Chapter 51. By Any Means Necessary

Theo raised an eyebrow at Asarim’s tone.

“Finally, some manners in your speech.”

“I’m a quick learner. Now, about my question.”

Asarim stared directly at Theo as he asked again. Theo spoke lightly.

“Seems there was an issue with storage. They’ll bring more soon, so it’s not a big problem.”

Of course, contrary to what he told Asarim, the disappearance of the holy water was a major issue.

But he had his promise with Priest Lambros, and he felt no need to explain the principality’s internal affairs in detail to an outsider like Asarim.

Asarim furrowed his brow and scratched his head at Theo’s words.

“Then when will it come back?”

“It’ll take about three months.”

Suddenly, Theo tilted his head as he watched Asarim inquiring about the holy water.

“You seem less like someone here to see the temple and more like someone searching for holy water.”

Asarim lowered his head, trying to avoid Theo’s gaze.

“I heard it was good for the body. I was curious.”

“I see. Must be disappointing.”

“Yes. Very disappointing indeed.”

“So, do you plan to wait until the holy water arrives?”

Asarim glanced at Yuelina. She sat turned away from Asarim’s direction.

In his heart, Asarim wanted to leave together after seeing Yuelina drink the holy water.

However, not even a faint smile could be found on Yuelina’s beautiful face.

Her face was exactly as Asarim remembered, yet why had her expression changed so much?

Asarim sighed.

“No. I’ll leave tomorrow.”

Yuelina’s lips parted slightly at Asarim’s words.

Although Asarim had told her directly that he would leave after visiting the temple, she hadn’t expected him to leave so soon.

Regardless of her anger towards him, the current situation felt sudden to Yuelina.

“Asarim. You’re leaving tomorrow?”

“Yeah. I have to go.”

Asarim shrugged slightly with a small smile at the corner of his mouth.

“I can’t be away from my post for too long.”

“But,”

“And Father must be anxiously waiting for news of you, I should quickly let him know you’re doing well.”

Theo disliked the matter-of-fact way Asarim spoke even more. He opened his mouth while staring at Asarim.

“You could stay longer.”

“Pardon?”

“I haven’t even properly hosted my wife’s friend.”

Asarim gave a bitter smile.

He could clearly sense how Theo was subtly emphasizing ‘wife’ when referring to Yuelina.

“What if I actually took you up on that offer and decided to stay?”

“…Tell me if you need anything for your departure.”

Theo couldn’t bring himself to say that would be fine.

In truth, he had been elated since the moment Asarim said he was leaving.

He felt like throwing a celebration, no, a farewell party for Asarim’s departure.

Asarim sighed. He fixed his gaze on Yuelina and spoke with a stern expression.

“Yuna. I’m really sorry. It seems I came here but wasn’t any help to you.”

“Don’t say that, Asarim. I… I was too cold to you too. I’m sorry.”

Asarim forcefully swallowed the bitter laugh that was about to escape.

Yuelina looked at Asarim, who seemed somewhat sad.

“Asarim, could you deliver my letter to Father?”

“Of course. I’ll deliver it.”

Someday.

I’ll definitely deliver your letter to Father.

Though I can’t right now.

Asarim didn’t speak these latter thoughts.

He had no intention of returning to the village right away.

The Bios Empire.

He needed to find the one who had told him that the ‘River of Memories’ was like holy water.

The temple wasn’t only in Phaenyx. There were still ways to obtain holy water.

And then he would reclaim Yuelina again.

Even if Yuelina wasn’t a ‘Snow Person’.

By any means necessary, he would make her return to his side.

The place where Yuelina should be was beside him. Asarim’s conviction wouldn’t be shaken in any way.

* * *

Theo pulled out a bottle of champagne that had been aging in the wine cellar for a long time.

He didn’t forget to bring the thin crystal champagne glasses handcrafted by an artisan.

He set the champagne glass on the desk and opened the champagne.

Pop~!

