Leca had intended to chase after Mia the moment she ran out, but just as he was about to leave his room, two elderly men burst in. Startled, Leca looked at them.
"What brings you here at this hour...?"
"That's what we'd like to ask you, High Commander,"
Grand Vizier Jakiel spoke, the diamond on his forehead glowing faintly blue.
"I saw the phoenix leave your room. Not just I—Treasurer Yurgen saw it as well."
Treasurer Yurgen nodded in agreement. Leca immediately sensed this was going to become troublesome.
"Have you forgotten the national law, that the highest-ranking spirits are to be afforded special protection and may not be summoned at an individual's discretion?"
Leca bit his lip. Treasurer Yurgen continued.
"To violate such a sacred law is no small offense. However, considering that you are both High Commander and the Spirit of Fire, surely there must be some explanation for why you summoned the phoenix. If your reasoning is justified, we will not press charges."
"So then, tell us—why did you summon the phoenix?"
Jakiel's cold voice rang with stern authority. Leca hesitated. Should he mention that Mithys had sent a letter? But Mithys had asked him to keep it secret.
And if it came out now that Mithys was alive…
Leca turned his head and spoke.
"I was not the one who summoned it."
"Then?"
"Someone else summoned it... and sent it to me."
Jakiel's white eyebrows furrowed. The topaz on the treasurer's forehead flickered faintly in the light.
"Who? And for what purpose?"
"I cannot say."
Jakiel let out a dry laugh, almost mocking. Treasurer Yurgen tilted his head slightly.
"Are you trying to protect someone's secret?"
Leca remained silent. Jakiel stared at him for a moment, clearly baffled, then spoke abruptly.
"High Commander, if you do not tell the truth, we can only assume you are colluding with the enemy or plotting treason."
"I swear, it is nothing of the sort."
A smirk flashed across Jakiel's eyes. The diamond on his forehead shimmered ominously. The treasurer shrugged.
"It's hard to imagine a mere spirit like the High Commander committing such an act. Wouldn't disobedience to orders mean death for your kind?"
But Jakiel remained unshaken.
"If someone else is involved, that may not be the case. Now then, High Commander, let us go see that human girl together."
"That girl? Right now? Why?"
The treasurer spoke up, sounding surprised. Leca's face twisted in pain. Jakiel snapped coldly.
"Well? What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to escort us?"
"She... she has left the palace."
"What?!"
Leca seized the moment to speak urgently.
"Please, let me go. I must find her. If I don't go now, she could lose her way or fall into danger—"
But the two elders grabbed him by both arms.
"I'm afraid, High Commander, you won't be going after her right now. At dawn, you will be meeting with His Majesty."
Leca was dragged away and thrown into an underground prison. He was bound tightly in rope and hung upside down. The blood rushing to his head made it agonizing. He considered using magic to put himself to sleep, but gave up on the idea—if he did, he wouldn't be able to sense Mia's mana.
"Lady Mia… Where are you…"
Her mana was weakening. But it hadn't disappeared. It remained—faint, fragile, but still there, like a thread stretched thin without breaking.
"Yes... she's still alive. For now, at least."
Suddenly, the door opened. One of the Twelve bloodline's mages entered, placed a metal collar around Leca's neck, and locked it in place. It was a mana suppression device. Leca could no longer sense anything from Mia.
The next morning.
Leca stood before the king, his face gaunt. King Minophon and the elders of the Twelve bloodlines were gathered. Jakiel had already reported the incident, and everyone's eyes on Leca were cold and sharp.
"I've heard the story,"
the king finally said after a moment of silence. Though he no longer coughed, he had clearly lost weight, and the deep shadows under his eyes suggested death was drawing near.
"Now, Leca. Who sent the phoenix, and why did the girl suddenly leave the palace?"
"Lady Mia… she said she no longer wished to remain at the palace with me."
"Is that so? Then who sent the phoenix?"
Leca did not answer. Jakiel narrowed his eyes dramatically.
"You see, Your Majesty? I told you. There is something going on. The High Commander is either plotting treason or harboring a criminal."
The king weakly raised a hand to silence them.
