Two-Faced Princess

“Lishan… What’s the real reason you came to Mt. Calt? I’m sure you didn’t want to burn yourself.”.

Uriel asked the question that Apollonia kept trying to avoid. She exhaled deeply. It would be futile to hide it anymore.

“‘The most dangerous place. Where no one can access. Where no one can predict. I hid the pieces of the empire in that heart.’”

She murmured the will of the Emperor. It was like an endless spell, but Uriel had a hunch.

“…Whose word is that?”

“My grandfather’s. I went to see him right before he died after drinking the tea that my father had prepared.”

Apollonia bit her lips. It was a story that she never told anyone.

“I knew of my father’s treason, and I had a moment to visit my grandpa before he died.”

Uriel listened silently. He didn’t look shocked at all, but a little compassion brushed his face.

“In those short times, he only said those words. Maybe it was meaningless because he was already on death’s door… but I can’t help but want to understand what he wanted to say.”

They sat in the crater, precisely between the burning mountain and the heart’s center. Flames broke out everywhere, but the place was almost calm enough to be considered peaceful.

“I’m sure my grandpa had a lot of mana stones, but I couldn’t find them anywhere after his death, so I figured he hid it here….”

Uriel quietly got up while listening to her.

Did she say something ridiculous?

It was an important story, but rather than listening, he turned his back to Apollonia and moved toward the heart’s center.

“Uriel?” Apollonia followed him. As he approached the center of the crater, he stopped and turned his back.

“I think I found it.”

“What?”

Apollonia approached the place where Uriel’s gaze stopped. In the middle of the heart of Calt, a giant stone stood alone as if it was guarding something. When she looked closely, there was a word engraved on the stone like a tombstone.

[Only the touch of the Emperor who has proven themself qualified will reveal the pieces of the Empire]

The stone emitted a strange brilliance under the light. It had a gravity to it that made it seem too precious to touch carelessly, but at the same time, an air of temptation that drew her in. As if possessed, Apollonia placed her right hand in the middle of the stone.

Rumble-!

Golden light burst out from where Apollonia touched, and at the same time the entire mountain rumbled deafeningly.

Before she could remove her hand, the light spread from the stone.

“What the….”

Before she finished speaking, the light filled the heart of Calt entirely.

Rumble-!

As the golden light spread throughout the mountain, the flames burning the mountain were now absorbed by the immense light. Then the mountain shook to the point that it was difficult for Apollonia and Uriel to stand properly.

By the time the flashing light turned blinding, everything stopped. There was no flame, no vibration, no noise. The dazzling light started fading.

“Your Highness.”

By the time their senses returned, Uriel’s clear voice rang in her ears. His long arms were wrapped tightly around her.

Was she staggering because the light was too strong?

When Uriel realized she was okay, he slowly moved his gaze to something else. “Please look.”

He was eyeing something slowly. Apollonia also looked to where he was looking.

The bottom of the crater was soil and stone just like before, but some places were sparkling somehow. However, it was different from the golden color that covered the mountain. At first glance, it was like a grain of sand from the beach, only much more radiant.

Like the small laurel crown she wore on her head during her coming-of-age ceremony.

“No way…”

As soon as Uriel bent down and picked up a shiny piece of stone, Apollonia spoke involuntarily.

“No way… that’s ridiculous.”

Uriel picked up something that appeared like a transparent crystal cube. The stone was so pretty and neat, perhaps it had been buried in a volcano for a long time. However, what caught the eyes was the mysterious glow that strongly reflected light from all sides.