Kapitel 212: [Chapter 211] Scratching an Itch
"You missed the Grand Duke?"
Keamil was on the verge of a fit of rage. Her subordinates, having learned from years of experience that when their master made this face, lightning was about to strike, held their breath as much as possible.
The golden baton in her hand bent like caramel. Keamil snarled, throwing it at her subordinates and demanding an explanation.
"Where did you lose him!"
Tonight was a golden opportunity. Ulrich's curse and the Grand Duke's stupidity had combined to bring a stroke of luck that they would never get again.
If they could just kill him, everything would be redeemed. The Imperial Family would be showered with endless glory, and she would regain her family's trust.
But to miss this opportunity because of these idiots!
"Near the Third Forbidden Zone, Your Highness."
Keamil's face, which had been filled with anxiety, turned pale in an instant.
The Third Forbidden Zone!
It was a term used within the Silver Moon. A deserted passage west of the Roseberry Hall, where the Imperial Investigation Team was located. The place where Keamil had previously lured the unfortunate Grand Duchess to her death, but failed…
Those who had failed then were all dead. So no one knew how the Grand Duchess had escaped. Even the Silver Moon people rarely went near that area. That's why it was called the "Forbidden Zone."
"Did you say the Third Forbidden Zone?"
"Yes, Your Highness. In an instant… he disappeared near the weeping angel painting."
How! Keamil screamed inwardly.
The elation that had filled her moments ago, after hearing "The Grand Duke has really come. He's not alone, but he only brought one knight," vanished in an instant. How did he know about that place? How much does he know? That monstrous man!
Could it be that he came to the Imperial Palace so willingly tonight just to go there?
Yes, it's possible. What kind of fool would come to his death just because his wife was cursed? He's not some naive young man, he's that cunning Grand Duke!
A strong body and giant strength. To others, it's the blessing that flows through the bloodline of the Imperial Family, but Keamil knew where the root of her power lay. Therefore, she was certain that there was definitely some ability in the Violet Eye.
That the ability would be passed down not only to the heroes themselves from long ago, but also to those who had the same eyes in later generations.
Cledwyn Maindelant only had gray eyes, not the Violet Eye, but it wasn't strange that he knew something. An old speculation had become reality.
Keamil ground her teeth, feeling betrayed. Sparks flew from her eyes.
"17, 29, you two stay, everyone else leave."
The manpower, already lacking last year, was now even smaller. It was shrinking in real time. Her stomach churned.
But if she could kill the Grand Duke and get her hands on the Grand Duchess, who was now powerless in his mansion…
All these sacrifices would be more than compensated for.
Rumble. A loud sound like thunder from far away. Keamil jerked her head up.
There was a crack in the ceiling of the secret room.
'An earthquake?'
It didn't matter. If this sturdy secret room was cracking, the damage to the entire Imperial Capital would be significant, but that was a problem for later.
Keamil gritted her teeth and spoke to her two subordinates.
"17, go to the Third Forbidden Zone, opposite the weeping angel painting, pull the golden candlestick and enter with your men. 29, there's a place in His Majesty's cricket court where the bushes are piled up. Turn the black mourning statue two o'clock from there, and the door will open. Enter. If you fail, don't even think about coming back alive."
They knew that they wouldn't survive either way, but they answered loyally.
"Yes."
"Yes!"
****
"Was that an earthquake just now?"
It was a calm question, befitting someone who had quickly grabbed the wall as the ground shook. Aidan had almost fallen, but he managed to regain his balance and replied.
"It seems so. It seems pretty big, will there be aftershocks?"
"I don't know."
The entire corridor of the secret passage was bright, but the source of the light was obvious.
One of the doors, which he hadn't even thought of entering when he passed by last time, was glowing brighter than anything else, as if it were burning itself.
Aidan wanted to get out of this place as soon as possible, but Cledwyn narrowed his eyes and approached the door.
"Your Highness, aren't you going?"
"Keamil must know about this passage too."
"I don't know that, but it's highly likely, isn't it?"
It wouldn't make sense if Neris knew more about the secret passage in the Imperial Palace than Keamil.
Cledwyn nodded at Aidan's logical assumption.
"Last time, we entered through this passage and the pursuit was cut off. But some of those Silver Moon guys might know more information. They might not know, but Keamil might."
"Yes."
Why was he saying something so obvious? Aidan disliked that bright door, which looked suspicious at a glance. There was no handle to pull, and it looked too heavy to push. There was definitely something important inside. That important thing would be related to the murderous aura that was making this space tingle.
If Talprin were here, he would have dissuaded him, saying something like, "Do I have to explain the basic idea of not going into something that looks dangerous? Am I your mother?" Aidan thought that, but he didn't directly dissuade his master.
Because, after all, whether it was Talprin's words or Aidan's attitude, it would be equally useless in stopping Cledwyn from doing something he had decided to do.
Just before touching the door, Cledwyn laughed dangerously.
"A passage that only he knows, not allowing his subordinates to come. And it's so suspicious, so it must be something important, right? Living or non-living."
"That's right."
"I'll take it and use it as a bargaining chip with Keamil. Then I won't have to destroy the entire Imperial Palace."
He was going to destroy it all. Aidan was speechless.
Swoosh. As soon as Cledwyn's hand touched it, the door unexpectedly split in half as if someone had cut it, opening to both sides. A chilling sound, like drawing a sword from its sheath.
