Chapter 39
“Gasp…! Eeeeeeeek!!”
The Pope suddenly let out a pained cry and flopped onto her backside.
Everyone in the room—including those who hadn’t anticipated it—couldn’t believe their eyes.
““Y-Your Holiness!””
The guards around her looked equally stunned, unable to react.
And I was no different.
How could she suddenly react like this after staring into my eyes to peer at her fate?
“Y-You! How in the world…?”
In her gaze, where sanctity and wisdom should have been, now burned only terror and horror.
“Your Holiness, are you alright…?”
“Hik!”
Thinking maybe it was my fault, I stepped forward to check, but the closer I got, the more she trembled and retreated, backing away on her knees.
“Lord Haru! It’s dangerous!”
Crack—! Boom!
Something flashed before my eyes. Jubern, who had hastily stepped in front of me, was blasted backward with a roar.
“Don’t move. If you act rashly before His Holiness regains his composure, even a descendant of Arirang will be cut down.”
“What kind of nonsense is this right now…!”
“What? You filthy dog…”
Teraden’s eyes blazed, and I was about to confront the one who had hurled Jubern when, amid the sound of wind, Lan appeared from a gap in the shattered wall.
Jubern, blasted outside; the Pope’s unstable condition; the murderous aura of Jinin and Gwan-yoon; and the overwhelming presence of Yeon.
Lan swept his gaze across the entire room in a short time and seemed to grasp the situation.
“Your hand is too rough.”
“Seven stars…? How dare you! You’re in the presence of Her Holiness! Take your presence away!”
Yeon’s aura made Gwan-yoon’s face twist into something monstrous.
“No—oom!”
Even after Yeon’s glare, there was no response, and his expression grew even more terrifying.
His face flushed red, and his body twitched, as if he were about to explode.
“Yeon-bing.”
Crack, crack!
Wol-hyang, who had rushed in right behind, saw Gwan-yoon trying to threaten Yeon and unleashed an immense freezing aura, instantly turning the surroundings into ice.
Sharp, menacing ice crystals floated in the air, pointed directly at him.
…Oh no. If that many powerhouses clashed, the entire area would be wiped out.
We could be wiped out in an instant.
Teraden, who had already moved Maru behind us with Blanser, looked speechless at the unexpected situation and clicked his tongue.
“Hey… but why did this happen all of a sudden?”
“Um… you’re right, brother.”
Yeon looked around with cold eyes and pinched Gwan-yoon.
“Take your presence away? That’s got a flaw. You’re in the presence of Her Holiness, yet you’re the ones telling me to withdraw my presence? What exactly are you doing right now?”
“Seven stars, please listen. That was only until His Holiness regains his composure….”
“Shut your mouth. Even so, your actions can never be justified.”
Yeon’s short, firm rebuttal silenced Jinin’s explanation.
Looking back at Yeon’s words, most of the warriors who had stepped forward to take the brunt of Gwan-yoon and Jinin’s auras for Maru and the others could barely hold themselves up.
Several had even foamed at the mouth and fainted, and only the senior warrior Tan-tman had managed to steady himself.
Even with the warriors taking the aura in front, Maru’s face was deathly pale.
In that hair-trigger moment, where blood was about to spill, the Pope, who had finally regained her senses, and our eyes met.
We nodded shortly.
After exchanging thoughts with just our eyes, I shouted loudly to redirect their gazes to me.
“Enough! Everyone, stop!”
The suffocating pressure that had gripped the room eased.
“Lord Yeon. I’m fine. Please take your presence away. Maru and His Holiness are struggling.”
“…Understood. Lord Haru.”
“Please do the same for Lady Wol-hyang.”
Swish.
Wol-hyang answered by withdrawing her Ineung.
The ice crystals turned to powder and scattered with her gesture.
After sighing in relief from the eased pressure, I stepped toward the Pope again, but Jinin blocked my way.
“That’s far enough. If you move rashly, I’ll definitely cut you down…”
“I’m warning you one last time. One more of those meaningless words, and I’ll cut you down.”
“….”
Yeon’s threat forced Jinin to close his mouth.
“Now that it’s fine, there’s no need to be on guard. Step back.”
“If you think I’m up to something, feel free to cut me down immediately.”
“Hey! What kind of nonsense is that!”
Teraden ranted, but I raised my hand to stop him.
The Pope said she was fine, and I was saying this much—how could he not back off?
“I deeply apologize for the rudeness earlier.”
“It’s fine. In the same situation, I would have made a similar choice.”
Jinin bowed his head and stepped aside.
“Your Holiness, are you alright?”
The Pope, who had been sitting on the floor, swallowed dryly and spoke.
“…I was quite shocked, wasn’t I? I’m sorry. I showed my ugliness.”
Her clothes and face were soaked with cold sweat and tears as she tried to reassure me.
“It’s not at all. If this incident was my fault, I apologize. I’m sorry.”
“Oh! No, Lord Haru. It’s not your fault.”
