formula inscribed in the water and sewage system?”

“Magic formula? I didn’t touch it.”

“Don’t lie. Given the circumstances, it’s clear that you tampered with it. Hah… I’m sure I told you not to get involved in the behind-the-scenes affairs of the Imperial Palace.”

Seeing Count Nigel questioning Cedric made her feel a bit guilty.

In fact, Cedric had only discovered the magic formula; it was Rosha who had tampered with it.

‘We had no choice since the capital would be ruined if the magic formula activated, right?’

And the fact that he was questioning this now seemed to mean that the magic formula had just been activated.

Now that she thought about it, the reason Rosha had walked through the palace corridor for a full 30 minutes seemed related to this as well.

To buy time for the magic formula to activate.

“…Actually, I had many things to ask. His Majesty said so too.”

After a moment of silence, Count Nigel muttered lowly.

Sensing something ominous, Rosha looked at him. The Count was wearing a cold smile that hadn’t been seen before.

“But since words don’t seem to work, and I can feel my ability from Aide Cedric, I think it’s better to find out directly.”

“…”

Though the voice was gentle, she clearly hadn’t misheard.

‘My ability’.

This made it clear.

Feeling his own ability from Cedric meant he had detected Froy’s injury, who should be quietly sitting in Cedric’s coat pocket.

In other words, this meant that Count Nigel was responsible for both Froy’s injury and the trick played on grandfather.

“…Hah.”

Letting out a breath, Rosha smiled faintly.

She felt a mix of anger and joy at the thought of finally catching the culprit who had put grandfather in a coma.

But at that moment.

Hisss.

As if ice had been placed on a heated pan, white smoke suddenly rose from the floor.

“That bastard spread his ability here. Push it away quickly!”

Koko urgently whispered. She was already thinking of doing so.

Queen Arzhena’s necklace that Rosha possessed.

Although its power disappears after one use and needs to be recharged, thanks to Froy imbuing it with ability again last time, she could use it to push away the smoke.

‘Count Nigel… a person who deserves to be killed right away.’

But after hearing from Koko that the effect of this smoke was a sleeping gas, her thoughts changed a bit.

It seems they don’t intend to kill us right away, so wouldn’t it be better to find out as much as possible before killing him?

Thud-

Thanks to reducing the range of pushing away the space midway, Cassis and grandfather, who had inhaled a small amount of smoke, collapsed.

Rosha also roughly toppled her body to match.

She accidentally made eye contact with Cedric, who had clear eyes, but soon closed her eyes while putting her index finger to her lips.

And someone quickly picked her up.

“…”

Somehow, she felt she knew who it was.

Opening her eyes very slightly, she saw a familiar iron mask. It was Nox.