12 - Marquis Maron
Episode 12
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Eugene Widemark was one of only five cardinals in the Order, and even after ascending to that position, he did not head to the Holy Kingdom but instead traveled the borders of the Three Kingdoms, tending to marginalized areas.
Many dismissed his good deeds as youthful exuberance. They said that he had risen to a high position at too young an age and, unaccustomed to the weight of it, was trying to do more than his duty required.
But Eugene's purpose was not in piety or good deeds.
What he wanted was Sorceress Hayley.
"This is a list of The tainted sighted near the northern border over the past year. They are mainly criminals, and it has been difficult to identify the others."
"I've heard that they don't just throw away those who have committed crimes."
"Everyone is hush-hush about it. I believe there are countless cases of secretly discarding innocent people and pretending otherwise. Isn't that why we need investigation teams like ours?"
"Thank you for your hard work."
Eugene smiled.
Dark purple eyes gleamed eerily amidst hair that was almost silver. As he reached out his hand, his aide kissed the back of it, overwhelmed with gratitude.
"I'm sorry to put you through so much trouble. Purifying the Contaminated Zone is my long-standing destiny, but you don't need to be so attached to it."
"No! If it is to be of help to you, Eugene, then that is my mission."
"Thank you."
Eugene gently stroked the hair falling over his aide's shoulder. It was a careful gesture, as if handling a young animal.
The aide knelt on one knee and said, "We were unable to find any traces of the wicked Sorceress Hayley. We investigated the canyon as closely as we could, but it had been too long, and nothing remained."
Eugene lowered his eyes deeply.
"Is that so?"
"She must be dead. No matter how great a sorceress she was, there's no way she could have survived falling into that canyon."
The aide tried to comfort Eugene.
"So please don't worry too much. That evil woman can never return alive."
They were staying in a mid-sized city in the north, close to the Contaminated Zone. When they first arrived, they thought they would only be staying temporarily for a few days, but it had already been almost a month.
This was because Eugene wanted to stay here.
The sounds of Order knights coming and going outside were noisy. Eugene raised his head at the thumping of military boots, and the aide stood up with a hardened expression.
"To cause such a commotion in Eugene's quarters, I will go and give them a stern warning."
Eugene only smiled silently.
However, after the aide bowed respectfully and went out the door, the smile on his face disappeared without a trace.
It was a cold, sharp face. The beautiful smile that had been called the reincarnation of an angel was nowhere to be seen.
Eugene stared intently at the map on his desk.
'They said they threw her into the canyon in a cage. They didn't cut off her head, nor did they burn her. There's no way Hayley would die from that. She must have survived and gone deeper into the Contaminated Zone. Somewhere in there…'
However, a hint of anxiety remained in his heart.
Because it had been a year since that incident.
Magical Energy ravenously devours everything about humans. It erodes the body, extinguishes life, and steals memories.
If Hayley were alive in there, looking like The tainted, would that existence truly be her?
'But I can't give up here.'
Eugene fiddled with the ring on his right index finger with his left hand. It was a ring carved from wood. Inside, there were letters so old and distorted that they were unrecognizable.
'Hayley and Eugene. Forever.'
He was different from those who had used Hayley and ruthlessly abandoned her. He would never abandon Hayley. She had to return to his side.
Until now, he couldn't act directly in order to gain the power of the Order, but now it was different.
'Hayley, if you're alive, then surely.'
Let's go back to how we used to live.
Like back then, when we could only endure this cold world with each other's warmth.
Because now I can protect you.
"Eugene!"
The aide, who had gone outside to warn the knights, rushed back in with a desperate expression.
Eugene, who was about to point out the rudeness of skipping the knock, clenched his fist around the ring at the words she uttered.
"Someone has witnessed Reikart Winter, a survivor of the Winter Dukedom, running into the forest inside the Contaminated Zone!"
"Winter? Reikart?"
The Winter Dukedom was the family that Hayley had destroyed. Reikart's face, as he raged like a beast, vowing to avenge her, came to mind.
"What happened?"
"We'll have to investigate to find out, but… it is said to be definitely Reikart Winter. There is someone who used to live in that territory and joined the Order."
"Why would he?"
"He was lightly dressed, they say. He was in a great hurry, like someone with something urgent, and ran into the forest with only a sword."
"Knowing it's the Contaminated Zone?"
"Yes, it's near a village called Selbon, which is half a day's journey from here. The place he headed to is where The tainted often appear, so even lumberjacks don't go near it…."
"Summon the knights."
"Yes?"
"We must go to Selbon."
A burning desire settled in Eugene's eyes.
