The Youngest Son of the Northern Grand Duke Decided to Divorce - The Youngest Son of the Northern Grand Duke Decided to Divorce chapter 28

28

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Upon arriving at the Cathedral of Ergante, Alter was immediately guided inside.

The Cathedral of Ergante, located in the capital of the Empire, was recognized as the headquarters and holy site of the Semerunne Order.

It was essentially the backbone that encompassed all the cathedrals and churches in the region, and where most of the high-ranking clergy gathered.

To meet with the Holy Pontiff, one had to visit the Cathedral of Ergante.

‘Is the Holy Pontiff here?’

Alter walked quietly, surveying the interior of the cathedral.

The Holy Pontiff, a symbol of the Semerunne Order, held sacred authority as the leader of all priests and paladins.

Thus, not even the royals and nobles could treat the Holy Pontiff lightly, and only the Emperor, as the prophet of the state religion, could command the Pope.

‘I doubt I’ll have to meet him. It’s not like I have any connection with Brillié.’

The Holy Pontiff rarely made an appearance, even in the original work.

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Only the reputation and influence of the Semerunne Order were occasionally mentioned, as if to remind the Archbishop of his glory.

It seemed that, barring any special events, the Pope would always remain within the cathedral.

‘The ordination is what matters now. Whether I’ll be the lead or not…’

The priest walking ahead slowly stopped and stepped back.

Then, he knocked on the door and promptly swung it open.

“The ordinate awaits you. Please, come in.”

Alter left the priest behind and entered the room.

Beyond, a young man dressed in ceremonial attire sat, and the door closed immediately after.

The youth observed Alter for a moment before rising from his seat.

“May the brilliance of Semerunne guide you. I am Hafnen Ragnis, the knight directly under His Holiness and the third ordinate.”

“…I am Alter Radiant, the youngest son of the Radiant ducal family.”

“I’ve heard a bit about you, Lord Alter. Would you take a seat?”

With a polite invitation from Hafnen, Alter quietly sat in the chair opposite.

Hafnen followed suit, sitting down and calmly gazing into Alter’s face.

After a long silence, he finally showed a sly smile.

“Ah… I wasn’t mistaken. You are indeed handsome.”

“…Pardon?”

“You’re so handsome that I was simply lost in looking at you. In social circles, rumors often fly, but now I’m inclined to believe them.”

“…”

Alter swallowed his silence and met Hafnen’s gaze.

His blue eyes seemed quite relaxed, and there was no hint of tension in his expression.

Although Alter was already aware of Hafnen’s personality, he felt a sense of dissonance from the start.

“Ah, I hope you don’t misunderstand. It’s customary to say such things, but I mean it sincerely. This is the first time I’ve seen such a handsome noble in my life.”

“Ah, yes… Thank you for the compliment.”

Alter responded indifferently, with a somewhat reluctant expression.

He seemed informal, yet still carried a humble air.

It was just that the usual reticence and devotion of a clergyman had faded, causing a slight doubt.

“Let’s leave personal matters aside for now… You mentioned you’ve been unwell?”

“Yes. I’ve been in poor health since childhood.”

“I took the liberty of checking, and there are records about you, Lord Alter. It’s rare for someone to be dispatched to the northern territories, so it was easy to find.”

“It seems you’ve visited several times, but to no avail, as far as I know.”

“Yes. I too find that part regrettable. The light of Semerunne does not shine upon all lands. Similarly, we cannot perfectly cure all ailments.”

Hafnen murmured lowly with a bitter expression.

Surely Alter must have tried various means to heal his frail body.

But even the clergy of the Semerunne Order failed to bring about change, thus remaining untouched by the dazzling grace.

“… I believe even the Cardinal has been summoned, but the Sacristans cannot leave the cathedral, correct?”

“That’s right. The Sacristans are direct knights of His Holiness and must always guard the cathedral. If they really must leave, a valid reason must be presented.”

“Does it have to be a very significant reason?”

“Well… if there’s someone in urgent need of saving, or if the Agnes Empire is in crisis, then it would be considered a valid reason.”

“So, by that logic, I’m someone who could be left to die?”

“…”

Hafnen fell silent for a moment, realizing his slip of the tongue.

Of course, he had only explained the Order’s regulations and policies.

But the person before him had already been in frequent contact with the Order’s clergy, and it was only now that he was meeting a Sacristan for the first time.

Having endured such difficult times, perhaps such words had slipped out carelessly.

“I don’t misunderstand the Order’s stance. Being a scion of the Grand Duke’s family, I suppose that’s why I can meet with a Sacristan. Anyone else wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“Um… I hope there’s no misunderstanding. The Sacristans have a mission entrusted to them, so they… must explain the Order’s doctrine… and also… considering the internal affairs of the Order…”

“I’m not trying to argue right or wrong. It’s just… I felt a bit frustrated.”

