In Order to Meet You, Beloved - Chapter 100

EPISODE 100

CHAPTER 14: DIFFERENT DREAMS

As winter arrived, the trees stood bare, their arms swaying in the wind. A figure clad in a black hood emerged from the dark dawn and stepped into the morning light.

The man entered a building on the outskirts of the city, far from the urban area. As he did, the door closed behind him, and the cold sensation of a sharp metal pressed against his neck.

“State your affiliation.”

The response to the ominous voice filled with suspicion was calm and collected.

“Rejoice and be in awe. The moment when the setting sun rises is approaching.”

The moment the code, set as a poetic phrase, was spoken, the blade that threatened his life was withdrawn. As he removed his hood, the face of a middle-aged man with a scar on his cheek was revealed. Despite the rough skin and gaunt face weathered by time, his eyes still shone brightly.

Upon opening the door on the opposite side, the man was greeted warmly by those already gathered. A younger man with a cold expression among them bowed respectfully.

“Welcome, Lord Hamel.”

“Lord Bennett. I don’t see Lady Dolores.”

“She is meeting with a broker in Mondena. Even if things go well, we might hear from her only tomorrow.”

“I see.”

Nodding, Bennett cautiously inquired as Hamel stood in front of the table.

“And the funds…?”

“We should be able to raise them as planned. How about the mercenaries?”

“Due to the recent murder case, the royal family is tracking the mercenary guild with a fine-toothed comb. Many are laying low, so it seems we might see some results after winter.”

A subordinate near Bennett replied calmly.

“Instead, it might be a rather good time to shake the public sentiment.”

“That makes sense.”

“I have already contacted the bait.”

“Good job. Lord Bennett, have there been any replies to the letters we sent?”

He had secretly sent letters to several families likely to support their cause.

“Most have responded positively. It seems the effort to sift through the information was worth it.”

Despite the good news of having passed a critical juncture, Hamel’s expression remained stern. He gave a grave warning.

“As I have said repeatedly, we must be cautious that the mad dog does not catch our scent.”

“Don’t worry. I hear he is busy sorting out that incident.”

“He is a beast-like instinct. It’s better to stay vigilant.”

Having once served him, Hamel knew well how formidable the man was. If Jerome Flint was called the king’s shield, then Tyrain May was a sword honed coldly. To the extent that even a family once affiliated with him could be decisive.

The face of an enemy now consumed by hatred blurred and was replaced by another. A slight smile tugged at Hamel’s lips.

“Lord, you seem in good spirits.”

At the observation from his aide, Kun, Hamel shrugged.

“Quite by chance, I had the opportunity to see that person.”

“That person…?”

“I didn’t have the chance to acknowledge him, though.”

During a banquet to meet one of the funding sources, he encountered a long-unseen face. Of course, the timing was not ideal for joy. Seeing him standing with the traitor, his heart felt as though it was being torn apart, but Hamel bit his lip behind the thick mask.

Just wait a little longer. He will rescue him from that traitor and place him where he truly belongs.

“I heard that he was allowed to go out, but I never thought it was true.”

It had been a while since he found the mansion where he was confined, but the guards were so strict that contact was difficult. Even when he did go out, he was always accompanied by a guard. Attempting to approach with bribes carried the risk of exposing their presence.

“Our operation might accelerate sooner than we thought.”

The fact that he could go out meant that seizing an opportunity to meet was somewhat feasible.

The calm voice made everyone around tense. Even so, Hamel glanced around at the hopeful eyes and declared softly.

“Prepare your hearts slowly.”

The day to repay the humiliation was approaching.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the reception room of a mansion in the city, a peculiar atmosphere was palpable.

“What is this tiny thing?”

Under Lyneth’s impudent stare, the young boy responded coolly.

“It seems you’re not exactly a giant either.”

Sparks flew as their gazes clashed. Lyneth, with an expression of disdain, crossed her arms and introduced herself curtly.

“Lyneth Sandria.”

“Silkion. Call me Kion.”

It was clear that neither of them was considering politeness. This was understandable, as foreign wizards typically had strained relations with each other. There was little interaction, and attitudes toward magic differed greatly between countries.

However, their current hostility wasn’t solely due to this reason.

“Calm down. After all, we’re in the same boat now.”

A sly voice intervened between them. The elegantly dressed man with silver hair, already seated, gently called out to his subordinate.

“Kion.”

“…I will cooperate to the best of my ability for the agreed period.”

“Please don’t think too badly of me, Priestess. As the lord of the duchy, I don’t make promises I can’t keep.”

Facing Lyneth, who looked displeased, Raymond recalled the cause of the current situation. He wondered what the promise might entail.

