It was obvious as daylight that the king’s guards would soon storm in, making the narrow underground prison entirely disadvantageous for Sikar Blake.

Thus, Sikar grabbed Veronia’s hand and ran toward the water channel.

Lape, who had been running through the channel after Sikar, stopped right in front of the water tank entrance. Even when Dienne tried to chase after them, he restrained the queen.

“There’s no need to pursue them, Your Majesty. I don’t know how they got this far, but if they exit through here, they’ll be swept away by the current.”

He said they’d be swept away by the torrent pouring from the water tank, yet the tank did not open.

Only then did Lape confirm that the Duke had smashed the locking bolt to prevent the tank from opening.

“I don’t know how the Duke knew, but he destroyed the tank’s bolt so it cannot be reopened. But it’s fine. The channel inside is like a maze—they won’t escape easily.”

“But they’ll escape eventually. If they go down that channel, where does it lead?”

“It emerges at the Recador River.”

“Do you think the Recador River is some pond?! I’m asking which part of the river!”

“That, you’ll have to ask the warden.”

Dienne turned her body to head back up to the prison.

“First, station guards along the river. Once we pinpoint their exact location, gather everyone there.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

“For now, capture them alive. What the king truly desires is that little lord—no, the royal heir.”

Contrary to their urgency, the path ahead was far from smooth. Although they had smashed the tank’s bolt to stop the water flow, the channel was maze-like, forcing them to repeatedly hit dead ends.

Each time Sikar exited a corner he had already entered, he carved an X mark on the wall with his knife.

“My apologies. But we’re checking our path as we go—we’ll escape soon. If walking becomes difficult, would you consider holding my hand?”

“I can manage this much myself.”

“Understood.”

“Is Blake the Duke?”

“Yes.”

“I saw the Duke when he was still a young lord. The child’s fierce eyes left a lasting impression.”

“I see.”

“I heard Duke Blake became Gillian’s man. Why did you come to rescue me?”

“Right now, escaping this place is our priority. I’ll explain everything once we’re out—for now, please bear with your questions.”

“Understood.”

At that moment, the sound of someone splashing toward them from directly ahead was heard. Veronia tensed up and grabbed a small dagger from Sikar’s waist.

Holding the dagger, Veronia assumed an offensive stance and said,

“I should have at least one weapon to defend myself.”

Meeting Veronia in person, Sikar now understood why the princess had dared to marry Valije despite the late king’s opposition.

The princess was far braver and more resolute than Sikar had imagined.

That was fortunate.

Knowing exactly who was approaching, Sikar gently lowered the blade Veronia had raised.

“It’s one of my subordinates—please rest assured.”

From the darkness at the end of the channel, Vika Lamberst emerged with a displeased expression.

“Your subordinate? Since when did I become your subordinate, Duke?”

“Why did you come all the way here instead of guarding the Duke’s estate?”

“Why do you think I came?! I came because I thought you might die!”

“It was a wasted trip. If my life were truly in danger, your presence wouldn’t change anything.”

Vika paid no attention to Sikar’s words. She glanced sideways at Princess Veronia.

“Is the person beside you the one we’ve been searching for?”

“Yes. This is Her Highness the Princess.”

They had endured so much trouble because of the princess—luckily, they had finally found her properly this time.

“This time, we’ve truly found her.”

Veronia had also heard the news that Dark Elves had intervened in the deposed king’s execution.

Dark Elves rarely meddled in human affairs, so she hadn’t understood why—until now, seeing that it was possible because they were friends with a human.

It was astonishing, but this was hardly the time to indulge curiosity.

“Didn’t you say we must hurry?”

“Let’s go quickly.”

“Follow me. The path here is like a maze—I’ve stationed spirits along the way while coming. They won’t last long, so hurry.”

Vika vanished again into the darkness, and Sikar and Veronia followed behind her.

At the third channel entrance of the river, dozens of soldiers dispatched from the royal palace stood guard.

No matter how much they looked around, neither the Duke nor his steward was visible. The children hid far behind trees, peeking their heads out briefly before ducking back down.

Luid, who had been holding his chin deep in thought, asked with a completely baffled expression,

“What on earth are the palace soldiers doing here?”

He couldn’t bring himself to tell the twins, but Kian seemed to understand.

Not long ago, Princess Veronia’s execution had been canceled, and since that day, their master had entrusted the twins to the Duke’s estate.

And the Duke had sent a letter to their master, summoning him to this location.

If palace soldiers were deployed here, it meant they planned to meet Princess Veronia at this spot.

Clearly, the information had leaked for some reason, prompting the palace soldiers to guard this place.

Since the Duke hadn’t appeared yet, Kian couldn’t step forward—if he were captured by the soldiers first, it would be of no help at all.

Kian raised his index finger to his lips and said to the children,

“We mustn’t be discovered. Stay quiet.”

The twins mimicked Kian, placing their index fingers over their lips and nodding.

“Yes. Shh!”

The children, hiding calmly behind the tree while observing the situation, gradually grew bored and hungry.

