How to Survive as a Genius Spy in the Game

The number of troops approaching the princess wasn’t that large. This was because the imperial army and the prince’s forces were mixed in the capital right now.

Since it was uncertain how the princess’s arrival might cause trouble, the imperial army couldn’t be used to seize control of the capital.

Therefore, to manage the imperial army, the prince had scattered his own troops along with confidants here and there.

The troops coming now were moving to gather at the city gate after hearing that the princess had arrived.

“W-what’s this?”

They were bewildered to see the princess approaching them. The gate had opened? It was incomprehensible.

Count Levin, who had led them there, quickly racked his brain.

‘Did Langrim get killed?’

Nevertheless, his expression remained calm. It was the composure gained from living in noble politics for decades.

Without panicking, he continued speaking.

“Your Highness! What is the meaning of this! How could you enter Chenarus by force with soldiers when martial law has been declared!”

The count shouted like that while examining behind the princess. However, it was difficult to count the exact number of troops lined up along the road.

But he could roughly estimate. He knew about Duchess Lyurik’s troops and the cavalry following the princess. Moreover, there were no signs of battle, so the count judged that the princess’s soldiers were intact.

“Count, I must correct your words. I did not enter by force. The soldiers opened it for me.”

“Please withdraw your troops immediately and enter the palace! I will escort you!”

Unlike the knight at the gate, the count still maintained courtesy towards the princess. Erendil tilted her head.

“Well. Is there any reason I should follow the count’s words?”

The count also didn’t think his words would be heeded. It was just to buy time to think.

The situation was not good.

They had encountered each other suddenly, and escape was impossible. His troops were already along the road.

With the rear blocked, retreat was a shortcut to defeat. Moreover, even if he retreated, it was problematic.

The reason he was doing this was to gain favor with the prince. He corrected his thoughts.

‘If I hold out a little longer, reinforcements will come.’

Seen differently, this was another opportunity. Even now, troops were moving to this location.

If he could capture the princess with their power, this achievement would become the count’s own.

The count secretly gestured towards the back, but the princess and Duchess Lyurik noticed immediately.

The atmosphere became tense. From behind the count, the flow of mana began to intensify. The soldiers gripped their weapons tightly.

“Count, do you know that what you’re trying to do is treason?”

The emperor had not yet been decided. In this situation, attacking the princess was clearly an act of treason.

The count gave a sardonic smile.

“Whether what I’m doing is treason or not, history will prove it.”

“It seems you truly wish to die.”

The count let out a snicker. That’s how the battle began. The knights beside the princess leaped forward to block the front.

The mages went first.

The count’s mages quietly cast the spells they had prepared with incantations.

Duchess Lyurik’s mages didn’t stay still either. Since they had noticed, they deployed defensive responses.

Attack magic was included, but their top priority was the princess’s safety.

A rainbow of lights unfolded in front of the capital’s main street. The light was beautiful, but the scene was not.

Spells deflected by defensive magic struck buildings.

‘Now.’

Carlyn quietly drew his bowstring on the rooftop. Amidst the magic flying everywhere, the magic bomb arrow wouldn’t be noticeable.

Pulling the string with all his might, Carlyn’s winds began to swirl around the bow and arrow.

From the arrowhead, he formed a straight wind current towards the count. The sound of the winds was clear.

And swish- he released the string. The arrow was heavy but shot at high speed. Following the path of the winds, in a straight line rather than a parabolic arc due to gravity.

Bang-! A small explosion occurred. Since it was a magic bomb attached to the arrowhead, the power wasn’t that great.

To Carlyn, who had experienced the glowstone explosion, it seemed like child’s play.

“Aaargh!”

But that didn’t mean its power was a joke. The count’s exploded body soared into the sky along with dirt and dust.

The surrounding knights were the same. The enemy’s formation collapsed amid flames, dirt, and corpses.

‘It’s Erendil’s return. The staging is important.’

Carlyn used his winds to blow the dust up into the sky. Not unnaturally, but quickly.

With the view cleared, the enemies saw the princess sitting upright on her horse.

Carlyn signaled the princess’s wrist with his winds. The princess opened her hand. Light emanated from her wrist.

And in an instant, a long form of light appeared in the princess’s hand.

As noon approached, even in the middle of the white city shining in the sunlight, Teme’s Spear did not lose its radiance.

Though it was only passed down in legend, anyone who saw it could tell it was Teme’s Spear. The soldiers who had lost their commander unconsciously stepped back.

“I have no desire to fight the imperial soldiers! Clear the way!”

Strictly speaking, the count’s private soldiers and imperial troops were mixed, but there was no one to defy the princess’s words.

In a situation where the commander was dead and the founding emperor’s spear was before their eyes, anyone would have done the same.

The soldiers stepped back until they hit the walls. A path opened in the middle like the Red Sea. Due to the large number of people, the path wasn’t very wide, but everyone bowed their heads towards the princess in an uncomfortable state.

Carlyn looked around to see if any devil worshippers were hiding, but there were no strange signs.

“I do not think the count’s treasonous act was your intention. However, the crime is not light. I will give you a chance to atone for your sins by standing behind me.”

The princess, who spoke calmly, pulled on the reins without even looking at their reaction. The horse moved forward again.

The princess maintained a calm appearance despite the soldiers who had just been pointing weapons at her on both sides.

Of course, her heart was trembling. She just didn’t show it. It was because she believed.

