* * *

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Then take it easy and get some rest for a while.”

As the personal physician finished the checkup and was about to leave, Ed stopped him with a question.

“By the way, Doctor, you mentioned you were born and raised here in the North, didn’t you?”

“That’s correct.”

“Do you happen to know why the North’s symbol is the black dragon?”

The physician, who had been packing up his tools, looked at Ed thoughtfully.

“Hm, the North has suffered from monster attacks and frequent natural disasters since ancient times. Because of that, there are barely any surviving ancient records or ruins left intact. So, all I know are the stories passed down orally.”

“I see.”

“But even those tales are already documented in the North’s history books, so you could find them in the library. As for the black dragon you’re curious about, it was established as the North’s symbol even before the region fully settled down, so there isn’t much detailed information available.”

Hearing the doctor’s response, Ed chose to keep quiet about the mural he had seen in the ancient ruins.

This conversation made him realize that the mural was a hidden secret, unknown even to the people of the North.

Ed adjusted his clothes and listened as the physician shared an old tale, now comfortably seated.

---

In the days following the earthquake, time passed in a whirlwind.

The Duke focused on restoring the disaster-stricken areas, while Ed spent his time with Ronan.

Meanwhile, the Grand Temple moved up their visit to the North.

Normally, the High Priest and other priests from the temple would bestow blessings to the people at the beginning and end of the year.

However, upon hearing about the earthquake, the High Priest announced that he would hasten his arrival in the North.

“Ed, the High Priest is visiting the North this afternoon, isn’t he?”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Could I make a small request of him?”

Ed, arranging a bouquet of flowers for the High Priest in the reception room, looked up.

“Young Master, do you have something you’d like to ask the High Priest?”

“Yes. It’s something I could ask my brother for, but since the High Priest is coming…”

“If it’s all right with you, could you share the details with me? I can help you ask him as well.”

Encouraged by Ed, Ronan’s expression brightened slightly as he began to explain.

“When the earthquake hit, the people gathered at the site were safe thanks to my brother, but the animals in the mountains and some nearby villagers were injured…”

Ed let out a small sigh, inwardly admiring Ronan’s compassion.

“I heard the High Priest is bringing other priests with him. So, I was hoping to ask them to help treat those affected by the disaster. Honestly, I wanted them to check on you first, Ed, but as we were coming here, I kept noticing injured people everywhere… I’m sorry, Ed.”

Handing the bouquet to Ronan, Ed smiled warmly.

“I’ve recovered now, so there’s no need to worry about me, Young Master.”

Even as Ed reassured him, Ronan still looked concerned, prompting Ed to speak again.

“Look at this, Young Master. I only had a minor wound to begin with, and thanks to the physician’s care, I’m completely healed now.”

Ronan closely examined Ed’s arm as he rolled up his sleeve, then nodded slightly.

“So, Young Master, please go ahead and ask the High Priest to treat the residents of the North. If it’s those priests, they’ll surely be willing to help.”

---

Later that afternoon, knights clad in formal uniforms lined up outside the Northern castle’s gates in a grand and majestic display.

Standing next to Ronan, Ed watched the High Priest’s carriage arrive, accompanied by several others.

As they passed through the castle gates, the Duke approached to greet them.

“Ed, it seems the High Priest has arrived.”

Standing on tiptoe, Ronan adjusted his grip on the bouquet he held and spoke eagerly.

Following his gaze, Ed saw the carriage, accompanied by the faint sound of horses neighing, entering the castle grounds.

As the lead carriage came to a stop, the Duke stepped forward.

The door opened, and the High Priest stepped out, warmly greeted by the Duke.

“You’ve endured a long journey, High Priest.”

“Your Grace, despite being occupied with disaster recovery, you’ve taken the time to welcome this old body. I’m deeply grateful.”

“Not at all. I should be thanking you for coming all this way despite the challenges of adjusting your schedule.”

“It’s nothing, Your Grace. Seeing the suffering of the people, how could I stay away? I only regret not arriving sooner. But I’ve brought ample relief supplies with me, so I hope they will suffice.”

As the Duke and the High Priest exchanged greetings, Ronan tugged at Ed’s sleeve.

“Ed, let’s go ask him now.”

Ed took Ronan’s slightly trembling hand and walked with him toward the High Priest.

Taking a quiet breath to calm himself, Ronan greeted the High Priest with a bright smile.

“Hello, High Priest.”

“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Young Master. Have you been well?”

“Yes! I’ve been having new and exciting experiences every day since arriving in the North. How about you, High Priest?”

“I’ve been well, under the grace of the gods. It gladdens my heart to hear that you’re thriving in the North.”

