The Emperor Who Was Chapter 85 : Chapter 85

Chapter . 85

“…This wolf is a being corrupted by magic.”

“The judgnt has not been made yet. If it was corrupted as you say, Traneha God would not show love and forgiveness to this wolf.”

The Prince nodded.

“However, as a holy knight of Traneha God, you can show God's love and forgiveness. Because you have not been corrupted by evil.”

“…I just have to bestow a blessing?”

“That is so.”

“After bestowing the blessing, will you not oppose even if I execute it?”

Intending to cut the wolf's throat with his sword as soon as he bestowed the blessing, Immanuel asked. Since killing with a holy sword is the surest way to turn a werewolf back into a human.

“How could sothing happening in the na of Traneha God not be God's will.”

A clear and resonant voice, noble dignity, a face like a sacred painting, but above all, the Prince's words shook his heart.

-Armatia's Valaska Imperial Family is the Traneha religion's greatest guardian and supporter, having grown shoulder to shoulder with the temple for a long ti.

The Holy Emperor's words ca to mind. The Holy Emperor generously forgave even the Imperial Family's hostile acts that occurred occasionally.

-However, the Armatia royals are sotis overly generous. This is not their fault, but because they have been overly close to mages. Therefore, understand and love them more, and protect them from the evil influence of mages. Guiding their souls correctly always is our mission.

Prince Leontes, even though insulted by him, a holy knight, behaved nobly unlike other nobles who would rampage in anger. Outwardly claiming to hold him accountable and punish him, yet that punishnt was a blessing bestowed by him, a holy knight.

It wasn't a trick to save the mage either. Since he answered it was God's will even when Immanuel openly ntioned execution. Due to the years of endlessly hunting mages, the holy knight's sixth sense was always on edge, but before that answer, he couldn't help but recognize the Prince's pure soul. Because it was the answer he had always spoken of in the face of all the anger and hatred he had encountered so far.

“The priest is coming soon.”

So he inford him.

“Do you wish for my blessing as a holy knight, not a priest's blessing?”

The Prince looked straight into his probing eyes and answered without hiding anything.

“A blessing bestowed by hands stained with blood for Traneha God is indeed the purest.”

The Prince speaking thus was pure himself.

-The relationship between Prince Leontes and his brothers is the worst. As the Prince succeeded on his own in the court and received Traneha God's protection and the Emperor's favor, other brothers wish to improve relations with him. However, the Second Prince is unlikely to be swayed by brotherly affection now.

A cruel full brother who hated his younger brother since infancy due to their mother's death, a prodigal half-brother who was busier playing with won than caring for his young brother, an arrogant half-brother who despised him despite being older. How lonely must he have been among brothers who were worse than strangers.

It's not that he isn't swayed by brotherly affection, but he just doesn't linger on wrong relationships with prodigals anymore even if they share blood. Because he doesn't know true brotherhood, the pure love Immanuel and his brothers share in the embrace of Saint Romola.

“I apologize for being late, Prince, Count. And brothers.”

At that mont, the exorcist priest appeared. Being one who exposes mages, he had suspected the Wolf of Petrafis to be a mage long ago. He had only been watching for an opportunity due to the Empress's obstruction, but insisted now was the ti to drive the hunt taking advantage of the confusion from the sudden change of the lord. Then, hearing the na of the changed lord, another brother also added strength saying it was an opportunity given by Traneha God, increasing the scale of the operation.

Behind him, the Count's mother and maids, the priest of Montova, as well as the castle residents and people from nearby areas gathered.

-We must conduct the mage hunt in front of as many people as possible to judge those who try to deny their sins asserting authority with fairness and equality.

It was a procedure according to the Holy Emperor's words. Although lords could prevent people from gathering, it would only spread the perception that they must be sinners since they couldn't co out proudly in front of people.

The arrival of such a priest awakened Immanuel who was lost in thought for a mont.

For him, an orphan, to feel pity for the Prince even for a mont, no matter how despised he was. It was absurd. Now that the priest arrived, he was rely placed in the priest's hands to beco a sword wielded by God. If told to see blood, he would see it. Even if that blood was his own.

Thoughts beyond that, feelings of regret, were distractions hindering the mission.

“…If you truly wish for a blessing, I, a priest, can bestow it.”

The priest looked surprised after hearing the situation but soon spoke politely to the Prince.

However, the Prince, while nodding to him, asked Immanuel again.

“You have not answered

yet. What will you do, Knight of God?”

Only then did Immanuel finally realize the Prince's deep aning.

Unlike those who assert authority even in such a crucial matter as mage hunting, the Prince's elegant way of outwardly scolding but actually upholding the holy knight's authority.

With everyone flocking to watch, even as a Prince, he couldn't pass without establishing dignity by punishing him who dared a raid.

In fact, the temple's final target was the Prince.

-Prince, and since it is a mage hunt conducted in the estate of the Prince most favored by the Emperor, bold action is needed, but we must also be prepared for the sacrifices that follow.

Saying so, the brother looked at Immanuel, and he nodded.

