Chapter 56
“Too reckless! How do you think you can put out the fire?”
“Si… Sister.”
At my desperate shout, Moren looked slightly flustered and stammered.
I hugged him tightly, my voice trembling.
“Us stepping in might only put Aunt and the others in more danger! No matter how powerful Lornod is, how could anyone survive a fire like that?”
Thankfully, Moren seemed to immediately understand my words.
He raised his voice loud enough for everyone to hear and said,
“Sister. Because it’s Lornod, I can’t pretend I don’t know the danger to the Telum family. It’s the duty of royalty to act first when the citizens of the empire are in danger.”
“Ugh! That’s true, but…!”
I sobbed and quickly glanced around the entrance hall.
By now, the castle staff and the vassals of the grand duke had gathered everywhere.
They must have clearly heard our conversation.
Even the steward and the knights could no longer intervene.
‘This should be enough.’
“Moren.”
I buried my face deeper in his shoulder and whispered very softly.
“Remember this moment.”
“Sister.”
“And engrave it into the eyes of the duke and the people of the territory. Remember who reached out to help when the greatest danger came.”
“I’m honestly a little scared. Can I really make it rain?”
Moren’s confidence wavered slightly.
The magic to summon rain was top-tier, beyond even high-level spells, and Moren was still a novice just learning magic.
But at this moment, it didn’t matter.
I stepped out of Moren’s embrace and, with a tear-streaked face, shouted,
“Alright! Then don’t worry about anything and go! I’ll do my best to help too!”
I meant that since I was with him, he had nothing to fear.
Understanding my words, Moren nodded firmly.
“I’ll be back!”
Hearing this, Aunt hurriedly prepared a horse.
Moren ran out of the hall with the duke’s knights and a few vassals.
[Then I’ll come too, Master~.]
‘Please, Marin.’
[Don’t overdo it! You must come back quickly!]
[Marin, that’s an incredibly dangerous magical power! Be careful!]
[Got it~.]
Marin leisurely followed Moren as he moved away.
The hall, which had been in an uproar, fell silent for a brief moment.
“Haa—.”
A deep sigh came from beside me.
Turning my head, I saw Aunt staring at the open doorway, tears streaming down her face.
“I’m sorry, Neroli. I… I was too hasty asking you for something…”
“No, Aunt.”
I wiped my tears with both hands, but the nearby maids quickly brought handkerchiefs.
I refused their help, clenching my fists.
“Just as I told Moren, I’ll do what I can!”
“Neroli?”
“There’s an apothecary in the castle, right? I’ll borrow it for a moment!”
“Ap-apothecary? What are you planning to do there?”
“I’ll explain later! You also have duties as the duchess! Let’s move!”
I said, pointing at a few maids to follow me.
As I hurried up the stairs, I heard Aunt’s voice calling after me.
“Neroli!”
Of course, I didn’t look back.
“Princess! We don’t know anything about medicine…”
“Are the doctors and their assistants there not enough?”
The maids following me were also confused.
I called to them energetically.
“Yes! We’ll make a large supply of burn medicine! It’s not difficult, so don’t worry!”
I had kept my skills hidden until now, but it was time to reveal them.
‘When bestowing grace, make it count!’
That’s the only way to ensure a greater reward.
And if I could hope for one more thing…
‘Let my actions become a storm that completely changes the flow of the original story.’
To save the countless lives recorded in the future.
‘Oh goddess Dalia, if you have chosen me as your child, please help me.’
I prayed silently and hurried my steps.
Fwoosh—.
The intense heat of the fire was so strong that it felt like my lungs were melting with every breath.
Yet, the Duke of Telum could not remain idle.
“Is the magical device still not functioning?!”
“The magical energy in this area is severely distorted! Spells aren’t functioning properly!”
“Even if we create firebreaks, it’s useless! The embers spread rapidly with the wind!”
“We are doing everything we can, but it’s insufficient to put out this fire!”
The last subordinate’s words were correct.
All nearby people, including trained firefighters, were doing everything to suppress the fire.
They connected massive hoses to the nearby river and poured water, scattering all the firefighting sand.
But every attempt was quietly swallowed by the towering flames.
“You must evacuate! This fire is beyond our ability to control!”
Hearing this, the duke felt as if he were sinking into an abyss of despair.
He twisted his face and quickly scanned his surroundings.
Everyone was moving desperately, but compared to the fire, their efforts were mere flaps of wings.
It made peasants, nobles, farmers, and knights all appear equal in helplessness.
‘I was arrogant.’
Since magic became integrated into daily life, humans could control nature to some extent.
The duke had thought that by buying and maintaining many magical devices, any problem in the territory could be solved.
He had temporarily forgotten how fearsome and impartial nature could be, and how powerless humans are against it.
“Evacuate the peasants first. They are ordinary people with no power.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
“And order all lords in the duchy to create firebreaks immediately, and prepare evacuation zones just in case.”
One subordinate, sensing something odd, shouted urgently.
“You should give that order yourself, Your Grace!”
“I will stay here until the end.”
“Your Grace!”
“That’s absurd!”
“If you stay here, it won’t end with just injury!”
“Even if you try to evacuate to save your life, you’ll still die!”
The duke’s anguished voice caused his subordinates and even the people of the territory to falter.
Clenching his fists, he spoke as if spitting blood.
“If I fail to protect the grain and the territory from this fire, I will be executed! The emperor will not miss this chance!”
He glared at the sky with resentment.
“Then I will keep my honor and die!”
He wanted to ask why such trials were given to him.
He only wanted to protect his family and his people from the greedy emperor.
‘At least for as long as I live!’
He had been barely holding on after giving up much, yet the heavens were cruel.
“I will be buried in this land, even if I become nothing but ashes!”
Was the sky truly siding with Lornod?
The duke closed his eyes tightly, resenting all that did not aid him.
Then it happened.
“That cannot happen!”
A youthful voice rang out loudly.
The duke opened his eyes and turned around, seeing a familiar-looking boy riding on a horse.
“Duke, don’t you still have much to do?!”
The boy’s red eyes shone like the sun.
Perhaps because of that, it felt as if the heavens were responding.
“I will help the Telum family!”
The duke blinked at Moren’s appearance, then furrowed his brows as if regaining composure.
“What power could a prince possibly have? Return immediately! If you stay here, you might get hurt!”
“Shouldn’t we at least try?!”
Moren’s cry made the duke hesitate.
From the boy’s eyes and voice came a courage and strength the duke had never seen before.
Just like the other Lornods he had encountered in the capital.
‘When did the youngest prince grow up like this?’
But the duke quickly shook his head.
Other Lornods had ignored the Telum family’s situation to avoid the emperor’s wrath.
Even if this boy came out with compassion or youthful bravado, he might change his mind at any moment.
“We will handle the affairs of our territory ourselves! Prince, please evacuate quickly!”
The duke wondered how a woman who cared so much for Moren could send him into such danger.
Princess Neroli, thinking of her brother, would not stay idle either.
As he gave a signal to his subordinates, a strong wind rose again, and the fire grew even larger.
The heat drove the Duke of Telum’s words back, forcing him to step backward.
Hiiing!
He felt the horse’s pitiful whinny as if it were his own fear.
“Everyone, fall back!”
“Hurry and evacuate!”
Others quickly retreated as well.
But there was one person.
Only the bright platinum-haired boy remained, standing firm in his place.
