Large doors swung open as an armored man pushed them aside. For a moment, Arthur looked at the person seated inside. It was his older brother Julius, a man he had only glimpsed during his previous stays in the palace. Their age difference was nearly ten years, and they had always lived in separate worlds.
Arthur had been treated as a prisoner, confined to illusory spaces under the pretense of safety. His mother was occasionally allowed to go outside, but even that stopped as the attempts on her life grew more frequent. During the rare gatherings of nobles, Arthur saw his older brothers, yet none of them ever showed any interest in him or spoke to him.
Most of his memories from those events were of sitting quietly in a corner, waiting for the evening to end. For a child who only wanted to play and have fun, it was painfully dull. Now, the most distinguished of his brothers sat before him. Julius was considered a strong candidate to become the next Duke, though because of their father’s distrust of the church, Theodore’s chances were also substantial.
“Ah!”
Julius sat at a table with a teacup in his hand. When the doors opened, he looked up and saw his younger brother. To Arthur’s surprise, a smile appeared on Julius’s face. The two had never been close, but after the recent incident with the cultists, their relationship had grown a little warmer.
“Good day, Brother Julius.”
Arthur entered the room awkwardly, unsure how to behave. He tried to offer a small bow, the kind nobles of lower rank gave to those above them. During the cult attack, he had not been as courteous and had even given orders to people above his status, but now the situation was different. Before he could finish the gesture, Julius raised his hand to stop him.
“There is no need for that, Arthur. We are brothers and comrades in arms.”
Arthur straightened his posture, uncertain whether Julius’s warmth was genuine or a carefully constructed act. If he had met with him before visiting his mother, he would have been overjoyed by this treatment, but now he was unsure what to think. It was possible that his brother or Lady Aurelia had caused his mother harm. If that were true, he would have to seek revenge, and Julius would become his enemy.
“I see. Then, Brother Julius…”
“Just call me Julius.”
“I… fine then, Julius. Why did you want to see me?”
It seemed his brother wanted to grow closer to him, and Arthur was not in a position to refuse. He was also interested in gaining new allies and gathering information. If Julius was an enemy, earning his trust would make it easier to learn more about him. For now, Julius appeared sincere and seemed capable of setting aside old grievances and matters of rank. He did not seem like a bad person, so Arthur decided to give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being.
The air inside Julius’s chamber carried a faint scent of rose oil. Sunlight filtered through the stained glass, scattering colored patterns across the table where several religious symbols lay beside a map of the area.
“First of all.”
Julius began as he poured another cup of tea.
“Congratulations on gaining Father’s favor. That is no small feat. But you should be careful of Theodore. He will probably not let this matter rest.”
“I’m sure he won’t, but I don’t intend to let him either.”
“Haha, that’s my younger brother!”
Julius seemed genuinely happy as he spoke with Arthur, which surprised him.
“Regrettable, so regrettable.”
Julius said, leaving Arthur confused.
“What is regrettable?”
“It is regrettable that this is the first time I am having a real conversation with my own brother. We should have done this long ago...”
Arthur was not sure what to make of it. If Julius was lying, he hid it well. His brother seemed truly regretful about how their relationship had unfolded. As the firstborn, Julius carried favor but also many responsibilities. His training to become a paladin of Solaria took him away from the main island for a time, and during his absence, Theodore managed to catch up.
“What’s done is done. There is no use dwelling on the past when we have the future ahead of us.”
“Haha, well spoken!”
Julius replied warmly and leaned back. The two exchanged small talk as they tried to make up for lost time, but eventually Julius revealed why he had taken time out of his day to speak with Arthur.
“Tell me, Arthur, are the rumors of the sacred beast in your city true?”
“Ah? The Sunlight Wolf? Yes, it exists.”
It seemed that Arthur would need to thank his friend once again, as the icebreaker turned out to be Agni, his tamed beast. To him, it was just a normal creature, but to the Church it was a bearer of good fortune and something sacred that should be protected. He was not sure why, yet it did not matter. Having Julius on his side was worth far more. If they grew closer, he would also have a chance to meet Lady Aurelia, who even if she proved innocent, might still shed light on other potential suspects such as Lady Layla, Celeste, and Scarlet.
“Would… could I see it?”
Julius sounded rather bashful, as if he was not used to asking people for favors. His brother’s voice carried an almost boyish curiosity. For a moment, Arthur forgot his doubts and saw not a rival or a schemer but simply a curious brother.
“If you ever visit Albrook, I’ll arrange it.”
