Chapter 09
Roberic placed me and my grandfather into a carriage.
“We can’t stay here any longer. We’ll move somewhere else.”
Roberic said with a smile.
“……”
The carriage door closed.
Roberic had ridden on horseback, so only my grandfather and I were left inside.
“……”
What should I even say first?
Unable to find the right words for this miserable situation, I only clenched my clothes.
“…Grandfather.”
But—
I clenched my fists tightly and spoke.
I couldn’t stay silent like this.
I needed to tell him, at least partly, why I had chosen to follow Roberic.
“…Idis.”
But—
“Don’t say anything.”
My grandfather refused.
“…Grandfather?”
I looked at him blankly.
I was about to ask why, but the moment I saw his profile lit by the carriage lamp, my words got stuck in my throat.
“……”
A face that rejected all conversation.
A distant, empty wall.
I bit my lip without saying anything.
Something heavy rose inside my chest, tightening my breath as if blocking my airway.
It felt like I would suffocate.
“Your Grace the Grand Duke Heilian! It is an immense honor for this humble frontier city to receive the Light Duke himself!”
The city’s mayor bowed repeatedly as he spoke to Roberic.
“It seems I will need to stay at the governor’s residence for a few days due to circumstances.”
“Of course, please stay as long as you wish! We will serve you with utmost sincerity. But, Your Grace… the small young lady beside you… who might she be?”
His dull eyes turned toward me.
“Ah.”
Roberic let out a small sigh.
“She is my daughter.”
“…Pardon?”
The mayor froze, mouth open as if buffering.
Then, suddenly realizing something, he shouted excitedly.
“Oh! Then she must be the famous young lady Alea Heilian!”
“……”
Wrong.
My expression froze coldly.
The surrounding knights also looked shocked.
“She is not Alea.”
Roberic smiled faintly.
“Pardon?”
“The daughter I have not yet officially announced.”
That shocking statement left the mayor speechless, but Roberic gently patted my head.
“We’ve wasted enough time. The child must be tired. Prepare lodging.”
“Y-Yes, Your Grace!”
The mayor hurriedly called for attendants.
“Let’s go, Idis.”
Roberic held out his hand.
“……”
But I did not take it.
Instead, I turned to look at my grandfather.
But he wasn’t looking at me.
“Idis.”
Roberic called again.
“……”
With tears threatening to spill, I forced myself to walk.
After being guided by maids—bathing, eating dinner, and finally preparing for bed—
“…Grandfather.”
He had not come to see me.
“…Why?”
Was he angry that I chose to follow Roberic?
But if I hadn’t, Roberic would never have backed down.
He had essentially used my grandfather as a hostage to force me.
“Ha…”
I sighed deeply and turned over in bed.
Shastia and Alea had ruled the Grand Duke’s estate for seven years.
Everyone in the estate would never look kindly upon me.
Shastia was seen as a noble victim, and Mariette as the cruel woman who persecuted her.
That story had already become firmly established among the people.
It would be difficult to overturn it.
Could I really manage this alone?
“Now even Grandfather isn’t here…”
Roberic would not bring him to the estate.
And my grandfather would not want to go either.
“…Will I still be able to see Grandfather at the estate?”
Would Roberic allow it?
“……”
Nothing was certain.
I closed my eyes to escape the pain and curled up under the blanket, desperately searching for warmth.
While Idis Ronen Bastavan was staying in her separate lodging within the governor’s residence, Perion stood watching from afar, his jaw tightly clenched.
He had tried every means to avoid walking a path of monstrosity.
But in the end, it had come to this.
If asked who he hated most, Perion would answer without hesitation.
Mariette.
And now that she was gone, his hatred had transferred to Si-on Archaith Bastavan and her daughter.
Idis Ronen Bastavan.
Especially Mariette’s daughter—she was like a thorn stuck in his throat.
The subordinate who had led the arson in the village earlier emerged from the shadows behind Perion.
“I will order the knights to withdraw briefly. Enter at that time and finish it.”
“Understood.”
Today, this miserable chain of fate would finally end.
Perion closed his eyes.
As if trying to shut out all the sins he had committed—or would commit.
While Perion led the knights away, his subordinate quietly entered the separate building.
There was likely a water spirit user somewhere in the city.
To prevent quick intervention, the fire had to be started discreetly from inside.
Click—
He opened the door to the most secluded room.
Inside, a child was sleeping peacefully.
The man closed the door again and murmured softly.
“[Ifrit].”
Flames burst forth.
A fire spirit, granted his blessing, appeared in the form of a young man with blazing hair.
A fierce smile curved on the spirit’s face.
“Burn this building.”
At that moment—
A bright crimson flame ignited at the doorway of Idis’s room.
Crackle. Crackle.
Something was burning.
Even in my sleep, I felt something was wrong.
It was spring. Flowers were blooming. There was no fireplace lit.
…Grandfather would handle it, right? No need to worry.
I tried to ignore it and closed my eyes again.
But as I sank deeper into sleep, my heart suddenly pounded loudly.
Wait… I’m not at home.
I fell asleep in the annex of the Terma City residence.
Then what is this heat?
Something is wrong.
Then I realized—
I wasn’t breathing.
I struggled, frowning.
But the air filling my lungs was thick, toxic, impossible to breathe.
I couldn’t even open my eyes properly as I thrashed in the burning air.
And then—
Sssss—
The suffocating heat and smoke vanished in an instant.
Cool, gentle air wrapped around me instead.
[Idis, wake up.]
A voice spoke.
A beautiful, comforting voice filled with an inexplicable sense of longing.
“Huh…!”
I finally opened my eyes.
[You’ve finally woken.]
A figure sat beside me, looking down gently.
His white hair shimmered like starlight.
Over a pleated ancient-style robe, colorful fabrics in red, blue, green, and countless hues draped elegantly.
His softly curved eyes were black—but not darkness.
They held the light of the cosmos.
“Who… are you…”
Even as flames raged around the room, I stared at him in shock.
In a calm, gentle voice, he answered.
[I am the mother of all life, and the one who has given you the greatest blessing.]
At that moment—
His ancient gaze settled on me.
And his voice rang out like truth itself.
[I am Illypia, Spirit King of Life.]
“…What?”
My mouth fell open.
“Illypia?”
The same Illypia from grandfather’s stories?
Then why are you here?!
Waking up to a burning room was already insane—but now a Spirit King from legend was in front of me.
I couldn’t speak at all.
[Your confusion is understandable. You have lived only as an ordinary human until now.]
He smiled gently, as if understanding me.
Then he reached out and touched my cheek.
The gesture was unexpectedly affectionate.
[But Idis. Now is not the time to be confused. Look around.]
Still dazed, I did as he said.
Thanks to Illypia, I could breathe easily—but beyond the broken door, the fire outside was not normal.
“What is… this…”
Knights were supposed to be stationed outside.
Maid servants too.
“AAAAHHH!!”
“Help me! Cough—Aghh!”
Screams suddenly echoed.
“No way…”
This was too sudden.
The servants and knights wouldn’t have just let it spread like this.
And the outside people…
[The fire cannot be seen from outside. Not yet.]
I quickly looked up.
Illypia met my gaze.
[The fire is only continuing inside this building. Such fine control is impossible for normal fire. This must be a spirit-induced fire.]
…Then there was only one answer.
[Someone summoned a spirit and deliberately started this flame.]
Assassination.
