Chapter 196
Roina concentrated and placed her hand on the floor beneath her feet. Having heard the explanation beforehand, Yoseph stood guarding her, keeping watch on their surroundings. Groping, groping, she searched for the ancient magic flowing through the Imperial Palace building, found the intricately connected circuits, and explored their center.
Right now, it was transferring the energy of darkness like blood vessels connected to a heart, but there were definitely parts that were empty or where ancient magic remained.
Roina focused on those places and exposed them. Finally, something caught her senses.
‘Found it.’
The center of the mana circuits filling this banquet hall. It was…
“Under the altar!”
Roina bit her lip. She had been faintly hoping that the center of the circuit might be on the periphery, like the pillar in the Crown Prince’s room, but the altar was in the very center of the banquet hall. It wasn’t a place she could approach directly.
“Under the altar, are you sure?”
Knowing that as well, Yoseph confirmed again. He seemed tense, as if he thought it wouldn’t be easy.
Roina nodded firmly. Confirming that reaction, Yoseph clenched and unclenched his fist, then sent a hand signal towards somewhere.
Following Yoseph’s gaze, Roina saw Jason, disguised as an Imperial Knight, there. He looked at her and smiled, then immediately left that place.
“Are you going to move the revolutionary army?”
“We have to increase the probability of success somehow. The risk is high, but this seems to be the only way right now. While the revolutionary army draws attention, it seems right for us to approach the altar and stop the ritual.”
Roina nodded with a determined expression. It was then. With a bang! The entire banquet hall shook.
“What, what is it?!”
“Eek!!”
The nobles in the agitated banquet hall screamed. As if that wasn’t the end, another bang! sounded near the banquet hall, and one side of the wall burst open.
The corridors were filled with the sound of people calling for guards and people in chaos trying to escape. Even the attendants helping the Crown Prince were in chaos, but the Crown Prince proceeded with the ritual without wavering.
“Did they set off a bomb or something?”
“They’ve brought forward part of the plan. Let’s go.”
Yoseph calmly grabbed her hand and led her. While being led by Yoseph and moving away, Roina couldn’t help but be greatly surprised when she saw the altar where the Crown Prince was for the last time. The Crown Prince was looking directly at her.
‘I thought he didn’t notice…’
The Crown Prince raised the corner of his mouth smoothly and smiled. All the while, his eyes persistently followed her. His gaze was as if to say he would never let her go, which sent shivers down her spine.
Roina hurriedly fled to a place where his gaze couldn’t reach.
“Yoseph, I think we’ve been found out.”
Roina said anxiously. They had been discovered in this urgent situation, so they had to resolve things as quickly as possible.
“I understand. From now on, let’s approach under the altar as quickly as possible.”
“No, where we’re going now isn’t towards the altar.”
At those words, Yoseph looked at her intently and said,
“He has already captured the Archmage, and he’s powerful enough to kidnap you in an instant. He’s also likely to anticipate interference during the ritual. There’s a cavity beneath there. It’ll be much better to go that way and approach.”
He was right. Without hesitation, Roina followed Yoseph’s guidance and ran. From the second floor to the first floor, from the first floor to the basement, no one discovered them because they were hiding their presence with ‘perception impairment magic.’
The first floor, which she saw in passing, was gradually being stained with darkness, centered around the altar. Even the Crown Prince’s white clothes, which had been like an angel’s, were stained black, as if he had fallen, lost his wings after falling, and been abandoned by God.
Roina deliberately didn’t focus on that sight and immediately moved her feet. She had a strong conviction that if she gave him her gaze again, their eyes would meet again.
“Yoseph!”
“Ten minutes left.”
Even though she hadn’t said everything, Yoseph immediately checked the time and informed her. Roina gritted her teeth and ran. If she reached the central axis of the mana circuit, and poured her last remaining strength into that place, she would be able to stop it.
She would save Lutan. Just like she had given him strength when he couldn’t escape from the Crown Prince back then, she would rescue him as well.
She wasn’t even sure if these feelings were her own yet, and she hadn’t given him a definite answer, but she couldn’t let it end like this.
Discussion
0 CommentsReactions
No comments yet.