Ch.125Ruide’s Choice (1)

# The Illusion Shattered Like a Midsummer Night’s Dream

The First Emperor’s remains appeared, his skull resting on his chin.

Ruide bowed his head, clutching it with his hands.

His mind was in chaos.

-Destroy the Empire.

The voice still echoed vividly in his ears.

Ruide squeezed his eyes shut. The aftermath of the 5th Magic had fallen squarely upon him.

Ruide wasn’t the caster of the 5th Magic. All of this was Dellin’s magic. Above all, it borrowed power from the heart of the “Blue Dragon.”

Dellin’s desperation remained in his heart. Ruide instinctively knew that it would take a very long time to shake off this lingering feeling.

‘How dare that scum.’

Even beyond the magic’s aftermath—compassion for Dellin and disgust toward the First Emperor welled up inside him.

It was an emotion close to instinct. The influence of an “ancestor” on their “descendant” was more profound than expected.

Ruide spoke somewhat disjointedly.

“…If it were Sister Irene, she would destroy the Empire without hesitation, wouldn’t she?”

“Yes, she would. That child would rather enjoy it. She’d say it gives her a good justification.”

Victoria thought for a moment, then nodded.

“By now, she must have arrived at the islands riding a wyvern.”

“Sister Amelia would oppose it.”

“Yes. Amelia is a good child. So, what about you, Rui?”

“I…”

Fulfilling Dellin’s wish wouldn’t be difficult.

As she said, they had sufficient power. They wouldn’t even need to attack directly—if they opened the northern defense line, the Empire would self-destruct.

But…

‘The people living now are innocent.’

If someone were to say that Ruide deserved to die because of his ancestors’ sins, he would feel wronged.

Because he himself was innocent. It was the same situation. Emperor Lucius, though he had plotted some unpleasant things, hadn’t actually done anything.

After a long silence, Ruide asked in a trembling voice.

“I don’t know. What should I do?”

At that moment, Victoria spoke.

“Rui, look at me.”

Only then did Ruide raise his head.

Victoria was holding both his hands and looking into his eyes.

Her blue eyes were steadfast without the slightest hint of wavering.

“You don’t have to make this choice.”

“…”

“You’re not yet at an age where you need to take responsibility for something like this.”

Victoria stroked Ruide’s face with a smile and stood up.

Ruide looked up at Victoria. She seemed unusually tall.

“Don’t worry too much. Rui, you can just remain as you are.”

Honestly, that’s exactly what he wanted to do.

‘…But this isn’t a problem I can just pass on to someone else.’

He was the one who could use the 5th Magic.

He alone knew the contents of the future that neither Victoria nor Irene knew.

Who else could he possibly pass this burden to?

Though Ruide typically had zero sense of responsibility, this time was different.

‘I have to make this choice myself.’

“What if…”

Ruide took a deep breath and asked seriously.

“What if the Great Mage Dellin appears as our enemy?”

“Huh?”

“…If Dellin were to come back to life and appear as our enemy, what would you do?”

“I can’t give you a proper answer unless you speak more precisely.”

Ruide hesitated for a moment before sharing the “certain information.”

“Like if the Black Mages resurrect Dellin.”

“That would certainly be a difficult problem, Rui. However.”

Victoria approached the Emperor without hesitation. She clenched her left hand and extended it toward the Emperor.

Bang!

With a thunderous sound, the Emperor’s remains shattered into pieces.

“…!”

Ruide’s eyes widened.

Victoria looked at Ruide and spoke coldly.

“There is only one way of action that Windsor must uphold.”

It was a cold demeanor that Ruide had never seen before.

“We live solely for ourselves. Justice, greater good, justification—Windsor has no such noble obligations.”

Though Victoria said nothing more, it was as if she was asking:

Was that answer enough?

**

After leaving the tomb, Ruide walked hand in hand with Victoria.

Through the swirling snowstorm, they could see tents with fires lit inside.

‘This isn’t a decision to make lightly. For now, it’s important to observe. …Let’s act normal.’

Ruide postponed his decision.

But this postponement wasn’t out of laziness or annoyance as usual.

There were things he needed to see.

How far the episodes from the original novel had progressed.

Especially, he needed to understand how far the Black Mages’ movements had advanced.

Without knowing that, he couldn’t make a hasty decision.

First.

“…Mother. Please keep this a secret from Sister Irene. And I’d like you to leave this matter to me.”

Let’s be cautious around Irene, the most dangerous person in this situation.

Irene was exceptionally perceptive, so extra caution was needed.

“As you wish.”

Victoria nodded with an indifferent expression.

It was extremely reassuring.

‘Come to think of it…’

He realized he hadn’t asked the most important question.

“…What do you think, Mother?”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t seem to know your actual thoughts. As the Duchess of Windsor, what do you think about this situation?”

Victoria looked straight ahead as she spoke.

“If Dellin is truly our ancestor, then it’s only natural to avenge the grudge passed down through generations. Our power and our life in the North were made possible thanks to our ancestors.”

Victoria kindly explained to the surprised Ruide.

“But this is only my thinking as the Duchess of Windsor.”

Victoria removed a strand of hair stuck to Ruide’s cheek.

“As a parent of a child, I wouldn’t particularly want to make that choice. War is crueler than you might think.”

Ruide spoke in a small voice.

“You don’t need to go against what you should do as the Duchess of Windsor just because of me.”

Victoria playfully replied.

“Destroying the Empire isn’t necessarily something we must do. Sometimes you seem to forget that the Windsor Duchy is also part of the Empire’s nobility.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“In other words, it’s fifty-fifty, Rui. Neither option can be called the best. Oh, I haven’t actually answered your question.”

