Home/The Seven-Year-Old Village Chief of Exile/ch 99

Chapter 99

"Pardon?"

A white jade ring symbolizing a Salvation Priest.

It was flawless, as clean as if it were brand new.

"Hmph."

Olive let out a scoff, snatched Priest Saker's hand, and pulled the ring off.

"Wh-what...?"

"Inquisitor?"

Ignoring the flustered priests, Olive examined the ring closely.

Then he tucked it into his pocket.

"......"

"......"

Priest Saker, whose ring had been taken right before his eyes, and Priest Chel do, who had witnessed it, could only gape silently.

It was a case of daylight robbery.

"Ah."

Olive pulled the ring back out as if nothing had happened.

"I couldn't help it—the ring is so pretty."

"......"

Priest Saker looked at Olive as if he'd seen every kind of madman.

"It seems to be a precious ring."

"Th-that goes without saying."

Afraid it might be taken again, Saker quickly put the ring back on and hid his hand behind his back.

"It's the ring His Holiness the Holy King gave me when he ordained me, after I endured the trials and learned healing magic."

"Yes, a Salvation Priest's ordination and the symbolic ring are personally bestowed by His Holiness."

Olive asked.

"Has that ring always been yours?"

"Pardon?"

"Did you ever lose it, or receive a new one?"

"......"

Priest Saker took a cautious step back.

Instead of pressing further, Olive apologized once more for his rudeness and headed to his guest room.

Once inside, he reached into his pocket.

And pulled out a ring.

A white jade ring, caught on his finger thickened by years of training, like a prisoner.

The flawless, milky white jade gleamed under the light.

"Your Holiness."

Olive's eyes narrowed as he looked at the ring.

"You knew."

---

The next day.

"It's quite hot today."

I fanned myself as I walked through the mansion's garden.

"Ian oppa, are you okay?"

"I'm enduring through sheer willpower."

Ian was guarding my side in Verity's place.

Wearing a black winter suit to blend in with the undead, he looked pitifully hot.

"It's not as hard as I thought, surprisingly."

"Just looking at you makes me feel hot..."

"Should I take it off?"

"What, you're trying to seduce me into becoming your concubine by stripping?"

"Yeah, I shouldn't have said anything..."

We arrived at a beautiful pavilion in the western garden.

It had been built before the Grand Duchess's visit, intended as a quiet retreat for her.

And thankfully, she often used it.

Today, she was there again. Alone, without her personal maid Kara, eyes closed and hands clasped.

"......"

"......"

Ian and I exchanged a silent glance.

Then we slowly approached.

"Grand Duchess."

"Beni."

The Grand Duchess greeted me as warmly as always.

But I could read the fear and dread on her face.

I felt the guilt prickling sharply at my chest.

"Why are you alone?"

"I have something to tell you."

"To me?"

"Yes."

At that moment, a strong wind blew, and silver hair fluttered before my eyes.

I realized a moment too late that it was my own hair, changed by the magical tool.

'Ah, this really was a wrong thing to do.'

My changed hair was meant to win her favor.

And it had.

I wasn't happy at all.

Even though our plan was progressing step by step and success was within reach, I felt not relief, but guilt and indebtedness.

'It seems using innocent people isn't my forte.'

I'd originally planned to keep the undead employees until next spring.

That way, we wouldn't have to face the Chief Chamberlain.

But I'd learned just how cruel that was, through the Grand Duchess's smile that saw her dead daughter in me.

I'd been so smug, drunk on success—now I deeply regretted it.

'Let's not do this again.'

Now we had the luxury to be more discerning.

I shouldn't abandon human decency.

For the future of Ixelium Village, a strategy of using everyone isn't a good long-term choice.

'To those I hope will become allies...'

I must show sincerity too.

Just like I did at the Deste Temple the day before.

Click—.

After putting up a barrier around the pavilion just in case.

"You were shocked by the undead, weren't you?"

The Grand Duchess's expression hardened instantly.

I gave her a bitter smile.

"It's okay. The undead here aren't aggressive. They just repeat the actions they used to do in life."

"B-Beni...?"

"Still, I've had guards stationed here just in case. Neither you nor Kara will be harmed."

"......"

"Forgive me for the late introduction."

I glanced at Ian.

He nodded after confirming there was no one around, and I removed the necklace I'd been wearing.

The shimmering silver hair instantly turned to a deep chestnut brown.

"My name is Hebenia Clavis."

The Grand Duchess gasped.

