Natasha, who was not pleased with Cayena’s appearance, rarely took a defensive stance. She stepped back and gently grasped Sir Dante’s collar.

However, Sir Dante was unexpectedly composed. He seemed to have anticipated this encounter.

“Have you finished what I asked?”

He finally asked in a cold voice. It was a tone so rigid that one could hardly imagine it belonged to the man who once acted friendly towards Cayena.

Though the subject of the question was ambiguous, Cayena understood immediately. After all, she had only been given one task from the start.

“Yes, he should be in a deep sleep now.”

Sir Dante made an exasperated expression towards the calmly responding opponent. It was an attitude of disgust towards someone pretending to be virtuous.

Not wanting to exchange any more words with the woman, Sir Dante remained silent afterward. He only moved forward with the order to advance.

It was then that Natasha belatedly began to move.

Someone grabbed her wrist.

“…”

Even without confirming the other’s face, their identity was immediately apparent. That’s why Natasha didn’t bother to raise her head and meet the other’s eyes.

“What business do you have?”

Instead, she asked in a cold voice like Sir Dante’s. It was a merciless tone unimaginable from someone who was once Cayena’s closest friend.

She could feel the hand gripping her wrist trembling slightly. Natasha remained unmoved.

It took a long time for an answer to come from Cayena Ten’s mouth. The silence that formed during that time was unbearably awkward and uncomfortable.

“I… I have something I’d like to ask.”

“What?”

“I couldn’t bring myself to say it when we met last time… But I want to ask now. No, I feel like if I don’t ask now, I won’t be able to.”

Cayena rambled on, unable to speak coherently.

Natasha frowned at the woman’s unusual demeanor. It wasn’t because she found the other’s incoherent speech repulsive.

It was because Cayena Ten’s attitude strangely reminded her of the woman from the past. Yes, as if she had abandoned her previous hatred, she had become oddly gentle.

Unlike the time when she had attacked her with a tone devoid of any courtesy, now she was continuing to speak in a polite manner. This was clear evidence.

“I’m busy, so I’d like you to speak quickly. If you’re going to dawdle any longer, I won’t listen.”

As Natasha took a stance to leave, Cayena, who had been hesitating all along, hurriedly grabbed her.

Cayena, who had been looking at Natasha with desperate eyes, painfully opened her mouth.

“If… if this matter ends successfully and the Charliee Kingdom is rebuilt, if you become happy, then could we…”

“…”

“Could… could we go back to how we were before?”

It was an absurd statement.

Natasha doubted her ears for a moment. Judging by the sight of Sir Dante’s face beside her turning red with anger, it seemed she hadn’t misheard.

Finally, she raised her head to face Cayena. The woman showed a considerably anxious demeanor, as if to prove that her words were sincere.

“You’re asking if we can go back to how we were before?”

“…”

“What a ridiculous question, Cayena.”

Unsettled by Natasha’s cold response, Cayena hastily added words.

“You… you said it yourself. That you hoped I would be happy. No matter how I think about it, the place where I can be happy is by your side. Of… of course, you said you’ve been troubled because of me several times… But the things before that weren’t my fault! Even… even if you say I troubled you this time too, I have absolution, don’t I? Don’t you remember? I sacrificed myself to save you!”

Despite her efforts to passionately argue while spitting out words, the effect was minimal.

While pleading for the restoration of their relationship, Cayena Ten was spewing out shameless words. She was only eager to defend herself without considering Natasha’s feelings at all as she listened.

Absolution, sacrifice.

There were so many errors and contradictions in her statement that it was impossible to gauge where to start and where to end with pointing them out.

What was certain was that Cayena was completely unaware of her own wrongdoing.

There was no need to add words about a matter that wasn’t worth answering. After all, there’s nothing as futile as trying to persuade an unnecessary opponent. There were countless more important matters at hand now.

Natasha forcibly removed the hand binding her and left the place.

As she advanced through the corridor leading Sir Dante, she suddenly turned towards Cayena as if remembering something she had wanted to say, and opened her mouth.

