Time Healer Ceres
Chapter 18
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Luca immediately cut off Cheion, who was rolling his eyes and making excuses, and stated the exact time he had reported the situation.
“…….”
“…….”
Aseraian’s gaze grew sharper, while Cheion desperately tried to look away.
Crown Prince Aseraian stroked the hilt of the sword hanging at his waist and asked gently.
“Didn’t you say you were making an alarm item to signal the appearance of the Black Forest?”
Recently, the frequency of the Black Forest’s appearance had increased.
Above all, the Black Forest, which used to mostly form in remote areas like the edges of the Empire, had now begun to appear frequently in densely populated places.
Not long ago, one had even occurred near the Capital, pushing the people’s anxiety to its limit.
“I am making it, but…”
“I suppose that item has to be made while rolling around on the floor? Does the effect get maximized the more intense the rolling is?”
At Aseraian’s sigh, Cheion started to tear up again.
“If you find my Blue Stone for me, I’d feel like picking up the pace a bit more…”
“Luca said he’s looking into it, so it will be found soon.”
“Exactly when is that ‘soon’? Even at this very moment, my Blue Stone must be looking for me desperately\!”
“…….”
As the endless conversation threatened to repeat itself, Aseraian shook his head lightly.
“Just don’t skip the meeting in a fortnight.”
“A fortnight? What meeting?”
“…You didn’t hear?”
“It’s the first I’ve heard of it…”
“I informed you two days ago at 12:50 PM. I said you must attend the Imperial meeting in a fortnight.”
At Luca’s words, Aseraian’s eyes narrowed further.
As if trying to escape that gaze, Cheion slunk back into the corner.
“Don’t even think about skipping this meeting.”
“Why are you only picking on me\! That northern popsicle skips every time too\!”
“Then you should also close the Magic Tower for 300 years and not come out into the world. Only then will you hear that it’s okay to skip a few meetings.”
“…….”
Watching Cheion pout as much as he could, Aseraian clicked his tongue lightly.
“I really wish he would attend this time as well.”
“Do you think he’d come? Keep dreaming.”
“It seemed His Majesty was determined to call him out this time by any means necessary.”
“Will that even work?”
At Cheion’s nagging not to have vain expectations, another long sigh leaked from Aseraian’s mouth.
Chapter 6. The Imperial Meeting
Knock, knock.
A land where snow flurries all year round.
The Duchy of Persia, located at the northern edge of the Debrica Empire.
Originally part of the Debrica Empire, it had long ago been recognized for its autonomy and became independent as a Duchy.
Knock, knock.
The Grand Ducal Castle of Persia was covered in pure white snow.
Dell, the aide to Grand Duke Persia, let out a silent sigh today as well because of the person beyond the door who remained as still as death, showing no sign of presence.
“I’m coming in.”
Eventually, he opened the door and stepped inside without permission.
Whoosh.
The moment he opened the door, cold air rushed in. The cause was immediately apparent.
A man was leaning against the wide-open window, acting as if the harsh blizzard outside didn't matter at all.
The sight of him standing there with his pure white hair fluttering in the snowy wind was almost too fitting.
“Kainel-nim.”
Even at Dell’s call, the man showed no reaction.
With his gaze fixed outside the window, he didn't move an inch, looking like a person who had frozen in place.
‘Phew.’
Dell exhaled another long sigh inwardly.
He was originally a man of few words, but…
‘He’s been even more like that since that day.’
That day, a being that had been kept in the deepest, most secret part of the Grand Ducal Castle crumbled away like dust and vanished.
‘Why did the body suddenly…’
A long time ago, there was Grace Elercia, the woman hailed as a saint.
The place where her body had been kept was right here, in the Grand Ducal Castle of Persia.
Though 300 long years had passed since she left the world, her body had existed here in a perfect state, without the slightest decay, as if mocking the passage of time.
The Power of Freezing.
A power that could freeze everything in the world, usable only by the Head of the Family of Persia.
Kainel Persia had preserved Grace’s body for a long time with that power.
‘However.’
Not long ago, that magic had shattered.
Before the eyes of the Grand Duke, who had visited the space as he always did, the Power of Freezing broke like a lie, and the body rapidly crumbled away.
A body that vanished like smoke.
Because it happened in an instant, neither the Grand Duke nor Dell himself could take any action. They could only watch the scene with hollow eyes.
‘And it’s been since that day.’
His isolation from the world had become even more severe.
Though he was the one who had closed off the Duchy of Persia for those long 300 years, Kainel had still never neglected to listen to and take action on the events occurring within the Duchy.
But now?
He was doing nothing, like a man who had lost all sense of purpose.
‘Sigh.’
A man who has lived alone for those long 300 years.
