The imperial palace, Altar of Spirits.
The altar officials, taken aback by the unexpected guest, were in a flurry as Victor Diollus, the youngest son of the Diollus Duchy, had arrived unannounced.
Head Altar Rauss came out personally to greet him. “I welcome the illustrious Diollus’ descendant. You’ve arrived without prior notice… Do you have some significant matter to convey?” Ever since the incident with Leonard, Rauss would be sweating bullets whenever he encountered someone from that family.
Seeing the tension on Rauss’ face, Victor spoke hesitantly, “Oh, it’s nothing like that. Could I possibly have access to the contracts with the spirits?”
“Pardon?” Rauss, who was taken aback by the unexpected request, asked, raising an eyebrow. “For what reason?”
“I’m confused because so many noble highnesses need assistance. I was wondering which individual has contracts with which spirits and such…”
“Ah, I see. Follow me then.”
Rauss nodded and began to walk, with Victor following behind. Along the white marble corridor, majestic azure flags were prominently displayed. Each flag bore intricate mystical patterns representing different spirits.
Victor slowly trailed behind Rauss, carefully observing each of these symbols. Suddenly, his steps halted before one particular flag.
When Rauss turned around and saw that Victor hadn’t followed, he raised an eyebrow, then followed Victor’s gaze. On the grand flag above them, a distorted clock-like pattern was depicted.“Gestern,” Rauss said. “The spirit of regression.”
“Turning back time…”
“Yes.”
“Does this spirit possess any special abilities besides that?” Victor asked with a trembling voice.
Rubette had failed in her contract with a spirit. Well, more precisely, it was known as a failure because the symbol of the spirit did not appear on the back of her hand… Such an unusual occurrence could only be attributed to the power of the spirit.
“No, there’s nothing like that. Among the three spirits that influence ‘time,’ Gestern is considered to have the lowest power.”
“Low power? Even though it can manipulate time?”
“Yes. Within the Spirits of Time, there’s Pose, which can stop time, and Vista, which is the highest grade. Gestern is considered an intermediate spirit. This is due to the significant toll it takes when using its ability.” Rauss continued, “It demands the user’s lifespan equivalent to the time they turn back. That’s why, historically, even those who contracted with Gestern rarely used its ability, or if they did, it was for a very brief period.”
“…I see.”
It was quite a substantial risk.
Rubette…
‘She said she dreamed of dying at the age of forty-five. If Ruby had the Spirit of Regression and turned back thirty years, she should have already died.’
…So she was not a contractee of Gestern.
Victor confirmed what he had already suspected and felt bewildered. From the beginning, he hadn’t even considered that Rubette could have the Spirit of Regression—he had a different suspicion.
Victor asked again, “Has anyone contracted with the Spirit of Regression?”
“Yes. The son of the late emperor and the 3rd Consort—the 17th Prince—currently His Excellency Duke Garcia, is the current contractee of Gestern.”
“I see.”
Not to mention, Gestern already had a contractee…
Victor continued to walk, pressing down on his pounding chest. Then he asked again, “Can spirits… use the abilities of other spirits, or is that not possible?” His tone somewhat hesitant.
Rauss furrowed his brow and tilted his head. “…What a strange question.”
“Oh, yes.”
Of course, it was a strange question, for a regular spirit, that is…
They soon reached the end of the corridor. Unlike the other flags standing on either side of the corridor, two much larger and more majestic flags stood guard at the entrance to the Fountain of Spirits.
Victor’s hand suddenly began to shake uncontrollably.
The flag with the symbol of “Landian,” the spirit of Descarde I, the empire’s founder, was etched on one of them. While the other one was…
The flag with the symbol of “Wishit,” the spirit of Diollus I, the Spirit of Wishes.
“Ah.”
Victor took a deep breath and swallowed hard.
Yes… If that were the case, wouldn’t all his questions about his sister be answered?
“If you wait here, I’ll fetch the list of the nobles’ spirits for you,” Rauss offered.
“No.” Victor, his breathing now heavy, turned away right there. “I’ve found what I needed. Thank you for your time.”
“…? Yes? Wait a moment, Lord Diollus!”
Then, as if fleeing, he rushed away.
***
At Lunten’s main branch of <Blanc de Ruby>. With all the employees gone, I remained in the store, looking over contracts and chuckling. Suddenly, Wishit poked their head in, saying, “Things seem peaceful.”
