Chapter 293 : Eye of the Typhoon (1)
Chapter 293: Eye of the Typhoon (1)
I truly could not grasp the flow of the situation.
That was the thought that Princess Velita quietly recalled after accompanying the interrogation of Artiac, which had only just ended.
“…….”
The entire chain of events and the way things had unfolded felt far too forced.
With the slightest prod, contradictions immediately appeared, and even without touching it, it seemed as if everything would collapse on its own… crude and fragile, like a castle built on sand.
‘Gernot… what in the world was that man thinking when he made such a reckless move?’
Had he completely lost control after ruining the Departure Festival?
No, he was not the kind of man who lacked that much judgment.
More than anyone, he possessed a heavy hunger for power, and because of that, whenever it involved the issue of succession, he was the type of man who became painstakingly cautious and cunning—so much so that even she found it troublesome.
If the subject were twisted slightly, Velita could say that she had rarely seen anyone as cautious and meticulous as the First Imperial Prince.
That was why, among her siblings, he was one of the few she had somewhat liked. She had even spoken with him at length, revealing quite a bit of her inner thoughts.
Yet even he had been politically defeated by the Second Imperial Prince. As a result, most of his hands, feet, and faction had been cut away, leaving him in a state that was practically no different from being exiled to the countryside.
In other words, despite appearances, the Second Imperial Prince was quite the capable schemer even in political struggles.
Knowing what kind of person the Second Imperial Prince was, Velita could not understand the current situation at all.
“…….”
The unprecedented accident that had occurred during the Departure Festival had certainly dealt him a significant blow in many ways.
But that alone should not have shaken the current succession struggle.
Of course, Velita was aware that the current Emperor had recently begun showing subtle signs of favor toward another child… the youngest one, who was still quite young, as if he wished to appoint that child as the new successor.
‘But even so, this is too excessive. As if his very life were on the line….’
The investigation had not yet been completed, but it was not difficult for Velita to determine that the one who would be named as the mastermind was the Holy Sun Church—more specifically, Cardinal Bruyant, who was believed to have died.
Of course, the true mastermind would be the Man without a Head…
But since it was impossible to present someone with not even a trace of existence as the criminal, Bruyant—who must have had some connection to him—would likely be put forward instead.
If events had flowed that way, and they had simply secured the surrounding individuals and carried out a reasonable investigation, Velita would have accepted it as it was.
‘Then why suddenly Lian Gwendil?’
There had been no particular point of contact between them.
And if one were to ask whether the Gwendil Count family held any significant political meaning…
The answer was no.
It was merely a newly risen family that had only recently entered the stage. What meaning could such a house possibly hold?
“…….”
Then what was it?
Seated quietly and pondering for a moment, Velita suddenly nodded as if she had realized something.
“…He made a secret pact with Bruyant.”
She did not know what kind of transaction had taken place between the two.
But if the two had maintained close communication, and Bruyant’s sudden and unpredictable actions had placed Gernot in a difficult position—
Then it would make sense if he were acting in advance to create a scapegoat before the full details came out.
‘If that’s the case, it certainly won’t end like this.’
With a high probability, he would try to drag her and the twins into it as well.
Now that he had been cornered, he would surely try to eliminate anyone who could become a competitor, just in case.
“…….”
There was no time to sit here resting like this.
With that thought, she rose from her seat.
“……Princess.”
A breathless voice suddenly came from the window frame.
Velita immediately grabbed the hilt of her sword, but soon realized that the voice belonged to someone she knew well.
“Anette?”
“…Yes. I apologize for only being able to see you now.”
When Velita turned toward the sound, she saw Anette, battered and barely holding together, climbing over the window frame as if clinging to it.
Velita hurried over and supported her.
“Anette, your… arm.”
“…I made a mistake. My body is still inexperienced.”
Anette muttered apologetically.
“At this rate, I suppose I’ll lose my position as the one who attends to Your Highness.”
“That’s not what matters right now. What on earth happened to you…?”
“…I’ve been chased by pursuers until just now.”
She answered while panting.
Velita, who had been tearing part of her own clothing to treat the still-bleeding wounds on Anette’s body, paused.
“…Pursuers?”
“Yes.”
“Where from?”
Velita asked.
“The Holy Sun Church?”
“…At first, yes.”
“So they changed halfway.”
“Yes.”
As she spoke, Anette took something out from inside her clothes.
In her trembling hands was a scroll soaked in blood.
“They were people from the Imperial Household.”
“…….”
“I’m sorry. I should have arrived sooner… but I was too late…”
“Anette.”
After unfolding the scroll and scanning its contents, Velita quietly called her name.
Inside, the language of the Imperial Household—spoken by those of extremely high rank—was written in a complicated manner, mixed together like a cipher.
Anette had only managed to identify that it was the Imperial language.
But Velita could decipher every word of it.
“You did well.”
“Ah…”
“You weren’t late. You’ve done more than enough.”
“Thank… thank you…”
“You can rest now.”
“…Yes…”
Anette slowly nodded before quietly closing her eyes.
Velita hurriedly placed a trembling hand against her chest, then let out a small sigh of relief upon feeling that her heart, though faintly, was still beating.
“Tesrad.”
She quietly called the name of one of her trusted subordinates.
Now that all the people from the Holy Sun Church had been removed, he was the most suitable person to call.
“Your Highness, you called—?!”
Tesrad arrived almost immediately despite the quiet whisper, but froze when he saw Anette in Velita’s arms.
