Ch.35Ep.35: Broken Justice

Radios Magnum met the former captain of the Guardian Spirit, Veichel Breate.

Their reunion was the worst possible scenario.

It would be better to say she had died, that’s how bad it was.

A life that didn’t seem alive. No, a life that had now become a threat.

Though he didn’t know the details, Veichel was no longer the woman she once was.

Trudge, trudge.

After she disappeared, Radios sat down in despair for some time.

What had turned her into that?

What is justice?

Is protecting Kadinant truly the right thing to do?

Protecting Kadinant is essentially the same as protecting Olympus.

Most Kadinant citizens are already living well enough under the rule of otherworlders.

Of course, there are rumors that over 50% have been taken as slaves and live miserable lives.

Is it right to become Olympus’s pawn under the pretext of protecting Kadinant?

Having lived without a clear purpose, Radios couldn’t help but feel increasingly confused.

Perhaps they could choose peaceful coexistence through amicable dialogue—no, that’s not right.

If dialogue had been possible, they would have chosen talks instead of invasion in the first place.

It’s true that the otherworlders should be driven out of Kadinant.

But if that work serves Olympus, does Radios really have to do it?

Couldn’t they just free the slaves, establish a country, and designate the otherworlders as foreign entities?

The questions that began with Veichel’s corruption continued to multiply.

These thoughts persisted even as Radios returned to the inn in a daze.

“Captain! Are you alr—”

Arsia had come outside, apparently worried about him.

She stopped mid-sentence when she saw his condition.

His expression alone seemed to convey an immense sense of loss.

“Captain… it’s okay. I’m—no, we’re here for you.”

“Arsia…”

“Everything will be fine. So don’t cry. It makes me sad too.”

Ah, am I crying right now?

Was I shedding tears so pathetically, unable to control my emotions over the corruption of a woman I thought was merely a colleague?

I see. Did I, deep in my heart, truly care for Veichel Breate?

“Arsia… I’m sorry… truly, truly sorry…”

“You have no reason to cry, Captain. You’ve always done well, and you’re still showing your best. So don’t cry—no, go ahead and cry all you want. You’ve earned that right.”

“Ugh… hic…”

Arsia pats my back.

I receive comfort while being held in her arms, feeling her warmth.

I see.

You’ve always been by my side, becoming my reliable support whenever I needed it.

They say people only realize what’s precious after losing it.

In this moment, I could sort out my previously ambiguous feelings.

Arsia Cromwell, the woman who’s always by my side, sharing all emotions with me.

Perhaps, no.

I’ve truly come to see her not just as a colleague, but as a woman.

That’s why I didn’t hide my emotions.

I cried freely, letting go of my lingering attachment to a past relationship I could no longer face with a smile.

Now it’s all-out war.

My attachment to Veichel disappears with these tears.

And so I cried for a long time in Arsia’s arms.

Arsia silently held me until I stopped crying, without saying a word.

***

‘What on earth happened to you?’

This was the first time she had ever seen Radios cry so bitterly.

No matter what trials came his way, he always moved forward steadily.

Surely he carried many burdens, but he deliberately avoided showing weakness to prevent others from worrying.

Now this man was sobbing in her arms.

She needed to comfort him, but she had no idea what to say.

All she could do was embrace him tightly, letting him feel her warmth.

Asking what happened would come later.

For now, she would indulge what might be the captain’s first and last display of vulnerability.

After crying for a long time, Radios eventually stopped his tears.

He stared at Arsia while sniffling, seemingly a bit embarrassed about showing her his tears.

“I showed you something shameful… sorry.”

“Not at all. It’s not bad to release the emotions built up inside you.”

“…I have something to tell you. It’s important, and we need to talk alone.”

“That’s fine.”

It seemed he wanted to tell her what had happened.

Moreover, if it was something to discuss between just the two of them, it meant excluding Elysse and Brina.

This implied it was information that shouldn’t reach the ears of the goblins or Olympus.

After putting some distance between themselves and the inn, and confirming that Arsia had cast a silence spell, Radios sighed and spoke in a resigned voice, revealing something shocking.

“Veichel… is alive.”

“What? You mean Veichel Breate? The former captain?”

“Yes. Her appearance and demeanor have changed, but it was definitely Veichel.”

“…”

The quick-witted Arsia could roughly guess what Radios was trying to say.

