Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 183

183.

“Y-Your Grace. You’ve arrived.”

The head butler was visibly tense as the man, clad in a black uniform with a long, red cloak trailing behind him, approached the door. Pylon de Caribdis. He had faced him for years, yet he never felt any sense of familiarity with the man.

He was a hero among the people, and many knights and soldiers admired him, but most of the palace servants were wary of him. Ordinary people couldn’t handle the sharp aura he exuded. Of course, Caribdis didn’t care at all. He casually brushed past the wary head butler and asked,

“Is His Highness inside?”

“Well, that is…”

“To ruin the most efficient route entirely! What on earth are you doing!”

Crash!

The shout that erupted from inside the door made Caribdis stop his hand as he reached for the doorknob. The head butler smiled awkwardly, sweating profusely.

“Who’s visiting?”

“The priests of the Temple of the Demon God are having an audience.”

“…I see. I’ll come back later.”

Although he was acting as regent, the Grand Duke’s position as the head priest within the Temple of the Demon God was still valid. Because of this, the Temple of the Demon God visited periodically, and on those days, the Grand Duke refused all other audiences. Besides, he seemed to be in a very bad mood today, so it didn’t seem like the matter would be easily resolved.

The forced vacation he had received from the Grand Duke had already lasted for several months. Caribdis, who had intended to return this time, sighed softly. He was about to turn around to leave when he heard a voice.

“Duke Caribdis, I see you here.”

He stopped and turned around at the voice from behind. An old man with white hair, wearing a fancy coat and leaning on a cane, stood there. With a stern face, he had very sharp eyes that belied his age. Caribdis recognized him at once and bowed.

“Duke Weakan, it’s been a while.”

Duke Weakan was the head of a family of founding meritocrats [nobility recognized for their service in establishing the kingdom] and a general who had once conquered the barbarians of the North. He had consistently supported the Grand Duke since he was a prince. When the late Emperor ascended to the throne, and the Grand Duke fled to the temple as if running away, he was the only one who remained and supported him. In a way, it was no exaggeration to say that he was the one who made the Grand Duke who he is today.

“Have you come to see His Highness?”

“I did, but it seems today is not the day.”

Duke Weakan pointed to the door, from which noise still emanated, and replied nonchalantly. It would be normal to feel embarrassed or flustered in this situation, as it concerned the dignity of the sovereign, but Caribdis simply remained silent. Thinking that he was still an inscrutable man, Duke Weakan laughed humorlessly.

“I’ve heard of your exploits. So, you caught a dragon?”

“The rumors must have been distorted. In reality, it was just a brief encounter.”

“The fact that you encountered a dragon and came back alive is amazing in itself. You seem to be trying to transcend the realm of humans now.”

“You flatter me.”

At the taciturn answer, Duke Weakan subtly scanned Caribdis’s appearance with his eyes.

“I heard you were on vacation, so what brings you to the Imperial Palace?”

“I felt uneasy leaving His Highness’s side for too long.”

“You’re really one to make your own trouble. Anyone else would enjoy their time off to the fullest. But with the situation inside like that, your vacation will likely be extended.”

“……”

This time, Caribdis looked a little embarrassed. Duke Weakan chuckled and said,

“If you have so much time to spare, you can give some to this old man.”

“Do you have something to say to me…?”

“It’s nothing much. Just that those of us who have been turned away by His Highness should share a drink to console each other.”

It was a light tone, but Duke Weakan was not one to offer a seat without a reason. Caribdis was silent for a moment before nodding.

“I understand.”

* * *

Dug-a-duk, dug-a-duk.

Unlike the cheerful sound of the horse’s hooves, Caribdis’s expression in the carriage was dark. He had just finished all his business and was on his way back home. The conversation he had with Duke Weakan was swirling in his head.

“What do you think of the Grand Duke’s recent actions?”

Whether the word ‘consolation drink’ was a joke or not, Duke Weakan took him to a high-end bar. Even though it was a high-end bar, it was no different from any other bar. The only difference was that it was completely sealed off, and they were facing each other alone without anyone else. Caribdis politely accepted the glass he handed him, drank it, and then answered silently.

