Do Flowers Bloom in the Fallen Land?

While she was lost in her troubles, another person’s voice was heard.

“It’s not us. If it were, I would’ve informed His Majesty first.”

“I found traces of homunculus movements. Nevertheless, are you still going to deny it?”

Seira’s eyes widened as she listened in on the conversation, ‘What? What does he mean with a homunculus?’

Didn’t that word imply terrible things?

“Well, it’s true that I was aiming for an opportunity.”

“Isabelle!”

The rage that flowed from the furious Calrad crossed the room and pierced through Seira’s skin.

“I’ve told you several times,” Isabelle said with a sigh, “You don’t have to make her an empress.”

Seira had a hunch about what the saint was talking about.

“And as I’ve said several times too,” responded Calrad, “Stop meddling with my affairs with her.”

“Think carefully what Your Majesty truly wants.”

Even though Calrad was raging with anger, Isabelle’s voice was full of composure and control.

“Wasn’t it Your Majesty’s wish to lock her in a place where no one can see or reach her?”

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Now that this has happened, please subjugate Askan to the imperial family. We’ll get her back and hide her.”

For a moment, silence fell between the two of them. At Isabelle’s brazen suggestion, Calrad seemed to have become speechless. But after some time…

“Baron is picking the whole ecliptic searching for her,” Calrad spoke.

His voice was so dry that Seira couldn’t feel any emotion from it.

“Askan and Franto must be searching as well. Are you sure you’d be able to find her before them?”

“Of course,” came Isabelle’s confident reply, “Have you forgotten who we are?”

“…”

“I’m sure we’ll be able to get our hands on her before the conference.”

Seira was curious what kind of expression Calrad had now. Was he smiling at the thought of playing with her and making Askan a toy after subjugating them to the imperial family for treason? Does he relish the thought of making Askan his slave? Or…

“If you promise to welcome the next saintess candidate as empress, then Her Majesty would accomplish your will very easily.”

Seira’s lower lip trembled. She didn’t want to hear any more. She couldn’t stand the moment when Calrad replied that he would make a deal over her. Seira had to clench her teeth and curl her fingers into a fist to suppress her urge to run away.

If Calrad hadn’t suddenly burst into laughter, she might’ve never been able to hold back.

“You want your saintess candidate to be the empress?”

After he repeated the saintess’ words, Calrad laughed for a long time. It was as if he turned mad. Seira’s heart ached at the sound of his laughter.

“I was going to see where this was going, but you’re crossing the line here,” he said as the laughter was cut off and was replaced by a cold and murderous tone.

“Hngh…!”

Suddenly, heavy and thick power which was incomparable to anything she came across before began to choke her.

“Your Majesty…!”

“It’s hard to forgive you for trying to reach out your dirty hand without permission, but how dare you even suggest such a thing…?!”

It was fortunate that Calrad didn’t sympathize with Isabelle’s evil scheme, but the problem was that Seira was also within his range of influence.

‘Breathe…’

The intense pressure made Seira’s vision flicker and suppressed her airway and crushed her lungs. She could counter it with her power, but if she did, Calrad would surely notice her presence.

‘I have to get out of here.’

Seira took a step back little by little, forcing her frozen body to move despite the pain. Once she’d distance herself far away where she could breathe again, she’d try to find another way out.

RATTLE

If only that door hadn’t opened.

‘Oh my god…’

Isabelle’s body, covered with Calrad’s wrath, leaned toward the door. Light leaked obliquely through the gap with a noise that she didn’t want to hear. Seira held her breath, pulling her knee toward her body narrowly across the boundary.

Calrad’s presence was getting closer.

One step, and then another. The sound of steps leisurely taken grew louder by the second. He stopped next to Isabelle, who had collapsed inside the chapel, and then lifted his foot. As if he was completely determined to cut off her breath, Calrad stepped on her neck and slowly applied force.

“Ugh…Ugh…!”

Looking at Isabelle’s white face, Seira felt conflicted.

If Calrad turned her head to the right, she’d find Seira crouching in the shadow. Before that happened, it might be better to attack him and run away now.

‘There’s more than half a chance that a surprise attack would succeed,’ she thought quickly, ‘However, his power to control is the problem…’

Even if the power was absolute, it was unlikely without restrictions. For example, in her situation now, she couldn’t exert the same power as it was difficult to concentrate.

‘It’s a gamble in the end… but…’

She had to make a decision. Because she didn’t know what would happen next if she got caught by him now.

Seira slowly pulled up her strength. He wasn’t even halfway through yet, so this would be her only chance.

Her thighs, knees, calves, and toes tensed up. The time to prepare to hit the ground and shift her center of gravity took only a second, the moment her upper body tilted…

BANG!

There was a roar.