The Abandoned Princess, Yet She Is Loved - Chapter 102

“You’re right. You have the freedom to act according to your own will. So if you want to stay, then stay.”

 

“Thank you, Frederick. For supporting me.”

 

Grace hugged Frederick. Seeing the resignation on his face made her feel a little guilty, but more than anything, she felt a deep sense of pride—like her existence had finally been acknowledged.

 

“I may not be much help, but I’ll do my best. I believe it’ll eventually come back around and help you, too.”

 

“…Yeah.”

 

I need to train harder. I have to keep my promise—to be someone who helps Frederick.

 

From that day forward, Grace threw herself into her training.

 

Since Crown Prince Rubens had instructed them not to make any mention or show any sign of war, she only smiled in response to the Armento who asked why she was training so intensely.

 

“Whew…”

 

Grace wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead after a grueling training session. She had exerted so much energy that she could actually feel the quantum swirling violently inside her.

 

“Not bad…”

 

She could feel her ability to control quantum energy improving with every session. Training wasn’t just hard work—it was rewarding. Still, one thing kept bothering her.

 

Something’s off.

 

Grace looked around at the Armento in the training ground, lost in thought. More and more of them had been skipping training over the past few days. Seri was one of them.

 

Seri hadn’t shown up for three days now. Given that she had no particular habits outside of occasionally reporting on Grace to someone, her absence was especially puzzling.

 

“Do you know where Seri went?”

 

“No, she didn’t say anything…” Aris replied, her face clearly confused.

 

“A lot of people haven’t been showing up lately, anyway.”

 

That’s exactly what’s strange.

 

Up until now, everyone had attended training regularly—so why were they suddenly disappearing like they all agreed to take time off at once?

 

“P-please, help me!”

 

Suddenly, someone burst into the training ground—a small girl who looked no older than ten or eleven.

 

No sooner had she appeared than a grown man followed after her, holding a spear made of water.

 

“H-he’s trying to kill me… Aaaagh!”

 

Before she could even finish speaking, the long spear pierced through her chest with a sickening crunch.

 

“……”

 

The man expressionlessly retrieved his spear. The girl’s body, now limp like a paper doll, collapsed to the ground.

 

What the hell is this?

 

Why would an Armento attack another Armento? While she was still processing the scene, several more people stormed into the training ground.

 

“…Ah.”

 

Grace let out a soft sigh when she recognized them. They were the same Armento who hadn’t shown up in recent days.

 

Each of them wielded a self-generated weapon, and they immediately lunged at the Armento in the training ground. Those under attack responded by drawing upon their own powers to defend themselves.

 

In an instant, the training ground turned into a battlefield—a real, deadly battle, not just a drill.

 

“Ugh…”

 

“Aaahhh!”

 

Cries of pain rang out as Armento were wounded by one another’s attacks. Some collapsed with one final scream before going still.

 

Several of them seemed to be targeting Grace specifically. She dodged incoming attacks from all directions and deflected them all.

 

“Don’t hit her too hard!” one of the attackers warned another.

 

“She might die! We need to keep the blood fresh!”

 

Blood…?

 

The image of the fox god’s belly being ripped open flashed through her mind. Just like how she had gained her powers after being soaked in its blood, they must be planning to capture her alive and make her bleed—so someone else could bathe in her blood below.

 

No way in hell was she going to die like that.

 

Grace simultaneously transformed the energy in her hands into all four elements and launched a massive attack. Hundreds of strikes exploded in all directions toward the Armento.

 

“Gah—!”

 

Those who took the attack head-on staggered and groaned as they fell.

 

Unlike typical Armento, who had limited attack range and delays between strikes, her attacks spread widely and hit rapidly. Even more impressively, each one targeted a specific elemental weakness. Those with water attributes were hit with fire, and those with fire were likewise overwhelmed.

 

“…Ugh!”

 

Those rushing toward Grace were either wounded and driven back or knocked out completely. Over ten Armento had come at her, but none could even touch a strand of her hair.

 

Once the Armento surrounding her had been cleared, Grace briefly paused. Then, she saw a familiar face in the crowd.

 

“Seri…”

 

It was Seri—the one who had been absent all this time. At the sound of her name, Seri looked at Grace. Her face was devoid of warmth or emotion.

 

“So in the end, you came to capture me.”

 

Grace let out a soft sigh.

 

“I knew it all along, honestly. That you approached me on purpose just to report about me to someone else.”

 

Seri’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she quickly returned to her emotionless expression.

 

“Well, it’s unexpected, but it doesn’t matter anymore.”

 

“Not even for a moment… did you ever consider me a friend?”

 

“What a pointless thing to say.”

 

A cold smile curved up on Seri’s lips.

 

“It was just a job. Nothing more. Anything beyond that is a luxury I can’t afford. All I want is to capture you and hand you over.”

 

“I see…”

 

She shouldn’t have asked. Frederick would probably think she was foolish—getting sentimental even in a situation like this.

 

Still letting your emotions get the better of you? Even now?

 

“But things won’t go your way.”

 

“……”

 

“Because unlike you… I can kill you.”

 

A sorrowful smile flickered across Grace’s face.

 

No hesitation allowed. As she assumed an attack stance, Seri quickly summoned a wall of flame for defense.

 

A spear made of water struck the wall and fell. Grace silently watched her, then gestured—and the spear lying on the ground suddenly flew back up, piercing the flame barrier and breaking through.

 

“Ah…!”

 

With a scream, the barrier shattered, and the spear drove into Seri’s chest. She fell to her knees.

 

“Ugh…”

 

Blood trickled from Seri’s lips. She stared blankly down at the spear embedded in her chest, her whole body trembling.

 

Grace bit her lip. Killing someone she’d once been close to with her own hands—it was horrific. But if she didn’t, innocent comrades would die.

 

She had learned this from Frederick. He’d told her that he never killed because he wanted to. In fact, it filled him with guilt. But when something had to be done, he did it—because he had things he needed to protect.

 

“Hh…”

 

Seri’s body collapsed completely. Eyes open, unmoving—frozen in place.

 

Grace stared at her body for a moment, then slowly looked up.

 

“The rest of you…”

 

She scanned her enemies. Though wounded and groaning, they were still standing—ready to attack again.

 

She had to end this quickly, to minimize any more casualties. Grace closed her eyes and raised her hand. This time, she would strike even harder.

 

“……”

 

When she opened her eyes again, all the Armento who had invaded the training ground—every single one—were dead. Their bloodied bodies lay scattered across the floor.

 

The Armento who had been fighting alongside her stared at Grace, some in exhaustion, some in awe.

 

To take down that many at once—she wasn’t just remarkable. She had transcended what it meant to be human.

 

“…Phew.”

 

But Grace didn’t care about their looks. She walked to the wounded Armento and began healing them with her energy. Some were already beyond saving, but many slowly began to recover.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

“Yes… Thank you…”

 

“Can you move?”

 

Grace carefully examined each of them and asked. Even if they didn’t show injuries on the outside, they might’ve suffered internal damage.

 

“I think so…”

 

Looking around at the wrecked training ground, Grace’s heart sank.

 

She had killed people. Not just one—many.