Chapter 25: Who Do You Think You Are!

If one lacks the power they possess.

They can simply borrow the power of something else.

It is a simple story.

Whether it be a tool.

The surrounding structures.

Or the given situation itself.

The target’s reason, their emotions.

Even exploiting their mistakes.

====

“What is all this commotion?!”

“S-stop this instant!”

By the time Seras reached the library, the situation had grown even more severe.

“Ugh?!”

Even the instructors who tried to physically restrain Kariel’s rampage were knocked over or thrown aside without knowing why.

Kariel had pinned the Prince, Alessius, to the floor, gripping a handful of his red hair as he swung his fist toward his face.

Yet, whenever someone tried to intervene, he would naturally seize the reaching hand or arm.

Or perhaps the opponent’s leg or ankle.

Then, as if by magic, the opponent would lose their balance, collapse as if hitting a sudden brake, or be dragged down.

Like a toddler who had just learned to walk, they ended up slumped over, having lost their center of gravity.

“Your Highness!”

The backup personnel who rushed in to stop Kariel for the sake of the Prince were no exception.

Some attempted to use magic to aim at Kariel, but—

“Are you insane?! What if the Prince gets hurt?!”

“T-that is…”

“Just control your output!”

“What if that madman dares to use His Highness Prince as a shield? What will you do then?”

“N-no! Surely, he wouldn’t go that far… would he?”

It was amidst this chaos that Seras appeared.

“Se-Seras!”

Looking at those people gazing at her like orphaned chicks or fawns, she felt a surge of nausea from within.

“…….”

Seras pressed a hand to her forehead, her mind racing for a moment. She felt a surge of regret, wondering if she should have arrived sooner to stop Alessius.

‘That’s not what’s important right now.’

She severed the thought.

If one were to ride the waves of useless emotions and past events, they wouldn’t last long in this world.

At that point, Seras simply leaned against a window and began to observe the scene objectively.

“Hey! Stop them! What are you doing?!”

“Why are you just standing there so calmly?!”

Strictly speaking, that crowd wasn’t composed of fools.

Individually, they were geniuses.

Yet, once they devolved into a mere crowd, they became so senseless.

Is this why Alessius said the crowd must be controlled and managed?

It was a recurring disappointment and resignation, but in a moment of crisis and urgency, the skepticism deepened.

“It’s already out of our hands, so what?”

Even the instructors had stepped in and failed to stop him; what did she expect herself to do?

No, if she wanted to, she could.

‘It’s too late.’

Even if she stopped him now, it was far too late for it to be treated as a merit for saving the Prince.

Above all, now that Kariel had reached this state, no one knew how the situation would unfold.

‘Allowing the situation to escalate to this extent means he has no intention of hiding his motives.’

If his goal was not just to reveal them but to spread the rumors, then that intention had already succeeded magnificently.

It wasn’t that he had suddenly become arrogant simply because of the engagement with the Princess.

Something about this situation was strangely twisted.

Furthermore, since he was pushing through so aggressively, there was a risk that forcibly stopping him would trigger another outburst of rage.

‘I refuse to be caught in the crossfire.’

In that case.

Would Alessius, who would perceive her as having half-abandoned the situation, forgive her?

‘That doesn’t matter.’

To be beaten by his own incompetence and then vent that frustration on others?

At that point, the bond between them would be finished.

He might bow his head for now, but as ill will accumulates, loyalty and devotion naturally fade.

It wasn’t that Seras had no one else to lean on that she chose to accompany Alessius.

It was because she knew him that well, and their relationship was that old.

Then.

What about Kariel?

“…….”

In this regard, she had no words, even if she had a tongue.

By the time she could undo or correct anything, the water had long since been spilled.

Even then.

In the end, she had chosen her younger sister, Eras, over Kariel.

Blood is thicker than water.

…As a materialistic person, she had no other choice.

“Hah!”

Just then.

The thick scent of Mana Combustion spread, and a red rope dropped from the air, instantly binding Kariel’s right arm.

“…….”

Only then did Kariel turn his head.

Taking his eyes off the crushed Alessius, he cast a dull gaze toward the person who had restrained him.

That composed indifference.

It sent a chill down the spines of everyone watching.

“…The place has become a complete disaster while I was away for a moment.”

The man was the Library Director and a concurrent professor of the Demonic Path at the Academy.

With a moderately wrinkled face, white hair, and a matching white goatee.

He was speechless for a while at the carnage unfolding before him.

