Outside the banquet hall, the attendants, having cleaned up the remaining trash, sat down nearby to rest.

Ashe and his companions exchanged glances, stretching their bodies and realizing the shackles of their positions were truly gone.

The plan was simple and brutal – since they were bound to their posts, they just needed to eliminate those posts to stop working. If you make the company go bankrupt, can you still go to work?

So, Yvaren and Nona staged an impressive fight, turning the banquet scene into a crime scene. For them, there was no risk involved; apart from some reputation loss, at worst they’d just pay money. Belldate and Senhaeser lacked many things, but money wasn’t one of them.

And the plan unfolded smoothly: The Empress decided to cancel the banquet, so the attendants specifically tasked with the banquet naturally transitioned from ‘working’ to ‘on standby,’ temporarily gaining the freedom to touch fish.

Without the constraints of their posts and being inside the Royal Palace, they could finally go to the Tower to rescue the princess-

“Perfect timing, follow me.”

A distorted, hoarse voice came from behind, startling Ashe and his companions. Turning around, they saw a black-armored secret guard appear on the stone path behind them, seemingly heading off to work, and upon seeing a group of idle workers by the roadside, decided to incorporate them into his task group.

Just as this flawed plan seemed about to stumble to a successful conclusion, an unexpected twist threatened its success. Banjeet, unable to conceal his frustration, asked as calmly as he could, “What do you need us to do? Does it require so many people?”

“Hmm?”

The secret guard glanced strangely at the blue-haired attendant, making everyone feel a sudden tension.

However, the secret guard didn’t question the obedient attendants’ inquiry but instead explained proactively, “Of course, it needs this many people. We have to clean the New Empress’s room. Let’s go.”

The New Empress!?

Annan and the others exchanged shocked looks – was the secret guard taking them to see the princess?

However, according to the Royal Palace map, the direction the secret guard was taking them in wasn’t towards the Tower at all. Had the Yisuo Royal Family suddenly moved the princess to a different location? Or perhaps the princess needed to dress and prepare in a new room before officially ascending, and then appear in the banquet once the “Gospel Ranking” was announced?

Within moments, countless possibilities ran through Annan’s mind, but their bodies were already obeying the secret guard’s command to stand up. Annan and the others widened their eyes in surprise as they saw Ashe still sitting in his chair, his face lighting up with a look of joy.

Stick to the original plan.

After signaling with her eyes, Annan and the others followed the secret guard away.

Ashe didn’t dare move until their figures completely vanished around the corner. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t been included in the secret guard’s group. Could it have been the influence of the silver blessing “Observer’s Visage,” making the secret guard overlook him in his quick glance? Or the power of the Golden Blessing “Listener’s Woe,” whereby the secret guard’s intent to interrupt his touch-fish moment as ‘malicious overtime’ was dissipated? Or was it the “Mysterious Power” at play again – Ashe, sitting close to the trash bin with oil and cake around, was simply mistaken for part of the trash?

Regardless, Ashe was now free. He took just a couple of steps before spotting Lise peeking out from around a wall. Father and daughter reunited successfully.

Compared to Ashe and his companions, Lise’s infiltration was ridiculously simple – the Court Banquet often hired children to enliven the atmosphere. Their role was just to eat, drink, and bring joy to the banquet. Since this wasn’t considered work (Gospel controlling people to eat, drink, and play was just too weird), Lise hadn’t entered the ‘Gospel employee’ state.

After the banquet ended early, the other children had been sent back in advance, giving Lise the perfect opportunity to slip away and find Ashe.

When Ashe had suggested involving Lise in the mission, Banjeet and Igor had predictably opposed the idea, Harvey abstained, and Annan was noncommittal, opting to discuss it with Ashe privately.

Ashe had been prepared to use every trick up his sleeve to persuade his superior, but Annan simply asked him seriously whether he had thought it through. When Ashe affirmed that he had, Annan instructed Ashe to ensure Lise wouldn’t reveal or expose their plan, allowing her to join in the mission.

Ashe later realized that the reason he thought Annan would oppose the idea was because he assumed she would be as concerned for Lise’s safety as he was. But in reality, as long as Lise didn’t jeopardize the plan, Annan didn’t mind her accompanying them on the final adventure of the Funeral journey – though she was certainly considering Ashe’s feelings.

For instance, when Harvey shamelessly suggested that Alice also double as an attendant ready to serve at any moment, Annan decisively vetoed it.

Ashe, holding Lise’s hand, snuck along the palace pathways, briefly explaining what had just happened. He speculated, “Do you think your sister Nina is no longer in the Tower?”

Lise hesitated, glanced at her hand mirror, and nervously said, “Before moving into the Tower, Sister Nina used to live in the basement. Maybe Aunt Annan and the others are cleaning the basement, which also counts as Nina’s room.”

The basement?

