Ever felt a bunch of random words entering your brain while not understanding anything out of them? That's what Nathan Modernson felt when he heard this short verse. He looked at Erik while trying to pretend like he was contemplating it, and the latter's face disappointingly didn't possess any desire for explanation. If anything, it sounded like a prophecy rather than a guide. By no means did it answer any of the questions he had about Gideon's Crystal or its usage.
"Are you sure you didn't mess it up with some prophecy?" Viviana lashed out as if she could sense Nathan's confusion.
"Without context, it may indeed seem like so," Erik explained steadily.
"Then give us the darn context," Viviana cursed, sounding more amused than actually annoyed.
Erik shook his head absolutely. "Unfortunately, I cannot. That's information strictly contained within the direct royal lineage. To put things bluntly, Nathan Modernson is not the prince of Runalond, just one with royal blood. Even sharing so much with him was already stepping a foot past the border. If not for my brother's sake, I could've just kept my mouth shut."
"Then why can HE be here and listening?" Viviana complained while eyeing Justin Lock with a venomous stare. Even with her playful, exaggerated expression, a normal person would almost kneel instinctively if V ever gave them a stare like that, but Justin Lock replied with only a humble smile and a slight nod of acknowledgement, reminding everyone of his practically invisible presence.
The King laughed composedly, as a king should. "What can Steward Lock do? Tell someone?"
Nathan wasn't in his right mind to hold back his laughter when the most solemn figure in the kingdom pulled up with a hellish joke like that, though he quickly realised his discourtesy and mumbled an apology towards the subject of the matter.
Justin didn't seem to care at all. In fact, he laughed under his breath too, failing to notice Nathan's apology in the process. Nathan was surprised that mutes could produce vocalised laughter that was identical to that of an ordinary human. He was somewhat warmed by it, that no matter how different people are, their emotions are always the same.
Yet, that wouldn't excuse Erik's pathetic answer that justified Justin's authority to overhear what was considered a top secret kept within royalty. He could always write it down on a piece of paper or use a telepathic Rune Art, which was difficult but not impossible. The true reason, however, didn't need to be explained to be understood.
"Then that would be it," Erik's words remained coldly serious. "A banquet was planned for the celebration of a new Student Council President, but…"
"I'd rather not attend it," Nathan finished the sentence that his uncle had hinted for him to finish, glad that the King could realise how meaningless another meet-and-greet session was for both him and the aristocrats.
"Just like you back then, I've heard," Erik jested towards Viviana. "Like mother, like son, huh?"
Viviana shrugged it off, unbothered to be reminded of a topic from 20 years ago.
"Anything else you want to request or ask?" He turned his face back to Nathan. Suddenly, the tone became much more approachable, to the point that Nathan once again mistook the man before him for his father. "If not, I'll give you a present, and you can just leave. Justin will cancel the banquet in no time."
Hearing the instruction, Justin nodded firmly and slowly, then retreated to the entrance, disappearing into the blinding light from the outside world.
Nathan searched for any other remaining questions that were worth asking. It turned out that memories were the clearest when it came to events that you had just experienced. He was instantly reminded of The Undefeatable's mission.
"Yes. Your Majesty, I know this might be an impossible mission, but is there any possibility that the Infinite Explosions in the Pompeii Manor ruins could be ceased?" he asked without getting his hopes up.
Erik Runaria and Viviana Modernson exchanged glances of slight confusion.
"Impossible? Who told you it's impossible?" they asked.
Nathan put his hands out in resignation. "Then why was it not ceased a long time ago?"
"Three reasons." Erik lifted three fingers and explained patiently. "One: It would probably anger the Sixth Seat, which meant nothing but trouble. Two: We need two very specific people to put a stop to that relentless, auto-constructive elemental energy burst, and to be honest, that's even more trouble than the first. Three: Who cares if it isn't stopped? Why invest effort when nobody benefits from it?"
Erik's explanation was so logical and straightforward that Nathan felt stupid for asking his prior question. However, thinking about it, the first and third reasons were no longer applicable in his scenario. He was sure that Lucipher Pompeii wouldn't say a word if it was what he desired.
"Who are these two very specific people?" Nathan asked.
The King didn't ask why he needed the answer and just told him, "We need someone who can stop or at least slow it in an area, which means it had to be Henry Nox, and someone who can control and transform elemental energy on a massive scale, which means it had to be The Indescribable. To rub salt in the wound, those two weren't especially best friends. Consider her the culprit behind this setback." He pointed his thumb at Viviana casually.
Nathan couldn't help but comment that His Majesty did have a calming sense of humour if His Majesty wanted to.
"Hey!" Viviana objected. "Blaming everything on me again, really?"
Though her resentment towards the King was suddenly interrupted by a revelation.
"Oh wait, Nathan, if I didn't tell you already. Henry Nox and The Indescribable are two people you can trust in any scenario, I promise!"
Yeah, she was right.
She did tell him back in Isterann that Henry and Lily were the most trustworthy adults he could rely on.
This marked Nathan Modernson as possibly the only person who could cease the explosion without attracting any trouble. Did Angela Pompeii know this the whole time? Was this the reason why she asked him, out of everyone, to complete this seemingly impossible mission? It turned out that an individual's intelligence should never be underestimated, even if it was a frenetic mass murderer, whom people naturally viewed as one who solved problems with fists instead of the brain.
To Nathan's relief in this uneasy epiphany, he was now officially the apprentice of three of the four Pathtower Spireheads. Noble or not, Nathan was too blinded by his greed to distinguish, but who could blame him? Who wouldn't take this opportunity if they were put in the same position?
