According to what was written in the letter, the old apothecary would have arrived in the capital long before Ren’s group. After all, Ren’s group had been unexpectedly kidnapped by the slave caravan and had only been able to reach the capital much later.

Leaning out with his arms braced on the balcony, Ren had been wearing a startled, delighted expression, but he faltered at the thought that suddenly came to him.

More than ten days had passed since the date the old man had mentioned.

Hadn’t he already gone back to the village?

Could the old apothecary, who lived in a small village deep in the valley, have sent word to the royal castle?

“.......”

Sadness filled Ren’s eyes. His lowered eyes trembled pitifully. Was this how it felt to finally get the present he had been hoping for, only to watch it break right in front of him?

It would be nice if he could see the old man’s face, even just for a moment.

It was not that he wanted to run to the old man like a child and tell on everyone for what had happened to him. He simply wanted to be held quietly in his arms. He wanted to stay for a little while with the person who had always been beside him, the old man whose eyes still looked like a young man’s. If Ren embraced him without saying a word, the old apothecary would probably hold him without asking anything. Just like always.......

It was ridiculous.

When he had left with Temar, nothing else had mattered.

No one at all could remain in Ren as something to miss. Because only Temar existed in Ren’s world. Nothing else could leave him with lingering attachment. At most, a faint regret, something that would scatter once the wind blew.

Was it because the wound Temar had given him had deepened and split open? No, perhaps it was because, while being with Luman, he had come to know Coco and Jepeto, and Ren’s world had grown too wide. Because Ren’s world had become too broad to be filled by that one person alone, things that had not meant much before had begun to hold new meaning.

The world outside his brother had once been nothing. Into that blind world, where taking Temar away from Ren meant Ren himself would disappear, many people had taken great strides inside.

And as wide as Ren’s world had become, Ren...... was feeling the distance that had opened between him and Temar.

Was that only a good thing? Back when he had known only his brother, things seemed simply happy.

Now everything felt like it had become far too complicated.

At the headache that came rushing in, Ren squeezed his eyes shut and swayed.

The servant who saw him suddenly lose balance and nearly fall screamed.

***

The Heroes followed behind Ragniel as he walked through the royal castle.

A handsome man with golden eyes and platinum hair burned white. A long-haired young man who carried the air of a scholar rather than a knight. A man with a huge frame that towered like Mount Geroa and brilliant blue eyes that gleamed like ore. A man with an expressionless face as if carved from plaster and dark eyes of deep brown.

It had been a very long time since Heroes with such different presences had gathered in one place. Servants quietly passing through the corridor lowered their eyes, yet stole glances at their imposing backs.

“Something really must be happening. I heard the rest of the Stars are also returning to the royal castle in a hurry.......”

“Shh. Be quiet. Do you want your tongue cut out?”

No matter how much the head servant warned them, it was impossible to seal every mouth. The royal castle had sensed the uneasy atmosphere early on. There were even some who quit their jobs and went down to their hometowns. With people draining away like an ebb tide, the royal castle suffered an untimely labor shortage.

Given the circumstances, it was awkward to hire new people, but they had no choice except to bring in the bare minimum. As longtime workers left and new people mixed in, the atmosphere inside the castle grew unsettled as well, leaving the royal castle with a strange mood. Depending on the head servant, some palaces were strict enough to suffocate, while others had grown far too lax.

Giselle glanced back.

Ragniel smiled and took his hand, tugging him along.

“Pay them no mind. They are only servants.”

“They do say one muddy fish clouds the whole water. But if Your Majesty says so.......”

Giselle did not continue.

Ragniel led the Heroes along, walking three times wherever his feet took him and five times along a set path.

Then, patterns appeared on a wall that had looked empty, and an office revealed itself.

This was an office made by the previous king for times when secret meetings were needed. With various secret mechanisms and magical engineering added to it, its value could not be measured.

This door, moreover, could only be opened by someone who carried the royal bloodline.

When Ragniel placed his hand on it, the door opened after a brief vibrating hum.

The location of this office changed every time, moving at random with no rule, aided by luck magic.

“Whew. Now we can speak comfortably.”

Ragniel’s tone grew even warmer and softer. Once the office door closed, Ragniel stood still and looked at the Heroes’ faces. His gaze was filled with affection and pity.

“I will report.”

“You just had to ruin the mood. Geloman, has your sense still not improved?”

When Ragniel scolded him, Geloman apologized at once, though he did not even understand why. Ragniel burst into laughter as he watched him, then cleared his throat while looking at Temar.

“Temar. How are things with your younger brother?”

