Chapter 81: Calms of the Wind
“You’ve seen her.”
Boom—
As those words slipped out, a sharp wind howled up from the basement, rumbling like a thunderclap, stirring dust and smoke that exploded into the air, revealing a pair of scarlet eyes that flashed ominously!
In the blink of an eye, a moment of shock struck the tall, lean girl. Her shorter sister appeared before her, hair whipped back by the fierce gust, her chilling red eyes staring down at her. Poof! She was suddenly there, right within reach.
“Where is she?” I asked, keeping my tone casual.
Sounding eerily calm.
“…Ah!”
Aili’s pupils dilated suddenly as her face blanched.
She was terrified, stumbling backward when suddenly there was a buzzing thrum, golden light flickering around Aili as a divine aura began to gather in front of her, forming a thin veil between us—too late! I raised my hand, swatting it with a ‘thwack!’ that shattered it into glittering sparks.
“Uh…”
Aili backed away in even greater panic.
Flustered, she bumped into the corner of a table with a loud thunk, the candle on it swaying dangerously. She clutched her back, stumbling a bit.
I regarded her dishevelment with a bland expression, suddenly pivoting back to the table, lightly supporting Aili while steadying the nearly toppled candle with the undetectable speed of a cat, and plopped back into my chair in the blink of an eye.
“Tell me, Aili.”
I crossed one leg over the other, leaned back, and narrowed my eyes like a cat eyeing its prey. “Where is she?”
“……”
The girl named Aili stood there, frozen, eyes wide in terror, her pupils quaking. She looked at me like a cornered hamster staring at its predator.
I scared her.
At that moment, the wooden door to the hall swung open with a bang, and Rect’s head with his mossy green hair poked in from the darkness beyond. “What’s going on? What’s going on?”
The man had clearly come to check on the noise, sounding far more curious than worried. I ignored him, still focusing on Aili. In an authoritative tone reminiscent of Viki’s commands, I calmly said, “Sit down.”
Jumping at the sudden command, Aili plopped herself into the nearest chair, facing me, back straight like a well-behaved student, arms crossed tightly over her little belly, no longer speaking or swaying, hardly daring to meet my gaze.
And I fell silent too, watching her squirm as my mind raced.
Aili had seen the Romani Doctor.
When did she leave the Royal City? If I remembered correctly, it was right before I decided to head to Silgaya to deal with the Heretics… Where was the Romani Doctor during that time?
In Rabeli Valley? Or the Holy City?
What purpose did she have in approaching Aili, and why tell her those things…
From my brief encounter with Aili, her talent was somewhat above average, for sure better than most Clerics, but far from extraordinary.
Aili wasn’t anything special; kids like her shouldn’t pique the interest of The Choir of Saints. Anyone who came tonight would be just as good. There was no way Romani would focus on her for that reason, so there was only one answer left.
It was aimed at me…
Romani knew Aili and I were close, so she intended to get close to her? But why—does that woman know I’m alive? Otherwise, why would Aili have said something that sounded so much like a premonition when she saw me?
Has the news about the national princess been fully leaked?
No…
It can’t be that quick.
As my thoughts turned over like a blender, I spoke to Aili, “You told her you know me.”
“N-no, I didn’t…”
The girl met my gaze, suddenly shuddering, her body tensing up significantly, her speech getting a little tongue-tied.
She was trembling…
Was I really that scary just now?
“How did you join The Choir of Saints?”
“……”
“Why did she say those things to you? Was she trying to relay something to me through you?”
“……”
Aili pressed her lips together, now only eyes filled with anxiety and fear remained.
If her earlier bravado was due to knowing I wouldn’t hurt her no matter what, now she resembled a little chick that had lost its protective wings, finally grasping the meaning of fear.
I stared at her for a moment more.
Suddenly, I stood, walked over, and gave her shoulder a pat. Aili instinctively shrank away, trying to dodge but not daring to.
“…If you want something to eat, just tell them.”
I said that, paused, and left without a backward glance.
Once I exited through the wooden door, Aili said nothing more to me.
“What happened?”
Back in the brightly lit wine cellar, the gossip-happy Rect had been waiting at the passage, immediately trailing behind as I stepped out. “You two didn’t have a pleasant chat?”
I continued walking, ignoring him.
“Hmm? I heard that girl say something… What happened afterwards? Didn’t you ask her about Archbishop Hogtus? These kids should know at least a little bit.”
“Yeah, they do know some.”
I nodded. “Have your people question the other kids first, let that girl cool off alone for a couple of days… Don’t let her touch base with the other Choir kids.”
“Oh~”
Rect made a strange sound behind me.
“And…”
Thinking for a moment, I added, “Don’t use any heavy-handed tactics on her.”
“You think that’s what the Sword of Kanli does?”
The man appeared a bit miffed at that. “We’re the kingdom’s most elite warriors, not some thugs guarding the Underground Prison for the Church. They’re just kids; real soldiers wouldn’t be rough with kids.”
“……”
Oh really?
I pursed my lips, not responding.
“You’re not buying that girl’s nonsense, are you?” Rect asked, his tone laced with apprehension.
I shot him a glare over my shoulder.
Ascending the spiral staircase back from the basement, I returned to the elegant grand hall on the first floor where the palace maids were busily wrapping up their work for the day. I turned to look outside and noticed it was already as dark as burnt ink, and only then did I realize it was nearly bedtime. I was about to bid Rect goodnight when it suddenly hit me.
“Wait, where am I sleeping tonight?”
…………
Grandma Claire, who had eagerly awaited my return, apparently didn’t have anyone prepare a room and bed for me ahead of time. Neither Barry nor Ryan seemed to have a clue either. The reason was obvious—Viki.
After asking around, I discovered that woman had given strict orders to the new Head Maid to ensure Grandma Claire received my original room since she wanted her to feel “some warmth” in a completely unfamiliar environment. Naturally, her “little granddaughter’s” room felt cozier than a cold guest room.
As for where I’d sleep when I returned?
The ever-astute, clever Her Majesty the Queen had it all figured out—she told Grandma that the master bedroom in the main building was my new room, one that would be cleaned daily, and even lit a so-called “favorite incense” of mine, claiming I couldn’t stand dust and might have allergies.
But that was actually her bedroom.
She was the one who liked the incense.
After uncovering the truth, I sat on the wall, expressionless for almost ten minutes, ultimately deciding to just let it go.
Sleeping in the main building was fine, especially since she wouldn’t be around tonight. No need to sleep on the roof; a soft bed would be better than the hard rubble. I didn’t need to make things difficult for myself.
That night, all was calm.
