CH 129

Kei handed the compass he had brought to Riett. 

She opened it with a hint of doubt, but it was indeed the spirit stone compass she remembered.

“You didn’t sell it…?” 

At that time, Kei had twisted his ankle and looked unable to climb the mountain to gather herbs. 

However, he needed money to take care of his frail grandmother during winter. How could he not have sold the compass and endured that winter?

“I couldn’t sell it. My heart was set on it.”

“But…”

“After you disappeared, I made up my mind and climbed the mountain again, even with my sprained ankle. Thanks to hard work, I gathered enough herbs to survive the winter. I opened a new shop and made proper trades, so I earned a living.”

Riett admired his determination. True heroism wasn’t just found in extraordinary places; it could be encountered in everyday life when facing challenges and fighting fiercely for victory.

“Luck was on my side too. I discovered an expensive herb that only grows in early winter, and in a few days, I almost doubled my original earnings. My grandmother lived longer than expected.”

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Kei’s mouth.

“I lost my wife first, but I made a home like anybody else and raised my children splendidly. Now I run an herbal shop in the city.”

“It’s truly a fortunate turn of events.”

Riett said, her heart filled with emotions.

“Though a lot of time has passed, I want to thank you again for saving me that day by the river. If I had died back then, I wouldn’t have had this future.”

Kei said, tears welling up in his eyes.

Riett patiently waited for Kei to compose himself before she spoke, 

“Actually, I came here to convey my gratitude as well.”

“Gratitude…?” 

Kei looked puzzled.

“Yes. Specifically, Nylivian, the spirit who saved you from the cliff, wanted to express his thanks to you. He said he could remember his name until the very moment of his disappearance, all thanks to you.”

Riett said with a gentle expression.

“I should be the one thanking that spirit…”

Thud. Tears finally fell from Kei’s eyes as he wiped them with the back of his hand.

Riett waited quietly until Kei had shed all his tears and calmed down. When he raised his head, his eyes were red and marked by deep wrinkles.

“That spirit… I can’t meet him anymore, can I?”

Nylivian’s physical form had died, and even his spirit stone had completely disappeared. There was no way for Kei to meet him again.

Riett nodded with a somber expression. 

“Yes…”

“I understand…”

Kei didn’t say anything else, but the melancholy feeling in his yellow eyes was as deep as the autumn weather. 

Having finished everything she needed to do, Riett stood up from her seat.

Kei’s gaze followed her. 

“Are you already leaving? My sons will be back for dinner, so at least have a meal before you go…”

“I appreciate your offer, but I have many postponed tasks.”

Riett replied with regret. She indeed had someone important she needed to meet today.

“I understand. I can’t hold a busy person back.”

Kei said as he stood up and escorted Riett to the front of the cabin.

“Feel free to visit anytime. I’ll make sure to serve you a proper meal then.”

“I will do that. Take care of yourself.”

Kei smiled as if he was about to cry. 

The familiar features brought a sense of nostalgia. Although time had taken away much of his youth, seeing the faint image of the young Kei was heartwarming.

The time spent with Kei had been both short and long. They had only spent about two days together during Nylivian’s test, but it felt like they had known each other for 63 years since she returned to the present.

For Riett, this ordinary but meaningful reunion would remain etched in her memory. 

‘An encounter one wouldn’t experience twice in a lifetime.’

Like the beautiful scenery of the setting sun beyond the mountains, this heartwarming meeting would forever be cherished.

* * *

After returning to the city, Riett couldn’t go straight back to her mansion. Just as she told Kei, she had postponed tasks to attend to. The most pressing one was to meet the Emperor.

The Emperor would probably be eagerly awaiting news of her return. Not wanting him to be anxious, even in the darkness, Riett headed straight to the palace.

Recently, the Emperor had been staying in his office until late due to his busy schedule.

‘As expected.’

Riett thought, and indeed, as she expected, the lights were on in the Emperor’s office.

Upon entering the office and opening the door, she saw the Emperor, looking frail like a withering plant. However, the moment he laid eyes on Riett, he suddenly seemed alive again.

“Duchess Marren!”