"If a spirit were to commit treason, it would be because they are bound by pact to obey their master. So tell me, Leca—who is your master now? That human girl?"
"…Yes."
"But she's left the palace, hasn't she?"
"…Yes."
The mana-suppressing collar was still around Leca's neck. With his magic sealed, he had no way of knowing whether Mia was alive or dead.
…Where could you possibly be…
He had spent the entire night hanging upside down, and the pounding headache was unbearable. To take his mind off the pain, he kept closing and opening his eyes in brief intervals.
"Mm…"
The king groaned deeply, falling silent for a long moment. Then, finally, as if he had reached a decision, he opened his mouth with a voice as rough as grinding metal.
"This is indeed a serious matter. But I, considering the loyalty the High Commander has shown all this time, have no desire to execute or torture him to the point of crippling. However…"
Everyone held their breath.
"Leca Parvati, you have undoubtedly caused unrest in the kingdom. Therefore, punishment will be dealt. From this moment forth, your position as High Commander is revoked. You are to serve in the reclamation project of the barren lands of Nakil—as a commoner!"
Julius was rushing toward the inner palace, having only just now heard the news. The moment he entered the corridor, he nearly bumped into Jakiel, who was walking with short, quick steps.
"Your Grace, what's the matter? Why are you in such a hurry…"
The Grand Vizier stroked his white beard with a look of feigned surprise.
"Mia is gone? She's missing?"
"Mia? Ah, that girl. Yes, it seems so…"
Jakiel blinked calmly, as if it were of no importance. Julius stared in disbelief.
"And the High Commander—he's been exiled to Nakil?"
"All thanks to His Majesty's mercy and generosity! By law, he could have been sentenced to death for his crimes."
"But if he's exiled, who's going to find Mia?"
Jakiel's pale gray eyes narrowed slightly.
"Is there any need to search for a lowborn girl who left of her own accord? It's not as if she's some noble's daughter, is she?"
So much was implied in that one reply. Julius could read Jakiel's intent perfectly. Sure enough, the old man leaned on his staff, smiling with wrinkled eyes.
"No need to worry, Your Grace. Do you think we'd leave you a lonely widower forever?"
"That's not what this is about! I—"
"Feeding, housing, and educating some random human girl in magic... it's quite the drain on the royal finances, wouldn't you say, Your Grace?"
Julius glared at Jakiel.
"You make it sound as if finding a new queen candidate would be as easy as snapping your fingers."
"It may not be far from that, in truth. Finding a candidate acceptable to all, without needless expense—well, that may be simpler than it seems."
So he wants me to marry Shamanaz. What are you scheming, Grand Vizier… Furious now, Julius turned away from Jakiel and stopped a royal guard.
"The High Commander—no, where is Leca now?"
"He left his quarters just moments ago to board the prisoner transport. Ah, over there—"
Leca was crossing the palace garden with several soldiers. Without hesitation, Julius ran straight at him and grabbed him by the collar. The soldiers froze, stunned.
"Your Grace...? What are you—!"
"Where is Mia?!"
Leca's dark, tear-glossed eyes fluttered slightly.
"I don't know."
"If you don't know, then who does?! Just how badly did you fail at guarding her?!"
Julius tightened his grip on Leca's collar—and in doing so, his hand brushed the mana suppression ring around Leca's neck. In that moment, he felt a jolt like an electric shock and instinctively let go.
Mana suppression collar …!
"I must go now, Your Grace. Please step aside."
As the soldiers and Leca disappeared from view, Julius made up his mind. He would act on the thought forming in his heart.
"So, that stupid girl finally vanished. Of her own will, no less…"
Shamanaz was having her back massaged by her attendant, Laila, in her private chamber. Laila nodded as she worked on Shamanaz's shoulders.
"Yes. And that poor High Commander ended up suffering because of her. But at least now, milady, you can live in peace again."
Shamanaz picked a single grape from the bunch with her delicate fingers. But she didn't eat it—she was deep in thought.
The phoenix... Something about it is strange. Who could've sent it? And why is Leca keeping his mouth shut even after losing everything?
"No. It's too soon to relax. Too many things don't add up."
Shamanaz shook her head slowly. A deep shadow of unease clouded her eyes.