"What did Ierathel bestow for you to be that assured?" Mikhail interrogated his subordinate, seemingly doubtful of the gift's identity.
Of course, Percival had not forgotten the prowess of the Angels. Hence, it was not that he's questioning their capabilities, he was only overthinking of the association of events, which are coincidental at best. Mikhail never failed to make it his occupation to suspect the validity of anything under the Sierro - A relatively bothersome trait.
"I wanted to reserve it for the Emperor's use, but I do think that he won't be needing it in the near future. Furthermore, if it's for the Empress' benefit, His Majesty would have no qualms apropos my actions." Sarakiel spoke regarding the evaluation he came up with, looking more like he's talking to himself rather than entertaining Mikhail's query. It was a method to assure his conscience that he's doing the right thing.
The commander stared at the Duke, much to his chagrin of being ignored, while throwing daggers with his eyes.
"Sarakiel, care to answer me?" Percival uttered with rigidity in his voice.
Straight away, Duke Helian discerned the annoyance of Mikhail from his tone, so he hustled to respond, fumbling at the start.
"O-oh, yes, yes, uh, what was the question again? Right, uh, Ierathel's gift was it? What is it?" His reply was an interrogative, adding to Percival's distress.
"I don't know. Why would I ask you if I'm cognizant of its identity?"
Sarakiel's eyes widened ever so slightly upon realizing his slip up. He finally decided to pull himself together with a deep and heavy sough. Mikhail gave him a tap on the shoulder to provide a bit of encouragement.
"Alright, My Lord. Somehow, my mind has cleared up."
"That's a relief. Now, we should get a move on."
"Yes. Going back, Ierathel left me with a blessing that is capable of assuming the characteristics of a panacea. It's in the shape of a spherical mana crystal akin to a pearl. The spell to materialize it is embedded in my grimoire."
"A panacea? In what context? Our world or theirs? Remember that if it conforms to the rules of this world, that crystal won't be able to recognize the newly evolved spell, as well as the presence of an immortality enchantment."
Even though it's merely the fault of his inherent coherence, Mikhail's consistency in bringing-up issues, that are worth pondering on, was quite disheartening to some degree. Hence, Duke Helian wore an inspirited grin to gain the confidence of his worrywart superior.
"Fret not, My Lord. The spell encompasses the bylaws of this inferior world. Ierathel made sure to store his mana in the crystal. Wherefore, there is no need for us to gather the local mana in the act of exploiting the blessing."
Once he harkened the details, Mikhail's worries bloomed anew.
"Isn't that too great of a reward? Have you told anyone about it? If other nations became aware of this blessing's existence, we would be engaging in warfare earlier than expected." Percival said as he leaned on his left foot and started to repeatedly tap the wooden floor with his right.
If the Duke didn't initiate control of the procedure soon, they might open up another realm of the commander's predicaments. Owing to that, he replied with what Mikhail wanted to hear.
"I kept it a secret to myself. I'm thankful for that decision, seeing that you're this bothered. With that out of the way, let's proceed with my plan. You and Lord Zelel will be aiding me since it's expedient." Sarakiel stated with finality.
Mikhail nodded in agreement. Subsequently, he turned to glance at the Prime Minister who was embracing a peculiar aura.
Duke Claudas was absentmindedly staring at the space between the two knights, nescient of their urging gazes.
"Zelel, come here," Percival called out to him. The utterance aptly brought the minister's senses back.
Zelel took his time traipsing the short distance to the bed. His head was lowered as if he's brooding on something eminent.
"Lord Claudas, will it be alright if I solicit your help? However, if you're tired, I can make do with just myself and Lord Percival."
When he heard his fellow Duke articulate a favour, the fixation of Zelel's eyes switched from the ground to Sarakiel, who was patiently observing him.
"No, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern. What's our role?" The Minister fashioned an amicable expression as he reacted.
"Sure, if you say so."
Sarakiel then faced Mikhail, opting to address the commander's duty first.
"Lord Mikhail, work on preserving the Empress' current state. In the event that the circumstance takes a turn for the worse, we'll have the liberty of reverting Her Highness' condition to her present. It's more worthwhile to go back to square one in lieu of persisting with a worsened situation."
