Chapter 351 - EASG 49

The Extra's Academy Survival Guide Chapter 149: Returning in Glory (7)

Afterwards, as the social gathering's schedule progressed, the rumors continued to spread around.

Saint Clarice seemed to privately meet with Ed Rothstaylor whenever she had time in her schedule. To the other high-ranking aristocrats, it looked as if there was some type of close contact between House Rothstaylor and the Saint.

Though in reality, it wasn't all that strange that a house that held some of the highest authority on the continent was interacting with the Holy Father Building to an extent.

Of course, it would be at the level of being in contact with a mere bishop rather than the Saint herself.

"Will you care to share this song with me?"

"Oh my, Ed. It would be an honor."

The cherry on top took place at the dinner party held at night.

The banquet held in the hall of the second floor was twice as big as the banquet on the first day.

Plus, there were even more distinguished guests that were present on the second day. Thus, the food was more luxuriously prepared alongside the music. There were all sorts of high-quality accessories that were hung on the walls of the hall. On the middle stage, all sorts of storytellers and talents had gone up to excite the party.

Since I was in a position where I couldn't refuse the Saint's request, I confidently approached her, asking for a dance.

Anyway, there were many good things about being recognized as a member of House Rothstaylor. Aside from the authority and power, Krepin Rothstaylor wouldn't be able to hastily lay his hands on me.

Doing that was directly related to my safety, as right now, it was an opportunity to let the world know that I had a strong and reliable person such as the Saint backing me.

"Look over there. That's the bastard who will be reinstated to the house this time."

"I attended the gathering yesterday and saw him there. He seems to be a completely different person."

"Still, how could he change his nature like that?"

Due to my high notoriety, there weren't many pleasant comments coming from the guests.

Perhaps the gossip had reached Clarice's ears, as her expression wasn't all that pleasant as she held my hands, moving to the rhythm.

I quietly bowed my head, whispering to her as if we were having a normal conversation.

"You don't have to be so upset."

"Is my expression that bad?"

"You look rather unhappy."

"I just… I thought I did something I shouldn't have."

I followed Clarice's feet to the music. Clarice was also unfamiliar with dancing, so it seemed as if she was struggling. Still, I managed to move my body to match her movements.

Certainly, it seemed that more attention had gathered on me after suddenly becoming involved with a high-status person like Clarice.

I might be slowly rejoining the aristocratic society… Suddenly, it seemed as if Clarice's high reputation was taking effect, as more people started to look harshly towards me.

Clarice seemed to be very bothered about that. So, as she danced, her expression didn't look great.

"Saint, it's alright. Either way, you have been a huge help to me."

"It would be great if that was the case. Please call on me if you need anything else. I plan to remain in the mansion until the last day of the social gathering. There are still a lot of people I need to meet with."

Clarice was one of the most distinguished guests at the event, one that even Krepin Rothstaylor couldn't treat lightly. With her authority, there was a good chance that she would be able to use her voice in important moments.

After the music finished, it was time to end our dance. Clarice had a sad expression as she tugged on my sleeves.

"I finally had the chance to dance with you, but I wasted the time worrying about things. Sigh…"

After saying that, she let go of her hand. Her slender fingers looked pale.

"There's still a lot of time left in the Social Gathering, so let's talk again, Ed."

"It would be an honor, Saint Clarice."

After Clarice returned to her seat, I left the center of the crowd.

The piercing eyes of the aristocrats were heavy. Some of them even spoke up towards me, although I politely answered them while walking away.

As the second night came to an end and the third day dawned, House Rothstaylor's social gathering would also be taking a turning point.

More than half of the schedule had already passed, but we had yet to achieve anything.

On the first day, I was a little nervous. If I acted hastily, then I might have looked suspicious.

But from the second day onwards, we planned to take more aggressive action. We didn't have an infinite amount of time.

I couldn't forget my goal. The reason I took the risk and returned to House Rothstaylor was to find evidence that proved the evil deeds of Krepin Rothstaylor.

I knew that Krepin Rothstaylor had carried out all sorts of cruel experiments to get his hands on the magic of immortality.

He sacrificed the lives of various servants to test the powers he received from an Evil God. He tricked the imperial family into allowing banned drugs, and he even killed children… He was truly a maniac that was obsessed with immortality.

The reason he was also interested in Celestial Magic was because it was a power that wasn't unrelated to the power of immortality.

He was a madman that researched everything for his goal. The appearance of a benevolent duke was nothing but a facade.

Anyway, if he was doing research at such a scale… there must have been a hidden research facility or secret warehouse of sorts. And it was likely that it was hidden away in his very own mansion, as it would be easy to maintain and visit frequently.

"You look quite busy, Ed Rothstaylor."

It was at that moment, when I was rushing through the crowd to leave the party hall—

"It seems you have become the center of attention at the party. So, why don't you try and talk some more with the distinguished guests?"

In the midst of all the murmuring, Princess Selah spoke to me. She was standing with her back against a wall as she held a small glass of white wine in one hand.

Once again, I felt the gaze of the entire banquet hall. Aristocrats had to save face, so they pretended to be interested in other things, but… It felt like everyone was subtly glaring at me.

"Princess Selah."

"Those eyes of yours as you talk to me. That is quite the refreshing reaction."

After meeting with Saint Clarice in private and even dancing with her at the dinner party, I was now talking to Princess Selah on my own.

Seeing me talk one-on-one with two people who were close to the top of the imperial family and religious group… It was enough to attract the attention of many nobles.

Seeing her talk to me… It was a situation where I struggled to maintain my facial expression.

"Did you know? Ordinary commoners live a life of honor until the day they die just after talking with me once. But even then, it seems that your reaction isn't all that great."

"I also consider it a great honor to talk to you, Princess Selah."

"You have a lot to do, but it seems you are tangled up with some troublesome women."

She was a needlessly sharp woman.

I glanced towards the terrace. The moon was hanging high in the middle of the sky.

Afterwards, I was planning to sneak out of the party and join Yennekar, who was waiting outside.

We had a plan to sneak into Krepin's study while returning back to my room, using the excuse that I wasn't feeling well. I already agreed on that with Yennekar.

"I don't think it's a wise decision to leave behind such a joyous banquet."

"I am very grateful. However, I am not feeling well… I was planning to return after taking a short break from the night.

"Is that so? You looked fine until you danced with Saint Clarice."

After hearing that, I shut my mouth as I looked at her quietly. She clapped her hands laughing.

"Haha, I laugh because it was a joke."

"I'm a person with a poor sense of humor."

"In a bad way, that means you're boring. In a good way, that means you're serious. Alright… From what I can see, you're not good when it comes to relationships with women."

Princess Selah put down her wine glass as she looked at the orchestra in the corner. It looked like they were getting ready to play their next song.

