In the empty room, an arm hung limply, slipping away from Arthur's shoulder.
A life had come to an end.
Feeling it all, Arthur raised his head and looked at the corpse before him.
Count Polia's corpse had become deformed. Black and red blisters now covered his entire body, leaving it swollen and hideous.
Dark red blood seeped from the surface of the corpse, soaking his clothes and making for a horrifying sight.
At the sight of this, Arthur sighed and silently stood up.
He looked around the room, etched the scene into his memory, then left without hesitation and headed for the door.
Edward and the others were waiting outside the gate. They were all silent.
Arthur glanced around.
Knight Flar stood quietly, his expression somber. His face still held its usual sternness, but a trace of sorrow had appeared as well. Beside him, Edward's eyes were swollen and red. He had clearly just been crying.
They did not ask what had happened to Count Polia. They had obviously already guessed the outcome.
"Let's go!"
Seeing their expressions, Arthur shook his head and spoke first. "The castle isn't safe anymore. We need to leave right now."
"Where will we go after we leave the castle?" Edward suddenly asked, his eyes clouded with confusion.
"To the Kingdom of Guno in the south. We have people there too. They can ensure our safety and provide for us."
Hearing Edward's question, Flar replied. He seemed to have already planned their next move.
Once they had made their decision, the group quickly left the estate and hurried away.
Not much time had passed since the rebellion began. Arcadia and the others had launched a sudden attack on the castle, but they had only seized its outer grounds. They were still some distance from