Chapter 108
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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Chapter 108
Vivian approached the basin of holy water, washed her hands, and calmly followed the actions the other young nobles had performed before her.
Then, retrieving a small brazier from the Priest, she returned to stand before Allen and knelt on one knee.
Up to this point, there was nothing difficult.
All she needed to do was observe the young nobles' movements carefully and replicate them exactly.
'But the incantations are different for each person.'
Could a girl who had lived her entire life as an ignorant commoner have memorized an ancient language incantation in such a short time?
Allen was certain of Vivian's failure, his gaze fixed upon those lips that would surely stumble over the wrong words.
And yet.
[O divine Erma who watches over Hildeone, grant our King the wisdom to see the forest rather than merely the trees.]
What flowed from Vivian's lips was ancient language, flawlessly pronounced.
As Vivian's turn passed without incident, the final order proceeded smoothly—Lahedis himself.
[O divine Erma who watches over Hildeone, grant our King the courage to protect even the weakest among us.]
Allen stared at Lahedis, who had lowered the brazier before him, and at Vivian beside him with eyes of disbelief.
'They accomplished something they were never taught in a single attempt?'
Of course, the movements themselves were not particularly difficult.
But memorizing an ancient language one had never seen before, reciting it while simultaneously mimicking another's actions—that was hardly simple.
Especially not for a young lady from a rural mountain village who had never stood in such a place.
Yet Vivian had executed it flawlessly.
Moreover, with a natural pronunciation that suggested genuine fluency in the ancient tongue.
'How could a girl from some backwater rural village possibly know ancient language....'
But there was no time to pursue that question further.
It was his turn next.
Allen passed the five kneeling figures and approached the central brazier.
Unlike an ordinary flame that consumed wood, this brazier emanated a blue sacred flame that burned mana itself.
The Crown Prince, having received the loyal devotion of five nobles dedicated to the nation, would kindle the sacred flame in this brazier, and the nobles would pray together while witnessing that flame—this was the final act of the ceremony.
The people of the Empire believed that when the sacred flame was kindled in this brazier, it would burn away the misfortunes of the new year and bring only good fortune.
Allen placed his hand beneath the brazier.
And yet....
'Hmm...?'
He attempted to gather the mana within his body and channel it into the sacred flame, but for some reason, his mana would not respond.
On his second attempt, a small amount of mana flowed out, producing a brief spark, but nothing more.
The mana refused to cooperate, and the sacred flame flickered momentarily before vanishing. Each subsequent attempt yielded the same result.
'Why, why isn't it working?'
His mind grew frantic at this unexpected turn, yet his mana refused to obey his will.
Sensing something amiss, he felt the curious gazes of several onlookers.
Among them was Father Emperor Orpen.
It was at that moment, as Allen's face grew increasingly pale with desperation.
'...Snow?'
A small snowflake appeared above the brazier.
It was a snowflake so small that only Allen, standing nearby, could see it.
The snowflake scattered across the brazier and vanished.
And immediately after, an intense blue sacred flame blazed to life.
"The sacred flame to illuminate the new year now burns. Let us pray together."
Following the Pope's words, every noble in the Temple began their solemn prayers.
Yet one person—Allen alone—was consumed by fury and could not focus on prayer.
'That snowflake was definitely...!'
The prayer ended, and the New Year Ceremony concluded entirely.
The Priest guided the six who had completed the ritual safely back to the Annex Building.
"You have all worked hard. Now, shall we prepare to change out of these robes—"
But before he could leave, everything erupted.
Suddenly, Allen seized Lahedis by the collar.
"It was you, wasn't it? That snowflake from before."
Everyone watching gasped at the sudden outburst, yet Lahedis, whose collar had been grabbed without warning, remained composed.
"I'm afraid I don't understand what you're referring to."
One of the young nobles, sensing the ominous atmosphere between the two, hastily led the others from the room.
Only Lahedis, Allen, and Vivian remained in the chamber.
Once the watching eyes and listening ears had vanished, Allen truly let loose.
"Ha... How dare you deceive me?"
Lahedis, too, discarded the bare minimum of courtesy he'd maintained for appearances and revealed his cold emotions.
In truth, he had no desire to help Allen.
'But if the New Year Ceremony is ruined, the Emperor will spiral further into his inferiority complex.'
If that happened, his wrath would fall not only on himself but on those around him as well.
Just as Kaltz had been blamed as the mastermind behind the Hunting Festival incident.
Just as Vivian had been suddenly dragged out as a substitute for the New Year Ceremony today.
'If he'd succeeded in igniting the sacred flame through his own power from the start, I wouldn't have needed to intervene at all.'
Lahedis regarded Allen with a look of contempt and asked.
"Shouldn't you actually be grateful?"
"What?"
"Everyone was about to discover that Your Highness is inept at mana manipulation, but I kept it to myself and moved on."
"...Grateful? You call this grateful?"
At Lahedis's words, Allen's face flushed red and purple.
Simultaneously, the hand gripping his collar began to tremble with rage.
Yet despite Allen's momentum suggesting he might cause a scene at any moment, Lahedis remained utterly unmoved.
"Ah. Now Vivian's been added to the list as well."
"I could have done it! I would have managed fine without your interference! And then what? Grateful?"
"But you couldn't."
Finally, Allen's eyes rolled back in fury as he raised his fist.
Lahedis saw it coming but made no move to block it.
From the moment he'd provoked Allen, he'd been prepared to take a blow or two.
That would make him the innocent victim and Allen the violent aggressor.
But the moment Lahedis's eyes met mine—I, terrified and unconsciously summoning the Dark Spirit—his plan to play the victim crumbled.
He abandoned the scheme entirely.
Lahedis effortlessly caught Allen's incoming fist in his grip.
Allen twisted his arm, but the harder he struggled, the tighter Lahedis's grip became.
"You bastard! Let go!"
"If you cause any more commotion here, those Young Nobles and Priests outside will find out."
"How dare you threaten me—"
"Perhaps even His Majesty."
Allen, who had been thrashing about in fury, froze at Orpen's mention of the Emperor.
In that moment, Lahedis released Allen's fist and led me, frightened as I was, out of the room.
"Ha, ha ha...."
Allen could only let out a hollow laugh as he watched their retreating figures.
Shackled by the chains of fatherhood.
The moment they left, the Young Nobles waiting outside rushed into the room.
"Your Highness, what happened? Why did that bastard—"
Just as they were about to gauge Allen's mood.
"Aaaaargh!"
Allen began hurling everything within reach and screaming.
Startled, the Young Nobles dared not ask further or attempt to console him, instead retreating hesitantly.
Allen glared at the door through which Lahedis had departed, grinding his teeth.
"I'll kill that bastard for sure."
A murderous gleam flickered in his eyes as he spat the words.
* * *
As I left the room in the wake of Allen's outburst.
I was anxiously examining Lahedis's condition when.
"Vivian."
Noticing my gaze, Lahedis gently wrapped his hand around mine.
"I'm fine."
"...Oh."
Only then did I realize my hands were trembling.
I had been far more frightened than I'd thought at the possibility of Lahedis being hurt.
"I'm sorry for worrying you."
Lahedis gently patted the back of my hand as if to reassure me.
Seeing him unharmed and feeling his touch, the trembling gradually subsided, replaced by relief.
Once I'd calmed down, I dismissed Kamang, whom I'd unconsciously summoned.
Then, as if to reassure Lahedis in return, I asked triumphantly.
"Anyway, it seems like it was good that you listened to what I said yesterday, wasn't it?"
In truth, there was a secret to how I'd managed to perform today's ceremony flawlessly....
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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