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Chapter 06
It looked similar to a white pebble, but the sacred aura surrounding it made it clear that it was no ordinary stone.
It was the Stone of Oracle, a stone that carried divine revelations.
The moment it touched Lenox’s hand, it emitted a blue glow and began drawing lines of text in midair.
The characters were unlike any script used anywhere on the continent.
The short message was completed in only a few moments.
Instead of staring at the incomprehensible writing, Edwin observed someone else.
After all, the only person the mysterious oracle concerned—and the only one capable of interpreting it—was the duke standing before him.
Yet Lenox merely gazed at the floating words with the same indifferent expression he always wore.
Several moments passed.
Then the glowing letters scattered into blue particles and vanished.
At the same time, the once-mystical stone became nothing more than an ordinary white pebble.
“What did the oracle say?”
“Nothing you need to know.”
“Epure has awakened, hasn’t she?”
Lenox didn’t answer.
To Edwin, that was answer enough.
“So I was right! I knew it! The moment I heard an oracle had descended, I had a feeling! That’s why I immediately sent reporters to—”
“Reporters?”
“Ah!”
Edwin hastily shut his mouth after accidentally revealing too much in his excitement.
Feeling a headache coming on, Lenox pressed firmly against his temples.
“So this absurd plan was your doing.”
“You make it sound like I only did it for myself.”
Lenox ignored him entirely and sneered.
“For the Crown Prince to be this thoughtless… the Empire’s future certainly looks bright.”
“What better method was there? Were you planning to search the entire Empire and ask every adult woman one by one, ‘Excuse me, have you ever seen blue mist surrounding your hands?’”
“So that’s why you advertised for someone with a ‘special ability’? So every stray fool who thinks they’re talented would come knocking at your door?”
Lenox’s merciless criticism struck home without restraint.
But Edwin wasn’t so easily defeated.
“Oh? Is the name of the mighty House Kravant only worth that much?”
“…”
“Has the duke’s estate become so accessible that just anyone can stroll in?”
“…”
How irritating.
Lenox closed his mouth.
The future emperor sitting across from him knew far too much about him.
Ever since Edwin had been a child barely reaching Lenox’s waist, he had never been ordinary.
Quick-witted.
Exceptionally clever.
And gifted with the remarkable ability to push Lenox’s patience exactly to its limit…
Without ever crossing it.
He also knew precisely when to retreat.
“I’ll admit the method wasn’t elegant. But if we don’t find Epure this way, then what were you planning to do?”
Lenox remained silent.
“And who knows? Maybe this will finally help you find a wife—”
“Edwin Roam Varkan.”
“Yes?”
“Did the imperial physician happen to say there was something wrong with your head?”
“He said I’m perfectly healthy. Body and mind.”
Even after another devastating verbal blow, Edwin merely answered playfully.
But a moment later, his expression became completely serious.
Now they had reached the real issue.
“But, Duke…”
His voice dropped low.
“You need Epure.”
“Desperately.”
“…”
Lenox unconsciously clenched the sacred stone hidden inside his coat.
It was roughly the same size as the Stone of Oracle.
But unlike that one, it resembled a blue gemstone more than a stone.
The stone, which had remained silent for so long, had finally changed the previous night.
As though life had been breathed into it, a faint blue radiance had begun surrounding it.
Edwin’s reckless stunt had merely been a secondary reason.
The real reason Lenox had hurried back to the capital…
Was this.
Epure.
He had come to confirm whether his intuition was correct.
And it had been.
Epure had finally awakened.
It had been a very long wait.
Yet, to his own surprise…
He found himself unexpectedly calm.
Edwin tilted his head.
“Wasn’t this exactly what you’ve been waiting for? Or does it still not feel real?”
Ignoring the question, Lenox laughed bitterly to himself.
He had waited for this person for so long.
Yet now that she had finally appeared…
He felt nothing.
No anticipation.
No excitement.
What difference did it make now?
Too much time had already passed.
Enough to weather away hope…
Expectation…
Even longing.
“I don’t care about Epure.”
Edwin’s eyes widened as though he had heard something impossible.
“What? Why?”
“Even without Epure, House Kravant and the Empire have continued to exist.”
“But, Duke—”
“Enough.”
Lenox cut him off sharply.