The pale light poured out again. Strangely, it wasn't blinding. Even though it was bright enough to make everything look white, it wasn't blinding.
Cledwyn strode into the room. Aidan followed, keeping an eye on his back.
The open doorway led to a space the size of Cledwyn's bedroom. There were no windows, and all four walls were covered in a white, plaster-like substance. There was only one decoration in the usual sense.
A jet-black curtain covering half of one wall, and a panther embroidered on it with golden thread.
Giant magic circles, dozens of them, were deeply carved into the ceiling, the floor, and the white walls. Whoever had carved the magic circles must have thought they should last hundreds, thousands of times longer than mere ink. A dark, malevolent energy flowed along the indented lines.
In the middle of this soul-crushing sight.
Two small, altar-like structures stood.
Simple stone pillars, like those seen in paintings depicting the distant past, and a round, simple disc placed on top, like the moon. The two altars were identical in appearance, but one was empty, while the other was enveloped in a pillar of light that seemed to compress the immense light that filled the entire corridor.
And in the middle of that pillar was a gray diamond, floating.
The pillar of light, or perhaps the diamond, shimmered as if it were smiling.
You… came… here… child.
It was the voice he had heard when he entered the corridor.
The murderous aura that filled the surroundings dissipated in an instant. Even Cledwyn, who was not easily fazed, narrowed his eyes, concentrating as if trying to determine if what he was seeing was real.
"What are you? Magic? Do you have any intelligence?"
I… am… here… It's just a faint trace, worn away by time…
The pillar of light shimmered slightly again.
Ah… to see you… It's been a long time…
"Do you know me?"
Cledwyn asked, suspicious.
The pillar of light was radiating immense magical power. Anyone with even a little knowledge of magic would be overwhelmed by its strength.
What was this thing, wasting so much magic here? If it was some kind of talisman, it would be worth enough to buy a small country. It was one thing to have such an object hidden in a secret passage, but shouldn't it have been harder to get in?
The pillar of light shimmered again, but this time, the shimmer felt somehow sad.
I knew someone with hair the same color as yours…
"Then it's none of my business. Look, are you important to the Imperial Family? Would they be angry if I took you?"
Ha ha… I'd be grateful if you took me, but you can't get me out…
"Why? Is it your will?"
No… I'm sealed… I can't even speak normally, but I was lucky… Bisuto's child must have used the power of this seal to do something… I didn't know my mind would wake up because of it…
Cledwyn thought carefully and asked. The magic the Imperial Family had recently used…
"My wife's condition is strange. Are you a magical tool? Can you be used to show someone illusions?"
No… no… I can't do that. As I feel it… it's a magic that seals the mind in the past they've already experienced… very clumsy…
Cledwyn didn't know about Neris being tortured by Abelus. But the situation was too coincidental to just ignore.
Destroy it first, then ask questions. Thinking that, Cledwyn drew his sword and swung it down at the pillar of light. Or, he tried to.
Bang.
The recoil of his blow sent him flying back, and Cledwyn landed on the floor, something he hadn't done since he was a child. It was only because of his strength that he was able to get up, a normal person would have suffered a fatal injury from the impact.
The pillar of light whispered.
Now that I think about it, you have a much stronger scent on you… The Violet Eye, has she returned? The child of Elandria has survived…
Cledwyn and Aidan's faces hardened simultaneously. Cledwyn muttered chillingly.
"Do you know my wife?"
Her condition is strange, she's the child of Elandria? With the Violet Eye? Yes, that's it… Fate is mysterious.
The pillar of light laughed. Aidan was angry. Was this the time to be telling stories?
"Straight, speak so I can understand."
Children find adult words mysterious… but what can you do? How can you explain concepts you don't understand… But if you are at odds with Bisuto's child, there is nothing I would be happier about… I will help you.
Suddenly, the murderous aura filled the space again. Cledwyn looked at the diamond floating in the pillar of light. If this pillar of light was a seal, was this its essence?
The diamond was strangely the same color as his eyes. To be precise, it was the deep, brilliant, bright gray that his eyes would have if they were the Violet Eye.
The ground shook again. Cledwyn quickly grabbed the empty altar.
There was no doubt that the source of the earthquake was that pillar of light.
The diamond, radiating a dazzling light, whispered affectionately.
I thought Bisuto had erased everything… but there are still those who fight. Go, child. Most of the seal is intact, so I will soon be reduced to a simple, speechless tool again… so hurry. She will be able to hear your voice…
"What…?"
Hurry, hurry! Go before I'm sealed again. Call out your wife's name. And find 'her'. If this happens again, 'she' is the only one who can help you…
A strong wind blew. The pillar of light began to emit a scorching heat, unlike the pale light it had emitted before. It was a magical wind blowing at the same time.
The pressure was so intense that it felt like his flesh was burning and his limbs were about to break. Cledwyn and Aidan quickly left the room. The door didn't close again. Only then did Cledwyn realize that the thing inside the pillar of light had let him in.
Flash. The world stopped silently. The two men quickly ran towards the end of the secret passage.
At the end of the secret passage, where it connected to the Emperor's courtyard, there were people gathered with weapons. It was the Silver Moon. They were standing still, as if they had seen something amazing, or rather, as if they were frozen, even though they saw them.
The world returned to normal only after the two men had run a long way past them. The ordinary sound of the wind, the murmuring sounds, the rustling of grass in the wind, and the starlight in the night sky, all…
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein