Severn had to leave three guards behind to keep the enemy at bay to give Moira and the others enough time to escape.

The disparity in strength was huge, and everyone knew that most of those left behind would only die, but the young knights simply obeyed the order in silence.

June, who was held in her mother's arms, gradually stopped crying. Moira was not too surprised to learn that Agnes knew more about every road in Rockburg than she had lived here for more than a decade. They descended smoothly down the staircase on the southwest side, usually reserved for servants, to the first floor, but the courtyard to the south was eerily quiet, as if nothing had happened.

Moira couldn't help but wonder about her decision - she always tried to look more confident, but God knows, her confidence faltered every day, lest she accidentally make some stupid decision that would make the country ...... Let her children and all her relatives fall into the abyss from which she will never recover.

But there was no way back.

The closest way to the South Tower is through the corridor to the left of the Pomegranate Hall, where there is a small hidden door leading to the vestibule. Severn still didn't seem cautious as he crossed the hallway—he didn't even glance left or right before stepping out.

Then he froze there petrified. When he came back to his senses and turned around in a panic to stop Moira, the pool of blood on the right side of the corridor had already caught Moira's eyes.

She pushed Severn's arm away and rushed out, but instinctively pressed her daughter's head to her shoulder.

She couldn't let her see that.

The guards outside the Pomegranate Hall were not allowed to leave without a direct order from the king, which was Moira's hope...... But now, the best knights of the kingdom, who had been carefully selected, lay silently in their own blood, their pale faces filled with astonishment and bewilderment.

Most of them didn't even draw their swords.

Moira stood stiff, her mind blank and shaking uncontrollably. She couldn't imagine any enemy who could make them so defenseless...... No, there was, but she didn't want to believe it - she couldn't believe it.

The heart fell heavily, and fell...... She couldn't breathe.

Agnes gripped her arm rudely, but she barely felt it...... What rescued her was an unexpected, familiar voice.

"Your Majesty. The honey-soaked voice was sweet and attentive, "Where are you going so late?"

Aaron Mansini.

Moira was silent for a moment, then turned with a calm expression.

She knew what she looked like at the moment—disheveled, sweat-soaked long hair clinging tousily to her cheeks and neck, and barefoot...... But she lifted her chin slightly, and looked at Mancini calmly, as if she were sitting on a throne, with a crown on her head, proud and calm.

"Where are you going?" she asked coldly, "Isn't the room on the north tower comfortable enough?"

Agnes could have always said it more nicely—more tactfully and sarcastically. Moira had secretly learned something from her, but now, she only hated her for being too well upbringed to express more direct anger and disdain.

Fili Zeri reminded her...... But perhaps even he didn't expect Mancini to be so bold.

"Of course not. Mancini chuckled lowly, "How dare I find fault with the place where the two kings were imprisoned?"

Severn moved silently, half-blocking in front of Moira. Even he, who is usually impatient and bold, did not attack. The "fugitives" standing in front of them were alone, but without fear, and behind them, the disjointed corpses of the knights lay down...... The situation was so strange that even he couldn't help but become more cautious.

Still smiling, Count Ferdinand seemed to be a different person—and not just because he held a staff in his hand. The staff was silvery-white, straight as a spear, with sharp edges at the top, faintly engraved with a few lines of runes, but without any gems, and almost looked like some kind of weapon.

The cane's simple and sharp style was out of step with Mancini's fat-filled figure, but it was strangely not very abrupt.

His eyes were equally sharp. It was as if it was another soul in that body at the moment...... But Moira knew that this might be the real Aaron Mansini, and tore off his mask of humility, passion, slickness, and cunning, revealing a hideousness that had been hidden beneath him, even more terrible than the Count, who no one could fathom...... It's not so disgusting.

"Your Majesty. ”

He stretched out a hand to Moe like a true knight, "It doesn't seem like a quiet night, maybe you'd like me to take you to a safer place?"

Moira glared at him, and countless ways of refusing flashed through her mind, and finally she chose the simplest and most direct one.

"Nope. ”

She said bluntly.

Mancini withdrew his hand and sighed regretfully, but it was clearly not surprised.

He swung his cane forward too casually, and the only one who reacted in time was Agnes.

She jerked Moe to her side and yelled at something. Moira didn't understand it at all, but vaguely felt like a spell...... But how could Agnes cast spells? and this is Lockburg......

In her momentary trance, the wind shrieked in her ears like an oncoming blade. Screams and roars ensued—Severn's left shoulder was torn open in front of Moira's eyes, and blood splattered straight into Moira's face.

Moira stood there dumbfounded, unable to move. But the blood didn't fall on her face - it was blocked by some invisible barrier, and strangely slipped slowly in front of her.

Her guards weren't so lucky. Severn was crooked, nearly falling to his knees, barely standing against the wall, but he could only hold his left shoulder with a pale face, trying to stop the gushing blood, unable to swing his sword, and Filton fell heavily at Moira's feet, never to move again...... The delicate and solid armor on their bodies was so fragile that they could not be attacked.

Moira shuddered, her stiff fingers pulling at another guard who was charging towards the enemy.

She thanked them for their unwavering loyalty, but it was useless...... They are no match for Mansini.

"How dare you ......," roared Agnes, but the last note seemed to be lowered in uncontrollable fear, and suddenly lost momentum.

"Your Majesty, then. Mancini ignored her, just smiled and stretched out his arm to Moe again, "Let me ask again, would you like to ......"

He couldn't finish his sentence.

There was a loud bang, and on the side of the corridor facing the courtyard, a closed glass window shattered.

(To be continued.) )