Chapter 59: Leo is kidnapped

 As the princes began their hasty journey toward Elrand, Leo, who had left Safita in the prayer chamber, was racing down the cathedral corridors at full speed.

“Hah… Hah…!” Leo gasped, glancing back occasionally as he ran.

He was fleeing from none other than Gustav, who had been waiting in ambush near the prayer chamber.

“Wait, Hakenberg! What happened? Tell me in detail!” Gustav shouted, his concern evident.

“That’s disrespectful, knight! You should know men are forbidden beyond the cloister!” 

It seemed Gustav had been quite worried when Leo was whisked away to the prayer chamber by Safita. As soon as Leo exited the chamber, Gustav accosted him, demanding answers.

“Is everything alright? What did she say? What happened?” Gustav asked rapidly. Leo almost let slip something about “not seeing the light spirit” or “Tama,” but quickly covered his mouth.

Maybe the scent of confession lingered on his body, making it difficult for him to control his thoughts from spilling out of his mouth. However, it wasn’t right to go around talking about someone’s private matters so casually.

In Leo’s mind, their earlier conversation could be summarized as “I accidentally questioned the light spirit and triggered Safita’s complex about his condition, resulting in a lengthy discussion about Tama.”

“I’m sorry if I worried you, but I can’t talk about it right now,” Leo managed to say.

“Why not? You always try to handle everything on your own! You said you would trust me more!” Gustav exclaimed with genuine concern.

For a moment, Leo considered confiding in Gustav. Perhaps Gustav, being a wise candidate, could understand Safita’s feelings. However, Leo hesitated.

“Wait a second… Gustav has no experience in this area, and Safita’s situation is the opposite. They’re on opposite ends of the spectrum,” Leo realized, clenching his fists and shaking his head.

“I thought I could tell you, but I can’t!” Leo declared.

“Why not?”

“Because you’re a wise candidate!”

Gustav’s eyes widened in surprise, and Leo quickly looked away, hoping Gustav would drop the conversation.

“Please, just let me go for now. I might be able to talk about it later, but not now. Please, let me go!” Leo pleaded and turned away.

If Leo stayed and continued the conversation, he might inadvertently reveal Safita’s struggles. If Leo were in Safita’s shoes, he wouldn’t want someone discussing his private matters so freely.

So, Leo ran, fulfilling his duty to Safita and fleeing out of sympathy for him.

“I lost him!” Leo said, relieved.

Taking advantage of the guards holding Gustav back, Leo darted through the corridors and into the private chamber assigned to him.

He shut the door behind him and took a moment to catch his breath. Then he realized Khaje and the others were nowhere to be seen.

“Hmm?” Leo wondered.

The sun had set, and it was time for the evening meal, but the women were absent. Usually, they would be quietly in the room, but they seemed to be out.

The only other living being in the room was a snow songbird in a cage.

Leo assumed they were using the restroom and casually dismissed their absence. He stepped into the room, relieved.

“Peep! Peep!” The snow songbird chirped, demanding its daily meal. Leo grabbed something from the insect collection box and offered it to the bird.

However, the bird seemed unimpressed and refused to eat. Leo gave the cage a light flick, slightly annoyed.

Leo didn’t dislike animals, but the bird’s elegant form reminded him too much of Prince Albert’s noble appearance.

Leo scowled at the birdcage and made his way to his simple bed, dropping down onto it.

“A lot happened today,” Leo thought, reflecting on the day’s events.

He had woken up early to explore Elrand and came up with a brilliant idea for a tourism business. He discovered powerful deodorants and Elrand cosmetics, then attended the song of praise ritual.

For the first time, he saw the light spirit, which looked exactly like the golden spirit he had imagined. He commented on the resemblance, and Safita whisked him away, reprimanding him—though the conversation quickly turned to the topic of Tama.

“Wait, Safita let me off the hook for my comments about the light spirit, right?” Leo wondered as he reviewed their conversation.

The light spirit had said it wasn’t angry, and Safita’s anger stemmed from her complex, misinterpreting his comments as a slight against the ritual. Leo reassured Safita that he didn’t doubt his abilities and advised him against self-deprecating thoughts.

At least, Leo thought, his good intentions would be understood.

Leo convinced himself he had done his best and flopped back onto his bed. His mission as a priestess was almost complete.

Tomorrow morning, the light spirit would appear again at sunrise, and after a celebratory “hooray,” he’d be free.

This moment would also mark the end of his days as Leonora.

“In the morning, when the sun rises, I’ll sneak out during the shift change between the cathedral’s guards and the guardians of the priestesses from different countries,” Leo thought, recalling his conversation with Lena.

Lena had advised him to time his escape during the transition of responsibility for the priestesses’ safety. There might be confusion about who was responsible, making it easier for him to slip away.

