Episode 101
“W-what?! The Calamity God’s prayer meeting?!”
Artius, as expected, was furious, and Elonia felt a pang of guilt. She had barely gotten his permission to visit the Rossi estate, and now she was dropping this bombshell on him. Even she had to admit she was being a bit reckless.
But she could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
If she caught the apostle, it would be over for Heilan.
‘…Although it would be problematic if Lucius is the apostle.’
It wasn’t about his power. She couldn’t kill him, not the boy who had saved her life.
Elonia calmly explained everything, starting with Noah’s story and the reason she had to go to the academy.
Artius, though his hand was on his forehead, listened patiently without interrupting.
After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice weary,
“…Take Ethan and Ricardo with you.”
“Are you even listening? I only have one token.”
“Then I’ll go.”
It didn’t really matter who went, since she was planning to use a disguise spell.
In fact, it would be better if Artius went, since she couldn’t kill Lucius if he was the apostle.
“Why would I send you when I can send Rica?”
“Good point. Then send Ricardo.”
“I was just saying that. There might be prayer altars there. I can’t send you or Rica. I’m immune to them, but I don’t know what will happen to you two.”
“But still—”
“Dad, you’re the Emperor. You have to survive, no matter what. Remember?”
Artius’s lips were pressed into a thin line.
He hadn’t forgotten.
If he fell victim to the prayer altar, Ravanta would be doomed. In the worst-case scenario, Elonia would have to kill him and take the throne.
No, that would be a blessing in disguise.
A young and inexperienced Emperor was the last thing a nation in turmoil needed.
They needed a seasoned ruler.
And a young Emperor, lacking power and experience, would be an easy target, both from within and without.
Elonia didn’t want to hear him say he would sacrifice himself for her, that he would enter enemy territory alone.
What was the difference between that and abandoning his child to survive?
What kind of parent would sacrifice their child to save themselves?
She was angry, but she had raised him like this. She regretted forcing him to study politics and philosophy at such a young age, trying to prepare him for the throne.
Elonia wasn’t being reckless. She wasn’t going to abandon her loved ones and put them in danger.
But she had to distinguish between what she could do and what she had to do.
To ease his worries, she added,
“I’m not going alone. Caroline will be waiting outside. If I can’t use my magic, she’ll help me escape.”
“…”
“I won’t die.”
Artius’s shoulders stiffened.
Elonia understood his fear. That was why she would keep her promise, no matter what. She was a kind and compassionate child, unlike him.
Artius couldn’t win against his brave and determined daughter.
He lowered his hand, which had been covering his face.
“…Tell me your plan.”
Elonia had been busy since then.
She had tested the magic tool and confirmed that it was working, so she decided to modify her rapier. The one she had been using since the Natalie incident and the Rossi estate visit was on the verge of breaking.
She was planning to temporarily transfer the enchantment to her dagger while she repaired her rapier, but,
“Huh?”
Garnethia, who was helping her, blinked in surprise. Something wasn’t right.
Elonia asked,
“What’s wrong, Garnethia?”
“This dagger… it’s not accepting the mana.”
“That’s impossible.”
Elonia, puzzled, examined the dagger, then tried to inscribe the magic circle with her mana.
But it failed.
“What’s going on?”
She had been carrying this dagger for nineteen years, including her past life. Artius had kept it for four years, but he wouldn’t have tampered with her mother’s heirloom.
Caroline, seeing Elonia’s mana being repelled, also examined the dagger.
She carefully scrutinized the hilt, the crossguard, and the blade, then asked,
“Elonia, where did you get this dagger?”
“Well…”
She couldn’t tell her the truth.
Caroline knew her true identity, but Garnethia was also present. So Elonia gave a vague answer.
“…I don’t know. Dad gave it to me.”
“I see.”
Caroline, sensing the hidden meaning behind her words, examined the dagger again with a curious expression. She handed it back to Elonia.
“It definitely can’t absorb mana. It seems to have been designed that way from the start.”
Elonia thought back.
She had never used the dagger as a medium for her magic. Her main weapon had always been the rapier. And even when her rapier broke, she could still use magic without a medium. She hadn’t realized the dagger repelled mana.
‘And it’s my only heirloom, so I’ve always been careful with it.’
She had been carrying it for nineteen years and had only just discovered this.
‘A dagger that repels magic… What is it made of?’
She wanted to ask Alexia, but she couldn’t.
Elonia pushed aside the question and looked for an alternative.
“Then let’s use a ring.”