“Is it truly possible, just like that?”
“I don’t see why not. It is the tamed monster of my Knight Commander. You’ve met him already.”
“Him again? Where did you find a man with such talents?”
Arthur chuckled, unsure how to answer the question. In truth, he had done very little himself and had been carried forward mostly by Roland’s brilliance. In the latest incident, people had confused Roland’s plans with his own and believed Arthur was responsible for everything, not the runic craftsman. Yet, with Roland’s blessing, he kept silent and accepted most of the praise.
“I was just in the right place at the right time.”
“Hah, some say that good luck is a skill too!”
“Some do say that.”
The two laughed and continued talking about Albrook. Arthur was not surprised that his brother was already informed about the Solarian Order of Paladins that had made Albrook their home. With his arrival, more people would likely take interest in the city, so there was no reason for him to refuse this request. He was unsure what he could ask as a reward, but Julius had already offered something.
“Splendid. Perhaps after I visit your city, you would like to visit mine. I will show you the fruits of unbroken faith in the goddess.”
His brother was something of a zealot, and his territory contained a great number of churches and places of worship. It was a good idea to visit other regions across the island to see what he was dealing with, although traveling always carried its risks.
“I will keep that in mind. When I am free, I will be sure to come and visit.”
“Haha, I will be sure to remind you later.”
Julius chuckled softly, then turned his gaze toward the map.
“Regretfully, I think we will have to conclude matters here. Father has been distant lately, and the other nobles are still in discussion.”
“Indeed.”
Arthur rose from his chair as the two concluded their business and agreed to meet later in Albrook. Their father remained as distant as ever and seemed more interested in the affairs of the island than in speaking to his sons, who had just survived a life-and-death encounter. Only a few trusted high nobles still stayed in the palace, conducting strategy meetings to which the brothers were not invited.
“Oh, and before you leave.”
Julius glanced toward one of the maids standing nearby. She stepped forward, carrying several sealed scrolls bearing the Duke’s crest.
“It seems Father finally remembered your existence. These are the official documents for the stewardship of Aldbourne. You are its legitimate lord now, deed and all. No more arguments from Theodore or the others.”
Arthur was not sure why these papers were handed to his older brother to deliver, but it was not out of character for their father or other nobility. He accepted the scroll quietly. The golden wax seal shimmered faintly in the light.
“My thanks, brother.”
“No need for formality.”
Julius waved his hand dismissively, and the two brothers parted with a firm handshake. There was nothing more for Arthur to do. His other brothers had no interest in speaking with him. Theodore had already departed, Ivan had been confined to an undisclosed location, and Tybalt was nowhere to be found. With this in mind, Arthur left the island capital. This time, no one stopped him. He was escorted by a group of soldiers to the middle grounds, where Mary and his two knights awaited him.
“Lord Arthur!”
Mary shouted as she ran toward him. Sir Gareth and Sir Morien followed close behind, their faces pale as if they had not slept through the entire ordeal. Arthur barely had time to speak before Mary pressed a hand against his chest, as though she needed to be certain he was real.
“They wouldn’t let us in, my Lord! We waited here for nearly a week!”
“A whole week?”
Gareth and Morien nodded, which made Arthur glance toward the spot they had come from. He noticed something that looked like a tent in the distance.
“Did you stay in that? Why didn’t you wait at the mansion?”
“How could we wait there, Lord Arthur? We needed to be here to welcome you! They refused to tell us anything!”
Mary’s voice trembled with frustration. She shot an angry look at one of the nearby soldiers, who quickly turned away, fear in his eyes. Arthur did not yet know what had happened, but it was clear that Mary had been pestering the guards ever since the incident began.
“Mary…”
Arthur spoke softly and placed a hand over hers. Her trembling stopped almost instantly, though her bottom lip still quivered with anger.
“I’m fine. It took longer than expected, but everything is over now.”
Mary looked unconvinced, but she released his tunic and stepped back. Gareth and Morien exchanged glances, relief washing over their faces.
“So… Sir Wayland?”
Morien asked carefully.
“Is he not with you, my lord? Did he…”
Arthur shook his head.
“He is safe. Or at least he was the last time I saw him. He stayed behind to finish some work with the mages. He will return soon.”
He did not add the rest because he truly did not know where Roland had ended up. The only information he had received was that Roland was working with the Duke’s main researcher, helping to build something that could one day counter the abyssal effect.
‘I wonder if he will share this knowledge with the royalist faction or keep it as a bargaining chip.’
