Chapter 113

As expected, forming a contract with the Spirit King would never be easy.

How many people could even know where to find the Spirit King? And even knowing that meeting the Spirit King wasn’t guaranteed. The Spirit King could easily avoid human eyes if he wanted to.

However, Liliana knew the original story and how Lilith had managed to contract with the Spirit Kings of Light and Fire.

Lilith had traveled across the sea to the lava-filled lands for the Spirit King of Fire to forge the contract. Though Liliana knew the location, it seemed nearly impossible to reach it as the empress consort.

Since the Spirit King of Light was within the empire, she decided to aim there instead. The only problem was that he was hidden…

Liliana summoned her knight, Leon, who had been gifted to her by Princess Lucia, and gave him instructions.

“Leon, the forest to the west of the capital.”

“Are you referring to the Kirios Forest?“

“Yes. There’s something I need you to do there. Can you help?”

“Of course.“

Liliana’s instructions to Leon weren’t overly complicated. She wanted him to move the Spirit King of Light statue used in last year’s hunting festival to Kirios Forest and, each day, place a letter she had written in front of it.

The Spirit King of Light lived in Kirios Forest, and Lilith had used a similar method to lure him out. Although Lilith had used a small statue instead of an overly large one like Liliana’s, she thought it wouldn’t hurt to use the one available.

“The larger one might be more noticeable,“ Liliana joked. Of course, the statue’s size was irrelevant to the Spirit King, but it wouldn’t hurt to use what was available.

What mattered was the letters. The Spirit King of Light had grown weary over the years, tired of people who came with treasures or acted like fanatical devotees hoping to secure a contract.

Then, out of nowhere, Lilith started sending letters in a cheerful, almost chatty style. The Spirit King couldn’t help but be intrigued.

Liliana doubted she could write letters as charmingly as Lilith’s. But just as Aria remembered Lilith, so would the Spirit King of Light; her letters would be nostalgic enough.

“And I should also try with the Spirit King of Fire.”

Liliana wasn’t Lilith, so she couldn’t be sure that the Spirit King of Light would respond.

Meanwhile, she began recruiting mercenaries to venture to the lava lands where the Spirit King of Fire resided.

Rumors quickly spread since she hadn’t recruited them secretly, and people began to wonder why Liliana was seeking the Spirit King.

“Why is Her Highness looking for the Spirit King? Wasn’t she already close to the Spirit King of Water?“

“Could she be such a formidable spirit mage that one Spirit King isn’t enough?“

“Two Spirit King contracts! I’ve never heard of such a thing!“

“Well, didn’t it happen centuries ago?“

“How lucky we are to have someone so remarkable in our empire!“

“Have you heard? A new academy founded by a trading company accepts students regardless of status. They say tuition is free if you have the qualities of a spirit summoner!”

Sitting in her office, Liliana was reading and reviewing the rumors circulating throughout the empire.

Even commoners’ tabloids could be helpful in times like this. They clearly showed what interested the people, what angered them, and what they cheered for.

Public opinion was shifting in Liliana’s favor.

After Duke Gabriel had been publicly humiliated, even the nobility barely paid him any mind.

Many nobles, abandoning their business ventures tied to Duke Gabriel, were now approaching Liliana with proposals for new ventures.

Though many good things were happening, Liliana’s expression wasn’t bright.

In the original story, Lilith received a golden letter in front of the statue within ten days of sending her letters. But the Spirit King of Light had yet to respond to Liliana’s letters.

Forcing a smile, Liliana asked Agrina, “Have we heard anything else from Leon?“

“No, Your Highness. Leon is diligent, so he’ll report any news immediately.“

“Yes, that’s true.”

The mercenary group she had assembled to send to the Spirit King of Fire’s land was also nearly complete, so she couldn’t lose hope.

Liliana reminded herself that feeling so dispirited wasn’t like her. She stood up and decided to check the progress of Aris Palace’s construction.

The last time she checked, it was nearly finished; they’d be able to move in as soon as the interior was done.

But then, hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway, and Liliana felt foreboding.

After a knock, Minelli entered, looking anxious but hesitating as her eyes met Liliana’s.

“What’s wrong?“

“Well…“

“Just tell me. You’re making me more anxious by hesitating.“

Liliana’s face tensed. Bad things often happen all at once. After losing Chuchu, what other troubles awaited her?

Minelli swallowed and cautiously began to speak.

