“Yes, that's right. Grand Wizard Ivan has fled.”
Flee?
“So where was he being held?”
[Based on Prisippi's expression, we will discover that Grand Mage Ivan was not a trustworthy human being, but was truly crazy.]
The memory of the day she had left the Forbidden Forest with Fenric suddenly passed through Prisippi's mind.
He was saying:
“The very day after your departure, His Majesty cut off the arm of Grand Mage Ivan and imprisoned him in the church prison. I do not know the details, but it appears that he committed a major crime.”
Precipe was astonished by the severity of Dietrich's merciless punishment. How could it amount to cutting off an arm? Of course it was worth it, but it's weird.
“But when the monsters started attacking, the Magic Tower claimed that only the Supreme Mage could stop them.”
Dietrich probably never expected that the monsters, who usually appeared near the Forbidden Forest or on the border, would suddenly attack the palace like this.
That's why they cut off his arm, Benrick thought to himself.
“It seems that the Archbishop feared that the Grand Wizard, whose arm was cut off, would hold a grudge, so he and some priests went to the prison equipped with a device to control his power...”
Benrick described what happened next as predictable, as he knew Ivan's nature well. So listen calmly to what the soldier said:
“He killed the archbishop and the priests and fled. Now, his fate is unknown.”
“The Archbishop died?”
Siegfried was pale, and began to inquire from the soldier about the details, such as how the archbishop’s head was cut off, and how the bodies of the priests were smashed into indescribable pieces...
As Fenric listened to these details, which did not arouse his curiosity much, he frowned slightly.
He understood why Dietrich had cut off Ivan's arm; He was deceived by Ivan and secretly pursued evil purposes against Preseppe.
But the monster attack was very strange.
The time of the incident does not fit with the monsters' escape from the burning Forbidden Forest.
If the monsters truly intended to attack the palace, they wouldn't have attacked in such small numbers, even if they were monsters.
Also, Dietrich suffered no significant damage.
In the end, the only thing that changed in this incident was Ivan's escape.
But Ivan couldn't have used monsters to help him escape. He's a full human, not a half-beast like Precipe.
'...Did anyone help him escape?'
Using monsters.
So that Ivan can escape safely.
But who?
Anyway, after Ivan escapes from the palace, he definitely won't stay still.
He has lost his arm, and will be full of revenge towards Dietrich.
And he will definitely try to catch Prisse.
At that moment, Siegfried said, looking at Fenrik:
“Sir Duke, you had better leave now.”
Fenrik had suspected Ivan's connection to monsters, but this idea was forgotten a long time ago after he witnessed for himself in the forest how Fenrik was attacked by monsters.
“I will quickly finish the arrangements and return to the capital. Until then, I ask my lord Duke to protect His Majesty.”
That was the end of the conversation.
Benrick mounted the horse, and rode away without looking at Siegfried in the carriage carrying Preseppe.
As for Siegfried, he stood in amazement for a moment, then gathered his courage and began counting the remaining forces.
—
“Huh... huh...”
Ivan, wearing a rags, stumbles, panting.
He looked around constantly, then sat on the ground in a deserted alley with a tired face.
“Damn…”
He let out obscenities through his dry lips.
He kept cursing and venting his anger, then looked at his severed right arm in pain.
[They uprooted his right arm and locked him in the church prison.]
As soon as Dietrich's order was issued, Ivan was dragged like a dog to prison.
He tried with all his might to escape, but the restrictions placed on him, blessed by the Archbishop, were too tight.
The prison under the church is protected by sacred magic, as are the shackles that bind his feet, and the grim metal bars.
Therefore, Ivan could only scream and curse while his arm was brutally cut off, without being able to do anything else.
Frankly speaking, Ivan did not expect Dietrich's actions, he only thought of him as a weak and naive Emperor, which is why he was so surprised.
Ivan was rather smart, and he knew he couldn't escape from this place.
[You are left-handed. So, whether you attack monsters or enemy soldiers, what I need from you is only your left hand.]
These were Dietrich's words before he ordered his right arm to be cut off.
But such events were not unexpected.
Telluria was a powerful country that no empire could easily challenge, and Dietrich was able to control the throne strongly even with his lack of importance.
No country dares to declare war on a country with such a powerful emperor.
The same goes for monsters.
If they were in the western forest areas filled with monsters, then the question of monsters entering the center of the capital was unlikely.
So Ivan thought.
Until a sharp scream came from inside the prison, almost shaking the place:
[Monster! Monster! Monsters are attacking the palace!]
What happened next is what he told the soldier and the others.
Ivan claimed that he had lost his strength, so he naively broke out of prison in order to reassure the archbishop and the priests.
Then he used quick magic to kill everyone and escape.
But then the biggest problem was.
“I must stay away from the palace at all costs.”
Ivan muttered, touching the torn right sleeve of his shirt.
It is certain that Dietrich gave the order to kill him as soon as he learned of it.
If he had passed through the magic center, it would have been better, but miraculously he escaped from the palace amidst the chaos.
“…I will definitely kill him.”
Ivan's black eyes sparkled with hatred and murder.
He will hide in as safe a place as possible, wait for an opportunity, and then come back. He will return to kill Dietrich and Fenrik, in the harshest possible ways, no matter what the cost.
And then… Presibe…
“Ah…”
Ivan remembered the face of Presibe who had pushed him out of Benrick's house, and he let out a small sigh, reeling from the pain of his mercilessly severed right arm.
'This is no time to be weak.'
Even now, Dietrich's soldiers are looking for him everywhere. A moment of inattention could mean being attacked at any time and in any place.
His groaning did not last long, so he gritted his teeth and got up, but he quickly swayed with a faint groan.
'No, I have to control myself...'
At that very moment, a dark shadow crossed his face.
“You look very tired.”
He suddenly heard a voice, and instinctively quickly extended his left hand.
“You seem overwhelmed with anger.”
Ivan didn't speak back, but he released a portion of what was left of his magical power into his hand, enough power to kill a human.
But nothing happened.
The man in front of him remained calm and looked at him steadily.
At that moment, it was the same situation in which Fenric attacked Ivan.
“You...”
Ivan backed away in fear, trembling.
“W-Who are you?”
“Do you need help?”
"What?"
“I will help you.”
“…”
“I said you looked tired.”
Vidar smiled slightly as he faced Ivan, who did not understand and was still staring at him in confusion.