Chapter 226
Chapter 226
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 226
Chapter Title: Little Devil
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An eerie silence hung over the office. Ian and Jin were taken aback, but no less shocked were the two priests themselves, the very parties involved. They served one god, and there should have been one voice. How could their descriptions differ so greatly?
Makael stammered as he added,
"Ah, Avidel's oracle was a full ten years ago. Memories can differ. Besides, humans see the same thing differently. It seems we've caused concern due to a misunderstanding in expression."
Ten years. No matter how divine the experience echoing in their minds, perfectly recalling a fleeting voice would be difficult.
With Makael's cover-up, Avidel bowed his head as well. His face was veiled, but his posture reeked of embarrassment.
"Humans might be like that. But aren't you priests? Those who devote their lives to hearing the voice of god. I think I need to hear more details."
"Please ask. I will answer with all my heart."
"Were there any other oracles between Prince Jin's oracle ten years ago and the recent one?"
"Twice."
"Who heard them?"
"One remains at the temple, and the other is waiting at Stone Mountain."
"Is that so? Good."
How could two voices come from one being? Bringing that person would allow a three-way confrontation to reveal whose oracle was suspicious.
Catching Ian's intent, Makael prostrated himself again and added,
"Minister Ian. I'm concerned that a stain might be cast on Carbo Temple's honor, so I speak up. When the message comes down, the oracle's light shines beautifully, visible to all present. It was the same on that rainy night ten years ago. And a few days ago as well."
Something clicked into place in Ian's mind. Like mismatched seams slowly aligning.
He murmured without realizing it.
"Yes. The oracle's light."
Why hadn't he noticed? Why was the light of the 'oracle' precisely what was used to conceal mana users?
Ian turned to Jin and paused.
"Lord Ian?"
"Do you know what else mages are called?"
"Those close to the power of god, aren't they?"
"Correct. Anyone close to the power of god can activate the oracle's light."
Avidel and Makael lifted their heads simultaneously. Their gazes screamed confusion—what on earth was he saying? A hint of shock colored their faces, but they bit their lips with faint hope. No matter his position as Magic Department Minister, he couldn't insult god or the temple.
"There is one god, but many things are close to god's power. Not just mages."
"Lord Ian! What, what are you trying to say?"
The priests' faces paled. Close to god's power but not a mage? Only one thing came to mind.
'No. Please don't.'
Their desperate eyes begged him not to say it aloud.
But Ian drove the conclusion home firmly and sharply.
"Magical beasts."
"Lord Ian! This is blasphemy! You can't do this!"
"Please stop! God is watching!"
Avidel and Makael shrieked and thrashed violently. And rightly so—they had devoted their very existence to god, beyond mere life.
Yet now Ian was claiming one of their oracles came from a magical beast? It was an insult that tore at their hearts and eroded their souls.
Ta-at!
"We'll leave! Carbo Temple will formally request excommunication."
"I especially suspect you, Avidel, and your oracle. If the raised doubts prove true, how will you take responsibility?"
"That wasn't raising a doubt—it was a reckless statement! The responsibility will fall on you, Lord Ian."
Avidel ground her teeth in genuine fury. Startled, Jin flinched at the sight and rebuked her with dignity.
"Who do you think you're shouting at!"
The short shout was enough to calm the excited priest. They snapped their mouths shut as if regaining their senses and glared at Ian.
Eerie silence again. The displeased Avidel and Makael began a silent protest.
"You two wait in the Magic Department. We'll bring the priest from Stone Mountain for a three-way confrontation."
"The temple is unaffected by magical beasts!"
Unable to hold back, Avidel poured out a near-scream of rebuttal. As if pleading not to spout nonsense.
"Due to its holiness, not a single step inside! How can you say it activated the oracle's light and mimicked god's voice?"
"Not a single step inside?"
"The entrance is one, guarded by holy knights for all access. Anything irreverent would never—!"
"What if it was unborn?"
"…Pardon?"
"If it was unborn, so even the holy knights didn't notice?"
"Lord Ian. What are you……."
Avidel shook her head and backed away. Her gaze fell on Jin. Then, an image from long ago surfaced: Dillaina arriving at the temple, supporting her mountain-like swollen belly.
What had the holy knight at the entrance said then?
'One moment.'
'What's wrong?'
'Did Lady Dillaina bring anything besides her attendant?'
'No. Why?'
'Nothing. The palace sometimes keeps all sorts of odd things. Just checking. You may enter.'
He hadn't questioned the knight further. The priests had seen Dillaina's bare body and confirmed she carried only the noble future of Bariel.
"Are you saying His Highness Jin is a magical beast?"
"Get the subject right."
There had been two in her womb then. Jin and Arsen. From Ian's demeanor, he clearly suspected Arsen.
