TRHITGAE Chapter 113

113

***

"Urgh…"

After Princess Eva dragged Seraphina away, Raffaelo, who had collapsed on the floor, let out a groan. Struggling against the throbbing pain from his injuries, he barely managed to lift himself up, then slammed his fists on the floor.

"Damn it!"

He had sworn to protect Seraphina and yet he let her be taken away. He couldn't forgive himself for it.

His heart wanted nothing more than to get up and run after her that very instant, but Raffaelo knew full well that his current condition wouldn’t allow it. Even if he tried again, the result would be the same.

"You wicked wretch…!"

Even Arkhangelo, who usually stayed out of fights, was now expressing unfiltered rage. The fact that he personally joined the battle was proof of just how determined he had been this time.

"There has to be… a weakness."

Ghieuspe was desperately thinking, trying to find a flaw or vulnerability. But the fact that even he, who was always composed, now had cracks in his expression showed how deeply shaken he was.

"No… Seraphina…"

Even Aurora, who was usually so loud and flamboyant, had her face buried in her hands in utter despair.

Each member of the group was grieving in their own way, overwhelmed with anger and hopelessness.

They had just lost a dear friend right before their eyes. It was something none of them could accept.

But what worried Raffaelo most wasn’t the others, it was Simone. While everyone else showed visible signs of anguish, Simone remained silent, his head bowed low.

"Hey, Simone?"

Raffaelo asked cautiously, and Simone slowly nodded as if to tell him to go on.

"Are… are you okay? We’ll fight again, we’ll bring Seraphina back."

"…It won’t be easy."

"What?"

"It’s not easy to stay rational."

When Simone lifted his head again, his blue eyes shimmered with a cold light.

"Even when I was cast out of the Monteverdi Marquisate and was left to wander the streets, I still remained a rational person. Even if I returned to that time, I’d still believe that patience is the best path. I’d endure the hardship and wait for the right moment. But this time… I can’t wait."

"Uh…"

"Even if I know we’ll lose… I feel like I’ll explode if I don’t throw myself at them."

"Hey, I get how you feel, but still-"

As Raffaelo glanced at Aurora, she quickly came over and restrained Simone’s other arm.

"Simone, this is exactly the time you need to stay calm! Let’s find a new way. If Ghieuspe works together with the Tower Master, maybe they can figure something out!"

"Yes, Simone. I will find a way."

Still, the heavy gloom hanging between them didn’t lift.

Even while offering words of comfort to Simone, the group kept their heads lowered, consumed with guilt over their defeat.

Just then, the door to the parlor opened and automaton maids stood in the entrance.

"You’ll need to leave now."

One of the maids spoke in a flat, expressionless tone.

Raffaelo glared at her fiercely.

"We can’t leave. We need to be in the palace to watch for our chance…"

The automaton maids moved in unison. Stronger than any human, they overpowered the group in an instant.

"Damn it!"

In their current battered state after the battle, there was no way they could overcome multiple automatons swarming each of them.

In the end, they were all dragged out of the palace. The only mercy shown by Princess Eva was that she didn’t have them killed, but of course, none of them felt any gratitude for that.

"Damn it all…"

Raffaelo exhaled sharply, scanning their surroundings outside the palace. Even outside the gates, the automatons remained stationed, not budging.

"She said this whole mess would be resolved once she took Seraphina… but of course, that was a lie."

"Hmph. We should’ve known better than to believe anything that comes out of her mouth."

"For now, let’s retreat somewhere safe."

If they wanted to rescue Seraphina again and defeat Princess Eva, this was no time to be sulking.

The group, with Raffaelo and Aurora at the center, retreated to the Monteverdi Marquisate for safety.

***

'This is all my fault.'

Inside his room at the Monteverdi estate, Simone was consumed by that thought.

Though his companions told him to go cool his head and practically pushed him into the room, Simone still hadn’t come to his senses.

He slowly opened and closed his hand, he couldn’t forget the feeling of Seraphina’s hand slipping from his grasp. He should never have let go.

No, should he have never brought her before Princess Eva in the first place? Was it wrong to let Seraphina face Eva at all?

Now, everything felt like it was his fault.

He regretted it. Again and again.

He had never imagined he was someone so foolish and incompetent that he’d let the woman he loved be taken.

'What should I do…'

He couldn’t lose the first person he’d ever loved. If he lost her, Simone felt certain that he would never be able to love anything again in his life.

When he had been thrown out of the Monteverdi household and left to wander the streets, Simone had vowed to grow stronger, to never suffer such humiliation again.

And so he did.

He built up his strength, returned to the Monteverdi estate, and claimed the marquisate after eliminating his own brothers.

Though they had knelt before him, begging, swearing they would never again fight over land or wealth, that they would accept a baron title and quietly leave the capital, Simone had shown no mercy.

To be strong enough for the enemies that might come again, he entered politics.

Thanks to his brilliant abilities, he secured the position of Minister of Administration at a young age.

Since then, he had never known defeat. Even in the Assembly, he silenced opponents with his eloquence. Though the noblemen of high society envied him, his popularity kept them from daring to challenge him.

And yet, now, for the first time, he had failed to protect Seraphina. He tasted bitter, aching defeat.

While he was drowning in that despair, the door opened. Standing there was his group of companions.

"Simone, has your head cooled a little?"

"…I’m trying."

"Oh yeah? Unfortunately, we don’t have the luxury of giving you much time."

Raffaelo gave a crooked smile, ill-fitting for the serious situation.

"To save Seraphina, we need you to take action, right now."

"Hah."

Simone let out a dry chuckle but still stood up from his seat.

Right, he hadn’t been completely defeated yet. The abilities and connections he had built up until now were still intact. There were still chances left to seize.

"…Yeah. We have to get Seraphina back."

***

"Waaaah…"

In a small, elegant room, I banged on the door again and again.

A few hours ago, just like I had once done at the Mage Tower, I tried to escape by changing the door’s position, but the moment I stepped out, I came face-to-face with Princess Eva and failed. She locked me back up in this room.

'How should I escape this time…'

Maybe I should just behave and stay put for now. Get her to lower her guard, gather information, and wait for the right opportunity.

A wave of despair threatened to creep in, so to clear my mind, I started counting the number of flower patterns on the blanket. And once my head cleared…

That’s when I noticed something hanging around my neck, my mother’s keepsake. I could feel the cool touch of the whistle through my clothes.

I quietly held it in my hand.

"Hoo…"

Of course, this wouldn’t be some cliché like, "Actually, my mom’s keepsake had hidden powers! Take this, special attack!!"

No, nothing like that would happen.

Still, just having it around my neck gave me a little strength back.

Even if I wasn’t truly her, there was real affection and support toward Seraphina Viviana, the body I now inhabited.

Honestly, I wanted to pray to God.

'But I can’t, can I.'

Princess Eva had devoured the god of this world.

Who could I even pray to?

'I’ll pray to the gods of my own world instead…'