Chapter 260 : Chapter 260

Volume 2 Ch 3: Where Blessing Rests, Misfortune Lurks

“Cecilia?” ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Ryan spoke, his voice still hoarse, though much clearer than before. He tried to push himself up, only to be defeated by a sudden wave of weakness, leaving him no choice but to remain half-reclined. “Where am I...? What time is it now? How long... has it been since we came out of the ruins?”

As ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍she watched the clarity and instinctive wariness return so quickly to his eyes, Cecilia’s heart stirred faintly.

Just ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍as expected. The moment he woke, that sharpness came back at once.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍smile on her face remained flawless as she answered in a gentle tone.

“This ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍is the Imperial Capital, Augustus. You are in the estate His Majesty has bestowed upon you. It has been seven days since you all came out of the ruins.”

She ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍slowly recounted everything that had happened over the past several days: how they had been rescued and brought back to camp, how they had received treatment, how they had been transported back to the Imperial Capital, and how the Emperor had rewarded them for the gains from the ruins.

Then came the most important point.

“In two days, the imperial palace will hold the formal investiture ceremony, and His Majesty the Emperor will personally bestow honors upon you heroes.” Cecilia looked at him. “As for your condition... the healers have diagnosed it as severe Mana depletion, possibly even injury to your origin, which has caused your Mana circulation to temporarily stagnate. They say that in your current state... you may be unable to use Magic for the time being.”

As she spoke, she carefully watched Ryan’s reaction.

When he heard the words severe Mana depletion and injury to the origin, an appropriate look of shock appeared on his face.

He raised a hand, seemingly trying to sense the Mana within his body. His fingers hovered in front of his chest, and his brows drew together tightly, as though he were struggling to feel something.

Cecilia did not urge him. She merely waited in silence.

In Cecilia’s eyes, Ryan simply lowered his hand after a long moment, his expression heavy. A trace of dimness flickered through his gray eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a deep calm. He exhaled softly, then looked back at Cecilia, his voice still low and slightly hoarse.

“So that is how it is... I cannot use Magic for the time being... I understand. Thank you for telling me everything, and... thank you as well for taking care of me just now.”

As she watched him calm down so quickly, the admiration in Cecilia’s gaze deepened.

To suffer such a blow and still regain control of himself so swiftly—such composure was truly rare.

“There is no need to thank me, Ryan,” she said softly. “You rendered great service to the Empire. This treatment is what you deserve. Right now, your only priority is to recover properly. As for the investiture ceremony... if your body is truly unwell, I can report to Father and have it postponed...”

“No.” Ryan shook his head lightly, cutting her off. His gaze was steady. “Since it is His Majesty’s grace, and since the ceremony itself is an honor, I have no reason to be absent. I will recover as quickly as possible and attend on time. It is only... I may need to trouble Your Highness to inform me of the ceremony’s etiquette and the matters requiring attention, so that I do not make a disgrace of myself.”

He had to attend. If he were absent, it would only confirm the rumors that he was gravely injured, perhaps even reduced to a cripple. Men like Marquis Wilier would become even more brazen. The Emperor and the other factions would also begin reassessing his value, and it might even affect the rewards already placed in his hands, as well as the weight of his cooperation with Cecilia.

He had to show his face, even if he had to force himself upright to do it.

Cecilia understood the resolve in his eyes and gave a small nod.

“Very well. I will have someone organize the ceremony procedures and the relevant precautions and send them over. You have only just woken up—do not force yourself to think too much. Focus first on recovering your body. I have already given orders. Whatever you need, you may tell the servants outside directly. This estate, and all the servants within it, now belong to you.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Ryan thanked her once more.

“Then rest well. I will not disturb you any longer.”

Cecilia rose with a smile. She gave one more look to his still-pale but now somewhat livelier face, and to that head of silver hair shimmering with a cold luster beneath the sunlight. The vague thought from before surfaced once again in her mind.

She suppressed it, turned gracefully, and left the room.

The moment her figure disappeared beyond the door, the measured weakness and gratitude on Ryan’s face faded at once, replaced by complete calm.

He slowly sat up straighter and leaned back against the headboard. Cecilia was gone, and he was alone in the room.

Lowering his head, he looked at his own hands and tried, with a single thought, to stir the two array cores at his shoulders.

The thought moved—but the response from those two cores was slow and heavy.

It was nothing like before, when the moment his mind moved, they immediately reacted. Now it felt as though something were jammed inside them, making every turn sluggish and laborious.

He tried to make the two cores spin faster.

It was extremely difficult, like trying in winter to force into motion a rusted gear that had not been oiled in ages.

The sensation made his heart sink.

If those two cores truly could no longer turn, then he really would have nothing more to do with Mana.

That final eruption in the ruins had likely pushed them far beyond their limit, forcibly driving them to the brink of total burnout. Now they were only barely maintaining the slowest, most minimal rotation, just enough to keep him from truly dying of complete Mana exhaustion.

He steadied himself and began sifting through the vast, maddeningly dense knowledge from Serandil’s inheritance.

There was simply too much information. Most of it concerned profound theories of array principles, materials, and energy flow. Right now, he had neither the time nor the ability to study those in detail.

What he needed was something concrete—something that could solve the immediate problem.

He focused and began searching through the library of his own consciousness.

He found it.

There was a very vague description hidden amid a great mass of warnings regarding the limits of energy load.

The rough meaning was this: when a Gospel array had fallen into silence or a low-idling state due to overload or damage, ordinary Mana stimulation might prove useless, or even harmful.

In such a situation, one could attempt to use highly pure Mana—or spiritual power with a specific resonant frequency—as a fuse to reignite the array core and restore its basic operation.

But from the look of it, this was the only workable path.

What his body lacked was that initial force to pry everything back into motion.

The small thread of Mana he could gather on his own was nowhere near enough.

He sat in silence for a while, turning the method over again and again in his mind, making sure he had overlooked nothing and misunderstood nothing.

Then he threw back the blanket and stepped out of bed barefoot.

The carpet was soft beneath his feet, and it made no sound at all. He walked to the large full-length mirror at the other end of the room.

In the mirror stood a tall but somewhat slender young man. His face was still pale, but the most striking thing about him was that long hair, now wholly silver-white without a single trace of impurity, gleaming with a metallic chill beneath the indoor light. Against his original brown hair and his present calm gray-blue eyes, the contrast was strange. Combined with his overly beautiful features, it truly did give him... an eerie, almost androgynous beauty.

Expressionless, Ryan stared at himself in the mirror.

Silver hair...

There was no doubt that this was a mutation brought on by the Gospel arrays, the outward sign of both the eruption of power and the backlash that had followed. It was also now the most conspicuous mark upon him.

Where blessing rests, misfortune lurks.