On the second floor of the Shelter of the Sun, inside the reception room, various furnishings were scattered all around.
First, there was the table split in half and teacups shattered into pieces. Sharp fragments of wood and glass were scattered everywhere.
If the servants came tonight, they might be so startled that they could report this chaos straight to the Holy Kingdom.
The outcome of the battle was clear, but the aftermath would undoubtedly be just as terrifying. The Lady Virgin Saint was one of the highest-ranking figures in the Holy Kingdom, and her public image was exemplary.
But what if she decided to accuse I-an?
A mere second son of a rural baron could never withstand such an accusation. Yet, I-an appeared completely calm.
This made the Lady Virgin Saint feel a chill run down her spine. She could not fathom what this man was truly thinking.
Trying to suppress the moans that were escaping her lips, she twisted her mouth into a smirk — it was mockery. And she addressed I-an with it.
“Can you handle it?”
Golden eyes stared blankly down at her. It was still the same gaze, one that exuded nothing but weariness, as if all emotions had been surgically removed.
Through gritted teeth, the Lady Virgin Saint unleashed every bit of threat she could muster.
“I am the Lady Virgin Saint… Regardless of what you say, I have the political power to crush you and send you to the stake. For instance, if I were to say that I was almost violated by you?”
She had never falsely accused anyone in her life, but driven by humiliation and shame, she let the words spill out. And it was an effective tactic.
Though she had been defeated in brute force, the world did not move by the strength of a single person alone. Nations, politics, and their complex structures both supported and constrained individuals.
I-an was no exception. Despite the monstrous close-combat skills he had displayed, they were limited to small-scale skirmishes.
If the true experts gathered together, even he would be unable to withstand them.
Yet, I-an’s golden eyes betrayed no reaction to the Lady Virgin Saint’s threats, not even a flicker of interest. A still, gold pond.
The man merely replied with an indifferent tone.
“Go ahead, then.”
His tone was so level that the Lady Virgin Saint was the one left flustered.
“… What?”
“You’ve been given my permission. If you can do it, try.”
And with that, he slowly stood up again. The Lady Virgin Saint’s eyes briefly reflected fear at the sight of him, as if worried about what he might do in anger.
But I-an showed no particular interest in her, merely walking to the window, hands behind his back, and gazing out at the garden outside.
Was it confidence or mere showmanship?
The Lady Virgin Saint couldn’t figure it out, and she felt a look of confusion spreading across her face. Her eyes briefly met Yulen’s. But Yulen just shook his head.
First, they needed to uncover his identity. The Lady Virgin Saint again snapped at him.
“Who exactly are you? The technique you used just now – it’s the restricted art of the Holy Kingdom.”
After maintaining silence following I-an’s warning, Yulen joined in. Suppressing his groans, he cast a naked look of suspicion at I-an.
“And the trajectory of that axe that bent at sharp angles… that’s the prohibited technique of the Sword Circle, isn’t it?”
They were both skills from organizations that had a strict “no outsiders” policy. Clearly, it was impossible for one person to master both.
Yet this man had done it. Neither the Lady Virgin Saint nor Yulen could guess how or why.
I-an didn’t seem perturbed by their questions.
“Who could it be?”
“It’s not a game of riddles…” the Lady Virgin Saint was about to snap but immediately faltered, trembling as the golden eyes met hers. Her mouth instinctively closed.
Who could withstand such a cold gaze?
The man moved closer silently, kneeling in front of the Lady Virgin Saint and looking her straight in the eyes.
“The Holy Kingdom and the Sword Circle are both organizations with long traditions. During the centuries they’ve spent safeguarding their secrets, it’s impossible for anyone to simultaneously master both their arts.”
“So, how exactly…?”
The Lady Virgin Saint had begun to speak again when a possibility struck her, cutting her sentence short.
Sure, under normal circumstances, it was impossible.
But if it were possible, it would only be through stealing secrets from both organizations—the skills from places with impenetrable security staffed by powerful warriors.
According to the Lady Virgin Saint’s understanding, it was impossible. But then, as crimson drops began to fall from the void beside her, her eyes widened in horror.
It was blood-infused magic. They were drawing arcane runes in the air, characters that faintly glowed with heat.
But the Lady Virgin Saint knew these runes weren’t at their full power. If pushed, they contained enough strength to envelop the room in flames. Shock coursed through her again.
“…The Dragonglyph? You’re from the Imperial Court?”
The Dragonglyph. A forbidden art passed down through the Imperial Court.
Its defining feature was that it allowed the recipient to perform magic without any inherent magical understanding. This meant even a swordsman or a priest, or even a common villager, could use the engraved magic upon receiving it.
A technique only granted by those who claimed descent from dragons. Legends whispered that it came from the language of the dragons of ancient times.
A technique reserved only for the Imperial Court’s spy network or royal guard. If so, the Lady Virgin Saint had no other logical conclusion:
This man was from the Imperial Court. Adopting this hypothesis explained it all.
Even if the Holy Kingdom and the Sword Circle were formidable, they couldn’t compare to the Imperial Court. If the Court so desired, it would be no surprise if they had stolen the secrets of these two organizations. The Archbishop Einadel’s intelligence leak made sense as well.
Moreover, it was highly likely the identity of a rural baron’s second son was forged.
He was probably polished as a blade from a young age by the Imperial Court. Assuming that, his monstrous combat skills also made sense.
