#094

“What does Ulli’s story have to do with that?”

The Duke glanced around and said with a grave expression.

“Because the list of Eastern nobles who rebelled was similar to this. And from those who appeared on the list, letters plotting rebellion and ledgers were consistently found.”

Looking down at the untouched teacup, Cullen fell into thought.

The situation was peculiar. Considering Zarkas had previously informed the Young Duke that Cullen’s party had summoned Kwanu, the possibility of a clash between the Young Duke and Cullen, and the probability of Cullen himself dying because of Kwanu, it felt suspicious.

If I had died or been injured here, the Duke Refellon family would have borne the full responsibility. And if this list were added to that…

“Was Zarkas targeting Western nobles, including you?”

“Yes, Your Highness. That is my belief.”

Moet, who had been quiet all morning, spoke with a look of exhaustion.

“They were trying to frame us for treason.”

“There is a high possibility.”

The Duke answered in his stead and stood up. He gazed out the window with a frustrated expression. His face looked as if he had aged several years more than when Cullen had seen him at the Imperial Palace, and he lamented.

“The peace that lasted so briefly is finally broken like this. Too many people have died.”

Beyond the silence, the sounds of tidying up the ruined Duke’s mansion could be heard.

“Have the casualties been tallied?”

Moet nodded. He looked at the Duke as if seeking permission, and the Duke responded with silence.

“Thanks to Your Highness’s help, not many territory residents died. However, the farmland and the city itself have all collapsed, and reconstruction will take years. This year’s harvest of fruits and crops will not be properly reaped…”

Moet continued, looking towards the corridor.

“We lost the majority of our elite knights in the attack. We have many novice knights, but we have suffered a significant loss of our main forces.”

This was similar to the situation of the Viscount Exion family. As Duke Refellon said, if damage continued to be inflicted on Western nobles one by one, the defense of this place would weaken in an instant.

“However, the South seems to have suffered no particular damage.”

Kiyen spoke up.

“The anomalies and disasters have all occurred in the West. The East is merely empty land with no power, and the North is barren with no settled nobles. Therefore, the South must now have the most superior military strength.”

The Duke turned and looked at Cullen. A look of contemplation crossed his face, but he seemed to have made a decision and agreed with Kiyen.

“I have no intention of making baseless accusations. However…”

Cullen could guess what he was going to say. This was because the South was a region almost entirely dominated by Duke Lenon.

“Duke Lenon chose his side from the beginning. For him, it is necessary to maintain his position inherited from the previous Emperor. The balance of the three divided noble factions collapsed 39 years ago, and if he eliminates me, he will become the sole Duke.”

Kiyen’s expression was peculiar. He leaned back on the sofa at an angle, propped his chin, and looked elsewhere. Meanwhile, Duke Refellon continued.

“Princess Kihelene is a wise and benevolent person, but all the forces she relies on are members of Duke Lenon’s faction. Her fiancé, Viscount Exion, or rather Duke Exion, is also one of them.”

“That part is puzzling. Duke Exion is clearly his subordinate, so why would such a disaster befall his territory?”

“Can’t it be considered a check? It wouldn’t do for the forces the Princess relies on to possess wealth and military strength comparable to Duke Lenon’s.”

Cullen didn’t want to believe Duke Refellon entirely, but he trusted Moet. Moreover, the damage to the Duke’s territory was clearly fatal to him. Based on his conversation with Ruffellon, Zarkas’s identity would be approached from a different angle.

He needed time to speak with Kiyen separately. Cullen stood up.

“I understand, Duke. I need time to organize my thoughts. The help needed for the territory… I will send it through Kihelene.”

When Kihelene’s name was mentioned, Cullen asked casually.

“How is Kihelene?”

“The Princess… is fine.”

The Duke looked uneasy.

“But she seems worried because there are so few people left in the palace. Her most trusted fiancé, Duke Exion, is also away due to matters in his territory. Still, she will be alright with Kiyen’s clone.”

The Duke seemed unaware that Kiyen’s clone was gradually weakening. Cullen hesitated and remained silent. The fewer people who knew, the better.

“I apologize for the intrusion this morning, Your Highness. I will show you to a place where you can rest, so please call me anytime.”

“I will come when I have sorted out my thoughts.”

He couldn’t leave the Duke’s territory immediately, as Lasano had not yet woken up, and Cullen still had much to uncover.

“The participants of the party are being interrogated thoroughly.”

“Understood, Your Highness.”

The party left the reception room, mulling over the complex story that had flooded them like a wave.

“Anything to say? Anything you want to ask?”

Ulli suddenly asked in front of their respective rooms. Cullen opened his room door and said only one thing.

“I had considered it possible she was a noble, given the part about her mother being a lady-in-waiting.”

“Well, I suppose so.”

Ulli said lightly.

“You understand now why Count Linden was your target for revenge, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

They entered Cullen’s room for now. The smile on Ulli’s face gradually disappeared. She looked at her feet and then spoke.

“I didn’t want to talk about it, but… that was the reason.”

“That’s fortunate. I dislike him too.”

