Chapter 33: Real Madness, A Gathering of Victims

I wanted to be the strongest in the world.

From age four, I beat those called sword masters without mercy. By my teens, I had no rivals anywhere.

So whenever small conflicts with the demon realm broke out, I rushed there without fail. But not a single worthy opponent existed to satisfy my expectations.

Some days I'd abandon everything and wander the continent searching for dragons. During that time, I clashed with countless people and weapons, defeating them all. The dragon I encountered after a 3-month journey was indeed strong.

Until the moment I beheaded it, that is. seaʀᴄh thё NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

I still vividly remember the uproar at the duke's mansion during my sudden disappearance. They reacted differently when I returned with the dragon's corpse, but...

Had I become the strongest in the world now?

I hadn't yet visited the demon realm. But judging from the forces shown during clashes, a gathering of similar beings didn't interest me much.

As I spent tedious days like that, in the spring of my twentieth year.

A new emperor ascended the throne.

The coronation ceremony, which drew the empire's attention, was splendid. If anything was unusual, it was that a snow-white boy personally placed the crown on the new emperor.

I learned afterwards that he was the Pope.

I also instinctively realized that my life's final goal had been set.

This person.

This person embodied ultimate strength.

It was only for a brief moment, but the instant our eyes met, I was certain. Those eyes observing the world like a transcendent being undoubtedly didn't belong to this world.

The rainbow-colored eyes that changed for a split second were etched into my mind.

My decision was swift.

I was too immature to control my youthful vigor. So on the night after the coronation, I infiltrated the capital's temple alone and reached the Pope's quarters.

He was contemplating by a large lake. Despite the intruder openly radiating fierce bloodlust, the Pope remained aloof.

Rather, he took the initiative to greet me.

"The night air is refreshing, isn't it?"

His friendly tone was as if he'd met an old friend. Moreover, his crescent-shaped eyes showed not even a speck of fear.

I drew my sword.

To hell with the duke's family or whatever.

The pleasure that only comes when clashing steel and standing at the crossroads of life and death. That alone had been my reason for living all along.

I didn't care if I died. What did it matter if the family was ruined? As long as this body went out enjoying itself, that was enough.

Even as I took a murderous stance, he smiled awkwardly.

"Oh my... Won't you put that away?"

No.

To my firm refusal, he said:

"Hmm~ Alright. I'll play along. But let's make one promise, shall we?"

A promise, of all things. It was abrupt, but as long as I could swing my sword freely, there was no problem.

"If I win~ don't cross paths with me again until I'm satisfied, okay?"

It meant I only had one chance to challenge him.

Again, no problem.

If I lost, I'd die. If I won, that would be the end. I'd never seek him out again.

I lowered my stance and raised my blade.

Just as I readied myself to split the air like an arrow at any moment.

Rainbow-colored bubbles reflected divine majesty, driving away the darkness of the moonlit night.

...

......

It was my first defeat.

"From now on, we won't be crossing paths~. When you're confident you won't pick a fight again when we meet, let's talk then."

The Pope entered his quarters, his spotless white robes fluttering as if he'd just taken a light evening stroll.

From that moment, my life's goal changed.

I wanted to possess it.

That light.

The miracle.

The power.

The world's truth.

I wanted to possess... that unknown realm unreachable by humans!

If it was impossible for me, then I wanted to possess the person who possessed it.

I didn't care about its practical value.

If only I could be given one more chance to witness that light, I would have no other wishes.

Haha.

Ahahahahaha!

As I savored the afterglow of defeat, laughing madly, a sharp voice pierced my ears.

"For f*ck's sake, can't you stop that damn barking while people are trying to sleep!"

It was a female priestess in charge of cleaning this area.

Her pretty voice contrasted sharply with her coarse language.

Who would have known?

That the one who first treated me to such vulgar swearing would become my life's final companion.

A strange twist of fate. It wasn't until much later that I belatedly realized what to call it.

... It was first love.

"Hmm~ You haven't forgotten our promise, have you, Duke?"

"I've kept my distance from fighting for nearly 30 years. It's of no consequence now."

Cardi chuckled softly. Then he looked at Tina and Glen, who stood ten paces away.

"Moreover, I've taken all I wanted. I have no lingering attachments now."

"Don't even think about using Lord Harte. Those with baptismal names have lines they can't cross, so they can't use divine power for family advancement."

At the Pope's words, Cardi tilted his head as if he couldn't understand.

"Use? My son-in-law? Why should I do that?"

"Huh... Isn't that the case?"

"Nonsense. I merely wanted to possess divine power. If I couldn't have it myself, my only goal was to possess the person who possessed it."

At Cardi's confession, the Pope's eyes trembled for the first time after maintaining composure throughout.

"Um, er, so... you mean, it was just a collector's impulse? Simply that?"

"If I had to put it into words, the meaning is close enough."

"You married off the young lady for such a reason? Not even to make Lord Harte your adopted son-in-law...?"

"Don't belittle it. Please don't insult the lifelong goal I've pursued for decades."

Faced with eyes that regarded it as if it were perfectly natural, the Pope truly shut his mouth.

