Chapter 61: Just do your best and let miracles do the rest

In the palace’s dim corridor, Prince Kallia’s footsteps echoed as he approached a shadowed bedroom.
No guards stood watch, the silence broken only by his presence.
Inside, heavy curtains blocked the daylight, leaving the room in near-total darkness.
A figure lay motionless on a massive bed, unresponsive as Kallia sat beside it.

“Father, your son is here,” he said softly, as if not to disturb the sleeper.

Silence answered.

Kallia took the figure’s hand, voice tinged with sorrow.
“You’ve lost weight… but your wish will come true.”

No response.

“Wang Mei won’t understand our decision,” he continued, grip tightening.
“Sacrifices are necessary. I exiled her from the capital—she doesn’t care about Barlia’s future.”

His tone grew fervent.
“Soon, I’ll wield unmatched power. Theocracy, Empire, humans, demihumans—all will kneel. Barlia will be the world’s only empire!”

Calming himself, he stood.
“You’ll see that day, Father.”

At the door, he paused.
“Some matters need your attention. I’ll take my leave.”

As the door closed, a gravelly voice startled him.
“Your Highness Kallia.”

Kallia didn’t turn, his emerald eyes cold.
“I forbade entry here, Archbishop Karat. Explain.”

Karat, an old man clutching a staff of authority, coughed.
“I bring urgent reports.”

“Speak.”

Kallia faced him, expression unreadable.

“First, the Holy Nation sent Glorious Canon elites to ‘protect’ the Blood Crown.”

“Protect?” Kallia scoffed.
“They want its power.”

“We can handle them,” Karat assured.

“Second?”

“Celia found Saint Ina from Borus. We had no prior intel.”

“Borus?” Kallia’s brow furrowed.
“Why them?”

“Their Church broke from the Orthodox, but they’re still linked. It could be a leak from the Theocracy.”
Karat’s eyes gleamed.
“Celia’s imprisoned Ina in the dungeon. Focus on the Empire, not her.”

“Anything else?”

“One last thing,” Karat said, fanaticism creeping into his voice.
“Damus and Barov, our sample collectors, are dead. The Holy Nation’s assassins tracking them vanished too. But we have enough samples for the next step.”

“Activating the Blood Crown?”

“Yes.”

Karat’s voice trembled with zeal.
The Crown’s demonic power, reborn through his research, would be his offering to God.

By a serene lake, Cynthia frowned at the water.
“This is the secret passage?”

“The exit,” Prim corrected.
“The entrance is in the palace.”

Having agreed to Cynthia’s terms, Prim led them to the nearest passage.
She pointed to the shore.
“It’s nearby. A magic crystal inside triggers a one-way escape route.”

“Easy. Blow it up.”

“What—?”

Boom!

Cynthia tossed fire magic crystals—Ina’s leftovers from Bazerolle—and detonated them.
The blast carved a massive pit without disturbing the lake.

Prim and Lustia gaped as dust settled, revealing gray bricks glowing faintly with magic.

“That’s the passage’s ceiling,” Prim said.
“It’s reinforced to withstand stronger blasts…”

She trailed off as Cynthia jumped into the pit, summoning a red hammer.
With one strike, the bricks shattered, exposing a dark tunnel.

Cynthia grinned up at them.
“Come down! It’s clear!”