episode_0405

Before following the path of the subjugation team’s movement.

To see if they were on the same page, Erin Tina sent someone to the general store.

When I left after delivering Nege’s message, I could barely meet the panting upper-level employee who had just arrived at the general store.

It was a meeting where the chances of things going awry were high.

The gasping employee handed over various items that Erin Tina had sent.

“She said she started preparing as soon as she heard about the subjugation team.”

It seemed like Erin Tina definitely thought that if it were her, she would definitely go to rescue the subjugation team.

I knew she was quick-witted, but I never expected her to have such good sense.

Since I had something to pass on to Erin Tina, I asked the employee to deliver the message I had asked Daemon to pass on.

After sending the employee, I also moved to actively pursue the subjugation team.

“If we had moved along the roughly sketched expected route, it wouldn’t have been easy to find them.”

Among the items Erin Tina had given the employee was a map.

The map marked the subjugation team’s route and looked much more detailed and precise than the red line I had drawn.

There were even slight differences from the red line I had drawn.

“There doesn’t seem to be anything strange no matter how you look at it.”

I swiftly moved following the proper map.

I scanned the surroundings tirelessly to the point of exhaustion, but I couldn’t find any significant results.

However.

“A person?”

In my anxious state, flying around with lips tightly pressed, I could finally spot a ‘person’ for the first time.

Unfortunately, that person wasn’t who I was hoping to see.

“Why is that guy here?”

There was someone here who shouldn’t be.

If what I saw was true, and if his identity matched the person I was thinking of, then things had gotten serious.

It was too obvious why he would appear here.

“Prince Il…”

Completely out of the emperor’s favor, Prince Il, who had dropped out of the succession battle.

The reason he should be in the contaminated zone.

“Not anywhere else, but right at the intersection where the subjugation team was supposed to pass through.”

The evidence was crystal clear; one would be foolish not to suspect.

“That bastard still hasn’t given up and has come all the way here to cause trouble.”

I was surprised to see him not quietly accepting his defeat and instead trying not to miss an opportunity when it presented itself.

But contrary to his expectations, Prince Il didn’t seem pleased with how things were progressing.

Despite being in a place where his voice couldn’t be heard, his facial expressions indicated he was venting all sorts of annoyance and anger, enough to be inferred by the shape of his mouth.

“Yeah, he must have found it hard to give up so easily.”

He probably didn’t want to admit defeat in the succession battle just because he failed with a mere subjugation team.

Rather than thinking positively about getting another chance, he seemed to be leaning towards eliminating Mona, the competing Princess, rather than building his own success.

“They say even if a rich man goes bankrupt, three generations will still live well.”

Although Prince Il had failed, he still had enough power and prestige to plan a conspiracy against Princess Mona.

Even in failure, nobility remains noble.

While he might sneer behind closed doors, he wouldn’t dare do so openly.

That’s the nature of power.

And Prince Il, who hadn’t completely let go of that power, probably wanted to make a bet before Princess Mona became Crown Princess.

“For Prince Il, it would be strange if he didn’t take action.”

I should have realized earlier; perhaps I underestimated Prince Il too much.

Honestly, it was a waste of time to bother with an incompetent person.

Thinking that causing a stir wouldn’t lead to any major consequences.

Moreover, it wasn’t my business, it was Princess Mona’s affair.

It wasn’t my place to worry about Prince Il.

“The thing he most wants to do is undoubtedly to kill the princess.”

The death of Princess Mona is not part of my plans.

Naturally, Prince Il’s plans must fail.

Moreover, due to the subordinates Prince Il has brought, it is impossible for Mona and the princess to be near each other.

Isn’t this a punitive force with over ten SSR characters participating?

No matter what Prince Il does, using force against her is impossible.

“I would have liked to get closer in disguise and eavesdrop on their conversation.”

Afraid of being discovered, I couldn’t get close to where Prince Il was.

Prince Il, fuming, led his entourage towards somewhere.

Despite attempts from those around to stop him, the enraged prince seemed determined.

“Your Highness!”

“Wait! Prince!”

Urgent cries could be heard from afar.

However, Prince Il disregarded their protests and entered the fog-covered contaminated zone.

“Is he being warned not to enter because of the fog?”

Flying, I was aware of the presence of the fog.

