Episode 94. Is Stone Really Dead?
“What are you thinking?”
Adele asked, placing a steaming cup of black tea in front of him.
“What’s going to happen in the future. I’m sorry, but I think we have to leave soon.”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
Adele nodded obediently and sat down next to him.
“If I leave, I’ll never come back to Greenhill.”
“Ah...”
“You must be sad not being able to see the kids.”
“It’s sad, but it’s okay because I’ll be with you from now on.”
Adele smiled brightly, linking her arms with his. Christine’s anxiety seemed to disappear a little at that bright smile.
He stroked her head, which was leaning against his shoulder, and muttered as if making a promise.
“Yes, we’ll continue to be together. And let’s have a cute baby soon.”
“Yeah, let’s have a cute baby too.”
Then, Adele’s face turned red as she thought about something.
“But Chris, isn’t sleeping still a bit difficult? No matter how fast you recover, it’ll take time for your wounds to heal...”
Christine deliberately teased Adele, who was blushing, because he found her cute.
“Adele, no matter how much of a beast I am, I can’t hold you with this body.”
“I know. Who said that?”
Christine looked at her pouting lips sullenly.
“You look so regretful.”
“Who regrets that?”
“Besides, it’s impossible to satisfy you with a mediocre recovery...”
Adele quickly covered his mouth.
“Be quiet! What if the kids hear you?”
“But you’re not going to let the Emperor go like this, are you?”
“Well... I’m such a pacifist...”
Zimmer looked at Christine, who was calmly saying such things, incredulous.
Wow. Since when did I...
Of course, Christine wanted to storm the palace right away and rip Jan to pieces.
But that was the worst way. He never wanted to turn back into a beast.
Jan wouldn’t leave the Duke of Rodwell alone anyway.
For now, he wanted to live a peaceful life in Russwolf with Adele.
He wanted to have a child who resembled both of them, go fishing together, and be a good father like Mark.
“More than that, did you check Stone’s body?”
Zimmer’s expression suddenly darkened.
“I ordered the Knights to bring Stone’s body. But it disappeared.”
“...What?”
Christine’s expression shook greatly.
“There were traces of being dragged and a large amount of blood that extended all the way into the forest. Someone must have dragged the immobile guy.”
“Damn, who...!”
“We’re chasing him, so we’ll have a report soon. Is it the Emperor’s doing? If he were to recover...”
“That would be impossible.”
Christine said seriously but firmly.
According to the book Adele had read, wounds inflicted on members of the same clan healed slowly.
In fact, he had been hearing her voice even in a coma. He remembered the voice that had sounded like a dream clearly now.
Just as in the book, Christine’s wounds from being bitten by Stone were not healing either.
And if he remembers correctly, he had inflicted more fatal wounds on Stone. Adele had also shot the bastard in the head with precision.
With that much damage, there was no hope of survival.
It had to be done.
But what on earth was this uneasy feeling?
All the sword hilts were held by this side...
At the same time, the Vatican.
“Did you hear about the West Tower prayer room?”
Leana appeared in a dark basement.
It smelled even worse than the basement she had been in before.
The floor was damp with moisture, and the walls were covered in white mold.
This was the prayer room of the west tower that people had been gossiping about.
It was called a prayer room, but in reality, it was the worst prison in the Vatican.
And the one currently locked in that prison was a huge wolf with brown fur.
“Hello, brown wolf?”
“What are you thinking?”
Adele asked, placing a steaming cup of black tea in front of him.
“What’s going to happen in the future. I’m sorry, but I think we have to leave soon.”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
Adele nodded obediently and sat down next to him.
“If I leave, I’ll never come back to Greenhill.”
“Ah...”
“You must be sad not being able to see the kids.”
“It’s sad, but it’s okay because I’ll be with you from now on.”
Adele smiled brightly, linking her arms with his. Christine’s anxiety seemed to disappear a little at that bright smile.
