Ricardo’s departure made the council chamber burst into commotion in an instant.
Among them, Count Rowain slamd the desk furiously without backing down from his stance.
Bang!
“If Duke Hessen doesn't join the war, the situation will beco far more unfavorable!”
“Why is the Count worrying about sothing that hasn't even happened yet? We have the Tower Master. Even without the Duke’s forces, we still have enough chances.”
“Can you get a definite answer from the Tower Master? He declared he wouldn’t involve himself in politics.”
“If he ends up unable to protect even his own bowl, he’ll crawl out on his own. That’s the usual nature of cowards.”
At a vassal’s words, Count Rowain looked utterly despondent, his face filled with despair.
And then, from another side, soone raised the issue of holding Ricardo accountable for his actions.
“Isn’t defying His Majesty’s orders tantamount to treason? How can he act that way in front of His Majesty!”
Even as sharp voices flew back and forth, I stood frozen, staring at the door he had walked out of.
My emotions and thoughts tangled together, making feel as though I were walking through a fog.
Ricardo, what on earth are you……
The air in the council chamber he had just left suddenly felt unfamiliar.
“……Is the House of Rowain also choosing to follow Duke Hessen? There is no rcy for those who defy my will.”
At the Emperor’s words, Count Rowain visibly flinched.
Just as I instinctively stepped toward the door, Eileens blocked my way.
“……!”
No sooner had she done that than the chamber vanished, and the surroundings grew dim.
As the once-noisy voices disappeared, only the loud pounding of my heart echoed in my ears.
Before long, reflected in my eyes was Eileens, wearing a face much like mine.
……Was Ricardo’s move also unexpected to her?
I tightly shut my eyes. Then, trying to gather the deluge of thoughts, I asked the question that had been burning in from the start.
“……Really, nothing’s changed?”
Her pupils began to tremble.
“You still want to do nothing?”
There was no answer from Eileens.
At that mont, as silence lingered, her face suddenly turned deathly pale.
“I-I don’t even know what I want anymore.”
It was the first ti she, once a great being, looked truly human.
“I tried living by just submitting like I was dead, then thought it’d be better to just kill everyone…….”
Eileens stamred as she caressed her own face.
“Then I realized that everything was ruined because of my choices.”
The once-dark subspace changed into various hues, following her emotions. Shifting mont by mont, the space seed ready to attack at any second.
Soon after, the only thing that remained here was fury.
‘……This seems to be going badly.’
The subspace began to slowly narrow. The black space gradually transford into hands that reached toward .
Overco by an inexplicable dread, I stepped back, but before I knew it, Eileens’ hand had gripped my shoulder.
“You know, don’t you?”
“…….”
“You know the answer, that’s why you tried to change , right?”
The shoulder she held onto throbbed. Eileens shook back and forth and continued speaking impatiently.
“You asked if I made that promise, right?”
“…….”
“Yeah, I did. You must’ve thought I was wrong, so you made that kind of promise……!”
“Wh-why would I think that way!”
Though my voice cracked from fear, it wasn’t all that important.
Because her approaching hands had stopped moving.
I tried my best to avoid looking directly at that spot.
“I-I’ve never thought you were wrong. Not the first ti I saw you, and not in the future either.”
“…….”
“If I didn’t think so, I wouldn’t have had any reason to make that promise.”
I was terrified, nearly dying from fear, but I still had to say what needed to be said.
Hurriedly, I hid my trembling hands behind my back. At least the good news was that the subspace was beginning to expand.
“You talk big for soone who doesn’t even have mories.”
“This has nothing to do with mories…….”
As I timidly added that, Eileens stared at with hawk-like eyes.
I couldn’t tell if she was angry or trying to confirm the sincerity of my words.
The subtle shifts in her expression made it seem like she found my presence uncomfortable. She repeatedly bit her innocent lips before grimacing.
“I have no rcy, just like the Emperor.”
“Well, even so……”
Just as I tried to argue, her eyes turned sharp again.
Choosing to close my mouth in defeat, she said curtly,
“I’ll kill Blua, whom you love so much, and I’ll make sure to collect even the lives of the innocent with no rcy.”
“…….”
“I’ll crush everything until my rage is gone. That’s my conclusion.”
I listened to her in silence.
“Even Carpea itself is leading down that path, so why should I refuse it?”
Hearing it like this, it really was a perfectly laid table……
As I remained wordless, Eileens, her expression sulky, quickly continued her words like a rapid-fire gun.
“I’m far more cruel than you think, and unimaginably rciless…….”
“S-stop. I get it.”
Then, Eileens closed her mouth. But before long, she muttered one more thing.
“So just behave yourself.”
“…….”
“Before I throw away that promise and everything else.”
At that mont, the world tilted.
Crash!
The subspace that had surrounded shattered with a loud noise. Only after a gust of wind blew through did I realize I had returned to reality.
Having been so far removed from it, my head spun for a while. Feeling as though my brain were whirling, I hastily pressed my forehead.
“…….”
Then, I saw Eileens leaning against the World Tree.
Her lips seed to curl up faintly in a smirk……
Was it just my imagination?
Only for a mont, a thought I'd set aside in a corner of my mory ca rushing back, and I quickly moved my feet.
“Lady Roygin?”
Yurian, who had been painting a picture of the World Tree, stopped her brush.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“No, it’s not that……”
I had to go to Ricardo. I absolutely had to.
But I couldn’t explain anything to Onyx and Yurian, who had business in Drimokan.
Moreover, to return to the capital, I had to travel with the group who had the scroll. If I went by carriage, it would take too long to reach Ricardo.
‘……If I had known, I would’ve brought a scroll myself.’
I couldn’t bring myself to say, ‘I’ll go ahead first, so hand my share of the scrolls.’
“Yurian, how’s the painting you’re preparing for His Highness?”
Just then, Onyx approached Yurian.
“Don’t rush . When you say things like that, even a good painting stops flowing.”
“That’s just an excuse. That’s why I told you to get in more practice…….”
As Onyx and Yurian bickered lightly, a sudden gust of wind swept through.
“Whoa!”
It was strong enough to scatter the papers and brushes placed near her.
“Oh, co on! As if Onyx wasn’t enough, now the weather’s misbehaving too!”
Muttering in frustration, Yurian quickly left her spot to catch the brush rolling away.
“…….”
I couldn’t even think to push back the hair blowing into my eyes. I just stared in the direction the wind had co from.
It was where Eileens stood.
Around the ti the wind began to die down, I felt a warm sensation in my pocket. Curious, I slipped my hand inside and felt sothing crinkly.
The mont I cautiously took it out, my eyes widened.
“……!”
It was a scroll marked with unfamiliar coordinates
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