A beautiful violin melody began as it was followed by the melody of various instruments in harmony, getting louder.

Princess Selah approached me quickly, as if drunk on the music. She whispered into my ear.

"Leaving this grand party behind as you go off to do something. It's obvious at a glance. Are you planning to go out and meet with that common woman from before?"

She was exactly right on the dot when she said I was going out to meet with Yennekar. Of course, it was for a completely different reason than Selah imagined.

Anyway, I didn't have much time left.

Whether it was in the morning or afternoon… Krepin has a habit of stopping by his study whenever he had time. So, there wasn't a time to safely search through it unless it was when he was busy hosting the party.

"I told you before. You should get into the habit of hanging out with people in your class. That would be best for your success."

"Thank you for your advice. I will consider it carefully and act appropriately."

"Would you mind if I see if those are empty words or not?"

"Pardon?"

Selah placed the wine glass down on the banquet table.

The wine glass tipped over as it spilled onto the table.

For a moment, the people around us were startled. And in that brief moment, all eyes in the banquet hall focused on us.

The waiter quickly came and started to clean up the spilt wine on the expensive tablecloths.

As they were first class servants, they were quick to work. However, it was impossible to get rid of the attention that had already been drawn.

Taking advantage of this chance, Princess Selah spoke confidently.

"Would you like to share a song with me?"

Silence filled the crowd.

"Watching you, you seemed to have quite the dancing skills."

Meanwhile, I could see Clarice with her eyes wide open.

For dance requests, it was proper manners for a male to ask the female. And if possible, those of relatively low status should be the ones asking the higher status first.

As Selah was a woman of a higher status, having her ask for a dance wasn't common. And the person she asked happened to be me, who had just danced with Saint Clarice.

Having a meeting with the Saint was enough to attract people's attention. But now, having to dance with Selah, the attention of the party really did completely shift to me.

And more than anything, this was the Princess of Frost, Selah.

Wasn't she the first princess of the Kroel imperial family, who even high-ranking aristocrats were desperate to share a word with?

There's no such person that would reject such a request.

"How could I dare hold the hands of the first princess? As I am not in a good condition right now, I am afraid I will only bother you."

After saying that, I politely said my farewells to her as I left the party hall.

* * *

Not everyone let it show, but there was a strange atmosphere throughout the party hall.

Shortly after Ed Rothstaylor left the party, Selah stood alone by the door with a dumbfounded expression on her face.

The first princess' dance request had been rejected.

He tried to be as polite as possible and give a reasonable excuse, but he refused her… A rejection was a rejection.

"Just now… Did you see that?"

"Did he reject Princess Selah's request for a dance? I… Didn't imagine that, right?"

"Didn't he just dance with Saint Clarice? Did he start to feel unwell during that?"

"That was an opportunity to share words with Princess Selah. If it were me, I would have danced with her even if my arm was cut off."

Among the gossiping of the aristocrats, Selah snorted.

His arrogance is through the roof.

She didn't know that he was connected with Saint Clarice. Selah also wanted to maintain an amicable relationship, so she planned to get Ed on her side more aggressively.

The boy who was presumed to be Princess Penia's closest confidant. It seemed that he also had a special relationship with Saint Clarice.

Princess Selah decided to act more benevolent than usual and ask him first, but Ed Rothstaylor had casually rejected her and left.

No matter how highly others thought of him, and even though he had strong connections, his action of rejecting the first Princess was too much. She understood that he was busy, but that was crossing the line.

However, she couldn't directly get angry at him. Even if the world were to be destroyed tomorrow, the mission of the imperial family was to preserve their noble dignity.

He threw away an opportunity that was handed to him on a silver platter.

Selah took another glass of wine as she smiled elegantly. The aristocrats nearby couldn't say a word taking notice of Selah.

Meanwhile, Saint Clarice, who watched the situation, lowered her head. She was holding back her laughter that was rising up. The people around seemed to be bewildered by the sudden situation.

The fact that she had danced with Clarice but refused the princess made Clarice ecstatic. It was a really strange situation.

Well, this is going to hurt my reputation.

Princess Selah straightened her dress as she went back to the crowd.

It was certainly surprising to see that he had a close relationship with Saint Clarice. However, it was still foolish to have challenged the prestige of the princess in doing that.

All the nobles gathered were staring at Selah. Even his father, Krepin Rothstaylor, did the same.

It wouldn't be hard to take control of public opinion to bury Ed Rothstaylor. She wanted him to pay for his arrogance, but for now she was going to meet with her other connections first.

Commander Magnus and the investor Roland.

She was only able to see Saint Clarice, but she definitely needed to make the other two her own.

The social gathering was a golden opportunity.

* * *

[It's at the end of the hallway on the fourth floor. The servants don't come by it often. It seems that the owner of the house ordered them to not go near it…! Lady Yennekar is also waiting nearby!]

Mugg sat on my shoulder as he flapped his wings, relaying the information I asked for.

Rothstaylor Mansion at night. There were still many servants passing by, but the higher you went, the less people you would see.

That was because the majority of the major facilities were located on the lower floors.

As for Rothstaylor Mansion, which has a total of six floors, the higher you went, the more private were the facilities, which were only to be used by the members of the house.

Most of the facilities up to the third floor were accessible even to guests. Maybe that was why it didn't seem strange if an outsider wandered around the third floor. But from the fourth floor onwards, if an outsider tried to enter, the servants would stop them.

Of course, as a member of House Rothstaylor I was free to enter.

"Young master Ed, I heard that you weren't feeling well."

"I can take care of it myself. I will head in first."

"Yes, I understand."

I naturally ran into servants as I went to Krepin's personal study, which was in the corner of the fourth floor. It was rather easy, as I could freely walk in and out.

Instead of entering the study directly, I turned around and unlocked the lock on a window in the hallway.

Click.

I then opened up the hallway window…. A girl riding a fairly large eagle-shaped spirit came through the window into the hallway.

She was someone who was now like family to me.

Yennekar wore a neat royal blue skirt and a pure white blouse. It seems that Yennekar had also been at the party.

"How did you get out?"

"Unlike you, Ed, people didn't care if I disappeared. I looked around when I came by earlier, but nobody was there."

"What about Lucy?"

"She's sleeping on the roof."

She was on top of the grand mansion? That was unexpected… yet also expected.

If your goal was to detect the magic power inside the entire mansion and catch any unusual movements right away, it would be more convenient to climb to the very top.

In case of an emergency, she must have already been prepared to break in immediately. At first glance, she might seem lazy and disinterested, but she was a thorough person when it came to important matters.

I nodded as I turned the handle of the study, pushing it. The door opened slowly, with a squeaking sound.