He stroked her head, which was leaning against his shoulder, and muttered as if making a promise.
“Yes, we’ll continue to be together. And let’s have a cute baby soon.”
“Yeah, let’s have a cute baby too.”
Then, Adele’s face turned red as she thought about something.
“But Chris, isn’t sleeping still a bit difficult? No matter how fast you recover, it’ll take time for your wounds to heal...”
Christine deliberately teased Adele, who was blushing, because he found her cute.
“Adele, no matter how much of a beast I am, I can’t hold you with this body.”
“I know. Who said that?”
Christine looked at her pouting lips sullenly.
“You look so regretful.”
“Who regrets that?”
“Besides, it’s impossible to satisfy you with a mediocre recovery...”
Adele quickly covered his mouth.
“Be quiet! What if the kids hear you?”
The more she said that, the more he wanted to tease her.
“Tell me the truth. It’s regrettable. Do you know? Even if I can’t satisfy you, I wonder if we can have a child together.”
“Really, I can’t hit the patient...”
Adele grabbed both of his cheeks and shook them. Just like she often did when he was little.
“Ah, ah! I told you not to do this!”
“Oh, I don’t remember agreeing to it.”
She stopped as she ran away, sticking her tongue out as if she was going to take medicine.
“Sir Zimmer...!”
Zimmer, whom she hadn’t seen in a few days, looked like a traveler who had come from a long journey.
His clothes, which were usually neat, were tangled, his hair was disheveled, and his unkempt beard covered his chin in a dark, unkempt manner. Then, when he found Christine sitting on the porch, his eyes moistened.
“Damn, aren’t you... So fine?”
“You wanted to send me away?”
Christine was just as usual, to the point that his worries were insignificant.
“I’m just saying that I was wronged for worrying you all this time.”
“Tell me the truth. It’s regrettable. Do you know? Even if I can’t satisfy you, I wonder if we can have a child together.”
“Really, I can’t hit the patient...”
Adele grabbed both of his cheeks and shook them. Just like she often did when he was little.
“Ah, ah! I told you not to do this!”
“Oh, I don’t remember agreeing to it.”
She stopped as she ran away, sticking her tongue out as if she was going to take medicine.
“Sir Zimmer...!”
Zimmer, whom she hadn’t seen in a few days, looked like a traveler who had come from a long journey.
His clothes, which were usually neat, were tangled, his hair was disheveled, and his unkempt beard covered his chin in a dark, unkempt manner. Then, when he found Christine sitting on the porch, his eyes moistened.
“Damn, aren’t you... So fine?”
“You wanted to send me away?”
Christine was just as usual, to the point that his worries were insignificant.
“I’m just saying that I was wronged for worrying you all this time.”
“You were worrying about the most useless things in the world.”
Zimmer finally laughed, wiping his eyes with his sleeve.
“That’s right.”
Jennifer also appeared and shouted.
“I told you not to worry! I can protect Captain and Adele all by myself!”
Zimmer nodded calmly and whispered to Adele.
“It must have been hard for you to take care of that rascal as well as the captain.”
“Well, a little.”
Adele did not deny it.
Zimmer said he would report first, but Adele told him to eat first.
He looked like he hadn’t eaten or rested properly for days at a glance.
You could tell from that how urgent the situation had been.
After finishing the meal, Christine and Zimmer went up to the reception room alone. He told Adele that she didn’t have to serve tea. Just imagining how serious the conversation between the two of them would be made Adele nervous.
Was this why he had been anxious even though he had spent a happy day today?
Christine wasn’t the only one who felt unfoundedly anxious.
“The Duke of Rodwell has passed away.”
Zimmer opened his mouth heavily when they entered the reception room and were alone.
Christine sank into a deep sleep.
He had already guessed it, but his heart felt even heavier after confirming it.
“Did Lady Isabelle stay with the Duke when he died?”
“Yes, fortunately, I was able to take the lady in time. The Duke told her right before he died that the Emperor had attacked him.”
