Chapter 69

Yes. We really had no time.

Everywhere we went, rumors spread that His Majesty would soon pass away. Now, secrets were nothing, as stories were heard in the market during the day and echoed in every inn at night.

Some drank and gambled on who would be the next emperor. To me, it seemed only the bookies would make real money from those bets.

“Of course, Prince Edmund will ascend to the throne.”

“Many are betting on Edmund. Even with low odds, will you challenge it?”

“Low profit means it’s safe. Honestly, who else could take the throne!”

A pot-bellied man slammed his beer mug, not caring that the beer spilled on his apron, and shouted loudly.

“Even if I deposit money in the bank, those stingy folks take fees. Might as well invest here and see it grow a bit.”

The Princess was too overwhelmed to even listen to such talk. She seemed preoccupied with how to force-feed hay to the horse to keep its energy up.

Of course. We had been running day and night, even infusing the horse with Divine Power to forget fatigue, but we still had some distance to the capital. Only possible because it was a legendary horse, a one-blooded steed that could gallop through forests.

An ordinary horse wouldn’t have covered this distance in just a few days.

“We’re not too late, right…? Please tell me we’re not too late. If we really don’t make it in time… then…”

Seeing her anxious face, I could only nod.

“Once the horse regains its strength, we’ll set off immediately. This time, we’ll head straight to the capital without rest.”

“I am the most unfilial child in the world.”

Thud! The Princess banged her head on the beam. To prevent the beam from collapsing and the roof from falling on everyone, I had to stop her.

“Hey… I’ll go wash up for a bit.”

Even Roka, who always liked to stick by my side, didn’t cling as much lately after hearing about the Princess’s father nearing his end. Admirably, she pushed through the forced march, using Divine Power to stay awake without a single complaint.

Sometimes, she looked at the Princess with sympathetic eyes. Eyes that understood.

I never asked about Roka’s parents or where they were now, and she never spoke of it. But it didn’t seem like they had a bad relationship, full of conflict.

Every time the word “father” came up, longing filled Roka’s eyes. Longing for those she could no longer see.

Once, before the Princess came to me, I asked Roka if she wanted to visit her hometown. The rejection she showed then made it clear what had happened to her home. It was probably no longer on the map.

Roka, like me, must have lost her support at a young age. That’s why I felt drawn to her. Because I was the same.

When the man-eating Manticore trampled my hometown, I too lost my parents. Only, the Lord came to me, but for this child, He didn’t, so I took His place in caring for her.

“Looking back now, I never properly gave my father a gift. The ceremonial gifts on his birthdays were all I ever gave. And yet, I resented him! I raged, asking why he chose my brother as the crown prince instead of me.”

So, I understand that feeling. Before I could do anything for them, they left my side too quickly. But it’s still too early to offer comfort.

Nothing is decided yet, and the worst can be considered after it happens. Surely, the Princess will reach His Majesty before he passes. Let’s believe that for now.

“Saint. Once again… you’ve guided this foolish girl. If you hadn’t sent word to the capital through Count Layton… I would have been touring the lands, unaware that His Majesty was ill, and only reached the capital too late. Even if I had heard the news, it would have been too late by then.”

“Save your thanks for when we succeed in delaying His Majesty’s passing.”

Since the horse needed time to recover, I urged her to wash up and eat something to regain strength. Then, I handed her a shabby jar.

“I know nothing about royal protocol, but I doubt Roka and I can go directly to where His Majesty lies. That privilege likely belongs only to you.”

One Beacon of the Sanctuary. One Baptismal Water Bottle. And one Firefly Meringue.

Just in case, I also added my other ability, the Salt Mill. Since I didn’t know what would work, I gave everything I could.

The beacon would burn softly, ensuring the Firefly Meringue wouldn’t vanish as long as its light reached.

