Ch.6363. The Three Berdi Siblings

“Haaam.”

Past midnight.

People had paused their busy steps and at a time when they should be sitting at the dining table, Deia, who had been curled up on the bed, stretched.

Having slept in for quite some time, her body felt light and refreshed.

A gentle smile formed naturally, coffee brewing in her pajamas, no need to worry about the servants’ eyes, no need to frown and rush to start work due to territory duties.

“When I first came to Greyford, I was so tense.”

When she heard that Deus Verdi had confessed, she thought another huge incident was about to break out.

But after coming and checking, he was actually receiving the king’s favor.

Moreover, after hearing that he had resolved Princess Elenoa’s chronic illness, Deia’s mind was at ease.

“They say he needs to resolve something called a trial, but I’m sure he’ll handle it well.”

Slurp.

Moistening her throat with coffee, Deia gently gazed out the window.

Having received a guest room in the royal palace, she wore a thoroughly satisfied smile.

She heard they would serve meals separately, and wondered what would come.

A slight smile formed on her face, filled with anticipation.

“Vacations are wonderful.”

She had left the territory duties to her eldest brother Darius, but he would surely be handling things well.

She took another sip of coffee.

The taste was so good that she was about to check the packaging of the coffee beans with quick steps when—

Clank!

The door opened and knights in armor rushed in. Startled, Deia pulled her body back, wondering what was happening.

Shing!

With the cold sound of a sword being drawn, it was pointed directly at her neck. The knights’ actions were clean, without excess, and well-trained.

Among them, a man who appeared to be the captain, with a distinctive red head ornament, spoke.

“Deia Verdi! You are under arrest for treason against the state!”

“Wh-what?”

What nonsense was this?

Just yesterday, she had knelt before the king and built a good impression.

‘Deus?’

But Deia’s mind began to race quickly.

Something had gone wrong with the trial Deus was undergoing. Thinking this, Deia impulsively shouted.

“D-Deus! What about him?!”

“Silence, criminal!”

“You can at least tell me that much! He’s my brother! What happened to Deus?!”

She knew she was throwing a tantrum. But she couldn’t back down.

The anxiety struck her heart dully, impossible to ignore.

However, one of the knights who had turned around struck Deia precisely on the back of her head.

She lost consciousness like a light going out and collapsed to the floor.

It was the moment Deia’s vacation ended.

* * *

“Ungh.”

Hearing Deia’s groan, I gently turned my gaze to the side.

I was a bit surprised when she was thrown into prison while unconscious, but for now, I had her seated next to me, lending her my shoulder.

A posture that might be mistaken for sleep if someone saw.

“Ow, my head.”

Awakened, Deia frowned deeply and turned her head around.

Our eyes met, and simultaneously realizing she had been leaning on me, she fluttered away like a chicken.

“Wha, shit! What’s going on?!”

Then suddenly moving violently, she seemed to get a headache, clutching her head with a grimace.

After a brief moment allowing her to regain her senses, she discovered my jacket draped over her shoulders.

In the cold prison, I had put it on her, thinking she would be cold in just pajamas.

“Oh, it’s cold.”

Glancing at me, Deia naturally put on my jacket and asked me with a fake cough.

“I get the situation roughly, right? This is because of that trial thing?”

As expected of Deia.

I nodded in affirmation, and she let out a deep sigh, “Haah.”

“What was it exactly? The king seemed to view you quite favorably, how did the treatment change so drastically in just one day?”

“…I cannot answer.”

This was something even Deia shouldn’t know carelessly. One wrong move could uproot the entire Griffin royal family.

“I got caught up in this too, and you can’t answer?”

Deia reached out slightly, arguing that I should look at the situation, but I still couldn’t answer.

“Haah, fine. What’s the point of shaking someone who won’t talk.”

Though pouting, she came to sit beside me again and leaned on my shoulder like before.

“It’s because I’m cold.”

She spat out those words with annoyance and turned her gaze outside the bars.

Not the prison used by the Magic Inquisitors, but the underground dungeon directly managed by the royal family.

There were many imprisoned criminals, and a considerable number of evil spirits roaming after death.

Using them, escape would certainly be possible, but.

‘The problem is the Archmage’s disciples.’

They were glaring at me fiercely, ready to reduce me to ashes the moment they detected any sign of mana use.

Moreover, with shackles on my wrists partially blocking mana, I would definitely lose in a speed battle.

“So. Are we going to be executed together now?”

“…That could happen.”

“Could happen? Are there other futures too?”

I affirmed with silence and recalled King Orpheus’s final reaction in my mind.

He had ordered the arrest with tears, filled with apology and lamentation.

‘It’s different from the broken king I saw.’

