Beguiling the Enemy’s Patriarch - Chapter 6

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 6
In any case, my task was simple: get Tezebia to safety beforehand. I would hide somewhere secure myself, of course, but even if my calculations went awry, Sergei would come for me anyway. It didn’t seem like a difficult task—or so I’d thought, naively.
—And now, mere days later, here we were.
Well. Plan B had succeeded, technically. I’d managed to prevent the Belgot Imperial Army from kidnapping Tezebia when they raided the Royal Palace.
The problem was….
“….”
In the slanting sunlight, hair like silver thread gleamed dizzily. Violet eyes reminiscent of violets fixed upon me with unwavering intensity. I crouched behind a pillar, staring up at the man in a daze. Pristine silver hair untainted by impurity. And those violet eyes.
The corners of the man’s mouth curved upward, and expression bloomed across his previously impassive face. A languid smile. Yet the aftermath of battle laid bare a razor-sharp edge without filter.
[Violet eyes tinged with a reddish glow shot at her with intense light—.]
The description that had flitted past in the novel—I could finally feel it with my entire being. That reddish violet gleamed eerily. The eyes of a predator who had found its long-sought prey.
The eastern powerhouse of Laigar, the Emperor of the Belgot Empire, extended his hand toward me.
“Caught you. Princess of Lebovni.”
“Gack….”
Huh…?
* * *
Merely hours before.
It had been a peaceful noon. I was taking lunch with my family at the Royal Palace. Mother regarded me with concern.
“Yerenika, you look pale. Have you lost your appetite?”
I shook my head vigorously, swallowed the greens in my mouth, and smiled brightly.
“I’m perfectly fine. Please don’t worry.”
Of course, it was a lie. My appetite had vanished entirely. I’d been on edge for days, and fatigue kept accumulating. Yet with the Belgot guerrillas liable to strike at any moment, I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. And for some reason, today felt even more ominous. What was this feeling? Something cold….
After lunch, the Lebovni family took tea in the courtyard as usual. My heart trembled increasingly as I fidgeted with the teacup. The three of them, oblivious to my anxiety, conversed peacefully.
“What did the physician say?”
“He said there’s nothing to worry about. It seems the birth should proceed without issue on schedule.”
“Ah, what a relief. Keep your mind and body at ease always, Tezebia. Yes? You must only hear and see good things.”
“Of course. I’m always doing my best.”
My unease only deepened. I couldn’t bear it any longer and bolted from my seat.
“Let’s head back, sister. It’s not good to stay outside this long.”
“Hm? But Yerenika, it hasn’t even been two hours yet….”
“Two hours is plenty!”
My heart raced. I forcibly pulled Tezebia to her feet. Father and Mother stared at me with wide eyes. Before they could say anything, I spoke first.
“Sister gets tired easily these days even from short walks. I’ll escort her to the Secondary Palace and come right back.”
“My, Tezebia. You said you were fine!”
Tezebia looked at me and our parents in turn with a troubled expression. And in my growing urgency, I linked my arm through hers and began walking. Over my shoulder, I didn’t forget to call out loudly to Mother and Father.
“Stay inside the Main Palace today without moving an inch. I mean it!”
“Yerenika?”
“I’ll be back!”
And by great fortune, my intuition proved remarkably accurate.
“-!”
Less than half an hour after leaving the courtyard, crimson flags fluttered atop the distant castle walls. Immediately after, flames erupted from five beacon towers simultaneously. It was the signal announcing the enemy’s invasion.
“It’s an ambush!”
Maybe I really should open a fortune-telling shop after all! I gripped Tezebia’s hand tightly and bolted away from the Main Fortress. My sister, her face drained of color, cried out.
“Yeni, what is this…!”
“No time, sister. This way!”
A pregnant woman shouldn’t even be walking carelessly, let alone running. But anything was better than being dragged off to the Empire. I pulled my sister along and hurried into the Secondary Palace. I had a place prepared for this very moment. I thundered up the Secondary Palace stairs and shoved my sister into the room at the far end of the second floor. Tezebia’s eyes were already glistening with tears.
“Yeni, Yerenika. What about Mother and Father…?”
“They’ll be fine.”
I tried to reassure her. In fact, the King and Queen of Lebovni would be perfectly safe. According to the original story, the Emperor of Belgot would only abduct Tezebia.
But my sister didn’t seem convinced. She kept glancing anxiously out the window as if she might bolt at any moment. Of course, I had no intention of allowing that. I pushed hard against a large bookcase sitting alone in the empty room, and a small, square opening just barely large enough for one person to squeeze through was revealed. I wiped away the sweat that had begun trickling down my face and pointed to the gap.
“Get in here, sister.”
“…?”
My sister stared at me and then at the hole, her face streaked with tears. Her eyes begged for an explanation. But there was no time for that. I could faintly hear knights shouting from beyond the window.
