this chapter felt way outside my comfort zone of this series. suddenly adults can fight, and some shadow figure can take direct hits? the child is likely dead, and the shadow figure most likely defeated, so i wonder who's gonna take responsibility for this outcome, will it be his majesty who allowed a substitute to take place this easily, which failed, will the Duke be made the scapegoat, or will they push it onto the heroine and our MC?
i do feel like it's been a long while for the MC to have stayed around this girl, so it wouldn't surprise me if he'd take the blame and decide to leave for a new journey, a new arc.