EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 148

Chapter 148

 

“I am just too shocked…”

At that moment, my father, who had been silently digesting Raizel’s words, finally spoke.

“We need to think more carefully about going to the Empire.”

“Yes, it’s all too sudden,” my mother added.

Even Ascart looked troubled.

They knew how much I had longed for the day I could meet Diana, so they couldn’t outright oppose me. But at the same time, they were too worried to simply give their approval.

Not being able to explain everything to my family made me feel even more conflicted.

But in some ways, I was also relieved that I alone carried the weight of this burden.

 

***

 

Even in the heavy atmosphere, my family continued to pile food onto my plate, and before I knew it, I had overeaten again.

As promised to Ascart, I even had dessert before returning to my room, where I sat on my bed, rubbing my full stomach.

Then—knock, knock.

Along with the sound of knocking, I heard Raizel’s voice.

As soon as I opened the door, he stepped inside and asked,

“Now, tell me. Do you really know where the sacred relic I’m looking for is?”

I figured Raizel had already put up a soundproofing spell, but just in case, I shut the door properly and cast another layer of soundproofing magic.

Then, sitting down on the sofa, I said,

“Of course. Do you really think I would lie about something like this?”

“Where is it?”

He was clearly desperate. Understandably so as he had been searching for this relic for a long time, scouring through ancient texts.

“It’s probably in the Emperor’s treasury by now.”

“What?”

“If I had seen the relic’s image a little earlier, I could have gotten my hands on it more easily. What a shame.”

I shrugged as I watched Raizel stare at me in shock.

Before dinner, he had shown me a drawing and it had genuinely startled me.

 

***

 

⟨It’s said to be a ‘weapon’ the Saintess personally used, but I have no idea what it could be.⟩

Raizel clicked his tongue, looking at the thin, rectangular wooden object. It was about the length of an outstretched hand, from thumb to pinky.

It was small enough to hold comfortably but not long enough to be an effective weapon in battle.

And I felt the same way.

Except…

⟨I think I know where this is.⟩

Raizel’s eyes widened at my words, and I let out a dry chuckle.

Even I could hardly believe that I not only knew about this object—but had actually seen it before.

‘Not even Terencium knows about this…’

And of course, they wouldn’t. It wasn’t something I discovered through a mission or request…it was something I had come across purely by chance, driven by personal curiosity.

‘Who would have thought the relic was in Kenneth Pettier’s house?’

I scoffed at the absurdity of it all and recalled the past.

After entering Terencium, I had been studying noble family lineages and portraits when I spotted Kenneth, the very person who had falsely accused me of theft and humiliated me, forcing me to leave the beggars’ guild, near the academy.

That’s when I learned something unexpected.

During his time at the academy, Kenneth Pettier had inexplicably broken his wrist, and his family was now on the verge of collapse.

The Countess of Pettier had been frequenting the information guild, desperately trying to marry off her daughters before their house completely crumbled.

But no one was willing to save a noble family drowning in debt—especially one disgraced by its ties to numerous crimes.

And so, just a few years before my coming-of-age, House Pettier utterly fell.

That night, since my master hadn’t assigned me a mission, I decided to pass the time by heading to the Pettier estate.

I wanted to witness Kenneth, who had once looked down on commoners like insects, being cast out of his mansion in disgrace.

But when I saw him and his family thrown out onto the streets by debt collectors, it wasn’t as satisfying as I had imagined.

They were screaming at each other, placing blame, but then, moments later, they left together.

Kenneth Pettier was an irredeemable scumbag and a penniless fool, but… he still had a family.

I had planned to mock him, to relish in his downfall, but instead, I simply watched them in silence.

How much time had passed as I sat hidden in the tree near the front gate?

In the dead of night, when the streets were empty, I suddenly felt the ground tremble.

A group of knights on horseback appeared in front of the abandoned mansion.

My body tensed, and I instinctively examined the insignia on their armor, then I froze in shock.

‘Imperial knights? Why are they here?’

It didn’t make sense.

House Pettier had been erased from the noble records, and their lands had been reclaimed by the Imperial family. However, their mansion and remaining assets were supposed to be sold off to repay their debts.

Curious, I watched from the shadows as the Imperial knights moved with purpose.

After a while, I saw them carrying out a small, ornate box from the mansion.

It had to be something valuable.

A luxurious carriage stood waiting, yet the knights placed only that one box inside before surrounding it in formation and departing.

On impulse, I melted into the darkness and approached the carriage.