I guess as it was a frequently visited facility, the door wasn't locked. In the first place, it was in the corner of the fourth floor. An area that one couldn't enter unless you were a member of the house.

I opened the door wide.

—And on the desk in the center of the study… Krepin Rothstaylor was sitting.

"…Heub…!"

Yennekar quickly took a deep breath, covering her mouth with both hands. I tried not to panic as much as I could. I stood still, holding the doorknob.

"You came."

It was Krepin, who had just been hosting the party.

It didn't make any sense that the host left his position while hosting such a grandiose party. And it wasn't even for anything important. He had only come to his study to read a book.

That meant that, most likely, he was expecting me to come here.

"There wasn't a chance for just the two of us to talk without the eyes of others. So, let's have a talk."

Krepin closed the book as he put it on his desk, speaking politely.

"You managed to survive through all those hardships and returned in glory… I'm quite curious about your stories."

"Father."

As for what he said afterward, Yennekar and I couldn't help but be taken aback for a moment.

"—Even now, you call me father."

He… In the first place, he didn't think that I was Ed Rothstaylor.

"There are many ways to escape from the fate of this house. Either way, it doesn't change the fact that my son, Ed Rothstaylor, ran away in an unsightly manner. I am sure of that. So, I can't help but ask."

A window that was on one side of the study. Outside of it, the full moon illuminated the night.

"You, who are you?"

I cautiously reached towards the dagger hidden in my thigh, taking a vigilant stance.

* * *

To my dearest brother, Ed Rothstaylor.

It's already been over a week since the baptism ceremony finished and I was officially appointed as the successor.

I have two wonderful younger siblings, so I wonder if I will really be able to maintain my position of successor as the eldest daughter.

Anyway, Tanya still has quite the ways to go, so Ed, your role is more important. It seems like it was just yesterday that Tanya started talking. But time flies, and now she is already starting to train in magic.

It's been over three years since we started exchanging letters like this. If I had known that exchanging letters like this playfully at each other's doors would last for so long, I would have asked the servants to deliver the letters from the start.

But then, I guess you would grumble about it not being romantic. Anyway, it's strange.

There are many frustrating parts of life in the spire. However, I am still living my life my way. But these days, I've been feeling quite exhausted, and I have been quite sick, but… It's still not like it used to be.

Rather, my swordsmanship and magic training are progressing quite a bit. Do you remember everyone's worried gaze when I said I was going to use a sword that was the size of my upper body? Now that I'm familiar with lightning magic, I can handle such a large sword like it's a part of my body.

At the last gathering, I held a ceremonial sword as I stood in a ceremonial position. All the old people enjoyed it. Everyone wants to see your face too, Ed.

…I wish there was some progress in your relationship with our father. Honestly, it's hard being stuck in the middle of you two.

Ed, no matter what you think, I think he has grand dreams and big visions in his own way. Trusting and following such a father is our duty, one we must adhere to as a family.

So don't say such harsh words.

Unless you are born again, there won't be anyone else you can call Father.

It is depressing to see such harsh words shared between my family. Please apologize the next time you have the chance.

It's not good that our father is looking into your Silvenia admission process.

The issue is that you'll end up being sent to the southern tip of Acken Island. More than anything else, I don't want my family to be torn apart.

Remember what I said last time? Ed, you said you would definitely go to Silvenia as soon as you were older.

But you can also study magic at Rothstaylor Mansion. So please, think about it carefully.

Until the day we die, we are bound together as family. So please don't take that weight lightly.

I'll write you another letter.

Your one and only older sister, Arwen Rothstaylor.

-x-X-x-

Pure evil.

The head of House Rothstaylor, Krepin Rothstaylor. When asked to describe him with one word, everyone would choose that word.

If you purchased , you could see an image of him shown at the very top of the back of the package.

Sitting on the majestic throne of the head of the house, he sat with his hands together and his eyes sharply raised in the darkness.

There were many villains in Silvenia's Failed Swordmaster, but if I had to pick the person who had the biggest impact, it would have to be him.

All of the final bosses had their own stories. They were inevitably swayed by external pressures or were fundamentally good people.

Act 1 boss, 'Elementalist Yennekar Palerover', couldn't overcome the power of the dark spirit Velosper and destroyed the school.

Act 2 boss, 'Inquirer Glast', had justification as a scholar to protect the treasure of the school, the Sage's Seal.

Act 3 boss, 'The Awakened One, Lucy', was because of a misunderstanding that came from the moment you entered the boss battle.

Of course, now I knew the story at a deeper level than that, and the Act 3 boss fight didn't take place. So now, my feelings towards it have changed a lot.

Anyway, when you played Silvenia's Failed Swordmaster, the Act 4 boss, 'Head of House, Krepin Rothstaylor', was the first final boss that tried to block the player out of pure evil.

He only had one reason behind his actions.

It was to raise the prestige of his house and maintain his power for as long as possible.

And to use whatever means necessary to do so.

He was a person who wore the mask of a benevolent duke, but in reality, he treated people's lives like pieces of paper if necessary.

He attacked Silvenia Academy to try and sacrifice a large number of students in order to summon the Evil God Mebula.

Evil Gods were strong and pure. They preferred influential and powerful souls.

Silvenia Academy, which was full of distinguished aristocrats, was the perfect place for summoning of an Evil God.

In the end, he was defeated by Taylee and the others. But even when he died, he never justified his actions.

The resurrected Evil God Mebula was eventually sealed again by Taylee and his party, who had grown quite a bit. Krepin himself was defeated in a battle against Taylee, but while retreating, he ran into the Guardian Obel Forsyth and was killed.

Even when he died, he was nothing more than an evil man.

The benevolent image of him as the head of House Rothstaylor completely disappeared… He laughed bitterly until the very end as he lamented. He was regretful that he failed at the very end.

He didn't compromise. He didn't seek sympathy. And he didn't try to be understood.

He never had any doubts. To climb to a higher position, he was willing to trample on anyone. If necessary, he would deceive, steal, and even kill.

He didn't try to be understood. He wasn't someone who had the good nature of a human being.

So, what made Krepin do it?

That question didn't matter.

He was a complete villain in his own right. And in that role, he did an amazing job.

A player might think much deeper than that, but… It was actually much simpler than they thought.

The other bosses might have had their own reasons and causes for their actions, but Krepin didn't have any of that… He completely disappeared from the storyline after becoming 'A target of subjugation.'

There wasn't a leftover story and it ended cleanly. One would only feel like, 'The very long fight has finally come to an end…'

Thus, the Act 4 storyline ended cleanly, and the story moved on to the final act, which dealt with the story of the Great Sage Silvenia and The Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok.

His memorable end… The scene of leaning against the railing on the roof of Trix Hall, covered in blood, looking up at the Evil God Mebula as they disappeared.

