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🕑 Added 2025-08-02 19:47:19 +0000 UTCEP.39 Infiltration – 1
"It's finally time."
A passageway leading underground.
Following this path would take us inside the palace.
"If it gets dangerous, run away."
Normally, if someone had been replaced and was trying to reclaim their position, they’d be tense or full of resolve.
But contrary to expectations, Sylvia wore an expression that showed reluctance.
"If it really looks impossible, I’ll run away, just as you said, Sylvia."
Running away would basically mean failure, so the chances of survival would be slim.
She must have known that, too.
"Um..."
Sylvia hesitated, looking at me with eyes full of worry.
What she said next was unexpected.
"If the two of us could just run away together, would you do it now?"
Run away. In other words, a life on the run.
For a princess to say that word was no small thing.
It meant abandoning everything-her values, her status as royalty-truly giving up everything.
Even if we did run, it wouldn’t be easy.
The enemy would have already heard that we were alive.
They’d pursue us relentlessly to the end.
"You don’t need to worry so much. I’ll do whatever it takes to succeed."
In fairy tales or legends, knights would say something grand at times like this.
But, not being used to that, I just replied in my usual playful tone.
"Pfft... That’s just like you, Yujin."
Sylvia’s face brightened with a small smile.
"Besides, isn’t it better to smash the pursuers first, rather than be chased by them?"
"That’s true. If it’s Yujin, who even defeated a giant wolf, I know you can do it."
The tense, anxious mood gradually shifted to a more relaxed, friendly atmosphere.
"And if we run away, who would serve the princess?"
"Wasn’t that supposed to be you, Yujin?"
Sylvia looked at me with a playful expression.
Mischievous, even a little sly.
Her mix of cuteness and charm made me smile naturally.
"I’m not very good at that sort of thing."
"You did pretty well in the cave, though."
Sylvia approached with confident steps.
As she got closer, her elegant scent reached me.
"That was... well, my specialty."
I looked at her with a sly grin.
She met my gaze with gentle eyes.
"Then, if needed, I’ll serve you instead, Yujin."
"You, Sylvia? Serving me?"
Sylvia smiled, her face blushing.
"I just... think it wouldn’t be so bad."
"You might regret it. The odds are pretty high."
"Is it because of that?"
Her gaze drifted down to my lower half.
"Something like that. Besides, there are other women besides you, Sylvia."
"Pfft... Did you think I didn’t know that?"
"Was it that obvious?"
"Yes. Very."
I hadn’t expected that.
Maybe she noticed from my words or actions.
Since polygamy is common in this world, maybe it was easy to tell from my attitude.
Sylvia, with a mischievous smile reminiscent of a cute little devil, pressed herself against me.
"Anyone could tell, if they knew about your libido, Yujin."
"I’ll take that as a compliment."
"You really are shameless and sly."
"It’s my best trait."
Sylvia looked at me for a moment, then broke into a bright smile.
"I think so too."
After sharing a brief laugh, Sylvia’s expression turned serious.
Her face radiated charisma, and her words were full of dignity.
"Sir Yujin."
"Yes."
I answered in a manner befitting her serious tone.
Her words carried an undeniable charisma.
"I have one command. Please keep this, no matter what."
Her eyes were resolute.
"Don’t die."
"I swear."
As soon as I answered, Sylvia smiled again and hugged me.
"If you die, I’ll die too."
"You say scary things with a smile."
"What’s the problem? Like you always say, as long as you don’t die, it’s fine."
Her playful tone and expression made me laugh.
"Heh... You’re right."
By now, darkness had settled all around us.
If we delayed any longer, we’d miss the perfect timing for infiltration.
"Then, I’ll be back soon. I know you’ll be waiting anxiously, Sylvia."
Step, step-
I started down the passage leading underground.
Having come this far, I had no choice but to see it through, whatever the outcome.
"Yujin."
As I descended, Sylvia called out to me.