That Carlyn nearby and Emmet and Duchess Lyurik beside her would protect her.

The soldiers lined up on both sides glanced around with their heads bowed. Then, as one person joined the princess’s procession, they rushed in droves.

There were far more than at the city gate. It was because they knew they had just participated in an act of treason.

Even if that act was due to orders, it was no excuse. They thought they had to seize this opportunity.

***

The princess continued to advance towards the imperial palace. However, things didn’t always go smoothly.

Like now. Emmet, who had run ahead of the princess, slashed the chest of an approaching knight.

His skill was unwavering even with only one arm. A fierce battle was taking place in the capital at noon.

Blood splattered on the walls of the pure white buildings, true to the white city’s reputation.

Carlyn wasn’t idle either. He was busy jumping across rooftops.

He was in the process of dealing with the commanders of the forces heading this way.

‘The east is more urgent.’

Since the princess’s movement wasn’t hasty, her route was being reported in real-time.

Because of this, the prince’s forces were surrounding the princess.

Carlyn leaped across five roofs in one breath. Hundreds were approaching from the opposite street.

The commander was naturally a noble on the prince’s side. Carlyn hid at the edge of the roof, took his position, and only stuck out his upper body.

He drew the string of the bow he had taken from an imperial agent. Once again, a current of wind formed.

Though there was only one magic bomb arrow, its destructive power was enough to kill one person under the guidance of the winds.

‘Better than expected.’

Originally, he had planned to use the silent short sword. However, the bow was better than the short sword.

Because it could reduce the gossip that would come later.

Of course, this could also cause gossip, but it was a risk worth taking.

It was something that could be hushed up once the princess became emperor anyway.

Carlyn, having completed his aim, released the string. Twang- The string that left his fingertips vibrated tightly.

The arrow shot in an instant pierced the noble’s nape precisely.

“L-Lord Sevron!”

Under the current of wind, the arrow was swift. Even the knight beside him only noticed the sniping when the noble’s body tilted to the side.

The soldiers’ movement stopped. One knight looked up based on the arrow’s direction, but Carlyn had already headed in another direction.

The reason the princess could advance easily even in the midst of battle was all thanks to Carlyn’s activities like this.

Carlyn racked his brains again as he moved.

‘Those devil worshipper bastards will appear at the imperial palace.’

In a situation where the Sword Master was out of the question, what Carlyn was most worried about was the devil worshippers.

This was a fight for the imperial throne. Stronger than average opponents would have come.

Even the high-ranking executor he had killed with a bomb was someone he couldn’t guarantee victory against in a one-on-one fight.

But there were no signs of them appearing. Carlyn thought it was because things had happened suddenly.

Rather than responding hastily, weren’t they waiting for an opportunity at the imperial palace?

‘As expected. They’re retreating.’

A few minutes later, the forces that had been approaching to surround the princess began to return to the imperial palace at a rapid pace.

They had responded to our sudden entry, but since they couldn’t use force, they were calling them back.

Since there were small walls and gates at the imperial palace as well, it was sufficient to attempt something there.

However, the soldiers blocking the princess’s path showed no signs of retreating.

‘Are these guys shields to buy time? There are quite a lot for that though?’

Even for discarded pawns, the numbers were considerable. Even if it was to buy time…

Carlyn couldn’t guess whether it was the prince’s judgment or the devil worshippers’.

It was then that a noticeable group appeared. A group of cavalry that had rushed from the imperial palace struck the rear of the soldiers blocking the princess.

They demonstrated skilled horsemanship even between buildings. The soldiers sandwiched from front and back didn’t last long.

A group of cavalry that had pierced through the prince’s soldiers reached the front of the princess. One knight at the front hurriedly dismounted and knelt.

“Knight Pasciang, I have come running upon hearing the news that Your Highness the Princess has returned safely.”

Pasciang?

Carlyn searched his memory at the familiar name. And he realized it was someone he had met in the battle with the West.

It was at the Battle of Epyder Plains, where they had won with a false retreat tactic.

When he had fallen from his horse due to a word thrown by some knight, it was the young cavalryman who had picked him up with strange horsemanship.

Riding that horse, he had killed Faorn Shade, who had been a Sword Master candidate. Despite being quite young, his horsemanship was no joke.

Has he become a knight? Carlyn wondered briefly, but it made sense.

“You’re the one who helped Schur… us at Epyder Plains.”

“You remembered?”

“Of course. Didn’t I personally give you a reward for your valor?”

From the princess’s perspective, he was easier to remember than Telfi, whom she had met at the gate. Catching Faorn Shade was quite significant.

According to Carlyn’s report, Pasciang had also reaped the benefits. The princess had even personally praised him.

“I didn’t know you would come like this. Thank you.”

“It is the duty I must fulfill as an imperial knight.”

“Someone I know said this. That not many people do what they ought to do. Your faithfulness is indeed worthy of being a model for all.”

Pasciang looked up at the princess with a face full of emotion. The princess personally took his hand and helped Pasciang stand up.

The advance began again.

Since the prince’s soldiers had retreated, the princess was able to reach the imperial palace without much difficulty.

The final battle was approaching. Because the gate had been breached without knowing why, the security was stringent this time.

Even for Carlyn, it would be difficult to enter from the outside and open the gate.

But there was no need to worry.

‘Denif.’

What Carlyn had asked Denif at the group’s lodgings was precisely to open the gate of the imperial palace.