Chapter 92. Where on Earth Are You?

“How could this happen…?”

Kiel murmured with a worried voice as he walked along the corridor. In his hand was the newspaper that had arrived that morning.

It was the latest news in the Hilton territory, but judging by the date on the newspaper, it seemed to be news that had already been causing a stir elsewhere for a month.

Having reached the Duke’s office, he paused in front of the door and took a deep breath.

Wondering how His Grace would react upon seeing it…

The mere thought sent chills down his spine.

Kiel closed his eyes tightly and opened them, then knocked on the door with a determined face, as if walking into the jaws of death.

“Come in.”

Upon hearing the permission from inside, he unconsciously made the sign of the cross before opening the door.

Claude sat at his desk with the pale winter sunlight streaming through the window behind him. In front of him were the documents Kiel had compiled and submitted.

While Kiel managed the administration of the Hilton territory in place of their lord, who often went out to subdue monsters, the true master of Hilton was undoubtedly Claude. He took care of territorial affairs whenever he had time.

“Leave it there and go.”

Claude said indifferently upon glancing at the newspaper in Kiel’s hand.

Kiel inwardly sighed with relief.

He hoped to leave quickly before any unnecessary trouble arose.

Using a small trick, Kiel placed the newspaper face down on the desk so that the front page wouldn’t be visible. His misfortune was placing it next to Claude’s cherished vase.

It was a transparent glass bottle with a single red camellia, and Claude personally changed the water with his rough hands.

He didn’t know why Claude suddenly cherished such flowers…

“Hey, be careful.”

“Yes?”

“You just touched the vase. What if it breaks?”

“Oh… I apologize.”

Kiel bowed his head in confusion. The newspaper had barely brushed against it, if at all, and he wasn’t even sure it had touched it, but Claude was being sensitive.

Kiel quickly withdrew his hand.

Claude looked up at the butler with a dissatisfied expression, as if something was bothering him.

Then he reached out and moved the newspaper. It seemed he was bothered by it being left so close to the vase.

Kiel tensed up.

He watched as the newspaper, which he had deliberately placed face down, was slowly turned over in his field of vision.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

Kiel hastily bowed, trying to escape before anything started. But Claude spoke faster than Kiel could turn around.

“Wait.”

“…Yes?”

Even as he asked, Kiel felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly observed his lord’s expression.

In that brief moment, Claude could have only seen the headline at most. The problem was that the headline was quite direct.

Kiel swallowed dryly.

[Missing Purifier Seraphina, Where Is She?]

Thud.

Claude tossed the newspaper onto the desk so the front was visible, his red eyes burning fiercely, like a wild beast that had just shed blood.

“…Missing?”

Claude’s expression twisted into a fierce scowl.

“What is this nonsense?”

* * *

Not all the articles that heated up the newspapers day after day were true.

A prime example was the ‘Emperor’s Continental Tour.’

Those who skimmed only the headlines gossiped that Johann was already touring the continent. On the other hand, those who read the articles carefully and thoroughly argued back that it was unclear whether he had left or was going to leave.

Such debates also flared up over another article, claiming that the Imperial elite knight order had been fully mobilized to find Seraphina.

To cut to the chase, it was all ‘hearsay.’

Johann, who was rumored to have left for a continental tour, was in the Imperial Palace, and the knight order dispatched to find Seraphina was merely a single division.

But the articles weren’t entirely false.

Because the ridiculous rumors originated from none other than the Imperial Palace.

“It’s not the first time Marseus has toured the continent, is it?”

Ionia sighed at Johann’s words. She was exhausted to the core from the month-long debate.

Every time their eyes met, Johann tried to secure a pretext to leave, mentioning ‘continental tours’ or ‘dispatching the knight order’ to find Seraphina. He even brought it up as an agenda item at the noble meetings, leading journalists with noble connections to catch wind of it and publish articles.

The issue was Johann’s condition.

Ionia firmly spoke as she looked at Johann, who appeared pitifully haggard.

“No, Your Majesty.”

“Ionia.”

“Absolutely not.”

Though she spoke firmly, Ionia was actually wavering.

She had never seen this before.

In over ten years of serving him, she had never seen Johann deteriorate to this extent.

