Chapter 15

#015 The Duke's Suspicion (1)

"Sedric Riester! Try breaking my sword again and see what happens!"

Elizabeth Mute, the Royal Guard Captain, chased after the man, her footsteps heavy.

The corridors of the Romero Palace, where the prince resided, were filled with more attendants and guards than the Juliette Palace.

However, no one was surprised to see her calling out the prince's name so casually.

They merely bowed their heads to her and the prince as if it were a common occurrence.

"Why don't you go around boasting about how your ether is overflowing?"

It was only natural for her to unleash the anger she had been holding back. The prince's condition had noticeably improved lately.

During sparring, he would lose control of his 'strength,' breaking his opponent's sword or burning their collar.

Considering the time when he was struggling due to a chronic depletion of ether, this was a very positive change.

But Elizabeth couldn't help but feel frustrated when she thought about her fifth sword being shattered and the six sets of uniforms with singed sleeves.

"I was going to say that the old shrine is like that anyway, and I was planning to request repairs. You know I can't lie, right? My face must have shown it, but the prince just let it go."

Her gray eyes glared at the prince, filled with annoyance. The man remained expressionless.

"I don't want to lie to him again. Be more careful."

Unlike the rumors, Prince Yeseo was gentle and always listened to others.

It was unbelievable that he had threatened with a dagger just to get a response.

She knew his personality was hard to hide, but she hadn't expected him to still be unable to control his temper even in this state.

"Why don't you just tell him the truth? We're getting help every day, after all."

"It's not every day."

The man finally spoke. His orange eyes revealed a hint of displeasure.

"Why, is your pride hurt? You're really something..."

Elizabeth clicked her tongue and buried her head in her juice glass again.

Sedric remained lost in thought, not even touching his coffee.

Telling Prince Yeseo about his situation was not even an option.

He was a prince, and once his engagement was finalized, he would ascend to the position of Crown Prince, backed by a 'political partner.'

He couldn't reveal his condition, which was a state secret, to a 'hostage.'

Even though the prince was in danger from the Holy Kingdom and was alone in the empire, it was still the case.

However...

"The Duchy seems strange."

"What about it?"

Elizabeth put her cup down on the table.

She sensed that the prince wasn't just making small talk, and her voice was low.

"I led the divine beasts to the border between the capital and Sarnese, but they couldn't detect the direction of the divine artifact."

"Should we get closer to the lord's castle?"

Sedric nodded silently.

There wasn't much information or records about the divine beasts.

Even searching the most secret places in the royal archives yielded little.

However, it was certain that the divine beasts could sense the aura of the divine artifact from a distance and instinctively move toward it.

The divine beasts were called 'messengers of the deity' sent down to protect the divine artifact.

Therefore, the divine artifact 'Blessing of the Sea' that the Sarnese Dukes had protected for generations should emit an aura that attracts the divine beasts.

But those small divine beasts showed no unusual reaction, just circling around the prince's feet.

Sedric had thought they would find the divine artifact on their own, but even when he returned to the palace, the divine beasts didn't leave his side.

It was a dilemma.

"Maybe the divine artifact was stolen too?"

Elizabeth muttered seriously.

She recalled the recent theft at the 'Shrine of the Border.'

"Maybe there's a thief targeting only divine artifacts."

"Nonsense."

The prince dismissed the idea with a sigh-like remark.

For now, it seemed they should take the divine beasts closer to the Sarnese lord's castle, as she suggested.

Perhaps the divine beasts were dumber than expected and needed the divine artifact right in front of them to do their job.

The hypothesis that the divine artifact had disappeared was mere speculation. No, it had to be mere speculation.

"I need that divine artifact."

It was a declaration of resolve. Elizabeth nodded silently in response to the prince's words.

The engagement with the Sarnese Dukes would be a great help to Sedric in many ways.

Especially since the divine artifact from that family would be given to him as a dowry.

The 'Blessing of the Sea' was the perfect treasure to solve his chronic ether depletion and uncontrollable 'strength.'

"Still, doesn't using divine power feel good? They say it gives a sense of liberation, a feeling of freedom."

Sedric snorted.

It wasn't a lie that he disliked the ability he first experienced by receiving the prince's ether.

However, he had no intention of increasing the number of troublesome tasks to enjoy it.

The 'strength' would disappear once he was engaged to Christel de Sarnese.

The prince called the attendant again. He pushed away the cold coffee and requested sage tea.

*

"Let's eat."

"Help yourself. I've already informed the kitchen."

An awkward smile appeared.

After confirming that the cardinal had picked up his fork, I quickly grabbed my utensils.

The lunch menu was simply fantastic.

I hadn't realized that receiving guidance from a high-ranking person could be such a good thing.

