Chapter 70
Bassenrex lifted his large frame.
Then, he let out a roar toward the servant who had opened the door.
“What is all this commotion?! Don’t you see that important guests are here right now?! What kind of rudeness is this?!”
How dare this lowly creature behave so frivolously, without any regard for his master’s dignity.
“I-I’m sorry. I had something urgent to deliver…”
“Tsk, really…”
Bassenrex was furious—so much so that even if the servant prostrated himself on the floor, trembling with fear, his anger wouldn’t subside.
But now was not the time for such displays.
The person in front of him was someone he needed to impress.
“Oh, my apologies, Lord Karlosd.”
“Ahem. It’s fine, Lord Bassenrex. It might really have been something urgent.”
“No matter how urgent… with Lord Karlosd here, it’s my fault for failing to properly train my subordinates. I will make sure they are properly disciplined today.”
“Of course.”
As Bassenrex bowed deeply to apologize to Karlosd, Novatisque, who had been seated, added a remark.
With a peculiar gaze that seemed to say, ‘Well, that figures.’
Seeing that, Bassenrex clenched his fists.
But all he could do was scold the servant.
With a displeased look, he addressed the prostrating servant:
“Alright, so what is it? If it’s not important, consider your life forfeit.”
“W-well…”
Terrified, the servant trailed off mid-sentence.
Bassenrex strode over and kicked him on the head.
“Why can’t you speak quickly?! Lord Karlosd is using his precious time!”
“I-I’m sorry!”
The servant, unable to make a sound, rolled sideways and corrected his posture at the shout.
Unlike before, he quickly begged for forgiveness.
Bassenrex muttered, ‘You should’ve done that earlier.’
“The… prophecy has been delivered.”
“Prophecy? You committed such rudeness just because of a prophecy?”
“N-no, it’s not just that!”
The servant shook his head vigorously. He placed the stiff piece of paper he had been holding onto his palm, then humbly raised it above his head with both hands and handed it to Bassenrex, continuing:
“Th-the descendant of the royal family, who disappeared long ago… is… returning…”
“What!”
Bassenrex’s eyes widened. He snatched the paper from the servant’s hands and hurriedly unfolded it.
[The small sun, once hidden in darkness, will appear again in this land.]
“Ha! What is this!”
Reading the words aloud, Bassenrex crumpled the paper in disbelief.
“This… can’t be a lie.”
“I-it’s real! How dare I lie to my master!”
The servant trembled but insisted it was true.
“Tsk. Fine. Go now.”
Bassenrex’s words prompted the servant to rise, bow deeply, and leave as if fleeing.
Once the servant exited, silence filled the reception room.
Bassenrex clutched the crumpled paper, Novatisque quietly regarded him with a scornful gaze, and Karlosd, who had leaned forward from sitting cross-legged, remained silent.
Finally, Novatisque spoke.
“A small sun… returning… could it be true?”
“…I don’t know. There’s no way to be sure.”
“What if the ‘small sun’ mentioned in the prophecy refers to someone else?”
How foolish.
Bassenrex clicked his tongue at Novatisque.
“Since ancient times, the term ‘small sun’ refers to a descendant of the royal family.”
“Th-that’s true, but…”
He couldn’t believe someone could be so clueless about the obvious.
“I just… can’t believe it. Back then, we were certain…”
“Shh! Lower your voice, Lord Novatisque!”
Bassenrex hurriedly cut him off, glancing at Karlosd in front of him.
“If the prophecy says so, the child of the royal family will surely return.”
“So what about us… does this mean all our efforts up to now will be for nothing?!”
Novatisque shouted in frustration, his voice filled with indignation as if asking whether there really was no solution.
Then Karlosd, who had been silent since hearing the prophecy, finally spoke.
“No, that is not the case.”
He covered his mouth with clasped hands and looked at the two of them.
“The prophecy only says they will return. It doesn’t specify anything else.”
“Th-that’s true… but is that important?”
“It is. That means it doesn’t matter in what form they return.”
Karlosd’s eyes turned toward Bassenrex.
Bassenrex felt a chill run down his neck from the strange reddish glint in his eyes, but simultaneously, he felt an inexplicable thrill deep inside.
“I-I see! Haha. Moreover, the prophecy does not say they will become the ruler of the country…”
“That’s right.”
Bassenrex and Novatisque approached Karlosd.
They leaned in as if to listen carefully and follow his words.
“Then we must find them first, before the royal family makes a move.”
Both men nodded at Karlosd’s words.
The carriage I had taken with Cain stopped in front of the academy’s main gate.
“Aren’t we going inside?”
I wanted to check on Estelle as soon as possible.
Hearing that Estelle had collapsed made me anxious, my legs trembling as I asked.
“Visitors must be verified before entering. Please wait a moment.”
Ah, I see. For safety reasons, outsiders shouldn’t freely enter.
But…
“Reina! It’s dangerous!”
“I’m fine!”
Ignoring Cain, I leapt from the carriage.
I could hear Cain’s worried voice behind me, but I had no time to care.
“Estelle…!”
Finding Estelle, who had lost consciousness, was my priority.
I ran toward the large building in front of me.
After parting ways with Cain to search for Estelle, I ran into a problem.
“Where is the infirmary?”
I knew the academy grounds were vast, but I had no idea about its layout.
“Where am I?”
Because I had jumped down without a plan, I didn’t know where the infirmary was.
‘Idiot, idiot!’
I should have waited and gone with Cain. Rushing alone only got me lost.
‘Haste makes waste,’ indeed…
I regretted it deeply, biting my lips while scanning for someone to ask directions.
“Ah, found someone.”
Nearby, I saw a girl with reddish-brown hair walking.
Relieved to have found someone to ask, I ran straight to her.
When I grabbed her wrist in one leap:
“Um…”
“Eek! What?!”
Startled by the sudden touch, she jerked away and shoved my hand off.
Unprepared, I was pushed backward by the force and lost my balance, falling.
“Ouch…”
I should have just fallen on my butt, but I fell sideways, scraping my palms and arms against the ground.
Pain flared not just in my butt, but in my arms and hands as well.
‘Oh no, I’m bleeding.’
Worse, blood had formed on the scrapes. I bit the inside of my cheek as small drops of blood appeared.
‘This isn’t the time for this.’
I needed to find the infirmary and Estelle.
I got up and grabbed the girl’s wrist again.
“Where do you think you’re touching! Gross!”
“Ah, sorry. You startled me.”
I quickly released my hand.
I had thought it was okay since my hand was clean, but now I realized my hand was covered in dirt as well.
Seeing the displeasure on the girl’s face, I felt sorry.
