Episode 225

At the very moment Ian had received his report from the mage, Dylaina’s attendants were rushing down the dim corridors. Ever since it became known that Arsen was a magic user, her palace had been flooded with visitors day and night.

Even now, the scene was no different. At the entrance to the reception room, unfamiliar faces stood in line alongside Dylaina’s usual attendants, waiting for their masters.

“What’s all this commotion at this hour?”

Panting from haste, an attendant arrived breathlessly, only to be sternly scolded by the chief attendant. But the messenger paid no mind and quietly relayed the news where no one else could hear.

“It’s urgent. Please inform her immediately. A priest from the Karbo Temple has just arrived at the palace.”

A priest arriving at this hour? The chief attendant was taken aback but let him in. As they pushed open the inner door and drew closer, the anxious murmurs of the nobles became audible.

“Apparently, Erikse has already stamped the accusation.”

“If we’d known, we should have just killed him. Tsk tsk.”

“That’s reckless talk. Everyone’s already aware, from the Minister of Justice down. They couldn’t come to work, so they knew something was seriously wrong. But if someone had died, how would they handle the aftermath?”

“Exactly. If Sir Ian digs into this and makes a fuss, it’ll spiral out of control. We’ve done everything we can within reason.”

“I heard there was even a brawl at the Justice Department?”

“I wish we’d just turned a blind eye and broken a few mages’ arms. That would’ve been satisfying.”

“Hmm. Since the complaint was filed today, if we rush the process, the Grand Assembly will convene before the magic verification ceremony. How many of our people can attend? We should send word that attendance is impossible and try to postpone the date. There’s no other way.”

Knock knock.

Creak.

As the attendant announced his presence and opened the door, the nobles looked on in surprise. She quickly approached Dylaina and whispered.

“A priest from the Karbo Temple has arrived urgently. It seems there was a problem while transporting the Light of the Oracle, and they’re here to request assistance.”

“What?”

Dylaina’s eyes widened instantly. This was unexpected good news. Though the date was still some time away, the fact that the priest had come in person to ask for help meant they were quite close. For those who needed to hold the magic verification ceremony before the Grand Assembly, this was a welcome development.

“Lady Dylaina? Are you alright?”

“The priest from Karbo Temple has arrived. It seems there was trouble on the way, but they’re near the capital.”

The anxious murmurs had turned into cries of joy. The ministers instinctively clapped their hands in delight.

“Oh! That’s a relief.”

“To get from Karbo to the capital, they have to cross the eastern mountains. If there was a problem, it likely happened there. The mountains are steep and treacherous, and the path was only recently cleared. If they hadn’t known, the carriage would have broken down.”

Though they had lamented the filing of the accusation by Erikse, this changed the situation entirely. Ian had said he would open the magic verification ceremony as soon as the Light of the Oracle arrived. If they could bring it in first, that would solve everything.

“They must have entered the Magic Department?”

“Of course. The magic verification ceremony falls under their jurisdiction.”

“Lady Dylaina, send someone. The Magic Department will want to hold the Grand Assembly first and will only drag their feet pretending to help. Use the Karbo family connection to offer direct assistance. Hurry and bring the Light of the Oracle here as quickly as possible.”

Nodding at the ministers’ urging, Dylaina thought, “There’s no law against survival.” To have such an opportunity arise the moment the accusation was filed—it was almost miraculous. She stood as if to go herself.

“I will meet the priest personally. If they helped after the birth, they will understand our position even more. You all wait here. I will report back after the meeting.”

At her declaration, the attendants bustled about, gathering cloaks, summoning a carriage, and sending word to the Magic Department.

As she left the reception room, the ministers sipped their wine and exchanged remarks.

“This situation is strange. At first, Sir Ian wanted to rush the magic verification ceremony, but now it’s completely reversed.”

“That’s because Duke Haiman is caught in the middle.”

“Speaking of Haiman, I heard a rumor that the duke asked Luswena for help.”

“Ah, yes. I heard that too. Isn’t it practically confirmed?”

“If that’s true, what about Prince Gale’s supposed plan to seek asylum in Luswena?”

“What? What do you mean?”

The rumor was just beginning to spread. The one who spoke raised an eyebrow and whispered as quietly as possible.

“More precisely, it’s asylum based on an engagement.”

“Hahaha! An engagement? Prince Gale is quite something.”

“Hmm, but it’s a clever move. If he goes to Luswena, he not only preserves his life but also keeps the Magic Department and Haiman in check.”

“From Luswena’s perspective, it’s a welcome development. Securing Prince Gale means they can exert influence over Bariel, by any means necessary. As long as Prince Gale lives, it’s a burden for Arsen and Prince Jin.”

“But is it true?”

“We’re verifying, but it doesn’t seem like baseless gossip. Earlier, we received word that Sir Ian visited Prince Gale’s palace. Probably to warn him about the asylum.”

The ministers sipped their wine, calculating what winds Gale’s exile might bring. Would it carry the scent of blood or sweetness? Depending on which side they stood, the smell would differ. They fell into an unspoken silence.

“For now, it’s best to watch and wait.”

Clink—

They lightly tapped their wine glasses and resigned themselves to waiting for Dylaina’s swift return.

---

Screech!

Creak!

The carriage came to a sudden halt in front of the Magic Department. Ian climbed the stairs alongside the mages. The atmosphere inside was tense due to the unexpected visitor. Seeing Ian approach, an attendant flung open the office door.

