"But shouldn't we evacuate the people here—even now?"
"No."
Anna answered immediately, her tone calm but firm. "It's better if we move quietly on our own."
I glanced out toward the grand hall.
The nobles were still enjoying the party—laughing, chatting, raising their glasses beneath the glittering chandeliers. Completely unaware that a ticking countdown hung over their heads.
I had asked whether we should begin evacuating them anyway, but Anna's response remained lukewarm at best.
"Besides," she added softly, "it's already too late, isn't it?"
She wasn't wrong.
Less than five hours remained.
If the device hidden somewhere in this vast imperial palace truly had enough power to level it, then even an immediate evacuation wouldn't save everyone. No matter where they ran, they'd still be well within the blast radius.
Worse still—