Ulli glanced at Cullen with reddened eyes at his calm reply. She let out a watery breath, swallowed, and wiped her face with her arm.

“Ah, what is this. Let’s talk about something else now. So, was the person you chased in the snow back then Zarkas?”

“Yes. There was someone with a similar pattern on their wrist to yours. Ulli, you said you obtained your weapon in the East.”

“Yes. I don’t know about now, but every month, on the full moon, there were ships that sailed to the easternmost edge. I volunteered there, but I heard that very few people returned alive, so I backed out. Finding Pantal was pure chance.”

“Then you didn’t encounter Zarkas?”

“But perhaps the people gathering people there were Zarkas?”

There was a high probability of that. Once the matters in the Duke’s territory were concluded, there was a reason to head East as originally planned.

The problem was that Zarkas was always one step ahead of them. They were clearly moving to put Cullen in danger.

“Is Zarkas perhaps led by someone called Duke Lenon?”

“It’s possible.”

Kiyen, who had been silent during their conversation, finally spoke.

“Considering someone used Akesis’s power on you at the Imperial Palace, and thinking about Ella’s incident, it’s certain that someone among the high-ranking nobles is Zarkas. There aren’t many who could be the mastermind.”

At Kiyen’s words, Ulli’s eyes widened.

“Who did that to you?”

Cullen, reluctant to explain the matter of Rodiak in detail to Ulli, replied briefly.

“Yes.”

“So that’s why you struggled at the temple?”

Cullen wasn’t sure about that part. Rodiak had only affected Cullen when he touched Akesis’s power. When he held the dagger, the curse didn’t activate immediately; it merely unsettled him. There were slight hints, but the curse fully manifested when he held the Sorcerer’s staff in Dadin.

“I’m not sure.”

“It seems you haven’t fully recovered yet.”

“I am looking for a way.”

“Won’t it only be resolved if the one who cast the curse dies? What kind of curse is it?”

Kiyen answered the question about the curse, which he had never told anyone, instead. His attitude seemed almost like a warning.

“It’s none of your concern. Only I can handle it.”

Ulli glared at Kiyen and then slumped onto the bed.

“Why are all these things happening at once? My head feels like it’s going to explode.”

“There are still more stories you need to hear.”

Cullen turned to Kiyen. Since touching the red gem Anan had given him, his reason had been out of control, and he finally had a chance to speak to Kiyen.

“Kwanu left me a gem before he died. He called it the Stone of Akesis. After touching it, the curse… overwhelmed me.”

“I’m really curious what it is.”

Kiyen, ignoring Ulli’s words, looked down at Cullen.

“Do you have it?”

“I kept it in the temple lodging, fearing I might be affected again if I carried it. If it’s similar to the sword in Duke Exion’s territory, perhaps only a priest like Arne or Lasano could wield it.”

“You keep ignoring me, but I have something I’m curious about!”

Ulli said, hitting the bed.

“Didn’t that stone called Kwanu say something? That only you and Lasano could kill it? Something about the goddess and so on?”

“Yes.”

“Then, shouldn’t you, Cullen, also be unaffected if you are with a priest who possesses the power of Goddess Aksha? Shouldn’t curses not even work in the first place?”

That was puzzling to Cullen as well, but he had no way of knowing.

“Cullen does not possess the bloodline blessed by Aksha or divine power. One would need divine power to repel the forces that oppose the goddess.”

Kiyen sat on the windowsill on the opposite side of the bed, as if wary of Ulli.

For Kiyen, who had been constantly showing his displeasure towards Ulli since earlier, and because Ulli also seemed to need time, Cullen decided they should take a break.

“Ulli, we will go to the temple, so please rest. After that, it would be good to find something to do together.”

“Yeah, are you telling the uninvited guest to leave?”

Despite her sharp words, Ulli sprang up from the bed. She waved her hand, pulling her robe over herself.

“I am tired, so I’ll sleep for a bit. See you later.”

“See you this evening.”

“Sure.”

She replied casually and left the room. Once they were alone, Kiyen got down from the windowsill and sat on the bed. Seeing his actions as if he had been waiting for Ulli to leave, Cullen chuckled softly.

“Ulli is now our comrade. Didn’t you see how helpful she was?”

“I don’t like her personality.”

Kiyen was just as stubborn on that point, but Cullen decided to persuade him in a different way.

“Besides, she might know more about Zarkas than we do.”

Kiyen turned his head. It was a gesture of not wanting to listen, so Cullen carefully sat beside him and brought up another topic to divert his attention. It was a story about a dream, something ambiguous to tell Ulli, which he judged it was better for only Kiyen and himself to know.

“I had a dream last night.”

“Did you have the energy left for that?”

Seeing Cullen’s face break into a crooked smile, Cullen’s earlobes flushed red. Parting his lips, he slowly continued.

“……In my dream, I heard the name Ria. I believe it was a name you mentioned before, Kiyen-nim, is that correct?”

Kiyen’s pupils elongated. Still smiling, Kiyen gazed at Cullen and leaned closer.

“What did she say?”

Despite his expression, his voice held a faint wariness.