AOL 25

Chapter 25

As if submerged underwater, a heavy pressure spread through her body as sacred power flowed directly through her veins.

Even after closing and reopening her eyes, the energy emanating from the statue remained unchanged.

Yurit had never once in her life felt such overwhelming divine power. It was her first time experiencing something like this, and her eyes twitched as her legs trembled uncontrollably.

Behind Yurit, she heard the sound of Rasil collapsing to the ground.

If it was a relic containing the divine power of the Goddess Enix, it wasn’t unusual for such items to exist even within the Papal Church.

Relics were stored inside vaults locked with multiple heavy seals, guarded day and night by more than ten holy knights.

Yurit herself had once seen a relic with her own eyes.

It was a memory from long ago, but she was certain. Even if all those relics were gathered together and combined, they would still fall far short of the divine power contained within this small statue.

If someone could seal this level of divine power into an object, they might possess power surpassing even the High Priest—and perhaps even His Holiness the Pope.

Who on earth created this statue…?

Trying to steady her violently pounding heart, as if it might burst out of her chest, Yurit examined the statue more closely. She discovered an engraving in the corner of its base: the letter “El.”

Yurit turned to the viscount and asked,

“Do you know who the sculptor is?”

“All I know is that they work under the name ‘El’ and occasionally submit sculptures to auction houses. Their identity and residence are completely shrouded in mystery.”

At the viscount’s words, Yurit’s face filled with disappointment. She took one last look at the statue before turning away and leaving the room.

Rasil, who had been dazed, hurriedly followed after Yurit.

“P-Priest?”

“Thank you for showing us the statue, Your Excellency. We must return to the temple now.”

Although they did not explicitly comment on the statue, the sight of the pale, sweating priests made it easy to guess.

The statue was real.

Watching it, the viscount smiled in satisfaction and silently reaffirmed his resolve: he would never surrender it to anyone.

Meanwhile, inside the carriage, the two priests remained silent. Pale-faced from shock, they sat without speaking.

Fidgeting nervously with the sleeves of her robe, Rasil finally whispered,

“Yurit… What do you think is going on? You felt it too, right?”

“……”

When Yurit did not respond, Rasil lowered her voice even more.

“If this becomes known, the entire temple will be turned upside down.”

To be precise, it would shake not only the temple, but the entire empire—and possibly the entire continent.

Yurit steadied her chaotic mind and spoke calmly.

“Our mission is to report this exactly to His Holiness the Pope. Everything after that… is in the hands of the gods.”

Yurit and Rasil placed their hands over their chests and closed their eyes, offering a prayer to the Goddess Enix.

The carriage carrying the priests raced toward the temple. It felt as though a massive storm was chasing them from behind.

Meanwhile

Isel leaned slightly out the window and looked up at the sky. The blue sky was clear without a single cloud.

It was the perfect day to hold a hunting tournament.

Several days had passed since Isel made the bold decision to attend the hunting competition.

The residents of the mansion—including Leo and Viscount Blisha—had strongly opposed it, insisting she must not go, but no one could change Isel’s mind.

Agreeing to attend at Duke Karnox’s invitation had been almost impulsive.

The moment he mentioned the name “Herbart,” a longing to revisit the forest filled her mind.

There would no longer be a boy waiting for her there, but it didn’t matter.

“Father, just this one request.”

When her father tried to stop her, she had said that. Viscount Blisha, looking somewhat pained, reluctantly nodded.

Summer would soon end. There was no more time or opportunity left.

Isel, who had briefly stiffened, forced the unpleasant thoughts out of her mind.

She was currently at the Emperor’s summer villa in the highlands of Herbart Forest.

Built from stone with a faint bluish glow, the mansion was larger than most noble estates in the capital.

The vast garden, beautifully decorated with narcissus in accordance with the Emperor’s taste, was not much different from her distant memories.

The estate was lively from early morning due to preparations for the hunting competition, which would begin at noon.

Servants were busy receiving nobles arriving by carriage one after another.

Even Bell was no exception.

While helping Isel get dressed, she was making such a fuss that it was exhausting even before the event began.

Whenever noble ladies arrived in elaborate outfits, Bell insisted that her mistress had to outshine them.

“Bell, calm down. I’m not even the one hunting…”

“Oh, right, Lady. Do you need a handkerchief?”

Before the hunt began, it was customary for lovers to exchange handkerchiefs as a wish for safe return without injury.

Isel had neither a lover nor friends, so normally she wouldn’t need one.

But…

Isel thought of someone in her mind and lowered her gaze.

On the table lay a small statue wrapped in soft cloth. The wooden carving, about the size of her thumb, had been made by her on the carriage ride to the villa the previous day.

