The Grand Temple was in an uproar due to the visit of the King of Lecador.

The priests felt an overwhelming pressure from Kian’s small yet sturdy appearance.

The young king did not spare a glance for the priests bowing to him, heading straight toward the Grand Priest’s audience chamber.

The Grand Priest rose gracefully to greet Kian.

“Welcome, Your Majesty of Lecador. I regret that I received your notice late and have prepared nothing.”

Kian clasped the hand extended by the Grand Priest and spoke.

“I am the one who should apologize for intruding so abruptly.”

As the Grand Priest clasped Kian’s small hand, he could feel that the young king’s presence truly carried the aura of royalty.

Even though still a small child, Kian clearly possessed an aura that could not be trifled with.

“Please be seated.”

Once Kian took his seat first, the Grand Priest promptly sat down as well.

Kian looked at the Grand Priest taking his seat with composed eyes and spoke.

“You know why I have come here, don’t you?”

“I presume it concerns Duke Blake.”

“You anticipated correctly. As you surmised, I came to inquire how you intend to deal with my father.”

“As it happens, I too was about to seek an audience with Your Majesty regarding this very matter.”

Kian, who had not expected the Grand Priest to seek him out already, raised his eyebrows at the unexpected remark.

“Me?”

“As Your Majesty is well aware, the crime of stealing and destroying Temple property is punished severely. Thus, I formally request royal assistance in apprehending Duke Blake.”

The Grand Priest had known Kian’s intentions from the moment the king set foot in the Temple. That was why he had taken the initiative.

He watched with interest, partly eager to see how the young king would respond.

Observing Kian’s slightly trembling, flustered eyes, he thought—even a king, if still so young, remains merely a child.

At that moment, Kian, who had been rolling his eyes while deeply lost in thought, finally spoke.

“Then, please transfer the authority to decide Duke Blake’s punishment to the royal court.”

The Grand Priest’s hand, which had been lifting his teacup with leisure, froze midair.

“What did you just say?”

Kian stared straight at the Grand Priest without the slightest change in expression.

“I don’t believe I spoke unclearly.”

The Grand Priest set down his teacup with a wry chuckle.

“Heh. I was merely startled, uncertain whether I heard correctly, Your Majesty. The Grand Temple is subordinate to the Lecador royal court and shares its fate. Just as it is natural for the Temple to aid the court in times of difficulty, it is equally natural for the court to aid the Temple.”

“You speak well. The Grand Temple is indeed a temple subordinate to the state alongside the Lecador royal court. And as king, I am someone who may represent the entire nation of Lecador.”

“…Certainly, while the Grand Temple follows the royal court, it also strictly maintains its own laws and regulations—customs preserved since the time of the First King.”

“Before coming to the Temple, I searched the royal archives for the recorded history of the Repher Temple and the Lecador royal family, dating back to the First King’s reign. I did so out of concern that I might fail to act properly as king. While reviewing those vast materials, I discovered one particularly interesting fact.”

The royal archives of Lecador held books with far more ancient histories than those preserved in the Grand Temple’s library, and only members of the royal family could enter those archives.

Kian spoke as he noticed the wrinkles on the elderly Grand Priest’s forehead deepening.

“That record was written long ago, and within the Grand Temple, only the Grand Priest’s private archive holds access—no one else may consult it.”

Such records were not entirely unknown. Yet the Grand Priest could not possibly guess which specific record among those vast archives Kian was referring to.

“Even this old priest grows curious—what record do you speak of?”

“Once, the highest-ranking priest of Repher embezzled and betrayed the royal treasury.”

The Grand Priest’s eyebrows twitched.

“That… that incident occurred more than a hundred years ago.”

“When we face matters too difficult to resolve, we look to past precedents—even if they occurred a hundred years ago. Indeed, what is a mere hundred years? Even five hundred years ago would still provide a valuable precedent for future generations.”

“What is it that Your Majesty desires…?”

“I have heard that King Rutelman granted full authority over the entire matter to Grand Priest Leod Elban at his request, giving the Temple the opportunity to resolve its own corruption and errors internally.”

Even the Grand Priest had forgotten that fact. He was utterly speechless, never imagining that such a young king would meticulously comb through those vast archives to uncover such precise details.

In essence, the king’s argument was this: since the royal court had previously allowed the Temple to resolve its own transgressions against the court, now the Lecador royal court should be granted the same right to resolve this matter internally.

