Subaru Natsuki, who returned from the new Three Kingdoms

He once again stored Capela and the Sacred Sword within the Orveil.

After doing all this, Subaru Natsuki prepared to go and say goodbye to Anastasia.

But as soon as he stepped out of the dormitory, he sensed that something was off about the atmosphere in the Chamber of Commerce.

Rapid footsteps and frantic shouts came from upstairs:

"Lady Anna has disappeared!"

"Go look through the back door!"

"Have you searched all the rooms in the Chamber of Commerce?"

Natsuki Subaru stopped at the top of the stairs and looked up in the direction from which the commotion was coming from.

Ricardo Wilkins was hurrying up from the end of the corridor, followed by several flustered employees.

"Flugel, you're awake? We're looking for the chairman, come and help us quickly!"

"What did you say? Your voice was too loud just now, I couldn't hear you in public."

Natsuki Subaru was not affected by other people's emotions, and his question was asked in a very calm tone.

Ricardo's brows were furrowed.

"I said! Lady Anna disappeared last night. There were signs of a struggle in the room, and I suspect someone broke into the Chamber of Commerce under the cover of night and kidnapped the president!"

"Lady Anna has gone missing?"

Natsuki Subaru paused for a moment, but remained calm.

He didn't ask any further questions, nor did he show any panic. He simply glanced back at Anna's closed office door, sniffed lightly, and then turned and left.

Ricardo sensed something was amiss and quickly gave chase.

"Flugel, where are you going?"

Natsuki Subaru stopped in his tracks.

He stood with his back to Ricardo for a moment, then slowly turned around, his face calm, showing no sign of anxiety, and said slowly:

"If you are in a position, do your job to the end."

Ricardo was stunned by this sudden remark.

Freuger has been acting strangely since yesterday.

Natsuki Subaru then turned to look at the busy crowd inside the Chamber of Commerce, his expression as calm as if he were conducting some kind of solemn handover.

"Before I bid farewell, I was still a member of Anastasia's camp. Since I've been caught up in this turmoil, let me do my best to guard this last post."

Natsuki Subaru weighed the sword in his hand; it was the sword Julius had given him yesterday.

It was for him to protect Anastasia.

He had originally intended to return it to Anastasia when he took his leave, but now it seemed he could use it once before returning it.

Then Natsuki Subaru turned around, his gaze passing over the flustered members of the merchant guild and landing on the street in the distance.

"Don't worry, I will bring Lady Anna back."

As soon as he finished speaking, Subaru Natsuki took a deep breath and, after confirming the source of the faint aroma of sake, lightly touched the ground with his toes.

The white-haired figure suddenly darted out from his spot and disappeared in the blink of an eye at the entrance of the Chamber of Commerce.

Ricardo's eyes widened.

What amazing skills!

He had always felt that Subaru Natsuki must have some secret, but now he realized that the secret might be bigger than he thought.

He wanted to chase after them to see what was happening, but the shouts from the Chamber of Commerce quickly pulled him back.

"Commander Ricardo, we've found bloodstains at the back door!"

"Go and take a look!"

Ricardo gritted his teeth and could only turn around and run towards the back door.

……

Deep underground, in a maintenance room of the royal capital's sewers.

Anna had no idea how long she had been there.

The damp stone walls, the cold iron rings, the musty air, and the empty bowl pushed into the corner made up all that was in front of her.

She tried tapping it.

I tried shouting.

I also tried to pull on the iron ring on my wrist with all my might.

But every struggle only resulted in the pain of her wrists being lacerated.

No one answered her.

No one opened the door.

Even the people who kidnapped her haven't shown up for a long time.

Anna leaned against the wall, her knees tucked into her chest, her face streaked with tears that had dried and then wet again.

Tense and fear made her breathing quicken, her throat ached from dehydration, and her lips cracked with tiny, bleeding cuts.

She wanted to remain calm.

I want to sit up straight.

I want to think about how to break the deadlock now, just as I would think about the chamber of commerce, goods, and the situation in the same way I would think about it in the past.

But those thoughts were crushed by the darkness the moment they surfaced.

She didn't even know how much longer she could hold on.

My body trembled slightly from the cold, and my fingers gradually lost strength.

Anna rested her forehead on her knees, her shoulders trembling slightly.

"Help us..."

Her voice was so thin it sounded like it was being squeezed out of her throat.

no respond.

She called out again.

This time, the sound shattered completely.

"Anyone can come..."

"Julius, Flügel, Ricardo, Mimi..."

"Anyone can..."

The stone wall swallowed her voice.

Anna bit her lip hard, but tears still streamed down her face.

"Why, why does bad luck always seem to find us? Am I really not fit to be king...?"

Anna forcefully wiped away her tears, but her cheeks were quickly covered with new wetness.

Later, she didn't even have the strength to cry anymore. She could only shrink into a corner, staring at the darkness in front of her with her lifeless eyes.

Just then, the sound of the iron gate being pushed open came from afar.

Anna's body trembled.

She instinctively looked up, trying to back away, but the iron ring immediately tightened, trapping her in place.

The heavy footsteps drew closer.

Anna's breathing became more and more rapid.

Have those people come back?

But the next moment, a familiar aroma of wine wafted through the damp air and reached her nose.

Anna was stunned.

The white-haired youth emerged from the darkness.

His expression was calm, completely different from the previous few days. He simply looked ahead quietly, at Anastasia lying on the ground.

"Lady Anna."

"Flugel? Is that you?"

Anna's lips trembled upon hearing that voice.

Someone actually came, and it was the very man she had verbally abused just yesterday...

As the white-haired figure drew closer, Anastasia felt relieved, but her tears, which she thought had dried up, welled up again.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I was wrong yesterday, I'm sorry, I took my anger out on you for no reason."

"I have no reason to take out my anger on you. Everyone has secrets, and everyone has their own struggles."

"We shouldn't be angry with you because of this..."

Natsuki Subaru simply shook his head:

"It's okay, it's all okay now."

Subaru's calm demeanor sent a shiver down Anastasia's spine, and her voice trembled slightly.

"Flu...Gail?"

Subaru Natsuki did not answer immediately.

He continued walking towards Anna with a calm expression, his footsteps echoing in the empty underground space.

When he was a few steps away from her, his hand landed on her waist.

Clang——

Rius's sword was drawn.

A clear, resonant sword rang out in the sewers, and a flash of cold light streaked along the blade.

Anna's gaze followed the cold light, and only then, with the faint light reflected from the sword's edge, could she see her surroundings clearly.

Corner!

Behind the stone pillar!

Next to the blocked pipe!

The dozen or so dark figures who had kidnapped her were already standing there, scattered among themselves, blocking all the exits.

They made no sound; even their breathing was muffled by the damp sound of the water. Anna, who had been staring intently at Subaru, hadn't noticed at all when these people had surrounded her.

Anna's face turned pale instantly.

"Fluguerre!"

Anna suddenly raised her head, her voice trembling with urgency:

"Come on!"

Natsuki Subaru simply stopped, his sword tip pointing slightly towards the ground.

"Everyone here is in danger!"

Anna shook her head vigorously, and the iron rings collided with each other as she moved.

"Their target is us, you don't need to risk your life for our family..."

In Anna's eyes, the white-haired young man in front of her was just an accountant who had just joined the Chamber of Commerce.

He can do accounting, drink alcohol, roll around on the ground, and say strange things that no one can understand.

Although I don't know why he ended up finding himself all by himself.

But there are more than a dozen dangerous people gathered here.

How could he possibly save himself from these people?