Chapter 301 - 299 : The Last Blessing

Chapter 301: Chapter 299 : The Last Blessing

For a moment, no one in the council chamber moved.

Then recognition spread around the table.

Chairs scraped against the floor as the nobles rose. Several stared at Arthur as though they feared he might disappear if they looked away. Only minutes earlier, they had been arguing over whether he would arrive in time. Now he stood before them.

One of the older nobles hurried around the table.

"Sir Arthur, we have been waiting for you. The situation has become—"

"I do not have time for a council discussion."

Arthur cut him off without slowing. His eyes settled on Erica.

"Come with me."

She stood immediately.

There were questions she wanted to ask, reports he needed to hear, and decisions awaiting his attention. But she knew where he wanted to go first.

Erica stepped away from her chair.

"We will resume this meeting shortly."

Then she followed Arthur out of the chamber.

Behind them, the nobles exchanged uncertain looks.

None attempted to stop them.

───────────────

Arthur’s footsteps echoed through the palace corridors.

Erica walked beside him, occasionally indicating a turn as they passed beneath carved arches and between guards posted at the intersections.

The palace was far quieter than it should have been.

Doors remained closed. Servants moved with lowered voices, carrying clean linen, medicine, and trays of untouched food.

Arthur noticed all of it.

But he did not slow.

At last, Erica stopped outside a room near the inner courtyard.

"She is here."

Arthur pushed the door open.

The curtains had been partly drawn, leaving the room in soft afternoon light. A tray of medicine stood on a nearby table. Fresh bandages had been folded beside a basin, and the faint scent of herbs lingered in the air.

Yuna lay on the bed.

Unconscious.

Her face was pale, and her breathing was slow and steady. One arm rested above the blanket, with bandages disappearing beneath the loose sleeve of her nightclothes.

Arthur stopped just inside the doorway.

For a moment, the urgency that had carried him through the palace left him.

He had expected injuries.

He had expected exhaustion.

Still, seeing her so still was different from hearing about it over the phone.

’You reckless woman.’

His eyes moved to the chair beside her bed.

Elizabeth sat there with one leg crossed over the other, reading a magazine.

She glanced up as he entered.

"Finally."

Arthur approached the bed.

He looked at Yuna’s face, then at the rise and fall of her chest.

"Is she unconscious?"

Elizabeth closed the magazine around one finger to mark her place.

"Yes. And before you begin glaring at everyone, she is recovering."

Arthur looked at her.

"What happened?"

"That idiotic woman pushed herself far beyond her limits."

Elizabeth’s tone remained light, but her gaze shifted briefly toward Yuna.

"She exhausted her mana during the battle. Then, rather than retreat, she began using her life force to keep fighting."

Arthur’s jaw tightened.

"Of course she did."

"She fought almost an entire battalion of high-ranking fighters by herself," Elizabeth continued. "Fortunately, she won."

There was no humor in Arthur’s expression.

"At what cost?"

Elizabeth looked toward the bandages.

"Several injuries. Severe exhaustion. And a considerable amount of life force."

She paused.

"She also killed a man named Leonis. A high-ranking knight, apparently important enough that his death will cause the Church some difficulty."

Arthur stored the name away.

"And the injury Erica mentioned?"

"A woman named Scarlett."

Elizabeth’s expression sharpened.

"She landed a vicious blow near the end of the battle. There was something unpleasant attached to it. Possibly a curse."

"Possibly?"

"I was more concerned with getting Yuna out alive than studying the spell."

Arthur said nothing.

Elizabeth continued.

"I arrived before Scarlett could finish what she had started. Unfortunately, the woman escaped while I was bringing Yuna back."

For once, Arthur offered no sarcastic reply.

He looked down at Yuna again.

Erica moved closer.

"Do not worry, Arthur. She is recovering, even if it is happening slowly."

"How slowly?"

Erica hesitated.

"A month."

Arthur turned toward her.

"Perhaps two," she admitted. "We cannot be certain yet."

The room grew quiet.

Arthur’s gaze returned to the bed.

Then the System spoke.

[ You can help her recover by transferring some of your own life force, Host. ]

He remained still.

’I know.’

[ Then— ]

’No.’

Arthur watched Yuna’s breathing.

’The moment she wakes up, she will look for another fight.’

His fingers curled at his side.

’Let her rest.’

The decision tasted unpleasant.