The Grand Priest let out a bitter laugh at the young king’s shrewdness and thoroughness—a hollow chuckle directed at himself for having underestimated the king due to his youth.

Kian now smiled calmly at the Grand Priest, as if certain the advantage was now his.

“I could publicly invoke this precedent to directly restrain the Grand Temple.”

“Your Majesty means to say that if you expose the royal court’s failings, you will also expose the Temple’s failings.”

“If you refuse to cover up the matter concerning my father, Duke Blake, then I too will have no choice but to publicly reveal the errors the Grand Temple has so carefully hidden all this time. I believe even you, Grand Priest, understand which side would suffer greater damage—the secrets hidden for a century, or the recent incident laid bare.”

The Grand Priest suddenly recalled the image of the young king frantically searching through the archives, determined to save his adoptive father.

It is said that a king with deep filial piety becomes a benevolent ruler to his people.

With such deep filial devotion, perhaps this time, the Grand Temple should step back. Moreover, he could not afford to openly defy the royal court in the face of such a clear precedent.

Within the Temple, the matter had merely been referred to as “the document,” so no one beyond a few involved individuals knew the Resurrection Tome had been stolen.

The Grand Priest scratched his face as if in complete resignation.

“Your Majesty came thoroughly prepared.”

Even faced with what amounted to the Grand Priest’s white flag, Kian remained perfectly composed and upright.

“I will not erase my father’s crimes. I pledge, on the honor of the royal house, to resolve this matter wisely without tarnishing the Temple’s dignity.”

Even for a king, granting clemity too casually would make it difficult for the Temple to pledge loyalty. Remarkably, the young king had not overlooked even this point.

“I know Your Majesty will not toy with this old priest.”

“I will take measures you can accept.”

Punishment, if wrongly applied, only invites greater resentment.

Thus, the Grand Priest was already curious how this young king would punish his own father.

Pasium, startled by the sudden appearance of other figures in his hiding place, ended up falling flat on his backside.

Though blind, Pasium could distinguish Yura and Durion as newcomers because of the sound of their summoning.

Had he been able to speak, he might have screamed—but since he could not, he could only gape open-mouthed.

Knowing that Duke Blake was being pursued, Pasium assumed these people had come to capture the duke.

Fumbling for his cane, Pasium stood up and charged toward the residence at top speed.

“Uh… uh… uh…”

That was the only sound he could make, yet he strained his voice with all his might, rushing inside so those within might hear him.

Jeremi, who had been checking locations with Vika regarding the discovery of the black-eyed man, rose from his seat upon seeing Pasium rush in frantically.

“Pasium. What’s wrong?”

Only then did Vika stand up, sensing something ominous.

“I heard no footsteps approaching—what’s going on?”

“In Pasium’s hiding place, only Pasium can hear sounds from distant places.”

“Is it because the space operates on Pasium’s magic?”

“It’s due to the magical array Pasium created.”

“Anyway, let’s go out and see what’s happening.”

As Vika moved to leave with Jeremi, there was no need to go far—Durion and Yura had already entered the house.

“Long time no see, Master Vika. Long time no see, Master Jeremi.”

Durion merely raised his hand in greeting, offering no warm salutations.

Vika and Jeremi hesitated, wearing awkward expressions.

“How did you… get here…?”

Yura, who entered confidently, kept scanning the room with her eyes as she asked.

“Where is the duke?”

“D, Duke? I have no idea what you’re talking about…”

“I learned everything from Lady Veronia, so don’t bother lying. I also know, Master Vika, that you have not yet broken your oath with Sikar.”

Vika flinched, unable to meet her gaze or find words to respond.

Everyone tried to stall for time, but they had no means to outlast Yura’s persistence, so they reluctantly led her to where Sikar was.

Of course, Vika already felt exhausted just imagining the duke’s furious outburst once he awoke.

Before entering the room where Sikar lay, Yura grasped Jeremi’s hand and called to him.

“And Master Jeremi.”

“Yes, Lady Duchess.”

“Thank you for helping Sikar.”

Jeremi scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile.

“I helped out incidentally. Truthfully, since I never knew my birth parents’ faces, I found it quite moving how Duke Sikar sought to find His Majesty the King’s biological father. So, well, I couldn’t help but assist.”

Yura had not known Jeremi carried such a personal history, so she was slightly surprised. She soon looked at Jeremi and offered a faint smile.

“That makes me all the more grateful, Master Jeremi.”

Then Yura walked into the room where Sikar lay.

It was a reunion after a very long time.