Chapter 71 – Crossroads (3)

Since Cariel’s departure.

Since he had supposedly left on a pilgrimage.

Silpia, who had once been his personal maid, experienced little change in her daily routine.

True to the Brendiar household’s custom of maintaining minimal staff, there was never a shortage of work to be found.

Her wages were generous compared to servants in other noble households.

And the work itself wasn’t particularly demanding.

When maids and servants employed by aristocratic families complained, they often cited the exhaustion of constantly reading their masters’ moods.

Even that was hardly an issue here.

Except perhaps for the somewhat strict head maid.

Many aspired to serve in this household out of deep respect and reverence.

Yet due to the firm stance of both the master and mistress, who disapproved of excess in such matters, the Brendiar household maintained only the barest minimum of staff.

Half of the gardeners, house guards, and security personnel were provided by the Imperial Household.

Without that support, the mansion might have seemed hollow despite its grand size.

“Never take your eyes off him. You must develop the habit of constant vigilance.”

The head maid had considered hiring a wet nurse to assist Lady Ermina.

But Ermina had instructed everyone, including herself, to share in the responsibilities.

With many of her primary duties now reduced, Silpia was the perfect candidate to care for the young master.

…She enjoyed children. She had cared for them many times over the years.

However, the one thing she absolutely couldn’t provide was breastfeeding.

So whenever the child grew fussy with hunger, Silpia would soothe him and bring him to Ermina.

“There we go. That’s right…”

Even as she nursed the child in her arms, Ermina’s complexion remained deathly pale, drained of all color.

Normally, she would have recovered quickly, but lately she seemed mentally absent, neglecting even her own health.

“Silpia. Where could Cariel have gone, that his own mother hasn’t received a single word from him?”

“Pardon?”

“Ah…”

Her eyes seemed lost in a daydream as she spoke those words.

But she quickly sank back into melancholy, as if waking from a pleasant dream into harsh reality.

“Yes. This… this is the reality.”

She mumbled as if repeating something to herself.

Cradling the child in her arms, she murmured a brief prayer and made the sign of the cross.

“This isn’t the time to be sitting idle…”

“Lady Ermina?”

“I suppose I’m afraid. I know that if I were to go somewhere—anywhere—I might uncover the truth. But I simply cannot find the courage. This is all my fault. My fault. My failure as a mother, my inadequacy.”

Because of Luelde’s instructions, Silpia couldn’t reveal what she knew.

But Ermina, even without being told, seemed to already sense the truth. She appeared utterly worn down.

Once radiant and almost divine in her beauty…

Now she resembled a doe who had lost her fawn.

She seemed to be barely containing a storm of grief.

“……”

Was there truly no path where everyone could find happiness?

Silpia watched Ermina gently rock the baby, silently suppressing a sigh.

***

“Cough! Cough!”

Though physically sound, the mental strain had taken its toll.

Geornia, bedridden with flu-like symptoms for days, felt absolutely wretched.

‘Damn it all.’

At least she had managed to relay everything that needed to be communicated.

The Golden Beast she had encountered again…

…That cunning creature in the form of a young girl…

Had welcomed her as if anticipating her return.

[So you came after all? Had you heeded my advice, things might have gone more smoothly. This is your last chance to turn back. Are you certain about this?]

Its manner of speaking, its provocations, left no room to either advance or retreat.

Nevertheless, Geornia had no choice but to press forward.

At the time, she had confronted the beast directly.

Demanding answers. Interrogating.

Her words laced with anger and resentment.

“You. You’re the one who spouted nonsense about Cariel being under the Demon King’s curse.”

“Me? What curse?”

The Demon King tilted her head, childishly sucking her finger, feigning innocence with shameless audacity.

“…If you don’t know, then who would?”

“If anything, I may have been his salvation, not his curse. I’m not responsible for his condition. That fault lies entirely with you people. Yes, YOU! How dare you blame me? Dragging back someone who couldn’t even form a proper ghost after death and placing blame? Have you completely lost your minds?”

“How dare you…”

“‘How dare I?’ Are you serious? What next? Will you blame me when you grow old and die too? Why not blame me for every illness, every fallen nation, every rainfall and snowfall? Go ahead! Just be sure to exclude my lifetime. Only blame me for everything after my death.”

With a sly laugh, she mockingly scolded Geornia like a child.

“Believe me or don’t, that’s your choice. But as someone who once carried a fragment of that golden essence, let me share a small insight. The ones who connected me to Cariel were the ancient spirits who built this nation. Can you imagine how desperate they must have been to resort to me? That’s how far gone that child was.”

“What… what are you saying? Ancient spirits?”

“If you don’t understand, that’s fine! But since you seem curious, I’ll offer you a small clue. There’s political malice at work here… and someone orchestrating events from the shadows. It’s subtle, difficult to pinpoint… but if their goal was to corner Cariel, then… I’d say they’ve succeeded.”

“Why should I trust anything you say?”

“From the moment I mentioned it, you had suspicions, didn’t you? For me, it’s merely an instant, but you? You must have investigated various angles. Or did you simply swallow whatever they fed you?”

