"Polly!"
The King Delaisi's expression sank slightly upon seeing this.
Before Polly could speak, he sternly said, "According to Burns, keep going straight to meet up with Princess Eliel."
The surprise attack launched by the Qi'an Kingdom had caused chaos, and among the entire royal family, only Queen Polly and Prince Gallagher were with him.
The other princes and princesses... their residences were closer to the front and had already been overrun. Only Eliel was living deep within the palace.
...There probably weren't many left of the Yili royal family. If they could preserve one more, then naturally, it was best to save one more.
"Your Majesty!" Polly said anxiously, "This way is the only escape!"
To the left here was the place where horses were usually kept, and straight ahead was a side door specifically for horses' entry and egress.
Salvation lay just ahead! Who had time to rescue that princess whom she didn't even like!
Seeing the urgency in Polly's demeanor, Delaisi hesitated again.
"Your Majesty, the princess is just ahead!" Burns, standing beside them, once again reminded him in a firm voice, then lifted his leg and continued moving forward.
He was loyal to the royal family, but he was even more loyal to the former queen.
Breaking through the corridor in this direction was his deliberate doing. The purpose was to rescue the daughter left behind by the queen—Princess Eliel.
The princess's residence was deep within the palace; from the direction of the Qi'an Kingdom's attack, it was highly likely that it had not been affected yet.
Seeing Burns continue forward, Delaisi's face finally lost its indecision.
"Let's go." He made a resolution, called out to Polly in a low voice, and quickly followed Burns' pace.
To the left seemed to be a shortcut to escape, but without Burns, he wasn't willing to go alone.
They jogged along and soon reached the outside of Eliel's residence.
Here were several bungalows connected together.
"Princess Eliel!" Burns called out several times.
Bang.
He pushed open the main house door and looked around but did not see anyone.
"Princess Eliel!" he called out again.
After a while, a crisp female voice came through.
"Knight Burns?"
Creak—
The white door of the side room on the right suddenly opened.
A petite figure holding a bucket appeared before them, her face marked with confusion, and wiping away the beads of sweat from hauling water off her forehead, her ear-length blonde hair shone brilliantly golden in the sunlight.
Burns felt a twinge of distress at this sight.
Ever since Queen Daisy died six years ago, Eliel's situation had been getting worse.
At first, it was not too bad, but eventually, even the Crown Prince's palace residence was occupied by Gallagher, and she was forced to move to this secluded place.
And up until now, not a single maid or servant had appeared...
Burns scanned the area and quickly understood the situation.
Those maids were the most informed, and by now, they must have heard the news and already fled...
And Eliel... she probably still did not know what was going on.
"Eliel."
Delaisi looked at the daughter he once favored the most and was momentarily stunned... When had she grown up?
But there was no time now for sentimentality.
"The Qi'an Kingdom has already breached the palace." A fleeting sadness passed over Delaisi's face.
He subconsciously touched the two items closely kept on his chest, and hope suddenly filled his heart again.
With them, and as long as the royal family was there, there need not be concern for the loss of the Holy Flame Kingdom!
He quickly recomposed himself and urged Eliel, "Put down the bucket and hurry up and come with us."
Eliel pieced together Delaisi's words and the maids' unusual behavior from earlier in the day, instantly understanding the situation.
"Let's go."
She threw down the bucket without hesitation, not bothering to pack anything, and dashed straight out.
Burns followed closely behind.
Queen Polly and Delaisi trailed at the end.
"Knight Burns, where have the enemy forces currently occupied in the palace?" Eliel asked proactively.
Burns was somewhat surprised and, after a moment of thought, said:
"The Qi'an Kingdom's knights launched their surprise attack from the north side of the palace, and now they have at least taken the entire front hall."
He then added, "I'm planning to escort your highnesses out through the side door of the stables."
"Mhm," Eliel nodded, not wanting to say much.
No matter what the situation, she always hoped to know a little more information... Asking Burns these questions was just a habit.
The group ran in silence.
Passing through the corridor, turning at the crossroads.
Before long.
A clearing appeared before them.
To the left of the clearing was a small stable, and directly opposite was a white-painted wooden gate made of sheet iron.
Lush green grass, gentle sunshine, with the remaining four horses in the stable nuzzling occasionally...
This place seemed unaffected by the war, still tranquil and peaceful.
They all sighed a breath of relief upon seeing such a scene.
"Burns, you go open the gate, I'll take them to ride the horses," Delaisi commanded.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Burns nodded in response and strode forward.
As Burns gradually moved away, the surroundings were still and peaceful, but Delaisi couldn't help feeling a chill in his heart... It seemed too quiet around him.
He shook his head and walked towards the stables.
The stables were lined up along the wall, a total of about eight stalls, and currently, only the four on the right had horses in them.
He opened the wooden door of the stall on the far left and led a horse out by the bridle.
Delaisi mounted the horse.
On the other side, Polly and the other two mounted their respective horses individually.