Chapter 17……………………….
“Huh?”
Callisto asked back.
He had no idea what the young lady was trying to do. In truth, most of her actions were difficult for him to fully make sense of.
He was about to question her—what on earth she was planning—but that attempt ended before it began. Before he could say anything, Panake’s sharp talons snatched him up.
The powerful flapping of wings tore through space, so intense he couldn’t even open his eyes. Yet even with his eyes shut, he could tell something—this place was completely different from where they had been before.
The space felt soft and viscous, and there was a damp smell in the air. It resembled the stench of fish—no, more precisely, like dried fish being burned.
Callisto opened his eyes.
The path they traveled through seemed, when his eyes were closed, like pitch-black darkness, yet now it was blindingly bright—an incomprehensible space that felt both utterly dark and completely white at the same time.
“The stars that light the night, and the undying light of the soul.”
From below, a song drifted upward. The voice was so beautiful it was hard to believe it belonged to a man, and it seemed to beckon him—calling him down.
“That will guide you to where we wish to go.”
Entranced by the voice, Callisto felt an urge to descend and find its owner. It was so captivating that he couldn’t understand why Panake and the lady didn’t stop.
From above, Elexena clicked her tongue.
“You’d better keep your eyes closed.”
The path of death was not something meant for human eyes. Only death itself—and those who had recently died—could traverse it.
Those who had just lost their lives were filled with lingering attachments to the world. Driven by that obsession, they tried to seduce those passing through.
Of course, Elexena kept her eyes open. The reason was simple—she herself was no different from those dead… perhaps even worse.
Callisto shut his eyes again. When he did, the singing vanished.
With his eyes tightly closed, he demanded,
“What exactly are you doing?”
“You don’t need to know.”
I told you not to be annoying earlier, and yet you haven’t learned.
Elexena ignored him. As Panake continued flapping her wings, she spoke,
“By the way, Cardia. Was there really a need to talk about breaking off the engagement? With just an oracle, it could be done naturally.”
As always, Panake occasionally asked sharp questions.
She was right. If the priests were bribed, the engagement could be annulled without mutual consent. Even so, the reason Elexena was going to meet the crown prince was purely out of her own sense of propriety.
“Wouldn’t it be better to make things certain?”
“You’re taking on unnecessary trouble.”
Panake grumbled. Elexena gently stroked her back.
“And besides, I need to declare war.”
A declaration of war was only proper before a fight—basic etiquette. Elexena was a woman who valued honor, so giving notice in advance was natural.
“I’m about to start fighting in earnest. Wouldn’t it be unfair if only I knew in advance?”
“Sometimes I don’t understand why humans risk their lives over honor and justification.”
“Honor is a virtue any hero must have.”
Elexena chuckled.
Originally, honor was more precious than life. Humans were creatures who lived and died for honor—and if they could make a name for themselves even in death, they would be satisfied.
Elexena now held everything she wanted in her hands. So now, she would begin in earnest to claim Winkedius.
From below, Callisto, who had been silent, frowned.
“Are you going to oppose the Madam?”
“No. I will take revenge. On everyone who despised me.”
“You will lose.”
Callisto didn’t serve the Madam for no reason. There was a reason everyone obeyed her.
Iglea practically held all the real power of the ducal house. Not only that, but its vast wealth and private army were all under her control.
And yet this young lady—barely an adult—claimed she would defeat her.
Wasn’t that foolish? Was her pride really that important?
Before, he had mocked her for lacking pride—but now, her stupidity made him want to laugh.
“A knight must sometimes fight even knowing they will lose.”
Elexena answered calmly.
She was a hero. A member of the royal family. She had fought in countless wars and earned endless glory—but even she could not win every battle.
There were battles fought with certain defeat.
For humans, there were things they could never overcome—what poets called tragic fate. Death, love, prophecy—things no human could escape or defeat.
Elexena knew she would lose against such cruel fate, yet she still threw herself into it.
And sometimes—just sometimes—she managed to snatch a fragment of victory from it.
“And besides, I don’t think I’ll lose.”
She had even triumphed against the absolute before. Would she really fear Iglea?
Unless Iglea was more absolute than death, stronger than love, and crueler than prophecy—Elexena would not lose.
They soon arrived at the imperial palace. Carrying two adults this far had tired Panake a bit. Elexena gently stroked her feathers.
“This is close enough. I know you want to rest, but stay by my side just a little longer.”
“Alright.”
“…Thank you, as always.”
“That’s disgusting!”
Panake shuddered at her affectionate tone.
The knights guarding the palace immediately recognized Cardia. They watched her with tense expressions.
“What brings you here?”
They knew her well—the duke’s daughter who looked grown but acted childish, always shrinking like a beaten child. The foolish noble lady of a great house—that was the Cardia they knew.
But the woman before them now seemed like a completely different person.
“My fiancé didn’t even send a letter after I came to my senses, so I came to see him myself.”
Her stuttering was gone, and her once tearful eyes now shone with intelligence. There was no trace of fear or hesitation—if anything, she appeared more arrogant and confident than any other noble.
Was this really the same foolish Cardia Winkedius?
And behind her—the monstrous bird, glaring with red eyes. What on earth had happened?
The knights grew even more tense.
“You cannot enter without permission.”
Before, they would have driven her away immediately. But now, no one dared to lay a hand on her.
“Then deliver a message. Tell him Cardia Winkedius will not leave until she sees His Highness.”
She was firm, smiling as she stroked Panake’s beak.
“And you’d better tell him my friend is not very patient.”
“Understood.”
The bird’s gleaming red eyes looked as if they craved blood. One knight hurried off to deliver the message.
That went more smoothly than expected.
Elexena removed her hand from Panake.
“Go rest now. You’ve done well.”
“Call me when you need me again.”
Panake flew off in an instant, likely hiding nearby to rest.
Now, it was time to shake off this insolent knight.
Elexena grabbed Callisto’s shoulder tightly.
“Do you know why I brought you here?”
She now had useful cards—her position as the eldest daughter and her grandfather’s backing. There was no reason to remain trapped in the ducal estate anymore.
Being watched wasn’t the issue. But being in someone else’s grasp was unpleasant—and if something was unpleasant, it should be removed.
“Because of the Madam’s orders, isn’t it?”
Callisto’s expression was defiant.
He was young—and while he despised this “Cardia Winkedius,” he was also puzzled by her.
Contempt often comes from something buried deep within oneself. Perhaps he saw something of himself in her.
And it wasn’t hard to exploit that.
“No. It’s because there’s nothing you can do even if you’re here.”
Elexena sneered.
Callisto was struck speechless. His face flushed with humiliation.
She was right. There was nothing he could do here.
He had been assigned to watch her, yet failed, allowing her to contact the outside world. He stayed by her side, yet never understood her intentions.
He wanted to make excuses.
“Fool.”
But she shoved him hard. He staggered, unable to keep his balance. Somehow, she seemed enormous.
“Tell Mother this—Winkedius will be mine.”
A declaration of war.
The words she had spoken in that strange space.
Ah… she planned to declare war on the Madam from the very beginning.
The realization struck him like lightning.
“You have permission to enter.”
“Good.”
And with that, she left with the imperial knight.
Callisto stared blankly at the place where she disappeared.
She told me I shouldn’t leave her side…
He bit his lip hard.
An inexplicable sense of despair swallowed him as he stood there alone.
