Published: August 15, 2025
――Ughhhaaah!――
It was a voice so sickening just to hear that it made my stomach churn.
Not an animal’s roar... but a human scream.
The moment I understood, all the blood drained from my face.
Lord Cyrus gripped my shoulder and pulled me close. To ease my fear, he whispered in a calm voice.
“...It’s a human scream. A man, still young.”
“A-a human scream...! No way...”
“There was no sound of a carriage, and no staircases nearby where someone could slip. So it must be a muggler or a road cutter... If it’s outside the walls, this facility should be safe...”
Lord Cyrus furrowed his brows and scanned the surroundings.
This is the Old Royal Palace. Though the outer walls are tall and sturdy, it’s just an event venue now. The old stone walls might well have holes big enough for a person to slip through. A violent criminal could be lurking right nearby in the darkness.
Still holding me, Lord Cyrus slowly backed away.
“The scream came from the right. Marie, let’s move toward the harem.”
“Y-yes...”
“As soon as we enter the building, lock the door. The harem’s defenses are like a fortress; it has strong locks so no man except the ruler can get in.”
“What about you, Lord Cyrus...?”
“I’ll return to the ruler’s chambers first. I don’t think the male attendants can fight, but having numbers might intimidate the attacker. Besides, I left my longsword in my room. For now, I only have this jeweled sword for self-defense.”
“Y-you’re going to catch them?! But it’s dangerous even for you—”
“If the person screaming is already dead and the culprit fled, I won’t give chase. But if the attack is ongoing, I must help. More importantly, if the culprit is inside the grounds, we have to catch them early so Marie and the female attendants don’t get attacked.”
“That’s true, but—”
What should I do? Should I cling to him and beg him not to go? Or should I send him off willingly to save a life? I couldn’t find an answer.
“Even if you don’t go, won’t the city guards come?”
That was all I could say in desperation. But he shook his head.
“This area around the Old Royal Palace is the Old Town... since the capital moved to the port town after the war, it’s half slum. The country doesn’t care about maintaining order here. Guards rarely patrol.”
“I-I see... but still...”
Just as I tried to hold on further, a piercing scream like silk tearing rang out: “Kyaaaa!”
Lord Cyrus’s expression changed.
“Damn it! Who’s the idiot wandering around at night with a woman!”
“Help! Someone, please!”
The language wasn’t ips language. It was Flarian, the common language of the Western Continent. The victims were foreign tourists.
“There’s no time to go back for my sword.”
Biting his lip in determination, Lord Cyrus drew the jeweled sword at his waist. I didn’t try to stop him anymore. I hurried into the harem and watched his back through the window as he left.
He opened the side gate near the main hall and ran toward the city—toward the voice. My knees gave out and I sank to the ground. Clasping my hands, I pressed my forehead against them and prayed.
Please, please come back safely...!
While waiting for his return, I kept hoping and praying nonstop.
At times, I felt overwhelmed by anxiety in an instant. I wasn’t only worried about Lord Cyrus, but also about the men and women who screamed.
They spoke Flarian... tourists from the Western Continent. Though Flaria’s navigation technology isn’t as advanced as Dilz’s, it’s still well developed, so it’s not strange that nobles or wealthy people would be visiting.
...But this place is far from the city center. The Old Royal Palace is reserved for our ceremony, and tourists aren’t even allowed here, so why at night...?
—Our wedding ceremony.
The pearl accessories that were scheduled to be delivered before the ceremony in three days.
The woman speaking Flarian... Could that voice really be—?
Faces of certain people flashed through my mind. At that moment, I couldn’t bear to stay still and pushed open the harem door.