Fron tilted her head with a puzzled look.
This was the imperial prison holding a royal, so security should’ve been tight—no one could just walk in.
‘Well, not my problem.’
But being simple-minded, she quickly stopped caring.
She was going to off herself soon anyway. What did palace security matter now?
‘Jaden…’
Fron closed her eyes and thought of her son one last time.
From the moment she entered the palace as an imperial knight, she’d never once considered her life precious.
But when she thought of her eight-year-old child, a sharp ache stirred in her chest.
Still, she steeled herself.
‘…This is for you too.’
A crisis for the imperial family was a crisis for Jaden.
A biological mother like herself would only be a liability to him.
Jaden was always ashamed of her anyway…
In that sense, her death would do him no harm.
‘At the very least, if I die here, His Majesty will know I’m innocent.’
Even if no one else knew her, the Emperor did.
And that was enough for her.
Still strong in martial skill, Fron began to calmly form a plan.
‘When that guard turns sideways, I’ll take his sword.’
She yawned lazily.
Only one guard posted?
That felt almost insulting.
‘Bunch of idiots. Just because I walk around clumsily in a dress now, they think the former Sir Fron can’t pull off something like this? My name’s still on the royal knights’ registry.’
Just then, the silver-haired woman from the entrance walked quietly toward the guard.
“Um, excuse me…”
“Hm? What brings you here?”
The guard turned his body toward the woman’s voice.
‘Now! That was fast.’
There were iron bars between them, but that was nothing to Fron.
She moved quickly, just about to grab the guard’s sword—
“Activate!”
A sharp voice rang out, and something thin sliced across Fron’s arm.
She flinched and reflexively pulled her arm back.
‘…What the?’
A bright light flared as a mild stinging sensation hit her.
Not even enough to make her groan—just a small sting. But the attempt to seize the sword had failed.
Fron blinked down at the fluttering scrap of parchment on the ground.
‘A scroll?’
But before she could even be properly surprised—
“Oh no…”
The scrawny silver-haired girl dropped to her knees.
“Dear heavens, Your Majesty the Empress!”
The girl mumbled as if dazed, her face blank.
“I—I was just passing by for work, and saw someone trying to steal the guard’s sword…”
Of course, the guard who’d almost lost his sword was also stunned. He only just began to grasp what had happened.
He bowed his head hastily and thanked the girl profusely.
“Th-thank you! That could’ve been terrible!”
His voice trembled through the cell, clearly still shaken.
“I—I think Her Majesty the Empress was about to kill me and escape!”
Fron was so dumbfounded, she couldn’t help but yell.
“Why would I stab a scrawny wimp like you? I don’t waste talent like that on trash!”
No matter what she said, the guard gasped and asked the woman:
“Was that… an offensive scroll?”
“Yes… I didn’t realize it was Her Majesty and cast it without thinking. What should I do?”
Still kneeling, the girl dropped flat on the ground.
In a trembling voice, she added:
“I—I dared to harm a royal…”
Fron’s arm only stung a bit, and even that was already fading.
She snorted and waved her hand.
“It’s fine. That scroll was weaker than a mosquito bite. Just go on your way.”
It had been a single, low-power scroll.
Fron had no intention of pressing charges and lay back down again.
But the girl didn’t lift her bowed head.
“I’m truly sorry, Your Majesty…”
The first to recover was the guard.
He asked the girl, still face-down:
“But why did you come this way in the first place…”
“Oh.”
The girl answered without raising her head.
“I’m Namia Roapia, from the Scroll Bureau’s inventory team.”
The guard and Fron both nodded at the same time.
She must have used a scroll because she worked in some scroll-related department.
“I came to check on the glowing scroll stock in the prison, but then…”
That explained why someone like her had entered such a secure area for royals.
Scrolls were used to light the dark prison cells.
“Um…”
Namia glanced up at the guard.
“I’m sorry, but could you go to the Health Bureau and fetch an emergency worker…”
“M-me?”
“What if Her Majesty suddenly needs first aid? Please. My legs have gone all wobbly—I really can’t go myself.”
Fron burst out laughing from where she lay.
Seriously? Wobbly legs over this?
She figured the girl was too clueless to pull herself together.
The guard fidgeted. He couldn’t make a decision either.
“But I’m the only guard here. I can’t leave this post for long. The Health Bureau tends to ask lots of questions…”
“Oh, then!”
Namia, still on the floor, suddenly spoke quickly.
“If you say Namia Roapia from the Scroll Bureau’s inventory team sent her rival, a girl named Luka Klass will come running without needing any explanation.”
“…Excuse me?”
“I’ll stay here and guard the place in the meantime.”
“…You?”
The guard gave her a skeptical once-over.
Namia, skinny and frail-looking, fished out scrolls from inside her robes.
“I can’t fight physically, but I’ve got plenty of offensive scrolls…”
At that, Fron guffawed.
“Bwahahahaha! That’s right, that’s right! This scrawny guy couldn’t hurt my pinky, so she’s right! Bwahahahaha! You’d make a better guard than him! Bwahahahaha!”
Fron had just dealt a major blow to the guard’s pride.
And in fact, he was a fairly respected knight in the order.
But of course, he was no match for the former top-tier royal guard, Fron.
“You think I couldn’t break out if I wanted to? Bwahahahaha!”
Meanwhile, Namia continued calmly looking at the guard.
“There are more guards at the entrance anyway, right?”
Her slight frown urged him for an answer.
The guard mumbled, cornered:
“St-still, if I leave my post…”
That’s when Namia suddenly straightened her back and said firmly:
“Under Article 29, Clause 34 of the Imperial Civil Service Code, all officials must prioritize the safety of royals. Just because Her Majesty is detained doesn’t mean she’s not royalty. And in the case law from last November 22nd, deliberate neglect was judged as an attempted regicide. If something happens to Her Majesty, you could be charged under Article 1, Clause 4 of the Royal Law, and not only lose your position but also have your family…”
Before she could finish, the guard interrupted:
“I—I’ll go now!”
Panic rising, he glanced around nervously.
“S-Scroll Bureau’s Namia Roapia sent me to get Luka Klass, right?”
“No. Don’t say ‘Luka Klass.’ Say ‘rival.’ As for the bureau name, it’s Scroll Bureau, but they’ll know what you mean—just go.”
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