Even though she had been caught while trying to read fate, saying it wasn’t my fault made me grateful, but then… why did she react that way?
“Lord Haru. Do you have a dream?”
After stuttering a few times, she finally spoke, but her eyes still didn’t meet mine easily, as if she was still overwhelmed by some unknown fear.
“A difficult and vague question. In my youth, I had the foolish dream of creating a peaceful world, just as Arirang, the ancestor of our clan, did. But now… I just want to become stronger and protect the things I cherish.”
“I see. That’s good. I hope that heart never changes.”
“Yes, I’ll keep it in mind.”
“Hehe. Then I’ll take my leave. I’m feeling a bit tired.”
The Pope, supported by Jinin, stood up and urged me again.
“Today’s incident wasn’t your fault, so don’t feel guilty. Understood?”
With my weak smile, the Pope left us.
…I hope that heart never changes?
What exactly had she seen in me to say that?
The time was as chaotic as if a typhoon had passed through.
Hmm, but… did I forget something…? Must be my imagination.
“…Ah, Lord Jubern!”
* * *
“What? What nonsense is that!”
Thud!
The Emperor, who had been handling state affairs after hearing about the incident at the National Academy, slammed everything down and roared.
A Pope from the most noble bloodline on the continent, along with the Grand Dukes, had suffered significant injuries.
Right in the heart of the National Academy, no less.
The one saving grace was that thanks to Yeon and the others’ quick, clean response, the incident hadn’t spread beyond the scene or turned into a bigger commotion.
Because the wounds were more severe than expected, the Pope decided to stay at the palace until they healed.
To hear the full story, the Emperor visited with Feltics where she was recovering.
Of course, it was also a visit.
“I greet His Majesty the Emperor.”
The Emperor was greeted by Jinin in the Pope’s place.
“No, Your Holiness! What exactly happened?”
“Long time no see, Your Majesty. Once Duke Crow’s Duck arrives, I’ll explain it step by step.”
The Pope’s words were barely finished when a light entered the contact mirror on the desk.
When Duke Crow’s Duck appeared beyond the screen, everyone, including the Emperor, bowed to him.
““I greet His Highness the Duke.””
“Yeah, yeah. Everyone’s welcome. By the way, I heard about Mirpia. How is her body?”
Duke Crow’s Duck waved his hand dismissively and asked the Pope.
“This isn’t appropriate. You’re worried about my uncle.”
Looking at the Pope, who was trying to act fine despite her pale complexion, Duke Crow’s Duck clicked his tongue with sympathy.
“Aigoo, tsk tsk. A young girl this weak… When I was your age, I chewed on stones!”
“Uncle, you’re still like that now.”
“H-uh? Thinking about it, yes.”
Mirpia burst into laughter at Duke Crow’s bluntness.
“Hehe. Even so, it’s good that you worry. I really hope to live a long time.”
‘Even a Duke shouldn’t casually call Her Holiness “your highness” like that. Tsk, the father and son are really something! This is going too far!’
I was about to suppress it for the warm atmosphere but decided to give a warning when Gwan-yoon thought about it,
‘Your words are a bit excessive!’
‘What did you just say? Do you want to die?’
“Ahem, ahem. Kuhuk!”
Recalling Duke Crow’s fiery temper, I coughed and shook my head.
Gwan-yoon also looked terrified of Duke Crow’s Duck.
“A mere boy of your age, what…”
“Anyway, what exactly happened with that boy Haru?”
“I never imagined that my Ineung would be read by someone. First, let me tell you what I saw.”
To Duke Crow’s Duck’s question, Mirpia explained what she had seen in Haru to the people in the room.
Even though she omitted the important parts, everyone there couldn’t hide their surprise.
Until her explanation ended, no one opened their mouth.
“Hah, an unprecedented event. But before that, did that boy really cause harm?”
“I’m not sure. It seemed like him, but something felt different.”
“Ambiguous. It felt right, but something was off. Tell me more.”
“In appearance, it was definitely the future version of him, but something felt different. It was like a feeling that wasn’t quite the same as the current him. It was enough to make me doubt if it was truly him.”
“Hmm. Then the core of it seems to be that boy’s Ineung. Interfering with your spacetime, isn’t that like one of the Seven Stars’ Gweonneung? Quite a special Ineung. Do you have any idea about the First Seat? You’re also a descendant of Arirang, right?”
The Emperor and Pope looked at Feltics with earnest eyes, but he couldn’t give a clear answer.
“No, I don’t know. This is the first time I’ve heard of such a thing. Very unusual.”
Duke Crow’s Duck got nothing from Feltics and turned back to the Pope.
“I see. Then have you confirmed the Ineung that injured the boy?”
“I’m sorry. Though I feel ashamed, I couldn’t confirm it. Because for him…”
“That guy…!”
“Oh, you startled me, uncle! Turn on your flashlight and come in.”
“G-Got it. Sorry.”
Duke Crow’s Duck scratched his head awkwardly under Mirpia’s scolding, and Mirpia slowly spoke again.