Even from quite a distance, the Emperor’s gaze could be felt. Meeting his cold blue eyes, his eyelids curved into an unsurpassably beautiful arch.

It was a beauty that would immediately elicit praise if seen by others, but Rosha felt an immense sense of foreboding.

‘He… never moves without certainty.’

Though she hadn’t met him many times, she could instinctively sense this about the Emperor.

Yet what certainty had driven him to leave the imperial palace, his own nest?

Just what cards was the Emperor holding now?

Rosha’s mind raced.

While not to her extent, those who had participated in the monster hunt also seemed to sense an inexplicable ominous feeling.

“Why has the Emperor come all this way? Because of the blue window?”

Cassis, who didn’t particularly like the Emperor, muttered quietly.

As for Marian beside him… for some reason, she gazed ahead with an unfamiliar coldness Rosha had never seen before.

At that moment, Froy tightly gripped Rosha’s hand.

“Froy.”

“Tell me now what you’re hiding, before I get angry.”

His voice was low and gentle. But his eyes told a different story.

His violet irises swirled with a multitude of emotions, as if barely restraining an overflow was his utmost effort at the moment.

After briefly regarding the man’s eyes, Rosha murmured softly:

“Froy… it would be better if you distanced yourself from me.”

“What are you…”

With a sense of foreboding, she stared ahead with a stiffened expression. Nardil had already stepped forward as the head of the delegation to express his displeasure.

“To ask us to halt without any explanation is unacceptable. I would appreciate if you provided the reason as well.”

“…That is…”

With his clothing already stained by monster blood, Nardil’s ominous appearance seemed to unnerve the knights, though they didn’t outwardly show it.

It was then that the Emperor began to move.

“Your Majesty…!”

“Please don’t act without warning…!”

The imperial guards protested, but he paid them no heed. Riding his well-groomed white horse, the Emperor approached, forcing the guards to follow suit.

Soon facing Nardil, the Emperor spoke:

“My apologies, Prince. From your perspective, this must seem perplexing. However, there is a reason for my actions.”

“And that would be? If it’s the blue window’s warning, I saw that just now as well.”

“It’s related to that. Two hours ago, there was a prophecy from my beloved daughter Illien.”

…The Princess’s prophecy?

For a moment, she wondered if the Princess had been brainwashed again, but that wasn’t the case.

Since Rosha had given the Princess a magic stone engraved with a formula, if she fell under a hypnosis spell again, the stone would shatter and alert her.

At this point, the situation became increasingly clear.

“…”

Regarding Rosha’s rigid form, the Emperor leisurely continued:

“According to Illien’s prophecy, this trial has a ‘target.’ If the target’s life is taken, the trial’s difficulty will decrease – that’s the rule.”

“…You’re telling me there’s such a rule?”

“Unfortunately, yes. Since I knew the target was among us, I asked everyone to halt for now.”

Hearing this, Nardil fell silent. Not just him, but all those who had participated in the monster hunt as well.

A chilling silence ensued.

With a faint smile, as if reassuring those fearing they might be the target, the Emperor slowly surveyed the procession.

Past the imperial knights and warriors from the delegation, past Cassis Aper and Marian, past Froy Echerzen…

And finally, to Rosha.

“…”

Following the Emperor’s gaze with bated breath, people widened their eyes as they turned towards her.

Simultaneously, the blue window’s cruel guidance appeared before everyone:

The target’s identity is revealed!

-If the target dies, the trial’s difficulty will decrease drastically.

-Those who contribute to the target’s death will receive additional rewards.

Along with the guidance, a shimmering diamond-shaped mark hovered above Rosha’s head.

As if indicating she was the target of the third trial.

“No… this can’t be…”

With bewildered expressions, people alternated between staring at the blue window and Rosha.

Fearing the situation could escalate, Nardil hurriedly spoke up:

“Regardless of the circumstances, we cannot commit vile acts against Lady Roshanak, who has made great contributions during the trials so far. The trials are undoubtedly caused by the blue window, but can we truly take its words at face value?”

“You make a fair point. However, I don’t intend to do anything to Lady Roshanak simply because she is the target. I merely wished to keep her within the imperial palace for her protection.”

“But that is…”

“Any further objections from a foreign prince would be construed as interference in the Empire’s internal affairs.”

