The Princess Imprint A Traitor - Chapter 30: The One Awakened from the Dream within a Dream (8)

Suddenly, a blinding light burst forth from the sealing stone. It was unmistakably a signal—something had been activated.

“Wha… what is happening?!”

“Aaah! Th-the gravity…!”

Thud! Thud! The abnormal gravitational force ruthlessly crushed the homunculus knights to their knees. Even the expressionless homunculi, trained to maintain composure in any situation, couldn’t hide their pain. The sheer weight of the oppressive gravity was suffocating, far more intense than anything near the Black Obsidian mines. It felt like their bodies were being flattened.

Moving a single step was impossible. Flight magic was out of the question—trying to resist gravity with buoyancy spells would only hasten their demise. Already, their bodies were at the brink of collapse, and counteracting the gravity would be suicidal.

Soon, even kneeling wasn’t enough to endure the crushing weight. Most of the homunculi were sprawled flat on the ground, desperately clinging to consciousness. Only Mikael managed to keep his upper body upright, his teeth clenched in agony.

The gravity amplification coordinates must have been set here for the dragon’s dream spell!

Mikael had never believed that the mechanism was broken. He turned his head, his killing intent sharp as his gaze locked onto Derek nearby.

“Guh! Ack… P-please, help…”

Derek, caught within the same gravity field, was suffering just as much. If even the powerful homunculi could barely withstand the force, Derek’s weaker human body was in much worse shape. Mucus, tears, and blood were pouring uncontrollably from his face.

“Th-this… something’s wrong… it wasn’t supposed to be like this…!”

Mikael’s loathing grew as he watched Derek’s clueless panic. Despite the immense effort it took just to speak, Mikael spat his words out with venom.

“6th Prince, did you really think you’d be spared if we all perish here?”

“N-no… I’m not… I’m not the sacrifice… something’s wrong…!”

“Fool. You were always just a discardable pawn to the 3rd Princess.”

“…!”

Mikael’s words struck Derek like a hammer to the skull. He suddenly remembered—the very words he himself had spoken earlier. Brigitte, the 3rd Princess, was ruthless enough to discard her own allies without hesitation. She was a cold-blooded manipulator with no mercy for anyone.

“Ugh, aaargh!”

Derek coughed up blood, his delayed realization hitting as hard as the crushing gravity. His body was failing, and his mind wasn’t far behind. But that was only the beginning. As if the gravity was merely a prelude, the obelisk began to glow with a white light, signaling something far worse.

“Captain…!”

“What… is happening…?”

The situation was dire. The homunculi were caught in a trap with no way out, like animals waiting to be slaughtered. Fear flashed in their eyes—an emotion rare for them.

In their desperation, they looked to Mikael, their captain, for hope. But Mikael could only grit his teeth, seething at his own helplessness. Just then, a blinding white light poured down over them all.

“…?”

Mikael and the homunculi strained against the crushing gravity, forcing their heads upward to see what was happening. Normally, light represented hope, but for them, this was no salvation. The sight that greeted them filled Mikael with dread.

A transmutation circle!

A massive geometric pattern hovered above them like a giant ceiling, etched into the sky. Mikael felt a deep sense of foreboding.

It wasn’t the ground—they set the circle in the sky! That’s why they needed the gravity to keep us pinned down!

While the sealing stone completed its activation, the alchemy trap had fully sprung.

“Aagh! N-no…!”

“Captain, something’s draining us…!”

Suddenly, the homunculi within the circle’s range felt their mana being violently siphoned away. The first to suffer was the guide homunculus, whose mana reserves were the smallest. His hair began to pale as his mana was forcibly drained, sucked through the obelisk into the sealing stone like a ravenous beast devouring its prey.

They’re using homunculi as the power source instead of mana stones or philosopher’s stones!

Mikael realized that this was exactly the kind of twisted plan Brigitte would come up with. She had once proposed using homunculus hearts to recharge mana stones, and now, the homunculi themselves had become both the fuel and the sacrifice to reactivate the sealing stone.

