Ascan carried me toward the north gate of the Imperial Palace. Zen and Carlton, along with the Royal Guard members, moved alongside us, providing protection.

Inside the palace, chaos reigned due to fires ignited by undying flames. Thanks to the commotion, the guards stationed at the north gate were visibly disoriented and scrambling.

It was just as Ascan was about to step out of the palace through the north gate.

Of all times, the Captain of the Palace Guard spotted Ascan and his group and approached.

“Captain of the Royal Guard? The palace is on fire—why are you leaving?”

The Royal Guard’s foremost duty was to ensure the Emperor’s personal safety.

Since the palace fire directly concerned Helsion’s safety, it made no logical sense for Ascan to be exiting under such circumstances.

Moreover, I was cradled in Ascan’s arms, still dressed in my wedding gown—anyone observing would naturally find the situation suspicious.

Though the Captain’s suspicion was reasonable, it wasn’t enough to halt Ascan, who wielded immense authority.

Ascan glanced coldly at the Captain and spoke.

“Must I report every single detail like this to you?”

“N-no, sir. I was merely concerned for His Majesty’s safety… My apologies. Please proceed.”

The Captain bowed apologetically and stepped aside.

Ascan’s performance was masterful. Without a trace of panic, he strode confidently through the north gate, still carrying me.

At that moment—

“The Captain of the Royal Guard has betrayed us! His Majesty’s order: do not let him escape the palace!”

A palace guard sprinted toward the north gate, shouting at the top of his lungs.

In that instant, Ascan and the Captain locked eyes.

The Captain swiftly drew his sword and shouted to the guards defending the gate.

“Close the gates!”

Under his command, the massive palace gates began slowly shutting.

Once closed, reopening them wouldn’t be easy. Operating the gates required multiple personnel—which meant some would have to remain inside the palace to reopen them later.

Anyone left behind under these circumstances would be as good as dead.

Moreover, every passing second worked against us.

Ascan shouted.

“Carlton!”

“Yes, Captain!”

Without further instruction, Carlton instantly dashed forward and fired arrows at the guards attempting to close the gate.

The Captain didn’t stand idle either. Sword in hand, he charged straight toward Ascan.

Clang!

The one who blocked the Captain’s powerful, focused strike was Zen.

Possessing shadow-element abilities, Zen’s movements were ghostlike—appearing suddenly without warning.

I hadn’t noticed Zen’s movement at all, but Ascan seemed to have anticipated it. He didn’t even glance at the Captain—simply pivoted his body.

While buying time by engaging the gate guards, they couldn’t fully prevent the gates from closing.

Ascan looked down at me in his arms and said,

“Bear with it, even if it’s uncomfortable.”

Huh?

I didn’t understand what he meant.

My tongue remained paralyzed from the snake’s venom, so I couldn’t ask. I could only stare at him with wide eyes.

Whoosh—

He lifted me with both arms, then hoisted me onto his shoulder like a sack.

An adult woman’s weight isn’t light—but the ease with which he lifted me left me utterly astonished.

Now that his hands were free, he drew Calspeliver from his waist.

Clang!

How strong was Ascan? He drove Calspeliver straight into the base of the massive gate.

More than half the blade sank deep into the ground.

Ascan’s monstrous strength was astonishing—but it was only possible because Calspeliver was an indestructible legendary sword.

Ascan shouted to the others.

“No time left. Hurry!”

Hearing his voice, Carlton ceased firing arrows and sprinted over. Zen swiftly subdued the Captain and turned back.

The other Royal Guards followed suit. Everyone slipped through the gate Ascan was propping open with Calspeliver.

More reinforcements were visible in the distance, rushing to intercept us—but it was already too late.

Ascan gripped me firmly with one hand, yanked Calspeliver from the ground with the other, and leapt out of the palace.

Creeeak!

The gate, stalled until now by Calspeliver, finally groaned shut behind us.

“Haa… haa…”

Still cradled in Ascan’s arms, I exhaled ragged breaths.

This was insane. If I had to pick the most thrilling moment of my life, it would be right now.

Even mid-leap, Ascan had shielded me—he landed beneath me, ensuring I remained safely nestled atop him.

One might expect him to pause for breath here, but Ascan immediately stood and said,

“Let’s go.”

Everyone looked at him with eyes full of trust.

Reflecting on it, not a single person had been lost during that frantic escape. It was all thanks to Ascan’s brilliant judgment and skill.

I found myself wondering—how many times had he faced situations like this during his service as Royal Guard Captain?

Experiencing firsthand what I’d only vaguely imagined while reading the novel, I finally understood why Bill and the Royal Guards were so fiercely loyal to Ascan.

Ascan lifted me again and hurried forward. Not far from the north gate, a familiar emblem adorned a waiting carriage.

‘Black owl?’

I’d read the original novel, but during my ten years searching for the missing Ascan, I’d learned much about the Kalua Empire.

The black owl emblem belonged to the empire’s underworld guild—Parusa—not some minor group, but the supreme guild of the underworld.

Unable to speak due to the paralyzing venom, I stared at Ascan with shocked eyes.

‘Did he have ties with the underworld guild?’

The unasked question lingered in my mouth.

As Ascan casually approached the carriage, the coachman dismounted and bowed.

“Chief, you’ve arrived.”

What? What did he say?

Unless I’d misheard, something was very off.

The title “Chief” wasn’t casually bestowed—not in the rigidly hierarchical underworld guild. That title belonged to only one person.

‘Could Ascan… be the Chief of the underworld?’

Royal Guard Captain, Count Atreus—and Chief of the underworld guild…

The more I dug into him, the more new layers emerged. I couldn’t fathom where his hidden identities ended.

‘This wasn’t in the original novel…’

Somehow, Ascan seemed even more evolved than in the story I’d read.