“Thank goodness.”
Thanks to this, Christine was spared the false accusation of murdering the Duke.
“But now there may be a civil war.”
“Of course.”
The two of them stared at each other for a moment, not saying a word.
Civil war.
The long war had left many soldiers dead, and the citizens were anxious. The treasury was also depleted.
That's why Christine had hoped that this situation would not come to this.
If the Duke of Rodwell were alive, he could have driven Jan from the throne with just the evidence that he had assassinated the former Emperor.
He was the head of the senior nobles' council, and many nobles followed him.
However, Isabelle was different. The young nobles followed the belligerent Jan more, and it was not known whether the nobles' council would fully side with her.
However, Isabelle would fight the Emperor.
Jan's next target was clearly the Grand Duke Rustis, second in line to the throne.
Having lost her father after her husband, she would do anything to protect her son.
Furthermore, the knights of the Rodwell family were as powerful as the armies of any kingdom.
Knowing this, Jan could not just sit still.
He had the strongest army of any Emperor. Furthermore, the Empress was from a knightly family, so she could easily attract low-ranking knights.
If a civil war were to start, it would be difficult to decide who would win for a while.
So the outcome of this fight was in Christine’s hands.
It depended on which side he would join hands with.
“You’re thinking of joining hands with Lady Isabelle, right?”
“Well.”
“Then why did you help the Duke of Rodwell?”
“If the Duke of Rodwell were to push Jan, I was going to go to Russwolf in the meantime. But he died like this.”
“That’s right.”
Jennifer also appeared and shouted.
“I told you not to worry! I can protect Captain and Adele all by myself!”
Zimmer nodded calmly and whispered to Adele.
“It must have been hard for you to take care of that rascal as well as the captain.”
“Well, a little.”
Adele did not deny it.
***
Zimmer said he would report first, but Adele told him to eat first.
He looked like he hadn’t eaten or rested properly for days at a glance.
You could tell from that how urgent the situation had been.
After finishing the meal, Christine and Zimmer went up to the reception room alone. He told Adele that she didn’t have to serve tea. Just imagining how serious the conversation between the two of them would be made Adele nervous.
Was this why he had been anxious even though he had spent a happy day today?
Christine wasn’t the only one who felt unfoundedly anxious.
“The Duke of Rodwell has passed away.”
Zimmer opened his mouth heavily when they entered the reception room and were alone.
Christine sank into a deep sleep.
He had already guessed it, but his heart felt even heavier after confirming it.
“Did Lady Isabelle stay with the Duke when he died?”
“Yes, fortunately, I was able to take the lady in time. The Duke told her right before he died that the Emperor had attacked him.”
“Thank goodness.”
Thanks to this, Christine was spared the false accusation of murdering the Duke.
“But now there may be a civil war.”
“Of course.”
The two of them stared at each other for a moment, not saying a word.
Civil war.
The long war had left many soldiers dead, and the citizens were anxious. The treasury was also depleted.
That's why Christine had hoped that this situation would not come to this.
If the Duke of Rodwell were alive, he could have driven Jan from the throne with just the evidence that he had assassinated the former Emperor.
He was the head of the senior nobles' council, and many nobles followed him.
However, Isabelle was different. The young nobles followed the belligerent Jan more, and it was not known whether the nobles' council would fully side with her.
However, Isabelle would fight the Emperor.
Jan's next target was clearly the Grand Duke Rustis, second in line to the throne.
Having lost her father after her husband, she would do anything to protect her son.
Furthermore, the knights of the Rodwell family were as powerful as the armies of any kingdom.
Knowing this, Jan could not just sit still.
He had the strongest army of any Emperor. Furthermore, the Empress was from a knightly family, so she could easily attract low-ranking knights.
If a civil war were to start, it would be difficult to decide who would win for a while.
So the outcome of this fight was in Christine’s hands.
It depended on which side he would join hands with.
