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Chapter : 79
The Astrologer
Count Bronte formally announced the news of the deceased.
Count Bronte himself already knew.
The deceased had only been granted a few extra days—the death had long been foretold.
“The monster’s poison had already ravaged the body,”
“Even if no one spoke by their side, they must have known better than anyone that they were dying.”
It is hard not to notice when the internal organs begin to fail from within.
“Count Bronte will finish the funeral and take a short rest,”
Charlov closed the documents.
“Goodbyes are hard to get used to.”
Perhaps a walk would be good.
Walking along the road to the Imperial Palace, Charlov sensed a familiar presence.
The emperor’s attendants spotted Charlov.
Shh.
At her small gesture, the attendants bit their lips and fell silent.
Benjamin passed along the corridor with the attendants.
“Your Majesty?”
Charlov smiled faintly at the emperor’s attendants.
Slowing her pace slightly, Charlov stepped on his shadow.
Gently.
He stopped walking, and she wrapped her arms around his waist.
“You’ve given me your back.”
The attendants covered their mouths with their sleeves and lowered their heads.
“Don’t step on the shadows of those who wield blades lightly. It’ll startle them.”
“You didn’t recognize me?”
“Of course I did.”
Benjamin shook his head at the attendants, and the head attendant led them away.
“Stepped on the ground with those feet again?”
“Hmm. Is taking a walk not allowed?”
“Not prohibited, but come here.”
Benjamin picked Charlov up effortlessly.
“I heard the palace physician said you sprained your ankle.”
“It’s just a slight twist; it’s swollen.”
She explained that her joints were naturally weak and she had to be careful with her slow-healing body.
“Why add commentary?”
“My empress tends to trip even on a clear path; better to be cautious.”
Benjamin buried his nose in her shoulder.
“The smell of medicine is strong.”
“Aaron gave me some muscle pain medicine.”
“It’s potent.”
“I rubbed it all over my ankle and wrapped it with a bandage.”
Benjamin kissed the nape of her neck, supporting her from behind with one arm while pressing her neck gently with the other.
“Ugh.”
He strode down the corridor as if nothing had happened.
“It looks unsightly from outside.”
“Those who could have taught me court etiquette are long gone.”
Charlov frowned and rested her chin on his shoulder.
“Can I stay close?”
“Shall we go to the study together?”
Taking a deep breath, the scent of his body filled her senses.
His strong arms supporting her were steady and reassuring.
“To the study. Pedelin Dunkan has entered the palace.”
“Wasn’t the mercenary group staying in Poputa?”
“They found a ship from the Southern Continent wrecked at the harbor. Only Pedelin went to investigate and report.”
Benjamin was heading to the study.
Outside, Pedelin, waiting by the study, spotted the emperor and swallowed hard.
“Hmph!”
He covered his mouth with his sleeve and straightened his posture.
“We’ll report from inside.”
Charlov entered the study and gently set her feet down, wincing slightly from the sprain.
“Where are you hurt?”
“A small incident occurred.”
Benjamin answered for her, and Pedelin continued the report.
A ship from the Southern Continent was found wrecked near the beach.
“Astrologers from the Southern Continent were aboard. A few books on constellations and prophecy were found.”
“Southern astrologers rarely leave their observatories, just like the priests of Taran. Why would they be outside?”
“We found one astrologer and brought him along.”
Pedelin added, reluctant.
“However, interrogation is difficult. He refuses to speak…”
“If astrologers who normally never leave the observatory ventured out, there must be a reason.”
Having crossed the coast of Poputa, entering imperial territory—
Had they forgotten their place, or was the matter truly urgent?
“Where is he?”
“Locked up in prison.”
Benjamin narrowed his eyes.
The astrologer glared at the guards with a face like he had bitten something foul.
He was short-limbed and copper-skinned, muscular under his robe—a typical Southern Continent physique.
“Was he always silent?”
“Yes. He has remained silent since capture.”
Benjamin crossed his arms and surveyed the interrogation room.
“He has something to hide.”
“Even when asked if he had companions, he kept silent.”
Charlov stared at the Southern man intently.
“Southern astrologers are known to be tight-lipped. Like the empire’s temples that observe from a distance, they behave similarly.”
The astrologer snapped his head up.
He turned his gaze precisely toward the emperor’s party, despite the interrogation room being reinforced with a wall and a one-way glass.
Benjamin tapped his forearm lightly with his fingertips—a habit he had when pondering.
“What is the current situation in the Southern Continent?”
“They suffered severe food shortages. Many farms were destroyed by monsters, internal conflicts arose, and the situation remains unstable.”
The Southern Continent was rich in minerals but poor in food, with vast deserts and abundant ore veins.
“The monster outbreak during the New Year festival was further proof of internal instability. Interrogation requires him to speak…”
“There’s a limit to his silence.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Being a foreign astrologer, interrogation has its limits.”
Charlov looked at Pedelin.
