Chapter 910

Beneath the warm glow of flickering candlelight, Philia’s eyes were serious as she reviewed the medical report. She carefully examined every detail for a long while before finally signing her name at the bottom.

The report on Lord Lato’s cause of death stated that aside from a chronic illness he had long suffered from, there were no other notable abnormalities. Philia furrowed her brow and lightly bit the end of her pen.

‘Is this even possible?’

No matter how severe his condition had been, to pass away precisely on the day Ian arrived—and in front of the child, no less—felt far too suspicious to be mere coincidence.

Yet, they couldn’t just order an autopsy without proper authority, and there had been no response from Chroni, who held the actual power to approve it.

“Not leaving work yet?”

“Oh, I was just about to.”

Philia stood up, packing her bag. She glanced at the window, where an employee gave her a cautious look.

“Be careful going home. It’s already dark, and there have been rumors of suspicious people lurking around here.”

“Is that so? I’ll head out now, then.”

“Alright, see you tomorrow.”

Pulling her robe over her head, Philia pushed open the door and stepped out onto the quiet street. She tightened her robe around her and quickened her pace. How long had she been walking?

Tap. Tap.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps behind her. Philia’s senses sharpened as she glanced back—no one was there. Was it just her imagination? Or…

Tap. Tap.

‘No, it’s not a trick of the mind.’

She turned toward the main road, deciding to head somewhere crowded where she could keep an eye out and call for the guards if needed.

The footsteps behind her quickened, overlapping and growing louder.

“…!”

The pace grew faster and faster. Philia practically broke into a run, so focused on escaping that she didn’t even notice her robe slipping off. Wearing heels made running on the cobblestones all the more difficult.

Swish.

A long shadow stretched beside her. Someone was definitely closing in. Just as Philia turned around with a fearful expression—

Thud.

A warm hand wrapped around her. The looming shadow vanished without a trace.

“…!”

Startled, Philia looked straight ahead. The massive figure before her carried the scent of the desert, unmistakable even beneath the robe. The fear in her eyes was replaced by a spark of relief.

“Nersarn.”

“…Is something wrong?”

“I thought someone was following me just now…”

“There’s no one here now. Maybe they saw me and turned back.”

Holding Philia protectively, Nersarn scanned the dark alley. Aside from a fat cat lazily strolling by, there was no sign of anything suspicious.

“There’s no one. You can relax.”

Philia looked up at Nersarn with shining eyes and quietly asked, “But what brings you here?”

“Curiosity.”

“Oh.”

Suddenly remembering, Philia’s words came faster.

“Nersarn, the prophecy was right. When I went to Lord Lato’s mansion, Ian was there. I don’t know all the details, but I’m glad I arrived in time. The doctor who responded to the call was Bergin, who’s very close to Chroni—uh.”

Nersarn’s large hand gently tugged at her hair, silencing her mid-sentence.

“You did well, Miss Philia.”

They stood quietly for a moment, reflecting on the day—a day that felt like fate, perfectly orchestrated.

“To be honest, I didn’t really believe the prophecy at first. I was half in doubt.”

“Because it’s a prophecy.”

That morning, the two had been sharing tea at a café when Nersarn suddenly stared intently at the sky. When Philia asked why, he told her an old tale.

“On a day when the sun and moon rise together, look to the north. If you see a star there, it is a warning from the gods. Be cautious of everything on that day.”

It was a brief prophecy left by Chief Roel. Not aimed at any one person, but more like advice for the entire Cheonryeo region.

Philia had been both intrigued and uneasy about the prophecy. When news came of a death at the Alphat estate, she didn’t hesitate to join the investigation.

“I think there’s a conspiracy behind Lord Lato’s death involving Chroni, but if the family refuses an autopsy, there’s no way to find out.”

“I see.”

“I plan to meet with Ian soon to discuss this. Do you have any other questions?”

Since Nersarn had come out of curiosity, Philia invited him to ask anything else on his mind. After a moment’s thought, he quietly made a suggestion.

“May I escort you home?”

“Huh?”

“The day isn’t over yet.”

According to the prophecy, one must be cautious until midnight—anything could happen before then. After all, a mysterious shadow had just been tailing Philia.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded willingly.

“Alright.”

Their eyes met deeply. On the quiet street, in the dim alley bathed in moonlight, it felt as if only the two of them existed in the world—

“Momma?”

“Eh?”

“…”

Suddenly, Romandro, Hana, and Ian appeared. The three stared in disbelief at the pair embracing.

Snapping out of their dreamlike moment, Philia and Nersarn quickly separated and straightened their clothes. Romandro discreetly covered Ian’s eyes.

“Since when?”

“How did this happen?”

“Romandro, please move your hand.”

But Romandro and Hana were so shocked they barely heard Ian, muttering repeatedly.

“Young love is something else.”

“Th-That’s not it.”

“Who’s saying otherwise? Enjoy it while it lasts.”

“So, what’s going on?”

Philia, cheeks still flushed, tidied her hair. Ian gently moved Romandro’s fingers aside and looked at Philia.

“I was waiting in front of the mansion to discuss what happened earlier today. When you didn’t show up, I got worried and came to find you.”

“That wasn’t necessary, Ian. Right?”