“You’re thinking of joining hands with Lady Isabelle, right?”
“Well.”
“Then why did you help the Duke of Rodwell?”
“If the Duke of Rodwell were to push Jan, I was going to go to Russwolf in the meantime. But he died like this.”
“But you’re not going to let the Emperor go like this, are you?”
“Well... I’m such a pacifist...”
Zimmer looked at Christine, who was calmly saying such things, incredulous.
Wow. Since when did I...
Of course, Christine wanted to storm the palace right away and rip Jan to pieces.
But that was the worst way. He never wanted to turn back into a beast.
Jan wouldn’t leave the Duke of Rodwell alone anyway.
For now, he wanted to live a peaceful life in Russwolf with Adele.
He wanted to have a child who resembled both of them, go fishing together, and be a good father like Mark.
“More than that, did you check Stone’s body?”
Zimmer’s expression suddenly darkened.
“I ordered the Knights to bring Stone’s body. But it disappeared.”
“...What?”
Christine’s expression shook greatly.
“There were traces of being dragged and a large amount of blood that extended all the way into the forest. Someone must have dragged the immobile guy.”
“Damn, who...!”
“We’re chasing him, so we’ll have a report soon. Is it the Emperor’s doing? If he were to recover...”
“That would be impossible.”
Christine said seriously but firmly.
According to the book Adele had read, wounds inflicted on members of the same clan healed slowly.
In fact, he had been hearing her voice even in a coma. He remembered the voice that had sounded like a dream clearly now.
Just as in the book, Christine’s wounds from being bitten by Stone were not healing either.
And if he remembers correctly, he had inflicted more fatal wounds on Stone. Adele had also shot the bastard in the head with precision.
With that much damage, there was no hope of survival.
It had to be done.
But what on earth was this uneasy feeling?
All the sword hilts were held by this side...
***
At the same time, the Vatican.
“Did you hear about the West Tower prayer room?”
“Rumor has it that you can hear strange cries every night?”
“It was more like the howling of an animal than a cry. I couldn’t sleep at dawn, so I was walking around the West Tower and almost collapsed in shock.”
“Huh, really?”
“What on earth are they hiding? The West Tower security has been really fierce lately.”
“Huh, really?”
“What on earth are they hiding? The West Tower security has been really fierce lately.”
The trainee priests who were organizing the library whispered in low voices.
This was the Vatican inside Bluegale.
Trainee priests were always forced to pray, read, and think inside the Vatican. Anything else, especially unnecessary talk, was considered a sin.
But for a group of twenty-something priests-in-training, the forbidden story felt even more appealing.
“Leana, have you heard of it?”
Someone asked, and the priests-in-training all looked at a girl with mischievous expressions.
There, a girl who looked to be about fifteen, was mopping.
The girl was wearing a small, tattered black one-piece dress and an apron. The apron, which had originally been white, was now an old gray.
“Leana!”
The priests-in-training stamped their feet in front of her, and the girl barely stopped mopping.
Wiping the sweat running down her forehead with the back of her hand, she was so beautiful that her shabby outfit seemed colorless.
With her transparent, white skin, her flushed cheeks, and her blue-gray eyes that seemed to suck people in, she looked like a doll. That face and her dazzling silver hair combined to create a mysterious atmosphere.
“Yes, is there anything you want me to do?”
When Leana asked with a blank expression, the priests-in-training shook their heads.
“Leave it. She can’t hear.”
“Yeah, what would she hear?”
Leana smiled brightly, as if she didn’t hear that.
The priests-in-training waved their hands and smiled at her as if they were done with her.
“Just do your mopping.”
Leana smiled and nodded.
Leana was from an orphanage sponsored by the Vatican. Although she was hard of hearing, the Vatican took her in because she was smart and made her run simple errands or do chores.
After about five years, Leana had been to every corner of the Vatican.
The rumored West Tower prayer room was no exception.