“Just make him talk?”
“Yes? Ah, yes, for now.”
“Then, malice?”
“Excuse me?”
“I mean, can he harbor ill intent?”
“As long as he doesn’t draw a blade, it’s fine.”
Charlov gently tapped Benjamin’s waist.
“I’ll go in.”
“Southern people live in harsh lands; their bare hands are weapons. That’s why he’s restrained.”
Benjamin asked briefly.
“Will it be violent?”
“…If his fists threaten me, you must be beside me to stop him.”
The guard swallowed hard.
“Cough! Cough!”
“If talking is enough, I can help.”
Benjamin met the astrologer’s gaze.
“Five minutes. Finish it.”
“….”
“If not, I’ll come out as is.”
Charlov nodded slightly.
“Open the interrogation room door.”
The guard swallowed dryly.
Getting the astrologer to speak was not difficult.
“Does your ankle hurt?”
It was the first thing he spoke to Charlov.
She snatched the documents from the guard and tossed them onto the table.
“With that bandage, I’d say it hurts.”
“So many wraps on your foot.”
The astrologer’s arms were bound in restraints.
“Where are your companions?”
The astrologer glared as if thinking, ‘Who is this person?’
“Alone. Came by myself.”
“…Lies.”
“I don’t know. Don’t ask me.”
The astrologer spoke randomly.
“Doomed to die young. Will perish early.”
Charlov scratched her cheek awkwardly.
“You poke at quite uncomfortable parts.”
“If you want to keep your wrists intact, choose your words.”
Benjamin rested his hand on his sheath.
“They’re the kind who spill blood and cut my throat while dangling it before death.”
“A body trained with blades is like that.”
“You’ve left that body empty. Before it decays… embrace the heir. Even if that body dies, leave a legacy.”
Charlov realized.
“You have no intention of answering.”
She leaned back in her chair, stretching her waist leisurely.
“Yes. No one embarks on such an escapade alone in a foreign land.”
“Ah….”
“He plans to remain silent, it seems.”
Charlov pressed further.
“If he refuses to speak, should I make him?”
It was they who provoked such a vile thought.
“The Forbidden Stone Tower.”
“….”
“The tomb of Lamang I from the Southern Continent was looted. It was auctioned—are you aware?”
The astrologer’s face twisted like a demon.
Bang!
He swung his restrained arms violently.
“An auction?! That’s a symbol of the Southern Continent! How dare they auction it!”
Benjamin pressed down on his shoulders.
“Be careful.”
He cut lightly across the astrologer’s wrist with his blade.
“If you don’t want your wrist cut, do not show murderous intent.”
Benjamin’s usually calm eyes turned snake-like.
“Next time, I’ll consider it a request to cut the throat instead of the wrist.”
The astrologer trembled.
The royal guard drew swords, aiming at him.
“Do you hold the Forbidden Stone Tower’s tomb?”
Amid the tension, only Charlov whispered nobly.
“First, lay down your murderous intent.”
Theodore pressed his short cloak tightly, sensing someone behind him.
People from the Southern Continent had heightened senses from living in deserts and mines.
‘Is someone tailing us?’
The pursuer deliberately made themselves known, boldly revealing their presence.
Arrogant, indeed.
‘How many? How far?’
The Southern man was short and clumsy—hard to escape with such legs.
There were more pursuers than fighters to engage.
“Theodore! We’re being followed!”
“This way!”
Theodore led his party into an alley.
“It’s a dead-end!”
Piridore and Montidore panicked.
‘Door’ was a kind of title appended to Southern astrologers’ names.
“Who goes there!”
Theodore spun around; a stranger answered.
“Hiding in narrow alleys isn’t wise. The narrower the path, the harder to hide.”
Dozens of presences filled the alley.
Uniformed knights blocked escape routes.
“Theodore, Montidore, Piridore, are you the astrologers from the Southern Continent?”
Benjamin removed his cloak, revealing himself.
“You said you’d join in the square. Next time, learn to conceal your presence better.”
“Sir Theodore, those are uniforms. Knights of the imperial family and noble houses…!”
Piridore and Montidore screamed in horror.
“I refuse! I only study astrology, not combat!”
“Fighting someone with a blade! No wonder they avoid leaving the observatory!”
Theodore realized:
‘These idiots are no help at all!’
Soon, a familiar presence joined behind the imperial guard.
“Lacildore! You! Were you caught?!”
“I- I apologize, Sir Theodore.”
The straggler Lacildore was captured by the imperial guard.
Benjamin removed his cloak and replied calmly.
“The imperial night is cold. Foreign astrologers must not get lost wandering at this hour.”
He asked quietly:
“Will you go with us?”
“….”
“Or be dragged along?”
Theodore quickly turned his head.
“I- I will go with you.”
The imperial guard surrounded the astrologer party.
It was the imperial palace.
Amid the dark, the gleam resembled the eye of a snake.
