Chapter 66 :

Episode 66 - Night of the Ritual

“Let go of me!!!”

Tollin screamed and tried to break free from Jack’s hand, but Jack did not budge.

“You must return to the mansion.”

He merely continued tying Tollin up, repeating the same words like a broken clock.

“If things are left like this, Lord Plin will be in danger!”

Jack’s hands, which had been tying Tollin, only stopped for a moment after the young duke’s name echoed through the alley.

But that did not mean Jack had changed his mind.

“The one putting the young duke in more danger than anyone is you, Lord Tollin. Do you want to turn the young duke into a sinner?”

Tollin wanted to laugh bitterly at him as he spoke in pain.

What an idiot.

What did something like that matter now?

He did not know since when, but they had been targeting the young duke.

Seeing that even the temple had joined in, the Emperor, the Empress, or perhaps both of them probably knew about this matter.

And even the final plan to risk his life and help the young duke escape had been blocked by the First Prince’s scheme.

With both his hands and feet cut off now, he could not return to the mansion and waste time there.

“I did not know you were someone who would do this, Lord Tollin. If I had known you were someone who would run away to save yourself, I would not have remained in the ducal family.”

Jack muttered as he silently dragged Tollin along.

Unable to endure wasting any more time, Tollin struggled again.

“Damn it, I don’t care about my own life!!!”

There had not been a single moment when he had valued his life.

From the moment he received the letter from the temple in the first place, he had made up his mind to throw his life away.

Today, Tollin had planned to kill the young duke and then take his own life.

Rasia Abiran had unintentionally prevented one act of arson today.

Until the day he died, he would never know that he had prevented a massive blaze from covering the capital, one so large that even if the entire temple burned, even if several priests died, even if one heir of Abiran died, it would not have seemed strange.

But to Tollin, it was no different from a disaster that had blocked the last path to saving the young duke.

In Abiran, there was no one who could flee from the eyes of the imperial family.

Their eyes were everywhere, and everywhere overflowed with people who would become their hands and feet.

The entire empire called Abiran moved according to their orders, as if it were one body.

Even if one fled from such a place, there was no way the young duke could live.

If he could not live, then he had no choice but to willingly accept death.

Therefore, Tollin’s choice was to turn the young duke into a dead person.

The old building where the ritual was performed was mainly made of old wood.

It could burn fiercely enough to draw people’s attention so that Plin could escape.

There would be priests who lost their lives, but to the current Tollin, none of that mattered.

As long as he could kill the young duke in front of as many witnesses as possible and turn the imperial family’s eyes away for a moment, it did not matter what sacrifice he had to make.

He had intended to buy time until Plin crossed the border.

Tollin glared as if he would kill the loyal knight of the Feedus family who was interfering with him.

“Are you saying you intend to make the same choice as Agony Feedus?”

Tollin was desperate to find even the smallest opening in the resentful eyes looking down at him.

“His Highness the First Prince said he would hold us responsible for the disappearance of the fifth son of the Selby family. If we act now, we can find the young master.”

At Tollin’s lie, Jack’s eyes finally wavered.

“Jack. Think carefully. If you take me to the temple, if you give me just one chance, we can leave a future for the young duke.”

There was only one truth in Tollin’s words.

That he would leave a future for Plin.

“Jack, it is the night of the ritual. The imperial family will be at the temple. If I truly do something foolish, I will have nothing to say even if I am judged on the spot.”

“......Very well. But if you show one more suspicious sign.....no matter what happens, you will not be able to resent me.”

Jack decided to trust Tollin’s words one last time.

Because the loyal knight of Abiran was also his friend who cherished the young duke.

* * *

Two men, one priest, and one young child.

Feeling people glance at the unusual combination, Jing swallowed a sigh.

“We have passed through the capital gate, so should we not release this priest somewhere now?”

Gael was irritated by the way he spoke as if he were releasing a wild animal, but because he wanted to be freed from these lunatics anyway, he nodded fiercely.

“He is still useful. When we enter the temple, having this one with us will let us enter comfortably.”

Ratel was a man with a more thorough plan than expected.

Looking at the despairing Gael with pity, Jing thought for a moment and then opened his mouth.

“Do you think other children are being held in the temple too?”

Ratel, who had been rolling his eyes at Jing’s question, nodded.

Seeing that the answer was not refreshing, Jing thought it was clear that he had another purpose as well.