* * *

The door to the imperial library opened.

The hall was so high that it was difficult to guess its height. There were massive bookcases that were easily over two stories high.

That place, where scholars and policy makers of the imperial family often came to visit and collect data, naturally became a place for bureaucrats to exchange opinions and engage in social activities.

However, in recent years it had become difficult to do such things.

That was because the second princess of the Kroel Empire, Persica, had been in the library constantly.

She spent most of her days at a glamorous desk located in the corner of the library, stacked with all sorts of books.

As she sat in the library the entire day, aside from eating and sleeping, the librarians and bureaucrats had a headache.

That was because the librarians had to work with the princess all day long. And the bureaucrats had to be cautious of her whenever they came by to gather materials or find a book.

Of course, aside from the main wall, where large bookcases were lined up, the imperial library was a massive facility with four floors… There was no need to always be cautious of her.

However, even though the second princess always sat in the same space, they were afraid they might run into her when she got up from her seat to walk around and look for another book… It was a godly amount of pressure.

"If you're just reading a book, you can read it in your room, Sister Persica."

"I read through a book quite fast, so it is a pain to have to move them back and forth between my room one by one."

Persica sat in quite a large corner of the library.

There was a luxurious and massive desk, but it was so covered in books that you could barely see it.

Princess Penia, who came to greet her, let out a sigh.

"Besides, it's fun to look through the bookshelves to pick my next book. It's no fun to only read the books recommended by the imperial teachers."

"If you say that, I have nothing to say…"

Today, not only the second princess Persica, but also the third princess Penia came to the library.

The librarians were much more cautious than usual. When they were assigned the position of librarian, which is a relatively small job, they had no idea they would ever have to suffer so much.

"It has already been a year and a half since you abruptly decided to attend Silvenia. Now, it's no longer an usual sight, as I see you return every break to give your greetings."

"Do you still think my admission to Silvenia was out of the blue?"

"Yes. As I said, I never thought you were a person that lacked ambition."

If Selah was considered ice cold and Penia was considered humane, Persica would be somewhere in between.

However, there was no feeling of compassion. To put it bluntly, it felt as if she were rather carefree. Because she was a princess, she wore an appropriate and well-made dress that was suited for royalty. But seeing her casually indulge in all of those old books as she lay around, surrounded by piles of other books, there seemed to be no dignity in her at all.

The hair of the royal family was normally a nice platinum. Penia was similar to a pure platinum color, while Selah was slightly bluer. On the contrary, Persica had a bit of red in hers.

Of course, her eyes were a nice, soft blue, just like everyone else in the Kroel Royal Family.

"I'm not sure about that..."

"Certainly, it feels as if you're now lacking in spirit compared to before you left for Silvenia."

Persica was buried in a book that was larger than her face, flicking through the pages.

"As for you, sister Persica, even during such a time you are still holed away in the library… Do you have no desire to become the emperor?"

"There's no way that would be true. I am just waiting for the right time."

"The right time… When is that…?"

Persica didn't answer. She merely smiled. It was a battle, so why should she have to tell her?

With her eyes fixed on the book, Persica spoke softly.

"Others may be unaware, but I know. Before you entered school, whenever you saw Krepin Rothstaylor, your eyes lit up as you looked at him."

"..."

"Right now, he is back at his mansion to hold the social gathering, but he often came to the library to refer to policy making. Well, at least in my eyes, I only saw him as a faithful servant who served the people and was loyal to the imperial family…"

Persica suddenly closed the book. She quickly threw it onto the mountain of books piled next to her. She picked up the next book as she began to flip through it.

"Since before, Penia, you have always had a strangely good insight into people. Yet you were always so wary of him, so I became quite curious."

"Now, I have decided to stop trying to keep an eye on him. I no longer have any reason to meddle with him."

"I'm not sure about that. Listen. Do you know what books he read in the imperial library?"

Persica tossed some books to Penia.

Penia frowned as she looked at the book one by one.

"The mythology of Evil Gods and the forbidden magics of the Mythic Age. He even looked at forbidden books under the pretext of inspecting the management of archives within the imperial library."

"…What did you say?"

"Well, when I say forbidden books, I mean the ones that discuss the methodology of using cruel magics in its original form. I wonder if he was trying to plot something."

Penia flipped through the books one by one, looking at the titles. All of them were stories about the coming of Evil Gods and the damage they caused.

"What do you think after seeing that? Does he seem like someone evil?"

"..."

It was hard to see it as a definitive piece of evidence. Even if he really did look at those books in the library, it wouldn't diminish his reputation. Perhaps it was only academic curiosity.

However, Penia couldn't help but have an uneasy feeling rise from the corner of her heart.

The memory that came to mind was of Ed Rothstaylor, who had received a letter from her before the break.

He said that he was going to be reinstated into House Rothstaylor and he needed to borrow some of the princess's authority.

Now that Penia had no desires or goals, she had lent her name without much thought. In the first place, Ed Rothstaylor was a trustworthy person. He wasn't the kind of person who would easily tarnish Princess Penia's name.

So, she didn't think much of it.

She didn't want to intervene hastily and mess things up.

The higher the position, the greater the responsibility for failure. She, who had become weaker after several failures, no longer had the will to solve any problems by acting on her own.

"Your expression doesn't look all that great, Penia."

Persica suddenly hit the mark.

"…It's just that his son came to see me before break."

"Ed Rothstaylor. Wasn't he excommunicated?"

"You know about him?"

"I only know his name. I know the families of those with influential power to some extent. But I heard rumors that you were the one who caused his excommunication."

Persica had the ability to memorize anything that she had seen once, and never forget it. Since she had such a smart brain, she could easily put lots of knowledge into her head.

"It's just… I heard that he was going to be reinstated this time. So, I lent him my name so that he wouldn't be looked down upon."

"Oh my, you seem to trust him quite a bit. You're not the type to let someone borrow your name recklessly."

"Rather than trust him… He's just… well, he's not someone who particularly matters. But…"

Penia flipped through the covers of the books deep in thought.

"…I thought something was strange. His reputation in House Rothstaylor should still be low, so how could he be easily reinstated like this? Krepin Rothstaylor is considered to be merciful, but he doesn't have mercy against those who threaten the prestige of his house…"

Ed Rothstaylor had a uniquely trustworthy feeling about him, one that suggested that he could accomplish anything on his own.

However, now she was feeling slightly anxious about it. Persica, who saw this brief moment of anxiety in Penia, cleverly took the chance.

"Well, he is a person where there is absolutely no reason to reinstate him. Rather, if his personality hasn't been completely fixed, then the name of the house would only be tarnished once more. It seems that Krepin is only taking an unnecessary risk."

Persica spoke as she tapped the bookshelf.