“Hehe…”
“What else is it?”
“This is the first overseas branch contract for <Blanc de Ruby> set to enter the capital of the Robben Kingdom.”
“What?”
“Hahaha! The prestige of my shop expanding worldwide!”
I swelled with pride for a moment, but Wishit just sighed as if they found it pathetic and muttered while clenching their fist, “Aren’t you worried about the 2nd Prince?”
“The 2nd Prince? What should I be worried about?”
“If everything goes according to your plan, won’t the 2nd Prince want to see you alone now?”
“I suppose so,” I replied dismissively and tidied up the place. Wishit followed me, muttering.
“Aren’t you scared?” Wishit asked.
“What’s there to be scared of when you’re around?”
Both Lark and Wishit were like this. Why couldn’t they just relax?
I turned to Wishit. “I hope the 2nd Prince moves quickly. Since I think he’ll want to meet without Lark’s watchful eye, he’ll probably send someone when I’m outside, right? I hope he contacts me before I lose my patience. That slow bastard…”
I casually brushed off Wishit’s concerns. It was late afternoon when the sun was about to set. After tidying up the first-floor store and putting on my mask, I stepped outside.
“Huh?”
There stood a carriage with our family crest prominently displayed. I was taken aback, wondering what was happening, when the door opened, and Victor stuck his head out.
“Hello, Madame Ruby.”
“Hehe.”
“Since you’re so busy, I thought if I asked for a gentlemanly date, you wouldn’t accept, so I’m resorting to kidnapping. I hope you understand.”
“Hmph.”
I climbed onto the carriage beside Victor, removed my mask, and said, “I’d willingly be kidnapped.”
“Is everything done?”
“Yes. But why did you bring so many guards with you?”
Wasn’t Victor the one who used to sneak around like a shadow?
I asked as I noticed about five guards riding alongside the carriage, and Victor replied with a distraction. “What do you think about dinner?” he asked.
“It’s not yet time. Are you hungry, Brother?”
“Not really.”
“Me neither. We can eat later.”
“Sure. Is there anywhere you’d like to go?”
“Anywhere to go? Hmm…”
“How about going to see the sea?”
“The sea?” I couldn’t help but laugh at Victor’s noble intention to let his little sister enjoy fresh air. “Later. We’d have to drive for at least five hours to reach the sea. What are you talking about?”
“Then where would you like to go?”
“Let’s go to Prague and have a cup of tea while looking at Lake Gratia. Then, it’ll be just right to have a late dinner at home.”
“I’m not going home. I’ll take you there and then rest at the inn.”
“Huh?”
“Hey, why do you think I skipped training in the afternoon and practically ran here just in time for your finishing time?” Victor frowned. “As soon as I go home, I won’t be able to refuse your request not to murder them.”
“Oh.”
It was the request I had for Victor to leave Molga and the twins alone for a while.
“Actually, I was planning to tell Dad and you soon. Before I could even prepare myself, you stole my diary, and that’s how this all happened…”
“Please wait just a little. Let me talk to Dad first. Huh? If you start causing a commotion suddenly, won’t Dad find it strange?”
Victor asked why I had made this decision, and I tried to use the excuse of talking to Dad first, and it seemed to work reasonably well.
“No matter what, leaving home and going to an inn… You can’t control your emotions that much?”
“Yeah. I’m someone with another self inside.”
Another self with a quick temper and impulsive tendencies?
It was a joke that wasn’t easy to laugh at, so I just coughed a few times and remained silent.
“Ruby.”
In the slowly moving carriage, Victor called me with a serious tone.
“Yes?”
“You know, do you… happen to help the crown prince because you saw something in the… what should I call it? The future? Are you helping him because of that?”
Wow, he’s sharp.
I was momentarily taken aback but answered as casually as possible, “Well, something like that.”
“Okay, I see. That makes sense.” After that, Victor, who had been looking out of the window in silence for a while, turned to me. “Can you let go of it?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, the crown prince I know isn’t the kind of person who would force you to help him. It seems like you’re helping him willingly to some extent…”
“Yes?”
“Why? You know how dangerous it is to get involved in the royal succession dispute.”
“I don’t engage in risky behavior. His Highness takes good care of me, and I’m not foolish. Don’t worry, Brother.”
“No, you are a bit foolish. When I heard that you intentionally entered the judicial chamber and got put in solitary confinement to assist Her Highness the 5th Princess, I didn’t understand you at all.”
