As always, Count Stadler greeted him with bloodshot eyes from lack of sleep.
“It’s been a while, Sir Arendt. I’ve been waiting.”
“You look good as always, Count.”
Arendt greeted him with a simple nod of his head.
Behind him stood Arthur, who had co with him, carriages transporting the sleeping criminals, and soldiers standing guard.
“The soldiers will be guarding this area for the ti being just in case any escapes occur. They’ll withdraw after Lord Lexion joins us. Senior Arthur will stay with us for the ti being.”
“Thank you for your help, Count.”
Arthur nodded. Arendt’s expression imdiately turned sullen.
“I originally planned to co alone.”
It was Laius, who had secretly hoped that soone would accompany him, and Arthur, who had stubbornly insisted on following him, who ended up going against Arendt’s wishes.
The Count burst into laughter.
“The more guests, the rrier. I’ve prepared everything, so please follow . I’ll show you around.”
The prisoners were moved to an isolation room prepared in advance by the Count.
It was a space where magic stones were installed all over the ceiling, allowing sleep magic to be cast throughout the isolation room.
“The researchers will take turns casting their spells and we’ll keep the sleeping herb incense burning, so even if they do wake up, they won’t be able to escape easily.”
Count Stadler kindly explained as he watched the captured prisoners being moved.
“And to prevent starvation, we’ll periodically lift the spell and force-feed liquid food. Don’t worry, it’s been laced with a large amount of sleep-inducing herbs. Also, we’ve prepared a separate confinent space for the high-risk individual.”
The high-risk individual was none other than Ain.
Ain was seen being dragged out of the carriage while still asleep and moved into a room with solid tal walls.
“As soon as I received the call from Sir Arendt, I designed and completed the construction of it. It’ll be impossible to escape.”
“It seems that way.”
Arthur nodded with a slightly tired expression at the Count’s genuine pleased appearance.
It seed right to escort them here first rather than to the palace.
No matter how hard the palace magicians tried, they would never have been able to create a facility like this.
‘It’s inhumane… No, I probably shouldn’t say that…’
Arthur swallowed his words.
It seed that the Count did not see them as people.
A detention facility with this level of security was the kind of thing only soone like the slightly unhinged Count Stadler would co up with.
“It may be a bit late to say this, but I’m glad you’re on our side, Count.”
“Haha. You flatter .”
When the Count smiled shyly at Arthur’s words, Arendt added indifferently.
“That didn’t exactly sound like a complint… But still, this should be secure enough.”
“Of course. However, it looks like it will take a few more days to prepare the experint, so until then, both of you should rest comfortably. You both must be quite exhausted from the long mission.”
Regardless, the Count just smiled the whole ti.
“Are you hungry? A al has been prepared, so once matters are in order here, please make your way there. I sincerely hope you experience no discomfort during your stay.”
As Count Stadler had confidently promised, he even provided separate rooms for Arthur and Arendt to use exclusively.
After completing the transfer of prisoners, the two were treated to a sumptuous al and were able to return to the rooms prepared for them.
On the way to the lodgings, guided by the servant, Arthur asked a question.
“Are you sleeping well these days?”
“As you can see.”
Arendt answered calmly. Arthur seed slightly relieved by the answer, but he couldn’t hide his curiosity.
“You’re suddenly okay? Is there a reason?”
“Why would you bother asking that, senior?”
“…You shaless brat.”
No matter how much Arthur cursed, Arendt didn’t even glance at him.
Since Nereid handed over the pearl, the frequency of nightmares has noticeably decreased.
It was clear that Nereid wanted to help him.
‘I still don’t know the exact reason.’
At this point, he was curious about Nereid’s purpose.
‘Does she want revenge on Luce for breaking his promise and betraying the gods?’
Or maybe she wants to stop Chernion, who had lost and his pride was so hurt that he’d gone mad.
While lost in those thoughts, the two had already arrived in front of the room.