“Your Majesty, I hope you have been well.”

In reality, it had been less than a week since she last saw him. The journey to Parman took some time, but finding the spirit stone didn’t take that long.

“Oh, indeed. I couldn’t be well when I thought of you.”

“That’s kind of you. May I take a seat and talk? My legs hurt after coming back from the mountains.”

Riett was being sincere. She should have just taken a carriage or a horse. Walking from the city to the remote mountain cabin in her sentimental mood made her feet ache.

“Oh, of course. Please, have a seat.”

The Emperor led Riett to a reception sofa. Riett sat down cautiously.

“Did you just arrive at the capital?”

“Yes.”

In truth, she had gone to see Kei immediately upon her return, but she lied to avoid disappointing the Emperor.

“Now, tell me, what happened to the spirit stone?”

The Emperor was practically perched on the edge of the sofa, his gaze fixed on Riett.

Riett could see the Emperor’s restless throat as he eagerly awaited the results. Without hesitation, she delivered the news.

“I found the spirit stone.”

“I see… Between you and Perante, who obtained it?”

The air grew heavy, reminiscent of the moments before an award announcement. Riett slowly spoke up.

“I obtained the spirit stone.”

The Emperor blinked his eyes.

“Is that… true?”

Without any other response, Riett firmly nodded. The Emperor immediately stood up from his seat.

“Ahaha! I knew it! There was no way you would lose to someone like Perante!”

The Emperor was delighted like a child. His laughter and applause filled the room, a sight unfamiliar to Riett, but her lips began to curl up in response.

“So, where is the spirit stone?”

The Emperor, now more composed, looked around Riett as he asked.

“Well… You can’t see the spirit stone directly. It was absorbed into me.”

“Huh? The stone was absorbed into your body?”

The Emperor displayed a surprised expression, prompting Riett to explain the process step by step. 

The fact that only qualified individuals could interact with the spirit stone and the requirement to undergo the spirit’s test.

“Then, Perante must have failed the test.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“I hope he didn’t take out his frustrations in a harmful way.”

Concern laced the Emperor’s worried voice, and Riett nodded in agreement.

“That’s not possible. I sealed his ability to use spirit magic, so you have no reason to be concerned.”

The Emperor acknowledged it with a satisfied expression and raised his head.

“But sealing such a powerful force from Perante… That turned out well. So, what might Perante have done?”

If Perante had obtained the power of the spirit stone, he would have rebelled and tried to establish a new country. However, as it was a topic that would cool the Emperor’s enthusiasm, Riett decided to keep the rest of the story to herself.

“…That’s true. In any case, since I absorbed the power of the spirit stone, there’s no need to worry about Perante.”

The Emperor, who had been looking down, lifted his head in surprise.

“Right, then how do you plan to use this power?”

“First, I will use this power to restore the damages caused by recent natural disasters in Parman.”

As Riett walked along the quiet mountain path, away from Kei’s cabin, she contemplated various plans. The serene landscape, the gentle sound of the wind, and the faint scent of grass in the air allowed her thoughts to wander.

Then, she remembered the significant damages Parman had suffered due to recent natural disasters. The riverbanks had collapsed, and the soil washed away by heavy rain remained.

Hence, she concluded that it would be best to start by systematically addressing those issues.

‘Even if it would take several people several days to accomplish, I could probably handle it by myself in just a few minutes.’

“After that, I will focus on tax reform.”

As Riett briefly experienced the lives of Kei and Perante, she realized how desperate the common people were, living day by day. She hurriedly understood that stabilizing their lives was her responsibility. 

To achieve that, she needed to promptly resume the tax reform that had been put on hold due to Count Terrator’s interference.

“Then, you should go back to Parman first.”

“Yes, it won’t take long.”

The Emperor nodded silently, then raised his head, his eyes sparkling.

“While you are in Parman, I will be making preparations on my end.”

Riet was puzzled by the sudden remark.

“What preparations?”

With a determined expression, the Emperor replied, 

“Since the owner of the spirit stone has been born in the Empire, it’s only natural to hold an inauguration ceremony for the official imperial spirit mage, don’t you think?”