Chapter 47
The place Zen took her, saying they could no longer delay their studies, was a secret underground chamber where the treasures of the imperial palace were said to sleep. Ria looked around with a blank expression. At first glance, it resembled the royal shelter within the academy, but this one was far larger in scale.
“Is it okay for us to just walk into a place like this?”
“Of course not. Not for you.”
Ria shrank her shoulders a little. Come to think of it, even the shelter was said to be accessible only by those of royal blood.
Whether he noticed her tension or not, Zen lit a torch fixed to the wall. Just one was enough—soon flames spread along the wall, igniting every torch in succession, illuminating the vast chamber as though electric lights had been switched on.
“Wow! Is that magic?”
“…It was my uncle who set it up. A magic barrier covers the entire palace.”
“Oh…”
Honestly, is there anywhere Corenden doesn’t meddle?
Pouting, Ria turned her gaze to the portraits on the wall. Like the shelter, these were framed in pure gold, each painting depicting former emperors in black uniforms.
Zen pointed to one and began explaining.
“This man is the founding king of the Baisen Empire. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t yet the Baisen Empire at the time.”
Ria hurried to his side. A dignified-looking man held an orb in his hand.
“What do you mean it wasn’t the Baisen Empire?”
“It was the Kingdom of Widia. Back then, the continent hadn’t yet been unified. He was the first to unite it and named it the Baisen Empire, honored from then on not as king but as emperor.”
Though it was strange to see Zen so serious about history, Ria nodded. Since she’d sacrificed study time, she figured she had to gain something in return.
“But only a few years after unification, he died of illness. Naturally, the imperial power weakened, and when the royals of each continent began to rise again, this woman ascended the throne.”
Zen indicated the next portrait. A golden-haired woman wielded a massive spear in one hand.
“She’s the one who truly established the Baisen Empire. Some criticize her rule as politics by force, but without it, the empire would have faced another long war. To prevent meaningless deaths, she challenged each continental king to duels of swordsmanship.”
Ria nodded, eyes sparkling with interest.
Wow, I actually understand this really well.
Zen’s history lecture continued. Occasionally, he’d share family anecdotes passed down only among royals, or show her real treasures that appeared in history. When she saw the actual spear held by the second monarch up close, her jaw nearly dropped.
“How is it?”
Zen looked smug, and Ria burst into laughter before admitting honestly:
“It helped a lot. Thank you. I’m glad I came.”
“So, you’ll be ranking first now?”
“Uh… only if… herbalism goes well…”
When Ria lowered her head, looking unconfident, Zen shrugged.
“As for herbalism, don’t you have an excellent teacher right by your side?”
“A teacher?”
“…Syclaen.”
Ria flinched the moment the name left his lips.
“Syclaen… is good at herbalism?”
“…She’s liked it since childhood.”
Having said it, Zen lowered his gaze.
So Syclaen is good at herbalism…
Though Ria nodded at this new fact about her favorite character—something not written in the original story—she was oddly not happy about it.
Zen, on the other hand, regretted bringing it up at all. To him, Syclaen was like an unhealed wound.
An awkward silence fell between them. Just then, Ria spotted something white darting among the treasures.
“Huh?”
Unconsciously, she grabbed Zen’s sleeve.
“What is it?”
Zen followed her gaze—
Clatter—
The second monarch’s spear, the supposed imperial treasure, suddenly tilted and began to fall.
“Ah!”
In a flash, Ria cast a floating spell. A faint blue light wrapped around the spear, holding it aloft. Beneath it, yawning shamelessly, was Lucina.
“Nya~.”
Only then did she remember Lucina had boarded the carriage with them. She must’ve snuck into the palace at some point.
“You—!”
Zen strode over, set the spear back into place, and bent to grab Lucina. But the creature shot past like a bullet, landing snugly in Ria’s arms instead.
Startled, Ria petted her without thinking, then scolded:
“Hey, where have you been? And how did you get in here?”
It was strange. Lucina had a habit of appearing out of nowhere and then vanishing again.
Are divine beasts all this capricious?
Zen sighed as he approached.
“Looks like it came to retrieve its necklace.”
“Necklace?”
He parted the beast’s long fur to reveal a golden necklace gleaming beneath its chin. As Zen reached for it, Lucina shook herself vigorously and leapt away.
“Tch.”
Zen frowned.
“What is it?”