The sudden attack on Radios when he went to rest at the inn.

And the orange color she saw with her close-range vision.

Even without being told, she could predict that Veichel was the attacker.

“Did Veichel… betray us?”

“Betrayal? No, this isn’t betrayal.”

Something beyond betrayal—yes, corruption would be the right word.

“She’s willingly burning her life force and acting for the Outer Gods.”

“…I can’t believe it. That Veichel… someone who was so devoted to Athena, ending up like that.”

“She said the reason for her corruption was related to Athena. We can confirm this at Athena’s temple.”

“Then that means Olympus too…”

As Arsia rolled her words, Radios answered firmly.

“Must be eliminated. The enemy of my enemy can be an ally, but they can also become an even greater enemy.”

Whatever Veichel had experienced, seeing how much she hated Athena…

It didn’t seem like Olympus was a normal organization to begin with.

“So that’s why you were crying so much…”

“She’s changed too much. She’s not the person I knew. Veichel Breate is… completely dead. She’s a different person now.”

Radios repeated Veichel’s name with a bitter smile.

Though Arsia’s reaction seemed calm, she too was extremely shocked.

Veichel had been a woman who always acted according to her beliefs.

She was the last person anyone would expect to betray them, yet she had returned as a pawn of the Outer Gods.

At this point, one might cautiously predict that Olympus was truly the villain.

“What do you think?”

“Pardon?”

“Olympus and the Outer Gods. Which should we strike first?”

A fierce light burned in Radios’s eyes.

Having witnessed Veichel’s corruption, his hatred toward Olympus had intensified dramatically.

So much that he wanted to invade the Underworld and wage war right now.

However, Arsia explained that it would be difficult to break free from Olympus’s shadow yet.

Radios already knew this, but he had spoken out of anger.

The first enemies they needed to deal with were the Outer God forces.

After all, those damned beings had started all this tragedy by invading.

“Five days. Veichel said she’ll come to kill me in five days.”

“Five days? Then…”

“We need to meet Kraud, learn how to obtain an Order, and somehow create an Order within two days.”

It didn’t matter if it was weak.

Even if it was just a tiny amount, it didn’t matter.

If he had even a trace of Order to use when delivering a fatal blow…

He could grant eternal rest to the broken Veichel.

“From now on, we should always communicate via telepathy first when Elysse is around.”

“…Actually, I just had a thought. Could it be that the messenger Elysse is also being controlled by Hades?”

“..!”

Though it seemed out of nowhere, Radios got goosebumps at Arsia’s words.

The attitude Elysse had shown so far was like that of a robot with predetermined protocols.

Her combat stance was divided into autonomous attack mode and execution mode.

Let’s focus on the word “mode” here.

“Mode” means a particular state in which specific tasks can be performed.

What if Elysse was being controlled by Hades, and Hades had implanted modes to control her easily?

“Maybe… that could be it.”

How would someone feel if their entire life was being manipulated by a god?

Naturally, they would be furious beyond words.

If Veichel had gone through such a process…

“It would be more than enough reason for corruption. If everything you’ve dedicated your life to turns out to be a lie…”

“Even I wouldn’t be able to stay sane in such a situation.”

“We don’t have confirmation yet that Elysse is being controlled by Hades, but.”

“If that turns out to be true, it’s like gaining another ally.”

Radios nodded at Arsia’s words.

If Elysse was being controlled by Hades, wouldn’t the Underworld messengers be controlled as well?

Of course, there would be those who willingly serve Hades.

But if they were living lives controlled by him…

“We could gain allies more powerful than any others.”

It seemed they had one more thing to ask Kraud.

If Elysse was truly brainwashed, and if they could break that control…

They could disband Hades’s Das Pluto while visiting the Underworld.

And simultaneously incorporate them into the Guardian Spirit forces.

“Let’s head back for now. If we’re gone too long, Elysse might get suspicious.”

“Yes. I’ll go in first and check on the others. Captain… get some rest.”

Arsia bowed at a 90-degree angle.

Not long after, Radios entered the inn and went to sleep.

It had been a confusing day, but.

The goal that had been tumbling around in his mind was now clearly established.

Protecting Kadinant and eliminating the Outer Gods and Olympus.

That was the path that Radios Magnum, the heresy inquisitor of “Kadinant”—not of the “Underworld King”—needed to follow.