“Lady Lai Wei An Se mentioned… she’s using some kind of spell to extend her life. When I infiltrated that place before, I saw massive stores of magic stones stored there.”
I Yue recalled the magic stone warehouses she’d seen at the base of the Giant Tree… Combined with the information from Senia and Lai Wei An Se, the purpose of those magic stones was now clear as day—
“Massive stores of magic stones… Now I remember. The officials in charge of trade and statistics told me that the Nelf Family has completed several enormous magic stone procurement orders in recent years through companies in Yilansiya, especially in the Northland.”
“That may well be connected to her Life Extension Spell. But defying the laws of life and death is something not even the Great Sage or the Highest Saint of the Holy Nation could accomplish… Even with all those magic stones, it shouldn’t be possible.”
Senia pressed her brow in thought, and soon arrived at the same connection I Yue had made… but at the same time, she voiced this doubt.
“…Perhaps we should summon Lai Wei An Se and see whether she knows anything else.”
I Yue understood her doubt was only natural… because Sefi was a comrade who had once fought alongside her.
And she knew very well what Sefi’s magic could and could not do.
“Your Majesty, may I entreat you? I must know what condition that woman is in now.”
She looked at Senia and made her request with solemn earnestness.
“Yes. What she has done to her own descendants is such cruelty that it defies all decency. As a sovereign, it is only proper that I admonish and discipline her.”
“…I am most grateful to you.”
Senia smiled at I Yue, who bowed her head deeply. Then she summoned a servant and instructed her to fetch Lai Wei An Se, the Captain General of the Ranger Corps.
“You say Lai Wei An Se has already returned to Fenglin City?”
The servant brought back word quickly… and the result did not satisfy either of the two present.
In response to Senia’s confirmation, the servant answered respectfully: “Yes. Lady Lai Wei An Se recently returned to Fenglin City by steamship with the Forest Patrol Team Leaders. The nobles governing the various forest domains have been arriving in the city one after another, so she has likely gone to attend the Noble Council being convened in Fenglin City.”
“I see. You may withdraw.”
Senia waved her hand. She glanced at the silent I Yue and asked:
“What do you think?”
“She showed considerable agitation in front of me before… but I believe her reason for returning to the city now is indeed to handle official matters.”
I Yue said.
“I think so too. The elders mentioned earlier that the Forest Domain Dukes have been arriving one by one, urging me to return to the Palace as soon as possible… And Lai Wei An Se, as the Nelf Family’s Proxy and the Captain General of the Ranger Corps, has likely received many messages demanding her immediate return as well.”
“Even so, I must go find her. Your Majesty, please forgive me—”
I Yue rose, intending to chase after her to the city at once… but she quickly remembered Lian and Milin still on the island, as well as her own unconscious sister.
And even Waletidina’s ominous touch outside the door—there were simply too many things weighing on her.
“You’re worried about them, aren’t you?”
Senia keenly perceived part of the reason for her hesitation.
“…Yes.” I Yue slowly sat back down. “I must find that person. But I cannot abandon my family, my companions, and Your Majesty’s safety for the sake of my own personal grudge.”
“Yes…”
Senia looked at her troubled expression, lowering her gaze in thought for a moment.
“If you returned now, there would likely be many complications, wouldn’t there?” After a moment, Senia spoke.
“The news that you appeared and became embroiled in the Barrier Trial has probably already spread through Fenglin City… If you were to return to the city on that steamship, you would be surrounded in an instant.”
“I could return by small boat, and I have confidence in my ability to avoid those people.”
“That is one option, and I trust in your abilities… but it is still a risk. Moreover, if Lai Wei An Se is on the Family Head’s side, the Family Head is certain to learn that you seek vengeance against her—and that could lead to unexpected danger. I have a plan that doesn’t require you to show yourself. You simply remain on the island and continue caring for your sister.”
“You mean…”
“I will continue the Audience Ceremony.”
“…What did you say?”
Meeting I Yue’s astonished gaze, Senia explained:
“The disturbance in the Mirror Lake Barrier has inclined both the Royal Court and the Elder Council to suspend this year’s ceremony for the time being… At the very least, no decision on whether to continue can be made until Fenglin City and the Mirror Lake vicinity have been thoroughly swept and the investigation into the Curse has reached a conclusion. But thinking on it now, if someone truly is plotting something using this year’s Audience Ceremony… then continuing it forward will flush those behind-the-scenes schemers out into the open.”
