The Northern Duke’s Daughter Will Never Fall – Chapter 111

Chapter 111: The Road Back (5)

Red pillars of light began to rise throughout the academy.

Amidst the trembling earth and what seemed to be imminent chaos, the academy eerily regained its composure as if nothing had happened.

At the center of it all were the instructors gathering the cadets and the academy’s command unit leading them.

“Account for all personnel!”

“Check if everyone has assembled!”

“Confirm if there are any wounded or casualties!”

“Follow the drills exactly as practiced!”

A voice imbued with amplification magic pierced through the commotion, resounding in all directions.

“It must be monsters, right?”

Ortega, fully armed, narrowed his eyes and kept his gaze fixed forward.

In the very heart of the academy, the red pillar of light rising there was distinctly larger and thicker than the others.

This must be the center of it all.

“Even if something unknown comes, we will not fall here.”

“We will not fall! Everyone, repeat!”

“We will not fall!”

“We will not fall!”

“We will not fall!”

“We will not fall!”

Ortega’s voice was low and steady, no louder than usual.

Yet, the voices echoing his words roared through the academy, shaking its very foundation.

“This academy, built upon blood-stained ground in Einthafen, will not collapse so easily.”

“We will not fall!”

“We will not fall!”

“We will not fall!”

“We will not fall!”

The academy’s command unit and instructors were all either active or retired knights.

Even if the instructors were young and lacked battlefield experience, the command unit, though retired, had fought through the Continental Unification War.

They had seen and endured countless anomalies during that time.

This level of disruption would not unsettle them.

“Steady the cadets. Do not assume they have the same mental fortitude as you.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Keep them from panicking. Ensure they move calmly in their usual formations.”

“Yes, sir!”

“The support unit will leave the academy to evacuate civilians. There must be no harm to the civilians.”

“Yes, sir!”

“And proceed directly to the Imperial Palace to report this event.”

“Yes, sir!”

“What happens in the academy stays in the academy. No matter what comes, we will hold the line here.”

“Yes, sir!”

The pillars of light grew even thicker, and the ground began to fracture more violently.

What was once a reddish glow now darkened into a crimson hue, like fresh blood.

“Heavy Cavalry Knights, form the front line.”

“Front line!”

“Magic Knights, spread left and right.”

“Left and right!”

“Archers, take the middle line.”

“Middle line!”

“Mage Battalion, take the rear.”

“Rear line!”

Orders spread swiftly among the instructors, reaching those stationed near the light pillars, both instructors and cadets.

The Heavy Cavalry Knights, trusting in their thick armor and shields, formed the front line, flanked on both sides by the Magic Knights.

A little further back, the archers took position in the middle line, and behind them, mages arranged themselves in pairs.

Fully prepared.

Now, no matter what emerged, they would be ready.

—Boom!

A deafening roar, as if the sky itself had collapsed, echoed through the air, and the ground burst apart.

Unable to withstand the force surging from below, the earth cracked and overturned, sending a cloud of dust billowing into the air, obscuring visibility.

And then, from within the dust, a vicious roar erupted.

—Graaaaaah…!

That howl was no longer human.

It was impossible to describe with words other than “monstrous.”

The ghastly wail washed over the cadets, and on their already tense faces, fear rapidly began to spread.

“Monsters…?”

As the thick dust settled, the scene beyond was slowly revealed.

At the same time, the lingering fear in the cadets’ expressions twisted into sheer terror.

Those grotesque, indescribable figures—those beings known as monsters—finally revealed themselves, along with their army—

***

“One hour per day, you say?”

Upon receiving the belated order to withdraw, Ashray returned to the mansion, his eyes widening in surprise.

“Yes. She was awake just a moment ago but has just fallen back asleep.”

It was as he said.

Ashray’s sister, as beautiful as a blooming flower, lay peacefully asleep, her mint-colored eyes hidden beneath her eyelids.

Dressed in her everyday clothes, she looked serene in her slumber.

Seated beside her, Leopold looked exhausted.

It was understandable—unsure when Astrid might wake, Leopold had kept watch beside her, barely sleeping himself.

One hour a day.

Out of 24 hours, only a single hour.

If that hour was missed, they had no choice but to wait until the next day.

