“I’m okay. I just got a little dizzy.”
I smiled and tried to pull away from Clyde. However, my body didn’t respond as expected.
Clyde held my head tightly.
“Don’t force yourself, just stay still.”
“Yeah…”
I surrendered and leaned into Clyde’s embrace.
“You’ll be fine. You’re not going to get caught. I’ll make sure of that… I’ll make sure you’re safe and can trust only me.”
I said it as a promise, but it was more to myself.
Clyde didn’t reply, but he tightened his arms around me.
* * * * * * * * *
The next morning, I rode in a carriage with Aslan, heading towards the Decoswan canyon.
The vacation I originally had was until today, but due to Raphir arriving earlier than planned, I had to cut it short by one day.
‘At least I managed to throw Clyde’s birthday party as planned, that’s something…’
After arriving at the investigation camp, Raphir revealed himself in front of all the team members.
He was dressed far more formally than the relatively comfortable attire he wore yesterday. His flawlessly handsome appearance was no surprise. Even from a hundred meters away, one could probably tell he was a prince.
Behind Raphir, the Royal Guard led by Nita stood in a line.
“Marquis Colliwood.”
Raphir greeted him with a bright smile. Marquis Colliwood bowed deeply.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“You have toiled long and hard in this barren place, away from your warm home. My father, the Emperor, has asked me to bring you words of encouragement.”
“Your Highness, you’re as gracious as the ocean. To think that the Crown Prince would travel such a long way for our sake, I am truly at a loss for words.”
“Don’t say that. Those who work for the Empire deserve such respect. It’s only natural for us to show appreciation for your efforts. If my visit could bring even a small comfort, then I couldn’t ask for more.”
While exchanging pleasantries with Marquis Colliwood, Raphir’s gaze suddenly landed on me.
He smiled, narrowing his eyes. I awkwardly lowered my head in response.
After Marquis Colliwood finished briefing him on the investigation’s progress in the main barracks, he led Raphir to the ancient ruins.
“Even though these ruins are a thousand years old, they don’t feel old or worn at all.”
“Thanks to the magic that preserved them. It’s because of that preservation that the investigation has been progressing smoothly.”
Raphir listened with genuine interest as Marquis Colliwood explained.
Clearly, Raphir had never seen such large-scale ancient ruins with his own eyes before.
Eventually, we reached the deepest chamber of the ruins, where the artifact I was investigating was located.
“What is this?”
It had been seven weeks since I first began my investigation, and after breaking the two layers of seals, the artifact was still radiating its original, powerful magic. It was so powerful that it was causing vague turbulence around it.
Perhaps due to this, even someone like Raphir, without magical knowledge, could tell that this artifact was no ordinary item.
“This artifact is believed to be the most powerful in the ruins. It’s under strict protection by powerful barriers. Under the supervision of Eila Rojasis, an investigator from our team, we are proceeding with the unsealing process with the utmost care.”
Raphir’s eyes turned towards me.
“It seems like quite a weighty task. It’s surprising that a young researcher like Eila Rojasis is leading it.”
“Eila Rojasis is considered a standout talent within the investigation team when it comes to ancient magic and lifting barrier spells. In fact, she was the one who fully opened the entrance to these ruins with her abilities alone. And she did it in just one day. Thanks to that, the investigation period has been significantly shortened.”
“That is truly remarkable.”
Raphir looked at me with a mix of admiration and pride. It was a gaze very reminiscent of the way Aslan looked at me when Marquis Colliwood commended my work earlier. For some reason, it gave me a strange tingling sensation.
“If it’s alright, I’d like to hear more about this artifact from Eila Rojasis herself.”
At Raphir’s request, Marquis Colliwood nodded towards me.
“The nature of the power within this artifact hasn’t been fully deciphered yet. As the head investigator mentioned, we’re proceeding with caution in analyzing and unsealing it.”
I took a step forward and began explaining.
“Do you see the rings surrounding the artifact? Originally, there were three identical rings, each containing a protective barrier spell. We’ve successfully unsealed two of them, leaving only one remaining.”
“Does that mean once the remaining one is unsealed, it will be done?”
