#92
“How can I trust that you won’t tell my brother anything?”
“Should I cut off this leg? Would you believe me then?”
Rikin raised his blade high as if he truly intended to sever Ramtel’s leg. His stern attitude made it clear he wouldn’t tolerate even a joke. Ramtel waved his hands frantically and shifted awkwardly, like someone genuinely frightened. All of it looked as ridiculous as a clown’s performance.
“It’s true. I’m not in a very honorable position myself. After all, I’m using the power of demons for personal gain.”
I recalled the power he had used just moments ago. My emotions, which had briefly calmed, began to stir again. No one had explained to me how he used that power, but I knew it all too well. I swallowed hard, suppressing the feelings that threatened to surge up.
“Don’t worry, let’s go. If we stay any longer, His Highness Kuatrin will truly discover us.”
However, Persis didn’t back down, still clutching the formless sword he had created, staring intently at Ramtel. He couldn’t kill him here, nor could we afford to waste more time. It would be better to retreat for now and prepare a new alibi in case Ramtel broke his promise and passed all the information to Kuatrin.
I placed my hand on Persis’s arm that held the sword and shook my head.
“We must leave. If we stay longer, the situation could become more complicated.”
Persis silently looked at me, then slowly dissolved the sword in his hand. We had no time to treat or provide first aid to the fallen Ramtel. The thought occurred to me that he might be in danger from excessive bleeding, but escaping this place quickly was more important.
Just as we were about to leave with Rikin in the lead, Ramtel looked at us and spoke.
“Both of you know what that is, don’t you?”
Rikin, who had been about to step forward, froze in place as if nailed to the ground. The “that” Ramtel was referring to wasn’t the sword. His eyes were fixed directly on me.
“I believe you know.”
I couldn’t say anything and tightly gripped the sword in my arms. I couldn’t understand what he was talking about. As he continued to speak, Persis, who had been moving away, approached him again. It seemed he intended to silence him once and for all. But once again, it was Rikin who stopped him.
“Don’t fall for his words. Let’s move.”
Despite Rikin’s words, Persis remained motionless.
“Hurry.”
Only after being urged again did Persis slowly take a step. I could hear Ramtel’s faint snickering behind us, but we ignored it and pressed forward.
Yet inside me, Ramtel’s parting words spread like ripples. Something was definitely strange. From the beginning, I could hear the sword’s voice, and not only was I connected to the sword, but since entering this temple, I’d often moved unconsciously, swept away by emotions. And hadn’t I just broken the magic Ramtel had created?
In the original work, Andelion was merely a pitiful son exploited by the Duke. He was only that much of an existence. Was there something different from the original? Or were there behind-the-scenes details that never appeared in the original?
With an uneasy heart, my hurrying footsteps grew heavier. The exit finally came into view in the distance. As we emerged, we could see the small room in the palace where we had first entered. There, Kara was waiting for us.
Kara quickly approached, removed the priest robes we were wearing, and swiftly tore them into pieces with magic. She seemed intent on burning them right away.
“Are you injured anywhere?”
“We’re fine. But we should move quickly. There was a small commotion inside. How are things outside?”
“Nothing except for some guards moving toward the temple. To escape from here, we need to wait until the next shift change. Since it could be dangerous to move together, His Highness and Young Master Parten should move separately, and Young Master Andelion and I will move separately as well.”
Rikin seemed to agree with Kara’s suggestion, but Persis didn’t.
“We don’t know who we might encounter in the palace. We already met someone from my brother’s faction. That person immediately recognized us as the intruders who entered the temple. It means they’re already suspicious. In this situation, moving separately is more dangerous.”
“That’s precisely why we should move separately. It’s just suspicion, not evidence. Even with a witness, in this country, His Highness’s word should be trusted more than that of a witness. So let’s not leave any more room for suspicion and move separately.”
Despite her words, Persis wouldn’t back down, but I also agreed with Kara.
