​Liliana, accompanied by Ben and Petra, headed toward the Royal Palace. While Liliana didn't need special permission, she sent word to Riley through a valet that there were additional visitors.

​After Ben and Petra greeted Riley and explained the situation, they planned to head straight to the location where the Demon King was sealed. When Liliana asked if she could accompany them, both of them shook their heads with grim expressions.

​They insisted that visiting the sealing site was far too dangerous. But Liliana didn't back down easily.

​“I was the one who manifested that array. Is there any logic in suggesting I am in more danger than you two?”

​She tilted her head with a pleasant smile, and both Ben and Petra looked pained. They knew from experience that once Liliana took this stance, she wouldn't budge. Still, they hesitated to agree.

​“You might have forgotten, but you're the daughter of a Duke and the Crown Prince's fiancée. We can't just drag someone like you to a place like that.”

​“And yet, in the face of the threat of the Demon King's resurrection, are status and position not merely trivial matters?”

​“No, they definitely aren't! Even in a war, the general stays in the back and holds the line, right?”

​Hearing Petra’s analogy, Liliana wisely avoided mentioning her own acquaintances. At the very least, the general she knew—Margrave Kennys—was not the type to sit back and command from behind the lines. He was the sort of man who loved to charge into the enemy camp at the vanguard.

​Besides, the era where leaders didn't lead from the front was relatively recent history. If she recalled correctly, one of the reasons the previous King was called the Wise King and was so popular was the rumor that he personally took up the sword and rode into battle. He was hailed as the return of a hero for slaying the enemy general himself.

​“Am I truly of no use to you?”

​“It's not that, it's just...”

​Seeing Liliana’s somewhat lonely air, Petra looked slightly panicked and glanced up at Ben, who was walking beside them. Ben had been listening to their exchange in silence, but he finally let out a resigned sigh.

​“Once she’s like this, she won't move an inch. Fine, how about this? If His Highness gives his permission, you can come with us. That should be within acceptable bounds, right?”

​“Ben! What are you saying?!”

​“Exactly what it sounds like. She won't listen to us even if we say no, anyway.”

​At Ben’s blunt statement, Petra bit her lip. His words carried an undeniable weight of truth.

​“...Fine. But if His Highness says no, we are absolutely not taking you along.”

​“Oh. I understand.”

​Liliana’s brow furrowed for a fraction of a second, but she immediately returned to a graceful, nodding smile. In truth, even if Riley refused, she had every intention of going to the sealing site. The seal was a critical element. To decide on her future course of action, she needed to see the state of the seal with her own eyes.

​The group walked through the palace corridors and was shown to the drawing room prepared for meetings with Riley. While Riley would normally receive Liliana or Ben in his office, he likely felt he couldn't invite Petra—who was "only" an ordinary sorceress—into the Crown Prince’s private workspace.

​They waited in the room for a while. Neither Ben nor Petra could hide their tension. It wasn't just about meeting Riley; the thought that the Demon King’s seal might be weakening left them unable to settle.

​“Come to think of it, there is something I have been wondering about,” Liliana said, as if the thought had just occurred to her. Ben and Petra both looked up at her simultaneously. Liliana tilted her head curiously and voiced her question.

​“I believe I heard that you previously considered if the frequent monster stampedes were caused by the Demon King's seal breaking?”

​“Huh? Oh, yeah.” Ben blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic.

​“Did you report that to His Highness before confirming the seal at that time as well?”

​“No, His Highness was still quite young then. I got permission from the Chancellor—your father.”

​Normally, such a matter should have been reported directly to the King, but unfortunately, the King had already been bedridden by then. Even as the Vice-Director of the Ministry of Magic, a mere sorcerer wasn't in a position to see him. Liliana nodded, seemingly satisfied.

​“I see. And at that time, did you go alone?”

​“Yes.” Because there was no one else who could go with me, Ben added with a shrug. He narrowed his eyes slightly and asked suspiciously, “But why do you ask that now?”

​He seemed to be questioning why she was bringing up the past. But before Liliana could answer, the valet announced Riley’s arrival. As the three stood up from the sofa, the door opened and Riley appeared.

​“Hello, you three. This is a rare gathering.”

​Greeting them with a smile, Riley gestured for them to sit and took a seat next to Liliana. Once the valet served tea and left, Riley finally lowered his voice.

