After the brilliant light of the teleportation circle faded.
The bustling plaza of the royal capital returned to view.
Yet no one paid attention to the people gathering around them.
No one noticed the whispers.
No one cared.
Lucas remained on both knees upon the stone pavement.
Blood flowed from his forehead as he continued striking it against the ground.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
"You fool..."
His voice cracked beneath another blow.
"Why..."
"Why did you jump...?"
The children behind him cried in silence.
Cyte lowered his head.
Cyse sat on the ground, breathing heavily, unable to find words.
Lexy covered her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Levanah remained frozen where she had collapsed, staring blankly ahead.
Princess Inoha held Princess Alesh close, though tears rolled down both of their faces.
The plaza was filled with grief.
A second teleportation circle appeared moments later.
Golden light descended beside them.
Lord Ascirick and Prince Rayryn stepped out.
The prince immediately noticed the atmosphere.
"...What happened?"
Neither of them received an answer.
Ascirick's eyes slowly swept across everyone.
Lucas...
Bleeding.
Still striking his forehead against the ground.
The children...
Broken.
Crying.
No one speaking.
The old lord hurried toward Lucas.
"Lucas—"
He stopped.
Just before he reached him...
He heard a single name.
"...Bereshith..."
Another voice cried it.
"...Brother..."
Then another.
"...Sir Bereshith..."
Ascirick froze.
His eyes slowly searched among the group.
Cyte.
Cyse.
Lexy.
Levanah.
Princess Inoha.
Princess Alesh.
Lucas.
...
Bereshith...
Wasn't there.
For the first time in years...
The old lord's composure faltered.
"No..."
He looked around once more.
Surely...
He had simply overlooked him.
But no matter where he looked...
The young man was nowhere to be found.
Ascirick rushed toward Lucas.
"Lucas!"
"Where is Bereshith?!"
His hand reached out—
Then stopped.
Lucas's vacant eyes never moved.
His lips trembled.
His breathing was uneven.
But he answered nothing.
Ascirick slowly lowered his hand.
"..."
He knew that expression.
He had seen it once before.
Many years ago.
When Lucas had lost both his wife and child.
For days...
Lucas had neither spoken...
Nor eaten...
Nor even recognized those who stayed beside him.
Ascirick himself had remained at his side.
Talking.
Encouraging.
Yet Lucas had never answered.
The man before him now...
Wore that same face.
The face of someone whose heart had already fallen into despair.
Ascirick closed his eyes.
"...I see."
He turned away.
Instead...
He looked toward the children.
"What happened?"
His voice remained calm.
Yet everyone could hear the strain beneath it.
Princess Inoha stepped forward first.
Though her voice trembled...
She explained everything.
From Lucas's arrival.
To the battle against the assassins.
To the teleportation scroll.
To the poisoned dagger.
To Bereshith throwing himself in front of Lucas.
To his final smile.
His final words.
"...Tell Yareach..."
"...everything will be alright..."
No one interrupted.
No one could.
By the time Princess Inoha finished...
Silence had swallowed the plaza.
Ascirick lowered his head.
His hands slowly clenched.
Harder.
Harder.
His nails pierced his own palms.
Blood dripped between his fingers.
He bit down upon his lip so hard that blood stained it crimson.
His breathing deepened.
The air itself seemed heavier.
Even the nearby royal guards instinctively stepped backward.
No one dared approach him.
Then...
He raised his head.
His gaze settled upon Prince Rayryn.
Cold.
Sharp.
Piercing.
"Your Highness."
His voice remained respectful.
Yet beneath it...
Lurked terrifying rage.
"There is something the children have told me."
"They said..."
"...the assassins were targeting my grandson."
Prince Rayryn immediately stiffened.
Ascirick took one slow step forward.
"I ask you honestly."
"Please tell me..."
"...you are not involved in this."
The pressure pouring from the old lord became suffocating.
Prince Rayryn felt a chill run down his spine.
For the first time...
He understood why kingdoms feared Lord Ascirick.
The old man standing before him no longer looked like a retired noble.
He looked like a lion whose family had just been harmed.
Prince Rayryn immediately bowed his head.
"Lord Ascirick!"
"I swear upon my honor!"
"I know nothing regarding Sir Bereshith being targeted!"
"I truly do not!"
"Yes..."
"I know my elder brother wished to have me assassinated..."
"But—"
Ascirick's eyes widened slightly.
"...Your brother."
Before the prince could continue—
The old lord interrupted him.
"...I see."
His gaze slowly drifted toward the distant royal castle.
"I suppose..."
"...I shall simply ask him myself."
His voice was frighteningly calm.
He began walking.
Straight toward the castle.
Prince Rayryn's eyes widened.
"Lord Ascirick!"