The plot had diverged from the start—that’s why I’d spent ten years failing to find him. Even now, I didn’t fully grasp what he was concealing.

I wasn’t the only one stunned.

Carlton’s eyes widened incredulously as he asked in a trembling voice,

“C-captain… you don’t mean…”

“Explanations later. Board the carriage first.”

Ascan spoke as he stepped inside.

Carlton nodded and followed. Zen entered too.

Multiple carriages waited nearby. Since not everyone could fit into one, the rest boarded the following carriages.

Once everyone was aboard, the coachman set off.

Clatter, clatter.

In the hushed silence, the sound of the wheels rolling was clearly audible.

Moments later, the north gate opened, and armed figures poured out from the palace. Their rough shouts echoed from behind.

“Damn it, find the Royal Guard Captain—now!”

“We’ll issue a nationwide warrant immediately!”

Too late. Our carriage had already merged into the crowded streets.

Above all, they’d never dream we were riding in a carriage marked with the underworld guild’s emblem.

Ascan slightly parted the blackout curtain to peek outside, then closed it again, apparently satisfied it was safe.

I had mountains of questions for him—but still unable to speak, I could only stare.

Carlton sensed my frustration and voiced it for me.

“Captain, what’s going on here?”

Zen remained silent but couldn’t hide his curious gaze—even his usual indifference couldn’t mask his intrigue.

Ascan adjusted my posture so I could sit comfortably despite my paralysis, then answered tonelessly.

“Nothing special. I simply prepared multiple identities, just in case.”

Carlton, still visibly stunned, pressed further.

“Multiple? So… besides being Chief of the underworld, you have others?”

Ascan gave a faint smile but didn’t answer. That silence was confirmation—I was inwardly shocked all over again.

He wasn’t an onion, yet peeling back each layer revealed something new.

Zen, who’d been quietly listening, finally spoke.

“Where is this carriage headed?”

“We’ll switch transport frequently to evade pursuit, but ultimately we’re heading straight to the Arwen Empire. For now, it’s our safest option.”

Zen nodded, clearly satisfied.

The Brellof family belonged to the Arwen Empire—once there, Helsion would struggle to harm us.

It hadn’t been long since Helsion poisoned me with paralysis venom, yet Ascan’s escape route was so meticulously planned, it left me awestruck.

Ascan removed his outer coat and draped it over me. Gently stroking my hair, he said,

“You’ve been through a lot today—you must be exhausted. Sleep if you’re tired. I’ll be right here.”

I rolled my eyes up and down, smiling slightly to show I understood.

Though we couldn’t fully relax until crossing the border, at least we’d safely escaped the palace—for now, that was enough.

I hadn’t realized it, but my body felt as heavy as waterlogged cotton. Apparently, I’d been far more tense than I’d thought.

My eyelids drooped effortlessly, and my vision dimmed.

Feeling Ascan’s gentle hand stroking my hair, I let myself sink into deep, peaceful sleep.

When I awoke again, the atmosphere was tense. Carlton’s voice, though restrained, carried unmistakable agitation.

“… I never dreamed the Deputy Captain would betray us.”

Betrayal?

The word caught my ear. I blinked awake—and Ascan noticed me first, immediately approaching.

“Awake?”

I instinctively tried to reply, but my tongue remained paralyzed. The venom’s effects still lingered.

I rolled my eyes up and down. Ascan seemed to understand my condition.

Carlton, seated across from me, spoke in a subdued, apologetic tone.

“Sorry—I didn’t mean to wake you.”

I wanted to tell him it was fine, but I couldn’t speak.

A brief silence fell—then Zen broke it, addressing me directly.

“You should be aware of the current situation. The Deputy Captain of the Royal Guard has blocked all routes to the Arwen Empire. All travel—including sea routes—is completely restricted.”

What?

My shocked gaze flew first to Ascan.

Ascan and Bill were as close as brothers. Knowing from the novel how deeply bonded they were, “betrayal” felt impossible to believe.

Ascan’s expression darkened. He said nothing, but his conflicted emotions were palpable.

Carlton spoke.

“They say a familiar enemy is the worst—now that the Deputy Captain’s involved, we’re truly out of options.”

Ascan folded his arms, lost in silent thought. I wanted to contribute ideas too, but my inability to speak left me frustrated.

The gloomy atmosphere thickened.

Zen, unable to endure it further, spoke softly.

“If we delay any longer, we may never escape the Kalua Empire. Reinforcements are gathering at the border—we must break through before it’s too late.”

Carlton shook his head firmly.

“I get what you’re saying, but moving rashly might get us captured. The Deputy Captain’s a smart man—and he knows exactly how we operate.”

They say a former ally turned enemy is the most dangerous. If it was Bill, no one could devise a more meticulous plan to capture Ascan.

After prolonged silence, Ascan finally spoke.

“… If Bill’s prepared for every contingency, reaching the Arwen Empire is impossible.”

Zen frowned, clearly vexed. With time running out and escape routes blocked, frustration was inevitable.

“So what do we do? Staying in the Kalua Empire is dangerous too.”

Sooner or later, we’d be tracked down. Hiding within the empire while defying the Emperor’s orders had its limits.

Ascan slowly stroked his chin and spoke in a grave tone.

“We’ll go somewhere other than the Arwen Empire.”

Somewhere else?

Suddenly, one nation surfaced in my mind.

The empire with the worst relations with Kalua. Not a place that would protect us like Arwen—but absolutely beyond Helsion’s influence.

As if reading my thoughts, Ascan murmured,

“We should head to the Lazent Empire.”

The very empire that, ten years ago, had sent soldiers to kidnap me and steal magic stones—and Dekain’s homeland: the Lazent Empire.