"Noted." Mikhail readily offered his acceptation.
"Lord Claudas, I want a really thin sheet of mana all over the Empress' body, one that could absorb every negative and violent mana that will emerge from Her Highness' body."
"Got it."
Latterly of the labour distribution, each of the men went on to occupy one side of the bed. Mikhail and Sarakiel stood on opposite sides while Zelel took up the bottom.
Percival and Duke Claudas prepared to cast their spells in succession. The spells that Duke Helian ordered them to utilize belonged to the second-highest tier of the prohibited array of magical enchantments. Exclusively one in a billion people have access to this collection of spells.
Mikhail went ahead, considering that if Zelel did, there would be a clash between their spells - The minister's shield wouldn't allow his spell to go through.
The commander laid his right hand on top of the Empress' abdomen, vocalizing his enchantment afterwards.
"Deo Vindice; De futuro; Ab Integro; De Integro"
Mikhail immediately removed his hand, a few seconds short of a minute, once his spell had integrated into the woman's body. Zelel promptly stepped in to do his share, joining his hands in the act of praying.
"absente reo; nolo contendere; decus et tutamen; hic manebimus optime"
A tiny ball of light actualized inside his palms. The moment he set it free, the orb floated and drunkenly travelled towards the Empress' forehead. The instance it arrived at its destination, it spun so quickly that it vanished in a jiffy. Ensuing that, a dim veil of light appeared to have blanketed the sleeping lady's body upon the orb's escape. This happening signalled that it's Sarakiel's turn.
The young Duke stretched his hands above the Empress, following it with the shutting of his eyes.
"mens sana in corpore sano; quem di diligunt adulescens moritur; dum valet sentit sapit"
Twinkling afore the light of the soul orb, the golden trails of mana commenced to seep out the tips of Sarakiel's fingers.
"hora somni; mors vincit omnia; respice finem; ab aeterno"
The glowing gold strings began to gather, crystallizing atop the lady's chest. The moment the spherical crystal was formed, it slowly descended, permeating the Empress' flesh.
Thenceforth of the crystal's disappearance, an anxiety-filled quietude dominated the space.
Silence,
Silence,
And more silence.
A while had passed with them abiding for a desirable outcome, yet the window was uneventful.
Although, hardly a couple of seconds after, something unprecedented ensued.
Duke Sarakiel Helian fell to his back on the floor, unconscious.
Sarakiel's body produced a loud thud when it made contact with the wooden boards. Nobody was amply fast to catch his declining figure, stunned of the sudden accident. In a heartbeat succeeding the fall, Mikhail rushed to the Duke's side with Zelel trailing behind him.
Percival knelt down beside the lad's head to check if he's breathing. His unease was assuaged upon discerning the normalcy of Sarakiel's respiration. He then removed his subordinate's knight coat and handed it to Zelel, who was standing at an arm's reach from him. Withal, the article of clothing remained in Mikhail's grip for a stretch since Duke Claudas's attention was somewhere else.
"Zelel, are you going to take this away from me or not?" Percival queried the minister imperatively. Still, he was focused on scrutinizing Sarakiel's frame, trying to distinguish any discrepancy. Elseway, Zelel inattentively retrieved the coat. It was comparable to his limbs having a mind of their own.
The instant his hand was liberated, Mikhail loosened the knight's black shirt by undoing the top two buttons.
"Good, he doesn't have any wounds and his mana network is not damaged." He said sparsely whilst diverting his gaze from the young man to the twins.
"Do you have any spare rooms where we can transfer Sarakiel?"
The maids nodded in unison to his inquiry.
"There is, My Lord."
"The guest room is on the ground floor."
"Alright, please lead the way." Mikhail responded after bowing his head once to urge the maids.
Next to wording his request, Mikhail slid his arms under Sarakiel's knee-pit and nape, carrying him off like a princess.
As the four people egressed the confines of the room, Zelel simply lingered on his feet, petrified. He watched their backs with a stare so intense that it could burrow a hole on the wall.
'No matter how effortful they hid their expression, I saw it.'
Duke Claudas' clasp tightened on the cloth of the coat, leaving lasting rumples. His thoughts were nothing but cluttered.
'Why did those two look monumentally gleeful when Duke Helian fainted?'