On her way back to the palace Liora kept wondering about the content of the burned note she found. As well as the strange song that the woman was singing before her death. She was singing about some Silenens, who are they? How is Itten involved and just what does Ave imperatrix mean? Liora wondered about words she never heard before with an anxious expression on her face.

She decided to also check the tunnel and the secret room for any clue with the help of the girl but found nothing of note.

And so Liora with the dog-eared girl emerged from the secret passage right in front of unsuspecting maids and guards, who slightly panicked as they spotted the wall suddenly open but their panic was quickly replaced with confusion when they saw her.

“Lady Liora? How did you…?”

Liora didn’t pay attention to them and went to meet the queen to deliver her findings so far. But once she got to the princess’s room where she expected the queen to be. She saw an older man discussing something with ZERO in front of the door. ZERO nodded and disappeared from sight.

“Greetings to your excellency the prime minister Dale.”

Liora gave a polite bow to the prime minister, who seemed to just notice her presence.

“Ah, Miss Liora. I heard that you went out to search for her highness. Since you are back do you have any new pieces of information?”

The prime minister had a polite smile on his face but it was obvious that he was anxious just like Liora, she just didn’t bother to hide hers.

“I do have some news but… I would rather deliver them to her majesty personally.”

“That would be a problem.”

Liora’s confused expression urged the prime minister to elaborate further.

“Her majesty is taking the princess’s disappearance badly, but I guess you saw a little bit of it already. Well, it got far worse like half an hour ago. The state her majesty is in right now does not allow her to make sound decisions.”

Which means you have emergency powers now. Liora nodded and began her report.

“I see… so they used secret passage and left the city this is a problem, indeed.”

The Prime minister rubbed his beard in frustration before sighing. while Liora waited patiently for him to speak again.

“Though we can’t exactly draw a conclusion from that short note you found, the position of Itten in this affair can’t be taken lightly.”

Liora nodded to his words, both of them understood that it was unlikely for humans to be responsible. Plus taking into consideration the fact that her highness’s father was human himself, it is doubtful that he would allow his daughter to be harmed in any way.

“We will definitely need to investigate other nation’s involvement. And you also said that the woman you suspect of kidnapping her highness was one of our own people? That is rather strange…”

The prime minister glanced at the note that Liora gave him and read it again.

“…Ave imperatrix… I think I saw it somewhere before.”

The prime minister thought for a bit but shook his head in resignation.

“I can’t remember why it sounds so familiar but regardless finding her highness is a top priority. We can count on you right?”

Liora once again nodded and started to leave but the voice of the prime minister stopped her.

“Ah, I almost forgot. I am sure I don’t have to say this to you but this is a matter of state security therefore this entire investigation is to be carried out in utmost secrecy. We can’t let other powers know that the heir is gone.”

“Of course, your excellency. Eternal glory to the blood clan.”

Liora bowed and excused herself as the prime minister left for an emergency meeting. Liora crumbled the note in her hand as she gathered a small group of royal guards. Your highness, I will definitely find you.

…

“What is the meaning of this?!”

A middle-aged man dressed in a dark red suit made of a soft fabric befitting of clothes made for noble, was screaming at the group of women wearing a dark set of armor that was currently forcing their way into his home.

“Do you even understand what are you doing?! I am duke Aram Kirel, a loyal servant of her majesty the queen! If you don’t cease this at once I wi- urgg!?”

As he was voicing his objections, one of the women hit him with the hilt of her sword in the stomach. The man dropped to his knees as he held his stomach. While the women ignored him and began to search the home.

“Daddy!”

“Dela! Stay here!”

“But!”

A voice of a young girl was heard from the upper floor. A black-haired woman looked in the direction of the voice with a cold expression. on the upper floor by the railing, there was a middle-aged woman desperately holding a crying little girl, stopping her from running down to the man. To her father.

“it’s okay sweety… I am okay so just stay with mommy.”

When he heard his daughter’s voice, the man began to get up giving his daughter an obviously forced smile. The black-haired woman, Liora looked at him as if she just remembered that he exists.

“Duke Kirel, we are here in the name of the state security. If you continue to hinder our investigation you and your family will be judged as traitors.”

The duke looked silently towards his still crying daughter and his wife. He lowered his head and addressed Liora with a quiet voice.

“…go on I have nothing to hide.”

…

Nothing here either. Liora clicked her tongue as she rode on her horse to the next noble house. Liora and her companions were getting more and more anxious as the time passed. It had been several days since the princess Julia disappeared and it seemed like no one had any information regarding the princess.

Almost the entirety of the blood realm has been searched by the royal guard and the black guard battalion. But the princess was nowhere to be found. The only clue they had was pointing to the west. To the kingdom of Itten. But the Itten wouldn’t risk like this for no reason after all…

“…What is happening over there?”

“isn’t that army flying a banner of the Lerenpe and Dale clans?”

Liora’s thoughts were interrupted by a couple of her subordinates talking. When she looked in the direction, that they were looking in. It appeared that an army was marching.

“Quickly we have to see what was going on.”

Liora didn’t waste time and rode down the road toward the army with her subordinates following closely behind. After a couple of minutes, they reached the marching soldiers.

“Who is in charge here?”

Liora asked nearby soldiers who directed her to the young-looking noble further ahead. Liora nodded and approached him.

