"Yula," Aiko suddenly said, "take our daughter and leave later. I must stay behind. I am the master of this place, so I must take responsibility for the guests at the banquet. Besides, if I leave, Bernichel will fall into complete chaos. His Highness the Prince is still here. The fact that he was able to come is a sign of Her Highness the Princess's trust in us. I must guarantee their safety."
Yula silently nodded.
"Be careful."
"I understand." Aiko's face softened into a gentle smile. "Even for our daughter's sake, I won't casually gamble with my life. If things become impossible, I'll catch up with you."
Only then did Yula relax. Although her expression remained as calm as ever, the way she tightly gripped her husband's whitening hand revealed her true feelings.
The group soon arrived directly beneath the earl's residence, inside a secret chamber. A middle-aged knight was already waiting there. Clearly, he had entered through the underground passage connecting the earl's residence to the outside. When Aiko saw him, he could not help showing a hint of delight. "Mr. Kosika, has Uncle Macaro arrived?"
"Lord Aiko, you've finally come. The attack outside was somewhat beyond our expectations. Lord Macaro originally intended to come personally, but we persuaded him not to. He has now headed toward the city hall. He asked me to relay a few words to you, but this is not the time for that. We have stationed guards at the entrances to the secret passage. My lord, please move to a safer place first. We can discuss what to do next afterward."
The middle-aged knight answered with a stern expression.
Aiko held his wife's hand. The two silently faced one another for a moment before he let go again. He then took his daughter