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The Royal Palace of Catalonia, Palacio Real de Barcelona (Barcelona Palace), was located on the highest hill in the northwest of the city center.

The palace’s old name, Alcázar de Barcelona, suggests it was originally built not as a palace but as a fortress or castle, gradually renovated over time to adapt to changing eras.

Unlike other palaces that pursued flamboyance and elegance, Barcelona Palace was built with a unique, weathered robustness and extreme practicality, embodying a timeless, antique solidity.

Even with decorations befitting a palace, these only served to highlight the inherent majesty of the palace without compromising its original character.

Fortresses and castles, by nature, are military facilities designed to defend against external threats, and thus, they always have a control tower for command and control.

Such control towers, managing military secrets and security procedures, must be placed in areas inaccessible from the outside, leading to the creation of secluded spaces within fortresses and castles.

In this context, Barcelona Palace also had such a place.

A secluded area within the palace, strictly controlled for external access, where King Ramon Berenguer IV of Catalonia lay in his sickroom.

“Chamberlain, the medicinal potion is ready.”

“Thank you. Give it to me.”

The chamberlain, after receiving the potion bottle from the physician, first uncorked it, smelled it, and took a sip himself before nodding. He then approached the bed in the center of the room.

The bed, clearly crafted by a skilled carpenter from high-quality wood, was devoid of unnecessary decorations, likely out of consideration for the patient.

Despite the patient’s high status, the room was designed with authority in mind, with a bell within reach to summon attendants and ample space around the bed.

Even without excessive decorations, the remaining traces were enough to maintain the dignity of the place, achieving an aesthetic balance by removing the superfluous.

Anyone seeing this room would think, ‘The owner of this space must be of extraordinary status.’

And they would not be wrong, for the person lying in the bed was none other than the supreme sovereign of the Kingdom of Catalonia.

“Your Majesty, the physician has prepared a potion to alleviate pain and restore some strength.”

At the chamberlain’s call, King Ramon Berenguer IV opened his eyes.

The patient’s appearance was typical: pale or dark complexion, blurred eyes, and an expressionless face, drained of vitality.

Long periods of bed rest lead to muscle atrophy, stiff joints, and poor blood circulation, resulting in a lifeless appearance.

The king’s condition was no different.

His dark, lifeless face, dull eyes, and labored breathing showed no expression, only a deep sense of helplessness.

This helplessness made him appear older than he was.

The mind is often directly connected to vitality, as the spirit is closely related to the body.

A healthy body maintains a healthy mind, and vice versa. Enthusiasm and vitality can invigorate the body, while fear can freeze the limbs, and inner turmoil can burn the body.

The king’s condition was no exception.

Though only in his mid-forties, the king looked like an old man.

Seeing his ashen appearance, the chamberlain hid his distress and poured the potion into a small ladle. Before administering it, he asked, as usual, “Can you take it yourself?”

The king silently shook his head. The chamberlain gestured, and another attendant adjusted the bed to raise the king’s upper body, preventing the potion from entering his airway.

With the king seated, the chamberlain brought the ladle to his lips.

After finishing the potion with the chamberlain’s help, the king, still seated, spoke with difficulty, “The city administrator… wanted to see me?”

The chamberlain paused, then bowed and replied, “Yes, Your Majesty. Just last evening, Lord Samaranch requested an audience.”

“Why… does he… want to see me?”

The king’s cold voice made the chamberlain look up in surprise. The king’s eyes, previously dull, now held a cold, sharp glint.

‘Does he still harbor resentment?’

It was not a raging fire but embers glowing in ashes, occasionally emitting smoke.

Suppressing a sigh, the chamberlain continued, “He said he has someone to introduce to you.”

A bitter smile appeared on the king’s lips.

Introducing someone? Had he forgotten why the king’s sickroom was hidden in the deepest part of the palace?

“Huh, huh, huh…”

The king felt a twisted sense of amusement rising within him.

Directionless hatred, the pain of loss, and a violent impulse to blame someone.

He thought such emotions were dead, but they still stirred within him. How pathetic.

Enduring the chaotic thoughts swirling in his aching head, the king weakly commanded, “Let him come.”

“Pardon?”

“Let him come once.”

The king approved the city administrator’s request for an audience, hiding his thoughts of seeing the man’s shameless face again.

