Chapter 15
Dr. Zivago and Max exchanged words in a daze. Sian, without joining their conversation, was taking in the sight of Idelin bringing the light with slightly complex eyes.
Her claim of seeing a dragon for the first time was actually a lie. Sian had seen Idelin once before, long ago, when she had accidentally seen Carl.
However, Idelin in her memory wasn’t scattering such dazzling light as it was now. While their past one-sided encounter had been during the day, the current brilliance of Idelin was too excessive to be explained by that alone.
Sian let out a hollow laugh and turned her head to look at Carl waiting for Idelin on the flatland.
He said he’d put on a spectacular show, and he certainly wasn’t kidding. It seemed deliberate. Carl appeared to have summoned Idelin while deliberately exploding silver magic power so that the entire Ivarid region could know of its existence.
You’re in perfect sync. This is just like my fate.
Sian thought, twisting the corner of her mouth. Meanwhile, Idelin was slowly gliding closer to the rest of the mercenaries, who were still just uttering exclamations of “Wow, wow,” as if they had forgotten how to speak.
Idelin’s appearance, which had only looked like a silver mass like the sun, could now be clearly distinguished.
Long, elegantly extended black horns, bright golden eyes shining like those of a beast of prey. A dignified lizard-like head with a tightly closed mouth, and below it, a long neck drawing graceful curves.
Well-proportioned wings covered with membranes, located on the massive body, cut through the wind with grace. Even the tail, as long and slender as the body itself, scattered brilliant silver light like the morning star at midnight.
“I want to see it up close, but that’s not possible, is it?”
Max blurted out a question to no one in particular, having gone from initial shock, to being so overwhelmed he couldn’t speak, to finally reaching a state of rapture.
“Do we need to advertise that we orchestrated this? Just be satisfied with seeing it. It’s an honor for bottom-feeders like us to even witness Idelin in person.”
Sian said. Max stopped looking at Idelin and stared at Sian. Realizing the gaze was directed at her, Sian looked back at Max.
“What?”
“No. Sometimes I can’t tell if you have high self-esteem or low self-esteem, sis.”
At Max’s words, Sian managed her expression that was about to harden under the shadow.
“…Is that so?”
“Yes.”
At Max’s straightforward answer, Sian silently pulled at the corner of her mouth bitterly.
“…Ah, it’s passing by.”
The silver light Idelin was scattering reached its peak. The shadows of trees and people that had been stretching disappeared as if by magic from the light emanating from Idelin gliding right above Sian’s group, then stretched long in the opposite direction.
Carl, alone on the distant flatland, was watching Idelin. The master of that splendid and majestic dragon of good lineage was probably engaging in some secret communication unknown to Sian’s group.
Idelin gradually moved away.
“What a shame.”
Someone clicked their tongue and muttered.
Carl stood motionless for a while, like someone reluctant to part with a lover, until the shadow cast by Idelin’s light was once again swallowed by darkness.
After a long while, Carl turned and approached Sian’s group.
“Well, sis. Was that enough of a spectacle?”
“It was an honor.”
Sian smiled and responded to Carl’s words as he strode towards them.
He looked very satisfied.
“Our companions out there won’t even need to try hard. I can just imagine how much of an uproar there must be inside Ivarid Castle.”
At Sian’s words, Carl’s elegant jawline, visible beneath the deeply pulled-down hood of his robe, curved into a smile.
Only a small part of his handsome face was visible, but even that couldn’t completely hide his sculpture-like features.
“Is there anything as fun as watching a fire? Now we just have to wait and enjoy the interesting spectacle.”
Carl said with a mischievous smile, like an experienced villain.
* * *
“Lord Regent! Lord Alfred!”
Meanwhile, at the same time Carl was smiling like a villain, a great commotion arose inside the castle, just as Sian had predicted.
Despite the doors being tightly closed, Administrator Sullivan’s urgent shouts could be clearly heard in the room from beyond the corridor.
Alfred heard Sullivan’s voice but had no leisure to answer. Outside the window, silver light as bright as daylight was swirling.
Idelin.
It was the light of Idelin, the Prince’s companion dragon.
“Lord Alfred! Did you see it? Idelin…”
“I’m seeing it. Don’t make such a fuss.”
Alfred, who had been staring out the window with an incredulous face, rebuked him. Sullivan, who had burst in making a racket as he opened the door, stopped shouting and caught his breath, panting.
“His Highness is alive!”
“I said I’m seeing it too. And didn’t we all already know His Highness was safe?”
