"It's alright, Your Highness. The knights will be here soon."
In the mansion, Feine comforted Krista, gently stroking her hair. Then, the maids came to Feine with troubled expressions.
"Fi, Lady Feine... um..."
"Is something wrong?"
"Well... many of the citizens want to enter the mansion..."
By the emperor's order, the citizens were forbidden to leave their homes or inns. However, due to the nearby battle, they wanted to seek safety in the mansion.
Feine did not blame them for this.
"Where is the lord's wife?"
"She said she couldn't make a decision and left it to Princess Krista and Lady Feine..."
"I see... Your Highness, what would you like to do?"
"...I don't know... but I'm scared..."
Krista, anxious, clung tightly to Feine's clothes. Feine, holding her small hand, spoke in a calming tone.
The lord was fighting alongside the emperor, and since his wife had deferred the decision to them, Krista's opinion would take precedence.
"Indeed... shall we abandon those who share the same thoughts?"
"That's... not right..."
"Why not?"
"...Brother would be angry."
"Yes, that's true. Then, we will prioritize the elderly, children, and the sick. It might get noisy, but is that alright?"
"It's fine..."
"Should we open the doors a bit? Everyone is anxious, and we need to reassure them."
"...Okay..."
Though her face showed reluctance, Feine smiled, sat Krista down in a chair, and left the matter to the maids. She then headed to the mansion's entrance.
There, a few remaining guards were brandishing their swords at the citizens.
"Get back to your homes! Can't you hear the emperor's order!?"
"Please! Let us in!"
"Damn it!"
"Stop it!"
In the tense situation, Feine sternly reprimanded the guards.
Feine, as the daughter of a duke and known as the Blue Swan Princess, had the emperor's favor and the authority of a royal. The guards immediately sheathed their swords and knelt before her.
"Fi, Lady Feine..."
"The citizens are not the ones to draw your swords against, are they?"
"Yes, you're right. I was hasty..."
Satisfied with the guard's response, Feine looked at the crowd gathered at the gate.
There were hundreds, if not more. Among them were commoners, visiting nobles, and merchants, all with anxious faces.
"I am Feine von Kleinert. You might know me better as the Blue Swan Princess."
Feine pointed to her blue swan hair ornament, a gift from the emperor, symbolizing her status as a peerless beauty. Realizing she was the duke's daughter, favored by the emperor, the citizens knelt.
However, among them, some young men pushed their way to the front.
"Hey! Feine! It's me! Gied! Don't you remember?"
To Feine, this was the voice she least wanted to hear. Gied von Holzward, Arnold's childhood friend, who had assaulted Arnold, stood there with his cronies, smiling.
Pushing through the crowd, they assumed they would be allowed in. Their selfishness and desire for safety without contributing to the fight made Feine feel as if the noble blood in her veins was tainted.
She had never felt this way about her father, or even her lazy brother, who would never act to save himself alone. That would make the nobility meaningless.
Nobility was earned through worthy actions.
Thus, Feine ignored Gied.
"The mansion will prioritize children, the elderly, and the sick. Healthy individuals should gather in large buildings and secure the entrances. The tsunami is a mass movement of monsters, not targeting human lives. If monsters invade Kiel, we can buy time and manage. If you agree, we will open the gates."
"Feine? It's me! Gied! Don't you remember?"
"I remember you well, Duke Holzward's Gied."
"Oh, good. Can we come in then?"
Feine was irritated by Gied's presumptuous attitude. Considering Arnold, it would be better to let Gied in, but she decided against it, thinking it would go against Arnold's wishes.
"Have some shame! Look at yourself, trying to stay in a safe place while the emperor fights. Don't you feel ashamed before the ancestors who built the noble Holzward family!?"
"What!? Who do you think I am!"
"It doesn't matter who you are. The mansion will only accept children, the elderly, and the sick. Others should go elsewhere. This is Princess Krista's decision. If you waste more time, you can complain to the emperor later. But I think it's obvious who will be punished!"
Gied, along with his cronies, left, muttering threats.
After they left, Feine took a deep breath, smiled, and ordered the gates to be opened.
The citizens, without being told, called out to each other, allowing only children, the elderly, and the sick to enter the mansion, while the others went to other places.