“Sir Arendt, please use the room on the left, and Sir Arthur, please use the room on the right. We’ve already moved all your luggage, so please make yourselves at ho.”
The servant bowed politely and stepped aside. Arthur spoke to Arendt before entering his room.
“Make sure to tell before you go anywhere. That’s an order from your senior.”
“I can’t hear you. I don’t understand a single word you’re saying.”
But Arendt pretended to cover his ears and went into the room first.
Thud.
The door closed, and Arthur, left alone in the hallway, clenched his fists tightly.
“…Son of a bitch.”
The Count must have planned it carefully, as the room was quite luxurious for sothing hastily prepared. He seed to have put considerable effort into ensuring the two of them could stay comfortably.
“Why are there so many people nagging these days?”
Finally left alone, Arendt took off his coat and threw it carelessly onto the chair.
Then he walked towards the pile of papers on the desk.
These were docunts borrowed from the Great Temple, things gathered from Neumann’s informants, and reports on the exploration of the ruin written by Llewellyn.
Arendt plopped down into the chair and, instead of imdiately looking over the docunts, sank deep into the chair and stretched.
The sparkling chandelier hanging from the ceiling caught his eye.
“The truth…”
Suddenly, he rembered the words the High Priest had quietly muttered before leaving.
Whatever the truth may be, High Priest Lumiel will choose to protect Luce.
Although it might end up giving him trouble later, Arendt had no intention of breaking her will or persuading her.
Just as Lumiel respected Arendt’s path, Arendt had no right to block her path.
The ti spent on the stage where she was the protagonist deserved to be respected.
‘She’s a great person.’
Even if he went against God, Lumiel would still see Arendt as a young man.
‘No matter what consequences their choices may bring…’
She will never regret or resent it.
Even if they beco enemies, Lumiel would not accuse Arendt of being a traitor.
She would simply hold her ground firmly and fulfill her role as Luce’s guardian.
One day, High Priest Lumiel will stand as the biggest wall blocking Arendt’s path.
Arendt, lost in thought, took the pearl out of his pocket.
The pearl, slightly discolored by ti, sparkled white in the light.
“…”
The gods declined because of Luce’s tyranny.
And Chernion took on a disgraceful appearance.
But Nereid survived steadfastly even after losing her faith.
Moreover, compared to Chernion, her appearance remained intact.
‘It seems like she can barely use her strength.’
It seed that Nereid’s limit was to help him breathe a little from the gaze of the two gods.
It was a weak authority compared to Luce and Chernion, who could shatter and overturn the world at will.
‘Is it Nereid’s will to be left alone?’
Even as other gods disappeared one by one, Nereid stubbornly persisted.
She must have desperately defended herself by relying on the small temples left in the Elf Kingdom and the statues of the gods that were buried underground.
Arendt rolled the pearl a few tis in his fingers and then put it back in his pocket.
Arendt adjusted his posture, moved the chair, and sat down at the desk.
Then, from the piles of docunts, he spread out the blueprint of the Lucain Palace’s underground ruin that Llewellyn had sent him.
Now was not the ti to be lost in thought.
‘If the other gods had perished…’
There surely must be a way to land a decisive blow against Luce.
A way to completely eradicate the power of Chernion, who was like a poisonous snake, and at the sa ti, to free this world from the hands of the hypocritical Luce.
“If it doesn’t exist, we have to create it.”
He found himself muttering to himself without thinking.
Even though what he was trying to do was a crazy thing, no different from pulling the sun from the sky, he had no intention of backing down.
He was determined to make this stage finale a cody by using everything he had on hand.
Arendt’s eyes, looking down at the blueprint, cooled.
His hand, habitually scratching the scar revealed beneath the glove, gradually began to tense up.
‘Even if it ans burning myself to ashes.’
If one flies too close to the sun with their crude wings, they will eventually crash because they cannot withstand the heat.
‘Arendt von Eckhart and Lee Soo-hyun should have already exited the stage.’