“No. I think… I might need it.”

“Eh?”

Bell blinked in surprise, but Isel only smiled gently in silence.

After getting dressed and stepping outside, the knights and nobles were already preparing to depart, checking their horses and equipment.

The Herbart Forest was as vast as the capital city of Karpem. Since the hunting grounds were located in the southern region, they would first travel by horse or carriage.

The Emperor’s carriage bore the imperial crest in shining gold on its side.

Knights surrounded it tightly while holding their horses. The knights assigned to guard the Emperor were among the finest of the order.

Isel easily spotted her older brother, Leo, among them. He seemed to be assigned to the rear guard, carefully checking the saddle and stirrups with a slightly tense expression.

The same brother who always smiled warmly at her now wore a completely different face in his duty as a knight.

Seeing this new side of him filled her with a quiet sense of pride.

Just then, another familiar figure entered her view.

A man sitting atop a pitch-black horse, as though it had swallowed the deepest darkness.

The stallion snorted restlessly, clearly a fierce breed. Yet the man holding the reins, Rahan, remained perfectly steady.

Wearing red hunting attire, his broad shoulders and straight back looked firm and composed. Whenever he turned his head slightly, his sharp nose and defined facial lines were revealed.

Many eyes were on him—not just Isel’s. The knights around him seemed more focused on Duke Karnox than even on guarding the Emperor.

Whenever Rahan tightened the reins, the knights flinched like startled fish. As if they feared being struck by the horse’s hind legs.

Even within the tightly packed escort formation, the space around Duke Karnox was oddly empty.

Knights carefully steered their horses away to avoid him, their faces tense with fear.

As Isel watched this with curiosity, someone called her.

“Lady Blisha.”

A soft, melodic voice belonged to Princess Celine Lossa.

She had been among a group of noble ladies and had now approached Isel’s side. The princess, holding a white parasol, wore her light brown hair styled into twin braids pinned up, revealing her neck.

Coincidentally, it was the same hairstyle Isel had worn on the night of the victory banquet.

Without noticing this, Isel politely greeted her.

“Hello, Princess.”

“I didn’t expect you to attend the hunting tournament, Lady.”

“Yes…”

“Who will you be cheering for today?”

As she spoke, Celine glanced toward Duke Karnox. She still remembered Isel dancing with him at the banquet.

Since that night, their relationship had become a hot topic in high society. Duke Karnox was known as a disgrace of noble society, while Isel Blisha had reappeared after years of absence.

For those two to dance together—it was irresistible gossip.

Some speculated that Isel had stepped on his foot. In any case, most of the rumors leaned toward pitying her.

But Celine did not agree. It wasn’t that she pitied Isel—she simply found her irritating.

Celine had feelings for Leo Blisha.

She had followed him around subtly, but Leo either ignored or avoided her.

It wasn’t as if he favored another woman; he simply had no interest in any noble lady.

The only person Leo smiled warmly at… was Isel Blisha.

So Celine was now, in effect, taking her frustration toward Leo out on his younger sister.

“Cheering?” Isel blinked.

“Yes. The Emperor is said to grant the imperial treasure, a blue pearl necklace, to the winner. Did you not know?”

Celine smiled as if mildly reproaching her.

But Isel simply nodded.

“I see. It’s my first hunting tournament, so I didn’t know.”

Her honest admission carried no sign of offense. Celine, frustrated that things weren’t going as planned, bit her lip slightly.

This isn’t how it was supposed to go…

Just as she was trying to find another angle to tease her, her eyes landed on Leo Blisha.

Her gaze fixed on him.

Leo, dressed in hunting attire instead of formal uniform, looked even more striking.

Isel quietly asked,

“Do you have someone you’re supporting, Princess?”

“I…”

Celine almost instinctively answered “Sir Leo,” but startled herself and quickly turned to Isel.

Isel’s light green eyes were looking straight at her.

Her pale skin and soft lips appeared almost translucent.

Seen up close, Isel resembled Leo so much that no one could doubt they were siblings. Especially their eyes, which curved gently when they smiled.

It felt as though Leo himself were looking at her, and Celine’s cheeks turned slightly red.

“Princess? Are you alright?”

Isel’s voice, filled with genuine concern, was gentle. That gentleness reminded Celine of her first meeting with Leo.

Back then, when she nearly fell down the stairs, Leo had caught her and asked:

“Princess Lossa, are you alright?”

What am I doing right now?

Suddenly realizing how childish she looked, Celine felt deeply embarrassed.

“…I’m perfectly fine.”

Though in truth, she was extremely flustered.