Leana walked down the hallway, grumbling and carrying a rag and a large water jug.
“Leana, you’re having a hard time today.”
“Cheer up, Leana!”
The priests and trainees cheered her on as they passed by. No one thought of sharing the little girl’s workload.
Of course, she just smiled and nodded.
“She doesn’t seem to know how hard it is. What makes her laugh so much?”
“It must be because she has nowhere to go if she gets kicked out of here.”
“Isn’t it because she lacks something?”
She didn’t seem to know that the people who had been cheering her on were whispering behind her back. She was still smiling brightly.
Leana crossed the hallway and went down the stairs that led to the basement. There was a storage room for cleaning supplies. It was a gloomy and musty place, so naturally, there were few people there.
At the same time, the smile on Leana’s face that had been smiling disappeared.
“Whew, you’ll be okay here, right?”
Leana, who had put away her cleaning supplies, quietly closed her eyes.
Soon, a soft spell flowed out from between her small, red lips.
After a while, her body disappeared like smoke.
Sssss...
This was the Vatican inside Bluegale.
Trainee priests were always forced to pray, read, and think inside the Vatican. Anything else, especially unnecessary talk, was considered a sin.
But for a group of twenty-something priests-in-training, the forbidden story felt even more appealing.
“Leana, have you heard of it?”
Someone asked, and the priests-in-training all looked at a girl with mischievous expressions.
There, a girl who looked to be about fifteen, was mopping.
The girl was wearing a small, tattered black one-piece dress and an apron. The apron, which had originally been white, was now an old gray.
“Leana!”
The priests-in-training stamped their feet in front of her, and the girl barely stopped mopping.
Wiping the sweat running down her forehead with the back of her hand, she was so beautiful that her shabby outfit seemed colorless.
With her transparent, white skin, her flushed cheeks, and her blue-gray eyes that seemed to suck people in, she looked like a doll. That face and her dazzling silver hair combined to create a mysterious atmosphere.
“Yes, is there anything you want me to do?”
When Leana asked with a blank expression, the priests-in-training shook their heads.
“Leave it. She can’t hear.”
“Yeah, what would she hear?”
Leana smiled brightly, as if she didn’t hear that.
The priests-in-training waved their hands and smiled at her as if they were done with her.
“Just do your mopping.”
Leana smiled and nodded.
Leana was from an orphanage sponsored by the Vatican. Although she was hard of hearing, the Vatican took her in because she was smart and made her run simple errands or do chores.
After about five years, Leana had been to every corner of the Vatican.
The rumored West Tower prayer room was no exception.
Leana walked down the hallway, grumbling and carrying a rag and a large water jug.
“Leana, you’re having a hard time today.”
“Cheer up, Leana!”
The priests and trainees cheered her on as they passed by. No one thought of sharing the little girl’s workload.
Of course, she just smiled and nodded.
“She doesn’t seem to know how hard it is. What makes her laugh so much?”
“It must be because she has nowhere to go if she gets kicked out of here.”
“Isn’t it because she lacks something?”
She didn’t seem to know that the people who had been cheering her on were whispering behind her back. She was still smiling brightly.
Leana crossed the hallway and went down the stairs that led to the basement. There was a storage room for cleaning supplies. It was a gloomy and musty place, so naturally, there were few people there.
At the same time, the smile on Leana’s face that had been smiling disappeared.
“Whew, you’ll be okay here, right?”
Leana, who had put away her cleaning supplies, quietly closed her eyes.
Soon, a soft spell flowed out from between her small, red lips.
After a while, her body disappeared like smoke.
***
Sssss...
Leana appeared in a dark basement.
It smelled even worse than the basement she had been in before.
The floor was damp with moisture, and the walls were covered in white mold.
This was the prayer room of the west tower that people had been gossiping about.
It was called a prayer room, but in reality, it was the worst prison in the Vatican.
And the one currently locked in that prison was a huge wolf with brown fur.
“Hello, brown wolf?”
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