Chapter 273 – Epilogue (1)
The sound of footsteps echoed through the royal castle of Eznoren.
Silis, dressed in a platinum gown, strode down the corridor without a trace of hesitation. She stepped forward proudly, disregarding entirely the past when she had lived as a doll.
Yet, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, no commotion arose.
The soldiers and knights guarding the royal castle, even Chancellor Fallorand, none found it strange that Silis was walking on her own feet.
───Thud.
Silis entered the royal family's bedchamber.
A place none would dare to approach, a secret chamber. Amidst the luxury overflowing with extravagance sat the King of Estiria and the First Prince, Valrgna.
The two were facing each other across chairs.
Their gazes fixed diagonally downward, their eyes blank and open. Breathing, blinking, all repeated mechanically with precise regularity.
Those who bore the blood of the Royal Family of Estiria had gathered together.
Silis, who had been staring silently at the chamber for a moment, stepped closer and spoke softly, almost in a whisper.
"Asher has left, Father, and Brother."
"..."
There was no answer.
But Silis let out a sigh as if expelling something pent up inside.
"At last, it feels as though it's truly over… The royal castle is so vast, yet the presence or absence of a single person makes it feel entirely different."
It was just like the tower master of DarkWarton's magic tower.
That gaze, as though piercing straight through her disguise as a doll. That chill lingered still within her senses.
Compared to Leonil, who possessed the heart of a witch, the difference was a gap that could never be crossed.
"Those are the ones who are meant to reign over the world, not merely a single kingdom."
"..."
"Father, you must have desired something similar as well. To wield unchallenged power over not just the kingdom but the entire continent, to leave your name as a great king in history… regardless of what became of Mother or the Kingdom of Estiria. And you, Brother, clung to Father, seeking to inherit that power."
It was an ambition far too excessive for their station.
And thus, countless people died. Blood and tears unseen flowed like a river.
In truth, she wished to kill them both.
She wanted to see them gasp their last breath amidst screams.
Of course, she had no intention of putting that thought into action. Silis had a new goal, and the two of them still had a role to play in it.
"From now on, I'll change that dream for you, completely."
Silis's eyes were dyed with twilight.
From her slender fingertips flowed a sinister aura, seeping into the heads of the King of Estiria and the First Prince.
Having already lost their reason, they could only be drawn into the dream that clouded their thoughts.
Clatter, clatter.
The two convulsed faintly.
Their heads trembled, their hands and feet twitched intermittently. Their bodies resisted with all their might against the witch's magic, but it was useless.
The initiative had long been stolen from them.
"Ugh… ah…!"
"Khk… kkh…."
The sovereignty of the King and Prince crumbled.
There was nothing left within their control.
Everything would now flow according to Silis's will. Eating, walking, breathing, even their deaths.
This was the shackle and punishment she imposed upon them.
Still, for the two, it would not be such a bad fate.
No matter their inner truth, their outward form would live on befitting of kingship.
A faint smile curved Silis's lips.
This was the new dream she would achieve. The Kingdom of Estiria ruled by a witch would no longer be the same as before.
Without fail.
***
The afternoon weather was clear.
The warmth of sunlight and the chill of winter air blended pleasantly together.
Calia, not even noticing the tea before her was cooling, gazed at her right hand.
Gently caressing the bracelet adorned with a blue jewel, she smiled faintly. Watching her, Marquis Esperanza let out a sigh.
"You're that fond of it, are you."
"How could I not be pleased, when it was a gift."
"Do not attach too much meaning to it. Most likely it was merely a farewell present."
"...!"
Calia's shoulders flinched.
Unable to hide her agitation, she drew a light click of the tongue from Marquis Esperanza.
"Tch, I went out of my way to prepare the occasion, yet you couldn't even speak properly for fear of rejection. If only you had shown the same courage you do when swinging a sword."
"…Even moving forward has its stages."
"And when do you expect to meet again. Will you still be climbing your stages until you die of old age?"
The Marquis's reproach struck straight into her heart.
After a brief silence, Calia turned her gaze away and sipped her tea.
"Then, I could always go find him myself, couldn't I."
"The world calls that obsession."
"I call it loyalty."
"That's what you think. I wonder what Asher would think if he heard."
"Not even a father can read another's heart."
"Better than you, who have never once met a lover."
Calia was left speechless.
She opened her mouth to retort, but no words came.
Her lips moved wordlessly before she abruptly turned her head aside. Still, the exchange had left her faintly hurt.
The Marquis and his daughter.
They were high nobles, but at this moment they were simply an ordinary father and child. Words they would not normally speak came naturally.
Why, she did not know.
