The Abandoned Princess, Yet She Is Loved - Chapter 96

“Understood. Then I’ll take Grace with me. She mentioned she wanted to see the children at least once.”

 

“Yes, Your Excellency. Thank you.”

 

“No need to thank me. It’s better to live helping each other when we can. Now that we’ve finished talking, I’ll be on my way.”

 

“Safe travels, Your Excellency.”

 

Frederick exchanged a brief farewell with Mikael and stepped out.

 

‘Thankfully, I’ll be able to access the orphanage.’

 

It seemed they were accepting donations and even showing the children to others, to make it look like they were operating normally. Frederick thought this might be a valuable clue.

 

‘I wonder if Grace is safe right now.’

 

His thoughts turned to Grace, who was likely at the House of Reinhardt. He had told her not to overdo things or take unnecessary risks—just to observe enough and leave.

 

He was a bit worried she might get carried away by her enthusiasm and act recklessly, but he remembered her words—asking him to trust her for now.

 

‘I assigned the Imperial Knights to her, so it should be fine…’

 

He decided to trust the Imperial Knights, who were likely keeping watch outside the mansion.

 

 

The stairs came to an end.

 

The cold, damp air unique to underground spaces clung to her skin. Grace stepped cautiously forward, making sure her footsteps didn’t echo too loudly.

 

“……”

 

There were no lights inside, but a small window near the ceiling let in sunlight. It was just bright enough to make out objects.

 

Inside the basement stood a large cupboard, piled with various items. Grace slowly walked around, scanning the objects with her eyes. They were all kinds of things—sealed liquor bottles filled with liquid, wooden planks of various sizes, several boxes covered with cloth. It was a typical basement.

 

As she wandered, she noticed a rolled-up piece of paper in the farthest corner. It was tied with a string around the middle.

 

‘What’s this?’

 

Curious, Grace picked it up and untied the string.

 

“A maze…?”

 

The drawing on the paper showed a series of paths that immediately drew her attention. The routes crisscrossed and twisted intricately.

 

‘It’s a map…’

 

She stared intently at the map, wondering where it might lead.

 

From her habit as an artist, she had learned to study the colors and textures of landscapes and objects very closely. That way, she could reproduce them later with vivid accuracy.

 

‘This place… is it the Imperial Palace?’

 

At the end of the maze-like paths, the word Imperial Palace was written.

 

It was a map showing a path to the palace. But the path didn’t seem to be one that existed above ground—there weren’t this many complex intersections outside.

 

‘Then it must be an underground passage… which means this place leads to the palace.’

 

There was no other reason for such a map to be in this basement.

 

‘And what’s this?’

 

Grace looked at several black dots on the left side of the map—near what seemed to be the current location. They had to mean something, but she couldn’t figure out what.

 

To find out, she needed to go in. Grace examined the basement walls. Just like the door she had opened to get in earlier, there might be another door leading elsewhere.

 

“…This?”

 

After searching the walls, she finally discovered a door. But there was one problem.

 

‘It’s locked.’

 

A padlock was fastened on the door.

 

‘Where’s the key?’

 

Someone must be in charge of it, but she had no way of knowing who—or even if they were in the castle. She looked around the basement for anything that resembled a key but found nothing.

 

‘Too bad…’

 

Grace returned the map to its place and went back upstairs. Staying too long might arouse suspicion.

 

‘I need to think about where the key might be.’

 

It had to be somewhere in the castle. If not in the study, then where?

 

After thinking for a moment, Grace decided to go back up. Staying too long in the basement might get her caught.

 

‘Let’s think this through a little more.’

 

She was staying in the castle for a few more days anyway, to transcribe the letter. She would have time to search. Encouraging herself, she headed back up the stairs.

 

 

Felixius stood silently, holding the vial.

 

‘Is he hesitating?’

 

Samuel observed his lord’s expression. He had expected him to drink it immediately, but Felixius remained still for quite a while.

 

“…Hoo. I still can’t believe this is real.”

 

It wasn’t hesitation. When Felixius finally spoke, his face was full of awe.

 

This was quantum energy extracted from the lives of a thousand people. The ultimate form of power he had been seeking was contained within that vial.

 

“I can’t say for sure, but according to the Armento, you can expect a power comparable to a divine beast.”

 

That’s what Vladimir had written in the letter.

 

“Only someone with an iron will and immense stamina—like Your Majesty—can withstand it. An ordinary person would die trying to absorb it.”

 

“This level of power… it fits.”

 

Felixius muttered to himself as he turned the vial around in his hand.

 

“I’ve gone through so much for this moment.”

 

“May you enjoy your glory, Your Majesty.”

 

Samuel bowed deeply, his voice filled with reverence.

 

“It’s unfortunate that I can’t deal with that girl anymore…”

 

“But she’ll never be your match, Your Majesty. You’ve obtained a power far greater than anything she could hope for.”

 

“Thank you… even just hearing that is comforting.”

 

Felixius smiled slightly, as if pleased with the flattery. Then he opened the vial.

 

A milky white liquid swirled inside. To someone unaware of its contents, it might have looked like milk.

 

He drank it in one gulp.

 

“Ugh…!”

 

The effects came quickly. A burning sensation spread from deep in his core. It felt like something was tearing through his guts, like a flame kindled within.

 

“Haaah…”

 

Felixius tilted his head back and groaned. The searing pain spread all the way to his fingertips and toes.

 

This is true power. Even amidst the overwhelming pain, he could sense the unimaginable strength surging within him—the life force of a thousand people coursing through his veins.

 

His vision blurred until he could no longer see his surroundings.

 

Then something strange unfolded before him.

 

A vast land stretched out, with a massive river flowing through it. On the other side, an enormous fire blazed.

 

A fierce wind blew from the front. The water churned violently, and the flames flickered wildly.

 

He had no idea where to step or what to do. As he hesitated, he instinctively reached his hand forward.

 

“…Haa.”

 

In that moment, his vision cleared.

 

Felixius blinked. His surroundings came back into focus. The intense pain was gone, as if it had never existed.

 

He could feel the quantum energy filling his body.

 

He reached his hand out—and pure white energy burst forth.

 

“Haha… This is it.”

 

Even without using it fully, just summoning it revealed the raw power and destructive force it held.

 

His body felt so light he thought he might float. As if he were made of feathers.

 

“How strange. I feel no weight or sensation at all.”

 

He examined his body. It looked the same, but it felt like all physical sensations—weight, pressure—were gone.

 

“You have become a god, transcending your mortal body.”

 

Samuel said quietly, watching Felixius.

 

“Yes. A being no different from a divine beast.”

 

Felixius raised his hand again.

 

He created water instantly, transformed it into fire, then into earth, and finally turned it into air. Controlling all four elements came effortlessly—it felt like second nature.

 

“What do you think? Did I look a little cool just now?”

 

“You looked every bit like the one destined to rule the world.”

 

Samuel bowed his head.

 

“It truly was a magnificent experiment.”

 

Felixius smiled.

 

“The world is mine now. Thank you, Vladimir—my brother.”