Chapter 71: Intersection

Since Kariel ran away.

Since he left on the pretext of a Holy Land Pilgrimage.

There had been no great change in the daily life of Sylphia, who had been his personal maid.

As was typical of the Brandiar family, who employed very few people, once one started looking for work, the tasks increased without limit.

The wages she received were quite high compared to servants in other mansions or households.

The work itself wasn’t particularly grueling.

Among the maids and servants employed by noble households or prestigious families, the most common complaint was that the hardest part was walking on eggshells around the master.

Even that was considered a mere difficulty, to the point where there were practically no major problems.

Except, perhaps, for the somewhat strict head maid.

Above all, there were many who wished to become servants or maids out of respect and reverence.

However, thanks to the firm will of the head and mistress of the house, who disliked waste in such matters, the Brandiar family remained, quite literally, a household in name only.

Half of the gardeners, home security, and bodyguard personnel were provided by the Royal Court.

Had it not been for that, the interior of the family home might have been truly hollow compared to its scale.

“Do not take your eyes off her. Develop the habit of always keeping a close watch.”

The head maid had considered hiring a new wet nurse to attend to Lady Ermina.

However, Ermina instructed that everyone, including herself, should be able to fulfill the role.

Since her primary role had vanished—aside from breastfeeding—Sylphia was the most suitable candidate, and as a result, she took on the role of caring for the second young master.

…She liked children. She had spent quite a lot of time caring for them.

However, there was one role she absolutely could not perform: breastfeeding.

Thus, whenever the child whimpered from hunger, Sylphia would soothe him and go find Ermina.

“There, there. That’s it….”

Cradling the child in her arms and focused on breastfeeding, Ermina still looked pale, as if the blood had drained from her face.

Normally, she would have left her seat quickly, but lately, she seemed absent-minded to the point of neglecting her own health.

“Sylphia. By the way, where has Kariel gone that there is still no news for his mother?”

“Pardon?”

“Ah….”

She spoke with eyes that seemed lost in a dream, but then she immediately became gloomy, as if suddenly awakened.

“Right. This… is reality.”

Recalling and repeating something to herself.

While holding the child, she recited a short prayer and made the sign of the cross.

“I shouldn’t… be like this.”

“Lady Ermina?”

“I must be afraid. Even though I could know the whole truth if I headed somewhere right now… I simply cannot find the courage. This is all my fault. My fault. It is my lack of virtue, my deficiency.”

Thanks to Lueld’s request, Sylphia could not bring herself to confess the facts she knew.

Yet Ermina looked pained, as if she had already guessed to some extent even without being told.

Despite her radiant appearance and an aura that seemed almost divine.

Now, she was merely like a mother sheep or deer that had lost its child.

She seemed to be barely managing her heart-wrenching grief.

“…….”

Is there truly no path where everyone becomes happy?

Watching Ermina rock the child to soothe him, Sylphia swallowed a sigh inwardly, without letting it show.

====

“Cough! Cough!”

Perhaps it was because of the mental strain, despite her body being fine.

Geornia, who had been unable to leave her bed for a while due to a cold, felt as if she were dying.

‘Damn it.’

Still, she had delivered everything that needed to be delivered.

The Golden Beast she encountered again.

…That wicked existence in the form of a girl.

Welcomed her as if it had known she would return.

[You finally came? If you had taken my goodwill at face value, things might have worked out better. This is your last chance to turn back. Are you sure you’re okay with this?]

The way it behaved and instigated—making it inevitable whether one stepped back or forward.

Nevertheless, she had no choice but to proceed.

At that time, Geornia asked in turn.

As if demanding, as if interrogating.

Adding anger and resentment to her tone.

“You. I heard Kariel babbled something about the Demon King’s Curse or whatever.”

“Me? What curse?”

The Demon King tilted her head, shamelessly sucking her finger like a child, acting completely nonchalant.

“…If you don’t know, then who does?”

“I might have been that boy’s salvation, but I wouldn’t be his curse. In the first place, it wasn’t my fault or my role that he ended up in that state. That’s entirely on you lot. You lot! Who are you trying to blame? You dragged me back, someone who couldn’t even become a wraith after dying, just to blame me? You’ve all completely lost your minds, haven’t you?”

“How dare you…….”

“How dare I? Oh? Are you crazy? Why? Are you going to blame me when you grow old and die later? Maybe it’s my fault when breathing things die of disease, or when a country falls, or when it rains and snows? Go ahead, try saying that. Ah, except for when I was alive. I mean after I died.”

Smiling slyly, the creature gestured dismissively, as if scolding her to stop blaming others.

“Whether you believe me or not is your freedom. But at least, based on the speck of memory I have as a former fragment of the Gold, let me give you a little hint. The ones who brokered the deal between me and Kariel were the old wraiths who built this country. Why else would they have dragged me in? It means the boy’s condition was that bad.”

“What… does that mean? Old wraiths?”

“If you don’t know, then fine! Anyway, as a small act of generosity to provide a clue for the part you’re curious about: there will be human political malice… and the intention of someone who pushed them into it. It’s very secret, so it won’t be easy to figure out… but whatever their intention was, if they planned to push Kariel to the brink… I’d say it was quite successful.”

“How… can I believe those words?”

