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“An unidentified faction was watching Cyan’s back?”

“Yes, all the scouts that were dispatched before have been dealt with by them.”

Aschel replied with a bewildered expression.

“And what’s their identity?”

“Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to ascertain that yet. However, according to the only surviving scout, they felt more like well-trained assassins rather than simple knights. Upon my own observation, it seemed they maintained a certain boundary but were quick to act if that boundary was crossed.”

Despite delivering a serious report, Kellen’s tone was oddly nonchalant.

“So, for now, it seemed like I should report to Lord Aschel first. We’ve ceased all activities and returned immediately. I apologize for not bringing back as much information as you desired.”

The anxiety before leaving seemed to have vanished completely.

It was as if he was seeing someone else.

“Thank you for your efforts. I need to think about this a bit. You may leave now.”

“Yes.”

With bowed head, Kellen turned without any hesitation and headed towards the door.

Aschel watched his departing figure intently.

“Kellen?”

Suddenly stopping him as he was about to open the door again, Aschel asked with a puzzled smile.

“I have a question to ask.”

Despite the intention to ask a question, Aschel remained silent for about ten seconds.

Eventually, it was Kellen who spoke first.

“May the blessing of Lumendel be with you.”

A somewhat unexpected farewell.

However, seeing this, Aschel burst into laughter.

“Thank you for answering, Kellen. Please don’t misunderstand. This is just a periodic ritual. You may leave now.”

Without a word, Kellen simply bowed his head and exited through the door.

Alone in the room, Aschel sank into contemplation with a face that was neither unpleasant nor cheerful, but rather mysterious and unsettling.

It wasn’t long before a knock was heard.

“Come in.”

A maid with light brown hair opened the door and entered cautiously, her shoulders tensed.

“M-Master! The royal family’s carriage has just arrived near Velias!”

“Ah, really? Then I must prepare and go out. Thank you for letting me know.”

They say there’s nothing as captivating to a woman’s heart as a charming smile on a handsome face.

For a brief moment, her face turned red with excitement, her heart pounding.

But then, in her uncontrolled emotions, her hand accidentally knocked over the flower vase that was standing nearby.

*Crash!*

The vase shattered with a loud noise.

“I-I’m sorry, Master! I’ll clean it up right away!”

The maid hurriedly began picking up the shards with trembling hands.

*Swish*

“…!”

Suddenly, as Aschel approached her hand, he uttered a spell.

“Restoration…”

The white light emitted from his hand enveloped the shards of glass in the maid’s hand.

The pieces seemed to fit together on their own, and before long, they had returned to their original state before being broken.

In place of the stunned maid, Aschel carefully placed the vase back on the table.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

“What? No! I-I’m fine, Master! Thank you for your concern!”

His kindness was palpable, almost as if it were as natural as breathing.

The maid seemed to be lost in a trance, as if she had just seen the face of an angel.

Aschel couldn’t shake the feeling of familiarity with her face.

“Come to think of it, your face looks quite familiar. Your name… was it Emily?”

“Y-Yes! I-I was serving the youngest master!”

Emily, the personal maid who had been in charge of Cyan until two months ago.

Aschel smiled mysteriously, his expression unreadable.

“Well, no one has observed Cyan as closely as his personal maid, right?”

“Um…?”

“Would you be willing to serve as my personal maid this time?”

The joy on her face immediately turned to stone-like stiffness.

* * *

“Is he the youngest of Duke Vert?”

“Yes. Although he’s a newcomer, he’s one of the few dark elemental users in the academy, almost exclusively at 92% darkness attribute.”

Regens Rainriver, the head of the Magic Society of the Garam Kingdom, chuckled suddenly as he read the report.

“With a darkness attribute at 92%, you’d think he’d be almost divine if you just look at the numbers.”

“According to the investigators, despite his noble status, he was assigned to the royal dormitory, Royal Crown, in the academy. Since then, Emperor Dionne’s influence has been at play, and he’s received considerable attention not only from the royal family but also from the headmaster, Kündel Quazel.”

