Chapter 39
“Yes, I’m Anna…”
“Good, Anna. Please take good care of Melody.”
“Yes, Duke!”
Footsteps came closer until someone stopped beside the bed. Melody could feel their presence. She wanted to open her eyes, but her eyelids were heavy. She stayed still.
Rustle. Tap.
She heard the sound of something being taken off—maybe gloves—and then the presence slowly moved away. Melody slowly opened her eyes. The workshop was dim in the evening light.
On the desk, she saw the gloves Deonis had left behind. Why had he taken them off and left them here?
In the novel, the only person Deonis ever touched was Lihelin. He probably wouldn’t have touched her. Melody picked up the gloves for a moment, then struggled to get up.
When she walked out, Anna—who was tidying the workshop—jumped in surprise.
“Ah! You’re awake?! You didn’t sleep?”
“I just woke up.”
“You should sleep more. You didn’t even sleep for an hour.”
“It’s okay. I’ll sleep later.”
Melody slowly sat down at the work desk. The blue crystal stones were neatly placed in a box on the table.
“You’ll get sick.”
“But I want to finish checking these.”
She began some experiments, but after a while, drowsiness washed over her.
She dreamed of a pure white space with a single bed. A woman was lying there, writing something. Melody couldn’t see her face, but she could hear small happy laughs as she wrote.
‘What a strange dream,’ Melody thought.
Then the woman spoke.
“You must take this…”
At the moment their eyes met, Melody woke up. The woman’s eyes were the same green as hers.
The next day, Gerson called Melody.
“Come check this.”
He showed her a thick bracelet.
“Oh…”
It was light and soft. If she didn’t know it was metal, she would have thought it was thick leather.
“The material turned out well, but the weight’s a bit disappointing. Still, it’s lighter than the leg guards His Grace wears, so it should be fine.”
Melody carefully inspected the bracelet and grabbed Gerson’s hand.
“This is perfect. Thank you so much!”
Once the experiments injecting sacred energy into the stones were done, she could build a prototype of the power-cancelling machine. Gerson stroked his short beard, looking pleased.
“Good thing we finished this before the expedition started. Otherwise, I’d be hammering day and night.”
“Could we also make it into a belt shape?”
“I’d have to try, but it should be possible. It’s sturdy and flexible.”
He began shaping the metal again with a few quick bangs.
“Thanks to this new metal, even other work here has gotten easier. I replaced the joints in the knights’ armour with it, and they seem satisfied.”
He brushed metal dust from his hands and continued.
“The timing for heating and cooling has to be just right, so it takes focus—but that’s why a veteran’s a veteran.”
He dropped a chunk of cooled metal onto the table with a thunk. It shimmered red, likely due to being mixed with the wing of a monster called Nympia and the feather of a spirit.
“If possible, please make three or four more like this.”
“Should be done before the expedition begins.”
The Duke’s knights were busy preparing for the upcoming expedition—the same one tied to the broken barrier she’d warned Awhin about. Melody wondered if she could make anything else helpful. As she thought about new things to make from the unique mineral, she heard someone cough.
Looking up, she saw Gerson scratching his head awkwardly.
“Uh, about that magic tool you gave me. My daughter loves it just as much as the hairpin. My wife too—every morning, they argue over who gets to use it.”
“I’ll make them something new next time.”
“If you’re making it, that’s all I ask.”
He suddenly pulled out a hammer.
“Made this one tougher. Sized it for your hand, too.”
“…Thank you. I love it.”
Unlike the slightly large hammer she used before, this one fit perfectly in her hand.
“Even a craftsman blames his tools sometimes. Better tools make better work.”
With his rough hands, Gerson scratched his cheek and gave her a big grin.
Moonlight lit the floor of the prayer room. In the silence, the High Priest, Serel, slowly opened his eyes. In front of him, kneeling on one knee with a serious expression, was Awhin—the Holy Knight in shining white armour.
“High Priest”, Awhin said.
“What brings you here?” Serel asked calmly.
“I came to make a request. Please allow me to inspect the barrier in the Kalau region. I beg you to send an expedition team.”
For a split second, a crack showed in the High Priest’s calm face. But he quickly smiled as if nothing had happened.
“The barrier, you say? If you are requesting this personally, Sir Awhin, there must be a reason. I’ll have someone sent to check it.”
Awhin lifted his head to meet the High Priest’s eyes.
“I wish to go myself.”
“…No. What’s more urgent is identifying those who are helping mages in hiding. Didn’t you report that the captured mage had people providing them shelter?”
Serel’s brown eyes calmly stared into Awhin’s.
“And there’s still another mage out there who hasn’t been caught, correct? Tracking them down comes first.”
“But if the barrier is breaking… many people could get hurt by monsters. Please, at least let me take a small team.”
Awhin raised his head higher. His blue eyes were filled with firm determination.
“Don’t worry. If there really is a problem with the barrier, it’s tied to the Temple’s honour. We won’t take it lightly.”
The High Priest stared at the flickering candle for a moment before speaking again.
“So please, Sir Awhin, just stay at your post. That’s your duty.”
The rosary in his hand clinked softly as he turned it.
After the prayer room door closed, Awhin stood silently outside with his eyes shut.
The High Priest was the chosen voice of the gods—the leader of the Temple. Awhin knew he was supposed to trust and follow him.
But Melody’s warning about the barrier breaking wouldn’t leave his mind.
‘Is chasing those who hid a mage really the most important thing right now…?’
He questioned himself—but only because he was confused.
“Do not question. Just obey…” he whispered.
Doubting the High Priest was like doubting the gods. And his power—his sacred strength—was a gift from them, given to help the world.
So it was only right to follow the orders of the Temple instead of his own judgement.
He took a heavy step forward.
But back in the prayer room, after he had left—
“…The barrier is already weakening.”
The High Priest gently set down his rosary with trembling hands. If things continued this way, monsters would soon arrive.
He gathered divine power to his fingertips. A ball of light appeared—but it was faint and unstable.
“I must hurry… Just how much longer do I have to wait?”
In that moment, the divine energy in his hand faded away completely.
To Be Continued…
