017. The Secret of the Divine Tree (2)
"Father set up the situation so that you could kill Lenion Hersha?"
"That's right."
Elvin answered Alex's question.
In truth, the prison where Lenion had been imprisoned was under the management of the kingdom's military.
Considering that Alex and Elenoa's father, Duke Armitas, held the position of Minister of Military Affairs in the current Pernias Kingdom, with all kingdom forces and military facilities under his command,
it was a simple matter to place Lenion in an empty prison with no other inmates and order the guards to skip their patrols and watch shifts, leaving just Elvin and Lenion alone.
"At first, I intended to keep my promise too. But the moment I killed that man and stepped out of the prison, people started gunning for me."
Elvin realized it then.
Duke Armitas had no intention of letting him live once the job was done.
"What I couldn't understand was why he didn't just take the gold back and kill me anyway. 'Why that specific timing?' Anyway, my magic control became unstable, so I had to hide in the shadows and rest. When I woke from what turned out to be a much longer sleep than expected, my little sister was missing and nowhere to be found. I hid in the shadows of the duke's household—the ones I suspected most—and searched for clues about her."
"And then Lady Elenoa fell for the clue we deliberately leaked about 'finding Erin Hersha's whereabouts,' showed up personally at the location we provided, and coincidentally, the black mage who was hiding in her shadow appeared right along with her."
"I... had no idea. About the deal between you and Father, or the betrayal."
"One thing I don't get is why the black mage tried to kill the lady right there? Why that spot, of all places?"
"Two reasons. First, to show the House of Armitas— who broke their promise—my resolve. Second, I planned to use that woman as a hostage to force Duke Armitas to give me clues about my sister."
"Huh? But Lady Elenoa was clearly moments from death, strangled by the black mage."
"I only meant to knock her out."
"No way, anyone could see she was right on the brink of kicking the bucket..."
"If I'd wanted her dead, it would've been as simple as slicing her throat like I did to that man."
"Ah, I see."
Eunhyeon recalled how Elvin had killed Lenion and nodded in easy understanding.
The others thought the exchange between the two felt oddly lighthearted for the mood.
Elenoa, who had nearly been murdered, looked especially displeased.
Clenching her fists tight, Elenoa spoke to Elvin.
"I had no idea about the deal between you and Father either."
"Then why did you personally go chasing the assassin's tip about finding my sister?"
"That was... Father's orders. To locate the missing child, Erin Hersha."
"Ha, why would the duke himself bother hunting for my sister? Doesn't it look to anyone like he was trying to take my gold by grabbing a hostage?"
"......"
Elenoa finally understood why she'd faced such a murder attempt.
She grasped Elvin's grudge too.
The unclear intent had been her own father's.
Had he truly given her that order with such intentions?
Wearing a confused expression, she couldn't respond.
It even crossed her mind that it might really be true.
"Alright, the explanation of events is over. Shall we move to the next phase?"
Eunhyeon once again stepped between Elvin and Elenoa to mediate.
"First, Minister of Finance Bernard?"
"Mm..."
Bernard Boris, who had been silently watching the drama unfold, nodded toward Eunhyeon.
"We'll return the gold that Lenion Hersha embezzled, as requested by Lady Iliana. In exchange, we'd like compensation on our end."
"...What do you want? Money?"
"Hardly. What we want is 'non-interference and protection for the Hersha siblings.'"
"......? You're serious?"
The shocked voice belonged to Oliver.
"Protection? He's a black mage! We should tear him apart right here..."
"Oh, no need to worry. The non-interference and protection apply specifically to his little sister, Erin. She truly knew nothing and got dragged into this mess. We'll take custody of the black mage ourselves."
"That's... He's a criminal of the kingdom! Why should we let you decide his fate instead of us?!"
"Hmm. Principal, are you really okay with this?"
"What?"
"If you yield custody of the black mage here, we could overlook one major blunder on your part."
"What... are you...?"
Eunhyeon ignored Oliver's flustered expression and turned to the Armitas siblings.
"The duke's children seem completely in the dark, so no choice there. Captain Riod, whose mission was to capture the black mage—what's your call? Taking him in yourself?"
Riod narrowed his eyes at Eunhyeon's smiling face, playing along with his rhythm.
"Do as you like. As long as the gold returns to the kingdom, it's no big issue. Handing over a criminal's custody might be dishonorable for a knight order captain, but a mage criminal is best managed by mages anyway."
With permission from Riod, the lead investigator, Bernard found it hard to object to Eunhyeon.
Still, weighing the return of the embezzled gold—the most critical matter—he unwillingly nodded.
Eunhyeon secured Bernard's promise, then signaled Elvin with his eyes. Understanding, Elvin pulled the gold from his pocket and handed it to Eunhyeon, who promptly passed it to Bernard.
One problem resolved.
Not entirely, though.
"This can't be happening... That damned thing is right in front of us... We should rip it apart and burn it to ash... All black mages..."
"Still got complaints, huh."
Iliana smirked at Oliver's muttering, his face twisted in fury.
"Well, probably some bad personal history."
Eunhyeon replied casually, then glanced at Elvin.
Since Elvin was staring back with eyes demanding something, Eunhyeon nodded in response.
"I've kept my promise."
"Yeah. I'll keep mine too."
Clap!
