Chapter 15 Part 1
I heard Hyle urgently calling my name with an uneasy expression, but his voice was quickly drowned out by the flash of light before my eyes as they naturally closed.
When I opened my eyes shortly after, a familiar space came into view.
The basement of the Laté estate remained exactly as it had been before.
The interior was remarkably clean without a speck of dust, suggesting that the maids regularly cleaned the basement.
“I think I need an explanation as to why we had to come here of all places.”
A low voice interrogated me from beside me.
Displeased green eyes gleamed eerily, holding a strange light in the dim basement.
“It’s because this is the only place I could warp to with my current magic.”
It wasn’t exactly a lie.
Given the limitations I’d placed on my magic, this was the best I could do for extensive teleportation.
And it’s not like I could go to his room…
“Rosiel, getting out of here is…”
“You can do it. Stop pretending to be weak. It doesn’t work on me anymore.”
“Well, I wonder about that.”
With a faint smile on his face, Hyle sat down on the edge of the bed, while I leaned against the wall with a complicated expression.
There was something nostalgic about this scene that felt strangely welcome.
“This place is still the same.”
“Of course. It’s not like I have any use for it except to imprison you.”
At my immediate response, Hyle’s gaze, which had been surveying the surroundings, turned back to me.
What, why is he looking at me like that?
“That sounds like this place exists solely for me.”
…I wouldn’t think that’s something to be happy about?
Yet he looks strangely pleased.
“Anyway, Rosiel, about the investigation into the missing young clerics.”
“Huh? Already? It hasn’t even been a day since I asked.”
“I told you, I was already anticipating this. I was already looking into it when you relayed Lady Brissel’s information, which just confirmed things.”
Fortunately, it seemed the outline of the case was taking shape.
If we could just catch evidence that Xenoph was arbitrarily exploiting the holy power of young clerics, we could eliminate the corrupt practices in the Grand Temple.
“Children under the age of eight have been disappearing periodically, bit by bit. All of them with even a little holy power, without exception.”
“What… at that age, they wouldn’t have much holy power to begin with.”
It was a more malicious situation than I’d thought.
If all this was true, we could clean up not only Xenoph but also the high priests who had turned a blind eye to it all at once.
Of course, we would need evidence to proceed, but as far as feasibility was concerned, it was entirely possible.
“But their holy power would be suitable for making holy crystals precisely because of that. With magic power, you can create magic stones with the power of strong individuals, but holy crystals can only be made with pure holy power. Otherwise, they can’t take form.”
“So you’re saying Xenoph’s holy power is too corrupted to form crystals? Even though he’s supposedly a cardinal…”
Was it all just for show? Well, considering what Xenoph had done to Hyle all this time, it made sense.
“There’s no way he could have pure holy power after orchestrating something like this. The Feros knights are moving discreetly now, so news should arrive soon. More concerning is Lady Brissel’s safety.”
“Hmm, about that… she said she was going to relocate, so there shouldn’t be any immediate concern.”
But Hyle’s expression was ominous.
He didn’t seem to place much trust in my words.
“It might be my prejudice, but from what I know of country folk, ‘relocating’ usually means moving just a few blocks away.”
“…Surely not.”
I mean, when you say relocating, don’t you typically mean moving to a completely different area…!
…But considering Hertiana’s compliant personality… maybe Hyle is right.
“Raphla, can you locate Hertiana?”
I guess I have no choice but to find Hertiana through Raphla since I’m worried.
“Didn’t you place a tracking spell on her?”
“Well, that consumes quite a bit of magic power. I confirmed she was fine and she said she was moving, so I removed it. But I think I should put it back now.”
Unfortunately, Raphla’s small head shook side to side.
The attempt to locate Hertiana had failed.
One reason for the failure was probably that the tracking spell I had placed on her had expired.
“Raphla, go to the former Brissel Viscounty and search the surroundings. She might still be in the area.”
Upon receiving the order, Raphla vanished with a flurry of black feathers.
Trusting in Raphla’s abilities, I figured we’d have results in about two days.
I hadn’t anticipated that the Cardinal would become an obstacle to my comfortable retirement plan, so recent events were perplexing.
I thought Abel would be the biggest hindrance… but it seems the real power was elsewhere.
Just when I finally got out of the engagement, something like this happens. My fate…
Anyway, if we can just get evidence, I’ll make sure the Cardinal never sets foot in the temple again!
“…Rosiel, your expression is scary.”
Only when Hyle casually remarked did I regain my usual impassive expression.
My blame toward him was half jest, but also somewhat sincere.
As if he sensed this, Hyle’s face softened as he chuckled quietly.
Eating holy crystals made by forcibly extracting the holy power of young clerics would be playing right into Xenoph’s hands.
I absolutely refused to do that. Even if it was slower and more dangerous, taking the right path was better.
Honestly, with the National Foundation Festival just around the corner, my life was becoming precarious, and it would be a lie to say I wasn’t scared…
But that didn’t mean I had any intention of becoming a nominal Holy Maiden as Xenoph wished.
“I should be going soon.”
It was still the dead of night, but our business had been completed relatively quickly.
Perhaps because of this, an unusual weariness was visible on Hyle’s handsome face.
“Hyle, if you’re too tired, you could stay here.”
“I’ll decline. Being imprisoned once was enough.”
My casually thrown suggestion was firmly rejected.
Seeing my disappointment, Hyle’s green eyes stretched long.
“By the way, Rosiel, I’m curious about something.”
“What is it?”
After a moment of silent contemplation, Hyle finally spoke.
“Is it really over between you and the Crown Prince?”
It was an unexpected question.
I had assumed he already knew since there hadn’t been any particular mention of it.
Of course, there hadn’t been an official announcement of the broken engagement yet.
However, the end of my engagement with Abel was already widely circulated in social circles.
Especially someone like Hyle, the head of House Feros, should have been among the first to hear the news…?
“That’s right. Thanks to the new oracle, the Grand Temple discarded Abel as a candidate.”
Instead, Hyle became the new target…
In conclusion, the “annulment” condition in our contract with Hyle had been fulfilled.
“So once your heart is purified, it’s all over.”
“And that won’t be long now. By the time we finish Xenoph’s business, there will be some kind of result one way or another.”
The fact that I didn’t have much time left was becoming increasingly clear as time passed.
After all, my physical condition was markedly different from when I had proudly declared my strike as the villainess.
…And not in a good way.
Having risen from his seat, Hyle activated his teleportation magic, apparently ready to leave for real this time.
“Rosiel, if things get difficult, don’t suffer alone. Send Entrie. I’ll come right away.”
The light that emanated when Hyle used magic was particularly white and transparent, perhaps because it was based on holy power.
“That’s reassuring. I’ll contact you if we find Hertiana.”
“And I’ll contact you if we get any leads on the missing clerics.”
His kind response sounded pleasant to my ears.
We both knew we could reach out to each other for anything, no matter how trivial.
It felt distant now, those days when we had formed a contract based on mutual distrust, staking our lives.
I never imagined I would become such close partners with Hyle, making each day recently feel unbelievably special.
With one person’s breath gone, the basement became quiet once again.
“…It’s quiet.”
My whispered words scattered emptily into the void.
Just moments ago, this space had felt so full, but now…
To think that one person’s presence could feel so significant…
It was a strange realization that made my heart flutter.
