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“…And that’s basically what that Julian b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲ must be thinking.”

With a contemptuous sigh, Ivar brought his speech to a close.

Tents were erected around the royal palace, forming a row of shelters for those who had been caught in Julian’s attack.

They toiled through a combination of magic and physical effort, clearing debris and rescuing the buried victims, while Viola and Kafal administered life-saving spells…

As they tirelessly carried out their tasks, the night gradually gave way to dawn, and the members of the Golden Helmet, along with Kafal, found respite, perching on fragments of the crumbling city walls.

It was at this point that Ivar, who had seemingly spent the entire night gathering and analyzing information, arrived and joined them, having completed his mission.

If he could somehow thwart Setulev’s movements, he would emerge unscathed regardless of the outcome—Ivar’s foresight, which judged that could be a possible strategy, left everyone astounded.

“That’s…hard to believe,” Lucella commented.
“You think so?” Ivar responded. “He’s the kind of person who would kidnap a Regalia user right under our noses and plunder the Regalia during his own lavish palace banquet. He’s a mastermind with dozens of gears broken in his head. If it’s physically possible, there’s nothing he wouldn’t attempt.”

Lucella couldn’t deny Ivar’s prediction.

If Julian was an utterly ignorant fool or a heartless, self-centered individual with nothing to lose and who lacked empathy and understanding of others’ emotions, he would contemplate such actions. At least Julian didn’t seem foolish, but other aspects of him aligned with Lucella’s impression.

“I was present, and yet…!” Viola exclaimed.
“Stay calm, Viola. If you start saying that, we’re all equally to blame,” Tim reassured her.
“That is correct. Ultimately, it is my fault for failing to discern his plot,” Someone suddenly interjected.

King Lazarus, his upper body swathed in bandages stained with blood, approached accompanied by his entourage of knights.

“Your Majesty! How are you faring?” Tim asked, concerned.
“No need to worry, Tim. I received immediate treatment from the priests before anyone,” Lazarus assured him. “…Ah, formalities are unnecessary for now. There is no need to bow your heads in my presence. Use this time to save as many lives as possible instead.”

Amidst the bustling activity, the knights and priests momentarily paused as they caught sight of Lazarus, but quickly resumed their tasks.

As Lazarus attempted to join them and take a seat on the rubble, one of his knights swiftly retrieved a folding chair from nearby with incredible efficiency.

“I personally took the initiative earlier and sought an explanation from the Maltgartz’s side through a discreet conversation regarding last night’s incident. They insisted that the ‘imperial palace had no involvement,’ but everything else is still ‘under investigation,’” Lazarus explained. “I could not extract a clear statement regarding their intentions with Julian Angus.”

“…Buying time, perhaps?” Lucella supposed.

“Most likely,” Lazarus agreed. “Since they made the claim that the imperial palace had no connection, that should be the case. However… they are attempting to exploit this situation to their advantage.”

The group collectively grumbled in discontent.

While it was uncommon for one nation to deceive another, each nation possessed an abundance of evasive words to justify their actions. Judging by Lazarus’ reaction, it was difficult to expect Maltgartz to provide a “genuine response” regarding this matter.

“Maltgartz is determined,” Lazarus continued. “For instance, they could intervene right after Marquis Angus’ forces capture Mount Kuguse, superficially punish Julian, demonstrate their restraint as a human nation by returning the Regalia to our country, and weaken the criticism… They might resort to that.”

“What a joke. Once a ‘path’ is made through Mount Kuguse to Setulev, even without a Regalia they could…”

“Swallow Setulev whole.” Lazarus finished Ivar’s sentence. “If it comes to that, Maltgartz would not even need to invade our kingdom, for us fighting would end in our defeat, so we would be no different from Maltgartz’s vassal state. Even Gufare would be forced to negotiate a peace treaty under unfavorable conditions,” He explained further.

That outcome must be too attractive for Maltgartz to pass up.

There was a possibility that the 14-year-long relentless war could finally be brought to an end. It’s a temptation that would be difficult to resist.

They could cling to a tiny sliver of justification by claiming that they couldn’t fully halt Julian’s reckless actions. If they could achieve a peace settlement as the final outcome, it may prevent the perception of their kingdom from irreparably deteriorating in the eyes of neighboring nations. In fact, for the majority of Setulev’s citizens, it would be a far more preferable resolution than plunging into a full-fledged war.

