“The number of nobles supporting Abel is increasing, right?”
“They are petty nobles who don’t do anything special. It is not something your highness should worry about.”
“You’re not very good at lying, Count Arman.”
Seeing Anais laughing, Count Arman closed his mouth with a sad look on his face.
The only imperial child born to the emperor and empress.
A noble bloodline who should naturally inherit the throne.
Until the Empress’s death, no one could question Anais’ status as crown princess.
However, behind-the-scenes work had been going on even before the Empress’ death, and the enemy’s attacks began from the time the Empress died.
And the Crown Princess Anais suddenly became a loner and suffered attacks from those she had considered family until yesterday.
‘It had to be blocked.’
However, there was something that Sasha overlooked, and it was that Anais, who always seemed gentle and sweet, was a person who was educated as a king from birth and was never soft on the inside.
“I will become emperor for my mother’s sake. I cannot give up this to Abel.”
Even if he gave up his father’s love, he could not give up the throne. That was Anais’s reason for existence, and it was her courtesy towards those who had protected her all these years.
“That’s enough of the investigation.”
“Now I have to make a proper counterattack against Lady Haberon and Abel.”
Anais got up from her seat and walked towards the window where the sunset was setting.
In any case, this investigation was only meant to shake off Anais’s lingering feelings, and there was plenty of evidence to turn Sasha and Abel into enemies.
‘Now was the time to start attacking, not defending.’
“I want a list of nobles who went over to Abel’s side. And a list of nobles who have not yet expressed a clear position.”
“Give me the end of the third day. I’ll make sure it’s complete.”
“I’ll give you a week and I’ll ask you to do some background checks on any nobles who might be able to help us.”
“I understand, Your Highness.”
Anais let Count Arman out and stood for a while, looking out the window and praying.
‘mother. Please help me not to succumb to this great evil.’
The setting sunset felt like warm comfort from her dead mother, making the tip of her nose tingle.
* * *
It was long after priest Daniel submitted his application that he was permitted to meet privately with priest John.
This is because John did not really like Daniel, who was a difficult scholar type.
However, he could not postpone the meeting with him forever, so he had no choice but to make a meeting, and what Daniel said was far beyond John’s expectations.
“High Priest. How about holding something like a ‘Ritual of Blessing of Sacred Relics’ at our temple?”
“Ritual of Blessing of Sacred Relics…?”
“yes. Isn’t the great wizard’s urn, a sacred relic of our temple, very famous? But it has never been disclosed to the outside world.”
“That’s right.”
“I am saying this because I was wondering if it would be a good idea to open this sacred relic to the public and give its blessings to believers.”
John narrowed his eyes to see if Daniel had any other intentions.
However, Daniel had an innocent face as usual.
John was not unaware of blessings of sacred objects from other temples.
He just hadn’t thought of publicly displaying a fake urn of the great wizard just because a thief.
‘Well, who would know it’s fake?’ As John slowly nodded and rubbed his chin, Daniel said something even more surprising.
“We could receive donations while blessing the sacred relics.”
“Hoo…”
John wondered why Daniel, who had been disapproving of all the ‘collection-related’ projects being carried out at the temple, was talking about donations.
“I didn’t know that Priest Daniel would even consider the temple’s donations.”
“Oh, this is not my idea. She was a saint who joined the temple this year and asked me to recommend it.”
“A saint who entered the temple this year? Who is it?”
“Saint Elaine, she is the saint of the Count Newt family.”
“Elaine Newt?”
John was surprised once again.
He knew Elaine Newt well. She was Count Newt’s ugly child, the niece he’d sent as a saint to get rid of before his eyes.
Although she seemed to be a timid and observant child, she actively took part in the work of the temple.
John was surprised that she was even thinking about it.
Plus, he really liked that idea.
“That’s surprising. It’s a busy time adjusting to the temple, but I can’t believe she even came up with such a thought.…”
“Saint Elaine is very studious and faithful. In fact, she talked about the blessing of holy relics and asked that it be a good idea to give opportunities to those who excel academically. She said it would bring honor to the family.”
“Haha, she was a person who was loyal to her family.”
“yes. While talking about donations, she also showed a realistic side that was unusual for her young age. She said that the charity work carried out at the temple ultimately requires money.”
John nodded at those words.
“That’s right, that’s right. The young saint is very broad-minded and wise. We were already running out of funds to spend on ‘Day of Service.’”
