Chapter 70: The Changing Conclusion

Elna who visits the room of Zuzan, the Fifth Consort, is now standing in front of the person herself.

I thought I request you to bring Christa together with you though?

Elna clenches her fist at Zuzans innocent act.

That was clearly not a request but a threat.

However, Elna stares back at Zuzan and gives her a reply.

Her Highness Christa couldnt come because she is feeling sick. Thats why I came here alone.

Really. She is feeling sick huh..Well, fine.

Zuzan said so and urged Elna to sit.

Unable to refuse, Elna sat down on the chair but she didnt reach out to anything on the table.

Elna remembers that Zuzan was crying at the Second Consort Funeral.

Her tears were real. Thats why she was terrified.

She was terrified at a woman called Zuzan who can even shed tears to her nemesis. For her to be able to deceive herself to that extent, deceiving others must also be easy for her.

Elnas father described Zuzan as a snake-like woman.

Right now she once again understood what he meant.

The reason I called you this time is that I want you to join our side.

Seeing Zuzan said that with a smile, Elna imagined a snake showing its tongue and slowly approaching her while waiting for the moment it would plunge in to take a bite at her.

Before you notice, you will be squeezed tight and eaten. 

Elna closes her eyes and shakes off that vision.

If you are asking for my help in the succession war then I will have to decline.

Ara..and why is that?

Amsberg house has not been involved in the succession war for generations. Our stance is one that will not get involved in politics.

But you have been helping Leonard right? You are even guarding his mother right now.

He is my childhood friend after all. My help is only on a personal level. They just felt safer that I am there to act as an escort. Did you find it unpleasant?

No, thats a great friendship you have there. Wont you extend such friendship to Zandra as well?

Absolutely not.

That was what Elna thought but she couldnt say it out loud so she gave her a vague reply instead.

I will consider it if the opportunity arises.

Thats one cold reply. Both that girl and I evaluate you highly, you know?

Is that so.

While giving her that blunt reply, Elna thought that something was strange.

People dont normally use the word [evaluate] to a member of the Amsberg family. The position of the Amsberg house is solid. No one would judge their value. 

However, the question here is why Zuzan said some meaningless things like that. Elna frowns at the discomfort she is feeling.

You will get a lot of rewards if you cooperate with Zandra you know? We can promise you that we wont touch your childhood friends either.

Im grateful for your offer..but there is one thing that I would like to ask, may I?

Such blunt recruitment.

Its not good to refuse her aggressively. Its better to dodge the topic and wrap this up soon.

Elna understands that. Which is why it was strange.

To counteract that, Elna rises her own question and tried to take control of the conversation.

And what would that be?

Why did you call Her Highness Christa here as well?

That girl is the sister of Lizelotte who is always at the border. I thought that if I asked her, she might come to join my side.

Join you.?

Elna couldnt believe what Zuzan was saying.

Theres no way that such a thing would happen.

It is very unlikely that the daughters of the Second Consort like Lizelotte and Christa would join Zuzans side. Even if she is found innocent, she is still under suspicion, theres no way that they would cooperate with such a person.

Then why would she give such an answer?

Right now Christa is not here. Rather than that, I want to talk with you more.

She was buying time.

Elna became alert and muttered so.

On the other hand, Zuzan only tilts her head a little as if she was surprised.

What might you be talking about?

! ! ? ?

Seeing such a reaction, Elna was convinced.

She was the one that Zuzan wanted to lure out.

When she got up, Elna ran out of the room without saying anything.

Zuzan didnt try to stop her.

The inner palace is large and a quarter of each consort is far apart. The time Elna took to come to here was already enough.

Elna curses her carelessness while jumping to the roof of the inner palace and takes the shortest route back to Christa.

The reason she called Christa too was that she knew that Elna would have to leave Christas side.

The original aim was to separate them.

Kuh!

By caring for Christas feelings, she put Christa herself in danger.

She should have stayed by her side no matter what happened.

With such regret, Elna arrives back at the area near Mitsubas room.

Their opponent shouldnt be able to do anything as long as they are within the inner palace.

Thinking so, Elna looks into the room. Finding that Christa is absent, Elna makes a bitter expression.

Your Highness!? Where is she!?

Y, Yes! A report came in that His Highness Arnold was injured on his return so

If thats true then it would already be an uproar right now! Follow me!

Taking the nearby palace guard with her, Elna follows after Christa.

Asking from the people nearby, she knows the direction in which Christa headed.

Seeing that the direction is the one that leads to the luggage loading area for merchants, Elna leaves behind the guards and moves on ahead.

