In any case, Tamer Relics were unpredictable. There was no way of knowing what kind of power they held until they were awakened.
Princess Nailia looked curious about how Ceres knew it was a Tamer Relic. But Ceres simply pretended not to notice and took another sip of tea.
It’s not like I don’t have an explanation. But if she isn’t asking, there’s no reason to offer one.
“How do you awaken it?”
“You’ll need to go to the temple.”
Ceres wasn’t sure whether things were still the same now. But in the past, awakening a Tamer Relic required a trip to the Grand Temple in the capital.
“Because you’ll need to use the sacred spring there.”
She didn’t know the specifics herself. All she knew was that the spring was an essential part of the process.
“I need to speak with Father.”
Princess Nailia picked up the bracelet and rose to her feet. This wasn’t a matter she could deal with alone.
As she headed for the door, she suddenly stopped and looked back at Ceres with a puzzled expression.
“What are you doing?”
“Hm?”
“Why aren’t you coming with me?”
“...Me?”
Why would I? I thought all I had to do was restore that thing.
“You were the one who discovered it. You should be the one to tell them.”
“Do I really need to?”
“You do.”
“......”
Ceres watched Princess Nailia walk off before running a hand through her hair.
Why do I have a feeling this is turning into a much bigger deal than it should be?
***
“What did you just say?!”
“A Tamer Relic?”
Emperor Devrica and Crown Prince Aseraian sprang to their feet at the same time, unable to hide their shock.
“Yes. Apparently, it’s a Tamer Relic.”
At Nailia’s answer, both men’s eyes immediately fell to the bracelet she had placed on the table.
A plain silver bracelet with no distinguishing features whatsoever. Could something that ordinary really be a Tamer Relic?
The Imperial Family had spent generations searching for Tamer Relics. The same was true of every other kingdom. The discovery of [N O V E L I G H T] a single Tamer Relic could drastically shift a nation’s military strength.
But throughout all those years, reports of a Tamer Relic being found within the Empire, or even anywhere on the continent, was rare enough to count on one hand.
Ten years ago, word spread that a Tamer Relic had been discovered in the Kingdom of Alicia. However, no one capable of awakening its power had appeared.
The relic remained under the kingdom’s protection to this day. They were reportedly still searching for its rightful owner.
Even so, the other nations couldn’t help envying the Kingdom of Alicia. Finding a Tamer Relic in the first place was an incredibly rare achievement.
Yet now, one had surfaced not somewhere else but within the Imperial Palace itself? And in the hands of a princess?
Well, I suppose it’s possible.
Finding a Tamer Relic was difficult enough, but finding the person capable of awakening it was even harder. Chances were, the relic in Princess Nailia’s hands had met the same fate.
A relic that never found its owner, slowly weathering with age until it faded from people’s memories.
Perhaps all anyone remembered was that it was valuable, so each generation kept passing it down to the next.
To be honest, it was amazing that no one had thrown it away despite how worn it looked. In that regard, the relic had been fortunate.
“Are you sure it’s really a Tamer Relic?”
“That’s what she says.”
Nailia answered shortly and glanced toward Ceres. The Emperor and Crown Prince followed her gaze.
“I believe it is.”
Holding back a sigh, Ceres answered simply.
I’ve gotten myself involved in something troublesome.
“How can you be so sure?”
“I’ve seen the ring belonging to the head of the Ellesia Family.”
The Emperor and Crown Prince must’ve known she was the one who had recovered the true ring. People in their positions wouldn’t lack that sort of information.
“The ring, huh...?”
The Emperor nodded.
Just as Ceres had expected, he was already aware of everything that had happened at House Ellesia not long ago.
“Is that all?”
However, that alone wasn’t enough to explain it.
She had only seen the ring once. How could that have been enough to tell that this bracelet was a Tamer Relic too? Especially when no one else had noticed?
“Isn’t there an easy way to find out whether that bracelet is a Tamer Relic or not?”
Rather than questioning her further, they could simply take it to the temple. The answer would reveal itself.
If it isn’t a Tamer Relic, the spring will spit it right back out.
She’d heard that fake relics were rejected immediately, as though the spring had swallowed something inedible.
“Hmm.”
The Emperor and Aseraian fell silent as they looked at the bracelet.
If Ceres was right and it truly was a Tamer Relic, the entire Empire would be thrown into an uproar.
No, the news would spread far beyond the Empire. The whole continent would be buzzing over the discovery of a new Tamer Relic and speculation about whether its owner would finally appear.
“What was your name again?”
The Emperor regarded Ceres thoughtfully.
He remembered her face well enough. She seemed close not only to Grand Duke Persia but also to his son, Cheion. And now, it appeared she was acquainted with Nailia as well.
“My name is Ceres Drow.”
It had been a long time since Ceres had introduced herself using her family name. Lowering her head politely, she gave a proper greeting.
The calm, measured manner in which she carried herself earned a slight admiration from the Emperor.
“The Drow family...”
The name sounded strangely familiar.
Drow... Drow...
“Ah.”
The Mercenary King Tom! The family he founded was the Drow family!
If he remembered correctly, the name had all but disappeared from public conversation in recent years.
“I see. And how old are you this year?”
Knock, knock.
Just then, a servant entered after knocking the door.
“Your Majesty, Grand Duke Persia has requested an audience.”
“The Grand Duke?”
The Emperor’s eyes widened.
“Send him in.”
It wasn’t like Kainel to seek him out. As far as the Emperor could remember, he’d never once come to the Imperial Palace without being summoned first.
What was this all about?
Click.
The door opened and Kainel Persia stepped inside. He bowed slightly.
“Welcome, Grand Duke Persia. What brings you here today?”
Kainel met Ceres’s gaze for a moment. Her eyes practically screamed, Why are you here?
He turned to the Emperor.
“I came to pick someone up. Please continue like I’m not here.”
...Pick someone up?
The Emperor looked at him expectantly, but Kainel offered no further explanation. Instead, he quietly stepped back as if he really intended to stand there and do nothing.
Faced with that reaction, the Emperor turned his attention back to Ceres.
“Now then, how old ar—”
“Why do you ask?”
The Emperor barely got the question out before Kainel cut in. Though his expression didn’t change much, the slight tilt of his lips and the narrowed look in his eyes made his displeasure obvious.
“It’s just her age...”
“You aren’t trying to set her up with someone, are you?”
His gaze briefly drifted toward Crown Prince Aseraian before returning.
“No, I was simply curious...”
The Emperor suddenly wondered whether asking a young lady’s age had always been a sensitive topic.
He shot Kainel a faintly wronged look, but the man who had created the awkward atmosphere fell silent again. He casually waved his hand, telling the Emperor to carry on.
The Emperor resumed his questioning.
“The Drow family, right? And where exactly—”
“Why do you need to know where she lives?”
“What about the rest of your fami—”
“Do you really need to know that?”
“...What do you do these—”
“Are you thinking of hiring her?”
“You and Cheion—”
“There’s obviously nothing going on between them.”
Every question was cut off by Kainel’s cool reply.
What’s wrong with him now?
Ceres stared at Kainel in disbelief. He kept speaking up before she could get a word in.
Since when did you become my spokesperson? I do have a mouth.
Ceres let out a quiet sigh.
And why am I the one getting embarrassed by all this?
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