Chapter 69

#069 There Is No Evil Artifact in the World (3)

“No!”

-Screech!

Emperor Frederic shouted. Demy let out a desperate cry.

-Whirr!

“Ugh...”

The speed of our fall increased, and the wind whipped around my ears.

Through my half-closed eyes, I could see Demy producing vines.

Worry about the bell tower collapsing and a belated fear washed over me.

I wanted to look back but didn’t want to. The bell tower quickly grew distant.

I squeezed my eyes shut. Please, let it be the sea. Water, water, please.

-Splash!

Cool water touched my back. Then,

-Boom!

“Choke!”

“My waist!”

“Cough.”

I tumbled on the ground. Wait, this doesn’t feel like the ground... or rocks.

My mind couldn’t process the absurd situation.

A hard yet soft, dark something filled my vision.

Is this describing my current state and future? Or is it a sign that I’m already dead?

“Move.”

“Prince, are you okay?”

At the familiar, too familiar voice, I opened my eyes wide.

Reflexively, I sat up.

A pair of orange eyes, filled with intense anger, looked down at me.

“What the hell, why are you here...”

I couldn’t speak properly. My head was a mess, and my forehead throbbed.

It seemed I had hit the prince’s adam’s apple, which was as hard as iron.

I rubbed my forehead, trying to form coherent thoughts.

“I fell from the cliff, right?”

“I caught you.”

“I caught him first. I slowed our fall with water.”

The prince replied irritably, and a cheerful voice added the explanation.

I quickly turned my head.

“...Princess Sarnez?”

“Yes! But could you please move a bit? My leg is stuck between yours.”

“Oh, sorry.”

I hurriedly got off the human mattress. Kristel nimbly pulled herself out, like a squirrel.

She groaned a bit, saying her back hurt, and then made an ice patch to apply to her back.

She was definitely a genius. Or maybe not.

“Thank you, both of you. You saved me.”

I said the first thing I needed to. The situation was still too bizarre, and I was still catching my breath.

My body ached, and I felt a bump forming on my forehead, but the most important thing was figuring out what had happened.

The prince gracefully stood up. I slowly looked around.

People. Sails and masts. A wooden deck. The sky beyond.

“It’s a ship.”

A ship floating in the air.

“A pirate ship.”

What?

“I remembered what the prince said about being careful of pirates. So, I was being careful, and this happened.”

“Being careful led to you being kidnapped by a pirate ship?”

I was supposed to be the one who might get kidnapped, not the kidnapper. What a twist.

“Life is full of surprises, I guess. How’s your body?”

Another familiar voice. I turned my eyes slightly.

Lady Elizabeth, with her dark green short hair fluttering, approached and dusted off a pirate hat, placing it on Kristel’s head.

Is she the right-hand woman of the Pirate King?

“I’m fine. But did you really come here from the Mute Viscounty by pirate ship?”

I asked. My mind was slowly regaining its clarity.

Kristel and Lady Elizabeth had clearly gone on a separate summer vacation.

And this place, Evelyn, was a territory where outsiders were strictly prohibited from entering.

Even if the Mute Viscounty was right next to Evelyn, it would have been impossible to approach by land.

“That’s a long story, Prince. But the reason we ended up drifting...”

Drifting?

“What happened to the bell tower?”

Prince Cedric interrupted Kristel.

He was staring at me intently. I finally snapped back to reality!

“The artifact. The ‘Ark of Byleam’ has awakened. But it’s very shy, like a living creature. I was hit by the ark’s wings and fell out.”

“...It must have awakened due to your ether.”

“Yes. Even though I’m not using my powers, it still shows aggression that could destroy the pillar. If we don’t calm it, the bell tower might be in danger.”

I turned to look at the bell tower.

I could see the emperor looking down at us with a resigned smile, and three lesser pandas huddled at her feet.

It felt like we had fallen about 100 meters, but now it seemed more like 20 meters.

I waved my arm to signal that I was okay,

“Ugh.”

Unconsciously, I clutched my stomach. When I suddenly tensed, my lower chest ached.

“Prince, did you get hurt during the fall?”

“No, I’m fine. This is from the prince.”

Damn, I said the wrong thing. I immediately shut my mouth.

The other day, I had been kicked in the same spot after picking up Sadi. The ark’s attack had also hit there.

But since there was no fracture, it seemed the ark had controlled its strength.

...Or maybe it didn’t intend to hurt me. Could it be that the ‘attack’ wasn’t really an attack?

“Goodness.”

Kristel muttered.

She looked at the prince as if he were non-recyclable trash.

The prince frowned.

“I never...”

“A knight attacking an unarmed priest?”

Lady Elizabeth finally cut in. Her gray eyes were filled with disdain.

“Have you thrown away your honor?”

“Elizabeth.”

“I did deserve it. But right now, the most important thing is to win the artifact’s heart.”

I mediated between the three.

Lady Elizabeth was shocked, and Kristel stroked my hand, looking very sympathetic.

“Deserve it? Don’t say that. There’s someone else who’s at fault.”

I smiled.

Back then, I had touched Sadi’s body without permission, so I deserved the kick.

But now, I had neither the time nor the means to explain the whole situation.

“Yes, the prince did make a mistake. But the artifact is more urgent. Have you both read ‘<Bang! Eve’s Great Adventure>’?”

-Boom!

A loud noise came from above. We all looked up at the bell tower.

The emperor waved her arm to signal that everything was fine.

Then, small pieces of stone fell.

“How do you know about that book?”

The prince leaned in, pressing me. I exchanged a glance with Kristel.

“I found it in the royal archives. It’s a fairy tale written for the prince, so you must remember the content. The ark is like a free bird, and to win its heart, you need to stroke it and sing a lullaby.”