"So, shall we move on to the second act?"
"Second?"
"Isn't it all over?"
"Everyone forgot? The Hersha baronet case isn't just about Lenion and Elvin."
"Ah..."
Then they remembered.
The entire Hersha family had vanished from the world in bizarre ways.
Father Lenion: "execution."
Brother Elvin: "flight."
Sister Erin: "missing."
So far, only the truths about Lenion and Elvin had been revealed.
Erin's whereabouts remained unknown.
Elvin's deal with Eunhyeon: He would step forward, reveal everything, and hand the gold not to the duke's house but to Finance Minister Bernard. In return, Eunhyeon promised Erin's safety and well-being.
"Now, let me ask you all something. Do you know why we invited you here?"
"You don't mean that girl, do you?"
"Exactly. This is the very spot where Erin Hersha went missing. And to prove to the black mage that she's here."
"Nonsense! You're basing this on that eyewitness report of a girl jumping from the school rooftop? We got the tip too and searched the entire school—me and every magic professor. No trace of the missing child!"
Even so, Eunhyeon's insistence felt like a stain on the honor of Oliver and the Aiter magic professors.
Eunhyeon smiled despite Oliver's fiery roar.
"Principal. There's no such thing in this world as 'nonsense.' Things make sense because of their causes and processes. Please don't fall into the error of denying a phenomenon just because it defies your experience and knowledge."
"Ha! Are you lecturing me now? You show one mystical spell and think you're above me? What a joke! I don't know what gives a mere commoner like you the right to spout such drivel!"
"This X's really—"
Iliana, who had been listening silently, twitched her eyebrow and stepped forward, but Riod beside her held her back.
Shaking his head to restrain her, Riod blocked Iliana as she glared daggers at Oliver, grinding her teeth while he busied himself insulting Eunhyeon without noticing.
No one in the kingdom knew Eunhyeon was the witch's lover except Riod.
Eunhyeon, with the most detached and unprivileged status here, seemed utterly unfazed, as if he'd anticipated the outrage.
"Then, shall we watch the second act and judge for yourselves?"
Snap!
Before Oliver could retort, Eunhyeon snapped his fingers, and the world shifted once more.
Even as the second demonstration, Elenoa trembled, unaccustomed to the phenomenon.
The prison backdrop faded, reconstructing into the rooftop of the school building.
In the dark hour filled with cold air, a female student gripped the railing, slumped over, sobbing pitifully.
- Oppa... Elvin oppa. Where the hell are you? It's too much...
She desperately searched for her brother Elvin, who hadn't shown his face in days, leaving her clueless about where he was or what he was doing.
"......"
Hearing his sister's monologue, Elvin clenched his fists, forcing down the surging pity and sorrow.
He gritted his teeth, holding it in.
- He told me to wait just a little longer... Said we'd get out of that house soon...
With her mother dead, Erin felt abandoned in the world now that even Elvin—the one she could rely on—was missing.
At school, invisible abuse mixed with contempt and scorn from students and faculty had pushed her physically and mentally to the limit.
She'd endured by clinging to Elvin's promise to free her from their father's abuse and give her a stable life someday.
But Erin's reason was already fraying.
As the criminal's daughter, she could no longer be treated as human in this prestigious academy for nobles. Everyone shunned her.
Shunning was putting it kindly.
The violence inflicted on her body in hidden corners was utterly unworthy of noble conduct.
Those feeling her sorrow, loneliness, and despair directly or indirectly let out stifled groans, holding their breath as they watched the vision.
Elvin especially squeezed his eyes shut, unable to watch his suffering sister.
What he'd done had started from a desire for their late mother's peace and to free Erin from their father's abuse.
Yet everything he'd done for his sister had ended up strangling her instead.
The realization tightened around Elvin's own throat.
Maybe fleeing the kingdom with the hidden gold would've been better than killing Lenion, he thought.
Had his greed ruined his dream of giving her a peaceful daily life while keeping everything intact?
- If even Elvin oppa is gone for good...
As Elvin shut his eyes tight, drowning in guilt and regret,
Erin's hollow expression and dilated pupils stared blankly.
Her face twisted in despair, she finally staggered to her feet and stepped onto the rooftop railing.
"No."
For the first time, the emotionally steady Elvin showed agitation.
Sweating coldly, he shook his head, denying the visible vision.
It was just an illusion.
His words couldn't reach his illusory sister, yet Elvin kept talking.
"You can't do that."
Erin stood dazed on the railing, gazing at the sky.
Elvin urgently spoke as she teetered on the edge, one step from falling.
"It was my mistake. I chose wrong. Please, please don't. Erin!"
- I want to follow Mom and Oppa...
- Somewhere... no one torments me. Someone, hide me. I don't want to live like this anymore. Please...
Erin's body tilted forward, her head plummeting downward.
Elvin collapsed to his knees in despair.
Erin had broken mentally at last, convinced her brother Elvin—fleeing the knights' pursuit—wouldn't come for her, and chose suicide, having lost all hope in life.
The illusory play ended, and Eunhyeon snapped his fingers.
Snap!
The surroundings reverted to the school garden with the "Tree of Wishes," as at the start.
"That's the truth. What do you think, Principal?"
Eunhyeon asked Oliver, who gaped like a mute fish, his face saying, 'Try talking now.'