He immediately stepped into the old lord's path.
Blocking him.
"Please stand down!"
Ascirick stopped.
His eyes met the prince's.
"We do not yet know whether my brother ordered the assassination of Sir Bereshith!"
Ascirick answered without hesitation.
"It changes nothing."
"We already know he ordered the knights assigned to protect you to murder you."
He took another step.
"Do you truly believe..."
"...he would hesitate to order my grandson's death as well?"
His voice became colder.
"So move aside, Your Highness."
Prince Rayryn stood firm.
"No."
"I will not allow one of my most loyal subjects to be accused of treason."
"Treason?"
Ascirick's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Your Highness..."
"I merely intend to have a conversation."
The prince looked down.
Ascirick's fist had tightened so hard that the veins along his arm stood out.
Fresh blood continued dripping onto the stone road.
The old lord was barely restraining himself.
Prince Rayryn lowered his head.
"...Please."
"I beg you."
"I give you my word."
"I will uncover the one responsible for attacking Sir Bereshith."
"But please..."
"Do not act in anger."
"...Not yet."
Several long moments passed.
Then—
Ascirick slowly relaxed his hand.
His fingers loosened.
He turned away from the prince.
Walking back toward Lucas.
Without looking back, he spoke.
"You have twenty-four hours, Your Highness."
His voice echoed across the silent plaza.
"Until then..."
"...resolve this matter."
"Before I do."
Prince Rayryn swallowed hard.
"...Yes."
"I understand, Lord Ascirick."
Immediately afterward, the prince turned toward the royal guards who had just arrived to investigate the disturbance.
"You there!"
The guards instantly knelt.
"Your Highness!"
"In the name of His Majesty, the King..."
"I command you."
"Escort Lord Ascirick..."
"Escort Sir Lucas..."
"And every member of House Ascirick safely to the Royal Castle."
"At once."
The guards struck their chests in salute.
"By your command, Your Highness!"
Without delay, they moved to assist the grieving family.
No one spoke another word.
Because everyone understood...
The terrible news had only just begun to spread.
The royal guards moved swiftly.
Without another command, they surrounded Lord Ascirick, Lucas, and the children.
"Please, this way."
Several palace physicians hurried over with stretchers and medical supplies.
Lucas, however, refused to leave the ground.
His eyes remained empty.
His fists still trembled.
"...Sir Lucas..."
One of the physicians carefully knelt beside him.
"We must treat your injuries."
Lucas gave no response.
Ascirick quietly walked over and rested a hand upon Lucas's shoulder.
"Lucas."
The old lord's voice was calm.
"...Stand."
For several moments, there was no movement.
Then...
Slowly...
Lucas obeyed.
Without a word.
Without emotion.
The children followed behind under the protection of the royal guards.
No one spoke during the journey to the Royal Castle.
The silence itself was painful.
Royal Castle – Palace Clinic
The royal physicians immediately began treating everyone's wounds.
Lucas's bleeding forehead was cleaned and wrapped in fresh bandages.
Cyse's exhausted mana channels were examined.
Cyte's bruises were carefully treated.
The princesses and the others were checked for hidden injuries despite insisting they were unharmed.
Levanah never once let go of the blanket wrapped around her shoulders.
Lexy quietly remained beside her.
No one laughed.
No one smiled.
Even Princess Alesh, who usually struggled to stay quiet, remained completely silent.
At the far corner of the clinic...
Lord Ascirick sat alone.
His hands rested upon his knees.
His back remained perfectly straight.
His expression revealed nothing.
Yet everyone nearby instinctively kept their distance.
His composure remained intact...
But only barely.
Inside...
His thoughts never stopped.
"Bereshith..."
"Please..."
"Stay alive."
Outside the clinic...
The large wooden doors remained open.
Prince Rayryn stood several paces away.
He looked toward the old lord.
Ascirick had not moved from his chair once.
Not a single complaint.
Not a single accusation.
Only silence.
Prince Rayryn slowly lowered his head.
"..."
He clicked his tongue in frustration.
Then turned away.
Without another word...
He hurried toward the royal palace.
Royal Palace – King's Office
BANG!
The office doors burst open.
"Father!"
"I need to see Ryzen!"
"Where is he?!"
Behind an enormous desk sat the King of Heirora.
Long white hair flowed behind him.
A neatly kept white beard framed a face that appeared no older than a man in his thirties.
Without looking up from the mountain of documents before him, the king calmly replied,
"Calm yourself, Ray."
"I've already received the reports."
"Your brother is being held within the royal dungeon."
"He is currently under interrogation."
Prince Rayryn clenched his fists.
"That's not enough, Father!"
"We have to find whoever tried to assassinate Lord Ascirick's grandson!"
