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Chapter 71
“Thank you.”
“No need.”
This was already the third time Silia shook her head today. Julin had been saying things out of character, again and again.
“And I’m sorry. You suffered because of me…”
“I think I said this before. It wasn’t an emotional choice.”
“I know it wasn’t.”
Perhaps because he was usually overly perceptive, Julin didn’t show a trace of belief in Silia’s words.
“I know what you did was like stirring up a hornet’s nest.”
“Oh, really?”
“Don’t pretend you didn’t.”
“Well, if I get stung, I can just put some ointment on it.”
“What if it’s a wasp’s nest?”
“Then I’ll just burn it with magic.”
Silia accepted this calmly. She knew why he said such things.
‘The crown princess must have been furious.’
She suspected that the Tarnia Trading Company might have been both an information source and a source of funds for the crown princess.
‘Looking at the documents, they subtly did a lot of things that benefited the crown princess.’
Nothing too blatant, but many small manipulations of titles and properties were documented—taking from nobles not friendly to the crown princess and transferring them to those who were.
Some of these seized assets were confirmed to have gone to crown-princess-friendly nobles.
‘They did it without leaving a trace.’
From the documents alone, it could almost look like coincidence—if Silia hadn’t suspected the crown princess.
And this seemed like a significant help.
“I’ve completely destroyed that source of funds.”
She hadn’t intended to openly declare war, but in investigating the disappearance incident—and with Julin involved—she had no choice.
Of course, there had been progress in the disappearance investigation as well. Kronedel, who had just entered the Baron Broneau’s drawing room, saw Julin and gave an awkward smile.
“Busy right now?”
“Welcome, Your Highness.”
Julin greeted politely, unaware that Kronedel was a prince. Silia looked at Kronedel and said,
“No, perfect timing. What’s the matter?”
“I had a few more things to confirm.”
Kronedel, who had said he would investigate alone, had managed to locate other Tarnia warehouses.
“I also went through the lists you found at the Tarnia Trading Company.”
“What did you find?”
Even greater progress had been made on this side.
Kronedel nodded with a serious expression.
“…I found survivors.”
“Ow… it hurts so much…”
“Just… end it…”
“……”
Silia’s expression hardened. Before her were people as pale as Jerry and Molly had been. The difference, however, was clear.
“This confirms it, for sure.”
“Yes.”
Silia spoke slowly.
“What happened in the palace wasn’t just an experiment. It was an experiment to refine a beast’s blood.”
The fingertips and toes of the survivors being carried in were blackened like crystals, almost like petrified glass.
The black fragments Silia had discovered earlier were falling from their bodies. Yotun, who had been examining the people from inside Silia’s bag, nodded slightly.
Silia whispered with a sigh.
“This is not a separate incident from what happened at the Magic Tower. They were connected, after all.”
What she had suspected was now confirmed.
The writings and illustrations she had seen in the forbidden library:
[From living beings… as a result… through experiments… by-products… produce crystals and refined blood.]
Yotun nodded and explained further.
“When you refine a beast’s heart, you get its blood. That blood can create new beasts. The refining process requires…”
“…that much magical power, I suppose.”
Silia clarified, listening closely to Yotun.
“The refining method… converts the life force of a living being into magic, right?”
“Exactly.”
“And that magic is used to refine the blood.”
They kidnapped people with no ties, extracted their life force to refine the beast’s heart, and produced the blood. Those drained of life were discarded, turned to stone.
The puzzle pieces were coming together.
Thinking of the beast’s blood that had captured Lyman, Silia responded,
“Perhaps if they had left that brat Lyman alone, this might have happened. Or he might have completely fused with the beast.”
Yotun answered obediently.
“That’s what the Magic Tower students said.”
“Yes. It happened while you were away.”
“I have one concern about that.”
“What is it? Tell me.”
“When I left, I placed protective magic, but someone had left the Magic Tower’s protective magic poorly maintained.”
“Of course, someone high-ranking who could enter unnoticed.”
“Exactly.”
She sighed without realizing it.
“I didn’t think the crown princess would be cruel enough to do something like this for the throne.”
“What?”
Kronedel approached from behind, asking. Silia only shook her head. No need to burden him with such grim thoughts—he was her younger brother, after all. But Kronedel seemed to notice something, as he suddenly looked at the survivors with dark eyes.
