Chapter 89
DING!
[Information regarding the keyword ‘Astia Reschenhardt’ has been unlocked!]
[Astia Reschenhardt — Vice-Head of House Reschenhardt, Knight of the Rose, Wrathful Wanderer.
Records prior to the 30th iteration:
The one destined to inherit the title of ‘Fad’ after her father, Lexenbert Fad Reschenhardt. Had it not been for Ark Batchel, she would have beco the youngest Sword Master. After the tragic incident that befell Reschenhardt, she failed to anchor her heart anywhere and chose the life of a wanderer.
Notable detail: She ventured deep into the Frost Forest to subjugate the legendary magical beast ‘Fenrir’ and subsequently went missing. Her whereabouts thereafter remain unknown.]
“It has been a while, Quil.”
Unlike her short-cropped sides, a single long braid trailed down her back, swaying at her waist.
Her crimson hair, an unmistakable mark of her lineage, resembled the color of well-aged wine.
Tall and slender.
Clad in armor engraved with the imperial crest, tailored to fit her form perfectly, Astia’s stern gaze settled on Aquila.
At first glance, one might have thought the look too cold for a sister greeting her younger brother. Yet as Aquila t her eyes directly, he could not fail to notice the affection contained within them, faint as sunlight.
It felt as though Lexenbert himself stood before him.
…He had never thought about it before, but she bore a striking resemblance to their father.
In terms of outward appearance, Aquila might have seed the closer match. Yet in the quiet aura she exuded even at rest, Astia felt far more like Lexenbert.
“Astia,”
Aquila hesitated briefly as he faced those dark eyes, like a clouded sky.
“…Sister.”
He quickly added the proper form of address.
It was not an embarrassnt to have to call soone in her early twenties by such a title at his age; he had rely hesitated over whether to say “Elder Sister” or simply “Sister.”
Astia smiled faintly.
But just as when he had first faced Lexenbert in this iteration, Aquila had never once seen Astia’s smiling face before. For a mont, he felt oddly unsettled.
“I had a mission outside the capital yesterday.”
Her voice erged sowhat bluntly.
She offered no further explanation.
Hearing her curt tone, Aquila let out a small, involuntary laugh.
It seed that, whether now or in the future, she had never been one to elaborate. What she ant was that a mission beyond the capital had prevented her from coming to greet him.
When Aquila nodded, vitality flickered in Astia’s eyes.
In an instant, she stepped forward and pulled her slightly shorter brother into a firm embrace.
“Because I was so far away. I am sorry…”
Guilt dripped from her voice.
She was currently serving in the Imperial Knights.
Even if she had received news, she would not have been able to depart imdiately, and likely learned of it only later.
At the point when the main scenario began, the only living mbers of House Reschenhardt had been Lexenbert and Astia.
Unlike Lexenbert in the previous iteration, who had been little more than an empty shell, Astia had gone mad in a different way.
A rage beyond imagination.
The gaze of a beast. In the previous iteration, Astia had been a beast incarnate.
When Aquila had t her then, she had road the continent, slaughtering countless monsters.
By twenty-five, she had beco a Sword Master, and it was fortunate that her blade had never turned toward humans. Her deeds had been ruthless enough.
She had resented Lexenbert—the Sword Master who had failed to protect anyone—and had even renounced the title of ‘Fad.’
Although, as the sole surviving bloodline at the ti, she had still been called the Vice-Head.
Be that as it may…
“Urk—can’t—breathe…!”
He had not pushed her away, thinking there was no need. But the arms around him tightened gradually.
Pain flared in his chest and back where the hardened armor and gauntlets pressed against him.
The crushing force hurt, but more than that, he was running out of air.
“This ti, I will protect you.”
No matter what enemy appeared, she would ensure they could not lay a finger on Aquila.
Her eyes shone fiercely.
…All right, I understand!
Aquila scread inwardly and patted her back in desperate self-preservation.
The armor was so solid that his hand hurt, but she must have sensed his urgency. At last, she loosened her grip.
“Haah…!”
Aquila inhaled deeply and rubbed his compressed chest.
It hurt.
“We must go to the Imperial Palace, correct?”
As though she had not nearly crushed her brother to death monts earlier, Astia asked calmly.
She did not seem to be asking out of ignorance.
Aquila, wondering if any ribs had cracked, nodded.
Today’s schedule was not entirely private.
But there was a certain discretion to it.
Before leaving Igrail, Lexenbert had entrusted him with evidence of the abnormalities occurring in the Frost Forest, and he was to deliver it and make a formal report.
At least, that was the official purpose.
Well, after handing it over, it would hardly end there. He would likely be invited to a salon or a party.
Though the Emperor lay bedridden, the greed and ostentation of the nobles had not diminished.
On the contrary, as the social season approached, the number of gatherings had increased.
It was an opportune ti for nobles to align themselves behind the princes, to whisper and sche among themselves.
“Let us go.”
Astia inclined her head.
It appeared she intended to lead him personally into the Imperial Palace.
Watching her back as she strode ahead without waiting for his reply, Aquila sighed once more.
***
Backed by the authority of gods and dragons, the first Delvion had unified the continent.
