Chapter 9
Without a moment’s hesitation, Artiella threw herself toward her father and older brother.
Unlike their youngest, who was a knight, neither of the two men was particularly athletic. Even so, they barely managed to avoid the falling debris.
Peter was likewise pulled safely out from beneath the eaves by Purcell.
BOOM!
A deafening crash echoed as a cloud of dust billowed into the air.
“Father! Brother! Are you all right?”
“Y-Yes, we’re fine. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Your Majesty, are you injured anywhere?”
“No…”
The Holy Knights, thinking an earthquake had struck, came pouring out of the building.
Some jumped out the windows.
Others rushed through the front entrance, only to panic when they found it half-blocked by rubble, forcing their companions to drag them toward the back exit.
The brief chaos was quickly brought under control by Artiella.
“You four, bring a cart.”
“You two, get shovels and start loading the debris.”
“Frail, go notify the priests and request emergency repairs.”
“The main entrance to the barracks is closed until further notice.”
“Yes, Commander!”
“Also inspect the rest of the building. See if there are any more cracks or leaning walls.”
“Do we have to go inside?”
“If you don’t feel safe, wait until the priests arrive.”
“They have construction specialists.”
“Yes, Commander!”
Count Soltis and his son watched Artiella direct everyone with warm smiles.
Their eyes overflowed with affection.
And worry.
They respected the difficult path she had chosen.
But they never stopped fearing for her.
Sometimes evil was stronger than justice.
“Our little Arti has grown up.”
“I’m already twenty.”
“…That’s true.”
“I had no idea the Holy Knights’ barracks were in such poor condition.”
“We’ll have to increase our donations.”
“I can’t let our youngest daughter live somewhere this dangerous.”
At his son’s words, Count Soltis nodded.
“Bleo.”
“If I remember correctly, this building isn’t even five years old.”
At that moment, Peter casually interrupted.
“Really?”
“Then what sort of scoundrels built the Holy Knights’ barracks so poorly?”
“They should be arrested and severely punished.”
“All of Edelion’s buildings were constructed by deeply devout craftsmen.”
“I doubt it was poor workmanship.”
“Then… is there another reason?”
At Bleo’s question, Peter silently looked toward one man.
Kirien Rupel.
Still standing there in shock.
His eyes were fixed blankly on Artiella.
“You’ve witnessed it yourself several times during noble council meetings, haven’t you, Count?”
Count Soltis raised an eyebrow before slowly nodding.
“So this gentleman is another victim.”
“Even within sacred ground, his misfortune never ceases.”
“Count.”
Peter’s voice turned serious.
“Do you really believe this is merely bad luck?”
Count Soltis turned toward the Emperor.
“Is there another explanation?”
“You have both a Saintess and a Holy Knight in your family.”
“You know the old myths better than I do.”
“The ones about beings that bring calamity and disaster wherever they go.”
“If that isn’t the case…”
“…then how could this happen every single time?”
The Count frowned.
He clearly disliked Peter’s implication.
Bleo, however, looked at Duke Rupel with curiosity.
The Duke’s black hair and crimson eyes were striking.
Whenever Bleo attended social gatherings, noble ladies often argued over whether he or the Duke was the most handsome man in the Empire.
Still…
The atmosphere they gave off was completely different.
Bleo was cheerful and full of confidence.
The Duke always looked gloomy and anxious.
With a face like that…
He could stand a little taller.
He’s a Duke.
If the Emperor slandered me to my face, I’d at least have the nerve to glare back.
“Your Grace.”
“Are you feeling unwell?”
Bleo stepped closer.
“You shouldn’t come near me.”
“My presence is dangerous.”
“I don’t think anything else is going to collapse.”
“But…”
“What?”
“Don’t tell me the ground’s going to cave in now.”
It was only a joke.
Yet Kirien’s eyes widened in alarm as he instinctively stepped backward.
“Brother!”
“Watch what you say!”
Artiella suddenly flew over and hooked an arm around Bleo’s neck.
“My dear little sister.”
“The neck of your handsome older brother bruises very easily.”
“What are you bragging about?”
“Being weak?”
She rolled her eyes and let him go.
Bleo staggered closer to Kirien again.
Kirien immediately backed away.
Bleo looked unfairly treated, but one look at his little sister’s glare was enough to make him obediently retreat.
“His Grace came to Edelion to resolve the misfortune surrounding him.”
Artiella walked over to the Emperor.
“I’ve already finished verifying the matter you entrusted to us, Your Majesty.”
Her tone was noticeably sharper.
She stared directly at him.
Peter’s brows narrowed slightly.
“You verified it?”
“You’re certain?”
“Yes.”
