Chapter 70

Ten days ago.

“Ruelde. You’re such a pain to look at.”

Geoffrey, who wraps his long silver hair like a blanket, looked far younger than anyone would expect from his appearance alone.

Still, there were hints of wisdom in his composure and demeanor.

Lying half-reclined on the grand sofa in the VIP room, Geoffrey glared lazily as Ruelde entered with exaggerated steps.

“…I apologize for my incompetence.”

“Why so grim? Are you already scared I’ll yell at you? Or is something else up? Did you hear some troubling news about the kids?”

“…”

Geoffrey and the blond elf Hamren standing behind him showed no particular reaction, just standing quietly.

Only their lush green gazes followed Ruelde’s every move intently.

“I’ve thought it over for days… but running away won’t change anything, so I’ve decided to make a decision.”

“…What kind of decision?”

“Melinos had a prophetic dream apparently.”

“Why tell me this? Could it be… related to Carriel?”

“…”

“What’s wrong? That reaction makes it seem like you’re hearing this for the first time?”

Ruelde thought to himself – if Geoffrey felt the need to tell him, there must be a good reason.

Especially since Ruelde himself was already deeply confused after hearing similar information from Partyna.

Maybe it was out of courtesy that he was informed first.

And once this reaches those above him…

“You seem to have figured something out judging by your expression?”

“…”

“The Golden Beast made Melinos forget the dream, it seems.”

“…Pardon?”

What does this mean?

Why is the Demon King of Wisdom being mentioned now?

“I don’t know the full details. Probably just fragments. A being of that caliber could influence even the smallest detail.”

“Is Melinos… unharmed?”

“From what I can see… yes, no issues.”

Which only made it more unsettling.

What game was that beast playing?

To cause trouble even in death…

“Soon, today or tomorrow, I intend to uncover the truth. It can no longer be ignored.”

“…”

Ruelde was already shocked by what he knew, but this revelation was even worse.

Though…

“Perhaps what I’ve learned is related.”

“What? What else is there?”

Why is he suddenly acting so uneasy?

“Let’s discuss everything when everyone’s here. By now they should all have been informed.”

“Damn it! What are you guys hiding from me?!”

“…I apologize.”

====

“…Is what you say true?”

“It’s the testimony of Alesia, the Fourth Holy Maiden of Protection, recognized by the Order.”

Princess Elliehermina was struck by an overwhelming shock that darkened her vision.

This wasn’t something to laugh off as a joke.

Especially since she didn’t appreciate jokes in the first place.

That much emotional leeway was nowhere to be found right now.

“Could it possibly be false or exaggerated?”

“The emergence of a sacred relic in Baroners’ Carriela has been reported both within the Order and the Empire.”

“…Right. Though his name wasn’t mentioned, I did receive word about a young knight named Ruel continuing his service, making significant contributions.”

“Louel knows this too, and we’re all aware it concerns Carriel.”

“…”

“Partyna, report everything from start to finish that the Holy Maiden told you.”

Partyna calmly began recounting the events without hesitation, despite there being no official documentation due to its sensitive nature.

The story involved Carriel saving a village, meeting Holy Maiden Alesia and Baron Baroneurs’ second son Luke along the way, arriving at Carriela where they participated in Edenlevan Legion’s excavation led by Fielbar to uncover Saint Carriel’s memories…

“Sacred Relic.”

This tale was fascinating and thought-provoking, but the crucial part wasn’t just that.

Originally Alesia intended to join them, but Carriel refused.

The reason given was significant.

“Unconditional affection. Even kindness is too precious a grace for him now.”

A sigh escaped her lips.

It made sense, yet why did she feel…

As if trapped in a merciless nightmare while fully awake.

“Therefore, one shouldn’t become entangled with him, cursed as he is.”

The nature of the curse was unknown.

But it was said to be the Demon King’s curse.

Especially the implication of allying with the Demon King sent shivers down her spine.

“Could it really be… some external influence or force beyond our understanding that affected him?”

This was critical.

When exactly was Carriel exposed to this?

If it was inherent from birth… that would be very serious.

If it happened during his captivity… equally grave.

But if he realized the truth of this curse after returning to the Empire… or even skipped ahead…

What if he was exposed immediately upon returning to Rutania? Or recently?

“…”

Or perhaps…

When he infiltrated the treasury, he inevitably became involved?

Even if it was inevitable, it wouldn’t be strange if there were external or internal forces manipulating the situation.

Then why specifically Carriel?

No, maybe precisely because it was Carriel?

Her head was spinning.

Despite knowing it shouldn’t be possible, the air around her grew icy cold.

No.

Her rising heart rate aside, she could feel her body temperature rapidly dropping along with her vitality.

In various ways things weren’t adding up, but the dizziness confirmed her blood pressure was indeed falling.

Or was it the opposite?

“…Could you repeat that report for His Majesty?”

“If commanded.”