“Your happiness is no longer important to me. I’d rather wish for the happiness of a passing insect.”

The distant opponent was already about to disappear into a dot, but in the quiet interior, there should be no problem hearing her voice.

“And, Cayena.”

“…”

“I’m not generous enough to take back a dog that has bitten its master.”

“…”

“Especially a dog that has betrayed me repeatedly, unable to break its old habits.”

She didn’t bother to check Cayena’s reaction. She merely ordered the knight standing near the woman to drive her out, then returned to her original role.

Natasha firmly spoke to Sir Dante, who was looking at her with a worried expression.

“Let’s carry out the plan.”

“Understood.”

She didn’t want to cause concern on top of feeling guilty for delaying the plan because of her.

Natasha moved quickly, making up for the time spent dealing with Cayena.

They finally stopped in front of a ladder after advancing without rest to the target point.

There was worry in Sir Dante’s eyes as he examined the door. Having easily read his emotions, Natasha decided to take the lead herself.

She didn’t consider the mysterious power coming from her strength as a mere coincidence. For some reason, she felt that the power would manifest again this time and help her.

She was strangely confident despite having encountered this power only twice before.

“I’ll open the door. We couldn’t confirm if it opens from the inside to the outside either.”

“Yes, please do.”

Sir Dante seemed to anticipate success upon seeing the relaxed Natasha. The ashen look on his face quickly disappeared, replaced by a smile of respect.

Natasha climbed the ladder and placed her hand on the upper door.

As she gently applied force, a rattling sound soon followed.

It was a signal that the locked door had opened.

“The door has opened!”

Sir Dante, who had read the same signal at that moment, shouted joyfully. Cheers erupted from behind as well. Praises calling her the captain followed one after another.

‘…This.’

However, only Natasha remained tense, unable to join the mood. Something bothered her. It felt as if they were overlooking something.

She fully opened the lid with trembling hands. Following a streak of light leaking from the ceiling, she slightly peered upwards.

“…”

The outside, that is, Kyle Letius’s study connected to the passage, was as quiet as ever. As if to indicate that the sense of discomfort she felt was a mere illusion.

“You can come down now. We’ll go up first to check the upper area, then escort the captain.”

Sir Dante, worried about Natasha staying up there for too long, advised her to come down. It meant they couldn’t bring their lord into the emperor’s room until they had checked the internal situation, just in case.

But for some reason, Natasha didn’t come down from the ladder despite their repeated requests.

“…Captain?”

Eventually, he cautiously called out to her.

Finally lowering her head, Natasha stared at the hand Sir Dante had extended for a long time. She still showed no sign of taking his offered hand.

“Sir Dante, I have a favor to ask.”

Natasha, who had been motionless as if time had stopped, finally opened her mouth. Starting with an unexpected request.

“Yes?”

“Take the knights and go back. Go back and help Sieghart. I mean, flee from this place immediately.”

“…Pardon?”

The following request contained an absurd content. It was such a reckless request that it made the listener wonder if they had misheard.

Sir Dante responded awkwardly, unable to easily understand the meaning of her words.

Natasha, seeing this moment as an opportunity, quickly grabbed the ladder and climbed up.

Belatedly realizing that the woman’s figure was gradually disappearing from view, Sir Dante grabbed the ladder.

“Wait, just a moment, Princess…! What do you mean…!”

But it was already too late.

Natasha’s hand, which had almost reached the top, touched the floor.

Then, after lightly jumping up to the upper level, she forcibly closed the door.

“…Princess, please!”

She firmly secured the door leading to the underground passage to prevent the other from coming up. The sound of knights wailing below continued to be heard, but she ignored it and kept blocking the door.

Continuing to block it was futile. Not only would it waste time, but it was also impossible to win a test of strength against the knights.

‘If I apply force again…’

Then there was only one thing left to do: seal the door.

‘You must do it, Natasha.’

Natasha gathered her strength, recalling her previous experience. Soon, smoke began to rise from her hands.

‘Otherwise, everyone will die…!’