“So you’ve come. You must have suffered greatly.”

“No, it’s mostly healed now. I’m fine.”

“May the gods’ blessings be with you. I sincerely pray for your recovery.”

A woman cloaked in a robe knelt, speaking with Prince Jin. Xiaosi noticed Ian’s arrival and stepped back.

“Oh, Sir Ian!”

“Prince Jin.”

Ian called, and Jin approached.

“She’s a priest from the Karbo Temple. She said she saw me as a child and was exchanging greetings.”

“I see.”

The priests bowed respectfully. Beneath their white robes, their faces were hidden behind translucent veils covering their eyes and mouths. They didn’t even extend a finger beyond their sleeves, so only their voices revealed they were women.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Avidel, a priest of the Karbo Temple. I apologize for visiting so late at night.”

“I am Makael.”

“I am Ian Hielroil, Minister of Magic. What brings you here? I heard there was a problem transporting the Light of the Oracle.”

“Yes. As you know, the Karbo Temple has little experience dispatching the Light of the Oracle. We hurriedly set out on short notice, so our preparations were insufficient.”

The magic verification ceremony itself was rare, but the Karbo Temple was relatively far from the capital. Aside from when Dylaina came there to give birth or when the oracle’s message was occasionally delivered, there was little contact.

Presumably, this was a rare outing for the priests as well.

“Did the carriage break down?”

“While crossing the rocky mountains, all the wheels were destroyed. The Light of the Oracle is unharmed, but we cannot move, so we came to request help.”

The harp was so heavy and massive that even with wheels, it required four or five people to push. For priests who were not specialists, transporting it was a serious challenge.

Ian unfolded a map on the table.

“Where exactly?”

“We crossed two large rivers, so it should be around here. From where we stopped, it took half a day on horseback to get here.”

Ian traced the route with his finger and hesitated. They were closer than expected. If they sent support now, the Light of the Oracle could arrive at the palace earlier than anticipated. That meant they could hold Arsen’s magic verification ceremony before the Grand Assembly.

Jin hovered nearby, watching Ian with concern.

“Sir Ian?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

What should they do? Romandro and the mages had fought tooth and nail to file the accusation, but now it seemed pointless.

Reading his unease, Ian smiled faintly.

“Send support. Immediately.”

Outwardly, they had to send help. But what to do once it arrived would depend on the situation. Ian gave instructions to the person standing behind him.

“Check which carriages are available for support. The Light of the Oracle is very heavy. Ordinary carriages won’t suffice. Keep that in mind.”

“Yes, understood.”

The priest placed a hand over her chest in gratitude and bowed. Avidel’s gaze subtly shifted toward Jin. Though her eyes were hidden, it was clear she was looking at his wounds.

“Forgive me, but what happened to Your Highness’s injuries?”

“There was a commotion at the palace. It’s a long story.”

That was a clear refusal to explain.

The Karbo Temple was deeply connected to Dylaina’s family. Ian judged that the temple had delivered absurd oracles and was the root of Jin’s misfortune. He couldn’t trust them enough to share information.

“The Magic Department also requested that the person responsible for the oracles concerning Prince Jin and Arsen accompany you. Is there any problem with that?”

Though it was called a request, it was effectively an order stamped with official seal.

Then Avidel pulled back his veil. Beneath his light brown eyes, his face was sprinkled with freckles.

“Yes. You said you called for me.”

“Avidel, the priest? It’s you?”

“Yes. And Machael is the priest who received the recent oracle.”

It matched the testimony of the doctor who had performed the surgery back then. Though they didn’t know the name, they had mentioned a freckled priest.

“I have always felt nothing but regret toward Your Highness. Though it was said to be a message from the gods, I was the one who delivered it. The words were almost like a curse—I can only imagine how heavily they must have weighed on you.”

Jin parted her lips in surprise, but then gently grasped the priest’s hand and shook her head. She bore no ill will; she had simply done her duty.

“Th-This is not your fault.”

“Your Highness.”

But it wasn’t Ian. He knew the oracle itself was flawed. Surely, if there was a mistake or deliberate tampering, it must have been Avidel’s doing.

“Avidel, when you received the oracle, how many years had you been a priest?”

“It was my third year.”

There was no rank among priests, but among those who spent their entire lives in the temple, three years was still quite new.

“Hmm.”

“May I ask why?”

“I want you to recount the circumstances again, in detail.”

“Isn’t it all recorded?”

“Still. I want to hear it from you once more, to be certain.”

Avidel bowed his head and recalled that day ten years ago. Like the doctor had said, it was a rainy day.

“At that time, I was praying with the other priests for a safe delivery. I spent hours bowed down, hoping with all my heart that the will of the gods would reach them.”

He spoke quietly, then recited the curse.

“I heard a voice say: ‘The one born later will harm the one born first. And if the sibling closest to the throne dies, the royal line will be completely severed.’”

“A voice. Yes. What was the voice like?”

“Pardon?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, he hesitated. How could he remember a voice he’d heard only once, ten years ago? But after a moment, he answered cautiously.

“There was no distinct feature. It was just clear and thin…”

As Avidel described it, Machael, who had been quietly listening nearby, lifted his head. A look of puzzlement flickered in his eyes.

“Why do you ask, Machael?”

“N-No reason.”

“That’s not true.”

“Well…”

He muttered nervously.

“In the oracle I received, the voice of the gods was described as low and heavy.”