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Secret Forbidden Spell – Part 02

The Duchy of Nightblaze lay nestled in a basin encircled by mountains, with vast fertile lands all around. In about three months’ time, the wheat fields that extended as far as the eye could see would turn into a glorious golden hue. The ponds dotting the fields seemed like shimmering droplets from above.

The Duke’s castle sat atop a hill in Wreath-elka, seat of House Nightblaze, while the homes of its subjects sprawled at its foot. Boasting a population second only to the kingdom’s capital, it buzzed with activity.

The spacious carriage station witnessed a continuous flow of carriages arriving and departing daily, wearing down the cobblestones to a smooth surface.

A black-haired girl donning a well-tailored white robe jumped out of a remarkably fancy carriage—Serika of the Four Eastern Stars.

“So this is Wreath-elka!” she exclaimed.

The rest of her party members followed suit, disembarking from the carriage, when a man approached them.

“You must be the Four Eastern Stars. Welcome to Wreath-elka. His Grace has prepared a carriage for you. This way.”

The Four Eastern Stars boarded a more opulent carriage, painted white and adorned with golden accents. The interior provided ample space for the four of them.

A servant standing at the rear door addressed them. “First of all, we would like to thank you for accepting the commission. Duke G. Nightblaze is also pleased. Normally, someone from the family would come and pick you up at the capital, but…”

“That’s all right. It’s an urgent matter, isn’t it?” said Selyse, the party’s leader. “Can we proceed with the dungeon survey right away? If it’s far, we were thinking of finding a place to stay for tonight.”

The servant fell silent.

Selyse looked puzzled. “Is something wrong?”

“We want you to have an audience with Duke G. Nightblaze first.”

Selyse was taken aback. Although having a noble as a client was not unusual, the arrangement of a carriage was an exceptional gesture. They rarely met the client in person, and an audience with a duke, a noble ranking just below royalty, was even more unimaginable. After all, the members of the Four Eastern Stars were just commoners, despite their Rank B status.

“I see,” Selyse said, closing her eyes. “I thought they were too carefree. I mean, conducting a dungeon survey while the royal capital is in chaos? The Adventurers’ Guild wouldn’t risk sending high-ranking adventurers outside the capital during such a time, but they pushed through with the commission anyway. In other words, the dungeon survey is a lie.”

“Your perceptiveness is commendable. You are correct.”

“What exactly are you planning to have us do? Depending on the details, we might decline the commission.”

“His Grace will give you the specifics. However, I assure you that it is an urgent matter, and fulfilling this commission would undoubtedly be beneficial for all of you.”

The carriage eventually reached the Duke’s residence atop the city, a sturdy castle with unobstructed views in all directions, featuring imposing walls constructed along the slope. From a distance, it appeared as nothing more than a castle with beautiful vermillion spires.

After passing through several gates, the carriage finally came to a halt, and a different servant led the Four Eastern Stars inside the castle. The interior resembled a typical mansion. They proceeded along several corridors until they arrived at a massive black door.

“The Four Eastern Stars are here, Your Grace.”

A hoarse voice from within responded, “Let them in.”

The guards opened the door to reveal a spacious room bathed in radiant sunlight from the balcony. At the far end, behind a desk, was a man with long silver-gray hair.

The man appeared to be around fifty years old, his weary body sinking into the chair. Duke Nightblaze, leaning on his cane, rose from his seat and gestured for the Four Eastern Stars to take a seat.

“I apologize for coming in our casual attire,” Selyse said with a bow. “I didn’t expect to have an audience with you, Your Grace.”

She then proceeded to introduce her companions, and when she mentioned Sophie’s name, a spark seemed to ignite in the Duke’s weary eyes.

The servants left the room, leaving only the Duke and the ladies. Selyse couldn’t help but think he was being too careless, but the Duke appeared unconcerned as he took a seat on the couch.

“Please, have a seat,” he said. “I’m glad you’re more courteous than I expected.”

“It’s an honor to receive such kind words, but let us dispense with the formalities that the nobility love. Could you please tell us the reason you summoned us? You even went as far as lying about the nature of the commission.”