“It just so happens that this year marks the death of Lancers Aquinal. Isn’t it the 500th anniversary? Why not start by celebrating that?”
“Oh! That’s a very good idea!”
“It would be a bit difficult to open it to the general public from the beginning, so I think it would be better to start with the imperial family, then the priests of the temple, and then open it to exemplary saints first and then the nobles who wish to receive the blessing of the relic.”
“I think it would be better to expand the scope step by step like that. I will prepare quickly.”
John shook hands with Daniel for the first time in a very long time, giving him a satisfying smile.
‘I have a goose that lays golden eggs, but I am rotting them. Elaine Newt is truly amazing. She’s a saint.’
John shook his butt in joy as he found another corner to make money.
* * *
Elaine was even happier than John when she heard that John had welcomed the offer.
“The High Priest very gladly accepted my proposal! I got a chance to see the great wizard’s urn right in front of me!”
[I didn’t think that suggestion would work.…]
“How can the High Priest refuse to do something that costs nothing?”
Elaine grinned, pretending to be triumphant.
‘In my past life, I had a hard time for a while due to feelings of betrayal and disappointment after noticing John’s attitude, but thanks to that awareness, I was able to think of this method.’
[I didn’t like this guy from the first time I saw him, but thanks to his corruption, there’s a way out.]
“Yes. Maybe all trials are like two sides of the same coin.”
[You sound like an old man.]
“I only look like I’m seventeen, but I’m actually twenty-six.”
[Are you feeling proud in front of me because you’re old?]
Elaine kept her mouth shut at the arrogant look in Rabes’s eyes, but in fact, she wanted to ask, ‘Where on earth did you get your age?’
‘A dragon that is said to be over 500 years old is somehow becoming more childish as the days go by…’
Obviously, when I first met him in the cave, he was a scary divine beast, but these days, when I look at Rabes, I don’t even have the feeling of a ‘divine beast’.
‘He was just a cute reptile.’
If Rabes found out about that thought, he might grow bigger and step on Elaine at once.
“But, just by looking at the urn, are you saying that you can tell whether what’s inside is Lancer Aquinal’s bone fragment?”
[huh. yes.]
“how?”
[That guy had my magic in his body. So, if it’s really a piece of that guy’s bone, I should be able to feel my magic there. It’s simple, right?]
Elaine nodded and then asked again.
“Did that wizard also borrow the power of Rabes through the ‘Rekuro’ magic like I did?”
[He didn’t need to do that. He took away some of my magic core. That’s why he was able to become a great wizard.]
Rabes spoke as if nothing had happened, but Elaine didn’t think it was that simple.
“I heard the magic core is the heart of a dragon?”
[yes. It is no different from the dragon’s life and magic power itself.]
“then…What happens to the life and magic power Rabes has taken away?”
[Lancer, it was like he had it.]
“You mean you gave away your life?”
[Well, does that happen?]
Rabes chuckled.
The foolish Lancer didn’t know until the end, but Rabes not only gave Lancer his magical power but also his life.
Whether he would die at the end of his human lifespan or live a life close to eternal life based on Rabes’ lifespan would depend on Lancer’ choice, but whatever decision Lancer made, Rabes tried to respect that decision.
‘I cared for that little human so much, but what came back was a sealing curse.’
‘I have absolutely no idea why that was so.’
“Didn’t it hurt?”
[What? Giving him the magic core?]
“yes. I don’t know how you took it off, but I think it would have been painful if I had taken something from my body and given it to someone.”
[Haha! You are saying the same thing as that guy.]
Rabess was in a happy mood and giggled.
Lancer and Elaine really acted like different humans, but it was times like this that he could tell they were humans with the same soul.
[The amount of human magic is so small that it is impossible to create a magic core or share it with anyone, but dragons are different. I can split the magic core and share it with other living things. Of course, it is a very rare thing.]
“You cared enough about the contractor named Lancers to do such a rare thing.”
[He was my first contractor, the human who brought me out into this world, and he was pretty cute, too.]
Elaine could see a hint of wistfulness in Rabes’s eyes as he replied.
And she was a little envious of the Great wizard named Lancers, who she didn’t even know what he looked like.
‘I wonder what it’s like to be someone’s first?’
Being the first person to summon a dragon, it was enough for Elaine to realize that Lancer was no ordinary human.
* * *