Though the Lady Virgin Saint’s eyes were filled with confusion, the man did not deny her accusation.
“Do we really need to be at odds? All we need is a piece of information regarding the orphanage, and this ordeal can end.”
The tone was calm and even. If she’d heard such a proposition at the start, she would have outright refused. But knowing he might be from the Imperial Court, her mouth instinctively closed.
An unavoidable sense of conflict entered her gaze. Even the Lady Virgin Saint knew crossing the Imperial Court would be too burdensome. Especially after he brazenly exposed the truth about the secrets leaked from the Holy Kingdom’s arts.
This was an admission of confidence — he was sure there was a way out no matter what secrets were revealed.
Through gritted teeth, she asked.
“So your knight tore my guard’s shoulder apart and broke my arm, and you still expect my cooperation?”
“Who initiated the fight?”
“…Because you threatened me!” the Lady Virgin Saint yelled in frustration, but the man just shrugged.
“Information is a form of power. Now that the battle is over, don’t act like a child.”
That was his final word. Even amidst the overwhelming feeling of humiliation, the Lady Virgin Saint had no choice but to accept defeat, her shoulders trembling.
“…Fine, I’ll cooperate. But you better keep the Archbishop Einadel affair confidential.”
“Of course.”
With their business concluded, the man rose without hesitation. Watching his movement, the Lady Virgin Saint bit her lips.
It was a complete defeat.
Not only in brute force, but in matters of intelligence and negotiation, where she had believed she held the upper hand.
She could do nothing against the Imperial Court, but the mixture of anger and sadness was difficult to suppress.
As she was steeping in her defeat, something strange happened.
When the Lady Virgin Saint looked up again, the man had a hand on the doorknob, hesitating. His eyes flickered uncertainly.
This gaze was unfamiliar.
It was the first real human emotion the man had shown. Up to now, he had only displayed two kinds of looks: hatred or the intent to kill. Both were animalistic instincts rather than human emotions.
But when the golden gaze returned to her, she was taken aback by the compassion and torment in his expression.
She was momentarily stunned. The change was just too dramatic.
The man paused in silence before speaking in a halting manner.
“… Are you upset?”
She wanted to snap back — of course, she was upset! She had gone through such torment and ended up capitulating.
Yulen’s shoulder joint was shattered; she herself had been suppressing groans from the pain radiating from her fractured nerves. She was angry. She felt disgraced.
But she couldn’t bring herself to voice the words. She just turned her head, averting her gaze instead.
The man, as if he had expected it, pulled on the doorknob again.
Then, with one last sentence.
“Obey.”
Not understanding the meaning of his words, the Lady Virgin Saint just sat there, immobile, for a long time.
For a long time.
It was over.
Not only had she lost the physical battle, but also the battle for information and negotiation. Against the Imperial Court, there was nothing she could do, but her feelings of humiliation, resentment, and failure overwhelmed her.
She was contemplating her defeat when…
As he stood still with his hand on the doorknob, there was hesitation in his gaze for the first time.
It was unfamiliar.
Because it was the first time he had shown a trace of human emotion.
Until then, he had shown only two kinds of gazes: malice or intent to kill.
Neither was what one would call human emotions, merely the instincts any living creature would have.
But this time, when the golden eyes turned back to her, they carried compassion and sorrow, causing her to catch her breath.
She was stunned, the change was so dramatic.
After a brief silence, he finally spoke in a strained voice.
“…Aren’t you angry?”
She had wanted to snap something back. Of course, she was angry! She had gone through so much and ended up having to surrender.
Yulen’s shoulder was broken, and she herself was suppressing painful moans from her injured nerves. She was angry, she was ashamed.
She wasn’t able to articulate any of this, only turning her head and evading his gaze.
He seemed to expect this reaction, grabbing the doorknob again.
But not before one last comment.
“Obedience.”
Not understanding the meaning of his words, the Lady Virgin Saint merely remained seated for a long time.
—
After hearing Uren’s account, I walked silently, not uttering a word.
It all seemed incomprehensible.
The Holy Kingdom, the Sword Circle, and even the Imperial Court?
It was all nonsensical chatter. I was a free individual, unaffiliated with any organization. Yet, it was more complicated than just a case of possession.
The questions posed earlier by Senior Delphine came to mind. Though I had brushed them off at the time, they carried significance.
The ‘forbidden arts’ of the Holy Kingdom and the Sword Circle.
How?
Uren claimed I had been possessed by a high-ranking sorcerer from the Imperial Court. But this did not explain everything that had transpired.
Lost in contemplation, I was suddenly interrupted by a small cry of surprise.
I turned toward its source.
There stood a boy with silver hair that suited him well. His green eyes, reflecting my image like a mirror, had a pale complexion, yet an amiable demeanor.
He waved at me as if he had been waiting, his expression unfailingly calm.
He smiled faintly and addressed me.
“You’ve returned, I-an.”
Reto Ainstein.
Though we had met only recently, it always felt good to see this fellow.
I was about to greet my close friend when, abruptly, my hand was caught.
Before I could even question the gesture, Reto began to speak.
“Come along; I’ve learned something about your amnesia.”
It was unexpected, leaving me momentarily stunned.
He added, more solemnly now.
“I had a conversation not long ago… with him.”
The term ‘him’ needed no clarification.
It referred to the I-an who had lost his memory.
This was the moment when the crucial clue to unravel the mystery would appear.
