From early morning, the palace was bustling with activity.
The priests from each temple were busy without a moment to spare, cleaning and preparing the sacred relics needed for this ritual.
The altar located in the center of the palace was clean due to being well-maintained, but each ritual was meticulous and demanding, so it had to proceed without a single hitch.
Meanwhile, while they had been moving since early morning, the underground prison guards who had been asleep due to Lyutios’s power opened their eyes.
“Hey, when exactly did we fall asleep?”
“Who knows? More importantly, what time is it now? Isn’t it about time for the priests to come?”
“Don’t tell me the kid inside escaped?”
They couldn’t even remember when they had fallen asleep. With a just-in-case mindset, the two hurriedly checked inside the underground prison before the priests arrived. Fortunately, Cairens was still inside.
Having left the food given yesterday untouched, he sat still with an attitude unbefitting a child, waiting for his death.
“…Is it time already?”
“No, but it will be soon. We’ll stay with you until then.”
“I see.”
Cairens smiled bitterly as he looked at the soldiers guarding his prison.
When he heard footsteps, he had wondered if perhaps Abrisius had come back. It seemed that “see you tomorrow” didn’t mean right now.
“If he’s in the crowd, I won’t be able to see him.”
Cairens closed his eyes with a sad expression, thinking that his small wish to keep him in his sight until the moment before death might not come true.
Meanwhile, watching the priests move busily, the king was still conflicted.
‘Are the priests’ words really true? Or should I stop them right now…’
He was afraid that angry citizens might rise up if he did. The people who had already been swayed by the words of various temple priests firmly believed that their words were the truth.
The belief that the upright and incorruptible temple priests surely wouldn’t speak lies. Not knowing that they were using that belief to fulfill their own greed. They were simply being manipulated as they were led.
“Is Cairens’s soul truly the youngest and most precious soul…?”
But the king still couldn’t dispel his doubts. Cairens, Atlante’s most valuable asset.
Thanks to him, those who wanted to check the power of Henelion’s temple, which had grown considerably influential, and the royal family might be conspiring together.
Right now, a handwritten letter had even come from a priest of the temple serving Henelion saying this ritual made no sense.
Moreover, some temples said the miracle that occurred at Zeyaom’s temple might be a performance by several temples to calm the angry citizens.
“But there’s nothing I can do.”
Though he was the emperor’s king, there was nothing he could do in this incident.
If he tried to protect Cairens for no reason, his position and furthermore the royal authority would suffer a great blow.
Cairens, the son of a god but also his nephew. It wasn’t that he didn’t feel pity and sympathy, but for him, the glory of the royal family and his house was more important.
“Even if things go wrong, Zeyaom’s temple will take all the blame.”
He comforted himself, saying he had nothing to do with this matter.
The sacrifice of his young nephew. Since he was born with the fate of a hero, his destiny would be to become a hero who is sacrificed to the gods due to this great famine and saves humanity.
Forcing himself to believe that, he watched the people moving busily.
And there was one person who was the only one rejoicing in this situation.
“Hahaha, you acted so superior, and now look at you.”
Ricarkos. He was laughing as if sobbing, suppressing his uncontrollable laughter.
He wasn’t even surprised by his own cruelty. One person’s death. Even if it was his cousin, he was very pleased with this situation itself.
“That detestable Cairens.”
His father who always compared him to Cairens. The palace people who subtly elevated Cairens above him.
Cairens was receiving all the attention and support not only of the palace but of this city, to the point where his position as prince was shaken.
A creature worse than vermin who stole all the affection that I, the prince, should receive.
But now, he didn’t need to worry about that guy anymore.
In a few hours, that guy would be offered to the gods on the altar and die.
“I was worried that father might even pass the throne to that guy, but this worked out well.”
That’s something I can never concede.
Becoming king is his privilege as prince. No matter how much he fell short of Cairens or was inferior, the position of king was rightfully his to inherit.
And Cairens, who threatened that position, would soon disappear.
The detestable comparisons and gazes, the sight of vassals who treated Cairens more respectfully and read the room—he wouldn’t have to see any of that anymore.
“I hope the execution starts soon.”
Unable to control his excited heart, Ricarkos giggled.
* * *
Clang!
With a loud sound, the bell rang through the plaza where the citizens had gathered. People’s gazes turned toward the high central altar made of straight stairs.
Above it, a massive door connected to the palace could be seen. Soon young Cairens would appear from there, supported by priests, and stand on the altar.
“……”
Seianes stood among the crowd.
What on earth was this all about?
He needed to find Abrisius, but the absurd situation unfolding before his eyes was so outrageous that he stopped his search for a moment to observe.
Meanwhile, Abrisius was quietly hiding behind the massive door connecting the central altar and the palace.
Fortunately, since he was dressed like a young priest, the busy adults didn’t care whether he was there or not and just kept moving.
“…I’m nervous.”
Abrisius hadn’t given up on Cairens.
He was determined to prevent his death no matter what. To repay his debt and to prevent Seianes’s tragedy.
“You still have to live.”
He would stop this absurd situation somehow.
“What are you doing here?”
A priest called out to Abrisius, who was loitering near the door.
Extravagance that didn’t match her pure white vestments. The golden emblem hanging around her neck was a sign indicating she was the high priestess of Zeyaom’s temple.
“Ah.”
At her sudden appearance, Abrisius was momentarily flustered but soon calmly spoke as he had prepared.
“I just… felt sorry that young Cairens-nim was going alone… Wouldn’t it be a little more comfortable if there was someone his age on his last journey?”
“Hmm…”
Finishing his words, Abrisius read the high priestess’s expression. After thinking for a moment, she examined Abrisius carefully. A pretty child with black eyes.
‘I haven’t seen this face at my temple, did he come from somewhere else?’
It was a child she was seeing for the first time, but what did it matter? She didn’t have time to interrogate the child’s identity in the midst of being busy.
He was a child without any power, so what could possibly happen? Rather than having some ulterior motive, he was clearly doing this out of sympathy just as he said.
“Alright, then do that.”
After being lost in thought for a moment, she spoke kindly while patting his head.
Abrisius glanced up at the high priestess. Did this woman really receive such a prophecy? He still had doubts, but there was no way to know for certain.
“Thank you.”
Simply satisfied with her mercy, Abrisius bowed briefly toward her.
Clang!
Soon after, the second bell rang.
The bell signaling the start of the execution.
When the second bell rang, the priests from each temple who had been waiting in advance at the altar appeared.
And they each took out the sacred relics from their respective temples that they had prepared, placing them one by one in a circle near the platform where the ritual would be held.
When the third bell rang, Cairens would open the door, appear, and ascend to that platform.
“……”
Listening to the bell ringing all the way to inside the door, Abrisius waited for Cairens with an anxious heart.
Seconds felt like hours, and his heart trembled. Would things really go well as he thought, or should he just run away? When various emotions crossed countless times.
“High Priest-nim, we will bring in Cairens-nim.”
Finally, he appeared.