Senia paused for a moment, then fixed I Yue with a sharp gaze and asked:
“And investigating that Family Head—you’re not doing it merely to avenge your family, are you?”
“…Indeed. I suspect that woman is actually the mastermind behind all of this.”
I Yue could not help but admire this Queen’s acuity. Even though she had tried to conceal it with emotional displays, she still could not escape Her Majesty’s eyes.
“Your reasoning? On the surface, Lai Wei An Se should be the more suspect… After all, that Ranger who cast the Curse into the lake was acting under her orders to monitor our movements by the shore.”
The contents of Alexis’s report naturally had not been known to I Yue alone.
In fact, Senia and the Elder Council in the Main Hall’s meeting chamber had learned of everything that occurred in the Mirror Lake Forest Land even earlier than I Yue.
“Lai Wei An Se… she would never commit such an act of treason. Who knows this better than you, Your Majesty? If not, you would have already ordered your knights to take her into custody.”
When she had heard about Se La’s situation, I Yue had naturally considered that possibility.
But from what she knew of that Aunt of hers, the likelihood of her doing such a thing was vanishingly small.
“You’re right.” Senia nodded. “I trust her. After all, when Fenglin City was besieged, it was her family’s troops that intercepted the Demon Army’s reinforcements in the Northland. Furthermore, if I allowed a traitor with rebellious intent to serve as Captain General of the Ranger Corps, then I’d deserve whatever death she dealt me.”
I Yue lowered her head in silent acknowledgment of Senia’s words.
Her suspicion of the Family Head had only arisen after she witnessed Waletidina’s abnormality in the Illusion Realm.
At that time, she was certain she had heard that woman’s voice… There was absolutely no way she could mistake it.
If Waletidina had told her those things, then her suspicion of the Family Head was only natural.
“I take it… Your Majesty’s suspicion of her is not based solely on my personal grudge, is it?”
With that thought in mind, she decided to make one final confirmation with Senia.
“Is that not allowed? After all, you are my most trusted Knight.”
“Your Majesty.”
“I’m joking. She is the head of the Nelf Family, a minister of rank comparable to the lords of the Four Great Forest Domains. Your suspicion of her is one factor, but the connection between her daughter, Lai Wei An Se, and the Ranger who cast the Curse is the greatest reason I have decided to take action against the Nelf Family. And if Lai Wei An Se’s suspicion is relatively light… then naturally, suspicion falls on the only one above her—the Family Head.”
…It seemed Her Majesty truly knew nothing of Waletidina’s matter. And there should be no case where she knew but concealed it from me.
With her doubts resolved, I Yue spoke to Senia:
“So you suspect this matter is connected to the Nelf Family… and you intend to use the Audience Ceremony to lure out all the suspects, including the Family Head.”
“Correct. As for that Family Head, it won’t be a ‘lure’ but an ‘invitation.’ I will first send Guard Knights to place Lai Wei An Se under restraint on suspicion of spreading the Curse. With both family proxies absent, the only one who can represent the Nelf Family at the ceremony will be the Family Head herself. And after the ceremony, I will demand that she provide clarification on Lai Wei An Se’s behalf… If she again claims illness and refuses to appear, or sends only a proxy, then I can arrest her on grounds of contempt for the Royal Court.”
“It’s certainly a sound plan… but wouldn’t it be too risky?”
I Yue said with some concern after pondering it.
“The Mist Barrier was recently eroded by the Curse, which already shows that Your Majesty is a target of those lurking in the shadows. And the Northern Elancia was previously attacked by the Demon King’s Remnants… Moreover, the Daughter of the Demon King who fled into the Sea of Trees and her accomplice may also be connected to this affair.”
I Yue paused briefly, then said with a grave expression:
“You are using yourself as bait. This is far too dangerous.”
But Senia seemed to have already considered this point. She was not shaken by I Yue’s concern, only offering her a gentle smile.
“You need not worry about this too much.”
“…Why?”
“Because before this, Lian has already requested that I investigate the Demon King’s Remnants and the Demon Race that may be lurking in the Sea of Trees.”
“Lian?”
“Yes.” Senia nodded. “She mentioned this to me while at the Royal Palace. So afterward, I dispatched people to investigate. And just now in the meeting, those in charge reported some progress to me.”
“What progress?”
I Yue felt a surge of excitement in that instant… A large part of the reason she had returned to the Sea of Trees was to capture those Demon Race members.
“They have already located those Demon Race’s stronghold… and have also tracked the movements of the suspected Daughter of the Demon King and her accomplice.”
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