“Ugh!”
“Are you alright?”
Silia bowed slightly at the survivor’s scream. She noticed Kronedel nervously biting his lip. Silia tapped Yotun’s bag and asked softly,
“Is there really no way to reverse this?”
“Once petrified, it cannot be stopped.”
“If we tried to reverse it with magic…”
“Doing so could endanger your life. It’s practically magic that revives the dead. Even dragons are forbidden from such magic. But leaving them like this…”
“…I can see it, too. The petrification is spreading, isn’t it?”
The petrified areas of the survivors had been slowly expanding. Silia watched anxiously. Yotun sighed.
“We have to cut it off. That’s the only way to save their lives.”
“……”
“I’m sorry I can only give such advice.”
“P-please… kill us…”
The survivors gasped. Silia pressed her lips together and reached for her sheath.
“Listen carefully. For now, amputation is the only solution.”
“Ugh… ughh…”
“Better to lose a limb than die…!”
“We live day to day! Without an arm or leg…”
Silia spoke firmly.
“I will take all of you to Baron Broneau’s residence. If that’s impossible, I’ll request Count Diamant’s help. His minor count won’t ignore such matters.”
Even if some lost limbs, they would still be able to work. Silia looked into the eyes of those beginning to regain hope.
“Even if you lose an arm or a leg, I will ensure you can still make a living. I swear this by my name. You will survive. Treasure your lives.”
“……”
“It will hurt. Please bear with it for a moment.”
Silia approached the first person who had been laid down.
Thump!
“Kronedel?”
“…I’ll do it.”
Kronedel looked at her with his slightly cold blue eyes.
“I think I should do this.”
Silia swallowed a sigh internally as the prince stammered.
“Are you sure you can do it? This could really hurt them if you make a mistake.”
“I’ll try my best.”
Fear spread across the survivors’ faces. Silia opened her bag slightly and called Yotun.
“Is there any magic we can use here?”
“Hmm… in that case.”
Yotun made a tapping sound inside the bag. Moments later, the people’s eyes glazed over as if seeing another world.
“It’s an illusion spell.”
Silia nodded at Kronedel.
“Do it in one go.”
“…Yes.”
Kronedel drew his sword. Silia did not look away.
The task ended sooner than expected.
“Your father says it’s alright. We can send more people if necessary.”
Silia looked over the sleeping survivors and shrugged. Fortunately, they felt no pain. The petrified parts had been cleanly removed, thanks to Yotun’s magic.
Meanwhile, Silia sent word to the nearby baronial estate to confirm her father’s wishes. Baron Roden gladly replied that all survivors could be used as workers. Kronedel murmured bitterly.
“They should have been taken in by the palace.”
“Who here doesn’t know you’re powerless for that? And the palace? Who would actually take people there? Who really holds power?”
“Ha ha.”
Kronedel’s expression remained dark. Silia patted his back lightly.
“The situation is getting stranger, and there’s nothing I can do. Helping you like this is the best I can do. Even then, I’m not sure it helps at all.”
His voice had fallen low. Silia turned to face him.
“Lately, someone else has been saying the same thing to you. Did you two talk?”
Kronedel forced a weak laugh. Silia spoke firmly.
“Anyway, it’s all resolved now. Of course, we still need to find the workshop where that magic is being performed…”
“There’s probably a workshop somewhere in the palace as well.”
“Are you sure? When I searched, it seemed the work was done outside the capital.”
“…At least, if it’s that person I know.”
Kronedel referred to the crown princess indirectly as “that person.”
“She wouldn’t like things happening where she couldn’t supervise.”
That became evident as soon as they arrived at the count’s residence.
Julin, checking letters that had just arrived, handed one over with a serious expression.
“Seems someone doesn’t like us poking around everywhere.”
Silia quietly picked up the envelope Julin handed her. It bore the Academy seal.
‘Training Deployment Order.’
It stated that, following a recent beast attack in the capital, sword and magic students from the Academy would be collectively dispatched to temporary training in the northern regions. Academy students were conscripted in wartime, so this was not unusual—if not for the timing.
“So, we’re supposed to stay in the north for now.”
Silia smiled wryly.
“Under her supervision, too.”
The letter was signed by the training supervisor—Magritte Ahaim.
The crown princess’s name was on it.