“We can only know for sure once we successfully unseal it. The central artifact might not be the artifact itself but rather another protective mechanism guarding it.”
“I see.”
With a curious expression, Raphir took a step closer to the artifact.
“Your Highness, there might be danger in approaching an artifact that hasn’t been fully understood yet.”
“Don’t worry, I’m just taking a quick look.”
Raphir had always been known for his curiosity. Rumors had circulated about how his attendants and guards were often exasperated by his inquisitive nature.
He gazed closely at the artifact. Suddenly, the rings that had encircled the artifact began to rotate faster.
It was a phenomenon I had never witnessed during the course of our investigation.
I reflexively looked back at Viscount Doanne and Aslan. They too seemed surprised.
“Your Highness, it might be wise to step back.”
But despite my words, Raphir stood still and did not try to move.
“Your Highness?”
Raphir still didn’t respond. He reached out to the artifact.
“Your Highness!”
Nita and the other guards standing behind me were startled, rushing forward. But Raphir’s hand was faster. His fingertips were about to touch the artifact when I swiftly moved and grabbed him, pulling him back.
Simultaneously, the energy emitted by the artifact surged out explosively, spreading in all directions.
In an instant, everything went white before me, and my consciousness faded away.
* * * * * * * * *
“Eila.”
Amidst the fog in my mind, I heard someone calling my name.
“Eila, wake up. Eila!”
I gradually opened my eyes. Before me stood Raphir, looking down at me.
“…Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Relief washed over Raphir’s face suddenly.
“Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine. I think I’m…fine. How about you, Your Highness?”
“I’m fine as well.”
I grasped the hand Raphir extended and slowly got up.
We were obviously in the ruins just moments ago, but now we were in a pure white space that felt like it wasn’t real.
“Where are we? What just happened?”
“I don’t know either. The next thing I knew, we were like this.”
The ceiling, the floor, and everything around us were enclosed by endless white walls.
Apart from Raphir and me, the only other thing in this space was the artifact.
The final ring that had surrounded the artifact was now gone, leaving the black sphere suspended in the air.
“Has the final seal been released?”
“How did this happen? Is it because of me?”
“I’m not sure. it certainly seemed to react to His Highness the Crown Prince….”
I touched my cheek and pinched it lightly. I didn’t feel any discomfort from the sensation.
“Where did everyone else go?”
“I think it’s probably more accurate to say that the others didn’t go anywhere. It’s more likely that only we were summoned to this space.”
“Summoned?”
“Yes. Perhaps it’s not that the final seal was released… Maybe this place itself is the result of that barrier being activated.”
Raphir seemed to be struggling to fully understand my explanation.
“In other words, it’s possible that our current isolation in this unknown space is the result of the artifact’s defense systems kicking in.”
“Is that true, and how do we get out?”
“It’s difficult to say for sure because there’s so much that’s still unclear. Whether we’ve been moved here only in spirit or both physically and mentally, whether it’s just us who were moved or if others were dragged along and were placed in a different location… If it’s the former, there’s a chance that others might be able to rescue us, but if it’s the latter, we’ll have to wait and see…..”
“…You mean we might never get out of here?”
Unable to provide an immediate answer, I could see concern darkening Raphir’s expression.
“I’m sorry. Looks like I’ve caused trouble again.”
Raphir raised an eyebrow and wore a pouty expression, much like he did when I first met him seven years ago. It was the same expression he had when I met him for the first time, even though it wasn’t the right time for it.
Despite the situation, a laugh escaped me.
“Don’t worry about it too much. Like I mentioned earlier, it’s too early to jump to conclusions. And after all, this wasn’t something you intended to happen, Your Highness. Do you remember touching the artifact?”
“No, I saw the artifact up close, and then I felt like I was being pulled into it… After that, I don’t remember anything. Are you saying I touched the artifact?”
It was as I suspected. Raphir didn’t respond when I called him from behind. He must have already been ensnared by the power of the artifact and lost consciousness.
‘None of us, including me, have ever experienced an artifact reacting in this manner. I wonder if there’s something special about His Royal Highness. Perhaps something related to his royal blood…’
I immersed myself in deep thought.
𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝑲𝒐-𝒇𝒊
