“…… Lord Chase?”

Elaina, who confirmed the owner of the voice carefully calling out to her, wore a very embarrassed expression.

“As I thought, it is you, Lady E-Elaina! I had a feeling, but…… no, what on earth…… what’s going on……”

Chase’s appearance, babbling incoherently while looking at Elaina, was a mess.

As if he had been beaten by someone, his face was full of bruises, and the front of his dirty clothes was stained with brownish bloodstains.

“What about Lord Sinclair? Seeing that you were captured, Lady Elaina…… as I thought, it was Lord Hister who caused this trouble……”

‘You don’t know that the emperor is dead?’

From Chase’s words, Elaina could easily guess. The fact that he was captured and brought here before Hister even murdered the emperor.

Elaina wore a confused expression for a moment, then slowly took a deep breath. Then, in a low voice, she whispered close to Chase’s ear.

“The emperor is dead.”

“Pardon?”

“He was murdered. The culprit is Crown Prince Hister.”

“……”

“I know it may be a bit cruel to start with this kind of story…… but I think you need to know how the situation is unfolding too, Lord Chase.”

No matter how trashy of a person he was, to Chase, the emperor was still his biological father. So it’s only natural that he would be shocked. Elaina wore a bitter expression.

However, Chase did not shed tears as Elaina expected. Nor did he grieve greatly.

“…… I’m alright, Lady Elaina.”

“Lord Chase……”

“I thought that as long as Lord Hister is in the position of crown prince, this kind of thing could happen at any time anyway. I- I just didn’t expect it to happen this soon……”

Of course, he still seemed shaken up.

Anyway, Elaina glanced at the soldier and continued in a small voice.

“Hister probably intended to frame it on Sinclair. But seeing that we were captured and brought here, that plan must have fallen through.”

As if understanding what Elaina meant, Chase nodded his head slightly.

“And this place…… is probably the western region of Edenbell. If my guess is correct.”

“My brother……”

Eventually, Chase spoke in a slightly tearful voice, sniffling.

“He’ll be alright, won’t he? Right, Lady Elaina?”

“…… Of course.”

Elaina answered, trying to smile.

“You know very well, Lord Chase. How strong of a…… person Sinclair is.”

“Sob……”

“So don’t worry.”

“Will he come to save us?”

“……”

“No, no he won’t. Rather, if he comes to save us…… and gets in danger…… B-but still, Lady Elaina, you’re here…… E-even if not me, at least you must return safely……”

The young boy in front of her was terrified and trembling with fear.

Despite not being able to properly take care of himself, he’s worried about me first……

Elaina bitterly resented herself for not being able to properly save even Chase, and bit her lip with all her might.

‘I have to get Prince Chase out somehow.’

From the very day Chase got close with Sinclair and her, Hister must have harbored a very strong ill will towards Chase.

Not only that, but even the Walter family supported Sinclair, so it would be even more so.

‘If we can’t escape from here, Prince Chase will surely die.’

Moreover, Hister’s final card would not be Chase, but Elaina herself. She knew from before that he recognized the fact that the person who could have the biggest impact on Sinclair was Elaina.

Ever since the day Hister tried to drive a wedge between the two by mentioning the room where the portrait was hidden.

‘So I can somehow buy time. But Chase is different. He’s already scared and frightened enough as it is.’

In a way, it was only natural. To Chase, who had been oppressed by Hister all his life, there was nothing more terrifying.

‘I have to find a way to get at least Prince Chase to escape.’

…… But in this underground prison with no way out, how can she get Prince Chase out?

Elaina continued to look around with a pale, frightened face, but still, there was nothing to be seen.

‘Still, if they don’t keep us tied up here forever, there’s a chance it’s not completely impossible.’

Hister may move her or Chase to where he is. Of course, the probability of a successful escape would be extremely low, but it’s not as if there’s no chance at all.

‘There must be underground waterways here too. Especially since there’s a river nearby. If we’re lucky, it may be connected to the underground prison.’

Having quickly assessed the situation, Elaina closed her eyes tightly and opened them again as if trying to clear her head.

“Lord Chase, you must listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”

Then, looking down at Chase, who was about to burst into tears at any moment, she began to whisper quietly in his ear.

* * *

Unfortunately, Hister escaped from the imperial palace.

Through the escape route that Lundberg and Rockford had prepared in advance, just barely.

Of course, the commander, soldiers, and troops would be chasing after them, but that wouldn’t quell Sinclair’s anger.

And Sinclair……

Was still in the emperor’s bedroom.

