To help rest, since I was clearly exhausted, ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ Kiaros ca into the room with .
Not long after, the crow who had followed the man carrying the vial returned to report.
“He entered the temple inside the Royal Palace. The one where the High Priest and the other priests are currently staying.”
As expected!
My eyes sparkled silently.
“Judging by the looks of it, he appears to be one of the priests the High Priest brought with him.”
Right now, the High Priest was residing in the Royal Palace temple with a few priests.
The crow glanced at Kiaros for permission and then asked,
“Shall we storm the place now and arrest everyone on the spot?”
“Hmm.”
Kiaros crossed his arms and fell into brief thought. Then he said in a low voice,
“If we do that, they’ll probably just claim the priest acted alone and cut ties. If the High Priest is actually involved, it wouldn’t be a wise move to raid the entire temple with just this level of evidence.”
The fact that those words ca from Kiaros’s mouth—that the High Priest might be a collaborator—was shocking.
I glanced at him and asked,
“Do you suspect the High Priest?”
Kiaros slowly replied,
“After the founding of the Empire by the First Emperor, peace lasted so long that the temple gradually declined. But if trouble arises among the Dragonbloods and chaos spreads through the continent, the temple could regain influence.”
Bingo.
Sure, I knew that because I rembered the future, but the fact that Kiaros had deduced this much without knowing it was impressive. Truly a ruler worthy of the Empire’s future.
When I widened my eyes at him, Kiaros added slowly,
“Of course, I can’t be certain yet...”
Of course, that was Kiaros’s position. But in my heart, I was already sure.
The High Priest is definitely involved.
In the original story, Jaden realizes the mont he leaves the palace that the priests show absolute obedience to the High Priest.
Even young Jaden saw the priests as mindless puppets. And they were all hand-picked by the High Priest. There’s no way they’d act independently.
And there was one more thing I couldn’t forget.
Using the Dragonblood’s blood as bait was my idea alone. The High Priest had already planned to enter the palace before that.
In the original, the High Priest was never even in the palace at this point in the story.
Which ant the High Priest had a different goal—unrelated to the blood.
Sothing changed from the original, and now he has a reason to be here himself...
I glanced at Kiaros.
The person the Reformist Faction most wanted to eliminate—soone they failed to assassinate in the original—was right beside .
In any case, Kiaros was still in a blackout. And the High Priest, if he was part of the Reformists, would know that.
Could it be... he ca here himself to kill Kiaros?
Victor had definitely told earlier to be careful—even though I was staying in the palace under Kiaros’s protection.
That ant soone inside the palace had the power to kill outright, no matter the guards.
The High Priest is a test subject.
In the original, the High Priest continued to maintain the appearance of soone in his forties.
Doesn’t that an he has transcendent power? Soone who could kill in an instant...
He’d be more cautious against Kiaros, but soone like ? I’d be easy to wipe out in one blow.
I can’t tell Kiaros all of this... I’d have to admit I know the future, and that would be even more suspicious.
While I was lost in thought, Kiaros said,
“I was supposed to escort him on his final day leaving the palace, but I guess I’ll have to cancel that.”
At that, I looked up at him.
“Your Highness.”
“Hmm?”
“What would you think about ... approaching the High Priest?”
It was a bold suggestion, but the response ca quickly.
“No.”
Kiaros shook his head imdiately.
“I don’t like the idea of you putting yourself in danger.”
“I’ll bring Kibon with . The mont things get risky, I’ll use him as a shield without hesitation.”
Now that I knew the enemy might target directly, I couldn’t sit still.
“To catch a tiger, you have to step into its den.”
My eyes glead as I started explaining the rest of the plan.
***
Late at night, in the palace temple.
The High Priest smiled as he received the vial of blood from the priest.
“This is Dragonblood...”
Dragonblood was an excellent experintal material.
He had been feeling regretful—he’d already used up all the previous samples.
Fifteen years ago, he had collected a small amount from the southern region where the current emperor had shed his blood. But since it wasn’t drawn intentionally, the amount was small.
Still, the results of that experint were astounding.
I could glimpse the future.
Vague, but undeniable. The first test subject predicted Kiaros’s second blackout.
Namia Roafi, who was in the escort team, thwarted the assassination—but Kiaros had looked thoroughly shaken. It had definitely been a blackout.
After that, the High Priest gathered the last of the emperor’s remaining blood and tried again. But the second experint failed.
Maybe the sample was too small. Maybe the test subject was faulty. It was impossible to tell with such limited data.
Well... that subject did have a few issues. He volunteered, so it couldn’t be helped...
But now, with Kiaros’s blood, he had another chance to see the future.
That was how desirable Dragonblood was.
Thanks to Victor Arwin.
A brilliant young man, but deeply lacking inside. His tragic family background stood in stark contrast to his talent.
His need to be close to everyone also stemd from that emptiness.
The Reformists had always recruited people like him.
But Victor had seized the chance to beco Marquis Arwin’s heir and left the Reformist Faction.
But guys like that always co back.
That was why they hadn’t killed him back then.
A fundantal void like that can’t be filled from the outside. Unless the person’s heart truly changes, they always return in so form.
In the end, Victor ca back on his own. Saying he wanted to destroy Namia Roafi.
And that he wanted to eliminate Kiaros Polariwood—the man who coveted Namia.
I’m sure we’ll find more uses for him.
You couldn’t trust soone like him with anything critical, but keeping a man of his skills around wasn’t a bad idea.
Give it a year or two, and he might even volunteer to beco a test subject.
After all, the High Priest himself only grew stronger through the sa ans.
“Still, this was an unexpected windfall. I’m lucky.”
The real reason he had entered the palace was sothing else entirely.
Once that goal was accomplished and he left the palace, he’d have successfully plunged the Empire into chaos.
And with chaos, cos the temple’s revival.
He smiled coldly as he stroked his beard.
***
That night, after hearing my plan, Kiaros reluctantly nodded.
“If you’re that determined, give it a try.”
“Then... may I use Your Highness’s na again this ti...?”
“What a silly question. You still have anything left to use?”
He even gave a playful smile. But he firmly instructed that I take Kibon with for safety.
So the next afternoon, I finished all preparations and pulled the summoning string.
Not long after, Kibon appeared.
I greeted him energetically.
“You heard from the Crown Prince, right? Let’s go.”
“Uh? Go where?”
“To the chapel.”
aning, the temple within the palace.
“But... could you wait outside for just a bit? I need to change and put on so makeup. The Empress sent a ton of outfits back then—let pick one.”
“Ah... okay.”
After changing into the outfit I’d picked out yesterday and packing a few scrolls, I stepped out proudly.
Kibon yelped in horror.
“What in the world are you wearing?!”
I blinked and replied calmly.
“A good outfit?”
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