TL: Zimmings
âEscape?â
Isaac shouted, âYes!â and ran wildly towards me.
âItâs been hours since she escaped!â
Henry asked as soon as Isaac was finished.
âWhat happened?â
âThere was a gap in the security, and they didnât let us know even though they knew Mina had escaped.â
âWhat?â
âDamn! She couldnât escape properly with that body, so I knew she was probably around!â
âHow can she use that bodyâ¦â
I said in a low voice.
âIn the morning I gave her etwal.â
âWhat?â
âBecause sheâs about to run out of breath.â
âKid, thatâsâ¦!â
âI canât kill a hostage.â
âThen you shouldâve known. You gave her etwal, so you shouldâve strengthened the security!â
âThere might be temple spies here. Even in this mansion, I couldnât let many people know Mina was here.â
âThen we would have been watching her. Is it because youâre looking for Neliardâs blood? Did you focus on that and act unlike usual? Really? Why did you make such a mistakeâ¦!â
When Isaac shouted, Henry blocked him with one arm.
âWhat has already happened canât be helped. We have to deal with it first.â
ââ¦â¦.â
âI planted a man in the popeâs office. Iâll try to contact him, and heâll lead the search. We should issue a first-class defense order on our territory.â
Henry and Isaac rushed out.
Dubbledeâs people hoped Minaâs escape had failed, but no matter how much they searched, they could not find her.
At dawn, Henry contacted me.
It was said that Mina returned to the vatican.
This confirmed Minaâs escape.
My family sat together and discussed the future.
âThey will definitely aim for Leblaine. What about Leblaineâs future?â
Dad, who was agonizing over Henryâs words, opened his mouth.
âBlaine should go back to the capital.â
Isaac frowned.
âYou mean to put her in the front yard of the temple, the capital?â
âIn the capital where the Imperial Palace is located, the temple couldnât act recklessly. Itâs safer than some far away land.â
As Isaac became quiet, Johann opened his mouth.
âWhat would you do with the territory? They can also take the people of the territory hostage and demand Leblaine.â
âJohann, protect the mansion.â
âLetâs put our oldest brother in the capital instead. There must be a lot he could do to help father.â
I was startled at Isaacâs words.
âNo!â
âWhat if itâs an armed conflict? My older brother is strong, but his condition is still not well.â¦.â
âNo. He will go to the mansion.â
âYes, Isaac. Iâll go there.â
Isaac stood up, clutching his scabbard.
âIâll stay here. Iâm the one who led the army training, and Iâve been leading it so far.â
Johann and I shouted.
âYou canât!â
âI should do it!â
Isaac gritted his teeth.
âKid, canât you trust me?â
âItâs not that I donât believe youâ¦â
âHave I ever disappointed you?â
ââ¦â¦.â
âI know you donât trust me more than my brothers. Give me a chance to make up for it.â
He smiled faintly and ruffled my hair.
âPlease.â
He added desperately.
Johann and Henry exchanged glances.
âAre you sure you can?â
âDonât be stupid and run away if you canât. Dubblede doesnât need you to protect our honor, you need to protect yourself and our family.â
When Johann and Henry spoke in order, Isaac smiled and tore the teleportation scroll.
I sighed deeply after he disappeared.
Meanwhile, Henry mumbled, touching his chin.
âI need someone who can use their brain. Viscount Dunose has to lead the Irie, and my aunt has to crack down on the noble.â
Then my dad said,
âLetâs send Noanokeâ.
â⦠The chairman?â
âYes. Heâs someone I trust.â
My brothers were surprised and looked at my dad.
More than 10 years have passed since the chairman vowed to be loyal to me. However, my father has never given him full authority.
The war with the chairman, which has been going on since childhood, was not completely forgotten in my fatherâs memory.
âHe really has changed a lot.â
In my first life, the Viscount Noanoke was buried alive by my fatherâs hand.
I canât believe the day has come when both of them worked together.
I laughed and dad looked at me, confused.
âItâs a new feeling.â
I grinned.
âIsaac should do wellâ¦â
***
A few days later.
âGood job, you bastard!â
I was stunned to see Isaac, who returned in a bloody outfit.
âDid you run away?â
âLike a true Dubblede.â
ââ¦Yes, itâs okay because youâre alive.â
As soon as I was shaking my head, Isaac grabbed my shoulder with a serious look.
âThe chairman has been taken.â
ââ¦â¦ What?â
I stiffened at once and said,
âExplain the situation clearly.â
âThe chairman was taken away to break through the gates in thirty minutes.â
ââ¦â¦.â
âItâs never a good habit to blame yourself.â
âWhy are you criticizing me even though I am swept away by the storm, but I need to praise myself for not falling apart?â
âLady.â
The chairmanâs smile came to mind. I felt like my blood had become cold.
Isaac said.