The Imperial knights were nowhere near the level of the Rexion Order, but still, they were Imperial knights.

And yet, shockingly, they never noticed me.

Easily slipping inside the carriage, I checked the box for magical traps before opening it.

And inside…

“It looked incredibly old and filthy, but it was identical to the drawing you showed me. I stared at it for a long time because I couldn’t figure out what it was. That’s why I remember it so clearly.”

At my words, Raizel stroked his chin and muttered,

“So the Emperor knew that House Pettier had the sacred relic.”

“Or maybe he just thought it was some ancient artifact.”

But that wasn’t the important part.

Neither the reason why House Pettier had the relic nor how the Emperor found out about it really mattered.

‘Well, House Pettier was in the trading business for a long time, so they probably acquired it by chance.’

And since the Emperor was known to have a deep interest in ancient artifacts, he must have discovered the relic’s existence when the Pettier family was liquidating their assets.

Raizel seemed to reach the same conclusion as he nodded.

“Alright. Now that we know it’s in the Imperial Palace, we should formally request it through my temple—”

“Why?” I interrupted. “That sounds like a hassle.”

“Hmm?”

“Why go through all that trouble when I’m here? The Emperor isn’t going to hand it over willingly anyway.”

If he even entertained a negotiation, that would be fortunate. But there was a high chance he would simply refuse outright.

Raizel, looking bewildered, hesitated before asking,

“Wait… are you seriously thinking of stealing it from the Imperial Treasury?”

He stared at me in disbelief, but I simply shrugged.

“Why would that be stealing? That relic belongs in the temple to begin with. And even then, it’s not like the temple actually owns it.”

It certainly didn’t belong to the Emperor or House Pettier either.

“I’m just returning it to its rightful owner—Diana.”

“That… is a fair point.”

Raizel, unable to refute my words, fell silent before eventually nodding.

“But it’s the Imperial Palace we’re talking about. It’s too dangerous…”

“Are you seriously saying that?”

I looked at him with an expression of mock surprise.

“You know my skills. Unless I’m up against a demon, no one can stop me.”

I said it playfully, but I wasn’t boasting.

Even in my past life, I had infiltrated Duke Elard’s estate—an estate with security rivaling that of the palace—not just once, but twice.

The first time, I had posed as a temporary servant, making it relatively low-risk. But the second time? I had done it knowing that Allen and Jack were inside.

Unless I had to face them directly in combat, I was confident I wouldn’t get caught.

And honestly, I had been even more confident because I knew Lucio wasn’t there.

To be frank, if I hadn’t faltered when I saw Lucio back then, I wouldn’t have died such a meaningless death.

‘Even when my heart was sealed, I was capable of that much… but now?’

Now, my mana had grown to an incomparable level, and the magic I could wield was on an entirely different scale.

Sorry, but even if Allen, Jack, and Lucio all came at me at once, it would be tough, but I wouldn’t lose.

‘…Except against a demon.’

The only power that could counter demons was divine power.

According to Raizel, the temple was preparing its priests and holy knights for the Second Holy-Demonic War, but strengthening their resistance to magic, or nullifying it altogether, was proving difficult.

Even Raizel himself, despite possessing the strongest divine power in the temple, admitted he wasn’t confident in facing a demon.

So in the end, our only real hope was Diana…

 

***

 

“Aren’t you afraid?”

Deep in thought, I was pulled back to reality by Raizel’s heavy voice.

He wouldn’t ask that unless my mention of demons had unsettled him.

I let out a small sigh.

“Of course I am. But what choice do I have? We can’t just sit around waiting for Diana to awaken. For all we know, she might need me.”

“You…!”

Raizel’s eyes widened in shock at my words, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words.

I simply gave a bitter smile.

The truth was, ever since I had learned the hidden side of the myth from Raizel, I had been thinking about it for a long time.

What if my death was the trigger for Diana’s awakening?

After a long silence, Raizel finally spoke.

“But we still don’t know the details of the curse. You shouldn’t jump to conclusions—”

“I know. I’m just saying… that’s how far I’m willing to go.”

I cut him off with a bright smile.

And I meant it.

I had only found my family again in this second life, there was nothing more precious to me.

That was exactly why I wanted a definitive end to all of this.

“So, Grand Sage, please find that ancient text as soon as possible. While you do that, I’ll take care of what I can in the Empire.”

 

***

 

A few days later, at Duke Elard’s estate…

Lucio sat at his desk, quietly staring down at a small envelope sent from the Principality of Belus.