Chapter 167

With an expression full of irritation, Sevi rested his chin on the table. He sat with his legs crossed arrogantly, staring haughtily at the air. Scheuer stole a glance out the window at the bustling scene outside. The anxious voices of the priests could be heard.

“Priest Sevi! Where are you?”

“Have you seen the high priest?”

“Have you seen a person with long silver hair, frequently blinking, with snow-white skin and doe-like eyes?”

The one with the doe-like eyes was sitting at the table in front of Scheuer, looking like a melancholic artist lost in thought.

‘Well… I suppose it’s because he’s so beautiful that even in this state he looks like a piece of art.’

Her reaction was somewhat lackluster, considering she had welcomed him at dawn. However, she had to act surprised since a counterfeit tablet had been discovered again.

Scheuer widened her eyes and eagerly asked, 

“Is it very different from the one found in the capital before?”

“It’s different. It’s a huge difference!”

“Really?”

As she posed the question, she handed Raygrain a tie pin. Both of them were dressed simply, having hurriedly changed clothes because Sevi had come unexpectedly. Thanks to Tiola’s incredible handiwork, Scheuer had at least managed to put a pin in her hair, while Raygrain had nothing at all.

‘No matter where, our Duke must always stand out.’

The tie pin was an accessory made of amber, similar to Scheuer’s hairpin. At a glance, it could even look like a matching set with hers.

‘Of course, that was the intention!’

Noticing her delight, Raygrain merely stared silently at the pin. Scheuer, urging him, stretched out her hand with the pin in front of him.

‘Please wear it!’

Only then did he naturally take the pin and put it on, asking Sevi, 

“It seems the high priest is quite concerned.”

Despite his question, Sevi remained tight-lipped, frowning at the air in frustration. A heavy silence fell in the room. Not having finished her preparations, Tiola seemed flustered, unable to lift her hands or lower them as she struggled.

The pin was likely crooked in her eyes. Just as Tiola was about to touch Scheuer’s hairpin, Sevi spoke.

“The quality is very poor.”

Scheuer smiled at Tiola, who was startled, indicating it was okay. “Tiola, it’s fine. Would you mind stepping outside?”

“Yes, yes! Understood.”

She quickly exited the room. As the door clicked shut, Scheuer asked, 

“The quality?”

“No. The tablet is just too cheap.”

“Ah…”

Was it really necessary to critique the quality of a counterfeit tablet? Sevi continued, sounding quite dissatisfied.

“If you’re going to make a counterfeit, at least don’t get caught.”

“You shouldn’t say that, Sevi.”

Koa politely intervened. However, Sevi merely turned his head to glare at him, still resting his chin on his hand.

“The one that came out of the capital was still somewhat decent. It’s just that the content wasn’t worth it.”

Scheuer sighed habitually, thinking, ‘That was because it had to be a plaster that could seal the Duke’s hand. It should have been made from the best materials.’ But the important thing wasn’t the quality of the tablet, was it?

Scheuer found it strange that Sevi, who she had expected to be furious, was so serious instead.

She cautiously opened her mouth. 

“But it’s a counterfeit tablet anyway.”

“Strange, isn’t it? It’s definitely a fake, yet…”

Sevi turned his head sharply towards Scheuer with his eyes all crumpled up. He continued seriously, 

“The content and phrases strangely try to mimic the divine language.”

“Divine… language?”

“Yeah. It’s not a perfect copy, but it seems like it was written based on something it saw.”

Scheuer felt a sinking sensation in her heart. Only Sevi could perfectly interpret the divine language. That’s why the interpretation of the tablets had always been handled by the temple, and once it was completed, it was the high priest’s duty to make the announcement. For him to say it “mimics” the divine language…

‘No, wait. He said it’s a counterfeit after all.’

In the end, it was fake. No matter what was written inside, it held no power as a tablet. Scheuer wiped the sweat forming on her palms on the hem of her dress and asked, 

“What’s the content like? I’ve heard rumors that it contains bad news for the north.”

