episode_0055

As closing the cave was not a simple matter, John had to go to the palace without even having time to rest from the fatigue of war.

So, as soon as John returned to Rosino, he went to the audience room with the heads of the first and second civil service divisions, enduring his fatigue.

Francia decided to return to the mansion first. She couldn’t just wait around, since she didn’t know when the audience would end.

“Raise your head.”

In a solemn atmosphere, the emperor slowly raised his hand as he spoke.

John and the leaders, who had been kneeling on one knee and bowing their heads, raised their heads.

This was his second time in the audience chamber, but unlike the previous time when only the Emperor was present, there were many people present.

Instead, the Chancellor, the Senate…

High-ranking officials in charge of many aspects of the imperial family also came to hear the details.

“Harsen Special Wizard, come forward and explain in detail what happened that day.”

“Yes.”

John, who had been kneeling on one knee, rose from his seat and stepped forward.

“The Sanburg Army ambushed the 2nd Civil Service Corps, and in cooperation with the magic practitioners, opened a cave on the mountain path where the battle took place.”

Those gathered in the audience room listened attentively to John’s words.

“I used my most powerful magic towards the crack in the cave where the demons were pouring out to put out the raging fire.”

The Emperor nodded slowly. This is what I heard in the letter.

John continued.

“Immediately after, the cracks began to warp with space, generating waves of unknown magical power. The edges began to lose their light, the fog from the cave dispersed, and the cracks slowly closed together and disappeared.”

The moment he finished speaking, silence flowed through the audience room. A silence so deep that even the sound of breathing could be heard. They were waiting for the emperor to speak.

“…Let’s ask the person involved first. Harsen Special Wizard, why do you think the rift closed?”

In the still silence, where the air was heavy, the Emperor asked.

“This is just a guess, but I think the way to close the rift in the cave is to fill it with pure magic power.”

The emperor’s eyebrows twitched.

“…Tell me more.”

John swallowed hard and continued his explanation.

“The Magura is known to be a crack in the world created by mana that has been corrupted by negative energy. If this is true, it may be possible to fill the crack using pure magic power that can drive out the negative energy.”

Although the cave has not been properly identified yet, it has been investigated and analyzed by many scholars throughout history.

The hypothesis that was created was that ‘the crack was created by mana that had been corrupted by negative energy.’

The story goes that corrupted mana creates cracks in the world, creating passages through which demons can enter.

This is the hypothesis most often adopted by scholars who have investigated and studied the cave so far, and it is also the most reasonable hypothesis.

“My magical power is so pure that it is close to the mana flowing in the atmosphere, and its size is also enormous. If the method I mentioned earlier is correct, then it makes sense.”

John bowed his head after saying those words.

“Then… does that mean we can close the den that was eating away at the world?”

“If that’s true, then doesn’t that mean only a Harsen special wizard can close the den?”

“There is still a need for further research and investigation…”

“You should try this experiment right away.”

The audience room, which had been filled with silence, was now rumbling. The excitement was evident. It couldn’t be helped, since the damage caused by the lair was enormous.

“Quiet.”

As the story became longer, the emperor raised his hand to stop it. Silence returned to the noisy audience room.

“Harsen Special Wizard. Your story makes sense, but it is just a hypothesis based on speculation. Do you have more solid evidence?”

“There is only speculation, as not enough information has been collected yet, and there is no solid evidence.”

“Um…”

The emperor narrowed his eyebrows and rested his chin on his hand. His expression was thoughtful.

“Certainly. As you said, there is no information, so there is only speculation. What do the ministers, the chancellor, and the Senate think?”

He asked the ministers.

“I don’t think we can say for sure right now. It could just be a coincidence.”

“Yes, you need to check if you can close the other caves first.”

“To uncover the secret, we need to create an investigation team centered around him.”

At that time, various opinions were expressed.

“Harsen Special Wizard. You were once on a mission as a public official to investigate the den that appeared in the Ekarsi County. How was it then?”

Fedelian, who had been quietly listening to the story, asked with a stern face.

“At that time, I had used magic on the crack, but no change occurred.”

“Then…”

Just as the ministers were about to say something, John quickly added.

“I think it has to do with the time immediately after the crack appears. The crack grows bigger over time. Accordingly, the amount of magic required to repair the crack also increases.”

This too was just a hypothesis created from Francia’s conjecture.

“The cave that the Sanburg Army created in cooperation with the magic practitioners was opened less than an hour ago. The amount of magic power required to restore it must have been small.”

But if we assume that, then it makes sense.

“Sure…”

“Hmm.”

“Then, since you are a Harsen special wizard…”

Instead, the chancellor, the senate.

Everyone nodded.

