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Chapter 38
Karmen also didn’t like hearing these insults. Still, he didn’t care since they were only flapping their mouths anyway.
But of course, he couldn’t not be angry when Siervian was insulted earlier.
“I think I have to go for now.”
“Karmen…”
[ Karmen Kasselov ]
Thoughts: How dirty and cheap. I need to hurry and be the next lord of the magic tower. If I can get stronger, I can beat them all up. I’m totally going to beat the crap out of them.
Siervian, who unfortunately saw these thoughts, soon tilted her head to the side in confusion.
He was set to become the best mage, but he seemed to prefer his fists to magic spells.
The crown prince also sighed, then he sent off Karmen. He thought that it would be better to let these two get acquainted at a more peaceful place.
“See you in class.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
After the count’s son was dragged out, the commotion seemed to sort itself out.
But the nobles there, who were much older than Siervian, seem to be half-hearted.
‘Huh?’
The crown prince, not being able to stick next to Siervian all the time, also called them out and moderately dealt with them.
It was at that time, when Siervian was freed from constant watching, that she looked around.
‘Found you! The thief!’
As she read the status windows of the people passing through around her, she was barely able to spot the thief.
The thief was cleverly hiding amongst the servants.
‘No, but how?!’
Surprisingly, however, the thief had a different face today, but the name was definitely the same as yesterday in the status window.
“Eri!”
“Yes, Princess. Is there anything you need?”
“There, there!”
The thief was calmly refilling the food, then disappeared to one side.
Siervian was convinced that there would certainly be trouble if she missed the thief again this time.
He changed his face anyway, but the status window was showing something highly unusual.
[ Kashim ]
Occupation: Thief (Lv.85)
Thoughts: Now.
Fortunately, Ellie thought that Siervian was tired, so she carried her right away.
“Over there, I wanna go.”
“Yes, shall we take a break inside?”
The commotion a while ago was something that the ladies-in-waiting of the Princess’ Palace had seen. Thanks to this, the women around Siervian, including the one carrying her, walked briskly.
‘Where did he go?’
Ellie tried to bring her to the resting lounge inside. However, Siervian pretended to whine as she shook her head and hugged Ellie.
That’s why Ellie had to wander around the palace with the princess in her arms.
‘Ellie, I’m sorry.’
It couldn’t be helped. She wouldn’t be able to chase after someone quickly with her small body.
Siervian didn’t plan to chase after the thief so recklessly like this, but his status window made her hurry. It seemed like he was determined to do something at this moment.
‘Ah, I won’t be able to find him at this rate!’
If the thief’s goal was the same as it was in the previous life, then he would have gone to the imperial treasure room anyway.
Showing only signs of frustration, Siervian eagerly led Ellie towards one side.
As if she already reached the destination after all that whining.
‘I know where the destination is, so I can just wait there in advance.’
She didn’t know why the thief said, ‘Now’. But still, Siervian strangely had a strong, bad feeling.
She had a hunch that she needed to block him now.
‘Ah.’
Following Siervian’s directions until now, Ellie didn’t know that they were headed towards the treasure room, and so she made a small yelp.
A guard was approaching them to ask what their business was.
However, as she went with Ellie and looked ahead, Siervian soon had her eyes wide open.
“I greet Your Imperial Highness the Princess. Have you lost your way?”
[ Kashim ]
Occupation: Thief (Lv.85)
Thoughts: No, but why is the princess here? Sh*t, I guess I should make a retreat first.
With the appearance of a guard, the thief spoke politely.
Siervian was shocked. This face was different from when he was a servant a while ago.
“No, Her Highness just wanted to…”
Ellie raised Siervian in her arms and explained the situation.
As he listened to the explanation with his head down, the thief secretly looked around with a glint in his eyes.
[ Kashim ]
Thoughts: No, no. Once I go in, I can escape through the secret passage. So if I take the princess hostage…
At the mention of ‘retreat’, Siervian was surprised about how he was trying to get out of this situation.
Without Ellie noticing, the thief sneaked one hand to his waist.
And what appeared at his side was a weapon.
“That man, he’s weird!”
Urgently pointing a hand at the thief, Siervian shouted a warning. At the sudden remark, Ellie stepped back.
At that moment, the thief’s face under the guard’s mask changed abruptly.
“Tch!”
From the thief’s point of view, this felt like a deliberate trap.
As always, his disguise was perfect. There should have been no reason for the princess to suddenly shout that way.
[ Kashim ]
Thoughts: Calm down. First, slash the maid, then take the princess. It won’t be difficult to escape from the treasure room if I just pull that one candelabra. …I keep the princess until the right moment.
When a sword was pulled out by the guard, the ladies-in-waiting behind Ellie screamed.
In the meantime, Ellie turned back and shielded Siervian with her body. Jane also quickly stepped forward to try and protect the two.
“Hand over the Princess!”
