Ch 11

The temperature of betrayal was cold.

A chill enough to shudder just thinking about it penetrated Khazar’s head.

It was on the way back after observing the waterway construction in the Tana Estate. When he woke up after drinking the tea Hawk gave him, he was already transported in shackles. He was dragged around and arrived at Aden.

“Because Lord Hawk fed me Red Fire. I heard that there are people who will buy me at a high price.” (Red Fire is the name of the poison)

“Do you mean that they dared to go buy the prince of the Empire?”

The Duke of Spess’ eyes subsided at the twisted smile. Judging by the presence of Regis in Aden, he was able to guess who was behind it.

“It seems that the Empress has crossed the line in this case.”

It can be passed on as an unavoidable fate for princes to die and to kill each other. But selling off the Imperial Prince was a different matter.

 “It is hard to believe that you were imprisoned in such a poor prison with the power of Your Majesty, but if you had been poisoned by Red Fire, there was nothing you could do about it.”

“It couldn’t see at all. It’s okay now. It’s not perfect, but I drank the antidote. I won’t be able to use my Aura for a while.”

The Duke of Spess looked at Khazar instead of answering.

 As Khazar insisted, it seemed that he was still poisoned. The amount of Aura he knew from Khazar was considerable, but only a handful were detected now. He was even unstable.

Are you saying that you came to rescue Eluana in that state? Why?

It was the same with Eluana. Although she ran away with them for days, she did not know that Khazar was poisoned.

 Didn’t he even walk with Louie? Moreover, it was even touching that she had come to rescue her in an untreated condition. Above all else, he brought Louie back safely.

 “Thank you.”

Eluana spit out her heart and soon realized that she had to speak up.

“Thanks.”

Those simple words struck Khazar’s heart precisely. It was not a word full of pretentiousness. Khazar’s eyes softened at the expression of pure gratitude.

“I am grateful too.”

The reason was unknown but the Duke of Spess, who became displeased, asked in a low voice

“Rather, I will repay you for helping the children of the family. How would you like this to be handled?”

It was a fight that Khazar could do whatever he wanted. In fact, the Duke of Spess was a person who could publicize this event and empower Khazar. But he gets nothing from it.

Since the Empress could not have handled the matter poorly, she would cut her tail moderately. At least one noble family under her command is about to perish.

 “I want you to keep it a secret that I was kidnapped and brought in. There won’t be any solid evidence anyway, so there’s something to check. Instead, I want you to answer:

 Were there children like this in the Spess family?”

Khazar’s gaze turned to Eluana and Louie. She introduced herself as ‘Eluana Vita’, and she called ‘Ron Vita’ dad without hesitation.

“I saw a sword made by Ron Vita at the auction house a few days ago. He came to receive his payment, so when I went to see him, I found out about the children.”

Khazar smiled as he remembered the iron rod bent like a snake. It seems that it was also an alchemy ability.

“With that level of alchemy ability, of course, he would have inherited the blood of Spess.”

“It is as you said. They are the children of my family.”

The Duke of Spess drew the line once more calling it the children of the family. He defined it as a family business, so Khazar had no room to intervene.

 Still, if he was the Duke of Spess, he could be trusted as the protector of the children.

 “I have no intention of getting involved in the Spess family matters, so let me leave.”

Shouldn’t you go cure yourself first? After detoxification, we will take you to the Capital.

“It’s okay. I’m on my way to get one.”

Khazar turned around and announced his intention to leave, and finally made eye contact with Eluana, who was staring at him.

“My name is Khazar Arcas Fortuna. If you ever have a request, come to me. Since I came here to get you, I was prepared to lose an arm for you”

Khazar casually spat out a terrible assumption. He stared at Louie from behind Eluana, who had his eyes sticking out, as he had not yet lifted his vigilance.

“You take care of yourself too, Louie.”

Khazar went out through the door that didn’t do its job.

The remaining Eluana asked belatedly.

 “He’s not, is he really a prince?”

“Yes, the Fourth Prince. He was brought up in a difficult situation under the restraints of the First Prince.”

 “Ugh, that guy. He’s nothing but trash on both the inside and outside.”

If Khazar was the Fourth Prince, he was the younger brother of the First Prince Regis. No matter how greedy for the position of the emperor, trying to sell your brother while poisoned is an understatement.

“That’s right. How dare you imprison my child and another prince. Your liver is swollen.” (idiom meaning Regis is audacious and cocky)

Eluana looked at the Duke of Spess awkwardly because he said, ‘my child’. Khazar said ‘a child of the family’ too.

 I was wiggling my fingers for nothing, but the Duke of Spess bowed his head.

What he was looking at was Louie, who had been hiding behind Eluana. Louie had been staring at the Duke’s face for a while. Louie tilted his head and realized something about him. Similar. It was a face that Louie knew. Louie whispered to Eluana in a low voice.

 “I saw it in the picture. Is he your real father?”

 “That’s right. We will follow him.”

 “okay.”

