Chapter 14
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Chapter 14
It was a golden candelabra composed of elegant curves.
What had been a beautiful ornament when affixed to the wall transformed into a weapon in Kieran's grasp.
Kieran smiled wickedly, like a murderer wielding the candelabra.
Chesa, who knew that he smiled especially well when angered, found the sight deeply unsettling.
Hailon answered calmly to Kieran, who seemed ready to strike with the candelabra at any moment.
"I merely had something to ask."
"Ah, yes—with your clothes completely stripped off?"
To be honest, that wasn't quite accurate.
I had only loosened the upper portion slightly.
Of course, it was hardly appropriate conduct before someone else's child.
At Hailon's excuse, Kieran laughed dismissively.
Just before he could swing the candelabra, as if needing to hear nothing more.
Kieran's hand froze.
He had glimpsed the floral marking inscribed upon Hailon's body.
"That marking."
His narrow eyes grew even more slitted.
"It is the mark of a sorceress."
Hailon did not respond.
He merely adjusted his uniform in silence.
The skin that had been briefly exposed was concealed once more beneath his garments.
Yet what had already been witnessed could not be erased.
"The mark of a sorceress upon the body of a virtuous Holy Knight—how absurd."
Kieran was genuinely astounded.
"Why do you not remove it? I thought Holy Knights would carve away their own flesh to eliminate any symbol of heresy."
Rather than responding to the mockery, Hailon asked calmly in return.
"Do you know of the sorceress Lichesia?"
"Is there anyone who does not?"
From this brief exchange, Kieran deduced the circumstances and narrowed his brow in disbelief.
"Surely you did not resort to such measures under the guise of questioning my daughter about the sorceress's whereabouts?"
"That is correct."
At this absurd admission, Kieran let out a hollow laugh.
Having lost his will to fight, he cast the candelabra aside carelessly.
With a loud clang, it struck the marble floor where no carpet lay, creating a resounding noise.
"My daughter has nothing whatsoever to do with the sorceress. Test my patience no further, sir."
Hailon did not respond.
Instead, he broached another matter.
"Each child participating in the Pure Child Prayer Ceremony will be assigned a protective knight. I have been assigned to the House of Basilian as your guard."
"...Ha!"
"I shall ensure your safe escort to the Holy Empire."
"It's surveillance, not an escort."
"Think of it however you prefer."
Hailon moved forward with deliberate slowness.
He came to a halt directly before Kieran.
"It would be wise to mind your conduct, Count Basilian."
"...."
"There are many eyes watching."
Eyes of starkly contrasting hues met and locked.
Invisible blades clashed within their gazes.
The chill of that edge seemed to reach even Chesa.
Yet neither Kieran nor Hailon crossed the line.
Both had instinctively recognized the other as someone not to be trifled with.
"We shall meet again on the day of departure for the Holy Empire."
With those words, Hailon departed from the Audience Chamber.
The azure cloak draped across one shoulder billowed in his wake, and the door closed behind him.
Chesa turned her gaze toward Kieran.
His expression was utterly blank.
I had expected him to wear at least a twisted smile.
Instead, his firmly pressed lips formed nothing but a rigid line.
"Dad."
When Chesa called out, he stood motionless for a moment before turning to look at her with a slight delay.
Chesa deliberately spread her arms toward him.
Kieran immediately stepped forward and scooped her into his embrace.
Chesa broached a different topic to distract him.
"Did you see the Emperor?"
"Yes, I did. I hurried back because I didn't want to keep Chesa waiting."
It had seemed like an urgent matter of great importance, yet the audience concluded in an instant.
He had even emphasized bringing Chesa along, invoking treason and all.
Now that I thought about it, it seemed the summons was really on account of Hailon.
'The Emperor of the Palen Empire would certainly know that Hailon is the head of the Heresy Inquisitors.'
That explained why the Emperor had hastily issued a decree in response to Hailon's command to summon Count Basilian.
'He probably panicked, thinking the Count had caused some trouble.'
After all, it would be disastrous if the Heresy Inquisitor entangled the Imperial Family of Palen in his investigation.
Chesa tugged gently at Kieran's sleeve and asked.
