Chapter 250: You Shall Not Pass (5)

Humans believed that elves were born from trees. Elves would laugh at such an idea since elves were born and raised just like humans through reproduction. However, there were also elves who were born from trees. The high elves were the so-called first elves, and were the fruit of the divine tree, the World Tree. Additionally, they were also supposedly born from...

Kadia Yggdrasil.

Kadia was a high elf, and was called the savior of the elves. Yet at the same time, she was Keter’s third wife.

Dark elf Riri had never once acted outside of her position as the royal sword instructor and aide of the second prince. But just this once, she, as an elf, urged Keter.

“What did you do to Kadia? Someone like you would never receive her blessing.”

“Blessing?”

Keter honestly had no idea what that meant.

However, to Riri, perhaps his reaction seemed like he was pretending not to know. She placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Maybe other elves didn’t notice, but you can’t fool me.”

Riri brushed her finger over Keter’s right eyebrow. Then, an emerald-light mark appeared. Keter couldn’t see it himself, but he felt a burning sensation and could tell what blessing Riri was referring to.

“

Wow

. What is this? I didn’t know I had something like this,” Keter murmured.

It was a secret he hadn’t known even in his previous life. Yet it had been revealed here in the royal palace by the hand of a dark elf he had never seen before.

Seeing his reaction, a look of confusion appeared on Riri’s face because Keter looked genuinely surprised.

“You’re saying you didn’t even know Kadia gave you a blessing? That doesn’t—”

Riri stopped mid-sentence. She realized her position and where she was. Many family heads were watching. Even if they lowered their voices, this was not a place where they could speak comfortably.

“You. Follow me. And to be clear, this isn’t a request.”

“But I can’t. I have to guard the bridge.”

“Are you really going to continue those ridiculous jokes right now?” Riri frowned.

“Who said it’s a joke? Is it because you’re an elf, or because you’re with the royal family? Or both? You don’t know how to make a request.” Keter scoffed.

“As an elf or as a royal, I’m not someone who needs to request something of you. You’re someone who should obey my command.”

“If we met somewhere else, maybe. But in this situation? Doesn’t seem like it.”

Riri bit her lower lip at Keter’s sly response.

Why was a dark elf like her residing in the Kingdom of Lillian? Why was she, as the royal sword instructor, teaching the elves’ precious swordsmanship to humans? Why did she involve herself in human politics and support the second prince? It was all to find Kadia.

To her, Kadia was light and salt. She had searched for decades to find Kadia, who had gone missing in the Kingdom of Lillian. Yet there had been no progress at all, even with Second Prince Rakan actively helping her. So in truth, she had half-given up.

In that state, she met Keter. At first, she only approached him to deliver Rakan’s warning to stop destructive behavior in the divine royal palace. But what were the odds of such a coincidence? The moment she saw Keter’s face, she felt a trace of Kadia, whom she had desperately searched for until now.

The suddenness of the encounter made uncontrollable excitement and joy surge within her. Because of that, she had acted rashly, and she acknowledged that.

Keter, this cunning bastard. Why would Kadia grant someone like him the one and only Blessing of Nature...

As Keter had said, he would have had no choice but to obey Riri’s command if the time and place were different. Riri was a close aide to the second prince and a member of the royal family. No matter how prestigious a noble family was, they couldn’t ignore such authority.

However, anyone could see that Riri was the one in a hurry at the moment. With the second prince and even the crown prince watching, she couldn’t afford to waste time arguing with Keter. If she did, not only would she draw the princes’ glares, but the heads of other families would also find her behavior suspicious.

If I let Keter go here, will I ever see him again?

There were still four days left until the summons for the family heads. Time was sufficient, but Riri shook her head.

Keter is insane. He could possibly stay here guarding Her Majesty’s Bridge for four whole days. No, he’s definitely the kind of man who would do it.

After the period of summons ended, a royal assembly would begin. When that takes place, she might never be able to meet Keter again. Thus, meeting him naturally through the second prince’s orders right now could possibly be her only chance. No, it was very likely to be so.

