The Wind Calms the Fire - Chapter 47

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 47
‘That’s strange.’
Carrion listened in silence, turning the matter over in his mind.
Hearing everything Orbin had laid out all at once, her actions were suspicious no matter how you looked at them.
The evidence was so clear, right before his eyes—so why did he hesitate?
“I can help you, and I want to. Won’t you trust me?”
Her expression and the light in her eyes came back to him.
‘She’s not that kind of person.’
The perfect line of a victim ripe for deception.
Carrion hadn’t expected himself to defend her by invoking this textbook defense.
More than once, she had saved his life.
He made excuses to himself.
Wasn’t it natural that blind trust could take root in circumstances like these?
If the other person had concealed a blade beneath their smile, then one day he would pay the price of his carelessness.
‘That’s a burden I’ll bear.’
“Orbin.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“You’ve done well. Still, let’s set this matter aside.”
“…Your Highness.”
“I’ve already informed His Majesty about them. I’ve vouched for their identities and brought them to the capital myself. If an investigation was warranted, it should have been done already. To investigate now, after I’ve brought them here knowing they were suspicious, would give grounds for criticism.”
“I’ll proceed discreetly.”
“It’s also a matter of trust. In any case, the Zephyros Kingdom and I are now in the same boat. If we can’t trust each other before we reach shore, we’ll sink ourselves.”
‘His words aren’t wrong, but…’
Orbin felt an odd unease.
It was as if his lord were defending the princess.
“Your Highness.”
Cedric’s voice came from outside.
“The princess requests an audience.”
“Show her in.”
Carrion gestured to Orbin to leave.
Orbin bowed and gave a slight nod to Rhea as she entered through the opening door.
As he left, he reflected.
‘Once the Grand Council ends, things will sort themselves out. The kingdom’s people will stay here, and we’ll return to the Northeast. After that, it’s not our concern.’
Carrion rose from his desk and moved to the sofa, gesturing for her to sit.
“I’m afraid I’ve interrupted an important conversation. I could have come back later.”
“No, we’d just finished.”
“I have a favor to ask.”
Rhea set down a long bundle of leather on the sofa table. It was the Crystal Dagger.
“What is this?”
“You can unwrap it if you like. It’s a dagger.”
When the leather bundle came undone and the Crystal Dagger was revealed, Carrion paused for a moment.
For just an instant, something felt strange.
“It seems to be harmful to those with Spirit Awakening. Touching it should be fine, but be careful not to let it cut you.”
“It has an unusual appearance. Is it some sort of treasure of your kingdom?”
“Something like that. Would you be willing to keep this safe so it doesn’t fall into other hands? We’ll be heading to the Imperial Palace soon, and I’m uneasy about leaving it here, but I’m also anxious about carrying it around everywhere.”
Carrion wrapped the dagger back in leather as he spoke.
“I’ll store it in the Black Castle Archives. How does that sound?”
Rhea smiled brightly.
“That would put my mind at ease. Thank you, Your Highness.”
“It’s nothing.”
As Rhea stood to leave, Carrion’s brow twitched.
He didn’t want to let her go like this.
Carrion hastened to speak.
“This person who came as an etiquette instructor—Lady Veronica Velua—is she proving helpful?”
“You know of her too, Your Highness. Helpful indeed. I have so much to learn from her, I hardly know where to begin. I may have to give up sleep to keep up with everything.”
He couldn’t detain her, who had no time even for sleep, on a mere pretext.
After she left, feeling inexplicably wistful, he fingered the leather bundle and called for Cedric to give him instructions.
“Take this to the Black Castle Archives.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
* * *
The Emperor issued an Assembly Edict.
He set the Grand Council meeting for five days after the edict’s proclamation.
Over a month remained before the Social Season would begin.
At this time of year, most nobles abandoned the capital to enjoy the quiet of the countryside.
Those from annexed or tributary states descended to their homelands.
Accounting for the time it took couriers to deliver the summons, many would find it impossible to arrive in the capital by the appointed date.
Noon on the day of the Grand Council.
The carriage bearing the Fourth Prince and his entourage entered the Imperial Palace.
Though four carriages arrived, the gate guards—already informed from above—did not conduct a thorough inspection.