“Sister, hurry!”
I quickly and carefully squeezed my sister into the gap. I’d definitely told Brizni it was a large hole, but it was indeed a bit cramped for an adult. Two people would be impossible. There was nothing to be done about it.
The gap behind the bookcase in the room at the far end of the second floor of the Western Palace was the secret passage mentioned in the original work. It was where Brizni hid when she returned to Lebovni after quarreling with Alexio, intending to get back at him. But if you accidentally pressed the wrong knot below, you’d plummet into the underground. It was best not to venture that far down if possible, but I gave my sister strict warnings just in case.
“See that small knot on the floor? If the Imperial Army bursts into this room, press it quickly. Then you’ll slide right down into the underground.”
“Yerenika.”
“You need to watch the situation outside through this crack. Understand?”
“Yeni!”
Tezebia couldn’t hold back and cried out. Her face was pale as a ghost, wet with tears.
“At least explain something to me. Please? What is all this?”
“Later. Right now, sister, just think of Brizni.”
With those words, I grunted and pushed the bookcase back over the hole. My sister covered her mouth with her hand, crying silently. I whispered through the crack in the bookcase.
“See you soon, sister.”
I never dreamed that would be my last farewell to Tezebia!
After safely hiding Tezebia, I crept out of the Secondary Palace. Now it was time to head to my second prepared escape route.
As I descended to the first floor, a deafening cacophony of shouts, screams, and clashing metal rang out. Amid it all, I could hear the cries of Lebovni knights searching for me.
“Your Highness!”
“Princess Yerenika!”
Clang clang clang clang. The sound of metal scraping nearby made me freeze. Oh no, did I make a mistake? Should I have just hidden in the wardrobe on the second floor…? Though Sergei would come rescue me anyway… I peeked my head out from behind a thick pillar of the Secondary Palace.
“Gasp.”
And I caught my breath at the sight unfolding before the Main Fortress. A scene that had been mere text was now playing out before my eyes. Reddish-purple banners fluttered in the wind. Sharp silver blades glinted in the sunlight. I glimpsed what looked like crimson blood spraying. I couldn’t bear to watch more and ducked back behind the pillar.
“Good heavens… what is that?”
This is no joke. I crouched behind the pillar, nervously biting my lip. My planned refuge was the Eastern Palace. The Eastern Palace also had a similar hole leading underground. It too was a secret passage that Brizni had discovered while wandering the royal castle.
Should I really head there…? Or should I wait for Sergei here? But an ominous premonition washed over me again. How would Sergei know to rescue me? How would he know where I was? I was a devoted follower of the original work, but I was also the primary architect of its destruction. With trembling legs, I forced myself to stand.
The Eastern Palace was right in front of me anyway. If I moved carefully between these pillars, I should be able to slip inside without being noticed.
“Ugh, damn it…”
The constant clanging from over there made my skin crawl. I took a sharp breath and eyed the pillar ahead. Yes. If I jumped with all my might, I could make it behind that one in a single bound.
I peeked my head out to assess the situation outside, then gathered my strength in my legs and bunched up my dress in my hands.
Now!
Boing.
“Yes!”
I successfully leaped across one pillar with a jumping ability that even surprised myself. Yes, good. Let’s keep going to the Eastern Palace like this. Counting roughly by eye, there were about six pillars left.
Damn. So many. I muttered curses under my breath and peered out from behind the pillar again. It didn’t seem like the knights had invaded the Secondary Palace yet. Seizing the opportunity, I threw myself forward with all my might.
“Hup-cha!”
Along with a strange sound that escaped my lips unbidden, I landed smoothly. The moment I ducked behind the pillar, I instinctively clapped my hand over my mouth in alarm and glanced around.
No one’s here, right? Good, good. I’m going…!
That way, I cleared two more pillars. Now only two remained. The finish line was in sight. I peeked my eyes out ever so slightly from behind the pillar. This time too, surely no one was watching—
And in the next instant, I locked eyes directly with a pair of eyes staring straight at me.
“…!”
My heart nearly leaped into my throat. I felt my heart pounding wildly as I pressed myself flat against the pillar. What? What…! How long have they been watching me?!
The eyes that met mine in that moment were a vivid violet. Before I could even comprehend what that meant, I heard footsteps approaching.
Clank, clank. The sound of armor pieces striking against each other was an added bonus. My body, pressed against the pillar, slid down with a scrape. Crouched behind the pillar, I had to listen to footsteps growing louder and louder. My heart fluttered as though it might burst from my chest at any moment. Terrified even my breathing might give me away, I clamped both hands firmly over my mouth.
Thud. Thud.
“…”
I felt tears welling up. I cried out desperately in my mind.
Sergei, this is exactly the moment you’re supposed to appear! If you show up now, I’ll give you a million kisses. Please, appear! I’m begging you!

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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