Different from the king’s downfall route where he avoids all responsibility and becomes a complete psychopath escaping reality.

He was clearly bearing his own responsibility, which is why he arrested me to cover up the truth.

‘This route wasn’t in the game.’

In the game, after learning the truth, the king either asks the protagonist Aria to remain silent for the kingdom’s sake, or loses his mind and ends with an unsatisfying ending where the king remembers nothing.

There was never such a direct arrest, so.

I saw hope in this.

He couldn’t bear the responsibility, nor could he kill me to completely cover it up. That was the meaning of my arrest.

Probably right now, King Orpheus was alone in agony, wracking his brain.

He might be drinking heavily, banging his head against the wall, or locked away in a secret passage studying related journals.

I don’t know what choice he will make, but.

‘If it comes to execution, I’ll need to break through forcefully.’

Before going to meet the king, I had hidden the Lemegeton separately. Only the Dark Spiritmaster and I knew its location.

Also, the Dark Spiritmaster was currently following the king closely, checking what decision he would make.

So I could wait calmly even in prison. If the king decides to execute me.

‘Then there’s no choice.’

I would have to hold his leash.

After escaping using the Lemegeton and necromancy, I planned to hold Orpheus’s leash with the royal family’s secret.

‘Hmph, not the direction I wanted.’

In conclusion, the story would flow in the direction I wanted.

The king would officially acknowledge me.

But rather than happening in a messy mud fight.

I had hoped it would occur with true blessing and the king’s smile.

“Hey.”

Deia called out, tapping my shoulder as I organized my thoughts. When I met her eyes wondering what was wrong, she looked at me with a strange expression.

“Fix your hair. It’s too long.”

“…You’re quite calm in this situation.”

“Our heads are already off our necks. I don’t decide the outcome. No, but really, it’s too long.”

Indeed.

My hair was about to poke my eyes. The back had grown long enough to touch my nape.

“I’ll cut it for you later. You’ll feel refreshed when you’re completely bald.”

Deia was fiddling with my hair as she pleased.

As the brushing hair tickled my face, I cautioned her.

“Don’t joke too much.”

“…I’m bored.”

Buried in Deia’s grumbling voice came footsteps and the sound of a staff tapping the ground.

Seeing the Archmage’s disciples startled and hurriedly bowing, I immediately knew who it was.

Archmage Rockpellican Rainus.

He stood outside the bars, looking at me and momentarily lost in thought.

I didn’t bother to stand up and just looked at him while sitting with Deia.

Rockpellican sighed and bowed his head.

“I’m sorry.”

It was an apology filled with multiple meanings.

* * *

The eldest son of Verdi.

Guardian of the Northern Mountains.

The Giant of the North, among other names.

Darius Verdi, called quite flamboyantly, was sitting cross-armed on the bed in a small hotel room in Greyford.

Considering his size, the room seemed small, but he remained silent, waiting patiently.

Clank.

Just then, the door opened and a group entered. They were the trio from the Junk Shop, the resistance of the Republic of Clark.

Entering without knocking was typical of the ill-mannered rebels. But Darius didn’t mind.

Training together had made him get along surprisingly well with the Junk Shop members.

Unexpectedly, they were much more open-hearted, without grudges, and gracefully accepted defeat, which Darius liked.

Though he still disliked their leader, Findenai.

Anyway.

The Junk Shop members entered urgently and made a fuss.

“Th-they’ve been arrested! The royal palace has even confiscated the Verdi family carriage!”

“Hmm.”

There was only one reason Darius was here.

Following Deia who had departed for Greyford, he too had come to Greyford like a shadow.

From Deia’s perspective, she had advised and warned Darius to stay in the territory in case she might be executed as a traitor along with Deus.

A family member had been revealed as a Black Mage.

It was truly a crisis for the family.

As the eldest son, Darius couldn’t just wait in the territory, so he secretly followed.

But until yesterday, things had seemed quite alright.

Without any ominous arrests or royal army encirclements, Deus and Deia had spent a warm time in the city.

Even Darius, who received reports from the Junk Shop members, was surprised yet pleased by this information.

But today.

Hearing that all of Deia’s luxury items had been burned and the carriage confiscated, Darius couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat.

The meaning of this was clear.

Deus and Deia had been arrested.

Whether because of being a Black Mage or for some other reason, he didn’t know.

“Hoo.”

Darius firmly gripped his sword.

“I must fulfill my role as the eldest son.”

If he moved carelessly now, not only would the two lose their lives, but the entire Verdi family would collapse.

Or is it just a matter of time?

Perhaps the end of the family’s long history had already been marked.

Setting aside such details, Darius took a deep breath and declared with determination.

“I will break them out.”