The Grand Duke and Duchess's official return was through the Tipian Marquisate, the only path connecting Maindelant and the rest of the Empire.
The new Tipian Marquis, the former Tipian Count, bowed low before Cledwyn. He was apparently so timid that he felt burdened just by catching sight of his niece.
"Please let me know if there's anything inconvenient. I will do my best to ensure your Highnesses' comfortable journey."
Neris found the new Tipian Marquis's obsequious kindness amusing. The former Marquis's proud son, who had never been shy about boasting. Yet, he had completely ignored his father when he was cornered.
Leaving such a man at the entrance to Maindelant was dangerous. But Neris didn't worry much, because she was more interested in the sights she had seen on the way here.
'The atmosphere of suspicion towards outsiders, the skyrocketing prices. It's harvest season, but there were few people working in the fields.'
Unlike the lives of ordinary people who had been impoverished by the exorbitant tax rates, the inside of the Marquisate was as luxurious as any other Grand Duke's. Golden mirrors and newly made brocade capes glittered, revealing the new Marquis's excited mood.
"It seems there's been a famine. If there's a shortage of food, we can provide some support to the poor who need it. It wouldn't be difficult to create a supply chain if we work with the Temple."
The Marquis seemed to think Cledwyn's remark was simply intended to hurt the Marquisate's pride. He showed a slightly insulted expression, then quickly smiled.
Neris thought with satisfaction, he'd married well. A husband who laid the groundwork without being told. Some fools would jump and shout if you gave them advice, worried about them.
'Well, I feel sorry for Cledwyn when I compare him.'
Comparing the world's biggest bastard with the best man in the world was inherently nonsensical.
The Marquis initially declined Cledwyn's "consideration." He claimed that there were no problems in the Tipian Marquisate, and if there were, he could solve them.
But soon, his shallow mind started to turn. No matter how much money he scraped together within his territory, the Imperial taxes were so heavy that what remained in his hands was not enough to satisfy him. Moreover, since they were offering it without asking for anything in return, wouldn't it be foolish not to accept?
Soon, the Marquis, believing he had found another source of income, felt at ease. And as if to drive home the point, he relayed recent news.
"Thank you for your words. Your Highnesses have just arrived, so you may not have heard, but there was a major earthquake recently. As a result, some refugees from Dreicum have come down here. It would be good if Your Highness could consider them when setting the amount of support."
"An earthquake?"
Dreicum was the first Grand Duchy city that people would encounter after passing through the Tipian Marquisate, but it was difficult to say that the Marquisate and Dreicum were close in the usual sense. The area was very sparsely populated in the first place.
But if refugees had come down this far, it was likely to be something unusual.
The Marquis was completely satisfied, thinking that his story had caught the Grand Duke and Duchess's attention when he saw them make serious expressions.
"I heard there was an earthquake in the Imperial Capital a while ago? It was serious here. We thought the world was ending. I heard that the day the earthquake happened in the Imperial Capital was the same day it happened here."
"Is that so."
The earthquake that happened in the Imperial Capital had a clear epicenter. The pillar of light hidden in the Imperial Palace. Moreover, the actual damage to buildings and land was minimal compared to the shock people felt, so it was a typical side effect of a mana storm.
So, it didn't seem likely to be related to the earthquake in Dreicum, but it was a coincidence.
Neris furrowed her brow, concerned for the people of Maindelant. If she had known this would happen, she would have come up sooner. Even though she had woken up safely, Cledwyn had driven the carriage very slowly, worried that her body might still have the aftereffects of the curse. Now, she regretted it.
But she couldn't blame her husband, who was worried about her, or the others, who had also taken reasonable precautions. A curse that even a high-ranking priest couldn't undo, a strange weapon that even Neris, who knew Keamil's methods well, had never heard of.
'I had never met Keamil's magician in my previous life.'
She knew such a person existed. The curse to keep the Silver Moon's identity hidden was too expensive, so even Keamil couldn't afford it without a dedicated magician. But Keamil had never mentioned that he had such unique skills.
'Well, she wasn't the type to tell me everything.'
He must have been raised in secret, as he used magic that was considered terrible and dirty.
Neris nodded.
"I understand. Thank you for telling me. And are there any items left from my husband's mother's lifetime?"
The Marquis looked like he didn't know how to answer. Neris eased his worries.
"Of course, the Tipian family would want to keep her memories, so not the most precious items, but a few simple, everyday items would be nice."
She was asking for the humble belongings of the real former Grand Duchess, who had been forced into marriage, not the expensive furniture or accessories used by the deceased Marquis's daughter. Everything that could prove her true birth.
Neris's words implied that they already knew the situation. They knew the family secrets, so if they tried to pull any tricks, they wouldn't stand by and watch.
The Marquis swallowed and nodded.
"Yes, of course."
****
Neris's party, having left the Marquisate, navigated the road, which was as if it had been raked over by a rake, due to the earthquake.
The party was all veterans who had received special training, but the road was too damaged. The party's speed, including the carriage, was as slow as a snail crawling.
Speed wasn't the only problem. Every time the carriage wheels rattled over the rocky ground, which was barely a road, everyone surrounding the carriage grimaced. They were still worried about Neris's body.
