Chapter 39
The curse subsided about a week later.
‘The scales are gone.’
Ash touched his cheeks and arms. The scales that had formed like sharp blades had disappeared, and his long silver hair had darkened and returned to its murky gray. That meant the curse had quieted. But to be sure it was completely gone, he would need a mirror.
However, Ash’s bedroom had no mirrors. Most of the windows were blocked, with black curtains drawn tight. The hallucinations ringing in his ears were hard enough to endure—if he were to see his reflection in a mirror, it might drive him insane. He had taken precautions to prevent that.
Now, brushing back his hair that had returned to gray, he went down to the first floor. There were no butlers or attendants in the lord’s castle. After witnessing his father kill not only the family but also every servant, Ash had since avoided letting anyone in except for Baron Burvel, his aide, or the snowfield scouts.
“Edmund.”
“Duke! Are you feeling better?”
Edmund had just returned from a hunt disguised as a scouting mission, a massive stag slung across his back. Monsters were sensitive to the smell of blood—perfect bait. The stag was meant for that. But… had he ordered him to prepare bait? Ash brushed the back of his head and gestured.
“Come closer.”
“Pardon? Ah.”
“…Good. The curse has indeed subsided.”
Only after seeing his reflection in Edmund’s eyes did Ash feel the suffocating weight in his chest suddenly lift. The lingering echoes in his head and the flood of dark thoughts vanished.
“Thank goodness. This time, it passed more quickly than expected.”
“Did it? Where are Pedro and the others?”
“Uh… well…”
Edmund hesitated, recalling Pedro’s warning.
[What? A monster appeared in Steria Castle? Then we must tell Duke Valiant…!]
[No. The curse hasn’t fully passed yet. Even if it has, this time we keep it secret. He’s not in good health. Besides, Lady Blanche didn’t want it known either. Her maid worried too much and only whispered it to us.]
[And if it really is a monster?]
[The maid described a ‘rat corpse,’ ‘black liquid,’ and a ‘burnt smell.’ Sounds like a rodent-type monster. And it’s probably already dead. We’ll clean it up and return. Reporting later won’t hurt.]
“Nothing unusual today. Perhaps the hunt went so well we had a few drinks.”
“If you die, it won’t be from monsters but from drink. Learn to hold back.”
“Don’t worry.”
“And the others? Did they go with Pedro?”
“Pedro got so drunk he collapsed in the street. They said they’d carry him back, so he should be here soon.”
Pedro was a heavy drinker by nature. Using that to cover the truth, Edmund smiled nervously as Ash merely clicked his tongue in annoyance. He sighed in relief.
Ash was sharp—had Edmund delayed even a little in answering, he would have grown suspicious and pressed him. I told them we should just report it to the Duke… Edmund thought bitterly, forcing a smile while cold sweat ran down his back. He had to distract Ash until Pedro returned.
That same day Jamil vanished, Marquis Blanche blamed himself for never considering the possibility of Jamil running away.
But once he fled, it was as good as admitting guilt. There was no reason to treat him as a priest anymore.
The Marquis was ready to fabricate records and issue a warrant for embezzlement immediately. But before he could, Theodore—having just learned the full situation—stepped in to stop him.
“Priest Fohn, when did you last see Priest Jamil?”
“He was definitely still here this morning.”
“High Priest discovered evidence of embezzlement four days ago. If Jamil was still in the temple until this morning, he likely stayed to monitor things. Then, once he heard Marquis Blanche had gone to the High Priest’s office, he fled. He may have been preparing his escape for days.”
Though he wanted to handle things quietly, it had gone too far. The Klagen Council would need to be summoned and told everything. The thought gave Silbert a pounding headache.
The original plan had been to use Marquis Blanche to quietly seize Jamil and the Kenis couple before Duke Linda could interfere. But now conflict was unavoidable.
Marquis Blanche was furious. Yet Theodore proposed a different strategy.
“I’ll send knights to the viscounty. If the Klagen Council asks, say they were dispatched to notify about a theft.”
“You think we should seal off the capital districts?”
