An object that contains a fervent desire
The night dew settled on the shoulders of the old man who had been riding a horse all night.
He tied the reins to the stake and entered the dark mansion without even having time to shake his shoulders.
“You are here, Your Highness the Duke.”
The old gentleman’s shoulders flinched at the friendly greeting that came from around the corner.
His weary eyes slid sideways, finding the man lounging on a large sofa, covered with a blanket over his knees.
“Yes. I just met with El Weiss.”
“Oh, what did he say?”
“It was just as you said.”
“I see, As expected,”
The man said, smiling with the corners of his lips forming a pretty curve.
“What do you think, Duke?”
“I don’t know. I feel uncomfortable believing it, but not believing it would be illogical, because his story was perfect. He even brought a personal letter from His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Yes? A personal letter from the Emperor?”
“Yes. He claimed that if I couldn’t trust his words, he would prove them to me and present this.”
What the old gentleman handed the man was an envelope with an emerald sheen.
The man opened the envelope and took out the piece of paper inside. His long, slender fingers, without a single callus, flapped and opened the paper, making a clicking sound.
“It’s an invitation to the imperial banquet.”
“He even promised a meeting with Riella Blinite in person.”
“Yeah.”
As the man tilted his head in thought, his delicate yet sharp jawline was clearly visible.
The eyes that sparkled under the moonlight were a mysterious emerald color, just like the letter sent by the Emperor.
At first glance, it was the purest and most delicate light in the world. However, it was also a very sharp light that could cut anyone who reached out with their hand.
“If they’re calling us, we should go.”
The man answered refreshingly as if he had finished thinking about it.
“Okay, then I’ll pick the right person—”
“No. It’s the Imperial Palace we’re talking about. We can’t send just anyone. You’ll go yourself, Duke.”
“Yes? Surely not me. If this is a trap, my life will—
“Your Highness the Duke.”
“…..”
It was at that moment that the man’s normally clear face took on a sinister look of anger.
The old gentleman shuddered and took a deep breath.
“Go and check it yourself. That’s what I brought you into this for, isn’t it?”
—Sreek
The man gently folded the invitation he had been playing with like a toy and placed it on his lap.
“Did you get a little confused because you were acting like a leader here and there? When you heard ‘Your Highness the Duke’, did you really think you were a true nobleman?”
The old gentleman, who had been trembling with fear, soon lowered his gaze.
The man smiled again as if he had never pressed the old man before and asked him kindly.
“Go. If the Emperor truly has a Saint hidden somewhere in the palace, you must bring her back, even at the cost of your life. It’s all for the sake of the Federation, Your Highness the Duke.”
* * *
“The Duke has decided to attend the banquet.”
Upon El’s report back at the palace, Jess let out a scoffing laugh loud enough to be heard.
“A ‘Duke’? What kind of Duke doesn’t even have a proper title or name? What country is the Duke from?”
Jess was right. The ‘Duke’ whose name and face were never known, and whose nickname was ‘Duke’.
All those plotting to form an alliance were the same. They always concealed their identities when appearing before El.
That “Duke” wasn’t even a real duke. It operated as an organization without any real headquarters, so it was impossible to know the identity of the mastermind.
That was why Herhan undertook such a risky operation.
“And what will you do now? If those people step foot in the palace?”
“First, we must dispel suspicions about Riella. Eliminating the entire faction will come later—after Riella’s safety is secured.”
After answering Asion, Herhan turned his eyes to El again.
Even though his body was not yet fully recovered and the kneeling position must have been uncomfortable, El knelt before the Emperor without complaint.
Even though Herhan knew that fact, he didn’t bother to let him stand.
Instead, he asked coldly.
“El Weiss. You said this is the barrier and the verification stone?”
El slightly raised his head and confirmed what Herhan had held out.
His magic stone necklace, which always glowed red in Riella’s hand, and now glowed blue in Herhan’s hand.
“Yes.”
“Is it the only thing like it in the world?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Herhan asked a few more questions about the magic stone, then turned his head and gave Jess an order.
“Jess. Find a skilled jeweler and bring him to me secretly.”
But before Jess could answer, Asion interrupted.
“Your Majesty, I will do it. Jess will be busy preparing for the banquet.”
“Well, Asion, shouldn’t you be doing your job?”
“My job?”
Asion tilted his head, blinking innocently. Did he have an assignment he had forgotten?
“You must prepare for execution.”
“Yes? Whose execution are you talking about?”
Even after hearing the master’s kind hint, Asion was at a loss as to the answer.
‘Is he going to execute El Weiss? No, but he decided to use him as a double agent. Oh. Is he planning to capture and execute the Federation leader at this banquet?’
At that moment, Herhan got up from his seat, personally patted Asion on the shoulder, and whispered the answer into his ear.
“The execution of the foolish adjutant who lost the Emperor’s proposal ring.”
* * *
“Cheer up, Captain…”
“…..”
“There is still time until the banquet. You will definitely find it before then…”
Lou tried to comfort him but then closed her mouth.
In front of the Emperor’s inner room, with his shoulders hunched and his head barely lifted, Asion resembled a drenched, pitiful puppy.
“No, I won’t find it. Even if I had a hundred years, I wouldn’t.”
The voice of the Captain of the Imperial Army was weak, almost pathetic, making it hard to believe he held such a title.
Seeing that, Luo stepped up confidently.
“Don’t be pessimistic! My mother always said that things that have a fervent desire always find their way to their owners!”
“But…”
Lou clenched her small fists.
