"I am grateful for the sentiment, but I will decline both this time as well."
Regarding the downfall of the Claudio family, Medeia had no intention of allowing any outside interference, excluding herself.
As if he had expected Medeia's refusal, he raised both hands.
"I understand."
Medeia gazed at the mercenary, hiding her rising suspicion beneath a faint smile.
'Zeta definitely said this man had left Baldina. So why did he seek this place out again now?'
The brief moment of peace she had felt with him in the forest that day was like a haze that vanished upon opening one's eyes.
Though she had become quite friendly with Akares while working on various matters together, Medeia had never once forgotten that he was the leader of Facade.
'He's likely here to search the Royal Palace while it's in disarray from the Regent Duke's coup. To find the antidote for the 1st Prince that the Magic Tower spoke of.'
Dawn's Dewdrop.
It seemed the Magic Tower and Facade had at least discovered that it was here in the Baldina Royal Palace.
Medeia caught a glimpse over Cezare’s shoulder.
Her gaze lingered for a moment on the scenery, which was unchanged from before. A faint light flickered through her green eyes.
'He didn't come alone.'
It was because she had noticed the presence of those who had slipped into the palace while hiding their forms.
She had no intention of stopping the shadows of Facade.
Medeia could not handle them alone right now, and she had a larger, more important task: tightening the noose around Claudio’s neck.
'It was a good thing I made a replica and hid it.'
They wouldn't find what they wanted today anyway.
Because the Dawn's Dewdrop was in Medeia’s hands.
'This belongs to Baldina. The price for saving the 1st Prince should rightfully be given to Baldina. Not the Magic Tower.'
The Dawn's Dewdrop would be given to the person she wanted, when she wanted it.
There were no exceptions.
Thus, Medeia curved her eyes slightly, pretending not to have noticed their presence or intentions.
"Akares, then return safely."
Leaving behind a polite farewell, she turned away without lingering.
There was no hesitation in her footsteps as she left him behind.
"Your Highness, I've brought the horses—. But that man is..."
"Let's go quickly, Neril. There isn't much time. Hyah!"
Having finished her preparations, Medeia mounted her horse.
There was no wasted movement as she turned the horse's head toward the Castle Walls.
In an instant, the three of them exited the palace.
"Boss!"
Cezare could not take his eyes off the Princess's retreating back.
That small back heading toward the Castle Walls without even a moment's hesitation.
Could even death hold that girl back?
"Speak."
Cezare commanded, his gaze still fixed in the direction the Princess had disappeared.
"We're searching the palace. But I think I might have the power of foresight. A rebellion really broke out just as I wished."
Gallo's face was full of color.
As if his words had become reality, an opportunity to slip into the chaotic palace had arisen. Furthermore, since everyone had swarmed to the Castle Walls, hadn't the search become much easier?
"Gallo, you reckless idiot. What were you thinking, dragging Cezare all the way here? The treatment isn't finished yet—"
Terence scolded him.
Cezare’s condition was so poor that even the Magic Tower leader had clicked his tongue, saying he was lucky to be maintaining his sanity.
The black marks coiling across his chest, eroded by the curse, were visible to the naked eye.
Gallo bit his lip and stole a glance at Cezare.
"They said it's impossible. If even the Magic Tower has given up, is there any other way?"
While traveling to the Magic Tower to treat Cezare—whose condition was growing increasingly severe—another seizure had occurred.
It was only a few days ago that Cezare, having reached his limit, managed to regain consciousness.
"I thought a great star, the likes of which the continent would never see again, was rising, but it is only a pity to see it wither away like this."
Those were the words the Magic Tower lord had muttered to himself, shaking his head and clicking his tongue.
Gallo's thick hand gripped a piece of parchment. It was news from Baldina.
"Boss, a rebellion broke out in central Baldina. They say the Rebels are currently marching toward the Royal Capital."
"..."
"The leader is a man named Horols, of peasant origin, but upon further investigation, his original name was Bacaro. Until about five years ago, he was a mercenary from the Lepalia pirates."
Gallo had informed Cezare of the news despite Terence's opposition.
He had a premonition that if Cezare heard this story, he would surely rouse himself and head for Baldina, whether for the Dawn's Dewdrop or for some other reason.
And Cezare had done exactly that.
"The Regent Duke is using an army he bought with money to personally empty the Royal Palace; why would we refuse such a great opportunity? Isn't that right, Boss?"
