Chapter 5. The Disappearance of the Healers
This unprecedented incident began three months ago.
The kings of each kingdom received letters from neighboring nations at nearly the same time. The contents were the same: healers had been going missing, and they urgently requested that at least a few be dispatched.
Only after exchanging several such letters did they come to realize that, at some point, healers had begun disappearing across the entire continent.
The royal healers were placed under heavy guard, and nobles of every territory were informed of the situation. Yet reports arrived daily stating that, despite all efforts, they had failed to protect them.
There were no signs of abduction, no traces of murder—no evidence whatsoever. It was as if they had never existed in those spaces to begin with.
In an age far from peaceful, the absence of healers brought great turmoil to the continent. People began to whisper that perhaps the gods had grown angry and cast down a curse.
Fear is always magnified when the enemy has no form.
Astin was no exception. The people of the territory could only watch helplessly as their severely ill family members died without proper treatment. At the same time, the sudden increase in monster appearances—coinciding with the healers’ disappearance—plunged them into even greater anxiety.
Fear spread across the entire continent.
One of the servants who had received Kias’s orders approached Arien as she stepped out of the office.
His warm smile and polite greeting, combined with his white hair and mustache, spoke of his long years.
“My name is Miguel, the butler who serves Lord Kias. I will escort you to your room.”
As they walked down a corridor softly illuminated by candles on both sides, Arien noticed that the space was divided into several large sections.
She made an effort to memorize as much of the castle’s layout as possible, in case she needed to escape later.
“The castle is large, but the way the spaces are independently arranged is quite unusual.”
“You have a keen eye. Indeed. Lord Kias wishes for the knights of Tarakion to cultivate knowledge alongside their swordsmanship. That is why many study areas have been created. However, the knights still spend most of their time in the training grounds.”
Miguel explained with a knowing smile.
Knights were soldiers who stood on the front lines of battle. It was difficult to imagine them calmly sitting in a library reading books.
“And what about His Grace the Grand Duke? I’ve heard he is famed for his valor.”
Arien needed more information about Demidhel.
Rather than repeating rumors that painted Kias as a lawless figure of the north, she carefully framed her question by referring to his reputation as a knight.
“It is said that no one on the continent can match Lord Kias’s sword. However, aside from expeditions and training, he spends most of his time in the library and his office.”
As they passed along the third-floor corridor, something unusual caught her eye.
A golden rope was stretched across the staircase leading to the fourth floor, as if warning people not to ascend.
“Why is there a rope across those stairs?”
“Ah… that rope signifies that Lord Kias has forbidden access to the fourth floor. There is no need to concern yourself with it.”
Curiosity stirred within her, and she wanted to ask more, but Miguel seemed reluctant to elaborate, so she withdrew her gaze.
Humans are naturally drawn to what they are told not to do.
Miguel’s words only fueled her curiosity, yet Arien resolved never to go up to the fourth floor.
After all, in ancient myths and novels, there were countless unfortunate figures: those who opened forbidden boxes and were cursed, those who looked back when told not to and turned into stone, those who strayed from their group and fell victim to monsters.
There must be a reason Kias had forbidden entry.
Perhaps at night he transformed into a beast with black wings sprouting from his shoulders and hid his cursed body in a secret chamber. Or perhaps he had fallen in love with a woman of different status and kidnapped her, keeping her hidden away.
Though, of course, no woman could possibly love such a cold man.
Lost in her wild imaginings, Arien was brought back to reality by Miguel’s voice.
“This is your room. Please rest for now, and call if you need anything.”
The room was clean and neatly arranged, but it was far more modest than her luxurious chamber in the Planus royal palace.
Still, compared to sleeping outdoors and camping in the mountains during her arduous journey, the mere presence of a warm, soft bed was comforting.
I should hide the shard first.
She scanned the room, but nowhere—the windowsill, the table, or the wardrobe she would frequently open—seemed safe.
Carefully unwrapping the shard from the cloth inside her worn bag, she examined it briefly before pushing it under the bed.
Lying flat on the floor, she stretched her arm as far as possible, shoving it deep until it was no longer visible.
Dusting off her hands, Arien finally let out a sigh as she sat on the edge of the bed, her tension easing slightly.
She tried to organize her thoughts about how she had ended up here.
Her father, the fate of the Kingdom of Planus, and the disappearance of the healers—her mind was in turmoil.
Who killed Father? I haven’t heard any rumors about who took the throne. The fact that they spared me and framed me as a traitor suggests it wasn’t a simple rebellion for power.