“I cannot enter openly through the main gate. The reason is......you may already know it too.”

No matter how much he pressed down his robe, there were far too many people in the capital’s temple who would recognize Agony Feedus.

“I will examine the temple tower first, so you search the main building first. Then.......”

“No.”

Ratel cut off Jing’s words.

“From here, I will go alone. So Jing, go on your own way now.”

Jing had to check once more whether he had heard correctly.

“Are you telling me to leave now?”

“Yes. Whether you go meet the son you have been desperately searching for, or if there is someone else you must meet, go find them as you wish.”

Jing narrowed his eyes, unable to understand why the man who had persistently followed him around in Komiel village had suddenly changed his words.

“Why all of a sudden? You acted as though you would follow me until I died.”

“Because I no longer need to.”

Ratel answered plainly and rudely.

“Now that this one is here, I no longer need a guide.”

And he grabbed Gael by the back of the neck and shook him.

Jing considered advising him that treating a priest that way in front of people was not very good, then stopped.

Even if he said it, the young man called Ratel was not the kind of person who would listen.

“Will there be a reason for us to meet again?”

“No. I have no more business with Jing. And our paths are different.”

At Jing’s question, Ratel answered firmly.

Jing quietly looked into Ratel’s unwavering eyes, then opened his mouth rather impulsively.

“Do you not think I know too much for us to part like this?”

Jing could not understand why he, having finally escaped from Ratel, was making an unfavorable statement no one had asked him to make.

Perhaps it was because the young man before him was the kind of person who always threw himself into danger on his own.

“It does not matter because everyone will know these things soon enough anyway.”

It was a warning that he would soon go around causing all kinds of trouble in Abiran, but for some reason, Jing did not want to stop him, and he smiled faintly.

“You do not want me to come with you, do you?”

This time too, Ratel gave no answer.

Jing did not suggest accompanying him any further.

Ratel was strong enough, and it was also true that Jing missed his family at the ducal residence too much right now.

Besides, he felt as though he vaguely understood why Ratel was trying to send him away.

Jing held out his hand to Ratel.

“Come find me anytime.”

He did not say where, and Ratel did not ask either.

He merely left Jing’s outstretched hand as it was, turned around, and walked away, making Jing’s hand feel awkward.

Jing stared at his back for a moment, then soon turned his steps away.

Midnight was approaching.

It was the beginning of the ritual, and a chance for people’s attention to be scattered.

* * *

Click. Click.

The sound of shoe heels striking the floor echoed through the empty corridor.

Mentil’s expression was stiff as she walked, breaking the vacuum-like silence.

There was no hesitation in her steps as she headed toward the room at the end of the corridor.

The countless candles lined along the walls flickered as if urging her on and illuminated her path.

The step upon which everyone’s fate depended finally stopped, and Mentil stood before an old door.

Even though she knew what was inside, Mentil always grew a little tense before opening the door.

But she was certain that there would be no day when her heart pounded as much as today, and she slowly turned the doorknob.

Splash.

The blue water filling the floor of the low-threshold room soaked Mentil’s shoes.

Mentil familiarly took off her shoes and carefully moved her steps.

Pushing through the blue liquid, Mentil finally reached the blue rock situated at the innermost part of the room.

Mentil slowly placed her hand on the thing that emitted a brilliantly transparent light.

Her hand was trembling slightly.

Because she knew she could no longer turn back.

Mentil squeezed her eyes shut and focused on the sensation at her fingertips.

The Manis that flowed out was absorbed into the blue rock as if being sucked in.

The liquid filling the room began to glow as if responding to it.

Before long, the priests who had been waiting for this day poured out of the temple.

Among those heading toward the nobles’ mansions, there were a few hidden ones.

Those with different purposes and different destinations.

* * *

Clack.

The young duke stared in disbelief at the door that had been flung open without even a knock.

He had thought he had grown somewhat used to the treatment he had never received in his life since arriving at the temple, yet there was still something left to surprise him.

But as if mocking the young duke, the temple priest who opened the door and entered once again shattered the lowest point of rudeness toward him.

“Don’t sit there stupidly. Get up!”

After shouting at him, he roughly pulled the young duke’s arm.

At his behavior, which could be called madness beyond mere rudeness, the young duke’s expression turned cold.

Plin roughly shook off his hand.

“What is the meaning of this? Do the priests of the temple not even possess the bare minimum of common sense?”