“As you know, Countess Marienne set out for the Kingdom of Carlo yesterday, but bandits attacked her not long after departing.“

Hearing the news, Liliana’s face turned pale. She wobbled, weakened after days of non-stop research on the Spirit Kings.

“Your Highness! Be careful!”

Agrina quickly supported her, but Liliana shook her head and straightened herself.

“Mother… Was she seriously hurt?”

Minelli, her face full of worry, completed her report.

“She was injured, but she’s now on her way to the Kingdom of Nieta for treatment. It’s close by, so there shouldn’t be major issues. She plans to resume her journey in a few days.“

“Why insist on traveling so far with injuries?“

“The Countess Marienne is said to be very resolute.”

The desire to meet wasn’t Liliana’s alone. The Countess Marienne, too, was so eager to see Liliana that she had resolved to travel this long distance, even if it meant facing bandits or getting injured.

Liliana sat, wrapped in her thoughts. Just recently, upon hearing that her mother was coming, she had thought she couldn’t be happier. So why did things keep going wrong?

If she could never meet Chuchu again, and if her mother got seriously hurt…

Her head began to fill with dark thoughts.

“Your Highness, are you all right?”

Liliana looked up at Agrina’s concerned voice. Matters regarding Chuchu or the Countess Marienne held no personal benefit for Agrina, yet she was genuinely worried.

When she shifted her gaze, Minelli looked just as concerned as Agrina.

“What am I doing…”

Liliana let out a self-deprecating laugh, then abruptly lifted her head and slapped both cheeks with a loud smack.

“Oh, Your Highness!”

Minelli gasped and hurried over, but Liliana raised her chin and smiled heartily.

“I’m fine. I’m responsible for more than just a few people, so I can’t let a bit of bad news get me down.”

Liliana took a deep breath in and out, steadying her thoughts.

“My mother is a guest of the imperial family and has the right to be assured of her safety. I’ll request His Majesty to lend a portion of the Third Imperial Knights. Order them to accompany Leon to the Kingdom of Nieta to escort my mother.“

“Then what about the Kirios Forest?“

“I’ll have to go there myself.”

Despite the time that had passed, the Spirit King of Light had not appeared, which suggested that a simple letter wasn’t enough to draw him out. Perhaps he had seen through her plan to play on his affection for Lirit.

Liliana promptly requested Helio to arrange protection for Countess Marienne.

Whether he could spare just a fraction of the Third Imperial Knights or a part of that fraction didn’t matter. No bandit would dare attack a carriage bearing the imperial flag.

Fortunately, Helio allowed her a portion of the Third Imperial Knights, and Liliana prepared herself to depart for the Kirios Forest.

But on the very day Leon was due to return, he knelt before her and presented a golden letter.

“It was placed in front of the Spirit King of Light statue.“

It was indeed a letter from the Spirit King of Light. Liliana immediately took the letter from Leon.

She opened it, hoping it would contain instructions on where to meet in the Kirios Forest, but…

“If I help you, water and darkness will become very angry with me. I am too frail to aid you directly. However, I shall ensure your little Spirit remains safe, so do not worry.”

Liliana wanted to throw this letter full of excuses right away. As if sensing her frustration, the letter dissolved softly, leaving golden dust that dispersed into the air.

“I forgot how much of a whiner the Spirit King of Light is.”

She looked at her empty hands in disbelief, then lifted her head with a sudden realization.

“Nothing is going my way!”

Still, the fact that the Spirit King of Light promised to protect Chuchu gave her some reassurance. But, of course, that didn’t mean she could give up on Chuchu.

“What about the mercenaries to meet the Spirit King of Fire?“

“We’re almost done recruiting. Thanks to Your Highness’s popularity among the commoners, they gathered quickly.“

“That’s a relief. And what about the craftsman’s work?”

The Spirit King of Fire, the origin of the knights, was notoriously rigid and challenging to persuade.

But he had a soft spot for finely crafted items made with a craftsman’s soul, so it was worth a try.

Thus, she had asked Marchioness Liston and Marquis Lackl to secure the highest-quality item possible.

With a confident smile, Agrina handed her a box.

“It has just arrived. Please check it.”

Liliana carefully opened the box. Inside was an intricate tiara made of gold and rubies, so majestic it resembled a crown.

“It’s magnificent. No matter how much fuss the Spirit King of Fire might make, he’ll want this.”

As Liliana moved around energetically, all the palace staff on edge breathed a sigh of relief and began bustling about according to her instructions.

Time passed,

And finally, Countess Marienne arrived at the imperial capital of the Carlo Empire.