Chapter 23 - Death’s Handshake (1/2)

Chapter 23 – Death’s Handshake

The story that a master of Shinsu had come to the palace quickly spread like a wildfire.

After the assassination of Archmage Pell, the House of Iver gradually met its demise. Many people cheered, believing their savior had returned, and there were those also who had their doubts on the master of Shinsu.

“Is it real?”

“Isn’t she pretending to be the master of Shinsu after seeing Pell?”

“Masters of Shinsu must not appear so often.”

In fact, The Great Mage Pell, the master of the Gods, emerged in the West for the first time in 400 years. It has been about ten years since Pell’s death, but it was too soon for another master to suddenly appear.

“Your Majesty brought it. Refrain from speaking. If you don’t want your throat to be sliced.”

The chief maid, Dia, strictly monitored the conversations in the palace. However, it was not possible to completely suppress every rumor.

“Your Majesty, the Duke of Lowood, is asking for an audience.”

Nabel welcomed the fourth guest today, narrowing his eyes. The Duke of Lowood was apparently related to the Miltan family. The House of Lowood was among the families in the Western Continent that did not lose its power despite the fall of the House of Iver and when the Miltan Imperial came into supremacy.

Rather, the Miltan family lived with the Duke of Lowood, who then sold information on Iver. In fact, Nabel was chased by the knights of the Duke of Lowood prior to his voyage to the East. Although he was only a child, Nabel vividly remembered that family’s words.

“Tell him to come in.”

But there was no evidence yet.

When Nabel took over the throne of the Emperor, before anything else, he made sure to be aware of the thoughts of those around him. He was different from the former Emperor Iver, who despised the ability to read thoughts with a touch.

Most of those Nabel remembered disliked such power. It was not just because some of the former emperors of the Iver Imperial had been betrayed or had led themselves to death by blind faith in their ability.

They abhorred the despicable thoughts of the people they touched. They wanted to live comfortably in trust.

But there was no one to believe in the world. The same was true for couples sharing a bed together. As a result, the late emperors of the House of Iver suffered from extreme human distrust.