He could help.

He could shorten the time she would spend lying here.

But he knew her well enough to understand what would follow.

Another battlefield.

Another impossible stand.

Another decision to burn herself out because other people needed saving.

’I will let Athena handle things in her place.’

For now, Yuna would recover.

For now, someone else would carry the burden.

The door opened behind them.

"There you are."

Athena entered, her veil once again covering the lower half of her face.

"I have been looking for you."

Erica and Elizabeth turned toward her.

Athena’s gaze passed over Yuna before settling on Erica.

"So, you are Erica."

Something softened in her golden eyes.

"I must say, you take after your mother."

Erica blinked.

"You knew my parents?"

Athena inclined her head.

"Your father and I—"

"No time for that."

Arthur turned away from the bed.

Erica looked at him.

Athena’s eyes narrowed.

He noticed.

He continued anyway.

"We have secured three blessings."

His voice shifted into the brisk tone he used when forcing several problems into a single plan.

"Erica has Gaia’s blessing."

He looked toward Athena.

"Athena has the blessing of Elysara, the Goddess of Rebirth."

Then he raised a third finger.

"And Damian possesses Freya’s blessing—the Goddess of Life and Light."

Elizabeth set the magazine aside.

Arthur looked between them.

"That leaves the Goddess of Moonlight."

Silence answered him.

"Does anyone have an idea where we can find someone with her blessing?"

Erica lowered her eyes.

"I am sorry, Arthur. I do not."

Athena remained quiet.

Arthur looked at her.

"You said you have lived a long time."

Her gaze sharpened.

"If you do not know, what was the point of living so long?"

Athena stared at him.

A muscle twitched beneath her veil.

"Does living a long time mean I must know everything, you buffoon?"

Arthur opened his mouth.

Elizabeth laughed.

The sound was entirely too cheerful for the room.

He turned toward her.

"You seem to be getting comfortable here."

Elizabeth’s smile widened.

"Should I apologize?"

"You could try being useful instead."

Her laughter stopped.

Not because he had offended her.

Because she had been waiting for an opportunity to answer.

"I was laughing because I can help."

Arthur paused.

Elizabeth leaned back in her chair.

"Did you forget that, before you left, you ordered me to gather as much information about the Holy Empire as possible?"

He frowned briefly.

"Yes. I did say something like that."

"Such confidence in your own orders."

"Elizabeth."

"Very well."

She uncrossed her legs.

"While gathering information, I learned of a ruined temple within the Holy Empire."

Athena became attentive.

Elizabeth continued.

"It is a restricted site. No one is permitted to enter."

Arthur folded his arms.

"Restricted for what reason?"

"Officially? That depends on whom you ask."

She smiled faintly.

"Fortunately, a few of those insect-like humans became surprisingly talkative after I gave them some attention."

Erica looked mildly uncomfortable.

Arthur ignored the remark.

"What did they tell you?"

"The temple belonged to the Goddess of Moonlight."

The room went still.

Elizabeth watched his reaction with satisfaction.

"The Church ordered its destruction and purged its followers. Yet the ruins remain under strict prohibition."

Her smile faded.

"Anyone who enters without authorization faces immediate execution."

Athena’s gaze lowered thoughtfully.

"That could be a lead."

Arthur looked at her.

"But it is a dangerous one," she continued. "We do not know what remains there or why the Church still guards the site."

She met his eyes.

"And entering a nation that is attacking Elvania would be reckless."

Erica nodded.

"Especially now."

Athena continued.

"The Holy Empire already wants your blood after what happened to its Saintess. Whether you delivered the killing blow yourself will not matter to them."

Arthur’s expression did not change.

"They will be watching for you."

Erica looked toward Elizabeth.

"Could someone else investigate the temple?"

Before Elizabeth could answer, Arthur spoke.

"I will go."

Everyone turned toward him.

Erica’s eyes widened.

Athena stared.

Only Elizabeth smiled.

"I knew you would say that."

Athena stepped closer.

"Are you insane?"

Arthur looked at her.

"They will cut off your head and hang it from a wall."

"Thank you for the encouragement."

"This is not a joke."

"I know."

The answer was immediate.

It quieted her more effectively than his sarcasm had.

Arthur glanced toward Yuna.

Then back at Athena.

"We do not have many options. This is the only lead we have."

He paused.

