Raised the Villainous Daughter and Ran Away

154. D-2

“It disappeared…?”

When Raja heard the news, his eyes widened. How on earth? This is the palace. There are knights stationed everywhere, and even the investigation team is moving. He couldn’t understand it.

“Isn’t it hidden somewhere? Have you definitely investigated?”

The investigator scratched the back of his head, seemingly embarrassed by Raja’s question.

“The investigation team and the knights, with the help of the court magicians, searched thoroughly, but not a single trace was found. The knights in charge of surveillance also lost their minds and memories.”

Haa. Raja let out a deep sigh, shook his head, and looked at Rezef.

“Do you know anything?”

“… is a transcendent wizard.”

“yes?”

“The Transcendent Wizard must have helped.”

Raja’s eyebrows narrow at the unexpected figure.

“What are you talking about?”

“Somire always went to see that old woman secretly.”

“I don’t know why,” said Rezef, closing his eyes again.

“What do you mean you don’t know? It’s obvious that it’s related to everything that’s happened so far.”

Raja, who had respected even those people as his older brother and crown prince, saw his past self as foolish.

“Anyway, don’t do anything useless and just stay quiet. I’ll come back after I’ve sorted out all the work.”

The moment Raja turned his back and was about to leave the palace.

“What are you going to do, Somire…?”

Rezef jumped up and grabbed the iron bars, asking. His eyes looked like they were about to burst into tears.

“What can we do? The truth of the incident is that she escaped without being punished, so we should kill her. No matter how much of a saint she is, she cannot stand above the human nation.”

It’s not like Rajado and Somire didn’t have a connection. They had been together since childhood and were close friends. However, unlike Rezef, he had a sharp attitude.

“Brother. Even if there is a long-standing affection, even if there is a feeling of love, the royal family, who must preserve the country no matter what, must know how to cut such things off.”

Raja sticks his head through the iron bars and meets Rezef’s gaze.

“It is something I must do and something I must keep as a duty, as I was born into a noble family.”

Rezef’s eyes began to tremble.

“Please think carefully about what is needed as a monarch who must rule the empire at the ‘Gungnaegam.’”

Raja said that and left without looking back. Rezef was left alone in the prison cell, and he collapsed on the floor.

“…Murder?”

I quickly closed my eyes and covered my head with both hands. I couldn’t believe that this was real.

Why on earth is Somire like that? What is the reason? Has she really become a different person? Rezef, who thought he knew her better than anyone else, was confused.

“ah…….”

A clump of hair came out from the hand that had been covering my head. I didn’t even pull it out like last time… … .

It was hair loss.

* * *

Scratch, scrap. With every step she took, sewage water splashed and a disgusting smell filled her nose. In response, Somire’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Do you really have to hide like this? Grandma, you can use teleportation magic. I don’t think you need to go through a sewer like this… … .”

Somire asked, glancing at him. Since she had left all her fate to Ladrien, she was careful with every word she said.

“ha…….”

Ladrien sighed deeply and looked at Somire.

“The Imperial Investigation Team must have already figured out that you and I are connected. I am the only one who can get you out of the Imperial Household Office, but you disappeared at the same time.”

Somire tilted her head and asked.

“What does that have to do with using spatial magic? Can’t you just leave?”

“There are no traces of magic left. The court magicians will immediately follow the flow and track it down.”

“If that’s the case, I have the power. I can erase the traces with ‘Divine Dispel’ and then move.”

When Ladrien looked at Somire, she shrugged her shoulders as if to say, “What’s the problem?” You’re so stupid.

“Who’s going to erase the remaining magic power after I move? Are you going to be the only one who moves and stays behind? That’s not right.”

Ah, Somire nodded. Ladrien gave up and decided that it would be like that.

“I’m sorry, Grandma… … .”

“Okay.”

Tap tap tap. The two walked along the sewer in silence. It was uncomfortable to have dirty sewage soaking their shoes and ankles, but this was the only way out.

In this situation, Somire sighed and looked up at the ceiling of the sewer.

‘Why did things turn out like this?’

Despite her uncomfortable position as a saint, she tried every possible means. Many of her plans had failed, but at the end, a golden opportunity arose.

But it failed. And it failed very stupidly.

‘At that time, I was foolishly caught up in my emotions.’

At the thought that everything was over, all the sadness I had felt from the past came rushing back to me and I became emotional. If I had calmed down and acted calmly since the goal was right in front of me, this wouldn’t have happened and I would have returned safely.

“ha…….”

Somire sighed without thinking. Startled, she quickly covered her mouth and raised her head to look at Ladrien.

“… … .”

Chlap. Chlap. Fortunately, it seems like they don’t care, as they just quietly go their own way.

‘I almost got into trouble.’

Right now, Somire’s future and lifeline are in Ladrien’s hands. He must protect himself as quietly as possible so as not to make things uncomfortable.

“… … .”

“… … .”

In the dark sewer where my rotten body vibrated, the only sounds I could hear were the sound of water and the sound of splashing water. We moved like that for a while.

“Arrived.”

The light began to appear.

“If you go out there, you’ll be able to get out of the palace. If you go a little further and enter the forest, I’ll use teleportation magic, so you know that.”

Somire nodded in a deadpan voice and said, “I understand.”

Somire, who came out of the sewer through a gap in the large iron bars, frowned as she covered the sky with her hand under the bright sunlight.

“Follow me.”

Ladrienne moved without stopping. Doesn’t that old lady’s legs hurt?

As we hurried our pace and entered deeper into the abandoned forest of the Zodiac, Ladrien finally stopped.

“If you’ve come this far, you’re good to go. Get ready.”

“Uh, yeah… … .”

