Reinhart and Alice were stunned as they watched the Duchess approach Zwei without a hint of hesitation. She was completely unfazed by the danger, marching straight into the heart of the chaos as if she had no regard for her own life. If she made even a single misstep, not only would her life be in jeopardy, but Zwei's as well, along with everyone around them.
"What is she thinking?!" Reinhart exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.
He immediately signaled for his guards to prepare to pull her away. Though it pained him to see Zwei in such torment, Reinhart knew as a king, he couldn't allow personal feelings to cloud his judgment. When an Esper enters the Berserk State, there is only one certain way to stop them, end them. But Alice stopped the guards, holding them back from advancing toward the Duchess and Zwei. Reinhart looked at her, confusion written across his face.
"Alice, I know you want to save Zwei, and so do I," Reinhart said, his tone urgent, "But putting his life in that woman's hands is too risky."
Alice shook her head, "I know you don't trust her. Even if you don't, trust me, Reinhart. She won't harm Zwei."
Reinhart opened his mouth to ask why she had so much faith in the Duchess, but then he hesitated. Time was running out. The monsters were still pouring out of the Rift, and panic had consumed the ballroom. The priority now was to ensure the safety of the people. He had to take command and bring order. As Alice said, he would place his trust in his Queen and the Duchess—if Alice believed in her, he would not question her.
"Men, to me!" Reinhart commanded, turning his attention to the Rift, "We're closing the rift."
The guards exchanged glances before springing into action, responding to Reinhart's command. Reinhart quickly organized his forces into three distinct groups.
The first group was tasked with evacuating the guests, moving swiftly to clear a path and get as many people to safety as possible. The second group would provide support to the vanguard, ensuring that any gaps in the frontlines were covered and assisting where needed. The third group was assigned the critical task of fighting off the monsters that had already breached the ballroom, holding them at bay and preventing them from spreading further into the crowd.
Reinhart led the front group himself, his sword flashing in one hand while the other crackled with lightning. With each swing, he cleaved through the monsters, cutting a path through the chaos and holding back the relentless wave of creatures. Alice stayed behind, helping those who had been attacked by the monsters while ensuring everything went smoothly as the Duchess focused on pulling Zwei back from the Berserk State. She moved swiftly, tending to the injured and making sure no further chaos erupted.
Hunter, unsure of his role, stayed nearby, fighting off any monsters that managed to break through the defensive line. He did what he could, guarding the area and keeping the remaining threats at bay.
As time went on, the wave of monsters began to lessen, thanks to Reinhart's relentless efforts. With only a few remaining, Reinhart directed his forces to focus on closing the Rift. Working alongside the other Espers, they pooled their energy, and with a final push, Reinhart succeeded in sealing the Rift, bringing an end to the immediate threat.
A man, once dressed in a high-end, classic tailored tuxedo, now covered in monster blood from head to toe, marched toward Reinhart and knelt before him.
"Your Majesty, the Rift has been sealed, and the remaining monsters have been dealt with," the man reported.
"Thank you for the update and your hard work, General Alvin," Reinhart said, slowly retracting the electricity from his hand.
YOU ARE READING
I Will Hold Your Hand Gently
FantasyNot knowing how she died, the main character was transmigrated into a guide-verse novel. A finished novel, and a novel she had read before her death. Struggling to coop with her new environment, she was beaten, and suddenly forced into a marriage...
