Sabiolin Tana was staying at the Spring Palace to deal with Charlotte in this world of shifting perspectives.
It was for the safety of the empire, not Charlotte's safety.
That much was certain.
"Spare me your words, Reinhardt, my patience is thin," Sabiolin Tana spoke amidst the rain.
Even if one were a friend of the princess, discussing the task of killing her was a topic that crossed the line. Was the reason she stood there, drenched in the rain, to torment herself with such thoughts?
The nature of the relationship between Charlotte and Sabiolin Tana was unknown. Yet, it involved laying hands on one of the most noble beings in the empire, aside from the emperor himself.
It must have been a direct order from the emperor, and Charlotte would have accepted it.
However, for the one carrying out that order, it would feel like hell.
Something would happen today, but it was only a foreboding warning, not a certainty.
Before long, the Spring Palace was receding in the distance.
I must not return to the temple.
I cannot leave Charlotte behind.
But how?
Neither Charlotte nor Sabiolin Tana would permit me to stay any longer in the Spring Palace. I had already overstepped my boundaries. My friendship with Charlotte had granted me too much leeway.
I didn't know if Berthus was aware of this matter, but if he were, he would likely pay Charlotte no mind. There would be no reason to bother with a rival who would disappear on their own.
Soon, we approached the station.
"You know the entrance to the palace, right? I'd like to take you there myself, but I cannot leave my post for too long."
"Yes, thank you, Lady Tana."
Under normal circumstances, I would have to confirm my proper departure from the palace, but the situation was extraordinary.
She took me to the station and then returned to the Spring Palace.
I could not stay without permission.
The station was empty. Everyone who needed to return had already left, ensuring that no one would witness Charlotte's condition. The Spring Palace operated with only the bare minimum of personnel.
Now, even that minimum had been infected, save for Dyrus.
This was to ensure that no one would see Charlotte die at the hands of the Shanafel commander.
That meant the palace's defenses were currently very weak.
Could I secretly observe the situation?
The Spring Palace would be her domain. Could I evade her senses and infiltrate the palace to keep watch?
Whether it was possible or not, I had to try.
In the vicinity of the desolate Spring Palace, abandoned by people.
It was time for another daring act.
Not for me, but for Charlotte.
Just as when I first landed in this world.
As I had risked my life on the Demon Star, I now had to gamble my life within the Empire.
I could not stand idly by and watch as the first life I saved disappeared.
On a dark, autumn night with rain pouring down.
Sabiolin Tana's nerves were on edge, but not in a vigilant manner concerning her surroundings.
Her focus was solely on Charlotte. Her own sense of depression and confusion seemed quite deep as well.
In that place, I perform self-hypnosis.
I am uncertain whether erasing my presence will be possible, but I shall attempt it.
In that state, I add one more thing.
I employ 'Rewrite.'
Sabiolin Tana is unable to detect my presence as I infiltrate the Spring Palace.
[2,000 achievement points are required for this event.]
It is not an impossible event to incite, but the price is by no means cheap.
In the past, it would have been enough to purchase a talent. With these points, I had inscribed the talent of self-hypnosis.
Due to various circumstances and conditions converging, it is now possible to deceive the senses of the Grandmaster.
My current achievement points are 5,930.
If I can save Charlotte today, I would use all these points, and if they are insufficient, I would borrow more.
[I use 2,000 achievement points.]
When Sabiolin Tana disappeared beyond the garden, I left the tram stop and returned to the Spring Palace.
I place my umbrella among the flowers in the garden and also use self-hypnosis.
No one can sense my presence.
A powerful suggestion.
My self-hypnosis exerts even greater power in such real-life situations.
It reacts to my tension and desperation.
I cannot leave Charlotte to die. My sense of crisis today has made possible what was ordinarily not possible.
I succeed in infiltrating the Spring Palace.
There is a belief mixed with certainty.
I do not know if my presence has truly vanished, but I move with utmost caution due to the actual rain reducing noise.
I have created a situation where I cannot be detected by 'Rewrite,' but if I suddenly rush towards her and grab the back of her neck, she will undoubtedly notice.
Only my presence is concealed.
I cannot let my guard down.
I approach the distant Spring Palace once more.
In the cold rain, petals struck by raindrops fell.
Soah
Sabiolin Tana's figure retreating in the autumn rain.
I too, followed her, being hit by the rain.
Sabiolin Tana was not conscious of her surroundings.
As I had anticipated, she seemed heavily burdened mentally due to the overwhelming responsibility of her mission.
She would occasionally stop walking, staring blankly at the Spring Palace.
I could not tell what she was thinking.
However, I could sense an intense sorrow from her back, something she had not shown in front of me or Charlotte.
I had not expected to encounter Sabiolin Tana before the Gate incident, and I had only established a rough outline of her past without delving into details.
Sabiolin Tana did not participate in the Demon World War. To be precise, she could not.
Under the pretext that the strongest force must remain to protect the Imperial City, the Emperor had bound her to the Imperial Path.
She had not been able to use her power where it was most needed.
That formed a large portion of her guilt and sense of debt.
She had trained Ludwig to the point of torment, but it was not due to her being malicious; it was because of the extraordinary circumstances of the world being in peril.
Sabiolin Tana dies while saving Ludwig.
In doing so, she apologizes for all the harsh treatment she had inflicted upon him.
