The atmosphere in the side chamber grew even subtler and more strained after Princess Renner's speech, which blended grief with reverence.
It felt as if invisible threads were tugging through the air, pulling everyone's nerves tight to the breaking point.
Lakyus, captain of Blue Rose, now had a stubborn, blazing fire of justice burning in her eyes.
Her personality was as straightforward and impulsive as a sword drawn from its sheath.
When she heard Princess Renner describe how terrifying the usurpers were, and then say that resistance would be futile, Lakyus' brows knit together, her face full of unwillingness and anger.
She couldn't accept this kind of defeatist talk before the battle had even begun—
Not even when it came from a princess who had just gone through such upheaval.
When Renner's words finally paused, and she lifted those eyes that seemed brimming with tears yet hid a twisted excitement deep inside to look at them, Lakyus could no longer hold herself back.
She stepped forward.
Her armor gave a light metallic clink.
Her powerful voice shattered the brief silence:
"Your Highness Renner, you don't need to be this desperate!"
Lakyus' voice, like her sword, was direct and sharp, carrying a resolve that allowed no doubt.
"As long as you need us, Blue Rose—I, Lakyus—will never just stand by and watch the kingdom be trampled by these unknown usurpers!"
"Tell us what we can do."
"Do you need us to help you contact the generals and nobles who are still loyal and organize a resistance?"
"Or should we just go and meet this so-called 'Demon God' face-to-face?!"
Her gaze burned, full of a sense of mission.
It was as if she could already see herself, sword in hand, cutting through the darkness for the princess and the kingdom.
In her simple view of the world, when evil appeared, it was only natural for the righteous to step forward.
Renner's heart pounded wildly again at Lakyus' stirring declaration.
Not because she saw hope.
But because of a deeper excitement, guided by her master's will.
The twisted thrill of watching prey jump into the trap on their own—waving their flag proudly right on the edge of the pit.
She maintained the grief and fragility on her face perfectly.
She even let a brief, just-right flash of "encouraged hope" appear in her eyes.
Her voice trembled with yearning as she said, "R-really? You would do that?"
"Lakyus-sama, everyone… if Blue Rose is willing to lend a hand, then that would truly be a ray of light in this darkness!"
"I… I beg you, on behalf of the royal family—no, on behalf of all the citizens who still care about this kingdom!"
"If it's possible, I hope you can help the kingdom stand against these usurpers!"
Her tone was full of pleading.
She portrayed the image of a helpless princess in distress, yearning for salvation, to perfection.
"No problem! Leave it to us!"
Lakyus almost thumped her chest as she answered on reflex.
Her justice-stuffed brain barely bothered to weigh pros and cons.
In her mind, as the kingdom's top adventurer team, it was only right and natural for Blue Rose to protect the kingdom's peace and aid the weak.
However, before Lakyus could finish speaking, Gagaran, standing beside her, moved.
The burly warrior, famed for her immense strength, reacted with shocking speed.
The big hand that could easily swing a massive war hammer shot out with surprising agility for her size, clamping over Lakyus' mouth just as she was about to blurt out more promises.
"Mm?! Mmmff!!"
Caught completely off guard, Lakyus' eyes went wide and she let out a muffled grunt of protest.
She tried to struggle free.
But Gagaran's arm was like an iron clamp. Without using her own power-ups, Lakyus couldn't break free at all.
Almost at the same moment—
The clear voice of the smallest, and also the most "intelligent," member of the team, Evileye, rang out from beneath her ornate mask and hood.
"Your Highness Renner, please wait a moment."
Her voice carried a calm and gravity that did not match her petite appearance.
"This matter is too important. It concerns the fate of the entire kingdom… and of Blue Rose as well."
"We need a bit of time to discuss it among ourselves."
Her gaze, sharp as a blade, swept over Renner's seemingly pure and helpless face.
Evileye's senses were far more delicate than Lakyus'.
She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something off about Renner's words and behavior.
That overly stable mental core.
That strange flicker of emotion when she mentioned the invaders.
And now, when facing the offer of help, those eyes that were supposedly full of sorrow—but beneath it all held an almost eager anticipation?
All of it set off alarm bells in her heart.
Princess Renner's expression froze for a heartbeat, then she immediately seemed to understand.
A touch of wounded disappointment mixed with understanding appeared on her face at just the right level.
She lowered her head slightly and said softly, "I understand… This is indeed a difficult decision, and it shouldn't be made rashly."
"In that case, I'll take my leave for now and give you some space."
"No matter what you decide, I thank you all for coming today."
She gave a flawless curtsy, her posture still elegant.
Only when she turned to go, that departing back looked, in Evileye's eyes, as if it were shrouded in a layer of impenetrable mist.
The side chamber door closed softly, shutting out the world beyond.
Almost the instant the door clicked shut—
Gagaran finally removed the hand covering Lakyus' mouth.
But her other thick arm remained across Lakyus' front, ready to block any impulsive charge.
"Gagaran! What are you doing?!"
The moment she regained her freedom, Lakyus growled in a low, angry voice, her eyes full of indignation.
"Didn't you see how helpless Her Highness looked?"
"She needs us! The kingdom needs us!"
"Isn't that what Blue Rose exists for—"
"Shut it, Lakyus!"
Gagaran cut her off outright.
The eyes that had seen countless life-or-death battles were now filled with rare seriousness and concern.
"Use that brain of yours that's stuffed full of 'justice' and think it through. This isn't about wiping out a bandit hideout or taking down some rampaging monster!"
"We're talking about a power that overturned an entire kingdom in a single night and filled the palace inside and out with those creepy undead guards!"
She jabbed a thumb toward the direction of the distant Nazarick troops outside, who radiated a chilling aura of death.
"We don't even know who the enemy really is, how many of them there are, how strong they actually are, or even where they came from!"
Gagaran's voice rose, bit by bit.
"And just based on a few vague, and frankly suspicious, words from the princess, you're ready to drag all of Blue Rose into the flames with you?"
"You want everyone to go die with you?!"
"…"
Lakyus was completely choked by Gagaran's rapid-fire barrage of questions.
~~~
Thank you for reading!