episode_0041

I was on a different front, so it was a long time before I heard the story of Agapé being dragged off to the Penal Legion.

No. In truth, distance didn’t matter.

Saying I heard it late because of the distance was essentially just an excuse.

No matter how far away, communication over long distances with crystal balls was always possible.

“……”

This was an intentional blocking of information, to prevent me from hearing it.

‘Impurity.’

Impurity.

Though one of the Five Ducal Houses, they were the Empire’s second-in-command, placing even other ducal houses beneath their feet.

Furthermore, there was an Administrator from the Impurity family among the Prophets, so if they even used the Prophet’s power, making a Duke like me deaf to a piece of news was nothing.

But…

*Bang!*

*Crunch!*

No matter Impurity or a Prophet.

“It’s not just any ducal house, but the Oleg family…!”

Among the ducal houses, the Oleg family wielded the second strongest influence.

The Oleg family, and not just a common citizen, but a military officer was dragged off, and I didn’t even hear the news?

Hergil’s gaze turned towards the Prophet standing before him.

“What nerve do you have, coming to find me?”

“I have seen the future and come.”

The veiled gaze of the Prophet fixed on Hergil.

“You were about to order all armies loyal to Oleg’s banner to return.”

At his words, the Duke glared, feeling a head-splitting rage.

“Even if Astolfo or the Prophet of Light themselves came to apologize, it wouldn’t be enough. Yet you come to me, saying you have business?”

“Do you need an apology?”

“Is that even a question?!”

*Crash—!!*

The table cracked as the Duke unleashed his aura.

“Without any agreement with a ducal house, without any trial, you sent him to the Penal Legion!”

Hergil flapped a sheet of paper on the table.

“Do you know what this is?!”

“It’s an imperial letter.”

“Exactly!”

A vein pulsed in the Duke’s neck.

“No matter the crime, it wasn’t enough to send him to the Penal Legion secretly, but when I sent a petition, the reply I got was that once a person enters the Penal Legion, all their identity and status disappear, so a human named Agapé never existed! That Emperor! Against a ruler who governs one of the five cities, no less!”

“So, you considered ordering Oleg’s forces on the front lines to return?”

“Then, did you think a dying old man, gone senile, would decide to withdraw the army?”

*Thwack!*

He threw a stack of documents at him, saying.

“This is an insult to the ducal house, no. It’s like trampling the ducal house’s face with muddy boots! Even if he drew his sword on a hero, it began with the Impurity family knight’s insulting words, and Astolfo, that scoundrel, was the one who swung his spear first!”

“Don’t you understand that’s the problem?”

“What?”

“Duke Oleg.”

The veil rustled, and he spoke to the Duke as if rebuking him.

“A mere knight drew his sword on a hero.”

To kill the armies of the dead, the disaster of this era, all heroes must remain alive.

Otherwise, the subjugation of the disaster is impossible, and even if it were possible, the continent would ultimately be destroyed.

That’s why, since the war began, to prevent even the slightest future where heroes might die, if even a glimmer of such a future appeared, countless troops were sacrificed to pave the way for the heroes.

“Yet, a knight of unclear origins drew his sword on the neck of a hero, no less the successor of Impurity. Do you still think a trial and proper procedures are necessary, and that sending the criminal to the Penal Legion was wrong? So much so that you would protest by withdrawing Oleg’s forces from the battlefield?”

Come to your senses, Duke.

“……”

He didn’t possess precognition, but.

In that moment, countless future scenes flashed before the Duke’s mind, layered like those seen by Prophets.

The future of striking his abdomen with his fist and crushing his intestines.

The future of drawing his sword and cutting off that mouth first.

Even grinding that shameless face with a sword and sending them back to their abode on Mount Minerva.

It was only because he was a Prophet who could wield as much influence on the continent as the Emperor that he held back; if his prestige had been even slightly lower, he would have truly realized those imaginary acts without a single deviation.

The Duke, Hergil, exerted his utmost patience, closed his eyes tightly once, and then slowly spoke to the Prophet.

“Are you so confident and shameless that you had a knight from the ducal house come directly to report to me the news of another ducal knight being sent to the Penal Legion?”

“It was to spare you.”

“What?”

“Duke.”

*Rustle.*

*Thump. Thump.*

Light footsteps approached him.

“You weren’t planning to protect the knight who tried to kill a hero, were you?”

“……”

“No matter your ducal position, have you not considered how dangerous it would be to your prestige as a Duke if you protected a knight who tried to kill a hero?”

“I’ve already prepared myself for that much.”

“Is that so?”

*Thump. Thump.*

*Creak.*

An armor and a sword decorated inside the Duke’s tent.