"Nevertheless, he has still reinstated Ed Rothstaylor. If I were Krepin, I wouldn't do that unless I had decided to do something else."

Princess Penia's eyes trembled. She decided that she would no longer be involved with what he did.

She was going to focus on graduating from Silvenia without paying any attention to what was going on in House Rothstaylor.

"For example… To use this as bait to force him to return to Rothstaylor Mansion after being isolated on Acken Island."

Memories of the student council president election suddenly crept up in her heart.

What was the reason behind her strange feelings of loss when she heard the news of his death?

Something between guilt and helplessness. And the relief she had felt upon hearing that he was still alive. What Penia realized from those emotions was that she paid more attention to Ed Rothstaylor than she had thought.

She still remembered his wide back as he sat at the camp, poking the fire.

He had never blamed Penia.

Even when she accused him, causing his excommunication, even when she hesitated and failed the make a quick and correct judgment during a crisis that befell the school, even if she had gotten so caught up in her ideals that she failed to consider the damage of reality, and even when she was openly wary of him.

He only thought of it as a mere passing in life. He had never hated Penia as a person.

He wasn't someone who didn't know how to get angry. He simply just lived his life on his own.

He clearly knew the truth behind it all and would fight a high-ranking individual if necessary. He could use countless means necessary to do his part.

And above all else, there was still no reason for him to continue respecting Penia.

He simply understood her.

The third princess of the Kroel Family, Penia Elias Kroel.

Ed did not blame her for her misjudgment. He understood her life of struggling to do her best in the darkness as a child on the receiving end of various plots and attacks, as well as the battle for imperial power, better than anyone else. He even understood and accepted Penia's imperfections.

It was human nature to grow through misjudgments and mistakes. However, bearing the name of a monarch, mistakes could never be forgiven.

It was a cruel contradiction. However, all monarchs must think of it as the norm as they live their lives. Such was the weight of the throne.

That was why, inevitably, the path a monarch took was seen as one of solitude.

It was greedy and arrogant to expect others to understand that loneliness. Only when you gave up the desire to be understood could you become a monarch.

Naturally, that was how it was.

"I had no idea you would help me so easily. I… was ready to negotiate with you more if needed."

That was what Ed had told Penia at the royal residence before leaving the school.

He was ready to negotiate some more.

That day, Ed was ready to exchange opinions with Penia.

Nevertheless, Penia lent her name to Ed without interacting with him.

If it's Ed, I'm sure he will do well. This is a matter of House Rothstaylor, so nothing good will come of me meddling and complicating the matter.

She comforted herself in such a way.

She only realized afterwards just how big of a mistake that was.

"Tonight is the second night of the social gathering, so there are still two more days left."

Persica calmly whispered to Penia, whose eyes were trembling.

"If you go by a horse-drawn carriage, it will take a full day and a half. But if you only go with a horse's saddle and run straight there without rest, you could get there in half a day."

Princess Penia, who had been educated by the imperial family since she was young, had minimal knowledge of riding a horse.

However, right now it would be too late to meet with the emperor to get his permission, form an escort team, and travel by carriage.

If she wanted to go, she had no choice but to run straight to the horse's shed right away and ride the best and strongest horse they had.

As she was taking a sudden absence without permission, unless they were loyal followers, they wouldn't go with her. Rather, it was more likely they would try to stop her.

Including the head of the escort knights Claire, there were about five or so followers under her. There was no time to convince anyone else.

It could be a simple misunderstanding.

Normally, she wouldn't have ever acted so urgently.

However, Penia already experienced Ed's death once. Only later did she realize that it wasn't true. But after experiencing that feeling once, she realized it.

If Ed Rothstaylor were killed like or suffered enough damage that he could possibly die… It seemed like it would become a massive wound on Penia that could never be healed.

"Are you going?"

Persica smiled insidiously as she called on Penia softly.

Penia lowered her head as she then shook her head, smiling.

"There's no way I would. My status has too much weight, so how could I possibly go so suddenly?"

"That's true. I'm reassured with the knowledge that you are still aware of the weight of the royal family."

Persica looked through the bookshelf for a bit, humming.

"Well, I'm sure he won't die. Death is an inevitable thing, but… I'm sure he's not an idiot, either. He should have some ideas."

"Yes… It's obvious that Krepin has some sort of plan, and he isn't so dull that he wouldn't have noticed it."

After she said that, Penia felt nothing but remorse.

However, Persica caught the trembling in her voice in that brief moment.

"Anyway, I see that you are in good health, Persica, so I will take my leave first. It's late at night, so I should go and sleep."

"Alright. Good night."

Persica pretended to read a book as she glanced over at Penia.

After adjusting her outfit, Penia headed towards the library exit as if nothing was wrong.

However, her fists were clenched tightly. Persica let out a cruel laugh. She was looking at the back of someone who had come to a hard decision.

"He is someone who made the third princess Penia act in just one night. Rothstaylor Mansion will become a mess. I am curious what he's like, but now isn't the time."

Putting the closed book down, Persica stretched.

"And with this, I am now the only princess left in the imperial household."

She closed the book as the moonlight softly shone down from the glass ceiling of the library.

Persica got up from the pile of books.

It was time to act carefully.

* * *

"No one knows my son Ed Rothstaylor better than me."

Krepin slowly stood up from his desk as he spoke in a low voice.

"Others may say that you matured after being excommunicated and that you have become wiser, but… I know."

"..."

"My son's heart wouldn't change so easily after a few months in the wild. He sincerely despises me."

Krepin wore a fabulous tailcoat and a black glove on one hand. On the gloved left hand, there was an imprint of an Evil God.

It was possible to hide the engraving, but it would consume too much magic power to do so on the daily. That was why he wore that glove on his hand.

"But it feels as if you don't hold such hatred towards me. Rather, it seems as if you are taking everything in stride. As if you are someone who has no connection to me. When I see you, I can definitely feel that."

"..."

"You are not Ed Rothstaylor."

Whoosh!

"Kyaaaghk!"

The source of the sudden gust of wind came from Krepin Rothstaylor, who stood in the center of the study.

As waves emanated from his left hand, where the engraving was, Yennekar screamed as she closed her eyes tightly.

Whoosh!

Mugg came out as he spread his wings widely, blocking the wind.

Krepin stood with his shoulders stretched out under the moonlight. He slowly took off the glove of his left hand. The imprint of an Evil God on his hand had a dark red energy.

Although it wasn't yet possible to fully handle the power of an Evil God, he could still use part of its power.

"If that's not it, did you forgive me for stabbing Arwen?"

I lost my breath at those words.

"As if that could be. You were the one who trusted and followed Arwen more than anyone else."

Whoosh!

He held his one-handed sword with his right hand, which didn't have the engraving. He was clearly ready to fight.