It was Alfred who had said, trembling with anxiety, that nothing could happen, and nothing should happen. As if he had never made such a statement, Alfred spoke with a dignified expression, putting on an air of nobility. Sullivan’s expression, who had burst in to share his joy and relief, cooled.
“Call Sir Elma. And gather all the soldiers we have. It’s certain that he’s nearby, so we need to intensify the search.”
Alfred, with his elegantly groomed beard, spoke with an imposing expression and tone, but his clasped hands were trembling slightly from the unexpectedly welcome news.
“Understood. However… we’ve already entrusted all available troops to Sir Elma’s search party. If we gather more troops from here, the castle’s defenses will be empty…”
Sullivan opened his mouth with a troubled tone. By now, Idelin’s silver magic that had brightly colored the sky had disappeared somewhere beyond the distant forests and mountains. Alfred, looking at the distant trajectory that would be difficult to chase, furrowed his brow deeply between his white eyebrows at Sullivan’s words.
“We don’t know when His Highness the Crown Prince’s forces will return. Especially since Idelin has shown itself so blatantly, the news will soon reach the capital…”
Sullivan, who knew exactly how many troops were available to move from Ivarid Castle, was in a difficult position.
“That’s true. If the news reaches the capital, His Highness the Crown Prince will surely try to find His Highness as well, so we can’t reduce the search party either.”
Alfred groaned and stroked his beard.
“We must secure His Highness’s safety first. He’s been falsely accused of assassinating the Dragon King, so we don’t know what hardships he might face if His Highness the Crown Prince finds him first…”
Sullivan spoke with a suddenly gloomy tone.
That was undoubtedly true.
Alfred recalled the image of his master, who had barely escaped that hellish day, bleeding as if he were dying. Just the memory made Alfred shudder slightly with a terrible feeling.
The Crown Prince had suddenly appeared with dragons, attacking his master without a warrant from the temple. If the Prince, who had to flee alone with severe injuries without any support or escorts, were to fall into the Crown Prince’s hands again, Alfred didn’t want to imagine what kind of torture he might endure under the false accusation of assassinating the Dragon King.
“…For now, finding His Highness is more urgent than guarding the castle. Gather all the manpower we can mobilize to find His Highness.”
“Understood. Then, what about the castle? All that’s left are civilian officials like us and servants who can’t even protect themselves…”
At Sullivan’s words, Alfred groaned again.
And after a moment of thought, he soon recalled the two women who had bravely visited the castle a few days ago, as if they had been waiting for this moment.
“…The mercenaries.”
Alfred muttered quietly. Sullivan’s eyes widened as he said, “Pardon?”
“Send someone. Find those beautiful mercenaries who came a few days ago, the one who looked just like His Highness.”
“…Ah.”
Sullivan exclaimed, realizing what Alfred had remembered.
“Even if His Highness the Crown Prince brings troops again, they’ll have to go through the castle walls. We’re desperate enough to need even a cat’s help, so for now, let’s entrust the wall defense to them.”
The naive regent, perhaps walking into a trap, spoke with a rather resolute tone.
* * *
“It was a strategy, but…”
Sian murmured quietly, looking at the inner wall of Ivarid.
As if declaring the terrible situation of that night when the Crown Prince had attacked with three dragons, parts of the firmly built inner wall had been destroyed and left abandoned.
It didn’t seem like there was no will to repair it. Ladders were placed here and there against the destroyed parts. However, there was no one working. It almost looked like mere decoration.
“…Haven’t you raised your retainers too gently? I didn’t expect it to be this easy to get in.”
Sian looked at Carl standing beside her. With his long hair down, Carl looked every bit a woman except for his tall stature, which required Sian to tilt her head up to look at him. However, his undeniably beautiful features were sunken, holding dark emotions to the point of feeling dissonant.
He was clearly recalling the night when they were helplessly caught off guard by the Crown Prince’s surprise attack as he looked at the destroyed inner wall.
Wondering what to say, Sian started to speak casually but then fell into conflict upon seeing Carl’s expression. Unlike Sian, who had no particular attachment to Ivarid, Carl had personally built all of this.
The feeling of watching the carefully constructed castle walls crumble must certainly not be peaceful.
“Well, it’s probably because someone’s plan was so perfect.”
But unlike Sian, who was choosing words of comfort, Carl quickly responded with a neutral expression. The gloomy air from just moments ago seemed like a lie.
“That’s true, I suppose.”
Sian grinned at Carl.
Sian’s plan that they would have to call on them due to the depletion of troops in forming search parties when Idelin appeared had worked perfectly.
