‘Damn it, damn it, damn it.’

Jeffrey Olan looked around, breathing heavily.

Armed imperial knights were everywhere in the Glishian royal castle. The atmosphere was tense as they strictly inspected those coming and going.

It had been only two months since the empire invaded the capital. Many things had changed in that time.

Led by Liam Wilboyer, the empire’s knights quickly invaded Glishia and conquered the capital and royal family in just one day.

The empire’s offensive was so powerful that even Glishia’s knights and dukes were helpless. They were like a natural disaster that couldn’t be stopped by human power.

The streets of the capital were stained with blood and houses burned.

The talented dukes who had been revered and trusted until then failed to use their powers properly once the royal family’s heads fell. They surrendered or met the same fate.

The invasion seemed meticulously prepared, as damage outside the capital was not severe.

Citizens tried to resist, but as people fell to the empire’s weapons and royal heads rolled on the ground, they eventually raised white flags.

Everything changed overnight.

In that calamity, Jeffrey Olan barely survived by hiding here and there.

Watching as the ship carrying his mother and sister burned before his eyes.

That red fireball blazed on the sea, then slowly sank into the water. Fire can burn even underwater, Jeffrey thought blankly with a wet face.

Now Jeffrey wiped the ash from his face and tidied his clothes as best he could.

There was only one reason he came to the fallen royal castle.

Surrender.

Seeing the escaping ships sink in Wilboyer’s fire, Jeffrey lost even the thought of running away.

While the empire executed the blessed royal family, they showed leniency to nobles who surrendered.

They announced they would recognize titles for nobles who cooperated with the empire.

“At least Ormia helps in the end.”

The title of viscount received upon marrying Ormia.

Though many things happened after marrying Ormia Beltoa, Jeffrey always felt burdened by his more affluent life.

The mansion and monthly allowance were all wealth Ormia brought. Not his own achievement, but Ormia’s assets.

Though he thought it became Olan family property when she married in, Jeffrey was confident he could reverse the situation in just a few months with his own abilities.

An incompetent princess, a princess abandoned even by God.

Ormia Beltoa was merely a stepping stone to climb over once.

Thinking this way, he went out after marriage. Business was not easy, and Duke Haiman rarely entrusted him with important tasks. Investments failed, and the monthly expenses of Madam Olan and his sister always far exceeded his income.

If only Ormia had properly supported him!

If only Ormia Beltoa had the blessing!

Life would have been different.

He couldn’t shake the thought that people looked down on him and things didn’t go well because Ormia was incompetent.

But now that Glishia was invaded, leaving him with nowhere to go and his life in danger, Jeffrey felt a hint of gratitude toward Ormia for the first time.

If the title gained from marrying the incompetent princess was recognized by the empire, he could aim for a comeback once more.

It felt like all his failures so far had been preparation for this moment. Jeffrey was inspired by the sweetness seeping into a corner of his mind.

“The empire is incomparable to the likes of Glishia.”

But he lacked the courage to boldly reveal himself and surrender.

Would it really be alright to step forward and say ‘I am a Glishian noble’ in front of knights and soldiers honed by tension?

He had heard rumors that surrendering nobles would be recognized, but they were just rumors.

Unable to enter the royal castle, Jeffrey circled around it when he spotted a familiar face. Among a group moving secretly, there was someone he knew.

‘Duke Bersi!’

The first thing Liam Wilboyer did upon conquering Glishia’s capital was executing the blessed royal family.

He eliminated the blessing to prevent dukes from easily using their abilities.

When the royals who removed the side effects of abilities disappeared, the dukes couldn’t properly use their powers. Dukes and those of their bloodline with abilities were captured or killed by the empire.

He had heard Duke Balman and Duke Windsor lost to Wilboyer, but Duke Bersi was still alive.

Duke Bersi was an enemy, a person of interest to the empire.

“If I report Duke Bersi to the empire…”

Ability users like dukes were godlike beings. Before, he would have tried to ingratiate himself, but now they were in the same predicament as him.

Jeffrey followed Duke Bersi as he snuck in through the back door of the royal castle. But he was caught after just a few steps inside.

Jeffrey swallowed dryly at the sharp blade silently pressed to his neck.

“You’re the one who married Princess Ormia?”

“I-I’m Viscount Jeffrey Olan.”

Even though he married a princess, Duke Bersi couldn’t remember his name.

‘Let’s start a new life by offering the duke’s head to the empire.’

Jeffrey decided.

“Why are you following? What are you plotting?”

“I-I came to rescue Princess Ormia. I heard she was captured here.”

He blurted out in panic at the sharp sword. He had heard rumors that only Princess Ormia was kept alive and imprisoned, and it seemed to convince Duke Bersi.

“Our goals are the same then. As her husband, you have some loyalty. It would be good to have one more person to rescue the princess. Come along.”

“Y-You came to rescue Ormia? Why?”