“……”

Of course she hadn’t.

She had investigated thoroughly, just in case.

And the deeper she dug, the more she discovered.

Especially…

That political scheme, led by Count Estina, to deliberately subjugate the emerging nobility.

…Cariel had been exposed to it, had become a target, and yet—knowing full well it was poison, knowing it was filth—he must have accepted it all with dignity, forced to swallow every ounce of malice.

And now, the Emperor and the Imperial Princess were using this leverage to gradually subdue noble factions that opposed them.

In essence, it had become a shared disgrace, a collective weakness for all those who had participated in the conspiracy.

The issue was that since Prince Alessius had been the public face of the scheme, no one could directly confront it.

The true architects behind it, the masterminds, were the core nobles of the faction led by the House of Estina.

However, those who had inflicted the actual harm were their heirs, the younger generation.

So many were implicated… that it became impossible to single out and punish any individual.

And if it came to that, even Alessius himself would inevitably be implicated.

…And then.

“Something’s occurring to you? Good. But know this—there’s more lurking beneath the surface. I swear on my name, that’s not the full extent of it. Ah, perhaps I’ve said too much?”

“……”

Her words were like a poisoned apple, yet one Geornia had no choice but to swallow.

The Golden Demon King—the Demon King of Wisdom—had always operated this way.

Using overwhelming truth to crush lies, schemes, and resistance.

…Inflicting despair and ruin under the banner of truth—a malice without equal.

That was why only those like Luelde, possessing unwavering will, clear purpose, and pure conviction, could face it head-on, sword drawn.

To parents with a terminally ill child, it would whisper promises of a cure.

To those thirsting for knowledge, it would offer a taste of supreme wisdom, an endless wellspring.

It would demand they kneel.

To those yearning for extended life, it would show the path.

To those craving treasures, it would not only provide them but also teach how to multiply and protect them.

It would instill self-worth and independence in slaves, awakening rebellion.

To those of royal blood, it would feed their ambition, whispering that anyone could become king, emperor, or tyrant.

It would even provide the blueprint, the vision, the entire plan.

It possessed the answers to everything in this world.

To those seeking life’s purpose.

To dreamers with grand aspirations.

To idealists.

To seekers of truth.

To those lost without direction.

To those wandering in life’s labyrinth…

To those whose only remaining option was desperate prayer,

What an abominable, detestable entity it was.

A being existing in its own separate reality.

It had led the largest invasion force in the history of the Demon King’s armies.

Yet even then, it had fragmented its own forces, allowing humans to unite against it, treating the entire affair as mere entertainment.

What made it so fundamentally different?

Why was it so utterly incomprehensible compared to other Demon Kings?

“Enough talk. Let’s proceed with the viewing. Or would you rather turn back now? It would certainly be easier for you… though perhaps it’s too late for that.”

With a bright smile, she twirled playfully, swaying her hips.

The golden girl, skipping ahead as if dancing.

“I won’t speak anymore from this point on. Observe for yourself. Make your own judgment.”

And so,

Geornia found herself peering into the chamber where Melineos lay in bed, half-corpse-like.

Even Elhermina was unwell, her tone slightly more mature as she muttered aimlessly.

“Is it my turn now?”

As Elhermina left the room, the golden girl entered, as if she had been waiting for precisely this moment.

And then,

…She began to reveal a cruel reality to Melineos.

What she communicated wasn’t extensive or detailed.

…Yet even a fraction of it was almost unbearable.

“Gahk!”

Returning to the present, Geornia choked not on bile this time, but blood, nearly losing consciousness as she struggled to maintain her composure.

‘How did matters deteriorate to this point…?’

And now,

She had to relay everything she had witnessed and heard to those who were waiting.

It felt as though she had unwittingly become a herald of destruction and despair.

And with that realization,

Her heart, too, began to decay from within.

***

“No, seriously! The sword spoke to me!”

“Yeah, sure. So what did it say?”

“It told me to get lost.”

“…There’s a limit to the nonsense I can tolerate.”

“I’m telling you, it’s true!”

It was Leo’s turn to try holding the sword.

Luciri took her turn afterward, mostly out of curiosity.

When Leo started making outlandish claims, Luciri responded with dismissive “Yeah, yeah,” barely listening.

“…I’ve been waiting a long time.”

“…Indeed.”

Cariel gave Luillin a glance. Want to try first?

“I’m not interested in such things.”

“If you managed to pull that out and sell it, you could probably live comfortably for the rest of your life without working.”

“…Do you really think a sword like that would yield to someone motivated by greed?”

Still, perhaps tempted, she grabbed the sword embedded at an angle and gave it a determined tug.

“…Not a chance. Hmph!”

As Luillin stepped back, Cariel finally approached the sword.

He held a simple wildflower, which he placed near—but not directly against—the embedded blade.

There were already countless flowers surrounding it, so one more would hardly be noticeable… but that hardly mattered.

“……”

Finally, Cariel took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

The hilt was so tarnished and dark it appeared caked with layers of sand and time.

He slowly extended his hand toward it.