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“There’s no deep meaning. Just think of it as me wondering about the opinion of someone who serves His Highness most closely.”

“I am just a sword that protects His Highness.”

Duke Weakan frowned at the stubbornly monotonous answer.

“Does that sword not speak or have a will? So you’re just going to be used as the master wields it?”

“……”

“If you’ve been serving His Highness with only that thought in mind, I’m a little disappointed. For the right-hand man of the master to have the same thoughts as ordinary soldiers… Is it only His Highness’s living body that you want to protect?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“A loyal subject should be able to offer bitter truths.”

After clicking his tongue, Duke Weakan took out a pile of papers from his arms and handed them to him as if throwing them. Caribdis’s face hardened as he inadvertently read the contents.

“This is……”

“I brought this to ask His Highness about today.”

The paper contained information about the recent movements of the Temple of the Demon God and the mysterious activities occurring near the border. A certain type of cart, which departed from the Alphonse Empire, had been steadily brought into the main headquarters of the Temple of the Demon God in the Swalt Empire for several years.

“It hasn’t been revealed exactly what’s inside. But a soldier who was snooping around heard the sound of children crying inside.”

“……!”

Caribdis, who had momentarily revealed his emotions, reflexively raised his head. Duke Weakan took out another document from his arms and handed it to him.

“And this is intelligence that came in early this morning. A while ago, a number of children were kidnapped and released from the Ramus Academy, which is like a symbol of the Alphonse Empire. The Demon God Church is suspected of being involved in this kidnapping.”

“……”

“All the kidnapped children were in their early teens. According to the victims’ testimony, they were soon to be moved somewhere. As you know, there are rumors circulating among the people of our empire these days that the Grand Duke is gathering young children.”

It was not difficult to guess the conclusion, even if he didn’t continue. Caribdis tried to hide his agitation and took a slow breath. The Grand Duke’s shouts from inside the office came back to him again.

It was very rare for the Grand Duke to be angry with the Demon God priests. Of course, even if he wasn’t a saint, there would be times when he would be angry. Moreover, since the Temple of the Demon God was suspected of being involved in the kidnapping, it was possible that it was a rebuke regarding that. However, Caribdis knew better than anyone that it was just wishful thinking. The Grand Duke was just angry about the failure of something.

Duke Weakan sharply scanned Caribdis, who was silent, and said,

“Do you know that His Highness has been forcibly gathering troops recently? They’re drafting all the young people from all over the country into the military. A while ago, they even asked the nobles to hand over their private soldiers, and everyone is saying a lot. They say that anyone who doesn’t obey is beheaded on the spot and displayed as an example.”

“……I didn’t know.”

“That’s right. It seems that he’s been leaving everything to Count Setnio recently. Thanks to that, I don’t know how great his power is in the Imperial Palace. You wouldn’t know this either.”

“……”

It wasn’t exactly a sarcastic tone. Rather, it seemed to be purely for the purpose of informing him of information. Duke Weakan emptied the wine in his glass in one gulp. The face that had never lost its sharp light at any time looked as haggard as the years he had lived.

“His Highness has changed too much. He was a very bright and kind person when he was a prince. I thought he had more qualities of a king than the late Emperor. But why? It’s like he’s become a completely different person now. The His Highness that I saw back then is hard to find now.”

“……Why are you telling me this?”

“Unexpected? Well, I never thought I’d have this conversation with you either. But I thought it would be okay to tell you now.”

“What do you……”

“How long has it been since His Highness looked for you? Don’t even think about making obvious excuses like a vacation.”

The clenched fist twitched. Perhaps it was because he had been hit right on the mark. Duke Weakan sighed.

“You’re a completely different type from that foolish Count Setnio. You’re willing to get your hands dirty for the sake of the sovereign and the cause, but you never cross the line. Besides, you’re quite perceptive, even if you don’t look like it. I thought His Highness was starting to feel uncomfortable with that aspect of you. And it seems my judgment wasn’t wrong.”