After Elna arrives at the luggage loading area, she sweeps her eyes over the merchants there.

Everyone was surprised at Elnas sudden appearance but she ignores them and quickly looks around. Then she found a spot on the ground.

It was a mark of the wiped bloodstain. And there is more than one of them.

Wiping bloodstain like this is another technique often used by assassins. 

Reflectively clicking her tongue, Elna raises her face up.

Looking around for clues, she found a familiar bunny doll. It belongs to Christa.

Your Highness!

Unintentionally calling out to her, Elna rushes to the doll.

The white plush is dirty but it is not bloody. For now, she isnt hurt. Elna realizes that and exhales.

At that time, she felt something hard inside of it.

Something was put inside the doll. When she took a look, she found a coin.

Thinking of the possibility, Elna mutters with a small voice.

..[Bande].

A thin thread made of magic power extends out from the coin.

It was extending far outside the castle.

Rita.!

Elna calls her name without thinking.

It was both out of gratitude and worry.

Having put this in here, Rita must have followed after Christa. However, her being with Christa means that the future Christa saw is now likely to become a reality.

Report this to His Majesty immediately! Her Highness Christa has been abducted! Call all VIPs back to the castle and close it down! Hurry!

A captain of the Imperial Knight Order has this much authority.

In an emergency, they are allowed to make judgment calls to a certain extent.

Elna continues to give out more commands.

I will go on pursuit! Ask His Majesty for permission to dispatch the imperial knights for me!

Saying so, Elna jumped high into the sky and started flying.

This way is faster than going through the crowd of the Imperial Capital.

The reason why she didnt always do this is that the Emperor forbids her from selfishly flying on her own.

However, now is no time to worry about that.

Elna flew straight toward the direction the coin is leading her.

Alright, this should be good enough.

Christa, who was placed inside the carriage, woke up but she did not know where she was.

She cant put strength into her body and she is being tied with a rope.

She feels like she was moved down the stairs but she doesnt know exactly where she is.

She only knows that it is a dark, humid room.

Now, Princess, wait for me here, I will bring you the perfect collar.

Said the bald man who tied up Christa.

The merchants aide who was left in charge of the slaves happily walked to the back of the room.

He is going to put a collar on her. That fact made Christa feel hopeless.

Putting a collar on a person often means that he will put on her a magic tool that will deprive her of her freedom. Slavery was already outlawed in the Empire in the first place so it is a magic item that was banned inside the Empire. 

Realizing that she was caught by people who would use such a thing, Christas body started to shake.

However, the voice of a friend who couldnt be here reached Christas ears.

Kuu-chan.!

Rita.?

Rita calls out to Christa in a whisper and Christa smiles to see her friend.

However, she couldnt immediately cut the rope that Christa was tied in with her dagger.

How.?

Rita found Kuu-chans doll so Rita ran after you. And when Rita saw Kuu-chan on the carriage, Rita hopped on too.

Whyit was so dangerous..?

Rita is not a coward who would abandon her friend.

Saying so, Rita finally managed to cut the rope and lend her shoulder to Christa for her to stand up.

No..we wont be able to escape..

Its alright. Rita will protect you.

Rita shows her usual smile and takes Christa toward the exit.

The two go one step at a time through the complicated tunnel but they are still children and one of them couldnt walk properly.

Soon, the earlier bald man caught up to them.

So a rat wandered in huh. Well, whatever. I will make you a merchandise too.

He caught up!?

Rita, run away..!

I wont!

Being chased by the bald man, Rita and Christa changed course.

Although it is not the way to the exit, if they keep going that way, he will catch up.

After several turns, Rita and Christa entered a room and closed the door.

Fuu..we somehow got away.

Oh No.

Rita was relieved while Christa was in despair.

It was the room where the children are going to be sold as slaves. The room was separated from others and looks like a hut at first glance.

Christa clearly remembered this room.

It was the room where she saw Rita died.

This is the place where Rita will be killed by something.

Rita!! You have to escape!!

Nn? We are escaping you know?

Its not like that! Please!

Christa begged so but her voice was drowned out by another voice inside the room.

Foundyou

The low voice that grip their hearts belonged to the bald man.

The man entered the room from a door that at first glance seemed like a part of the wall.

There are hidden doors all over this place. You cant hide from me.

No way

Damn it!!

Rita tries to open the door they came through but it was stuck and didnt open.

The bald man must have done something to it.

Now then, lets put an end to this hide and seek game shall we.

D, Dont come any closer!

Rita hides Christa behind her back and takes out her dagger.