“…”

Elliehermina, who had received direct information from Geoffrey about ominous signs in Melinos’ prophetic dreams, felt another headache coming on top of the previous issue.

And then came this unexpected problem, worse than anything she could have imagined.

“Alesia, you said? The Fourth Holy Maiden of Protection?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“…She took such an interest in Kal… Is it reasonable to develop such feelings after such a brief encounter? Ah… right. Given Kal’s remarkable appearance compared to others his age, it’s not impossible…”

Elliehermina inexplicably felt a wave of self-loathing.

Too late for regrets or longing.

Her attachment remained unchanged, occasionally swelling stronger.

“If it helps him, perhaps I could bless their union. If her presence brings him comfort…”

“…”

“We’ll have to wait and see how this develops.”

It might be a fleeting infatuation.

An impulsive kind of love.

Or perhaps desire and passion driven by instinct.

None of it mattered.

Even if it began inappropriately, as long as it ends in sincere love and truth…

Love takes many forms, pure and imperfect.

Not all beauty comes from untouched innocence.

If it can bloom despite rolling in the mud and being battered about, she was prepared to accept it willingly.

“Simply observing isn’t an option anymore.”

Though things had deteriorated to the worst possible scenario,

she could already foresee how her father the Emperor and Ruelde would respond.

“It needs to be resolved properly.”

It didn’t seem likely.

Even someone as astute as her couldn’t discern a clear solution to this situation.

====

“They’ve found traces near the Metran Kingdom.”

We barely missed them.

We managed to track their departure aboard a ship heading to Dabas, but lost the trail after that.

Without further context, Ruelde’s options were limited to infiltrating Dabas to gather more intelligence.

In the early morning mist weaving through the forest,

Partyna fed her hawk before releasing it into the sky, checking the dried note it carried.

Simple signals or alarms could be handled with beacon fires, but weather conditions affect reliability.

Complex messages require human couriers, which have their own limitations.

Using trained animals like birds provides a faster and more established method of communication.

Special magical or ritual-based systems offer even quicker results, though they vary in implementation.

While different factions may use unique approaches, the Empire primarily relies on magical means.

Deploying a mage becomes necessary in these cases, but the Empire consistently supports such operations.

Ancient empires like Vera maintained relay stations, though these had clear limits.

The Berke Empire combined these concepts, establishing intermediate communication posts across its territory that functioned as both relay stations and magic communication hubs.

However, fixed locations still have range limitations.

Thus, specially trained birds and other creatures prove invaluable, especially in foreign infiltration missions.

“Alright.”

After last night’s rain, the forest floor felt swampy.

Ruelde extinguished the small smoke-only fire and stood up.

Underneath his distinctive knight uniform, he wore a brown hooded coat resembling a traveler’s garment – itself a magical artifact.

He was about to cross through multiple foreign territories.

Personal safety wasn’t the concern – diplomatic complications needed careful avoidance.

With extra caution, he prepared to proceed.

“More coordinates will be sent as they’re determined.”

“Metran, why there of all places?”

Every location on the continent held memories for Ruelde – battles fought, connections formed, rivalries forged.

But none of that mattered now.

Recalling events from ten days ago,

His brother and emperor prioritized this mission above all else.

Even now, Ruelde questioned if he was the right person for this.

Princess Elliehermina repeatedly emphasized his necessity, wanting to go herself to the point of desperation.

“Let’s move out.”

The team consisted solely of Ruelde and Partyna as escort.

Any foreign power discovering this arrangement would have panicked significantly.

Everyone knows Ruelde wouldn’t act recklessly.

Still, having a blade at one’s throat isn’t calming for anyone.

Even as a single individual, Ruelde entering foreign territory represented a serious situation.

“Ermina.”

How long could this remain hidden?

Geoffrey hadn’t pressed for details considering the circumstances,

but once postpartum recovery was complete, she might notice something amiss.

No, by now she might already be piecing things together.

On horseback, Ruelde continued replaying recent events in his mind.

After re-examining Melinos’ dream, Geoffrey revealed shocking truths.

Whether entirely true or not,

Geoffrey concluded the situation required coordinating opinions from everyone present before issuing instructions:

“Carriel must be summoned directly to explain the situation.

All available means must be used to resolve this.”

Otherwise…

“That child turning into a Demon King and reducing the Empire to ashes before our eyes isn’t just an Empire-level disaster. I suspect it would affect far more.”

So Ruelde,

“If you don’t want to be the one to harm that child, this is your only chance.”

More critically,

“The Golden Beast may still be alive or capable of resurrection.”

This unprecedented crisis cannot be overlooked.

“Exert maximum effort. If that proves impossible…”

You’ll face regret greater than any other later.

“For everyone’s sake – yours, his, ours – prevent such a tragedy.”

At all costs,

“Bring that child back safely to Rutania.”

Things might have deteriorated beyond repair.

But…

Since giving up isn’t an option,

Until he hears the truth directly from that child’s own lips,

He’ll keep questioning himself endlessly about how things reached this point.

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