Chapter 228
Chapter 228
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: What Princess Rapita Possesses
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"This is..."
"No way...!"
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
The attendants following Prince Rasnian were plunged into shock.
"It, it really appeared...!"
It was the high wind spirit, Sylph.
This transcendent being had manifested on the altar in response to the summons.
To an outsider, it might seem like, "They called it themselves, so why are they surprised?"
But from their perspective, the reaction was entirely natural.
Beings of the same rank as high spirits weren't something you could contact just because you wanted to.
Even a meticulous ritual performed on an altar infused with pure energy was, at best, a "gentle knock" when the target was a high spirit.
For example.
The success of the ritual depended entirely on the high spirit's whim.
Only if the high spirit felt like, "Shall I grace them with a visit?" would the ritual succeed.
And that was far from a common occurrence.
High spirits were the ones who did the summoning, not the ones being summoned.
They never took kindly to being called to someone else's time and place.
Thus, Rasnian's group was shocked—and shocked again.
"And... it even seems in a good mood?"
Not only had the high spirit responded to the summons,
but its voice carried no displeasure—quite the opposite.
Their shocked expressions soon turned to elation.
"It acknowledges you, Lord Rasnian!"
They reached that conclusion from the series of clues presented.
It made perfect sense to them.
The only high elf at the altar was Prince Rasnian, and the ritual had been performed by him.
However.
There was one unresolved detail.
'Rishir.'
They cautiously rolled the name mentioned by the high spirit around in their mouths.
"Yes, Sylph! It's me! Rasnian, high elf of the World Tree's noble lineage! I requested this meeting with you!"
There was no breaking the mood when the prince had already drawn his own conclusion and was rejoicing.
It was rare for a high spirit to remember the names of non-contractors one by one.
They decided the high spirit had simply misremembered the prince's name, just as Rasnian had.
—Is that so. The one who called me—
That was when it happened.
"Sylph!?"
The high spirit's voice, which had rung out clearly across the entire space, faded like smoke at the end.
Along with the overwhelming presence it exuded.
Thus, the high spirit's manifestation had come suddenly like a mirage and ended just as abruptly, as if nothing had happened.
"Ha, haha...!"
But the prince laughed.
His boyish face flushed slightly, forming a youthful smile.
"S-Sylph responded to my call!"
Since the contract between the high wind spirit Sylph and its previous contractor had been severed,
countless individuals had vied for the vacant position.
Yet Sylph had never once responded to any of those numerous courtship attempts or summons—
until now.
Exceptionally, Sylph had answered this call.
"Wait! This isn't the time to stand around! Murian, Denrike!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
"Record everything right now! Don't miss a single factor that could affect the ritual!"
"Understood!"
This wasn't the first time Rasnian had attempted contact with Sylph.
Most high elves in his position had done the same.
Aloof beings who rarely revealed their preferences outright.
Those seeking contact refined their rituals, adding and subtracting elements to create the optimal environment.
Rasnian now believed his efforts had finally borne fruit.
The time of the ritual, the weather, temperature, humidity, materials—
he recorded every detail meticulously.
The people of Rapita, including Gondola, were no longer even on his radar.
The sense of superiority from successfully contacting Sylph told him as much.
Rapita was no longer a threat!
"Lord Rasnian...?"
"Hm?"
One of his attendants voiced concern about Gondola's group.
Was it really okay that they'd witnessed the successful ritual up close?
"..."
Rasnian's face sobered as if sobered by wine, but he quickly adopted a nonchalant demeanor.
He glanced around.
The site held various people besides Gondola's group.
Guards and overseers who had legitimate reasons to be at the altar constantly—
but Rasnian knew.
They were the eyes and ears of his rivals.
For instance—
No matter what, it was impossible to completely hide the rituals performed here.
Information leaks were inevitable.
The next day.
Or perhaps immediately after.
Rivals could replicate Rasnian's ritual exactly, and it wouldn't be surprising.
Above all, Rasnian himself had perfected this ritual that way.
"..."
Recalling that, Rasnian flashed a leisurely smile.
"It's fine. Only those lacking confidence in themselves obsess over external factors. I believe the decisive element in this ritual's success lies within me. So, let them steal it all they want. My achievements, that is."
He addressed those covertly eyeing the altar.
"..."
They flinched and hunched down.
Yet they continued checking the altar's state without pause, and Rasnian smirked like a victor.
"Well? Gondola. Good call following me, right?"
He then boasted to his sister's escort knight.
"This should be a great comfort even to Rapita, abandoned and heartbroken by Sylph, don't you think? You got it all memorized properly?"
"..."
Gondola wore an incredibly complicated expression.
Rasnian, ignorant of its meaning, simply smiled in superiority.
Soon.
Gondola averted his gaze from Rasnian and looked at the altar.
Just in case, to memorize the ritual's details.
The type of energy used, the power handling it.
And the offerings to the spirit.
Gondola committed it all to memory.
Once he'd recorded every factor.
One element loomed largest in his mind.
—Long time no see.
—It was Rishir, I believe.
Sylph's words.
'No way...'
Gondola was bewildered.
He had a hunch, yet struggled to accept it outright.
He was an elf.
A Turquoise Spear serving high elves.
Yet.
How could he easily accept that a mere human held more significance than the efforts of the noblest elves?
He thought of his mistress, Princess Rapita.
Her tireless efforts to reconnect with the suddenly departed high spirit, enduring repeated failures.
That image contrasted sharply with the high spirit's recent demeanor, stirring indescribable emotions in the escort knight.
"Now. For those still clueless, I'll give a hint myself."
At that moment.
Rasnian approached the altar and picked up one offering.
"Shimmerweed flower. It grows lifelong against the wind where yang and yin energies clash endlessly. If you want to win Sylph's favor, tell your masters about this flower. About how I, Rasnian, discovered it and its use."
Aware that all eyes focused unprecedentedly on this new offering, Rasnian shouted.
The ritual's star, a rare plant whose use his scholars had newly discovered.
And naturally, Rasnian had already secured most of the supply.
He smiled contentedly, imagining his siblings scrambling for it.
That was when.
Whispers.
Latsil, who had been frowning deeply in thought, finally snapped out of it and whispered to Gondola.
"Hm?"
Rasnian's gaze naturally turned there.
And he witnessed.
"!!!"
"Ah!"
Gondola's eyes widening in warning, and Latsil hastily clamping her mouth shut.
'What did they talk about?'
Rasnian felt mild curiosity but dismissed it.
Probably something trivial.
He held complete control of the situation.
"...Thank you for your kindness, Lord Rasnian. If you'll excuse us, we'll take our leave."
Gondola spoke upon noticing Rasnian's gaze.
"Sure. Go ahead."
Rasnian dismissed his rival's escort without hesitation.
Turquoise Pavilion, Room One.
A atmosphere blended gentle elegance with sharp tension.
High elves gathered—close allies on the surface, but rivals in prophecy, relentlessly checking each other.
"..."
Among them, one woman mechanically sipped her tea and set the cup down.
Elf Princess Rapita.
Her deep, forest-green eyes wandered unfocused into the void.
As if struggling in deep waters.
"Is that true?"
"Why would I lie! Kyahahahat!"
Even the boisterous chatter from her sisters beside her.
Even the soft aroma of tea and sweets teasing her nose.
No stimulus reached her now.
Rapita seemed utterly lost in a daze—
yet amid it, she clearly perceived.
"..."
"..."
Even as her siblings conversed among themselves, their gazes unmistakably turned to her.
Like eagles eyeing dying prey from above.
"By the way, Rapita."
"...!"
Rapita flinched.
The woman staring piercingly at her had spoken.
Princess Yullin.
"Mind if I ask something?"
Beaming brightly.
Yullin's flippant expression for her status stood out sharply.
The look of someone tormenting a subordinate one-sidedly.
"We met at the Turquoise Wind Altar, right?"
"..."
"Hey, Rapita. They're talking right next to you. You listening?"
Yullin prodded, teasing a reaction from Rapita.
Finally, Rapita couldn't hold back.
"You'll blab whatever you want whether I listen or not."
"Oh my."
Rapita's sister covered her mouth in mock shock.
Yet her sickle-sharp smirk couldn't be fully hidden.
"Feisty. Embarrassing, but not wrong."
Kukukuk.
She dropped her hand, fully revealing her mocking smile.
"Since you're like that, no need to hold back. How'd the ritual go? Former contractor of Sylph? Heard you put extra effort into this one."
Grip.
Rapita's gloved hand trembled.
She stared straight at Yullin.
"It went just as you hoped. Satisfied?"
"Oh, really? Ritual succeeded? How wonderful~"
Rapita could only grit her teeth silently at Yullin's mismatched words and expression.
The being to be newly chosen by the World Tree.
As all pursued the prophecy, she alone lagged behind.
Semi-spirit Perin.
High spirit Sylph.
She'd lost even those powerful cards any high elf coveted.
Her plight could only be explained that way.
"This makes the prophecy even clearer, doesn't it~?"
At present.
No one could definitively claim the prophecy's protagonist.
But the opposite was possible.
The farthest from the prophecy.
The one never to be chosen by the World Tree.
