Chapter 119: Shadows of Dawn. or Shade

“Half a year. No, three months will be enough.”

The All-Powerful Princess.

The girl, who had displayed overwhelming potential beyond mere competence at a young age, made countless foreign power-holders tense with her presence alone.

The highlight among her achievements would be the incident where she was the first to acquire the Legacy of the Great Demon King and make it her own.

To the world, it was known as Absolute Authority, but very few knew its true nature.

And among those who acquired such authority, those who were judged to be uncontrollable and unmanageable were called Demon Kings across the continent.

Nezerius.

This being, whose origin and background were unclear, was the first to be called such, which further solidified the name and its meaning.

From ruining a single nation to sweeping through battlefields where thousands clashed, carving out a fearsome reputation.

A being that was, in every sense, a calamity itself.

And the one who faced that being head-on and displayed overwhelming power.

The one who drove him away like a defeated dog.

It was the Princess of the Empire, who was incredibly young at the time.

An absurd monster had been born in the Empire.

And that monster grew steadily and well, becoming a being that could no longer be managed.

Those who had once designated the Princess as a hostage now harshly reprimanded the power-holders of various nations, saying it was too late to regret, but it was already far too late.

The Imperial Royal Court.

Among them, the burning red hair and blue eyes that seemed to contain the sky and sea—the hallmarks of the Golden Bloodline.

The fact that Alessius possessed dark, deep black eyes, resembling those of the Magic Empress Melineos, was seen by some as proof that his Golden Bloodline was not as potent.

Similarly, conversations often circulated about who had been granted legitimacy and whom the ancestors had chosen as the rightful successor, as if it were already proven.

Yet, some lamented that she, because she was only herself, bore the most fatal flaw.

“El.”

Elhermina Berg Enzul.

He resembled her—or rather, she likely resembled him.

The being who had saved the world and was now called the savior upholding the Empire.

Before him, the one praised as the Hero Emperor, she was persistently pushing her opinion.

The Emperor, of course, wore a pained expression as if he understood her feelings better than anyone.

But this was a different matter.

“Now is the time to solidify the foundation.”

“What more is there to solidify? I have done all I can. Now, all that remains is to move forward. Is everything not proceeding according to plan? Do you insist on keeping a watchful eye simply because you fear variables?”

“Do you intend to overlook the fact that a single variable can cause an error spanning years or even decades?”

“Do you not see that an even greater error will occur if we do nothing?”

“You…”

The Emperor, who fell silent for a moment, let out a deep sigh with closed lips.

“Do you believe you can resolve the situation if you intervene? In a situation where his location is unknown?”

“It is not that the Empire cannot find him. Is it not because there are insufficient supports and resources to find him?”

“So you are saying you will resolve this by getting involved personally. Is that it?”

“If Your Majesty has a more certain measure, I implore you to share your divine will now. I will listen gladly and execute it immediately without further ado.”

“…….”

The Emperor fell silent again.

He usually conducted his business while standing, but now, perhaps because he was in a foul mood, he sat to one side, merely glancing occasionally at the piled-up documents.

More importantly, there were cases—mountains of documents and important agendas sealed in layers of parchment or deerskin paper—that should have been handled by the person currently talking like this.

Of course, he fully understood what Elhermina wanted to say and her intentions.

However.

If this matter went wrong… the scale of the problem could expand into an irreversible event.

“The suspicions regarding Kariel have not been fully resolved. No, nothing has been resolved yet.”

“…….”

“The Empress’s prophetic dreams are absolute. I will not waste my breath explaining how many crises we have overcome because of them.”

“Are you saying the problem will be solved if we just leave it alone and neglect it? According to that prophecy, the future where Your Majesty dies by Kariel’s hand is a decided matter. Are you saying you will simply accept this?”

“I must resist. However, if that is the price for my sins…”

“Do you think Mother could endure that?”

“…….”

“If one focuses only on building a sandcastle because it goes up easily, and neglects to build a levee, what meaning will there be when a great flood spreads?”

“Did you not hear the final report?”

Though the details were unclear, Kariel had obtained an unknown power.

It was even said that with that power, he had neutralized another heir who bore the Legacy of the Great Demon King.

Since it was a story told by the boy who had recently become the Hero in a distant land, it must be true.

“He may be a completely different being from the Kariel you knew. If the Demon King truly played a hand…”

“Do you believe the Demon King might have taken over Kariel’s body and is dreaming of revenge?”

“I view it as one possibility.”

He was the Golden Beast who had gone as far as sealing Melineos’s dreams.

The problem was how on earth that was possible.

There were several theories, but Melineos and her teacher, Geornia, reached one conclusion.

Perhaps the soul of the Golden Beast had inhabited Kariel’s body.

He might not have lost control of his body yet.

…But who knows what will happen later.

“Even if his body wasn’t taken, once he listened to the honeyed words of the Golden Beast… he will move according to her will.”

Hatred toward the Empire.

Toward the Emperor and the Royal Court.