The bald man looked at it and a show mocking smile.

Whoa Whoa, so scary. Are you pretending to be a knight now.

Shut up!

Rita raises up her dagger, her stance was unlike that of a child.

The man carelessly approached them but then a small amount of blood trickled down to his foot.

Tskyou damn brat..put that dagger down right now. If you do that I will let you live alright?

No!

Rita! Stop!

Your Princess already commanded you, you know?

Rita wont abandon her friend!

Rita holds up her dagger.

When the bald man enters Ritas range again, she tries to intercept him as before but the man who had seen her dagger once already lowered himself a little to dodge the blade and took the chance to kick Rita away.

Auu!!

Ahh, a full hit huh.

Cough, Cough! Uuu..

Rita! Rita!

The kicked Rita rolls through the ground and hits a wall.

Seeing Rita coughing up blood, Christa runs toward her but Rita stood up with her face still wet with tears. She then went forward to cover Christa again.

You are still standing up huh. Did the knights teach you to protect the princess?

I, its not like that

What? They only grew up in their warm castle without knowing any hardship right? You are a commoner yourself, arent you? I wont say anything bad so drop that dagger already. Being a slave is better than death right?

I refuse

Ahh, what a pain. Even a child like you would say something like a knights pride huh.

The man said that as if he wanted to vomit.

However, Rita glares at that man.

Then she tremblingly holds up her dagger again.

Rita is not a knight..Kuu-chan is my friend so I will protect her..Rita will not abandon her friend!!

Is that right.

Saying so the bald man picks up the nearby iron bar.

Its tip was sharp. It probably has been used to hurt the slaves.

The bald man headed toward Rita.

That scene overlapped with Christas vision.

Thats when resignation started to sprout in Christas heart.

Since the day she saw the future where the Crown Prince died, Christa has seen various futures. There are futures that she didnt talk about with Al and Mitsuba as well.

Thats why Christa knows the difference between the future that can be changed and the future that already set in stone.

The future where a persons death is clearly visible can not be changed. No matter what she does, the result will be the same.

She has tried many things so far but the future that shows a persons death has never changed. This doesnt only apply to the death of the Crown Prince but the soldiers who served under Lizelotte and her own maids as well, nothing ever changed.

Nevertheless, the reason for her struggle this time is that she doesnt want Rita to die.

But in the end, that action itself is now causing her death.

Doing something about it is useless, and leaving it alone is no good.

The future can not be changed.

Then die.

Saying so, the bald man slowly pulled back the iron bar.

Seeing that, Christa despairs.

Both because of her powerlessness and vexation.

However, she still cant give up.

Ritas death is the only thing she wont accept.

So Christa clung to her last hope.

Believing in the words of her brother, she shouted.

ELNAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Theres no use shouting now.

Said the bald man as he pushed the iron bar at Rita.

At that moment.

The rooms wall collapses and something strikes the bald man.

For a moment the bald man did not know what had happened.

He simply understood that he got hit by something and that his body is now stuck to the wall.

Wha..

Sorry for being late, Your Highness, Rita. Are you two alright?

Elna.

Then he understands.

There is a streak of broken walls on the opposite side.

The knight in front of him just flew toward them in a straight line.

And the fact that the knights sword has deeply penetrated his body.

The man has understood.

That woman has cherry color hair and a jade-colored pair of eyes.

Amsberg

Yeah.was it you who hurt my junior?

What ifI am..?

I will give you a certain death.

Saying so, Elna exerts more power into the sword that currently skewered the man to the wall.

That alone destroys the wall and blows the man through it.

Elna doesnt know where the man is. Thats because there is no reason to confirm that anymore.

Rita..!

Elna-nee..

Ah, Rita..

Elna supports the swaying Rita and checks her abdomen.

Her stomach already turned purple so there must be bones broken inside.

She casts a simple healing spell on her but it seems that the bone was badly broken so it could only alleviate her pain. She must take her to a professional healer immediately.

Elna..!

Your Highness.! Im very sorry. Its all my fault

UUnIm sorryI broke my promise..

Elna embraces the crying Christa.

She then gently hugged Rita so as to not affect her wounds.

Thank you.its all thanks to you, Rita..

HeHe.Rita is great..?

Yes, you really are. Splendid work.

Elna stands up with Rita on her back.

Elnathe children..

I understand.

Elna lightly shakes her sword.

The collars attached to the necks of the slave children are cut off one after another.

Come with me if you want to live.

Elna leaves the room together with Rita and Christa.

The children then followed after them without any hesitation.

Low effort meme, sorry couldnt resist..

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