As soon as he pulled out his weapon, Yennekar reacted first.

Fwoosh!

There was a massive banquet being held downstairs. If she were to summon a high-ranking spirit in such a place, the building would collapse and there would be casualties. Thus, a certain amount of control in her strength was required.

In an instant, Yennekar concentrated as she manifested three large mid-rank spirits.

A fire bat with massive wings. An eagle in the form of water. And a giant made of dirt… Although it was a large study, there wasn't enough space for them all.

"D-Don't move…"

"Elementalist Yennekar Palerover. You are strong, but you worry too much about the situation."

As Krepin clenched his left hand, a crackling wave started to come from his hand.

C-Crackle!

In an instant, all three mid-rank spirits were wrapped up in chains made of magic power.

"Keuk…!"

Yennekar tried to break the chains by casting a spiritual skill, but the speed of the new chains wrapping around her were much faster.

Chains emerged from the air as they wrapped around her arm, binding her waist and legs.

"Eughk!"

Yennekar struggled to pull away from the chains. If she stayed like that any longer, she might get hurt.

While thinking about whether or not she should draw on the power of high-rank spirits and take the risk, the chains were cut from a wind blade.

Booom!

My wind blade was far stronger than normal beginner magic.

That was only possible because I had been training in beginner magic for so long, without a day of break.

"You have good skills with magic."

"Even if I'm not your son, it doesn't change the fact that I am Ed Rothstaylor."

"You speak of the absurd."

"Though it may sound absurd, what if it is true?"

Boom!

As I pulled out my dagger and rushed at him, Krepin made a swiping down motion with his engraved left hand.

I felt a great shock striking my hand as the dagger fell from my hand.

Clang!

My shoulders swung, raising my hands upwards as my body defied gravity, flying up and crashing into the ceiling.

"Keuheuk!"

I coughed as I clenched my teeth, gathering my magic power once more.

Boom!

Instantly, Krepin's leg was cut from my dagger.

I activated the spiritual skill of the dagger I had dropped as it was brought back to my hand. It was lucky that it happened to cut Krepin's leg, which was in its path.

"Keuk!"

It wasn't deep, but it was enough to distract him. The unknown pressure that held me to the ceiling disappeared.

I held the dagger again and with the force of gravity, I pointed it straight towards Krepin.

Clang!

He managed to block my dagger with the sword he was holding. The moment he was about to use the power of the Evil God once more, I pulled out a Shock-Enhanced Wave Ball from my pocket.

Booooom.

Then, a strong shock traveled through us for a moment. I succeeded in creating distance from Krepin.

Anyway, my goal at that point wasn't to defeat Krepin. As I said, if I didn't bring down the name of the house and his prestige first, even if I defeated him, I wouldn't be able to clean up the mess.

Whoosh.

Dust rose inside the library. Krepin quickly blew it all away as he raised his left hand again.

It was a power that I exactly understood the mechanics of. However, as I had played through Act 4 before, I had a rough idea.

He couldn't fully utilize the power of the Evil God, as it was in an incomplete state. However, he was still able to control the 'Physical Power' around him at will.

Gravity, inertia, friction… At least with his magic power, he was able to control the flow of physical energy.

It might feel as if he was undefeatable while the flow of energy in the world was in the palm of his hand.

However, to manage such power, he had to concentrate for a long time and accumulate magic power over a long period as well. It was enough to say that it was a power that was used in a quick battle.

At that moment, the full powers of the Evil God hadn't been fully released. So, now was the best time to defeat him. But the order of things was already set.

I gathered magic power in my hand.

Boom!

As the magic power gathered, I was ready to send it straight to a single point.

Intermediate Fire Magic, Point Explosion.

Krepin Rothstaylor quickly reacted to the speed of my magic power, taking a defensive stance. But unfortunately for him, the direction of my attack wasn't Krepin.

Booom!!!

The floor collapsed as a roar engulfed the entire mansion.

The peaceful and enjoyable social gathering unfortunately had to end there.

-x-X-x-

Anyway, my goal at that point wasn't to defeat Krepin. As I said, if I didn't bring down the name of the house and his prestige first, even if I defeated him, I wouldn't be able to clean up the mess that remained.

Whoosh.

Dust rose inside the library. Krepin quickly blew it away as he raised his left hand once again.

It was a power that I didn't understand the mechanics of. However, as I had played through Act 4 before, I had a rough idea.

He couldn't fully utilize the power of the Evil God, as it was in an incomplete state. However, he was still able to control the 'Physical Power' around him at will.

Gravity, inertia, friction… At least with his magic power, he was able to control the flow of physical energy.

It might have felt as if he was undefeatable, as the flow of energy in this world was at the palm of his hand.

However, to manage such power, he had to concentrate for a long time and accumulate magic power over a long period. It was enough to say that it was a power that was used in quick battles.

At that moment, the full powers of the Evil God hadn't been fully released. It was the best time to defeat him, but the order of things was already set.

I gathered magic power in my hand.

Boom!

As the magic power gathered, I was ready to send it straight to a single point.

Intermediate fire magic, Point Explosion.

Krepin Rothstaylor quickly reacted to the speed of my magic power, taking a defensive stance. Unfortunately for him, the direction of my attack wasn't Krepin.

Booom!!!

The floor collapsed as a roar engulfed the entire mansion.

Unfortunately, the peaceful and enjoyable social gathering had to end there.

* * *

Boom! Crumble! Crash!

The explosion from Ed's magic was heard all the way downstairs.

It could also be heard in the main hall, where the banquet was in progress.

The nobles, who were having small talk while clinking their glasses of high-quality wine, let out confused noises for a moment.

With a rumbling sound and a tremor, part of the outer wall started to crack. Surprised by this, the crowd started to murmur.

Eventually, a loyal vassal—who seemed to be quite the veteran—came out, calming the situation. But Krepin, who was in charge of the event, was nowhere to be seen.

Everyone—including Selah, who was chatting with the people, Clarice, who was enjoying the dinner, and Sinir Bloomriver, who was alone on the terrace—looked up at the sky in puzzlement.

Most people didn't know what was happening, so they first decided to stop the party and wait until the servants figured out the situation.

"…Hmm."

Meanwhile, Princess Selah calmed her breathing.

It was a sudden situation, but that wasn't the only suspicious thing. More importantly, it was suspicious that both Krepin Rothstaylor and Ed Rothstaylor were missing at the same time.

"This wine is quite good. I think I may have drank too much."

Selah spoke as she handed the barely touched wine glass to the waiter next to her. It meant that she wasn't going to drink now.

She went out to the terrace to take a break from the alcohol. When she turned her head to look at the outer wall, it seemed that there was an explosion that took place on the upper floors.