In the end, he embraces the na of the traitor, like crude wings…
Along with the shattered spotlight, falling into the darkness beneath the stage wouldn’t be so bad either.
Squeeze.
Blood began to drip from the burn scar where the wound had burst.
At sunset, Rieta sat alone on a bench in the garden, dazed.
She couldn’t even tell how many hours had passed. As she stared at the setting sun in the sky, the cold air hit her, and her mind felt empty.
‘…I don’t think this will work.’
Rieta thought vaguely, but couldn’t think of anything.
It was because she had a gut feeling that if she tried to think of sothing, she would imdiately be swallowed up by despair.
She couldn’t see anything because Prince Llewellyn covered her eyes, but the scent of blood she slled the mont her mother was struck by an arrow still lingered vividly.
‘Will Victor resent us?’
Looking at the sunset sky, Rieta threw the question she had thought of countless tis into the air.
But as always, she couldn’t get an answer.
She knew better than anyone that he wasn’t the kind of person to do that. Yet, the reason she couldn’t help but ask herself this question was because she felt she’d rather be hated.
‘If you hate …’
Should I hate you too?
As she thought that, a hollow laugh escaped his lips.
After all, it was Victor who killed her mother.
But she wasn’t foolish enough to blindly bla him. And neither was Louis.
In the end, it was this world that killed her mother.
Not Victor or an elf’s arrow or anything like that.
“Rieta.”
Suddenly, Rieta raised her head at the sound of a nearby voice. Louis, who had approached her, was looking at her with concern.
“You’ve been out too long. You should go inside now as you might catch a cold.”
“…Yes.”
Rieta nodded slowly, trying to force a faint smile.
“Co in now.”
Louis felt even more anguished at the sight.
It was because she felt sorry for my younger sister who couldn’t even afford to act spoiled or mourn properly.
“…Okay.”
But if he showed such feelings, Rieta would be even more hurt, so Louis just reached out to her.
Rieta grabbed Louis’ hand and stood up.
The evening air was getting quite chilly.
The two of them walked towards the mansion.
No, they were trying to walk.
Had it not been for the rustling among the garden bushes at that mont…
“…?”
The two people’s gazes naturally turned to where the sound ca from.
Rustle, rustle.
The ornantal bushes were swaying, but it was clearly not the wind.
“What is that…?”
“Stay behind , Rieta.”
Louis made Rieta step behind him.
“Could it be an intruder?”
“I don’t think so. The Duke said he had taken thorough precautions.”
Louis answered Rieta’s question without hesitation.
The cult’s high-ranking mbers possessed abilities beyond ordinary imagination, so it wasn’t entirely impossible for them to breach the tight security and infiltrate this far.
“…”
The two observed the swaying bushes for a long ti, their bodies sowhat tense.
And after a while.
“Uh?”
A large head suddenly popped out from between the bushes, and the siblings’ voices of surprise burst out almost simultaneously.
A large dog… no, a wolf was poking its head out from between the grass.
Although it was of enormous size and had a ferocious appearance at first glance, it did not look all that threatening, perhaps because of the fallen leaves and dirt clinging to its face.
Rieta and Louis, who had forgotten their worries for a mont, exchanged glances and looked at the dog again.
“…”
The dog just looked up at the two people with its gentle eyes, as if it wanted to prove that it was harmless.
“It doesn’t look dangerous… does it?”
When Rieta hesitated for a mont and spoke, Louis agreed.
“That’s right. It doesn’t even look like an ordinary stray dog. Did it lose its owner and co all the way here?”
The identity of that “dog” was none other than Warren, who had accepted Arendt’s advice, which was not really advice, while suppressing the urge to bite his tongue.
“Would you like to co over here? Should I get you sothing to eat from the kitchen?”
A mont of intense skepticism flashed through Warren’s eyes as he looked at Rieta’s small outstretched hand.
But there was no way the innocent princess and prince could have known that fact.
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