SYOV 09

Chapter 9

The Deste territory was right next to the exile settlement.

‘That’s really suspicious.’

My instincts immediately told me something was wrong.

‘If we visit the Deste territory, maybe we’ll find out more. Like the real reason the exile family was framed…’

Now I knew that the exile family had been falsely accused.

But was the entire country really willing to go this far just to make them mine ore?

‘That alone doesn’t make sense.’

Before leaving the Primeval Forest, I called Livi.

Just in case, I didn’t tell her that we were heading to the Deste territory. I only said we were going outside the forest to look around.

Livi told us to come back safely and not to worry about everyone at home.

“Please wear these.”

Verity took out three transparent cloaks that could hide our appearance.

Like the others, these cloaks were counted as part of my wish. I wanted to reduce the number of wishes I made so the Demons wouldn’t have to work overtime because of me.

“If you pull the hood over your head, not only will your appearance disappear, but even your presence will be hidden.”

“Wow…”

I quickly put on the cloak.

“I wonder how much money I could get if I sold this…”

“You’ve become completely obsessed with money, Young Lady. That’s a condition with no cure.”

The three of us stood near the edge of the Primeval Forest and carefully watched outside.

The area beyond the forest was filled with heavily armed knights. Every one of them carried a sword at their waist. There were also large cannon-like weapons with huge wheels.

Besides the knights, there were other people as well.

Ian looked at them and muttered,

“Even the Imperial Court Mages are here.”

“What about those people wearing white?”

“Priests.”

Click.

Then another…

Click.

Much more skillfully than three days ago, I opened the barrier of the Primeval Forest.

At last, we stepped outside.

The knights didn’t notice us because of our cloaks.

Thanks to that, we were able to secretly listen to their conversation from nearby.

“I heard the barrier inside the Primeval Forest disappeared, and the exile settlement was completely destroyed…”

“They say the dead Clavis family summoned a monster with their own lives to get revenge on the Emperor.”

“So that’s why His Majesty moved to the southern villa?”

“I heard only the prison guard’s head was found outside…”

“What’ll happen to the Clavis family’s fortune? Will the Emperor and the nobles split it? Any news yet?”

From their conversation, I realized something important.

‘The Imperial Family was jealous of the Clavis family.’

If that was true…

Then maybe the Clavis family had also been framed.

‘And somehow… it feels like the Clavis family knew about it and still chose to play along.’

Just then…

“…”

“…”

I made eye contact with someone.

Among the noisy crowd, a man stood alone, silently staring in my direction.

‘W-What?’

Could he actually see us?

The man slowly began walking toward me.

His quiet but heavy footsteps stopped right in front of us.

Ian quietly pulled me into his arms.

Verity stared at the man with an unreadable expression.

Black hair.

A beauty mark beneath his right eye.

A dark purple coat draped over his shoulders.

A face whose age was impossible to guess.

The knights who had been laughing moments ago immediately straightened themselves and saluted.

“C-Chief Chamberlain!”

“I’m sorry for interrupting your break.”

“N-Not at all, sir!”

“We were just exchanging information while on patrol—”

“Then I suppose I misunderstood. I thought you were resting because you were chatting so loudly.”

Wow.

‘That was such a brutal indirect insult!’

I admired him in silence.

“It seems Commander Rashid has discovered something about the Primeval Forest. I believe he’s looking for all of you as well.”

“Ah, thank you very much!”

“Please excuse us!”

The knights hurried away as if they were running for their lives.

The Chief Chamberlain’s gentle smile disappeared in an instant.

Without another word, he turned around and walked away.

“…We should get going too.”

As I followed Verity and Ian, I couldn’t stop glancing behind me.

The Chief Chamberlain stood completely still, quietly staring at something once again.

It was my first time seeing the world outside the Primeval Forest.

An endless green plain stretched all the way to the horizon.

The vast grassland made the Primeval Forest look like a giant mountain rising from the center.

It was an incredible view.

But I couldn’t enjoy it.

“Wow.”

Verity looked at my forehead with wide eyes.

“Why are you sweating so much? Is it because you’re still a baby with a fast metabolism?”

“I’m twenty-five. What baby?”

“Hebenia, you’re seven. But seriously, you sweated a lot.”

Ian showed me the back of his hand after wiping my forehead.

It was covered with sweat.

‘…I was scared.’

I normally wasn’t someone who got scared easily.

People often said I had no sense of danger.

Even when the prison guard strangled me, I was angry—not afraid.

I had even gotten used to hunting monsters surprisingly fast.

But just seeing one man had made me react like this.

I placed a hand over my chest.

My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would break my ribs.

“Ian.”

I quietly asked,

“What kind of person is the Chief Chamberlain?”

“He’s the Emperor’s closest aide. Umm… he’s basically like the Emperor’s secretary.”

“Is he strong?”

“I’m not really sure. But according to the rumors, he is.”

“I see.”

But Ian wasn’t finished.

“Still…”

He looked back toward the Primeval Forest.

