"Your Majesty, I have heard the stories about that child as well… If there is even a chance that the child could improve Your Majesty's condition, you must meet with him at least once. I promise you, even if the child knows nothing, I will protect their safety with my honor. Where is the child?"
"I do not know. Nobody knows. The Seal Master, the child… in the end, it's all meaningless if we don't know where they are."
Charlotte had said that only she and I knew any clue about Valier.
For some reason, she had not shared my whereabouts with the others.
Was it related to what Charlotte was going through? And had she stopped contacting Valier because she didn't want to put me in danger?
The likelihood that Charlotte's power was not supernatural was very high.
If it was merely a dangerous supernatural power, there would be no reason to suggest finding me.
"I am prepared, Ladi Tana. If I stain my hands with blood once more, kill me."
…In the end.
The death that occurred in the Spring Palace was indeed Charlotte's doing.
Her power had spiraled out of control, and she had killed someone.
And she could not remember it.
"…Your Majesty."
"Promise me."
"…I cannot make such a promise."
"Please promise me."
Sabiollin Tana gave no response to Charlotte's desperate plea for death.
The conversation ended.
I quickly hid in the instrument storeroom adjacent to the music room at the end of the right hallway. The door was open, and there were no instruments stored within. The empty racks were the only indication that it was a storeroom for instruments.
The musicians must have taken all the instruments.
I decided not to close the door, as the sound might give away my presence. Instead, I hid my body in the darkness of the room.
Neither Charlotte nor Dyrus and Sabiollin Tana would have any business here. They would have even less reason to be in the instrument storeroom than in the music room.
The storeroom was dark, as the lights were off, but all I needed was darkness and sound.
It was actually a favorable situation.
Thud
Charlotte's bedroom door opened, and I heard the footsteps of Dyrus and Tana.
"Would it not be better to watch over her while she sleeps?"
"It was useless. She has even tied herself up and slept before. But it was all in vain."
"…I see. So she has not yet managed to leave the palace?"
"Well, not yet… but she might not just be unable to leave."
"Could she possibly appear in Tetra or the Winter Palace?"
"It's just a guess. All we can do is hope that it's not possible…"
It was clear that they were discussing an incident that had already occurred, but without knowing the details of the event, I could not grasp the context of the conversation.
She is not restricted in her movement.
That was the only part I could understand, as it seemed to be related to Charlotte's power.
"By the way, is your shoulder alright?"
"…It's fine. It's not a severe injury. And it was my own carelessness. I can still handle it."
"Will you not go to the priest?"
"…If I receive treatment from the priest, it will leave a record and put us at risk. The fact that Her Majesty can hurt me… you know what that means."
"Yes."
“Your Highness might hear us. Let us refrain from discussing this matter.”
“You are right… I was too impulsive.”
It seemed that Charlotte's power had gone out of control, and Sabiolin Tana had been injured.
To think she could hurt her to such an extent.
Could Charlotte's power be strong enough to injure the leader of the Shanafel?
It appeared that the two of them were keeping the fact that Charlotte had attacked Sabiolin Tana a secret.
Had Charlotte's power gone out of control, causing her to lose her reason, and ultimately forcing Sabiolin Tana to kill her as a last resort?
Hmm…
As they approached the palace staircase leading to the first floor, Sabiolin Tana's steps came to a halt.
“Is there something wrong?”
She sensed something.
She was on guard.
“Something…”
I held my breath.
I erased my presence.
Sabiolin Tana did not sense anything. How much time had passed?
“It must be due to my lack of sleep. It's nothing.”
“It has been a few days, hasn't it?”
“Six days… or is it a week? I'm not sure.”
“Shouldn't you rest during the day?”
“There are things to attend to on this end, and I also hold the title of Shanafel's leader. There's no time for that.”
“I see…”
During the day, she attended to official duties.
At night, she guarded Charlotte.
Sabiolin Tana seemed to have gone without any rest for quite some time.
The two resumed moving and descended the stairs.
I managed to hold my breath.
A little further.
Move farther away.
“Well done, Dyrus. You may leave.”
“Yes, my lady… But are you sure you're alright? You look exhausted.”
“Even so, it's not something you can stay for, is it?”
“I see…”
“I apologize. I did not mean to be sarcastic. I must be on edge.”
“Not at all. I didn't think of it that way.”
“Is that so? I'm relieved. Rest now. You've been through a lot as well.”
“Then, let's hope for no more incidents.”
“Indeed.”
Dyrus left the Spring Palace.
I had thought that the reason for reducing the number of people in the palace was to prevent anyone from seeing Charlotte kill Sabiolin Tana, but there seemed to be another reason.
It was also to prevent someone from becoming a sacrifice to the rampaging Charlotte.
Only three remained in the palace.
Me, Sabiolin Tana, and Charlotte.
…Which meant that my life could be in danger as well.
Should I leave the palace? It was clear that I was already in danger.
I couldn't tell whether the danger signal from my instincts was about the danger from Charlotte or the danger to myself.