He knew the man was quite mad from when he infiltrated the temple, but he didn't expect that madness to remain unpurified for decades.

Surely this person, above all others, should join the temple to find peace of mind.

Cardi Luminel was undoubtedly the first to make the Pope fall into such serious contemplation.

"My goodness... Is this how the Commander felt when talking to me? I feel like I've received quite the mirror therapy today."

"As expected of the esteemed Pope, you just keep spouting cryptic words. You really are a strange person."

Crack!

A vein popped on the forehead of the Pope, known for his benevolent expression.

"Aha, I just got irritated for the first time in my life. You've finally defeated me after 30 years. Congratulations, Duke."

"Have you finally gone mad?"

The one who ended the seemingly interminable conversation was none other than the Emperor.

"No matter how I look at it, you're the mad one, Duke."

"Hmm... I suppose Your Majesty's judgment has clouded with age."

"Just now, I got irritated for the second time since becoming Emperor. Congratulations, Duke."

Faced with Cardi's nonsensical madness, the Pope could only sigh.

"Duke... you really found a good wife."

If it weren't for that person, no one could have controlled Cardi.

For once, the Emperor and Pope's opinions aligned.

---

---

The imperial ball had concluded.

The afterglow of Founding Day lingered in the streets, as if closing one's eyes would reveal the remnants of people's conversations and songs in every corner.

Especially when looking at the cheap hairpin adorning Elphisia's head, that night's events kept coming to mind. The fireworks from that night when I first indulged in luxury to give a gift seemed to remain like an afterimage.

Perhaps I stared too intently.

When Elphisia suddenly turned her gaze towards me, I instinctively averted my eyes.

Furrowing her brow briefly, Elphisia abruptly began with an apology.

"I'm sorry."

"Suddenly? Why?"

"Just... I was worried I might have disturbed your peace."

"You're fretting over nothing."

Even as I laughed it off nonchalantly, Elphisia remained gloomy.

"Don't I know your personality? At the very least, you wouldn't have wanted to be tied down to the capital. The orphanage's opening is still uncertain..."

"Being tied to the capital was inevitable from the moment I accepted Yulian."

"... You'll have to mingle with noble society, even if you dislike it."

"So what? I managed to endure the ball somehow."

"Glen has... somehow become my father's disciple."

"He's talented. If anything, I should be the one asking for it, right?"

I suddenly recalled when Glen first entered the orphanage. He played hide-and-seek with Tina, the half-dragon, for 30 minutes.

His body was weak from malnourishment, yet he managed to keep up. Glen's talent showed promise even then.

"Tina is..."

"Yeah, Tina is..."

Our opinions finally aligned when Tina came up.

"She's adapted too well."

"The Bloody Dragon shouldn't have any brainwashing techniques..."

"It's a bit odd to say, but her complexion looks better than when she was at the orphanage."

"Her cheeks have gotten plump in just these few weeks..."

Tina likes the Duke too much. The Duke also sought out Tina quite frequently.

While Glen was also his disciple and saw him often, it was nothing compared to Tina.

Even now, Tina was busy playing with the Duke, leaving only me and Elphisia with time to spare.

"Hey, Elphisia."

"Yes?"

"You worried about me, but... I want to ask the opposite. Is it really okay for you to be tied down to the capital?"

"That's a foolish question. Why would I be uncomfortable staying in the place where I was born and raised?"

She retorted cynically. However, I wasn't foolish enough to take Elphisia's words at face value.

"Isn't it uncomfortable precisely because this is where you were born and raised?"

"..."

"I used to worry a lot about whether you'd be uncomfortable staying at the orphanage... but now I see that wasn't the case. You know what? Your expressions have changed less while staying in the capital than when you lived at the orphanage."

"So what?"

Now I understand. That seemingly brusque expression is Elphisia's own mask.

And facing that mask, I just need to be honest and transparent with my thoughts...

"If someone who normally shows such diverse emotions suddenly becomes stone-faced, it's only natural to worry, right?"

... I've come to know it all. The short time we've spent together feels longer than it seems.

"Is there really a need for that?"

"Yes, because we're husband and wife. We're family."

"Hah..."

Elphisia then let out a sigh tinged with exasperation.

"Sometimes when I talk with you, I feel inferior."

"That's something I need to fix. Please point it out without hesitation."

"... That's exactly what I mean."

The next moment, she casually dropped an inflammatory remark.

"I like you, Harte."

"... Huh?"

For an instant, my vision blurred as if my optic nerves were paralyzed. One second slowed down as if time had stopped, and a dull sensation crept up from my chest to my throat.

While I was at a loss for words, she added one more comment.

"... That part of you."

"I-I see. So... uh... it's not that you like the parts I need to fix, but... what am I even saying?"

I feel like slapping myself.

Seeing me like this, Elphisia snickered.

"Well, your hopelessly idiotic side earns you some bonus points too."

I had confidently thought I was getting to know Elphisia pretty well...

But the more I got to know her, the more unknown territory seemed to expand.

Apparently, I still didn't know Elphisia after all.