Chapter 64.
Why the various support units didn’t commit until the crisis was over. I watched in silence as the guards poured through one entrance at a time.
Interspersed between the glittering silver armor were three or four men in golden robes. It was the magicians belonging to the palace. They quickly identified the half-melted magical creature and determined death.
“Because magical attacks are fragile, they are hardly ever used during battle.”
After hearing the original story, it wasn’t quite clear, but it seemed like the infinite multiplication of magical creatures used for force was brought in to prohibit magicians from participating in the hunting competition.
In the elegantly dressed banquet hall, nobles with weapons like me rarely appeared. It’s even more so for me who carries a magic weapon because there was also an inspection.
Since ancient times, the nobles who participated in the annual hunting competition were always proud. Because even without the help of magic, they can win the championship with their innate hunter’s sense and strength. Therefore, the only magic they received came from my stone bow that applied lightning magic.
Surely a game with a story that unfolds very convincingly.
But that kind of place, how did Winter get involved?
Although the question arose again, there was no room to find out.
Doing their best to control the demons, the resistance of the remnants of the new country was not as fierce as expected. Like catching a turtle in a jar, many of them were easily subdued.
“Let go of me! Let go of me! Aren’t you afraid of God, you guys!”
I wanted to know what kind of guys it was, so I took a look from a little distance.
The crown prince peeled off the cloth covering the guys’ ugly faces one by one.
“Do you realize this is the end! Callisto Legulus-!”
The leader was, unsurprisingly, the old woman. Then the remaining five faces were revealed. Surprisingly, three dry, thin women and two teenage boys.
“God watch over you poor, vicious creatures! We must tear your bodies to pieces and reclaim our trampled homeland ……!”
The old woman ended by cursing the Crown Prince. Callisto was indifferent to the creepy words. Instead, he waved his hand with a somewhat bored expression.
The old woman and the women who were the leaders were forcibly dragged away by the knights. The only ones left were the two young boys. The knights looked like they were pulling them away, but the crown prince reached out and stopped them.
He cruised over to the captain of the close guards and asked.
“Why are you so late?”
“Ah, that is …… a powerful no-entry magic has been applied around the banquet hall. The magicians were urgently summoned to lift the ban, but the magic was very powerful ……”
The chief of the close guards was a bit embarrassed to go on, and the crown prince lifted his chin without a care in the world.
“It’s these that did it.”
As if noticing the reason, the Crown Prince turned his terrible hostility towards the remaining children.
The identities were revealed. If they were normal children, they should be afraid. But the children did not falter in the face of the sight focused on them. The empty eyes staring into the void were numbing.
“Search the body.”
Callisto ordered. The knights roughly undressed the children. After a while, the knights who were searching the bodies shouted.
“Found the magic power increasing device!”
Small black square chips were attached under the children’s ears.
If it was a magic increase device, wizards?
The palace magicians carefully removed the chips from the children’s bodies. The two children who hadn’t resisted in any way before that, immediately collapsed like dolls with broken strings as soon as the device was detached.
I was taken aback by the look. But there was no mercy for the Crown Prince, and neither were the children.
“Drag them into the underground prison.”
“Yes!”
The loyal knights grabbed the children by their collars at that very instant.
“Please wait, please wait!”
Someone from the knights quickly stepped forward. With flowing silver hair, it was Winter.
“Can I help you, Marquis Belldandy?”
“Your Highness, please entrust these children of the remnants of the New Kingdom to me.”
Panicked, he stepped in front of the children and pleaded with his head bowed. The Crown Prince cocked his head.
“Obviously, these children have received prolonged hypnotic brainwashing and are unable to think properly.”
“So?”
“I can undo the brainwashing. Like before in the Viscount Hael kidnapping case, restoring memories and understanding the remnants of the party will be more helpful than just killing the innocent victims.”
Wynter always stated the reasoning for undoing the child’s brainwashing in a calm tone.
But it was easy for me to see how sincerely he was coming forward now. He was the one who didn’t hesitate to threaten the male daughter in order to protect the child rescued from the anti-magic organization.
“Marquis, this is very different from what happened at the Viscount’s house.” However, the Crown Prince cut his offer in two.
“When something happens at the palace banquet grounds, those implicated will be executed regardless of the reason.”