They were the equipment the Duke wore whenever he went to the battlefield.

*Clench.*

*Drip. Drip.*

He pressed his index finger tightly against the tip of the sword, and a drop of blood fell.

“One drop, two drops.”

*Drip, drip.*

“People don’t die from losing this much blood, do they?”

But what if this blood continues to flow ceaselessly for days and nights?

You will die, Duke.

“Duke.”

“……”

“You said you were prepared?”

“……Yes.”

“Even before you were prepared, we had already devised dozens of plans to bring about Mulipen’s downfall within 10 years.”

Most are still in the conceptual stage, but.

You might not know it, Duke, but some plans are already in motion.

“We do not see the future definitively.”

“……”

“Our job is to look at as many of the infinite number of futures as possible and prepare for future events.”

Duke Oleg.

“I warn you.”

Among countless futures, we have seen innumerable ones where you crossed the line against us.

If such a future seems even slightly likely, we will immediately tighten the noose around Mulipen’s neck.

And if you continue to act against justice in this manner, we will tighten the noose then, too.

“And we will slowly, one by one, shatter the convictions you hold so dear.”

“……”

“I will only say this.”

Turning gently, the Prophet stepped out of the tent.

“Ah.”

Then, as if remembering something he had forgotten, he lightly turned his head and spoke.

“It might not sound sincere, but I sincerely apologize. Even though I committed this arbitrary act for what was ‘right,’ it has certainly tarnished the prestige of a ducal house. If you ever need our help in the future, we will assist you without hesitation.”

“……”

“Then, I’ll be going.”

He bowed slightly, then resumed his steps.

“You said you were a Prophet who follows the Prophet of Light, didn’t you?”

With a sunken voice, the old Duke called out to the young Prophet.

“That is correct.”

“As a word of caution from an old man, if you keep relying on your precognition and act rashly, the day will come when you will bleed.”

“……I will engrave that deep in my heart.”

*Thump. Thump.*

As soon as the Prophet disappeared, Yuri entered.

“Your Grace.”

“Yuri.”

“What happened?”

“……We’ve decided to withdraw our hand.”

“Pardon? What do you mean by that—”

“Just as I said.”

Prophets never speak empty words.

Even if they are individuals lacking humanity, they value the weight of the words they utter more than anyone.

Therefore, those words cannot be empty threats.

They must have prepared ways to choke us, methods unimaginable to someone like me, and they could truly bring down the city I’ve protected my entire life without us even being able to prepare.

‘I must protect the city.’

There’s no choice.

I’m sorry, Agapé, but I couldn’t sacrifice everyone to protect one life.

“Your Grace?”

Ignoring Yuri’s call, the Duke stepped out of the tent.

“Your Grace?”

Outside the tent, Helena waited, her face etched with exhaustion.

She was the one who had rushed here to deliver the news about Agapé.

“Helena.”

“I… I heard the Prophet came and went.”

“……”

“What’s going to happen to Senior, what’s going to happen to Senior?”

Her brown eyes trembled.

Fear, sorrow, denial. All sorts of emotions stormed within her, and in her eyes, on the verge of tears, reflected his own grim face.

“…I’m sorry, Helena.”

He lowered his head and walked past Helena.

“Your Grace!”

At that moment, Helena tightly gripped his arm, stopping him.

Yuri, who had just exited the tent, saw this and shouted.

“Helena! No matter what, your lord’s arm—!”

“Stop!”

“But Your Grace, but no matter what—”

“It’s alright, Yuri. I’m fine, so could you give us a moment alone?”

“…Understood.”

With those words, Yuri sent a glance to the knights nearby. The knights, receiving the signal, quickly withdrew, and soon, only Helena and Hergil remained in front of the tent.

“Your Grace…”

*Drip. Drip.*

“…Why are you making such a face?”

“……”

His eyes reflected a face more pathetic than ever.

“…With my strength, I cannot save Agapé.”

“Surely, it’s not because of that Prophet, is it?”

“Yes.”

“Even so…”

*Drip. Drip.*

“Even so, you’re just going to stand by and watch Senior die without being able to do anything?”

“…Yes.”

The Duke turned his head away as if escaping, then shook off her arm.

“That’s how it is, so though it pains me, please understand.”

And he quickly put footprints on the moist muddy ground, moving as far away from her as possible.

*Thump.*

Helena grabbed the Duke’s arm once more.

Perhaps not the first time, but this time, the Duke couldn’t just let it go. He turned his head and was about to unleash a roar of fury.

“Hele—!…”

No, he tried to unleash a roar of fury, but he simply couldn’t.

“Old man…”

*Drip. Drip.*

The young knight, still a girl, was on her knees in the mud, desperately pleading with him.