When I turned, she was smiling beautifully.
"You’re the first person I’ve ever relied on in my life. Don’t you dare die."
Now, I really couldn’t return empty-handed.
Even if the enemy turned out to be a dragon, I’d have to come back with its head.
"I promise."
Lumis Kingdom’s palace.
In a room, a man was receiving reports from his subordinates.
"We searched every city and village near Roern, but couldn’t find the target..."
With every word, the man’s face twisted further.
His name was Quirn, a fairly prominent noble in the Lumis Kingdom.
"Are you kidding me?!"
Quirn’s shout echoed through the room.
Not satisfied with that, he grabbed a vase and threw it at a subordinate.
The vase shattered with a sharp sound as it hit the subordinate’s head.
"Kh... I’m sorry."
Quirn breathed heavily, visibly anxious and uneasy.
‘If this goes wrong...’
Sweat poured down Quirn’s face.
Treason means the death penalty-by the most painful and brutal means.
‘It’s too late to back out now.’
Nothing had happened yet.
But he couldn’t help feeling anxious.
With such high risks, even if the plan was going smoothly, he was on edge-especially since, contrary to expectations, Princess Sylvia was still alive and well.
‘As long as I’m on their side, I should be okay if something happens...’
Quirn thought of the fake Sylvia.
Someone who promised him not just the status of a successful noble, but most of the kingdom’s wealth and power.
At first, he hadn’t believed her-just thought she was a madwoman.
But after seeing her abilities, he realized it was possible.
If he’d been a loyal noble, maybe none of this would have happened?
Quirn didn’t think so.
If he’d refused, he’d have ended up as another noble’s unexplained corpse.
"Sigh..."
A frustrated sigh.
That mysterious being-she was certainly not an ordinary human.
Unknown magic, mysterious methods for luring ogres...
With her, he was sure he could seize the kingdom.
‘But why do I feel so uneasy...’
Yujin.
A knight from who-knows-where.
He was ruining everything.
"Report anything you’ve found out about this Yujin."
"Uh... well, nothing yet."
"Even after pouring in so much time and money?"
Quirn felt his barely controlled anger rising again.
He was starting to think he’d have to replace all his subordinates once this was over.
If there’d been another vase nearby, he’d have thrown it too.
"Idiots...!"
In truth, his subordinates were blameless.
There was no way to find out the background of Yujin, who had suddenly appeared from another world.
But not knowing that, the subordinates could only silently endure Quirn’s abuse, ashamed of their lack of results.
"Hmph... Fine. If he’s run off like a rat, expand the search area."
"Yes!"
After the subordinates left, Quirn was holding his head in frustration when the person he feared most-his ally, the fake Sylvia-entered the room.
"Things aren’t going well, are they?"
"S-sorry."
Now the situation was reversed.
Quirn suppressed his boiling feelings and bowed his head.
"The enemy’s right in front of you-what are you doing...?"
"W-what do you mean?"
The fake Sylvia looked at him with disdain.
"Well... if I didn’t have the power given to me by that person, I wouldn’t have realized it either."
Quirn, shrewd as ever, realized from her reaction that the enemy really had infiltrated.
He knew she had the ability to know such things.
"I’ll have the soldiers try to catch them right away!"
"No... It seems they used some trick, so soldiers alone won’t be enough. How many assassins do we have available?"
"Two."
Even Quirn thought two was a small number.
But they couldn’t just flood the palace with troops.
Even those two were only possible with her help.
"We’ll have to make do with that for now. Try to handle it yourself. If you want to keep playing the noble princess, you can’t get involved in anything suspicious."
"Yes!"
She took out a small orb and handed it to him.
The green-glowing orb pointed somewhere like a compass.
"Use that to find them. If you fail, you’d better be ready for the consequences."
"I understand."
The fake Sylvia’s smile was both ominous and seductive.
Quirn felt a chill run down his spine.
