The funeral service at the Great Cathedral was solemnly carried out in silence.

Although the Imperial Court sent large flower arrangements and condolence money, the Duke turned them away at the entrance along with the imperial delegation.

Rumors spread throughout the empire that those who attacked the ducal residence were the “Corpse Mercenary Corps” and that the Imperial Court was behind it. The gazes directed at the imperial delegation, who were denied entry at the entrance, were icy cold.

Nobles from the East and pro-imperial nobles hardly came to pay their respects. Neutral nobles observed the situation until the last moment, agonizing over whether to attend the funeral.

The spark had been thrown into the schism that was already showing signs. Whether they liked it or not, the time was approaching for the nobles to clearly state their positions.

Although many nobles were absent, the Great Cathedral where the funeral was held was packed with those bidding sorrowful farewells.

As 17 coffins covered in the ducal family’s flags and flowers passed through the central aisle of the cathedral, the Angelus Knights raised their ceremonial swords high to make way. All the mourners stood up to see them off on their final journey.

Duke Frost Ielheim slowly stepped forward to deliver his farewell address to the departing ones.

“We know this is not an eternal goodbye. We are merely parting ways for a while with you who sacrificed yourselves to protect our land and people. We will meet again. I pray to the Goddess to please open wide the gates of heaven and warmly embrace the souls returning to your bosom…”

Frost’s moist voice paused for a moment before continuing.

“Until we meet again… May we who remain live comforting and loving each other under the Goddess’s grace. Thank you so much for everything…”

With each sincere word of the Duke’s final farewell, sobs finally burst out here and there in the cathedral.

The lips of Duchess Yuriella, who was trying to hold back her tears, also began to tremble.

Unable to cry in Yuriella’s stead, Airy the wind spirit, who had diligently flown from the East, poured out tears.

[Yuriella. Waah. Don’t hold it in like that and just cry your heart out. Hwaaa.]

Popo, who cast a solid barrier with the power of the earth, patted Airy’s shoulder with his small front paw.

[Were you close with the deceased, Airy?] [I don’t know. I don’t know them. Waah.] [Then why are you crying so sorrowfully?] [Because Yuriella is sad. It’s so sad that Yuriella can’t even bring herself to cry even though she’s heartbroken. Waah.] [Stop crying. Can’t you see your owner is trying even harder to hold back tears at the sound of your wailing?] [Yuriella has to cry. Tears shouldn’t be kept in the heart. Even now, Yuriella’s heart is full of tears. What if Yuriella’s heart bursts? What if it gets torn apart? Waah.]

Tower Master Ricarion Greco blankly stared at the back of Yuriella, who was sitting right in front of him. As the trembling of her slender shoulders gradually grew stronger, his hand unconsciously reached out towards her.

The Duke returned to the seat beside Yuriella. When Frost’s large hand rested on Yuriella’s shoulder, the intensifying tremors slowly subsided.

At that moment, only Leo, the Angelus Knight Commander, saw it.

The flash of unusual emotion that briefly passed through Her Excellency’s moist eyes.

The determined gaze that only a knight specialized in protecting rather than being protected could recognize.

The strange sense of unease he occasionally felt from Her Excellency was particularly vivid today, making Leo shudder involuntarily.

Ricarion felt relieved to see Yuriella calming down, but at the same time, he sank endlessly, realizing once again that it was not his role to comfort her. His feelings were truly foolish.

He thought he had given up, but when he came to his senses, his heart, which had grown more than before, was violently shaking him.

She was in so much pain. Seeing her tender heart being scorched black with unavoidable guilt, Ricarion had to clench his fists tightly until his nails dug in, ashamed that he had flown in excitement to see her.

The coffins of the victims were immediately transported to the North through the magic circle cast by the Northern mages. The knights and priests waiting there decided to form a procession with the bereaved families to travel to their respective hometowns.

As if knowing the hearts of those left behind, rain fell from the gloomy sky all day long.