“Yeah, you should’ve just waited out front.”

“Ian, it’s not like that.”

“Alright, alright.”

Ian smiled broadly, as if to say it was fine.

Unlike Philia, whose face was bright red, Nersarn remained calm, showing little reaction. Romandro poked his side and gave him a knowing look.

“I’ll leave you two alone soon, so just give us a little time.”

“…What are you implying?”

“Hehe! I know, I know!”

As Hana urged them to stop making a scene in the street, Ian leaned into her shoulder and glanced toward the alley Philia had come from. A shadow seemed to move stealthily there. Ian pretended not to notice and rested his head on Hana’s shoulder, alert for anyone following.

“Come inside.”

Philia’s home was small and cozy. There was no spacious yard, but the interior was charmingly furnished.

Nersarn, visiting for the first time, looked around curiously. The ceiling was low enough that one had to duck to avoid bumping their head.

“Would you like some tea?”

“I’ll help.”

“Hana, since we have guests, please sit down. Everyone except Ian, would you like coffee? Ian, how about some warm milk?”

Everyone nodded at Philia’s offer. Romandro and Hana scooted closer to Nersarn, and Ian quietly pulled a chair beside them.

The four sat close together. Romandro whispered softly.

“What happened? Weren’t you supposed to be in the desert?”

“…I never said I was going.”

“Oh, I see. If you were in the capital, you should’ve contacted us!”

“I was busy with some matters.”

“What kind of matters? Love matters~?”

“Romandro, you’re ridiculous! Right, Ian?”

“Hm. Not exactly dignified.”

“Everyone’s curious, aren’t they?”

“Well, yes, but…”

Thump.

Philia smiled as she set down the tray with freshly brewed coffee. Hana and Romandro nervously grabbed their mugs, and Ian took a careful sip of his warm milk.

“Ian, did you report the situation to the Ministry of Magic safely?”

“Yes, thanks to you. How did you get here, anyway?”

“That’s what I’m wondering too. I suppose you had a purpose for being at Chroni’s mansion? Did you achieve what you wanted?”

Ian muttered quietly. At least, he had found a clue.

“I’m curious about Lord Lato’s cause of death.”

“Oh, that part… I have my doubts too. Getting Chroni’s consent for an autopsy will take time. I think it’ll probably be recorded as a natural death.”

“They said the Ministry will open a portal tomorrow to deliver the death notice. If we send it together and get a reply then, it might be faster.”

“Really? That would speed things up. Though whether Chroni will approve is another question.”

Ian took another sip of milk, staring thoughtfully into his cup.

“I think there might be a way.”

The problem is whether the Ministry will allow it.

He shrugged and then turned to Philia with a request.

“Contact the Ministry of Magic and ask them to cast a freezing spell on the body. They’ll probably agree without hesitation.”

Preserving the corpse before Crony arrived was the priority. The hospital wouldn’t approve, but it was worth pushing the issue.

Philia gave Ian’s shoulder a reassuring pat.

“Understood. And if there’s anything else I can help with, just let me know.”

Just like today, I’ll always be your strength, Ian. Philia’s warm green eyes held the childlike smile in full bloom.

Ian returned the gesture with a light embrace, gratitude clear in his voice.

“Thanks for coming today. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

“Would you also pass along my thanks to Nersarn? Thanks to his prophecy, we got a chance.”

“Is that so? Nersarn, thank you.”

Nersarn lowered his gaze modestly, as if it was nothing.

“But how do you plan to convince Crony?”

“…There’s been a lot going on. Do you know anything about Idgal?”

Philia looked completely clueless, but Nersarn’s reaction was different. Ian looked up at him.

“Are you familiar with it?”

“It’s a legend from the Great Desert. I’ve heard of it. Long ago, it was said to have been created by a golden mage chosen by the gods.”

“…?!”

Ian and Romandro’s eyes widened in surprise. It was astonishing. Finding even a single line about it in the royal archives was nearly impossible, yet here was a clue from the Great Desert, specifically from a small tribe called Cheonryeo. Since they had their own independent history separate from Bariel, it seemed they kept their own records.

Ian pushed his cup of milk aside and leaned in closer.

“Anything else? Any other information?”

“I’ve heard that it was first discovered beneath a flower called Silask in the Great Desert. Though that’s probably a distortion. The interpretation is…”

Nersarn furrowed his brow, as if dredging up an old memory.

“Someone might have hidden Idgal in a flowerpot and brought it into the desert.”

“Is Idgal still in the Great Desert now?”

“No. To maintain a strong alliance with the Enlow region, we respected Bariel’s policies. Whenever Idgal was found, it was sent to the Empire.”

“Enlow…”

It felt like several puzzle pieces were scattered in Ian’s mind. If he could fit them together, something would surely come into focus—but he didn’t even know what picture they were supposed to form, so he couldn’t even begin to assemble them.

Ian let out a small, frustrated sigh. Philia tapped the table lightly.

“Ian, so what’s the way to convince Crony? You said there was one. Please tell me it’s not something dangerous?”

Ian gave an awkward smile at Philia’s question. Without answering directly, he took a sip of his milk and replied vaguely.

“…Probably not.”

Most likely.