"Do I need to see the Emperor too?"
Since the Emperor had mentioned Chesa in his decree, it seemed proper that she should attend the audience as well.
But Kieran simply laughed.
"There's no need. Why would Chesa meet with that old pig?"
"...?"
"Chesa should only see beautiful and good things."
Did I just hear something absolutely shocking?
Did he just call the Sun Emperor of the Palen Empire an old pig?
Chesa's mind filled with question marks.
But Kieran laughed brightly, as though he'd never uttered such a thing.
"Shall we finish touring the Imperial Palace with Father?"
At his smoothly redirecting words, Chesa found herself nodding along.
Kieran broke into a radiant smile at the sight of her small head bobbing, and planted a kiss on the bridge of her nose.
"The Imperial Palace Garden is quite lovely, actually. It's worth seeing."
He spoke as he carried Chesa toward the garden.
"If there's anything you like here, I'll have the same thing built in the Castle for you, so just tell me."
"Yes!"
True to Kieran's word, the Imperial Palace Garden was indeed worth visiting.
A single flower in the garden captivated her far more than the ornate, glittering decorations of the Imperial Palace's interior.
Chesa drew in a deep breath with a soft gasp.
The crisp scent of verdant grass filled her being.
Though she possessed the bloodline of a mad fairy and thus wielded misaligned power, Chesa was ultimately a fairy herself.
She felt most at peace when close to nature.
Among all plants, Chesa particularly adored flowers.
'The Castle of Serpents has far too few flowers.'
It seemed reasonable enough to ask him to plant flowers there later.
Kieran strolled leisurely to allow Chesa to admire the garden.
He stopped beneath a large tree bursting with small pink blossoms and asked in passing.
"What did you discuss with the Knight?"
"He asked if I had a puppy."
"...A puppy?"
Kieran tilted his head to the side, curious.
Though he seemed puzzled, I had no intention of explaining my conversation with Hailon in detail.
There was no information worth sharing anyway.
'Kieran already knows Hailon came for surveillance purposes.'
Chesa understands what makes Kieran anxious.
He needed a child capable of winning the Pure Child Prayer Ceremony.
It was impossible with an ordinary child.
The adoption could not appear to be for the sake of the ceremony.
Since they must appear as a true family, the child had to be someone who could blend seamlessly into House of Basilian.
It was an extraordinarily difficult condition to meet.
If one revealed even a fraction of their true power, even a grown man would be unable to meet Kieran's gaze.
That was why Kieran wandered through several orphanages.
And then he found Chesa.
She was the 'child who did not fear him' that he sought, and she even resembled the late Countess.
For Kieran, there was no more perfect child.
I would never let such an opportunity slip through my fingers.
That was precisely why I treated him so well.
'Right now, he's probably anxious that I might stop attending the Pure Child Prayer Ceremony because of Hailon, or that I'll develop a negative perception of House of Basilian.'
Perhaps I had grown somewhat fond of him without realizing it.
Watching the arrogant man display such anxiety stirred a peculiar sense of pity within me.
It seemed I needed to reassure Kieran.
Regardless of appearances, Kieran possessed an exceptionally sensitive and unstable disposition.
It was absolutely not out of concern that I did this.
Chesa comforted him simply so that she herself could rest easy.
"Don't worry."
Kieran, who had been lost in thought, turned to gaze at Chesa with a faint smile.
It was a habitual smile.
Chesa reached out and gently stroked his hair.
The black strands glided softly beneath her palm.
"Chesa is on Father's side."
....
The smile vanished from Kieran's face.
He said nothing.
A gentle breeze swept through.
Leaves rustled against one another in the wind, creating the sound of waves.
Pale pink petals scattered in all directions, filling the entire field of vision.
Crimson eyes stared blankly at Chesa.
The face that had worn only a mask-like smile was now completely shattered.
He parted his lips.
A long hesitation kept him from speaking.
Yet as if driven by an irresistible force, his voice finally emerged, hollow and weak.
"...Even this."
Kieran laughed.
With an expression Chesa had never seen before, he laughed painfully and whispered.
"You didn't need to mimic even this...."
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org