Everyone was well aware that they were not allowed the luxury of falling into deep sorrow.

They also knew that now was the time to empty the overflowing tears from their hearts and fill them with determined will in order to face them with a clear conscience when they met again.

Late that afternoon, as the mourners returned in the rain, Frost summoned the Duke of Yowell from the South, Duke Greco from the West, and the Tower Master to his office.

Emperor Candidate Lewis, whom he had chosen as his future lord, Yuriella, the wind spirit Airy, and Popo, the spirit of the holy sword Gaius, also took their seats with them.

Popo, who had been with Yuriella on the day she infiltrated the Imperial Palace, was the first to speak.

[The corrupted piece of the divine was not Lady Helena Figueroa, but the Emperor himself.]

Popo calmly recounted the story from the day of the Imperial Court ball when he first sensed the piece of the divine consumed by darkness, to what he had felt in front of the Emperor’s bedchamber last time.

Duke Yowell and Duke Greco let out long sighs and remained silent for quite some time.

As the silence grew longer, Ricarion brought up the topic of the corpse mercenaries who had raided the ducal residence.

“I have dispatched trusted mage subordinates to the Kingdom of Huturui and the East. We will also investigate the connection between the Imperial Court and the corpse mercenary corps and inform you as soon as results are available.”

Duke Yowell opened his closed eyes and heaved another sigh.

“Hah. It’s absurd enough that the ruler of an empire is a dark mage. But a corrupted piece of the divine? This can no longer be overlooked. Our South is ready to march out at any time!”

Attacking the only ducal residence in the empire with corpse mercenaries in broad daylight was an unforgivable act. Moreover, for the Emperor himself to dabble in dark magic…

The Imperial Court had for generations exterminated dark mages and their lineages. They believed dark magic was a dangerous element that threatened the foundation of the empire.

“Can we trust that the Tower will also share our cause?”

When Lewis asked Ricarion, Duke Greco answered before the Tower Master.

“Nothing is certain yet. Hasty assumptions will only lead to confusion.”

Frost, who had been silently staring at Duke Greco with his chin resting on his hand, let out a low snort.

“Is that all you have to say after much deliberation?”

“There is no evidence that the Empress Dowager sent the corpse mercenaries.”

The lord of the West, a neutral party, did not avoid the Duke’s sharp gaze.

“Even if what Popo says about the Emperor being a corrupted piece of the divine is true, there is still no evidence that he has done anything with dark magic.”

Duke Yowell slammed the table and jumped up, reprimanding Duke Greco.

“Evidence! Will you only acknowledge it as evidence when the Emperor uses sorcery to bring calamity to the West?”

Frost’s gaze turned to the Tower Master.

“Tower Master. What are your thoughts?”

“There is no evidence that the Imperial Court did it.”

Lewis let out a soft sigh and glared at Ricarion.

“Aren’t you directly treating coma patients at the Tower? Are you saying their condition is not caused by dark magic?”

“It is certain that the condition is caused by dark magic, but no traces have been found yet that the Imperial Court was involved.”

At the Tower Master’s answer, Duke Yowell tapped his chest with his palm as if frustrated.

“We already know from Cassandra Cabeza’s testimony that the Figueroa family women possess the talent for dark magic. The spirit of the holy sword you wield personally confirmed that the Emperor is a corrupted piece of the divine! What more clear evidence is there than this!”

“It’s all still circumstantial evidence.”

Yuriella, who had been silently observing, stood up and walked over to the Tower Master. She took off the enchanted ring on her finger and held it out to him.

“This is the illusion magic tool you made for me, Tower Master. The Emperor… broke the magic you put on it. Right before my eyes, just by lightly touching it. Will you still say there is insufficient evidence?”

Silence fell over the office again.

Even Duke Greco seemed to have not anticipated this at all, as his violet eyes behind his thick single-lens glasses wavered greatly.

Ricarion gently rubbed the gem decoration of the ring, which had lost its light with the center shattered, with his thumb and let out a soft sigh.