Thus, he could not sleep properly, and even when he did, it was only light dozing in the chair beside Astrid.

“W-What is this? I don’t understand.”

“Even if you don’t understand, it’s the truth. We couldn’t believe it either…”

Leopold looked at Astrid, his gaze filled with sorrow.

“But the reality is that she can only wake for an hour a day.”

“Hah…”

Ashray, who had rushed to see his sister the moment he returned, felt a strange emotion as he looked at Leopold, who refused to leave her side.

He knew how much his sister adored him. And while Leopold had not reciprocated that affection fully, he was somewhat aware of it.

Yet now, after returning from the academy, the two of them were inseparable.

It wasn’t something to feel disappointed about, but Ashray couldn’t help but feel that way.

Though he didn’t even know why, he clicked his tongue in frustration.

“Is there no health issue involved?”

Before an answer could come, a voice interrupted.

“Ashray, are you here?”

Both Ashray and Leopold turned toward the door simultaneously.

Wolfgang and Baizik stood there, holding a talisman fragment in their hands.

And behind them stood a man dressed in the officer’s uniform of the Miterien Ducal House, looking as if the attire did not suit him.

“Azdavarka, come in.”

“Y-Yes.”

The elderly man called Azdavarka hesitated awkwardly as he stepped into Astrid’s room. It was the first time he had ever entered this space, where Astrid, usually fierce and untouchable, now lay dormant.

“Your Highness, this man is Azdavarka, formerly a shaman of the northern barbarians. He defected to Miterien, and his background has been thoroughly investigated. He has been serving our house for several years now.”

Leopold wondered how exactly they had investigated his background but set aside his doubts.

Right now, his origins were not the issue.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Leopold von Einthafen, Crown Prince of this Empire.”

Leopold did not extend his hand first.

Azdavarka, having been briefed multiple times on protocol by Wolfgang, immediately knelt on both knees and bowed deeply.

“I am Azdavarka, a loyal servant of Miterien. Once… I was a shaman.”

“Speak, Azdavarka. Tell me about my fiancée, Astrid’s current condition.”

Azdavarka cautiously rose to his feet.

Seeing this, Ashray quietly brought over a chair, and at Wolfgang’s subtle gesture, Azdavarka hesitated momentarily.

“Please, sit and speak freely. It’s fine.”

Only after Leopold sat down, followed by Wolfgang, Baizik, and Ashray, did Azdavarka finally take a hesitant seat.

“…Have you ever heard of the Autonomous Tower?”

“Autonomous Tower? What is that?”

“A tower deep within the Demon Realm… or so I have heard. Naturally, I have never seen it myself, but it is said to be a tower that grows on its own.”

“A tower that… grows on its own?”

“Yes, that is correct. It is not magic. It is not a structure, but a living entity, which is why it is said to grow by itself.”

“A living tower…”

Leopold murmured to himself.

At his words, Wolfgang, Baizik, and Ashray all recalled something simultaneously.

The place Astrid had visited.

That place.

Not in the north, but near the path leading to the Miterien Ducal Estate.

They had already begun making preparations to dispatch troops to that location based on Astrid’s information.

“We northern natives are more attuned to shamanism than magic, and since shamanism originates from the Demon Realm, I may have more knowledge of its ecology than any of you.”

“And how does that relate to Astrid?”

Wolfgang’s voice was sharp, almost demanding, his frustration barely restrained.

Leopold extended a hand to calm him down.

“I cannot say for certain. However, if a true Autonomous Tower has appeared, and if it has been brought here, then a high-ranking demon must have manifested. It would not be difficult for the owner of such a tower to decide who to summon and who to release. I do not know the exact conditions, but…”

As Azdavarka continued speaking, pieces of the puzzle began to fit together in Leopold’s mind.

“And if that demon… has dominion over dreams, wouldn’t it be possible that Lady Astrid remains trapped in sleep?”

At those words, a single name immediately surfaced in his mind.

A being so powerful that even Leopold had failed to sense their presence.

A woman who called herself a priestess of the Sun God but was anything but.

Should he return to the academy and subdue Veracien for interrogation?

Or should he contact the Imperial Palace and have Veracien investigated there?

It was time to make a decision.