Chapter 523: For a Friend (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 523: For a Friend (1)
Every teleport gate in the Empire was being closed.
Armies from various vassal states were spotted mobilizing toward the Empire, their movements captured across land and sea routes alike.
Beyond any shadow of a doubt, the Empire was preparing for war. A war against Hairan.
Bwoooong—!
A snow-white dimensional portal formed in the front yard of Tikan, and from it emerged the Snow Toad, Mort.
Talaris had sought out the Sword Emperor Castle the moment she sensed the ominous shift in the air. Mort appeared considerably exhausted, having performed too many dimensional shifts in such a short period.
“Lady Talaris!”
As Jin and his companions approached, Talaris shook her head, a look of disbelief on her face.
“The Emperor has gone stark-raving mad. He’s truly preparing to strike the Sword Emperor Castle.”
“Did you meet Lord Ron?”
“They said he wasn’t there. I couldn’t get any other details. However, the Sword Emperor Castle is completely on edge and ready for blood… War is unavoidable. The martial clans loyal to Ron are all rallying at the castle as we speak.”
A war between Hairan and the entire Empire.
Normally, Talaris would have believed that as long as Ron was present, the war would inevitably end in Hairan’s victory.
But having just returned from the Sword Emperor Castle herself, even she couldn't be certain. It wasn't just because she hadn't been able to meet Ron in person.
“The number of clans that have decided to help Hairan is strangely small. I don’t know if the Imperial Family pulled some trick, or if Ron has lost his influence without me noticing.”
Jin knew the reason.
“Lady Talaris.”
“What is it?”
“You once told me to inform you if it ever looked like something bad was about to happen to the Sword Emperor Castle. May I ask why?”
The Secret Palace had always maintained neutrality, but by now, they were practically Jin’s allies. Their relationship with Hairan, however, was less clear.
In truth, the Secret Palace had no obligation to intervene, even if Hairan were to fall. To be precise, they shouldn’t intervene. Doing so would only make an enemy of the Empire for no good reason.
Therefore, he couldn’t tell her about Ron’s poor health until she showed a clear desire to help the Sword Emperor Castle.
Talaris shrugged and glanced at Jin’s companions.
“Everyone else, step away for a moment. Only my son-in-law needs to hear this.”
The companions cleared the area.
“Son-in-law.”
“Yes.”
“You remember what I told you before about the duty of the Secret Palace, don’t you?”
—The Secret Palace has maintained neutrality for most of its history, but that hasn't always been the case. We also made a certain oath when the First Palace Master was chosen by the Divine Sword Ten Thousand Ice and Mort.
—The same goes for the power of Ten Thousand Ice that our Endorma bloodline wields. In exchange for gaining power far beyond what a human should possess, we were given a mission: to help resolve the world's anomalies.
Jin nodded as he recalled their past conversation.
“The former Palace Masters left records stating that Hairan possesses a single object that could become a threat to the world.”
The White Stone.
She was talking about the White Stone.
It was Hairan’s greatest secret, passed down only to its Patriarchs, yet the Secret Palace had known of its existence for a long time.
“We at the Secret Palace suspect that the object Hairan holds belongs to the Witch Heluram. And as I mentioned before, preventing the disasters brought about by Heluram is one of the primary duties of the Secret Palace.”
“Then, Lady Talaris, your main objective as the Palace Master is to prevent the danger that Hairan harbors from being unleashed.”
“That is correct,” Talaris replied flatly.
Her statement about upholding the duty of the Secret Palace could be interpreted in several ways.
‘It’s perfectly reasonable for Lady Talaris to prioritize dealing with the White Stone over Hairan’s survival. But looking at it another way… it means that the moment the White Stone reveals its true danger, she might actually attack Hairan herself.’
There was no way to know the current state of the White Stone. Furthermore, he couldn't be sure what choice Hairan would make if the situation became desperate.
He trusted his friend Dante, but the leader of Hairan was Ron, not him. If Hairan were pushed to the brink in this war, Ron was the kind of man who might use the power of the White Stone if it meant protecting his beloved grandson.
—I don’t think the Imperial Family would covet an object that seems so insignificant.
—You’re right.
—I think I get the gist of it. That stone must be an object so dangerous that its existence should never be known to the world. That's why the first Hairan Patriarch who acquired it tried and failed to destroy it. Afterward, he left orders to destroy it without revealing its true nature, so that future Patriarchs wouldn't grow greedy for its power.
—You deduced all that just from my brief explanation? That’s astounding.
—The fact that not only every past Patriarch of Hairan but even Lord Ron couldn't destroy that stone is far more shocking. Just what does that thing look like?