If Mikael didn’t break the transmutation circle soon, it would be the end. Once the mana cores in their bodies were drained, the process would continue, consuming their very life force until they turned into lifeless husks.

I need to destroy this… fast.

Mikael sprang into action, doing exactly as Eve had taught him. Despite the unbearable pressure, he managed to move his right arm. With a sharp metallic click, he unsheathed his sword, Night Ray, and swung it upward at the transmutation circle.

Shiiing!

“…!”

The excruciating pain of torn muscles shot through his arm, but Mikael endured it, sending a wave of sword energy at the circle. To his dismay, the attack passed right through the light, having no effect.

It can’t be…

The transmutation circle wasn’t made of solid material—it was made of light itself.

“Hah…”

A bitter laugh escaped Mikael’s lips. He could only smile grimly at the hopelessness of the situation.

Straight into the advanced stuff, huh? No consideration for beginners.

The situation was overwhelming. A transmutation circle that couldn’t be disrupted, destroyed, or altered hovered above his head. The hope of returning to Eve’s side seemed more distant than ever.

***

The knights haven’t returned.

The sun had long since dipped below the western horizon, and still, the knights had not come back. Neither the Punitive Division, nor the Flare Knights, nor the Blue Bloods had returned to the base. As the night grew deeper and the darkness thickened, worry settled heavily in Eve’s heart.

There’s no word from Amber either.

She wanted to believe that no news was good news, but the anxiety gnawed at her. She hadn’t been able to focus on her work for some time now. Unable to bear the concern for Mikael any longer, Eve stepped outside, heading toward the village’s entrance.

“Your Highness, please go back inside. You’re not feeling well,” Peony urged.

“I’m fine, Peony.”

“But, Your Highness, it’s been almost an hour…”

Peony fidgeted anxiously, worried that Eve’s health might suffer. To give both of them some peace of mind, Eve decided to give Peony a task.

“Peony, could you check on Rosie for me?”

“Oh, but—!”

“Go on now.”

“Ah, yes… okay…” Peony, realizing she had been sent off to stop her from fussing, sulked as she reluctantly headed back.

Now, Eve was alone.

Mikael…

As if pulled by an invisible force, Eve found herself walking slowly toward the boundary at the edge of the village. She had just reached one of the completed guard towers when she felt a drop of rain hit her nose.

“Oh, rain now too?”

The heavy clouds, soaked with moisture, had finally released their burden. Though the rain wasn’t strong, it was persistent, a steady drizzle that began to soak the world. Just then, a shadow fell over her, and a cloaked arm extended above her head, shielding her from the rain. Eve looked up to see who had joined her.

“Sir Millard?”

It was the silver-haired knight, standing beside her.

“…It’s raining.”

His explanation was simple, but Silvestian’s blue eyes couldn’t quite meet hers as he avoided direct eye contact.

“And what of Rosie?”

“She has long since fallen asleep. I looked in through the window and saw that you were alone… so I worried.”

“Ah, I see.”

The rain began to fall harder, becoming thick enough to warrant a proper umbrella. Eve waved her hand in the air, creating a physical barrier that expanded to cover both her and Silvestian. Caught off guard, Silvestian awkwardly lowered his arm.

“I apologize for my unnecessary action.”

“No need. Your sincere chivalry is always appreciated. There’s no need to be embarrassed.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

Sincere? The word made Silvestian question himself for a moment, but he pushed the thought aside. It was then that their attention was drawn to the approaching figures of the returning knights.

Eve hoped with all her heart that it was the Punitive Division. Unfortunately, the colors that soon emerged through the rain belonged to the Blue Bloods, marked by their blue banners. The knights of the Blue Bloods paused upon seeing Eve at the entrance.

“The rain has begun to fall,” Brigitte said, her voice smooth as she pulled back her hood, revealing her face damp with rain.

“You’re late, sister.”