‘Could it be that you’re asking to borrow a wizard from me?’

It seemed this alone wasn’t enough, and she had foolishly agreed to disclose some of her secrets. Now he understood why the two had been so wary of him. He also realized the source of the strange unease he felt whenever he met them.

Particularly, the audacity of requesting Kion, his closest aide among so many wizards, was impressive. When asked if she was worried they might steal confidential information, the reply was intriguing.

‘Try as you might. Is there anything left to find?’

The boastful claim that there was no valuable information to be gleaned from him suggested that the rumors about the princess’s lack of interest in political matters might be true. Or maybe she was just pretending. It was clear from past interactions that she was not someone to be taken lightly.

It was a pity that he couldn’t attend the banquet in person. Despite all efforts to keep things under wraps, people’s mouths tend to move faster than their words. When he heard about Cordelia’s antics at the banquet right after the incident, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

It was quite something to openly mock someone by cutting one’s hair. She was an amusing young lady in many ways. Not only was she quick-witted, but she was also bolder than his own knights.

Honestly, if she were that entertaining, marrying her might not have been a bad deal after all, but for now, he decided to be content with this.

“Well, that’s fine. We can’t stay at odds with each other while we need to cooperate.”

Lyneth sighed and unrolled a scroll she had kept coiled beside the table. Unlike his indifferent master, Kion carefully examined the symbols drawn on the parchment.

“This…”

The partially completed circular sigil was a direct copy of the magic circle seen on Noah’s back. It was convenient not having to explain everything. Lyneth pointed to the space with her finger.

“For now, I intend to complete this magic circle. It will be necessary for the curse.”

“A curse? Though its shape is somewhat unusual.”

“For now, I’m treating it as a curse.”

Three things were needed for the spell. The magic circle is used for the curse, a specially made potion, and physical parts of both the caster and the cursed.

Given that Noah’s role was close to that of a ritual participant, it might be possible to substitute his hair or nails, but for now, the priority was to complete the magic circle.

Lyneth was not about to give up on finding the old hag. In reality, finding that one person would solve the problem, but it was proving quite difficult. In the bustling capital city, finding one peculiar ant among so many was no easy task.

“As you know, the language primarily used in magic circles is the ancient Centhe. It is the most stable and well-researched language. However, it seems that it’s not just Centhe being used. For instance, this.”

Kion pointed to a few curved, scribbled letters in the right corner of the sigil.

“It looks quite similar to Ilatear.”

“Oh, really? I was wondering what that was. But if it’s Ilatear…”

“It’s the native language of Tritan. It might be an ancient language derived from there.”

When the autonomous region of Tritan was mentioned, Lyneth’s expression turned serious.

“Could it be that they’re from there?”

This was a matter that could potentially lead to conflict with that region. Tritan and Cladan were the only autonomous regions within the Creitz Kingdom. They had their own laws regarding magic, and it was said that the magical lineage there remained unaffected by the temple.

“It’s not certain.”

Kion, who had been drawing a cold line, was met with a suspicious gaze from Lyneth.

“How did you recognize this?”

“Just happened to.”

He replied, one eyebrow twitching, as if he didn’t appreciate being questioned about his past. Seeing that he wasn’t interested in prying into others’ affairs either, Lyneth shrugged lightly.

“By the way, there’s something I want to ask.”

Both turned their heads simultaneously. At the end of their gaze was Raymond, who had been sitting elegantly like a borrowed sack of barley, slightly tilting his head.

“After dumping all of this on us, where exactly has the princess gone?”

* * *

“The weather’s nice!”

Cordelia gazed out the window, letting the gentle breeze brush against her. Despite winter having set in, the southern sun was still warm. It had been a week since she left the noisy capital and arrived at Callisto  Castle in Devron.

‘You managed to patch things up, but this isn’t going to be resolved easily. You know that, right?’

After about two hours of nagging, Frederick advised her to leave the capital for a while to quiet down the rumors. Cordelia agreed this time, knowing he was right.

The castle she returned to after so long felt wonderfully familiar. Although the butler and the servants, who recognized her, were shocked to see her shortened hair, there was no issue other than that.

Cordelia fiddled with the ends of her hair that barely reached the back of her neck. With her once voluminous hair gone, the lightness of her neck was refreshing, though there was a lingering sense of emptiness.

Well, she’ll just have to get used to it. What else can she do?

“Ah, I’m so bored.”

She misses Noah.

As much as she lacked a sense of guilt, she wasn’t heartless enough to ask someone who was still recovering to endure a two-day carriage ride to Devron, even if they had just started dating. Still, missing him was inevitable, and she sighed deeply.

Knock, knock—a sound came from the door. Before she could even say ‘Come in,’ the door swung open.