"The news is that Reinhardt has crossed the border. You are to be treated as a guest invited to the welcome ceremony. Therefore, you and your party must prepare accordingly with proper attire for the event."

It was an order from the Emperor’s sister. Although my actual position was as a secret bodyguard, for now, only the Emperor’s sister and we knew this. On the day of the welcome ceremony, I had to disguise myself as just another noble invited to the event.

The ceremonies hosted by the Emperor are of a different magnitude compared to other events. The key figures attending the event included the Emperor’s sister, the Duke of the North, the commander of the 4th Imperial Army, and other high-ranking members of the Empire. Lower-ranking nobles would likely be eager to gain their attention.

It was undeniably a high-level formal occasion. And for the children, this would be their first time experiencing such an event.

"What do we do? So many important people will be there! What if I mess up? That would be a disgrace to the Vermont name...!"

"Master, Master! Can I pull out my super strong sword at the ceremony? You said lots of people will be there! I want to show off in front of everyone…!"

"No."

Yuria and Charlotte’s reactions were completely opposite. Yuria, who had been nervous even when the Emperor’s sister visited the Vermont estate, was now quite tense. Charlotte, on the other hand, was already so excited that she couldn’t stand still.

"Just do as you’ve been taught. The maids must have thoroughly taught you about the etiquette and manners of nobles."

"Does that mean I have to suppress my usual personality and act like a fake doll...? ···?"

"Yes. That’s what those foolish nobles expect. When so many of them are gathered, you’ll need to blend in, so you can’t stand out."

"Aha! I understand perfectly!"

It was good to see that they had grasped it well. Fortunately, they hadn’t forgotten. Most of the maids were either daughters of lower nobles who couldn’t afford to feed their families or were from fallen noble families, so their etiquette education was solid.

True elites don’t care much for such formalities. But the nouveau riche, those who bought their positions with money, and the ruined noble families that remain only in name, are obsessed with etiquette. Since most of the nobles attending this event are of that type, Charlotte and Yuria had to adapt to their expectations.

As someone in the position of a secret bodyguard, I couldn’t allow them to stand out.

They needed to appear as ordinary, unremarkable noble children, just like any other kid attending a formal event.

‘The real charm of Charlotte and Yuria, I don’t want other nobles to see it...’

Of course, there was another reason for this, but I decided not to voice it.

"Will the dress that Aslan bought me be suitable?"

"Ugh... It’s so long and flowy. I don’t like it..."

"No. That’s considered a lower-level formality. For events like this, you usually wear something more extravagant than that. Get ready. We’re going to buy new clothes now."

"There’s more extravagant clothes?!"

"Yes, more extravagant clothes..."

Yuria’s eyes widened in surprise, and a bright smile spread across her face. Meanwhile, Charlotte slumped her shoulders, looking defeated. They said the same words, but their reactions were completely different. Yuria happily hummed as she went to prepare, while Charlotte left with slow, tired footsteps.

"Considering your status as a slave, I don’t think wearing something a couple of levels lower in formality will be a problem."

"Wouldn’t the children be embarrassed? What if we showed up wearing plain clothes that only maids would wear?"

"But you said earlier that we shouldn’t stand out, and to act like ordinary noblewomen..."

"That’s different. Even though we shouldn’t stand out, I can’t bear to see them being treated like lesser beings."

"···."

[The Evil God, 'Kali,' nods vigorously, agreeing with your point.]

Sylvia frowned, clearly not understanding. I didn’t want other nobles to see Charlotte and Yuria’s true charm, but it was clear to me that only I should enjoy it. Why couldn’t she understand that?

I couldn’t understand why Sylvia couldn’t grasp that.

"Well, I’m not surprised by this anymore. I suppose I’ll stick with what I always wear when I’m on guard duty—just my usual neat uniform, right?"

"No? You have to wear something fitting for the occasion."

"···?"

Sylvia tilted her head in confusion. Then suddenly, her face turned bright red.

‘Why is she acting like this again?’

"Wait, does that mean... for this event, I won’t be attending as a bodyguard but as a lady accompanying you, Master?"

"Yes, that’s correct."

"···!?"

Sylvia, clearly taken aback by the unexpected answer, quickly covered her mouth with both hands in a shy manner. While it was technically true, it wasn’t exactly what Sylvia had in mind.

"I’m going to assign Yuria as my bodyguard. But if a mere Count were to show up with two bodyguards, it would attract too much attention. So, you’ll attend as my companion, not as a bodyguard."

"Ah... So, you’re finally recognizing me as a lady...?"

"No."

"That’s impossible...!"

