“Someone escaped from prison!”
Under the night sky, a loud cry suddenly echoed from the Royal Capital Prison, followed by a series of horn blasts.
“Toot—!”
As the brass horn tore through the night sky of the Royal Capital, Diana’s silver boots crushed a puddle of dark red blood.
Pursuers arrived, surrounding and blocking their path.
Chief Royal Magician Volk only then realized that tonight was not as unguarded as Mil had claimed.
However, a combination of a Holy Sword User and an Eighth-Rank Magician was a rare sight that few could stop.
The tip of Volk’s staff glowed with a flickering blue flame, reflecting his pale face.
Tearing the scroll in his hand, the burning ashes of the parchment transformed into thousands of phosphorescent butterflies.
As the two escaped, defeating one enemy after another who tried to stop them…
What appeared before them, however, were familiar faces, one after another.
Instructors, teachers, classmates, friends, and even his own apprentice.
Of course, many of these people were not truly hostile but were torn, standing in their way for the sake of their respective responsibilities and missions.
“It’s not the prison guards, but the Royal Knights, Princess Diana. It seems your brother, Rudolph, doesn’t intend to let you go.”
“Rudolph… Is it confirmed to be him?”
Diana’s emotions were complex; she herself didn’t know how she managed to ask that question.
Her teacher, Volk, sighed helplessly:
“Alas… Not everything can be proven with irrefutable evidence. Many times, by the time you get the real evidence, it’s already too late to salvage the situation.”
“I truly hope… this is just a dream.”
“Prince Otto has already been buried. The irony is… Mil presided over his funeral.”
Diana said nothing more, instead silently clearing the enemies before her, advancing steadily along the pre-planned escape route.
Around the corner, the elderly sword instructor stood with his sword, the blessed ribbon wrapped around the hilt fluttering in the night wind.
When the seventh Knight, with whom she had once shared celebratory drinks, fell, Diana’s fingertips dug into her palms.
Although the Holy Sword was not in Diana’s hand at the moment, as long as she was still acknowledged by the Holy Sword, she could display power sufficient to face the abyss.
Finally, the two arrived at the city gate…
The area was already surrounded, impenetrable. Centurions held large shields, arrayed in a line.
Dragon-slaying ballistas lined the city walls, the Royal Knights blocked the rear, long spears were arrayed like a dense forest, and the Berserkers’ greatswords gleamed coldly under the moonlight.
An Eighth-Rank Royal Magician led the charge, followed by several Sixth and Seventh-Rank Magicians.
“Princess Diana, you should surrender.”
Seeing such a formation, Diana’s heart grew cold. Volk quietly asked beside her:
“Princess Diana, have you still not made up your mind?”
Diana took a deep breath, exhaled through clenched teeth, tightened her grip on her sword, and looked resolutely towards the city gate.
In an instant, everyone tensed up, battle seemed imminent, the sound of muscles straining against armor suddenly echoed at the city gate…
And then, the Royal Knights behind them opened a path.
Hearing the sound, Diana turned and saw a warm and familiar figure slowly walking towards her under the moonlight.
Seeing that kind face, tears instantly welled up in her eyes:
“Mother?”
Diana’s choked sob caught in her throat as she watched the Queen remove her cloak and drape it over her shoulders.
Queen Marie, dressed in a purple gown, with a loving gaze that held an even firmer resolve, softly asked:
“Diana, have you made your decision?”
“Yes, I want to find… the true murderer of my brother, Otto.”
“Good, give me your hand.”
Then, the Queen took Diana’s hand and walked step by step towards the city gate.
“Your Highness Marie, as Queen, harboring a criminal who escapes, do you know what this means?”
The Knight leader sharply warned…
But the Queen remained silent, silently leading Diana through the crowd, past the city gate, and over the moats.
Volk followed behind, vigilantly watching the surrounding soldiers, his staff ready with the strongest defensive magic, poised for action.
The Queen did not stop until she had led Diana to the village outside the city, where she said faintly:
“Take care of yourself.”
After speaking, she drew the Holy Sword, radiating sacred light, from her magic pouch.
Night had deepened, and the town was silent. Volk waved his hand, signaling those who had been waiting there to bring out the prepared horses.
“Whoosh—!”
Suddenly, a sharp arrow, gleaming coldly, flew from the shadows, striking and killing the horse that had just been led out.
At the same time, people from all directions emerged from the shadows…
“Diana! You’re not getting away tonight!”
No sooner had the words fallen than a black fireball violently struck Diana, and the surrounding people swarmed forward, attacking the three indiscriminately…
Only then did the three realize that these people were not the Royal Capital guards, nor were they members of the Knight Order.
Instead, they were bloodthirsty desperadoes and Black Magicians serving the abyss.
Volk deployed his defense, but the opponents seemed to have been prepared, cooperating to tear through the defensive magic and launch a close-range assault on Queen Marie.
On the battlefield, Queen Marie was no ordinary person; her purple silk cloak flapped in the magical currents. She removed her earrings, inlaid with star and moon emblems, and threw them into the night sky…
Then, the activated sacred ripples knocked back six assassins.
When Marie drew the long-dormant magic sword, Diana realized that her mother, too, had prepared for the worst tonight.
The guards and Knights from the city gate also rushed over, joining the fierce battle…
“Princess Diana! I will protect the Queen, you go first!”
Shouting, he cooperated with the Royal Knights to surround the Queen in the center.
Seeing the Queen’s injured and bleeding arm, Diana’s heart was in agony.
The soldiers tore open a path, helped Queen Marie onto a horse, and dispatched a group of people to protect the Queen as she retreated towards the city gate.
Seeing this, Diana finally felt at ease and prepared to break through and leave…
It was then that she realized that both the soldiers and Knights, as well as the desperadoes and Black Magicians, were closing in on her, surrounding her.
“Diana! Over here!”
Volk seized the opportunity to gather power, unleashing a stream of flames towards their escape direction…
The path was opened, but little did they know that an assassin had quietly approached from behind.
“Urgh…!”
Suddenly, Volk let out a painful groan as a cold dagger pierced his back.
The magical formation, already constructed, unfolded with the blade, instantly severing all magical flow within Volk.
When Diana turned, she saw the blood blossom erupting from her teacher’s back.
“Teacher—!”
She cried out, but was separated by the crowd.
The assassin behind him was about to leave, but unexpectedly, Volk, with a backhand, tore off his disguise…
Though she only saw it for a moment, it completely disheartened Diana:
“Mil?!”
Mil quickly put on his disguise mask, transforming into a Royal Knight:
“Over here! Stop her!”