Chapter 20

“Now, please look forward once again. It is time to offer your oaths before the sacred fire.”

Priest Waldemar brought his hands together and took a couple of steps back. Flames flickered calmly within the brazier placed beside him.

“In accordance with the traditions of our World Alliance, the successor of the Forest Kingdom of Solinar shall offer the oath. Arkin Seilir, step forward and represent the participants.”

Arkin was slightly startled the moment his name was called, but he immediately straightened his posture and strode forward. The priest smiled warmly as he watched Arkin approach.

“As you are all well aware, the World Alliance was founded a very long time ago. Its beginnings trace back to when King Chefkin of Solinar, who managed to settle the bloodshed of the war and proposed peace and solidarity, gathered the ten kingdoms together and held the first summit here in Credo Island, a neutral zone.”

The priest raised his voice slightly. Sweeping his gaze attentively across the attendees, he nodded as he looked at Arkin, who had stopped right before him. Arkin humbly lowered his head and responded with a smile.

“We are all deeply indebted to him, which is why it was established that the successor of Solinar shall give the oath as a gesture of respect whenever this tournament is held. Now, the prince of Solinar, please kneel on one knee here and pay your respects.”

In accordance with the priest’s instructions, Arkin knelt on one knee and lowered his head. Resting upon a silver tray were a white tunic, a crudely shaped pair of leather sandals, and a bronze plate inscribed with the rules of daily conduct.

“Please accept these. For the next six months, you will cast aside all worldly authority and live wearing this attire.”

Arkin extended both hands and accepted the items handed down by the priest. He felt a brief inward surge of bewilderment at how excessively thin and lightweight the garments were, but aside from that, there was nothing problematic.

“Next is the purification ritual.”

At Waldemar’s gesture, another apprentice priest stepped forward carrying a basin filled with water. An olive branch was soaking within the clear water. Waldemar lifted the branch, dipped it into the water, and sprinkled purification water over Arkin’s forehead and the personal items he had received.

“I purify you with the water of the sacred Credo Island. Lay down your past status and privileges, and greet a new beginning.”

Lastly, it was Arkin’s turn to read aloud the oath before the sacred brazier.

“Arkin, please read this in a loud voice.”

The high priest pulled a scrap of parchment from within his sleeve and handed it to Arkin. Rising to his feet, Arkin read the oath written in the common tongue in a clear, ringing voice following the priest’s guidance.

“While staying on the sacred Credo Island, I shall maintain responsibility and a sense of mission, follow the rules of Credo Island, and strive to become an excellent leader in accordance with the guidance of the priests.”

Pronouncing every single syllable with precision, Arkin slowly read through the contents.

“I promise to comply with the rules as instructed, faithfully apply myself to the training course, and furthermore strive for the prosperity and peace of our World Alliance.”

His calm yet powerful voice carried far into the distance. Having finished the reading, Arkin returned the parchment, whereupon the priest pulled him by the shoulder, patted his back, and whispered in a low voice.

“I have heard the rumors well, Arkin. My expectations for you are exceedingly high.”

His gaze tangled with the priest’s at close range. It was a bizarre pair of eyes where golden shadows swirled within blood-red pupils. The gaze felt as though it were drawing him in, sending a sudden shiver down his spine.

“Now then…”

After offering a light, respectful bow, Arkin stepped back politely from the priest. The fleeting impression vanished instantly.

As Arkin descended back to his original spot, the priest smiled with clasped hands, remarking that he would soon wrap things up.

“Now, the priests managing the lodgings will guide you all shortly. It goes without saying that men and women will use separate buildings. Please be mindful to avoid unnecessary contact…”

At Waldemar’s gesture, a young male priest and a female priest clad in green robes stepped forward one by one.

“You may follow the priests, briefly unpack your luggage, change your clothes, and gather in the dining hall by the designated time… Ah, one more thing!”

Regrouping the atmosphere that threatened to grow rowdy, Waldemar spoke in a serious tone.

“There is one more thing you should know. This island, where the successors of the World Alliance have gathered, is shrouded in a barrier utilizing powerful divine power.”

He extended a hand to point toward the ten pillars shining with silver light.