"And, to tell you the truth, I intended to visit the Holy Empire sooner or later."

Athena’s eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

"There is someone there I need to see."

Arthur’s expression hardened.

"The person who rules that nation and I have unfinished business."

He did not elaborate.

The masked man’s message remained fresh in his mind.

Astarte.

The Authority of Death.

The demand that he come to the Holy Empire.

He knew he was walking toward a trap.

That did not make the temple any less important.

Nor did it make leaving Astarte there an option.

Arthur turned toward Athena.

"I have contacted Isabella."

Erica looked up.

"The Crown Family will provide financial aid. Supplies should begin arriving soon."

For a moment, Erica seemed unable to speak.

Arthur continued.

"The Ashford Empire is also sending reinforcements."

"Reinforcements?"

He nodded.

Her hand rose slowly toward her chest.

The treasury.

The dwindling food stores.

The soldiers who had been holding defensive positions without knowing when relief might come.

For the first time since the council meeting, those problems no longer seemed like walls closing in from every direction.

Arthur met her gaze.

"There are powerful people willing to help us, Erica. Some of them will be here tomorrow."

Her lips parted.

"I will not be here to meet them," he continued. "Athena will help you."

Athena looked at him but did not interrupt.

"Make as many connections as you can. Not only for this battle."

His voice grew quieter.

"Elvania will need allies after the fighting ends, too."

Erica nodded.

Slowly at first.

Then with more certainty.

"Thank you, Arthur."

He looked away before the gratitude could become a longer conversation.

Something occurred to him.

"By the way, where is Luna?"

Erica blinked.

"That annoying fairy who used to hover around you," he added. "I have not seen her."

"She is safe."

Erica’s expression softened.

"I asked her to hide in the forest, in a place only the fairies know about."

Arthur nodded.

"She said to call for her once we have gathered all four blessings."

"Good."

He glanced once more toward Yuna.

She had not stirred.

Arthur stood beside the bed for a moment longer.

There were things he wanted to say.

Most of them were insults about her inability to retreat.

A few were not.

He said none of them.

Instead, he turned toward Athena.

"Open a portal to the Holy Empire."

Athena let out a slow breath.

"You really are a suicidal maniac."

"Apparently."

"That was not a compliment."

"I did not mistake it for one."

She held his gaze.

For a moment, he thought she might refuse.

Then she looked toward Erica, toward Yuna, and finally toward the window beyond which the city waited.

"When you arrive, do not stand around advertising who you are."

Arthur’s mouth lifted slightly.

"I will try to resist."

"I am serious."

"So am I."

His expression settled.

"Tell Aiden and Damian to help defend the capital."

Athena folded her arms.

"Assuming Damian does not decide to complain about how you brought him here."

"He can complain while defending it."

Erica glanced between them, uncertain whether to ask.

She decided against it.

Arthur continued.

"I will leave all my shadow soldiers here except Barbatos."

The room’s shadows stirred.

Erica noticed the movement near the base of the curtains.

Then beneath the chairs.

For a heartbeat, shapes seemed to gather within them—still and watchful.

"They will help you hold the city."

Athena’s gaze followed the shifting darkness.

"And you will take only Barbatos?"

"Yes."

Elizabeth watched him without speaking.

Her amusement had faded into something harder to read.

Athena turned toward an open space near the far wall.

Blue mana gathered around her fingers.

A circle of runes unfolded in the air.

The center rippled, widened, and opened.

A portal formed, its light washing across the floor and the foot of Yuna’s bed.

Arthur approached it.

Erica took a step after him.

"Arthur."

He looked back.

For a moment, she seemed to have several requests competing for the same breath.

Be careful.

Do not take unnecessary risks.

Come back alive.

She chose the simplest.

"Come back."

Arthur held her gaze.

Then he smiled.

"Do not worry."

Athena gave him a look that suggested worrying was the only sensible response to anything he did.

Arthur glanced at her.

Then at Elizabeth.

Finally, his eyes returned to Yuna.

"I will definitely come back with good news."

Before anyone could answer, he stepped into the portal.

Blue light passed over his face.

Then his figure disappeared.

Athena held the opening for one more second.

The runes dimmed.

The portal folded inward and vanished.

In the quiet that followed, Yuna continued to breathe steadily.

Erica stared at the empty space where Arthur had stood.

Then she straightened...now she can start attacking.