CH 68

"......"

Ethan's mind kept replaying the situation before Sarah fell over and over again. Obviously, the magic stone contained power.

'The ring I made for you, how is it?'

At that time, Sarah cared about the ring that sealed Ambrosia's power before processing the magic stone. Ethan also felt that Sarah's power was breaking little by little as she approached the magic stone.

'Sarah seemed to know about the magic stone.'

The familiar power he felt in the magic stone certainly belonged to Ambrosia.

"Sir Harper."

"Yes, My Lord."

"Explain how Sarah came to Stenia Hall alone. Did she say anything?"

"Actually……, she seemed to know the person who left the magic stone in the hall."

At Jade's words, Ethan narrowed his forehead and asked back.

"Sarah knew about it?"

"Yes. When I explained the man’s description and the magic stone, she was so surprised and said it was dangerous at once."

"And?"

"She said he was probably her disciple."

"Disciple?"

It was his first time hearing it. Did Sarah have a disciple? A story that never came out of her mouth was now coming out of Jade's mouth.

"She said he was a child who she taught when she was in the magic tower. She thought he was very angry because she left without saying anything……"

"So you think he did something like this?"

"Yes, Countess Millen-nim seemed to expect that too."

He realized that he knew nothing about Sarah's days in the magic tower. Except that it took her 6 years to study the power of Ambrosia. What she did, who she was with, and what she went through during that time. Ethan knew nothing. She was a woman who smiled transparently as if her inner heart was shining brightly from her expression, so he was mistaken that he would know everything.

"Find him."

"Yes?"

"It doesn't matter what kind of relationship it was in the past. He has to pay the price for making Sarah like that."

Jade swallowed his saliva in response to Ethan's eerie voice.

"But isn’t he a disciple of Countess Millen-nim?"

"The current Sarah is not someone's master, but Claude's nanny and a person of Ambrosia."

"......!"

"He has to pay for touching my people. In any way."

His piercing eyes gleamed blue. Jade knew his lord's eyes well. It was the eyes that barely maintained the reason and calmness.

"But, My Lord, if they are the disciples of Countess Millen-nim…... The opponents are magicians."

"They are human too. And the living and breathing humans of the Crombell Empire will never be free from Ambrosia's grasp."

"......!"

At Ethan's words, Jade's eyes widened as if he had realized something. His confused mind because of the unusual mystical events and what Sarah, a magician, had suffered, calmly subsided. Finally Jade was only able to think normally.

"Under the pretext of this incident, we will block all markets where magic stones are distributed. If you send a letter of cooperation to each country to raise awareness, they will take action quickly."

Magic stones were like a mineral, so they were sold at a high price on the black market of the people who pry from the mine. And the magic stones were the magicians' favorite mineral, so the main customers were also magicians. No one knew when, where, and how those magicians disappeared after purchasing the magic stones. However, it was the miners who dug the magic stones that were sold in the market, and the merchants who dealt with the goods. Ambrosia had enough power to get all those humans and control them.

"In addition, from items that have little to do with magic, to things that are necessary for life, make sure to block them all. If the value rises, there will be people who want to pay for it, so put people on it."

"Yes, My Lord. I'll take action right away."

"If you can figure out the path where things are moving, that's the market that flows to the magic tower. As soon as you figure it out, stop everything they need to live. Make it difficult for them to get even a slice of bread or a spoon to eat soup."

Ethan remembered the story Sarah had told him about the magic tower at breakfast the other day. She said it was full of old-fashioned geezers who were only crazy about research. Just by hearing that, Ethan was able to grasp the characteristics of the magicians.

'Life will be a mess because they're only crazy about researching, and they'll like what they're used to and it's hard to break through new markets.'

All the magicians belonged to the magic tower. The same would be true of Sarah's disciples. No matter how powerful a magician was, he would have no choice but to be wary when all of his colleagues woke up in discomfort. Ethan intended to make all the magicians who had been studying comfortably come out of their comfort zone.

"Yes, and Countess Millen-nim's disciples may not have gone far yet, so the eyes and ears in the capital will have a lot to report. If you give me a moment, I'll fill it out for you."

Ambrosia's eyes and ears were scattered throughout the Empire. It could be a small bar owner, a street vendor selling bread, a couple holding hands and smiling softly, or a very small child running around the street. The power of Ambrosia was so deeply ingrained in the Empire that even the Emperor could not fully grasp it. It was the capital of an empire where countless people came and went, but only Ambrosia had the power to identify all of those people. So, the man who appeared at the Imperial Palace party today, presumed to be Sarah's disciple, would be easily found.

"No matter what, bring him and make him kneel in front of me. Tell the Knights that it's okay to use Ambrosia's armory if he rebels."

Jade's eyes widened at Ethan's words that he would give Ambrosia's armory to the knights' hands. Ambrosia's armory were weapons that came down as the family's treasures, and each of them had a little bit of Ambrosia's power. The last time the predecessor duke used that weapon, he inflicted an irreversible wound on his opponent. Jade realized just how much Ethan's wrath was brewing. He had to hurry.

"Yes, My Lord."

Jade bowed lightly and then quickly left the lounge. There was a lot of work to be done, and he had to do it.

"......"

Ethan pulled Sarah's body, which was drooping helplessly, and held it in his arms. Sarah was breathing weakly but painfully. She had stopped vomiting a handful of blood, but blood was still dripping from her lips little by little. Ethan carefully wiped Sarah's mouth with his sleeve. Claude, who was anxiously watching the scene, looked up at Ethan and opened his mouth.

"Father……"

"What’s wrong?"

"He’s Nanny's disciple, so why was he trying to hurt Nanny?"

"......"

At Claude's words, Ethan's lips parted bitterly.

"Maybe Sarah wasn't the one he was trying to hurt."

If he had really aimed for Sarah, he would not have handed the magic stone to the Third Prince. He could feel that Sarah's disciples did not like the people around her. If the feeling was true, the thing they hated and disliked the most would be Ambrosia.

"......Duke-nim, the priest has arrived!"

At that time, May ran into the lounge, taking a deep breath. May, who had jumped out of her seat when the priest was late to come, had now returned.

"Let him in."

Claude's face turned bright when he heard that the priest had arrived. A priest was a being who could heal even an incurable disease with the power of God. Even young Claude knew how sacred the powers they wielded were. He grabbed Ethan's trousers and shook them.

"Father, he can make sure Nanny doesn't hurt anymore, right? Right?"

"......I don't know."

Contrary to Claude's hopeful question, Ethan's face was frighteningly stiff, because the appearance of the priest entering the lounge was different from what he knew.

"I don’t know you."

Saying so, Ethan pulled Claude and hid him behind him.

"......"

The priest's eyes were not looking at Ethan and Claude. He was looking at Sarah Millen who was lying in Ethan's arms. Only at her.