“……”

“Pull yourself together, Duke Caribdis. The number of people who are dissatisfied with His Highness’s excessive actions is increasing day by day. If this continues, everyone will turn their backs on His Highness. You have to stop him at this point.”

“You’re misunderstanding… There must be some misunderstanding.”

Duke Weakan chuckled as he muttered in a faint voice. He looked very tired.

“I wish that were the case.”

The prickly voice, as if questioning him, stabbed his chest again. Caribdis tilted his head back as far as he could, closed his eyes, and took a long breath. His head was so complicated that he didn’t know which thought to start with.

Then, the speed of the carriage gradually slowed down, and soon the movement stopped. The sounds of commotion poured in from outside. It wasn’t time to arrive yet, so Caribdis leaned out the window to check on the coachman.

“What’s going on?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, master. It seems there was an accident with the carriage in front. I think we’ll have to turn back.”

“An accident?”

Caribdis, with a frown, stared ahead and saw a carriage standing there. It seemed difficult to pass because people were surrounding it. Just then, the voices of onlookers nearby could be heard.

“What happened?”

“It seems that the carriage hit a woman who was crossing the alley. She died on the spot before anyone could help.”

“I think she had a child too. It’s really a pity.”

The murmuring voices were turning into sympathy for the child who had survived alone. Caribdis looked ahead again and soon lost interest and buried himself in the backrest. He was about to tell the coachman, who didn’t know what to do, to leave now. But at that moment, he felt a strange energy. A unique sensation that stirred his heart. It was a similar feeling to when he met the Wind Sword Blaster [a powerful warrior known for wielding wind magic].

“Master, shall we leave now?”

“……No, wait a moment.”

The energy was being felt from outside. Caribdis had no choice but to get out of the carriage and walk towards the energy. It was as if he was possessed by something.

As he approached, trailing his red cloak, the crowd gave way. Soon, the figure of a child sitting down came into view. The child, who was crying sadly, seemed to be the child of the woman who had been hit by the carriage a while ago. It was heartbreaking to see him trying to caress his mother’s wounds with his small hands, but what caught Caribdis’s attention was not that.

He strode up to the child and knelt down on one knee. The child, startled by the appearance of the burly man who had suddenly appeared, stopped crying and opened his eyes wide. Caribdis paid no attention to the reaction and reached out to the child’s chest. Clang, with a light metallic friction sound, the necklace around the child’s neck was caught in his hand.

The round, golden medal had a familiar picture engraved on it. Caribdis’s pupils shook as he recognized the imperial family’s crest at once. Only the direct descendants of the imperial family could own this.

“An Emperor [a member of the Imperial Family].”

The strange energy he had been feeling since a while ago was emanating from inside the necklace. His eyes turned cold in an instant as he tried to forcibly take the necklace away from the child.

“……!”

Suddenly, he felt a stinging sensation, and blood poured from Caribdis’s hand. Lifting his head with a frown, he saw an amazing sight. A small, palm-sized figure was trembling in front of the necklace. Judging from the fluffy blue hair and cute face, it looked like a fairy, but its lower body was in the form of a fish. Caribdis thought that it looked like a mermaid he had only heard about.

“……A spirit!”

Someone shouted from somewhere.

Only then did Caribdis understand the familiar sensation that had possessed him. The unique feeling from Blaster was probably the energy of a spirit. He didn’t know why a spirit was dwelling in the imperial family’s necklace.

The little spirit was standing in front of the child, struggling to keep his hand off the necklace. It seemed to be trying to protect the child. It was a strong force that could surpass any ordinary man, but the opponent was very bad. The grip of a small spirit alone could not overcome the power of a Sword Master [a highly skilled swordsman] who played the role of a thousand men, and even possessed the Sword of Wind. Moreover, every time the spirit used its power, the child’s complexion was noticeably pale. In the end, the spirit frowned.