For Sale. Fallen Lady. Never Used.

Contrary to its fierce exterior, the interior of the Imperial Palace was quite lavish and luxurious.

Well, it made sense. Constructing the inside to be as bleak as the outside wouldn't improve its functionality, and comfort was needed indoors.

Speaking of which, the only time I encountered the Imperial Palace in H&A was during the final phase of the Fiona Subjugation Battle, so this was my first time seeing it intact.

So, that rain-soaked ruin used to look like this.

To summarize, the Fiona Subjugation Quest is a story about defeating Fiona with either the Emperor or a Swordmaster as a companion, depending on the route.

There is a pattern where you pursue Fiona when she flees after feeling cornered, and ironically, you catch up to her at the ruined Imperial Palace, where everything begins, initiating the final phase.

That cutscene where the protagonist beheads their spouse or the last surviving member of the Imperial family, screaming in agony… what a masterpiece.

Of course, that's only in the game. If it happened in real life, it would be an unmatched tragedy.

While I was lost in thought, we continued through the palace.

Maids bustling around, soldiers standing guard or patrolling, knights strolling through the halls engaged in light banter, officials with tired eyes—all sorts of people were around.

As we moved, everyone stepped aside to clear the way as soon as they saw Havel's face.

Is this… power?

Though I knew this was a society with a caste system, it was my first time feeling it so directly.

The palace was so vast that it took quite a while to walk through, but it wasn't boring.

Eventually, we arrived at the audience chamber.

Standing before a door resembling the massive gate we saw earlier, but smaller, Havel turned to us.

"Yandel, you said you're a commoner, correct? I don't think there's any concern for the others, but… how much do you know about court etiquette?"

"I know nothing."

"Most of the conversation will be led by Saintess Helena, and His Majesty isn't particularly strict about etiquette, so there's no need to worry too much. Just remember three things." �

Do not look at the Emperor's face immediately after entering the audience chamber; only raise your head after being granted permission.

If you have something to say, wait until asked rather than speaking first.

Refrain from drawing more than a certain amount of mana without permission, or you may be subdued.

Havel's instructions could be summed up like that.

It was all either familiar or common sense, so I just needed to be a little mindful.

"I understand."

"No need to be overly tense. As I said, His Majesty is lenient about etiquette. However, how about leaving your… slaves outside?"

"No, I plan to bring them in with me."

"A former noble turned slave being presented before His Majesty will certainly raise some concerns. Moreover, as a former noblewoman, entering as a slave is…"

Before Havel could finish, Carla answered calmly.

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine. …I also have a reason I must be present."

Was she imagining Fiona inside? Havel looked over at us, swallowing hard as he took in Carla's suddenly icy demeanor.

"…Hmm."

"Carla is right. Given our purpose here, we must all go in together."

"If you insist. Very well. I'll open the door now, so please prepare yourselves."

As I straightened my clothes, Helena quietly approached and whispered.

"The Righteous Radiance said she will assist properly, so feel free to invoke her name as much as needed."

"Thank her for her support."

For some reason, Helena's expression turned a bit pouty, but there wasn't enough time to address it.

Screeeech.

Havel began to open the door to the audience chamber.

The audience with the Emperor of the Levantin Empire, Rodrigo de Levantin, went smoothly.

As the doors opened, knights, officials, and a few magicians stood aligned on either side.

At the far end, the Emperor and the Empress welcomed the Saintess, the first in 300 years.

We exchanged polite compliments, shared fresh updates about the victory at Solaris, and expressed the need for a closer alliance due to the growing cultist threat…

Oh, by the way, the etiquette rules Havel mentioned didn't apply to Helena.

Who would dare ask the eldest daughter of the Righteous Radiance to bow her head?

Thanks to her training in Solaris, Helena carried herself quite well as a saintess.

Seeing the medallion glinting occasionally on her chest, she seemed to be following Clara's advice as well.

As Havel had warned, Carla received some unpleasant looks, but… fortunately, they seemed more focused on Helena, and the murmurs subsided quickly.

While Helena was creating a rather harmonious atmosphere, I took the opportunity to subtly observe the Emperor and Empress.

A sturdy frame and a resolute expression. His red hair was half-gray, giving a slightly aged appearance, but his occasional sharp glances were anything but weak.

