* * *
The mage’s chest was blown open in a heartbeat. His body fell lifelessly to the platform with a dull thud, his dying gasp fading into silence.
The emperor clicked his tongue as he stared at the corpse, its eyes wide open in death.
“Tsk, tsk. I should’ve disposed of this hound once its hunt was over. I acted too late.”
The emperor’s gaze was no longer human.
Black veins crawled up his face, darkening not only his skin but even the whites of his eyes.
Everyone had witnessed the emperor ruthlessly killing the royal mage in an instant, using an unidentifiable magic.
‘The emperor… has gone mad!’
It was a shared thought. No one dared remain in that place any longer.
With the glass walls shattered, an escape route was wide open.
Terrified, trembling attendees mustered their strength and began fleeing beyond the broken walls.
“Out of the way, now!”
“Baron Ikalr, what are you doing?!”
In the chaos, the duke gripped Ed’s hand tightly, his other hand clutching his sword.
“Your Grace.”
“I’m fine.”
Before the duke could nod in reassurance, the banquet hall doors burst open, and familiar footsteps echoed within.
Dozens of heavy yet swift strides.
Cloaks of ash-gray billowing in the wind.
A sigil embroidered with the image of the northern dragon.
It was the Royal Knights of Loyalt, protectors of the North, whom the duke had summoned to the capital.
At the forefront stood Irtel.
Even amidst the chaos, his expression was stern and composed.
At his signal, the knights dispersed to assist those trying to escape.
Watching them, Ed felt a mix of relief and pride but soon tilted his head.
“By the way, I don’t see Tens anywhere.”
Tens, known for suddenly appearing and winking with a mischievous grin, was nowhere to be found.
“Could something have happened…?”
Before Ed could finish, the duke tightened his grip on Ed’s hand and murmured in a low voice.
“Ed, there’s no need to worry about him.”
To Ed, it sounded like a childlike demand not to waste any concern on someone else.
Ed glanced at the duke’s face, noting his slight frown as if something displeased him.
At that moment, Irtel approached, moving against the tide of fleeing people.
“Your Grace.”
Irtel stood at attention, heels together, his posture impeccable as he addressed the duke.
“Irtel, captain of the Royal Knights of Loyalt, reporting.”
Before Irtel could continue, the duke interrupted him.
“You’re late.”
“My apologies, Your Grace. There were unforeseen delays.”
“Enough. What of that person?”
“They’re being brought here as we speak.”
‘That person?’
It seemed the knights had some plan in motion before coming to the capital.
Ed wanted to ask who they were referring to and why they were being brought here.
But the emperor gave no such chance.
With a leisurely smile, the emperor, who had been watching the fleeing people like ants, could no longer contain his anger upon seeing the knights appear.
His jaw clenched so tightly that the muscles at the tip of his chin twitched grotesquely.
Then, unable to hold back, he struck the platform forcefully with his royal scepter.
“Your Grace, take cover!”
Irtel shouted, moving to shield the duke and Ed.
“Urgh! Guh!”
“What is this—ack!”
Black mist erupted from the scepter, wrapping around the fleeing people’s bodies and forcing their mouths open.
The mist poured into their mouths, and those who resisted fell to the ground as if poisoned.
But this was only the beginning.
Moments later, the collapsed bodies rose like marionettes on strings.
Their wide-open eyes turned pitch black.
Ed’s breath caught in his throat.
The black dragon circling the night sky let out a long, eerie roar as if delighted by the scene below.
The knights, the duke, and Ed all froze, their eyes scanning the area cautiously.
“…”
A deathly silence hung in the air, the kind that only comes before a storm.
The emperor was the one to shatter it.
“Those who do not exist for me are unnecessary.”
The emperor’s oppressive gaze fell on the mage’s corpse, which had rolled down from the platform, and he sneered before locking eyes with the duke.
“Those who dare defy my will are also unnecessary.”
He ran his hand over the armrest of the throne.
“Everything must exist beneath me.”
The throne’s ivory frame, adorned with red velvet, gold embroidery, and countless gemstones, was a seat reserved solely for the sovereign.
Sitting there, the emperor surveyed the room, a chilling smile on his face.
“I am the sun of this empire.”
As if his words were a signal, the black mist-infected individuals lunged at the untainted people, their movements like those of ravenous beasts.
“Ah! Get away! Let go of me!”
Screams echoed through the room.
The brief semblance of order brought by the knights quickly dissolved into utter chaos.
“…What is happening?”
Even Irtel, who rarely found himself flustered, was at a loss before the bizarre scene.
As he instinctively unsheathed his sword and assumed a defensive stance, a composed voice came from behind him—it was the Grand Duke.
“The black smoke and the restraints are working in tandem to control the people.”
The ominous black smoke originated from an ornate royal scepter.
The Grand Duke’s eyes narrowed at the crimson-tipped end of the long, regal staff, and he spoke firmly to Irtel.
“I’ll handle this. Order the knights to protect the people.”
Though concerned for the Grand Duke and Ed, Irtel swiftly turned on his heels.
His lord was wise and strong, always making the best decisions.
“Understood, my lord!”
Irtel answered with conviction and commanded the knights in a loud voice.
The knights, momentarily confused, quickly fell into line upon hearing Irtel’s orders.
Their first action was to gather the restrained individuals into a single location.
Given the elite yet small number of knights, concentrating the people in one area was the most efficient way to protect them.
The knights encircled the gathered individuals, prepared to draw their swords.
But just then, the Grand Duke called out sharply.
“They’re merely being controlled—do not inflict serious harm. Focus on subduing them!”
Though they had inhaled the black smoke and lost their senses, the affected individuals were still deserving of the knights’ protection.
One knight murmured under his breath, “We’re not allowed to attack and can only defend?”
For those accustomed to fighting enemies and monsters without hesitation, this was a challenging command.
However, their hesitation was fleeting.
The knights, as if their resolve had never wavered, raised their scabbards in perfect unison and assumed defensive stances.
Clank.
Not a single movement was out of sync as they moved in one rhythm.
Though their blades remained sheathed, the knights exuded an intimidating aura. Irtel shouted toward them.
“Guardians of the North! In the name of the Royalty Knights!”
The knights responded in unison.
“We serve the Grand Duke’s command!”
Even the palace guards, who had been standing back, began to join in one by one.
As he observed the swift actions of the knights, the Grand Duke thought grimly, ‘The Emperor has neither mastered black magic nor dragons—he’s been overtaken instead.’
Though the Emperor had strayed from his initial plan and touched something far more dangerous than anticipated, it wasn’t as though they were without countermeasures.
The Grand Duke turned his head.
“Ed.”
Wrapped in a golden protective barrier, Ed stood steadfast by his side, completely unshaken.
“Yes, Your Grace. Is there anything else I can do to assist?”
Ed had never exerted himself as much as he had today.
Though the strain on his body was noticeable, it was bearable.
What worried him more was ensuring the safety of the child growing within him.
“Let me touch the necklace for a moment.”
The Grand Duke stepped closer, taking the necklace from Ed’s chest into his hand and murmured something under his breath.
“What did you just—huh?”
Ed trailed off, instinctively placing a hand over his stomach.
The moment the Grand Duke finished whispering and lowered the necklace, a strong thump resounded from within Ed’s belly.
* * *
