Itis’s room was extremely simple. Despite being the leader of the most famous holy knights, he was staying in a room suitable for commoners.

It was a room with only a bed, a small table, and two chairs. There was no sofa or attached bathroom.

“I can bathe in the public bathhouse, or if that’s not possible, I can wash in the lake.”

Itis calmly replied to Roxiana’s question and pointed to a chair.

“Please sit, lady. Grand Duke.”

With only two chairs, Floyd naturally sat down. When Roxiana hesitated to sit, Itis said,

“I prefer standing. If I’m sitting and the Grand Duke suddenly attacks, I might not be able to dodge.”

Floyd grinned.

“Wise of you.”

“Not at all.”

A joke? It must be a joke, right?

Roxiana swallowed dryly at the fierce exchange between the two and sat down. Itis leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.

“So, who would like to start the conversation with me?”

“I will.”

Roxiana quickly answered before Floyd could speak.

“You seem to know a lot about spirits. And about my power too.”

Itis smiled gently.

“It seems the Grand Duke keeps no secrets from you, my lady.”

Roxiana realized her mistake. The conversation between Floyd and Itis was relayed by spirits, not directly told by Floyd.

She glanced at Floyd, but he spoke to Itis as if he had expected this.

“I have no secrets. And the princess has no secrets from me either.”

Floyd turned to Roxiana as if to confirm, and she nodded. Itis watched their affectionate interaction and said,

“I see. Then let me speak first. When I first heard rumors about the lady, I thought it was holy power. But then stories added that the corrupted forest became more vibrant and lush than before. That’s something holy power can’t do. So from then on, I intercepted news about the lady.”

“Why?”

“Because it was strange. Everything. From the beginning.”

Roxiana sat quietly, waiting for Itis to explain. Itis tapped his forearm with his index finger and said,

“We receive numerous requests for help. Many countries, territories, and families desperately ask for assistance. Some can hold out, while others can’t possibly endure. In such cases, the highest priority should be given to areas with the highest risk. One misstep and the rift could explode, truly turning it into a land of death.”

But the places where the High Priest dispatched holy knights and priests were not the high-risk areas.

“Places deeply loyal to the Empire. Places with strong faith that have consistently provided material support to the temple. Or places useful to the Empire or temple. Those are the priorities.”

“Isn’t that natural? No matter how public we try to be, blood is thicker than water.”

“Of course, Grand Duke. But isn’t it strange that they don’t dispatch even when there’s manpower left? Isn’t it suspicious that they don’t send help to perfectly manageable areas, citing danger as an excuse, even when there are surplus knights? Moreover, there are countries that maintain good relations with the Empire but don’t receive support.”

As if prepared for this moment, Itis took out a folded paper from his pocket and spread it on the table. It was a map of the continent. But strangely, the edges of the continent were colored red. Torkan was also marked in red.

“These red-marked areas are the ones not receiving support. As the Grand Duke knows well, these countries are suffering great damage from magical beasts, and refugees are gradually abandoning their lands and moving towards the interior of the continent. This Heavent Duchy bordering the sea will soon disappear.”

Itis pointed to the red-colored area on the eastern part of the continent.

“If the Grand Duke wasn’t in Torkan, it would have already become a dead land.”

“Are you saying the Empire and the High Temple are just watching as rifts and magical beasts gradually devour the edges of the continent?”

“Yes. And from what I’ve witnessed, spirit users, whom we were taught were allies of magical beasts, actually fought against them and protected people. I reported this fact, but the temple still hasn’t changed its policy on exterminating spirit users. I find that very strange.”

“One could suspect that the Empire and High Temple are eliminating beings capable of dealing with magical beasts, intentionally letting the continent be devoured by them.”

Itis nodded at Roxiana’s words.

“Exactly, my lady. I couldn’t dismiss that suspicion, so I wanted to ask you when we met. Are spirits magical beasts?”

“Will you believe me if I answer?”

“I need something to believe in. I’ve realized that what I’ve believed in so far was wrong.”

“Spirits are not magical beasts. They didn’t create rifts and can’t control magical beasts. Rather, the power of spirits burns, melts, and torments magical beasts.”

“So it is, right?”

