SIAHG 16

Chapter 16

“I spoke to His Highness first…!”

Max tried to protest to me.

“Hm?”

I tilted my head innocently.

When our eyes met, Max flinched as if he had sensed something.

“Enough, Max.”

The Crown Prince stopped him.

“Forgive me, but I saw everything just now. Grow up a little. Does it matter who discovered it? What matters is that it helps us get out of here.”

“That is…”

At the Crown Prince’s remark, Max faltered.

The Crown Prince held up the bundle of keys and thanked me.

“Lady April, thank you. What did you call this again?”

“Sparkly!”

I answered brightly. The Crown Prince stifled his laughter.

“‘Sparkly’? Ah, because it sparkles? Hah…”

He seemed far too delighted by my impromptu naming.

“Thank you, Lady April, for giving me this… Sparkly. You gave it because we’re friends, yes?”

“Yes! Friends share good things with each other!”

Suppressing laughter, the Crown Prince examined the keys.

There were three of them: Room 202, Room 212, Room 207.

“Rather than wasting time with everyone going together, let’s split into groups. Two, two, and one. I’ll take Room 202. Lady Yeniel, will you accompany me?”

But Yeniel shook her head.

“All monsters here target Your Highness first. It would be wiser to entrust your safety to Sir Isengrif. I have no means to protect you.”

Group Proposal

• Room 202 → Crown Prince, Sian

• Room 212 → Max

• Unassigned → Yeniel, April

However, the Crown Prince refused her rejection.

“In urgent moments, I rely on Lady Yeniel’s judgment. Lend me your wisdom.”

Max jumped in eagerly.

“Excellent choice, Your Highness! If you and Lady Yeniel go together, then I’ll accompany Sir Isengrif!”

The same man who had been picking fights with Sian was now shameless.

Revised Proposal

• Room 202 → Crown Prince, Yeniel

• Room 212 → Max (with Sian)

• Room 207 → April

The atmosphere turned cold.

Even Yeniel gave Max a faintly contemptuous look.

“Are you in your right mind? Sending Lady April alone? She’s six years old, Max. Six!”

‘Six years old? That’s harsh…’

But even Yeniel and Sian agreed with the Crown Prince’s reprimand.

So I raised my hand cheerfully.

“Then April will go with Sir Max!”

“What?”

“Huh?”

The Crown Prince and Sian both stared in surprise.

Smiling sweetly, I gazed at Max’s hair.

“April will take good care of Sir Max. Please escort me well, Sir Max!”

“…Y-Your Highness!”

Pale-faced, Max stammered, “I’ll… I’ll go alone.”

The Crown Prince smirked.

“Indeed. If Lady April went with you, your hair might not survive… hah.”

Final Assignment

• Room 202 → Crown Prince, Yeniel

• Room 207 → Sian, April

• Room 212 → Max

“Then it’s settled. We’ll gather clues from each room and meet back here in an hour.” Yeniel concluded.

Just then—

Crash!

A massive greatsword pierced through the door, shattering it completely.

The demon-worshipper entered, still carrying Max’s doppelgänger’s severed head.

While he struggled to pull the sword free, we all dashed out.

“Scatter! Remember—one hour later!” Yeniel shouted.

Sian grabbed my hand tightly.

“Lady April, let’s go!”

“Yes! Sir Sian, hurry!”

Together we ran toward Room 207.

The cultist paused briefly, hesitating between the three fleeing groups—then chose to pursue the Crown Prince and Yeniel.

Max? He was already gone, lightning fast, into Room 212.

Sian and I stayed behind a moment, checking whether Room 202’s door would hold.

It did not budge—safe zone.

But soon, the cultist turned toward us with his greatsword.

“Sir Sian, I finished counting to twenty!”

“Is that what matters right now? Get inside, quickly!”

He pulled me into Room 207.

We locked the door behind us.

Now only our ragged breaths filled the room.