A single dagger, drawn from my dress late in the evening, gleamed in the light spilling out from the palace.

Of course, I had no intention of facing him head-on with just a dagger. After all, there was nothing to gain from fighting him one-on-one in this situation.

The dagger was merely a deterrent, something to keep him at a distance. Since I had already sent the signal, time was on my side.

“What’s this? A dagger? Planning to stab me and run off again like last time?”

“Oh, I’ll stab you, alright. But this time, I’m aiming for your neck, not your hand.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? Killing a royal is a capital offense. If you commit regicide, death might be the least of your worries. Wouldn’t it be better to just become my fiancée instead?”

“Like hell. You’ve already thrown away a truckload of women after tricking them with talk of engagement. I’d rather kill you and end it all than crawl between your legs.”

“A truckload…? Is that some kind of dialect? Anyway, it’s fascinating how much you know. The way you were wary of my powers last time and prepared for them... How did you find out?”

“…”

“You really are an interesting woman. Maybe this time, I’ll get to play with you longer.”

Magic flared around McHart. He hadn’t yet unleashed his full demonic power, suggesting that he was at least mindful of our location within the palace.

As these thoughts flashed through my mind, his body suddenly launched toward me.

Thwack!

“Hah!”

McHart closed the distance between us in an instant, using a burst of magical speed. The way he reached out, trying to grab me, suggested he intended to drag me into that nightmarish dream world of his once again.

He left his arm and neck exposed to me, as if daring me to strike. For a moment, I could almost see a cut line drawn between his jaw and shoulder.

Swish!

I stifled the desire to kill him right then and there, leaping into the air with Lillis’s natural agility.

If I drove my dagger into him now, he would surely drag me into his mindscape. I couldn’t afford to let my desire to end this get the better of me.

Thwack!
Swish!
Thwack!
Slash!

For what felt like several seconds, McHart and I engaged in a silent chase around the garden outside the palace’s rear gate.

McHart used his magic-enhanced speed, while I relied purely on the physical abilities I had honed in Lillis's body.

If only I had Sei’s wind magic, it would have been helpful in this situation, but unfortunately, the two spirits were waiting for me outside the palace.

Due to the magical detection devices installed in the palace and its grounds after the last attack, bringing the spirits—whose very existence is magic—inside was impossible.

In this fight, I hadn’t used a single ounce of magic, dodging McHart’s attacks purely with physical skill. McHart, on the other hand, was pouring magic into every move.

The reason McHart could use magic inside the palace while I couldn’t was simple. As a member of the royal family, his magic was registered and thus wouldn’t trigger the detection devices.

It was frustrating, having to dodge and roll on the ground to avoid his attacks while I couldn’t use my magic, but if I wanted to complain, I should have been born royal.

“A moment ago, you were all about stabbing me with that sword, but now that we’re actually fighting, all you do is run. Are you scared of the crime of regicide?”

“With that nauseating face of yours coming at me, who wouldn’t run? Humans are wired to avoid ugly things out of instinct, you know.”

“Hm, I do like a woman with spirit. After living with this face for so long, no one dares to defy me anymore, so it’s been rather dull. But calling this face disgusting… You don’t really mean that, do you?”

“I’m not talking about that leather mask you’re wearing. I mean the real face you’re hiding underneath, you idiot.”

“…”

“Oh, sorry. I shouldn’t have called an idiot an idiot. That was harsh.”

“…I don’t know where you got your information, but I’m definitely going to capture you.”

I spat in his direction, signaling that he could try if he wanted. He paused momentarily, clearly caught off guard, and the sight of him hesitating made me smirk.

“Pathetic. Look at you flinch just because I spit. Who would have thought?”

“There’s nothing wrong with avoiding something dirty flying at your face. But your taunts are losing their sting.”

“You talk about engagement, but are you really grossed out by your fiancée’s spit? Besides, isn’t your real fiancée’s mouth even filthier? I heard the sounds of her sucking off another man in the bathroom were loud enough to reach the banquet hall.”

