REFDL 73

One week before the Founding Festival.

Yuram returned to his true form and headed for the imperial palace.

A massive shadow surged from the duke’s residence, and people’s hands reached toward the sky.

They cheered for the returning Kremlis.

Something must have happened. The rumors about Yuram’s whereabouts, which had grown increasingly dire as imagination fed on imagination, would finally die down completely starting today.

Tortan came out to greet him all the way to the training grounds. With a broad smile on his face, he personally opened his arms wide to welcome the precious Kremlis.

“My goodness! You’ve grown in the time we’ve been apart! I heard you’d reached adulthood. But since we hadn’t met, I hadn’t been able to give you a gift. Hmm. That won’t do. You’re the treasure of our Firmus. So, I wanted to show my sincerity in my own way…”

At his gesture, two knights stepped forward and set down a heavy chest. When the lid was lifted, it was filled to the brim with gold coins radiating a dazzling light.

The dragon’s jaw dropped wide open.

If he liked faces, he must like money too. That was the thinking behind the gift, and it worked even better than Tortan had anticipated.

‘I wonder if I should really be happy about this.’

Though his face wore a smile, Tortan mentally added another cautionary note about the Kremlis.

Vulnerable to material objects.

‘Best to block any subversive approaches at the source.’

Tortan spread his arms wide like a benevolent and magnanimous emperor.

“If there’s anything else you desire, speak freely. I shall grant it to the best of my ability.”

[Vacation]

Yuram answered immediately.

His eyes, usually as shiny as glass, gleamed as if he had prey before him. The emperor’s knights placed one hand on their swords, then straightened their posture when Kaelus met their gaze.

“Vacation? …Ah, is the training with the knight order a bit grueling?”

[Not me. Give Kaelus a vacation. We haven’t had enough time together.]

Kaelus, who had been talking with Nitan a short distance away, covered his mouth with the back of his hand and coughed.

He glared at the dragon. Tortan strained his eyes to scrutinize Kaelus and the dragon in turn.

…Something was amiss.

He sensed a subtle atmosphere, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.

‘Hmmm.’

Though he wasn’t glaring like the monster before him, who seemed ready to devour the dragon, Tortan had honed his own instincts through crossing the line of fire in civil war.

The emperor grinned brightly, as if he were unaware of anything, while inwardly, he licked his lips like a beast that had spotted its prey.

“Kaelus treats you well.”

[That’s not it.]

“Hm?”

[…But it’s nice being together.]

Yuram’s tail swayed lazily. The massive tail swept through the garden, smashing the beautifully landscaped trees.

[……!]

“Ah, don’t worry about it. People… no, dragons can be like that sometimes.”

Yuram, who had caused the accident, was crestfallen. The emperor’s reassurance offered Yuram no comfort. The dragon’s gaze remained fixed solely on Kaelus.

The Emperor summed up the situation simply.

It’s all about Kaelus’s face! Just make sure Kaelus does well!

Yuram, now shrunk small, was placed atop a cushion brought by a servant. The servant cradled the cushion as knights surrounded them for protection.

Since Yuram himself was a Kremlis and they were inside the imperial palace, there wasn’t much real danger. But this escort was less about protection and more about making a show.

As Yuram moved away, Tortan called out, “I’ll be right back, so eat some snacks!” with a beaming face, then grabbed Kaelus’s shoulders firmly.

“……”

Let go.

He felt the killing intent radiating from his entire body, and the Emperor immediately released his grip.

But his mouth didn’t stop. He waved his fully extended hands back and forth.

“Duke. I’ll send someone over.”

“……?”

“It’s a famous shop in the capital these days. Ever heard of ‘The Peacock’s Cry’?”

Never heard of it. What kind of name is that anyway?

“It’s a place where noblemen who love dressing up wear out the doorstep. The employees strip people down to their underwear and clean them thoroughly. Of course, you’re a diamond that shines even without polishing. But wouldn’t it be better to be absolutely sure?”

All for the welfare and prosperity of Firmus!

“……”

The attendants discreetly distanced themselves from the two. The knights, their eyes unconsciously turning cold, stepped back from them before realizing their mistake and snapping back into position.

