Chương 109: Departure for the Summit (1)
In the end, the Walt House wasn't implicated, Hyde didn't know about anything related to the attack on the academy other than the item they were aiming for. It wasn't necessary knowledge, seeing as how they had already acquired the item itself.
"That means they have someone who can erase memories as well…"
The Judge sighed. They had gone through all this effort only to find out that it was just a ruse.
"Wait," the royal family's aide and Judge—Arler, spoke. "Why would they try and silence this man if he didn't know anything in the first place? They should know that we know about the item they were searching for already."
"To mess with us?" The Judge answered, but he wasn't entirely convinced of his own answer.
"Unlikely. This man knows something that they don't want us to know, and that's why they sent a Valian to silence him."
Arler had already been told of the situation by Euphea and he would also comply with secrecy.
Currently, the three of them, Arler, the Judge, and Hyde were inside a cell in one of the House of Luna's estates.
The first location that they stored Hyde in was actually just an abandoned house with no nearby people. However, the Valian and the woman somehow managed to find out their location.
"I'm going to try and exert myself a little more. I might find some more sealed memories."
"Take all the time you need."
…
"How did you manage to contest the Valian?"
Markus crossed his legs and interrogated Sebastian. They were in the estate that Hyde was being kept in. However, they were in the upper floors. Amy was left near the basement just in case.
"You can speak freely, my daughter isn't here."
"Soul Armor."
Though Sebastian wanted to tell Markus during the trip, it wasn't much of a problem to tell him before then.
"I see. You somehow managed to find out about the existence of Soul Armor."
Markus seemed to accept his explanation, he didn't show any more signs of asking questions.
—Tell him what I'm going to say.
"Lord Luna, about the woman who was with the Valian."
"Do you know anything?"
"Yes. Though I'm not entirely sure, I've read about her existence in books. There's only one thing that she could be—a sorcerer."
"...Certainly, she does fit the qualities of a sorcerer. However, I've yet to see a sorcerer for myself so I can't be certain."
Even the house heads didn't hold much knowledge about sorcerers. Much like Valians, their numbers are few and far between. Actually, they were even rarer.
Markus had lived for forty-odd years already, however, he had yet to encounter a sorcerer.
"Sorcerers don't use energy in the same way Inheritors do. They use 'spells' by the means of dead languages and they aren't limited, unlike Inheritors." Sebastian explained.
"I know that much."
Markus gestured for Sebastian to continue.
"Sorcerers have one weakness that they can't overcome, they need time to use a spell. Unlike Inheritors who can use their abilities instantly, sorcerers will have to chant and gather enough power before chanting their spell words. With Lord Luna's power of light…"
"I see. So you're telling me that their weakness is not the lack of power, but the speed they take to cast a spell. That means Amira and I can attack them before they use anything. Certainly, she was unable to use anything when Amira used her new technique."
Markus nodded a few times. He didn't know when he would use the information, but it was safer to have it now than figure it out when he meets the sorcerer again.
It was always like this with Markus. Despite being in a superior position, he didn't look down on Sebastian completely. Whenever he wanted to express his opinions, he would be allowed to do so. Though, it had also led to embarrassment quite a few times.
"Lord Luna, can you tell me now?"
"About?"
"In the forest. The one residing in the tree. What happened?"
Though Sebastian knew that Ptelea's power had returned to the earth, he didn't know anything else. Markus wouldn't tell him anything else.
"Hmph."
Markus snorted and looked to the side.
"When we returned, the tree had withered and fallen. The woman that was inside the tree had disappeared. However, the surrounding lands hadn't returned to normal."
—Hadn't returned to normal…?
Sebastian wanted to ask him what Balanos was confused about but he couldn't. Markus shouldn't know anything about the land being cursed. If Sebastian knew that it should return to normal, he'd be suspicious of him.
—It appears… that orb they held was a lot more dangerous than we thought.
Just then, the two of them heard knocks on the door.
"Enter."
Amy, followed by the Judge and Arler had entered the room. Arler was the one to speak first.
"We've managed to figure something out. It wasn't the Walt House."
"..."
Sebastian frowned. Amy sat next to him and gestured for the two to relax.
"It wasn't the Walt House," Amy continued. "They are just accomplices. The true perpetrator behind this is supporting the Walt House from the shadows, and I have a good idea of who it is."
Amy turned to look at Sebastian, then Markus.
"I see…"
Markus didn't respond. He took hold of his chin and began to think deeply.