Certain of that, Riri lifted her head and signaled with her eyes to the second prince who was watching her.

Please give me some time.

The second prince was surprised. He had been with Riri for decades, yet she had never made such a sudden request.

Does that mean Keter is that special?

The second prince had seen the whole situation of Riri and Keter whispering secretly. He couldn’t know what they were discussing, but if Riri was requesting it, he judged it to be something very important. Therefore, Rakan nodded and granted Riri’s request.

Riri immediately turned to the heads of families and shouted, “Until noon tomorrow, passage across Her Majesty’s Bridge is forbidden. This is by Prince Rakan’s will.”

The sudden restriction on passage left the family heads wondering what was going on.

At that moment, Keter said something to Riri, and Riri sighed before adding, “The Aegis family may cross the bridge.”

Enoch, head of the Aegis family, pushed Minerva forward.

“

Ahem!

Then we shall go ahead.”

Minerva glared at Keter as she crossed the bridge with Enoch. Unfortunately, Keter didn’t look back at her, and their gazes crossed without meeting.

Seeing this, Enoch briefly wore a troubled expression, then immediately pulled Minerva’s hand and spoke, “Minerva. I’ve heard the royal armory holds shields from centuries ago. Let’s go take a look.”

With that, Enoch and Minerva entered the royal palace, and Keter followed Riri through a hidden side entrance into the palace.

***

“What just happened?”

The middle-aged figures gathered in front of Her Majesty’s Bridge were all leaders responsible for each of their families. They were people respected by hundreds, even thousands, some even regional kings. Yet now, they were nothing more than spectators.

“The royal sword instructor personally guided Keter... I can hardly believe my eyes!”

“Rather than saying she

guided

him, wouldn’t it be more accurate to say she

escorted

him? She even invoked the second prince’s authority to stop him from blocking the bridge!”

“

Huh

... If that’s so, then does the second prince support Sefira...?”

As the heads of families murmured and exchanged opinions, another carriage arrived. Normally, they wouldn’t care who came. They weren’t people who could be easily overshadowed. But when they saw the flag on the carriage, they all hurriedly made way.

The golden lion symbolizing the crown prince, and three hawks engraved so intricately they seemed alive alongside it. It was the emblem of the noble family of the west, Duke Forte. Where there was a first place, there was always a second. The Forte family was the most powerful noble family after the Browning family.

Normally, a noble’s carriage would be opened from the outside by an attendant, but the head of the Forte family opened the door himself and stepped out. He had a slim build and a playful face that didn’t suit his middle age.

He scanned his surroundings and said, “I heard Sefira’s daredevil was blocking the bridge, so I rushed here... but all I see are dull faces.”

It seemed the head of the Forte family came alone without escort knights or aides, as no one responded to him.

Durian, who had an acquaintance with the head of Forte, explained the situation. “Keter entered the palace just a moment ago with Sword Instructor Riri.”

“

Ah

, Lord Durian. Thank you for the explanation. However, why is everyone standing here instead of crossing the bridge?”

“Well, the second prince ordered that no one is to cross the bridge until noon tomorrow.”

“

Oh?

Why is that?”

“This is only speculation... but it seems to be for Keter’s sake.”

“The bridge was sealed for Keter’s sake? In other words, Keter blocking the bridge was actually the second prince’s will, is that correct?”

At the duke’s deduction, Durian hurriedly waved his hands, unexpectedly for a man of his size.

“I only stated what I saw, nothing more.”

“

Bahaha!

No need to panic, Lord Durian. I was only speculating as well. Isn’t that so, everyone?”

The other family head gave awkward laughs and nodded.

Duke Forte seemed like an easygoing man. He was quick to laugh, and his manner of speech was casual. However, there was no one in the kingdom who didn’t know his true nature, the cruelty behind that relaxed appearance.

“

Hm...

but that’s strange. If the second prince supports Sefira, then shouldn’t he have treated Hissop, who came as the acting head for Sefira, better?”