“Run away!”
The sword swung down in slow motion.
She didn’t know this would happen. Siervian desperately tried to get out of Ellie’s arms.
It would be better if she became a hostage so that the choices they could make would be more. She never wanted anyone to be sacrificed under the blade of a sword.
‘No!’
But just before a sea of red would taint her eyes, a black shadow jumped ferociously from one side.
“Keugh, what—!”
“Get back!”
A knight shouted fiercely towards Jane and Ellie.
Seeing the palace guard, both ladies-in-waiting nodded urgently. They realized that it was the escort knight who followed Siervian.
While she was still in Ellie’s arms, Siervian could see the two men fighting as she and Ellie were moving backward.
Shiiing! Shiiiing!
Their swords flashed back and forth to the point that they were invisible.
Even in the whirlwind of actions, Siervian sharpened her mind.
She wanted to get a glimpse of the thief’s thoughts so that she could get some information.
[ Kashim ]
Thoughts: This palace guard scoundrel, if I can memorize this scoundrel, too…!
At that moment, the thief on the defensive had a strange line of thought.
She didn’t know what he was suddenly thinking about the palace guard, but it was certain that he’s talking about the one on their side. So, Siervian shouted reflexively.
“Caweful!”
And just then, the thief spewed something out of his mouth. The escort knight, who grew vigilant because of Siervian’s warning, managed to avoid this.
“Siervian!”
Then, there was a thunderous sound from afar. An enormous number of lights hit the thief’s body.
As his magic arrived earlier than he did, the crown prince urgently rushed to Siervian’s side.
Fortunately, his younger sister was safe.
“How dare you…”
The crown prince stared at the thief with such wrath that it was hard to believe it was the anger of an eight-year-old.
Seeing the numerous guards and nobles that followed behind him, Sievian gulped dryly.
It’s gotten out of hand.
“Siervy!”
Upon hearing the news, the emperor hurried to them. The nobles in the palace, whose children had come for the party, also hastily followed the emperor.
Surrounded by guards with the crown prince, Siervian inwardly sweated again.
“Your Majwesty…”
She made an effort to control her actions. She curtsied towards him more politely and more properly on purpose.
However, when the emperor approached her, the wind rushed in as he urgently hugged her.
“Are you alright? Just what has happened here!”
The emperor immediately rebuked a nearby guard, then he turned to the crown prince this time.
After confirming that both his children were unharmed, it was only then that his vicious anger erupted.
“Captain!”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
In an instant, the spacious garden where the party was taking place became sorted out.
As the nobles were sent out, it wasn’t until then that the emperor raised his chin.
‘Huh? That person.’
Siervian watched as the person who protected her and the ladies-in-waiting earlier stepped forward.
“Explain what happened.”
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
[ Adante Roid ]
Occupation: The Princess’ Escort Knight (Lv.87)
He was a very talented knight who would become the Captain of the Imperial Guard in the future.
Seeing what was written in his occupation, Siervian was surprised as she realized that such an outstanding knight was her guard.
“While I was escorting Her Highness, we reached the treasure room. There was a palace guard whose face I hadn’t seen before, so I sent a signal to have the situation checked carefully, sire.”
“Then?”
“But even faster than I could, Her Highness noticed that something was strange. The man tried to attack, so I started defending at that point.”
In the following explanation, Siervian could feel tears pooling at her eyes again. She was scared that, when it was mentioned that she noticed something strange, maybe she would be misunderstood.
Indeed, as the emperor heard those words, the emperor asked her with wonder.
“Siervy, how did you know it was strange?”
“Um…”
She couldn’t say that she could see people’s innermost thoughts because of the status window.
Eventually, Siervian decided to be honest, and right after, her small body followed.
“Jwust, bad! Like this! Face!”
“His face?”
“I-It’s weird…”
Ah, she’s in trouble. This ridiculous excuse seemed to throw her under more suspicion. What if she’d end up being dragged away to the magical treatment center?
“Hmm.”
“Let’s see.”
“Perhaps…”
Surprisingly, however, everyone nearby started nodding in agreement.
“……?”
When she blinked her wide eyes, the emperor carefully stroked her head.
“Alright. I’m glad you didn’t get hurt.”
“…Yees.”
It’s good that he believed her, but it felt a little burdensome.
He tried to control himself only in front of his daughter, but there was no need for that now.
Sitting on his throne with a severe look, Alderuan asked the men who were bowing their heads below.
“Has he confessed?”
“It’s that—it turns out that he was aiming for the Imperial Palace’s treasure.”
Alderuan clenched his hands into fists, and a wave of brutal mana that could be found in battlefields broke out.
“…As expected, he was aiming to kidnap the Princess.”
“Pardon?”
“If he’s aiming for the greatest treasure of the Imperial Palace’s treasure, then isn’t it that he planned to kidnap Siervian?”
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