And even toward his parents.

The contents of the last letter Kariel left had long been confirmed by the Emperor.

By the time he realized it was far too twisted… it was already too late.

“He was not the Kariel we knew.”

In that letter, not a single trace remained of the exceptional insight and discernment that the child had possessed since his youth.

All that was written in the letter was the bleak confession of a boy who had been crushed by expectations, broken, frustrated, despaired, and collapsed.

Thinking of it that way, all the circumstances surrounding the once-lethargic Kariel began to fit together perfectly.

The idea that he had isolated himself out of a sense of betrayal or disappointment in humans, or was pretending to be isolated while waiting for a chance to recover…

That had devolved into nothing more than their own delusions.

No, even if that had been his intention.

Even if he had identified the movements targeting him from all sides and intentionally made himself a target to catch the culprits—because those with other motives and powers could not touch the Royal Court, Lueld, or Ermina—and thus targeted the child instead.

…Still, would that not have been an ordeal too great for a child of that age to handle?

“The former Count Esdina was unaware, but in the end, he was pushed by someone’s advice.”

A few truly light words of advice from a merchant who visited rarely.

Including the fact that the merchant’s guild had grown suspiciously fast in a short period, after digging and digging.

…They finally discovered that the hand of the Order of Relief Knights had been involved.

And currently, the conclusion reached by the Imperial Intelligence Bureau was that the force hiding or dismantling Kariel’s whereabouts was likely them.

However, that was merely identifying the problem, not the solution.

Furthermore, there was another issue.

“It was said that some countries were helping to isolate him to secure a bloodline or to facilitate asylum. In other words, the malice directed at Kariel did not come from just one or two sources; he was constantly exposed to those secret machinations.”

For example, some nations offered special exceptions and privileges under the guise of studying abroad.

Even in the homeland of the Elves, the home of the Empress’s teacher Geornia, there had been unusual movements to arrange a marriage with him.

…However, most of these were blocked by the Emperor and Lueld, so Kariel likely remained unaware of the reasons.

The Emperor clicked his tongue.

“Yes. Those foolish people probably thought that by pulling Kariel to their side, their country would gain a very powerful ally and guardian deity.”

The Empire, the Knights of Radiance.

And the support and sympathy of the Order of Irenis, led by Ermina….

“Yet, I cannot fathom why they thought such a shallow trick would work.”

“A brilliant plan is not what is important. What matters is that it was executed.”

Even a foolish plan, if carried out by a power-holder, inevitably gains weight and meaning.

The ones executing it are always the subordinates.

And even if the top is foolish, if the subordinates are competent, the work gets done one way or another.

Moreover, in this case, such tricks were layered upon one another, and the situation had aligned perfectly.

…The core of it, of course, was the decision and execution of the former Count Esdina, who held the key.

Because of that, Alessius was also sucked in.

…No, in a way, did Alessius hand over the key?

Because the fact that he decided to isolate Kariel was the cause that made all the processing go smoothly.

“Twisted affection ruined everything.”

Elhermina’s love for Kariel.

Alessius, who knew that better than anyone.

…The sight of Kariel seemingly about to be paired with Eras was something he could not accept.

Whether it was a misunderstanding or not, it didn’t matter to the Alessius of that time.

What mattered was that he felt that way.

In the end, the incident happened.

The Emperor spoke with a bitter smile.

“Once spilled water has soaked the ground, you cannot undo it by digging up the entire earth.”

They say blood is thicker than water.

The Emperor had agonized for a very long time over how to handle this.

And he had confessed this to Lueld.

However, even that response was too late.

Above all, though he was now the Hero Emperor with omnipotent power.

Only a few years ago, he still had no choice but to be mindful of the nobles and the regional lords.

…Despite appearances, he was still an awkward ruler who could only barely hold onto an unstable imperial authority.

Of course, from the perspective of neighboring countries, he was indeed a superhuman.

Several neighboring great powers.

Even if dozens of countries split into small states were merged into one, the Empire was vaster than all of them.

“The fact that Lueld’s trust in Kariel was more excessive than anyone else’s… might have been a problem, if it was a problem.”

No, it was definitely a problem.

He was the type who thought his son was too brilliant.

Therefore, he was the type to constantly worry that the child might be too easily disappointed or frustrated.

Furthermore, while traveling throughout the Empire, he had frequently gone on expeditions to organize the Royal Guard and important diplomatic escorts, and while undertaking secret missions, he had even nurtured talents… he would have needed two bodies to keep up.

If there was a problem, was it Ermina?

“She was in an unstable position as well.”

Moreover, unlike Lueld, there was a fair amount of information that had not been delivered to Ermina.

Was that why?

The surrounding reputation, her unique severity and stubbornness in hoping Kariel would not go astray, and her habits bordering on obsessive-compulsive disorder began to manifest.

Of course, there were those who thought that level of behavior was rather ordinary for a noble household….

‘That depends on the person.’

Education, guidance, and even learning that some can endure as a matter of course.