“Seems like there’s not a single normal individual among the children of that family.”

Regens found it intriguing but tossed Cyan’s report aside.

“So, what are you trying to say? That this boy, who couldn’t even snap his fingers, is suspected of killing dragons… is that what you’re saying?”

He was indeed an exceptional being, but still just a boy.

The notion of a prodigy like him being the culprit behind the deaths of master-level dragons was almost laughably worthless, not even fit for a novel.

Regens’ eyes were so sharp that they could have unleashed a deadly spell at any moment, and a bead of sweat trickled down the investigator’s cheek.

“Well, of course, we can’t judge Cyan solely based on this, but there’s one thing. There was a crucial point of connection that couldn’t be overlooked!”

“A connection?”

“At the time when Renald Crimson, who supplied dragon’s blood, was murdered, this boy Cyan was also on the front lines!”

Regens’ pupils twitched for a moment.

“This boy was on the front lines too?”

“Yes. Before enrolling in the academy, he had been living on the front lines with senior knights for about a year to accumulate experience. The problem is that the time he was there coincides with when Renald Crimson was actively siphoning demonic creature’s blood and was murdered!”

There was practically nothing but coincidence here.

There was no evidence that Cyan killed Rennald.

But there was a rather uncomfortable connection that was pricking at Regens’ mind, making it hard to dismiss.

“And, this is just a rumor, but… at the time when this boy Cyan was on the front lines, there’s a story that he survived an encounter with a Demonic Dragon!”

“A Demonic Dragon?”

“Yes! We’re still investigating the details, but the story we received is that during Emperor Dionne’s visit to the front lines with the 5th Princess, the invasion of the demonic beasts happened, and after, Cyan, to protect the 5th Princess, became bait and was kidnapped by the Demonic Dragon, but returned alive!”

Regens’ expression, surprisingly, became dumbfounded.

Then, for a moment, his lips curved into a smile.

“Hahaha! This is ridiculous! All I can do is laugh! So, he’s gaining attention from the Emperor and the headmaster for no reason? A friend who’s already so popular at a young age!”

Regens burst into unusual laughter.

Regens continued speaking as he picked up the draft report again.

“How many people do you think will be enrolled in the Royal Academy from our Kingdom of Garam within the next two years?”

“Well, I’ll have to check the exact count, but I think there will be around 200 people.”

“Write it down.”

It was very unusual for him, who had not usually shown much interest in the academy, to mention the academy children were planning to enroll in.

“Select not only children from noble families, but all talented individuals from all over the kingdom. Status doesn’t matter, whether they’re a commoner or a lowlife. It’s okay even for people who have fled from other countries. We will have to attract at least twice the number of people currently planned.”

“B-but if that happens, won’t there be a backlash from the royal family and other noble families…?”

“That is none of your concern. Each person has something to do in his or her position. There is no development for this country despite what the golden bugs are saying.I’ll make sure to convey that to His Majesty the King.”

“I-I will uphold the orders of the society head!”

After the investigator left, Regens remained alone, staring blankly at the magic stone placed on the table.

“…”

When his lips, which had been straight, curved into a smirk, the magic stone faintly shimmered with iridescent light.

* * *

“Has it been two years since graduating from the Royal Academy? You seem quite content here in your hometown, Aschel.”

“Well, as they say, there’s no place like home, isn’t there?”

“At least, it doesn’t seem that way to me. This place is dull no matter when you come, but still better than the imperial palace, I suppose.”

Flowing silver hair and deep blue eyes, coupled with a dignified smile befitting the imperial family.

Louisnel Sevellerus, the first prince of the Ushif Empire, was currently conversing with Aschel in the Velias city center garden.

“Is His Majesty the Emperor doing alright?”

“It’s just periodic symptoms, nothing serious. It’s just that the timing wasn’t right this time. Well, for me, it’s not bad since I get to see your face, isn’t it?”

