The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne

Chapter 676: Christa's Escape

At the Imperial Castle.

Chancellor Franz had taken multiple actions.

The first was to attack Wilhelm once it was confirmed he was an impostor. The true purpose of this was to strengthen the impostor theory with his own death.

Franz was not naive enough to think that he would be easily captured. He had calculated even the possibility of failure.

The second was to direct the enemy's attention toward the royal consorts.

The Empress and the former Crown Princess were the biggest threats to the enemy. Therefore, when the Empress was prepared to die, Franz suggested they fortify the consort palace. The true purpose of this was to buy time.

Once the edict was issued, it became the most important thing. Delivering it to the various regions in the empire was the top priority.

Thus, he directed the enemy's focus toward the consort palace.

Franz considered it crucial to ensure the escape of several important individuals who could not remain in the capital while Wilhelm had control.

The most important of these were Christa, Rupert, and Mitsuba.

For Leonard, the next Crown Prince, these individuals could become valuable hostages if they were left in the capital.

Franz needed to ensure their escape at all costs.

Therefore...

"Kuu-chan, wake up."

Wilhelm arrived in the capital just after noon.

After meeting with Franz in the throne room, he met with the Empress and the Crown Princess late in the evening.

Franz ordered Wilhelm's arrest at midnight.

But before that, the key figures had already received orders to escape.

"Umm... Rita...?"

"Get dressed quickly and quietly."

"...Okay..."

There were some questions she had in mind, but Christa changed from her nightwear to her usual clothes as instructed.

As quickly as possible, but without panicking.

As a member of the imperial family, Christa was trained for such emergencies.

"Don't leave my side."

"Okay..."

As she spoke, Rita took a deep breath.

All the Imperial Guard had been dispatched.

There were no knights with white cloaks in the castle, except for one.

Rita wore a white cloak on her back. It wasn't the apprentice's white cloak, but the official Imperial Guard's white cloak.

It was a reworked cloak given to her by Alida, the captain of the knights, who had inherited it from Oliver, the former captain of the Eighth Imperial Guard, who died during the rebellion in the capital.

"Over here."

Rita took Christa and started to run.

The Chancellor's attack would begin soon.

But Rita, who had been instructed to ensure Christa's escape, had been warned.

That the enemy was already aware.

So...

"Princess Christa, where are you headed?"

"...The Princess is heading to the House of the Brave Duke. Clear the way."

As she spoke, Rita intimidated the two knights that were blocking their path in the corridor.

However, the knights, seemingly unfazed, responded.

"Going out at night is dangerous. Please return to your room."

"I'll say it once more. Clear the way."

Rita slowly drew her sword.

In response, the two knights also drew their swords.

After a moment of silence, Rita moved.

There was no time to waste here.

Wilhelm had brought two thousand knights, but only a few had entered the castle.

However, if they were attacked, more knights would continue to infiltrate.

Hency, they had to break through quickly.

Rita swung her sword from above at the knight.

For a child, it was a remarkable stroke.

But in the end, it was just a child's sword.

The knight assumed that the white cloak was just for show and moved to block the attack with ease.

However,

Suddenly, Rita accelerated, slipping into the knight's space and sliding her blade through a gap in his armor.

"Gah..."

The knight, with a deep stab in his abdomen, spat blood.

The initial movement had been a feint to induce carelessness.

As a child, Rita was often underestimated. She had learned to use that to her advantage.

"Damn it!"

The other knight swung his sword at Rita, but she quickly maneuvered behind the injured knight.

The injured knight, holding his stomach, blocked the other knight's attack.

At that moment, Rita kicked off the wall and attacked the second knight from above.

It was a quick and unexpected move.

A strike from above was unlikely from someone of Rita's height. She exploited that assumption.

"Guh..."

The knight stepped back as he was slashed across the neck, holding the wound.

If it had been deeper, he would have been killed.

The knight looked at Rita in shock and then in terror.

Seeing the murderous intent in her eyes, he realized.

This young Imperial Guard was the real deal.

She genuinely intended to kill them.

"Clear the way!"

"Damn it!"

The knight with the abdominal wound and the knight with the slashed neck retreated defensively as Rita pressed forward.

Even for Rita, breaking through two fully defensive adults was impossible.

Failing to finish them off earlier was a painful mistake.

She had lost her chance. Thinking this, Rita launched a fierce attack.

However, Rita's onslaught was interrupted by a strike from behind that felled the two knights.

"Sorry for being late."

The voice belonged to a strikingly handsome man, like a statue crafted by an artist.

In his hands were two swords.

"I am Colonel Lars Weigl, commander of the Chancellor's personal guard, the Narbe Ritter. I will now take over the escort of Princess Christa."

The Narbe Ritter was not mentioned in the kingdom invasion force.

The reason was that the Chancellor needed a force he could mobilize in an emergency.

The Chancellor had deliberately held back this force for the escape operation.

He judged that if Wilhelm was an impostor, capturing him by force would be difficult.

"...What's the situation outside?"

"Wilhelm's knights are steadily entering the castle. We must hurry."

"Let's go, Kuu-chan."

"...Colonel."

While running, Christa spoke.

Lars turned to see what she wanted, but Christa remained expressionless as usual.

However,

"The Chancellor...?"

"..."

Lars hesitated briefly.

He didn't know what to say.

"Don't sugarcoat it... tell me."

"...The Chancellor has allocated most of the available forces to ensure the escape of key figures from the capital. He likely won't be able to escape."

"I see..."

Lowering her eyes quietly, Christa then declared.

"I will escape. Guard me well."

"Leave it to me, Princess."

Those scheduled for escape had been informed in advance, just not the exact date.

Inviting Wilhelm, suspected of being an impostor, to the capital implied the possibility of its fall.

Christa and Rupert were tasked with becoming symbols of resistance in the provinces.

Christa was not so naive as to misunderstand the meaning of this.

She was to be treated as a candidate for the crown prince.

Until Leonard's return, she was to bear the burden of the Empire.

That was the role of the escaping royalty.

Christa had already steeled herself for this.

"Where are we heading?"

"We will head south through the south gate."

"Understood... Colonel, I leave it all to you."

"Thank you. Now, excuse me."

With that, Lars effortlessly picked up Christa and tucked her under his arm.

"Following the Princess's pace won't be fast enough. Apologies for the inconvenience."

"Like luggage..."

"I will carry you with the utmost care."

Lars said this with a smile and with his subordinates and Rita in tow, started to begin their escape.

TL:

I am gonna find what Lar's proper full name is and change it to match the LN

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