âThe one who took the chairman said please understand Minaâs feelings..â¦.â
âWhat else?â
ââ¦â¦.â
âIsaac!â
âTheyâll give you one last chance, so they told you to come to the altar alone.â
I immediately searched the table and took out the teleportation scroll. From behind, Isaac followed me with a pale face.
âCalm down, kid. Think wisely. At times like thisâ¦â¦.â
âThey canât do anything to me. The cardinals chose Mina now because they thought I was fake, not because I was an enemy. How can they kill me when they donât know whoâs real?â
âI canât send you like this.â
âTrust me.â
ââ¦â¦.â
âJust as I trusted Isaac, you need to trust me.â
The strength slipped out of Isaacâs hand.
When I tore the scroll, a dazzling light surrounded me.
The last thing I saw in the mansion was my dad, Johann, and Henry, who were just entering my room.
When I opened my eyes again, it was an altar.
The bloody altar.
It was all quiet around. On the altar, I could see Mina wearing a school uniform that she enjoyed wearing in her first life.
At the altar where I begged for help, the one who killed me is looking down at me once more.
âIâll say thank you.â
Mina continued speaking in a low voice.
âFor returning my etwal.â
â⦠Did you summon another devil? What about Amy?â
âIt became a part of my etwal. The cardinals objected, but I cannot destroy Adrianâs precious one.â
âDestroy? Can you destroy the devil?â
âThere are devils with that kind of power.â
There is only one devil with the power of annihilation.
â⦠Was Agarethâs passage in the temple?â
I licked my dry lips and cursed inside.
âCongratulations. And to correct one thing, you forced Amy to your etwal.â
âWhatever it may be, itâs fine. Leblaine, Iâll give you a chance as your sister in our previous life.â
âChance?â
âA chance to put everything back to place.â
Mina walked over to the podium.
âGive me back my father. Also my brothers and my lover.â
âYouâre talented at saying nonsense.â
ââ¦â¦You were able to beat me because I didnât have etwal. But itâs different now.â
âSo?â
âI donât want to see the three brothers get hurt, even more so to see them bleed. If you and I agree, this war can end.â
âOh, so you want me to die again?â
Mina looked directly at me.
âThatâs your role, Leblaine.â
â⦠Your role is to be a savior, right?â
âIf you return my father, Chairman Noanoke will be fine. And if you die, there will be no more attacks.â
Three steps left to the podium.
Two steps left.
âOne more step.â
When she approached the podium.
Thud!
Something flew toward the altar.
âAhh!â
Mina looked at the things that were thrown towards her. It was a rock. To be exact, someone threw the rocks.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
The rocks flew nonstop.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Mina hurriedly caught the etwal.
âHelp⦠huh?â
Mina shook her etwal with a bewildered expression.
âWhat is it, what the hellâ¦â
âThereâs no need to lose strength. No matter what you do, you canât do it.â
âWhatâ¦â¦.â
âYou canât use divine power.â
âNo way!â
Why not?
As I was thinking about it, someone shouted.
âTh- the adventurer, the number of people, carried out!â
âAdventurer.â
âA lot of almonds.â
âA lot!â
Those people are the nymphs.
In other words, these rocks are from the mountains of nymphs.
The nymphs turned all these rocks into a suwon and blocked the use of mana.
The use of divine power is essential to summon power.
No matter how outstanding the devil she has, she can never call it out if she canât use divine power.
Surprised, Mina looked around. Biting her lips tightly, she shouted.
âHoly knights!â
Those with bows appeared from the walls surrounding the altar. As soon as Minaâs mouth was about to go up, the archers with arrows collapsed like dominoes.
And what appearedâ¦
âYou have done your duty, lady.â
It was Zachary and other Dubbledeâs Irie.
Mina was astonished to see them.
âNo wayâ¦!â
I approached Mina. Whenever I narrowed our distance step by step, she stepped back.
When Mina was blocked by the wall, I pressed Minaâs shoulder with my fingertips and said.
âReversal.â
ââ¦â¦!â
âMina, even fools are not easily beaten twice, but you are easily beaten twice.â
âNo way.â
âI freed you on purpose.â
âThisâ¦!â
âDid you enjoy acting as a hero?â
Just then, the communication device rang.
[We have secured the location of the real Trigon, lady.]
It was the voice of the chairman.
What this means is that Mina has been a part of my plan since she was released until now.
âIsaac knew nothing.â
âThereâs a saying like this in the country you live in. If you want to deceive your enemy, deceive your allies first.â
âBut it was the cardinal who came to save me.â
âYou know that cardinalâs name?â
â⦠Stefano.â
âHeâs Emelineâs biological father.â
I grabbed Minaâs wrist and raised her. The gold and silver etwal around our neck shook with the sound.
âCome, Neliard.â
In my motherâs body that inherited your blood!