In the blink of an eye, only twenty days remained before the Rose Knights were to head into battle.
During these ten days, Isavel arranged training sessions for the knights, teaching them the most fundamental knowledge, including various basic sword techniques and magic.
Having acquired a certain amount of theoretical experience, what they lacked now was real combat practice.
The Hecate Monster Dungeon controlled by the Oracle Hall wasn’t suitable for their practical training.
The monsters in the early floors were too weak, offering no challenge to them.
The monsters on the deeper floors were stronger, but their numbers were still overwhelming.
If Isavel were to lose focus for even a moment, the Rose Knights could be swallowed whole by the monsters, resulting in casualties.
The difficulty was just too high.
The ideal dungeon for them had to have few monsters, but those monsters had to possess considerable individual strength.
After a moment’s thought, Isavel thought of a dungeon.
At night, she left the Oracle Hall and went to the Royal Palace in the Imperial Capital.
Passing through the grand hall at the front of the palace, accompanied by her maids, she opened the door to the Empire’s Queen’s private study and stepped inside.
The moment she entered, she saw the Queen put down the red wine glass in her hand and asked with a hint of melancholy:
“Oh my, Veil, it’s been such a long time since you came to see me. Is the matter with the Rose Knights keeping you this busy?”
“Hm, why don’t you give it a try yourself?”
“Better not. We haven’t met for a month, and your face has lost some of its glow, Veil. Training the knights is important, but you must also take care of your health.”
With a wave of her hand, the Queen invited Isavel to sit beside her.
However, as soon as she did, the Queen grasped her right hand in hers.
“Compared to the knights, I care more about you.”
Looking at her with concern, the Queen placed Isavel’s hand over her own chest and said this.
Isavel remained silent.
Franndo was the name of this Empire’s Queen. With her long golden hair and emerald green eyes, she looked like the elves from legend—pure and beautiful.
And indeed, even before becoming Queen, she was known as the First Beauty of the Capital, with countless suitors.
When Isavel first entered the Imperial Capital, she nearly fell for her at first sight.
But in the end, Franndo won, because she was the one who fell for Isavel first.
The reason was simple: Isavel was even more beautiful.
Since Isavel had arrived in the Imperial Capital, the title of First Beauty of the Capital had fallen to her.
Franndo was unwilling to accept this, so she found Isavel immediately—and then succumbed to her beauty.
Of course, if Isavel ever spoke about this publicly, she would only get Franndo’s denial.
In Franndo’s version, Isavel was the one who fell for her first.
“I came to see you because I need a favor.”
Pulling back her hand, Isavel spoke, which deepened the sorrow on Franndo’s face.
“You only ever come when you need something. Sigh, go ahead, Saintess. As long as it’s within my power, I will do it for you.”
Ignoring the resentment in those words, Isavel continued:
“I want to borrow the Golden Dungeon.”
“The Golden Dungeon? You want to train the Rose Knights there?”
Franndo frowned.
“That’s right. The monsters in the Golden Dungeon are few and not particularly strong, just a bit cunning. They’d be perfect sparring partners for the Rose Knights.”
“But… although I want to agree, the Golden Dungeon isn’t under the Empire’s control. It belongs to the Guerrero Family. You know that, right?”
Isavel recalled and raised an eyebrow. “The current head of the Guerrero Family is Marquess Vanessa, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I have some conflicts with her. If I go to ask, she most likely won’t lend it. And it’s the same if you go—everyone knows how close we are.”
“But, well, there’s a way. Do you want to hear it?”
At this, Franndo pushed the wine glass toward Isavel, a sly smile playing on her lips.
The red wine was what she had just been drinking, the rim still bearing her lipstick mark.
Her meaning was clear: Isavel had to drink the wine in one gulp before she would reveal the only way.
“Franndo, you know I don’t like drinking.”
“Exactly why I want to force you. As soon as you drink, your cheeks turn all rosy and cute—not to mention how you look when drunk.”
“…After all these years, you’re still so persistent?”
“Since that night when I saw you drunk, I tried to convince myself to forget, but then I ascended the throne.”
Though Franndo smiled at Isavel, her eyes dimmed slightly, and her voice carried genuine emotion.
“The more I try to forget on the throne, the clearer the memories become. Veil, tell me—is that me being sick, or does it mean you should take responsibility for me?”
After a moment of silence, Isavel took the wine glass from her.
“…Just this once.”
Following the lipstick mark, she drained the glass and set down the empty cup.
The transparent glass gleamed brilliantly under the dim light, like the radiant smile on Franndo’s face.
“I’ve finished drinking. So, what’s the plan?”
“It’s simple. Didn’t the Oracle Hall recently get a new Saintess? I think her name is Selis? You can send her to meet Vanessa. Her identity is clean.”
A flicker of cold calculation passed through Franndo’s eyes as she spoke slowly.
As the Empire’s Queen, the Oracle Hall’s every move was naturally under her watchful eye.
The arrival of the new Saintess surprised her.
Even with all her resources, she hadn’t been able to uncover the full background of this new Saintess.
But this wasn’t due to any failure in her intelligence network.
The Oracle Hall was the place closest to the divine on earth.
Nothing strange could be ruled out there because the power of the gods was beyond mortal comprehension.
So the sudden appearance of a new Saintess wasn’t particularly surprising.
“If you only borrow the Golden Dungeon as a training ground, the Oracle Hall’s Saintess would owe you a favor. As long as Vanessa isn’t foolish, she won’t refuse such a deal.”
Isavel considered this and realized it made sense.
Selis was her secret. Besides her personal maid Renia, no one else in the world knew about her.
So using Selis’s identity to meet Vanessa posed no problem at all.
“I don’t know how this new Saintess appeared or what her connection to you is, but Veil, I have to warn you—be very careful with her.”
Tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear, Franndo’s expression turned serious as she spoke.
“Whenever a power has two rulers, factional struggles are inevitable. The Oracle Hall is no exception. No matter how close Selis is to you, keep your guard up.”
“No one knows her true intentions. I don’t want to see you fail in a factional fight and be expelled from the Oracle Hall, losing your status as Saintess.”