"Hmm…"

Selah was lost in thought. Eventually she burst into laughter as she opened the door and went out.

* * *

Fwoosh.

The sound of dust falling.

The floor of the study was collapsing, and several books and documents were rolling on the floor.

"He said that he could feel an oddly large amount of magic power reacting underneath Duke Krepin's personal study. But… According to the structure of the mansion, beneath his study is supposed to be the kitchen. There's no way you should be feeling such a large amount of magic power in a kitchen, where the servants are working."

According to the information Yennekar found, there was a space underneath the study where a strange reaction to magic power could be felt.

According to the design of the mansion, there was supposed to be a kitchen the same size as the study beneath it. Compared to the kitchen's size, however, the study was much too small.

There was a high chance that there was a space next to the kitchen that wasn't added to the blueprints.

Needless to say, the entrance to it would be in Krepin's study. It would have been better if we had found the entrance, but since the situation wasn't favorable, the floor ended up being completely destroyed.

Booom! Crumble! Crash!

"Kyaaaaah!"

As the ceiling collapsed, some of the startled maids ran out of the kitchen. However, I couldn't see it. There was a large wall that stood in the way, and only the sound of them could be heard.

As expected, the floor of the study only covered the gap between the kitchen and the secret space next to it.

The place I ended up falling into was part of that secret space.

"Keheuk…!"

"Yennekar, are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah…!"

A small space made of bricks. There was only one passageway there that led to somewhere.

The dark passage ran all the way down. Judging by its depth, it seemed that it was connected to an underground space.

It definitely seemed like we found it.

Fwoooosh!

The dust rose up again as Krepin stood up from inside.

He clenched his left hand tightly, trying to compress the air around me. However, I reacted quickly, rolling my body to one side.

Crunch!!

The stone next to me couldn't withstand the pressure, bursting.

Seeing how naturally I dodged it, Krepin was amazed.

"Your reaction is amazing. It's as if it's not your first time facing me."

Of course. I had fought against Krepin multiple times before, so I was used to him. He was by no means an easy opponent, but compared to the Evil God Mebula, he appeared cute.

"Do you know what your mistake was?"

I got up as I patted my clothes and quickly spoke.

"The thing that bothered me the most was that this mansion was entirely your domain. The servants and guards are all Rothstaylor people, who act under your command."

"..."

"But would you ever allow them to come into such a space? You gave up your best advantage."

What I needed to do now was not to subdue Krepin. Everything had an order.

I grabbed Yennekar's hand, dragging her along as I threw both of us into the underground passage.

"Waaaaaaaaah?!"

Surprised, Yennekar held onto me tightly as we ran down the passageway together. We continued to run all the way down the stairs.

It was a secret space that was created for him to hide everything. There was a high chance there would be much evidence of Krepin's evil deeds.

* * *

Tadadak! Tadak!

There was no way he could stay still when Ed was running down the passageway.

Krepin Rothstaylor quickly grabbed his sword as he tried to move.

However, he couldn't chase after him.

Boom!

Kwakakakakak!

It wasn't raining, but lightning had struck.

As if to block Krepin from heading to the entrance, a lightning bolt struck the ground right in front of him, raising the dust.

"Keheum…!"

Krepin quickly covered his mouth with his sleeve as he withstood the aftermath. When he blew away the dust once more, there was a girl standing there fixing her collar, which had fluttered upwards.

Her white hair was beautifully tied into two parts. Despite her petite body, the pressure she had was impressive. Her eyes, which usually looked as if she would fall asleep, suddenly came back to life and were filled with energy.

She fixed her large witch hat as she chewed on some jerky. She then shoved her hands into the pocket of her coat. After a while, she finally spoke in a soft voice.

"I am sorry."

Pababak!

At that moment, four swords made of light appeared in the air as they flew straight into the ground.

The grips of the massive swords were all around her in what seemed like a defensive line… It was not something that could be easily cast.

High-ranking light magic, Sword's Grip of Light.

There were also all sorts of intermediate barriers that were set up like a spider's web, creating an impenetrable defense.

"From now on, you can't enter here."

The rare genius wizard, Lucy Mayreel.

Appearing like a bolt of lightning and taking over the space in an instant, she didn't even show any signs of exhaustion even after creating dozens of intermediate magics and a high-ranking magic.

"What… Did you just do…?"

"Why? Are you upset?"

Her words sounded as if she were provoking him.

However, if you listened to her calm and pure voice… you wouldn't feel that intention at all.

Lucy didn't tend to provoke her opponents in battle to shake their composure. That was because she didn't need to do so in the first place.

She was simply stating the facts as they were.

"Then… try to get through."

It was a barrier that appeared in just a few seconds, but it was like a wall of steel that even high-ranking spirits couldn't fully penetrate through.

Krepin stared at Lucy's blank eyes as he furrowed his brow.

* * *

On the other hand, Lortel was sitting cross-legged with her arms crossed in the carriage that departed from Oldek.

While staring at the Sage's Seal for some time, she had a strange feeling that something was happening in the Rothstyalor Mansion.

All kinds of ledgers filled the wagon. There were still many things left for her to check.

Nevertheless, Lortel still headed out to Oldek without having the time to spare.

* * *

Passing the empire's capital, Kroelon, Princess Penia had a serious expression on her face as she took out a horse from the stable at night.

The imperial horseman tried to deter the princess with a puzzled and worried expression, but a commoner wouldn't be able to stop her.

She put a luxurious saddle on the most powerful and sturdy horse before riding it. The hem of her dress made her uncomfortable, but it would be a waste of time to change clothes.

Princess Penia then ran out of the Imperial palace without permission, taking only four escorts.

A report was quickly sent by the soldiers who saw what was happening, but it was already too late.

There was only one place that everyone was traveling to.

Rothstaylor Mansion, where Krepin Rothstaylor was hiding something evil.

* * *

Tadadak! Tadak!

I ran down the stairs for a while holding Yennekar's hand.

Taking advantage of the chance Lucy had created outside, I had to quickly figure out what this secret space was.

The fact that it had been so tightly hidden meant that it was probably a place where Krepin held all sorts of secrets for his plan.

After running down the dark passage for a while, the sound started to echo.

It was finally time to enter the underground space. At that point, it would be easier to just think of it as a basement.

I held onto Yennekar's wrist, running as I spoke.

"Listen, Yennekar. You have to remember everything you see here. It'll be much more credible if we testify together, rather than claiming me as the sole witness."

"Wh-What is further inside?!"

"I don't know that, either! We will have to see!"

"Eughk!"

In any case, there was a high chance that there were piles of evidence of his efforts to summon an Evil God.

Whatever it was, as long as I could get out with a piece of evidence, everything afterwards would be manageable.

At some point, the stairs leading down ended and a long hallway appeared.