“So the imperial palace doesn’t even have to dirty their hands, ******* it!” Wein kicked the cracked stone paving in frustration.

“That said, even if the imperial palace decides to put an end to it at a suitable time, whether Julian would stop there is another question. We should be prepared for the situation to unfold in an even worse direction than what the imperial palace intends,” Ivar expressed.

“But if this situation persists, wouldn’t Maltgartz face international criticism and hostility?” Lucella asked.

Ivar nodded, “In that sense, the other side is also in a race against time. Julian should realize that much too. In all probability, Julian will take Princess Monica and aim for Mount Kuguse in the next few days. Only Marquis Angus’ army would move, I dare say. The imperial family isn’t that far gone. So we shouldn’t lose in terms of military force, but…”

Lucella was aware of what the core problem was in this matter.

The Regalia was the cornerstone for maintaining the territory of a kingdom.

However, if it were to be used in battle, it would become a transcendental weapon, rivaling the might of ten thousand soldiers.

Its power was believed to be on par with, if not surpassing, that of a dragon. Despite the presence of Kafal (dragon) and Lucella (pseudo-dragon), achieving victory in a direct confrontation would be an extraordinary challenge.

“What is the way to stop the Regalia?” Lucella asked.
“The quickest method would be to eliminate its wielder.”
“That’s…!” Lucella held her breath and voice at Ivar’s ruthless words. “…I can’t do that.”

“I thought as much,” Ivar answered. “But without resorting to killing, victory becomes significantly more difficult to attain. It also puts you at greater risk. If you understand the consequences and still choose to proceed, I won’t hinder you. I’m not sure what Setulev would have to say, though.”

Everyone’s gazes fell on Lazarus. The wounded king of Setulev gazed at the empty space with a painful expression.

“If possible, I wish to avoid that type of victory,” he commented.

Silence fell, and no one spoke further.

If it meant trading Monica alone for Setulev, Lazarus would likely make that decision. It would be his duty as a king. It would be a far better option than taking an impossibly risky gamble, and it would be unfair to criticize him for it. However, deep down, he couldn’t fully accept such an outcome.

“Next option would be to take back the Regalia. As every kingdom manages the Regalia bloodlines, this strategy is hardly ever used on normal battlefields, but we can do it now. We can get a Regalia user with higher compatibility than Princess Monica and plunder the control over the Regalia.”

“The kingdom will act with that goal in mind too. If we try to forcibly stop it and damage the Regalia in the process, we wouldn’t have time to start fixing it.”

“In that case, we’ll go all out too. If we say we’re fighting to regain the Regalia to help out our party member, the guild shouldn’t force the ‘political noninvolvement’ clause on us,” Tim spoke assuredly.

The three comrades now emanated an unwavering resolve. Each of them had to put an end to Julian’s rampage in order to protect what was precious to them.

Lucella shared the same sentiment, driven by the desire to live alongside Kafal.

Moreover, in a twist of fate (or rather, mostly due to Lucella’s own fault), she had inadvertently heard Monica’s inner thoughts, forging a faint but significant bond. Lucella was determined to protect Monica, for the sake of that unexpected connection they shared.

“Julian must be aware of the vulnerabilities in his own plan. Princess Monica is undoubtedly well protected, she will target you under manipulation,” Ivar explained.
“Even so, I will save her,” Lucella answered determinedly.
“…Regardless, it will be crucial to strengthen the mountain’s defenses with the help of the dragons.”
“Indeed…”
“The ‘Trial’ is tomorrow, isn’t it? Are you certain you’ll be fine?”
“There is no need to worry about that,” Lazarus spoke with a calm done.

When spoken to in such a manner, people inexplicably found solace, and it had a reassuring effect on the unsettled atmosphere. The ability to calmly express such sentiments in the moment was a testament to Lazarus’ regal stature, despite any reservations one may have.

“I am aware of the circumstances. Given the gravity of the situation, I will allow the use of the teleportation circle. If you connect to it you will be able to get to Kugutfulm in half an hour.”
“Thank you very much.”
“No need for thanks. This is something that benefits my kingdom too,” Lazarus smiled gently, but then his expression turned sincerely anxious, and added, “It may be selfish of me to say this… but I pray for your success.”
“Yes, I shall overcome it no matter what,” Lucella answered.