Episode 58

The church inside the Imperial Palace was quieter than ever.

Considering that it usually had many visitors, it was a very unusual scene. This place was usually never without people.

The Princess herself had stepped in to control access.

“What on earth is happening? Why is access blocked?”

“The 1st and 3rd Princesses are inside.”

“There’s a rumor that the 1st Princess was holding a man…”

“Lower your voice! We might lose our heads.”

Since the Emperor had conducted the duel in secret, no one knew the details. But people enjoy discussing uncertain things.

Everyone began to fervently express their opinions.

But there was one particularly recurring topic.

It was about a single man.

“The man who was held is said to be the Auditor of the Imperial Tower. They say it’s almost certain.”

“How can that be? There is no one as ruthless as the 1st Princess. How could she embrace and care for someone?!”

“More than that, the Auditor’s connections and abilities are amazing. Didn’t he recently help the 2nd Princess decipher the ancient dragon language?”

A man who not only subdued the spirit of the Royal Treasury, won a duel against a dragonborn, but also assisted in deciphering the ancient dragon language.

One achievement alone was amazing, but three?

A man already at the center of attention was now seen in the arms of the 1st Princess. This was bound to cause a huge stir within the Imperial Palace.

It had to be acknowledged.

It was also an unstoppable tide.

Jaekiel Hound—he was becoming famous.

The innermost ward of the church.

“….”

The woman habitually brought a thick cigar to her lips, but realizing she was in a ward, she snapped it in half.

She was like a wolf of the snowy plains.

The 1st Princess of the Empire, Ether.

Her silver hair flowed over her shoulders. She looked as if she had been drenched in rain, her golden eyes filled with rare concern.

Looking down at the man lying on the bed, Ether’s emotions were indescribably complex.

“…I deeply feel my responsibility.”

If she had accurately identified who he was, or at least properly managed the scouts, things wouldn’t have ended so terribly.

Of course, it wasn’t all Ether’s fault, but she couldn’t help but blame herself out of regret.

Fortunately, if the Sun God truly existed, it seemed he hadn’t completely abandoned Ether.

Jaekiel was still alive.

A man who had been Ether’s mentor, and, for a long time, the reason she motivated herself. A man who directly influenced most of Ether’s current habits…

It was simply tragic that such a man was lying in a hospital bed.

“….”

But there was something else that deeply troubled Ether.

‘Energy.’

Yes, the energy in Jaekiel’s body troubled her.

It wasn’t like this when she last saw him as a child. Now, Jaekiel’s body was extremely cold, and the balance was strange. His entire body seemed precarious.

The moment Ether reached out her hand to his forehead.

“Don’t touch him.”

A sharp voice from behind. Naturally, the 1st Princess’s hand stopped mid-air.

“He used all his strength, and there’s no mana left in his body. Meanwhile, he was pierced by arrows.”

“….”

“It’s already a catastrophic injury, but it’s not the end. Coldness has seeped into the wound at an alarming rate.”

Suddenly, a woman appeared so bright that it seemed the white ward turned yellow.

The 3rd Princess, Solana.

She looked like the human embodiment of a sunset or sunflower. But at that moment, Solana wore an expression devoid of any brightness.

“What do you think would happen if the 1st Princess’s vibrating energy touched a body as fragile as glass? It would shatter. Are you doing this on purpose? Did you forget the duel is over?”

Her face didn’t have a smile.

It was a very rare, serious expression.

Ether quietly withdrew her hand.

“It’s a miracle that he’s still alive… I don’t even know if I dare to say such words.”

“….”

“I’m infinitely relieved and happy that he’s alive, but the fact is, he’s in immense pain because he survived.”

Ether quietly broke the cigar with her hand.

Solana didn’t hide her resentment towards Ether at all, and Ether was aware of this. Normally, she would have confronted that attitude.

But today, she didn’t bother.

To be precise, she didn’t have the time.

