Time Healer Ceres - Chapter 116

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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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In any case, since Tamer Artifacts were luck-based, there was no way to know anything about their power until it was awakened.
The princess seemed curious about how Seres had known it was a Tamer Artifact, but Seres pretended ignorance and simply sipped her tea.
It wasn’t as though she had no excuse—she just saw no need to offer one without being asked.
“How do you awaken it?”
“You’d need to visit the Grand Temple.”
Seres wasn’t certain if it was still the case, but in the old days, one had to visit the Grand Temple in the Capital to awaken a Tamer Artifact.
“You’ll need to use the Holy Spring there.”
She didn’t know the details—only that the spring was absolutely necessary to awaken a Tamer Artifact.
“I should see Mother.”
The princess picked up the bracelet and rose from her seat.
A matter of this importance wasn’t something to handle alone.
As she turned toward the door, she paused and looked back at Seres with a puzzled expression.
“What are you doing?”
“Pardon?”
“Why aren’t you coming?”
“…You mean me?”
Why would I follow her there?
She’d said I just needed to restore it. I’ve done that.
“You’re the one who found it. You should be the one to tell them.”
“Do I really have to?”
“You do.”
……
Seres ran a hand roughly through her hair as she watched the princess move ahead.
This felt like things were spiraling larger and larger—or was that just her imagination?
* * *
The Emperor shot to his feet.
“What did you just say?”
“A Tamer Artifact?”
The Emperor of Devrika and Crown Prince Aseraian rose from their seats simultaneously, their shock laid bare for all to see.
“Yes. It appears to be a Tamer Artifact.”
The two men leaned in to examine the bracelet the princess set before them with keen interest.
A simple silver bracelet with no discernible markings—utterly unremarkable.
This was truly a Tamer Artifact?
The imperial court had been searching for Tamer Artifacts without pause for ages.
The other kingdoms were no different—a single Tamer Artifact’s discovery could transform a nation’s military strength.
Yet in all the long years that had passed, word of a Tamer Artifact being found anywhere in the empire—indeed, anywhere on the continent—had been vanishingly rare.
Ten years ago, the Alisha Kingdom had announced the discovery of a Tamer Artifact, but its true owner had never been found, and it remained carefully stored in the royal vaults to this day.
They were said to be searching quite diligently for that owner even now.
Yet despite this situation, other nations envied the Alisha Kingdom greatly.
Finding a Tamer Artifact itself was extraordinarily rare and difficult.
And yet this Tamer Artifact had existed not elsewhere, but within the imperial court itself?
In the princess’s hands, no less?
‘It’s possible.’
Finding a Tamer Artifact was hard, but the true difficulty lay in finding the destined master to awaken its power.
Perhaps the bracelet the princess held had suffered the same fate.
Unable to find its master, it had drifted and weathered, slipping from people’s memory.
‘Maybe only the knowledge that it was a precious thing remained, passed down through the generations?’
The fact that despite its worn appearance, no one had discarded it and it had been preserved through long ages was rather fortunate, really.
“Are you certain it’s truly a Tamer Artifact?”
“It appears to be.”
The princess gave a brief answer and turned her gaze toward Seres.
The Emperor and Crown Prince followed suit, their eyes fixing on her.
“It should be.”
Seres released a silent sigh and offered a simple confirmation.
This was starting to feel like she’d stumbled into something she had no business being part of.
“How did you know?”
“I’ve seen the Count Family Ring before, from the Elrsia Countess Family.”
Surely both the Emperor and the Crown Prince already knew that she was the one who’d found the true Count Family Ring?
Without that level of information, it would be difficult to hold that position.
“A ring.”
The Emperor nodded.
Just as Seres had anticipated, he already knew in detail what she had done at the Elrsia Countess Family not long ago.
“That’s all?”
But that didn’t explain everything.
She’d only glimpsed the ring for a moment, hadn’t she?
From that brief contact, she’d recognized this Bracelet as a Tamer Artifact identical to the ring?
When no one else had noticed a thing?
