Chapter Forty
_ Sacrificing your life was not the solution
* * *
Everything happened in an instant, and the office that had been meticulously organized became a complete mess. It was fortunate for them that Albin had isolated the office from the palace with magic; otherwise, the palace would have been turned into crumbs...
Brian stood up with difficulty after removing one of the chandeliers that had fallen on him from the ceiling. When he straightened up, he realized that his right leg was broken and the flesh had exposed the bone, yet he still could not remember what had happened...
He pulled a medical potion from his pocket and sprayed it on the torn flesh, which slowly began to knit together. Then, supporting himself, he moved searching for any sign of life in this office. When he moved a little, he felt a mass of flesh under his foot and realized it was someone's hand. Upon focusing and looking closely, it was Elliot's hand, and it seemed his entire body was under the large overturned table...
He pushed the very heavy table with all his might, and finally, Elliot was revealed in his entirety. He took a deep breath after checking his pulse, which was weak but he was still alive... Brian breathed a sigh of relief and gave Elliot the magic potion...
"At least we carried out the most important part of the mission..."
As he was about to stand, the office door opened—or rather, the door collapsed—revealing the servants who were in a state of shock. Brian composed himself and said sternly:
"Move the young Marquis to his room and bring a doctor... immediately..."
Brian realized that the disappearance of the isolation meant one thing. He looked at the hesitant head butler who, nonetheless, responded quickly when he saw his young master lying on the ground, his body covered in scratches, while Brian tried to focus and search for Kayn and Albin...
The servant left with those carrying Elliot, leaving a group of servants and knights belonging to Silas in a state of incomprehension...
"Marquis Albin Silas is dead... The demon tried to destroy Her Majesty's maternal family."
Everyone present looked toward the source of the voice and found Kayn carrying Albin's body, his chest pierced, and it seemed the heart was no longer there. It looked as if he had pulled him out of the wall. The servants rushed to carry their master, and the knights surrounded Kayn and Brian. Their leader spoke:
"The Imperial Knight Commander must explain this."
Kayn raised his hands and said calmly and with boredom:
"Lord Carus is the Commander; I have completed my duty today."
Brian looked at Kayn, then at the leader of the Silas knights, and said calmly...
"The time and place are not suitable for this talk. We must go to inform His Majesty the Emperor of the situation first... and you may come with us to meet His Majesty..."
The leader of the Silas knights stepped back and gave them freedom of movement:
"Let us summon the doctor first to look into your condition..."
Brian nodded in agreement, and the head maid led them to the guest wing. Before Kayn left the office, he picked up the sword that had fallen on the floor and returned it to its scabbard.
* * *
"Lord Commander, tell me what happened?! I can't remember.."
As soon as the servants and the doctor left the room, Brian stood up and asked Kayn in confusion about what had occurred...
Kayn looked at Brian's bandage-covered leg and into Brian's stubborn eyes and smiled:
"It's good that I left my position to you... at least you are trustworthy.."
"..."
"What happened was truly fast. If you hadn't thrown that heavy table, the young Marquis would have been harmed.."
Brian remembered the matter; at the moment Albin rushed toward Elliot, Brian had used his wind magic and launched the table between Elliot and Albin, while Kayn lunged forward with speed, cut through the lethal energy, and quickly stabbed Albin in the heart. Now he understood why Kayn had pulled the sword quickly from the scene—rather, he understood why he disappeared into the wall. He had taken Albin's heart and destroyed it...
"And how will this be explained? I fear things will get complicated..."
"His Majesty cares deeply for Her Majesty... I believe he has managed the explanation of things."
"Good..."
Brian breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at his wounded leg and turned his gaze back to Kayn, who had been in the middle of that battle yet was less harmed than anyone else. He wondered why he had left the knights...
"Lord Commander... I don't have the right to ask you, but I wish to... "
Kayn looked at him calmly, while Brian hesitated with his words..
"Why did the Commander leave the Imperial Knights?..."
Kayn looked calmly at the open window, which announced the end of the night with the shimmering threads of dawn, and said in a sad tone:
"Because I don't deserve it..."
Brian felt confused by Kayn's words but looked closely at him in an attempt to understand him:
"I am not the person who should be behind Raphael... I am too weak to be there..."
Brian had heard that the relationship between Kayn and the Emperor in the past was not just King and Knight, but two friends or brothers who shared the weight of this life. But the one before him now was saying he didn't deserve it. For a moment, he thought of the words of the quick-witted Casper when they were handed their new positions...
["Did Count Cyrus do something bad to the Emperor?!"]
