Chapter 79

Panz’s escape brought the battle to a temporary halt, but the aftermath was devastating.

 

Even though the fight had lasted only a short moment, countless spirits lost their souls, and Silri was wounded so severely she would need a long recovery.

 

Enria used healing magic to treat her, but the injury was too deep. Having felt the agony of her soul slipping out of her body, Silri fell into a deep sleep and had yet to regain consciousness.

 

Caldeon looked at the many fallen and wounded spirits with a grim expression before turning to Graum.

 

“Graum, it’s better to move everyone to the Grand Duchy for treatment.”

 

“You’re not taking them back to the Spirit Village?”

 

“A quick treatment here first would be best.”

 

If they went straight to the Spirit Village, the spirits would have to rely solely on the village’s natural energy to recover, making the healing much slower.

 

Since the saintess’s healing magic also worked on spirits, Caldeon suggested gathering them in the Grand Duchy and treating them quickly with help from the cathedral’s saintesses before sending them home.

 

At his reasoning, Graum nodded and looked to Lonn.

 

Lonn also nodded.

 

“But the ones who lost their souls—we’ll take them back to the Spirit Village. What about Silri?”

 

Both Graum and Caldeon turned toward Silri, who lay unconscious with her head resting on Enria’s lap.

 

Enria and Hayden were pouring their holy power into healing magic, but Silri remained pale and unresponsive.

 

In her state, the Grand Duchy might actually be more dangerous for her.

 

Caldeon watched the mother and child focusing solely on treating Silri and fell into thought.

 

Panz had escaped for now, but he would surely return—with the dark sorcerer at his side.

 

If the two attacked together, the damage would be far greater than before.

 

And now that they knew Hayden could wield both holy power and black mana, they might try anything to kill him, believing he was the master of the prophecy.

 

‘The Grand Duchy will be dangerous.’

 

No matter how tightly he placed protective barriers or smeared black mana around, dark magic had already slipped past it.

 

Even with black mana spread everywhere, dark magic seeped in, which meant only the mana he personally generated could nullify it.

 

He wasn’t entirely certain, but ultimately the Grand Duchy’s defenses could always be breached.

 

On the other hand, the Spirit Village was a place neither the corrupted Panz nor the dark sorcerer could enter.

 

The village’s holy, purifying energy made it a safer place for Enria and Hayden.

 

‘Right. Until the Wind Spirit awakens, Enria and Hayden will be focused on the spirits anyway.’

 

While they tended to Silri with healing magic, Caldeon needed to create a space within the Grand Duchy where, even if Panz and the dark sorcerer attacked together, Enria and Hayden would remain safe.

 

It wouldn’t be easy, but with his black mana, Roseanne and Rahar’s magic, and Tearen’s illusions, they could at least build a defensive formation to buy time.

 

Deep in thought, Caldeon raised his head and looked at Lonn.

 

Before anything else, the Spirit Village’s safety was the most important.

 

“Is the Spirit Village definitely safe right now?”

 

“It is. We were all there before we were summoned here.”

 

“Safe enough to send Enria and Hayden?”

 

At that question, both Graum and Lonn turned toward him.

 

Caldeon looked again at Enria and Hayden, still pouring themselves into healing Silri, and spoke in a low voice:

 

“Silri will recover fastest in the Spirit Village. If it’s safe, we should take her there.”

 

“You plan to send Enria and Hayden as well?”

 

Graum asked, and Caldeon let out a quiet sigh.

 

“You can see how worried they are.”

 

Graum nodded and looked at the pair.

 

“Well, Silri and the two of them share a deep bond.”

 

He added that Enria had Silri name Hayden when he was conceived and again when he was born. Silri might be more than family to her—something even deeper.

 

Caldeon nodded.

 

“That’s why, if the Spirit Village is safe, they should stay with Silri until she recovers.”

 

At that moment, Blizzan suddenly interjected.

 

“For now, the Spirit Village is safer than your stronghold. Sending them is the right choice.”

 

When Caldeon looked at him, Undy, standing beside Blizzan, also nodded.

 

“Panz has fallen too far into corruption to absorb the Spirit Village’s energy anymore. He won’t return.”

 

“And even if he does, the village will try to purify the evil energy inside him.”

 

The Spirit Village’s energy was the root of holy power, instinctively purifying malice and corruption.

 

Because of that, a corrupted Panz would be unable to endure entering the village—if he even tried, he would panic and flee.

 

Hearing Graum’s explanation, Caldeon nodded once and strode toward Enria.

 

“Enria.”