Was the Yisuo Royal Family’s education strategy one of austerity? Though something about a girl in the basement sounded oddly familiar.

As the two crept through the shadows, they surprisingly encountered no attendants or guards. A few minutes later, they spotted the target – the Tower.

Lise softly exclaimed, “There are guards posted at the base of the White Tower!”

“I’ll handle it,” Ashe responded confidently. “Just a few guards shouldn’t be a problem, unless-“

“It could be a Sanctuary,” Lise clutched Ashe’s coat tightly. “The guard captain is a Sanctuary Sorcerer, and given how important tonight is, it’s possible the captain is guarding the Tower in person.”

Sanctuary…- Ashe tugged at the corner of his mouth. Although he was a semi-Sanctuary Sorcerer, he knew the significant gap between him and a full-fledged Sanctuary.

Let alone defeating one, should they encounter a Sanctuary Sorcerer proficient in the Spatial Sect, Ashe could be instantly killed. Many Spellcasting Sects gained transformative powers when combined with the Spatial Sect, making their combat methods bewilderingly difficult to defend against. For example, the Sword Princess once mentioned a technique where a Fist-Claw Sanctuary could remotely extract someone’s heart.

Only by forming a Sanctuary could one withstand such unpredictable Spatial Miracles. For Sanctuary Sorcerers, battling non-Sanctuary opponents was child’s play.

“I’ll try to lure the guards away,” Ashe said, “and when the coast is clear, you sneak in and get your sister out.”

“Dad, can you fight a Sanctuary Sorcerer?”

“No guarantees.”

“Then what will you do?”

Ashe patted Lise’s head. “If you only did things you were certain about in life, I’d still be in prison discussing how to make Lala Fatty tastier with Igor. Don’t worry, I’m not an idiot. I’m not going to engage them head-on. Once I lure the guards away, I’ll make a run for it.”

“Really?” Lise looked at him sorrowfully. “Are you sure you’re not an idiot?”

“…I’ve noted that. I’ll let Annan spank you later.”

“But if you’re not an idiot, why are you so kind to me?” As they drew closer to their destination, Lise felt increasingly distressed. “Fighting for my sister, striving for my wish…”

“Putting aside that this is all Annan’s mission,” Ashe squatted down and gently hugged the sorrowful white-haired girl. “I’m kind to you because you deserve it.”

“Am I really that great? Am I the best little girl?”

“To be honest, Leia from the ranking list is a bit better than you.”

Lise grabbed Ashe’s face and huffed, “Don’t like any other little girl!”

“Don’t make it sound like I’m committing a crime,” Ashe laughed and cried at the same time. “I just think of you as family. Come on, we don’t have much time, don’t keep your sister waiting.”

Strangely, though they exchanged only light-hearted words, the gloom in Lise’s heart was dispelled, replaced by a glimmer of hope.

Maybe when Lise first picked Ashe out of the hall of the Four Pillars Cult, it was because of this indescribable sense of security he exuded.

As they approached Lake Yalan, they realized their earlier discussion had been a waste of time – there were no guards at the tower’s base. The lake didn’t have any boats, but Ashe had a Swordsmanship Movement Miracle called “Rush,” so he directly carried Lise and teleported them across.

The doves around Heart Island curiously eyed the uninvited guests. Ashe and Lise cautiously approached the tower’s entrance. While there were no guards outside, it was certain there would be inside – there was no way no one was guarding the princess.

However, when Ashe forcefully pushed open the door, ready for a fierce confrontation, he found the Tower completely empty. The ever-bright lamps were well-lit, the floors spotless, but there were no signs of life.

Could the guards be hiding in the passageways? Ashe examined the spiral passage clinging to the tower wall, trying to search for any signs of enemies. At that moment, he noticed Lise staring at a passage leading downward. “What’s the matter?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Lise glanced at her hand mirror and said, “I just didn’t know the Tower had a basement…-“

“To maximize space, having a basement is quite normal.” Ashe advised, “Keep a step back from me; we might end up fighting in these passageways.”

Lise nodded, and the two cautiously ascended the Tower.

A minute later, Ashe and Lise stood in front of the door to the highest room, exchanging bewildered glances – could it really be this easy?

No guards, no alarms, no obstructions-they had reached their destination effortlessly.

“Could it be that sister Nina really isn’t in the Tower?” Lise murmured.

This completely unguarded state could only mean that there was nothing valuable or important to protect inside the Tower.

“If she’s truly somewhere else, Annan and the others will find a way to get me there. After all, I’m essential for the invalid ranking list,” Ashe reassured her. “We still have a chance.”

Lise nodded and turned to look at the door. Although it was her first time here, her other sisters had been confined here for years, and she felt a strange sense of unfamiliar familiarity wash over her body.

Even though it seemed certain there was no one inside, it would be foolish not to check. So Ashe turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay