Chapter 266: Council of Kings (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 266: Council of Kings (2)
“Where did this tea come from?”
“I-It’s from Mt. Sigur…”
“Mt. Sigur? I like the fragrance. Thank you for telling me.”
“Could you please stop? Y-you’re making me uncomfortable…”
“Shouldn’t Lady Keridna stop speaking so formally to me first?”
“But…”
“Speak comfortably.”
“My apologies… I mean, sorry! Please, speak informally to me!”
“You should have done that from the start.”
The matter was settled. I took a sip of my tea, feeling satisfied.
On the other hand, Keridna let out a heavy sigh, looking as though she had aged ten years in a single moment.
“So… why are you looking for my sister?”
“I have some business with her.”
Aichel Whiteclark.
I remembered her as a relentless woman who would use any means necessary to achieve her goals. However, she wasn’t an evil person.
She was a pacifist, right?
Aichel loved peace.
There was no need for a deep philosophical debate about her definition of the word; she simply prioritized human peace above all else.
With a soft creak, the reception room door opened. Both Keridna and I turned our heads toward the sound.
A mature woman with neatly styled pink hair entered the room, followed by a few attendants. She offered me a graceful bow. She possessed a gentle beauty, as if she were the very embodiment of purity.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Ice Sovereign. I am Aichel Whiteclark.”
“Nice to meet you as well. I am Isaac.”
I stood up and returned the greeting politely. Keridna looked back and forth between Aichel and me, appearing restless and unsure of what to do.
“You go by Isaac?”
Aichel and I locked eyes. A meaningful smile played on her lips.
*
Aichel guided me to her office.
“Please, come in.”
The antique office featured the Whiteclark family emblem—a large white dragon—prominently on the wall. Only Aichel and I entered the room. Once inside, she cast a soundproof barrier around the space.
An awkward silence filled the room. We stared at each other for a moment, the tension thick. I decided to break the ice and get the conversation flowing.
I glanced out the window.
“It’s always snowing here, isn't it? It snowed quite a bit in Düpfendorf as well…”
“Hehe, is that so?”
Suddenly, Aichel closed the distance between us. She dropped to one knee and bowed her head low.
What is with this person?
“I have been waiting for you, Ice Sovereign.”
“…Aren’t you supposed to serve Emperor Carlos? Please, raise your head.”
“My loyalty belongs solely to peace.”
Is she a devotee of peace or the Goddess of Peace herself?
Regardless, it was a dangerous sentiment to voice. It meant she wasn't truly on the Emperor’s side—nor was she necessarily on mine.
“Ice Sovereign, you have used your immense strength to protect the people and avert catastrophic threats. No amount of gratitude could ever be enough. Please, allow me to repay you for every human life you have saved.”
“I’m not so sure about all that, but please, stand up first…”
This was making me incredibly uncomfortable.
Aichel gave me a serene smile. It went beyond mere purity; it was practically benevolent.
“So, is this where the Elemental Kings gather? I can’t quite picture it.”
The Lightning Sovereign had informed me that the Council of Kings would be held at the Whiteclark mansion. If all the Elemental Kings gathered in a place like this, it would surely attract unwanted attention and cause a global stir.
“Do not worry. You will see how it is handled. I have already summoned the Elemental Kings. While this isn't an official meeting, everyone has been eager to meet you, so they should arrive shortly.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
It seemed there was a method for the Elemental Kings to congregate without drawing the world's eyes.
“Ah, please excuse me for a moment.”
Aichel walked over to the window and drew the heavy curtains shut.
“This is the meeting place chosen by the Elemental Kings. No matter the situation, thorough countermeasures are in place. Oh, and don’t worry—we have a perfectly prepared explanation for your arrival on a white dragon.”
“Are you confident in that?”
“I am. In my position, if I couldn’t hide the truth or lie convincingly, I could lose my head at any moment.”
Aichel laughed heartily.
That doesn’t exactly sound like a laughing matter…
“Well then.”
Aichel clapped her hands to regain my attention.
“There is something we must do before I take you to the meeting room. It is very important.”
Without warning, Aichel began unbuttoning her blouse.
“What are you doing?”
“By coming here, you’ve indicated your intention to attend the Council of Kings, correct?”
“For now, yes.”
When I nodded, Aichel slid her blouse down slightly, revealing a delicate shoulder. A magic circle gradually manifested on her skin, glowing with a faint light.
“Then we must form a covenant.”
“A covenant?”
It wasn't a difficult concept to grasp. Aichel was a key figure in the Council of Kings. It made sense for the Elemental Kings, myself included, to have some form of insurance.
