I Didn’t Tame The Beastly Duke!

The nobles who fled the banquet hall left the area outside the building in shambles. Leonis rushed while carrying the rather slow Celia in his arms, while the guard knights of the Cardian family led the way.

The coachman who served the Cardian family was already waiting for them with his sword drawn when they arrived. He had been guarding the horse and carriage that belonged to his master against other lords and escort knights who would attempt to steal them.

They made a hasty ascent onto the horse-drawn carriage, cut across the Imperial Palace garden, and entered the palace grounds by the front gate.

However, when Leonis sent a signal to Nicole, Michael relayed the same signal to Nicole. Michael had already given the order to lock the gate by dispatching troops.

To the members of the Order of the Red Lion Knights who have entered the capital city.

As soon as they had received the signal, they immediately proceeded to wait within the mansion of the Duke of Cardian and were preparing to mount their horses in order to proceed to the front gate of the imperial palace.

They discovered that the Marquis of Montague and his knights, who had escaped from the banquet hall first, had come to the front gate. He tried to leave the gate, but the guards who were contacted by him disallowed him to go.

At this point in time, the only soldiers that Michael could move quickly were a few soldiers who had been sent to the dinner hall and the soldiers who were protecting the front entrance.

As a response to this, the leader of the Red Lion Knights fastened a chain to the iron gate and instructed the horse to pull the chain through the gate. The iron gate was quickly brought crashing down to the ground after being brought down by scores of warhorses working together to pull the chains.

The Marquis of Montague couple and his knights escaped through the iron gate of the imperial palace and fled in the direction the knights of Cardian were leading.

All that was left were the Red Lion knights. They guarded the main gate of the imperial palace, waiting for their master’s group to come out.

It wasn’t until several tens of minutes later that Michael’s summoned soldiers flocked to the front gate. Those presumed to be part of the imperial family were shocked when they saw the gate of the imperial palace.

“Th-The gate!”

They pulled out their sword and pointed it in their direction, but they already knew the answer. The armour of the Red Lion Knights was unrecognisable.

Aaaaaagh! Save us!

It was then that the screams were heard. A group of aristocrats on carriages and horses was making its way quickly towards the main gate of the imperial palace. Under Michael’s direction, soldiers from the Empire made an attempt to stop them.

“Stop!”

It was at that moment that the knights of the Red Lion, who had been waiting around with their chains unchained for the right moment, mounted their horses all at once. The Imperial soldiers were taken aback by their sharp swords.

“What are they doing……”

The leader of the Red Lion Knights at the forefront declared in a high voice.

“I just received a message that Michael, the illegitimate son of the First Empress, has killed His Highness Phil, who is the real bloodline, and has taken His Majesty the Emperor into custody. I will evacuate the nobles as the Duke of Cardian commands!”

“What?”

The general, still unaware of Michael’s identity, was taken aback. It was true that his family supported the first prince, Michael, but the reason for this was that he had never been informed of such a truth.

“The news should have reached Prince Giel by now! If Prince Giel finds out about this later, he will severely reprimand you!”

The blade of the sword swung around to face the imperial family knight.

“Will you follow the traitor, Michael!”

The knight’s eyes were shaking as the word “traitor” was uttered. There was a frenzied scramble among the nobles who had already gathered there with their carriages and horses to curse Michael.  The news that he had murdered Prince Phil drained his grip on the hilt of his sword.

“The road……Step aside.”

As the knight spoke and stepped aside, the carriages and horses of nobles stepped on the iron gates of the imperial palace and escaped. Now, the imperial palace would turn into a battleground, and those who wandered into this area would find themselves engulfed in the jaws of death.

Even as dozens of nobles leading the entourage fled, the imperial knights and soldiers remained silent. The knights of the Red Lion Knights waited impatiently for the carriage of the Duke of Cardian.

Neigh!

A carriage that was being pushed by a warhorse dressed in all black reached a speed that was truly scary to behold. Those members of the Order of the Red Lion Knights who were able to identify the coat of arms belonging to the Duke of Cardian felt a sense of relief.

Next to the carriage was the figure of Leonis, their master.

“Your Excellency!”

The Knights of the Red Lion immediately surrounded the Duke of Cardian and the carriage and tried to leave the palace. In response, a knight who was standing by the entrance to the imperial palace called out to Leonis.

“The Duke of Cardian! Are you going to go like this? Your Majesty……”

Leonis glanced at the knight. They seemed to want Leonis to lead the Lion Knights to defeat the traitor, Michael, and save the emperor.

However, he was the one who had half of the capital’s military power. After the power manifested, he might have increased his tax even more than that.

The current Knights of the Red Lion would be completely useless in a battle against the army if it were to take place. He had no choice but to summon the soldiers in the Duchy of Cardian, but the teleportation magic circle had already been closed.

