#043

No one spoke.

His heart began to beat uncontrollably. His breath trembled hotly beneath his slightly parted lips. He felt a tension that made his chest ache. If he were to lift his head just a little, their lips would surely meet.

Cullen now knew well how sweet those lips tasted.

Desire fanned the flames within Cullen. The impulse to pretend it was an accident, to sit up and steal even a light kiss, gnawed at his reason.

But he shouldn’t. This was not the situation for it. There was no sign of the curse from Rodiak yet, and there was no reason to kiss.

Except that Cullen himself wanted it.

The momentary realization plunged Cullen into further confusion. Seizing the opportunity, impulse shook Cullen. A whisper telling him to just sit up echoed in his mind, and just then, Kiyen spoke.

“There was blood on you.”

“……Ah.”

Cullen finally came to his senses. So that’s why he covered me. And it was efficient, too. Thanks to their mistaken assumption that they had witnessed an intimate scene, the knights had retreated without entering.

A sense of inexplicable disappointment, felt before, washed over him. Cullen moistened his parched tongue and offered his thanks.

“……Thank you.”

“If you didn’t kill them, then who did?”

Kiyen slowly rose and moved away. He straightened the robe he had loosened. Cullen, who had unconsciously gazed at his smooth skin and sculpted collarbone, regained his composure and replied.

“An assassin appeared. I’m not sure if they were targeting me or Pellar, but we lost them for now.”

“Their attire?”

“They wore a mask and a black cloak. It’s possible they were the same ones who visited here.”

“If they came here with a purpose, then yes.”

Kiyen said that and approached the window. He leaned his upper body out the open window and surveyed the outside.

“What do you think their purpose was?”

Cullen quickly erased the emotions that had shaken him moments before and stood up as well.

“For now, what’s certain is that they used a power even you, Kiyen, are unaware of, and that they seem to be the same force that harmed my mother.”

“If the goddess intervened, something far greater must be involved. I don’t know what they intended to do here, but….”

Kiyen was looking outside. Cullen’s gaze followed.

“If their goal was to destroy the Marquess’s territory, then it seems they’ve done a thorough job.”

The corpses were still moving. This was the case even though Pellar Exion, whom they thought was the center of everything, was dead.

People were summoned to the room where Pellar Exion had been confined.

Meanwhile, Silfir prevented Pellar’s family, who had heard the news, from barging in. His wife had fainted, and his daughter was screaming. The situation only calmed down after they were pushed into a room, almost as if they were being imprisoned.

Arne, who had been under guard separately, was brought up from the underground prison. Lasano, who had been assigned as a guard and overseer, was also summoned, and Cullen, having changed his clothes, arrived with Kiyen. Silfir looked tired, as if he hadn’t rested much.

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

Silfir performed a courtesy. He gestured to the knights who bowed with him. It was still early morning, and everyone except Kiyen looked visibly exhausted. Arne, in particular, had a pale complexion.

“What is it, Marquess.”

Cullen asked expressionlessly. Silfir observed Cullen for a moment, then led him into the room and said,

“My uncle was murdered during the night. It seems there was an intruder.”

“Was the intruder caught?”

“We searched the entire castle but found no one. We couldn’t search outside due to lack of manpower.”

Cullen examined Pellar’s body, which he hadn’t properly inspected earlier. A thick iron arrow had pierced his chest, all the way to the bed’s footboard. The dark red blood that had spread across the floor was beginning to congeal.

“Therefore, we have summoned those who might have a motive. You instructed us not to treat this person carelessly, so I have unavoidably troubled Your Highness. I apologize.”

The word “motive” was emphasized.

“It is only natural, so do not worry about it.”

Cullen responded calmly.

“Thank you.”

Silfir also sought Lasano’s understanding.

“I apologize for disturbing your rest, High Priest.”

“It is fine.”

“Now that everyone is gathered, I will first examine the circumstances through the knights. Leon, was the High Priest unharmed?”

The knight who was called by name prostrated himself and replied.

“Yes, he was in a room without windows, and Pita and I guarded the door.”

“He was sleeping soundly after a long day’s work.”

Lasano added casually.

Silfir, who had been scrutinizing Lasano as if trying to gauge the truth, then looked at Cullen. As he was about to speak, he glanced back. There stood the knights who had entered Cullen’s room.

“……And I have also heard reports that my knights disturbed Your Highness’s private time. I apologize again for that.”

Cullen faltered. Standing before the knights who had seen Kiyen licking his neck and himself making a sound of ticklishness, he felt strange.

A slight shiver ran down his spine, and Cullen glanced at Kiyen. Kiyen seemed so indifferent, as if he hadn’t even known such a thing had happened. It was as if to remind him that Cullen was the only one who had been flustered.

“……It is fine.”

As if to dispel the awkward air, Silfir finally turned to Arne. He sat down slowly in front of the bowed Arne and said, feigning away his exhaustion,

“There is no one in the castle who could have killed my uncle except you. In fact, you committed the crime of daring to assassinate a noble.”

“……That is correct.”

Arne affirmed in a cracked voice. He slowly raised his head and met Silfir’s eyes. His face, resigned, now held only a look of detachment.

“I… do not regret my actions. The sins committed by Lord Pelion are unforgivable transgressions. Innocent children were sacrificed, and if I could go back, I would act the same way.”