“The Council of Kings is a crucial event that must never be revealed to the public. A covenant is essential.”
A covenant was a magical contract with specific terms agreed upon by both parties. It required genuine mutual consent and imposed pre-agreed penalties if the obligations were violated. In short, it was a magically notarized contract.
The mark is etched quite deeply.
The process of engraving a covenant mark involved significant pain. The stronger the covenant, the more intense the agony. Given that this was related to the Council of Kings, the magic circle on Aichel’s shoulder was incredibly distinct. It must have been excruciating to manifest.
“…Understood.”
“Thank you for your understanding, Ice Sovereign. Here is the contract.”
Glowing blue letters appeared in the air, perfectly legible. The terms included vows to participate in the meeting, maintain absolute confidentiality, and refrain from misusing any information gained during the council. The terms were reasonable.
The penalty, however…
Loss of one of the five senses.
That was a severe price. Engraving this mark must have been a nightmare.
“The covenant is still magic. It might only have a minimal effect on an Elemental King, but it is better than nothing.”
In my current state, I was far below the level of a true Elemental King. The penalty would definitely affect me.
“Do you agree to the terms?”
“Yes, I do.”
Everything was easy enough to follow.
“The mark of this covenant will be added to the mark of the Council of Kings. Please, inscribe the mark upon my body.”
I stepped closer to Aichel and placed my index and middle fingers on the magic circle engraved on her shoulder.
“This will be very painful, Lady Aichel.”
“The pain does not matter. To have you here, the pain of the covenant is nothing… Isaac, do you agree to the covenant?”
“I agree to the covenant, Aichel Whiteclark.”
Blue mana flowed from my fingertips, saturating the magic circle on Aichel’s shoulder. She winced, her eyes snapping shut.
“If it’s too painful, let me know. I’ll go slowly.”
“Thank you, Ice Sovereign… ugh…!”
*
What is going on in there?
Why did Isaac seek out Aichel, and why did Aichel take him into her private office?
Only Aichel and Isaac were inside, and a soundproof barrier had been meticulously placed.
Keridna cast [Sight Synchronization] on a white raven trained by her family, peering through the window. However, Aichel had noticed and drawn the curtains, blocking her view.
Left with no choice, Keridna went directly to the office door.
I can’t just barge in.
Keridna was dying to know what they were discussing. If it was something official and important, she definitely shouldn't interrupt. She quietly tried the doorknob. It stopped at a certain point, confirming it was locked.
I knew it. The door is locked.
Keridna pressed her ear against the wood and used her mana to pierce a tiny hole in the soundproof barrier. A soundproof barrier wasn't a particularly complex spell; a skilled wizard like Keridna could easily bypass it once she identified its presence.
Inside the office, Aichel was gritting her teeth as the mark of the covenant was being engraved.
“Kugh…?”
Aichel realized the barrier had been breached. She knew because she had set up a secondary detection ward.
It’s Keridna.
Aichel knew her sister’s handiwork. Although she had anticipated this and had ways to handle it, the searing pain of the engraving made it difficult to move or speak clearly.
She had a plan for such situations, though. Aichel decided to mislead Keridna using... suggestive sounds.
“Uhh…”
It was a low, breathy moan.
The difference between a moan of pain and a suggestive moan was subtle. When a specific situation was implied, people tended to interpret sounds in line with their own assumptions. They didn't even bother to question it. The more provocative the implication, the more effective the deception.
Outside the door, Keridna listened intently to the faint noises.
— “Ah, it hurts… uhh…!”
What is that sound…?!
— “Haa…! G-go slower…!”
“…!!!”
Keridna recoiled from the door in pure shock.
“S-sister…?”
Her face flushed a deep crimson, and her heart began to race.
Did I hear that wrong…?
Keridna paused to think.
Yeah, I must have misheard.
Aichel was pure and elegant, like a being descended from the heavens. She had a sophisticated, untouchable image.
Could my dignified sister really engage in such… shameless acts with Isaac immediately after meeting him? That’s impossible. It would be like a poorly written novel with no logic.
That had to be it. Keridna collected herself and pressed her ear to the door once more.
— “I’ll go slowly if it hurts.”
— “Thank… uhh…! Sorry…”
— “But, the sounds from earlier…”
— “It can’t be helped, u-ugh…”
Sister Aichel…!!
Keridna covered her face and screamed internally. There was no longer any room for doubt.
W-why is she doing such scandalous things with Isaac…! I mean, why now?!
Keridna was spiraling into a state of total mental collapse.