The king calmly signed another document before finally setting his quill aside.
"Sit."
"Everything has already been set in motion."
"After questioning Ryzen, we learned the location where your party was teleported."
He looked directly at his son.
"...Fortunately..."
"...we found the boy."
Prince Rayryn's eyes widened.
"What?!"
"We found Sir Bereshith?!"
"He's alive?!"
"Where is he?!"
The king folded his hands together.
"Yes."
"We found him."
He paused.
"As for whether he'll live..."
"...that remains uncertain."
"The recent report I received states that he is still breathing."
"...but his condition is critical."
"His life hangs by a thread."
Prince Rayryn released a long breath of relief despite the grim news.
"At least..."
"He's alive."
"I have to tell Lord Ascirick immediately!"
He turned toward the door.
"Stop."
The king's voice echoed through the room.
Prince Rayryn halted.
"Where do you believe you're going?"
The prince turned back, confused.
"To inform Lord Ascirick."
"He deserves to know Sir Bereshith has been found."
The king slowly stood.
"Do you understand what you're about to do?"
His voice remained calm. But it carried unmistakable authority
"Yes."
"We found the boy."
"But he is still in critical condition."
"If he dies under our care..."
The king's gaze sharpened.
"Do you truly believe Lord Ascirick's anger will end with the execution of your brother?"
Silence.
Prince Rayryn slowly lowered his head.
"..."
"But..."
"Keeping this from him is even worse."
"You fool!" The king's tone became firmer.
"We are already walking upon the edge of a blade."
"Your brother attempted to assassinate you."
"At almost the exact same moment..."
"Unknown assassins targeted Lord Ascirick's grandson."
He slowly walked around his desk.
"Do you honestly think everything will end peacefully?"
He stopped directly before Rayryn.
"Ryzen has already confessed."
"He never ordered Bereshith's assassination."
Prince Rayryn froze.
"...What?"
The king nodded.
"You heard correctly."
"The attack upon you..."
"Was your brother's doing."
"But the attack upon Bereshith..."
"...was orchestrated by someone else."
His expression grew solemn.
"I do not know whether fate or coincidence placed those two conspiracies upon the same battlefield..."
"But because they occurred together..."
"The blame now falls upon our royal family."
Prince Rayryn's breathing became uneven.
"So..."
"...we've been blamed..."
"...for a crime we didn't commit."
The king gave a slow nod.
"Exactly."
"Which is why..."
"No one will tell Ascirick anything until that boy's condition stabilizes."
"If the boy survives..."
"We may yet explain everything."
"But if he dies..."
The king did not finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
Prince Rayryn understood.
An enraged Lord Ascirick...
Would not easily be restrained.
The prince straightened himself.
"...Then what should I do, Father?"
The king answered immediately.
"I hereby grant you royal authority."
His voice echoed through the chamber.
"Summon the Master of the Mage Tower."
"Gather every healer within the capital."
"I do not care whether they specialize in restoration magic..."
"Detoxification..."
"Divine blessings..."
"Or miracle arts."
"I want every person capable of saving that boy's life brought to the palace."
The king's eyes became unwavering.
"I don't care what it costs."
"I don't care how you accomplish it."
"Save..."
"That boy!"
Prince Rayryn placed a fist against his chest and bowed deeply.
"I understand, Father."
Without another second of hesitation—
He turned.
Rushed from the office.
And slammed the door shut behind him.
The king remained standing in silence.
Looking toward the closed door, he murmured quietly to himself,
"...Hold on, child."
"For all our sakes..."
"You must live."
The corridors of the Royal Castle erupted into organized chaos.
Prince Rayryn strode through the palace with unwavering determination, his cloak billowing behind him.
Every servant and knight he passed immediately stepped aside.
"You!"
The prince pointed toward one of his retainers.
"Summon every royal physician!"
Another retainer straightened.
"Your Highness!"
"You are to gather every healer within the capital!"
He continued issuing orders without slowing his pace.
"Send word to the Mage Tower."
"I want every magician capable of restoration magic."
"You there!"
"Notify the Alchemists' Guild."
"I want every master capable of neutralizing poison."
The retainers looked at one another.
Never before had they seen the prince act with such urgency.
One knight cautiously asked,
"Your Highness... should we prioritize the royal physicians only?"
Prince Rayryn stopped.
He turned, his golden eyes firm.
"No."
"It does not matter whether they are young or old."
"It does not matter whether they serve the palace or live as commoners."
"If they possess the ability to save a dying life..."
"Bring them."
He removed the royal seal hanging from his waist and pressed it into a prepared decree.
The crimson wax bore the crest of the royal family.
"This is now a Royal Decree."
"Any person who delays this order shall answer directly to the Crown."