Gallo spoke with resolve, glancing at the dark blue veins bulging on Cezare’s forearm.
"This time, I'm going to thoroughly loot even the places we couldn't go before."
"..."
"...Boss, are you listening?"
Gallo asked Cezare while hiding his anxiety, but there was still no answer.
Just then, Alpha arrived and reported.
"Lord, I believe we've found it."
"What? Really?"
Gallo interjected first, his face brightening.
"Yes, we discovered a secret room behind the King's study. It seems to be connected to the royal treasury where the Sage's Book was kept."
"Great, let's go at once. Quickly!"
He let out an exclamation.
The Sage's Book. The treasury. The secret room. Did it not evoke an atmosphere where the Dewdrop was more likely to be than anywhere else?
Gallo, who was about to run off in excitement, paused and turned around.
"Boss, aren't you coming?"
"..."
Only then did Cezare, who had been staring obsessively at one spot, move his feet.
The mercenaries of Facade quickly incapacitated the knights guarding the King's quarters.
Unlike the usual heavy security, only a minimum number of personnel remained, allowing them to move without much commotion.
"Don't hurt them."
At Gallo's request, the shadows nodded.
The secret room found in the King's study was connected to a spiral staircase.
It seemed the entire tower-shaped space was used as the Baldina royal treasury.
*Swish. Swish.* With silent footsteps, the sturdy men stepped inside.
They examined each of the decorations and treasures placed between the walls of the stairs.
However, no object containing a liquid that looked like the Dewdrop was visible.
And finally, they reached the end of the stairs.
The space they entered after opening a small door was a circular room located at the very top of the tower.
On a pedestal in the center sat the massive chest where the Sage's Book had once been kept.
Gallo carefully examined the chest.
And upon discovering there was nothing inside or out, he let out a sigh.
"It's not here. It's not here."
He lamented.
Did the Dewdrop truly not exist? Were they trying to catch an invisible haze?
"Wait."
Just then, Cezare lightly pressed the bottom of the chest.
With a creaking sound, a small drawer popped out.
It was a double-locking mechanism.
The moment they discovered a small Urn engraved with a water droplet pattern resting on the velvet of the drawer, everyone gasped.
"..."
Cezare leaned down and picked it up. The liquid inside the small Urn sloshed.
"...Dawn's Dewdrop."
The goddess statue carved atop the Urn sparkled in the sunlight as if welcoming him.
"We found it, Cezare! We found it! Finally!"
Even Terence, a man of noble character who had never raised his voice in his life, forgot his manners and cheered.
Unlike his clear, bursting laughter, both his eyes were stained red.
"It—it really, really existed. We searched the entire continent, and only now, here in Baldina..."
Gallo collapsed to his knees in front of the Urn. Soon, he bent his waist and kissed the floor several times.
In truth, he seemed so overcome with emotion that he didn't even know what he was doing.
"Thank you, gods and ancestors of Baldina, royalty, and everyone living here... I will never forget this grace. This is a debt Facade will spend a lifetime repaying to this country... Dammit, why am I crying..."
It seemed there had been far too many days of anxious hearts.
Though he wondered why he was acting like this, Gallo could not suppress the tears of overwhelming emotion.
Cezare’s shadows also could not hide their joy. Even Alpha, who was second to none in stoicism, trembled with delight.
"Now we can return to Kazen. You can reclaim your position, Your Highness."
The return of the 1st Prince Cezare, which everyone had feared and tried to block.
How long had they waited for this moment?
The Empire was still full of people desperate to erase his name.
Now, they would have to be satisfied with having had a brief sweet dream.
"...Lord?"
However, the face of the person in question, Cezare, was inscrutable.
Whether he was happy or sad could not be seen because of the half-mask on his face.
Since he was a man who essentially never showed emotion, his subordinates could not be certain what he was thinking.
"...Right."
Cezare gripped the Urn. The sensation of the cold carving seemed to cling to his palm.
It was the moment the primordial curse, which had cruelly tormented his life and filled it with despair for three years, finally knelt before his tenacity.
Cezare looked up.
The white Castle Walls were visible in the distance.
Even though the time he had searched for so fervently had arrived, he did not know why he could not feel the joy in its entirety.
Even Cezare himself could not be certain where this desire to run toward those Castle Walls rather than staying here originated. In fact, he didn't even understand it.
The golden eyes gripping the Urn sank deeply for a moment.