As the light fog began to thicken deeper into the contaminated zone, it didn’t bother me much.

It seemed like a naturally occurring phenomenon.

“Why would Prince Il risk entering deep into the contaminated zone?”

If I know Prince Il well, he wouldn’t venture into the contaminated zone unless it was necessary for his safety.

“But he’s going in despite the warnings. That means there’s something more important in the fog than his own safety.”

There’s a high probability that a punitive force awaits where Prince Il is headed.

“In situations like this, I must follow him.”

Perhaps the fog is what’s infuriating Prince Il.

Having come all this way to target the princess, could it be that he can’t find the punitive force due to the fog?

“I should use the fog to my advantage.”

Following Prince Il and his group into the fog, the surroundings became so obscured that nothing was visible.

“I might get lost at this rate.”

Instead of worrying about not being noticed, my concern was not losing sight of Prince Il.

Feeling unsure, I approached Prince Il closely.

Everyone was so focused on not getting lost that no one noticed me approaching.

“Why the hell did I come all the way here to witness this mess?”

As I got closer, I heard Prince Il’s angry voice nearby.

“Sorry.”

“If you can create fog, you should be able to dispel it too, right?”

“It should be normal to be able to do that, but…”

“It was the princess who fell into the trap; she didn’t ask us to fall into it too!”

“I can’t produce this level of fog with my abilities. Something strange seems to have happened within the contaminated zone.”

Was this fog his doing?

If he could create such dense fog, it meant he was quite skilled.

However, seeing him sweating and struggling, I doubted his expertise.

“Strange? You’re spouting nonsense. This is just a forest! It’s only infested, causing monsters to appear. You don’t have the ability to distort your powers. It’s simply your lack of skill! Don’t try to pass off lame excuses!”

Prince Il marched forward resolutely, increasing his pace.

His entourage hurriedly followed, distracted by scanning their surroundings.

“We shouldn’t go further. We need to stop now.”

“Why should I?”

“You might get lost if you go deeper!”

“Coming all the way here just to turn back empty-handed? Thinking setting traps with mere fog would work was a mistake. You’ve messed up!! Missing the target right in front of you, what can you achieve with just this number of people!”

Even within the mist, Prince Il Hwang displayed his displeasure to his subordinates.

Listening to his words, it seemed that initially they hadn’t anticipated coming with this few people.

“They must have scattered because of the fog.”

The bold prince boldly voiced out his plan.

“I won’t leave until we find the princess’s body. If you want to go back so badly, then find her! Find her and bring her body before me! Then, even if I tell you not to go back, you will.”

The reason why Prince Il Hwang had come here became clear.

Killing the princess elsewhere would be seen as an assassination, but killing her in the contaminated zone could be passed off as a tragic accident.

“He seized the opportunity well.”

In the face of power, where could there be the same bloodline?

The position of the emperor was originally a place exuding a strong scent of blood.

“Darn it, wandering like this won’t get us anywhere. I’m exhausted, I need to rest a bit.”

Prince Il Hwang, who had thought he would keep moving until finding the princess, rapidly ran out of energy to an astonishing degree.

As the visibly fatigued prince mentioned resting, one of his companions urgently objected.

“Your Highness, resting in the mist is too dangerous. We can’t maintain vigilance around us.”

“What am I supposed to do if I’m tired! If you all keep watch, there shouldn’t be any danger!”

Prince Il Hwang’s eyes, behaving recklessly, were bloodshot with anger.

“Letting off steam. Can’t handle his temper, tsk tsk.”

While one should vent anger considering the situation, Prince Il Hwang seemed unconcerned, captured by his rage.

When a person easily loses their temper and holds a higher position, the subordinates who must endure it find it nerve-wracking.

It’s an environment prone to mistakes.

“Anyway, it’s a bit burdensome to stay here.”

Seeing that he had to find the princess, ultimately, it meant that Prince Il Hwang also didn’t know the location of the punitive force.

Therefore, there was no need to follow Prince Il Hwang.

Of course, before that, there was business to attend to with the one who created this fog.

At Prince Il Hwang’s mention of resting, his subordinates swiftly set up a makeshift tent for him to rest comfortably.

With skilled movements, creating a space for him to rest quickly, the prince entered without hesitation.

What remained was his subordinates, who had to remain vigilant while the prince rested.