Brigitte remained on her horse, looking down at Eve with a bright expression that was oddly cheerful for someone who had returned so late.

“How sweet of you to come to greet me again. I take it you’ve been waiting, weary from today’s hunts?”

“I was worried because none of the knight orders had returned yet.”

“Oh? So the Flare Knights and Punitive Division haven’t returned either?”

Her tone was suspiciously casual as she repeated Eve’s words.

“It’s likely the rain-delayed them. No need to worry so much. You should head back inside and rest.”

Her words, unusually warm for Brigitte, only deepened Eve’s suspicions.

Something’s not right.

An unsettling feeling crept through Eve’s mind. She quickly tried to end the conversation.

“I’ll stay out here a little longer.”

“As you wish,” Brigitte responded, her voice cooling. She turned her head sharply, signaling her horse to move. Eliza and the homunculus knights of the Blue Bloods bowed to Eve as they followed Brigitte. Silvestian glanced at Eve with concern.

“Are you alright, Your Highness?”

“…”

Eve remained silent, her gaze fixed on the edge of the forest. Time passed, and just as she stood lost in thought, something clicked in her mind.

“Wait a moment…”

“Your Highness?”

Silvestian looked at her curiously as Eve’s amber eyes widened.

“Why hasn’t Peony returned?”

It had been over half an hour since she had sent Peony to check on Rosie. Peony wasn’t the type to leave Eve alone for so long.

“I need to find her.”

“I’ll come with you.”

Eve and Silvestian headed toward the central building of the estate that served as their base. The guards that had been posted an hour ago were nowhere to be found. The hallways leading to Rosie’s room were eerily empty as well. The growing sense of foreboding tightened Eve’s chest, and she quickened her pace. Silvestian, his senses on high alert, narrowed his eyes.

Something’s off…

The stagnant, musty air in the corridors felt unnatural, raising alarms in his well-trained instincts. Finally, they reached Rosie’s room.

“Peony!”

Peony was lying unconscious at the foot of Rosie’s bed. Eve rushed over, lifting Peony into her arms and checking her condition. Her breathing was steady, and her pulse was regular.

“Thank goodness… she’s just asleep…”

But just as relief washed over her, a hidden trap activated. A restraining barrier snapped into place, trapping both Eve and Silvestian inside the room. Eve barely had time to process the situation when things took another unexpected turn.

“Your Highness, forgive me—”

“Mmph…?!”

Silvestian suddenly reached out from behind, covering Eve’s nose and mouth with his cloak-covered hand.

Sir Milard?!

Eve’s heart nearly stopped in shock. But it was quickly clear that Silvestian wasn’t trying to harm her—he was protecting her.

“Y-Your Highness… You mustn’t breathe it in.”

“…!”

It was only then that Eve realized the room was filled with a peculiar scent.

Wait, even Sir Millard is affected by this?

The labored sound of Silvestian’s breathing confirmed that his condition was deteriorating. This was no ordinary situation. Homunculi were trained to resist poisons and had developed immunity to many substances, including alcohol. For Silvestian to be so severely affected meant only one thing.

It’s an aphrodisiac!

Someone had set a lowly, despicable trap.

Thud! Silvestian collapsed to the side, unable to resist the drug’s paralytic effects.

“Sir Millard!” Eve exclaimed.

“Don’t… speak… Your Highness…”

“I’m fin—”

Eve didn’t finish her sentence. Footsteps were approaching from the hallway outside.

Someone’s coming.

Reacting immediately, Eve let her body go limp, collapsing beside Silvestian as if the drug had fully taken effect. Her vision blurred, but she kept her eyes barely open, enough to see the figure approaching.

A pair of cold blue eyes gleamed in the darkness, looking down at her.

“…Sister?”

“Oh dear, you’re still conscious?” Brigitte muttered as she stepped through the restraining barrier. She crouched beside Eve, her hand lightly touching Eve’s forehead. Instantly, Eve’s amber eyes seemed to glaze over, and her consciousness drifted.