Brian shook the idea from his head and said:
"But Lord Commander, you are incredibly strong... I me—...."
"Strength is not in the body... it doesn't matter. I feel you are better than me to lead the knights... take care of the knights... Lord Brian Carus."
"..."
Kayn patted Brian's shoulder, pulled the sword in its scabbard from his waist, and handed it to Brian..
"I will tell them I have urgent business, so take the leader of the Silas knights to the Emperor and try to support my argument..."
"Alright..."
* * *
"You're crazy!!!"
"Shut up, you'll expose us."
The first man tried to muffle his companion's voice; if the news leaked anywhere, they would be in real trouble. So he took him to a distant tavern so they could speak quietly. If the mission failed, they would lose a lot. The friend sighed and said, trying to stay calm:
"Why are they asking this of you?!"
"I don't know either. Orders must be executed without any delay."
"How much time do we have?!"
"Less than a week..."
"This is exhausting."
"If we fail, our heads will fly."
"The Master gave me this."
The first looked at his companion and saw a golden necklace with a blood-red gem. Its shape was ominous. He swallowed his saliva and said restlessly:
"What is its purpose?!"
"I don't know the details, but when we reach the target, we activate the magic in it.."
"I hope the mission ends quickly.."
* * * Two days later
She sat quietly in front of the vanity mirror, leaving herself in the hands of her loyal maid, who did not utter a single word. As soon as she finished, she spoke quietly:
"Your Majesty, you are now ready to meet the Council..."
Ariana nodded faintly, stood gracefully, and moved with Marianne to the court hall in a simple black satin dress and a black hat covering a large part of her face with black lace. Her long honey-colored hair had been pinned up in an elegant and tight manner as a sign of mourning...
As soon as she reached the hall, the nobles bowed in respect to their future Empress; it would be a mistake to insult her, for she was very close to the Emperor's heart..
Even though she was not yet the Empress in practice, she sat quietly beside Raphael and looked at the attending nobles, who spoke in turn to offer their condolences for what had happened to the Marquis. She accepted their condolences and greetings in a friendly yet shaky tone. She did not grieve for this man who had committed all the evil in this world and almost killed her brother; rather, her heart was heavy with worry over the condition of her brother, who was still forced to remain unconscious, despite the Emperor's personal visit to the scene...
After the condolences ended, Philip Silvano spoke as a substitute for Duke Ariston, who had gone on a diplomatic mission with Mir Roalf..
"As reported by the Silvano knights and the Haurlan knights who investigated the site of the incident and the testimony of the residents of the Marquis's palace... there was someone who used black magic..."
"Black magic!!!"
The nobles gasped in horror and hesitation, but Philip looked calmly at Raphael and then at Elena, who was standing with a knight's attentiveness, and gave her the signal..
"As His Grace the Duke said, black magic was used to bind Her Majesty's family, and the Marquis's heart was stolen to control him...
We have heard from the servants that their master was acting strangely, to the point that he locked his son, the young Marquis Elliot Silas, in the house..
Furthermore, the office was isolated, and the demon embodied in the Marquis tried to kill the young master and stain the Marquis's residence with black magic, making it a gateway to the demon world... We believe the perpetrator is someone who wanted to harm Her Majesty and strip her of her position..."
There was concern in the eyes of those present—those who feared suspicion might reach them, those who feared for their poor Empress, and those who could not believe the matter...
Then one of them spoke in a provocative attempt...
"And how do you explain the presence of Count Cyrus and Sir Carus at the Marquis's palace at the same moment?!.."
"The Emperor's knights have a custom, called having the former commander participate in a mission with the new commander... so their presence together is not surprising..."
It was Philip who responded to this man in an implicit attempt to deflect him, but the man was faster than any inquiry and said:
"Most of us recognize this custom, but what was the reason for their presence at the site?!"
Philip felt the crisis, but he smiled with boredom, and before he could open his mouth, a deep and calm voice spoke..
"Duke Silvano has told you that every commander has a final mission... and the Count reached the Marquis's palace during a mission to track black mages, and everyone knows the rest.."
The man retreated, dragging the tails of disappointment, but he looked at the people who showed a sympathetic reaction while Ariana lowered her head quietly. Then one of the nobles spoke with a kind of deduction and said:
"Does the Temple have a hand in this?!"
Philip hid his smile and looked at Raphael, who said with pretense..
"We do not want to pass judgments... without tangible evidence..."
"Your Majesty... did they not reject the Empress because she is not from the Temple?..."
"Yes, I believe they are the ones who tried to incite the people against Her Majesty.."