Itis slammed his fist on the table. The table cracked with a loud sound.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I got excited. I’ll compensate for the table.”

“Never mind that.”

Floyd interjected.

“So after finding out about the princess’s power, what were you planning to do?”

“Of course, I must make the Empire and temple change their policies.”

“They won’t change.”

“Yes, I think so too. In that case, I plan to find spirit users, protect them, and form a powerful group.”

“To fight magical beasts?”

“Yes, what else would we fight?”

Floyd smiled coldly.

“The Empire and the High Temple.”

“Pardon?”

“Aren’t the Empire and the temple the most suspicious here? They’re just watching as magical beasts gradually devour the continent from the edges. Yet you’re going to leave these suspicious ones alone and just deal with magical beasts and rifts? For whose benefit?”

Itis’s eyes wavered.

She had found the Empire and temple’s policies suspicious, but couldn’t completely erase the loyalty instilled in her since childhood. So she hadn’t even considered the idea of confronting the Empire and temple.

“The power of the Empire and temple is vast.”

“That’s because they have the power to deal with magical beasts. And the princess here and I have that power too. If there are more spirit users, they have the same power.”

“That’s true. But Grand Duke, with great power comes responsibility. If you have the power to help, you should.”

“I’m the kind of person without a sense of responsibility.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ve never thought of this power as something to help others. I’m not the type to do things for others’ benefit.”

“Ah…”

“Noble holy knights might have learned about self-sacrifice, but I’ve only learned to protect myself while struggling to survive.”

“But haven’t you been protecting Torkan so admirably?”

“That’s because I need it. To keep the temple and Empire from messing with me, I need overwhelming power, a country, an army, and knights.”

Unsure how to respond to Floyd’s determination, Itis’s lips quivered before turning to Roxiana as if seeking help. Roxiana spoke calmly.

“I feel the same way. I’m too busy with my own problems to go around helping people.”

“What if I help with your busy problems, my lady?”

“I appreciate the offer, but there’s nothing you can help with. I can manage on my own. However, I am curious about something.”

“Yes, please ask.”

“Why did the story of spirits creating rifts and controlling magical beasts come about? Why do people believe it? Is there any evidence?”

Such stories circulated, but there was no evidence or documentation. People simply believed what the temple, which had the power to deal with magical beasts, declared. That declaration spread by word of mouth until it became common knowledge.

“Ah, that. You know that rifts started appearing about 460 years ago, right?”

“Yes.”

“The kings of the countries that existed at that time reportedly saw it. The scene of spirit kings gathering in one place and creating rifts.”

“Spirit kings…?”

“I don’t know why the kings gathered there. However, it’s recorded that the spirit kings revealed themselves for the first time, power emanated from them, and with a thunderous noise, the first rift appeared, from which countless magical beasts flowed out and massacred humans. There’s even a sworn statement signed by the surviving kings and people, declaring everything to be true, and that their souls would not rest in God’s embrace if it were false.”

If there was a sworn statement, it must be true. If it weren’t true, their wrists would have burned the moment they signed it.

“It’s recorded that they made this oath in front of many people. When we holy knights and priests are educated, we first confirm that sworn statement. So we have no choice but to believe that spirits created the rifts.”

Itis ruffled his hair with both hands.

“To be honest, I still find it hard to believe that spirits can fight magical beasts. But I’ve seen spirit users face magical beasts, and now I’m in front of you, lady and Grand Duke. I’ve seen the Grand Duke’s flames burn magical beasts countless times. I didn’t realize it then, but if that power is from spirits… It’s confusing.”

Roxiana was confused too.

How could such a sworn statement exist? Were spirit kings really present when the rifts were created?

She quietly asked the spirits, but no answer came.

“Well, the past doesn’t matter.”

Floyd was the only one not confused in this situation.

“We have things to do, and if the temple and Empire interfere with our business, we’ll confront them. So, Sir Brede. Don’t think about using the princess for your needs. Whatever price you offer, I’ll pay an even greater price to protect her.”

It meant that offering protection from the temple or Empire would be useless. Itis read from Floyd’s cold gaze that he would truly go to war if necessary.

This has become troublesome, Itis thought.