Episode 16
“……?”
Silen tilted his head in confusion but, just as Melissa had instructed, hurriedly stepped back and kept his distance.
Such a good kid.
Once Melissa confirmed that Silen was far enough away, she turned her attention back to the ground.
From the feel of the hoe against the soil, what lay buried was a wooden box roughly 40 cm long, 30 cm wide, and 20 cm high.
Melissa carefully lifted the hoe, moving it so slowly that it was almost imperceptible.
“……Hoo.”
After ensuring the hoe was fully clear, she exhaled softly.
But it wasn’t yet time to relax.
Melissa carefully examined the soil around the box, alert and meticulous.
From the damp color of the earth, it seemed the box had been buried for at least ten years.
‘Judging by the mix of outside soil inside, it looks like someone dug it up once in between…’
Observing the box now exposed, Melissa noticed that the seams were almost invisible—the craftsmanship was meticulous.
Which meant one thing: this box was made specifically to be buried from the start.
Could it be…?
‘A bomb?’
Melissa’s heart raced.
Mother Lunen sometimes buried boxes like this for fun.
Other parents would scold her, asking, “Why are you making something like this in front of the kid?” but Mother Lunen would shrug and say, “You should at least know how to plant a bomb,” before showing Melissa how to disarm them.
Truly, her mother had foresight!
Melissa examined the box carefully with shining eyes.
First, she held her breath and listened, then examined the box for any trigger mechanism without touching it.
“Hmm.”
Finally, Melissa snorted softly and furrowed her brows.
“It’s not a bomb.”
She let out a sigh, brushing away her disappointment, and carefully lifted the box from the ground, brushing off the dirt.
Amid the falling soil, the box revealed itself to be surprisingly luxurious.
Its body was made of rare black ebony, with brass fittings along the edges and delicate patterns carved across the surface.
“The lock is intricate too.”
Melissa examined the sturdy lock closely.
It looked like it might be opened with a pin.
She shook the box slightly; a heavy, dull sound confirmed that a sizable object was inside.
Still cautious, she gestured behind her.
“You can come now~”
Silen, curious, ran over with quick little steps, peering at the box.
Melissa knelt to bring their eyes level and showed him the treasure.
“There was something buried in the ground like this.”
“……!”
Silen’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
He seemed eager to look inside immediately, and Melissa paused to think.
What should she do?
Of course, with the technique Mother Lunen had taught her, she could open it quickly.
But she didn’t want to damage a box that someone had carefully sealed and locked.
‘Maybe…’
A nostalgic warmth filled her eyes as she recalled childhood memories.
Her parents had often hidden little notes around the village for her—treasure hunts.
Even when she was the only child in the village, they made sure she could play on her own while they handled their daily tasks.
Following the clues, she would wander the village, discovering each note, feeling as if she were playing alongside her parents.
Perhaps this box was also left by someone in the Grand Ducal Territory as a gift for a bored soul.
Smiling, Melissa looked at Silen.
“Shall we go on a treasure hunt?”
“……?”
A huge question mark hovered above Silen’s head.
Melissa explained that they would look for the key together and figure out how to open the box.
“Of course, if we find anything suspicious, tell me first, okay?”
“!”
Silen nodded vigorously, his eyes brighter than they had ever been.
Seeing his excitement, Melissa laughed.
He’s just like me as a child!
Recalling how thrilled she had been during her first treasure hunt, Melissa smiled softly and patted Silen’s head.
He was already bouncing with anticipation, ready to run.
Melissa held his hand, counted to three, and raised their hands together.
“From now on—”
“Treasure hunt, start!”
Meanwhile, far to the north:
Whoosh—!
The steel blade sliced through the wind.
In the dim, grayish-blue dawn, a tall man swung a practice sword alone across a vast training ground.
The northern mountains of the Grand Duchy of Eisenhardt.
Even in midsummer, frost often formed at dawn.
The heat from the man’s body turned to white vapor drifting around him.
- Footsteps.
A tiny step disturbed his ki awareness.
Demius frowned slightly and paused his swings as a familiar voice cut through the darkness.
“You can’t sleep, can you?”
Recognizing the voice, Demius returned to a neutral expression and resumed swinging the sword.
Whoosh— whooosh—
Ceres silently observed his son’s training.
The balance, speed, and strength—everything was more refined than before.
So even during his disappearance, he hadn’t neglected practice.
Ceres spoke casually:
“Shall we spar?”
- Steady.
Demius’s blade stopped.
Without answering, he slowly turned and assumed a stance.
Ceres raised a small smile and retrieved a practice sword from the training ground.
How long had it been since he last sparred with this boy?
At least two years, he thought.
Since Ascelion’s disappearance, their relationship had worsened considerably.
Ceres approached slowly, matching his stance.
In his blue eyes, no emotion could be detected—no fear, no disdain, not even anger.
‘His focus has improved,’ Ceres thought appreciatively.
“Come.”
As soon as he said this, Demius darted to the side like lightning.
Clang—!
Ceres lightly deflected the attack with his sword face; Demius smoothly twisted his wrist to block the follow-up.
He’s grown.
Even a single exchange showed Demius was much stronger than before.
Ceres allowed a faint smile, letting Demius’s blows flow past.
Then, in an instant, he attempted to grab Demius’s sword tip—but Demius anticipated it and twisted, trying to seize Ceres’s blade.
“Ha!”
Ceres let out a short kiai, breaking free from the entangled swords.
His hands tingled, reminding him of his age.
Had he been different in his youth?
Recalling his younger days, Ceres realized that soon, Demius would surpass his skill.
But…
“You look tired.”
Not yet.
Clang! Clang-clang—
While deflecting Demius’s attacks, Ceres twisted his body and elbowed Demius on the back.
“Ugh!”
Demius grunted but quickly regained his footing and swung again.
Ceres easily dodged, speaking calmly:
“Yesterday, you stayed up until dawn and still returned to your room, didn’t you?”