He still diligently processed the documents that came to the Emperor, so outwardly, everything seemed fine…

<Your Majesty? Did you approve this right away…?>

<…Did I?>

Just a few days ago, he made an unbelievably basic mistake that left Ionia aghast. He unilaterally processed a bill he had personally established to be handled through the administrative office.

That day, Johann sat blankly for a moment before ordering her to bring back the related documents. The mistake was quickly corrected, but it was not a good sign.

Watching from the side, it was too precarious.

And it wasn’t just Ionia who felt it.

Jesuf, who couldn’t stand it any longer, intervened.

“It’s about time for a continental tour, isn’t it?”

“Hey.”

At Ionia’s sharp word, Jesuf, who was practically the best sword in the Empire aside from the three heroes, shrank back.

But his words, despite having immediately backed down, had quite an impact.

Johann seized the opportunity.

“I should check how the purifiers are doing. There have been undead sightings near Elmon, and I need to see if there are any unusual occurrences in other areas…”

“Aren’t all the reports coming in?”

Ionia sharply cut off Johann’s words, her gaze steady and firm. In contrast, Johann’s eyes were anxiously wavering. There was no winning against Ionia in an argument.

Johann gritted his teeth. He knew he couldn’t just abandon everything recklessly to search for Seraphina. The damned weight of the throne held him back.

That’s why he needed the help of Ionia and Jesuf even more.

For the emperor’s absence, which could last an unknown duration, these two had to serve as pillars. They needed to control the nobles to prevent any stray thoughts and ensure that the order they had barely maintained didn’t collapse, granting the authority of the emperor’s proxy.

And this had to be done clearly in front of the vassals.

“Sigh.”

At that moment, Ionia let out a long sigh and looked at Johann with a complex expression.

“If you speak honestly, I’ll consider it.”

“……!”

Johann’s eyes widened.

He wanted to speak honestly, but at that moment, he felt as if a thorn was lodged in his heart, blocking his breath.

To say this out loud…

“Your Majesty?”

Watching Johann repeatedly open and close his mouth, Ionia furrowed her brow. Then, realizing Johann’s condition was more serious than she had expected, she closed her eyes gently.

Pressing her temples, which were throbbing, she spoke.

“I heard that Dr. Bremen is prescribing sleeping pills.”

“…The physician has a loose tongue.”

Johann did not deny it.

In fact, since Seraphina disappeared, he hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep.

Even the sleeping pills prescribed by Bremen were ineffective. The only days he managed to sleep were when he collapsed from exhaustion.

He knew the reason.

He was worried to the point of madness. No, he felt like he was going to die.

With Seraphina missing for a month, negative thoughts occasionally gnawed at his insides. Thoughts he couldn’t dare to speak aloud, like the rumors whispered by gossipers, swirled in his mind.

Shut up.

Don’t think like that.

It’s not like a body has been found.

Clinging to the only hope, Johann endured.

“Let’s hear how many months you’re planning.”

“Isn’t it usually said to be a few years?”

“Have you lost your mind, Your Majesty?”

Ionia was appalled.

And even Jesuf, who had briefly taken Johann’s side, gaped in astonishment, quickly adding,

“If you go, I’ll accompany Your Majesty to assist you.”

Staying here would be hell.

He already disliked paper and writing, and he’d end up trapped in an endless paperwork nightmare.

Of course, Ionia wasn’t going to let him go so easily.

“If you’re going, go alone, Your Majesty.”

“Are you serious?”

Though faint, Johann’s face, which had been gaunt, momentarily brightened.

Watching this, Ionia deliberated one last time.

He had reached this state in just a month. How much worse would it be in two months…

Perhaps the emperor might fall ill, paralyzing everything.

And there was still no heir.

“Tsk.”

Ionia adjusted her glasses and nodded.

She wasn’t worried about sending Johann, one of the three heroes, alone. If anything, she’d worry about the poor souls who might not recognize a hero and act rudely.

“But there’s a time limit.”

With the emperor’s absence, the burden on her and Jesuf would increase. It would be tough, but not impossible.

“Return within half a year. And no changing your mind when you return.”

“Understood. I’ll definitely be back within half a year.”

Johann quickly accepted before Ionia could change her mind. He also wanted to find Seraphina within half a year.

Listening to Jesuf’s lamenting cries as background music, Johann hurried out of the office.

His mind was filled with one thought.

Seraphina…

Where on earth are you?