As Arthur and the others returned to their temporary mansion, he could not help thinking about his friend. If the Duke decided to, Roland could be forced to remain within the palace and never return. He possessed valuable knowledge that could be sold to other factions for a substantial amount of money. The Solarian Church did not share its secrets willingly either; otherwise, the Duke would likely have known beforehand how the relics worked, and the entire incident would have ended before it began.
“Do not worry, Lord Arthur. Sir Wayland always finds a way out of trouble. I am sure he will be back soon.”
“You are probably right. How about we have something to eat? You three look like you have not eaten in a while.”
On cue, a loud stomach growl broke the silence. It did not come from either of the knights but from the head maid, who blushed and lowered her cat ears in embarrassment. Arthur covered his mouth and chuckled, and soon the three returned to the mansion to enjoy a well-deserved feast.
****
The days blurred together, filled with the hum of magical instruments and the tinkering of countless tools. Although Halbrecht’s laboratory no longer felt like a prison, Roland still felt confined, as if trapped beneath layers of curiosity and bureaucracy. He had long since stopped counting how many times the professor called him “my dear fellow researcher” or “my genius friend.”
“Fascinating, it works! And on the first try, no less. You, my friend, are truly a genius, second only to me!”
Halbrecht’s voice boomed again as a pale blue projection shimmered above the runic console. Symbols and characters danced across it, forming not the usual chaotic runes but actual language and sleek geometric lines that created a clean, organized interface.
“It’s just a user interface, not a miracle. You could have done this yourself if you focused on something for once.”
Roland said with a sigh as he examined the simplified runic operating system he had recreated. His new companion had pressured him into revealing some of his knowledge and performing several upgrades to improve the mage tower. The consoles they had been using were quite primitive, relying on an outdated magic system that was far less efficient than Roland’s own runic designs. With the new modifications, their research could now be properly compartmentalized and managed.
“You cannot blame me.”
Halbrecht said with a grin.
“There is simply too much wonder in this world. With this enhancement, my work will be exactly seventy-eight point fifty-six percent more efficient!”
“Seventy-eight point fifty-six percent, huh?”
Roland was wearing a helmet, so whenever he rolled his eyes, no one noticed. Even so, his efforts were not entirely wasted. He was making an impression on a man of considerable influence. The man was the Duke’s chief researcher and held a great deal of power. If anyone could help Roland return to his own workshop, it was him. This was the main reason Roland decided to share some of his knowledge to present himself as a useful ally. One of the research points he introduced was deliberately chosen because it required him to leave the tower to complete it.
“Now, let us test the main screen. Show us the primary schematics!”
Halbrecht cackled while one of his assistants moved their fingers over the new console. The simplified runic operating system resembled a modern computer. It used a regular keyboard and mouse to navigate through simple icons and processes. It took the assistant a moment to locate the folder containing the schematic, but soon it appeared on the brand new monitor, and the research team cheered again.
“There it is, the Runic Radio Network System. The name suits it well. How did you come up with it?”
“It just came to me...”
Roland lied easily. In this world, radio waves were an unknown concept. Everything relied on magical systems that served the same functions as modern technology. Electricity, microwaves, and radio waves all existed but could only be accessed through knowledge few possessed.
He had already done research to create radio towers that could replace magical communication through crystal balls. The technology was feasible, but he lacked the funds to construct it on a large scale. With the Duke’s support and an official project, they could finally begin building such towers and introduce radio technology to the world. Even data transmission through cables was possible, and the underground tunnels could also be used for it.
“Marvelous! Imagine it. Messages completely untraceable through any known method. If this theory is correct, then it would form an entirely new system, a technology never before seen. And my name, Halbrecht the Third, will go down in history. I will be even greater than my grandfather!”
The man burst into laughter as the room filled with applause. Roland did not care who received the credit for the invention, as he preferred to remain unmentioned.
‘I hope this is enough to get me out of here…’
His only true goal was to gain Halbrecht’s favor and leave. Still, he intended to take something useful with him. The new materials, such as the glass-like substance and the process for creating it, had already caught his attention. The golems stationed along the walls were highly advanced and might help him solve problems in his own designs. Even the radio tower system was something he could also use.
“Now then, about me leavi—”
Before he could finish, the old man turned and gave him a hearty pat on the back.
“Ha ha, good, good. Rest for now, my friend. In the morning, help me sort through these research papers. I am still not sure how these radio waves work.”
“…”
174