“Shut up. You don’t know anything about Ebelin. She’s not someone you can insult.”

Just like in the original story, I pressed his buttons, and McHart snapped, charging at me. What a fool, defending his whore of a fiancée.

But I had to be careful not to push him too far. If I provoked him too much before my allies arrived, I might not survive long enough.

‘But seriously, where the hell are they…?’

It had been about a minute since the chase with McHart began. Even if all four of them couldn’t make it, at least one of them should have shown up by now. But I didn’t sense anyone approaching the garden yet.

Ethan might take a bit longer since I caused such a scene, but the other three should have had plenty of time to slip away with some excuse.

Agnes and Cerista, especially, had stealth magic and concealment blessings at their disposal, so they should have been able to arrive by now. So why were they so late?

Just as an uneasy feeling began creeping into my heart, McHart, as if reading my expression, smiled slyly at me.

“You’ve been glancing towards the banquet hall for a while now, as if you’re waiting for someone.”

“Stop spouting nonsense.”

“I have a pretty good idea who you’re waiting for, but I think you should give up.”

“What…?”

“Did you really think I’d come here unprepared? Haven’t you considered that might be a little too optimistic?”

…He had to be lying. There was no way McHart could have figured out that I was setting a trap for him.

Even if he had suspected something, there was no reason for him to walk into my trap on purpose. If he did, it would only be because it somehow benefited him. But no matter how many soldiers McHart might have brought, it was impossible for them to stand against the hero, a high-ranking priestess, a magical powerhouse, and a dual-wielding sword expert.

“…You’re delusional. You’re just making wild guesses.”

“You’ve been running from me desperately without using any magic. It’s obvious. If you use magic, the palace guards will come running, and you don’t want that, do you?”

“…Yeah. If the guards come, I won’t be able to slit your throat.”

“For someone who wants to kill me, you’ve been running away this whole time. And you’re not even trying to leave this area. I’ve enjoyed humoring you, but it looks like you’re about to reach your limit.”

“…”

“By now, the banquet hall must be in an uproar. If you were counting on your magic signal reaching the hero or the saintess, it’s too late.”

“…I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Damn it. Did he really know? Did he figure out from the start that this was a trap?

Could he have known all along, despite the magic duels I had with Agnes at the academy and the ridiculous lover’s spat I staged with Ethan in the banquet hall, all to set this up?

As I struggled to hide my shock, McHart looked at me with a mocking expression and mentioned someone unexpected.

“There’s a rather interesting lady among the group you’ve gathered to trap me.”

“…”

“Agnes, was it? That short little girl.”

“…You bastard… If you so much as touched her…”

“Calm down. She’s pretty, but I’m not into children. Do you really think I’d be interested in a little brat like her when I have Ebelin as my fiancée?”

“…”

“But it seems my little brother doesn’t share my tastes. He’s been making quite the fuss over that tiny girl.”

Unfortunately, at that moment, I didn’t fully grasp what McHart was implying.

I couldn’t yet imagine what kind of “variable” McHart’s brother had introduced at the banquet hall.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

Around the same time that Lillis and McHart began their standoff in the garden behind the rear gate, inside the banquet hall...

Hero Ethan Richard Blackwood couldn’t even check if Lillis had sent the magic signal, as he was pinned down in the center of the hall.

In truth, even if he had managed to confirm it, the outcome might not have changed much.

Surrounded by the attention of everyone at the noble gathering, there was no way Ethan could discreetly slip away without attracting notice.

“Draw your sword, Ethan Richard Blackwood.”

“No, Your Highness, it’s a misunderstanding…”

“Tonight, I will reclaim my fiancée, who attended this gathering with you, by my own hand.”

The fifth prince of the Argentian Empire, Antonio Robert Valtoria.

His appearance was an unexpected variable that neither Lillis, Ethan, nor anyone else had anticipated.