Chapter 20: A Queen’s Burden and an Unexpected Offer

“As Queen, I lack the strength to adequately protect my nation. This war will be lost, and that burden falls solely upon me,” Queen Isola stated gravely.

“Your Majesty has already done her utmost,” the Duchess offered consolingly.

“This isn’t about effort; the reality is our nation is being ravaged by the Empire. I must acquire sufficient power to protect it, only then will I be fit to lead again.

Furthermore, if Nafti has indeed advanced to the Third Rank, I too must find a way to surpass her in strength to reclaim dominance.”

“That is sound reasoning, but it is far from easy. Without a Holy Relic, advancement is impossible.

Your mother, the late Queen, also sought a Second Rank Holy Relic, yet she found no clues before her assassination by the Empire.” The Duchess sighed deeply.

“She found them, but simply didn’t tell you,” Queen Isola replied, shaking her head. “She once confided in me that the Empire possesses at least two Second Rank Witch Holy Relics.”

“Sealed by the Church?” The Duchess paused, taken aback. “Is this information reliable?”

Queen Isola remained silent for a moment before speaking. “This was the outcome of a divination she performed just before her death.

She used her last breath to transmit the results to me through a dream. I haven’t told anyone else about this.”

“She divined the Holy Relics’ whereabouts!?” The Duchess’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Witches could perform a divination, transcending their own rank limitations, by sacrificing their lives.

The late Queen must have, in her dying moments after the assassination, expended her remaining power to find clues for her daughter’s advancement.

Queen Isola nodded silently.

The Duchess instinctively glanced at Levi.

Levi paused her meal, sensing the other woman’s apprehension. “Should I perhaps excuse myself?”

Although she only partially understood their conversation, she could discern that this matter was a secret of the highest order.

“It’s fine, continue listening. Now, with only the two of you to assist me, avoiding each other would be akin to tying our own hands,” Queen Isola calmly replied. “Mother divined two locations. The first is beneath the Imperial Inquisition’s headquarters.”

“Ah, God’s Wrath Iron Prison. That’s the most heavily guarded place in the Inquisition,” the Duchess nodded, entirely unsurprised.

She immediately drew a conclusion. “With our current resources, that location is practically out of the question.”

“The second location is within the Imperial Capital’s highest institution of learning, the Capital Sanctum Academy. Mother saw its Grand Cathedral in her divination,” Queen Isola stated.

Upon hearing this, Levi instinctively perked up her ears. She hadn’t expected this academy to be mentioned here.

“The Empire’s academy for cultivating the Blessed?” The Duchess mused, stroking her chin. “Indeed, it’s possible.

Many Archbishops and high-ranking Paladins teach there, and high-ranking Church officials frequently pass through. It would be an ideal cover for the entrance to a ‘sealed holy site.'”

“Patra,” Queen Isola asked, “do you have any way to send a spy in there?”

“To my knowledge, only the school’s faculty and students, high-ranking Church officials, and members of the Imperial family have free access.

There’s a famous rumor about the academy: its guards are consecrated Paladins, and one even once stopped an Imperial Prince,” the Duchess recalled. “We might need to inquire further about the exact situation.”

“That must be true. I’ve heard students from there mention it as well,” Levi interjected. “The Capital Sanctum Academy’s security is notoriously strict.”

Jeanne had mentioned this more than once during her lectures introducing the Capital Sanctum Academy. Outsiders were typically not permitted to visit.

“It would be nearly impossible to pinpoint the ‘holy site’ entrance with just a few reconnaissance trips; a spy would need to be embedded for an extended period,” the Duchess sighed. “That makes things considerably more difficult.”

“What about arranging for a spy to enroll as a student?” Queen Isola inquired.

“Even with the influence I currently wield, securing an admission slot there would be exceedingly difficult,” the Duchess replied, shaking her head.

The Capital Sanctum Academy is renowned among the nobility; countless lords vie to send their children there. However, it primarily recruits from military and ecclesiastical institutions, only occasionally offering a few spots to local holy academies.

“I suspect only members of the Imperial family could gain entry through connections.”

“But you could arrange for someone to enter a local holy academy, couldn’t you?” Queen Isola pressed.

“I could, yes, but it would be useless. The number of slots granted to a local academy each year is in the single digits—essentially, one in a thousand.

Where would we find a spy capable of passing the Capital Sanctum Academy’s entrance exams?” Patra asked, spreading her hands in resignation.

As the two women conspired, Levi remained silent, observing them intently.

At this point in the conversation, she could no longer hold back. She raised her hand to speak. “Um…”

“What is it? If you want dessert, you’ll have to wait a moment,” the Duchess asked casually.

“I mean, if you could arrange for me to enter a local academy, perhaps I could try,” Levi said softly.

The moment she spoke, Queen Isola and the Duchess’s gazes immediately fixed upon her.

Levi did not flinch from their stares, for she genuinely believed she could accomplish this.

“Are you serious?” The Duchess narrowed her eyes.

Levi nodded, then recounted her past enrollment at the Southwest Holy Academy to them.

The Duchess and Queen Isola exchanged glances, both discerning astonishment in the other’s eyes.

Just when they needed such a spy, the most suitable candidate had appeared right beside them. It was as if an unseen hand was subtly guiding their destinies.

“Are you willing to undertake this mission?” the Duchess asked Levi earnestly.

Seeing Levi about to answer, she raised a hand, signaling her to consider calmly first. “Let me be clear: this mission carries significant risks. Should your identity be exposed, you would almost certainly face the pyre, with no room for negotiation.”

“I am willing, provided you help me with my revenge. Besides, not having gone to the Capital Sanctum Academy remains a personal regret,” Levi quickly replied.

As she listened to Queen Isola and the Duchess’s discussion, a plan naturally formed in her mind.

She could return to the Southwest Holy Academy under the Duchess’s arrangements, exact her revenge on Camilla, and then advance to the Capital Sanctum Academy—where she could see Jeanne again.

“A regret? You are a Witch now, and part of our faction. Are you still thinking of entering the Capital Sanctum Academy to become a Bishop or a Paladin?” The Duchess asked, somewhat puzzled.

“No, I once made a promise with a friend to reunite there after advancing our studies. Although I likely won’t be able to reveal myself to her, I still wish to see her again,” Levi smiled.

“Hmm?” The Duchess sensed something. “Wait, your friend… is a girl?”

“Yes, she is,” Levi answered honestly, without hesitation.

Clang—

The spoon in Queen Isola’s hand, which she had been using to delicately sip her soup, clattered onto the plate beneath her bowl.