Within the radius of the fight, few pieces of furniture remained intact, and some bookshelves had overturned, leaving the books scattered irregularly across the library floor in a total mess.

The only saving grace was that it had remained a simple physical brawl, meaning the damage was relatively limited.

…Though he felt a renewed sense of misery that he had to find solace in such a thing, he soon shook his head and raised his voice to settle the matter.

“Absurd! What on earth is this commotion! Anyway, clean this up quickly! The culprits will all be—”

Crack!

“……?”

When had he broken free?

As the magically conjured rope vanished, Kariel nonchalantly began to swing his fist again.

The horrified Library Director let out a shriek.

“Ka-Kariel, you brat! Stop this violent act this instant! Stop it now—?!”

Even the dignified elderly professor was flustered by the turn of events and cast magic once more.

And only then.

Kariel, no longer resisting.

Closed his eyes.

====

Naturally.

News of this incident spread rapidly.

By the time the sun set, Alessius, whose condition had improved after receiving treatment.

Was immediately summoned to the Emperor’s office, having only just refreshed his attire.

As soon as he reached the office door and the guard announced his arrival, permission to enter was granted.

“Have you come?”

A rectangular desk with exceptionally high legs.

Arranged in a ‘U’ shape, it was piled high with countless documents.

The Emperor, standing and reviewing them one by one while stamping them with the State Seal.

“I heard you were badly injured. Are you alright?”

“…I am sorry, Father.”

“It is enough that you realized it, even if late.”

The Emperor asked in a calm tone.

“I have known for some time that you would be crushed like this eventually.”

“…….”

“Kariel is quite gentle and patient, so he endured it for a long time, but even that has a limit.”

Even so.

“That he endured it until now was somewhat surprising even to me. Yes, did he not say this earlier? That adults would simply overlook it as a children’s quarrel.”

“…….”

The words Kariel had spoken to Alessius earlier.

The fact that the Emperor mentioned them without missing a single syllable meant…

‘He knew all along….’

“However, the comment about having crossed the river too far is quite meaningful.”

Al. Answer me.

“Do you have any inkling of what kind of feelings that child has developed toward you?”

“…….”

“Answer. I will not ask a second time.”

“Has he… harbored a grudge?”

“Then who provided the justification for harboring that grudge?”

“…It was I, Father.”

“Why do you think he chose to strike you now of all times?”

“That is….”

While Alessius hesitated.

The Emperor leisurely stamped the documents with the State Seal.

Thump!

“Do you not know?”

Thump!

“Not even one step ahead?”

Thump!

“Let alone two steps, let alone three.”

Thump!

“Merely.”

Thump!

“Can you not see even one step ahead? When the blatant truth is right before your nose.”

Thump!

“Can you not see it?”

“Is it because of the engagement with my sister?”

“Wrong.”

Thump!

“It is because you crossed the line.”

Thump!

At that point, perhaps encountering a document that required more thought, the Emperor picked it up and sank into contemplation, resting his chin on his hand.

“Then what line did you cross?”

Despite this, he continued to ask the Prince in a calm tone.

“Is it because I… mistreated him?”

“Has that not been continuing for years? What is so new about that?”

…As expected.

He couldn’t possibly not know.

Yet, the reason he hadn’t given any instructions or mentioned it.

……Because it was a children’s quarrel.

A clash of nerves between children.

Even if it were a conflict and struggle between those of Blue Blood.

In the end, it was still a children’s quarrel.

Even if that quarrel eventually escalated into a bloody struggle as time passed.

For an adult to intervene in a mere children’s fight.

Would not that be truly losing face?

There may be those who are prepared to sacrifice their dignity for practical gain.

But that is a blunder likely to be seen only in the ignorant who do not understand the nature of authority and majesty.

If the imperial power were precarious, if the authority of the nobles were shaking.

If it were merely the pathetic game of power-holders who were shells of their former selves.

Such a practical decision.

Direct clashes of power and the exercise of violence would indeed be an easy way to instill fear and terror in clumsy fools who inflate themselves with bluffs.

“I could have stopped the fight. I could have personally commanded you not to engage in such pathetic behavior. However, that would be coercion, not your own volition. If I had done so, would you have simply…”

Would you have been convinced?

Could you have accepted it?

“When the Former Emperor gathered the brothers who tormented and threatened me and commanded them to stop, my brothers did not stop persecuting me for a single moment. Do you know why they did that?”

“…I do not know.”

“Think before you speak. You do not know? And as an immediate answer? I did not summon you here during this busy period to hear such an irresponsible response.”

