Chapter 232
When she showed him even that branch, Mana, unable to doubt any longer, closed his mouth. Then, as if his throat was parched, he took a sip of the tea placed in front of him.
“So, what kind of help do you want? I don’t think the whereabouts of the missing maiden is your true purpose.”
“You seem to know?”
Mana simply smiled at those words. Sensing his intention not to reveal his hand first, Roina frowned slightly.
‘He’s not a likable person after all…’
Roina wasn’t particularly fond of ambiguous people in the first place. However, that wasn’t important right now, so she simply shook her head and continued.
“I am Roina, a disciple of the Grand Magician.”
Then, Roina looked at Ethan. It was a question of whether she could reveal the truth. Ethan nodded with a firm face.
“And this person is Ethan, the former Crown Prince of Castrello.”
Mana’s eyes widened greatly. He turned to Ethan with a flustered expression. He was so surprised that his mouth was slightly open.
“His Highness the Crown Prince is… a hostage in the empire… No, looking at him like this, he really does look like His Highness…”
Mana spoke as if muttering to himself, looking bewildered. He seemed unable to believe that Ethan was here. Roina continued quietly.
“Priest, you don’t know the current situation of the Kailum Empire, do you?”
“…Has something changed?”
Only then did Mana, who had noticed something was amiss, turn to Roina.
“The Crown Prince, who held the real power in the Kailum Empire, has been deposed. That’s why Castrello is in an ambiguous position.”
Mana’s eyes, which she thought had already widened as much as possible, widened even further.
“Is, is that really true?”
“Yes.”
Roina answered firmly and continued.
“I said it’s in an ambiguous position, but what’s certain is that Icardo no longer has any authority.”
Mana jumped up. The wooden chair he had been sitting on fell over with a thud at his sudden movement. It was the first time he had shown such a change from his consistently comfortable and relaxed demeanor.
“Then, then why…”
“This happened only a week ago. You probably don’t know the news yet. We arrived quickly using magic.”
Mana stared blankly at Roina and her group as he stood up. His eyes were bewildered.
“If Icardo finds out about this news, what action will he take?”
“He’ll either flee in the night… or close the city gates and try to monopolize this royal city. Could it be that you actually came to restore Castrello to its proper state before that?”
“Yes.”
Roina nodded shamelessly. It wasn’t a lie, after all. Only then did Mana’s eyes regain their light, and he looked at them with a complex expression. He set the wooden chair back up and plopped down on it.
“…I understand now why my teacher sent you to me.”
Roina quietly looked back at him. His energy flowed cleanly. It was now the energy of someone who was telling the truth. He looked at them with a serious and solemn expression for the first time.
“…I was preparing to drive out Count Icardo.”
Only then did Roina nod, as if she was satisfied.
“No, then what about Neilla? Why did that woman disappear? Weren’t you a bad guy?”
Jason shouted, looking dumbfounded. Mana frowned as if in pain.
“That… was her will.”
“Huh? Then what about her father? Is it like a runaway or something?”
Jason raised one eyebrow, looking like he couldn’t understand. At that moment, Rager quietly murmured something as if praying.
“She wanted to escape from her father.”
Mana glanced at him and nodded. It seemed to be the correct answer.
Roina sighed at the expected result. The attitude that seemed to disregard women, those words that seemed to be sad and in pain about his missing daughter but strangely excluded her will or thoughts.
“Is it really a runaway?? Am I the only one not following this story?”
Jason looked back and forth at everyone as if everyone but him knew what was going on, and messed up his hair.
“I trust that you will keep this matter a secret under any circumstances. I only helped everyone to act according to their free will.”
Saying that, Mana closed his eyes and then stood up.
“Please follow me. I will show you that she is safe.”
As he turned around, his wheat-colored hair swayed. The white priestly robe, symbolizing Kail, hung heavily on his body.
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