"How long do we intend to hide here?" complained Napoleon, as they huddled in a vacant room within the palace.
Valentine, peering cautiously through the window, responded, "We have to stay here for a while. Duke Wolfsbane and his guards are now inside the palace. If they spot us, they'll surely imprison us."
The unexpected rise to power of Duke Wolfsbane left them pondering their options.
Arthur, lying on the bed, interjected, "So what's our plan B? We can't stay here much longer, and my stomach has been growling since we got here. I'm hungry."
Valentine noticed Gilmesh carrying Aria on his shoulders. "Kaye..."
Napoleon rushed to the window to get a glimpse, "They captured her? We must help her."
Arthur interjected, "But we can't leave now, or we'll end up like them."
"I'm concerned about what Gilmesh plans to do with her," Valentine muttered, closing the window as he contemplated a strategy.
Napoleon suggested, "We can wait until nightfall and then sneak out to search for her."
Given the multitude of rooms in the palace, Valentine realized it would take time to locate Aria, as he was sure Gilmesh wouldn't confine her to her own room.
.
.
....
Gilmesh forcefully tossed Aria onto his bed.
"What do you think you're doing Gilmesh!" Aria, attempting to conceal her fear, fixed a piercing glare on Gilmesh. She cautiously inched backward on the bed.
Gilmesh responded with a sinister smile on his lips and asked, "What do you think?" he began to remove his clothes and unbuckled his belt.
Aria, overwhelmed with fear, stammered, "G-Gilmesh... Please... I'm begging you, don't go through with this!" Tears filled her eyes, but Gilmesh only smirked as he observed her trembling and crying.
"C'mon, you've done this with your husbands, why be scared now?" he taunted as he climbed onto the bed.
In a desperate plea, Aria shouted, "Gilmesh, no!!" but it was too late. He pushed her onto the bed and pinned her down. Aria struggled to escape, but Gilmesh swiftly tied her hands to the bed's headboard, rendering her unable to break free. Aria sobbed and pleaded, "N-No, please, Gilmesh!" as he forcibly tore her clothes. Kissing her body.
Despite her desperate struggle, the overpowering force of the menacing figure above her left her powerless. Aria's cries for help echoed in vain, as there was no one to respond; the guards were all under the Duke's control. She only cried when she felt him inside her, it's too painful.
.
.
Aria, still lying on the bed, continued to cry in silence. Gilmesh, now adjusting his clothes, glanced at her and expressed irritation, saying, "How long do you intend to cry? It's irritating." Aria covered her mouth to stifle her sobs.
Gilmesh muttered in annoyance, "Tsk. What a headache," and made his way to the door. Before leaving, he warned Aria, "Don't try to escape, it's useless." The sound of the door being locked echoed in the room, leaving Aria trapped and alone with her despair.
Aria's cries grew louder. Her thoughts were filled with anguish and despair, questioning why this was happening to her and wishing for an end to her suffering. Her life had become a living nightmare.
.
.
....
The night came...
Valentine, Napoleon, and Arthur stealthily peeked through the door, assessing the situation.
"No one is around," Arthur whispered cautiously.
Napoleon cautioned, "We need to be careful, guards are patrolling."
Valentine proposed their plan, "We have to split up. I will look for Aria, and you two will search for the emperor. I'm certain they're in the prison."
Napoleon objected, "What? I'm the one who will search for her."
"Gilmesh is guarding her, and I can use my magic on him to assist Aria in escaping." Valentine explained.
Napoleon hesitated but eventually agreed, "Tch. Fine."
They left in different directions to execute their rescue mission.
.
.
Meanwhile, inside the prison, Izekiel's frustration boiled over, and he punched the wall. "Damn you, Gilmesh!"
Cedrik, holding the bars, hoped for help, saying, "I hope someone will come to our aid."
William struggled to free Hachi from the chain but failed.
"Argh! Let us out here!!!" Izekiel shouted in desperation.
Their cries ceased as they heard a thud from outside, followed by approaching footsteps.
"Your Majesty!" Napoleon and Arthur appeared, surprising Izekiel.
"L-Lord Lannister?" Izekiel expressed his astonishment.
"We came to save you," Napoleon assured them, using a key they had stolen from the unconscious guards to open the cell.
"Thank you so much!" Izekiel expressed his gratitude.
William inquired about Aria, "Have you seen Aria?"
"She's with Gilmesh, but we're not sure of her exact location," Napoleon replied.
Cedrik added, "He's planning something, but we're not certain. I think he intends to use her to fulfill his plans."
"Valentine is searching for her right now. First, we need to get out of here," Arthur suggested.
They successfully made their escape from the prison.
.
.
Valentine carefully opened the door, but Aria was nowhere to be found in the room. He checked other rooms but had no luck. He hid when he heard the guards' footsteps pass by. After they left, he closed his eyes and tapped into his magic, trying to sense Aria's energy.
He opened his eyes and proceeded to the farthest room in the palace in his search for her.
Meanwhile, Duke Wolfsbane was sleeping in his office when the sliding door quietly opened. Ludwig, holding a knife, silently approached him, ready to strike. However, Gilmesh sensed the impending danger, opened his eyes, and evaded Ludwig's attack.
"Ludwig!" Gilmesh exclaimed.
Ludwig smirked. "As expected, you're quite alert."
Gilmesh taunted, "You dare to harm me now? How disappointing, especially after I've taken care of you. Is this how you repay me?"
"Taking care of me? You merely bought and used me for your dirty work. I'll kill you and free the emperor!" Ludwig retorted.
Gilmesh cackled. "So, your loyalty has shifted to Izekiel? You two are truly alike."
"Shut up! Prepare to die!" Ludwig rushed to attack him.
But Gilmesh's reflexes were swift; he grabbed a burning piece of wood from the fireplace and struck Ludwig in the face, causing him to drop his knife and cry out in pain. Gilmesh seized the opportunity, picked up the knife, and stabbed Ludwig.
Ludwig pushed Gilmesh away forcefully and made a run for the door. He swiftly leaped onto the balcony.
Gilmesh peered down and saw Ludwig struggling to escape.
"Catch him!!!!" he shouted loudly enough for the guards to hear, alerting them to the situation. They swiftly mobilized to chase down Ludwig.
.
.
Valentine, recognizing the commotion caused by the guards, decided to take refuge in another empty room to avoid being spotted.
On the other hand, as Izekiel and the others were making their escape through the gate, they unexpectedly encountered Ludwig. They came to a halt when they noticed the guards in pursuit.
"The prisoners are escaping!" one of the guards shouted, and before they could react, they found themselves surrounded by an overwhelming number of guards in the palace.
"Tsk. Damn it!" Napoleon cursed in frustration as they realized they were trapped.