“… … .”

As the opinion that it was Johan Harsen who had closed the cave became more and more solid, Fedelian’s face grew cold. Even his insides were freezing.

The flow is… not good. If things continue this way, Johan Harsen’s value will skyrocket, and even the crown prince himself will become untouchable.

But there was no way to hang on. As of now, nothing had been revealed and it was all based on possibility.

But that doesn’t mean I can be the only one here who says, “That can’t be true, that’s impossible.”

‘Still… I don’t know yet.’

Could it simply be a coincidence that the cave was closed? Fedelian endured, suppressing his frustration.

“Good.”

After a brief moment of silence, the Emperor, having finished his thoughts, rose from his throne in silence. The ministers, chancellors, and elders standing around him held their breath at his movements.

“Harsen Special Wizard.”

As his gaze fell on John, the air became even heavier under his weight.

“I hereby issue an imperial order to you. Get yourself together and, as soon as you are ready, head to the den in the Ekarsi County with the 1st and 2nd officers.”

The cave in the County of Ekarsi was opened relatively recently. It was the easiest place to repair the cracks, and a good place to try.

“I will obey His Majesty’s command.”

John knelt on one knee and bowed his head.

I don’t know how much magic power it would take to close that cave, but I don’t think it would be impossible.

Because John’s magical power had a bizarre form that grew stronger the more he used it.

“ or more.”

At the emperor’s wave of his hand, the ministers and elders hastily bowed and retreated.

“I will now step aside, Your Majesty.”

John raised his head, overcoming the heavy air. The Emperor’s gaze lingered on him for a moment, then slowly turned away. The audience room became silent in an instant.

* * *

As soon as Rudella heard from her aide that Johan Harsen had come to the palace, she ran out of the Topaz Palace.

“Ugh, ugh…”

Her heavy breathing turned into white vapor and scattered. The cold wind brushed her cheeks and her fingertips felt cold and numb, but she did not stop running.

She crossed the garden, struggling along the frozen dirt path. The white lilies swayed against the hem of her dress, but Rudela’s eyes remained fixed on the road ahead.

“Haa…”

In front of the palace.

There he was.

Johan Harsen.

The moment she saw him putting his hand on the carriage, her feet stopped.

I hesitated on the cold, hard ground. I just had to take one more step, but I was afraid, as if that one step was an endless cliff.

Her hand rose and fell. Her fingertips trembled vaguely in the air.

The lips that were about to open to call out the name were tightly shut. No matter how much courage I tried to muster, the words coming up from my throat kept getting stuck.

‘…Thank goodness you’re safe.’

I wanted to tell him that.

‘I missed you. Really…’

I really wanted to tell him this.

However… I couldn’t find the courage to express my feelings because I was afraid.

Rudel bit her lip. The words that were trying to call his name got stuck in her throat and kept coming back down. The emotions that she couldn’t express swirled around like a scream.

“Ah…”

Her eyes twitched slightly. She tried to step forward several times, then took a step back.

My heart was pounding. I slowly tilted my head back, and the gray clouds of the winter sky came into view.

‘This… won’t do.’

I was scared.

If he, who already hated himself, went any further from here… I didn’t think I could bear it. It seemed like our relationship would never be able to be restored.

Rudel clearly remembered John’s cold gaze. That moment was still vivid in her mind. She would probably never forget it for the rest of her life.

But if I called him here for no reason and he turned around with an even colder gaze, I didn’t have the confidence to accept that.

I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff from which there was no turning back. My fists clenched into fists began to tremble.

Deep inside her heart, a fire of longing for him burned, but the shackles of fear held back the flame.

‘…For now, I’m satisfied with just looking at it from afar.’

Rudel’s gaze was still fixed on Johan. All she could do was hold her breath and watch him from afar.

but…

In this place, just by watching from afar and confirming his existence again, she realized her own foolishness to the bone.

“Haha…”

A hollow laugh escaped her lips, not knowing where it came from. Her hand went down to her chest again.

My heart was pounding like crazy.

It was painful, bitter and overwhelming.

‘It’s a terrible disease.’

While coldly mocking this emotion, he wanted it to consume him even more. He thought it was okay if the pain broke him and ate away at his insides.

It was a truly terrible disease.

Rudel clutched the hand on her chest, her trembling fingers losing their strength, and the winter wind ruffled her hair.

I smiled slightly as I watched him drive away in his carriage.

‘If things continue like this… nothing will change.’

…if you are afraid to move forward, if you are deluding yourself by being consumed by that fear.

You’ll regret it for the rest of your life.

Rudel clenched her fists. The breath that had been held in her heart turned into determination.

Once again, I will convey my heart to him.