“We must not act rashly. Especially if their deeds are certain.”

“Does the problem get solved by itself if we just sit back and do nothing?”

Meeting the upright red eyes gazing at him, Ricarion gave a faint smile.

“No matter how advanced the Emperor’s dark magic skills are, I am also one chosen by the holy sword among the pieces of the divine. Yet the Emperor… broke my magic. He accomplished the impossible.”

“Explain so I can understand.”

Frost glared at Ricarion with an expression full of heavy irritation.

“Even a corrupted piece of the divine was once a sacred piece of the divine. To have a darkness density strong enough for Popo to sense, one must be consumed by darkness from birth, no, from the womb. That is… something impossible with currently existing dark magic.”

“You mean a third party intervened?”

“It’s highly likely. The holy sword Flama’s transformation into a demon sword was probably also possible because ancient dark magic was used.”

Frost tapped the armrest with his fingertips, deep in thought.

“The Empress Dowager said there would be another destined to be Flama’s master. That ‘jewel-like child’ seems to be the Emperor.”

Frost raised his gaze and looked at Duke Greco and Ricarion in turn.

“She said if the new master wields the fully demonized Flama, the earth will split open and lava redder than blood will scorch the fertile lands. Flames will shoot up in the North Sea where icebergs drift, and a typhoon carrying black ash will overturn the world.”

Nevertheless, Frost’s cold blue eyes were asking the lord of the West and the Tower Master if they would maintain their damned neutrality.

“It’s nothing but the delusions of those lost in grandiose fantasies.”

Duke Greco stood up as if he had nothing more to say.

“The Emperor is now trying to provoke Your Excellency to frame you for treason. By raiding the residence and flaunting petty dark magic, he is waiting for you to fall into the trap he set. So please, refrain from rash actions.”

Even after Duke Greco left, Ricarion remained seated, lost in thought.

“Tower Master.”

At Yuriella’s voice, Ricarion lifted his head.

He wanted to give her the answer she desired. He wanted to make her smile, even if only slightly. But he could not do so.

“We still know nothing about what the Emperor is capable of. How far he can go. Ignorance always leads to bitter mistakes and defeat. We must be prudent to prevent greater sacrifices.”

“Do you share the same thoughts as my father, Tower Master?”

Meeting the beautiful eyes filled with disappointment, Ricarion swallowed a bitter sigh.

“The conclusion to refrain from rash actions is the same, but the reason is the complete opposite.”

Ricarion looked down at the enchanted ring Yuriella had handed him with a dark expression.

The enchanted ring he made was not imbued with just illusion magic.

It was a protective charm engraved with the essence of the magic he had achieved, filled to the limit with the power of the earth as he prayed for Yuriella’s safety.

Although he did not tell Yuriella separately, if someone she perceived as a threat touched it, the ring had destructive power that could tear them apart regardless of what abilities they possessed.

Yet she said the Emperor simply broke the magic with his touch. Just how powerful were his abilities…?

What on earth would happen if the Emperor properly wielded the demon sword?

He had never faced an opponent so immeasurable before.

Unable to hide his anxious expression, Ricarion turned his gaze to his spirit.

“Popo. Let us return to the Tower together. We must prepare. Airy. From today, you will be in charge of guarding Her Excellency.”

Airy looked at the Tower Master and Yuriella in turn with a puzzled expression. She had thought she would return to the East to search for her main body after being summoned back briefly.

Popo also tilted his shell, as if hearing this for the first time, and looked at Airy.

After the Tower Master and Duke Yowell bid farewell to the ducal couple and left the office, Popo and Airy also tried to follow them out.

“Airy. Popo. Where are you going?”

The two spirits, who had been trying to sneakily slip away, flinched and stopped at Yuriella’s call.

They turned around with strained smiles as if their tails had been stepped on, meeting Yuriella’s chilling gaze.

“I believe we have some things to discuss separately. About Nero.”