At this point, Nathan didn't really have any questions that he was able to directly ask the King or his mother. Starting from his youth, Nathan always found it unsettling to share all his secrets with someone, even if they were the ones closest to him. As long as his father was safe within the royal palace, there wasn't too much that he should worry about. Almost trying to find something else to say, a warning that had always lingered in his mind as an alarm that rang spontaneously emerged.
"Sir, you should really, really beware of Fellvion Sheorad."
"I told him the same thing!" Viviana interrupted again. "But you never listen, do you?"
Erik didn't seem as uncomfortable as Nathan expected. He simply sighed and shook his head.
"I am watching out for him, but there is nothing I can physically do, because it was not a revolution. The Lord of Isterann willingly passed his position to him. In a situation like this, an overreaction would be the most lethal."
"But don't worry about him that much. The possibility of him actually posing a threat to the kingdom is so low it might as well be ignored," he dismissed.
"I'm afraid that…" Nathan added, swallowing his trepidation in suggesting his hypothesis, "He is the Trickster in The Old Prophecy."
The chamber fell silent.
The topic of the prophecy was not necessarily something delightful to hear, especially for the very Thirteenth King of Runalond.
"Perhaps I'm just overthinking, and everything is under control," Nathan attempted to break the awkward silence, but words said are like water poured out from a bucket. It's difficult to take them back once you let them go.
"Everything is under control. I don't see how anything could go wrong." Erik's words carried an extra, hidden but detectable weight. "But destiny tends to choose discord rather than stability."
"So be it," he sighed. "Even if everything goes wrong, there is still The New Prophecy. That saviour would secure Runalond's peace, even if I could not."
"Is that saviour… me?" Nathan asked without letting the words go through his brain.
"Yeah, most likely, yeah," the King continued, deep in thought. "I mean, the only other member of the royal lineage is my spoiled daughter. Saving the world? I only hope she can find a competent husband who could aid her in her reign. Right, she is going to enrol in the Imperial Academy next year. If you can stand her, please take care of her for me."
Nathan, of course, knew about the enrolment of his cousin, Princess Heidi Runaria, which naturally caught Nathan's attention the most when he scanned the files. Contrary to prior kingdoms that had been long forgotten by history, gender did not matter at all when it came to becoming the ruler of Runalond; only bloodline did.
But out of nowhere, a thought that struck Nathan like lightning on a bright day censored out all of the King's words.
If the princess was as inadequate as the King described, was there a possibility that he could become…
No, absolutely not. This kind of thought had never once even appeared in his mind, nor should it be considered a possibility. Usurping the throne from his uncle? What in the world could be more wicked and unforgivable than that?
But on second thought, wasn't the throne his to rightfully inherit in the first place?
Nathan felt as if something exploded within him. If he became the King of Runalond, then his dream of a different tomorrow could easily come true. If he became the King, Lostburg citizens could finally see the light of freedom, and commoners and aristocrats would no longer need to fight to maintain a stupid equilibrium. Wasn't that so much more realistic than the previous plan he secretly composed?
Sweat beaded on Nathan Modernson's hand. That was the only physical response to anxiety that he couldn't control, even if he tried. There was something in the middle of excitement and contrition, an ironic inclination in his life, being pulled to two extreme sides yet belonging to neither. It felt like he was going to split in half mentally. It was a feeling Nathan hated. He didn't want to feel like this anymore. He needed to choose one. He must choose one before he is torn apart.
Even if there was a future where he committed something so outrageously sinful, he promised not to hurt the innocent. That was his baseline. After all, he was doing everything for the greater good of the kingdom. He was on the side of justice.
Regardless, the same echo that resonated within him appeared again.
"Who am I to determine right and wrong?"
"Nathan Modernson, do you really want to become the bellringer in your tale?" he asked himself.
"Nathan?" The King saw his eyes zone out in agony and asked fretfully, "Is something wrong?"
Nathan paused before looking back up at his uncle. For a short moment, he saw his own face underneath the golden crown. Yet his expression displayed no happiness. If anything, it was similar to the face he saw through the soup in Josh's noodles back in Lostburg.
No, just like Henry Nox once told him, there was no greater distance between a ruler and a saviour. If he wanted to become one, he must give up the other. A king cannot save Lostburg, and the rest of Runalond, from this endless cycle of conflict and suffering. This kingdom never lacked a king who hoped for change. It lacked someone with sufficient courage and motivation to actually change it, regardless of the cost.
Nathan Modernson made up his mind. There might be a lot of things he didn't know, but he knew what he wanted to become.
"No, I just finally understood some things," Nathan replied with determination. "Heidi is my cousin, my family. I would naturally treat her well."
"Then let's just let it be," Erik concluded. He searched for something in his mantle and threw it towards Nathan. "To conclude this ceremonial conference, take this."
Nathan caught it without trouble and examined it carefully. It was a talisman with simple decorations and an empty locket in between, though the shape seemed to fit well with the ring on his hand.
"A Talisman of the Lordsent," Erik explained. "Show this to anyone who has some social experience and pays even the slightest respect to royalty, and they should know what it means."
"Also, Nathan Modernson, I must remind you that Gideon's Crystal should be kept away from public eyes, let alone public hands." Erik Runaria turned around majestically and walked up the staircase leading to his throne.
"We don't want any outsiders' eyes to peer through this darkness," he said after a short, breathtaking pause.
"I mean the darkness in the throne room, if it isn't clear."