Perhaps it was because their hearts had gained a little room.
Marquis Esperanza found the moment rather delightful. Setting down his teacup, he spoke softly.
"If you had such regrets, you should have tried to hold onto him."
"…I never wished to be a hindrance."
Asher had a goal he was pursuing.
She could never bring herself to obstruct his path, let alone fail to support him. Calia still remembered his face once, twisted in harsh ferocity.
"With the power I have now, I could hardly be of help. I am still too inexperienced."
"That is true."
"…In any case. That's why I have a request of you, Father."
Their gazes met.
In her dark crimson eyes shone firm resolve.
"Send me as mediator to Roafra, entrust me with that role."
"…!"
The Marquis furrowed his brow.
At once, the atmosphere sank heavily.
"What is your true intention."
"To cultivate my lacking ability."
"Ability, you say."
He repeated the word once.
His thoughts reached their conclusion in an instant.
"If it is growth you seek, there are countless paths. Learning from me or from Melzard would serve the same purpose. Or like your brothers, you could study abroad in the Western Continent. Your mother is there as well, so you would not be lonely."
"I wish to learn from you, Father."
"Hmm…"
The Marquis tapped lightly on the armrest.
"Ruling over people is by no means easy. The underworld forces once under Vintert's control, all the more so. Especially Roafra, by its very nature, will be wary of House Esperanza. Mere hard-line policies or appeasement will not work. They may not openly oppose, but press them too harshly, and each will bare their claws."
"That is why I wish to try. Precisely because not everyone could do it."
Calia's determination was unshakable.
Though she knew it would be difficult, she would still attempt the challenge.
The Marquis rose from his seat and walked to the window. Looking out over the estate's garden, he spoke.
"It is a reckless decision."
"Better than the rebellion you once led, I would think…"
At her accurate retort, the Marquis chuckled.
As expected, Calia had inherited his nature most strongly. That stubbornness would not be broken by force.
Nothing could be done to change it.
The Marquis himself had been the same in the past.
"Very well, I grant you leave."
"Thank you, Father."
"But before you depart for Roafra, you will train with Melzard and me until the first half of next year. You must raise your level further. In the underworld, there is no deterrent greater than strength."
That was exactly what she had wished for.
Calia smiled faintly and nodded without hesitation. Thus, the mediator to be dispatched to Roafra was decided.
Calia de Esperanza.
She would not remain in place.
***
"Make way! Coming through!"
"Hey! Watch that side doesn't collapse!"
The city of Asern.
In the bustling central district, dozens of laborers moved busily.
Going in and out of a wide five-story building, they were hard at work on the exterior and interior renovations.
At the café across from the construction site.
Seated on the terrace, where the outside view was clear, Perne enjoyed her tea time. From a mere debtor, she had become the owner of a valuable building, and with it came leisure.
On top of that, she had been recruited into House Esperanza as an informant. From now on, money would never again be an issue.
'All because I met one person.'
Not even a year had passed, yet everything had changed this much.
And not only for her, but her influence had reached across the entire kingdom.
There had been many ups and downs, and moments when her heart sank to her stomach, but looking back, it had been enjoyable. How long had it been since they said farewell, and already she missed that time.
"Where could Lord Asher be now…"
Come to think of it, she hadn't asked his destination.
Judging from when he asked her to get newspapers from the Western Continent or information from the Eastern Continent, perhaps he was planning to travel between continents.
Whatever it was, she could only hope all went well.
"…Ah, right."
Something she had forgotten suddenly came to mind.
'I never wrote a letter to Senior Pale, the one who introduced me to Lord Asher.'
It wasn't absolutely necessary to send one, but it was a matter of feelings.
In a way, he was a lifesaver. Had she not received his help… she didn't even want to imagine what would have become of her.
At the very least, she would not be living the life she had now.
Just then, something in her bosom shone with a blue light.
Seeing it, Perne nodded and rose from her seat.
"Tired of staying here too long? Fine, I was just about to leave. Shall we take a walk while we're at it?"
The light flickered irregularly. It meant a strong agreement.
She couldn't put it into words, but lately she felt as if she could understand what Blue was saying.
More intuitively.
'It must mean we've grown closer, right?'
That was probably it.
Thinking little of it, Perne left the café.
***
Gray, northern duchy of Riviant.
The underworld, where all manner of informants received and passed on secret commissions, after months of turmoil, had finally returned to normal.
And at the peak of that order stood one man.
"Phew, finally, I can rest."
The informant Pale.
The very first broker in Gray that Verden had met.
Originally a mainstay of the southern region, he had expanded his activities amidst the chaos, and as a result, succeeded in establishing firm roots in the north.
