Chapter 38
I felt my face grow hot and began rubbing it vigorously with my hands.
Beatrice beamed and then pulled me into a hug.
“Hestia, thank you so much. I’m so happy. Hestia… When I first came here, I never could have imagined something like this would happen. If all of this was just so I could meet you…”
Beatrice stopped mid-sentence.
After all, if meeting me required the kingdom’s destruction and all the tragedies that followed, it couldn’t exactly be called a fair price to pay.
I looked at her and smiled.
“Thank you for saying that.”
When we reached the small conference room, Erkan was already there.
He had brought the sword he had finished making for Luzenbik. Luzenbik was holding it and channeling mana into it.
“Since Your Highness can handle mana with great precision, I was able to inscribe magic circles across every surface of the blade. Each time, you should channel mana into them to activate the respective magic circle.”
When Erkan spoke, I saw the sword in Luzenbik’s hands—indeed, it was covered in intricate patterns, densely packed.
Luzenbik was testing them one by one, activating each magic circle in turn.
It wasn’t as simple as channeling mana evenly into the whole blade. He had to inject it only into the special parts where the magic circles were inscribed. It seemed quite difficult, yet Luzenbik kept at it, sweating but refusing to give up.
I noticed Erkan and Cassia exchanging glances and nodding slowly at each other.
It looked like the result had turned out even better than they’d expected.
“I did think Your Highness could manage it, but honestly, I didn’t expect you to do this well. Once you get completely used to it, I’ll teach you how to activate the magic circles to amplify the blade’s offensive power.”
“Thank you, Sir Erkan. This will be a great help.”
“This part is the most important. I specialized in this type of magic, so I strengthened it here.”
Erkan smiled and pointed to the center of the sword.
“Swinging this will be similar to casting a fire spell. And if Your Highness can produce aura or an aura blade, it’ll fly wrapped in flames.”
Luzenbik looked stunned, as though he couldn’t believe it.
“How… How is something like that even possible…”
He looked like he was itching to try it out immediately.
“Sir Luzenbik, I think there’s somewhere you could put that to use.”
Erkan seemed to notice Cassia calling Luzenbik “Sir” and wondered what had happened. Cassia explained that she had found the Pelmon people and that they needed to be careful with titles from now on.
“Ah, I see. Understood. I’ll address you that way as well. The most important thing is to succeed in our mission.”
When Erkan said this, Cassia continued.
“Go to where the Pelmon people are being held and rescue them, Sir Luzenbik. It will help you get used to that sword.”
Rescuing the Pelmon people from those who captured and abused them gave Luzenbik strong justification for action.
He didn’t seem to think there was any reason to delay.
“I’ll do it. I think Zermin will know where they are.”
“I’ll also use my information network to find out more.”
Luzenbik seemed encouraged by how the plan was taking shape.
But he didn’t need to leave the upper trading building to test the sword’s powers.
That night, royal knights arrived at the palace, bringing many soldiers with them.
They appeared suddenly, just as we were gathering in the small conference room after dinner.
Zermin was there too, and he seemed surprised to learn that we had been organizing ourselves and making preparations for Pelmon’s restoration.
We were in the middle of our discussion when the chamberlain rushed in.
But even before he entered, Erkan had already sensed something was wrong and halted the meeting.
“Someone’s coming. There are many of them, and they use mana. Likely royal knights, though I can’t say for certain.”
Luzenbik immediately rose, sword in hand, and met the chamberlain as he entered.
The chamberlain seemed startled to see Luzenbik armed, but he delivered his message.
“His Majesty has sent people. The royal knights are here to escort Lady Hestia.”
“What for?”
Luzenbik snapped, his voice sharp with anger.
I too felt a surge of fury. I couldn’t understand what the king was thinking, and I wanted to shout back.
“They say they’ve found a skilled physician—someone who could cure Lady Hestia’s illness. They’re insisting she come immediately.”
Cassia gave a derisive snort.
“So His Majesty treats people like that? And if this physician fails to cure Lady Hestia, will he just throw her out again? Why send for her instead of bringing the physician here?”
“That… I wouldn’t know, Madam,” the chamberlain replied.
Luzenbik looked at me. “Do you want to go back to the palace?”
“Of course not. I never want to return there. If I go now, I may not be able to leave again. If the king made this decision alone, it means he has no intention of reinstating me as queen—he likely plans to lock me away and satisfy his own desires. The nobles are desperate to seat a new queen, and the king won’t dare oppose them.”
Everyone present seemed to immediately grasp the implication of my words.
Luzenbik told Beatrice to stay with me and then headed outside.
Before he left, he turned to Cassia.
“Should I spare them and just sentence them to hard labor instead of killing them?”
I never imagined he would say something like that in this situation, and what surprised me even more was Cassia’s response.
“If you can do that, I’d prefer it, Sir Luzenbik.”
“Understood. Then I’ll test the sword just enough to subdue them. But if they don’t return after this, more people will come later. Will that be all right?”
Cassia answered casually, “I think His Majesty mobilized these men in secret. It’ll be difficult for him to gather a group this large again. And, as Lady Hestia said, there are probably plenty of people who dislike the king having any contact with her.”
“Still, we should prepare for any possibility.”
“In that case, Sir Luzenbik, you can just deal with it then, can’t you?”
She laughed loudly, and Luzenbik, who had been fuming moments ago, also cracked a smile, easing up a little.
Our eyes met.
He didn’t say anything, but from his gaze, I felt I understood his feelings.
“Be careful, Luzenbik.”
“Come back safe, Sir Luzenbik,” Erkan added.
Luzenbik chuckled. “Sir Erkan, aren’t you coming?”
“I’m important, aren’t I? I can’t get hurt. In times like this, I should stay safe.”
Cassia nodded solemnly, saying that was a very important point, and added that it was the same reason she wasn’t going herself.
“I’d love to go, but I can’t, so I won’t.”
Amused, Luzenbik left, Zermin following behind him.
I wasn’t sure how much help Zermin would be, but it was better than him fighting alone. I glanced at the chamberlain, thinking he might join them in battle, but he caught my gaze.
“Is there something you wish to ask, Lady Hestia?”
“Oh… no, nothing.”
Poor Luzenbik.
Still, once outside, there would be the trading company’s guards, so at least he wouldn’t be fighting completely alone.
“Let’s go somewhere safe to watch,” Cassia said, rising to her feet.
She led us upstairs to a large room.
I wondered what she intended to do, but she simply went to the window and leaned out, looking down.
There were no instructions—she was just watching.
Realizing her intention, we moved to the window and observed the scene below.
The royal knights and soldiers, numbering over twenty, were still mounted on their horses, unaware of what was about to happen to them.
Luzenbik began walking slowly toward them.
A man who appeared to be their captain saw him, smirked arrogantly, and said something, but we couldn’t hear from this distance.
Then suddenly, it was as if we were right there among them—the sound came through loud and clear. Looking at Erkan, I realized he had used magic.
“Who are you? We’re not here to deal with vagabonds. Get lost and bring out the deposed queen.”
The moment Luzenbik heard them call me that, he didn’t bother listening further. He began channeling mana into his sword.
From above, I could see the mana flowing into the blade even more clearly.
As the mana built up, the engraved magic circles began to move, as if alive.
I had never imagined that “activating a magic circle” would look like that—and I was utterly stunned.