“A ring? Yes, leave it to me!”
Garnethia beamed, nodding eagerly.
The preparations were going smoothly.
She had acquired a Theology Department uniform, and the number of brainwashing detection devices was steadily increasing.
Three days until the prayer meeting.
Elonia, hoping the apostle wasn’t Lucius, looked towards the Theology Department building.
Meanwhile, at the Theology Department,
Lucius, as usual, was praying alone in the candlelit prayer room.
Or rather, he wasn’t exactly praying.
His mind was a mess.
[Lucius, is your neck okay?]
‘I wasn’t hit, so mind your own business.’
[How can I not be concerned?]
‘It’s your fault for talking to me. If you hadn’t distracted me, I wouldn’t have been shouting at the empty air, and the princess wouldn’t have noticed me.’
[You were the one who tried to harm Elonia. You reap what you sow.]
‘If I hadn’t been discovered, I wouldn’t have done it. I also care about Her Highness…’
[Elonia?]
The voice, interrupting him, sounded amused, so Lucius decided not to elaborate.
The voice whined,
[Tell me. I can read your mind anyway. Wouldn’t it be less embarrassing to say it yourself?]
‘No, it wouldn’t.’
[You’re not very honest for a child.]
‘I grew up in an environment where honesty meant death.’
[And you talk back to adults.]
Lucius retorted, but he was actually grateful for her presence. Otherwise, these prayer sessions would be unbearable.
He had to pretend to pray every day, but he didn’t want to be alone with his anxiety. It was better to be distracted by her mindless chatter.
After a while, he sensed someone approaching.
Lucius, without turning around, knew who it was.
“Professor Julietta.”
“May God’s blessings be with you. Were you praying?”
Julietta, a gentle smile on her face, asked, making the sign of the Calamity God.
Lucius lowered his clasped hands and glanced at the person behind her.
“I understand why Professor Julietta is here, but what about you, Brother?”
The cleric, making the sign of the Calamity God, reported, his face grim,
“The Rossi estate has burned down.”
“…!”
Lucius jumped up, his eyes wide with shock.
“What about the basement?”
“It burned down as well. And one of our brothers… returned to God’s embrace.”
“…Who was it?”
“Noah Anglores. She accidentally dropped a candle while praying.”
“Ha.”
Lucius couldn’t help but scoff.
Was she insane? Well, she was insane.
“What did His Highness say?”
“He seemed hesitant to kill her.”
Noah Anglores was a valuable pawn.
They needed her to control the Rossi estate, and if she was gone, there was no guarantee they could maintain Count Rossi’s brainwashing.
A sudden thought crossed Lucius’s mind.
Even if Noah was insane, it didn’t make sense for her to burn down the entire basement.
Her supposed clumsiness was just Felix’s assumption, based on Lucius’s fabricated report.
He knew Noah was actually quite perceptive and cunning.
‘Did she do it on purpose?’
What was she thinking?
A certain little princess came to mind.
She had been desperate to prove herself to Heilan. Perhaps she had snuck into the Rossi estate.
He wanted to investigate, but if it was truly the princess who had started the fire…
‘No, I’m overthinking this.’
Whoever started the fire, the prayer altars were gone.
Lucius sighed.
“We’re short on prayer altars for the upcoming prayer meeting.”
“Yes. Perhaps we should postpone it.”
“That’s not possible. This prayer meeting is different. It’s an important event to announce His presence. His Highness Felix has high expectations.”
“I agree. Faith shouldn’t waver. We’ll proceed without the prayer altars. The brainwashing is complete anyway.”
Julietta chimed in.
The cleric, without a word, made the sign of the Calamity God and clasped his hands together.
“As God wills.”
The cleric left. Lucius turned to Julietta, his voice cold.
“You should leave as well, Professor.”
But Julietta remained standing, her posture rigid. Lucius, tired of dealing with brainwashed followers, sharpened his tone.
“I said, leave.”
“…”
“Professor Julietta, can you hear me?”
Julietta stood motionless, like a statue.
She clasped her hands together, her eyes closing, then opening slowly. She finally spoke,
“…Excuse me, Apostle.”
Lucius almost stumbled backward.
Julietta’s brown eyes were cold and lifeless, like frozen earth.
She approached him, her gaze intense and predatory as she knelt down, her face inches from his.
Lucius, seeing his own fear reflected in her eyes, almost reached out to touch his face, but Julietta’s voice, soft and chilling, stopped him.
“Why are you so afraid?”