“I still don’t know if I can trust you. I want you to fulfill the request I am about to make. First is monster extermination. A subspecies of Rock Lizards has emerged in the northern mountains of the Duchy. I need you to get rid of them. There are likely over a hundred—”

“Your Grace.” A commoner interrupting a noble was considered highly improper, but Selyse did so anyway. “It’s an urgent matter, isn’t it? I can tell by your appearance. However, we, too, do not have the time to entertain a noble’s suspicions. Adventurers have the duty to respond to commissions to the best of their abilities. If there are confidential matters involved, we will keep it secret. If you cannot trust us, then you may consider this commission null and void. We have no intention of risking our lives for someone who doesn’t trust us.”

“…”

The Duke furrowed his brow and closed his eyes, falling into silence. Several minutes passed before Selyse stood up with a sigh.

“We’re returning to the capital, then. Please excuse us.”

The other members rose from their seats and began making their way towards the door.

“Wait,” The Duke called out. “I’m running out of time. I lied about the details of the commission because I could not afford to expose the weakness of House Nightblaze when the kingdom is in crisis.”

“Please tell us about your actual commission.”

“Lady Sophie, I need you to save my son’s life.”

The Duke stood up and walked with his cane towards the ladies, passing right by them.

“What do you mean by save his life?”

“Follow me. However, once you step inside, you must accept the commission.”

Selyse exchanged glances with the other members, particularly Sophie, and they nodded in agreement.

They left the room and walked down a corridor, covering only a short distance this time.

“I’m coming in,” the Duke said, and the door opened silently.

The curtains were drawn in the dim room, and the pungent odor of disinfectant and medicine hung in the air. It was so silent that even Selyse, who had witnessed her fair share of carnage, momentarily thought that there was no one inside. But the bulge on the bed clearly indicated the presence of the Duke’s son.

Galeicrada G. Nightblaze was sleeping with his mouth slightly open, his complexion resembling that of a lifeless corpse. His long ashen hair spread across the pillow, and his blue eyes, inherited from the Duke, was closed. His strong features only served to accentuate his emaciation. He was extremely thin.

Selyse sensed Sophie gulp. She had treated many injuries using her Healing Skills. On the party’s rest days, she visited churches and orphanages, using her Healing magic free of charge. Selyse had witnessed this countless times.

But this was the first time that she had seen Sophie shaken. It was probably too late.

“Your Grace,” Sophie spoke hesitantly, “Has a Healer provided treatment before? Has anyone from the Church come?”

“Of course.”

The person the Duke mentioned was a high-ranking member of the Church and a skilled user of Healing magic. Sophie knew them.

“In that case, there is nothing I can do. Healing magic is effective for physical injuries and traumas, but it has no effect on illnesses.”

The Duke should have been aware of that. Yet, he sought the assistance of the Four Eastern Stars anyway.

As the women stared at the Duke, he said, “The person who recommended you to me was from the Church. They said that Galeicrada’s symptoms are not caused by an illness.”

“Not an illness… So a curse or poison?”

“I don’t know. But those who tried healing him said he had a congenital physical deficiency.”

“So he has always had poor health?”

“He was healthy as a child, but when he turned ten, his condition started deteriorating. We consulted numerous physicians, Healers, shamans, and even shady spirit mediums, but none of their explanations matched my son’s symptoms. His condition has worsened over the past six months. The Church holds you in high regard. They said you have a unique perspective as an adventurer, and sometimes you displayed abilities surpassing those who had honed their Healing magic within the Church.”

Sophie pursed her lips. “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do.”

Her voice was shaky, and her trembling shoulders betrayed her frustration.

“I understand,” the Duke replied calmly, his tone suggesting he had already prepared for the worst-case scenario.

---

“Is there really nothing we can do?” Selyse asked once they had left the Duke’s mansion.

Sophie shook her head. “Please give me some time to think. If it’s a congenital condition, there might be nothing we can do…”

“It’s all good. The guild was pestering me to return to the capital as soon as the commission was completed. I’ll head back first, but you three can stay here for a while.”

“Are you heading back alone?” Sara asked. “How about splitting into pairs?”

“Please. I don’t want to cause any trouble,” Sophie said.

“It’s no trouble at all!” Serika interjected. “If it’s a commission that only you can handle, then we’ll do whatever we can!”

“You’re right. In that case, Serika and I will return to the capital, while Sophie and Sara will stay here for a while to come up with a contingency plan.”

“Got it!”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Thank you all very much.”

And so they settled for their course of action. But little did they know that at that moment, the Duke came face-to-face with a certain individual.