Bam! When Ladrien snapped her fingers, a crack appeared in space, and whoa! A large amount of magical power was generated, creating a passage. Somire did her best to erase the magical power that was spreading out in large quantities, in case they were tracked.

“Come in.”

“huh.”

Using the teleportation passage to escape the zodiac, Somire looked around with her head tilted and asked.

“Where is this?”

“dukedom.”

“what?”

“It’s called the Duchy of Descartes.”

Somire’s mind was momentarily lost in thought, but she soon realized Ladrien’s intentions.

“… So you’re telling me to end it here?”

“That’s right.”

Somire took out the dagger from her bosom and held the hilt tightly.

“If you want to go back, if you don’t want to die, then this time you must succeed. This is truly your last chance.”

Somire opens her eyes wide and purses her lips.

“okay.”

I won’t die here. I’ll go back. I’ll see my parents and friends again.

And, you won’t be able to meet the original Somire who appears in your nightmares every night.

* * *

The border of the Pedelian Empire.

Seldas and I decided to take a short break to give our tired horses a rest.

He said while tearing into the jerky.

“I hope everything is fine now?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

Don’t say that. It makes me anxious.

“How, is there no way to contact you? Given the circumstances, it doesn’t seem strange that something could happen at any moment.”

Seldas stopped eating his jerky and met my gaze.

“We are on our way to the Duke’s territory by the shortest route. Since it is not a normal route, there is no way to confirm the news.”

That’s true. I didn’t see a single person on the way here from the Pantheon.

“It won’t be as big of a deal as you’re worried about. The white-haired wizard next to the Duke was in his right mind.”

You can trust Kazar. He may be an outsider when it comes to magic, but he’s a deep thinker and has excellent judgment, so he’ll make wise choices no matter what.

‘The force is also strong.’

I think he’s probably reached the level of a Transcendent Wizard by now. He was pretty close to that before I left.

“Anyway, there’s not much left until the city, so just hold on for a bit longer. If you move a bit more, you’ll enter the territory.”

Seldas said that and went back to eating jerky while warming himself by the campfire. Was I worrying for nothing?

“hmm…….”

I nodded my head, blankly staring at the burning bonfire. Don’t worry too much. Frances has the power I created and the people I can trust by her side.

“Let’s rest for about an hour and then leave.”

“okay.”

Seldas and I stared blankly at the campfire without saying a word. Our eyes were closing from heavy fatigue, perhaps because we had been moving without stopping… … .

“after.”

He shook his head and shook it off.

“What do you think the Duke will do when he sees you?”

Suddenly, Seldas asked.

“Well, I guess I’ll probably get angry first.”

He left without even having a proper conversation, leaving only a letter behind. If I were Frances, I think I would have been angry right away.

“And you’ll cry.”

It may be an over-self-consciousness, but wouldn’t it be the case that I, who occupied such a large part of France’s life, came across that way?

“Well, you’ll know when you see the details. There’s not much left.”

Rustle. Seldas got up from his seat and kicked the dirt away, putting out the bonfire.

“Let’s go now. It’s time.”

“…okay.”

Seldas and I got on the horse. He still looks tired, but he’ll be fine since there’s a city nearby.

“If you have anything to say, say it in advance. You can’t talk while running.”

I have nothing to say. I shook my head.

“None. Let’s go.”

Seldas nodded and gave a voice signal saying, “Yes!”

Dakdakdakdak! The horse’s hooves clacked against the ground, making a loud noise. Now, the reunion with Frances was really just around the corner.

‘It’s both anticipated and scary.’

The overwhelming longing had been squeezing my heart, but I couldn’t go back. My life was on the line.

It’s an emergency right now, so I’m going back.

‘Am I really going to die?’

The system that came out of the dream before said that 74% of the memory fragments had been collected. Considering that the synchronization had deepened once during the wave of disaster… … .

‘I guess it’s over 80%.’

Because the fragments of memories are coming in and being mixed up haphazardly, I am currently on the borderline between Kim Gong-ryak and Jin Barenberg, but when I go back, I will become a complete Jin.

When that time comes, will my existence still exist? If not, what will Frances’ reaction be when she sees me transformed into a true being?

Many doubts and fears of death arise… … .

‘I can’t help it.’

This is my destiny.

Step by step.

For a long time the horse ran without stopping, and the castle walls began to appear in the distance.

We have finally entered the imperial city.

Seldas pulled on the reins and brought his horse to a halt.

“I’ll get on the horse here and keep going without stopping. No objections, right?”

I nodded and said, “Okay.”

“Then I’ll stop by the city. I’ll also check out what’s happening in the Empire during my remaining time.”

One way or another, I was able to enter the checkpoint and use Seldas’s card to enter the territory.

“Where is this place?”

“This is the Evernine County.”

Seldas, who was looking around, continued speaking.

“I’ll go to the stable first. You go and find out some news.”

Seldas said so and led the two horses away.

‘Is it okay if I just move?’

You can probably find me since I won’t hide my presence like I did in the Pantheon. I went into a nearby cafe.

“Welcome!”

The clerk greeted me with a bright smile. I took a quick look around and then ordered.

“Please give me a newspaper and a cup of coffee.”

“yes!”

After sitting at a table and waiting for a while, the clerk brought me a cup of warm, fragrant coffee and a copy of the Imperial Newspaper.

“hmm.”

The moment I leisurely took a sip of my drink and looked through the newspaper, my eyes widened without me realizing it. The content in the newspaper was that shocking.

“what…?”

The saint attempted to assassinate the Duke of Descartes. The saint was the cause of all the chaos that had been brought to the empire. She became a criminal and escaped. The emperor was taken into custody.

A lot was happening.

‘But in the end it ended up like this.’

Thud. The fist clenched and the newspaper crumpled.

‘You’ll pay dearly for messing with Frances, Somire. And that damned Transcendent Wizard.’