Chapter 89

The pilgrims looked at each other cautiously, then stepped forward. Just in case, they glanced around, but no one stopped them.

Only Lothier stepped aside with a complicated expression, avoiding eye contact. Seeing that, the pilgrims were convinced and all entered at once.

“Ah…”

The pilgrims who gazed upon the ancient capital of the northern kingdom let out exclamations of awe.

The first thing that caught their attention were the exquisitely detailed buildings and the neatly paved streets.

Even though they were residential areas for commoners, the style was as classic and elegant as that of the nobility.

In the distance, the inner city walls were even more beautiful than the outer wall. And as the finishing touch, within the inner city stood a palace.

“The White Palace.”

Someone murmured as if hypnotized, staring at the palace.

It didn’t look like it was built from stacked bricks, but as if a giant pure pearl had been carved directly.

Everything around it was beautiful, but in front of that white palace, everything else seemed to lose its shine.

The pilgrims who had visited before were savoring its beauty once again, while those seeing it for the first time trembled with emotion.

“…It’s even more impressive than I imagined.”

A sincere exclamation escaped Lucian’s lips. He had heard it was more beautiful than the imperial palace, but he didn’t expect it to surpass it completely.

What kind of technology had they used to build something like this a thousand years ago?

As he looked around, unable to take his eyes off the surroundings, Lucian noticed something strange.

‘The security is excessive. It’s almost like a military strategic point.’

Even if it wasn’t habitable, it was still a city open to tourism.

If the general public was allowed to enter, there was no reason to maintain such strict surveillance.

“Sir Lothier.”

“Yes?”

Lucian looked at Lothier, who flinched at being called.

“The security seems too strict. If this is a tourist site that allows pilgrim visits, why such caution?”

“…Your Highness, I’m sorry, but I’m in charge of the defense of a territory under the direct administration of the Empire. I cannot reveal confidential information to outsiders.”

His expression was firm, as if he held no grudge over what had just happened. His words weren’t illogical, so Lucian smiled slightly.

“That’s not an incorrect argument. I shouldn’t lightly dig into the Empire’s secrets.”

“I appreciate your understanding.”

“But this territory has been granted to me as a fief. If there’s an obvious danger and you deliberately hide it, and something happens because of that, don’t forget that it will also be your responsibility.”

“…”

At Lucian’s calm reply, Lothier’s face twisted. Justifications can always be shaped as needed.

If an incident happened in the future, it would be enough to say, “he hid it!” for all the responsibility to fall on him. From the moment he invoked imperial secrecy, there was no room left for excuses.

“Sir Lothier, not even to me you can say it?”

Even Glenn, who stood nearby, sided with Lucian and pressured Lothier.

It was a city granted by the emperor to ensure support for the first prince.

If a mere knight, out of personal resentment, made that favor seem lesser, it would be no small loss.

“That’s not it, but…”

“If there’s no reason to hide it from me, explain it to His Highness. From now on, Asagrim is his fief, so even if it’s confidential, if it concerns this land, it must be reported.”

At Glenn’s insistence, Lothier spoke with a resigned expression.

“The truth is that we recently discovered a barrier.”

“A barrier? Are you talking about a magic barrier?”

“Yes. That one.”

A protective barrier installed in a specific place to prevent intrusions or to guard something.

It usually created a physical obstacle that blocked passage, but some were so dangerous they could incinerate a person on contact.

In ancient ruins, it wasn’t uncommon to find such barriers that reduced careless soldiers to ash.

“For the record, it’s not a dangerous barrier. It was installed to protect the city and can be activated and deactivated freely. The magical artifact was placed in a barely visible corner, which is why it hadn’t been discovered until now.”

“That’s surprising, but in ancient ruins, things like that sometimes appear… Wait, it protects the city? How large is it to protect the entire city?”

“It covers all of Asagrim in the shape of a hemisphere. Its durability seemed comparable to other ancient relics.”

“…!”