“She’s the only surviving direct royal.”

Duke Bersi ordered the knight to lower his sword and muttered as if to himself.

“The princess may not have the blessing, but her child would be different.”

In that moment, Jeffrey’s eyes lit up.

Now that the blessed royals were executed, Ormia was the only one with the bloodline of blessing. His wife!

Jeffrey, who had only thought of reporting Duke Bersi moments ago, realized the hand he held.

Ormia’s child would become the savior of ability users.

He could control and use the surviving ability users. It was not simply a matter of being recognized as an imperial noble.

Wasn’t it said that a snake’s head is better than a dragon’s tail?

Jeffrey quietly followed Duke Bersi’s group, straining to control his twitching cheek.

Having already investigated where Ormia was imprisoned, Duke Bersi strode confidently through the castle’s secret passages.

Jeffrey moved his feet quickly, clutching his heart in fear of being discovered by the sound of knights’ armor beyond the walls.

As the surrounding noise gradually lessened, they finally escaped the musty dust and cumbersome cobwebs.

It was a prison.

Dying groans could be heard from all directions. It sounded like noise from hell. Jeffrey shuddered and looked around, rubbing his arms.

As they turned a corner in the prison corridor, Duke Bersi in the lead stopped walking. Jeffrey peeked over his shoulder and stepped back.

Liam Wilboyer, who had stained Glishia with blood, was there.

Like the grim reaper, dressed all in black from his hair to his eyes to his clothes, he was holding a thin white hand stretching out from the prison.

“…Blessing?”

Duke Bersi muttered with ragged breath.

Liam Wilboyer’s face, which had been expressionless as he killed the royal family, now showed a mix of shock, pain, surprise, and disbelief.

As the white hand was about to fall limply to the floor, Liam hurriedly caught it.

“How can there be a blessing…? All the royals are dead…”

Liam Wilboyer, who had been staring into the cell in shock, raised his head at Duke Bersi’s muttering.

Liam, who had set the trap and waited, returned to an expressionless face and stood up.

“Yes, I knew you would come to rescue Princess Ormia.”

The white hand fell limply to the floor with a thud.

Like a lifeless object.

“Hungry dogs wouldn’t give up the blessing.”

“W-Who is it? Who’s the royal inside?”

As he heard Duke Bersi’s cry, Jeffrey looked at the white hand on the floor.

It was a thin, delicate, bony hand.

One person’s name came to mind.

‘Ormia?’

But that couldn’t be. Ormia Beltoa didn’t have the blessing. He had just seen Liam Wilboyer receive the blessing, so it couldn’t be her.

Though it was clear reasoning, Jeffrey felt his heart sink.

“There clearly weren’t any living royals left! Who’s inside?”

Liam Wilboyer’s gaze turned toward the cell at Duke Bersi’s excited question.

His expressionless face twisted briefly with emotion, but it quickly disappeared.

“You know.”

“It can’t be Princess Ormia Beltoa?”

‘No. It can’t be!’

Like Jeffrey’s thoughts, Duke Bersi denied his own words.

“It can’t be! Princess Ormia doesn’t have the blessing!”

“Whether she has the blessing or not. It’s irrelevant to you who will die here.”

The knights drew their swords at Liam’s provocation. Jeffrey hurriedly raised his sword as well.

There were five of them, and Liam Wilboyer was alone. Moreover, they had Duke Bersi, an ability user.

Even if Liam Wilboyer had slain knights and ability-wielding dukes, he was at a disadvantage alone.

Duke Bersi and the knights seemed to think the same as they prepared for battle.

Inside the prison was a royal with the blessing.

Duke Bersi slowly gathered water from the surroundings as he activated his ability. Water seeped out from between the prison stones, the floor, and the damp ceiling, forming the shape of a snake.

It was a method Duke Bersi often used. It instills fear by making the opponent feel intimidated.

“Rescue the royal!”

At Duke Bersi’s cry, the knights charged forward.

Though movement was restricted in the narrow corridor, these men who had trained together for a long time attacked relentlessly.

Liam fought back, but was gradually pushed back.

“Rescuing the royal is the priority.”

Jeffrey frowned at Duke Bersi’s order but followed. As Liam was pushed back, the front of the cell cleared.

Duke Bersi stood in front of the cell to open the door. But he who should have opened it did not move.

Duke Bersi’s eyes widened in shock, then he quickly grasped the bars. His hands turned white from gripping too hard.

“Duke? Why aren’t you rescuing…”

Jeffrey froze as he checked inside over Duke Bersi’s shoulder.

A woman was collapsed on the floor.

Pink hair that had lost its luster, pale skin drained of blood, a dirty dress of expensive fabric, features barely recognizable though she was thinner than when last seen. It was Ormia.

“Ormia?”

She was clearly not among the living.

“…Princess Ormia had the blessing?”

Duke Bersi’s voice shook.