The beacon that illuminates a village, the bottle of holy water, the fruit that reconstructs the body, and the mill that produces salt to drive away evil spirits. If these four had no effect, it meant even my direct diagnosis wouldn’t change anything.

If His Majesty’s natural lifespan had run its course, it was not something I could or should stop.

I could only hope it wasn’t so, but that wasn’t up to me or the Princess. It was just overwhelming.

“Saint, you must see him yourself! As for the procedures and protocols, I’ll…”

“There’s no time for such arguments. Listen carefully. The first thing you must do upon reaching His Majesty’s side is…”

*****

The first thing to take out was the Beacon of the Sanctuary.

Recalling Kyle’s words, Ardein reached into the jar.

Here, the wolves that had bitten her. The detestable Archbishop Armata and Duke Valder, who smiled amiably until he fell ill and then changed his face completely, were annoying to Ardein.

But now, it didn’t matter. She had no time to spare for such people!

“Stop. We need proof that you are truly Ardein.”

But even if the Princess had no interest in the Archbishop, Archbishop Armata did not.

He hastily blocked her path and shouted loudly.

“If you were truly the Princess, you shouldn’t be here. Someone who has received divine punishment has no right to be here! But that can’t be. A leper recovering and returning makes no sense!”

The Archbishop had seen Ardein’s Dragon Form Technique, but being in such a position, he had heard many things.

The famous Emperor Harmail’s Dragon Horse Technique was said to be strikingly similar to the royal family’s Dragon Form Technique.

If someone like Harmail, a master, could temporarily change the color of their magical power to deceive others, it was natural to suspect that Ardein appearing here might be Harmail in disguise. From his perspective, at least.

“Archbishop! Archbishop! What did you say to me when I fell ill? You cursed and berated me, a sick person. That I would die without a burial ground, my body burned, my ashes not even offered at the temple, forever wandering the heavens!”

Seeing the Archbishop blocking her path while her father was on his deathbed, the Princess was on the verge of exploding. If her father weren’t lying far away, she might have drawn her sword.

Now, she drew something else. From the shabby jar, she pulled out a brilliantly glowing flame.

Those who saw the flame tensed, and Archbishop Armata reflexively covered his face, thinking the Princess would throw it at him.

Whoosh!

With a gust of wind, a figure descended beside the Emperor, blocking the Princess and assuming a protective stance. Surprisingly, the old man had already reached the level of a master.

The nobles in the room, seeing him, broke into cold sweat and whispered among themselves.

“Who is that…?”

“Is there an unannounced master on the continent?”

Indeed, even if the rich fall, their legacy lasts three generations. The royal family’s hidden strengths, though not enough to revive the declining nation into a superpower, still had the power to astonish the world.

Though reluctant to reveal himself, the old man willingly showed his presence, considering the possibility that the Princess, now a master, might throw the flame at the Emperor.

But then, a bright light burst from the beacon. The light was indescribably bright, yet no one squinted or closed their eyes. It was bright but not blinding.

“Those who threw stones at me weren’t just you, so I won’t hold a grudge. But I can’t forgive you for blocking me from seeing my father. Only those who didn’t throw stones at me may stand in my way. Let’s see who has the right to stand before me!”

The Beacon of the Sanctuary.

Not an ability, but a miracle.

The holy embodiment bestowed by the gods illuminated the world like the midday sun. It opened brightness, dispelled darkness, and all touched by its light became subjects of mercy and grace.

The hunched backs straightened, and Duke Valder’s indigestion was instantly cured.

The astonished Archbishop Armata panicked and tried to block the light with a barrier of Divine Power, but the light passed through effortlessly, reaching him too. The power of the God of Hope ignored Hilrae’s Divine Power and seeped into his body.

His mind cleared, and the wrinkles on his forehead smoothed slightly. He couldn’t speak, only moving his lips as if trying to say something.

“Th-this is…”

“Sister. What are you doing now?”

Prince Edmund, the Third Prince, shouted in anger. His fury had a reason.

