The next day.
For the talks, the group finally paid a visit to the royal castle in Erlord's Royal Capital.
"Princess Alice, how are your preparations? Did you brush your teeth and wash your face properly? Are you wearing your dress correctly? Does it feel strange without maids by your side? Ah! There's a wrinkle here! Let me smooth it out!"
"L-Lalatina! Please stop! You're making me nervous too!"
Before the royal castle, Darkness was completely unable to settle down, chattering incessantly around Alice until even Alice shrank back.
Aqua and Megumin, meanwhile, showed no signs of having spent the night locked in a cell, staring at the castle before them with bloodshot eyes.
"...What a lavish castle. Even the Axies Cult's headquarters isn't this grand. It's really irritating."
"...What would happen if I fired off an Explosion Magic spell here? I really want to try it..."
No, these two had completely lost their minds.
It seemed that spending a night freezing in a cell had still affected those three hopeless troublemakers.
Normally, even Fang Li would have been terrified of bringing these three hopeless liabilities along to such an important occasion.
But after learning Erlord's secret, Fang Li no longer cared.
"Maybe causing a scene here wouldn't be so bad..."
When the time came, he could just dump all the responsibility on those three troublemakers. He could even use the opportunity to strike at Erlord.
Unaware that Fang Li was plotting something so terrifying, Alice slowly stepped forward.
She was not wearing her usual casual clothes or combat gear, but an exceptionally gorgeous formal dress.
The pure white gown showcased the bearing of a royal princess perfectly on Alice.
Only then did Darkness finally snap out of it.
"Princess Alice, please wait here. I'll go announce our arrival."
Pulling