ETHTKE chapter 31

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“Your Highness only locked Cheong Dowoon in the bedroom to protect him.”

“…You’re telling me that imprisoning me is for my protection?”

What nonsense! This is a crime, you lunatics.

“There’s a special barrier around His Highness’s bedroom that blocks external magic. It’s the only place in the Crown Prince’s palace where the Second Prince cannot reach with his suspicious powers.”

Seeing the disbelief on my face, Asel continued speaking with a serious expression.

Wait, there’s such a barrier? I didn’t know because I wasn’t particularly interested…

As I concentrated for a moment and carefully scanned my surroundings, I could feel a thin yet solid layer encircling the space.

The barrier was subtle, intricately woven, and effective—so much so that you wouldn’t notice it unless you were really paying attention.

Of course, the barrier surrounding the entire Crown Prince’s palace is strong, but the one added to the bedroom is much more formidable in comparison.

It’s something you wouldn’t easily notice unless you were deeply attuned.

But what does the Second Prince have to do with my being locked up here?

I thought Piel only had a mild interest in me.

“That sounds like you’re saying the Second Prince wants to kill me.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Ha… You acknowledging it so quickly makes my imprisonment feel oddly justified.”

Thanks to Asel’s blunt nod, I discovered two unexpected truths.

First, for some unknown reason, Piel seems to be much more interested in me than I initially thought.

This is likely due to the recent forest restoration incident.

If my assumption is correct, he’s not trying to kill me but rather trying to win me over.

Of course, he might see me as a threat and want to eliminate me, but Piel isn’t someone who would act so rashly.

And from my perspective, as someone who needs to fulfill one of the main characters’ wishes and receive a thank you, this might actually be a welcome development.

After all, Piel wouldn’t be interested in me for no reason.

Piel might be more straightforward than Baek Yigang, who overthinks everything, making it easier to extract a thank you from him.

Second, it’s surprisingly evident that Baek Yigang is more concerned with protecting me than I expected.

This… is probably because of our contract.

Baek Yigang has always been diligent about fulfilling the clause that states he’ll protect my safety.

While this isn’t entirely new, it shows me that Baek Yigang takes our contract seriously.

“Well, for now, I’ll behave.”

“I appreciate that.”

After all, there was no reason to act out against someone trying to protect me.

Besides, Piel would surely know that Baek Yigang is hiding me so diligently.

With Piel’s meticulous nature, he’ll probably try to contact me one way or another.

Furthermore, it wouldn’t be easy to find me within Baek Yigang’s barrier, so by now, they might have noticed the existence of such a faint barrier.

A small, black bird quietly flew through a narrow crack in the slightly open window.

Without a sound, the bird landed gracefully on its master’s outstretched arm.

The bird’s head slowly turned.

“Still nothing?”

Piel’s expression twisted in anger.

Today marked the second day that the bird had failed to locate Cheong Dowoon.

Piel’s silver pupils, which had harbored a faint hope, darkened with disappointment. His sunken eyes filled with growing impatience.

Despite having bought everything Cheong Dowoon liked and giving it all to him, Cheong Dowoon had mysteriously vanished after that day.

Had he sunk into the ground or flown up into the sky? Piel had no idea where Cheong Dowoon had disappeared in such a short time.

He had ordered his raven familiars to search every corner of the imperial palace, but they returned empty-handed, unable to find even a single hair of Cheong Dowoon.

“How did they know I was after Cheong Dowoon?”

So frustratingly perceptive…

Where could they have hidden him so thoroughly that he hasn’t shown even a trace?

There was no doubt in Piel’s mind that the culprit was his elder brother, Hail Dirzio.

It wasn’t a guess; he was certain.

Since Cheong Dowoon was in Hail’s hands, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to hide Cheong Dowoon’s whereabouts.

“But our dear brother must be quite concerned about me. To act so swiftly… Not that I mind.”

Had Hail ever interfered with his actions before?

Practically never. Until now, no matter what Piel did, Hail had never once intervened.

It made sense. Whatever Piel did was never a threat to Hail.

The fact that Hail, who hadn’t even bothered to engage before, was now reacting so sensitively only amused Piel.