Without that, it took four or three days just to move.

If Leonis risked his life and cut Michael’s head off in even just one way, he might have a shot at victory, but he had no loyalty to the current emperor.

He was like an enemy to Leonis.

“Michael will not kill the emperor until his need has been satisfied.”

Leonis said that and turned his back. Michael, who soon came to his senses, would move his forces to pursue them.

In order to survive, they had to escape from the capital as quickly as possible.

✦ ✦ ✦

A commotion was brewing even inside the secret passage. Amelia was perplexed as she made her way down the corridor while listening to the shrill screams that filled the area.

‘What? What’s going on?’

Unlike Amelia, who was agitated, Nicole and his group continued to walk in silence, as if they were aware of what had taken place. She started to feel anxious.

“What happened? Do you guys know? You didn’t do this, did you?”

“We came into this palace to steal. What would those who hid to return the holy things to the temple know?”

Nicole said this, but Amelia became increasingly uneasy around them as time went on. She had robbed the secret safe in the imperial palace, but it bothered her that the palace was in chaos.

“You have to follow us now, but you can meet Lucy.”

Nicole seemed to notice Amelia’s hesitation.

The use of this woman is over.

Zeppel said that if possible, he should be persuaded to bring her, but he implied that if that didn’t happen, he would prioritise the safety of the Holy Grail.

If she was taken, she would have her own use, but she was a woman who carried that much of a risk.  Zeppel emphasised that there was no need for him to go overboard with it.

‘It’s the same as saying I don’t care if this woman lives or dies.’

He would keep his promise, but there was no loyalty to protect her. In reality, it was Madam who would save the princess, Amelia, and the duchess didn’t seem to be very interested in her.

She was a woman who was troublesome when she was left alive.

……Rebellion! Save Your Majesty!

The sound of shouts coming from beyond the wall caused Amelia’s body to go into a state of complete suspension. Amelia immediately focused her attention on Nicole and the rest of the people as soon as she heard the word “rebellion.”

“Rebellion?”

Amelia didn’t know what to do. The most precious person to her was Lucy, but the emperor was also her father.

Even though he was a resentful man who did nothing that could be deemed fatherly, he was still her father.

Nicole read the hesitation on Amelia’s face. The reason Zeppel sent Nicole was because he was good at luring people.

But he kept his mouth shut. Nicole didn’t like this princess, because she was so dimwitted. It was Nile who spoke on his behalf.

“I know that Prince Michael and Prince Phil fought against each other. Even if you intervened, princess, you would only lose your life in vain.”

Amelia felt a thumping in her chest as her heart sank.

Michael and Phil have been at odds for a long time. It was a struggle between three separate parties, one of whom was Giel; however, Giel had been forewarned that it would be difficult for him to succeed Michael to the throne because Michael’s wife had been poisoned and he was hiding from the emperor.

“Are you saying that my old brothers had His Majesty imprisoned?”

Amelia asked in a trembling voice. Since the word of treason came out, her thoughts had moved there. Nicole glanced at Nile and added his words.

“We don’t know the details either. But this is the imperial palace. In the end, the emperor’s army will control the situation.”

“…….”

“You hurry up. This secret passage is also not only known to us, so there may be a pursuer.”

That was said by Nicole, who also took the lead. If she didn’t follow through, he couldn’t help it. He even told her that if Nile had already left, she would only die.

He wanted to respect Madam’s wishes, but Nicole hated her. He hated the turmoil she would bring, and the fact that she was Orkhan’s daughter was the least to his liking.

The emperor was the one who destroyed his family. In order to protect his proud son, to hide his disgrace, his family and even the people of the territory died.

His survival was not at the mercy of the Emperor.

In a time when even innocent people would bleed to death and suffer unspeakable anguish, it made him sick to his stomach to think that Orkhan’s daughter might be granted a second chance at life.

“What?”

At that moment, Amelia jumped into the side hallway, and Nile was startled. As he chased after her, Nicole reached out and grabbed his arm.

“Leave her alone.”

“It was my mission to bring the Princess!”

After saying that, Nile passed the pouch he had been carrying to Nicole and ran after Amelia. But it was too late. Amelia, who had already reached the end of the hidden passageway, was in the process of opening the door.

“I helped you, so keep your promise! Let Lucy go!”

Amelia shouted, and she ran out of the hallway. Nile wanted to say that she was going to die, but when he heard the sound of the soldiers, he refrained from doing so.

If they keep going like this, the existence of a secret passage will be discovered.

Nile hesitated momentarily while he stood in front of the entrance before he shut the door to the hidden passageway. Perhaps it was the door that might have been the last chance for Princess Amelia.