“It’s somewhat similar. How did the rumors even get out with divine language mixed in? Those people sure do have loose lips.”

He curled his lips in disdain, and then, realizing something, he pulled at his cheek. 

“Ugh, I almost had to scrub my face because of that damn tablet. A talent like mine shouldn’t be living like this.”

As Sevi casually extended his hand, Koa ignored him, keeping his head down. But Sevi shook his hand again, demanding, 

“Koa, what are you doing? Can’t you even assist the high priest?”

“…It doesn’t seem like my duty to assist in holding your hand mirror.”

“I’ve been working so hard here in the Netri Duchy, where the dirt and wind are so strong, and you’re saying that? You’ll have to experience the taste of a strike before you wake up!”

At his threat, Koa emotionlessly presented a dazzling hand mirror to him.

As Sevi inspected his own face from various angles, Scheuer asked again, 

“Have you not found the forger yet?”

“Yeah, that’s the problem!”

Thud!

Sevi slammed the hand mirror on the table and exclaimed in horror, 

“How can they expect me to wander around such a vast territory? Are they crazy? I’ll definitely collapse before I’ve taken ten steps!”

“You must do it.”

Koa responded firmly.

Normally, Sevi would have shuddered at the idea, but for some reason, he poked Koa’s bowed head with the tip of the hand mirror. 

“This insufferable mouth of yours just won’t let me rest.”

Scheuer was the one who was shocked. Could it be that he was actually determined to find the forger himself?

She spoke urgently, 

“Are you really going to find them yourself?”

“The priests will find them. I’m not planning on publicly announcing it as a fake.”

“Why not?!”

“Have I only tried divine language for a year or two? There’s definitely an original, and it was copied by mixing several versions together. You can tell just by looking at it.”

“Wait, there’s an original?”

“It’s just that the Netri Duchy is too vast, the air isn’t great, and the duke isn’t handsome, so… it would be nice to have someone who knows the territory well and can offer assistance.”

Sevi shook his head, adding with a self-indulgent expression, 

“I’m just too soft-hearted; I can’t just leave it be when the rumors about the north aren’t good, right? I’m so generous, after all.”

Ah, now she understood. Scheuer belatedly realized his intention.

Sevi was openly passing the task onto someone else. Someone who knew the duchy well, had the capability, and was trustworthy.

Who else could it be but her!

Scheuer jumped up from her seat in a hurry. Gathering the bunch of spiderwort, she spilled it onto the table where Sevi was seated. His large eyes slowly filled with joy as he watched her.

Scheuer spoke, looking at him, 

“Priest Sevi, just stay still. I can find it with my powers!”

“Stay still?”

“Yes!”

“If you find the real tablet, you have to report it to me in secret. That way, I can pretend I worked hard when I make the announcement.”

“I will let you know immediately when I find it!”

“Great! Did you hear that, Koa?”

Sevi beamed, alternating his finger between Scheuer and Koa. He then rummaged through the sleeves of his wide, long high priest’s robe. Soon, a piece of stone was in his hand.

Clink! The stone rolled off his long, delicate fingers.

“It’s a piece of the tablet. I secretly snuck it out.”

“…When did you break it?”

Koa seemed unaware, staring at the pitiful stone.

Sevi shrugged and replied, 

“It was cheap, so it broke easily when I touched it. If it turned into a mere stone in my delicate hands, that says it all.”

Worried that Koa might take it, Scheuer quickly grabbed the stone. Almost immediately, a single flower of spiderwort bloomed with her power in her hand.

Sevi, seemingly uninterested, hummed a tune while looking into the mirror and asked, 

“What kind of flower is this? Wasn’t the plan to go find it?”

“I will go.”

A tiny flower squashed onto the tablet.

Raygrane shifted his gaze away from Scheuer. In front of him, a transparent silver thread unfurled.

The massive amount of thread extending from the stone was guiding the path over Scheuer’s hand like prey wrapped in a spider’s web.

“Fight for your fairytale”