To be precise, with Heswin, Walter, Frederick, Anneliese, Schuler, Rex.

And with Melvin, who helped Hister’s group escape and was left behind alone.

“……”

The atmosphere in the bedroom was literally as cold as ice.

Not only Anneliese, who had said that they must catch Hister no matter what, even if it meant losing Count Walter and Chase, but also the others could not dare to speak a word and kept silent.

The reason was simple.

The aura of Sinclair, sitting on the emperor’s blood-soaked bed, was so chilling and cold.

Sinclair did not get angry at Count Walter who had suddenly rushed in, nor at Schuler who failed to protect Elaina. He just glared at Melvin with a very icy face.

And Melvin, tightly bound with ropes, was kneeling and looking at Sinclair.

With a smug face.

“You told me back then, Sinclair.”

“Watch your tongue, Melvin!”

Despite Rex’s stern warning, Melvin paid no heed at all. He just kept wagging his tongue.

“Eyes are not just slits cut because there wasn’t enough skin, but are there to see.”

“……”

“Now it’s time for me to return those words to you.”

Melvin giggled like a madman.

“If you have eyes, then look, Sinclair. In the end, His Highness Crown Prince Hister safely escaped from the imperial palace, and you lost your younger brother and wife!”

“How dare you……”

Rex, unable to stand it any longer, approached as if to grab Melvin by the collar, but Sinclair slowly raised his hand. As if telling him to leave Melvin alone.

“I didn’t know you had such a significant history to be so obsessed with my wench.”

“……”

“In a way, it’s so tragically touching. To think that Edenbell’s good-for-nothing would spend his whole life in misery because he couldn’t forget a cripple and a half!”

Melvin burst into laughter as if he had seen something very amusing.

“But it’s all over now. Not only that bitch, but Prince Chase, who is also a cripple, will die at the hands of our Crown Prince.”

Count Walter silently despaired and hung his head low, and Schuler bit his lip with all his might.

But Sinclair still showed no movement.

“You will end up losing everything, Sinclair. Just like when you lost your mother!”

“……”

“And then there will be no Elaina to comfort you, so you will fall into an even worse hell. I raised my wench well! To be of help to her father in this way……”

And it was at that very moment.

Melvin, who had been blabbering nonstop, had his hair grabbed by Sinclair’s hand, veins bulging blue.

Sinclair did not hesitate for a moment.

With an expressionless face, he began to smash Melvin’s face directly onto the marble floor.

Thud, thud.

With a spine-chilling sound, Melvin’s face quickly became covered in blood, and Melvin’s teeth that had pathetically fallen out were scattered around Sinclair’s feet.

“I think I said many other things besides that, Melvin.”

“Ugh, ugh……”

“You, your wife, and your daughter Leila.”

“……”

“Didn’t I say I could chop off all three of your limbs and crush you beyond recognition?”

“Ugh……”

“That’s not particularly difficult even now.”

“Even if you…… Even if you do that…… nothing will change anyway……!”

Melvin’s words could not continue. Sinclair smashed Melvin’s face against the marble floor over and over again, and only Melvin’s groans could be heard in the silent imperial bedroom.

“Heh……”

Even in that state, Melvin still had a smiling face.

Sneering at Sinclair like that, he suddenly bit his tongue hard.

No, to be precise, he tried to.

If it weren’t for Sinclair shoving his own forearm into Melvin’s mouth.

“Gag him immediately.”

Even with Melvin’s teeth sinking into his arm and blood dripping down, Sinclair spoke in an utterly dry voice.

“Let’s see. Even if I slice off bits of flesh from your entire body and pull out your bones one by one, let’s see if you can keep your mouth shut until the end.”

“Ugh……”

“Take him to my palace. It seems we need to spend some intimate time together.”

“…… Yes.”

As soon as Sinclair gave the order, Schuler and Rex gagged Melvin. Then they began to drag him towards the prince’s palace.

Before long, Sinclair also followed after them and left.

In the emperor’s bedroom where only the nobles were left behind, there was only silence.

The good-for-nothing of Edenbell who could miserably kill anyone without hesitation if needed.

And in fact, had killed Yuria in broad daylight at the imperial palace without a moment’s hesitation.

The nobles who had directly witnessed the majesty of that good-for-nothing, not knowing what to do, just silently stared at the pool of blood Melvin had created with pale faces.

‘Elaina…… Aswald……’

And Anneliese also instinctively realized.

The fact that to Sinclair, the woman named Elaina was not just a light existence that would simply pass by.

Unfortunately, much too late.