Chapter 75 – Upheaval (1)

Chapter 75 – Upheaval (1)

[Translator – Peptobismol]

Chapter 75 – Upheaval (1)

The Papal See is coming to Asven.

Specifically, with Saintess Isabel Yustia.

How on earth?

Didn’t I just hear she jumped from the mansion?

And they weren’t even sure if she survived?

So how could she possibly make it all the way out here?

Did she really jump? Or did she regain consciousness in that short time?

Or if not that...

‘Is it an impostor?’

Could they have found a replacement to fill the role of the Saintess after Isabel’s death?

Everything is so confusing.

I covertly watched Diana as we walked back home.

Surprise, confusion, annoyance...

Diana wore an expression no different from mine.

‘Should we prepare to leave immediately?’

If the Saintess coming here is indeed the Isabel I know.

If she’s still obsessed with me as she was before.

I need to leave here with Diana as soon as possible.

My goal is to be forgotten by everyone, not to settle down in this place.

But if we leave Asven, then what?

Is there a suitable place to hide?

No, there isn’t.

This is an utterly unforeseen crisis.

I bit my lip to swallow a curse.

My mind tangled in a mess of thoughts, anxiety creeping up my spine.

I rubbed my furrowed brow and turned sharply.

“Diana.”

“Yes, master.”

“What do you think we should do?”

Diana stopped in her tracks.

“...”

She stayed silent for a moment, then cautiously spoke.

“I don’t think we need to leave here immediately.”

“Explain.”

“I think it’s best to observe the situation. There’s no guarantee we’ll run into the Saintess, and we have the disguise artifacts prepared.”

Diana had a point.

Even if it’s a ceremony led by the Papal See, it’s mostly just confessions and dousing oneself in holy water.

There’s no need to prove our identities or interact with others.

Just one day.

If we can get through just one day safely, we won’t have to worry about encountering the Saintess again.

“......”Diiscover new stories at novelhall.comn Isabel.

Just hearing her name makes me sigh.

I’d love to avoid any chance of running into her, but if we leave Asven, there’s nowhere to hide with Diana.

And it’s not like we can just head to the Empire and kidnap the Princess.

I lifted my head slowly.

A bitter smile crept onto my lips.

“Let’s think about it some more.”

“Understood.”

It’ll take at least a few days for the Papal See to arrive.

We have plenty of time to consider our options until then.

So there’s no need to worry just yet.

Yes.

At least not right now.

****

‘The Papal See has abandoned the Empire.’

The entire capital of the Empire was in an uproar over the news.

Priests who were monitoring public sentiment started to leave one by one.

And the commoners, who had benefited most from the Papal See, grew increasingly restless.

The Emperor summoned the Princess to the Palace.

The deterioration in relations with the Papal See stemmed entirely from her.

The Empress, who had cooperated with the Princess, completely distanced herself, claiming ignorance, leaving all the blame to fall on Princess Rudine.

Rudine walked through the corridors of the Imperial Palace, lost in thought.

Ah, it’s absurd.

This world is already ending anyway.

Kyle is dead, the narrative is twisted beyond repair, and all that’s left is for the world to come to a halt.

“No, honestly, I didn’t expect things to come to this.”

“Hah.”

The Emperor let out a sigh.

He looked at Rudine, his expression one of disbelief, before he sighed deeply.

“Kyle Winfred.”

Then he spoke with a calm face.

“Have you found his whereabouts?”

At the sudden mention of Kyle, Rudine’s expression darkened.

She gritted her teeth and muttered bitterly.

“Kyle is dead.”

Her voice was as cold as ice.

Rudine’s smile had vanished, her lips now tightly pressed together.

Had he noticed this subtle change?

The Emperor remained silent for a moment.

But only for a moment.

“I thought he was dead, too.”

Dead... too?

Dead or not, what does he mean by ‘thought’?

“What do you mean?”

Rudine pulled her chair closer.

Their eyes met with a spark.

“Kyle Winfred is alive.”

Nonsense.

Kyle was definitely dead.

But Rudine, at a loss for words, stared dumbly at the Emperor.

He’s not one to make trivial jokes in such a situation.

So that means...

No way...!

“Please tell me in detail.”

Rudine’s voice was filled with urgency.

The Emperor slowly began to explain in a calm voice.

“On the day of your coming-of-age ceremony.”

“...”

“I made a deal with him. In exchange for what I wanted, he helped himself to the royal treasury.”

Yes, I remember.

Kyle had indeed spoken with the Emperor and left briefly during the ceremony.

“During that time, I made a contract with him.”

“A contract... You don’t mean...”

“Geass.”

Geass.

The Emperor’s words pierced Rudine’s mind like a stake.

“One day, the Geass we had made was forcibly broken.”

“Because Kyle died.”

“Indeed, since one party died, the contract was broken, and I thought that was the end of it.”

Rudine focused, forgetting even to breathe.

She stared intently at the Emperor’s lips, her body tense.

“But a few days ago, the broken contract was reconnected.”

Rudine gasped, a hollow sound escaping her lips.

The trembling in her fingertips spread through her entire body.

“As you know, a Geass is an oath inscribed on the soul.”

“...”

“Even if one dies, if for some reason, they are revived, the contract persists.”

Rudine’s eyes widened as she stared at the Emperor, who let out a chilling laugh.

“Kyle Winfred.”

Each word from the Emperor struck her like a hammer.

Rudine’s hands, hidden under the table, trembled uncontrollably.

“He is alive.”

Kyle, Geass, soul, contract.

These fragmented words swirled in her mind.

With the last bit of reason she could muster, she pieced them together.

‘Kyle... is alive...?’

Her breath came in ragged gasps.

The office’s atmosphere grew icy cold.

“So now.”

The Emperor’s eyes flashed.

Beyond the menacing gleam, an indescribable urgency flickered.

“Bring him to the Palace immediately.”

[Translator – Peptobismol]