“......Good.”

He seemed to think he had chosen his words carefully, but apparently not. Temar’s complexion worsened at once. This has become rather troublesome. It has been so long, so I wanted to greet them properly and reminisce a little, but what am I to do about this? As Ragniel clicked his tongue inwardly, Luman opened his mouth with a bright smile.

“Your Majesty. Is there not something else we need to discuss? Something more important than a quarrel between brothers.”

Luman’s golden eyes stared at Ragniel. It was hard to believe such words had come from Luman, who was always sly and always trying to smooth the mood.

“Has your personality changed somewhat?”

“Luman. What His Majesty is trying to do is the most important matter. Are you in any position to judge what carries more weight?”

“......Ha.”

Luman laughed shortly. Giselle was pointing out the fact that Luman had not followed his instructions in order to save Ren after Ren had been kidnapped by the slave merchants. Normally, Luman would have smiled slyly and clung to Giselle, asking him to let it slide. But now, when he had an ominous suspicion concerning Ren, he could not possibly do that.

“Listen, Giselle.......”

Luman’s hair swayed as he tilted his head. Their eyes collided in the air. In the tense atmosphere that seemed ready to catch fire, Temar and Geloman moved to stop them.

“Enough!”

Ragniel shouted low.

“That is enough, so stop it. Yes, there are matters we need to discuss. It seems any reminiscing will have to wait ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) until the banquet.”

Ragniel smiled bitterly.

At his gesture to begin, Luman reported how he had come to go to Delfona and what had happened at the slave auction held in the bomb shelter. Ragniel, who had already read Peruan’s written report, nodded and filled in the necessary parts through Luman’s report. When the masked people came up, Ragniel’s and Giselle’s expressions darkened. But neither of them looked surprised. As Luman spoke, he studied the two of their expressions closely.

The report was roughly finished. Giselle would ask about the finer details separately.

Luman slowly chose his words. He spoke of the masked people who had appeared in the bomb shelter converted from Delfona’s old military base, the design they had tried to create that held some magical, ritual power, and how, in order to stop it, he had drawn out the golden spear connected to his soul. And also...... that Ren had taken that spear from him and driven it in.

He had to ask about Ren’s treatment, something he had been unable to ask all this time.

Tension stiffened Luman’s cheeks almost imperceptibly. Temar was the same. He could not focus on Luman’s words and only stared straight at Ragniel. His thick lips twitched helplessly every time Ren was mentioned.

Ragniel had noticed his gaze early on, but on Giselle’s advice, he kept silent for the moment.

“We will continue with the remaining matters tomorrow. You should all recover from your journey. Yes, Temar, it would be fine for you to look around the royal castle with your brother.”

Ragniel walked slowly over the red carpet of the office.

“Our royal castle truly is beautiful, you see.”

As he approached the balcony, Geloman stepped ahead of him and opened the door. Ragniel thanked him with his eyes. The expression on Ragniel’s face clouded for an instant as he looked up at the mist-blurred sky, then returned to normal.

With an unconcerned expression, he looked down into the garden, then pricked his ears at the voice he heard from below.

“Oh! It seems luck has placed the office above Ren’s room this time.”

Fascinated by the coincidence, Ragniel laughed like a child. An innocent smile spread across the handsome young man’s face. The Heroes took that face into their eyes. The person they absolutely had to protect, the mission of the Heroes.......

“Someone is coming? It seems Ren has a guest? Ren must have fallen for the royal castle’s charm too. He seems to be staring blankly......!”

Ragniel, who had been smiling warmly as he listened to Ren talking to himself, turned pale in the very next moment. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

The figure leaning over the railing with his hands braced on it, gazing far below, wavered and began to pitch forward as he lost his balance. His dull, unfocused eyes shook, and his body fluttered like a paper doll.

Geloman shoved past Ragniel and immediately jumped down, while Giselle supported Ragniel as he staggered from the push.

“What...... just.......”

Ruuumble.

The heavy noise shook Temar’s mind. Only then understanding the situation, Temar threw himself over the terrace without regard for anything else.

The sound of stone breaking apart rang out, and thick dust rose.

Looking at the bloodless Luman, Giselle asked coldly,

“Luman, shouldn’t you go?”

“.......”

Luman staggered out of the office. He had even forgotten to give the king his farewell.

Once everyone except Giselle had left, the office moved its location again. The sound of machinery boiling spread dimly like fog.

With a troubled face, Ragniel forced a smile.

“Two Heroes have gone to save him, so he won’t be hurt. Right, Giselle?”