-Prince Leontes is the only royal with two mages, and even one of them has lost power. Once the Prince gives his heart, his affection is deep, cherishing even a mage who cast Charm Magic and one who fled to the sanctuary, calling them milk-siblings. How much more so in a mage hunt occurring in his first estate; if the woman who is his first love pleads, he will try to protect mages claiming they are his estate residents.

Therefore, respond to the Prince's negotiation and find his weakness. Then, even if things go according to the Prince's will for now, we will be able to exert influence on the Prince for a long ti afterward. Furthermore, on the Emperor too.

The Empress also participated in that operation.

-In the first place, the Empress approached us first. We had no reason not to take the hand of the Empress who ca on her own feet. However, the Empress is the very person who has blocked the hunt for the Wolf of Petrafis. If we receive the price the Empress promised this ti and also find evidence to implicate her with the Prince, the Empress will never block our path again.

But now things were turning strangely. Far from resisting or even noticing the conspiracy collaborated by his stepmother Empress and the Great Temple's power figure, the Prince rather bestowed rcy on him. Pretending to reprimand outwardly to save him.

Such pure goodwill cannot be anything but faith.

“I committed a sin against the Prince. Why do you wish for a sinner's blessing?”

At Immanuel's question, the priest and brothers cast surprised glances, but he looked only at the Prince. Because he was still performing his mission. If the Prince did sothing unexpected, he had to uncover the intention thoroughly.

“Blessing is also an opportunity. You deserve the opportunity of love and forgiveness bestowed by Traneha God.”

…The Prince did not know what fate he was in. Even though the blade hanging over his head could fall anyti, he tried to stroke even that blade with the white hand stroking the hawk now.

“What does he an…….”

“I almost understand but not quite…….”

“Religion is profound, after all…….”

The gathered people murmured. Immanuel himself didn't fully understand. But, that's why he believed more. Because doing as the Prince said would prove the Prince's faith. Faith towards Immanuel.

An unprecedented situation where the object receiving such pure faith from outside the Traneha religion, especially from the Imperial Family that has been contending for power, is none other than himself.

If he, a son of Saint Romola and sword of Traneha, showed faith lesser than the temple's target, he wouldn't be able to return to his mother's embrace even after death.

“As a holy knight, I will bestow the blessing.”

“Brother Immanuel!”

The priest called his na in surprise. But the Prince looked solely at him, and he also looked only at the Prince.

He had to perform his mission, and he was doing so.

He would kill the wolf imdiately after following the Prince's will. He would search the wolf's surroundings thoroughly to root out another werewolf or those who colluded with or worshipped the wolf and start the mage hunt.

The Prince would try to help those who are his estate residents even if they are evil, just as he helped him, and then it would be natural to agree as a return for the help earlier.

‘For Prince Leontes too.’

He had to grasp the Prince's weakness and report it to that brother. Because the temple would guide the Prince, who is swayed by affection, correctly. Then he could also truly repay the Prince's heart.

But it was also his first ti walking a path different from the exorcist priest's will like this. Because he had always lived as a sword aid in the direction the temple's hand pointed.

“Brother Immanuel, blessing is not a holy knight's duty. You know that.”

It was natural for the exorcist priest to urge him to step back.

But since the Prince approached and asked him in the first place, remaining silent when it wasn't an interrogation or rebuke would be discourteous to the Prince. Here, he should face the Prince's sincerity with equal sincerity, and that was more advantageous for mission execution too.

If only the exorcist priest understood that point... trusting him who had never failed until now. Since the Prince seeing him for the first ti is also showing faith in him…….

But the exorcist priest was looking at Immanuel with disapproval, and his silence was now directed at the priest, not the Prince. Not knowing how to persuade him that his thought different from the order might be more advantageous for mission execution.

Because there had never been such a ti.

“I understand the priest's thought well. Then, what do other holy knights think?”

At that mont, the Prince asked. In a truly nonchalant tone. As if, just as the priest has the priest's opinion, holy knights must have holy knights' opinion, so after hearing the forr, he must hear the latter.

Supporting Immanuel's thought that trying sothing unprecedented for the first ti wasn't wrong.

“Since the situation where the Wolf of Petrafis threatens people is urgent, I will answer instead, Prince. The virtue of the Knights of Saint Romola is silence. It is presumptuous, but please do not plunge them into confusion by ordering tasks unfamiliar to them, and please bestow rcy.”

The exorcist priest said. Instead of answering, the Prince tilted his head and looked at Immanuel and the brothers. Asking if that was truly so.

Immanuel wanted to answer that it wasn't so. But his lips wouldn't part due to deep-rooted silence. Perhaps as the priest said, since it was unfamiliar work, he might not be able to do it well.

However, the Prince looked into his eyes, nodded with a gaze full of understanding, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

The Prince's hand fell away soon. But Immanuel knew his aning. That the Prince also understood why Immanuel couldn't open his mouth, why he ended up seemingly agreeing with the priest instead of repaying the Prince's help.

That he understood how much his heart boiled because of that.

When his mouth wouldn't open because sothing surged up choking him this ti, an amazing thing happened.