At first, it was just Sebastian's matter and they interfered because of his father, the former head of the House of Luna, but it appears that Sebastian is only the first target he's aiming for.
"The Walt House is staging a coup." Markus growled. "Those bastards."
"A coup, father? Against the royal family?"
"No, against the three major houses. I'm sure you've noticed, the Walt House's influence hasn't been well recently."
"Nn…"
When Sebastian had gone missing, Amy didn't even have to apply too much pressure on the Walt House before they caved. That was the first sign that she saw that the Walt House was degrading.
The Walt House of the past wouldn't allow such blatant disrespect.
"My guess is, they plan to take down the House of Sol using Sebastian. Even if they don't manage to do so, they'd weaken their influence. We've yet to be targeted, but that doesn't mean we're safe."
Maybe it was because Markus was a very cautious person. The Sage must not have many options to use against him.
Though the four major houses were all invaluable when it came to combat, the House of Sol still reigned supreme. If it falls, then the three major houses would follow suit.
"The Walt House is aiming for the destruction of the four major houses and plan to create it into a monarchy. They plan to make their house into the lone major house using the support of the Sage."
Markus stood up from his seat.
"They better be back inside their shells once I get back from the summit."
He was angry.
As a house head, how did he not know the duty they had to fulfill? Yet, just because they're greedy for power they want to do this?
The item that they had confiscated, Markus already knew what it was. He had seen the same thing during the incident with Ptelea.
'They plan to lure monsters and force the three major houses to take the brunt of the damage.'
Markus left the room without much of an explanation. He needed to do something as soon as possible.
"...Call for me at any time, I will be staying in the House of Luna's estate for the time being since the princess had told me to serve you for a time, Sir Sebastian."
"...? Princess?"
Amy turned to look at Arler.
"Yes, the second princess, Her Highness Euphea."
"..."
Amy looked at Sebastian. He averted his gaze.
"You may leave."
Amy didn't look at the Judge or at Arler, however, they knew she was talking to them. Unaware of the bloodbath that was about to happen, the two left the room.
…
"It worked…!"
Sebastian dropped down on his knees. His shadow beneath him was in a circle on the floor.
He had spent months perfecting the technique, but only managed to do so now.
"With this, I can get my spear at any time."
Sebastian stood up with a little difficulty and tapped the ground with his foot. Mile's spear slowly rose up from his shadow.
—I didn't think you'd be able to devise a method without costing any energy.
Since Sebastian mastered his shadow ability, he had been trying to put his equipment inside the shadows so he could take them all out later.
"I almost didn't make it in time."
Sebastian breathed a sigh of relief. It was the day of his departure from Aurora to head to Typhonia, the middle of the continent and the location of the summit.
"Young master."
Sebastian heard Kathrina's voice from the other side of the door.
"Two letters came addressed to you. One has a blank blue seal and the other has a seal that I've never seen before…"
Kathrina had memorized the seals of the various kingdoms, and the households of the surrounding cities. If she hadn't seen the seal before, then it might be from a household of a distant kingdom.
Sebastian opened the door and received the letters.
"How's the business going?"
"Fairly well. With young master's plans, I was able to secure a business permit and a spot to set up a stall. Once enough money is made, there's also the plot of land I've reserved."
"When do you plan to start?"
"Three days from now. Everything related to young master and the master's departure should be settled by then."
Jonathan and the other house heads along with their companions would leave at the same time as Markus as there was only one airship available. However, once they part from the airship, they would then travel to the summit separately.
The road was narrow, it wasn't safe for a convoy to pass through.
"You can rely on Amy if anything happens. I haven't told her about the business, but she should already know you."
"Yes, young master."
Kathrina bowed and left.
Sebastian unsealed the letter without a mark and then read its contents. It was a letter from Blue Rose, or more specifically, from Wisteria.
"She wants me to send this letter to her house? The royal family? Couldn't she just send it through an official service?"
—She most likely has her reasons.
Balanos had seen Wisteria a lot, she knew that Wisteria was a whimsical woman, but she wasn't irrational.
Just then, someone knocked on the door again. The door had already opened earlier and Sebastian could see Amy standing by the doorway.
"Father says it's time."
The tone of her voice betrayed her emotions, she wasn't willing to let him go.
"Got it."
Sebastian left with Amy. He would meet up with Markus and board the airship. Then, he would leave the country for the second time, and to a farther place without Amy.
To Typhonia.
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