They were certain it would be Princess Rapita.
"Urk—"
Humiliation summoned negative memories.
Rapita suddenly recalled the ritual before coming here.
Performed with the mind that it was her last, pouring everything in.
Even then, Sylph had refused to meet her.
Rapita had nothing left to do.
Utter powerlessness.
Preceding loss.
Chaining together, they dragged her into an endless mire.
"Enjoying it?"
"Hm?"
Rapita lashed out in desperation.
"Watching me fail— that fun?"
Her eyes blazed with venomous fury, but Yullin laughed it off nonchalantly.
Dignity.
Presence.
Such weight stemmed from power.
No reason to fear anger from prophecy-irrelevant Rapita.
Yullin, never on good terms with her, knew this well.
She leaned across the table, shoving her face close.
"Yes! One less rival, one step closer to being the prophecy's star—delightful!"
"..."
Bam!
Rapita shot to her feet.
Kyahahahat!
Yullin reveled in mirth instead of stopping her.
As Rapita turned to leave.
"Lady Yullin!"
"Hm?"
Yullin's maid rushed in with urgent news.
"Lady Rapita!"
Rapita's maid followed.
"Prince Rasnian succeeded in the ritual!"
"...!"
Both princesses forgot prior tension, struck with shock.
At present.
The greatest concern among the World Tree's heirs was undoubtedly the high spirit Sylph.
In their frenzy of "I'll do anything for the World Tree's favor!!! But what!?", the great spirit without a contractor sprang first to mind.
Thus.
News of Prince Rasnian's ritual success and contact with the high spirit spread rapidly through eyes and ears planted everywhere, across the entire Turquoise Pavilion.
"Where's Rasnian!?"
"St-still waiting at the Turquoise Wind Altar..."
"Waiting!? Ha! Like royalty arrived!"
"..."
Yullin and Rapita headed straight for the altar upon hearing.
When they arrived.
The altar teemed with people.
Other heirs had already arrived, attempting contact with Sylph.
Prince Organ spotted Yullin and Rapita immediately.
"Oh, Yullin. You're here."
"What happened?"
"Heard it's this shimmerweed flower—"
"..."
They conversed naturally, excluding Rapita as a given.
No spare attention for non-threatening rivals in such urgency.
"So Rasnian's success was thanks to offering that shimmerweed flower?"
"Who knows. But that's the only anomaly confirmed so far. So—"
Organ thumbed toward one corner of the altar.
Several heirs were loudly protesting to Rasnian there.
"That's the mess."
"What mess?"
"That shimmerweed. Endemic to specific regions, all known habitats in Rasnian's territory."
"What!? For real!?"
"Dunno, but Rasnian claims you can't get it without going through him."
"Ridiculous. So? 'It's all mine, dream on'?"
"Says he's willing to share limitedly—"
"Same thing!?"
"Essentially, yeah."
"..."
Rapita, eavesdropping, felt intense anxiety.
If true, Sylph would soon leave her side forever.
"Ah..."
Then.
Rapita's mouth fell open slackly.
A familiar, longed-for energy touched her skin.
"Wh-what's this!? Suddenly!? Organ, you feel it too!?"
"No way, now? This sudden!?"
Uproar erupted across the altar.
They all sensed what Rapita had.
Whoosh—
The space surrounded by grass and trees outside Turquoise Pavilion.
Majestic winds swirled intensely there.
No voice sounded, yet they knew clearly.
The great wind spirit Sylph was here now.
Yullin.
Argon.
And Rasnian—
Heirs approached the altar one by one, addressing Sylph.
—I refuse.
That was the reply each time.
—I refuse.
The high spirit rebuffed their courtship firmly, dryly.
—I refuse.
Mechanically.
—I refuse.
The heirs thought.
—I refuse.
The spirit was weary of repeated advances.
—I refuse.
No other answer possible here today.
"I-if it's alright, could you speak with Lady Rapita!?"
—Very well.
"Hm?"
A few heirs blurted involuntarily.
Had they heard wrong just now?
Silence fell abruptly as the exchange passed fleetingly.
All ruminated, questioning if they'd heard right—
except one, whose gaze turned toward the voice's source.
Rapita.
"You...?"
At the altar's entrance.
Rapita spotted her escort Gondola.
And the familiar face beside him.
Hood pulled low, hiding features, but Elf Princess Rapita recognized him clearly.
She closed her eyes tightly, rubbing her eyelids.
'Ah. So in the end—'
She thought.
Under extreme pressure, she'd finally lost it, hallucinating.
The semi-spirit's guardian left in human lands appears timely at elves' heartland, defending her in crisis.
Only insanity explained such absurdity.