Chapter 287
Encia’s footsteps, as she sought the source of the immense power flowing beneath the ground, led her to the garden behind the Sirius Imperial Castle.
There were hardly any signs of people, but for some reason, one corner of the garden was meticulously organized.
In a small hut made of stone, an unfathomable power was palpable.
Why is such a massive force emanating from a place like this? Encia pondered, curiosity gnawing at her as she cautiously opened the door to the stone hut and stepped inside.
The first thing that caught her eye inside the hut was… a stone statue of a woman.
It was a beautifully crafted statue of a woman.
Looking at the statue radiating kindness and compassion, Encia murmured,
“Tia?”
For some reason, she recalled the voice that was no longer by her side.
‘No, Tia isn’t here. What am I even thinking…?’
She couldn’t see Tia’s figure, only the echo of her voice remained.
Yet, strangely enough, the woman depicted in the statue felt remarkably similar to Tia.
It shouldn’t be possible, it must be a mere illusion, but Encia’s gaze remained glued to the statue.
After standing there dumbfounded for several minutes, Encia finally shook her head slightly, allowing herself a moment to survey her surroundings.
The small stone hut. The furniture inside looked like simple items, as if carved from stone.
Carefully, Encia brushed her fingers across the stone table nearby.
There wasn’t a speck of dust on the tip of her fingers. It appeared spotless, as if someone had diligently cleaned it.
It didn’t seem like anyone had ever lived in the hut, yet, just like the garden, it appeared to be meticulously maintained.
“Oh, this isn’t the time for daydreaming.”
Encia shook her head again, reminding herself of the purpose of her visit to this hut.
The vast power flowing beneath the land of the Romanian Empire. Its source was linked to this very hut. There was no way she, who was infinitely sensitive to external magic, could be mistaken about it.
It was an underlying magical force so deep that other wizards might overlook it, but not her.
That overwhelming magical power.
“Is it this statue?”
It was manifesting from the stone statue of the beautiful woman.
Or perhaps saying “manifesting” might be slightly misleading.
If one had to choose a more appropriate term… it felt akin to a well.
One could say it operates like a conduit that draws an enormous amount from deep within the earth, distributing that magical energy throughout the Romanian Empire.
Describing it precisely was challenging, but it certainly wasn’t something an ordinary wizard could achieve.
No, it would be more accurate to say that it is beyond human capability.
Considering she had concealed most of her magical abilities and became known as one of Procyon’s representative wizards, solely wielding magic to manipulate the weather… she was sure of it.
The power of this statue was not a human accomplishment… Yes, it was more appropriate to call it a divine miracle.
Encia carefully extended her finger towards the statue.
This immense power—how was it being harnessed? How was it being spread throughout the Romanian Empire? All these questions sparked Encia’s curiosity as a wizard.
Just as Encia’s fingers were about to touch the statue…
“Stop.”
A deep, soft male voice interrupted her thoughts from behind.
“?!”
Though she sensed nothing before, the man was now standing right behind Encia.
“Do not touch her. I don’t mind if you just observe.”
If he had meant to kill Encia… her life would have already vanished.
Suppressing the rising dread within her, Encia retracted her fingers, which were just about to brush against the statue, and asked,
“Who are you…?”
“I should be asking you the same. This garden is not a place for anyone without the royal family’s permission to enter.”
Cautiously, Encia scrutinized the man before her. He wore armor of a peculiar texture, appearing far from a regular human.
His armor looked as if it had been chiseled from stone. The fact that he wore such unrefined armor and carried a helmet on his left arm without anyone noticing until now showcased his remarkable stealth.
With that in mind, Encia decided to be forthright with this enigmatic man.
“I am a wizard who received an invitation from the royal family of the Romanian Empire. They requested clear weather.”
“Hoo… So you’re the weather wizard I’ve heard whispers about? I’ve heard a lot regarding your reputation. I hadn’t expected such a young woman.”