Cutting off the conversation with a wry smile, the Emperor signaled to the imperial knights.

Though initially hesitant, the knights soon began to move, having concluded that keeping Rosha within the palace was acceptable since the intent wasn’t to kill her.

Of course, if the trial intensified and the Empire suffered great losses, she could end up dead without a chance to escape.

But that hadn’t happened yet, had it?

“Then… in accordance with His Majesty’s command, we shall escort Lady Roshanak to the imperial palace.”

“Our apologies, Lady Roshanak. Please cooperate obediently.”

The imperial knights who had hunted monsters alongside her slowly turned and surrounded her.

However, Rosha only gazed at the Emperor, who had benevolently extended his palm as if beckoning her over, and thought.

‘Ah… so this is why he ventured outside the palace.’

The Emperor’s intentions toward her were already clear.

-I’d like someone as skilled as you to join me.

-It may be a challenging question to answer immediately, so take your time to think. But you have to respond quickly.

The Emperor desired her allegiance.

And now, he awaited her response to the proposal he had previously extended.

Backed into a corner, with her family residing in the capital effectively held hostage.

He expected her to willingly enter the imperial palace and place the leash around her own neck.

The Emperor’s certainty stemmed from the premise that Rosha would never dare abandon her family and flee.

And truthfully, that was indeed the case.

‘But if I do try to flee… what if my family suffers harm?’

In a world with magic, there were various methods of inflicting harm. As a magician herself, Rosha was painfully aware of this, unable to recklessly flee while leaving her family behind.

It was at that very moment.

“…Dame Marian. Would you please step aside?”

The imperial knights politely requested Marian, who was blocking their path.

However, after a brief contemplation, Marian swiftly drew her sword at an invisible speed.

Clangclangclang!

Immediately after, every knight present unsheathed their blades. The Emperor’s guards tensed up severely.

“Dame Marian!”

“What is the meaning of this?!”

The imperial knights desperately called out her name.

Yet for some unfathomable reason, Marian didn’t lower her sword, only fixing her ice-cold gaze upon the Emperor’s face.

Seizing this opportunity, Cassis whispered to Rosha in a hushed, rapid voice:

“Hey, don’t think, just run. I’ll handle the rest somehow.”

“…Huh?”

“If that’s not possible, then make a daring escape at least.”

It seemed Cassis also grasped the implications of the current situation – that if Rosha was taken into the imperial palace, who knew what would happen afterwards.

And it wasn’t just them.

The imperial knight Joel also gestured for her to flee, while the distant Lysithea and Duke Feriel waved frantically.

‘When did this…’

Her chest suddenly felt as if set ablaze.

Having lived 18 years in another world, she had merely viewed the people here, oblivious to everything, as existences to be protected.

Though united by their respective reasons for enduring the trials together, they were ultimately individuals who required her protection.

But now, she realized that wasn’t the case.

‘Have I been thinking too narrowly?’

The one-sided relationship of protector and protected that she had unconsciously assumed.

It seemed she was the only one who had thought that way here.

“Heh, interesting humans indeed.”

Observing the situation, Koko muttered softly.

She was right.

While initially overwhelmed by the blue window’s atrocities and the Emperor’s machinations, a surge of emotions had swiftly overshadowed the difficulties.

It was a strange feeling.

Suddenly, she felt that being the target or whatever else didn’t really matter.

Despite the precarious crisis, she wanted to forever remember this very moment.

It was then that Froy tightly wrapped an arm around Rosha’s waist before swiftly pulling her into his embrace, whispering,

“You have now been abducted by me. Do you understand?”

His eyes shone with unparalleled clarity, as if having found their purpose.

The first time she had seen him, his face had been utterly bland, yet when had it become like this?

At this point, the actions she needed to take were evident from the gestures of her comrades, who wholeheartedly endorsed her abduction in a rather novel way.

Reflexively placing her hands on Froy’s back, Rosha muttered loudly as if for others to hear:

“Oh no, I’ve been abducted. Someone help me.”

Upon hearing her lackluster plea, the imperial knights’ eyes momentarily widened in bewilderment.

Before their vision was instantly engulfed by Froy’s colorless, empty aura.

It was his special ability.