​“So, what brings you here today?”

​He seemed to have sensed that Ben and Petra’s business wasn't something to be made public. Ben and Petra weren't the type to waste time with pleasantries, either. They spoke plainly about the sorcery array that had appeared on the wall of the Ministry.

​Riley listened with a serious expression and nodded gravely.

​“This requires immediate confirmation. However, I want to keep this quiet until we know something for certain. Releasing unconfirmed information will only cause panic.”

​“I agree,” Ben said, his tone heavy. Petra and Liliana offered no objections. Riley looked at each of their faces before turning back to Ben.

​“So, can the two of you go to the sealing site?”

​“Without a problem,” Ben promised. But that was when Liliana cut in.

​“Your Highness. The array that seals the Demon King cannot be seen by those who lack a significant amount of mana. Lord Ben Draco and Petra-sama are both excellent sorcerers with the highest mana capacities in this country, yet even they cannot guarantee they will be able to see the array at all times, even with magic stones.”

​Riley stared at Liliana in surprise. When he turned to Ben, the sorcerer gave a slightly pained nod. Ben’s earlier explanation to Riley had only touched on that point briefly, so Riley hadn't realized just how difficult the array was to perceive.

​“...I see,” Riley murmured with a sigh. He likely predicted what Liliana was going to say next. He looked at her with a troubled smile.

​“I really wish I didn't have to hear the rest of that.”

​“As a Crown Prince, you should listen to loyal advice, even if it is painful to hear.”

​“Is what you’re about to say truly 'loyal advice'?”

​Riley’s response was almost a whine. Ben and Petra were trying to remain composed, but they couldn't quite hide their wry smiles. Liliana simply ignored Riley’s comment and continued her proposal.

​“As Your Highness is aware, my mana capacity has increased even further. If there is a possibility that this power—likely the greatest in our kingdom—can be of use, there is no reason to hesitate.”

​In other words, as someone who could manifest an array that ordinary people couldn't even see, she might be able to help with the seal. Even if something unexpected happened, Liliana might be able to handle magic that Ben or Petra couldn't.

​Riley didn't answer immediately. Hesitation was written all over his face. He was torn between his duty as Crown Prince and his personal feelings.

​Noticing this instantly, Liliana’s lips curled up ever so slightly. No one caught the change.

​“Why do you hesitate? Lord Ben Draco and Petra-sama are superior in technique and knowledge, but should a situation arise where a massive amount of mana is required, there is no one else who can enable them to use their intellect but me.”

​Riley took a breath and let out a deep sigh. He ran a hand through his hair.

​“...No one can win an argument against you, truly.”

​It was a roundabout way of giving permission for Liliana to accompany them. Petra’s eyes widened, and Ben cried out, “Your Highness?!” But Riley looked straight at Liliana and spoke.

​“I grant permission. However, do not overexert yourself. Given it's you, I'm sure you could take the two of them and escape even if danger approached, right?”

​Liliana blinked at Riley’s words. He definitely knew she could use escape-oriented magic. Whether he thought she used teleportation, illusions, or both, he clearly had a conviction about her abilities.

​“Yes, I shall not be reckless,” Liliana replied, carefully avoiding confirming his specific suspicion. Riley narrowed his eyes for a moment at her phrasing, but he didn't pursue it. He turned to Ben and Petra and told them, “Please, don't let her overdo it.” It was a strange way to put it—normally one would say please don't overdo it yourselves—but strangely, neither Ben nor Petra pointed it out. They merely nodded solemnly.

​Liliana tilted her head at the three of them, but wisely kept her mouth shut.

​◇　◇　◇　◇

​The place was a literal dungeon. They entered a tower at the back of the palace and used magic to move underground. The passage leading to the dungeon was apparently buried, making it inaccessible to those who couldn't use magic. Furthermore, entering required a complex ritual, and the method was said to be passed down orally only to those permitted to manage it.

​(In the otome game, I believe Belasta Draco acted as the key.)

​Liliana wondered where Belasta had learned that ritual, but unfortunately, the answer wasn't in her memories. It hadn't been explained in the game, either.

​A sensation different from normal magical transport washed over them, and the group found themselves standing in a corner of the dungeon. The ceiling wasn't very high. Liliana and Petra could stand normally, but Ben looked a bit cramped.

