"Your Highness, I suggest we avoid unnecessary complications…" Mochu said without hesitation, but Princess Caiwen quickly cut him off.
"We mustn’t kill the innocent, okay?" Caiwen gently wagged her finger. "Mochu-chan~"
I frowned. "A petty thief turned into a heinous condemned criminal? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were stealing those Bilibili mascot figurines—ugh! The Imperial Seal?"
"…Stealing an aircraft carrier…" Lott’s mouth twitched.
"I don’t know what those Bilibili mascot figures are, but I did plan to steal the Imperial Seal," she replied in a startlingly calm tone.
"The Imperial Seal… is it that important to you?" Caiwen asked, shocked, then cautiously probing.
"It’s not that important—just proof," she said, gazing at the wall, lost in thought. She sighed. "I never expected to be caught for eavesdropping on classified matters before even making a move."
"Are you a fire magic user?" I couldn’t help but smile.
"How did you know? I’m skilled in both magic and martial arts, and yes, my magic is fire-based," she said, staring at me in surprise with her single eye.
"Pfft!~" I burst out laughing. Now it made sense why the arrest ended abruptly—they’d caught a thief stealing the Imperial Seal as a scapegoat! That also explained the Pope’s shocked expression earlier.
Truly amusing. So this one was taking the fall for us?
"Then why steal the Imperial Seal? It’s not edible, can’t be sold, and you can’t even show off with it," I teased.
"The Dark Cult wants it." Her words silenced me instantly.
All three turned to stare at me. What are you looking at? Never seen a Dark Lord before?
The thief didn’t notice the tension and continued calmly. "The Dark Cult plans to use it as a bargaining chip to exchange for the Dark Lord. If I stole the Imperial Seal, I’d get proper payment and a respectable position. Though sinister, the Dark Cult is known for integrity and fairness." She glanced at Caiwen. "At least… better than them."
"The Dark Cult…" I tugged Lott’s sleeve, pointing at the door lock. "We’ll get you out."
"What…" Her eyes widened in astonishment.
With a crisp *snap*, the lock broke. The door groaned open.
"Two choices: First, ask no questions, obey me completely, and I’ll give fair compensation. Second, death. Choose," I said, my voice icy.
She fell silent. I nodded. "The choice is clear, Your Highness. We’ll take care of her. Agreed?"
"Agreed." The princess pushed the door fully open. "Step aside—I need to open the secret passage here."
"Secret passage?!"
One of the cruelest realizations is knowing the cage you’ve been trapped in is actually a secret passage’s entrance.
Princess Caiwen, accompanied by Mochu, entered the cell. She leaned against the uneven wall and placed a small gem into a slot. No flashy effects—just a section of wall fading to reveal a dark hole.
"Only royal blood can open this escape route. A hereditary guide waits at the other end. Give him this token, and he’ll help you." Caiwen stuffed a small metal token into my arms.
"The Crown Prince’s… Prince’s Token?" I gasped. My princess! This is the Prince’s Token—it’ll cause trouble!
"I have the Princess’s Token, the Regent’s Token. This is just a keepsake; my little brother can have the Crown Prince’s Token when he grows up. Take it." Princess Caiwen handed us the surprisingly heavy token like a trivial gift.
"I won’t thank you with words for this kindness," I said, tucking it away.
"Hurry—go now or it’ll be too late!" Caiwen gave a gentle push, somehow shoving the Hero out with ordinary strength.
"But releasing the Dark Lord… what about you?"
"The Church wouldn’t dare touch Her Highness," Mochu stated firmly. "Not just because of the prophecy—but because I’m here."
"Then, may we meet again by fate."
"With vows as deep as sea and mountain, may we meet again by fate," the princess said, bowing formally. The Hero nodded, holding the Dark Lord, and sprinted into the passage. The thief hesitated, then scrambled after them. The entrance slammed shut.
---
Just back in his Church office, the Pope hadn’t even warmed his seat when he received earth-shattering news.
"What happened?" The Pope slammed the table, cups rattling.
"Your Holiness, the Dark Lord’s cage was severed by an unknown weapon. All ninth-floor guards were killed—consistent methods, different weapons. I suspect one group," the knight reported.
"One group… What force can slip into the ninth-floor dungeon unseen, slaughter guards silently, and vanish? Are you joking! Where was the Knight Order?" Archbishop Fangzheng roared.
"The Knight Order is searching… we believe they’re still inside…" The reporting knight lowered his head further.
"Calm down." The Pope pressed a hand down, signaling Fangzheng to sit. "Has anyone checked on the Hero?"
"The Hero isn’t in his room."
"As expected…" The Pope paused. "Borrow the Royal Guard—seal the city gates, search the inner city. The Four Knight Orders will sweep the outer city from all gates. Archbishop Fangzheng, you oversee this. Have the Priest Corps monitor spatial magic fluctuations. I’ll take the Sacred Knights to question Princess Caiwen first."
