Chapter 226
A strange silence enveloped the office. While Ian and Jin were also surprised, the two priests themselves were no less shocked. The God they served was one, and His voice should be one as well. How could their descriptions be so different?
Makael stammered as she added:
“Ah, Abidel’s oracle was from a full ten years ago. There could be differences in memory. Besides, humans often perceive the same thing differently. It seems I’ve caused concern due to a misunderstanding in expression.”
Ten years. No matter how sacred an experience that resonated in one’s mind, it would be difficult to perfectly remember a momentary voice.
At Makael’s attempt to smooth things over, Abidel also bowed her head. Although her face was hidden by the veil, her gestures were thick with embarrassment.
“That could happen if you were human. But aren’t you priests? You dedicate your entire lives to hearing God’s voice. I think I need to hear more details.”
“Please ask. We will answer sincerely.”
“Between the oracle for His Highness Jin ten years ago and the recent oracle, were there any other oracles?”
“There were two.”
“Who heard them?”
“One remains at the temple, and the other is waiting in the rocky mountains.”
“Is that so? That’s good.”
How could two voices come from one being? If that person were brought here, they could have a three-way conversation and determine whose oracle was suspicious.
Realizing Ian’s intention, Makael prostrated herself again and added:
“Minister Ian. I speak out of concern that the honor of the Carbo Temple might be tarnished. When a message comes down, the light of the oracle shines beautifully, so everyone present can know. It was so on that rainy night ten years ago. And it was so a few days ago as well.”
Ian felt something click in his mind. As if misaligned pieces were slowly coming together. He muttered without realizing:
“Yes. The light of the oracle.”
Why hadn’t he realized it before? Why was it specifically the ‘oracle’s’ light used to identify magic users? Ian hesitated as he turned to look at Jin.
“Lord Ian?”
“Do you know what else mages are called?”
“Those close to God’s power, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. If they are close to God’s power, they can all activate the light of the oracle.”
Abidel and Makael raised their heads simultaneously. Their looks suggested they had no idea what he was trying to say. A flash of horror colored their expressions, but they bit their lips with a thread of hope. No matter how high-ranking a Ministry of Magic official he might be, he couldn’t insult God and the temple.
“There is one God, but there are many things close to God’s power. It’s not just mages.”
“Lord Ian! W-What are you trying to say?”
The faces of the two priests turned pale. Something close to God’s power that wasn’t a mage? Only one thing came to mind.
‘No. Please.’
Their eyes pleaded desperately for him not to say it out loud. But Ian firmly and sharply concluded:
“Magical beasts.”
“Lord Ian! This is blasphemy! This can’t be!”
“Please stop! God is watching!”
Abidel and Makael screamed and convulsed violently. It was understandable, as they were people who had dedicated not just their lives, but their very existence to God.
And now Ian was saying that one of their oracles was from a magical beast? It was an insult that felt like it would tear their hearts and consume their souls.
Thud!
“We’re leaving! We’ll formally request to sever ties from the Carbo Temple.”
“I’m especially suspicious of your oracle, Abidel. If the doubt I’ve raised is true, how will you take responsibility?”
“What you just said wasn’t raising doubt, it was an irresponsible statement! You will be the one to take responsibility, Lord Ian.”
Abidel seemed genuinely angry, grinding her teeth. Jin, who had been startled and flinching, saw this and rebuked with dignity:
“Who do you think you’re raising your voice to!”
It was a brief exclamation, but enough to calm the excited priest. They seemed to come to their senses, firmly closing their mouths and glaring at Ian.
Another strange silence. Displeased, Abidel and Makael had begun a silent protest.
“You two wait in the Ministry of Magic. We’ll bring the priest waiting in the rocky mountains for a three-way conversation.”
“The temple is not affected by magical beasts!”
Unable to hold back any longer, Abidel burst out with a near-scream. As if begging him not to say such nonsense.
“Due to its sanctity, they can’t take even a single step inside! How can you say they activated the light of the oracle and imitated God’s voice?”
“Not even a single step inside?”
“There’s only one entrance, and all access is handled by holy knights. If there’s anything improper, absolutely-!”
“What if it wasn’t born?”
“…Pardon?”
“If it wasn’t born, so even the holy knights couldn’t detect it?”
“Lord Ian. What on earth are you saying…”
Abidel shook her head and stepped back. Her gaze fell on Jin. Then, she remembered the image of Dilaina arriving at the temple with her heavily pregnant belly from long ago.
What had the holy knight guarding the entrance said then?
‘Just a moment.’
‘What’s the matter?’
‘Did Lady Dilaina bring anything besides her servants?’
‘No, she didn’t. Why do you ask?’
‘It’s nothing. You know how they keep all sorts of strange things in the imperial palace sometimes. I just wanted to check. You may enter.’
They hadn’t asked in detail why the holy knight had stopped them then. The priests had seen Dilaina’s bare body and confirmed that all she carried was the noble future of Bariel.
“Are you saying His Highness is a magical beast?”
“Mind your subject.”
There were two in the womb at that time. Jin and Arsen. Judging from Ian’s attitude, he was clearly suspecting Arsen.
“If not His Highness Jin, then His Highness Arsen? Impossible! If you didn’t know because it wasn’t born, what about afterward? While Lady Dilaina was recovering postpartum, both of them stayed at the temple. The holy knights couldn’t have missed that!”