Juan Argones Samaranch arrived at the king’s sickroom shortly after, having been on standby and coming immediately upon hearing the news.

His swift action left the chamberlain speechless as Samaranch led his companion into the king’s sickroom.

“Wait, Lord Samaranch! His Majesty has not permitted any companions!”

The chamberlain tried to stop him, but it was too late.

Maria, led by the former guard knight, entered the king’s sickroom, annoyed by the boldness but fell silent upon seeing the king.

At that moment, the king also saw Maria.

“……”

“……!”

Typically, a long-separated parent and child reunion would evoke tender emotions.

But the emotions on their faces were different.

A complex, indescribable mix of feelings, best described as ‘strangeness.’

An awkward atmosphere, yet their gazes remained locked.

Was it the emotional pull of blood ties, or something extraordinary in the other’s appearance?

They soon realized the reason.

Whoosh…!

A subtle ripple of power, unnoticed at first, began to resonate between Maria and King Ramon Berenguer IV, growing stronger.

The flow of power between them intensified, creating a powerful spell wave.

The movement of the power, resonating and synchronizing between them, became unmistakable.

“Your Majesty…!”

“Stop! …No, but, could it really be?”

The chamberlain, restraining the knight, was stunned.

“The Prince’s Privilege (El Carta de Lily)!!?!”

In this mysterious continent, the nobility’s influence as rulers and kings’ authority stemmed from the blessings granted by celestial gods, earth spirits, and the laws of the era.

The beauty and mystery of royal authority, praised by the people of Hiberia as ‘El Carta de Lily,’ the Charter of the Lily.

The power resonating between King Ramon Berenguer IV and Maria was undoubtedly the ‘Prince’s Privilege.’

The flow of power, vigorous and intense, began to flood like a breached dam.

Just as a flooded river sweeps away everything in its path, leaving fertile soil behind, the power flooding between the king and Maria swept through their minds and bodies.

They felt as if parts of themselves were being swept away, replaced by something new and pure.

The power flow removed misplaced, unnecessary elements, supplying what was essential.

The increasingly intense power formed a visible, swirling ∞ symbol between them, imprinting on the onlookers’ retinas.

‘As expected, but more than expected.’

Juan Argones Samaranch, who had brought Maria to the king’s sickroom, nodded to himself. Though not of direct lineage, he was well-versed in the secrets of noble families.

Realizing Maria was the king’s long-lost daughter, he had anticipated the reunion of the blocked blessings.

Yet, the intensity of the resonance exceeded his expectations.

Perhaps the royal bloodline’s blessing was stronger than thought, or Maria’s innate blessing was more potent.

‘No, if the blessing itself were strong, the king wouldn’t be in this state.’

Catalonia was but a small kingdom, a mere region within the larger Hiberia, not comparable to great nations like Franquia or Rotaringia.

Thus, Maria’s blessing must have been exceptionally dense and pure.

Even among bloodlines, the density of blessings varied. Direct descendants typically had purer blessings, but exceptions existed.

Thus, when the power finally subsided, an event beyond everyone’s expectations occurred.

“What!?”

“Your Majesty!!!”

All eyes in the room fixed on one spot. King Ramon Berenguer IV stood on his own two feet.

The near-death appearance was gone. Though still somewhat haggard, his face now had a healthy flush.

It was a miracle.

Even if a bedridden patient recovered, they couldn’t stand immediately due to poor circulation, muscle loss, and stiff joints.

Yet, the king stood straight, his legs firmly supporting him, his back erect. His eyes, though not sharp, had a noticeable glow.

The king’s gaze remained on Maria, the young girl brought by the city administrator.

An awkward, confused, and longing mix of emotions played on his face.

After hesitating, the king finally spoke in a strained voice, “I’m sorry. And thank you.”

What was he sorry for, and what was he thankful for? Conra, silently observing, felt the urge to ask.

The king’s gaze, previously indifferent, now held a different light. Though mixed with confusion and awkwardness, Conra recognized it.

It was the look of a father towards his child.

Perhaps the power flood had touched not just their bodies but their hearts as well.

A surge of heat rose within Conra.

The man who had been so indifferent to his daughter now awkwardly displayed paternal affection… It was a sentiment he had no right to show.