The four carriages slipped away down a back passage and came to a halt.
Three carriage doors opened, and their occupants descended.
All wore long robes that fell to their ankles, their hoods drawn up, concealing every distinguishing feature.
Carrion watched through the carriage window as the Zephyros Delegation followed the guides the Emperor had sent.
Precisely, what he watched was the back of Rhea, who walked foremost in her party.
‘From here on, there’s nothing I can do.’
He felt no anxiety.
She might appear frail, but she was strong.
She seemed the sort who would push through whatever lay ahead without leaning on anyone.
As his business partner, she should have filled him with confidence, yet he felt an odd pang of something like regret.
Three of his close associates sat with him in the carriage.
Cedric tapped the carriage wall, signaling the driver to depart.
Rhea heard the carriage move away and glanced back, then quickly faced forward again.
She moved only her eyes, surveying the surroundings.
Presently, a stone bridge began to emerge ahead.
‘The canal. They said the Inner Palace lies beyond it.’
Carrion had told her that spirits grew stimulated when crossing the waterway.
Then there must be some sort of barrier—a special force where fire spirits collide with something—with the canal as its boundary.
As Rhea crossed the stone bridge, she concentrated on the state of her body.
‘I don’t sense anything.’
She felt no change whatsoever.
Even when she carefully summoned wind to examine her surroundings, there was no unusual sensation.
‘Perhaps because it’s the power of wind.’
“Please wait here until His Majesty summons you.”
The attendants brought the Zephyros Delegation to a chamber and withdrew.
Rhea called silently to the spirit within her.
‘Look around.’
She was curious whether a spirit truly possessed invisible eyes and ears.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on the sensations the spirit conveyed.
‘There’s someone in the next room.’
She amplified the spirit’s power more forcefully, trying to map the structure of the Inner Palace.
—It won’t work.
Rhea’s brow twitched.
The spirit sent her a warning. She quickly withdrew her power.
‘So examining the immediate vicinity is acceptable, but I shouldn’t send the Spirit Energy any further?’
As if in answer, wind brushed past her cheek.
‘If I use the wind’s power strongly, do I feel a repulsive force? Is there some kind of barrier?’
The spirit offered no reply.
She pondered this, then something occurred to her.
‘Is there a detection mechanism that activates when Spirit Energy exceeds a certain threshold?’
The wind brushed her cheek again, and a chill ran down her spine.
Somewhere in this palace, someone knew about spirits.
* * *
Enoch did not ordinarily wear official court robes, being a prince.
Yet today he had dressed in a deep green court robe and entered the Judgment Hall.
Moreover, it was a ceremonial robe adorned with gold embroidery and insignia denoting his rank.
Deep green symbolized the Ministry of Finance and was simultaneously the color of the Imperial Family.
He quickly scanned the hall with his eyes to confirm that no prominent members of the royal house were present.
‘The Southwest Commander must be racing here at full speed the moment he received the summons.’
Regrettably, he would find it difficult to arrive in time.
‘The Third Prince ordinarily remains in the capital at this season, but since he’s gone down to his mother’s house this year, he won’t make it either.’
The Fifth Prince was still young and had yet to make his debut in the Social Season.
Thus there was no reason for him to attend such a gathering unless compelled by Assembly Edict, and besides, Enoch had never given the Fifth Prince a second thought.
Enoch was in the Imperial Palace when news of the Assembly Edict reached him, and he learned of it sooner than anyone else.
He hastily sent word to the nobles who supported him, urging them to attend the Grand Council.
Familiar faces caught his eye here and there.
The moment their gazes met his, they bowed respectfully.
‘I was right to stay in the Capital.’
This was the empire’s center, where everything that mattered unfolded.
The other princes had mothers descended from vassal or annexed kingdoms’ royal lines.
Since the nobles of their native lands formed their natural power base, they had to work constantly to maintain those ties.
Enoch’s mother came from an established imperial family of the realm’s bloodline, and all his foundations lay here in the Capital.
Moreover, as Supreme Auditor of the Ministry of Finance, he met regularly with senior officials in the Capital to discuss matters of state.
Enoch held every advantage.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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