“I’ve only heard of it in legends. Simply put, it’s proof of a contract. Whoever wears that necklace can summon the divine beast at will.”
Ah!
Ria remembered what she’d read in a book after Zen mentioned it before—a treasure that allowed its master to freely command a divine beast in exchange for providing it a dwelling place. So this necklace belonged to Lucina.
“But why is it here? Shouldn’t someone be wearing it?”
“It’s from so long ago. These days, neither do royals need divine beasts, nor do divine beasts need royals.”
“Nya!”
Lucina mewed unhappily. Zen shrugged.
“To be precise, divine beasts no longer blindly obey royals. They’ve learned to make their own domains.”
“Nya nya.”
Lucina rubbed her chin happily against Ria’s leg.
“So we thought all such treasures had vanished, but…”
“Nya!”
Lucina stretched and tapped Ria’s leg.
“Hm? What is it?”
When Ria crouched to meet its eyes, Lucina pawed at its fur, pulling free the golden necklace, and dropped it onto Ria’s hand.
“Wait, that’s dangerous—”
Zen’s hand froze midair. Though worried, since he had never actually seen the relic before, the necklace settled calmly into her palm.
“Nya nya nya.”
Lucina tapped Ria’s hand insistently.
“What? Are you… giving this to me?”
“Nya~!”
Sure enough, Lucina closed its eyes and nuzzled her hand.
“Unbelievable.”
Zen looked dumbfounded.
“It must really like you.”
He brushed past her casually.
“Let’s go. It’s late.”
“Wait, but am I really allowed to keep this? Isn’t it an imperial treasure?”
“It’s not even listed among the treasures, and no one’s seen it until now. Without that beast, it never would’ve been found anyway. Its true master is the divine beast, and since it handed it to you, it’s yours now.”
Ria stared uneasily at the necklace. Lucina nudged the dangling pendant toward her with its paw, as if urging her to wear it.
Still hesitant, she heard Zen add:
“At the very least, with that necklace you won’t be stranded again. Accept it.”
“…Fine.”
At last, Ria gave in and slipped it around her neck. She definitely didn’t want another disaster like before.
The moment she fastened the clasp, the necklace sank into her body and vanished.
“Huh?”
Startled, Ria touched her neck, only for it to reappear again.
“As expected of an imperial treasure—it’s not just any trinket.”
Zen chuckled. When her hand fell away, the necklace disappeared once more. Apparently, it only manifested when needed.
Satisfied, Lucina stretched up against her leg, as if asking to be carried. Feeling like she had suddenly become a guardian of a divine beast, Ria carefully lifted it into her arms.
A few days after visiting the palace, Ria had to admit Zen had been a tremendous help with history.
All my exams, history included, went well. I have a good feeling about this.
She smiled faintly. Now, only the herbalism exam remained before everything would be over. She fluttered through her herbalism books, but couldn’t focus.
Zen said Syclaen was good at herbalism.
She could just ask Syclaen for help, but for some reason she didn’t want to. Normally, she would’ve seized any excuse to be near her favorite character.
…But I shouldn’t bother Syclaen.
Though she tried to rationalize it, Ria knew that wasn’t her real feeling.
Ever since visiting the hideout where Zen and Syclaen had spent their childhood, a petty emotion had stirred inside her.
It just feels… like my friend was taken away.
She shook her head roughly, long black hair whipping against her cheek. She hated herself for harboring such thoughts toward bright, innocent Syclaen. She tried not to define what she was feeling.
“Sigh…”
Ria exhaled softly and buried her head in the book again.
Herbalism was still difficult. She’d looked at the pages so often she knew exactly where each section was written, but if she looked only at the illustrations, she couldn’t easily tell herb from poison.
Maybe it would help if I saw the real plants.
As she rested her chin in her hand, pondering, someone cautiously sat across from her.
Zen?
She lifted her head, cheeks flushed, but instead of familiar silver hair, she saw dazzling golden hair shining like the sun.
“Lady Ria.”
“What brings you here…?”
Her eyes widened at the unexpected visitor. Smiling warmly in a hushed voice, it was none other than Byron Evon.
“I heard you were here, so I came to find you.”
“…Specifically me? Why?”
Ria narrowed her eyes. She hadn’t forgotten the unsettling warning Byron had given her not long ago.
“Because I wish to ask for your time. If you have no other engagements, would you share a meal with me?”
Byron smiled, eyes crinkling. Outwardly harmless, but not a smile she could trust.