His conversation with Dante about the White Stone echoed in his mind. The danger of the stone had already been made clear, as had the Emperor’s willingness to discard Hairan just to obtain it.
‘If the stone ever threatens the world and Lady Talaris stands on the side of suppressing Hairan…'
There would be no way to stop her.
That was why Jin hesitated to tell Talaris about Ron’s condition.
As Jin remained silent, Talaris gave a playful smile, as if she could read his mind.
“Son-in-law.”
“Yes.”
“I think I know what you're worried about. You're surprisingly easy to read.”
“Yes, I’m worried. No matter what happens, I will help Dante. He’s my friend.”
“Even if you end up clashing with me in the process?”
“Yes.”
A heavy silence settled between them.
“…Ron, that fool, might indeed use Heluram’s object to save his grandson. To him, nothing is more important than that boy. However, Jin… just as Dante Hairan is a friend to you, Ron Hairan is a friend to me.”
Cyron, Ron, and Talaris.
For those three, the only people who came close to being friends or peers were each other.
Such is the life of absolute beings. The higher one stands, the more power one gains, the deeper the realms one enters… the more solitary one becomes. They had gained absolute power at the cost of being cast into the deepest solitude.
Only those who had stepped onto that same ground could understand one another.
However, just as stars collide and vanish when they draw too close, their relationship was no different. If any one of the three could have embraced the others, they might have become the most precious of friends. But Cyron, who could have played that role, ascended to an even higher and lonelier realm, shedding his human emotions. From that point on, the three could grow no closer.
Yet, the sentiment of friendship remained.
That was why Talaris hoped she would never have to carry out her duty—and she was determined to prevent that outcome if at all possible.
“So, be a bit more honest with me. Tell me everything you know. We’re talking about a worst-case scenario, but it’s still just a hypothesis, isn’t it? We have power. The power to prevent the worst from happening.”
He could feel her sincerity.
Realistically, Talaris’s abilities were essential if he wanted to help Hairan as quickly as possible. The fact that all teleport gates were closed meant that land and sea routes were also blockaded.
Jin was prepared to fight his way through the Imperial Army to reach the Sword Emperor Castle, and he was confident he could break through their blockades without much trouble.
But that would be too slow.
If Hairan couldn't hold out until he arrived, he wouldn't be helping a friend; he would simply be making an enemy of the Empire for nothing. Going quickly to fight alongside them would also mean turning against the Empire, but if they led the war to victory, the act would carry sufficient meaning.
Jin was a Flagbearer of Runcandel. He intended to offer this support without receiving permission from the Acting Patriarch, Rosa.
If he was going to do that, there had to be a result.
“And perhaps you and I are overthinking things. Even if fewer martial clans are standing with Hairan than I expected, if it’s Ron…”
“Lord Ron… has not yet recovered from the internal injuries he sustained during the terror attack on the Sword Emperor Castle.”
Talaris’s eyes widened.
“...What?”
“After sustaining internal injuries while fighting the Leader of Kinzelo, Lord Ron’s condition has not improved at all. I don’t know the exact details, but it might even be more serious now than it was then. And the only people who know this are me, you, and five of Lord Ron’s closest aides.”
“Ha… I was aware that Ron had barely made any public appearances since the attack… but to think that was the reason?”
“The fact that the Emperor is carrying out this purge and that so few clans are siding with Hairan is likely all because of that. Those in the know within the Empire probably realize that Lord Ron is not in his normal state.”
“…Ron is more cunning than he looks, so he might be doing it on purpose. Pretending to be ill to root out Hairan’s enemies and perhaps even deal with the Emperor… Damn it, the situation is too grim to think that way. Besides, Ron isn’t the type to seek power by forcing a fight.”
Whew. Talaris let out a long sigh.
Hearing about Ron’s condition only made her more worried. It was only natural, considering she had been concerned about the danger of the White Stone even when she assumed he was healthy.
“Now I understand why Ron wouldn’t see me. Even if we’re friends, I’m fundamentally an outsider to Hairan. He couldn’t let his condition be known.”
If the situation was even worse than Jin described, he might be in a state where he couldn't even move.
“Lady Talaris.”
“Speak.”
“Please help me and my companions reach the Sword Emperor Castle on Mort.”
“Fine. But it’s impossible right this second. Mort is exhausted from traveling such a long distance just now. He needs time to recover.”
Jin nodded.
“I need a bit of time as well. I have to summon all my companions and subordinates, and I need to create a way to protect Tikan while all our forces are away.”
Jin planned to pour his entire strength into helping Hairan.