* * *

The Grand Duke gazed at Ed briefly before speaking in a low voice.

“That’s why it reminds me more of your healing abilities than a priest’s.”

---

Despite the heat of their earlier discussion, the corridor they walked down felt eerily quiet.

Ed wanted to break the silence, but the Grand Duke’s words lingered in his mind, making it hard to speak.

‘Did the ancient people have a healing power like mine, as His Grace mentioned? If that’s true, then why do I have it now?’

The Grand Duke was also deep in thought, unaware that Ed was glancing at him anxiously.

‘If the mural wasn’t erased but, as Ed suggested, the dragon took human form and retained traces of darkness…’

Lost in their thoughts, the two finally stopped when they reached the end of the corridor.

“Your Grace, it looks like the exit must be somewhere else.”

“Considering we didn’t encounter any branches along the way, this must be the entrance. I can feel the breeze here.”

The Grand Duke examined the walls, then approached one and called Ed over.

“Ed, there doesn’t seem to be any traps. Come here for a moment.”

As Ed approached, the Grand Duke used magic to illuminate the wall with a glowing sphere.

This wall also had a mural, depicting a dragon on the left and a human on the right.

“The symbols in the center and these two crystals suggest that fulfilling a condition might open this wall.”

“Even after all this time, the cave is still intact, so it must be protected by magic. What do you think the condition is?”

Ed examined the mural and crystals and looked at the Grand Duke.

“Should we try placing our hands on them?”

“I’ll go first. Stand back just in case.”

The Grand Duke placed his hand on the crystal on the left, and it began to glow.

When nothing happened after a while, Ed hesitantly placed his hand on the crystal on the right.

With a loud noise, the wall began to open.

“Your Grace, it seems the condition was simpler than we thought!”

But the Grand Duke was lost in thought and didn’t hear Ed’s words.

When he touched various spots, suspecting a trap or poison, the left orb reacted, but the right crystal ball did not.

It could have been because he carried the blood of a dragon, but the Grand Duke was convinced that Ed’s abilities were linked to the ancients.

“I’ll have to send Irtel and Zainon to investigate this place once we return.”

Having made up his mind, the Grand Duke led Ed away.

“Come on, Ed. Let’s go back. Everyone must be waiting.”

As they exited the mysterious ruins, Ed looked around. He wondered where the path might lead, and before long, they arrived near the lake at the foot of Mount Garenda.

“Your Grace.”

When Ed looked up at the Grand Duke, he gave a small nod.

The path they had just exited was hidden in darkness, and the night sky above was already dominated by the moon.

‘It’s been quite some time since the earthquake,’ the Grand Duke thought, assessing the situation as he extended his hand to Ed.

“Ed, are you feeling alright anywhere?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Good. Then let’s go.”

Taking the offered hand cautiously, Ed followed the Grand Duke along the path.

The way was dark, and his mind was a tangle of thoughts, but the warmth of the Grand Duke’s hand, wrapped around his, gave him a sense of comfort.

“This way leads to the encampment, doesn’t it?”

“Yes. My men will have gathered there, knowing nothing has happened to me.”

Listening to the Grand Duke, Ed pondered to himself.

‘His Grace has already used too much magic; we need to reunite with the others as soon as possible.’

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before they encountered knights holding torches and searching the area.

“Your Grace, the Grand Duke!”

“Are you unharmed, Your Grace?”

Led by Irtel, a group of knights rushed over.

The Grand Duke smiled lightly, brushing off their concerns.

“I’m fine. What’s the situation?”

“Once we confirmed the earthquake had completely stopped, we evacuated people down the mountain. Aside from the search parties for Your Grace and the villagers, the remaining knights are using magical tools to assess further damage caused by the quake.”

“You’ve done well. Where is Ronen?”

“He has already been escorted to the northern castle.”

The Grand Duke nodded slightly, then gestured for Ed to mount a horse brought by Irtel.

“I’ll inspect the earthquake site before returning to the northern castle. Tell the knights surveying the area not to take any risks if they find hazardous spots; they should simply document them and prepare to return to the northern castle.”

Irtel bowed deeply. “Understood, Your Grace.”

---

After inspecting the disaster site, Ed returned to the northern castle with the Grand Duke.

He remained in his room as instructed.

“The physician will be here soon, so wash up and wait, Ed.”

“Don’t go trying to help people again, alright? Just rest until they arrive.”

The Grand Duke had left for the disaster site again, repeating his warnings several times before departing.

Leaning against the headboard of his bed, Ed stared out the darkened window.

“It’s quite late already.”

As he waited for the Grand Duke to return, a hollow sense of worry gnawed at Ed.

Unable to sit still, he got up and began pacing near the window.

He watched as knights holding lamps occasionally passed by, their lights briefly illuminating the darkness before fading again.

Left to his thoughts, Ed recalled the events of the day bit by bit.

“To think there was such a ruin beneath the ground…”

Earlier, he’d been too overwhelmed by the cave and the murals to think clearly.

Now, he could calmly reflect on what had happened.

“The mural depicted a black dragon and villagers… And the way His Grace studied it intently… The wall that wouldn’t budge with his strength alone but opened when I placed my hand on the crystal beside him…”

As these slow recollections passed through his mind, Ed absently looked down at his own hand.

Knock, knock.

The sudden sound of knocking snapped Ed out of his reverie.

When he answered, the physician entered the room.

“Ed, I’m here for your examination.”

“Oh, yes.”

As Ed climbed onto the bed and leaned against the headboard, the physician pulled up a chair and asked, “Are you feeling dizzy or nauseous?”

“No, I don’t feel dizzy or nauseous at all. I’m not in pain, either.”

The physician nodded slightly as he examined Ed.

“Thankfully, there doesn’t seem to be any major trauma to your head, but it might be wise to seek the aid of a priest, just in case. The High Priest is scheduled to visit the north in a few days, so you could consult him then.”

“I don’t think it’s necessary.”

“After an accident, the body can be in shock, and symptoms don’t always appear immediately. You might feel fine now, but later, you could be in so much pain that you can’t even move.”

The physician continued speaking as he checked Ed’s temperature.

“Still, it’s a relief that there are no visible serious injuries.”

“How is His Grace? Is he alright?”

“I’ll be suggesting a checkup for the Grand Duke after I’m done with you. So don’t worry about him and focus on your own health, Ed.”

Ed scratched his head awkwardly at the physician’s slightly scolding tone.

“Alright.”

“Are you uncomfortable anywhere else?”

“Thanks to His Grace protecting me, I’m really fine.”

“Yes, I saw that myself, but how could you act so recklessly? You have no idea how much you startled us.”

Ed gave a sheepish smile. Even if he were to go back to that moment, he knew he’d act the same way.

“I know His Grace is strong, but I can’t help worrying about him.”

“It’s lucky His Grace acted so swiftly, or things could have gone terribly wrong.”

“Yes. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

“Good. Now let’s apply some ointment to your wounds. It might sting a little.”

The physician carefully treated Ed’s small cuts with ointment, ensuring he covered every spot.

“That’s everything. Do you feel the need for more ointment anywhere?”

* * *