After Sir Albert swore an alliance with Alicia, they began to plan how to avenge the late Archduke and Duke Arden. Alicia said,
" Uncle, what if you become closer to the Emperor using your title as a Sword Sage and your position as the Commander of the Order of Sun? I know it is asking too much of you, as you hold a grudge as big as mine towards the Emperor..."
Sir Albert replied,
" It is not much at all, Princess. I decided to do that anyway. But hearing you say all this at such a young age reminded me of your father." (sobs)
Alicia smiles and says, " My father always said he was lucky to have you watch his back, Uncle."
As both were consoling each other, they realized it was already the time of Sunrise. Sir Albert freshened up and went to the Imperial Palace quite earlier than usual, after all, today was the day when the Emperor was supposed to announce the "untimely" deaths of Archduke Rayvine and Duke Arden. Alicia disguised herself as a commoner, neatly hiding her eyes and hair with a cloak, and went to the great chapel where the funeral and mourning of the Archduke and the Archduchess were being held. Many Commoners and Aristocrats attended the funeral of the great hero who was famous as a War God. The Pope made a courteous speech about the Archduke's achievement.
Next, the Emperor went to the stage and said,
" Dear Citizens of my Empire, It is a great loss for the Empire and me that we don't have such a great Hero and a lovely brother among us, who was not only hailed as a Prodigy but was also kind and valorous. It is such a tragedy that he had died at the hands of Chimera, which jumped out of nowhere, killing them both and eating their precious daughter. I hope my brother and his family will live peacefully in heaven. May Goddess Serania bless them."
As Alicia stood there in the commoner's stand, her blood boiled. As she sobbed, she thought,
" This shameless man has the nerve to lie so blatantly in front of the whole Empire!!! For sure, I will kill him, and when I do so, in his last moments, I will shout the same words at him that he is speaking now. Hey Goddess Serania, please help me in my conquest. He killed a person who had silver hair, which was a sign of blessings from you. Please help me avenge this injustice."
As the Aristocrats put flowers on the caskets of the Archduke and the Archduchess, the Imperial Family was 'generous' enough to let the commoners see off the war hero with flowers. Alicia went to the caskets, and as she stood there, her eyes swollen, memories of her parents flooded in. Unable to control the tears, she cried her heart out. The Guards yelled at her to move, but Sir Albert came just in time and carried Alicia out without the Imperial family noticing.
As they got out, they saw two small boys crying uncontrollably in front of the caskets of the Duke, the Duchess, and Lady Cecily. Those two were the sons of the Duke and Duchess. One seemed to be the same age as her, and the other was about 8 years old. Alicia glanced at them and realized they were more pitiable than her. After all, those two boys didn't even know the real cause of death of their parents.