Chapter 40: It’ll Be Alright
A group of figures moved silently through a dark passageway.
It was a secret tunnel designed for royal family members to escape the palace in emergencies. But it also served as a convenient route for infiltration from the outside.
Delia led the royal guards into the palace through the secret passage. She and Zere halted their group at a fork in the corridor where stairs diverged in two directions.
“This path leads to the Grand Banquet Hall. This one to the central first-floor hall. These stairs go to the second-floor balcony.”
At Delia’s signal, the group split into two.
Otto, the deputy commander, who was about to follow Delia’s orders, cautiously asked,
“Do you think His Majesty is really in the banquet hall?”
His voice echoed softly in the dark, narrow tunnel, seeping into their anxious hearts. Delia’s golden eyelids fluttered slightly as she involuntarily closed her eyes.
When they turned back toward the palace, it had already fallen into the hands of the Empire’s army.
Panic-stricken people were fleeing, guards were helping them escape, and imperial forces were blocking their way. Chaos engulfed the area around the palace.
That bastard actually did it.
Gritting her teeth and pushing through the confusion, Delia had barely managed to catch a maid dressed in the royal servant uniform.
‘Do you know where His Majesty is?’
The maid stared at Delia, whose hood was pulled deeply over her face, then quietly answered:
‘He stayed in the banquet hall to announce the kingdom’s surrender to the Empire.’
The maid must have realized who Delia was—and what she intended to do. She had clasped Delia’s hand tightly and whispered:
‘Please be careful.’
Even now, in the midst of this dire situation, Delia could still feel the warmth of that touch in her hand.
She clenched her fist, determined not to let that warmth fade.
“All we can do is hope what the maid said was true.”
Resolutely, Delia opened her eyes.
“Once you’re in position and have assessed the situation from above, attack the imperial forces.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“When we hear the gunfire, we’ll rush in from here.”
Zere and the others nodded.
“And…”
Delia took a deep breath, then gave a firm order.
“If you see the Supreme Commander—silver hair—shoot him first. You must succeed.”
Zere met her gleaming blue eyes in the darkness and nodded.
“Yes, Your Highness. Understood.”
“We’ll use the chaos to rescue my parents from the hall.”
“Please be careful.”
“You too, Zere.”
After the solemn exchange, Delia and Zere parted ways.
Watching Zere ascend the stairs, Delia advanced through the passage.
Behind her and the guards, a shadow darker than the darkness itself trailed silently.
Eventually reaching her destination, Delia leaned against the rough wall, catching her breath.
She blinked into the pitch black, trying to get a sense of her surroundings.
Her heart pounded so hard that the tremors reached her fingertips.
To assassinate the enemy commander and rescue the King and Queen—
It was dangerous, but it was something she had to do as the princess of Eorenty.
She placed her hand on the doorknob that connected to the Grand Banquet Hall, heightening all her senses.
She listened intently, waiting for Zere’s signal to attack.
“Should I kill him?”
A familiar voice came through the door.
Though muffled, it was unmistakably his—moist and cold, like mist.
The voice of the enemy commander, threatening her father, the King of Eorenty.
“Or should I let him live?”
Delia gripped her slipping gun tightly.
At least she wasn’t too late—her parents were still alive.
Relief washed over her, but so did despair. She would have to face him again.
Please, let Zere succeed in killing him.
But then…
Delia looked up at the ceiling, swallowed in darkness.
What’s taking Zere so long?
He should have reached the second floor by now.
She couldn’t move until Zere created a distraction from above.
But no matter how long she waited, she heard no gunfire.
Sweat beaded on her forehead as anxiety crept in.
Meanwhile, the voice outside continued calmly and relentlessly.
“I’ll leave the decision to you.”
Delia listened sharply for any sign of change.
Now, Zere!
She screamed silently—but everything remained calm.
An ominous feeling swept over her.
“I told you, didn’t I…”
Delia wiped the sweat from her palm on her clothes, ears perked.
Who was he even talking to?
“I’m not interested in the small fry. As long as you appear before me…”
A chill ran down Delia’s spine.