"I'm the only Clavis who survived the exile camp—and the only one confirmed to be alive. Probably."

When I put the necklace back on, my hair turned silver again.

The Grand Duchess, who had frozen in shock, finally came to her senses.

"Ah, ah...!"

She buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

I asked if she was okay, and she slowly lifted her head.

"I'm so relieved...!"

She looked at me with a tearful smile.

"Thank you, thank you...!"

Perhaps it was my imagination.

But in the Grand Duchess, who genuinely rejoiced at my safety, I saw a reflection of Crown Prince Edelros.

"I had no idea what was going on."

The Grand Duchess explained the events surrounding the Clavis's destruction.

"The imperial knights suddenly surrounded the Clavis mansion and announced the charge of attempted assassination of the Crown Princess. Of course, I didn't believe it. There was no reason for the Clavis to do something so foolish."

It seemed the Grand Duchess had also sensed something was off.

"But the Clavis didn't resist at all."

She'd learned from her son, the Duke of Stria, that the implication law would be applied, and she immediately worried about the young me and my brother.

"But the Emperor executed them without delay..."

"......"

"And you were sent into exile."

It had all happened in less than a week.

"......"

I couldn't say anything.

Neither could Ian beside me.

'This is the first I've heard any of this.'

I'd tried so hard to find out about the Clavis's destruction.

But the Emperor had completely blocked the information—I hadn't been able to find a single trace.

Even wishing to Verity was useless.

Because the damn Clavis family head had made a prior wish, preventing me from learning anything about the Emperor through demons.

The Clavis's destruction was included in that.

'And to think I'd find it here...!'

I'd stumbled upon such valuable information!

'See, good deeds do pay off!'

Right after my resolution, this fortune had come my way.

But now wasn't the time to dwell on the past—the future was what mattered. I swallowed my disappointment and steeled my wavering heart.

"Grand Duchess."

I said.

"The Inquisitor must have told you, but all the employees here are undead. They were all unjustly killed."

"Surely, the one behind it is..."

"Yes."

I nodded to the Grand Duchess, who had already guessed the culprit.

"It's the Emperor."

"......"

"I know it's dangerous, but I dare to ask."

I looked straight into her eyes.

"Please help us."

---

Since arriving in the Deste Territory, the Grand Duchess had visited the temple every day.

Otherwise, she mostly stayed at the Deste mansion. Given that her visit was for recuperation, it wasn't unusual for her to go out rarely.

However, she'd recently added a new routine.

Visiting the square.

"She often visits the antique shops in the eastern commercial district."

Late at night, Knight Commander Rashid reported this to the Crown Prince.

"Antiques?"

"It's a district built around the same time as the Magical Engineering Academy. The oldest part of the Deste Territory."

A street specializing in old books, worn-out magical tools, and various collectibles.

"Worn-out magical tools..."

An interesting phrase caught Crown Prince Pereus's ear.

Noticing, Knight Commander Rashid said.

"She mostly visits magical tool shops."

"Mother was fond of magical engineering in her life. With nothing else to do in her old age, she must be clinging to memories of her dead daughter."

The Crown Prince thought for a moment.

"Does Beni go too?"

"Miss Beni tends to stay at the mansion. She used to go along a few times, but recently she hasn't."

"Good. It would be a waste to lose Beni. I like her."

A pretty, clever child who listened well.

'She'd make a good Crown Princess.'

Once her aunt married Molle Livus, her status would be resolved quickly.

The Deste Territory was wealthy, so it wouldn't be a bad base of support.

"And if a magical tool shop explodes, it'll be a good excuse to pressure the academy over safety issues."

At the Crown Prince's words, Knight Commander Rashid nodded.

Pleased, the Crown Prince hummed a tune.

Behind his desk, the undead he'd been playing with lay crumpled on the floor. A brass pair of scissors lay nearby.

The undead who had shielded Beni was also there.

'Not much fun.'

The Crown Prince lightly kicked the fallen bodies.

'Killing the dead is boring, I suppose.'

---

That day, the Deste Territory was as ordinary as ever.

The only difference was the long line forming in front of the Deste Temple again.

"Please submit the number you received when you made your reservation!"

"Hello, this is the Ixel Trading Company, which created the first-aid kit with the Deste Temple."

"Payment is handled here!"

The people in line held small metal boxes in their hands.

An elderly woman asked an acquaintance who was holding a box.

"Oh my, is this it? The first-aid kit?"

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