The Debt Of Fate
Chapter 102: The Guilty party

Chapter 102: The Guilty party

"Your Majesty, I will wait outside," the Queen said after adjusting the light.

"No need, you can go and rest," the king rejected. He did not want the queen to continue looking at him with her gaze full of pity. He was a king and wanted to hold on to his dignity.

"Okay," the Queen did not insist. She left the room, allowing the seer to enter.

The seer walked in and saw the king seated, looking lifeless. There was no surprise in his gaze.

"Your Majesty sent for me?" the seer asked.

"Yes. I am already in so much pain, and now I am being haunted by ghosts. Can you cast a spell or do something to stop them?" the king said. He would have welcomed the idea of sleeping and escaping the pain, but he could not bear the ghosts chasing him. He could hardly believe that he, a king, was acting like a coward.

The seer frowned at the mention of ghosts. He had long known that the king would not meet a peaceful end. Even death would not bring him relief. The pain in his body would make him seek death, but he would not be allowed to die until the appointed time. Trying to end his own life would only increase his suffering.

However, the seer had not expected the ghosts to start haunting him so soon.

Raising his hands, the seer began chanting. After a few minutes, he paused and looked at the king.

"There are no ghosts in this room," he said.

The king frowned. He knew the seer’s abilities, the man had never lied to him. If there were no ghosts, then it must have only been a dream. And if it was just a dream, then perhaps there was nothing to worry about. The king convinced himself that he had such dream because he has been thinking of his brother.

"Does Your Majesty require anything else?" the seer asked.

"No," King George replied. The seer nodded and prepared to leave.

"Great One, is there truly no other way?" the king asked.

He had asked this question countless times before, yet he could not help himself. He was not ready to die.

"Your Majesty, there is no other way. I have exhausted my means," the seer said and walked out.

This path had been chosen by the king; it had nothing to do with him. Although he had performed the ritual, he had ensured that he could not be held accountable. It had been the young prince who had sought him out. Though he had broken the will of heaven, the true guilty party was the king.

The seer had been born shortly after King George’s grandfather had succeeded the throne. The seer had come from a long line of devoted priests, but by then, the worship of the old gods was already fading in Nixel. Many false priests roamed the land, claiming to see the future but deceiving people instead. Worse still, they encouraged human sacrifices, saying they could bring wealth and power. While their beliefs held some truth, such rituals were forbidden.

King George’s grandfather had seen the destruction caused by these practices and deemed the worship of the old gods a disaster to the kingdom. He abolished the old religion, ordering all to worship the one true God instead.

At that time, the seer’s family had fled the royal city and sought refuge in a remote village in the Second Region. The village remained a stronghold of loyal worshipers, and deep in its mountains lay a hidden temple of the old priests. It was there that the seer had been born and raised.

As a child, he had heard the elders’ stories, of a time when they did not have to hide, when their worship was done openly. Had history unfolded differently, he would have been second only to the royal family in status. But now, they were nothing more than fugitives, living in the shadows.

Even so, the seer had known from an early age that he was different. Apart from being a priest, he had the rare ability to see visions and predict the future. At first, his predictions had been inaccurate, but with study, he had refined his skills.

His family had been overjoyed and had helped him seek out ancient scrolls to enhance his abilities. During this time, he had stumbled upon forbidden rituals. He had learned them all, believing that they might one day prove useful. He saw their power and when used at the right time, he believed they could bring great benefit, not harm.

After the death of King George’s grandfather, King Knit was crowned. He was not as harsh as his father, he did not send soldiers to hunt down worshipers of the old gods. But anyone caught practicing the old faith was still executed.

The kingdom enjoyed a rare time of peace. Meanwhile, the seer continued to hone his abilities. He had just performed a divination about an impending war when he first encountered Prince George.

By then, the small village where he lived had long been under his control. So when Prince George sent men to investigate him, he knew immediately. His reputation as the Great Seer had already begun to spread. To protect himself, he hid his identity as a worshiper of the old gods. After all, who wouldn’t want a seer to reveal their future and help them avoid disaster? His name grew famous as his predictions proved accurate.

The villagers revered him. So when outsiders inquired about him, he was always aware.

Upon investigation, he discovered that it was the second prince himself who had sent the inquiries.

At first, he had been worried that the prince sought to kill him. But soon, he realized that the prince was looking for something else entirely.

Their first meeting had not been a coincidence.

The seer had deliberately sought him out. Though he could not see every detail of a person’s future, he had known about the prince through prior information. His actions convinced Prince George to seek him out further.

It had not taken long for the seer to recognize the young prince’s ambitions. Guessing his motives had been easy. Eventually, he had helped him switch fate, but he had left the planning and scheming to the prince himself.

Of course, switching fate was a forbidden ritual. But the seer had justified it to himself. If helping Prince George ascend the throne meant restoring the worship of the old gods, then it was worth it.

So he had helped.

Now, as King George lay dying, the seer was prepared to help Prince Edward ascend the throne. This was why he had proposed the marriage between Anastasia and Prince Edward. Anastasia’s good fortune was one that can balance the punishment of heaven upon the prince.

This also made the king rely on him more, instructing his son to listen to him in the future.

So, if Edward became king, the old gods would be honored once more. The seer would secure a distinguished status.

The old temple in the palace had already been reopened.

Yes, life could only get better.