Chapter 150
Everything was going as expected.
The rampaging monsters, the fact that they weren’t the ones they had prepared.
Catherine being blocked from using her power while trying to stop them, Blake and Aiden joining forces to protect people.
If there was anything outside their calculations…
‘I didn’t expect her to collapse.’
She had thought the Empress would take measures to prevent Catherine from using her power, but she didn’t know it would be enough to make her collapse.
And…
‘Brother is nowhere to be seen.’
The fact that Ante and the Empress weren’t visible here.
After Angelina’s group learned that the Empress was plotting something at this ball, they slightly modified their original plan.
The first plan was simple.
They had planned for Blake and Aiden to get into an argument that would lead to a duel, and for Catherine to heal Blake, who would be injured in the duel, with the Saint’s power.
This would imprint on people that Catherine was a Saint, solidify Aiden’s position as Crown Prince, and publicly show Blake and Aiden reconciling, creating the image that the relationship between the Duke and the Crown Prince had improved.
But this plan changed when Aiden, who learned about the Order’s wrongdoings through devotees who came to the extremist group, decided to become Catherine’s partner.
They decided to take a more active approach.
So this was the current situation.
It was Aiden who first proposed bringing in monsters.
He believed there was no more certain way to declare Catherine as a Saint than to release monsters in the capital and show her dealing with them directly.
Of course, they weren’t planning to release the monsters directly into the ballroom, but in an empty place like a training ground.
No matter how important the plan was, they couldn’t let innocent people get hurt.
Angelina was initially skeptical about the new plan, but soon concluded it wasn’t bad.
If monsters were running wild, the Empress wouldn’t be able to move freely, whatever she was plotting.
Catherine was already skilled at this, having done it several times before, and as long as Ante was there, the monsters could be controlled.
Moreover, all four of them had almost recovered the Sun’s power now, so people’s safety could be guaranteed.
But separate from agreeing to Aiden’s plan, Angelina was wary of the Empress.
The Empress might have discovered that Ante had bought the Sorovien family for Catherine, and that she had briefly planned to enter Blake’s service as a maid, though that plan ultimately fell through.
In addition, she would have noticed that Aiden was gradually trying to break free from her control, and would have set a trap in preparation for this.
Then she would have figured out to some extent that they planned to present Catherine as a Saint, just like the Order had done.
‘That’s why Catherine said she would be the bait…’
Up to this point, everything had been discussed with everyone, including Aiden.
Angelina had secretly twisted the plan one more time from here.
Namely, to induce the Empress to take action.
From the beginning, the Empress’s ultimate goal was to debut as a Saint herself.
‘She’ll be planning to control the monsters herself…’
Then there would be no more attractive stage than this one created to make Catherine a Saint.
All she had to do was put herself forward instead of Catherine, and everything would be resolved.
Even the cautious Empress wouldn’t just sit back and watch such a sweet opportunity to kill three birds with one stone.
So she had somewhat expected that Catherine would collapse now, and that the monsters would not be the ones Aiden had prepared from the palace laboratory.
However, there were always unexpected things, and now it was the fact that Ante was nowhere to be seen.
‘Honestly, I thought calming my brother down would be the trickiest part, since he’d try to protect me by saying it was dangerous.’
She had even taken into account that his identity as a magician might be revealed to the world…
Kyahaaak!
Until the monsters got to this state, he was nowhere to be seen.
‘He is in the palace.’
Angelina confirmed the location of the Sun’s power she had planted in his bracelet. He was definitely not far away.
“Angelina!”
Angelina, who had been looking in the direction where she felt the energy, quickly turned her head at the voice calling her.
Kaang-! Kwaduk.
“Toward the Crown Prince’s palace!”
No sooner had Blake finished speaking than a loud explosion was heard from a building not far away.
An alien energy instantly enveloped the hall.
‘The Sun’s power…? No, it’s different.’
If the Sun’s power was like first-grade water, this felt like rotten, polluted water.
“My lady! You and Blake go over there! Leave this place to the palace knights!”
Aiden, who had been dealing with monsters alongside Blake, shouted.
“His Majesty went that way. It means something is there!”
“But then Your Highness should come with…!”
Kuwoong!
“I’ll be there soon, so go ahead!”
Angelina looked toward the Crown Prince’s palace he mentioned.
It was in the same direction where she felt the energy from the bracelet she had given to Ante.
Whatever it was, something was definitely happening there.
“What about Catherine…!”
“We’ll take care of her.”
“Laura?”
“That’s right, we’ll stay with Miss Catherine! Even the Crown Prince would be overwhelmed alone!”
Haley cast a spell to cover Aiden.
“Duke, please take care of the young lady!”
Laura would watch over Catherine here, and Haley would assist Aiden.
This meant they fully trusted Blake.
Because they calculated that it would be more beneficial for them to stay here rather than follow Angelina.
It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but…
“Let’s do that.”
With Blake accepting this, the plan was put into action.
Bwoong-!
A monster’s tail flew toward Angelina.
Whik! Kwang!
Blake snatched her up and flew, while Haley’s barrier surrounded Catherine and blocked the attack.
“I think my brother is over there.”
Angelina, cradled in Blake’s arms, said.
Blake frowned.
“So the energy I feel through this stench is Zeplictus…”
“This rotten energy must be the Empress’s doing.”
“According to the Crown Prince, there’s a rose in his palace.”
“A rose… like Artoas?”
“The imperial family’s sacred jewel. He said there’s a rose inside it.”
“If that’s true, why would it be in the Crown Prince’s palace…”
“The Emperor entrusted it to him.”
“What?”
“I had a brief opportunity to speak with His Majesty the Emperor before the incident broke out. He seems to have been losing the Sun’s power since the time we regained our memories. He said that’s why he hurriedly returned to the palace.”
“Why would the Sun’s power…?”
“He said it was time to pass it down…”
It meant that the power of Grandonia that the Emperor had been holding had passed to Aiden, the Crown Prince.
“The Crown Prince was acting like he didn’t know what was happening.”
“Well, he’s always been a bit slow on the uptake.”
Was that something that could be dismissed as being slow on the uptake?
“Then His Majesty went to the Crown Prince’s palace to…”
“I think he wanted to check that sacred jewel. But the fact that Zeplictus is in the same place…”
“The sacred jewel is probably in the Empress’s hands. Ah, I really wish this was just my imagination.”
Angelina said with clear irritation.
They both already knew it wasn’t just her imagination but the truth.
“We’re here.”
Blake put her down.
“…Is this really the Crown Prince’s palace?”
“It would be more fitting to call it a ruin.”
The Crown Prince’s palace was already in ruins.
Crimson energy was scattered outside, making it eerie, as if a ghost might jump out at any moment.
“I should take back what I said about her planning to debut as a Saint…”
This was clearly not the feeling of a Saint by anyone’s standards.
More like a villain trying to bring about the end of the world.
Kwagwagwa…
Angelina staggered at the sudden earthquake.
It was even harder to maintain balance because she was wearing heels.
“Are you okay?”
With Blake’s help, Angelina immediately took off her shoes and threw them away.
“Yes, let’s go in.”
“Don’t leave my side.”
“Okay.”
Sticking close to his reliable back as he drew his sword, she headed toward the center of the energy.
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