CHAPTER 72…………………………..
Rattle, rattle.
Beyond the shaking window, the long-awaited destination came into view.
A steeply rising tower — and the massive relic that sat atop it.
It was the front line of the defensive perimeter built to trap the black mages on Thanatos Island and keep them from ever leaving.
When the carriage came to a halt, the priests who had been waiting for us stepped forward.
“Greetings to His Highness, the Crown Prince.”
The priest at the front bowed deeply. I didn’t know much about the Holy See, but I knew who this man was.
One of the only four cardinals in the entire Holy See — Bellado.
“It’s been a while,” said Tristan.
“The last time must have been at Your Highness’s coming-of-age ceremony. I personally performed the consecration, and yet here you are, already so grown,” Bellado replied, smiling kindly.
Wrinkles deepened around his eyes as he smiled — the picture of a benevolent old man.
But that was only at a glance.
In truth, he’s the one who holds all the military power of the Holy See.
That is, he commanded every holy knight in existence — an absolute powerhouse known as the Iron-Blooded Cardinal.
His infamy was legendary: to “protect the Church,” he had once ordered an entire slum cleared by force, showing no mercy to the poor who lived there.
“Welcome to the Tower of Nyx.”
Bellado stepped aside and gestured toward the tower’s entrance.
“It’s not the most fitting place to host guests of your stature, but we shall do our utmost.”
He was calm — too calm.
There wasn’t the slightest hint of anxiety in his demeanor, no matter that the Tower of Nyx was rumored to be in crisis.
Could just be a bluff…
Still, he wasn’t the least bit rattled by our sudden visit.
Did our information leak?
We’d made sure to move with only a small number of trusted people. Where had the leak come from — the Empire? The Grand Duchy?
Tristan must have been thinking the same thing, though he gave no sign of it as he clasped Bellado’s hand.
“Then I’ll be in your care for the time being.”
“Would Your Highness like a brief tour of the Tower of Nyx? I’m sure it would mean much to the priests who serve here to receive your encouragement.”
“Let’s do that. Can you guide us?”
“Of course.”
Naturally, Tristan and Bellado turned toward the tower.
My gaze drifted to the sword at Bellado’s hip — Samuel’s Blade. If only he’d leave it behind for once.
Ever since that last failure, he’s never let his guard down.
Not once on the way here had I seen the blade drawn even an inch from its sheath.
“But…”
Bellado’s eyes shifted to me — cold and sharp as a snake’s.
“I haven’t been introduced to this young lady.”
I pulled back my hood and bowed politely.
“My name is Emily Walker. It’s an honor to meet you, Your Eminence.”
“Oh! The young lady of House Walker.”
Bellado’s face brightened.
“I know of your house well — a family blessed with the Lord’s grace.”
“You flatter me. I merely rely on that grace to manage some small tricks, nothing more.”
I lowered myself, and Bellado looked quite pleased. Ah, so he likes humility.
“This old man spends more than half the year bound to this Tower of Nyx. Rarely do I get to meet such distinguished guests — to see two of you in one day, it must surely be by the Lord’s will.”
He clasped his hands in mock prayer. Quite the performer.
“Would the Duke’s daughter also like to see the tower? Though there isn’t much to ‘see,’ I’m afraid.”
He spoke with exaggerated friendliness.
“As you may know, this is a military facility and surveillance post built to keep watch on black mages — hardly a place of beauty for noble eyes.”
If that wasn’t a subtle jab at our presence, maybe I was just too cynical.
His face remained the same warm mask, so it was hard to tell.
“If I may trouble you for a tour, I’d be grateful. I wouldn’t want to take up too much of your valuable time.”
“Not at all. Though it’s a military site, there’s nothing particularly special about it. Ha ha.”
And so began a tense dance of words.
“Technically, we’re a monitoring post for the black mages — but with such strong wards in place, what work is left for this old man, really?”
He mentioned the barrier — outright.
That confirmed it: the information had leaked. He knew why Tristan had come here.
Tristan’s face tightened slightly.
“This way, please.”
We followed Bellado deeper inside.
The abundance of clergy made me uneasy, though most were holy knights, so it was bearable.
I glanced at Isaac — he seemed fine, too.
Well, compared to Zion… this is nothing.
After his extreme “holy power resistance training,” this much was easy to endure.
My brothers had also undergone enhancements, so our instincts shouldn’t flare up easily now.
Right. As long as no sudden “saint” appears out of nowhere at House Walker, we’ll be fine.
Yeah.
And really — what could possibly go wrong like that?
Ha ha. Just needless worry.
The Tower of Nyx lived up to its name — a sharp spire reaching toward the heavens.
From its top floor, through a telescope, one could faintly glimpse Thanatos Island, far in the distance.
Yes — the island named after the god of death.
“……”
For the first time, I gazed upon the homeland of my kin.
Every house within the telescope’s range had its windows covered with cloth or blankets, making it impossible to see inside.
The black mages knew they were under watch — they were being cautious.
No humans in sight. No movement. Not even a stray dog or cat roamed the streets.
The trees and shrubs were all yellowed and dead, leaves long gone.
It was so barren I couldn’t imagine anything living there at all — a place where even wild beasts couldn’t survive. Truly, a land close to death.
“What do you think?”
Bellado’s voice brought me back.
“Isn’t it dreadful?”
“…It did look desolate.”
“A fitting place for those who have turned their backs on God. Not even grass grows properly there.”
A faint trace of contempt crossed his features.
“The black mages don’t even keep livestock. One wonders what they eat to survive on that island…”
“What? But there are no humans there.”
“Precisely. Only black mages. But expecting them to live by human morals is a fool’s hope.”
His tone was firm — a little too firm. As a black mage myself, it was… uncomfortable to hear.
“Ah, perfect timing. It’s almost the hour.”
He smiled kindly again, pointing at the clock.
“Here at the Tower of Nyx, we verify the divine barrier every hour. By infusing the relic with holy power, we can make the barrier visible to the eye.”
“I’ve heard it’s quite a spectacle. A rare sight indeed.”
“Haha. Yes, not something one sees every day.”
Bellado grasped a rope hanging from the ceiling.
“This old man’s only remaining trick, I’m afraid.”
Wooooong—!
A massive surge of holy energy burst forth. Thankfully, it shot upward toward the rope, sparing me from direct impact…
If that had hit me head-on…
I shuddered at the thought.
Bellado’s holy power wasn’t purer or stronger than Zion’s, but it carried a sharp, controlled edge.
As a former holy knight, he lacked overwhelming quantity, but his finesse in control was masterful.
“There we go.”
Daaang, daaang, daaaang—!
The bells rang, and the relic responded.
Shrrrrrrrk—
From above, waves of white light rippled outward along the barrier — like tides rolling across a shore.
“Wow…”
It was like watching a sky full of falling stars. Holy light danced across the horizon.
The barrier formed a perfect sphere around Thanatos Island.
It was meant to ensure no black mage could escape by sea — a drastic measure. And thanks to Bellado’s power, its shape was clearly visible.
Yeah. That was the problem.
The fact that there was no problem — was the problem.
…Weren’t we told the barrier had weakened?
Zion had been certain: there was a breach, a hole in the divine seal.
But no matter how hard I stared, I couldn’t find anything wrong.
If anything, it looks overflowing with holy power.
Instinctively, I almost stepped back — barely managing to hold myself steady.
Now, I couldn’t help but consider another, dreadful possibility.
Surely not… but still…
I swallowed hard.
Don’t tell me… we’ve been baited?
And in my mind, I could already see Zion’s smug grin.
“What a fine catch.”
