The West Wind's Destination - Chapter 27
As the mages began to falter in the war and their strength waned, they sought aid from Vilkanos, beyond the mountain range.
The protector of Vilkanos at the time, Aseph’s father, had effectively neutralized the alchemists’ magic-simulating transmutation circles and tools, even successfully handling their leader, Myron Devesis.
However, the war didn’t end there. Prolonged battles had already inverted the existing social hierarchy, with alchemists gaining substantial influence. The conflict eventually subsided as mages acknowledged some alchemists as emerging nobility.
The world had changed significantly, and in this evolving landscape, Vilkanos…
“Ungrateful mage scum…”
Aseph gritted his teeth thinking of the mages. The war had exposed the threat of anti-magic power to them – a trait far more menacing to mages than to alchemists.
The mages had long ignored this threat from across the mountains, but its reality had finally dawned on them.
Post-war, the mages quickly turned their hostility towards Vilkanos, leading to another prolonged conflict. Vilkanos, initially thought to be solely against alchemists, now had to confront mages as well.
The mages achieved partial success during the war. The former protectors of Vilkanos, the former archduke and archduchess in Imperial terms, lost their lives. They presumed Aseph Vilkanos had also perished.
However, Aseph returned alive, stronger and harboring a cold fury.
After the war, Vilkanos received a surrender from the Empire, gaining significant land and a prestigious title. The haughty mages seemed to think that appeasing him with these gifts would quell his anger.
Aseph didn’t destroy the Empire, but his anger hadn’t subsided; he merely had other urgent matters to attend to.
Those matters, however, eventually led to failure.
“I don’t see what Zephyr could bring to us. Vilkanos still needs stability. Involving an alchemist could provoke the Empire in unpredictable ways.”
The butler was the first to speak.
“I’m against it too.”
The aide chimed in.
“The person seems too cold. They say Zephyr caused even more deaths than Myron Devesis. There are rumors that Myron became more ruthless because of her. Honestly, it’s unsettling.”
The consensus was that Zephyr wouldn’t bring political gains or domestic stability.
“Why not just give her compensation as Zephyr asked and take only the child?” suggested one.
“I agree. It seems she prefers that too.”
“Are you all mad?”
The archduke’s exasperated retort made the butler and aide skillfully grab the dishes and cups from the table.
“She’s not that kind of person!”
BANG!
With a slam of his fist on the table, the archduke’s temper flared.
“Do you even know what she’s been researching? Methods to save lives. And it’s thanks to her that I survived. The servants of Vilkanos shan’t speak ill of their master’s benefactor!”
As the table stopped shaking, the butler and aide cautiously set down the items they had picked up.
“We understand your feelings, Your Highness. You’ve been searching for her for so long. But shouldn’t she feel the same way?”
“She seemed reluctant.”
“That’s what worries me… Have I been too forceful? What should I do?”
The butler and aide shrugged at each other. Despite their circumspect phrasing, they saw Zephyr’s demeanor as purely transactional.
It was unfortunate; if she had shown even a hint of old affection, there might have been a chance.
But she seemed intent on merely settling a debt, not interested in a place at Vilkanos. Not even the suggestion of an emotional connection was apparent.
Zephyr was the epitome of the heartless alchemist, just as people feared.
“I betrayed her trust… She’s right to be upset with me. I need to sincerely apologize, maybe then she’ll consider forgiving me.”
“But it seemed she was only interested in compensation,” the butler and aide were baffled.
Despite the archduke’s romanticized tales of his long-lost love, Zephyr was nothing like the benevolent goddess he described.
‘She looked like an emotionless killing machine. Your Highness, on the other hand, seemed so painfully anxious about how to reconcile with a hurt lover,’ they thought.
As the archduke pondered over his dilemma, the butler and aide exchanged looks before speaking.
“We’ll ask the chef to prepare a diet that boosts vitality.”
“Perhaps… you should learn some… techniques for the night? There are books for that nowadays…”
“No, that’s not it!”
The archduke protested, frustrated and at a loss, the situation far from the romantic reconciliation he had hoped for.