Though she had no definitive clues yet, she felt that everything happening around her at similar times might somehow be connected.
I can’t see anything clearly, and I don’t even know who I can trust. But I will endure until I uncover the truth, return to Planus, and set everything right.
Fighting off her drowsiness, Arien soon fell into a deep sleep, recalling something her father used to say.
“The deeper and darker the night, the brighter the stars shine. No darkness can ever extinguish your light.”
The sunlight streaming through the window woke her.
Ah… I’m in Astin Castle…
Arien had always loved the unique hue of the morning sun.
It reminded her of the days when she could freely enjoy the beauty of nature, but sitting alone in the unfamiliar room made her keenly aware of her current situation.
Still, perhaps thanks to finally sleeping soundly in a warm place, her body felt lighter. She quickly rose, determined to meet Kias.
It was her habit to carefully review her decisions with a clear mind before acting.
Spreading the knowledge of the Planus Academy in a foreign land would be a betrayal of the fundamental principles upheld by King Gallie V and her teachers.
Someday, when she cleared her name and returned, the royal academy might treat it as a serious offense.
But the missing healers were citizens of Planus.
Father, the king of Planus… and the healers… The timing of these two incidents is too similar.
As a princess, following the trail of the missing healers might also lead her to clues about her father’s death.
Guiding people toward a better life isn’t wrong in itself. Principles are made by humans—so as long as they serve humanity, they cannot be the wrong path.
Having reached her decision, Arien stepped out of the room with determination.
“You’re up already? Breakfast is prepared in the great hall. You can head down to the first floor.”
Miguel, who had been on his way to her room, greeted her kindly.
“Good morning. I’d like to see Lord Kias first. Will he be in his office soon?”
“He is at the training grounds with the knights. If you exit through the main entrance on the first floor and turn right, you’ll find it.”
“Already?”
Arien glanced out the window in surprise.
“I worry for his health, but no matter how much I say, his sleep grows shorter by the day.”
At Miguel’s sigh, Arien awkwardly smiled, imagining Kias as a vampire.
Someone who barely sleeps… he might not even be human.
She recalled his unreal appearance. His perfect face and golden-ratio physique made it almost more convincing to think he wasn’t human at all.
As she stepped outside, the cold winter air seeped into her hair.
Strangely, it was reassuring to see Kias in the open rather than indoors.
I won’t be intimidated. I’ll face him as an equal in a fair contract. Besides, I intend to make that man my sword and shield.
Clearing her throat, Arien steadied her voice, determined not to lose to him—even if not in strength, then at least in words.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
As she approached the Tarakion knights’ training grounds, the sound of clashing swords and sharp bursts of air told her they were sparring.
Curious to witness the famed knights in action, she hid behind a pillar and peeked out.
Despite the winter, the knights wore only light tunics.
Among them, one man stood out even from a distance.
Kias.
Bare-chested, dressed in black leather trousers and knee-high black boots, his body was composed of sleek, solid muscle without a trace of excess fat. Beads of sweat glistened across his skin.
Typically, ordinary knights would practice forms under a captain’s guidance before moving on to one-on-one sparring.
But here, in what seemed to be their unique method, seven knights were pointing their swords at Kias alone.
Moreover, they were using real combat swords, not dulled training weapons.
“Are these representatives from each knight order?”
“Yes, my lord!”
As Kias adjusted his leather gloves, the seven knights responded in unison.
“That last attack was insufficient. Come at me again. Whether all at once or in sequence—I don’t care.”
The seven knights surrounding him exchanged glances, gauging the optimal moment to strike as if on a real battlefield.
The instant they attacked together, Kias flipped his grip—and the sword in his hand seemed to dance of its own accord.
Clang! Crack! Thud!
Kias read their movements perfectly and moved a step ahead of them.
His almost divine motion was so fast that the seven knights could not follow, and his flawless technique left nothing to be desired.
Before long, it was the seven knights who began to tire.
What… that’s not human movement. There’s not a single unnecessary or missing motion.
Arien had sparred with the most demanding swordsmanship masters at the Planus Royal Academy, as well as the finest royal knights—but none had demonstrated such overwhelming skill as Kias.
What is he…? He really might not be human.
Gripping the edge of the pillar tightly, Arien stared in stunned silence.
At that moment, she suddenly sensed something rushing toward her from behind at incredible speed.
Turning her head, she caught a glimpse of a dark creature lunging at her.
Her hand flew to her waist—but of all times, she had left her ranidium sword behind in her room.
Too late.
Realizing it, Arien let out a scream as she collapsed to the ground.
“Ahhh!”