The man flinched for a moment, overwhelmed by the child’s force, but soon a faint sneer spread across his face.

“You still don’t seem to know what situation you’re in. The things you have enjoyed until now are of no use anymore. Foolish thing.”

“What does that......”

At the sight of the young duke showing anger at his overstepping behavior, the man exaggeratedly bowed at the waist.

“Now then, let us go. The last heir of Feedus. From now on, you must go perform the ritual.”

Saying that with a cackle, he grabbed the young duke by the collar this time and dragged him.

“Release this hand at once!”

“Do you still not understand?! There is no one left to help you now!”

It was the moment Plin, unable to endure the terrible treatment, was considering whether it would be acceptable to commit the irreverence of punching the priest.

“Put down the child of Feedus.”

A cheeky voice slipped between the priest and the young duke.

The priest, who had been enjoying himself, turned around to confirm who the insolent person interrupting him was.

“Who the hell are you!”

The color drained from the face of the man who had confidently shouted.

The one leaning against the door with his shoulder was a small child.

The problem was that his hair was platinum blonde, bright enough to dazzle the eyes.

At the unmistakable proof of the imperial family, the man no longer had any time to think and put the young duke down as if throwing him.

“Ugh.....!”

Whether Plin, whose back had struck something, made a painful sound or not, the man was busy lowering his head to the floor.

“I-I am sorry. I have committed a crime deserving death. I failed to recognize you.......”

“Enough. I do not need your apology, so get lost.”

The young imperial family member waved his hand as if annoyed and cut off the man’s words.

A troubled light briefly appeared on the priest’s face.

“B-but I was ordered to bring the young duke.......”

“Who gave you that order?”

Plin Feedus blankly watched the priest read the young imperial family member’s expression.

The man seemed to be wondering what answer he should give.

When he said nothing, irritation colored the young imperial family member’s eyes.

“Why are you still bowing there instead of getting lost? Are you refusing my order right now?”

“N-no! Absolutely not!”

The man lowered his head even deeper and answered urgently.

The young imperial family member looking down at him narrowed his eyes.

“Seeing you hold out like this makes me curious who gave you the order. Go on, tell me.”

“Th-that is.......”

This time too, the priest, having received a troublesome order, could not easily open his mouth.

At that sight, the young imperial family member sighed, pushed himself off the door he had been leaning on, approached the priest, and slowly crushed the man’s hand pressed against the floor under his foot.

“Do you not understand? I am saying there is nothing you can do here anymore. If you want to at least keep your life, why not run over to the bastard who gave you the order and bow your head to him again?”

The priest, breathing heavily like a drowning man, rose as soon as the young priest removed his foot and ran out of the room.

Plin Feedus blankly stared at the young imperial family member who had appeared out of nowhere and saved him.

Platinum-blonde hair, golden eyes, and something inhuman hidden within them.

He was unmistakably a member of the imperial family.

‘Why did an imperial family member help me?’

As Plin racked his brain over the incomprehensible situation, he snapped back to his senses at the cold gaze looking down at him.

“Th-thank you, imperial one.”

Plin rose and politely bowed, his hands trembling a little.

Whether fortunately or unfortunately, the young imperial family member had not the slightest interest in Plin’s condition.

“Why are you standing there like an idiot?”

Plin, who had suddenly been scolded, asked blankly.

“Good grief, the Feedus people seem to grow stupider by the generation.”

The young imperial family member frowned and pointed with his chin at the wide-open door.

“You have to decide, do you not? Whether to remain here and wait for help, or escape from the next room according to your loyal servant’s plan.”

At that kind yet irritated explanation, Plin’s eyes widened.

He was right.

If it was now, he could escape.

But unable to know whether he could take the imperial family member’s words at face value, Plin could not move rashly and looked at the young imperial family member.

“Why are you standing there blankly again? Is the next heir of Feedus an idiot?”

At his sarcasm, the young duke snapped back to his senses.

His clothes and valuables were stored in the next room.

In the basement, there was a warehouse where the offerings presented by the Feedus family were stored.

There must have been a reason Tollin repeatedly explained those two places.

Having thought that far, Plin bowed deeply to the imperial family member before him.

“Thank you for your mercy. Someday, I will surely repay this debt.”

The child kicked open the door and left without hesitation.

“There is no need to be so grateful. The debt has practically already been repaid.”

El quietly muttered as he watched his back.