"Tenebrei. Look outside."
At Azazel's call, Tenebrei gazed out the window. Countless knights were arrayed on the ground, marching toward the castle where the twins resided.
"It seems the Emperor made up their mind sooner than expected."
Tenebrei rose abruptly from her seat, intoxicated with rapture. She had imagined this moment dozens, hundreds of times.
And before the knights could arrive, Tenebrei hurriedly rushed to Jeremiah's room. Unlike usual, there were no knights guarding Jeremiah's door, making it exceedingly easy to enter.
"Jeremiah! Wake up! Something terrible has happened!"
Tenebrei roused Jeremiah with great agitation. Jeremiah, who had grown noticeably thinner, rubbed her eyes at her sister's urging and pulled herself up.
Tenebrei pulled the still-groggy Jeremiah and forced her to look outside. When Jeremiah looked down, she saw countless knights.
"They're coming to arrest you."
"T-Tenebrei, what... what do you mean?"
Not yet fully awake, Jeremiah failed to notice the laughter lingering in Tenebrei's words and turned pale as she looked at her sister. Tenebrei wiped away her smile as if it had never been there and continued speaking in an agitated tone.
"Lady Rohanson and Sir Gabriel conspired to trap you."
"Sir Gabriel?"
At that moment, what flashed through Jeremiah's mind was the rumor that had sickened her heart until she fell asleep. Sir Gabriel had framed Jeremiah as the culprit to save Evangeline Rohanson. How, how could a Holy Knight fall for a dissolute witch and give false testimony?
"Even so, Grandmother would never suspect me."
Jeremiah tried to deny it. Though not as much as Oratorio, the Emperor was quite fond of her charming granddaughter. Surely she would take Jeremiah's side rather than believe the words of the wicked Lady Rohanson who killed her father, and Sir Gabriel. However, Tenebrei immediately rebutted.
"You fool! Then who do you think sent those knights outside?"
Jeremiah was so surprised to hear Tenebrei, who had never once spoken harshly to her, use such crude language that her jaw dropped. Thanks to that, Tenebrei's urgent feelings struck home even more deeply. As Tenebrei said, only the Emperor and the Crown Prince held military authority in the imperial palace. Father was dead... Then did Grandmother really send knights to arrest Jeremiah?
Just then, one knight broke formation and slashed down a maid who was blocking the castle gate. Jeremiah was greatly shocked to see a person die so easily. Tenebrei drove the wedge deeper into such a Jeremiah.
"They say you killed your father, Jeremiah. So they say you must be executed."
I killed Father? Execution? Then... would she be cut down with a single blade like that maid just now?
"That's impossible... Tenebrei, I didn't do it! I didn't kill Father! I couldn't have!"
"Yes. I believe you. This is all Lady Rohanson's doing. Just as she deceived Sir Gabriel, she must have deceived His Majesty the Emperor. Right now, His Majesty must be unable to think clearly, bewitched by a witch."
Jeremiah had also seen the summoning circle drawn on the banquet hall floor, so she knew well that evil sorcery was involved in her father's death. That was why she was even more terrified. Lady Rohanson killed Father, and was even controlling Grandmother. Then Jeremiah, who had done nothing but grow up beautifully while receiving love, could never possibly respond appropriately. As Jeremiah stood trembling with fear, a maid urgently opened the door.
"Lady Jeremiah! The knights have entered the castle!"
"What do I do, Tenebrei. What... what do I do? Am I going to die unjustly like this?"
Jeremiah only shed tears of grievance. Tenebrei firmly grasped the shoulders of her timid sister. Jeremiah's shoulders hurt from the grip, but she couldn't push away Tenebrei who was like a lifeline. Tenebrei looked straight at Jeremiah and taught her the way.
"Run, Jeremiah."
Run?
"But then I'd be disobeying Grandmother's orders."
"His Majesty isn't in her right mind right now, is she? First run away, and when His Majesty comes to her senses, return then. Surely she won't scold you for disobeying an order given while possessed by a demon."
"Really?"
"Of course. His Majesty treasures Jeremiah."
Tenebrei smiled brightly, and Jeremiah awkwardly tried to mimic her mirror image's smile. Somehow, it felt like it had been a very long time since she'd seen Tenebrei smile. Originally, only Jeremiah was the one who smiled so naturally and broadly.
Beyond the brief silence, footsteps and murmuring suddenly rang out together. Jeremiah realized the knights were already right in front of her and turned deathly pale.
"Th-they're here, I think."
Tenebrei raised the trembling Jeremiah to her feet.
"Go, Jeremiah. I'll buy time by pretending to be you here."
"Tenebrei!"
"Shh."
Jeremiah was startled that she had shouted loudly and covered her own mouth, then quietly removed her hand and looked at Tenebrei worriedly.
"But what if you get caught?"
"They'll realize it's me soon, so don't worry. Don't worry about me—Jeremiah, I'll assign my guard knight to you, so escape together."
Ever since the rumor spread that Jeremiah had killed the Crown Prince, the timid princess had dismissed all her attendants, fearing that the vassals around her would hear the rumors and see her as the culprit. Tenebrei knew this and had assigned a guard. Soon, the knight who would guard Jeremiah appeared.
"It's Lord Azazel, Sir Tarot."
As Azazel greeted, Jeremiah also greeted back in surprise.
"I will escort you. Please hurry."
"Yes, yes."
Before fleeing, Jeremiah hugged Tenebrei with a moved expression. She had thought for a long time that Tenebrei hated her. However, they seemed to have grown much closer recently, and above all, that she would try to save her at such a dangerous moment—Jeremiah was moved.
"Thank you, Tenebrei."
Ending the embrace, Jeremiah began to escape the castle, avoiding the knights under Azazel's guidance.
"Hah, hah."
Tenebrei laughed bitterly watching that scene. Going while wearing the face of a conscientious person pretending to be good until the end. She didn't know that Tenebrei had never once assigned even a single proper knight as a guard to Jeremiah. If Jeremiah had even the slightest interest in Tenebrei, she would have realized that the very existence of 'Tenebrei's guard knight' was strange, and she wouldn't have been able to keep her life.
After the real Jeremiah fled, the knights arrived one step too late.
"Lady Jeremiah!"
"Lady Jeremiah! Are you in there?"
Urgent voices of knights were heard from outside the door. Tenebrei acted as if nothing had happened.
"Lady Jeremiah... has escaped."
"What? How did this happen? Where on earth are the guard knights!"
"The guard knight took her away."
"That is... are you speaking of Lord Azazel?"
"That is correct. Lord Azazel has kidnapped Lady Jeremiah."
The knights were horrified and immediately began pursuit. Tenebrei watched their appearance from the window and smiled coldly.
Just as planned. Everything was.