“We should’ve brought something to eat.”

“Should we just go back to the Duke’s estate?”

“Kian. Aren’t you coming?”

But Kian, as if utterly oblivious to such trivialities, kept his sharp gaze fixed solely on the guards.

Watching him, Luid somehow found it impressive and followed Kian’s lead, also staring at the guards.

“What are you looking at?”

At that moment, Kian turned his gaze toward a distant point.

“Shh! Do you hear hoofbeats?! Someone’s coming! Lower your bodies more!”

The children simultaneously followed Kian, flattening themselves downward.

Reidox’s party halted their horses upon seeing the swarming guards at the river.

“What is all this?! There are too many soldiers! Is this a trap?!”

Reidox couldn’t agree with that. He frowned.

“Clearly, the Duke’s seal was stamped on it.”

“Didn’t you get tricked?!”

At that moment, someone soaked to the bone staggered toward them, splashing.

“Th, there! Ov, over…here!”

Jeremi frowned as he watched the man running toward them.

“What is that ghoul-like figure walking over?”

As the man drew closer, they recognized him—he was the merchant the Duke had saved previously.

“You? Aren’t you that merchant from before?”

“Yes! Yes! I’m Tucker! My Lord Marquis!”

Tucker, drenched from head to toe, didn’t exactly smell pleasant. Reidox wrinkled his nose slightly.

“Why are you here?”

“The Duke is in that channel over there. He’s nearly due to emerge, but soldiers are swarming the entrance with spears aimed—if he steps out, his whole body will be….”

Tucker shuddered as if the mere thought gave him chills, then continued,

“My Lord Marquis, you’re close to the Duke, aren’t you? Didn’t you come here to rescue him?”

Jeremi scrutinized Tucker up and down with a suspicious look.

“Who are you?”

The answer came not from Tucker, but from Reidox.

“He’s the merchant who showed loyalty to the Duke previously—the Duke spared his life.”

“But why is a merchant here?”

“Hmm.”

“I’m here to assist the Duke… My apologies, My Lord Marquis, but now isn’t the time to explain. If you came to rescue the Duke, you must help ensure he exits the channel safely….”

Jeremi scratched his nose and looked at Reidox.

“Can we trust his words?”

“The Duke saved this merchant’s life and even granted him protection at the Duke’s estate. If this merchant weren’t worthy, the Duke wouldn’t have shown him such kindness.”

The Duke never kept traitors by his side. Both Reidox and Jeremi knew this fact well.

“Well, you do have a point.”

Once Jeremi conceded, Tucker finally relaxed—his hand, which had been clutching his side, lost its tension. He collapsed as if fainting.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Jeremi asked with concern, but Tucker gave no reply—he simply lost consciousness.

Roen immediately dismounted and examined Tucker, then frowned.

“Oh dear. He’s bleeding?”

“Bleeding?”

“There’s a large wound on his side—looks like it was scraped by something like a big nail. This man ran here risking his life to alert us about the Duke’s safety!”

Jeremi clicked his tongue in disbelief.

“A mere merchant—not even a knight—showing such loyalty to the Duke?”

“That’s precisely why the Duke saved him. The Duke’s insight is truly formidable.”

While the two conversed, Roen quietly sat beside Tucker and treated his side wound.

“I’ve stopped the immediate bleeding, but if left like this, he’ll die from hypothermia or infection.”

“I’ll handle it, Lady Roen.”

Reidox dismounted and laid Tucker across the saddle. Then he let the horse sniff Kian’s handkerchief.

“Having smelled His Highness the Royal Heir’s scent, this horse will find its own way back to the Duke’s estate.”

Reidox gave the horse’s hindquarters a light slap.

Reidox’s horse whinnied and immediately galloped off.

Meanwhile, Jeremi also dismounted and began stretching.

“There are many of them, but shall we tidy things up? As long as we hold out until the Duke arrives, it should be fine?!”

As Jeremi prepared to lead the way, he suddenly stopped and turned his head.

“But Lady Priestess is here—is it permissible to kill the soldiers?”

Roen’s eyes widened in rabbit-like surprise as if unable to believe he’d ask such a thing, and she covered her mouth with both hands.

“Oh my! Lord Jeremi! How could you even ask that?!”

“Ah, y, yes, of course, right?”

“Oh, really.”

“I, I’m sorry, Lady Roen.”

“You should certainly be sorry! This situation is tantamount to wartime! What we’re doing now is changing a nation’s king! And you ask if killing is allowed?! Of course, we must sweep them all away! No mercy for those who refuse to surrender! Understood?!”

Roen’s attitude was so decisively firm that Jeremi’s earlier question seemed embarrassingly out of place. Jeremi had to apologize again, this time with a different meaning.

“You’re absolutely right. I apologize.”

Roen winked playfully at Jeremi with one eye.

“Then shall we go now?”

Jeremi immediately followed behind Roen.

Watching this, Reidox thought to himself—indeed, Seo Yeon’s prophecy about Jeremi’s destined partner being Roen must certainly be true.