“Every time I make a move, the response is so quick…”

But where can someone of that size hide?

A faint smirk appeared on Piel’s lips.

As he gently stroked the bird’s head, Piel tilted his head, as if a thought had just crossed his mind.

“Did you search the Crown Prince’s palace?”

His low voice echoed into the pitch-black darkness at the far end of the Second Prince’s office.

A moment later, a confidant emerged and met Piel’s gaze with a somewhat troubled expression.

“Well… Your Highness, we couldn’t enter the Crown Prince’s palace.”

“What?”

Piel was so taken aback that he couldn’t even laugh.

He stared in disbelief at his confidant, who had bowed his head.

There shouldn’t be any place on this land that his confidant, empowered by the corrupt forces of the underworld, couldn’t enter.

Hearing his confidant complain about an unexpected difficulty, Piel’s eyebrows furrowed in irritation.

“I’m not entirely sure, but it seems to be a barrier. It wasn’t visible at first, but as I tried to enter, it allowed no opening whatsoever… It seems to be woven with quite strong magic.”

Although the confidant’s entire body was tightly wrapped in black clothing, leaving only his eyes visible, Piel could clearly sense the fear in him.

It wasn’t that he was afraid of Piel.

It seemed that while trying to approach the inside, the confidant had been repelled by the barrier, leaving him traumatized.

Barriers typically prevent unauthorized persons from entering and simultaneously launch a retaliatory attack.

Although the identity of the barrier’s creator was still unknown, it was clear that the individual was exceptionally powerful, as they had managed to frighten the confidant, who had faced numerous dangerous tasks.

“A barrier, huh… Where’s the center?”

“Although it’s not precise, it appears to be near the Crown Prince’s bedroom. I sensed a strong power in that area, which seems to be the source. Even if we were to enter the palace, access to the bedroom would be impossible.”

“The bedroom?”

At the confidant’s cautious words, Piel’s lips pressed together tightly. After a moment, a short sigh escaped him.

“Now I finally know where Cheong Dowoon is.”

There was a reason the raven had been unable to find him.

If the bedroom was the source, it was no wonder.

Being at the heart of the barrier would have completely concealed any traces.

Moreover, this revelation was an additional shock.

Who would have thought that Cheong Dowoon was hidden in the bedroom?

“I never imagined that my brother would allow someone into his bedroom.”

What kind of place is a bedroom? It’s where a person ends their day and sleeps peacefully.

In other words, it’s a place where one is at their weakest and most vulnerable.

For Hail, who is highly cautious, distrustful of others, and sees the world through his own perspective, allowing someone into such a space was unthinkable.

So, of course, it hadn’t occurred to me.

Who would have thought that Hail would allow a suspicious, unidentified person like Cheong Dowoon into his bedroom?

“Does Cheong Dowoon know there’s a barrier there? And that I’m after him…?”

“He probably doesn’t know that Your Highness is pursuing him. After all, we, including the crows, only move by Your Highness’s power. However, he might be aware of the barrier… Since he’s a wizard, after all.”

Upon hearing his loyal subordinate’s confident assertion that Cheong Dowoon would be unaware of the Second Prince’s pursuit, Fiel nodded.

“That makes sense. My power leaves no trace, no sign. But the crows… their presence might be detected since their aura is similar to other birds. I should replace them with something else for now.”

Unlike the crows, the existence of the barrier might have been something my brother had informed him of.

Although, knowing how cold-hearted my brother is, it’s unlikely he’d be that considerate.

“So, Cheong Dowoon, who’s in the bedchamber, knows nothing? Then, was he just imprisoned…?”

This, too, is so like my brother.

Imprisoning someone is one thing, but placing such a strong barrier that even demonic beasts can’t enter?

No wonder the crows were lost, wandering aimlessly.

Why is my brother so protective of him? It’s making me want to believe he’s genuinely concerned.

“You, go and summon Cedric. Immediately.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The loyal subordinate quickly vanished upon receiving Fiel’s command.

Currently, within the Pendium Empire, only the Imperial Court Wizard could deploy such a powerful barrier that even repels those with demonic power.

Among them, Cedric, the head of the Department of Magic with high-level barrier skills, was the most likely candidate.