“No. If he fled right after you went to the High Priest’s office, he can’t have gone far. And he’s not alone—he and the Kenis couple are accomplices. Until they meet and exchange information, he’ll be in hiding. It’s not too late. This is our chance to catch them all at once.”
Silbert tapped his lips thoughtfully.
“Then perhaps I should delay summoning the Council?”
“I considered that. But perhaps it’s best to announce it immediately.”
“….”
“Duke Linda won’t dare strike at Marquis Blanche. Even if he protests, he won’t cross the line. But if Linda learns of this incident before we capture anyone, the fallout will hit you, Sir Arvelche. Think of the investiture ceremony. I want you to receive your title.”
“We don’t need both. Catching one is enough. I’ll get Jamil. Honestly, a priest who has lived pampered all his life isn’t clever enough to hide thoroughly.”
Theodore’s voice brimmed with confidence.
“It’s only a matter of time. And once one is caught, the other will talk. No one wants to bear all the blame alone.”
Like master, like disciple, Silbert thought, seeing shades of Ronan in Theodore. He nodded.
“Very well. I’ll distract the Council as long as I can. But not forever.”
“It won’t take more than two days. I’ll bring the betrayers of the temple before your eyes.”
Theodore’s prediction proved true.
Though not from a great house, Jamil was still of noble birth. Raised within the temple, he had lived an easy life. After fleeing, he chose to hide at the Tilla Inn.
If he’d been rational, he would’ve realized a crowded inn was the worst choice, while a poorhouse would’ve been safer. But the thought of filth and the sick repelled him.
Believing that staying hidden would keep him safe, he bribed the innkeeper with a few coins and locked himself in a room.
Luckily, he had stolen a servant’s uniform on his way out of the temple, so he drew no suspicion. But if he continued to hole up without leaving, people would surely grow suspicious. Before that happened, he needed to meet the Kenis couple—his brother and sister-in-law.
He prayed they had received his letter and would come soon. But the more he thought about it, the angrier he grew, blaming them for everything.
Jamil grabbed the large sack thrown on the bed.
“I told them it was dangerous…!”
He tore it open, golden light spilling out. The stolen gold bars.
He prided himself on being cautious and composed—traits he believed had allowed him to embezzle undetected. Yet his greedy brother and sister-in-law had ruined everything.
Shoving the gold back into the sack, he recalled their conversation on the day of the return banquet.
[The carriage to the auction house leaves tomorrow. If we steal the gold now, we might get caught.]
[If it leaves tomorrow, then just steal it at night! Easy.]
[My dear, once you bring the gold, let’s wrap things up quickly. We can buy a fine house abroad and never worry again. Haven’t you and my husband suffered enough?]
[Exactly! You risked your life skimming money, and we slaved away in the vanguard, rounding up orphans to sell. If those idiot slavers hadn’t been caught two years ago, we’d have left already! And you said yourself you were sick of priesthood, didn’t you? Time to be free!]
[…Fine. Once I secure the gold, I’ll send it right away. I’ll leave the temple life behind. Just make sure you clean up properly too.]
[Don’t worry. You just do your part.]
Though he’d agreed, unease gnawed at him. Stealing the gold while the coachman was away had gone smoothly, but a bad feeling made him want to put it back. Before he could, Rettran and Fohn had found it and called the knights.
Even then, he thought he could escape suspicion. No one had seen him take it, and he planned to plant the bars in another priest’s quarters to frame them.
He wouldn’t recover the gold, but survival came first. Surely his brother would understand.
What he hadn’t expected was the High Priest digging into the funding ledgers.
He wavered, dozens of times, between fleeing and staying. Hope lingered he wouldn’t be discovered.
But the morning Marquis Blanche entered the High Priest’s office, Jamil ran. Now here he was. All ruined, because of his brother.
“Arghhh!”
He buried his face in the pillow and screamed. Everything had been perfect, yet now all his sins might be exposed. Fear crushed him.
Has my brother read the letter? He must… But what if he’s too busy selling property, too distracted, and he delays?
Tormented by rage and fear, his thoughts whirled, emotions for his brother swinging wildly from reliance to hatred.
Then—
Bang! Bang! Someone pounded hard on the door. Jamil froze.
