How much time has passed? I couldn’t see outside through the small window, so I had no idea how long it had been.
Sitting in an uncomfortable position for a long time, every part of my body, from my waist to my legs, ached.
Just untying my hands, which were tied behind the backrest, would make me feel much more comfortable, but wiggling my fingers only scratched my skin, without loosening the ropes.
“Mmm…”
I felt a presence from Linke, who seemed to have lost consciousness, as I twisted my legs, trying to do something about the rope binding my ankles.
“Minister Linke. Are you awake?”
His red-stained corneas didn’t seem to reflect me properly.
His cloudy gaze wandered through the air, seemingly searching for the source of the sound, but soon his eyelids closed again. How exhausting it must be… A deep sigh escaped me.
“What? What did you say?”
I heard a muffled sound from Linke, who had his eyes closed and head bowed.
“…OpeRio.”
Though I thought he had lost consciousness, Linke merely lowered his head and began to mutter something. It wasn’t clear, but I sensed that he was casting a spell.
“ObscurO, OpeRio.”
Not wanting to disturb him, I kept silent while he chanted. OpeRio? What kind of spell could that be?
“LemeoAbdo.”
As he recited a different spell, a white light flashed near his mouth and then vanished. Along with the light, the gag that had been covering his mouth also disappeared.
Did he make it disappear with magic? Can such things be done? I looked at Linke in awe and wonder.
He continued to chant a few more incomprehensible spells, and after a few seconds, he slowly lifted his eyelids.
“…I apologize for not greeting you properly, Your Highness the Grand Duchess. Please forgive my rudeness.”
“Rudeness? You looked too unwell to speak. By the way, can you talk now? Are you okay?”
In response to my question, Linke turned his head and met my gaze. Just moments ago, his corneas, stained red with blood, had returned to their original white.
“Did you cast a healing spell?”
“Yes. It’s temporary, but it should last for a while.”
I approached the topic with a welcoming mind, but I felt the watchful eyes of the guards at the door. Surely, they didn’t allow us to talk freely with Minister Linke.
Moreover, knowing that Linke could wield the desired magic with such ease made it even less likely that they would let us converse quietly.
“It’s alright. I’ve already cast a spell to blind their eyes,” he said.
“Oh….”
So that’s why those guards aren’t moving even while we’re talking. It felt strange.
“I didn’t know you could cast spells without a magic stone.”
“Without a magic stone, casting spells is useless. Most people fall into that category.”
“So you’re saying you don’t belong to that majority, Minister?”
He must be one of the most skilled in magic within the Empire, given that only someone of that caliber can hold the position of Minister of Magic. I felt fortunate to be able to speak with Linke while obscuring the guards’ view.
Being tied up in an unknown place with no idea what to do was frustrating, but meeting a reliable ally made me feel slightly relieved.
“I can say it’s a secret to always keep your magic stones in a portable form for emergencies.”
“A portable form…?”
No matter how small it was made, it couldn’t escape their notice.
Since he was the head of the Magic Department, he would have likely conducted a body search first. Just as I was about to express doubts about Linke’s words, he continued his kind explanation.
“By processing magic stones into powder-like particles and sticking them on my body. Your Highness.”
“Really… you can do that?”
“It’s a secret I’m only sharing with Your Highness.”
He even pretended to smile. Linke looked significantly better than when he was first dragged into this room.
“You mentioned that the healing magic is temporary. How long does its effect last?”
“Hmm. It lasts only a few minutes at most. I have to use the minimal amount of magic stones wisely to blind the guards, remove the gag in my mouth, and cast healing magic on myself, Your Highness.”
“The magic to blind their eyes will wear off in a few minutes as well.”
“Yes. I had to push myself to cast these spells at once because I absolutely needed to talk with you, Your Highness.”
“Yes. I’m really glad to have met the minister. I can’t do anything on my own.”
“I’m relieved to see His Highness is safe.”
“Do you know how the other knights are doing?”
“I briefly saw Sir Clovis, who is a close aide to His Highness Albrecht, just before being brought here.”
“What was his condition? Is he hurt badly?”
“He was injured, but he’s a strong young man, so he should be fine. A knight protecting royalty faces such injuries; they’re part of the job. If he has scars… they’ll be seen as medals one day.”
“Medals? Scars from injuries can’t possibly be a source of pride.”
“They’re a testament to loyalty to one’s master. That’s something to be proud of.”
Only then did I realize he was trying to reassure me. In a situation where everyone was hurt and I remained unscathed, I was still in a position of receiving help and protection from them.
I felt a mix of embarrassment and guilt, causing my nose to tingle.
“By the way, where is the young lady? I fervently hoped she would be with the Grand Duke, so I was surprised to see her alone.”
“They took her away.”
“To Scurr… the Grand Duke’s knights, you mean?”
“Yes. When they took her, there was someone with a grotesque appearance. That must be…”
“His Highness the Grand Duke’s mother.”
“How did you know?”
Linke seemed to already know Franz’s mother was here. He knew she had taken Valerie as well.
“Ah, I hoped it wouldn’t come to this.”
“Do you know why they need Valerie?”
Linke paused for a moment, deep in thought. He looked like he was enduring a wound somewhere. I wondered if the healing magic had worn off, as he seemed hesitant before slowly speaking.
“It’s a taboo that shouldn’t be spoken of…”
“I can roughly guess what it’s about. So please, don’t hesitate to tell me.”
“Since you can guess… well, this is tricky.”
Linke bit his lower lip anxiously. I understood why he hesitated, but securing Valerie’s safety was my priority now.
“Minister Linke.”
“Do you have any knowledge about the mother of Duke Toskur?”
“I only know there was some kind of connection in the past. Sadly, I’ve lost my memory, so I can’t recall the details.”
“You’re aware that the royal family has established a strict management system for children of unclear identity.”
“Yes. I understand it’s to tackle the frequent child abductions occurring in the empire.”
“That’s correct. At some point, children without parents seen on the streets or in orphanages began to disappear one by one. When their numbers were few enough to count on two hands, the royal family didn’t take it seriously. However, as their numbers rapidly increased, and noble children began to be abducted, the empire recognized the seriousness of the situation and deployed forces. Yet, without a fundamental solution… royal children ended up disappearing, leading us to our current situation.”
This was information I was already aware of.
Initially, it was the homeless children without parents, then children born to commoners, and eventually noble kids went missing. Only when someone’s insidious reach extended to the royal family did the royal investigative unit start a major crackdown.
Linke talking about this was a confirmation of what I had hoped wasn’t true, and what I had feared all along. My heartbeat quickened with anxiety.
“You’re hinting that the culprits are related to this place. So, Franz and his mother are suspects in the child abduction case. I understand.”
My patience had long since worn thin. It was a luxury to be surprised and afraid of the tremendous evil they had committed.
Now that I knew why they had taken Valerie, it was time to devise a countermeasure. Linke nodded, possibly catching the resolute intent in my eyes.
“I’m relieved that Her Grace the Duchess is dealing with this more calmly than expected.”
“They said that as they took Valerie, something about a flawless young girl, and a sacrifice. Anyone not a fool can understand what that means.”
A shadow fell over Linke’s face. His expression darkened at the mention of a flawless young girl, making me anxious.
“There must be a way to save Valerie, right? I believe the Minister surely has some method.”
“Well…”
I desperately prayed for an answer that affirmed my hope, waiting for his next words.