 

When she lifted her head, her eyes were full of tears.

 

“Caldeon… Silri… she won’t wake up.”

 

“Shii hurt.”

 

Hayden, using holy power in the same way his mother did, was crying as well.

 

Caldeon offered them a gentle smile.

 

“She’ll wake up. How about you and Hayden take her to the Spirit Village and stay with her until she does?”

 

“The… Spirit Village?”

 

Enria blinked, surprised by the unexpected suggestion.

 

Caldeon nodded.

 

“She’ll recover fastest there. And I know you want to heal her yourself.”

 

“Is… is that really okay?”

 

Until now, Caldeon had never been the type to let Enria out of his sight.

 

He always kept her close, always ensured her safety.

 

The idea that he was now telling her—and Hayden—to stay away made unease well up inside her.

 

“Of course. Until the spirit awakens, there’s nothing else you can do.”

 

He spoke as if he knew perfectly well that Enria would stay by Silri’s side until she woke.

 

“With Rahar’s fire spirit working with the dark sorcerer, we don’t know what they’ll try next. The Spirit Village may be safer for you and Hayden.”

 

Enria looked at him for a moment, then nodded.

 

“I want to stay with Silri until she wakes.”

 

“All right.”

 

Caldeon nodded and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

 

Then he did the same to Hayden before turning away.

 

“Graum, open the gate to the Grand Duchy.”

 

At his command, Graum opened the gate to the Grand Duchy and Lonn opened the one to the Spirit Village.

 

Enria walked toward the Spirit Village’s gate with Hayden, turning back to look at Caldeon.

 

He looked back at her as well.

 

Their affectionate gazes passed between them—tinged with sorrow.

 

Meanwhile, half-souled Belona was being carried toward the Grand Duchy.

 

 

***

 

 

The Grand Duchy once again bustled with a great number of spirits.

 

Caldeon instructed his steward to prepare temporary lodging for them and quickly retreated into his office.

 

Arsen, who had been managing affairs, rose and bowed.

 

“Any incidents?”

 

“None, Your Grace.”

 

“Good.”

 

Sitting down, Caldeon immediately activated the communicator.

 

The moment Tearen appeared, Caldeon skipped any greeting.

 

“Come to the Grand Duchy. Now.”

 

[Why? What happened? Are you out of the tower?]

 

Tearen, still lingering outside the tower, stared wide-eyed at the background behind Caldeon.

 

“Don’t tell me you’re at the tower entrance.”

 

Caldeon frowned slightly.

 

Tearen replied as if wronged:

 

[Roseanne wouldn’t let me in! I waited outside in case something happened. If something escaped, I could use an illusion—]

 

“Spare me the nonsense and get here.”

 

Caldeon cut him off and closed the communicator, then turned to Arsen.

 

“Tell the steward to bring Lady Kaznaren and Rahar to my office.”

 

“Yes, Your Grace.”

 

Arsen answered promptly and hurried out.

 

Caldeon leaned back in his chair with a long exhale.

 

The moment he’d seen Enria in danger because of Groen, his mind had gone white—completely blank.

 

Even now, the memory made his head spin.

 

But relief washed over him after knowing both she and Hayden were unharmed.

 

Still, it bothered him deeply that Panz had escaped.

 

Though it hadn’t been intentional, he should have incapacitated Panz more thoroughly—or killed him.

 

He exhaled again, the uneasy feeling tightening in his chest.

 

If the foolish dark sorcerer truly intended to resurrect the god of evil using Panz, it would be disastrous.

 

“In the past dream, the dark sorcerer turned into the vessel of the evil god. If Panz becomes the vessel this time…”

 

Enria’s anxious voice echoed in his mind.

 

Regret stabbed him again.

 

If Panz really became the vessel of the evil god, the world might fall into ruin.

 

When the evil god had been sealed long ago, countless beings had died, and the world had been plunged into a long period of despair—that much was written in the old records.

 

Caldeon pondered deeply, searching for a way to prevent Panz from becoming the vessel.

 

Soon, Roseanne, Rahar, and Tearen entered his office, and Caldeon gathered them to discuss two urgent issues:

 

—creating a safe place for Enria and Hayden,

 

—and preventing Panz from being used as the vessel of the evil god.

 

After much debate, they reached a conclusion that it was likely the dark sorcerer would deceive Panz into becoming the vessel.

 

Having consumed the souls of his fellow spirits in pursuit of power, Panz would revolt once he learned his body was to be used merely as a container.

 

A spirit so obsessed with his own strength would never willingly surrender his will or become nothing more than a vessel for a god.