Chapter 22

“You can... bring back... this darkness...”

Ricardis didn’t really hear her last words. Isserion had covered his ears with both hands and urged Ricardis to leave quickly, so he also left the cell.

Ricardis recalled her last words in his head. The shape of her mouth drew one letter, then another letter. ‘Is it a curse? Or a hint for something?’ He wouldn’t know now. He left without ever looking back to her solitary confinement.

[Whether you can bring back the white night with the presence of Idelavhim alone. I will watch from this darkness, Ricardis.]

Isserion was nagging so much that it was almost deafening. ‘Black Moon’: a group of fanatics who worship Crean Tidanion. Ricardis had been thinking of what he would do if they couldn’t have an honest conversation with that witch, Katelyn. He was shocked to find that her venomous tongue was friendly.

They confirmed with her words that magical power was mixed with the poison intended to kill Ricardis. Elpidio and the Emperor’s people, who were listening to her in the dungeon, will spread the word that the Black Moon and the kingdom Balta had created a new poison that made even holy power useless. It was a grave threat not only to Ricardis but also to the Illavenia Imperial family. The more known enemies there are, the better. The problem is that there are also allies who are holding hands with the enemy.

Ricardis tossed around in bed for some time while following the pattern on the ceiling with his eyes. He didn’t usually fall asleep easily but today was especially difficult. Unlike his tired body, his mind was alive. It was a type of sleep disorder he suffered from due to frequent assassination attempts from an early age. Ricardis closed his eyes, counted a few sheep over a black background, and thought of a lullaby for little children. Despite all his efforts, his mind only became more lucid.

Ricardis took a deep breath and stood up. It seemed like it was too late to fall asleep again today. There was always a lot of work to do to keep the long nights boring. He has always held a quill on his sleepless days, but...Vissit novelbin(.)c.om for updates

Today, his eyes went to the closet where wine was laid out one after another. Ricardis knew that on days like this, sitting at a desk was not a good option. He picked up a bottle of wine and sagged down on the long sofa. There were only a few candles, so the room was not bright. He stood out even more in such a situation. A faint white light shone on the wine glass and the table as moonlight peeked through the gaps in the slightly opened curtains. Ricardis followed the light and shifted his gaze. He saw a part of the full moon floating in the air. It was like the white, milky eyes of a woman. Feeling dirty in an instant, he gulped down the wine in the glass.

Black Moon. White Night. They were not simply the names of a group of fanatics serving Crean Tidanion or the name of the Knights Order of the 2nd Prince of the Holy Empire. It was a legend from long ago about the splendid past of the now aging and dying continent.

[Idelavhim, the god of light, drove out Crean Tidanion, the god of darkness, during the night when his power reached its peak.

The white light of blessing, which was brighter than daylight, lit up the whole world. Everything was revived. The black veil, which had covered the earth and the sky, slowly retreated to one side of the sky. The shadow, the symbol of darkness, also disappeared, leaving no trace of the darkness that had settled on the earth. A white night covered the world. Crean Tidanion was kicked out of the night, hid in the moon, and stayed on the blackened moon until the night Idelavhim, who dyed the world white, finally disappeared.]

It was really stupid and boring. The current Emperor is unable to sing the ‘Blessed Night’ even if the other conditions are sufficiently satisfied, but he still held on to power.

If the Emperor finds out that Ricardis is digging for information on ‘Blessed Night’, Ricardis will not die well. The apex, which stands above all humans. It was an act of rebellion against the only person who could kill tens, hundreds, or even tens of thousands with a single word. Ricardis knew he was in a risky situation, but he thought it was worth the risk.

On a day when all conditions are met, it would be a significant threat to the Emperor. It would be like a kind of insurance, not a sword used to cut someone down. It’s a sword to protect oneself. Therefore, even when rolling around on the battlefield, when seriously injured, and even when loved ones are dying, Ricardis has been looking for clues about the ‘Blessed Night’.

What used to be so blurry that even a shape could not be seen has only been revealed a little bit today.

‘Whether you can bring back the white night with the presence of Idelavhim alone. I will watch from this darkness, Ricardis.’

Ricardis drank the wine like water. Indeed, he decided to admit it. He was only looking for one thing. From the last words of the witch Katelyn, he got an important clue. On the day the white night appeared, there was always the black moon. If the white night was not found, only the black moon remains.

“This... What are... What are you doing, Sir Rosaline?”

Ricardis took a glass of wine and headed to the balcony. With a reddish face, he opened the window. He stiffened before he set his foot outside. It was because he made eye contact with someone on a branch from a tall tree in front of him. Ricardis wrinkled his brows.

In response, he stuttered in embarrassment, and his voice was a pitch higher. He was so surprised that Ricardis should be praised for not screaming. Rosaline Radwiell, lit by the moonlight, answered him naturally while sitting like a cat on a branch.

“I’m escorting.”

“... Isn’t your escort hours from morning to evening?”

“The assassins don’t come on my escort time.”

And Rosaline immediately confirmed her words. She grabbed something from within the lush tree and smashed it to the floor. It was a human wearing black clothes. The man had already passed out, perhaps after being beaten by Rosaline. Ricardis glanced at the insanely capable escort knight once, then glanced at the assassin who fell bleeding under the tree once. Then the bell rang. Shortly soon after, the knights arrived.