To commorate that achievent, there stood a place more magnificent than any other upon the continent, so beautiful that wherever one looked, the word perfection would arise naturally.
That was the Delvion Imperial Palace.
Within its grounds were countless sights to behold, from fountains carved of jade to the Grand Garden of roses that blood year-round without fading.
“Wow…”
Shen gazed around, unable to contain his admiration.
The ancient castle of Reschenhardt, the largest structure after the Imperial Palace, was impressive in its own right. Yet the Delvion Imperial Palace felt like a singular work of art wherever one cast their eyes.
Even the patterns carved into the corridor ceilings had been crafted with painstaking devotion by master artisans of the ti.
As Shen’s eyes moved busily, only two people remained unmoved by the palace’s grandeur.
Astia and Aquila.
As a mber of the Imperial Knights, the Vice-Head of House Reschenhardt was familiar with the surroundings. Besides, she held little interest in art or romantic flourishes.
Aquila, in contrast, was simply accustod.
He had visited the Delvion Imperial Palace countless tis in the previous iteration, and in the one before that as well.
The outer walls and ornants, preserved as though ti had frozen, without a speck of dust, remained unchanged. Aquila let the scenery pass by indifferently.
They had only just entered the palace.
Though their number was small, in terms of sheer martial strength, even a modest army would have stood no chance against them.
Of course, Yujelia and Heinen had not co.
The imperial summons had been for Aquila of Reschenhardt alone.
Yet neither Yujelia nor Heinen seed disappointed at not being invited.
If anything, they had appeared reluctant to attend.
There had even been relief in their faces as they sent him off, urging him to return safely.
Is it truly appropriate to envy a priest…?
Aquila clicked his tongue silently.
“How much do you think that one is worth…?”
“Hm. Each strand of fur looks alive, but since it is not gold, perhaps it would not be quite so—”
Cahena, who had sidled up to Shen, asked in a hushed voice, and the two whispered together.
The statue depicted not a simple lion but a warrior—helted, with wings unfurled behind its back.
The Conqueror.
That lion statue was the symbol of the Delvion imperial family.
Aquila glanced over his shoulder.
“It is not steel. It is made of mithril.”
“W-What? …Mithril?!”
“Yes. Even if you offered half the continent of Delvion, it would not be worth more than that.”
Mithril—the most difficult tal to handle upon the earth.
Even forging weapons or armor from it required exceptional skill. Yet that statue had been carved with delicate detail down to each individual strand of the lion’s mane.
This was not comparable to molding clay and sketching upon it.
“My heavens…”
Several of Reschenhardt’s private soldiers, who had never visited the palace before, murmured quietly.
It was no wonder. To leave such marks upon mithril required aura; anything less would have been impossible.
Every swordsman present would be stunned, and inevitably think the sa thing.
That the one who had crafted that statue must have been a higher being.
A half-blood of god and dwarf. Demi—hardly fitting to call a higher being outright.
Even without seeing it directly, Aquila could picture the lion statue clearly.
The one who had inherited the technique from its creator was Kanherz… that dwarven master. Did Ark find Kanherz?
He thought of the mithril arrowheads resting quietly inside his bag.
There were those capable of working mithril, but soone who could craft sothing as small and intricate as arrowheads could be counted on one hand across the vast continent of Delvion.
One of them was undoubtedly Kanherz.
“Silence.”
Aquila’s thoughts were cut short.
The murmuring behind them did not cease, and Astia turned with a single sharp word.
Her severe presence caused even the attendant guiding them to glance around nervously.
“…You may enter through here.”
Aquila silently regarded the ornately decorated doors.
There was no need to speculate. Beyond them would be the Second Prince.
And the greeting he would offer was easy enough to predict.
I regret summoning you here when your health is poor. Yet my desire to see you is sincere.
Aquila stared at the doors a mont longer before nodding to Astia.
She unfastened the sword at her waist and, without a word, handed it to Cahena.
Though she could display her skill without any weapon, it was a courtesy to the imperial family.
No one could enter beyond this point while ard.
Thus, only Astia, Aquila, and the attendant Shen could pass through the doors.
“Yours as well.”
Astia gestured toward Shen.
The attendant stood there with innocent eyes for a mont before pursing his lips slightly.
Then, from who knew where, he produced two daggers and handed them to Cahena.
The attendant standing before the door swallowed silently.
“You must remove anything that could cause trouble.”
Cahena’s narrowed gaze turned toward Shen.
Knowing she was right, Shen reluctantly began pulling out what he carried.
…When did he gather all of that?
There was an astonishing amount.
In Igrail, he had carried only two daggers. Where he had hidden all those concealed weapons upon entering was a mystery.
At last, having surrendered everything, Shen stood lighter and sowhat dejected behind Aquila.
“Announce our arrival.”
Astia gestured to the attendant.
Still reeling from the procession of hidden blades and thinking, As expected of Reschenhardt. One cannot lower one’s guard, the attendant hurried forward.
“Lady Astia Reschenhardt and Lord Aquila Reschenhardt have arrived!”
With the attendant’s announcent, the doors slowly opened.
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