Escaping the capital

Nightfall had arrived as he wandered the streets aimlessly. If he stayed home any longer, then his father would certainly learn about it. If the truth came out that he was not a High Knight, then he would be kicked from the family. There was no doubt about it. Rather than be humiliated and criticized, he would rather spend the night in the city. One would say that Grand Nobles had a great deal of freedom and power, enough to shake the kingdom itself! Although this was not a lie, it was suppressed by many things known as responsibility, reputation, and loyalty. Responsibility to the kingdom and its people. Reputation to the family and its legacy. Loyalty to the Royal Family and its laws. Was there truly someone who could soar above the skies? No! Even Lord Korogin was restrained by his position!

Benedict was tired of it. Obviously, he wanted to become an incredible knight, to force his father to acknowledge him, but he knew of his own deficiencies. Could anyone become a Royal Guard that easily? It was nothing but a shallow dream. He figured he moved on from Isabella, that she would grow to become a distant memory. It was already three years since Isabella died. Time would heal all wounds as they say.

But when he saw Elizabeth a month ago, whose appearance and mannerisms were nearly the same, Benedict's mind would inevitably think of Isabella. With her, all the feelings he kept locked up came pouring out. Much like Elizabeth was feeling, he was frustrated. For once, the thought of leaving everything behind crossed his mind. Likeminded people were destined to cross paths, even in this chaotic world. Both Benedict and Elizabeth felt the same way and in a twist of fate, they found each other in the middle of Algard.

The knight was in a daze. Out of everyone he could meet, he met the one person who reminded him of Isabella the most. Elizabeth rushed over in high spirits. She was wearing a maid uniform, with her white bow and quiver. It was a very odd combination that further accentuated Benedict's confusion. When he last saw her, she was headed to Castle Reinhard for important business. Now, the girl flipped his entire understanding on its head.

"I must be dreaming again. Isabella seems to be appearing more often nowadays," Benedict mused.

Elizabeth frowned. This was truly her in the flesh! "What are you babbling about?"

"Huh? You're not Isabella?"

"Of course not." She strolled over and knocked on Benedict's head a few times. "Are you okay?"

"I thought you were in Castle Reinhard with Commander Christina. How come you're out here by yourself?" Benedict hesitated. "And in a maid uniform?"

"Don't worry about it. Say, do you want to go somewhere together? I don't have any money on me so I can't afford it," she laughed awkwardly. Despite being a princess, she had no money!

One once said that temptation came when they were most susceptible. Instead of becoming suspicious or rejecting outright, he answered, "Where would you like to go?"

"Somewhere far away! As far away from this city we can go!"

"Wouldn't that be a problem?" he asked, half-convinced. He knew that she had the Holy Reingolian Medallion but connecting that to being a princess and heir of a kingdom was a stretch.

"No, no! It's fine!"

"Really…"

He had already thought about leaving everything behind. Once a thought appeared, it would firmly take root in one's mind, weathering the storms of logic and reasoning. When his mind was in turmoil, Elizabeth, who coincidentally looked like Isabella, appeared. It was too much of a coincidence! Unknowingly to him, he began to believe that he was really speaking to Isabella! His heart ached. People longed for the past and he was the same way. Whisked along with the winds of temptation, he wanted to reject her, but he could not. In the end, he relented to 'Isabella'.

When the two left, a shadowy figure emerged from around a corner, and eerily gazed at them. If Elizabeth saw this man, she would realize it was the same servant that helped her escape from the castle through the servant's passageway! This way, they could elude the searches from Sir Winstin and the Royal Guard. Of course, Elizabeth was unaware of the storm she was stirring up. It was solely the work of the servant! The servant sneered and overheard everything. Everything went according to his design. Using a mysterious technique, he blended back into the shadows and vanished with a trace.

***

The next day, Korogin was climbing the steps in the castle with Sir Winstin in tow. Neither of them was in high spirits. Every step was heavy. Korogin was even starting to grow white hair. He aged significantly after hearing the news. Together, they arrived on the top floor in front of a certain individual's quarters. There, Korogin's son, Sir Sebastian Highguard, greeted him. Surprisingly, this young man was a Royal Guard! One had to know that the skill requirements to become a Royal Guard were incomparably tough. Yet, this person who had not reached thirty years of age could become one! In the entire kingdom, if Sir Winstin was publicly acknowledged as the strongest knight, then Sir Sebastian would not be far. In terms of raw talent, he might even exceed the former.

"Queen Bethnal has been waiting for you," he said, opening the doors.

It was only natural that the second strongest knight would be the Protector of the queen. Korogin nodded and entered while the two knights stayed outside. Inside was an elderly woman dressed in comfortable and exquisite clothing. Although she had officially removed herself from the political light, she still maintained a proper and sharp appearance. Unlike Korogin, a beautiful golden crown adorned with large jewels was on her head. She was sitting in a comfy chair, facing the fireplace, while drinking tea slowly.

Much like the relationship between Winstin and Sebastian, Korogin and Bethnal shared similar parallels. Although Korogin was the monarch and leader of the Royal Assembly, it was a temporary office. He was not truly king. On the other hand, Queen Bethnal was a true queen! As the former queen and King Harth's mother, she was the matriarch of the Royal Family. As a result, Korogin still had to show his respect.

"Your Majesty, I am at your service," the man said while bowing.

"How is the search?" Bethnal asked without bothering to glance in his direction.

"I have mobilized the Royal Guard and the Grand Knights in the city to search for her. Since her position is a bit special, I can't do anything flashy."

"She couldn't have escaped the castle without external help. You should already have an idea, right?"

"You are correct. The chances of it being due to the rebels is unlikely. Their influence should not have reached this stage. The Grand Nobility Households wouldn't act this brazenly either. After all, this would spark a largescale investigation and they know I have been looking for reasons to act. We can also rule out the possibility of a third party. Without sufficient strength and background, infiltrating into Castle Reinhard and evading the detection of so many Royal Guards should be next to impossible."

"You seem to be neglecting existences like the Whispering Shadow," Bethnal could not help but point out. "If they had a hand in this, it would not be out of question."

Korogin shook his head. "They might be a lawless organization, but they value benefits. We have a special relationship with the Whispering Shadow. As long as we do not openly antagonize them, they would not seek out trouble with us."

"Then the enemy is the Xingyuu Empire," Bethnal figured as her cold and ruthless words seeped out. "We cannot delay any longer. I permit you to notify every lord and lady of every town and city to search for Elizabeth. Keep this strictly confidential. Restricting ourselves further will be playing into their hands."

"As you command, Your Majesty."

Korogin did not delay. Immediately after leaving, he sent his orders. Thousands of messenger pigeons filled the air like a storm cloud, flying to every part of the continent. Mounted messengers also erupted into action, galloping throughout the network of roads. With orders directly from Lord Korogin, the entire kingdom instantly set its eyes on searching for Elizabeth! With Queen Bethnal's permission, he fully displayed the might of the Royal Family! However, unbeknownst to him, she had already willingly departed on a ship for Port Silic in the Acessentia Sea. If he did know, he might have fainted out of pure anger!