In the unusually warm early morning air, Ian stood on the terrace and stretched lazily.
It had been a while since he’d felt this good physically, so he moved his body around, stretching here and there. That’s when he heard a soft, cat-like sound from inside the room.
Ian quickly went back inside and scooped up the small child curled up on the large bed.
“Did our Rose wake up?”
He smothered her face, forehead, and crown with kisses, and a burst of giggles followed.
“Uncle, did you sleep well?”
“I did, thank you.”
Praising her gently, Ian began their morning routine.
They brushed their teeth, washed up, and changed clothes. Then Ian picked up a comb and asked.
“How would you like your hair today?”
“Hmm…”
Rose put a finger to her lips in thought, then exclaimed,
“Princess hair, please!”
“Alright, I’ll make you princess hair.”
Ian carefully parted her soft hair and braided it to suit the shape of her head.
Half of her hair was braided and the rest left loose—just the style Rose loved, her signature “princess hair.” Ian finished it off with a pretty jeweled pin and kissed the top of her head.
“All done. Go check yourself in the mirror.”
“Okay!”
Rose trotted off to the mirror, and while she admired her hairstyle, Ian finished getting himself ready.
“Let’s go have breakfast, Rose.”
Rose ran back and grabbed Ian’s finger.
It was her way of saying she wanted to walk, so Ian took her hand and led her out of the room.
A maid who seemed to have been waiting outside looked at Ian in surprise.
“Oh, you’re already up?”
“Where’s the dining room?”
“Ah, I’ll guide you there.”
Ian walked slowly, matching Rose’s tiny steps.
Perhaps because of the child, the dining room wasn’t far from their room.
“Here we are.”
When the maid opened the door, they saw Napharoa and Kura already eating.
“Oh, you’re up already?”
“Yes. Did you both sleep well?”
“Did you sleep well?”
Rose echoed Ian’s greeting, and Kura smiled gently, nodding.
“Yes. And you, did you sleep well too?”
“Yes!”
Ian lifted Rose into a chair, then sat beside her.
“I hope you found the bed comfortable.”
“It was very comfortable, thank you.”
“That’s good to hear. We usually have a light breakfast, but if there’s anything you’d like, feel free to ask.”
Ian shook his head politely.
“No need, we usually eat light as well.”
Kura nodded, then did a double take at Rose’s hairstyle.
“Oh my! That’s a hairstyle from our tribe. It looks wonderful on you! The maid must’ve done a great job.”
Rose tilted her head and corrected her.
“Nope, Uncle did it for me.”
“Uncle? The Duke?”
“Yes!”
Kura looked at Ian in surprise.
“How did you know how to do it? That style is only used by children in our tribe.”
“I read it in a book.”
He couldn’t exactly say it was a common style on Earth or that he was reincarnated, so Ian gave a vague answer.
“There’s a book about our tribe? Could I take a look at it too?”
“I’m afraid I don’t remember. The ducal estate has so many books…”
Kura looked disappointed.
“Duke, will you be able to move today?”
“Yes. I have other things scheduled, so I’ll finish this quickly and return.”
Napharoa nodded.
“Then let’s head out right after breakfast.”
“Yes. Rose will be coming along today as well.”
Napharoa and Kura both tilted their heads.
“You’re bringing the child?”
“Yes.”
“Why? Wouldn’t it be better to leave her at the palace?”
Ian gently wiped Rose’s mouth and replied.
“I want to let her explore the village a little.”
“But…”
He understood their concern.
However, with Bernaba away, the palace was no longer the safest place.
“It’s alright. The knights will be accompanying us today.”
Napharoa gave a reluctant nod.
“Kura.”
“Yes?”
“Could I trouble you for a lunchbox?”
“A… lunchbox?”
“Yes. Just something simple, like sandwiches.”
Considering the village’s activities had been suspended due to the plague, proper meals likely wouldn’t be available there.
Ian himself could get by with anything, but Rose, still growing, needed a nutritious meal.
Still dazed, Kura nodded and looked at her husband, Napharoa.
She was curious about what the duke was thinking, but even he wore a baffled expression.
Kura turned back to look at Ian, who was fussing over Rose with great care.
He cherishes her that much, yet he’s still bringing her along?
***
“Heading out?”
Edelmar approached Ian, who was waiting at the palace hall entrance for the knights to finish preparing.
It looked like he’d just woken up—his shirt was disheveled, and his hair was hanging loose.
He looks younger with his hair down.
Ian nodded.
“Yes. Will you be resting at the palace today?”
“Yeah, I have something else to tend to. You’re taking the knights with you, along with Rose?”
“Yes. Just in case.”
Even though teleportation magic existed, it was always better to be cautious and travel with the knight order.
“Alright. Take care, then.”
“Thank you.”
Edelmar waved casually before turning and heading back inside.
Unlike the noisy outside, the inside of the room was quiet as Edelmar entered and sat on the sofa, calling for Yan.
Yan appeared from thin air, knelt on one knee, and handed him a note.
“What did my brother say?”
“He said there are no citizens within the Empire exhibiting the same symptoms. However…”
“However?”
“There’s a peculiar trend circulating among the nobility. He suspects it might be connected to black magic and is currently investigating.”
“A peculiar trend?”
Edelmar unfolded the note.
He expected detailed information about this “hobby,” but the contents were more like nagging.
