Chapter 190
He furrowed his brow. Every single word she spoke felt as though it were digging into his insides.
"Why do you want a child so badly?"
Perhaps because she had not expected the question, bewilderment briefly crossed her face. She stared at him blankly before lowering her lashes and mumbling,
"...Does there have to be a reason? It's only natural for a married woman to want children."
Varkas seized her chin and looked straight into her darkened eyes.
"Have you already forgotten everything you suffered during your pregnancy? Weren't you in agony for months, unable to sit or lie down properly because of the pain?"
"...It wasn't that bad. I could bear it."
She stubbornly insisted.
His stomach twisted violently as he drew a long, icy breath deep into his lungs.
Even now, he could vividly see her as she had been then—vomiting blood and tears before collapsing limply like a corpse.
And what had happened afterward?
Hadn't she completely lost her mind from the grief of losing the child?
She had only just managed to recover in both body and spirit, and now she wanted to go through it all again?
As though the matter wasn't even worth reconsidering, he answered coldly,
"It doesn't matter what you say. I will not change my mind."
At that resolute declaration, the face that had been glowing only moments before became unnervingly calm. She gazed at him silently with eyes shrouded in deep shadow before speaking in an icy voice.
"Even if I beg you with everything I have?"
His lips tightened into a hard line.
The sensation of something sharp tearing through his body only grew stronger. Ignoring it by force, he replied evenly,
"Even if you do."
Her expression froze even further.
Varkas instinctively reached toward her bloodless cheek, then stopped midway and slowly clenched his hand into a fist.
He knew instinctively.
She would never again allow him to touch her.
Just as he expected, Talia turned her head away to avoid his hand and looked at him with eyes as cold and sharp as a blade.
"Then there's no reason for us to keep doing this. If you're not going to give me what I want, get out of this room. Now."
Her frigid voice lashed across his face like a whip.
His gaze lingered for a moment on her faintly trembling lips before he slowly rose to his feet.
Talia glared at him with icy eyes, then lay back on the bed and pulled the blanket over herself all the way to the top of her head.
Swallowing a heavy sigh, Varkas finally turned around.
Then, with calm, measured steps, he quietly left the room.
* * *
The rain showed no sign of stopping, even after several days.
As violent storms swept through from time to time, the citizens of Kalmor naturally avoided going outside, leaving the normally bustling marketplace and central square deserted.
For the Grand Ducal House's mounted warriors, who were wary of information leaking to the Zram, it was a welcome turn of events. The unusually early rainy season had become the perfect cover, allowing them to gather troops near Armund Forest without attracting unwanted attention.
If the downpour continued for just a few more days, they would be able to strike the raiders' stronghold before word that the Grand Ducal House had assembled a punitive force reached the enemy.
"The Lord of Dorkaen will remain on standby in Brinak and join the main force on the appointed day."
"And what of the western and eastern lords?"
"They replied that Sir Daren would personally investigate them as quickly as possible, but we've received nothing further since then."
Reporting calmly, Beirof added thoughtfully,
"If they conduct their search too aggressively, they'll only provoke resistance from the local lords. I believe Sir Daren is proceeding with extreme caution."
Varkas quietly studied the map spread across the desk before leaning back in his chair and pressing two fingers against the bridge of his nose.
"Tell him not to drag this out for too long. If those traitors have joined the conspiracy, they may destroy every piece of evidence."
"I'll dispatch a messenger pigeon immediately."
Replying in an even tone, Beirof signaled to the page waiting by the door. Understanding the silent command, the young man immediately left the meeting room.
Pushing the map aside, Varkas carefully read through the latest intelligence reports his agents had compiled.
Preparations for the campaign were proceeding smoothly.
The regional lords, who had suffered under the Zram raiders for years, readily agreed to participate, while several devout followers of the Imperial Orthodox Church even paid for military supplies out of their own pockets.
Thanks to that, they had secured more than enough strength without calling up the Grand Duchy's main army.
"By dawn tomorrow, we'll finally be rid of one persistent ache."
"Do you intend to arrest all the heretics as well?"
Lucas, who had been sitting quietly at the end of the conference table, finally spoke.
Varkas nodded indifferently.
"Once the raiders are eliminated, there's no reason to leave them alone any longer. The moment we depart, every person on the list of heretics is to be taken into custody. Not a single exception."
"...There's something important I need to report."
Lucas spoke cautiously.
"The Church has requested that they be allowed to take custody of the apostates themselves."
Varkas frowned.
"I appreciate the offer, but the Eastern Church doesn't have enough men to handle that many prisoners. Inform them that the Grand Duchy will make the arrests and deliver every captive to the tribunal presided over by the High Priest."
"Well... the Central Church has already dispatched Holy Knights."
Varkas had just picked up another report when he froze and turned toward him.
Running a hand through the back of his hair, Lucas continued,
"At dawn today, a large number of knights carrying letters sealed with the Central Church's insignia entered Kalmor. It seems someone in the Eastern Church let the information slip."
Varkas's face hardened.
The contents of the report submitted by the inquisitors flashed through his mind.
Although he had extracted a promise from the High Priest to suppress the malicious rumors surrounding Talia, trusting the man completely would have been foolish.
If the priest broke his word and spoke of the accusations of heresy surrounding Talia, protecting her would become far more difficult.
The Central Church had always regarded the "illegitimate Imperial Princess" as a thorn in its side.
If exposing Senevier required it, they would stop at nothing to drag Talia before a tribunal for heresy.
Varkas tossed the report onto the table and rose from his seat.
"I'll speak with them personally."
With that, he immediately left the meeting room.
Outside, rain still poured relentlessly from the heavens.
Putting on the black rain cloak handed to him by a page, Varkas led Tork out of the stable.
The fierce wind and rain had made the stallion extremely restless.
After calming him, Varkas rode out through the gates of Laedgo Castle, crossed the moat, and headed straight across the square.
It took little more than ten minutes to reach the Grand Cathedral.
Ordinarily the journey would have taken twice as long, but with the streets completely deserted, he crossed half the city in no time.
"Your Grace! In weather like this—and without any notice—what brings you here...?"
As he entered the cathedral courtyard, one of the priests who recognized him hurried out from the cloister.
Swinging down from Tork's saddle, Varkas glanced toward the temporary stable at the edge of the garden.
The narrow structure was packed with massive warhorses.
There had to be at least fifteen of them.
He asked flatly,
"I've come to see the High Priest."
"His Eminence is currently in the prayer chamber. If you'll wait in the reception room while you dry yourself, I'll notify—"
"No need. I'll wait inside the chapel."
Walking past the priest, he strode into the massive stone building.
Passing beneath the grand arched entrance, he found himself in a vast corridor illuminated by flickering lights.
Drawing in the cathedral's distinctive cold, oppressive air, he crossed the empty hall.
Then he noticed a large figure standing before the chapel altar and came to a stop.
A tall man clad in a dark gray robe stood with his head tilted upward, silently gazing at the carvings engraved into the chapel wall.
Sensing immense power from the man's utterly motionless back, Varkas deliberately let his footsteps echo.
The towering man turned to look at him over his shoulder.