The more Abidel refuted, the more Ian could be certain. It must have used power beyond its limits, such as delivering an oracle immediately after being born as a newborn.
“Do you know that His Highness Arsen will use the light of the oracle? He collapsed right after showing his magic in Prince Gale’s quarters. If it’s hard to handle even with his current body, as a newborn, he must have lost even more strength. To the holy knights, he would have appeared no different from an ordinary human.”
“Listen here!”
“Now I understand. Yes.”
Ian ignored Abidel’s scream and tapped the armrest of the sofa. Based on the history he knew, hadn’t he guessed that if Arsen was truly a magic user, he wouldn’t be a person of the imperial family?
“…He wasn’t a ‘person’ of the imperial family.”
Setting aside the cruel aspects he had shown, there were many questionable things.
But if he wasn’t a person but a magical beast, everything could be explained. How he could enter Gale’s quarters that night, how he could bind Philea, and so on.
Rustle.
Ian quickly rummaged through the desk. Soon, “The Chronicles of Roberside” was in his hand. He flipped through the pages familiarly to find the desired part. His low voice calmly read out the words.
[Roberside finally cornered the last magical beast. The devil in the form of a small child begged, rubbing its hands together.]
……
[Just as Roberside raised his sword, declaring it deserved to die, the devil whispered cunningly. “If you let me live, I’ll hide and live. But if you kill me, my brother will take revenge. He will destroy everything you’ve gained.”]
Jin, Abidel, and Makael watched blankly. Ian handed a pen to Jin.
“Your Highness. Would you write the characters that Roberside told you in your dream?”
Roberside told him characters? The priests furrowed their brows and focused on the pen tip. Their eyes widened at the ancient script written without hesitation.
??????
“Do you know what this is?”
“It’s a script that has been used in the Carbo Temple since ancient times. We don’t use it much now, but we occasionally use it to read old records.”
Ian sat on the edge of the sofa as if he had expected this. Then he nodded for them to read it. Makael unconsciously sounded out each letter.
“a, r, s, è, n, e.”
Jin unknowingly dropped the pen. The name of the last magical beast Roberside had spoken of in the dream was Arsen.
“Lord Ian.”
“It’s alright, Your Highness.”
Jin embraced Ian, and Ian also firmly tightened his arms around the child, patting him.
It was too confusing. If a magical beast dwelled in a brother of the same bloodline, what on earth should be done? The touch of the beast’s hand, which had been there from the beginning of life, was too deep and sticky.
‘It’s deeply related to the devil’s curse. It must have come down in the name of the brother. Since it said it would destroy everything of Roberside’s…’
Ian suddenly realized that Arsen was involved in the start of the rebellion. When Xiaoshi tried to assassinate for show, didn’t Mariv move unexpectedly because Gale truly coughed up blood?
‘The intention is to lead Bariel to decline.’
Squeeze.
Ian’s embrace of Jin grew stronger. The more he did so, Jin also squeezed his eyes shut as if trying to forget his fear.
The priests still had vacant looks in their eyes, as if they couldn’t believe that Arsen was a magical beast. Especially Abidel, feeling as if her very existence had been denied, looked so unwell she seemed about to collapse at any moment.
“Your Highness. You are the one to carry on the glory of the imperial family.”
“Huh?”
“That’s why Arsen couldn’t use his tricks and only moved his tongue viciously. Persistently, for that long time. Because Your Highness is truly the future of Bariel.”
There was a reason he had endlessly whispered by your side that you were useless, cursed, and shouldn’t exist. Ian murmured while caressing Jin’s wounds.
“That’s enough. I understand now.”
“If there’s a problem with Arsen, what about Mother?”
“Lady Dilaina is…”
During those ten years, Dilaina would have been the first person Arsen targeted whenever he had the chance. She was the woman who influenced him the most after the Emperor, and conversely, also influenced Jin.
Bang! Boom!
“You can’t!”
“Have you forgotten the order? His Highness Jin is inside!”
“Lady Dilaina cannot see His Highness without Jin’s permission! Please calm down! Please!”
“Please wait a little. Inside, they’re still-!”
At that moment, a commotion was heard from outside. Judging by the faint sounds, it seemed Dilaina had come to the Ministry of Magic. Forgetting even the no-approach order, to help the priests. More precisely, to hurry Arsen’s magic confirmation ceremony.
“Where do you think you’re touching!”
Clunk!
Dilaina threw open the office door with a shrill shout. Behind her, mages and Dilaina’s servants could be seen tangled together. Jin very slowly blinked and looked up at his mother. It was the first time seeing her this close since Mariv’s trial.
“Are you the priests from the Carbo Temple?”
“Yes. I am Abidel.”
“I-I’m Makael.”
“I heard there was a problem moving the light of the oracle? What did Lord Ian say? Did he say he’d provide support?”
It was a frivolous and urgent manner unbefitting the Emperor’s consort. She glanced at Jin, who kept looking up at her, then nonchalantly turned her head away.
“We’ll supplement our manpower too. The mages are busy, so even if they say they’ll help, I’m not sure if they’ll do the job properly. Lord Ian. Is that alright?”
Dilaina proposed, putting force into her words. It was essentially no different from a notification.
Ian turned over the paper with the devil’s name written on it and readily accepted.
“Do as you please. We’d be glad if you bring the light of the oracle quickly. Still, our mages will go along. It would be troublesome if any small creatures cause mischief.”
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