[The Evil God, 'Kali,' scolds Sylvia harshly, telling her not to act so shamefully.]

I, too, felt like scolding Sylvia. Why was she so obsessed with being treated like a lady? Sometimes, it even seemed like she cared more about it than Yuria, and I almost felt sorry for her.

"Think about what kind of dress you’ll choose."

"Master, I’ve never worn formal attire before, so I have no idea how to pick the right one. You’ll have to choose it for me."

"Why are you telling me this? How would I know anything about women’s clothing?"

"You’re quite knowledgeable when it comes to children’s clothing, aren’t you?"

"That’s because I have a lot of interest in children. But you’re not a child, are you?"

"···."

I’ve learned a lot about children’s clothing because I’m interested in it, but I’m completely clueless when it comes to adult women’s clothing. Since Sylvia is just as clueless, if not more so, I couldn’t offer any help, and when I told her that, she became upset.

"Waaaah! You only love the children!!!"

[The Evil God, 'Kali,' clicks her tongue and looks at Sylvia with disdain.]

With that, Sylvia burst into tears and ran off. Of course, I favored the children. That was only natural. If she wanted my attention, she could become young again, pale as a sheet, and return to me. I’d be happy to raise her then.

Imperial Palace Rear Gate. The guards, distracted by the approaching cart and the unfamiliar figure leading the procession on horseback, turned their attention to it.

With dark skin and elongated ears, the woman clearly appeared to be a Dark Elf. Could she possibly be...?

"Stop! State your identity and business! This is the rear gate of the Imperial Palace!"

"Thank you for your hard work, Imperial Guards. I am Sephiroth, the deputy to General Reinhardt of the 4th Imperial Army."

"···!"

Sephiroth.

A Dark Elf who had betrayed the Elven Kingdom's rebel army and defected to the Imperial Army. She had quickly risen to the position of Reinhardt's deputy, using her remarkable tactics and cunning.

She had reportedly tortured and interrogated former allies cruelly and executed them without hesitation, earning a reputation for being ruthless. The guards swallowed nervously, tense from her presence.

"My business here is to bring in some supplies before the general arrives. Here are the documents and a list of cargo..."

Sephiroth handed over the documents, and the guards repeatedly checked to confirm the contents of the cart matched the list.

"What’s this?"

"Those are animals hunted by the general on the way here. Perhaps they could be used for dinner preparations."

"Hmm..."

Upon inspection, the cart contained a pile of dead birds and wild animals. Since they weren’t alive, there was no issue with bringing them in. The documents were in perfect order, and although the guards felt uneasy, they couldn’t find any reason to deny entry.

"We will take care of it."

"Thank you. I’ll return soon with the general."

Clop, clop.

As the cart entered the Imperial Palace, Sephiroth smiled to herself and began to distance herself from the palace.

"Fools. The Empire has always underestimated sorcerers."

The bodies of the animals, which the guards had believed to be normal hunting spoils, had been specially treated. It was a form of sorcery that even ordinary people and mages wouldn’t notice.

After some time, the enchantment etched into the animals' hearts would activate, releasing their mana into the air.

If there was only one, it would dissipate into the air. But if hundreds of hearts broke simultaneously, it would be enough to turn the corpses into monsters.

‘I’ll make sure to trigger a monster outbreak in the Imperial Palace storage...!’

This was just the first step toward creating chaos. Satisfied that the preparations for the welcome ceremony were progressing, Sephiroth chuckled to herself.

Imperial Palace Underground. The guards continued to move boxes, and finally, the door slammed shut, bringing silence back to the area.

Creak, creak.

The stiff, frozen skeleton soldiers began to move freely, gathering in front of the boxes.

"Tap? Tap tap?"

(What’s this?)

"Tap tap!"

(These are freshly dead animals!)

As they opened the lid, the skeleton soldiers reacted vigorously to the pile of animal corpses.

These were rare and intact corpses!

If such bodies were thrown into the demon realm, who knew when they would suddenly turn into monsters?

Although this wasn’t the demon realm, and the mana concentration wasn’t high, the skeleton soldiers couldn’t help but tremble, recalling the memories from their time in the demon realm.

"Tap! Tap tap!"

(I can’t do this! I’ll twist just their skulls!)

"Tap! Tap tap!"

(That’s right. Old habits die hard.)

As soon as they received the skeleton royal’s permission, the skeleton soldiers began to pick up the animal corpses one by one.

Then, they crushed the necks and spines to ensure that even if they turned into monsters, they wouldn’t be able to move.

Once they had dismantled all the corpses, the skeleton soldiers felt a sense of relief and returned to their places.

The stage was set. The pieces were in place for the chaos to come.