I Grabbed the Tyrant’s Heart - Chapter 229
Hearing my mumbling, General Panet immediately tensed, so I smiled at him. The color of his soul plate seemed to shift oddly, but I brushed it off.
“We need to deal with the little rat soon.”
“Are you going to go yourself?”
“If I act alone, the opponent will have to respond. I need to create irrefutable evidence. What did the Chancellor say?”
“He conveyed that it has been confirmed the family is not in league with the enemy, but surveillance will not cease.”
“I see.”
If I capture the target and read their memories, I should be able to get more detailed information.
With a swift motion, I threw myself out the window. The location I transported to was my bedroom.
The one who had deserted the unit seemed determined to kill me. As I stepped out of the bedroom, I sensed someone hiding at the end of the hallway.
I walked down the stairs, pretending to look around for supplies, and moved toward a secluded area. The person who hesitated briefly quietly followed behind me.
What a fool. Did they think I wouldn’t notice?
I opened the door to the food storage area wide, deliberately inviting them to enter easily.
As expected, they followed.
I quietly closed the door with magic, but they seemed unaware and continued to trail me.
Fortunately, I didn’t hear any footsteps. If they couldn’t even manage that while coming to kill me, it would have been laughable.
With each step, the distance between us gradually closed.
It felt as though they were pulling a sharp blade from their cloak.
They’re coming.
Just before the sharp intent pricked my back, I turned around.
The knight, with their eyes narrowed, was trying to stab me with a dagger held tightly in both hands.
Bam!
With a nod, the knight slammed into the wall and shook violently then falling still. I approached and pulled up the blue hair.
“Ugh…”
The knight glared at me, swallowing a groan that sounded like a death rattle.
“It’s fortunate that she isn’t here now.”
I stared at the assassin who had urged my younger brother to kill me.
“Ruby Daidi.”
* * *
Boom! Bang!
I thought the fight was over, but a tremendous noise erupted above me, prompting me to instinctively conjure a defensive spell.
Block it!
I tried to recreate the Grand Wizard’s defensive magic as closely as possible. Would the enemy fall for it?
It was our forces left standing, and the Southern Empire had unleashed a magical attack.
The enemy wizard, favoring fire magic, started raining down fireballs again, but their intensity was much diminished compared to before. Still, I kept my defensive magic active until all the fireballs dissipated to stay cautious.
To hide my ability to use magic, I had summoned additional high-ranking wizards, so this level of attack should be manageable.
“Gather the horses and weapons!”
As the commander shouted, the soldiers began collecting the spoils, and I remained alert for any further attacks. Thankfully, no additional magical assaults followed.
“Fall back!”
The soldiers, disregarding their desire for loot, retreated according to the commander’s orders. They moved back in an orderly fashion and safely entered the castle gates.
It was a resounding victory.
There were quite a few casualties, but this single success amidst a series of defeats felt more valuable than any previous victory. Moreover, since it ended more quickly than usual, it likely felt like a solid win for them.
The soldiers, buoyed by their victory, couldn’t contain their joy.
It seemed the people inside the castle were just as affected, all of them flashing smiles.
General Panet, who was waiting for me, guided me on what I needed to do.
“First, let’s acknowledge the efforts of today’s battle.”
I stepped onto the platform and subtly cast an amplification spell on my voice.
The sight of soldiers clad in armor covered in blood and mud filled my view. I could see many nursing injuries and groaning.
“You fought well, children of the Northern Empire!”
Though I had no personal connection to these people, just the fact that we were part of the same Empire and had fought together made me feel proud. It was as if the chains of tension that had been binding me began to loosen.
I suppressed my overwhelming emotions.
“We can return victorious! Let’s win!”
“Waaaah!”
The soldiers raised their weapons in response, and the cheers echoed loudly.
Shaking the flag I had been holding aloft, the cheers grew even louder, shaking the sky and the earth. After the recent surge of magical attacks from the Southern Empire, hope had reignited.
Yes, let’s finish this quickly and go back to our comfortable homes.
The red sky of the setting sun made my nose tingle.
“Lady Hardland.”
At General Panet’s gesture, I left the soldiers behind and headed into the castle.
“Long live the Emperor!”
“Long live Lady Hardland!”
“Long live the Empress!”
As someone started the chant, praise for both me and Tess spread like a wave.
Thank goodness it was after I had come down from the platform.
I was feeling quite flustered.
“This way, Lady.”
Following General Panet, we arrived at the underground prison. The atmosphere below was cold compared to the excitement outside.
There was only one reason for coming here.
Thud, thud.
The heavy sound of boots striking the stone floor echoed unsettlingly through the dark dungeon. The air was thick, illuminated not by glowing stones but by oil-soaked torches.
Soon, I spotted Tess. He reached out his hand to me, and in turn, General Panet bowed respectfully before heading toward the exit.
“Over there.”
At Tess’s whisper, I focused on the inside of the prison and recognized someone I knew well.
As I took the keys from Tess and unlocked the door, the person inside finally seemed to sense my presence and looked up.
“…Ruby.”
“Eu…Euel? Why are you here? Why are you in Hollen?”
“Why do you think, Ruby? It means things have gotten serious.”
“Is it really that bad?”
Her blue eyes wavered.
“Yes. The South has gained the upper hand. We all knew this, right?”
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