I’ve Decided to Let You Go - Chapter 115

He was just about to ask if the X-2 operation had been a success, his voice almost filled with relief.

At a glance, the number of knights who had returned from X-2 looked nearly identical to the number originally sent.

No matter how exceptional the Charlier Royal Knights were, and even if Galonde’s Shadows were outstanding, it was impossible for all of them to survive without a single loss.

What was more suspicious was how quickly they had returned. Taking down Kail Letius and retrieving the treaty between the duchy and the empire in such a short time was impossible.

“Where is Natasha?”

What unsettled him most was the absence of Natasha Aschart.

She hadn’t participated in the battle. And yet, she was the only one missing from the group.

When Sieghart asked in a tense voice, Sir Dante hesitated. He couldn’t bring himself to answer right away.

Seeing Sir Dante’s unusual hesitation made Sieghart even more uneasy.

“Speak.”

“…”

“Tell me exactly what happened to Natasha Aschart. Why are the rest of you here alive while she’s not? Answer me.”

Sieghart, now visibly agitated, grabbed Sir Dante by the shoulders and demanded a reply. His loud voice echoed through the night air.

The allied knights stiffened at the sight. Despite the many rumors about him, Sieghart had always treated them with patience and calm. It was the first time any of them had seen him like this, and it shook them to their core.

Sir Dante was no exception. His throat visibly moved as he swallowed hard, the tension clear in every movement.

“Her Highness…”

At last, Sir Dante opened his mouth.

“Her Highness went into the emperor’s chamber alone.”

Then came the harsh truth.

“What…?”

Sieghart’s voice trembled. The story was so hard to believe that it took him a moment to process what he was hearing.

Natasha Aschart went into the emperor’s chamber by herself?

“Explain it clearly. Don’t waste time. Just give me the facts.”

Still in disbelief, Sieghart demanded a straightforward account.

“The exit on our end, which would’ve been her entrance, was completely sealed. It looked like it had been designed to open only from the inside. Maybe it was protected by some sacred power. We couldn’t break through and were starting to panic.”

Sir Dante, unsure where to begin, decided to keep it simple and start from the beginning.

“Then Her Highness said she would take care of it. She touched the door. The same door that I couldn’t open, no matter how hard I tried, opened instantly at her touch. So we got in safely and began moving through the passage.”

He didn’t bother mentioning Kayeina. It would only waste time.

“When we reached the second door, the one that would be our exit and the emperor’s entrance, Her Highness offered to open it first. We didn’t stop her. Given the design, it clearly couldn’t be opened from the inside either, just like before.”

Sir Dante hesitated for a moment before continuing. Sieghart didn’t interrupt. It was as if he already expected the worst.

“She opened that door just as easily. It didn’t even seem like she used much force. Then she paused and looked around the space above.”

“…”

“To be safe, we offered to go up first and check the area, but… she didn’t come back down.”

Sieghart closed his eyes tightly. He could already imagine what that reckless woman had done.

“Then she climbed up, closed the door behind her, and told us to head for the palace center to support you. That was the last time we heard her voice.”

Everything Sir Dante said matched exactly what Sieghart had feared.

The reason she could open those doors, which were sealed with sacred power, was likely because he had once used his authority as a Knight of Honor for her. There were rare cases where that power would transfer to someone else after a knight’s sacred sword lost its light.

The first door had probably opened because of that power.

The second one, the one she said opened smoothly, had likely never been locked in the first place. After using her power once, Natasha must have noticed the difference between the two.

She had instinctively realized it was a trap set by Kail Letius and, recklessly as always, decided to go in alone.

But that was who she was. There was no point in blaming her for it.

She had made that choice, climbed up, and shut the door behind her. Pointing fingers at Sir Dante now wouldn’t change anything.

The one he should really blame was himself.

He hadn’t wanted to break her resolve or get in the way of her purpose. He had been afraid of being hated by her. And because of that, he let her go. He chose to let her walk away from him.

And that was his mistake.

“…I’ll go.”

The one who needed to set things right was Sieghart Aschart. No one else.

He made up his mind to go after Natasha himself.

Sieghart stood in front of the exit with the remaining knights.

Sir Dante had worried the door might not open without Natasha, but Sieghart ignored him and gripped the handle.

The moment he pulled, the handle broke off easily. When he kicked the ground with force, the entire door came loose and collapsed.

“…”

Sir Dante didn’t have the courage to ask how Sieghart had opened the door.

Because it wasn’t opened, it had simply been broken.

“I’m going in.”

Sieghart’s voice was calm, composed.

Sir Dante moved to follow him down the ladder, but Sieghart stopped him.

“I’ll take care of this. You go back to the palace. Deal with the remaining knights. If they’re gone, retrieve the treaty between the duchy and the empire. We’ll handle things here.”

“But…”

Sir Dante looked at him, clearly worried, but then fell silent and shut his eyes. He had failed to protect the princess. He had no right to speak.

“…Understood.”

Accepting the truth, Sir Dante gave a quiet nod. He turned back and led the others the way they had come.

Now alone, Sieghart grabbed the ladder and began to descend slowly.

As he moved through the corridor, he could feel traces of Natasha’s presence. Even though he had never watched her here, he felt like he could picture her movements, sense where she had paused, where she had moved on.

By the time he reached the ladder on the other side, her voice echoed clearly in his mind.

“Sir Dante, I need to ask a favor.”

“Take the knights and go back. Go help Sieghart. I mean it. Get out of here right now.”

Her desperate words stayed with him.

I won’t run away.

His grip on the ladder tightened.

I won’t let you go.

He climbed.

So, tell me.

Reaching the top, he placed his hand on the door.

Tell me what it is you wanted to say.

The sealed door opened, and a sliver of light broke into the darkness.

“How did you know we were coming?”

Instead of answering Kail Letius’s question, Natasha asked her own.

He wasn’t surprised by her defiance. He took it calmly, even seemed amused. The corners of his lips curled slightly, as if he found her question interesting.

“Kayeina. That girl looked suspicious when she brought me tea.”

“…”

“I had it tested, just in case. Turned out she added a sedative. Not poison. Just something to make me sleep. That alone was suspicious.”

Kail Letius had sensed something and searched the room thoroughly.

He discovered signs that someone had entered the hidden space and quickly came up with a response.

“I was going to kill anyone who dared to sneak in here.”

“…”

“But why did you come alone? That’s a bit disappointing.”

He didn’t believe for a second that Sieghart had sent only her.

“The door is sealed now. Even if reinforcements come, they can’t get inside. Go back to the corridor and help the others. Sieghart is probably causing chaos by now.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Once he confirmed the hidden door was locked, Kail dismissed the knights around him.

Now only the two of them were left.

Kail stepped closer to Natasha, a mocking grin on his face as he tapped her shoulder.

“What should I do with you?”

“…”

“You came to me willingly. I should be grateful.”

His voice was thick and low, dripping with unpleasant sweetness.

“Sieghart Aschart… that bastard. He swore revenge. And now that I’ve realized it too late, the Letius royal family will probably lose this war.”

Kail Letius’s hand moved across Natasha’s body.

“But if I have you…”

His thick fingers brushed her waist. Then, without hesitation, he took the hidden sword tucked at her side.

“If I have you, there’s no way I’ll lose this war, Natasha Aschart.”

The sword Sir Dante had given her dropped to the floor.

“You’ll be the sacrifice that breaks him.”

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