Compared to Asion holding the sword, her hand was as soft as a cotton ball, but at that moment, her small fist pounded and woke Asion’s retreating mind.
“You went all the way with His Majesty on a business trip to get it, right? You worked so hard to get it! So, let’s search for it again. I’m sure you’ll find it. I’ll help you. Okay?”
“Lou…”
Asion nodded and got up.
Lou stretched out her short arm, barely reaching the height of Asion’s standing chest, and patted Asion’s shoulder.
“Alright then. Are you sure it’s not in the inner room?”
“Yes. Just in case, I’ll check Miss Riella’s wardrobe and jewelry box again.”
“Okay, thank you.”
“Don’t mention it! We all worked hard on this together!”
The friendship between the two people who faced each other and strengthened their resolve shone through.
And the witness who watched the touching scene till the end quietly turned around and went back into his room.
—Click.
Only after locking the bedroom door did Riella take out the ring she had kept hidden in her bosom.
‘Is this why His Majesty went on a business trip? Everyone worked hard for it? If that’s the case, then why isn’t I included in the word ‘everyone’?’
Riella rested her chin on her hand and pondered over why she was the only one who didn’t know something that even His Majesty, Asion, and even Lou knew.
It was on the very same day that Asion was in a panic, saying that he had brought the evidence that Riella discovered the ring.
When she first picked up the ring that had fallen on the carpet, Riella thought it was purely Asion’s personal item, so she naturally tried to return it right away.
However.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty…No matter how hard I search, I can’t find it…”
“Find it. Do you know what will happen if you don’t find it?”
“W-what will happen?”
“I will lose Riella, and Enril will surely die because he has lost Ann. Then I will go down in history as the shortest-lived emperor. As for you, you’ll be buried alive alongside me.”
“Oh, no! Losing that ring isn’t that serious—”
“What? ‘That ring’?”
“No. What I mean is,…”
The conversation that Herhan and Asion were having in secret was so absurd and meaningful.
‘What does ‘losing me’ mean? Could this also be one of El’s magic stones?’
‘Does it make the power of purification stronger?’
‘Now that I think about it, it does seem to have an extraordinary energy…’
Certainly, the gem set into that ring looked special to Riella, who had grown up in the mercenary group and seen many treasures.
A red light so vivid and splendid that it seemed to contain flames, of a size larger than anything she had ever seen before.
Moreover, the craftsmanship was so fine that when a single ray of light was shined on it, the surroundings became splendid as if sunlight was pouring down.
‘Everyone is desperately looking for it, and if it’s such an important item, it’s right to return it quickly.…’
Riella, holding the ring tightly, hesitated as she was about to go to Asion in the hallway.
‘But why are you keeping me from knowing anything?’
At first, the exclusion made her feel left out, almost like she was being deliberately ignored.
So she had a mischievous thought to tease Captain Asion and Herhan a little more.
But as she thought about it for a long time, she started to feel sorry for everyone.
‘Why am I always so clueless? They’re all struggling because of me…’
Ever since her identity as Ann’s descendant had been revealed, it had always been the same.
She was always the last to learn the truth, by the time she did, everyone around her was already fighting to protect her.
Every time, behind every truth, there was Herhan.
Riella knew Herhan’s heart well.
‘He cared for me deeply. He wants me not to tremble in needless fear.’
‘But was it right to keep hiding and passively accepting his care?’
“You are my master.”
Wasn’t she now Herhan’s master?
With a determined expression, Riella clenched her fist.
* * *
After a while, Riella went to Jess’s lab without anyone knowing.
“Sir Jess. If you’re not busy, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Sorry. I’m busy.”
Jess answered without even looking up.
But Riella, who had become immune to such a prickly attitude, sat down in front of Jess without taking any hits.
“I’m really busy. Until I finish this, I can’t—”
“Is there anything I can do for His Majesty?”
“Yes?”
Jess finally lifted his gaze from the towering stack of documents.
He blinked, unsure if he had heard her correctly.
Riella, however, sat with a serious and earnest expression, waiting for his response.
“You’re already purifying His Majesty with Ann’s power, aren’t you?”
“Besides that. Everyone’s working so hard because of me. Even you, Sir Jess, are dealing with this banquet preparation because of me. And His Majesty…?
For a moment, Riella closed her mouth and the image of Herhan tossing and turning all night, unable to sleep, came to her mind.
‘He seems so anxious and worried. I want to do something for him. Is there anything I can do?’
“Really? Are you really going to discuss that with me?”
“Why me?”
“Because sir Jess is the one who can give me the most objective advice.”
Jess nodded, genuinely considering her words, but then suddenly his eyes lit up as if he remembered something.
“Oh. There is one.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Yes. Please wait a moment.”
Jess jumped up from his seat and went to the back of the shelf to take out a ‘contract’.
It was a document explicitly detailing the responsibilities and duties of Ann’s descendants—an undeniable bond, free from the vagueness of love or loyalty.
‘Good thing I made extra copies. I knew it’d come in handy someday.’
Jess nodded with a satisfied look on his face, confident that not even his lord would object if Riella willingly signed thar.
As Jess glanced over the shelf, thinking that, an unbelievable scene suddenly entered his eyes.
‘What is that?’
There was Riella, staring intently at her palm.
And in her hand, something glittered with a vivid red light.
‘The Queen’s Sun?!’
Jess’s jaw dropped, and the contract slipped from his hands, its pages fluttering to the floor like scattered petals.
* * *