Yet, Conra held back, for more pressing matters were at hand.

‘Clearly, there was a momentary disruption.’

During the power flood, Conra sensed a slight disturbance in Maria’s sphere of influence.

According to Conra’s understanding, this should not have happened, as Maria was a master of Wu Xin Dong.

Wu Xin Dong was a state where one’s movements perfectly embodied the world’s rationality, allowing for flawless performance at any time.

Maria’s sphere of influence was not just a physical area but a perfectly harmonious realm, akin to a high-level spellcaster’s domain.

Thus…

‘No, it’s not entirely impossible.’

Conra recalled the flood of royal power between Maria and King Ramon Berenguer IV.

The fundamental factor that momentarily disrupted Maria’s sphere was undoubtedly the royal blessing.

A formless sword forged from the depths of one’s heart.

A pure rationality refined to the extreme, free from impurities.

A sublime body, unshaken by any external factors.

The commonality of the three paths to transcendence—heart, energy, and body—was the extreme refinement of one aspect, reducing dependence on the others.

Thus, the three elements were intricately interdependent.

Conra realized that as the royal mystery subsided and King Ramon Berenguer IV regained his strength, a corresponding change occurred in Maria.

Fortunately, the change was positive.

‘Her body’s balance was corrected, and her overall potential increased. Her spirit entity’s growth potential also broke through a limiter.’

Whether through Reverse Muscle Technique or Reverse Brain Method, spirit entities were concepts modeled after real muscles and brain matter. Thus, while their growth direction was unlimited, growth limits inevitably existed.

The concept of ‘banding’ was the means to surpass these limits, often used to gauge a warrior or spellcaster’s strength.

However, ‘banding’ was an act of surpassing limits when growth stagnated, requiring time and effort.

Even if two individuals achieved the same number of bandings, the one with higher growth before banding would generally perform better.

Moreover, as banding increased, the initial spirit entity could be pressured by higher-dimensional entities formed after banding, risking self-destruction.

Thus, solidifying the spirit entity before the first banding was crucial for future achievements.

Maria’s Reverse Muscle and Reverse Brain Techniques were nearing their first limits. Thanks to her innate talent and the intricacies of Sphere Exercises, she had balanced growth in both body and spirit.

But now, her spirit entity’s growth was slowing, and the recent breakthrough removed a layer of limitation, a fortuitous event.

However, this was a significant loss in immediate combat strength.

A master of Wu Xin Dong embodied the world’s rationality through their skills, achieving a perfectly optimized performance.

This was not a temporary state but a deeply ingrained artistry in every movement, allowing for consistent top performance.

Maria’s ability to match seasoned warriors despite her young age was due to this.

Normally, people cannot always exert their full strength. Even at their best, they can only maintain about 70% of their capacity, which can drop due to fatigue, tension, or distraction.

In life-and-death situations, this was even more critical. The ability to consistently exert full strength was a tremendous advantage.

‘But now, Maria can no longer maintain that advantage.’

Her overall potential had risen to unprecedented levels, and her performance at full strength had significantly improved.

However, she could no longer maintain that full strength consistently.

‘Her previously optimized skills no longer match her current body and mind.’

The technical mechanisms that were perfectly optimized for her body and mind no longer fit due to the sudden advancement.

The disruption stemmed from this mismatch.

Though Maria, with her innate talent, quickly detected the change and adjusted, this was only a temporary fix.

Skills and techniques require time and intense practice to become habitual. Neglecting gradual progress risks losing even the insights gained from sudden enlightenment.

Especially in the chaotic battlefield with fluctuating variables…

‘If she were to enter combat now, she wouldn’t be able to maintain peak performance for long.’

Her potential peak had risen, but maintaining it required additional mental effort.

To use an analogy from their master Sophia’s past world, it was like a character with a total stat of 10 consistently performing at 12 due to a passive skill, now having a stat of 11 but only performing at 8-9, with the passive skill replaced by a similar active skill.

‘I might have to protect my younger sister.’

Conra resolved, watching Maria’s back.

Perhaps due to the royal blessing, those around her saw a natural nobility in her appearance, demeanor, breath, and voice.

But to Conra, she was just a young girl burdened with a heavy load.

As Conra steeled his resolve, the conversation between the king and Maria began to flow.

 

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