A clear, cheerful sound rang out as the bubbles trapped in the champagne bottle escaped.

Theo felt his heavy heart lightening along with it.

Asarim was leaving tomorrow.

He didn’t think his lips had turned up this happily even when he won wars.

Theo sat in his desk chair and drank the champagne with a relieved expression.

The fizzy liquid pleasantly filled his mouth.

Asarim would disappear tomorrow.

That fact made the alcohol taste sweet.

When Asarim left, Yuelina would be alone again.

It meant he would be the only one to watch Yuelina munching on her food, the only one to accompany her as she pattered along the walking paths.

So this is how good it feels when an unwelcome guest leaves.

The corners of Theo’s mouth rose.

He pondered deeply about what to do with Yuelina after Asarim left.

Buying her delicious things and going for walks would be nice, but…

First, they should finish drinking the alcohol they hadn’t completed before.

And he absolutely had to show her himself wearing training clothes and confidently striking tree trunks.

He couldn’t leave Yuelina with the image of him unable to properly strike even one tree, having been outperformed by his subordinate Raye.

Knock knock.

It was while Theo was having his private celebration.

Along with the sudden knock, Ulysse entered.

Ulysse adjusted his glasses as he saw Theo sitting at his desk drinking champagne.

Why suddenly champagne?

Champagne had never been on the list of drinks Theo drank alone at night.

He had always dismissed it, saying the alcohol content was too low and its unique carbonation was bothersome.

“Did something good happen, Your Highness?”

“Just… the weather’s nice.”

“Ah…”

“Want a glass?”

Ulysse shook his head and handed Theo an envelope of documents he had brought.

Theo received the envelope but set it down on his desk without opening it.

Ulysse tilted his head with a blank expression.

“Your Highness?”

“If it’s work, I’ll do it tomorrow. I just want to enjoy today.”

“But it’s urgent! You need to check this!”

Theo frowned but put down his champagne glass at Ulysse’s urging.

“Magic stone festival in the South?”

The contents of the documents were an invitation from the Sebran region in the south.

It explained that they had developed a mining site where magic stones could be extracted in the Sebran region, and because the properties of the magic stones mined there were excellent, they were holding a festival to thank Goddess Daphne.

To Theo, it just looked like they were desperate to show off.

Something like ‘our magic stones are the best, so come take a look’?

It was laughable to Theo, who already had more magic stones than he knew what to do with.

“You think I’m going to go there?”

Theo was seriously worried that Ulysse might have hit his head somewhere.

The invitations that came to Theo annually were enough to fill an entire room.

But he only attended when there was pressure from the Bios Empire, otherwise he never even glanced at the invitations.

“You must go.”

However, Ulysse continued with a firm expression.

“This is merely a means to get to the Sebran region.”

“A means?”

“Yes. We’ve been secretly searching for the elder priest that Delkan met, and we’ve received a response from him.”

Theo’s expression became quite serious.

The elder priest whom Delkan had met at the northern wall and asked about the ‘saintess’ and the ‘Eye of the Storm’.

He was also a priest from the main Daphne temple at the ‘Eye of the Storm’.

Therefore, he would know better than anyone about the ‘saintess’.

“What was the response?”

“He said if you want to talk, please come to Sebran. He said he urgently needs to go to the Sebran temple to check something.”

Theo and Ulysse’s gazes met.

“It’s because of the holy water.”

“Yes. It seems so. It appears there might be problems with the holy water at the Sebran temple as well.”

It’s not just the Phaenyx temple that has a problem.

Other temples are having problems too.

That speculation was not a good sign. Because it gave credence to the claim that Yuelina was indeed the ‘saintess’.

It would be even more problematic if the Bios Empire learned of this fact and began watching Yuelina more closely.

“We should go.”

Theo made his decision simply.

Since it concerned Yuelina, there was no reason for Theo not to go.

However, despite Theo’s clear answer, Ulysse’s expression didn’t easily brighten.