[Edelmar, I know you’re an adult and a Swordmaster, but do you understand how dangerous it is to travel to another country? I thought only the Duke was going—not you! I can’t believe you’re actually going. You might think the title of Grand Duke means nothing, but…]
The note was filled with tiny, crammed handwriting, clearly expressing a lot of concern. Edelmar crumpled it in annoyance and asked,
“Did my brother mention what exactly this strange trend is?”
“No. He didn’t say anything more.”
Edelmar tapped his thigh lightly with his fingers.
Right now, Spenbaum was experiencing a time of great peace—recognized by all.
With no real problems to deal with, nobles often filled their time with lavish balls and tea parties, sometimes adopting bizarre hobbies.
There were times Edelmar couldn’t understand them—crushing jewels and tossing them into the air at banquets, or setting wild animals to fight each other for sport.
Still, such indulgences were never labeled “strange” before.
What kind of hobby could be so bizarre that even the Emperor himself took notice and launched an investigation?
“Yan.”
“Yes?”
“Assign the Shadows to investigate. Have them look into it thoroughly, and report immediately if anything unusual is found.”
“Understood.”
Edelmar stood and approached the window.
The carriage must’ve departed during his conversation with Yan—it was already far from the palace.
He headed toward the dressing room, Yan following close behind.
“What about the High Priest?”
“We’ve received approval for a visitation.”
“Good.”
Once fully dressed for travel with Yan’s help, Edelmar fastened his sword at his waist and said,
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
Instead of using the front door, Edelmar leapt out the window with Yan, surrounding his legs with aura.
The two moved with incredible speed, and it took them three hours to reach the Empire’s capital.
Despite the long journey, Edelmar didn’t have a single drop of sweat on him as he entered the Great Temple.
A Holy Knight approached him immediately.
“The High Priest is waiting for you.”
He was led not to the areas Ian had previously visited, but to a small prayer room meant for confession.
“You may go in.”
The prayer room, only a square meter or so, was divided by a partition where the believer and the priest could speak without seeing each other.
“Is the High Priest in here?”
Edelmar asked in a sharp tone, and a voice answered from beyond the partition.
“Grand Duke, please come in.”
It was the High Priest’s voice.
Once Edelmar entered the confessional, the Holy Knight closed the door behind him.
Edelmar sat down on the prepared seat and crossed his legs, asking,
“Why did you want to meet here?”
“There’s no better place to discuss secrets.”
“Secrets, huh? Are you implying you know what I’m going to ask?”
A soft chuckle came from the other side of the partition.
“You must be curious about Duke Loenbaum’s connection to the ‘Void.’”
Edelmar let out a sigh.
“Did God tell you that?”
The High Priest didn’t answer, but the fact that he was right spoke volumes.
“High Priest.”
“Yes, please ask.”
“Is my ‘Void’ somehow connected to the Duke?”
“You could say it is—and you could say it isn’t.”
Edelmar furrowed his brow.
“Are you messing with me? You call that an answer?”
“It’s the truth. You know it already, don’t you? The ‘Void’ you carry is a curse passed down from the Imperial bloodline.”
Edelmar fell silent.
It was the palace physician who had first realized that his “Void” wasn’t an illness, but a curse.
At first, the physician had assumed it was some rare disease. But after searching through generations of royal medical records, he discovered that others in the imperial family had shown the same symptoms.
Starting with the grandson of the founding Emperor, the curse had appeared every five to ten generations.
There was no known cure, and all afflicted had eventually taken their own lives—driven mad by the Void.
No one knew why those chosen by the gods—the royal bloodline—were plagued by this curse.
What was certain, though, was that no one who carried it had lived past the age of 30.
Edelmar, who had been silent, finally asked.
“What do you mean by ‘you could say it is’?”
“Don’t you feel it yourself?”
“…Yeah. When I’m near the Duke, I feel… something—something ordinary people shouldn’t feel.”
“It’s not the Duke.”
At that, Edelmar was visibly surprised.
“What?”
“The Duke is merely connected—through him, you’re able to forget the ‘Void.’ But the one who can actually undo the curse… is someone else.”
“You’re saying the ‘Void’ can be lifted?”
“Yes.”
Edelmar lowered his gaze at the High Priest’s resolute tone.
Someone capable of breaking a curse not even the High Priest could touch—connected to the Duke?
But the priest Ian had met in the beastfolk kingdom had once treated him and said not to let go of what he was holding onto.
Naturally, Edelmar had assumed that meant Ian himself.
But… what if it wasn’t Ian he meant?
“…Is it Rose?”
Again, the High Priest gave no reply.
Rose… Rose…
Edelmar had never felt any particular emotion toward Rose.
She was just around because of Ian—and he simply went along with that.
If Ian hadn’t cared so deeply for her, Edelmar wouldn’t have paid her any mind either.
But now to hear she might be the one who could undo the Void?
A single possibility flashed through his mind.
A being that had only been born once in the entire history of the Empire—and never again.
The wife of the founding Emperor… the one known as the daughter of a noble god.
“…The Saintess.”
“All things will come to pass in due time according to the will of the gods. So do not rush it.”
From beyond the partition came the sound of a chair sliding.
The High Priest was apparently leaving the prayer room.
“High Priest. Could there be a beastfolk with blue coloring?”
Thud. The door closed.
The High Priest vanished without answering.
