CH 74

Ophelia drew several arrows on the map.

Because this map was a rough diagram, it didn’t have a detailed record of topographic features. Rather, this map focused on the documentation of routes and oceanic currents.

And Ophelia was using this map to figure out the magic tower’s location.

Of course, when using only a map like this, it was like she was a paper boat floating in the middle of the vast ocean.

Fortunately though, she had quite a lot of information about the tower.

Scritch, scribble. The quill moved quickly as Ophelia wrote down what she knew on the page.

First, about the sirens.

‘The magic tower is surrounded by a flock of sirens.’

Apart from that, the siren flock also shared a territorial barrier with the tower. In other words, this meant that neither of them could be seen with the naked eye if one did now know how to wield magic.

Now, here was where the strange aspects of it arose.

What would happen if a ship were to come into the tower’s barrier?

Cornelli gave her the answer to this question.

“It passes by as if nothing just happened.”

“I thought it would hit something solid at least.”

“If the barrier could be hit like that, then we would be revealed. Hiding an entire place is trickier than you think.”

So, that place could be hidden only when the raised barrier could be felt by none of the senses, including sight.

That’s why the idea of fumbling around and trying to push through the barrier was wrong from the very beginning.

Therefore, Ophelia instead tried to infer the tower’s location through records and documents.

If the tower was surrounded by the siren flock, then wasn’t it naturally a place where accidents caused by sirens frequently occurred?

‘With the songs that sirens sing, they can easily captivate humans and sink their ships.’

Sante said that sirens didn’t really gather in flocks, but for this case, it was likely that they were in groups around the tower. The places she marked on the map were places where accidents occur a lot.

And for Ophelia to confirm this, she needed Ariel’s help.

This was why Sante went out to meet Ariel—for the mermaid and Ophelia to meet.

‘I hope he can persuade her well the first time.’

There was nothing she could do at this stage.

She needed to leave it in the hands of those who weren’t human.

She stared out the window where Sante had left, but soon turned around.

There was also a reason why she was short on time.

“You’ve arrived?”

A guest had come to visit Ophelia, just in time.

* * *

Bishop Velran.

With cliff-like, angular cheeks and deep-set eyes, he was Ophelia’s theology teacher, and the highest-ranking priest currently staying in the capital.

“It’s time for a temple to be built on the Ladeen soil as well. The almighty L’Haille shall be greatly pleased.”

“God’s joy is His creations’ joy as well. Thank you for your hard work. You’re still as devout as ever, Teacher.”

Ophelia raised the teacup to her lips, saying words that she didn’t mean.

Opposite her was a young man dressed in priest’s robes, wearing as stiff of an expression just as Ophelia did.

‘I did think the temple would send someone, but.’

She didn’t expect that it would be him.

Feeling a little uncomfortable, Ophelia set down the teacup.

It hadn’t been too long ago since she faced him. As she told the guest to come in, the young man in priest’s garb came in and bowed to her. But rather than behaving flawlessly polite, he seemed to be moving as though he was made out of solid marble.

—I greet the Princess. This is L’Haille’s sixth rank.

And likewise, a stiff greeting.

The teacup clattered onto its saucer as Ophelia set it down, making a sharp noise that she otherwise wouldn’t have usually made because her fingers now had a slight tremor.

Verlan’s strict gaze swept over the cup.

“…Your Highness also seems to be unchanged.”

“It’s difficult to understand what you mean.”

“I heard that there are three mages at the moment in this small domain.”

Verlan’s smooth forehead became slightly wrinkled.

“I heard that they are following Your Highness’ shadow, those heretics who have left L’Haille’s grace, even as He would not throw them away.”

The time had come.

As soon as he said the word ‘heretics’, Ophelia frowned minutely.

Verlan wasn’t characteristically a bad person, but he was the kind of person who thought of everything in a dichotomous way, with only black and white and no grays in between.

For example, he believed that he, someone who would abide by the will of the God L’Haille, was of the absolute good, while on the other hand, the mages who would go against the God were

For example, as he himself abides by the will of the God L’Haille, he considers himself to be of the absolute good. On the other hand, the mages who do not follow the will of God are of absolute evil.

‘I can’t believe the most troublesome person came here.’

With a frown, Ophelia replied sharply.

“What do you mean by heretic? We are now in the era where even the Imperial Family trains and fosters mages. I do hope you refrain from saying such things. It’s disrespectful.”

“L’Haille has embraced these heretics with His generous heart, but their essence remains unchanged. I do not understand with what gall they dare to step into a place where a reverend of God is staying.”

“Verlan.”

Ophelia spoke with an even lower voice. In an instant, a sharp expression was directed at the priest.

“Do I still look like the same little girl you’d beat with a cane? Think again. Who’s in front of you?”

“……!”

A strange glimmer flashed against Velran’s eyes, but it soon subsided.

“…I see. First of all, since they are Your Highness’ people, I acknowledge my mistake. Forgive me for my impertinence.”

“Let’s move on. Then, how far is the construction going of the temporary temple?”

“It’s now in a good condition to reside in. The convenience of the corporeal body is not a concern for those who serve God.”

Velran said this as a smile graced his features. He was a man who could endure and show tolerance in many ways, if not for his extreme abhorrence towards mages and heretics.

Even so, his smile was awkward to see due to how much it looked like a smile carved out of a marble statue.

“I’ll be running a medical relief center from tomorrow onwards.”

If anyone knew how much effort he placed in giving aid to people, there would be no doubt cast on that smile of his.

“I heard that Ladeen is barely getting by with poor medical advancements because there is no temple here. On my way to the castle, I saw men lining up by the wall, in need of L’Haille’s grace. I traveled with many priests with me who are good at medical care, so we will make haste to—”

“Ah, there’s nothing for you to worry about. One of my guests is already running a treatment center.”

A few days ago, Cornelli expressed his concern about just receiving his meals like this without paying anything back, so he suddenly decided to set up a treatment center near the castle gates.

Since his specialties lay with potion making and healing magic, he could single-handedly provide various kinds of medicine necessary for daily life as well as for treatments.

—Wow! Even if I bring the pot to a boil and something explodes, no one’s scolding me!

—It’s like a dream that I’m allowed to gather herbs and use them!

Besides that, thanks to the fact that his work ethic matched well with the current head of the medical team, the treatment center was bustling every day.

Perhaps what Velran saw back then was a crowd of people trying to visit the treatment center.

Velran was visibly taken aback because he didn’t expect such an answer, but he soon spoke again.

“Then is there any other place in need of a workforce? Since the roads are under construction, I believe there will be a great need for divine power.”

“Yes, it’s only natural. That’s why, likewise… Another one of my guests has offered her help.”

The other mage, Yennit, was eagerly going in rounds throughout the construction sites and other places where she was needed.

Compared to Cornelli, she was more of a jack-of-all-trades because of the array of magic spells she knew, on top of her specialization in teleportation and telekinesis.

—If this is what Lord Alejandro was in charge of before, then it’s all the more reason why I should work harder. I can’t make him do this.

—I did similar things in Ronen, but this much is easier compared to moving ships. Back over there, they kept asking me to move so many things during shipbuilding season. I had to struggle all day long.

Mages were truly formidable with their power.

With Yennit’s telekinesis, she was the equivalent of six workers.

To a certain extent, this was also the effect that Ophelia wanted to see.

If the priests of the temple would have tried to exert their influence in this place, her position here would waver because of them.

Which was why it’s better to let these efficient and sincere mages step up first.

“What to do. I believe your assistance isn’t needed anywhere at the moment.”