Lucian and the others gulped in unison. Normally, a barrier covered just an entrance, at most.

A barrier that even covered the open sky and protected an entire city? Not only had they never seen one — they hadn’t even heard of such a thing.

“Wait, what does that barrier have to do with this extreme security? You said it wasn’t dangerous.”

“If an outsider manipulates the magical artifact without permission, we could end up trapped inside. Just in case, we reduced the number of pilgrims and strictly restricted access.”

“That’s strange. Usually, those kinds of artifacts are controlled from inside. Did someone deliberately place it outside?”

“No. But if, after activating the barrier, someone destroys the artifact, we don’t know what could happen.”

“No, normally barriers…”

Lucian was about to keep talking, but stopped himself. The reasoning was too weak. If the artifact that maintains a barrier is destroyed, normally it deactivates.

‘That’s how barriers in ancient ruins are usually neutralized what is he saying?’

Being a knight, Lothier had to know that fact. At that moment, a possibility crossed Lucian’s mind.

“Sir Glenn, there’s something I’d like to ask.”

“What would you like to know?”

“Does Tibron have a magical artifact like this? I mean a barrier that covers the whole city.”

“That’s difficult to answer. It’s related to the capital’s defense.”

“I see. Apologies.”

Although he changed the subject, the reaction made it clear that nothing like that probably existed.

Lucian nodded slightly and glanced sideways at Lothier.

Just as he expected, Lothier’s face was crimson, even though no one had pointed anything out directly.

‘An inferiority complex?’

Imperial knights were usually proud to serve under the Empire’s sovereign.

But now they had discovered a city that, except for its size, surpassed the capital where the emperor resided.

And not only that—it was clear that Tibron’s white wall was an imitation of Asagrim, and now they had found a defensive barrier system never seen before.

‘He probably felt that, with Tibron’s and the Empire’s prestige falling, his own pride fell with it.’

The strict restrictions on pilgrims and constant surveillance were likely meant to prevent further discoveries.

If something even more astonishing than the barrier appeared, Tibron would be even more exposed.

‘How absurd. That won’t make the north superior to the Empire, nor will it put me above the emperor.’

Realizing the true reason, Lucian let out an ironic laugh. Knights obsessed with appearances were always the same in the end.

“From what I hear, there’s not enough reason to maintain this level of security. Withdraw the soldiers.”

“Your Highness, if we let outsiders wander freely and something happens…”

“It’s my land. I’ll take responsibility.”

At Lucian’s firm response, Lothier was speechless. If the land’s owner permitted it, what more could he say?

***

“Let me go as far as the inner citadel!”

“Ah, the White Palace! The ancient glory of the north!”

Tears of emotion streamed down the faces of the pilgrims following Lucian.

Even when surveillance had been less strict, access to the inner citadel had never been permitted, so this was the first time they were seeing the White Palace from so close.

Some even knelt down and kissed the ground.

“Your Highness, do you intend to proceed just like that to the White Palace?”

“Is there a problem?”

“It’s not that there’s a problem, but access to the interior of the White Palace is forbidden even to us. I’m sorry, but we won’t be able to guide you beyond the exterior.”

“Then there’s no other choice. Take me only to the entrance. I’ll handle the rest myself.”

“Understood. But what do you plan to do with them?”

Lothier cast a look full of displeasure at the pilgrims following them.

He seemed annoyed by how loudly they were shouting in excitement.

“I assume you’re not thinking of showing them the inside of the palace. In such an exalted state, there’s no telling what kind of damage they might cause.”

Deep down, what truly displeased him was that they felt proud upon seeing a palace comparable to the imperial palace.

Lucian, having read his intentions, smiled mockingly.

“Of course not. Even if they’re pilgrims, I can’t allow them into the White Palace. But at least I’ll let them see the entrance.”

“A truly merciful decision.”

Lothier bowed his head, uttering words he clearly did not feel.

Shortly afterward, when Lucian’s group reached the main gate of the White Palace, everyone stopped.