“Your Imperial Highness, this is not my personal selfishness. But it’s too much to be treated like this by the main culprits, so I hope you can sympathize.”
“Alright, stop it.”
As if he didn’t want to hear any more, the Crown Prince interrupted and ordered. Winter looked at the children being dragged away with blank eyes.
‘Why did you do that?’
Such a question suddenly came to mind. However, remembering the children huddled together wearing animal masks, he couldn’t be belittled just because the setting was too high.
The knights started dragging the children through the bustling crowd. I moved my body to get in front of him.
“I second the words of the Marquis of Belldandy.”
The sudden voice focused people’s eyes on me. Among them, besides Winter and the crown prince, there were also other male lords.
The icy cold eyes that touched the skin felt tingly. Derrick with an icy face, Leonard with a frown.
I felt the pressure of “Don’t stand out, stay put”. But I ignored it. I opened my mouth.
“Please allow the children to be handed over to the Marquis and un-brainwashed, Your Highness.”
“What did you say?”
The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow as if he hadn’t heard. Slowly raising my head and looking at the shimmering blonde hair, I spoke slowly.
“The signs of being abused are so obvious, is it too much to be directly executed.”
Then, I pointed at the children the knights were dragging in their hands. The clothes were removed, revealing dots of bruises and scars on their necks.
It took the bustling people to notice them. Staring and whispering. Sympathy for the children erupted.
“Ha.”
The Crown Prince seemed upset that I had stepped forward. Wide-eyed, he laughed coldly.
“Since when did the male daughter start talking about the country’s affairs as well?”
“So, I can’t even make a comment like killing everyone?”
I asked rhetorically as I looked around. The attendants were disposing of the remains of the demonic creatures that were everywhere in the banquet hall. Although I was embarrassed to open my mouth and say such a thing, I showed clear evidence of it.
The Crown Prince shut his mouth at my question and looked at me angrily. It’s also true that there’s nothing to say, right?
That guy’s head flashed dangerously. I hurriedly lowered my head and forced myself to act like I was pleading.
“Those are children, please, your highness.”
It’s not that I really want to help Winter, moreover I’m not a kind person, it’s quite uncharacteristic, isn’t it?
It’s just that it’s hard to watch silently in the face of the tragic appearance of being used and then discarded like trash and facing death. It’s not like me.
A fiery sight was felt above his head.
After a moment.
“…… sent to the carriage of the Marquis of Belldandy.”
The Crown Prince finally gave his permission in an unpleasant voice. I immediately looked up to confirm his favorability. Fortunately, 9% didn’t change.
As if relieved, a white box floated in front of my eyes.
[System] Reputation has risen, Fame +10.[TOTAL: 90]
It wasn’t intentional, but it got a good rating. I looked at the system window with a confused face.
“I didn’t realize that the male daughter was so sympathetic.”
The crown prince meanly taunted me.
“I was going to reward you individually, but it seems unnecessary.” He walked past me like that.
Che, stingy guy. I don’t need your reward.
Looking at the Crown Prince who was walking away, I immediately felt strange.
[Favorability 10%]
The Crown Prince’s favorability increased by 1%.
Anyway, did this episode pass safely?
Suddenly, demons appeared and ran rampant and almost died, but it didn’t turn out bad. The Crown Prince’s favorability also went up unexpectedly. Anyway, it looks like the hunting convention is going to be canceled because of what happened today.
Please, just walk away like this …… And what’s that main mission, now please don’t show up again.
Even if it comes out, it will be refused twice. I really can’t stand the thought of my body not acting voluntarily.
The crown prince disappears, the tension lifts, and I’m sore all over.
It’s important to lie down immediately or it’ll be very bad.
Looking around, at first glance, the situation seems to be taken care of. There are also injured people being carried on stretchers, but fortunately, there don’t seem to be any dead people.
I had to get to Emily fast!
I don’t know where Kavanagh is. But even so, I didn’t want to go looking for my two brothers who had suddenly disappeared.
Because of the attack, access to the banquet hall was strictly controlled, except for the Konoha guards. To see Emily, I had to go out.
The other nobles made short testimonies and confirmations to the guards and magicians and left the banquet hall. The moment I turned around with heavy footsteps in order to follow the steps of those people, I put a stone bow on my back.
“Miss Penelope.”