Chapter 39 – The Presence of the Spellcaster…
“Kyaaaaaaa!!”
“Hii!!”
“Women, step back! Do not look!”
A serving woman who had been watching the scene let out a shriek, and soldiers ran through the castle in alarm.
“Move!”
Zarel arrived with his men and bit his lip in shock at the sight of the corpse embedded in the ground.
“Fetch the magi! At once!”
“Y-yes—h-here they… here they are!”
Three magi arrived, panting.
One took one look at the corpse, clapped a hand over his mouth, and fainted backward.
Luke ran to the body, dropped to one knee, and held out his hand, closing his eyes.
“L-Luke, don’t get too close—it’s dangerous.”
Ignoring the other mage’s warning, Luke continued to sense the magical residue.
He touched the charred remnants of the letter beside the body.
What he felt was surprisingly pure—clean, almost refreshing fire.
Then he extended his hand over the corpse.
“Ugh!”
A malignant aura so intense it made him sick surged at him.
For an instant, it felt as though a massive darkness struck him, accompanied by a swirling storm of black clouds.
A violent dizziness seized him; Luke spun halfway around and collapsed backward.
“Lord Luke!”
“I—I’m fine.”
With help from a knight, Luke pressed a hand to his head and stood. He called out to the water mage.
“Please purify it with holy water. No… holy water alone may not suffice for this body.
We should also inform the Earth Temple.
There are no clergy in the castle right now—let us request a priest or shrine maiden to come.”
He turned to the soldiers.
“Do not touch it until it has been purified with holy water.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
The soldiers answered with pale faces, keeping their distance from the body.
“Hm… but what in the world… this is baffling.
Commander, allow me a moment to gather my thoughts.”
Luke pressed a hand over his mouth, fighting nausea. Zarel gave a nod.
“Very well. I’ll hear your report in my quarters.
If this man carried the princess’s ring from the neighboring kingdom, this is grave.
These are delicate times—search for anything that can identify whether he was from that kingdom or our own.”
“Zarel, perhaps we should say he collapsed on the road.
Best not bring him into the castle.”
Another knight whispered in his ear.
Zarel stroked his chin, thought, and shook his head.
“No. Possessing the princess’s ring makes this too serious.
And if a sorcerer from the neighboring kingdom is responsible, the timing—right after her arrival—is too perfect.
They surely know what happened. All the more reason to honor the body within the castle.
Wrap it in linen and take it to the underground resting chamber.
I will give further orders later.”
As Zarel turned to leave, he spotted Feria among the gathered onlookers.
“You again! What are the maids doing?
Feria! A child should not see such things!”
He barked, and Feria fled in a flutter of movement.
“That must have been someone from inside…”
Muttering to herself, Feria slipped past the bustling crowd and ran through the castle, out into the garden.
She sat on the edge of the fountain and held a hand over the wavering surface of the water.
“Spirits of water, lend me your strength.
The wind spirits won’t listen to me—Mother commands them to obey only her.”
Plop.
A fish poked its head out of the water, mouth opening and closing soundlessly—yet Feria could hear its voice.
“We have been instructed by your mother not to assist you.
She says you are to remain quiet and behave yourself.”
“I know it. There is an enemy mage somewhere inside this castle. And still you won’t help me?”
“All the more reason to tell your father and leave it to him.”
“Muuu…”
Feria pouted and slapped the water with a splash.
The fish darted back under the surface.
“Argh! All they ever say is ‘behave yourself,’ it’s so annoying!
This world just doesn’t suit me!”
Giiiii!
In frustration she grabbed a nearby rose and yanked.
“Ow! That hurts!”
A thorn pricked her palm; blood began to well up.
“U… uwaaaah! Liliii! I’m bleeding! Lili, Lili!”
No matter how she called for Lilis, there was no sign of her.
Lonely.
Lonely.
She had always been near—always at Feria’s side.
She could feel that Lilis lived; somewhere deep within her, their bodies still connected as family.
Her mother had formed Feria from her own essence after receiving Zarel’s life-force—Feria was a half-spirit.
Why had she been born?
Neither father nor mother paid her any mind.
She loved Lilis, and being apart made her anxious.
Why hadn’t she gone with her?
It hurt—no one understood how she felt.
As she cried, a cat with a handkerchief tied around its neck approached and rubbed against her.
“Huh? Hic… where did you come from?”
“Meow.”
It was a large cat.
Feria reached to pick it up, then noticed the blood on her hand.
“Mother told me never to let bad people take my blood…”
She licked the blood off, but more kept seeping out.
Tears welled again at the thought of Lilis not being there.
Just then, a young man’s face appeared through the roses.
“Ai! Where are you? Oh? That crying—aren’t you the commander’s daughter?”
“I… I am… the d-daughter of Sephiria of the Wind. Sniffle…”
“Oh my, your hand’s bleeding. It’s okay, it’ll stop soon.
Don’t get blood on your clothes—here, let me tie it up with a handkerchief.”
He took a white handkerchief from his pocket and expertly wrapped her hand.
“Th-thank you. I must thank you properly or Lili and Father will scold me.”
“Heh… thank you. You’re a good girl.”
“Mm! I’m a good girl!”
She nodded brightly and hugged Ai the cat.
Ai licked her cheek with his rough tongue.
“Raia! Did you find Ai?”
Feria looked up at the gentle voice.
Surrounded by flowers stood a beautiful blind youth holding a staff—Reslacarn, whom Feria had met once before.
