The Royal Deal

Chapter 213

When Cameron returned with the Book of Rest, Celios quickly compared the dates in the Empress’ schedule, Hemon’s notepad, and the Book of Rest. It was the same in each. On the tenth day of the fifth month of this year, when the Empress stopped going to the Temple of Silence, eleven leaves fell but the number of God’s Guardians that came in were only ten. Celios smiled to himself as he quietly closed the Book of Rest in satisfaction. His suspicions had been confirmed. There was no way this could be a coincidence.

Unfortunately, it also wasn’t concrete proof. The type of magic Celios suspected the Empress of using was only conjecture. He had never seen its use and there were no records of it in the temple library. He would need to figure out some way to make the Empress admit it herself. He would need to speak with her and see if he could detect some falsehood in her words. There would have to be some reaction from the guilt within her, he just needed to make her show it.

Celios opened a small safe in the corner of his office and put the evidence he had acquired into it. Realizing it would look suspicious if he didn’t return the Book of Rest back to Cameron, he took the tome back out, locked the safe, and went off in search of Cameron as if nothing was amiss.

***

Celios was already waiting in her office when the Empress returned from attending to her duties. As she came in, he stood and bowed to her. “At your service, Everlasting Goddess.”

“Welcome, Celios.” The Empress was surprised to see him.

“Your Majesty. I hope that I am not interrupting anything important?”

“Not at all. And even if you were, I always have time to speak with you, Celios.” Belice sat behind her desk, giving him a welcoming smile. There was always a radiant presence around the Empress, that made her seem safe and approachable. She had the aura of the Goddess herself. But there was definitely something off today, as if she had a suspicion to why he had made this unexpected visit.

“How are things, Celios?” The Empress asked. “Is everything well with the temple and the World Tree?” The Empress always made a point of asking about the World Tree, considering its importance to her kingdom.

Celios looked back at Karune and the guards who still occupied the office. He wanted to have this conversation alone, so there was nothing distracting the Empress. “I think it would be best if you dismiss everyone,” he told her.

Belice nodded to Karune. “Your Majesty?” Karune was suspicious. The Empress was never to be left alone, but she insisted. Karune rose and motioned for the guards to leave. He then closed the door to the office as he exited himself.

“I heard you haven’t been going to the Tower of Silence recently?” Celios asked the Empress outright.

Belice’s smile changed when he mentioned Tower of Silence. She had taken on the regal pose of an unbreakable Empress. But she didn’t show any sign of agitation or shock from his question.

“I have had so much on my schedule lately that I don’t have the chance.” It was a plausible explanation, but Celios decided to go straight for the attack so that she didn’t have time to think of any further possible excuses.

“I see. A problem has occurred. It seems that a God’s Guardian has lost its path.”

“Lost its path?” Belice wasn’t sure what Celios was referring too.

“Yes. A God’s Guardian that was scheduled to come to the Grand Temple never arrived.”

“That certainly is odd, but I don’t see how I can help.” Belice’s face was rock solid, not giving away any reaction except for a slight displeasure at having her precious time being wasted. God’s Guardians were being maintained by the Grand Temple, not by the palace. There was no reason for Celios to be enquiring about the missing body here. She had no idea what this was about until Celios spoke again.

“How strange that this happened just after you stopped going to the Tower of Silence. To be precise, it was on the tenth day of the fifth month.” Celios said, closely examining the Empress’ face for any reaction.

Unfortunately, her composure was unwavering as she spoke again. “That is very interesting, but I’m afraid I don’t know anything about this. Why don’t you stop speaking in code and tell me what is really on your mind?

“Your Majesty, I don’t believe what I say is code at all. If Your Majesty, by any chance, used magic to lead a God’s Guardian….”

“Celios.” Belice cut him off as a warning.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I would suggest that you abandon this line of thought immediately.” The Empress still did not show any sign of guilt. She was simply providing a warning for Celios to not say anything that would be considered blasphemy.

“But the two events occurred simultaneously. They could not have been a coincidence, so that’s why I was informing you.”

“Why could they not have been a coincidence?” The Empress certainly wasn’t going to show her hand easily.

“Did you know that the number of fallen leaves from the World Tree is the same as the number of God’s Guardians that come to the Grand Temple every day?” Celios asked.

Belice stared at him, unblinking. “So?” she calmly answered.

“There has only been one day that it was different. That day was the day you last went to the Tower of Silence.” Still not a single reaction from Belice. Celios was starting to become frustrated.

“So, what you are trying to accuse me of is that I used magic to take away a God’s Guardian?”

“Yes. The Tower of Silence is only accessible by you. No one knows what you do in there. And after you made a habit to visit the building daily, to suddenly stop going. To anyone, that would look suspicious.”

“So, if you’re saying that I used magic, what is your evidence?” The Empress was challenging him now

“As I mentioned to you earlier, we have the World Tree.” Celios smiled. This might just work.