When the duke crossed his arms and voiced his doubt, other family heads nodded in agreement.

“Now that Duke Forte mentions it, it is strange. Why did the second prince call only Keter? And so openly, right in front of us?”

Strictly speaking, it was Riri who summoned Keter. But to them, it was perceived as the second prince’s call. After all, Riri was the second prince’s aide.

The answer was already clear, but the family heads simply glanced at one another and remained silent.

Then, as though revealing some major secret, Duke Forte said, “It seems the second prince has no need for Sefira, and only wants Keter.”

“

Ahem!

”

“Indeed... I guess that is the only way to interpret it.”

Anyone with eyes and ears couldn’t have missed Keter’s feats at the Sword of the South Tournament, and later at the party. Of course, Keter had Sefira backing him, but his overwhelming display of divineness and way of speech made it feel as though Sefira was merely being carried along by him instead.

People said that Sefira made Keter, and that Sefira was the greater one, but such claims carried different weight depending on who made them. Thus, when the Forte family, who was second among noble houses, slightly instigated that Sefira was just the shell and Keter was the main, the heads of the other families took it as truth.

If rumors spread that all of this was true, the news would soon reach Hissop.

“I’m curious to see how Deputy Patriarch Hissop will react.

Hehehe.

”

With just a few words, Forte had sown discord between Keter and Hissop, and he smiled as he imagined Hissop doubting and envying Keter.

***

The interior of the palace was structured like a maze. Even those who visited dozens of times would easily lose their way without a guide. In such a palace, Riri guided Keter to a secret room that even the guides weren’t aware of.

It was a narrow room, no, a narrow space, just large enough for four people to squeeze inside. There was no desk, no chairs. Only standing was possible. There also seemed to be no ventilation, as the air was stuffy. Naturally, there wasn’t a trace of light, but neither Keter nor Riri found it to be a problem.

“Being somewhere this dark makes you even harder to see. A very natural camouflage technique.”

Riri did not smile at all at Keter’s joke.

“This is a place even the princes do not know of. No magic can find it, and there is no risk of conversation leaking out. So tell me, no, I ask you, please."

Riri tightly grasped Keter’s hand. He could feel her desperation within that grip.

“Tell me where Kadia is. Where did you meet her? Where is she now?”

“

Hmm

...”

Though her skin was dark, Riri was beautiful. It wasn’t easy to coldly refuse when such a beautiful person pleaded so desperately. Of course, that wasn’t the reason Keter hesitated.

“I can’t just hand over my wife’s information. You’ll have to prove yourself.”

“Prove myself...?” Riri repeated.

“Prove how close you were to Kadia. Just as you said, there’s nothing I don’t know about her either. At least... physically.”

“She has a mole above her right breast.”

“True, but that’s a location anyone could know.” Keter shrugged.

“She also has a burn scar on her inner thigh.”

“What’s the shape?”

“That depends on how you see it. In my memory... it looked like a thorny rod?” Riri tilted her head.

“Close enough.”

“And also...”

“Wait.”

Keter stopped Riri for a moment and thought about Kadia. Including the time from his previous life, too many years had passed, so recalling memories of her took a little time.

“If you know the phrase Kadia uses constantly...”

“How bothersome.”

When Riri answered immediately, Keter grabbed her hand and shook it like a handshake.

“I didn’t expect to meet Kadia’s younger sister here. Nice to meet you, sister-in-law.”

“I am not her sister. Our skin color isn’t even the same.”

“Well, I’m sure there’s a story there. Anyway, what do you want to know about Kadia? Just ask and I’ll answer.”

When Keter acted as if he would answer anything, Riri’s eyes brightened.

“Where is she now?”

Riri planned to leave the palace immediately if she could just learn where Kadia was.

Keter didn’t hesitate and answered right away. “I don’t know.”

“Don’t you know where she is...?”

“I said I would answer, not that I knew.”

Riri’s small fist trembled at Keter’s shameless reply.