It was like standing before an old but still dangerous predator.

Impressive… so he's of the same lineage as the Church of Righteous Radiance.

Yet, even Rodrigo wasn't immune to the concept of "darkness beneath the lamp."

Fiona de Levantin. I calmly observed the opponent I'd face today.

Long, flowing brown hair and a gentle appearance. While the years had left their marks, her beauty remained captivating.

Her face exuded kindness, almost like a painting.

But if asked whether she seemed fragile… no, that wasn't the case.

Her presence enveloped the surroundings warmly, while her gaze held compassion and intelligence, and her gestures radiated elegance and poise.

Truly the ideal image of an empress.

…Though, of course, it was all a façade.

As I sensed the right moment, I lightly poked Helena's side from behind.

Poke.

"Hyaa!"

A surprisingly cute squeal. All eyes in the room focused on Helena.

Helena turned to glare at me, her face flushed bright red.

"Uh, well… that wasn't intentional. Sorry."

"Whew… Fine. From now on, please poke somewhere else if you must."

Helena sighed deeply and straightened her posture. Then, in a voice far more serious than before, she spoke.

"Your Majesty, in truth, we have another reason for coming all the way to Balder."

"I suspected as much. However, I can't imagine what would have prompted you to leave Solaris's affairs behind and rush here."

"As you know, our Church of Righteous Radiance is at the forefront, fighting cultists and monsters more than anyone else."

"Hm. I am always grateful. My generous annual donations reflect my appreciation. Hahaha!"

It seemed he was trying to joke, but Helena, unflinching, continued calmly.

"It is only natural that those who stand at the forefront receive the first blows. The recent events in Solaris are a part of that. It was a harsh trial, but with trials come glory and salvation. We will face our enemies gladly again. However…"

Helena paused and swept her gaze across the room, her aura radiating softly.

Having grown stronger in her acceptance of the Righteous Radiance, Helena must have seemed to pierce right through everyone present.

Indeed, some flinched and averted their gaze, while others moved and offered brief prayers.

As though having found what she sought, Helena looked around and began her main point with a calm voice.

"But before that, shouldn't we root out the vermin hiding within, gnawing at humanity?"

"…Vermin, you say."

Rodrigo nodded, stroking his beard.

"True. Whatever one does, clearing out vermin in advance is essential. Wasn't there an uproar caused by those pests just a few months ago?"

After I revealed the existence of the Boiling Silence Church and the danger of its blessings, everyone had scrambled, horrified, as spies began surfacing everywhere, and started purging their ranks.

Thanks to this, we managed to uncover several cultists lurking in various places, even those not directly stabbed by my dagger.

"But how many more vermin could we uncover by digging again now?"

"We've likely captured most of the minor ones. If any remain, they must be a high-ranking leader of that repulsive group."

"Oh? So you've come all the way here, before me, to catch that ringleader…"

"Correct. The leader of the Boiling Silence Church is hiding here."

"…Not just any cardinal but the one who's essentially taken over as the cult leader. Do you have solid evidence?"

"The Righteous Radiance whispered it to me in light."

"Pardon? What did you just say…?"

"I said the Righteous Radiance whispered it to me in light."

Rodrigo blinked, as if in disbelief. But what could he do when the Saintess claimed it?

Seeing that Helena had invoked God, Rodrigo's eyes burned even more intensely as he came to accept it.

A gaze so fierce that the faint-hearted might faint merely from meeting it.

He asked Helena directly.

"Will you, Saintess, take responsibility for this statement?"

"I swear by my Lord."

Without hesitation, Helena traced a sign of the cross over herself. For a saintess—or any clergyman—there was no heavier vow.

And Rodrigo was not foolish enough to doubt someone who invoked the name of God and swore by it.

"Very well. In that case, I will cooperate. So, how do you intend to find them?"

"It's simple."

Helena grabbed my hand and pulled me to her side as she continued.

"My partner, Brother Yandel, has received a blessing from the Righteous Radiance that allows him to detect cultists."

"…Partner?"

Rodrigo's gaze rested on me, then shifted to Carla, Elisha, Iris, Iona, and Helena one by one before returning to me.

"…Partner?"

Wait, that's what's surprising to him?

Focus on the cultist detection method, please!