I heard the sound of Sabiolin Tana sinking into a chair somewhere in the hall.
I should leave this place. Charlotte's power was formidable, and while Tana might be able to handle it, I certainly couldn't.
The one in greater danger was more likely to be me.
-Rrrrr…
I couldn't leave in the first place.
Sabiolin Tana was sitting in the hall, which was now the palace entrance. It seemed as though she was trying to monitor all directions.
-Pat! Pop!
Sabiolin Tana seemed to be operating something, as the corridor gradually brightened.
No, even the storage room where I was hiding became illuminated by a magical light.
Sabiolin Tana suddenly lit up the entire palace.
The possibility of escaping under the cover of darkness had disappeared.
In order to leave, I must do so when she vacates her position.
As expected, Sabiolin Tana did not move.
Neither could I.
The die had already been cast.
Hoping for nothing to happen, yet simultaneously feeling certain that something would inevitably occur.
I held my breath.
It was a tedious time.
But at the same time, it was incredibly tense.
For I had to constantly focus on suppressing my presence with self-hypnosis to avoid being detected by Sabiolin Tana's senses.
Sabiolin Tana did not move from her spot.
My absence at the temple might become an issue.
If nothing happens, what excuse should I make for leaving the palace so late?
Secondary problems began to arise, but they all pertain to whether Charlotte and I can safely get through today.
It was already deep into the night.
The time had surely passed midnight.
For some reason, Sabiolin Tana had lit up the entire palace.
As if to drive away the darkness.
Even the instrument storage room where I was hiding was illuminated, but it was just a blind spot. She hadn't noticed my presence.
How much time had passed in this tedious state?
-Click
The light in the instrument storage room went out.
Not just there.
The light coming from the corridor also disappeared moments later.
I couldn't tell how the palace's lights were being controlled.
Sabiolin Tana didn't move. Had she turned off the light?
Why would she suddenly turn off all the lights?
No.
This wasn't her doing.
Cautiously poking my head out towards the corridor, I saw another spectacle.
The magical lights throughout the palace flickered and went out one by one.
“At this point… even this…”
Sabiolin Tana's quiet murmur reached my ears, a voice that seemed to convey both astonishment and fear.
It was inconceivable except for the possibility that Charlotte was turning off the lights.
Why was this possible?
Why would she do such a thing?
I couldn't tell.
Sabiolin Tana stood up from her position and began to move. She was heading towards Charlotte's bedroom.
Holding my breath to avoid detection, I tensed my entire body.
She must not find me.
I've already used the amulet, and with the numerous coincidences and probabilities intertwined, I wouldn't be discovered. This includes the condition that I do my best to conceal my presence.
Not being discovered is my future, but there's no telling what might happen if I suddenly make a sound.
I have no intention of testing whether the predetermined future can be changed or not.
I can't make this life-or-death gamble any riskier.
“Your Majesty!”
“If you are awake, please respond!”
Sabiolin Tana walked down the corridor, shouting.
“Your Majesty!”
She called for Charlotte as she moved towards her bedroom.
In the dark palace of spring.
-Flash!
-Rumble
It was an even darker night due to the rain, and it was nearly impossible to discern objects without the occasional lightning flash.
No, the light from the lightning made it difficult for my eyes to adapt to the darkness. The light hindered my vision.
“Your Majesty!”
Sabiolin Tana's desperate cry echoed.
-Thud
The sound of Charlotte's bedroom door opening was heard.
-…
No sound came from Sabiolin Tana. I hadn't heard any noise like the door opening before she did so.
Then, was Charlotte asleep?
“You've… disappeared again…”
She had disappeared.
That disconnected, despairing murmur reached my ears.
In that moment.
-Flash!
"!"
I nearly let out a scream.
At the moment the lightning flickered before my eyes, I saw something.
There was something right in front of me.
It was there.
-Rumble
After a brief silence following the lightning, the sound of thunder shaking the windows trailed behind.
What was it?
Right now.
What was in front of my eyes?
I stared ahead with wide eyes, but I couldn't see the shape of whatever was watching me in the darkness. I hadn't been mistaken.
Something had undoubtedly been looking at me.
What hadn't been there just moments before had suddenly appeared.
-Flash!
Once again, the lightning drove away the darkness for a moment.
A shape revealed itself in front of me for an instant before vanishing.
I had clearly seen it.
Some shape.
It had been watching me, smiling.
It resembled Charlotte, but
it was definitely not her. Something else had been observing me from the pitch-black darkness.
I couldn't see anything.
Yet, the presence of that something in front of me was unmistakably felt.
“Heh.”
“Hehe.”
“Hehehehe…”
“Hehehehehehehehe…”
The sinister laughter of 'that thing' brushed against the nape of my neck.
-Flash!
In the flickering light, I could see its shape clearly.
Dark hair like the abyss and deep black eyes like the void.
And vertical, slit-like red pupils.
It resembled something closer to a demon.