After the priority citizens were admitted, Feine ordered the servants to barricade the entrance with furniture.
"Secure the entrance as best as you can! If monsters come, we'll hold them off together! If we can make them change course, that's fine too!"
"Yes, Lady Feine!"
"Lady Feine! Princess Krista is calling for you!"
"I'll be right there. Everyone, don't be afraid. The knights will come soon."
Feine reassured the citizens inside the mansion, trying to stay cheerful. She wanted to be a source of comfort, as there was little else she could do.
Feine, as the daughter of a duke, had some knowledge of magic, but she was only skilled in healing, not combat.
She felt guilty about this, as she had left the territory to be of help but had never been useful to Arnold.
For Feine, being by Krista's side was the first task Arnold had given her. She was determined not to leave her side.
"We need the flute! The monsters are coming!"
Seeing Krista cry out, Feine remembered something.
The conversation she had overheard between Arnold and Krista. Krista had said Kiel would be surrounded by monsters, which had come true.
Feine believed there was some basis for Krista's words, so she hugged her tightly.
"Your Highness, it's alright. If you need the flute, I'll go get it. Can you tell me where it is?"
"No... I'll die..."
"It's alright. I'm a lucky girl. Besides, if it gets dangerous, Lord Ar will help us."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. So, where is the flute?"
"...I saw it fall from the clock tower... That's the cause..."
"Understood. I'll go get it."
Feine, ignoring the maids' protests, headed to the clock tower, the tallest building in the city.
***
The clock tower in Kiel was on a different scale from those in other cities.
Standing dozens of meters tall, it was a tourist attraction and a valuable resource for Kiel.
Feine, out of breath, climbed the tower.
Meanwhile, in the sky, Erna was engaged in a fierce battle with Sam and Dean.
"Damn! You're annoying!"
Dean gave up on defeating Erna with a straightforward approach. They could defeat her with two people, but it would take too long.
He decided to use a different strategy.
Dean took out the magic flute "Hamelin," which could control monsters. By increasing the number of monsters, Erna would have to protect the emperor, giving Dean and Sam the upper hand.
Dean put the flute to his lips, but Erna, sensing the danger, attacked him.
"I won't let you!"
"Damn!"
Dean dodged, but the flute fell from his hand and dropped toward Kiel.
Seeing this, Dean hurriedly chased after it.
"Trouble!"
"Wait!"
The flute wasn't Dean's; it was given to him by an ally. Using it, Dean and Sam had planned the current scheme, involving Carlos.
However, their ally had instructed them to destroy it, as a condition of their cooperation.
Without the ally's help, it would be difficult to survive and escape even if they survived.
Destroying the flute would save their lives, so Dean pursued it desperately.
Erna, sensing the gravity of the situation, also chased after the flute.
They clashed in the air, and the flute continued to fall.
As it approached the clock tower, a white hand reached out and caught it.
"!"
Feine, almost falling, managed to cling to the tower.
Relieved to have caught the flute, she was soon startled by Erna's sharp voice.
"Run! Feine!!"
As she looked up, a ball of magic energy from Dean hit the top of the clock tower.
Feine lost her footing and began to fall.
However, she ignored the danger, knowing the risks from the start. She threw the flute to Erna, who caught it in surprise.
"Oh... I was of some help."
"Girl!!"
In a fit of rage, Dean threw a ball of magic energy at the falling Feine.
Feine had no way to avoid it in mid-air.
"Feineeeeee!!??"
Erna's scream echoed.
Feine, entrusting Arnold to Erna, closed her eyes.
As she closed her eyes, she thought she saw something shining in the sky, but she had no time to dwell on it.
Bracing for impact, she felt warmth instead.
Opening her eyes cautiously, she found herself in the arms of a silver-masked adventurer.
Feine, speechless with surprise, realized that her reassurance to Krista had been to comfort her, not expecting real help.
Similarly surprised was Dean.
"You... who are you to nullify my magic blast? State your name!!"
"...Adventurer Guild Imperial Capital Branch, SS-rank adventurer, Silver... I'm here to eliminate you."
With a distinctive silver mask and black robe, the adventurer, hailed as the strongest in the empire, appeared on the scene.
No more... I won't let you call me a wreck anymore!!!