Who Stole The Empress

According to legend, there were a total of five human beings who were given superpowers by absorbing the fragments of the gods.

However, one ability disappeared midway through the process, and only the remaining four abilities carried on the lifeblood.

These were the Tanatos’ death, life of Amor, the enchantment of Lumosha, and the foresight of Keton.

They were divine powers of God, and most of those who inherited them were considered sacred and ruled the land.

Royalty was mostly used to protect the country, as the power would return like a curse if it was used for evil purposes.

For the cause rather than blind sacrifices, for mercy rather than a war.

But there was a royal family that fell even with their unique ability to see the future in advance, a royal family with the power of prophecy.

You can’t prevent the future from coming, even if you know about it……

Just as you can’t stop a typhoon even though you know it’s coming…

Just as you know that a drought will come, but you can’t stop the sun.

But you can prepare for it and minimize the damage.

It’s like taking shelter in a safe place in case of a typhoon, or building a stockpile to alleviate the pain of a drought.

Keton’s demise was a fate that could not be prevented. In the aftermath of the wisdom power that had been detailed for generations, Keton suffered all the misfortunes.

The royal family fell into decline, and most of them who were gifted with different powers died young.

In just over twenty years, the master of the throne changed no less than five times.

Frequent shifts in royal power weakened the country, and Keton became a powerful gold mine for neighboring countries.

The country became more and more ruined in spite of the support of God’s power.

Hartz’s father, former King Keton, was a wise man. He knew that the country would fall in his generation.

He had his son, Hartz, who would inherit his power, and his trusted men, flee the country.

And he himself stayed behind alone, accepting the end of his kingdom without the greatest possible sacrifice of his people.

Keton was destroyed completely and was taken by the surrounding countries.

The fallen royalty of Keton  became a drifter.

Many nations tried to swallow him up, but Hartz used his ability to avoid them and wandered around constantly.

His talents were both significant and insignificant.

He could only see a few hours or days ahead.

There was nothing like the destruction of the world or the coming of a god, and he could barely know that someone was going to attack him in a few hours.

It was just enough to fulfill a desperate request to find something.

Later, they found out that his ability was poor, so fewer people tried to catch him.

“He the incapacitated Hartz. Hartz, the prophet who cannot look ahead. He is the abandoned son of God.”

He lived with all the taunts.

His fate changed a few years ago after he saved a pair of young siblings. 

The two siblings cowered in each other’s arms, holding each other tightly.

“Help us, and we will never forget your kindness. We’ll definitely help you.”

 While holding his younger sister who had a long illness, the older brother grabbed Hartz and begged.

It seemed strange at first. Of all the people passing by, the siblings clung to the most ragged-looking self that seemed most useless.

The way he clung to him, as if he had been waiting for him to show up.

Hartz looked down at the child with troubled eyes.

The older looking up at him, and the younger sister being held in his arms, breathing out painfully and looking at him with narrowed eyes…

The moment he met those golden eyes.

Hartz’s mind exploded. 

It felt like his blocked precognition exploded inside him.

Events of the future shone so many times before his eyes.

His life was completely changed starting from that day.

“….was that already four years ago?”

Hartz mumbled, stroking his goatee.

Mana, who was picking out clothes, turned and smiled.

“It’s been four years since I picked up Hartz.”

 “……………….Mana, it seems the subject has changed. I’m the one who picked you up.” 

“Yes, it’s fine if you think so.” 

“Mana!”

Mana smiled graciously at Hartz and threw the coat over his shoulders.

Four years ago, Mana, who thought he would be only twelve years old, was actually fifteen, and the one who he thought would be five or six was nine years old.

Under Hartz’s care, the children began to eat and sleep well, and they grew so fast that they finally seemed to be their own age.

And during those four years, they became a family.

Hartz looked at Hannah with a worried look on his face and spoke.

“Never open the door to anyone. You know that, don’t you? You shouldn’t even be alone.”

“You are a prophet, but you are so afraid of the world? Why is that? Did you see a bad future with me being alone?”

“Of course not! If I did, I definitely wouldn’t be sitting here so leisurely.”

“No way. We are waiting. I said it had to be here. By the way, isn’t it almost time for it to come?”

Mana said casually, looking up at the sky through the window and pestering Hartz.

“Why are you and Hannah so brave, the hell. You have absolutely no fear.”

“You’re always afraid for us. Please be careful many times over. That’s why we’re brave, trusting in you, Hartz.”

Mana’s words made Hartz stop speaking and stare at him for a moment.

“…… You’re touched again….”

Mana didn’t need to look to know that his face was twisted with emotion through his tousled hair and beard.

He would look much neater if it weren’t for that beard, but he never shaved his beard or trimmed his hair.

He said he looked respectable like that, indeed, what he said was somewhat right.

His face, hidden beneath that hair and beard, looked genuinely young, and it didn’t help him at all in his wanderings.

Besides, he was prone to tears.

“I’m worried about you, and I’m worried about one thing. You are still so small and young….”

It was hard to sniffle at this point. He couldn’t let the kid see him crying.

“Hartz, stop. Quickly sort out your expression and get out. I can hear footsteps outside.”

Mana looked through the wooden door of the cabin, a little nervous.

There was a blizzard blowing across the hut, and the uninvited guests were approaching. They were the uninvited guests that Hartz and Mana had been waiting for.

Hartz’s languid expression disappeared and he straightened his shoulders with a respectful look.

It wasn’t long before he finished his short, deep breath.

Thump. Thump.

They heard a pounding on the door.

“Prophet Hartz, open this door and receive the Emperor’s command.”

Mana went in front of Hartz and grabbed the handle of the door. Then he slowly opened the door for him.

“Go ahead.”

Hartz walked past Mana and looked at the soldiers waiting solemnly in the white blizzard.

The momentum of the soldiers was dark, perhaps because they were Imperial soldiers who dealt with the death.

Hartz stood in front of them, swallowing a laugh under his beard.

“I’ve been waiting, soldiers of Tanatos.”

They were Gillotti’s soldiers.

****

“Hartz asked me to deliver this.”

Hannah approached Roselyn and held out a strange square shaped box. Adorned with mother-of-pearl inlays and jewels, the box looked at first glance like a fine toy, and then like a small jewel.

Arsene, who was watching, tilted his head.

‘How did you manage to hide that thing in the cage?’

Indeed, the children were locked in the bars with everything they had taken from them.

Arsene’s bracelet had also been found. But strangely enough, when they pulled Arsene’s bracelet, it had become a shabby silver bracelet that had lost its original color and light.

It was an old bangle that was not worth the money to take it. They made a disappointing sound and took no action.

Arsene held his breath and marveled as he saw it regain its original light as soon as it was out of their sight.

But how did Hannah keep that thing hidden and in her possession?

“What is this?”

Roselyn asked, pointing to the box that Hannah placed on the table.

“This is an incense burner. If you press the moon here.”

As Hannah’s hand pressed the moon, which was carved in mother-of-pearl inlays, the shape of the box began to change. The square face of the box expanded to reveal a shell-shaped sculpture inside.

A black gem-like object was placed inside the shell, like a pearl.

“If you light this stone, the fragrance will spread. It will cause a temporary hallucination, but I have heard that it will allow the person smelling the scent to see what they desire.”

At these words, Roselyn looked at Tamon.

Their gazes tangled in surprise.

“Largon’s incense burner.”

It was the very same holy relic that had been lost at sea by two brothers who had fought over it nearly three hundred years ago.