Beaming, Ronan handed over the bouquet.

“I prepared this bouquet to welcome you to the North. I hope you like it.”

“Thank you so much, Young Master.”

As the High Priest accepted the bouquet with a kind smile, Ronan glanced at Ed for reassurance before speaking hesitantly.

“Well, um… High Priest…?”

“Yes, Young Master? Feel free to speak your mind.”

“If it’s not too much trouble, could you perhaps help treat the injured people and animals later?”

Despite his apparent exhaustion from the journey, the High Priest smiled warmly at Ronan’s earnest request.

“Young Master, if you hadn’t asked, I would have been disappointed. I was worried you might insist I rest because of my age.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Don’t worry. After organizing the relief supplies, I plan to begin caring for the injured right away.”

---

True to his word, the High Priest quickly unpacked and set out for the affected areas near Mount Garenda, accompanied by the priests.

Ed and Ronan followed at a safe distance in a carriage to avoid any potential dangers, while the Duke and his knights provided protection for the group.

“Ed, Jeynon said that thankfully, when the earthquake hit, the villagers nearby had all gathered in one place, so the damage was minimal. Even the animals only sustained minor injuries.”

Hearing this, Ed let out a breath of relief.

“It’s truly a blessing that the earthquake didn’t cause more harm, Young Master.”

Reflecting on the chaotic moments of the disaster, Ed realized just how fortunate they had been.

‘If it hadn’t been for His Grace and the knights, many more lives could have been lost.’

As these thoughts lingered, their carriage arrived at a temporary shelter near Mount Garenda.

Watching the bustling scene outside, Ed stood up.

“Your Grace!”

From a distance, people who had already seen the Duke and the priests approaching came out of the temporary shelter to wait for them.

“Your Grace, just your help alone is more than enough, but for you to come every day despite your busy schedule, I truly don’t know how I could ever repay this kindness…”

The Duke, who had dismounted from his horse, gave a faint smile and surveyed the people of the region.

Thankfully, the temporary shelter didn’t seem uncomfortable, so he felt relieved.

“Today, I’m not here for myself, but because of my brother Ronen. He hasn’t been able to sleep, worrying about the people and animals who were hurt. That’s why I brought the visiting ministers and priests who just arrived from the North.”

As the crowd murmured, looking at Ronen as he dismounted the carriage, the Minister who had already made all the preparations stepped forward and spoke.

“Everyone, I’ve heard about the damages on our way here. Fortunately, no one seems to be seriously injured, but with winter approaching, it would be best to begin treatment as soon as possible.”

The Minister’s calm, precise voice soothed the crowd, and the Duke added his own words of reassurance.

“We’ve set up a treatment area in the temporary shelter. Today, we’ll begin treatment here, and tomorrow, we’ll divide the priests into two groups: one to care for the people at the shelter and the other to tend to the animals who can’t move around in the mountains.”

As the Duke finished speaking, the faint anxiety on the people’s faces began to fade.

The Minister, confirming this, smiled gently and continued.

“Thanks to Your Grace’s preparations, we should be able to begin treatment quickly. It would be best if we start with the people who are the most seriously injured.”

The Duke nodded slightly at the Minister’s request.

“Understood. We’ll make those preparations.”

Once the Minister finished a brief prayer, the Duke guided him to a large tent, spacious enough for treating people, and began speaking.

“You must have come here right after arriving in the North without any rest. It would be good to take a moment to relax, Minister.”

“To help people, what does it matter if I am comfortable? As long as I can help as many people as possible while I can move, that’s enough for me.”

While the Duke and the Minister exchanged brief words, Jaynon entered, having completed the preparations outside.

“Your Grace, Minister, all the preparations you requested have been finished.”

The Duke gave a slight nod at Jaynon’s report and turned to the Minister.

“Then, it will be tough, but I leave the people of the region in your care. And if you need anything from me, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll cooperate as much as possible with my knights.”

“Thank you, Your Grace. Then, if it’s not too much trouble, may I request a few more things?”

The Duke smiled softly at the Minister’s request, giving him a look that seemed to say “speak freely.”

“There may be people who couldn’t make it here because they are too injured. Would it be possible for you to check where they live and how many there are, in our place?”

“That’s no trouble. I’ll help with that.”

“And while you’re treating the people here, we’d also like to ask for your help in distributing the relief supplies we brought.”

“Once the preparations are complete, I’ll have a few knights, except for those guarding this place, go check on the patients who can’t move.”

At the Duke’s words, the Minister smiled faintly and looked toward Jaynon.

* * *