The Returnee Wants Peace

A few days ago.

As soon as she heard Froy’s confession about secretly training an army, she had this thought.

That perhaps they might need to use the rebels as a last resort.

Nardil naturally opposed when he heard this plan, but Marian, freed from her restriction, persuaded him.

-I… was once a guard knight serving the Princess. The Princess’s prophetic ability wasn’t innate, but accidentally arose during the Emperor’s ability experiments.

A byproduct of experiments conducted to artificially create [the Guiding Lantern] ability.

This was the truth about the Princess.

Froy was also in a similar situation.

‘…Froy.’

Rosha looked at Froy’s back standing in front of her.

He had said he’d been with his ability since his memories began, but that didn’t mean he was born with it.

“Don’t push Rosha too hard. I’m the one who suggested it.”

“Don’t you realize that’s an even bigger problem, Duke?”

“Well said, Cedric. To do such a significant thing without a word…”

“It’ll be fine if we succeed, right? How long do you think I’ve been preparing for this? 1 year? 3 years? It’s been a full 10 years. I’ve been planning for even longer than that.”

“Stop it, all of you!”

Rosha, intervening in the argument, quickly continued:

“Actually, I’m the one who suggested this.”

“…What did you say?”

“[The Guiding Lantern]. As long as I have this ability, this was bound to happen someday. Rather than being caught off guard, it’s better to make the first move.”

“Rosha…”

After a moment of silence, Cedric smiled gently and said:

“You’ve grown a lot, my sister.”

“Indeed. I thought our youngest was being swayed by the Duke’s cunning schemes, but that wasn’t the case.”

Grandfather laughed heartily, relaxing his stern gaze.

Now it seemed they were focusing more on whose will the decision was, rather than the rebellion itself.

They were already in a position to be framed for treason, and since they didn’t blindly follow the Emperor anyway, the situation of becoming actual rebels didn’t seem to be a big shock.

…They call this ‘ta-da’, don’t they?

Ignoring Froy, who was looking at the family with a salty expression, Rosha drew up her mana.

“More importantly, we don’t have time for this now.”

The army Froy had raised was fighting against the Imperial Knights.

Although their skills were excellent due to long training, they were struggling due to the overwhelming physical abilities of the Imperial Knights.

Cassis, who had helped an ally in mortal danger, turned back and spoke nonsense:

“Right. Since it’s come to this, let’s be active rebels rather than passive ones!”

“…Hah.”

It was a funny statement, but not wrong.

The point was to do their best so there would be no regrets even if they lost.

Of course, they weren’t going to lose.

Bang! Bang!

Hildor’s muzzle spat fire incessantly.

One bullet, one enemy. As the battle situation gradually turned into a melee, she had stopped using attack magic at some point.

Through the golden barrier, Imperial Knights transforming their bodies could be seen.

Crack, crackle.

“They’re crazy!”

“Using the demonic power, what on earth have they done!”

It took at least three or four people to handle one Imperial Knight who had transformed into a magical beast.

But the army Froy had raised was no pushover either. Although there were occasional casualties and frequent injuries at first, they were gradually adapting and improving.

However…

‘The Emperor hasn’t made a move yet.’

Not only that. The traitors were also just observing from behind, not launching a single attack.

Watching the bodies of Imperial Knights pile up, Rosha muttered softly:

“What are they planning?”

It was then.

“My beloved knights… too many have died.”

The Emperor, muttering to himself, lightly waved his hand.

A bright yet chilling energy silently enveloped the surroundings. Those with keen senses tensed up sharply, but the Emperor’s ability wasn’t directed at them.

Swoosh-

The Imperial Knights who had lost their lives and fallen to the ground rose from their places as if being rewound.

Swords they had dropped flew back to them on their own, and torn wounds healed as if by magic. Even areas blackened by fire were returning to their original state.

“He… reversed time.”

“…This is impossible. Has the Emperor truly obtained the power of a god?”

More precisely, he had turned back the time of the dead knights to before they died, but the people who witnessed this scene were visibly shaken.

Fortunately, amidst the commotion, Rosha was able to see some of the flowers in the garden turning to powder.

‘So that’s it.’

The Emperor’s ability to manipulate time.

Defying time, of all things, would require immense power.

The Emperor’s hobby of gardening was just a smokescreen. Those flowers and trees, fixed in their most beautiful state, were surely filled with the Emperor’s ability.

“…No wonder the flowers remained intact even when stepped on.”

“Hmm, there must be thousands of visible flowers, and plenty more outside the palace. It seems this palace is essentially the Emperor’s ‘domain’… So try that thing.”

“What?”

“The flame that burns settings. You did it once before, didn’t you?”

Koko advised from the side.

As it said, Rosha had once burned away the ‘setting’ itself in a 7th stage magician’s domain.

This wasn’t a magician’s domain, but it didn’t seem entirely impossible either.

‘[The Guiding Lantern].’

The Emperor probably already knew she had the Lantern anyway. So she decided to use it without hiding.

Whoosh-

Flames that arose from thin air covered the flower bed.

As the flower petals that had strangely refused to burn started to slowly burn away, the traitors finally began to move.

The woman’s rifle aimed at Rosha’s forehead, and the other two also drew their swords and slowly approached.

“Who do you think you’re trying to touch?”

Seeing this, Cassis blocked Rosha’s front. Nardil and Marian also moved to the front line, with Froy supporting from behind, forming a formation.

At this critical moment.

The Emperor softly began:

“Do you really intend to continue? You have no chance of winning.”

“…”

“I know you damaged the magic formula. In fact, even so, only the method will change. We can just bring another trial to the capital.”

“…What nonsense.”

“So think carefully. What I want is just one thing.”

He was saying outrageous things as if they were nothing.

Rosha closed her ears and thought.

‘As the Emperor says… we have almost no chance of winning here.’

No matter how long he had been preparing, the Emperor in this palace was no different from an infinite ability user.

Moreover, with the existence of the traitors, and seeing the enemies revive, even their allies were struggling mentally.

‘We need to change locations.’

However, it was impossible to move this many people. Even with Froy’s ability to handle space, it was the same.

The Emperor likely had no intention of moving either. Because this place was overwhelmingly advantageous for him.

It was then.

“Hm?”

A silver light appeared in Rosha’s vision as she was racking her brain for a brilliant move.

It was the power of the Guide God.

At the same time, she heard the deity’s message disguised as a notification sound.

The Guide God says not to exert yourself unnecessarily and just let it in.

…In this situation, how can I resolve this without exerting myself?

‘By the way, let what in?’

Not properly explaining important things is an old habit of the Guide God.

As she grumbled for a moment, she noticed the silver light swirling around Hildor in her hand.

And once again, the message continued.

To the Trial of the Sacred Relic. Let it in.

By now, a bright light was emanating from Hildor.