It was worth rolling around on the floor of the office.

"If you want to meet a holy knight, I can arrange a communication with the Vatican."

The cardinal said this while slicing the well-cooked asparagus.

I was chewing the duck meat diligently when I suddenly looked up.

"Of course, that boy was a holy knight, but I doubt we had a good conversation."

The 'boy' she referred to was 'Peter,' one of the twin assassins who had targeted my life.

Sinky was a priest, and Peter was a holy knight.

I had asked about holy knights at the end of the lesson, and this seemed to be a continuation of that conversation.

"Yes. Still, I know what his ability was. 'Air,' right?"

"Right."

She answered. I reviewed the content I had learned earlier.

Unlike priests, who possess ether in its purest form, holy knights use ether in four special forms.

I had guessed as much from the start, but the author of 'Retired Duke' had incorporated water, fire, air, and earth abilities into the holy knight setting.

It seemed inspired by the Four Elements Theory.

Peter had tried to suffocate me, so his ability was undoubtedly 'air.'

"I don't think I need to make an appointment. I'll probably see one at some point in my life."

"Yes, that's true."

The cardinal smiled and turned her gaze back to her plate.

I dipped my bread into the marinade sauce of the fish and continued my thoughts.

Holy knights possess a single special ether attribute for life, and the amount of ether consumed varies greatly depending on the level of their ability.

I thought of the child who had visited my room last night.

When I asked again if he was a holy knight or a priest, Seadi remained silent.

"Do holy knights and priests often use divine power until their ether is depleted?"

"It's rare for priests."

The cardinal said firmly.

"Unless they overuse healing power, priests rarely deplete their ether."

"I see."

"Well, there is one exception: you."

"Hehehe..."

It wasn't that I had used it a lot, but rather that some son from a noble family had stolen it.

"But holy knights are different. Special ether consumes divine power just by existing, and when it manifests outside the body, it tests divine power again. Holy knights protect priests, so they often use their abilities anyway."

The cardinal raised her eyebrows slightly. It was a smile that seemed somewhat perplexed.

"Holy knights and priests travel in pairs to ensure a stable supply of ether."

In other words, it was inefficient.

For a priest like me, who uses pure ether, it wasn't a problem, but for holy knights, who transform ether into forms like water or fire, it seemed to require twice the resources.

"Your Highness, I thought holy knights were only born in the Holy Kingdom."

I continued my questioning.

This was also why I couldn't assume Seadi was a holy knight.

We were in the heart of the Riester Empire, far from the Holy Kingdom.

"I'm not sure if it's true, but that's what the books say. 'Priests are born wherever the first cry is heard on the continent, for the deity watches over humanity. However, holy knights open their eyes only on the land of the deity'..."

"Because they must guard the deity's life."

The cardinal completed the sentence in a whisper. Her eyes seemed mysterious when they met mine.

-Knock knock

"Come in."

I was staring blankly when I suddenly snapped back to reality.

Turning my gaze, I saw the cardinal's attendant entering the dining room.

"Sorry to interrupt your meal, Your Highness. Prince."

"It's fine. What is it?"

"The Emperor has sent an invitation to the Spring Ball. I will deliver it immediately as per the imperial command."

"I see, it's already that time. Thank you."

Ah, finally, it has arrived. Even though I had no intention of going, my heart still raced.

It was surprising that the Emperor knew I was here and sent the invitation.

While the cardinal was opening her invitation, the attendant approached me with a silver tray holding my share of the paper.

"This is the invitation for the prince. Here, there is also a letter from the Duchess of Sarnese."

"Huh?"

I was staring at the Emperor's seal stamped with cherry-colored sealing wax, and I doubted my ears.

"Me?"

"Yes, it says 'A letter to the noble Prince Yeseo Penethian.'"

"Why would... the Duchess send me a letter?"

The attendant, Natalie, looked troubled. Her face said, 'How would I know?'

I reluctantly moved my fingers to pick up the letter.

The paper felt unusually heavy, perhaps because it bore the name 'Sarnese.'

"If the Duchess of Sarnese is here, she must have just delivered it. She came to the palace with Lady Christel to meet the Emperor."

I glanced at the cardinal, who nodded as if it were someone else's business, then looked back at the letter in my hand.

The signature 'Isabel de Sarnese, Duchess of Sarnese' was clear.

Since it was explicitly addressed to me, I couldn't pretend I didn't know or avoid it this time.

What made me even more uneasy was the presence of Christel.

The thought that she might be in the same place as me, perhaps even in this imperial palace, filled me with a slight fear.

"I wonder what it says."

I opened the neatly folded letter. It would be nice if it was just a greeting.