"Stop."
Finally, when the carriage arrived in Dreicum, or rather, where Dreicum 'had been', the coachman felt a sense of relief, extremely tired.
"Are you tired? Get down carefully."
Cledwyn, his voice full of concern, took Neris's hand and helped her out of the carriage. Neris received the warm spring sun directly and looked around blankly.
There were no remaining buildings. Not a single one. The horizon was low, and the mountains of the canyon they had passed through were faintly visible in the distance.
The lively atmosphere, the hotels for travelers, were naturally gone. The only things around them that rose higher than the second floor of a normal building were piles of earth.
Now that the earthquake had stopped and everyone had left, there was nothing the Grand Duke and Duchess could do in Dreicum. But they had stopped the carriage because something was bothering them.
"Can you find the place you saw before?"
Cledwyn asked, his arm tightly around her, worried that she might stumble on the uneven ground. Neris looked embarrassed.
"I'll try, but… I didn't know it would be this bad. Do you know which way the ruins are?"
I need to take a look.
Previously, when Neris had visited the ruins with Diane, one pillar had been inscribed with "To remember the lynx," in the language of 600 years ago.
At the time, she had felt a sense of unease at the fact that the Imperial Family had announced that the ruins, which were at least 600 years old, were actually 400 years old. She was particularly bothered by the fact that the Imperial Family had no reason to lie about the history of a small pile of stones.
But in the secret chamber that Cledwyn had entered, the one that Neris had passed by but never entered, there were two altars and a tapestry embroidered with a lynx.
Neris had pondered over and over again the conversation that day and the appearance of the room as described by her husband. The expression, "The child of Elandria returned," and the tone of voice that clearly knew about the existence of the gem-eye…
'Why was the lynx in that room?'
Golden thread, by default, symbolized the brilliance of the Imperial Family. The sun was the same. That's why only the direct line of the Imperial Family could wear clothes woven with gold thread.
Only the Imperial Family was allowed to make a family crest entirely of gold or embroidered with gold thread. So, if something, even in a secret chamber within the Imperial Palace, was embroidered with gold thread, it had to be…
Yes, it had to be the sun.
A lynx shouldn't dare be embroidered with gold thread.
Unless it was a symbol of the Imperial Family at some point in time.
She had thought it was strange from the beginning. It was common knowledge that the Imperial Family had a gem-eye, and Neris's existence revealed that the Elandria family also had a gem-eye.
Then, what about the last of the legendary three heroes, Palos?
The sturdy blue gem-eye of the brave Bisuto grants a strong body and powerful strength.
The honest Elandria's purple gem-eye grants the ability of mind control.
Is it a far-fetched idea that Palos, who achieved great feats alongside them, also had something, beside those owners of such unbelievable abilities?
The Palos family has long since lost its last heir, childless. But there must be collateral relatives. Neris herself awakened her eyes as a collateral relative.
But if the pillar of light said, "Has the child of Elandria returned?" doesn't that mean that someone else's child hasn't returned yet?
Is there a reason why they haven't returned?
Is there no connection between Keamil's obsessive desire to kill Neris and the fact that the Palos lineage has been cut off?
The portrait of the honest Elandria in the Elandria family gallery. One of the two tapestries behind him was embroidered with the sun, and the other with a feline creature with pointed ears.
Descendants have been taught that the feline creature is a leopard.
But between a lynx and a leopard, which one is closer to the depiction in the painting?
The tapestry that the honest Elandria proudly used as a background was perhaps both from the Imperial Family. As if he was more pleased with his position as a servant of the Imperial Family than as one of the three heroes.
Then, is the man depicted in that painting really Elandria?
Who was the one who cursed the lynx, the Imperial Family, 600 years ago?
It might all be nonsensical speculation. But Neris thought it was worth checking. Only, if this is the situation, she would have to wait until things are settled…
Come here…
Neris's shoulder twitched.
Someone was whispering to her. Even though Cledwyn was right next to her, that shouldn't be happening.
The voice, faint and tinged with amusement, continued, tempting her.
…Child of Elandria. I have something prepared for you…
Magic again? Had Keamil prepared something here too?
Even though it was a situation that required caution, there was a strange, irresistible power in that voice. Neris widened her eyes and looked around.
Cledwyn also noticed his wife's stiffening. He glared at the wind with a wary expression. Just as his hand was about to stealthily draw his sword,
Kugung. The earth trembled. Talprin and Aidan's faces turned pale.
"Aftershocks…!"
The two men quickly checked on their lords and ladies. But Neris was gone.
"Damn it! Your Highness!"
Talprin shouted sharply, rushing towards Cledwyn. Even as the ground shook violently and cracked in places, he didn't hesitate.
It soon became clear where Neris had disappeared to. Cledwyn had thrown himself into the crack in the ground.
Fortunately, the tremors soon stopped.
"Are you alright!"
Talprin shouted into the small, black hole that had appeared where the couple had been standing. It seemed that the earth had swallowed them up as it moved erratically, and then the entrance had shrunk.
There was no answer.
"Break through!"
At Talprin's gesture, the Shadow Knights immediately rushed forward. Aidan's knights moved in unison to fetch tools.