The prince replied nonchalantly, sipping his tea.

Currently, Emperor Dionne was bedridden due to a sudden aggravation of his heart disease, leaving Louisnel to handle solo diplomatic missions.

While the Emperor had often visited the front lines with the royal entourage before, it was the first time a prince, not the Emperor, had gone alone.

“So, how long do you plan to stay idle in this remote place? Isn’t it time to settle somewhere? It’s quite a loss for the empire, not to mention the continent, to have a talented individual like you just idling away. ”

“There’s still much to learn. I just want to learn more from my father’s side for the sake of the empire and the family.”

“Indeed, as straightforward as ever. Both you and I, we still need the shade of our parents. Just existing itself can be a threat, you know.”

The prince continued the conversation with Aschel, laughing heartily.

“Still no news from Alice?”

“……”

As soon as the prince mentioned Alice, Aschel’s brow slightly furrowed.

However, he didn’t show it and replied with a gentle smile.

“It’s really agonizing not knowing what she’s up to. Occasionally, letters come saying not to worry, but as a family member, it’s hard not to worry, isn’t it?”

“You’re good at jokes too. Do you think I don’t know what’s on your mind?”

Suddenly, the prince gestured with his finger to the knight who was waiting 10 meters away.

After a moment, the approaching knight offered a bottle of liquor.

“You’re similar to me. Despite feeling the need for family, especially siblings, you never fully trust them. Because their very existence could be a threat, you see.”

“You’re speaking quite dangerously.”

“What secrets could there be between you and me? Did you mention Cyan? Your youngest brother?”

The prince casually signaled to a knight waiting 10 meters away.

Shortly after, a nearby knight approached, offering a bottle of wine.

“You’re quite like me. Feeling the need for family, especially siblings, yet never fully trusting. Just their existence alone could be a threat.”

“It’s a risky thing to say.”

“You didn’t expect me to know your thoughts, did you? You mentioned Cyan? Your youngest sibling.”

“…!”

The prince poured himself a drink with an unaffected expression.

“It seems the Royal Father is quite interested. He even got allocated a royal court at this year’s academy? It’s not common for our Royal Father to directly intervene, is it?”

The prince was smiling, but his inner thoughts were different.

It wasn’t envy regarding Cyan itself.

The reason Cyan was granted such privilege was because of a certain woman.

“At this rate, will we hear about an engagement in a few years? Who knows?”

As he raised his glass, the prince expressed his suppressed discomfort.

Upon this, Aschel refilled his empty glass and said.

“You never know, do you? Sometimes watering a plant just once can make it grow vigorously. It wouldn’t be bad to build influence with the Fifth Princess.”

“I didn’t expect you to say that.”

The prince responded unexpectedly.

“Well, of course, it wasn’t meant in a positive way given your personality. Are you telling me to ‘use Princess Arin’?”

“Isn’t it better than others saying it?”

The prince laughed heartily and emptied his glass heavily, then Aschel filled it again.

“Sure! It’s better for me to say it first than others! But for now, the Royal Father needs to be convinced. He’s probably still losing sleep over that girl, isn’t he? Wrapping up such a useless shell of a child with anything….”

“You have to see it as the privilege of the youngest.”

The mention of privilege made the prince lower his head.

“Well, whatever. Ultimately, time will tell. With everything, including Quazel, on my side, what is there to fear? I’ll just wait patiently for the right time.”

With another gesture towards the empty air, the young knight with a talkative face brought another bottle of liquor.

Looking at the knight, Aschel asked with raised eyebrows.

“Seems like there’s been a change in the guardian knight?”

“Oh? That’s right! It’s the gem I found on my recent visit to Slums.”

The knight, placing down the bottle of liquor, said to Aschel with a bow.

“Boris Ruchelheim.”

Aschel stared at the knight’s face for a moment.

It didn’t take long for him to speak again.

“You’ve found one of the highest-grade gems among gems, it seems.”

A mysterious smile appeared on Aschel’s face as he looked at the knight.