She was too worried about Jaekiel to care about anything else. She just gazed at the bed in silence.

However, the 1st Princess asked differently.

“Can you treat him?”

“We will use all the promised potions as a reward for the duel, but you should know something.”

Solana let out a deep sigh.

“I’ve monitored his health regularly until now. But I’ve never treated him, not even once.”

“What?”

“To be exact, I’ve never succeeded in treating him. Not even with my divine power. The best result was maintaining his current state. But now, now…”

Solana bit her lower lip hard.

“…Now he’s suffered such a severe injury.”

It meant the chances were slim.

“It will be difficult without the Sun Water.”

After saying that, Solana pulled up her priestly hood, thinking she couldn’t control her expression at all.

No one in the Empire would know that Solana could wear such an expression and be in such distress. Even Ether found it unfamiliar.

After a long while, the 1st Princess spoke.

“I will discuss the Sun Water with His Majesty. This situation is also partly his fault.”

“That’s obvious!”

Solana shouted, then was even more shocked. Her tone was sharper than even she expected.

Solana then apologized first.

“…I’m sorry. I got excited. This situation is not entirely your fault either.”

Solana’s sun-like eyes slowly turned to Jaekiel’s face on the bed.

“Ah, why are there so many things to hate these days?”

Solana muttered coldly.

Ether felt odd inside. The girl, who used to be so bright and naive, could now harbor such emotions.

“Anyway, the energy waves of the 1st Princess are too strong. Just being here is a threat, so please wait outside for a moment. I’ll call you in later.”

The strength developed to protect Jaekiel now prevented her from getting close.

Ether rose with a complex mind.

“….”

Then suddenly, she felt something strange.

‘My energy should never be harmful.’

Ether was not only sensitive to energy but also proficient at controlling it. In other words, she had been carefully controlling it to avoid harming Jaekiel.

Ether once again observed the 3rd Princess.

“….”

That wasn’t the appearance of a priestess.

It didn’t look like the mercy of a saint, but rather like a woman deeply in love with Jaekiel.

Was she perhaps trying to monopolize Jaekiel?

“Hey, this is definitely for the treatment, right?”

“Of course. I am a priestess.”

Ether stared at Solana, but Solana had regained her usual calm appearance.

Ether left the entrance with an uneasy feeling.

Suspicious as it was, she couldn’t press further. Solana was the best person to treat the man at the moment.

Hoo.

Ether bit the cigar only after leaving the church.

Would the treatment go well, and what should she say to him after it’s done? She had no idea.

At that moment…

“What on earth is going on?!”

A voice full of shock and surprise. As Ether turned her gaze, she saw Hedera arriving hurriedly.

“The Auditor, how is the Auditor?”

“Hmm.”

“Hurry!”

Ether kept silent for a moment.

It was difficult to explain.

“Never mind, I’ll check with my own eyes.”

Just as Hedera was about to pass Ether.

“Princess Hedera!”

One of the servants urgently called the 2nd Princess.

Hedera frowned deeply.

“Talk later. Right now…”

“The Imperial Tower!”

At those words, Hedera’s steps halted abruptly.

“A messenger from the Black Tower visited the Imperial Tower. They are looking for the Auditor. What should we do?”

“…What?”

“They say there’s an exchange meeting exactly two days from now. If the Auditor doesn’t show up, they will proceed without the Imperial Tower…!”

“Exchange meeting? Come to think of it, the exchange meeting is…!”

Hedera’s pupils started shaking violently.

The Imperial Tower.

The tower Jaekiel painstakingly built for Hedera, and now, just before the exchange meeting, an accident happened. This was terrible news for the 2nd Princess.

Did Jaekiel do anything wrong? No.

Was there any reason to blame Jaekiel? No.

Jaekiel, who desired nothing materialistic, only wished for the prosperity of the Imperial Tower, which was now in jeopardy.

“No…”

Hedera staggered, feeling dizzy.

The situation was becoming very urgent.