“...I see.”

“Is that a metaphor? I interpreted it literally. Does the lullaby refer to a specific spell or poem?”

“No, it’s exactly what it sounds like.”

His eyes seemed to drift into the past.

Lady Elizabeth, who had been listening quietly, made a quick decision.

“We need to raise the ship higher. Sir Haines!”

Sir Haines?

“This is already too difficult...”

This time, it was a voice I didn’t recognize.

Turning around, I saw a young man emerging from a pile of wooden barrels.

He had long white hair tied loosely at the nape of his neck, making his scalp look uneven, and a stubbly chin.

His mint-green eyes were weary and annoyed.

His expression was so dull that it seemed to obscure his sharp features.

“So, you’re Prince Penethian from Yeseo.”

He bowed deeply to me. It wasn’t an imperial-style greeting.

His eyes had seemed interesting at first, but they dulled again as he straightened up.

“I am Pope’s Holy Knight, Johan Haines.”

“Yes, I’ve heard about you. Thank you for your hard work.”

I replied.

This man was the one who had taken charge of Kristel’s and the prince’s education after the ‘Great Beast Purge.’

He was young but had a tough fate.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. Is Sir Haines the one raising the ship?”

“Yes. I’m an air-attribute Holy Knight.”

“Then, I’ll provide the ether. Can you raise the altitude a bit more?”

His eyes widened for a moment, then quickly returned to normal.

“Sure.”

“Thank you.”

I immediately opened my sanctuary.

Kristel muttered, “Why is the teacher being so proactive?”

Sir Haines stared at the golden circle as if it were melting.

Then, he very slowly absorbed my ether, as if chewing and swallowing food.

The pirate ship floated gently.

-Whirr!

A strange air current, different from the sea breeze, tickled the ship.

Soon, the ship rose smoothly like an elevator. The white cliff passed by in front of my eyes.

“It’s amazing every time I see it.”

Kristel smiled and seemed delighted.

This was the second time I had met an air-attribute Holy Knight, but I didn’t know they had such incredible abilities.

A translucent breeze ruffled my hair.

The ship’s bow quickly reached the top of the bell tower.

“We’re here.”

Sir Haines said calmly. The emperor, who was now at eye level, laughed in disbelief.

“Who dared to dock a ship in Evelyn? The kidnapped Duke of Evelyn and a group of noble-born pirates, I see.”

“I greet the sun that has descended upon us.”

Led by Lady Elizabeth, everyone on the ship bowed respectfully to her.

I had parted ways with them just a few minutes ago, but I bowed along with them.

A floating pirate ship, a white bell tower at the cliff’s edge, and the people standing at the top—it felt like a surreal painting.

“We have committed a grave sin.”

“I will hear your explanations at the secondary palace. So, what’s the next plan for the royal priest?”

The emperor casually sat on the edge of the bell tower.

Thinking about how I had boldly acted as a supporting character and ended up in this situation, my face flushed.

I extended my hand.

Demy, Lea, and Perry rushed over and clung to my legs like cicadas.

The artifact, which I had briefly observed, was fluttering its small wings, seemingly afraid.

“A retry. According to the prince, the ‘lullaby’ has no other meaning. Since I failed, it would be better if someone else tried.”

I answered calmly. Kristel raised her hand subtly.

“I can sing a bit.”

Everyone’s eyes turned to her.

The emperor, Lady Elizabeth, and Sir Haines all said, “Oh.”

Suddenly, Jeon Eun-seo’s words flashed through my mind.

Most of my memories only surfaced in similar situations.

“Kristel is perfect... beautiful, tall, well-dressed, and a good singer.”

“Is there a singing scene in the novel?”

“It was just a brief mention, but after hearing it, Serege smiled. The Ice Prince was dead, right?”

“Then, let the princess try first.”

“Challenge!”

Kristel cheerfully shouted and advanced toward the bell tower.

If the prince found her singing amusing, she must be incredibly talented.

I didn’t know how this artifact correction mission had turned into an audition, but Kristel was the protagonist of the ‘Retired Duke’s’ story.

She had the highest chance of resolving this situation and received the most generous investment of plausibility from the author.

“Impossible.”

The prince, standing to my left, muttered. He rested his left hand on his sword, seemingly frustrated.

I expanded my sanctuary to cover both Kristel and the artifact, sending out ether as I responded.

“The princess will do well.”

“You don’t understand.”

Kristel slowly reached out to the ark. Its lavender wings trembled.

The prince’s deep, serious voice was very mysterious.

“The Grand Duke is tone-deaf,”

“Cluck! Cluck! Cluck! Our baby? Lullaby! Lull! Our! Baby!”

Huh?

“Cluck! Cluck! Cluck! Stop it!”

“Mom, what do I do...”

Lady Elizabeth, who was behind us, collapsed onto the deck and started sobbing.

Her neck was red from trying to suppress her laughter.

I blinked in shock. The lesser pandas murmured.

The emperor, leaning against the pillar, was biting her fist.

“Cluck! Cluck! Cluck! Wake up! Sleep!”

Is this some kind of system error?

Can someone be so tone-deaf and have such a powerful voice at the same time?

“...It was a false alarm.”

The prince muttered.

Why do you always say things in such a cool way that make me feel like it’s really okay?

-Rustle, rustle...

The artifact, having heard Kristel’s ‘lullaby,’ moved cautiously.

I was extremely tense, worried that the enraged ark might slice her hand with its sharp feathers or use its air abilities.

Then,

“Oh, you’re such a good one.”

The artifact curled its wings and embraced Kristel. My jaw dropped.