“At the point I’m bringing this up, you must have a hunch, right? For me, it was just a moment… but you’ve gone and looked into things in various ways, haven’t you? Or did you just diligently and politely eat whatever they handed you?”

“…….”

Naturally.

Just in case, she had uncovered a lot.

Because the more she dug, the more things kept popping up.

Especially….

The political plot led by Count Esdina to intentionally tame the new nobility.

…Kariel had been exposed to this, became the target, and despite knowing it was poison, despite knowing it was a worm, he had to politely accept it, swallow it down his throat, and chew and swallow every bit of that malice.

And currently, the Emperor and the Princess had begun to tame the nobles of the opposing faction based on this.

…For example, it had become a weakness and a flaw for everyone who conspired at the time.

The problem was that since the one who superficially led this was the Prince, Alessius, they couldn’t take immediate action.

The ones who actually led and drove this were the core of the Noble Faction, headed by the Count Esdina household.

However, the main force that actually carried out the harm were the successors and the children.

Because so many people were entangled… it had reached a point where they couldn’t pinpoint and punish any single person.

If they did, they would inevitably have to entangle Alessius as well.

…And.

“I guess you have a hunch? But you should consider that there’s one more thing after that. I’ll bet my name that this isn’t everything. Ah, did I give away too much?”

“…….”

It was like a poisoned apple, but she had no choice but to swallow it.

Since the Golden Demon King, the Demon King of Wisdom, had always been like that.

Crushing lies, intrigue, and resistance with overwhelming truth.

…An unprecedented malice that burdens one with frustration and despair in the name of truth.

That is why only an innocent sword—one with indomitable will and integrity, with clear goals and purposes, like Lueld—could point its blade directly at her.

She whispers to parents with a terminally ill child, coaxing them by saying she will cure the child’s disease.

To those who crave knowledge, she gives a taste of supreme knowledge and an endless source of information.

She commands them to kneel.

To those who long for life, she presents a path to extend their lifespan.

To those who desire countless treasures, she places them in their hands and further teaches them how to grow and protect those treasures.

She instills a sense of self-reliance and independence in slaves, awakening their consciousness of resistance.

To those of Blue Blood, she breathes in desire, whispering that anyone can become a king, an emperor, a conqueror, or a sovereign.

She even provides the blueprint, the plan, and the design.

She holds all the answers to this world.

Those seeking answers in life.

Those who dream excessive dreams.

The idealists.

Those who wish to obtain the truth.

Those searching for a path where there is no way forward.

Even those wandering through a maze.

…To those who are so desperate that they have no solution other than praying to God.

How loathsome and hateful is that existence?

A being who lives in a world of her own.

She brought the largest invasion force in the history of the Demon King’s Army’s invasions.

Yet she allowed them to be split and divided, even permitting some to join the Human Alliance, treating it as mere amusement.

What on earth is different about her?

Why is she so absurd compared to other Demon Kings?

“Enough chatter. Let’s go see now. Or do you want to back out now? That would be more beneficial… but it’ll probably be hard to do that now, right?”

With a beaming smile, swaying her back cheerfully.

The Golden Girl led the way with short, dancing steps.

“I’m not going to tell you anything from now on. Watch for yourself, and judge for yourself.”

And so.

Geornia ended up peering into the room where Melineos lay on the bed, half-dead.

Listening unilaterally to the rambling of Elhermina, who was also in a frail state and looked slightly more mature.

“Is it my turn now?”

As Elhermina left the room, the Golden one entered as if she had been waiting.

And then.

…She began to awaken Melineos to the cruel reality.

And the content.

Even though it wasn’t a long or detailed explanation.

…Even a part of it contained meaning and content that was hard to bear.

“Gah!”

Returning to reality, this time she didn’t just retch but coughed up blood, desperately suppressing the urge to lose consciousness.

‘How… how did things go this far….’

And now.

She had to deliver the contents she had seen and heard to everyone waiting.

It felt as if she had suddenly become a herald of destruction and despair.

Her heart, too, suddenly began to rot.

====

“No, I’m telling you, the sword actually spoke to me!”

“Ah, whatever. So what did it say?”

“It told me to piss off.”

“……Know when to stop with the bluffing.”

“No, I’m serious!”

Leo, whose turn it was, had tried gripping the sword.

Afterward, Luciri had also tried gripping it.

When Leo started saying strange things, Luciri seemed to be letting it go in one ear and out the other, responding with a half-hearted “yes, yes.”

“You’ve waited a long time.”

“……I guess so.”

Kariel gave a look to Luirin, asking if he wanted to try it first.

“I’m not interested in that kind of thing.”

“If you pull that out and sell it, wouldn’t you be able to live without working for the rest of your life?”

“…Do you think it’ll come out if I grip it with that kind of mindset?”

Still, perhaps tempted, he gripped the sword embedded diagonally and gave a few heaves.

“…No chance. Hmph!”

As Luirin stepped back two paces, only then could Kariel approach the sword.

He placed a simple wildflower he was holding near the embedded sword, about a step away.

Since countless flowers were already there, placing one wouldn’t make much of a difference… but what did it matter?

“…….”

After a moment, Kariel caught his breath and took a light deep breath.

Above the old, worn hilt, which was so rusted and dull it looked as if it were covered in layers of sand.

He slowly reached out his hand.