Chapter 243 - 3-47
"The Main Building is just ahead. Unlike the Annex, which was sparsely populated, the danger will increase significantly from here. Can the cat and the dragon stay quiet?"
"Nyaa!"
"Kyu!"
Theodore-sama nodded at their replies and scooped Kuro into his arms. Rose coiled herself around my neck. "Let's go."
At his signal, the door to the Main Building swung open. I gripped the handrail of the stairs ahead, my nerves taut. Suddenly, a massive boom shook the air, and dust and pebbles rained down from the ceiling.
"The ground is shaking... What's happening up there?"
"It seems the Emperor is on a rampage."
Which means the Emperor is right at the top of these stairs.
The air grew heavy with tension. I swallowed hard.
"The back passage ends here. We'll surface briefly before entering the next hidden path. This is the most dangerous area."
I nodded silently to Theodore-sama's whispered warning. The moment he opened the door at the top of the stairs, light flooded my vision. I squinted against the glare.
As my eyes adjusted, I scanned our surroundings and froze in horror. The castle, which had been the pinnacle of luxury only this morning, had been transformed into a gruesome battlefield in a matter of hours.
"Help... someone..."
"Kyaaaa! Stop! Stay away!"
"Run! The fire's spreading this way!"
"It's a dead end!"
"Out of my way! I'm going first!"
The screams and frantic footsteps of people fleeing for their lives echoed from every direction. Parts of the ceiling had collapsed, and the floor was littered with glass and debris. The air was thick and foul; smoke from nearby fires stung my lungs, making me cough until my eyes watered.
Theodore-sama's large hand rubbed my back. "Are you alright?" he whispered. I held a handkerchief to my mouth and nodded repeatedly. I can't believe it's come to this.
"This is worse than I imagined." Theodore-sama scowled, biting his lip.
"Why... why is this happening?"
"This devastation is the Emperor's doing."
"But wasn't he going after the remaining royals?"
The Emperor's siblings lived in their own detached palaces. I had assumed he would be far from the Main Building. I looked out a nearby window and gasped.
"What is it?"
"That..."
My hand trembled as I pointed. Theodore-sama narrowed his eyes and looked out.
"That's the Emperor... floating in the sky, isn't it?"
I gripped the window frame, staring upward. There he was, wreathed in a sinister mana, spreading massive black wings. He conjured spheres of fire in his hands and rained them down indiscriminately. Each impact triggered a violent explosion, sending plumes of fire and smoke into the air.
"His goal is still to kill the royals, no doubt. He's just doing it in a way we didn't anticipate."
"You mean... he intends to kill everyone within the castle grounds?"
"Likely. He's destroying the entire castle from the sky where no one can interfere."
The sheer horror of it made me dizzy. I leaned my head against my hand, taking deep breaths. Kuro peered up at me from Theodore-sama's arms, looking concerned.
"...There's no one left who can stop him."
"No..."
"Sooner or later, he intends to destroy this entire country."
Lute-sama had said the Emperor hadn't fully mastered the Primordial's power yet. If he was this dangerous now, he would be an unstoppable nightmare once he did. Outside, I could see crowds of people fleeing the flames—maids who had cared for me and servants I recognized, even if we had rarely spoken.
"Then what about these people?" Are they just supposed to die here, trapped and terrified?
"...Don't think about others right now. Focus only on your own survival."
"But..."
The screams seemed to grow louder. Voices calling for loved ones, begging for help, or desperately trying to encourage others. Could I really turn my back on them and just leave? I'm the one who put the Emperor in that state.
"It's my... it's my fault."
My feet felt like they were rooted to the floor. I couldn't run, but I couldn't move toward the cries for help either. Sweat broke out on my back, my legs shook, and my throat went dry. Just as the darkness threatened to swallow me, a firm grip seized my arm.
"Get a hold of yourself!"
I snapped my head up to see Theodore-sama's face inches from mine. He looked almost angry as he set Kuro down and gripped both my shoulders. "There's someone you want to see, isn't there? Someone waiting for you!"
The words pierced my heart. "...Yes. I want to see him..." I want to see Louis-sama. My voice cracked, sounding like a sob.
"Then think only of yourself for now."
How easy it would have been to just nod and run. To leave this castle, leave the Tratia Empire, and return to Louis-sama in Dutoit. To throw myself into his warm embrace.
"...But that's not right." I looked up, fighting back tears. I took a deep breath and faced Theodore-sama again. He saw the change in my expression and his eyes widened. "If we leave the Emperor like this... Dutoit will eventually be in danger too."
Leaving him unchecked would only make things worse. I couldn't ignore him as he sought even greater power. "I am to be Louis-sama's consort. How can I not protect my kingdom? Besides, I cannot simply watch these people suffer and die before my eyes."
I gently unwound Rose from my neck and set her down next to Kuro. Both spirits looked up at me with worry. I knelt and stroked their heads. "It's alright. I'm just going to be away for a little while." I stood up and bowed to Theodore-sama. "Theodore-sama, please take care of Kuro and Rose. I'll catch up with you... please, go on ahead."
I forced a smile, hoping it looked sincere. If this was the last time we met, I wanted him to remember me smiling. I took one last look at them, then turned and ran.
"Wait, Rachel-sama! Stop! Hey, Rachel!"
I looked back at his call. "Theodore-sama, thank you for always keeping your promise!" I shouted as clearly as I could. Theodore-sama's reaching hand dropped limply to his side. "If you see Louis-sama... tell him. This time, I will be the one to protect what is precious to me!"
I bowed to him one last time and sprinted away without looking back. I knew if I stopped even for a second, my resolve would crumble. I would want to go back to that warm, safe place. I couldn't let that happen.