Chapter 30
“This is…”
Looking at the dotted sigil, Hüttmann’s stiffened expression convinced Isabel that they were hiding something.
She swiftly snatched the paper away and asked,
“Mr. Hüttmann, you know about this symbol as well, don’t you? His Majesty is aware of it, but it seems he won’t tell me.”
Hüttmann scratched his forehead awkwardly before speaking.
“I don’t know much. All I know is that the sigil you mentioned is related to the curse that nearly destroyed the Celesio Empire.”
“This is a mark of the curse.”
“The Celesio Empire was cursed long ago.”
‘Now that I think of it, Adolf said the same thing too.’
“Have you heard anything more about this curse?”
“Kezef probably knows the details. He went to the Imperial Palace after hearing about the curse. I think he found out while investigating Dr. Morus.”
“…”
Isabel hid her surprise and fell into thought.
‘To think Dr. Morus’s name would come up here…’
She already knew this case was closely related to Dr. Morus, but she hadn’t expected it to be tied to the imperial curse as well.
Still, she couldn’t be certain of anything until she met Kezef in person. For now, she had to deal with what could be handled first.
“Then, I’ll be going. Please take good care of His Majesty.”
“Stop saying the obvious. What exactly are you planning to do alone?”
“I want to go back to Mr. Denver’s house. It’s still on my mind. There are things I’d like to look into further.”
“Hah! As if you’ll do well on your own. Do you want to be kidnapped again? Since earlier, why do you keep trying to wander around alone! What if the kidnappers recognize your face?”
“That’s why I’m wearing this robe. See? My face is covered, they won’t recognize me.”
“That’s not the only problem. You can’t even find your way properly.”
Hüttmann grumbled discontentedly for a long while. At his unfamiliar behavior, Isabel glanced back, frowning faintly as if she had overheard something she shouldn’t have.
“Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?”
“Like what?”
“Doing things that don’t suit you. If you’re going to worry, can’t you just leave it at worrying? My ears are about to bleed.”
“I– I never said I was worried about you…!”
Hüttmann stammered, his widened eyes blinking rapidly. His ears flushed in real time, betraying his flustered state.
Isabel let out a small chuckle and resumed walking. Hüttmann, frozen like a broken wooden doll, soon stomped after her.
“Think about it logically. Why would I worry about you?”
“They say strong denial is a form of affirmation. Why not just admit that you’re worried about me now?”
“This is so frustrating! I said no!”
“Sure, sure. I’ll believe you then.”
The two bickered as they left the chamber.
As their footsteps faded—
Clatter! Creak—
The window of the empty bedroom opened.
Hiss—
Moments later, a snake as thick as a forearm slithered out from beneath the bed and swiftly disappeared out the window.
“Lord Lucas, Sir Kezef has arrived.”
“Who did you say?”
Buried beneath mountains of documents, a man’s head snapped up. With heavy shadows under his eyes, he looked like he had just met his savior, tears welling as he rushed outside.
“Truly, Sir Kezef has returned?”
“Yes. He just passed through the castle gates, so he should be at the Imperial Palace shortly.”
“I shouldn’t just stand here. I must go greet him.”
Lucas hastily smoothed down his disheveled hair in the mirror and strode straight toward the palace entrance. Before long, he spotted a figure approaching from afar.
Though still just a tiny speck, Lucas immediately knew it was Kezef. After all, he had spent nearly his entire career serving at his side—how could he not recognize him?
“Sir Kezef!”
Lucas ran up to him with open arms. It had only been about two weeks since they last saw each other, but the surge of emotion felt like a reunion after years apart.
Noticing the teary-eyed Lucas, Kezef returned a gentle smile.
“Lucas. Shouldn’t you be working right now? Don’t tell me you’re slacking off?”
Ah, right. This man was the definition of a workaholic.
Lucas was suddenly reminded of the hellish days he had endured.
Kezef was infamously well-known throughout the palace.
Workaholic Maniac.
The nickname came from the phrase “a crazy handsome man obsessed with work.” To women, he was endlessly kind and gentle, but toward men he was colder than anyone, and when work was involved, nothing could stop him.
So when Kezef had first announced he would be leaving the palace, Lucas had felt like the happiest man alive. But that had been a foolish thought.
With Kezef gone, Lucas had been forced to take on his workload—and only then did he truly understand why Kezef had thrown himself into the imperial duties like a madman.
Every day brought an avalanche of paperwork, endless questions, reports, and far too many events. Lucas hadn’t gone home in days, drowning in night shifts upon night shifts.
In the end, he realized that having a competent lunatic around was far better than not having one at all.
‘Yeah, both options suck, but being buried under work is worse than being glared at while working. Definitely.’
Pitying his pitiful office-worker self, Lucas stepped back and bowed respectfully.
“I’m relieved you’ve returned safely, Sir Kezef.”
“I haven’t fully returned. I’ll have to leave again soon.”
Lucas jerked upright, following after him in alarm.
“You have to leave again? The matter hasn’t been resolved?”
“It’s shaping up to be a much bigger incident than I thought. I’ll likely be away from the palace for quite some time, so I’m entrusting everything to you, Lucas.”
“H-how much longer…?”
Lucas’s round pink eyes brimmed with tears once again. He was already on the verge of collapse from sleepless nights—if this dragged on any longer, he was sure he’d soon keel over straight into a coffin.
But even knowing that, he couldn’t complain. Since entering the palace, never had he seen Kezef’s expression so grave. Normally, Kezef remained calm no matter the crisis, so to see him reveal his emotions so openly after eleven years together was a first.
As he strode quickly ahead, Kezef gave an order.
“Lucas. Bring me the key to the underground library.”
“The underground library key? Why all of a sudden…?”
Trying to keep up with his short legs, Lucas tilted his head in confusion.
The palace already had a massive seven-story library, filled not only with books from the Celesio Empire but also from neighboring lands. Why would Kezef ask for the underground library, which hadn’t been opened in years?
Besides, the underground library was shunned by all members of the imperial household. Built long ago, dark with no sunlight, it carried an unsettling atmosphere. Rumors even claimed that eerie noises could be heard there at night, with whispers of ghosts roaming about.
“Besides, isn’t that the very place where the late Emperor and the First Prince died? Because of the curse—ah!”
Lucas clapped his hands over his mouth in horror at his careless words.
The footsteps ahead of him came to a halt. Turning back, Kezef fixed him with a chilling gaze and spoke.
“Exactly. The reason I returned is to uncover the truth about that curse. It’s time we unearthed the secrets that were buried.”