“The Holy Sword, Bardo, acknowledged the purity of his soul.”
Artiella answered calmly.
Her certainty left Peter speechless.
He rubbed his face with both hands.
Every movement revealed his confusion.
“That’s impossible.”
“I saw it with my own eyes.”
“No matter what Your Majesty says…”
“I cannot accuse His Grace of crimes he did not commit.”
“Bardo will never bare its blade against someone who is innocent.”
Her voice became noticeably colder.
“So…”
“You don’t trust me.”
“Your Majesty doesn’t trust either the Holy Sword…”
“…or the temple.”
A chilly silence settled between them.
Count Soltis hurriedly stepped in.
“Arti.”
“If His Grace is here to solve his misfortune…”
“…why did you bring him to the Holy Knights’ barracks?”
“I thought Edelion would be safe.”
“And since there wasn’t anywhere else for him to stay…”
“I was going to lend him my room.”
“What?!”
“Your room?”
The Count paled and instinctively glanced at the Emperor.
“But…”
“I was mistaken.”
“That’s right.”
“No matter the circumstances, you can’t have an unrelated man sleeping in a young lady’s room.”
“No.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Artiella’s eyes lit up.
“The accidents weren’t caused by bad luck.”
“Or the curse.”
“I need to speak with the Saintess again.”
She strode confidently toward Kirien.
“Your Grace!”
…But something was wrong.
Kirien didn’t seem to have heard a single word of her conversation with the Emperor.
His expression was filled with self-loathing.
He looked completely lost.
As his anxiety intensified, the aura around him once again burst into life, swirling wildly around his body.
“I don’t think this will work.”
“I should return home.”
“Even after destroying that strange shadow…”
“…another accident still happened.”
Exactly.
That was the real problem.
“Your Grace.”
“That’s enough.”
“You believe me when I say I’ll take responsibility, don’t you?”
Artiella smiled brightly and took his hand.
Kirien froze.
He wasn’t the only one.
Bleo’s mouth fell open.
Peter’s eye twitched.
Count Soltis hurried forward, intending to separate his daughter from the dangerously unlucky Duke.
But Artiella only smiled with absolute confidence.
“I knew it.”
“Knew what?”
Instead of answering, she looked carefully around Kirien’s face.
It was gone.
“I found it.”
“The true cause of the misfortune surrounding you.”
The brilliant white aura…
…had disappeared.
All seven of them gathered inside the Saintess’s reception room.
Everyone’s attention was fixed on Artiella’s hand.
Specifically…
The one firmly holding onto Kirien’s.
“So you’re saying…”
“His Grace possesses aura.”
“And the true source of all these unfortunate incidents…”
“…is that aura itself?”
Yusiel asked.
Artiella nodded vigorously.
“Exactly.”
“He didn’t even know he possessed aura.”
“Since it had no conscious control from its owner, it reacted like an automatic defense mechanism whenever he became nervous.”
“And it destroyed everything around him.”
“Purcell.”
Standing behind the Emperor, Purcell immediately stepped forward.
“Is that possible?”
“It was certainly more noticeable today.”
“But judging by the amount and how crudely it moves…”
“…I find it difficult to believe it could cause destruction on this scale.”
“Please take His Grace’s hand.”
At Artiella’s suggestion, Purcell reluctantly grasped Kirien’s hand.
An experienced knight could confirm another person’s aura through direct contact.
Just as she expected—
The moment their hands touched…
Two differently colored auras sparked together.
“I-It really is there…”
“He possesses aura.”
“And…”
“…a tremendous amount of it.”
“Then why didn’t even you notice before?”
The Emperor had addressed Purcell.
But Artiella answered instead.
“Well…”
“His Grace’s appearance sparkles so much.”
“…”
Silence.
Filled the room.
But…
It was true.
“Ordinary people can’t distinguish aura.”
“Since His Grace is so extraordinarily handsome…”
“They probably mistook it for some sort of natural radiance.”
“It didn’t carry any hostility, so even knights likely dismissed it as ambient mana.”
Besides…
People instinctively avoided someone who seemed ominous.
They had never observed him carefully enough.
“I understand your explanation.”
Bleo nodded proudly.
“People often tell me I have a radiant aura too.”
The sisters’ expressions soured at his ridiculous comment.
“Can it be fixed?”
Yusiel asked.
Artiella nodded brightly once more.
“Yes.”
“It’s actually very simple.”
“Really…?”
Kirien looked at her with desperate hope.
She answered with a dazzling smile.
“Of course.”
“You just have to learn from me.”
“How to use aura.”
Hope had only just begun to appear on Kirien’s face…
When every man in the room stood up at once.
“I object.”
“Arti…”
“Perhaps you should reconsider.”
