Chapter 65

The path of the forest was truly that – a winding path through deepest parts of the forest, where the green trees were so tall, and so full, that the sky couldn’t been seen through their winding branches.

Sitting on Raven’s back, walking along this path, Calian wasn’t paying attention to where he was going, rather, his gaze was on the black pebble, as he turned it over in his hands. But no matter how much he looked, apart from the golden inscription, there was nothing else unique about the rock.

Seeing this, Yuran, who had been slightly ahead of Calian, slowed down his horse and came to Calian’s side, then he spoke in a cautious voice.

“Your highness, I have something to tell you,”

Instead of acknowledging his words, Calian asked a question,

“The smell of blood is fading little by little, right?”

There was a meaningful smile on Calian’s lips.

Yuran, who was about to reflexively ask what Calian meant by that, paused, looking back at Calian once again.

“Since it’s a smell that only knights often recognise, I didn’t think your highness would be abel to smell it too.”

“Somehow, it seems I can.”

Somehow, Calian ended up being able to do a lot of things he couldn’t explain.

“Anwya, it’s a strange item, since it smells so strongly of blood, it might be better to stay away from it.”

Calian nodded, thought he didn’t look worried, instead he said,

“I don’t think it’s a common item, looking at the way it seems to fix Sia’s way of speaking.”

Thinking of the way Sia seemed to answer questions before he had heard them spoken out loud, Yuran said quietly,

“That child seems to be able see ahead in time – at least a little ahead of others. Otherwise, how else do you answer a question that you haven’t heard yet?”

“He said it wasn’t an ability for prediction. But I agree with you.”

“Then, is that stone something that erases that ability?”

“Perhaps. Who knows.”

Calian answered like this as he tapped Raven’s saddle with his finger, falling deep into thought for a moment.

“Since its to do with time…”

Seeing just a little ahead. A twist in time.

And a stone, that had the ability to invalidate that ability.

The Axis of Time.

He was thinking that perhaps this phenomena could be related to the axis of time, after all, wasn’t the axis also an item that was related to twisting time.

“I don’t know what it is, but it seems to be quite important. So even if it smells a little unpleasant, please bear with it.”

Calian smiled brightly, as he clenched the pebble in his fist.

***

In the Royal Grounds of Kyrisis – specifically, in the Chermil Palace.

On the highest floor, where Randell resided, an attendant stood before him, giving his report. The important things from the report were the following:

A considerable number of divine items had been delivered to Tensil and it was Lennon Brissen who had contributed to this quite heavily.

However, Lennon suddenly went missing. Marquis Brissen was said to be investigating everything, but it is said that he has found no clues.

Marquis Brissen was also the first to suspect that Alan Manasil and Melphir Pollun were up to something, but confirmed that they were not related. Therefore, Randell’s attendants were currently investigating whether this disappearance was caused by someone motivated by money.

Of course what the attendant didn’t know, was that these were rumours carefully cultivated and moderately spread by Marquis Brissen.

Randell nodded once the attendant finished his report and gestured for him to leave.

After the attendant carefully closed the door behind him , Randell picked up the book he had put down, and began reading peacefully once again.

For a long time, he did not turn the page.

A bird flew to the window and began to chirp, the sound filling the otherwise silent room. Randell broke out of his reverie and walked to the window.

The bird flew away.

Randell opened the window, a little disappointed.

The sky was clear, and Randell’s long golden hair, fluttered in the breeze.

Randell’s eyes closed and for a moment, he enjoyed the blowing wind.

Clear skies and birdsongs.

He had said he couldn’t sleep because of the bad weather. And that he had missed the birdsongs.

He had also said that the roses would bloom soon.

‘Calian. So this time, you bit Lennon.’

Randell, who had been stood at the window for a while, thinking about his younger brother, decided to head outside.

As soon as he left the door, the servants followed.

“To the garden,”

At his simple words, one of the servants following him ran to get the tools to manage the plants.

Randell pa.s.sed the lake with quick steps and arrived at the garden where the roses were planted. Soon after, the servant handed him garden scissors and opened an umbrella, holding it high above him, to block the sun’s glare.

Randell quietly crouched and began pulling out the weeds and cutting the twigs.

There were no flowers. Since it was already autumn, they had long since bloomed and lost their petals.

A small, weak branch, growing under a tree caught Randell’s eyes. A flowering branch, that was pressed down by other branches and could not even grow straight.

It was the same as Calian had been, some time ago.

Randell, who was still looking at the branch, took a necklace out from his sleeve and closed his eyes.

A subtle light flowed from the necklace and gently touched the small branch.

The curved branches straightened, and buds began to sprout.

“It’s nice to see. Stay like that a while longer.”

Randell looked on at the red rose blooming alone for a moment, before returning to his room.