Looking at him as he rushed in, Velita spoke.
“Take care of Anette. Her condition is very poor.”
“…Yes. Understood.”
“I have somewhere to go for a while. It may take some time, but pay no mind to that and focus solely on restoring Anette’s condition.”
As she said that, Velita walked toward the place where a spare set of armor and weapons had been prepared.
Tesrad, who had begun preparing magic to heal Anette’s wounds for the moment, carefully spoke.
“…If it is not too disrespectful, may I ask where you are heading?”
“It’s surprising to see you question something.”
“The situation is so chaotic that I couldn’t help but worry. If I have overstepped, I apologize.”
“Overstepped? Not at all.”
Velita finished arming herself and carefully picked up the scroll Anette had risked her life to bring.
A scroll containing evidence strong enough to overturn the current situation.
Something that could suffocate Gernot’s lifeline completely.
Holding it, she quietly spoke.
“Professor Windy May.”
Velita named the one person she would cooperate with unconditionally in a situation like this.
At the same time, though she did not say them aloud, she also recalled several others—
Cecilia Everglenn, Allen Amiel, Yuran…
People who had all been close with Lian Gwendil.
“I’m going to meet that person.”
No matter what she said, in truth Manoa Gwendil—also known as the Countess of the Gwendil Count family—had no real method available to her.
Most of the attendants who usually followed her were likely at the main house.
Furthermore, the members of the Merchant Group were essentially the hands and feet of her eldest son, Quirian.
Fortunately, no one tried to directly restrain her actions, but even she could clearly feel the watchful gazes circling around her.
In other words, the other side already knew perfectly well that she was powerless and incapable of doing anything.
“No…”
Her voice trembled with helplessness.
Artiac would be safe.
Count Gwendil had said so.
But Lian would die.
And it would be in a horrifying way.
“No.”
She gritted her teeth.
Though she had not given birth to him, she had always considered him her own child.
Hadn’t the boy—who had withdrawn from the world after his biological mother died at such a young age, living like a ghost—finally begun opening his heart to others… and to her as well?
On that day when rain poured down relentlessly, when she saw the boy standing blankly before the grave of the mother who had died because of his father—unable even to cry—had she not resolved to raise him like her own child?
Had she not sworn that she would repay the kindness of the man who had saved her life by raising that man’s son into someone remarkable?
That was why she could not allow that child to die.
She could not allow Lian—my child—to die.
She could not allow the child to be killed by the same father who had already killed his mother.
“……”
She immediately entered a different room instead of the one assigned to her.
The people who had been subtly monitoring her could only wander outside once she boldly locked the door. They could not enter.
“…Please help me.”
Manoa murmured with a tearful voice.
Clutching one of the two brooches she had received long ago—back when she attended the Academy—from the only person with whom she had ever truly shared her heart, a token of their bond, she whispered.
“Please help me, Senior.”
The brooch did not shine.
Manoa inhaled deeply.
When she had given her the pair of brooches and revealed her true identity, her senior Amaruah had said that she would grant help only once.
And that chance had been given to Lian.
There was no chance left for Manoa.
Even though she knew that well, she still clutched the brooch and desperately whispered.
“Please help me… please… please, Senior… Senior…”
At that moment—
“…You’ve grown quite old too.”
It was a voice that sounded both unfamiliar and strangely familiar.
Manoa hurriedly lifted her head.
Before her stood a woman who had appeared without a trace, looking at her with a bitter smile.
“Senior.”
“Yes. It’s been a long time, Manoa.”
The woman, Amaruah, spoke with a faintly bitter smile.
Manoa gasped.
“Senior, my child—Lian, Lian…!”
“Manoa.”
“Please save him, Senior. For the sake of our memories from the Academy. For the sake of the time we spent together… please…!”
“Manoa.”
Amaruah called her name and gently grabbed her shoulders as if urging her to calm down.
Only after Manoa stopped speaking did Amaruah open her mouth.
“I cannot grant your request.”
“Ah…”
“Even so, the reason I came in response to your call… is to apologize to you.”
“…Apologize?”
“Yes.”
Amaruah nodded.
“You thought our meeting back then was a coincidence, didn’t you?”
“…Wasn’t it?”
“No.”
She continued.
“From the very beginning, I came to the Academy in order to form a connection with you.”
“…Me?”
“Yes. You.”
“Why…?”
“Because it was part of the prophecy given to us.”
Amaruah looked at Manoa with sorrowful eyes.
“I’m sorry. In the end, it means that I used you.”
“……”
“But please believe this. Regardless of our races, the time I spent with you… was precious to me as well. I doubt I’ll forget it even when I return to the embrace of nature.”
She nodded and added softly.
“And although I said I cannot grant your request to save that child… to be precise, even if I wanted to, it is impossible for me.”
“What do you mean by that…?”
“Because that child stands at the center of our prophecy.”
That is why I alone cannot interfere with that child.
Even as she said that, Amaruah gently patted Manoa’s shoulder.
“At the very least, I promise you this, Manoa.”
“…What is it, Senior?”
“From this moment onward, I must depart toward that vortex. Toward the child standing at its center… Everyone is already moving. Us, your side, and others as well. But…”
Amaruah whispered.
“When that vortex finally settles, the one still standing will be our side.”
“I promise to return your child to your arms.”
“I swear it in the name of the Dragon.”
The moment those words ended, a sudden gust of wind blew.
When Manoa opened her eyes again, there was no one left in that place except herself.