An informant straddling north and south.
Now, the most influential figure in Gray of the duchy was Pale.
He pressed his weary eyes with his fingers.
Conflicts among informants, dealings with nobles, managing the men who carried out commissions. It had been a long time since he had truly slept.
'If only Lord Asher were here, it would be easier.'
Pale recalled the gray-haired man.
The mage who had played a part in the annihilation of Marquis Gardran's house, throwing the duchy into turmoil.
Since writing a letter of introduction to his junior, Perne, in the Kingdom of Estiria, he had heard little news of him.
'Well, that's only natural.'
The Royal Family of Estiria, though engaged in material diplomacy with the duchy, had rigorously pursued the severance of information.
Of course, if he wished, he could pry into the cracks, but there was no reason to go that far. Nor did he have the leisure.
Still, he kept track of the bare minimum.
The Undead incident in the kingdom. And, after the civil war, the coronation of the First Prince. Surely it had been as tumultuous as the duchy, if not more.
Which meant, just as many commissions.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, someone rapped on the door.
When he allowed them entry, one of Pale's aides, a man wrapped in bandages, appeared.
"What is it?"
"Pale. A. Letter. Has. Arrived."
"A letter?"
Pale tilted his head as he took the envelope.
A letter sealed with red wax. On the back, the sender was written as "Your Former Junior."
There was only one person who would write such a thing.
'It's been a long time since I've seen this handwriting.'
It seemed she was doing well.
Pale, recalling the past, broke the seal.
[To Senior Pale.]
Written on the outside of the stationery.
Perne's peculiar habit, unchanged then or now.
Smiling faintly, Pale carefully unfolded the letter.
[Thank you for introducing me to Lord Asher. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you───]
The paper was filled to the brim.
So much gratitude that it was almost chilling.
Pale blinked, his expression stiffening.
"What is this…?"
***
The Autonomous Territory of Midros was quite a distance away.
And the path was harsh, made all the more unsafe by the recent flood of demi-humans. Traveling by carriage without proper escort was little different from entrusting one's life to luck.
Of course, such things did not apply to Verden.
He could travel through the air without using a carriage, and even if demi-humans attacked, he had the ability to fend them off without a scratch.
'But I cannot move alone.'
In the information Robert had provided, there were forces within the Autonomous Territory of Midros.
To make use of them for gathering intelligence, he needed someone to verify his identity. Though it was possible alone, it would be troublesome in many ways and take no small amount of time.
In other words, he needed a guide.
And, ideally, someone who could shorten the journey to the territory.
Verden knew just such a person.
Not only that, he had already met him once before.
'The black-market dealer, Cland. Or rather, it was under Sebas's commission.'
At the time when Count Plishr had been arrested by Calia.
The request had been to retrieve certain items from several of his associates, nobles' knights and members of the Union, who had fled.
He remembered clearly being paid four hundred million Elk in reward.
At last, he reached the Smugglers' Canyon.
The place closest to the northern border of the kingdom, adjoining the Autonomous Territory of Midros.
'It hasn't changed since last time.'
Winter had only just begun, but in the deep mountains, the air was far colder than elsewhere.
Men clad in thick leather stood guard against the chill.
Whoosh!
Verden suddenly dropped altitude.
Ignoring the main gate, he landed directly at the canyon's entrance.
Startled eyes turned toward the unexpected arrival, and soon every smuggler had weapons trained on him.
"E, emergency! Intruder, emergency!"
Verden raised his head.
The hood of Ainber that had covered his head dissolved into light.
"…Huh?"
Ash-gray hair, blue eyes, and his features revealed themselves to countless gazes.
Recognizing him, many froze at once. Some had seen him before, but by now, the rumors had long spread.
About the mage who slew Grond and took the throne of Roafra. About the new ruler who refused to be called king.
"Is the smuggler Padreld inside?"
Verden asked quietly.
His presence alone pressed down the air.
By rule, any who came to the Smugglers' Canyon unannounced were killed without question.
Partly for security, but mostly because Padreld, the canyon's leader, despised uninvited guests.
It was a law of the Smugglers' Canyon, never to be broken.
But not this time.
"Yes, Lord Asher. He should be asleep in the lower canyon right now. I'll go seize him by the collar and bring him at once."
"There's no need. I'll go myself."
"Ah, as you wish. Then please, allow me to guide you."
The mustached smuggler bowed deeply.
Before long, the entrance into the canyon was opened, and the guards had already lowered their weapons. Smiling, they simply welcomed Verden.
Smugglers, the experts of moving between the kingdom and the territory without paying taxes. For them, reading the atmosphere was their lifeline.
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