“This doesn’t concern you.”
He continued without pause.
“Anyway, stop these ridiculous stunts. Every newspaper has already been contacted. At the latest, the correction will be published tomorrow.”
Having said everything he intended to say, Lenox stood to leave.
Just then—
Edwin spoke again.
“You really don’t care?”
“What?”
“If you don’t want to meet Epure… then maybe I will.”
Lenox’s straight brows twitched.
“What do you mean?”
“As you know, the position of Crown Princess is vacant.”
“I don’t have a fiancée either.”
Thud.
In an instant, Lenox had grabbed Edwin by the collar.
His powerful grip lifted the seated Crown Prince halfway off the sofa.
Yet Edwin remained perfectly composed.
“See?”
“You said you weren’t interested.”
“But apparently you are.”
“…”
“It’s because of the curse, isn’t it?”
The question struck directly at the truth.
Lenox silently ground his teeth.
Edwin continued.
“You never know. If it’s Epure… maybe she’ll find a way. Maybe she can break it.”
“If you value your life… keep talking.”
Lenox coldly tightened his fist.
Seeing genuine killing intent in his eyes, Edwin immediately fell silent.
Only then did Lenox release him.
Edwin dropped back onto the sofa with a thud.
Letting out a helpless sigh, he shook his head.
“Then what are you going to do?”
“Nothing.”
“Leave her alone.”
“What?”
Edwin stared at him in disbelief.
Lenox didn’t even bother looking back.
“Remember what I said.”
“Even for you… there won’t be a second warning.”
Being trapped forever by this tiresome duty…
One person was enough.
Even if she truly were the Purifier…
How could someone so pure possibly endure the stench of these filthy sins?
Perhaps…
The nameless woman would be happier never learning she was an Awakened One at all.
With a bitter smile, Lenox walked toward the door.
Behind him, Edwin called out urgently.
“You know this!”
“If we miss this chance, who knows when another one will come!”
For the first time, a faint crack appeared in the man’s emotionless face.
Another chance…
There probably would never be one.
But wasn’t that exactly the ending those lofty beings in heaven desired?
The will of merciless…
Cruel gods.
So…
His expression soon returned to its usual indifference.
Twisting his lips into a cold smile, he answered,
“It doesn’t matter.”
It took an entire day to put the plan into action.
Inside the damp, musty-smelling space still wet from last night’s rain, Ash frowned deeply.
“Olabia, the more I think about it, the more I feel like this is a terrible idea.”
“We don’t have another choice. It’s the only way to leave the baron’s estate without being discovered.”
It wasn’t as though I didn’t know how to ride in a proper carriage.
The place we were hiding…
Was inside a large cargo wagon.
Its four sides were enclosed with wooden planks, while a thick cloth stretched over narrow support poles served as a crude roof.
The inside was cluttered with all sorts of miscellaneous items tossed around without any order.
I dusted off a sack standing in one corner before sitting down.
“We’re not traveling very far. Just bear with it for a little while.”
Riding in a rental cargo wagon didn’t bother me.
Dust could be brushed off.
The smell could be tolerated.
…At least, that’s what I’d thought.
Unfortunately…
There had been one completely unexpected problem.
“Ugh!”
“Olabia! Are you alright?”
“No… I think I’m dying… urgh!”
Inside the violently shaking wagon, I repeatedly dry-heaved.
This was the disastrous consequence of underestimating just how terrifying the constant rattling of a cheap cargo wagon could be.
How did Olabia ever ride in this thing?
The reason I’d chosen the cargo wagon was simple.
It was the exact method Olabia had secretly used whenever she slipped out in the original novel.
Of course, I hadn’t blindly trusted the original story after it had already betrayed my expectations so many times.
But behind the stable…
There really had been the exact same cargo wagon described in the novel.
Even the scattered farming tools and pieces of firewood matched the description perfectly.
So I’d believed it.
Never imagining there would be a trap like this waiting for me.
As a result…
I was being mercilessly assaulted by motion sickness.
“Olabia! Don’t throw up!”
At least the wagon’s loud rattling probably meant nobody outside could hear me…
Or so I wished.
The lunch I’d eaten…
Which should have been quietly digesting in my stomach…
Kept attempting a desperate escape.
In the exact opposite direction gravity intended.