​He took a lantern from his cloak and lit it. Liliana knew the reason, but Petra, entering the dungeon for the first time, asked curiously.

​“Hey, why aren't you using magic for light?”

​“It's said that you should use as little magic as possible in here. I've never tested it myself, but it’s terrifying to think of accidentally reacting with some ancient relic.”

​“...Ah, right. Makes sense.”

​Hearing Ben’s blunt explanation, Petra nodded in immediate understanding.

​If someone used magic in the dungeon and an ancient magic circle or sorcery array reacted to it, the worst-case scenario was the resurrection of the Demon King. Therefore, the use of magic was prohibited.

​However, that explanation only raised more questions. Petra asked another.

​“Then shouldn't we have avoided magic when coming in?”

​“Well, you're not wrong.”

​Ben agreed bitterly but shook his head. Even with the lantern, the darkness was thick, and Ben’s expression was hard to see. But Liliana could guess what he was thinking, and her lips curved slightly.

​“Apparently, when it was possible to enter normally, mercenaries looking for a test of courage or bandits thinking there was treasure kept trying to break in. Ah, the tower was outside the palace grounds back then.”

​So, the King of that time had sealed the entrance. It would be intolerable if some fool accidentally broke the seal while looking for a thrill or gold. But Ben had said that happened when the tower was outside the palace grounds.

​Liliana tilted her head. The tower had become part of the palace during the early days of the Slibegrad Kingdom’s founding.

​“That was a very long time ago, wasn't it?”

​“Yes. So the magic used follows the flow of ancient magic—it's so inefficient that I doubt anyone even uses it anymore.”

​Liliana finally understood.

​Why was Ben, who was only the Vice-Director, able to go confirm the seal? It was undoubtedly because of his mana capacity. Otherwise, the Director would have been the appropriate choice. But the Director at the time had been Nicolas Bergson. She had heard that he had no talent as a sorcerer and that his mana was only average.

​As if to confirm Liliana’s theory, Petra spoke up.

​“Ah, I see. Since it’s ancient magic, it eats up a massive amount of mana every time you use it.”

​“Exactly. That's why the rule is that the person permitted to manage this place must be someone with a high mana capacity who can handle ancient magic.”

​And there weren't many sorcerers who had both. Really, only the Draco family, famous for their magical lineage, fit the bill.

​(So that's how it was.)

​The game's Belasta was able to enter the dungeon because of his high mana capacity. While Liliana reached this realization alone, Ben began to walk forward.

​“The space gets wider further in, so it should be easier to walk.”

​As Ben said, once they passed the narrow, rough dirt path, the space opened up significantly. Large boulders lay scattered about, giving it an atmosphere similar to a limestone cave. Liliana shivered slightly at the cold air rising from the ground.

​In the game, the path to the Demon King’s seal was never described in detail. You only knew it through the heroine's lines like 'It's so cold' or 'I can't see where I'm stepping.' Experiencing it in person made her realize how frightening it truly was.

​The constant low sound echoing from the distance was likely just the wind blowing through, but to someone who knew the Demon King was sealed ahead, it could easily sound like the roar of a monster.

​“Don't leave my side. If you wander into a side path, you'll supposedly never come back out.”

​“Is that because the paths are complicated or because of pitfalls? Or are there monsters?”

​Liliana felt Ben chuckle softly in the darkness.

​“There are no monsters. If there were, the seal would have been broken long ago—or rather, the opposite. If the seal breaks, this place will likely be crawling with them.”

​It was said that when the Demon King was resurrected, the world would be shrouded in miasma. Monsters were born from miasma. If they encountered a monster here, they should assume the Demon King had already returned.

​“The answer is the former. This dungeon is called a labyrinth for a reason; the paths are incredibly complex. Plus, bottomless pits appear without warning. Most of those mercenaries and bandits I mentioned went missing.”

​“Ugh, creepy.”

​Petra, who had been listening in silence, gave a theatrical shudder. Ben tapped her arm reassuringly.

​“No need to worry. The path we’re taking is a confirmed safe passage.”

​“I'll hold you to that.”

​Petra’s voice was steady, showing she wasn't truly terrified. Liliana followed behind the two of them, her eyes narrowed as she observed the surrounding walls.

—-

Toc

Chapter 249