“…”
Victor stared at me as if scolding me with a tearful face. “I just want you to live a normal, worry-free, happy, and healthy life.”
“Why are you suddenly…”
“You should do what you want, receive love… and live without sadness, without danger.”
“…”
“I…”
“Y-yes?”
Victor’s eyes welled up to the point where he clenched his lower lip tightly. His eyes, as if trying to hold back tears, quickly filled with moisture, leaving me bewildered. “I’m sorry. I’ll make sure you don’t see me at my lowest anymore. Even though…” Victor roughly wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “I can’t make up for when you were alone and struggling. But still, I’ll do my best.”
“What are you talking about…”
“So please, promise me.” Victor closed his eyes tightly and added. “This time, live for yourself. Don’t let others use you because of that wretched spirit. Don’t be swayed by empty words about righteousness and whatnot.”
“…What?” For a moment, I doubted my ears.
“Promise me! Quickly! Promise you won’t do anything dangerous! Promise you won’t do anything at all!”
“Brother, I don’t really understand what you’re saying, but I’m okay. It’s not dangerous.”
“Not dangerous? You’ve already forgotten that you almost got kidnapped blatantly in Lubon, haven’t you?”
“Brother, that’s-“
Then, at that moment, the carriage, which was traveling through a sparsely populated area beyond the outskirts, suddenly came to a jolting stop.
“Who are you?”
The five guards who had been following us rushed forward with determination. Victor quickly pulled the connecting window toward him, revealing dozens of armed men blocking our path.
‘Wow, what terrible timing.’
Just as Victor finished expressing his concern about kidnapping and such, this ‘dangerous situation’ appeared before us.
Victor looked at me, who was frozen, and chuckled helplessly. “Yeah… not dangerous at all. Right?”
“Brother, I don’t know what’s happening, but let’s not jump to conclusions. There’s a reason why such a large group is blocking our way, especially when they clearly know it’s our family’s carriage.”
Victor, whose eyes turned fierce once again, burst out angrily, “That son of a b****, seriously!!!”
I was startled and grabbed his arm.
“Why is it like this!? Why you!? What do they want!?”
“Brothe-”
“Why on earth are they after you? What did you do wrong? Why? Why? Why can’t they leave you alone!!?”
I was at a loss. I couldn’t think of any way to calm his temper.
“I’ll kill them all!!”
“B-Brother!”
Before I could stop him, Victor jumped out of the carriage.
“Oh, this is going to be trouble. Really.” I held onto my throbbing head.
Did the 2nd Prince send these assailants to take me? No, I wasn’t sure.
‘The 2nd Prince thinks I’m on good terms with him. If that’s the case, he would have quietly sent someone to contact me. There’s no reason for him to make such a fuss and kidnap me like this.’
As I tried to assess the origin of these suspicious attackers, the apparent leader among them noticed Victor and gave orders, “We can’t defeat him. Retreat as best as you can and secure the noblewoman. We’ll withdraw.”
What a lunatic. He had to say something like that right in front of Victor, who was currently out of his mind.
As expected, Victor, with a strange expression that was neither a smile nor tears, stared blankly at the sky and mumbled, “Why are you doing this to my little sister, why. Why on earth…”
Then, he unsheathed his sword and charged. “You bastards, all die!!”
Soon, the group of assailants clashed with Victor. Individually, their skills weren’t particularly threatening, but their numbers were overwhelming—there appeared to be around thirty of them.
Even though each of them might not be a formidable fighter, facing such a large group was still dangerous. But the fact that Victor was confronting them was a relief.
‘As long as he doesn’t get hurt…’
Then…
Crash!
“Oh, my!”
The carriage door was torn open, and one of the masked assailants approached me. I instinctively recoiled, but before I could react further, Victor rushed forward like lightning and brought the assailant down. He looked as if he had lost everything, his face filled with despair as he shouted, “Leave her alone! Don’t touch her! Aaaaaah!!”
The other assailants swarmed back towards Victor. For some reason, I noticed that there was a gory wound on Victor’s body, and blood was spurting from his face as he defended the carriage.
“Why…”
“Gah…”
With an agonizing cry, Victor was struck through his side by a gleaming blade.
“Why…”
“Cough…”
As Victor stood there, protecting me inside the carriage, our eyes met, and his mouth slowly filled with blood.
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