“Are you the commander of this army?”

“Yes, and who is asking?”

The youngster faced Liora with an arrogant expression on his face. Liora didn’t let this bother her and introduced herself.

“I am Liora del Hirensa a servant of her majesty the queen and you may be…”

“Oren Dale, first in line for the position of the duke and a commander of this army by an order of her majesty.”

“Her majesty’s?”

Liora was surprised by his words, as far as she knows the queen was in no condition to issue any orders. Is she perhaps getting better?

“Yes, on her order personally. And also, you are Liora, right? Then this is for you.”

Oren pulled out an envelope and handed it to Liora. The envelope was sealed with a royal seal, worrying Liora. But regardless she opened the envelope and began to read.

Liora, According to ZERO and lord Dale, Julia isn’t anywhere in the blood realm. And I know that this decision will cause all sorts of troubles but if it means that Julia returns home then I don’t mind burning in hell for all eternity. But I guess I should explain first.

A woman requested an audience with me today. When I meet her first thing that she said was “I can find her highness the princess”. I was skeptical but when I allowed her to demonstrate she pulled some sort of crystal ball with so many ancient magic circles that my head began to hurt. But just as she said, it displayed Julia, sleeping so she is safe.

And according to this woman Julia was taken to Itten I don’t want to believe that but…I don’t think there is any other way. I need you to take command of the troops that I am sending to the west. Use them if necessary.

“…what?”

Liora was dumbfounded. She came to the borderlands to search for the traitors responsible for the kidnapping of the princess. But now she was told that the humans are most likely the ones behind it. Not only that she was supposed to use the troops if necessary? Was she supposed to go to war?

“The humans should let us conduct the investigation and if not well…that is why we have them after all.”

The young lord Dale pointed toward the army that was with him as he snickered. He looked like he was excited about the possibility of the humans refusing.

“We getting closer. Her highness seems to be getting across the border now.”

A hooded woman holding a ball made of crystal approached the two. Is she the one that the letter mentioned?

“Wonderful. miss Liora let’s save her highness together.”

Young Dale extended his hand towards Liora who firmly grabbed it.

“let’s”

…

After just two days of marching, they had the city of Itten after which the entire country got its name, in their sight. Liora couldn’t help but admire the city, even though they were still a great distance from it its magnificent architecture was clearly visible.

“Did they respond yet?”

“No not at all”

Liora sighed when she heard an answer from the royal guard woman that was near her. Liora could understand why there was no answer.

“It seems that they will try to move her highness elsewhere before allowing us in.”

The young Dale had given his opinion with an all-knowing smile as he looked at the human city in front of them. No, they are just shocked that there is a foreign army at the gate of their city.

“Is she really in this city? Can you see her precise location?”

Liora ignored his comment and called at the hooded woman with the crystal ball. She was focusing hard on the ball in her hands before speaking up.

“Yes, lady Liora, her highness is in the city right now. As for her exact location…it looks like she is in the magic academy?”

In the magic academy… Liora looked at the city looking for the famous Ittenian magic academy. And before long she found what she was looking for.

“So that is where she is? So now the only thing that remains is to get to her and then we… Hold on what is going on in there?”

Liora looked carefully at the place that the young Dale was pointing at, at the magic academy itself. The magic academy that the princess was supposedly being held in, was in flames. When Liora looked closely it seemed that there was a battle going on in front of the academy.

“Wha-”

Crunch

“No way…”

Liora’s attention was caught by the sound of the shattering glass from behind her. When she turned around, she saw the hooded woman in shock with the crystal ball shattered near her feet.

“Her highness…they killed her.”

The hooded woman’s murmur attracted the attention of everyone around her. They all had an expression of shock on their faces.

“How can you be so sure? There is no way that humans would risk war just like this.”

Liora expressed her doubt but the woman shook her head.

“I am sure. I saw how the humans approached her highness and then…”

The woman began to cry but Liora wasn’t convinced something felt off.

“Those bastards! How dare they harm her highness?!”

Unfortunately, the young Dale didn’t seem to share Liora’s view. His sudden outburst caused the soldiers to look at him. Once he got their attention, he addressed them.

“Her majesty has trusted these barbarians and what did they do to repay her? They kidnaped the princess and murdered her…”

No, you imbecile.

“Sir, Dale we do not know that. Or did you see her highness’s body?”

Liora’s objection gained her some attention from the soldiers but the Young Dale glanced at her with disgust.

“Miss Liora, are you one of them? did you help them to kidnap her highness?”

Liora was taken aback by the sudden accusation. This is getting out of hand.

 “If not then let us avenge the princess. Let the humans pay for this crime! Soldiers get ready for attack!”

As his voice resonated the soldiers began to move each of their faces was filled with hate.

“No, this is insane!”

Liora yelled but they ignored her, not even the tropes under her command were listening to her now. She could only helplessly watch as the angry soldiers attacked the city. those who were able to use fire magic began to set the city on fire, everyone else was brandishing their weapons for the slaughter. she dropped to her knees as she heard the screams from the town.

Liora was sure this will leave a dark mark on their history. She could only hope that it will only be a separate incident.

“…death to silenens.”

As Liora prayed that this would end soon from the corner of her eye she could swear she saw the woman smiling as she watched the city burn.