“What if His Majesty is shocked by this? Do you not think this light is too strong for him to handle?”

Of course, it was for show.

He himself was feeling the power of the Beacon of the Sanctuary. Couldn’t he tell if it was good for the body or not? But before the Princess could respond, an old, frail voice stopped him. No, it stopped everyone.

“That’s enough.”

The focus shifted from everyone to the most important person in the room.

The Emperor, who had opened his eyes at some point, was sitting hunched against the headboard of the bed.

Everyone had come to see him close his eyes, but no one expected him to open them again.

So, when they saw the Emperor’s open eyes, the room fell silent. Archbishop Armata’s eyes widened as he stared blankly at the Emperor.

In truth, he had opened his eyes the moment the beacon’s light touched him but had quietly observed the situation.

From Duke Valder and his children to the nobles gathering and dispersing in the hall, the Emperor noted every subtle expression and sighed inwardly.

Until he spoke, no one in the room knew he had opened his eyes. No one paid attention to him, thinking he was just an old man about to die.

Only the Empress, who held him and wept, knew he had awakened. At least he had married well after a hard life.

His eyes roamed the room and finally settled on the Princess.

Only then did his gaze soften. He smiled faintly and opened his arms.

“Ardein. My daughter. Come here.”

“Your Majesty… Your humble servant has finally returned.”

Ardein nearly collapsed, crawling on her knees toward the Emperor.

He reflexively gestured to the two masters guarding him to stand down. Then, looking around the room, he spoke.

“Everyone here, may I ask one favor?”

The Emperor coughed, his illness partly due to his time running out, and even the Beacon of the Sanctuary couldn’t fully heal him.

“Congratulations on Your Majesty’s recovery! Command us as you will.”

Duke Valder was the first to kneel and speak. Even Prince Edmund was startled by his speed and change in demeanor.

The Seventh Prince, who had been crying and banging his head earlier, now looked panicked, showing how terrifying experience could be.

“My daughter has returned to me. The goddess has cured her illness and granted me this brief time to meet her. I wish to speak with her alone, so please leave us for a moment.”

In the silence, people exchanged glances.

What does this mean? Could His Majesty be considering Ardein as his successor?

Prince Edmund’s face twitched, trembling uncontrollably.

Unable to hold back, he vented his frustration. Why, why does father favor his sister so much!

“Your Majesty!”

“Edmund. It’s not what you’re thinking.”

The Emperor turned to look at his son. His gaze was neither warm nor cold, but complex, as if he himself didn’t know his own feelings.

“I have no intention of giving the throne to you or your sister.”

At the moment their eyes met, his body trembled once, and after hearing the words, it trembled twice.

With the Emperor speaking so plainly, what more could be done? Defy the royal command? Or stage a rebellion here? Don’t joke. This is the capital, the heart of imperial power.

Only the forces loyal to the Emperor would follow his command until his death. With the Emperor awake, his word was absolute, at least in the capital.

If the Third Prince and Duke Valder had conspired to overpower the Emperor, it showed how far imperial authority had fallen. But they desired the throne because it still held power.

“Your humble servant will obey your command.”

Only then did Edmund submit and leave. Once everyone had exited the hall, Ardein trembled and nearly collapsed to her knees. The Emperor sighed and gestured for his guards to step back. All obeyed except for one old man.

As if he hadn’t heard, the old man remained by the Emperor’s side.

The Emperor didn’t command him but requested.

“Mr. Madlen. You’re toiling to protect an old man about to die. Please rest for a while. I wish to speak with my daughter not as ruler and subject, but as father and child.”

“Your Majesty. But I must protect your safety.”

“Please, just for a moment?”

The Emperor smiled instead of answering. The man called Mr. Madlen met the Emperor’s gaze and reluctantly shook his head. He too quietly left the hall.

Now, only the two of them remained. And the Beacon of the Sanctuary, burning brightly, illuminating the hall.