And then Kaelus said,

“……I have urgent matters to discuss with His Majesty. We shall proceed to the office; do not follow.”

“Duke? Duke? I know your affection for me well, but my shoulders feel like they’ll fall off…”

Drag, drag, drag.

* * *

Three days before the Founding Festival.

The envoys from Denos entered the capital. The representative was the same as those who came for last year’s birthday celebration.

The Fourth Prince. It was Valita.

* * *

“Damn leg.”

Valita, his chin resting on the window sill, watched a Pensilta going back and forth across the distant training grounds and clicked his tongue.

“Just stay still for once.”

He punched his own thigh.

But the leg still trembled. It wasn’t just shaking. It swayed up and down, left and right, as if that part alone were being used for something.

Valita bit his lip and struck his thigh even harder. This time, the leg paused briefly before struggling even more violently.

“Ugh…!”

Clang!

A loud noise from inside made the servants outside knock on the door. Valita replied it was nothing, that he’d accidentally knocked over a chair.

Outside fell quiet again.

Since being discovered wasn’t his intention, the damnable leg also quieted down.

Lying on the floor, tense, Valita bit his lip. His hair stood on end with rage.

He raised his clenched fist high once more, but ultimately couldn’t bring himself to strike.

Valita’s left leg.

More precisely, the leg connected to some demon as a medium for the contract had only recently started acting up.

The man remembered that day vividly. While sleeping, only his leg suddenly started convulsing. It bounced on the bed, eventually bending at unnatural angles, twisting this way and that.

There was no pain. It was simply repulsive to behold.

After some time, the movement subsided, and the leg, twisted like origami, straightened back out.

Simultaneously, a faint echo rang in Valita’s mind.

Too faint to be a voice, yet too distinct to be mere hallucination, a strange sensation.

It was the demon’s will.

―[The divine beast has finally sealed the rift. What a damned wraith!]

―[You think it’s over. You think you’ve won. But no! The rift is closed, yet I, the great ⦡⧝⧾⧉, am immortal.]

―[A new door, a new rift must be opened!]

―[Opening an entirely new door would be best. But for now, we lack the resources or manpower. Even sacrificing Denos whole would be impossible.]

―[Preparing now would take thousands of years, and since it must be carried out across generations, the chance of failure midway is high. Then perhaps a new rift…?]

“Shut up!”

Valita shouted, he hurled his teacup.

Crash!

The cup smashed against the wall. Outside remained quiet. His warning to the servants had paid off.

Valita gasped for breath, staggering. He clutched his numb left leg with all his strength.

The sharper the pain in his leg became, the fainter the presence of the voice invading his mind grew.

After calming his breathing, Valita brushed back his slightly disheveled hair. He adjusted his clothing, then opened the door and stepped out.

Pale-faced attendants and the knights assigned to him, serving both as guards and watchers from Firmus. The gazes of the knights he had brought from his homeland all turned toward Valita.

Valita spoke calmly.

“I must go out.”

“What do you mean…?”

“I’m leaving the imperial palace. I wish to see the capital.”

“Ah. In that case, I will assign someone to guide you.”

“No. It’s unnecessary. The same goes for escorts. The knights I brought are sufficient.”

The attendant’s face darkened before quickly returning to normal.

“We cannot neglect the safety of our honored guest. And His Majesty—”

“Surely you don’t intend to tell me, a foreign royal, that the security in the capital of Firmus is lacking?”

“Ah, no. That’s not what I meant, but—”

“Then I must politely decline your kindness. Tell His Majesty as much.”

Valita tapped the attendant on the shoulder and left. The attendant flustered briefly, but soon seemed to conclude there was no way to stop him.

“Please be careful. You must return before evening.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Valita crossed the corridor with a light step.

The commotion behind him grew louder. He sensed the attendants and several knights rushing off somewhere.

‘One will go to the Emperor, and another to the Duke, I suppose?’

The rest would likely try to follow him, keeping as inconspicuous as possible.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’

He had no other intentions. Right now, Valita simply needed a change of pace.