Alter had no desire to dwell on the past at this point.

No matter what he said, he couldn’t change the practices and rules of the Setinos Order.

For now, he had to manage his own body and find the cause of his weakness.

“That’s… understandable. You might feel frustrated. On behalf of the Order, I offer my apologies.”

“No, it’s not for me to interfere with the Order’s decisions.”

“In that case, I will make sure to examine you thoroughly. May I see your hand?”

Hafnen, though taken aback, smoothly shifted the topic of conversation.

He couldn’t guarantee Alter’s healing, but it wasn’t impossible.

In matters of healing rites, he was unparalleled, even acknowledged by other Sacristans.

“Can you heal me right now?”

“If it’s possible, yes. After a thorough examination, I’ll make a judgment.”

“…”

Alter extended his right hand without much expectation.

Even the archmage had only mentioned impurities, not having discovered an exact cure.

The clerics of the order had not resolved it thus far, so they could only hope to uncover the cause.

“Hmm… your hand is quite cold. Should this be considered a separate symptom?”

“Yes. It’s been like this since I was young, so there must be a connection.”

“Is your whole body cold?”

“Yes. It gets a bit better in the sunlight.”

“Your blood circulation is fine. There’s no issue with the flow of magic either… and no internal injuries are visible.”

Halfnen carefully examined Alter’s hand.

To be precise, he was sensing the internal structure of the body through magic, and if there were any anomalies, he would have detected them immediately.

Of course, a mage could use a similar approach, but the results would not be the same due to different methodologies.

‘There’s nothing unusual. But… that’s what makes it more suspicious.’

Halfnen concluded that the body was healthy, but he did not accept it at face value.

From his experience as a cleric, he knew that a human with a perfect body could not exist.

Everyone has their limits, and accordingly, vulnerabilities arise.

If Alter Radiant was human, then at least one vulnerability should have been found.

‘Why is it so clean? It feels like a trick has been used.’

Halfnen was bestowed the position of a high priest at a relatively young age.

It meant that his talent as a cleric was exceptional, and he had indeed proven himself to be of considerable caliber.

Therefore, despite his lack of experience, his talent overwhelmed even the wisdom of the ages.

‘What are you hiding?’

Halfnen intuitively speculated on separate possibilities.

Magical intervention, psychological factors, an undiscovered disease, a cunning curse.

Any of these were worth considering, and perhaps even extreme cases should be referenced.

‘To say it’s psychological… the scope is too broad. There’s no pattern.’

Halfnen continued to look into Alter’s body, eliminating possibilities one by one.

Usually, psychological factors arise from a specific incident, causing aftereffects that negatively impact certain parts of the body.

However, Alter’s symptoms targeted the entire body, which rather eliminated any regularity.

‘If it’s an undiscovered disease, there should be unique symptoms… and if magic was involved, there would be traces left behind.’

Halfnen frowned as he focused on the diagnosis.

No separate symptoms were apparent, and if magic from the outside was involved, it should still be active.

In the end, if that possibility is also ruled out, only one remains.

‘I would know if it were a curse…’

Curses were a method favored by fallen mages.

They bring pain and misfortune to the target, or gain benefits for themselves.

But such acts leave definite evidence, making it possible to quickly find and dispel them with holy rites.

‘There might be a place where the curse is hidden…’

Clerics, when diagnosing the body, meticulously examine every part, but there is one place they do not touch carelessly.

If external magic were to come into contact, that area could stiffen or stop completely.

Therefore, it’s not easy to treat that part, and even skilled clerics are often cautious.

‘Nothing particularly special… Huh?’

Halfnen peered closer, having discovered something.

After checking several times, he finally released Alter’s hand.

“… Lord Alter. It was a bit of a struggle, but I think I’ve found the cause.”

“You found it? What is it?”

“It seems you’ve been cursed. Judging by how well it’s hidden, it appears to be a deliberate act.”

“…?”

Alter looked at Halfnen blankly, unable to accept what he said.

He was certain there was a special reason, but he had never anticipated a curse.

Having lived in the northern territories since childhood, how could he be cursed?

“The curse is engraved on your heart. The reason it went undetected is that we couldn’t diagnose the heart. Even a slight magic could cause abnormalities, so we couldn’t touch it carelessly.”

“Then, can the curse be removed?”

“Hmm… It’s not impossible to dispel, but I wouldn’t recommend it. If your heart stops during the process, you could lose your life.”

“The heart can’t withstand it?”

“Yes. The shock of removing the curse will affect the heart… and it could get damaged. Restarting a stopped heart is not an easy task.”

Halfnen continued his explanation with a grave expression.

Alter listened intently, feeling increasingly troubled.

Perhaps there was a grim secret harbored within Alter Radiant.

‘Who could have cast the curse? Could a great mage undo it? I should ask my father as well…’