Chapter 617

Chapter 617

"A century ago, your great-grandfather requested of Dusk Bringar, the Duchess, saying we needed an invincible army."

The Emperor slowly opened his mouth.

"So, the Duchess integrated the magic and sorcery of his time, curses and taboos, and even her own dragon blood to create the Glory Knights, an undying army for the Imperial Guard."

I shuddered. Dusk Bringar...?

"Thus, for the past hundred years, the Glory Knights have protected the Emperor and the Empire. Knights have been continuously replaced, and even Dusk Bringar has stepped down from the leadership, but the curses and sorcery have been passed down through generations."

I thought of the bandages wrapped around Hecate, engraved with magical runes.

Could those old bandages be the sorcery and curses?

"Knights selected for the Glory Knights face death once right after their appointment. After all, one must die once to not die again."

"Killed... you say?"

"Yes. And then curses are cast on their dead bodies and souls to 'fix' them in place. No matter how severe the wounds, their bodies will regenerate to their state at that time, and their souls cannot leave their bodies."

Listening with my mouth agape, the Emperor continued.

"However. Even if the body revives, the soul gets eroded away. Sooner or later, the end comes. That's why we continuously search for successors to replace the generations."

"..."

"And the current generation of five Glory Knights, I have been exceptionally harsh with them."

The Emperor grimaced with a bitter smile.

"Where have I been all this time?"

"...In the spirit realm, fighting against the gods of different races."

"Exactly."

Could it be?

The Emperor nodded, confirming my suspicions.

"The Glory Knights joined that battle."

"...!"

"They fought directly against the gods of other races at the very bottom of the spirit realm. Even if the Glory Knights are talented knights, they are not transcendent beings. Yet, those five repeatedly died and revived, clashing swords with the gods, quickly being consumed."

The Emperor closed his eyes as if recalling those moments.

"That's why Hecate is broken now. A genius with the sword, unparalleled in the history of the Empire, but the erosion of the soul is a different matter."

"..."

"She reached her operational limit two years ago and should have retired then. In fact, two years ago, we expedited the graduation of the most talented cadet from the academy at that time, preparing them as her successor."

I gasped in surprise. Could it be.

"That successor candidate, Evangeline...?!"

"Yes. Lady Evangeline Cross of the Cross Family. She was also a candidate for the Glory Knights."

I clenched my teeth. So, that's why Evangeline graduated early in this game iteration...!

"But at the last moment, Hecate refused."

The Emperor leaned back in his chair.

"Upon hearing that the knight selected as her successor was sixteen years old, she pleaded with me. She said she'd try to hold on as long as possible."

"..."

"And then... an accident happened."

"An accident?"

"It's about Fernandez."

Ah.

Hearing my second brother's name after a long while, I opened my mouth slightly. That's right, around that time...

"He tricked me into a scheme, and while I and the Glory Knights entered the spirit realm, he severed the connection with Everblack."

"Good heavens."

That damned second brother, so it's all connected like this?

I recalled the time I met the Emperor in the spirit realm.

That the Imperial Guard was trapped in the spirit realm with the Emperor.

"With the connection to Everblack severed, I lost the beacon of light and couldn't return to the real world. The same went for the Glory Knights. We were scattered, and the knights drifted into the deep sea of the spirit realm."

"..."

"It was only much later after I returned to reality that I managed to rescue them... but it was too late. Those five were already broken beyond repair. Moreover, exposed to the spirit realm for too long, even the curses and sorcery were damaged. Now, it might be impossible to pass on the curse to successors."

"..."

"Do you truly have the courage to embrace and cherish all this? My pure son. In this boiling pit of evil named 'the world,' what does the king you want to become look like?"

A moment of silence passed.

After catching my breath, I barely managed to ask.

"Father, why do you impose such trials on me?"

"Strictly speaking, this is not a trial I have imposed."

The Emperor chuckled.

"It's a trial you chose. I'm merely awakening you to it."

"...!"

"It is you who are walking into the path of Asura in pursuit of innocent goodness. Instead of your precarious purity, I'm merely suggesting a suitable compromise."

The Emperor whispered.

"Did I not say? I intend to make you the Emperor of the empire."

"..."

"Now you are leading the front to protect the world, so you can wave that grand flag. But what about after? How long can you continue to wield the ideal of embracing the whole world?"

Facing me with trembling eyes, the Emperor presented his 'compromise.'

"Cut away from the world."

"...!"

"There's no need to embrace everything. Embrace your world, your people, just the right amount of evil that you can handle."

The Emperor slowly stepped back and tilted his head, allowing his mythical face to soak in the sunlight, humanizing his expression.

"That's the answer I desire."

"What if I can't?"

"You know."

The Emperor smirked and gestured south.

"The end of kings who harbored ideals and overreached is always the same."

At that southern tip-

Lies an ancient kingdom sunken beneath the black lake.

The Emperor, baring his teeth in a grin, whispered in a jesting tone.

"Nothing but drowning."

I clenched my fist. The Emperor slowly exited the office, passing me by.

"I will watch, Born Hater. How you will embrace and cope with such darkness of your people."

"..."

"The choice you will clench at the end of this trial. And the outcome of it."

Creak- thud.

The door opened and closed, and I was left alone in the office, biting my lip.

The darkness harbored by Hecate. The darkness harbored by Dusk Bringar, by the Emperor.

And...

The darkness harbored by the many people affiliated with this front.

If I truly wish to be a king, to be the bearer of this flag leading them, I cannot turn away.

But- how far?

Do I have the capacity to embrace and dissolve all this darkness?

'To ponder the king's path before the Black Dragon Subjugation...'

Yet, I know.

Even if I can't find the right answer, even if I reach a clumsy conclusion...

I must not stop pondering.

For I know from experience. Such torment and dilemma eventually lead to preserving humanity.

Whether it's my humanity or that of everyone at the front.

To ponder until the end, for being human, is my role.

--TL Notes--

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at /MattReading