How could a mere ordinary human like himself understand and accept every one of his actions?
As much as he had existed for a long time, there were many names people called him.
Guardian of the North.
A monster with no blood or tears.
The One Who Forgot Time.
‘I believe the Magic Tower Master called him a popsicle.’
Grand Duke Kainel Persia was a man of many rumors and much talk.
However, to Dell, who had served him since childhood following in his father's footsteps, he appeared to be a being riddled with holes, full of profound deficiencies.
His appearance, as he visited the space where Grace-nim had slept several times a day as if wanting to fill that deficiency, seemed even more empty now.
“Kainel-nim.”
Calling him once more, Dell immediately followed up with his next words.
“A message has arrived from the Imperial Family.”
“…….”
Only then did the gaze that had been fixed outside the window slowly return.
His cold silver eyes looked even more vacant today.
Barely swallowing the sigh that threatened to burst out again, Dell carefully handed him the documents he had brought.
“It is a request to attend the upcoming meeting. It states that as the occurrence rate of the Black Forest has increased even to areas near the Capital, an extensive change in security is necessary.”
If one were to pick the place where the Black Forest appeared most frequently on the continent, it would be right here, the Duchy of Persia.
This cause played a major role in the reason the Imperial Family recognized the Duchy’s independence from the Empire. It was because it was impossible for the Imperial Family to take full responsibility for and support the North.
“His Majesty the Emperor sent this.”
What Dell carefully set down was a Golden Plaque. A lion, symbolizing the Devrica Imperial Family, was delicately engraved upon it.
The Golden Plaque, also called the Emperor’s Plaque.
It was a small plaque only the size of a palm, but the meaning contained within was immense.
The recipient of this plaque must follow the Emperor’s command unconditionally. No matter what it might be.
In case of refusal, regardless of the reason, it was taken as an intent to become an enemy of the Imperial Family.
However, even the Emperor could not use this plaque recklessly.
A Golden Plaque that could only be used exactly once during one's time on the throne.
Yet now, the current Emperor had used that Golden Plaque to summon the Grand Duke.
Even considering that Grand Duke Persia had not made an appearance for the past 300 years, this was a first.
None of the past Emperors had ever made such a coercive demand of the Grand Duke like this.
‘It must mean the situation is that serious.’
Dell was also already aware through external intelligence sources that the appearances of the Black Forest were becoming more frequent.
“What shall we do?”
If it had been a general request for attendance like other times, he would have refused.
But if it was an official document that came with a Golden Plaque, the story changed. This was because ignoring the Golden Plaque would provide an excuse that could lead even to war.
‘Of course, even if it came to that, he wouldn't care at all.’
Dell’s sigh deepened because he knew all too well that his master was someone who wouldn't be bothered by such threats in the least.
“When is it?”
“…Pardon?”
A low voice was heard at that moment.
Dell threw a look at him as if to ask, ‘Did I just hear something wrong?’
Did he just ask when the Imperial meeting was?
“I will attend.”
“……\!”
At his following short statement, Dell was left standing with his mouth hanging open blankly.
After 300 years, he, who had chosen isolation from the world for all that time, had finally decided to step out into the world.
*
*
*
“The Magic Tower, huh.”
Ceres’s eyes were full of contemplation as she looked at the Magic Stone placed on the table.
“It would be good to sell it there.”
Just as the woman she met at the magic shop had told her, if she visited that place and sold this, she would be able to get a proper price for it.
“Did she say I could name my price?”
There would be no need to wander around shops, and it would be a very clean transaction.
However, she couldn't easily turn her steps toward that place.
It was as if an unknown lingering feeling, an itch at the back of her head, kept holding her back.
‘If it ends up being given to that Artia fellow without me knowing…’
The words Kainel had said when he handed over this Magic Stone kept weighing on her mind.
Of course, if one were to ask what the difference was between selling it to a magic shop and selling it to the Magic Tower, she wouldn't have much to say.
“But the Magic Tower is a bit much, isn't it?”
It didn't feel right for her to personally bring the Magic Stone that Artia had wanted so badly to the place where he had served as the Magic Tower Master, now that he no longer existed.
‘It wouldn’t be respectful to either Kai or Alti.’
Well, she wasn't exactly a person who cared much for etiquette… but still, wasn't this a bit much?
Ultimately, Ceres put the Magic Stone back into the subspace.
She was desperate for money, but she thought it would be better to look into things a bit more before selling it.
Knock, knock.
Just then, with a knock, the door opened and a person stepped inside.
It was an old man in his early sixties with a relaxed impression.
“Ceres-nim.”
It was Colin, the butler who had left this place because of Agne.
Not long ago, Ceres and Antonion had personally gone to find him and brought him back.
‘I thought he would say no.’
