Chaos

The expressions of everyone in the know darkened. Not far outside lay Crown Square, the most densely populated area in Rhine City. If an explosion had occurred there, the consequences would be...

“Everyone, please do not panic! The kingdom stands with you, and Her Highness the Princess stands with you as well!”

In the brief moment Lynch was distracted, the maid from earlier had already hurried to the Princess's side, standing alongside Her Highness under the protection of the men in black. Seeing the patients growing agitated from the violent tremor—some even whispering about an earthquake—the maid supported Princess Sophia as they stepped forward together, calling out loudly to reassure the crowd:

“The church is a sanctuary blessed by the gods; even an earthquake cannot destroy it. You are completely safe here. Please remain calmly where you are and do not wander. We will stay here in the church with you all. Lord Baron, Her Highness wishes for you to investigate what has occurred outside.”

Baron Boivar bowed slightly and waved to one of the men in black, who immediately darted out toward the cathedral's exit.

“That maid is quite capable,” Lynch murmured to Miss Valente in the corner. “Do you know her?”

“I'm not very familiar with the people around Princess Sophia either, though she seems to be her personal maid, Miss Fia,” Miss Valente said with a slight frown. “Still, Sophia might not be feeling well today. Knowing her personality, she wouldn't normally need a maid to speak on her behalf like some fragile noble lady.”

“Uh...”

Before Lynch could say anything, a piercing shriek echoed from outside, followed by a chaotic clamor of footsteps.

“Help!”

A barrage of shouts came from the guards stationed at the entrance. Soon, accompanied by sounds of violent shoving and collisions, a swarm of blood-soaked people flooded into the cathedral, accompanied by others carrying wounded on stretchers. Trailing behind them were even more citizens—a crowd numbering at least two to three hundred. Swarming in at once, they quickly packed half of the cathedral's main hall.

“Save them, please, ladies!” someone cried out in tears upon entering. “A gas pipeline exploded outside! So many people are hurt!”

Before the words had completely faded, Baron Boivar, the spymaster, darkened his countenance. The timing was far too coincidental, reeking of danger.

“Form a defensive perimeter against the wall! Protect the Princess!”

Executing orders without hesitation, the dozen or so men in black immediately encircled the Princess, her maid, and the accompanying officials, collectively backing toward the wall.

However, the group had originally stood in the center of the hall, surrounded by journalists, with dozens of injured civilians and muscular men in front of them. Now jostled from behind by the incoming crowd, even with the men in black guarding them, leaving immediately was far easier said than done. They had to push through the throng, inevitably forcing them into prolonged, close-quarters contact with the surrounding public.

It was far too dangerous—practically an invitation to disaster.

Looking grave, Boivar shot a meaningful glance at the burly man who had made a scene about shaking the Princess's hand earlier. Understanding immediately, the man bellowed at the top of his lungs, “Step aside, make way! Let the Princess out first! Protect the Princess!”

The other muscular men quickly joined the chorus. Sharing the same apparent status as patients, the genuine wounded resonated with them and followed suit. Swayed by their momentum, they forced open a path through the packed crowd, wide enough for the protective detail to move through smoothly.

“Move,” Baron Boivar ordered with a wave of his hand. The protective unit advanced rapidly toward the wall. The men in black split to form human walls on either side, flanked by the burly wounded on the perimeter, while the ordinary civilians on the outer ring were packed tightly, effectively blocking the surging newcomers.

It actually worked! Boivar and Moliere glanced back toward Lynch, their eyes filled with surprise and gratitude. Meanwhile, Lynch and the three ladies had also been pushed helplessly into a corner by the wave of more than a hundred newcomers.

All four possessed means to drive away the people around them, but the issue was that none of them could afford to take action. They could only shield one another to keep from being separated by the chaotic mob.

“Quickly, hurry!”

The Governor's Guard stationed outside evidently lacked the nerve to forcefully bar entry. They could only watch helplessly as more and more citizens pushed inside to seek refuge and medical aid, plunging the already chaotic cathedral into utter bedlam.

Even the powerhouses of the church felt helpless. Those streaming in were ordinary citizens, all injured and in an extreme state of agitation. The slightest provocation could trigger a riot. Unless they steeled their hearts to slaughter them, no one dared act rashly. Striking commoners and causing casualties—regardless of whether the blame lay with the church or the soldiers—would inevitably leave them saddled with the blame for massacring civilians.

“Get out of the way! Let us through!”

The incoming crowd violently shoved the patients already inside the cathedral. One injured man lost his footing and fell, and the surging newcomers trampled right over him. Screams, gasps, and futile shouts of restraint blended into a chaotic cacophony before a panicked voice cried out from nowhere: “Someone died! Run!”

Like a stone tossed into a lake, rippling waves of chaos instantly erupted. The patients who had been bitten had only just calmed down, but stimulated by the sudden stench and sight of blood, their frenzy was reignited. Instead of holding back the incoming wave, they turned around and charged straight toward the defensive circle surrounding the Princess.

“Help us! Protect us too! Let us in!”

That single cry made everyone realize that the inner circle was the safest place, prompting them to instinctively try to force their way into the defensive perimeter.

Seeing the protective escort come under assault, one of the men in black stepped forward abruptly and slammed his cane hard against the floor.

【Authority, Protection, Ability, Lockdown】

A ring of light manifested around the perimeter of the Princess's entourage. The surging crowd slammed directly into it as if striking a solid surface. Pressed from behind by those following, they were pinned tightly against the invisible air wall, their faces squashed into comical distortions.

“Ahhh!”

Crushed by the collective force of the mob, more than just the faces of the front row were compressed—the most severely affected suffered broken ribs, letting out agonizing wails.

Yet a problem immediately arose: the ring of light for Lockdown was circular. Those outside couldn't get in, but those inside couldn't get out either. After only a momentary pause, more and more people were continuously crushed against the air wall.

As the shrieks grew increasingly piercing, another man in black took a stride forward and pressed his finger against the glowing circle.

【Authority, Space, Ability, Transfer】

Whoosh. The wretches pinned against the air wall vanished instantly, their wails echoing from the rear of the crowd. Yet as the people behind continued to surge forward, the moment they slapped against the air wall, they were immediately transferred back to where they had charged from.

While they escaped injury, the constantly shifting succession of twisted, squashed faces on the air wall looked both absurd and grotesque.

They still couldn't leave, but it bought them crucial time.

“I'll go help.”

Officer Natalie gave Lynch's wrist a squeeze before leaping high into the air, dropping toward the crowd near the glowing ring. Before she even touched down, her ability activated, a halo of light rapidly rippling outward across the floor where she landed.

【Authority, Protection, Ability, Resistance】

Bang! A wave of force shoved the surrounding people backward. Though constrained by the press of bodies behind them, it carved out a small clearing, allowing her to land smoothly beside the barrier protecting the Princess.

The moment she landed, Officer Natalie drew her sword and pointed it toward the Princess. Her steady, resonant voice rang through the cathedral hall.

【Authority, Law, Ability, Legislation】

“None may approach this person. Violators face the death penalty. Hereby, the law is enacted.”

The mob, previously driven mad by panic, instantly recoiled in fright as if struck by terror. At that very instant, Lynch pressed a finger between his eyebrows and Flashed right beside the female officer, taking a deep breath.

【Authority, Concealment, Ability, Phantasmal Sound】

Past-life knowledge: stun grenade, activate.

“Raaagh!”