Inside the Side Hall.
Prince Pax's chest had caved in.
He lay unconscious on the floor.
The remaining royal guards were all pale as death.
Their hands gripped their sword hilts, but none could muster the courage to step forward.
Their terrified gazes focused on two people.
One was Ruijerd, the warrior holding a trident and radiating a terrifying pressure.
The other was Cui Ciyou, the Black-Haired Youth who had remained unruffled from beginning to end.
Cui Ciyou withdrew the finger he had flicked out and shrugged casually.
He spoke softly to the astonished Ruijerd:
"I promised you I wouldn't kill him."
"Surely I can still make him suffer a little."
At those words, the lines of Ruijerd's stern face seemed to soften slightly.
He nodded, slung his trident across his back again, and said nothing more.
An internal conflict ended with an unspoken compromise between the two companions.
But the matter was far from over.
Cui Ciyou knew perfectly well that he had plenty of options.
Given the strength of his group.
Never mind merely gravely injuring a prince.
Even if they had actually killed Pax.
Forcing their way out of the Royal Palace afterward would have been no great difficulty.
He calmly assessed the strength of both sides.
Ginger, the Royal Guard Knight at Third Prince Zanoba's side.
Officially, she ranked twelfth among the kingdom's knights, making her someone of note.
But according to Cui Ciyou's perception, her strength was no more than that of an Intermediate Swordsman.
Against Alice, she probably would not last a single exchange.
As for the entire Shirone Kingdom...
Information from the original story surfaced in Cui Ciyou's mind.
According to the original story, in this country.
The strongest fighter in the public eye.
Should have been Roxy, who had conquered a labyrinth