The sounds of clashing swords, angry shouts, and screams echo throughout the castle. The unarmed servants seem to be hiding somewhere, as we hardly see anyone on our way to the promised gate. Diana averts her eyes from the groaning soldiers lying on the ground.
"My lady..."
"It's frightening. I wonder if I... if there was more I could have done."
"That's not true. I believe you did everything you could, my lady."
The two run carefully, choosing their path to avoid drawing the soldiers' attention and staying out of sight.
At the gate they promised to open for Rudiger, there were two soldiers.
"My lady, please stay back. I'll handle this."
"...I leave it to you."
Diana closes her eyes.
Though she had trained with the sword, frankly, Diana's skills were inferior even to novice soldiers. In situations like this, it's better to leave it to Giselle.
Even understanding this, she felt helpless. That she couldn't even dirty her own hands.
After small groans, there are two thuds.
"I did it!"
"I'll open the gate!"
They remove the bar and open the gate wide.
This gate is hidden from outside view. It was meant to be used as an escape route in emergencies.
"We've been waiting."
They lose their words upon opening the gate. They never expected Rudiger himself to come here.
Several men whom she had seen when visiting him last night were also present.
"Let's go."
Rudiger signals his subordinates with a nod. It seems he brought only a small number of soldiers with him.
They run to open another gate from the inside, separate from the one Diana and Giselle opened. He appears to have completely understood the layout from the blueprints, knowing where soldiers would emerge.
"Come with us. It'll be safer if you stay with us."
The castle is in complete chaos everywhere.
"What are you doing?!"
"Brother Jules..."
Standing there was her half-brother. He glares at them with a stern expression. Around Jules are a small number of soldiers, likely his close attendants.
"Traitors!"
Though he spat these words in a low voice, he seemed to instantly realize he was at a disadvantage. He shouts "Escape!" to his subordinates.
"You've sold out the country. Really, what a bold move you've made."
She had never felt any brotherly affection from him.
"I only did what I believed I had to do."
Diana's words were met with just a scoffing "Ha!"
"In the end, you're just the daughter of a lowborn woman."
"How dare you say such things!"
She hadn't expected him to bring up her mother here.
A lowborn woman - that description shouldn't apply to her mother. After all, she hadn't chosen to marry father.
"Diana, what are you doing in a place like this?!"
Jules' face changes color upon seeing Rudiger's return.
"Out of time, eh? Let's go!"
Jules signals to the soldiers he brought.
"So that's the crown prince - after him!"
As Jules turns away with remarkable decisiveness, Rudiger's soldiers begin to pursue him.
"I wonder what happened to Father."
"I don't know, my lady... but perhaps being killed would be better than being captured?"
"Giselle, say no more."
Diana puts her finger to her lips, silencing Giselle from saying anything further.
King Maxim, her father; Jules; and Valerian. As someone who betrayed them, Diana has no right to worry about what became of them.
The late Queen Blanche of Shurriton was originally the queen of the Kingdom of Toredorio, which Maxim had destroyed. Maxim, lusting after her beauty, had destroyed his lord and taken Blanche.
"The bloodline of House Shurriton should just die out."
"My lady!"
Hearing Giselle's reproachful words, Diana forced herself to smile.
She knows she can't die yet. Not until she entrusts this ravaged country to someone trustworthy.
Even if the blood flowing through her veins is cursed, she can still be of use.
"Come. It's dangerous here."
Rudiger pulls Diana's arm.
There must be a vast difference in morale between the invading soldiers and those defending the castle. Many seemed to have lost their will to fight after the gates were opened from within.
While Diana was still shaken from the conversation with her half-brother, the battle seemed to be drawing to a close. As they walked quickly, he continued:
"My subordinates reported capturing Maxim. And Valerian too. Jules escaped."
"I... see."
Diana herself doesn't know whether the sigh she lets out expresses relief or fear.
"Many major vassals have also been taken prisoner. We'll determine their crimes and decide their punishments. Soon, all soldiers in the castle will surrender."
"I understand."
After the castle falls, there will be cleanup to handle. Of course, she intended to cooperate fully with that.
"Before that, I have one request - guide me through the castle."
At Rudiger's request, Diana pressed her lips together.
Regardless of the reason, there's no denying that she betrayed them. How would others view Diana, returning there with the victors?
She shakes her head as she starts to consider this. Hadn't she thought about this many times already?
She would likely be showered with abuse from those around her, but it's too late to worry about such things now.
"My lady, I'll accompany you!"
"No, Giselle. I want you to... help the physician. That is, if I may have permission-"
Then, turning to Rudiger, she asks:
"Would it be alright to let Giselle move freely for a while?"
Though this is the castle where Diana lived, it is not her castle. Rudiger is now the master of this castle. She can't let Giselle wander around freely without permission.
"That's fine. Go. Do you have enough medical supplies? I'll send physicians from our army as well."
"In my room, I have medicine and bandages - well, sheets actually - hidden away. Giselle, would you go get them?"
"Yes, my princess. I'll do so right away."
Giselle bows and leaves quickly. Seemingly cautious of Giselle as well, Diana hears Noel ordering someone to follow her.
After seeing Giselle off, they enter the building.
The walls are crumbling, groans rise from everywhere, and the smell of blood mingles with the stench of various things burning.
She starts to turn away from the horrific scene. When she begins to stop, Rudiger pulls her arm.
"If you're too sick to walk, I'll carry you."
"No. Though it's not a pleasant sight... this is the result of my actions. I understand that."
Her throat tightens with tension. She knows. This horrific scene is the result of letting Rudiger's forces in.
But without doing this, it would have taken much longer for the castle to fall. In that case, the casualties wouldn't have been this light.
She had returned to this castle in spring when she turned fourteen. Two years have passed since then.
She had been forced to witness many scenes she didn't want to see.
The people in the castle always nervous about not displeasing her father and brothers.
All the female servants worked with dirtied faces, always looking down to avoid catching the eye of her father and brothers.
Would things change a bit now that the castle has been handed over to Rudiger?
It will be a while before she can determine whether her actions were right or wrong.