His tone was calm.

But Alessius clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white, instinctively.

If he didn’t, he felt his body would tremble from tension.

He felt as if he would be pressed for another answer based on that failure.

So.

Suppressing even the sound of his breathing as much as possible.

Alessius realized he was standing on the edge of a cliff.

“Do you need time?”

“…No, Father.”

“Then answer.”

“…….”

“Quickly.”

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

Taking a deep breath to buy a moment of time, Alessius asked.

“…Is it because the Emperor—because Grandfather permitted it?”

“Why do you ask that? I asked for your thoughts. Is that the answer you came up with? I never instructed you to answer by clumsily questioning my intentions. What is happening?”

“That is….”

“Answer again.”

The Emperor pressed, yet did not press.

However, Alessius felt the cold sweat trickling down, as if a blade were about to touch his neck.

“I….”

…….

Tsk tsk.

The Emperor clicked his tongue.

“Why do you hesitate over such a simple question? The conclusion is simple. It is because you lacked fear. Because the terror was inadequate.”

“…….”

“Now that I have given you a lesson, you should be able to answer. What it means that you crossed the line.”

No. Not at all.

I don’t know.

Is it because I am dull?

Alessius struggled to suppress the voice screaming from within.

“Do you still not realize?”

The Emperor clicked his tongue again.

“If it were Kariel, he would have grasped my intentions and inner thoughts even without being told.”

“…….”

Again.

Again.

…It’s Kariel.

Why does he always evaluate Kariel higher than his own child?

Is it an overestimation?

Or an underestimation?

But one thing was certain.

The Emperor knew Kariel less than he knew Alessius.

“The one underestimating is your narrow perspective.”

“……!!”

As if seeing through his thoughts.

The Emperor let out a sigh with a frustrated expression.

“That is why you suffered such humiliation today, unable to even use your hands effectively.”

“…….”

“Even an Emperor can be killed by a stray arrow on the battlefield, or suffer a grave wound from the spear of a mere cripple if he lets his guard down.”

And yet you.

“Why were you careless? Why were you complacent? Were you so captivated by your preconceptions that you assumed you would be fine today and tomorrow?”

“That is….”

“Speak clearly. Where did you learn the habit of trailing off?”

“I am… sorry.”

“I never told you to apologize. Why do you apologize to me? There is someone else you should be apologizing to.”

The one you should fear and respect right now.

“Is not me. Furthermore, what you should be wary of and hate is your own narrow-mindedness and baseness, your injustice and clouded vision.”

They say to hate the evil, but not the person.

“Why did you do the opposite?”

“…….”

“Are you mute? Why is there no answer?”

Only then.

The Emperor’s gaze turned toward Alessius.

“Do not pretend to be disabled when you are a normal person. That is blatant deception and false virtue.”

Lift your head.

Look me in the eye.

“Did I expect competence from you?”

“No.”

“Then what did I expect from you?”

“…You told me to keep my position. You told me to perform my duties. You told me not to evade my responsibilities.”

“You speak well with your mouth.”

“…….”

“Both El and Kariel found their places on their own without being told, so why are you like this?”

Kariel?

Why, why does he keep mentioning Kariel…?

What on earth did that bastard do to be evaluated like that?

Regardless of how he was in the past.

That has nothing to do with the present, does it?

Where is the guarantee that someone who was great in the past will still be great now?

“I have let you win and given you preferential treatment until now. You still do not understand a single bit of that. Tsk tsk.”

The Emperor shook his head.

“Dull thing. How much more must I point out? If Kariel’s nature had been even slightly darker and more vicious, you would never have remained safe.”

“Father! How can you! How can you say such nonsensical things… to me?”

I am your son, am I not?

So why!

“Both Kariel and you are like sons to me. The same goes for Lueld.”

“…….”

“In his childhood, Kariel took El’s place for that reason. No one told him to do so; rather, he volunteered and persuaded everyone that he should be the one.”

At such a young age.

“Did I nag Kariel to be like that? Even once? Did I not tell you repeatedly that you have your own path and should simply move forward steadfastly?”

“I… this son….”

“At the very least, I told you to cultivate only your dignity and character.”

Tsk tsk.

“I will hear your thoughts again tomorrow morning during the greeting.”

You may leave.

…….

Even as the office door was closing.

The Emperor, as if a worry had been resolved, was lifting the State Seal and stamping it onto a document.

Thump!

As the door closed.

That image, too, finally vanished beyond Alessius’s sight.

――!