The second female lead Dual Cultivates

The halls they ran through were quiet and bare of the soldiers. They also had claw marks that made Maria very suspicious about their origins. They looked smaller than a normal beast but too large to be a normal pet.

They looked to be human-sized and the only one who fit the criterion for this inside Maria's mind was Suna. But it should not be possible since Suna had been hidden well and had been ordered not to show herself to the others.

But the marks were aligned in the same direction Maria was heading and she hurried through the corridor. Trisha followed behind her, somehow keeping up with the change in show Maria showed at random times and they knocked out the random guards in the way.

A shadow walked out from the side corridor and Maria got ready to attack in case of another guard before she felt a familiar feeling brush against her magic.

"Calm down, it's just me. I managed to retrieve Suna. Did you complete your side of the mission?" Lady Elma exited the corridor, looking no worse for the wear. But she looked tired and a little impatient, a similar look her own mother often had after a hard court session and Maria felt herself flinch involuntarily.

Her mother had been scary and unforgiving at those times and Maroa hoped that Lady Elma would not turn out to be similar to her mother. The mood had been one of the worst parts of visiting the court. (but definitely not the worst)

"Lady Elma, you're here. Listen, they took Kagemori and-", "not now. Let's get out first"

The princess did not get to finish her words before Lady Elma interrupted her words. Her eyes moved vigilantly around the place which indicated that it was not as secure as they had first been led to believe. Maria also looked around with a suspicious look.

"Are we under surveillance?" Maria asked. She knew better than to assume anything at this point, especially with the type of advanced machinery she had seen in her vision. It didn't belong to Imu for sure, so maybe they had a backer.

But this was all a talk for later when they had time to think it all over and then plan accordingly. For now, they had to somehow get out of this place undetected.

"Can't I get out with you? Or did they really find out about me?" Maria asked. She had no problem with being found out but she also knew that her being caught could spell disaster for Lady Elma. The other female was in a delicate situation and her position would likely be a key component of their future plan.

That was why this was such a loaded question for them to be able to answer. And by the expression on Lady Elma's face, it seemed like a loaded question as well.

"You're not found out right now but I have a feeling the president Rosewell knows about you. I would rather not risk it" Lady Elma explained and it did make sense to Maria. She had heard a lot about the man and she knew better than to underestimate those old court men.

"Then, I'll take Trisha and Suna and escape. Do you have anything planned?" Maria asked, already forming a flimsy plan that was likely not going to work. Again, planning had not been a strong point for her and it showed.

"We can't leave Kagemori behind. We need to get her as well" Princess Trisha yelled and it was a bit too loud for Maria's taste. And Lady Elma's as well since she looked back at Teisha with a heated expression.

It caused her to quieten down instantly but the fire had not been doused down by their attempts. There was more than a 50% chance that she was going to do something foolish and it could cause their group a lot of inconveniences.

"Kagemori will be alright for the next two days. In fact, they won't harm them till her execution date" Maria assured but Princess Trisha did not look as convinced as Maroa had hoped her to be.

In fact, she looked even more worried at her words but Lady Elma seemed to be getting the message Maria had been trying to send.

"Did you get a vision? Care to share the possible future with me?" Lady Elma asked with a curious voice. If Maria had any doubt that this female was not interested in the future of Imu, they all vanished at the question.

"Huh? Vision? Possible future? But how is that even possible? Isn't the oracle supposed to be in -", "not now. Keep on moving" Maria took advantage of the shock To drag the princess after her.

It worked in her favor since the princess was finally not resisting, likely coming to terms with the shocking news she had just heard from Maria and Elma. But it worked just fine in Maria's favor.

"Here, I chipped the wolf-girl so that you can find her easier. You should not face any problem if you follow the path I'm giving you" Lady Elma threw the small spherical device toward Maria. Again, it was not tech that fits in with Imu's somewhat primitive resource management and it brought forth more questions than answers.

"You'll make it out alright?" Maria asked, at last, her voice small and tense and she got rewarded with a small smile in return.

Lady Elma did not answer as she turned around but she didn't need to either. Her smile had been reassuring and calm. It gave Maria all the answers she needed in order to carry out her mission.

"Would someone explain to me what is going on?" Trisha asked in an almost panic but there was no time for Maria to waste on her. Not when she had a lot of other problems to face.

Suna's location did not hinder the progress Maria had made but the tightness in guarding position was slowly but surely being made visible to Maria. She knew that they would be caged in if they did not hurry up and rescue Suna.

"Psss, Suna. Hurry here" Maria called out from her hidden position as soon as her eyes met Suna's. She had not been spotted yet but was in an open enough spot to make for easy prey. Maria was not sure if this was something she did voluntarily or if it had been Lady Elma that had left Suna in such a situation

And her words did reach Suna at the right time, causing her to move before she could be spotted by the guards. Now at least one problem was out of the way, even if it was not the one Maria wanted to be.