It was the nobles who were condemning the Temple, which was exactly what Raphael and Philip sought. It was fortunate that Raphael had sent Casper to destroy any evidence of the Marquis's involvement in black magic...
* * *
Two days ago ..
After the state of chaos that had befallen the Marquis's palace, Kayn excused himself and went out. When he grabbed his horse's reins... he saw a strange bird approaching him. When he focused on its eyes, he realized it was a magical bird, so he smiled sideways and signaled to the bird. As soon as it landed on his hand, he pulled out the letter, which was written in an elegant handwriting that did not belong to Raphael...
[_Upon completion of the work, please send the detailed report...]
There was no seal or any clarification, but Kayn was certain it was Ariana's handwriting; it wasn't the first time he had seen her script...
He sighed, and before he could search for a writing quill and ink, he found they were present with the bird. He suppressed his mockery...
"Her Majesty is always prepared...."
He wrote precisely and in small handwriting everything that had happened in detail at the palace.. then patted the bird and said with emphasis:
"Deliver the message to their Majesties; if you cannot, it's fine to eat it.."
And so the bird returned to the palace carrying the news to Raphael and Ariana, who were waiting patiently..
And before the arrival of Brian and the leader of the Silas knights, Casper and Ivan were sent in disguise with strict orders...
["Do not leave any evidence of Albin's use of black magic.."]
And certainly, Casper, who holds strong loyalty to the future Empress, was searching desperately and left no trace...
As for Raphael, who went for a personal visit the next day and visited Elliot's room—when the companions left and Raphael remained with Elliot, Raphael spoke with playful irony...
"It's hard to pretend all this time..."
"Hah.."
Elliot opened his eyes and looked at Raphael calmly, breathing tiredly...
"I didn't pretend the whole time, but I only fully regained consciousness yesterday evening..."
"It's good that you did... everyone's story must align.."
"Certainly..."
Raphael sighed and said in a tone carrying reproach and admonishment:
"Elliot Silas... sacrificing your life was not the solution..."
"..."
"Do not cause pain to your sister again..."
* * *
The Temple's reputation was sinking lower and lower from time to time, but what worried Raphael and Philip was the silence the Temple maintained. Everyone felt that a severe storm was coming..
"This silence is truly terrifying.."
"Cardinal Jerome, you recognize the evil of the Temple well, so your doubt in the matter is not strange.."
She sipped from her teacup as she spoke calmly, while Ivan leaned back in frustration, then sat up straight and asked in confusion:
"Your Majesty... do you not remember anything that happened in your previous life as Ariana Silas?!.."
Ariana set the cup down and glanced around to check those around her and said:
"I don't know... but did Ariana as a Duchess... meet the Emperor?!..."
"I don't understand..."
"When I came to this body, I remembered everything concerning the body before the possession, but sometimes very slight memories haunt me... I don't know their source.."
Ivan placed his hand under his chin and thought deeply. In truth, the Ariana from his previous life and the current Ariana were so similar it was hard to believe she was a possessor. The only difference was that the previous Ariana carried the look of death in her eyes, as if she would disappear at any moment... but their gestures and movements were one and the same.
Ivan had only seen Ariana in his previous life twice: the first at her wedding in the Temple, and the second at the harvest festival held in mid-June..
"I don't know, for she possessed a very weak body... I believe she only appeared twice in society... at her wedding and at the harvest festival.."
"..."
"But you are not Ariana to remember her life... or you are her... I don't know.."
Ariana placed her hands over her head and sighed in frustration..
"Lord Jerome, do not complicate my thoughts further.. I sometimes feel that my memories of what happened in the novel are very distorted at times...."
"I apologize to Your Majesty... I am somewhat frustrated; this silence disturbs me.."
"It's alright... Raphael is also in a sensitive mood; the Temple has not moved yet..."
"..."
"Realizing that your enemy is weaving evil behind you, and you do not know what they will do, consumes your mind and soul..."
"I agree with you... I will take my leave of Your Majesty now."
"Send my greetings to Lady Karin.."
Ivan looked at her and smiled with a kind and bright face, which made Ariana wave to him with a smile... When Ivan left her, he thought for a moment:
'I only knew her a little, but she always left a strong impression of herself, whether in the past or the present. For Duchess Ariana, despite being on the verge of death, she placed only the right people beside her son, starting from her personal maid to the surrounding servants and the loyal nobles... they all possessed a strong loyalty to her... As for Empress Ariana, it seems she will make the Empire loyal, for she protects what she wants to protect with intelligence...
This small and cute rabbit carries within it a monster that will destroy anyone who tries to approach with the intention of harming those she loves... She is truly the Emperor's shield...'
...... To be continued ......