"I am relieved to hear it. Still… would you mind if I conduct a brief examination once more? Merely a precaution."
"Of course. I do not mind."
Rosa stepped closer, taking Leesa's hand with a healer's practised grace. A faint shimmer of magic stirred between their palms as she searched for any trace of what she might have overlooked in her earlier inspection.
A moment later, Rosa exhaled in relief. "You are perfectly well."
Leesa arched her brow. "I did say so."
"Yes," Rosa admitted with a small smile, "you certainly did. Ah… Commander Leesa, I wished to ask, are you acquainted closely with Mage Greig?"
"What?" Leesa nearly jolted. "No, not at all. Perhaps it appears so because we fought during the tournament."
"Oh, yes. Your duel in the tournament… it had a certain tension to it, as though something more than rivalry was occurring in that ring. And earlier, you two were conversing. When he left, his face was… well, quite furious. It made me think you might know each other."
Leesa sighed. "No, Lady Rosa, you have misunderstood. In the tournament, I merely attempted to distract him, speaking of various trivialities to divert his focus so that I could create an opening. And I succeeded."
Rosa nodded slowly. "Ah, that makes far more sense. But then… why did he storm out with such anger just now?"
"Hm," Leesa mused, "he is not overly fond of me. I was the reason he lost the tournament. And… I possess something of a special talent for irritating people."
"Special talent…" Rosa repeated thoughtfully. "I see."
Leesa tilted her head. "But tell me, what made you ask? There must be a reason."
Rosa hesitated, then cleared her throat. "Well… you see, he and I have recently been appointed to oversee a mission together. And there was something I witnessed that… unsettled me. He seemed… truly wicked."
Leesa leaned forward. "What did he do?"
"There was a sweet little girl eating a piece of candy," Rosa said gravely. "And the moment he saw her, he rushed forward, ran right into her, I swear it was intentional. The poor child dropped her candy and burst into tears. And Greig simply stood there… staring at her. Staring until she became so frightened she stopped crying, screamed, and ran away."
Leesa blinked once. Twice. Then thought dryly, Ah. So that was his 'grand plan.' Maintaining a perfectly neutral face, she replied, "That is… very unusual behaviour."
"Indeed!" Rosa clasped her hands anxiously. "And so I came to you, since you seemed familiar with him. I wished to know why he would act so."
"If you intend to observe him further, you absolutely should. Such behaviour must not be ignored."
"I knew it!" Rosa declared with sudden conviction. "I shall take this matter seriously. Thank you, Commander Leesa."
"Lady Rosa, just Leesa is fine," Leesa said warmly. "We are of nearly the same age. There is no need for formality between us."
Rosa brightened. "Then… please call me Rosa, if that is agreeable to you."
Leesa nodded. "Certainly, Rosa."
At dawn the following morning, when the mist still clung to the tower's windows like pale veils, Jeremy summoned Leesa, Greig, and Rosa to the guest chamber. The summons had been sudden; none of them knew what discovery the tower master had unearthed during the night. Even so, anticipation hung thick in the air.
Jeremy stood before them with a grave yet steady expression. "I have found a method to destroy the enchanted stone."
Greig's brows knit sharply. "But the mana within it is immense, far beyond what simple spellwork can unravel. Would it not be wiser to bind it with layered barriers? If we restrict the flow, the danger is contained."
Jeremy shook his head firmly. "Barriers will demand constant surveillance. Each one will fade, one after another, and each time we must call upon mages of considerable strength. It would be a burden that lasts for years, perhaps even generations. No, this ends cleanly or not at all. You, Greig, must continue tracing the origin of the enchantment. That is where our true enemy hides. Leave the stone itself to me."
Greig's shoulders fell before he could stop himself. He masked it quickly, but the disappointment had already flickered across his face. He had long chased Jeremy's shadow, seeking knowledge the way others sought glory. To watch the breaking of such a complex enchantment would have been invaluable. And now, just when he stood at the edge of learning, another task pulled him away.
Leesa stepped forward. "Sir Jeremy, how long will this destruction take? And… what of those bound to the stone? Surely the magic of that depth cannot die without consequence."
Jeremy folded his hands behind his back, lowering his voice as though out of respect for the souls in that hollow village. "The complexity of the spell will determine the time required and the aftermath. But this much I know, the ones ensnared are not truly living. When the stone is broken, their movement will cease. They will finally find rest."
A sombre silence settled over the room. "I understand," Leesa replied softly, touched by the gentleness with which he spoke of the dead.
Jeremy gave a reassuring nod. "Fear not. Once I complete the procedure, I shall send a full report to His Highness at once."
Leesa inclined her head. "We shall await it."
Not long after, preparations were completed. The horses were readied, the knights assembled, and the road back to the imperial palace opened before them like a long ribbon of duty. With one last look toward the tower rising behind them, Leesa and her company departed into the pale morning light.
Meanwhile, in the imperial palace, the Emperor, the Empress, and Crown Prince Flavian found themselves gathered unusually early in the grand dining hall. The servants had not yet brought in the meal; the Empress had insisted they come sooner, declaring with great seriousness that her son "needed a proper dinner today, whether he wished it or not."