They arrived at the tent. A knight could be seen running toward them. Victoria gently stroked Ruide and smiled softly to reassure him.

“I just want our Rui to live a happier life. That’s my thought.”

Ruide suddenly wondered.

‘Why does Victoria care for me this much?’

It was on a completely different level from how she treated Irene and Amelia.

Even from the memories of the “lazy Ruide,” it was the same. Victoria had been devoted to Ruide since the moment he was born.

To simply think “that’s just how the novel setting is”…

‘I still don’t know anything. About this world.’

After all, he hadn’t known that the Windsor family’s power came from the “Blue Dragon” and “Dellin.”

“Huff, huff. Lady Vicky! Did you complete your mission successfully?”

Vincent, having sprinted a long distance in one breath, asked with a rigid posture.

“Yes.”

After Victoria’s indifferent response, he quickly continued.

“An emergency situation has occurred, and I must report it urgently!”

“Speak.”

“…The Academy student, Sophia Queensberry.”

Gulp. Vincent swallowed and spoke with a tense expression.

“Has died.”

**

“Wow~ I really got caught this time.”

In the headquarters of the Imperial First Knights Order.

Lilith, dressed in somewhat revealing attire, was chattering away in the office of Kairon de Haven, the Imperial Knights Commander.

“My goodness, even though it was a different body, I couldn’t even put up the slightest resistance!”

“Lilith.”

Kairon spoke sharply while scanning through documents.

“Lower your voice. This is inside the Empire.”

“Hmm. Yes, sir. The noble Knights Commander who summons a prostitute in broad daylight.”

When Lilith spoke mockingly, Kairon’s eyebrow twitched.

“It can’t be helped. We barely managed to create a gap for Black Mages to enter after that banquet hall incident—but even excluding the barrier, breaking through the Imperial security is difficult.”

“I know that without you explaining it all. But you know, I’ve been curious about something, Kairon. How are you not affected by the Black Mages’ barrier?”

No matter how long she waited, Kairon didn’t answer.

He just kept looking at his documents. Lilith clicked her tongue.

“Still a boring man with too many secrets.”

He looked up.

“It’s quite unexpected. You, whose caution is the greatest among the seven deadly sins, getting caught so soon after starting your mission.”

It was remarkable how blatantly he was trying to change the subject.

But Kairon was always like this. Lilith reluctantly decided to go along with it.

“I couldn’t help it. It was worth the risk.”

Kairon slowly nodded.

“Indeed, you’re right. It was something that had to be done regardless of the risk. Is it true? That you discovered the First Emperor’s tomb?”

Lilith spoke seriously.

“It’s absolutely true. I confirmed it with my own eyes, so there’s no doubt.”

“…I see.”

Kairon’s eyebrow twitched.

“That tear-worthy—”

“If you’re going to say the same old cliché, I’m just going to leave.”

Lilith said with a yawn. Kairon put down his pen and looked at Lilith.

“That would be problematic.”

Lilith waved her arms from side to side.

“Then get to the point quickly. The soul technique failed, so I’m not in the best condition either.”

“I should go there once. Lilith, you remember the location, right?”

“You’d better not.”

Lilith said with a hardened expression.

“They’re complete monsters. Especially the Duchess of Windsor—she’s unbelievably strong. That’s not something you can call human.”

After a brief, cold silence.

Kairon nodded in understanding.

“I see. Then I’ll ask my next question. Who made you like this?”

“Ah. I didn’t tell you about that.”

Lilith excitedly recounted the story of her death.

“It was a huge fox. Lord Ruide’s… ahem. The young lord’s familiar, which I thought was just an ordinary arctic fox, but it wasn’t. It had nine tails—”

“What?”

Kairon’s eyes trembled.

“What did you just say? Did you say it had nine tails?”

“Um… yes? Is there a problem?”

It was extremely rare for Kairon to show emotion.

Lilith couldn’t help but be quite taken aback.

“…So that traitor has been active. When was Rak’s seal broken?”

Kairon’s face was contorted like a sheet of paper.

Lilith was puzzled. Curious as she was, she tried to ask for details, but couldn’t.

“…!”

The killing intent that Kairon suddenly emitted was so intense that it made Lilith’s body tremble.

Lilith’s entire body froze. However, it didn’t last long. Kairon withdrew his killing intent and spoke with a calm face.

“I need to modify the plan.”

“M-modify the plan?”

Lilith laughed awkwardly, not wanting to reveal that she had been intimidated.

“Wasn’t it about turning the islands into a sea of fire?”

“That was the plan, but there’s no need for us to take the front line anymore.”

“Huh?”

“Lilith. What I mean is that the mission you completed is sufficient.”

“What… do you mean?”

Lilith’s expression subtly hardened.

“Because of me?”

“I’m not criticizing you. Sophia, was it?”

Kairon looked back at his documents.

“An Academy student lost her life in the North. Moreover, the Queensberry family is quite prestigious. It would be a shame not to use this. It’s a perfect justification to incite the foolish nobles of the islands.”

“…Kairon, you’re smart.”

Lilith spoke as if she had just realized it.

Then, as if thinking of something, she hurriedly rose from her seat.

“I, I just remembered something urgent, so I’ll be going now.”

Kairon looked up to offer words of appreciation to Lilith, who had provided such valuable information.

But she had already disappeared. After twitching his eyebrow, Kairon closed his documents.

He closed his eyes briefly to savor the moment, then took something out from his breast pocket.

One of the three Holy Relics.

Dellin’s Tear.

“The day I meet you is not far off.”

Kairon murmured as he gently caressed the small crystal.

“Our master. The source of all magic. The origin of Black Magic.”

He smiled with ecstasy.

“Great Mage Dellin.”