“Everyone seems to say that. Anyway, I was invited by the Romanian royal family and granted permission to roam freely in the castle.”
The man nodded in acknowledgment, likely recalling how the cloudy sky had miraculously cleared before his eyes.
“Then I shall return the courtesy. Who are you?”
Encia inquired without dropping her guard. If it was just a vibe, it might go unnoticed; however, she prided herself on being more sensitive to magical energy than any other wizard. Yet, the man before her remained undetectable to her senses.
Like a mirage that appears visible yet doesn’t truly exist.
“What do you mean, ‘the old man’?”
Old man? The man looked no older than his thirties at most. He spoke in a rather peculiar manner.
Still, Encia decided not to show her confusion and said,
“Yes. I’ve met numerous individuals in my life, yet I have never encountered anyone as unusual as you. Who are you?”
“Hmm… You wouldn’t believe if I said I was merely a passing knight.”
“Do you think I’d take that at face value?”
“Right? I wouldn’t believe it either.”
The man chuckled while pausing to select his words before continuing,
“I’m just an old man who has lost a loved one and cannot die, so I continue to live.”
“Do you honestly believe that answers my question?”
“Is that also insufficient? You are quite discerning, aren’t you?”
The man smiled slightly at Encia.
“Then let me properly introduce myself. I am… Luke. Call me Luke. I may look younger, but I’m an older knight. Just… know that I’m a relative of the royal family.”
“Oh, yes. I’m Encia. I may not be all that great, but I’m known as the Weather Wizard.”
“A shortage of wizards capable of great magic to control the weather… what an amusing remark.”
The man merely smiled slightly as he regarded Encia.
“You resemble my younger brother quite a bit.”
“Pardon? Younger brother? Are you perhaps a member of the royal family…?”
“No, it’s nothing. My brother isn’t as composed as you.”
The man, who introduced himself as a relative of the royal family, Luke, left Encia speechless.
How could Encia ascertain whether he was truly related to the royal family? She could only think, “Oh, I suppose that’s how it is…” and move on.
“So, what brings the famous weather wizard to this secluded hut? Even royal family members seldom come here.”
“Oh, well…”
Encia cast a cautious glance at Luke. Was it acceptable for her to discuss the power flowing through that statue?
Revealing that the force enriching the lands of the Romanian Empire originated from this statue wasn’t something to disclose lightly.
The question of whether Luke would believe such a thing was another matter.
“I simply… sensed some kind of undefined power, followed it, and ended up here.”
“Undefined power?”
“Yes. I felt a force that’s difficult to explain.”
Hence, Encia spoke as vaguely as she could.
Whether this choice was correct remained uncertain, but she felt she had no other options.
“An undefined power…”
Fortunately,
“Did you sense her power? Her reputation isn’t a falsehood.”
It seemed Luke was pleased by those words, as he smiled.
“Isn’t it a splendid statue?”
Luke gazed longingly at the statue, as though he were in love with it.
“It’s a statue modeled after the woman I loved. She made it herself before departing.”
“Her…?”
“If I were to tell the story, it would be quite lengthy. Just know that there once was a woman of extraordinary beauty with mysterious powers.”
Encia nodded in response to Luke’s words, sensing that digging deeper would lead to an endless tale.
“She was a being of remarkable power. More than I deserved. Unfortunately… she departed right after I confessed my feelings.”
“Is that so…?”
Encia was unaware of the stories behind the statue, but it didn’t concern her.
She began to tune out most of what Luke was saying.
“She left this statue behind when she departed and infused it with mystical power.”
“Mystical power…?”
“She was the force that made the land of Romania abundant. At that time, there was a terrible famine, but thanks to her, it has been banished.”
As Encia continued ignoring Luke’s words, she stopped dead in her tracks.
Abundance? Power? The strength of one individual?
No, it couldn’t be a mere person’s power. Surely, it wasn’t possible for a human to accomplish that.
Rather… it would be more accurate to call it the capability of a god rather than a human.
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