Leo wouldn’t be able to say goodbye to Kai, but it made his escape easier. Once he left, this role-switching performance would come to an end.

Leo had gone over the escape routes, disguises, and evasion techniques countless times with Lena.

“Though I’ll miss Kai, it’s nice knowing my escape will be smoother,” Leo thought.

Leo didn’t know that Kai had reached Reichert faster than expected, and the prince’s golden powers were propelling him rapidly toward Leo.

He imagined the crystal he’d been using to communicate with Lena, rehearsing their plan in his mind. He recited Lena’s key advice to himself.

“Above all, don’t be greedy. Don’t get lured by the scent of money. Avoid the temptation of gold.”

Leo’s only weakness was his desire for profit. Lena acknowledged his adaptability but worried that greed could disrupt their plans.

For instance, stumbling upon treasure during the escape and being drawn toward it. Or getting distracted by the cathedral’s treasures and missing the chance to escape. Or overloading himself with gold and tripping due to the excess weight.

“That’s not going to happen—” but he couldn’t say it outright, and that made him sad. 

Lena seemed to be quite observant, and had an excellent eye for detail.

“Wait, does that mean I can’t take this bird with me?”

Realizing the obvious, Leo glanced at the birdcage. The prince’s observer, this free-loader, annoyed him. He’d considered taking the bird and selling it, but now he realized he needed to leave it behind.

Leo stared at the bird and then released it from the cage. He stroked its neck, and the highborn bird, displeased with his miserly touch, screeched “Kii!” and bit his finger.

Leo yelped and glared at the snow songbird.

“You damn bird!”

He’d been feeding it as it had been assigned to him by the prince, despite believing animals should bear no guilt. But this elegant bird, with its regal air, remained aloof and unapproachable.

“Oh, you’ve got some nerve…”

He reached for the bird’s neck with a threatening grip. The bird retaliated, shrieking “Idiot!” and defecated, hitting his pants.

If he took anything from this scene, it was that the bird was more valuable alive.

“I was planning to sell you,” he said, “but now I’ve changed my mind. I’ll kill you here and now.”

“No! Please stop!”

The snow songbird seemed to grasp the severity of Leo’s intent, begging in panic.

“You understand the words? You’re unlucky. I’ll either roast you and serve you to the others or offer you as a sacrifice to the golden spirit.”

“You must stop!”

The bird’s ability to speak human language had led him to believe it could sense danger.

Leo’s mischievous smile deepened, and he tightened his grip on the bird’s neck.

But then—

“Is the priestess home?”

Leo’s luck changed for the worse, as the door opened without warning, and he let go of the bird, startled.

With a flurry of wings, the bird escaped.

“No! Wait!”

Leo watched as the bird flew out of the room, feathers trailing behind.

If the bird went to tattle on the prince, he’d be in deep trouble.

Leo was distracted when the person entering the room spoke.

“Priestess?”

Leo rubbed his throat and turned his attention to the newcomer.

Deep lines and thoughtful gray eyes greeted him. The person appeared kind and wise.

“Are you Alir Ad, I presume?” Leo asked.

If he recalled correctly, this was the regent of Safita, the GrandMaster Alir Ad.

He remembered seeing him seated close to the spirits at the recent ceremony.

Leo’s focus was still on the escaped bird, but he tried to give the elderly gentleman his attention.

“Excuse me, can we talk later? I must…”

“Were you alright earlier? Safita can be a passionate and prideful one, and it worries me that someone as delicate as you might have been subjected to any harm,” Alir Ad said.

Leo couldn’t ignore the elder’s words and reluctantly gave up chasing the bird.

“I was fine,” Leo assured him, despite his frustration.

“What did Safita discuss with you? Was there any offense?” Alir Ad asked.

“Just trivial matters, nothing serious…”

“Nothing to worry about?” Alir Ad pressed.

“None at all,” Leo replied quickly.

Alir Ad nodded in understanding and Leo felt a sense of relief.

“Good. The Grand Master would like to take you somewhere,” Alir Ad continued.

“Somewhere?”

“Yes. You are close to discovering a truth no one else sees. Let me guide you to the great spirit,” Alir Ad smiled.

“What?”

Leo blinked in surprise.

Without another word, Alir Ad turned and walked away. Leo followed instinctively.

“To a spirit? A great one?”

“Yes.”

Leo’s mind raced with excitement.

“Could it be the golden spirit?”

“Yes,” Alir Ad confirmed, turning to face him.

Leo was thrilled.

“Let’s take you to the darkness spirit,” Alir Ad suddenly said, holding out a cloth with a strange odor.

Leo’s head spun, and his body went numb. Darkness overtook him, and he collapsed.

That was the last thing he heard before everything went black.