“Insolence!”

Silfir, shouting briefly, rose from his seat. He walked past Cullen and approached the window. Opening the window, he pointed outside and berated Arne.

“If what you say is true, then the strange events in the territory should have stopped by now. But look outside. Are those abominations not still roaming outside, threatening everyone left?”

As if unaware of this, Arne’s eyes widened, and he gazed toward the window.

“There is no evidence to properly prove my uncle’s sins, and no trial has even taken place. If someone died unjustly because of you, that is a sin that cannot be repaid even by your death.”

“The miners know that Lord Pellar kidnapped children. If we find the survivors, we can hear more testimony!”

Arne’s veins bulged in his neck. Silfir retorted coldly.

“If you can break through there and find witnesses, then you bring them.”

Cullen stopped Silfir, who seemed about to throw Arne out.

“Marquess Exion, weren’t your knights watching Arne in the underground prison? It is impossible for him to have killed your uncle.”

Silfir remained silent. He certainly did not act like a noble or according to his whims. He could discern right from wrong. At least, among the nobles he had seen at the palace.

“Then who targeted my uncle?”

“That must be related to the person who cast this curse on the territory. I too must find him. Marquess, now is not the time to hold someone unrelated.”

“But Your Highness, even though the uncle called the cause of it is dead, the outside remains the same.”

At that moment, Lasano interjected.

“Perhaps it is because the sword, the medium of the curse, was not used to stab him? The sword is imbued with ominous power, so it is believed that the object of resentment must be executed with the sword for it to be effective.”

Indeed, the sword had caused auditory hallucinations and tried to consume Cullen, so there was logic to it. As Silfir frowned, Lasano took out a sealed sword from his pocket. The tip of the dull-colored sword gleamed sharply.

“May I have your permission?”

Silfir touched his forehead. He sighed, and Lasano met Cullen’s eyes. Before a hesitant nod could be given, Lasano proceeded with his task. He plunged the sword into Pellar Exion’s chest.

The sword sank deep into Pellar’s chest, whose breastbone had been shattered by the iron arrow. Silfir winced. The knights watched this sacrilegious sight in silence.

……But nothing happened. Cullen approached the window and looked outside, but the corpses were still swarming, trying to enter the castle.

“It seems not.”

Lasano shrugged and sheathed the sword again. Blood flowed down onto the floor.

“That just now… it wasn’t it.”

Silfir sighed once more and said to the knights,

“Take away my uncle’s body. Given the circumstances… and since he was involved in an unholy act… the funeral will be cremation.”

“Your command will be obeyed.”

“And this priest will be executed as planned. As he wished, my uncle is dead, and nothing has been resolved.”

Lasano, wiping the blood from the sword and putting it back in his pocket, paused. Just as Cullen was about to step forward to stop Silfir, Arne spoke.

“It does not matter if I die, but I have one plea.”

“There is no time to grant the wishes of a criminal.”

Despite Silfir’s cold words, Arne earnestly pleaded. He seemed to have already accepted his impending death and appeared to fear nothing more.

“There are children trapped in a mountain shrine. Please, please, send knights to rescue them. The families of the innocent little ones have all died. Marquess, please… please resolve the grievances of those who died unjustly.”

Silfir, who had been coldly refuting Arne, fell silent at those words. A faint hesitation flickered across his face. Arne continued.

“Will the curse not disappear if the cause of resentment is removed? That is how it will vanish.”

“What do you mean?”

Silfir asked, taken aback by the sudden remark. Arne quickly replied.

“Do you remember? According to records, the territory was not like this in the past. There were various professions, and the mines were only a part of it. It was not this hell where all commoners only dug salt and died.”

Everyone listened intently to Arne’s words. Though their thoughts differed, they all found a possibility in his words.

“Resentment is the greed brought about by the mines. Greed that caused only commoners to be sacrificed.”

Arne’s words held merit. The expensive red salt fueled greed, and the Exion Territory now depended on that abnormal income.

In another territory, even if such a situation had occurred, food would not have been depleted so quickly. By severely restricting other professions, including agriculture, and diverting all labor to the mines, the Marquess’s territory was unprepared for famine or disaster.

“You are right, Marquess. Salt is a valuable income for the Exion Territory, so even if this incident is resolved, it will eventually bring about the same tragedy.”

“What do you wish for, Your Highness?”

Cullen made a decision. He could jump into the midst of the corpses himself and have Kiyen deal with it, but that was not the way Cullen wanted it. He did not want to force Kiyen in any way. Although he had already disappointed him…

The fundamental solution was to change the structure of the territory. Cullen decided to use his power for the first time since receiving Larkan’s crest.

“The Imperial Palace will contribute resources for the reconstruction of the Marquess’s territory. While the specifics need further discussion, it means the Imperial Family will provide some support. Marquess, from now on, limit the number of mines and select personnel under strict control. Of course, fair compensation and support must follow for those who work.”

Before Silfir could speak again, Cullen declared,

“Demolish the newly developed mines, Marquess.”

The knights, who had been listening quietly, flinched and looked up at Cullen’s words.

“Only by destroying that place, which your uncle defiled with his desires, where children were kidnapped and died….”

Cullen’s gaze met Arne’s. Arne, biting his lip, nodded.

“Seems to be the way to end all this tragedy.”