324 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 324 "Thank you for your hard work." “Hard work? Hardly.” Louisa merely managed a wry smile at Jun the escort knight's perfunctory courtesy. The day they were scheduled to depart was tomorrow. With no reason to delay any further, the King of Macline had even barred her from meeting important figures of the kingdom. ‘He definitely knows about our magic.’ No matter how quickly they recognized her power, how had they implemented countermeasures so swiftly? That one clash between Elder Gerohin and the new superhumans in the Principality of Tahiti - and they’ve prepared all this? ‘Looks like Elder Gerohin executed the tower's teachings too well.’ Surely the king didn't experience it first-hand, and given that they didn’t sustain significant damage, such thorough preparations seemed unnecessary. Likely, during that battle at least one or two of the new superhumans suffered considerable injuries. ‘Prince Ronian seemed fine... but he could have internal injuries. That would explain why I didn’t notice it.’ Perhaps they chose not to disclose it publicly. That would also justify why they prepared as soon as they perceived her strength. "Heh..." She let out a small, bitter laugh. What was the point in speculating at this stage? Like a tiger obliviously striding into a hunter's lair with its mouth wide open, she found herself in an inescapable trap. Had she not been a princess of the empire, her life would likely have ended here. Even though she managed to avoid punishment by gaining minimal success, her hope to expand her influence within the organization had to be deferred to an unpromised future. A sigh was all that her situation elicited. "Any insights on the plan to mobilize other elders?" "As you know, I have no authority." “Right. Of course.” Even if she wanted to make amends, she knew nothing of the organization’s other plans. But even if she did, she wouldn't have a reason to intervene. 'I’ll head back. Back to wait for another opportunity.' This ordeal taught her a vital lesson. It was her first failure, she who had always thrived using her status and magical powers. None of her magic proved effective, and it was only thanks to her status that she narrowly escaped with her life. With those two facets sealed off, she found herself utterly helpless. Through this, she came to recognize what she lacked. ‘I don’t have enough power at my personal disposal.’ The brainwashed knights and auxiliary personnel like Jun were virtually worthless. Would the outcome have been different if she had brought any of the elders alongside her? 'No, it wouldn’t.’ They certainly would have succeeded in at least the assassination of a sorcerer. And that alone would have thrown the Macline royal court into chaos. Indeed, the security forces mobilized by the king seemed completely oblivious to her stealth magic enhanced by perception interference arts. “Once I return, I’ll need to meet with the elders.” “Pardon?” "No, never mind. You can leave. We’re departing early tomorrow morning.” “…Understood.” After sending Jun away, Louisa composed her thoughts with more calm. ‘The younger elders—those who don’t look down on me for being an imperial royal—are the ones I need on my side.’ At that thought, a shiver ran through her. Because the tower harbored animosity toward the empire, her esteemed status, which was advantageous on the outside, became a reason for discrimination within the organization. As a result, she herself had regarded the elders as nothing more than useless old relics, so suddenly attempting to recruit them would be quite challenging. ‘Still, it must be done.’ Upon recognizing a weakness, it’s imperative to address it. Brushing aside her lingering regrets with a small sigh, Louisa carefully considered a few suitable candidates. As the night deepened and the cool moonlight settled, a strange and unpleasant feeling stirred her instincts. ‘Killing intent?’ And for some reason, it felt familiar. ‘An assassin? Here, now?’ The moment the thought crossed her mind, the tower’s discipline of ‘Soul Force’ coursed through her body. Nature’s energy, Mana, when surpassing a limit, combines with the life force to become Mana Force. Thus, sorcerers achieve physical prowess equal to that of a mid-tier knight. In an instant, Louisa’s physical abilities heightened, ready to make quick movements at any moment. Additionally, with instinctual subtle magic, she deployed a search spell to swiftly scan the entire annex but found nothing. Yet, the unsettling feeling that bothered Louisa's instincts persisted. Being a prodigious sorceress, she trusted her intuition. ‘Something’s there. But it’s not showing up. In such a case…’ Something clicked in her mind. Though she had never met them directly, warnings about this group were drilled into her ears repeatedly. A group cultivated by the organization’s secrets, who turned into their hunters. Their distinct stealth technique. And fortunately, the organization had a detection method specifically devised to apprehend them. Buzz. That was indeed the answer. The magic created purely to discover that particular group worked perfectly. ‘The Imperial Special Inspectorate.’ Those familiar with them likened them to specters as they infiltrated the annex without a trace. Mocking the security forces as if they didn’t exist, moving with truly ghost-like precision. Upon realizing this, Louisa’s face twisted sharply. ‘Why are the specters... Could my true identity have been revealed?’ Nightmarish deductions flashed through her mind. Her secret identity exposed. The fall of the Eastern Palace. The annihilation of her family. And the pursuit by the royal family. She had bragged to King Logan that she’d abandon him anytime, but without the Eastern Palace, her position within the organization would significantly decline. The ideals she aspired to, the dream of continuing the legacy passed down from her mother, that very foundation would vanish. Thump-thump. Her heart raced wildly at the ominous thought, and that accelerated heartbeat only fueled her sense of impending doom. Yet, as Louisa gauged the number of the specters approaching her, the ominous feeling that had engulfed her dissipated rapidly. ‘Only three?’ The figure was laughable. These were the specters who had already suffered serious setbacks in recent pursuits. By now, they should have been aware that their organization had a magical means to specifically detect them. Once their stealth was compromised, even a Level 1 specter wouldn’t be much more than a top-grade knight at best. Trying to confront a sorceress, especially one well-acquainted with their tactics, with just three knights was clearly a suicidal move. The fact that there were only three suggested one of two possibilities. ‘Either an undercover agent or an officer followed to catch me off guard.’ Or they simply didn’t realize she was a sorceress from the Cassel Tower. In the worst-case scenario, it would be the former, but her instincts strongly suggested the latter. Had someone of an officer's caliber been involved, there would have been communication from her father, Gerard von Aserian, the Duke of Dongik. He was as vigilant about matters concerning the Imperial family as the tower cared about them. But considering further brought another question. ‘Then who are these guys?’ As her thoughts chased tails, the three had already reached her chambers. Knowing their reason was unnecessary; she wouldn't simply fall prey. Buzz. Invisible power began to envelop her chamber. ‘What’s this?’ Number One, the leader of this mission, stopped involuntarily as an unsettling sense pricked at his intuition. As the top agent of the Imperial Special Inspectorate, his standing was not won through luck. He had great faith in his instincts. ‘Stop.’ Through the unique signal communication method only agents used, Number One conveyed his intent to his comrades. However, it appeared his colleagues overlooked the cue and were already launching toward their designated positions to attack the target. ‘Tch.’ The timing couldn’t have been worse. Being so close to the target, his signal likely failed to reach them properly. It was the sole flaw of their meticulously devised stealth technique. Nonetheless, Number One was not excessively concerned. Despite following his instincts and sending the signal, their mission target was nothing but the proverbial flower in the greenhouse—the princess. Moreover, the location was the palace of a small kingdom, not the empire's royal palace or an Eastern Palace. There wasn’t even the slightest magical countermeasure against their invasion. In the worst case, they might leave minor traces. If that was the case, he could handle the cleanup. With such thoughts, he belatedly rushed towards the target. However, he was soon confronted by an incomprehensible sight. Thud. Thunk. His comrade No. 2 aiming at the wrong bed, and No. 3 impaling the comrade’s heart from behind. Seeing No. 2's foolish move was one thing, but the blasphemous act committed by No. 3 caused him to fall into utter disbelief. ‘Betrayal!’ An occurrence that could never transpire within the Imperial Special Inspectorate. Something that should never have happened. As instructed throughout his life, his eyes flared up with anger. Staying focused on the mission was the utmost priority. Number One unleashed his seething rage towards the target. He intended to pierce through the target and put an end to the traitor immediately. But then. Clang. A transparent barrier blocked his gray blade. Before he could react with surprise, he saw the target smiling within the barrier. “You seem resilient. But...” With the target’s eerie smile, an overwhelming force began constricting his entire body. For a moment, even moving a finger was impossible. And as his vision cleared, he saw Comrade No. 3's sword approaching. Thwack. “Ack!?” Though screaming was a mistake even a third-rate agent of the organization shouldn't make, Number One, caught off guard by the astonishing situation, broke that basic taboo. And witnessing the trembling eyes behind the mask of No. 3, the memory flooded back into his mind. His colleague seemed to act against his will. – Our purpose is the peace of the Imperial family. Eliminating threats to the Imperial family's safety is our mission. – Throughout history, countless forces have threatened the Imperial family, but the most menacing among them is... It was the primary enemy he had been warned of since starting training. The devils who manipulate the human mind and deceive the world. And the very ones they had engaged in fierce battles not too long ago. ‘It’s them!’ Had he known beforehand, he wouldn't have been dispatched so futilely. How the Imperial princess used their tactics was now irrelevant. Cassel Tower was the chief adversary for the Imperial Special Inspectorate to deal with. Realizing he could no longer fight, being severely injured, Number One resorted to his final recourse. ‘Let’s die together!’ He moved his Mana force and stimulated the hidden energy in his cloak accordingly. For a moment, he felt an explosive force welling up from within his body. However. “Oh dear, did you think such methods, originally ours, would work?” With a light wave of the princess’s hand, the burgeoning energy began to wane. The worst scenario had unfolded. “Ah, no...” More than failing to complete his mission, more than failing to kill the enemy, the most dreadful outcome was being captured during the mission. Feeling even the barest control to end his own life slip away, Number One let out a despairing scream. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you're not delivered alive to him.” Louisa, her expression far more complex than Number One’s, flashed a chilling gaze. And that night. – The news that Princess Louisa was attacked by assassins at the Macline royal palace rapidly proliferated, morphing into countless rumors that swept across the kingdom.