“Isn’t determining whether that Bracelet is a Tamer Artifact or not quite simple?”
Why waste time here? They could simply go to the Grand Temple.
All they’d need do is throw it into the Holy Spring there, and they’d know.
‘If it’s not a Tamer Artifact, it will be expelled immediately.’
She’d heard that when a false artifact was cast into the spring, it would be spat back out just as if the spring had swallowed something inedible.
“Hmm.”
The Emperor and Aseraian fixed their gaze on the Bracelet, lost in thought.
If it truly was a Tamer Artifact as she claimed, the entire empire would be thrown into turmoil.
Perhaps the whole continent would take notice.
They would speak endlessly of the discovery of a new Tamer Artifact and whether its master had appeared.
“What did you say your name was?”
The Emperor regarded Seres intently.
Her face had certainly etched itself into his memory.
She appeared to be on intimate terms not only with Grand Prince Persha but also with his own son, Chaien.
And she had connections with Nailia as well?
“I am Seres Drow.”
Seres spoke her family name for the first time in ages, bowing respectfully.
At her measured bearing, the Emperor felt a small spark of admiration kindle within.
“Drow, you say.”
Why did that sound so familiar? Drow… Drow…
“Ah.”
Tom, the Mercenary King!
Drow was the house he had founded.
He hadn’t heard that name in quite some time.
“Then, how old are you this year?”
Knock, knock.
At that moment, the door opened and an attendant stepped inside.
“Your Majesty, Grand Prince Persha requests an audience.”
“Grand Prince Persha?”
The Emperor’s eyes widened as he repeated the attendant’s words.
“Show him in at once.”
This was the first time Persha had requested a meeting with him unprompted.
And was it not also the first time he had visited the Imperial Palace before being summoned?
What sudden wind had blown his way?
Click.
Moments later, the door opened and Kainel, Grand Prince Persha, entered with a light bow.
“Welcome, Grand Prince Persha. What brings you here?”
Kainel met Seres’s gaze for a moment—the look in her eyes asking what he was doing here—then turned to face the Emperor and replied.
“I came to welcome her, so please don’t concern yourself.”
…Welcome her?
The Emperor looked as though he wanted a more detailed explanation, but Kainel offered no further elaboration.
He simply stepped back quietly, as if telling the Emperor not to worry about him and to continue their conversation, and the Emperor’s attention returned once more to Seres.
“Well then, how old are you…”
“Why would you want to know that?”
The Emperor, attempting to finish the question he’d begun moments before, found his words cut short once again.
His mouth twisted ever so slightly askew, his eyes narrowing to slits.
Kainel’s expression made his displeasure plain as day.
“Your age? Well…”
“Unless you’re thinking of arranging a match for me.”
His gaze drifted briefly toward Crown Prince Aseraian before returning.
“No, I was merely curious about your age…?”
When had asking someone’s age become such a fraught question?
The Emperor cast Kainel a somewhat aggrieved look.
Kainel, who had been the one radiating that glacial atmosphere, simply pressed his lips shut again as if nothing had happened.
He merely gestured with a wave of his hand, as if to say she should ignore him and finish the conversation.
The Emperor caught sight of his demeanor and pressed on with his question.
But then.
“Yes. The Drow. Where the Baron is stationed right now….”
“Why are you asking for his home address, Your Majesty?”
Before the Emperor could finish, that cutting voice interjected once more.
“His other family members….”
“Do you really need to know that?”
“…What he’s doing these days?”
“Are you planning to give him a position at the Imperial Palace?”
“As for Chaien and I….”
“We have no connection whatsoever, of course. It should be obvious to anyone with eyes.”
Each answer burst forth before the Emperor could even finish his questions, each one sharp and glacial.
‘What’s gotten into him this time, seriously.’
Seres watched Kainel firing off answers on her behalf—cutting him off at every turn—and made no effort to hide her exasperation.
‘Are you my spokesman now?’
I have a mouth too, you know!
Seres exhaled a short, silent breath.
So why does the embarrassment fall on me?

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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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