To others, it becomes an unbearable, terrible ordeal.

Pushing through that regardless.

Is practically the same as abuse.

…Like forcing a body into a box that doesn’t fit and sealing the entrance.

The result is obvious.

Either the body is reconstructed to fit the box, even if it breaks.

Or it endures and endures in a broken state… until it truly shatters.

The Emperor himself had been exactly that case.

Therefore, he tried not to be like that when disciplining his children.

“…….”

The problem was that both the son and daughter of the Hero Emperor were exceptional.

Thus, he felt that if their temperaments were left unchecked or ignored, they might veer wildly off course.

Therefore, he had to establish discipline in advance.

So they would not go astray.

The degenerates of the high class or the warped successors.

How much damage and how many harsh experiences had they endured in their own journey because of those twisted individuals?

And look.

Of all things, those two were born with the most noble blood in the Empire.

Thus, if even one of them went astray, or if they harbored a warped heart.

Another nightmare could sprout in the Empire.

The fact that Ermina repeatedly cautioned Kariel and hoped he would not go astray was likely influenced by this.

“If things go well according to your will, there would be no better result. But in the worst case, what if you are hurt or something worse happens?”

“…If you believe the prophecy, you know that I will never die, don’t you?”

“Instead, your body will not be whole. I… no, I cannot guarantee how you will change as a result.”

“…….”

“The way people look at you will have changed a lot by then. And… there is no such thing as absolute power. When Alessius tried to treat you differently than before, did you wish to treat that child as you did before?”

At that point.

Elhermina did not speak for a while.

This was a parallel line in a different sense.

In truth, if Elhermina were determined to do it, how could the Emperor stop her?

However, the fact that it would not be easy for Elhermina to do so was a fact known to both the Emperor and Elhermina herself.

“Is entrusting it to Lueld or Lady Geornia truly not enough?”

“It has been nearly a year since it was entrusted to them.”

Originally.

…Elhermina thought.

Originally.

Immediately after he returned after many twists and turns.

After brilliantly showcasing his presence at the mounted combat tournament.

Confirming the engagement between him and herself.

Only after that, whether through a full-scale purge or restoration of honor, she intended to take whatever measures were necessary.

She planned to normalize everything and flip the entire board, the entire situation, through a legitimate flow.

But then, suddenly, something called the Demon King popped up.

Kariel allied with the Demon King?

Kariel is moving under the instigation of the Demon King?

What nonsense.

…But.

Of all things, Mother had a dream like that.

And they say the one who sealed that dream was the Golden Beast?

…If it’s not a mistake, it’s a fact, so what is she supposed to do?

Then another doubt emerged.

When Elhermina herself blocked him.

The mysterious divine rank he displayed… was surely something beyond understanding.

Nevertheless, because it was him… she let it pass.

To think that was the clue.

Then the problem worsened when the high officials realized this fact.

In fact, it was they who first requested the dispatch of personnel to the Holy See.

However.

Since she had prepared for even this, Elhermina later sneered and used it to her advantage.

In the end, the situation developed rapidly and reached a point where there could be no delay.

Thus, she executed the plan ahead of time.

No, because of that, she could create the situation more firmly and harshly.

Asking, “Are you not the main culprits, accomplices, and instigators who made him ally with and be instigated by the Demon King?”

Creating a non-existent Cult of the Demon King’s Resurrection, selecting and organizing those who would disclose and confess to it.

Confirming this, and making it fit those whose crimes were written in the register.

However, while suppressing rumors about Kariel as much as possible, she fanned the flames of the traitors’ crimes and the resulting anger, further inflating their sins.

The vacancies left by those she decisively cut off were quickly filled according to plan.

Do they know since when this plan had been established?

In case Kariel harbored a desire for revenge, or if he opposed or condemned them with some intention.

These were things meticulously prepared to support that intention in a conspicuous manner.

She thought she would move around the time of graduation from the Academy.

So she waited with patience.

That was the biggest mistake.

Kariel was… far too different from the person she once knew.

The fact that he was putting in every ounce of his effort was true, and it was sincere.

Even the expectations and pressures forced upon him by those around him.

And yet, because we were still young, and because we couldn’t afford to neglect honing our skills to prepare for the future, I thought we could both endure that much.

…It was a complete delusion.

I was able to endure it, but it seemed Kariel’s situation had been very different.

…Why hadn’t I found that strange?

She still could not shake the suspicion that some absurd curse had forcibly planted such a misconception in her mind.

“I understand.”

“…….”

“Do you think this father of yours is unaware of why you brought this up at this moment and why you are maintaining such a resolute attitude?”

“I am humbled by your grace.”

“Sigh….”

The Emperor sighed openly.

“Life truly is endless.”

If only it were a fairy tale.

The moment the Demon King was defeated, everyone should have lived happily ever after for a long, long time.

“…….”

Today, she missed her fallen comrades more than usual.

If only a few of them had survived.

Then a situation like this would never have happened in the first place.

How did things end up like this?

Why.