It was the moment when the northern sanctuary, closed for hundreds of years, would be opened.

Just as everyone held their breath before a moment that could be called historic—

“Ascend the throne!”

A voice shook the motionless group. Startled, they turned and saw the young man who had stood out earlier step forward and shout.

“Open the gates and reclaim the rightful authority of the Grimaldi! Ascend the throne!”

“…!”

Everyone froze at his words.

It was the castle of the former royal family of the north, so there was no doubt that there would be a throne inside.

Although Lucian’s title was that of a margrave, it was natural that he would govern from there. However, explicitly referring to a “throne” or a “royal throne” was another matter entirely.

The Empire could conquer other countries and turn them into vassal states, but it never appointed new kings.

“Ascend the throne! Ascend the throne!”

“Ascend the throne! Ascend the throne!”

The young man’s shout spread among the pilgrims like a forest fire. To them, Lucian already looked like the king who would unify the north.

While the members of the imperial side, Glenn included, tensed at the dangerous atmosphere—

“Enough.”

With a single phrase spoken softly by Lucian, the shouts stopped abruptly.

At the sudden silence, Glenn swallowed hard. Although they had fallen quiet, the pilgrims continued to stare at Lucian with eyes full of excitement, awaiting his next words.

‘Lucian, please don’t say anything reckless carried away by the mood.’

To declare an aspiration to kingship and unsettle the Empire would be an unforgivable foolishness.

However, to consolidate support, he could subtly hint at ambition. For Glenn, even the slightest hint of that would be unacceptable.

Amid the overall tension, Lucian opened his mouth.

“The ancestors of the Grimaldi longed for the White Palace. To them, this place was the destination they were meant to return to someday, the dream of our ancestors.”

“……”

“For hundreds of years that wish was never fulfilled, but it is in my generation that it has finally come true. It is deeply moving. Therefore…”

Lucian paused and swept his gaze over the pilgrims before continuing.

“Today, I wish to walk alone through the White Palace, in memory of my maternal grandfather and the ancestors who came before him.”

“Ah…”

“They left this world long ago, but their blood runs through my veins. Let this body be their eyes and their hands today. At least today, I do not wish to be interrupted.”

At those words, the pilgrims bowed their heads with solemn expressions.

They had celebrated thoughtlessly upon hearing that the north had recovered the White Palace, but upon reflection, they realized that many ancestors had died without ever seeing it.

Thinking of that accumulated resentment made it necessary to show mourning and respect.

‘I’ve been too shallow.’

Ashamed, the pilgrims stepped back with reddened faces. No one mentioned thrones or royalty again.

Lucian gave them a gentle smile and extended his hand toward the door.

***

“Truly impressive, Your Highness!”

Glenn exclaimed enthusiastically upon reaching the gardens of the White Palace together with Lucian’s vassals.

Lucian had not disappointed the northerners by rejecting kingship, nor had he aroused the Empire’s caution by displaying ambition.

By invoking the ancestors, he had elegantly cooled the fervor, strengthened his support even further, and given an answer that also satisfied the Empire.

“You truly have the makings of a grand duke! With you, even becoming the next head of the Valdeck house would be easy!”

“I appreciate the compliment, but what I said earlier was also sincere. I’ve always wanted to walk through this White Palace alone at least once.”

“That’s understandable. From today onward, it will be difficult for you to find time to be alone.”

Even if it was territory of his maternal family, it was land his ancestors had yearned for for nearly a thousand years. Even someone cold would feel something; an ordinary person, all the more so.

“Still, just in case, take at least one escort. There may be no people, but you never know if defensive devices are still active.”

“Then I’ll take just one person. Would you mind waiting at the entrance, Sir Glenn?”

“That will be fine. Don’t worry about me and explore the place to your heart’s content.”

When Glenn withdrew, Lucian immediately turned his head toward Felicia.

“Felicia, let’s go.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Felicia replied at once and took her place beside him.

At last, the time had come to verify the legacy of his ancestors hidden beneath the throne.