“I’m not interested in the small fry. As long as my ‘prisoner’ is beside me like now…”
He had whispered those very words in her ear while hunting on Mount Tarrens.
Now, that voice echoed like a twisted déjà vu through the banquet hall.
Delia finally realized—
He was speaking to her.
The mad commander had already sensed her presence in the palace.
“I won’t need to shoot them.”
Grinding her teeth, Delia raised her gun beside her face.
She cursed under her breath and grabbed the doorknob with her other hand.
The guards following her blocked her path.
“Please, don’t, Your Highness.”
Their voices echoed darkly through the corridor.
“We were too late. You must escape now.”
“…Escape?”
“They clearly know our plan. They’ve likely set a trap.”
Another guard added with a tense look:
“With no signal from the captain, going out now is suicide.”
“I know. But…”
Delia looked at them.
“I can’t give up.”
She pushed the guards aside and firmly gripped the doorknob.
Outside, the voice continued its false sense of choice.
“If that’s your decision… then I suppose I’ll really have to shoot.”
I’m going out. You lunatic.
Delia took a deep breath and flung open the hidden door.
Blinding light poured in.
“I’m out. You see me now. So stop.”
Delia blinked against the brightness.
Even with blurred vision, she could clearly see Aaron, his gun pointed toward her parents’ throne.
Delia raised her gun at him and quickly scanned the room—
The hall was surrounded by imperial soldiers.
Two grand thrones.
And the mad commander staring straight at her.
“You’ve finally come out.”
Aaron looked at Delia, who had emerged behind the thrones.
He had predicted there would be a secret passage near the King’s seat—and she had proved him right.
“It’s been a while.”
She had changed a lot.
Maybe due to the poison she’d been forced to ingest, her face was pale and gaunt.
She looked weaker, her gun trembling slightly.
Yet some things hadn’t changed:
The fire in her blue eyes.
Her golden hair that flowed like sunlight.
Her unwavering courage to face him head-on.
“You dare aim a gun at the King of Eorenty?”
“You wouldn’t stop until I showed myself.”
“Well, here you are. Now lower your gun.”
Delia glanced at the gun still aimed toward her father.
Though the throne blocked most of his figure, she could see his hand grasping the staff.
How humiliating this must be.
Her vision blurred with emotion.
To keep from crying, she gripped her gun tighter.
“Lower your gun. Now.”
“You should lower yours. If you want them to live.”
At Aaron’s signal, another soldier pointed a gun at the Queen.
A faint sob echoed through the hall.
Delia realized she had no choice.
There was no sign of Zere.
Her parents were hostages.
They were completely cornered.
She slowly lowered her gun to the ground.
“There. I did what you said. Now get your gun away from my parents.”
“As you wish, Princess.”
Aaron finally lowered his weapon and raised both hands, as if to show he meant no harm.
So smug, so casual.
Delia bit back her anger.
“I came, just like you wanted. Now let my parents go.”
“Come stand beside me first.”
It was an obvious trap.
But she had no choice.
With fury in her eyes, Delia took a step forward.
Every step toward her parents brought her closer to him.
Close enough that one slip could cost her.
And yet she walked straight into his grasp.
“It’ll be alright, Father.”
Delia moved cautiously, finally reaching the throne.
She softly covered the King’s hand, still holding the staff.
“Don’t worry.”
The moment she touched him—
Delia’s heart turned cold.
It wasn’t the warm, familiar hand she remembered.
She looked up—
“It’s been a while, Princess.”
It was Dyke, Aaron’s adjutant.
Wearing a crown awkwardly, smiling sheepishly.
He held the Queen’s maid, Meredith, by the hand as she sobbed, her head bowed.
Not her parents.
She’d risked everything—only to be fooled again.
By that man.
Her mind went blank.
“You bastard.”
Furious, Delia drew her hidden knife and slashed at Aaron.
He dodged easily, turning aside.
“Language, Princess.”
“Where are my parents?”
“They’re precious collectibles. I can’t let them be exposed to danger.”
“You’re the danger, lunatic! Bring them back—now!”
Delia gripped her knife tightly, shouting loud enough to shake the hall—
“ZERE! SHOOT THIS BASTARD NOW!”
Hoo….wow…