Every retainer immediately knelt.
"By your command, Your Highness!"
Within moments, messengers scattered throughout the capital.
Royal horses galloped through the streets.
Magic messengers shot across the sky.
Even the bells of the Mage Tower began to ring.
The entire capital had been mobilized...
For one boy.
Meanwhile...
Inside the Royal Clinic...
Silence still filled the room.
Lucas remained seated beside the bed, his head lowered.
Ascirick sat nearby, his fingers intertwined before him.
His expression remained calm.
But those who knew him understood...
He was holding himself together through sheer will.
No one dared disturb the old lord.
Suddenly—
A warm breeze passed through the room.
"...Hm?"
One physician looked around.
Golden light...
Tiny particles...
Began drifting through the air.
Everyone instinctively turned.
Toward Levanah.
"...What?"
The light surrounding the young girl rapidly intensified.
It became so brilliant that no one could continue looking directly at her.
Her body slowly rose from the bed.
Floating.
Higher.
Higher.
Behind her...
Two immense wings of radiant light unfolded.
The entire clinic became bathed in brilliant gold.
Everyone froze.
Even Ascirick slowly stood from his chair.
"...Levanah?"
Her eyes opened.
Yet...
They were no longer her own.
They shone like liquid gold.
When she spoke...
Three voices echoed together.
The voice of a young woman.
The voice of a little girl.
The voice of an elderly woman.
All speaking as one.
"The flesh of chosen child is dying."
"The body must not perish."
"For he shall carry the Word and blood of Father to this land."
The room fell completely silent.
No one could move.
No one could breathe.
The overwhelming presence filling the clinic surpassed anything they had ever experienced.
Even the palace physicians instinctively fell to their knees.
Ascirick stared upward in stunned disbelief.
"...A miracle..."
Without another word...
Levanah shot forward.
BOOM!!
The stone wall of the clinic exploded outward.
Glass shattered.
Wood splintered.
The radiant figure soared into the sky.
Alarms immediately echoed throughout the castle.
"Intruder!"
"Protect His Majesty!"
"Archers!"
"To the eastern wing!"
Royal Guards poured from every corridor.
Servants fled in panic.
Yet no attack came.
The radiant girl continued flying...
Straight toward the eastern tower.
The place where Bereshith's unconscious body had been taken.
Unable to stop her, the guards chased after her through the castle grounds.
Moments later...
CRASH!!
Another wall burst apart.
Another shower of shattered glass rained across the chamber.
The radiant figure descended.
The physicians surrounding Bereshith instinctively stepped backward.
No one dared interfere.
Levanah...
No.
Whoever now controlled her...
Gently landed upon the bed itself.
She looked down at Bereshith's pale face.
Then softly spoke.
"My Lord..."
"Your story has not yet reached its end."
"Rise..."
"And continue the work of our Father. For he chose and called you."
The radiant figure slowly knelt.
Leaning forward...
She gently kissed Bereshith upon his forehead.
At that instant—
Brilliant light erupted from Bereshith's body.
The poison blackening his veins vanished.
Color returned to his pale skin.
His breathing steadied.
His heartbeat grew stronger.
The wounds that moments ago threatened his life ceased worsening.
The room overflowed with warm, peaceful light.
Then...
The radiance surrounding Levanah slowly faded.
The wings dissolved into countless shimmering particles.
Her golden eyes returned to normal.
The unseen presence departed.
Her exhausted body lost all strength.
She collapsed gently forward...
Landing across Bereshith's chest.
Fast asleep.
Silence followed.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Every witness simply stared.
Unable to comprehend what they had seen.
Footsteps echoed from outside.
The doors burst open.
King and Prince Rayryn hurried into the chamber.
The king's voice rang through the room.
"What happened here?"
Prince Rayryn ignored everything else.
He rushed straight toward Bereshith.
The royal physicians instinctively stepped aside.
He quickly examined the young man's condition.
His eyes widened.
"Father!"
"He...!"
"He has stabilized!"
"The poison has stopped spreading!"
"His pulse is steady!"
"He... he's been restored!"
The king hurried forward.
His calm composure finally broke.
"...How?"
He looked around the chamber.
Every physician...
Every guard...
Every servant...
Still wore expressions of utter astonishment.
One elderly physician finally gathered enough courage to answer.
He lowered himself to one knee before the king.
"Your Majesty..."
His voice trembled.
"We cannot explain it."
He glanced toward the sleeping Levanah resting atop Bereshith.
"A miracle occurred."
Another physician nodded.
"We witnessed it with our own eyes."
"The young lady..."
"...saved the boy."
"And restored his life."
The chamber fell silent once more.
Even the king, a ruler accustomed to wonders and magic...
Found himself without words.