An escort knight grumbled in disapproval, to which Vyillan responded with a cynical laugh.

“A real friend. We attended the Imperial Academy together.”

“Such a person was in the outskirts?”

The knight was quite surprised. Normally, anyone who mingled with the crown prince at the Imperial Academy should easily enter the capital.

“Yes.”

Hades listened to their conversation while scanning the surroundings. As expected, the security was tight. Everyone knew that Vyillan enjoyed outings, making the outskirts a suitable place for an attack, so precautions were taken.

To avoid making the same mistake as before, Hades decided to divert the soldiers’ attention.

“Uh, ah!”

“What happened?”

“Damn it, I stepped on some ice and slipped. Who spilled water here and didn’t clean it?”

“That’s foolish. Let me help… Agh!”

The soldiers tripped over the ice Hades had set, one after another. Hades took advantage of the confusion and followed Vyillan.

Had Vyillan paid even a little attention to his surroundings, he would have quickly noticed it was Hades’s doing. But Vyillan never cared for the weak.

Having successfully infiltrated the capital, Hades headed in the opposite direction of Vyillan. He thought it would be better to search quietly, not in the royal palace but with an informant.

However, Hades was deeply disappointed. Even the most reputable informants had no idea about the whereabouts of Angelica and the Regent.

“It’s unfortunate. The Regent’s location is topsecret. Even if it weren’t, how would I know? He travels all over.”

‘What a waste of time.’

Hades clicked his tongue and left the store. The night had deepened, and stars studded the sky.

‘…Should I go to the temple? Or directly to the Demon King…’

Hades knew all too well that Angelica was reckless enough to go on a Demon King subjugation mission with just the Regent.

‘But I must find her first.’

Hades’s gaze aimlessly wandered the night sky.

Bang!

With a deafening roar, a large firework was launched from the royal palace. Initially a common red, the firework soon turned purple, and the subsequent white firework turned blue.
Hades immediately mounted his horse as soon as he entered the capital.

The identity of the flame was an expensive firework, imported from a distant land renowned for skilled craftsmanship. The likelihood of it being shot from the palace on a day that was not a commemorative event was extremely low.

‘There is only one person who would do this.’

A smile tugged at the corners of Hades’ mouth.

The only one in the world.

Only Angelica could have done something like this.

(This is a time divider.)

“You were favored as the grandchild of the prime minister, and yet you dare to steal royal property?”

I smiled ambiguously. I hadn’t expected to get into trouble for setting off just a few fireworks… would be a lie.

Of course, I had a way out prepared.

“Your Highness, let me explain everything.”

Alicia’s eyes narrowed into sharp triangles.

“Why should I have to listen to your pathetic excuses?”

“Because I want to hear them.”

A strange voice intruded from behind me.

“His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince!”

Gasps and exclamations erupted around me. My head involuntarily turned.

Though Crown Prince Vuyilan was not a significant character in the game, his presence was undeniably strong. His mistake had almost led the protagonist and company into a deadly battle with the Demon King.

If Alicia hadn’t helped Leto, the empire would have fallen into the Demon King’s hands.

In a word, a troll.

But this was good news for me.

‘Much easier to persuade than Alicia!’

Right now, I needed an ally.

The prime minister had completely turned his back on me, and Alicia was looking at me through tinted glasses.

However foolish and ignorant Vuyilan might be, he was still the crown prince of this empire.

If I could get him on my side, he would be a great asset.

“Speak, grandchild of the prime minister.”

I opened my mouth to reply immediately, but Vuyilan hadn’t finished speaking.

“What will you give me in return if I save you?”

I stood up straight. It wasn’t an entirely unexpected question. Vuyilan was greedy and shortsighted. All he cared about was satisfying his immediate desires.

“I don’t need your help, Your Highness.”

I slowly broke free from the grip of the knight holding me.

“I just need the opportunity to show you why I set off the fireworks.”

The Crown Prince gestured with his chin, indicating I should go on.

I rummaged through the remains of the burnt fireworks and raised what I found high into the air.

“…The symbol of the Night Crow.”

The Crown Prince spoke in a flat tone.

“But what does that mean?”

“It means that you, Your Highness, already know its significance very well.”

The Crown Prince’s lips twisted.

I stared at him intently.

The Night Crow was the assassination organization that had taken the life of the Crown Prince’s first love and first fiancée.