Though she is not well-known for her usual cold and rational demeanor, she is not such a person at heart.
She is, in fact, quite ordinary.
A person burdened with immense strength and the weight of countless responsibilities, she is merely an ordinary individual.
Sabiolin Tana is a distant senior of Epinhauser.
Having graduated from the temple and joined Shanafel, she must have been a knight of the empire for several decades. She even bears the nickname of "Guardian of the Royal Family."
As such, she has had many encounters with royalty.
What kind of relationship did she have with Charlotte?
Though it's not entirely clear, her hesitation and the way she cherished Charlotte could be felt in her faltering steps.
As Sabiolin Tana returned to the palace of spring, I too entered the palace.
As I stepped into the entrance of the palace, I did not feel any magical barrier.
If there had been one, I would have expected a sensation of warning, but there was none at all.
Was the security, including magical barriers, deactivated or disabled? Or perhaps all the wizards responsible for these defenses had been dismissed?
It is like a lock being unnecessary for a house with nothing to steal.
The spring palace, once impenetrable even to Sarkegaar, had become all too easy to infiltrate with the shadow of death cast upon it.
Thanks to Charlotte's guidance, I had a rough idea of what lay in various parts of the palace.
I may have forgotten after a few days, but I had just heard it.
In the vast and empty palace, there were only three people: Sabiolin Tana, Dyrus, and Charlotte.
The lights were on, but there was no one to see me.
The thunder and rain would muffle my footsteps.
I still did not know what I was supposed to do here.
A vague certainty.
For the sake of that inexplicable feeling alone, I refused to turn back and infiltrated the princess's palace.
If discovered in an unfavorable situation, even with Charlotte's favor, Sabiolin Tana would not spare me.
If caught in the wrong, I would surely die.
In the exposed light of the palace, I hid my body in the relatively darker areas, moving within the shadows.
I enhanced my hearing.
As I did so, the sound of thunder tore through my ears, and the rain sounded even more intricate.
My self-hypnosis was now at rank B. The result of continuous training after successfully enhancing my magic was an increase in rank.
As a result, its utility was ever-increasing. Its range of application had widened, and the effectiveness of existing methods had steadily improved.
Naturally, I could distinguish the sound I wanted to hear amidst other noises. This had been possible before, but now I could discern even more subtly.
I could differentiate the slightly different texture of the water dripping from the palace ceiling amidst the sound of rain.
It was easy to distinguish Sabiolin Tana's footsteps in the sea of sounds. From the sound of her footsteps, I could somewhat predict the distance between us.
Though I am not familiar with the entire layout of the palace, I have a rough grasp of its various locations.
On the second floor, down the left hallway, lies Charlotte's bedroom. It is in that direction that Sabiolin Tana is currently heading.
I am able to distinguish her footsteps from my hiding place in a shadowy corner of the first-floor hall.
Given the eerie silence within the palace, it should be possible to hear her footsteps – the only other sounds being the thunder and rain outside.
"Her Highness?"
"She's inside."
"I see."
I could hear Dyrus's voice mingling with the others.
The sound of a door opening reached my ears.
"Your Highness, are you alright?"
"Yes, for now."
I heard Charlotte's composed voice.
Charlotte's supernatural ability – how dangerous could it be that the Emperor would have to kill his own princess? And does Charlotte accept this herself?
Did she cause the death of someone due to the uncontrolled use of her ability?
The sound of the door closing caught my attention, and no further sounds came from within.
It must be due to the soundproofing. I needed to get closer.
As I made my way up to the second floor and surveyed the area, it appeared that Dyrus had also entered Charlotte's bedroom, as there was no one in the hallway.
I cautiously approached, hiding along the inner wall of the hallway, prepared for any unexpected encounters.
I couldn't afford to make a careless sound.
Though I had taken measures to mask my presence from Sabiolin Tana, I couldn't rely on that too much.
Under normal circumstances, I would never be able to deceive someone like her.
As I drew nearer, I couldn't help but imagine Sabiolin Tana suddenly bursting out and seizing me by the throat.
My body should have been chilled by the rain, but I was so tense that I was breaking out in a feverish sweat.
It was fortunate that they were unable to use magic.
Had they employed noise-canceling magic, I wouldn't have heard a thing. As I approached Charlotte's bedroom, I could faintly detect the voices inside.
"Do you still... not remember?"
"No..."
I heard Tana's worried question and Charlotte's melancholy reply.
What did she not remember?
"I feel that the time is drawing near. When it comes, please don't hesitate, Lady Tana."
"Nothing of the sort will happen. We will surely find a solution to Your Highness's condition... The royal family is doing its utmost to search."
The royal family may be looking for a solution, but the despair in Sabiolin Tana's voice was palpable.
"There's no way they'll find a solution before my condition worsens."
Charlotte was pessimistic, and both Dyrus and Tana were unable to refute her.
"Your Highness, we really should find that child..."
"Enough, please. I've lost count of how many times I've said this. Don't mention that child."
Charlotte responded irritably to Dyrus's words.
That child must be me, of course.
Did Dyrus think that finding me would somehow improve Charlotte's condition? Why?
Even if Charlotte's supernatural ability was dangerous, what did that have to do with me?
A foreboding feeling and numerous hints were gradually leading me to entertain an unwelcome speculation.