"If not Prince Jin, then Prince Arsen? Impossible! If unnoticed because unborn, what about after? During Lady Dillaina's postpartum recovery, both stayed at the temple. The holy knights couldn't have missed it!"
The more Avidel rebutted, the more convinced Ian became. Born as newborns yet issuing oracles, wielding power beyond limits.
"Did you know Prince Arsen would use the oracle's light? You collapsed the moment you sensed mana in Prince Gail's chambers. Even your current body seems unable to handle it easily— as a newborn, it would have depleted its power. To a holy knight, just an ordinary human."
"Listen!"
"Now it makes sense. Yes."
Ian ignored Avidel's shriek and tapped the sofa armrest. Based on the history he knew, if Arsen was truly a mana user, he couldn't be of imperial blood.
"…Not an imperial 'person' after all."
Setting aside the cruelty he'd shown, the mysteries were numerous.
But if not human, a magical beast—everything fit. How he entered Gail's chambers that night, how he bound Philia, and more.
Swish.
Ian quickly rummaged through the desk. Soon, [Legend of Roberside] in hand. He flipped to the desired page familiarly. His low voice read the words calmly.
[Roberside finally faced a single magical beast. The devil in the form of a small child clasped its hands and begged.]
……
[As Roberside raised his sword, deeming it deserving of death, the devil whispered slyly. "Spare me, and I'll live in hiding. Kill me, and my siblings will avenge me. They will destroy all you have gained."]
Jin, Avidel, and Makael watched blankly. Ian handed Jin a pen.
"Your Highness. Will you write the letters Roberside told you in your dream?"
Roberside dictating letters? The priests furrowed their brows and focused on the pen tip. At the ancient script written without hesitation, their eyes widened.
ᚫᚱᛋᛖᛀᛖ
"Do you know what this is?"
"Characters used in Carbo Temple since ancient times. Not common now, but used to read old records."
As if he'd expected that, Ian perched on the sofa edge and gestured to read it. Makael unwittingly sounded it out syllable by syllable.
"A, r, s, è, n, e."
Jin dropped the pen without thinking. The final magical beast's name from Roberside's dream—Arsen.
"Lord Ian."
"It's fine, Your Highness."
Jin hugged Ian, who firmly held the child and patted him.
Too chaotic. If a magical beast dwelled in a blood brother—what to do? The demon's touch had sunk deep from life's very start.
'Deeply tied to the devil's curse. Come down in a brother's name. Vowing to destroy all of Roberside's…….'
Ian suddenly realized Arsen's involvement from the rebellion's outset. When the showy assassination attempt by Siao Shi failed, Gail's true anguish had thrown Marib off course.
'Intent on leading Bariel to ruin.'
Kwaak.
Ian's embrace tightened fiercely. Jin squeezed his eyes shut, as if to forget his fear.
The priests' eyes held hollow disbelief that Arsen was a magical beast. Avidel especially looked on the verge of collapse, her existence denied.
"Your Highness. You are the one to carry the imperial glory."
"Hm?"
"That's why Arsen couldn't scheme and viciously wagged his tongue instead. Persistently, all those years. Because you truly are Bariel's future."
That's why the endless whispers at his side: you're useless, cursed, shouldn't exist. Ian stroked Jin's wounds and murmured.
"Got it. Now I understand everything."
"If Arsen's the problem, what about Mother?"
"Lady Dillaina……."
Over ten years, whenever possible, Arsen had targeted Dillaina first. She influenced the emperor next to him, and conversely, Jin too.
Kwaang! Kwang!
"No!"
"Have you forgotten the order? Prince Jin is inside!"
"Lady Dillaina cannot see His Highness without his permission! Calm down! Please!"
"Just wait a moment. Not yet from inside—!"
Then, commotion from outside. From the faint words, Dillaina had come to the Magic Department. Forgetting the approach ban, to aid the priests. More precisely, to hasten Arsen's mana confirmation ritual.
"Where do you think you're touching!"
Clunk!
Dillaina flung open the office door with a shrill shout. Behind, mages and her attendants tangled. Jin slowly blinked up at his mother. First time this close since Marib's trial.
"Carbo Temple priests?"
"Yes. Avidel."
"I-I'm Makael."
"Problem with transporting the oracle's light? What did Lord Ian say? Will he support?"
Far from the emperor's consort, her manner was frivolous and urgent. She glanced at Jin staring up, then casually turned away.
"We'll bolster our side too. Mages are busy—doubt they'd help properly anyway. Lord Ian. That's fine, right?"
Dillaina proposed forcefully. Practically a notice.
Ian flipped the paper with the devil's name and accepted readily.
"Do as you like. Hurry the oracle's light—we'd like that too. Still, mages will go along. Lest some vermin cause trouble."