“I don’t think he’s just strong.”

“You didn’t realize that before?”

Verity asked.

“No. I’d never met him before, so I just accepted the rumors.”

Ian kept staring toward where the Chief Chamberlain had been.

“Maybe…”

“The rumors don’t even come close to describing how strong he really is.”

Cold sweat slowly began appearing on Ian’s forehead as well.

After walking for about an hour from the exile settlement, we reached a small village.

From there, we rode in a carriage for another thirty minutes before arriving at the Deste territory.

It looked exactly like the magical world from a fairy tale.

‘So this is what people mean by another world.’

As I looked around in amazement, I noticed a small train running along the ground.

It traveled around the territory on rails, picking up and dropping off passengers.

“That’s a Magi-Powered Street Train. People usually call it a tram.”

“A tram…”

“The Clavis family developed it and distributed it throughout the country.”

Ian pointed at the lock-shaped emblem painted on the train.

“See that?”

“Yeah. A diamond-shaped lock.”

“That symbol represents companies under the Clavis family. Their symbol is a key, so all of their businesses and foundations use a lock.”

“It’s one of the things you might have inherited someday, Young Lady.”

“Ugh… Mother, Father! Why did you have to do something so crazy and leave your only daughter completely broke?”

“Hebenia, you’re not an only child.”

“You have an older brother.”

“I had a hidden family secret?”

“It wasn’t even a secret…”

I kept watching until the tram disappeared around the corner.

Until I could no longer see the lock symbol.

The Clavis family…

Ever since I arrived at the exile settlement, I had asked the adults about them whenever I had the chance.

‘Though every story sounded completely insane.’

A proud family that treated noble titles like something to give to their pet dog.

Heroes greater than the Emperor himself.

A family so rich they didn’t know what to do with their money.

A terrifying clan that could even make Demons work for them.

And in the end…

Traitors who were wiped out after being accused of attempting to assassinate the Imperial Princess.

‘…I bet they’re still alive.’

Just as I had mysterious powers…

The other members of the Clavis family surely had incredible abilities too.

Even I had survived after awakening my power only recently.

There was no way the others were dead.

I was certain they were hiding somewhere, happily watching everything unfold.

“By the way…”

While Ian went inside the inn to rent rooms, Verity and I waited outside, quietly watching the people passing by.

For the record, our cover story was that we were three poor siblings traveling to the border in search of our father, who had abandoned us after running away with another woman.

“Verity.”

“Hm?”

“Do you know anything about the Clavis family? You seem to know a lot.”

“Hmm…”

After thinking for a moment, Verity answered,

“They’re a bunch of unbelievably awful bastards.”

“Oh…”

Looks like I had no luck with family in this world either.

If even a Demon spoke that badly about them…

That said everything.

‘Well… it’s not like I expected anything anyway.’

It was better to stop hoping now than get hurt later.

Just then, Ian came back after paying for our rooms.

“It’s been so long since I talked to strangers…”

His face was still full of tension.

The feeling of living a normal life again…

The feeling of freedom…

Both were still unfamiliar to him.

The same was probably true for everyone waiting for us back in the Primeval Forest.

‘I really can’t forgive the Emperor.’

Personally, I hadn’t hated the Emperor that much.

No matter what his intentions had been, the things I experienced because of him had ultimately helped me.

But after seeing Ian just now…

I knew I’d never forgive him.

“…Let’s come out more often.”

I took Ian’s hand.

“Let’s travel together.”

“Let’s visit lots of places.”

“And let’s bring the others too.”

“…”

“We can do it.”

“I’ll help you.”

“…If it weren’t for you…”

Ian’s voice trembled slightly.

“I honestly don’t know what would’ve happened to us.”

“The prison guards would’ve killed us.”

“Or the monsters would’ve eaten us.”

“Hahaha.”

“What’s so funny?”

Feeling embarrassed, I lightly kicked his leg.

“Come on.”

“We’ve got a lot to do.”

“We’re going to the herb shop first, right?”

Verity asked.

I nodded.

Before we left the village, Aunt Elva had given us some Dulcevia herbs to use whenever someone got hurt.

We planned to sell them.

‘We’ll also check the current market price, learn what’s happening in the outside world, and buy some supplies with the money.’

“Aunt Elva said they’re extremely rare and expensive.”

Ian muttered.

“I wonder how much they’re worth.”

“Maybe the herb shop owner will even ask you to marry him.”

“Haha, don’t be ridiculous.”

“You never know.”

I shrugged.

“They’re such valuable herbs.”

“He might want to marry you just to keep them all for himself.”

The owner of the herb shop was an old man with a long, stiff beard.

“Marry me.”

The moment he finished examining the Dulcevia herbs…

He proposed to Ian.

“…Excuse me?”

“Congratulations on your engagement, Brother!”

“I told you! Welcome to the family, Sister-in-law!”

Hearing the cheerful congratulations from his two completely ridiculous younger siblings…

Ian felt the world spin before his eyes.