Chapter 57: Infiltration of the Core
As I surveyed the castle once more, I realized that there was no one left standing on two legs. To be honest, my classmates weren’t much of a threat after all. I kept that thought to myself, though, as it might hint that Shimizu and Nagai were actually formidable opponents.
“Ah, that felt refreshing.”
With a bright smile, Rio stretched her arms. It was a stark contrast to the groans echoing around us, but if Rio felt satisfied, then that was all that mattered.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“Yeah.”
“W-wait…”
Henning somehow managed to rise to his feet, trying to block our path.
“You really are persistent. Are you still in the mood to fight?”
“Of course… Even if my Demon Sword breaks, as long as my spirit remains unbroken… I will fight again and again—”
“Lightning Bolt!”
“Ugh!”
Sorry to interrupt your monologue, but could you please keep quiet? You wouldn’t tell me where the Third Princess is anyway, so just stay silent.
“Now, shall we go?”
I confirmed that Henning had finally collapsed, then turned to Rio with a smile. The thought that we might soon escape this country where we were being hunted lifted my spirits.
Hand in hand with Rio, we strolled through the castle’s corridors, feeling like we were on a date. We came across a Y-shaped fork in the path, but we chose the direction leading to the castle entrance, arriving at a large carriage rotary.
Here, the signs of battle were nowhere to be seen, and everything looked pristine.
“Wow, this is amazing!”
In the center of the rotary was a pond, with a fountain still spraying water into the air. The ground was beautifully paved with cobblestones, creating an elegant atmosphere. The castle entrance stood wide open, large enough for three carriages to pass through without issue.
“Excuse us!”
As we stepped through the entrance, the words slipped out naturally.
“Welcome.”
“Whoa!”
I had expected the place to be empty, but a well-dressed butler greeted us with a deep bow. I hadn’t sensed his presence at all…
“I apologize for startling you. May I ask what brings you here today?”
He was a handsome man with neatly styled green hair and a dark complexion. While he exuded an air of mystery, at least he wasn’t attacking us right away. I decided to ask what I needed to know.
“Um, we’re here to see Lily Arclight, the Third Princess. Do you know where she is?”
“Are you referring to Her Highness, Princess Lily Arclight?”
His eyes sparkled with curiosity as he scrutinized us.
“Ah, yes. I have something I need to return to her directly.”
Perhaps Rio’s words struck a chord with him, as his expression shifted to one of understanding.
“May I have your names?”
Surprised by his politeness, Rio and I exchanged glances. Our names were already known, so there was no issue. When we introduced ourselves together, it somehow felt like everything was falling into place. I had informed Tobil about our visit the day before, so this was probably the correct protocol, but it felt suspiciously too perfect. Was this a trap?
“Oh, my apologies. I have already heard about you from Tobil.”
“Is that so…”
Wait, did that guy really pass on our information? He’s too nice. In fact, I couldn’t help but think it was foolish of him to vouch for us.
“Is Tobil… alright?”
Rio tilted her head in concern, and I shared her sentiment. But then again, that could also be part of the trap. If the place we were being led to was a room designed to ensnare us, it would be a disaster. If we were sent back to the Forest of Enchantment… well, maybe we could handle it now.
“Please, follow me.”
The dark-skinned butler said, turning his back to us and walking deeper into the castle. I hesitated about whether to follow, but after exchanging nods with Rio, we decided to go along. We had no leads on where to find the princess, so it wouldn’t hurt to let him guide us.
As we walked down the corridor, we were led right and left, and soon I lost track of where we had come from. It felt like we were being delayed, but the castle was vast, after all…
“Rio… if they told us to go back from here, could we?”
Admitting that I was completely lost, Rio responded with a wry smile.
“Ahaha… I’m not so sure either…”
“Right?”
“Rest assured, I will personally see you off when you leave.”
I thought we had been speaking quietly, but he caught every word. This butler was no joke. He seemed far more formidable than the captain of the knights. Who exactly was he? With his dark skin, could he possibly be from the Demon Tribe? I had heard that horns could be concealed with magic…
“Um, nice to meet you?”
I was getting really curious. Speaking of which, I had that Magic Tool I bought as a joke…
I discreetly pulled out the Mirror of Truth and aimed it at the butler.
“No way…”
Two horns were visible, sprouting symmetrically from his temples.
“This way, please.”
Before I could process what I had seen, it seemed we had arrived at our destination. We were led to an exit bathed in light, stepping out into a vast open area that looked big enough for a baseball game. There were even tiered seating areas resembling spectator stands.
“I can’t believe you actually came…”
A familiar voice reached my ears, and as expected, Shimizu Masayoshi and Nagai Mei were waiting for us.
Honestly, compared to the fact that the Demon Tribe had infiltrated the core of the Arclight Kingdom, I couldn’t care less about them.