“At the exact moment you all first arrived on this island, because an excessively large crowd flocked here all at once, we had woven the barrier rather strongly. Should any of you have felt your physical condition unusually poor right upon arriving on this island, or experienced hallucinations, visual mirages, auditory illusions, or any other strange symptoms, you need not worry, as they are all temporary phenomena.”

…What?

Arkin, who had been listening intently to the priest’s words, jerked his head upward.

Then could it be that just a moment ago, that situation as well…?

Arkin felt a wave of relief washing over him, deeper and more profound than before.

To speak frankly, he had been harboring a secret anxiety, wondering what he would do if by any chance the unrealistic matter claimed by Nephitia genuinely turned out to be his destiny.

The problem was that he had experienced a powerful first encounter with a foreign princess who had appeared out of nowhere, right at a time when his status as successor was already shaken. Even while his mind told him it was absurd and completely unbelievable, a corner of his heart had continued to harbor nagging doubts: What if it’s actually real?

However, he now understood. Triumphantly turning toward Nephitia’s direction, Arkin shrugged his shoulders.

See? They said it’s just a temporary phenomenon. Hallucinations, visual mirages. Did you hear that clearly?

Though they were standing at a somewhat distant remove, Nephitia knitted her brows and shook her head. Her furrowed eyebrows and protruding lips suggested she wasn’t willing to accept it so readily, as if she wanted to say, That makes no sense.

Good grief…

Arkin chuckled softly and turned his body back to the front. He had figured something felt off. This was the only kind of situation that made logical sense. With Kepet and Solinar situated at opposite ends of the world, what business could possibly exist between her and him?

With the irritatingly bothersome nagging doubt cleanly resolved, a sense of mental leisure returned to him. Enough so that he could turn back once more toward Nephitia, who was sulking as though refusing to admit it, and flash a sneaky smile.

When one stopped to think about it, Nephitia had every reason to misunderstand as well. Nephitia must have felt that storm-like sensation that had swept over him just as vividly. Much like how Arkin had encountered Nephitia when his nerves were stretched taut, she too seemed to have run into Arkin at a moment of desperation due to some sort of underlying reason.

In any case, it was a relief now that they knew it was all a mutual misunderstanding.

Having reached a neat conclusion of his own, Arkin’s face blossomed with abundant ease. As expected, there was no such thing as destiny. They had simply crossed paths by pure coincidence amidst a mismatch in their temporal senses, and because of this whole business concerning the island’s divine power or whatever, they had simply been affected by sheer coincidence…

After the opening ceremony concluded and the venue grew briefly chaotic, Arkin approached Nephitia. Striding right up until he stood directly in front of her as if to verify things once and for all, he spoke with a rather mischievous expression.

“Did you hear what Waldemar was saying just a moment ago?”

“Yes, I heard it, but…”

“Let’s verify it.”

Arkin immediately extended his arm straight out. Lightly brushing just the tips of his fingers as though dotting a point near Nephitia’s wrist, he fluttered that hand back and forth right in front of Nephitia’s nose.

“At least I feel completely fine. How about you?”

Well, I…

Nephitia pressed her lips tightly together and knitted her brows. She didn’t want to let go of her ‘Hetasept’ just yet. Alas, however, even though Arkin was standing stock-still within arm’s reach, she felt no symptoms whatsoever. It was as though some living creature that had been hovering between the two of them had simply bolted away.

“You can’t tell? How about this?”

Arkin bent at the waist and thrust his face right up to Nephitia’s nose. Coming within a hair’s breadth of touching noses, Nephitia froze with wide, rabbit-like eyes. Why is he doing this? When she had closed in on him earlier, she hadn’t had the faintest clue it felt like this. As she shifted her weight backward to take a step away, Arkin shook his head, insisting they needed to be thorough. The moment she had thrown a fit of disgust whenever Arkin touched her body was long forgotten; instead, he brought his face so close that every single eyelash was visible, pressing her for an answer.

“Answer me. That feeling is gone now, right?”

Instead of answering, Nephitia lowered her gaze. It was far too close. If she lifted her eyes even just a tiny fraction in this posture, those piercing, bright blue eyes staring intently at her would likely fill up her entire field of vision.

“Nephitia, answer me.”

Arkin’s voice dropped low.