 Louie replied lightly. It was enough for him to see his sister again. If he could be with his sister, everything else was fine.

‘Dad, I met my sister again. Thank you for granting my wish. I will become a better Louie.

 Louie, who thanked Ron in heaven, smiled bashfully at the Duke, who was looking at him with hot eyes.

“Hello, sister’s real father. I’m Louie. ” tl/n: Louie is the cutest existence!

***

Sunlight was streaming into the room. Eluana woke up lying on the soft bed.

Herbs that are said to have an analgesic effect did not fulfill their role today. There is no healer in the Aden estate, so to receive proper treatment, you have no choice but to move to a larger estate.

However, as soon as she opened her eyes, she could see the pink hair.

Louie, lying next to her, was still wandering somewhere in his dream.

 ‘You must have been tired’

For Louis, I had to re-energize.

Carefully, Eluana got up and washed her face with the prepared wash water and patted her tangled hair. She heard her knock as she gathered her hair in front of her so that it did not touch her back and tied it with her ribbon.

 As the door slowly opened, a maid standing in the hallway said:

“A priest has come to visit us from the temple. “

Suddenly a priest?

Eluana had never seen a priest. The maid said that she came to find her, but it was strange. The maid took a step back after seeing Eluana’s unprepared appearance.

“Are you going to tell them to wait? “

“… Did they come to see me? “

“Yes. They are in the living room. “

“I will go. Wait. “

The reason I came was because I had to hear it in person. Eluana fixed Louie’s quilt as he tossed and turned his body and left her room.

A young man in a priest’s uniform was seated on the ledge with a sad face.

I thought all priests were old.

 Purple eyes with dark circles descending to the fullest turned towards Eluana.

He was a man with silver hair and a pure white priest suit that looked amazingly well together. He seems to be becoming holy just by looking at it.

“I’ve brought her here.”

The priest’s red lips twisted as the maid spoke politely and left the parlor

 “So where is the pain?”

The priest who witnessed Eluana walking in on her two feet was twisted in the judgement. She thought that at least one of her arms or legs had been amputated as he was in such a hurry that he had to run his horse for two days without a break. But he looked sloppy. At least the arms and legs were all in place.

 “yes? I …”

Eluana, who answered suddenly, turned her body slightly and showed her back. The priest took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead.

In a word, it was a mess with the medicinal herb powder applied to it. The messy, torn skin was red and swollen everywhere. Hemostasis seemed to have taken place, but the area where necrosis had progressed had grown considerably.

As soon as I received a call from the High Priest, I ran without time to take a sip of water. Since the Duke of Spess had made an unreasonable demand with a donation as a hostage. He was planning to protest after completing treatment.

But I can’t complain about this. You still look like a child.

“Who treated a child like this.”

The accumulated discomfort melted away in an instant and worries and regrets filled the space. Although the priest was not inherently good natured, he was tolerant of the weak and the sick. The priest reached out towards the obvious signs of abuse.

“You just have to stand comfortably.”

 “yes?”

Eluana turned around and took a step back, startled by the sudden approaching hand. At that moment, a light flashed in front of her eyes. The light that engulfed Eluana caressed her back. She was startled by the alien sensation, but as she felt the pain in her back gradually disappearing, she stopped moving.

The alien sensation started in the back and spread throughout the body. The light that had spread while caressing the skin disappeared without a trace in an instant along with the pain.

“ah”

When I stretched out my hand behind my back, my skin, which should have been lumpy, was smooth. It didn’t hurt to touch.

Eluana patted her back and looked down at her hand. He even cleaned out the old burn marks from the forge. Not only that, all her fatigue and stiff shoulders from her prison and escape life disappeared.

“You look tired.”

The startled heart did not calm down.

“It’s fine now.”

The priest said as if to be relieved. Eluana later realized that he was a healing priest. Priests are also valuable, but healing priests. It was something she thought she would never see once in her life.

“Thank you. I am no longer sick.”

 As a servant of God, this is what I should do.

 After confirming that the healing was over, the maid came in with a teapot and teacup. She quietly poured tea and the priest picked up the cup as the maid left. As he took a sip of the hot tea, his body relaxed a little. The priest gulped in succession.

 Eluana said worriedly. She felt her energy well up, but her priest seemed to be getting more tired.

“It’s because the healing power doesn’t work for you. “

“You are getting more tired because of me. “

“It is my mission. “

“It is a mission I am grateful for. Were you on the road near Aden? How did you know to find me? “

The priest’s lips twisted again at the innocent question.

“I crossed the teleport gate two days ago and have been running horses non-stop. The Duke of Spess threatened to cut off all donations from the temple if I was late.”

“Huh? Because of me? I’m sorry.”

When Eluana was startled, the priest had a bitter taste. He also wondered if he was talking about donations for nothing. It was for adults. The girl in front of you is just a victim of abuse by someone.

“I didn’t mean to ask for an apology. It was just that.”

Still, Eluana drew a long face.