“I’ll go with Kara.”
“Ana!”
“This is the right choice.”
I stepped slightly away from Persis and wore a resolute expression. Even though I saw his brow furrow, my determination didn’t waver. He looked as if he wanted to persuade me further, but no one here agreed with Persis’s wish. Even Rikin, who had been quietly observing the situation, felt the same.
Finally, Persis had to back down without further persuasion. Until the very end, he seemed unwilling to leave my side, as if worried. It reminded me of how he used to stick close to me when we were young.
We planned to move separately, timing our movements with the guard shift change.
Fortunately, we encountered no one on the way to the Duke’s office. Our plan was to secretly leave the palace with the Duke who was returning to his residence. It would be best if we didn’t encounter anyone at all.
Since we were somewhat distant from the temple, no one blocked our path. If we could reach the Duke’s office like this, everything would be resolved. Kara and I matched our steps and moved as naturally as possible. The important thing was to return without anyone discovering the sword concealed by Kara’s illusion magic.
I suppressed my trembling heart and somehow managed to keep walking. I worried about whether Persis and Rikin had managed to hide themselves well. Although the palace was Persis’s home, it was a place where anything could happen at any time.
As I walked, gripped by fear, a voice called out to us from behind.
“Young Master? Where are you heading in such a hurry?”
When I turned my head, there stood Kuatrin and Yaksi, smiling at us.
Even at a distance, it was clearly apparent who they were. Kara and I immediately bowed our heads.
The two slowly approached us. I couldn’t understand what had prompted them to come here. Kuatrin, now close, opened his mouth with a gentle smile.
“I didn’t expect to meet the Young Master here.”
That was what I wanted to say. I looked at him with a composed face and greeted him.
“I pay my respects to Your Highness.”
“It seems we’re seeing each other frequently these days, Young Master. You must have business at the palace even at this late hour?”
“I was waiting for Father. His work isn’t finished yet.”
“Ah, yes. I forgot that the Duke always works late. So the Young Master is waiting for his father around here? I believe the Duke’s office is some distance from here.”
Kuatrin seemed determined not to let us go easily. Not only had he directly encountered us trying to enter the temple, but now I was wandering around claiming to be waiting for the Duke—naturally, it would be suspicious.
“I was just on my way back after handling a task Father assigned me.”
“An assigned task?”
I brought up the story Kara and I had agreed upon in advance for such a situation. I hoped this would be enough, but Kuatrin would likely ask for more details.
“May I know what kind of task it was?”
His voice was friendly, but I wasn’t foolish enough to miss the emotion hidden within it. We had prepared for this scenario as well. I slightly averted my gaze, looking at Kuatrin cautiously, as if truly troubled.
“Well, he told me not to discuss it if possible.”
At my answer, Kuatrin’s eyebrow twitched slightly, as if offended. Yaksi, standing beside him, seemed distressed at being unable to help us, clutching tightly at the robe covering her face. I was worried she might accidentally remove the mask she had so carefully crafted.
“Hmm, even from me?”
“I think I could tell Your Highness, but since Father didn’t explicitly permit it… I apologize. Would you like to come with us? I think it would be fine to tell you in Father’s presence.”
If another noble had behaved this way, they might have been immediately arrested for insulting the royal family. However, I was the son of the Duke, this country’s hero, and the request not to discuss it came from the Duke, who was known to hold as much power as other royal family members.
Even Kuatrin couldn’t continue to pressure me. Knowing this, we had prepared to say I was on an errand for the Duke. I thought this would be sufficient to get past anyone we might unexpectedly encounter—even Kuatrin.
“Hmm. No, there’s no need to trouble yourselves. The Duke must be very busy with his work.”
As expected, Kuatrin seemed willing to let it go at this point. I was about to express my relief and suggest we take our leave.
“Perhaps that thing you’re hiding in your arms… is it related to the task the Duke assigned you?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