It seemed like the tunnel was made of bricks. Since there were no natural lights, there were only torches that were lit up through magic continuing down the passage.

Yennekar and I ran straight down the passage.

After running for a long time, a large wooden door finally appeared. It felt as if we had finally arrived.

There wasn't anything else to think about. There wasn't any time to prepare myself.

I just kicked the door open.

Bang!

The door opened with a rattling sound, and we could see the structure inside from a glance. At first glance, it didn't look much different than the study upstairs.

It was a fairly large space that was filled with bookshelves. One side was filled with various tools for experimentation.

There were a couple of desks with evidence of researching various magic circles. There was another door on the opposite side of the room, past the lab.

At that moment, we didn't have the time to go through each document. Yennekar and I only briefly looked at everything as we ran straight to the next room. First, it was necessary to familiarize ourselves with the overall structure.

"Huff… Huff…"

Yennekar wasn't good at using her body. It seemed that she was already physically exhausted.

Bang!

After opening the second door… The two of us couldn't help but stop.

"Eugh…Heub…!"

Spreading out on both sides of the narrow corridor were countless prison cells. Solid iron bars were lined up vertically.

Rooms used as a prison… I could see more than ten. I could feel Yennekar's wrist trembling.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah… Let's keep going."

Yennekar felt something with her senses as she consciously didn't look inside the prison.

I looked over at one of them with a glance. The inside of the prison was particularly rotten… And what was inside was as expected.

A prison was a facility meant for imprisoning people.

So, what I saw inside was, in a way, obvious.

As we went through the hallway and reached the end, we finally found an open hall.

In an underground space where I thought a single ray of light would never reach… A ray of moonlight came down from the sky.

Was it because he thought it would be nice to have as much light as possible down there? Making a small hole in that deep underground space, in the inconspicuous ceiling… It was a space where he had ventilation in mind.

In the center of the large circular hall… There was the shape of a person.

"…Ah…Heub…!"

Yennekar couldn't stand it any longer. She felt nauseous.

It was in the shape of a human… And it was clearly standing on its feet. However, it had been pierced through the chest with a greatsword.

It looked as if it had been pierced by a greatsword that fell from the sky. Now that I thought about it, she wasn't standing on her own. Rather, the sword had pierced through her. The sword was stuck into the floor as it held up her body.

I was familiar with that abundant, flowing blonde hair.

That… When I entered the main entrance of the Rothstyalor Mansion, the first thing I saw was a huge portrait…

Thinking about the fact that it was the same beautiful hair I had seen there, a streak of goosebumps ran down my body.

The size and appearance were all similar.

However, the condition of the body was strange.

No left arm.

No right leg.

One eye had a scar, as if it were cut by a knife.

There were marks all over her body that looked like stitches.

Only the remaining eye was comfortably closed. Even though she looked to be in a gruesome state, she seemed to be sleeping comfortably.

"Ed… That person… Is your…"

I had no choice but to open my eyes and look at her. No matter what anyone said, I couldn't deny it.

She was the woman who was once called House Rothstaylor's shining jewel.

I struggled to calm my pounding heart.

If it was just a corpse, I had already seen countless of them, to the point I was sick of it. I'd already seen thousands of people die in just a few seconds.

Maintaining composure was my specialty. Whatever the circumstance, I would always grind my teeth and remain rational.

"Evil Gods. It's said that they descend with blood as the price."

I opened my mouth slowly.

"In order to use the Evil God's power as if it was his own, he had used his blood-related daughter as an experiment."

Yennekar covered her mouth, holding back tears. Seeing the countless wounds on Arwen's body, it seemed like she was left speechless.

"He was forced to use his own daughter. But if that didn't work, was he planning to use his other children as well?"

After muttering those words… I stood still for a while.

It was a period of silence that was meant for Arwen, who had left the world painfully.

"I'm not sure about that. Those words are only half true, Ed. Did you forget?"

I had no idea that I would be answered.

It was an unbelievable sight.

The girl who was pierced by the sword with almost half of her body missing.

The one remaining eyelid lifted slowly, revealing her bright eye.

As if it were natural, her mouth and throat were still moving.

"It's been a long time, Ed. You've grown a lot."

Her voice was just as I had imagined. When Tanya became an adult, would she sound like that as well?

"I… Look a lot worse than the last time you saw me, right?"

Could I answer her?

With that thought, Arwen Rothstaylor calmly spoke to me.

-x-X-x-

A flower bloomed in House Rothstaylor.

All of the influential aristocrats and nobles who watched over the duke's daughter, Arwen Rothstaylor, through her childhood agreed with that.

Krepin Rothstaylor's achievements raised House Rothstaylor's name to the ranks of the continent's greatest power. However, even he ran into the problem that often plagued those who reached the top.

While it was great to hold a strong position of authority at the top, how long would that prestige last?

And that question ultimately boiled down to whether or not one could obtain a good successor.

Arwen was beautiful, wise, and kind. She did her best to live up to the Rothstaylor name and faithfully followed the wishes of her father, Krepin.

Everyone agreed that she had the qualifications to succeed as the next heir of House Rothstaylor. It seemed that the concerns of succession had been settled.

She was a perfect heir that many people of power were jealous of, and it seemed as if the future of House Rothstaylor would last for a while longer.

When Arwen was three, her younger brother Ed Rothstaylor was born. When she was five, her younger sister Tanya Rothstaylor was born. However, she still shone above them all.

Even before her first ceremony, she had mastered all sorts of knowledge in swordsmanship, magic, alchemy, sociology, monarchy, territorial management, and political science.

On the day she received her first baptism, she received the 'Dawn's Blade' as a gift. It was a magic greatsword that used the strength of elemental magic. And on the day of her coming-of-age ceremony, she received 'Condemnation', One of the eight swords used by the Primordial Swordsman Luden from Emperor Kroel.

The entire world was celebrating her.

Until Krepin Rothstaylor tried to obtain the power of an Evil God.

"Sister."

It felt like it only happened yesterday, but it seemed a long time has passed since then.

In a large terrace attached to Arwen Rothstaylor's room, a famous place where you could see the beautiful vast landscape of the estate during the day, and a beautiful starry sky at night.

The moonlight was softly illuminating a table on the terrace.

Next to the gorgeous table, Arwen stood, grabbing onto the chair. Her little and precious brother, Ed Rothstaylor, approached her and spoke.

"Do you know where I found this book?"

Ed Rothstaylor tossed a book on the table as he sat down on the chair opposite her, looking up at the sky.

Arwen glanced down at the table.

It was a history book about the evil god of the Mythic age, Mebula, who was known for hatred and anger. It was a book that had been designated as forbidden by the imperial family.

The book was full of evidence of research on the advent and power of the evil god. It was heavily underlined, and many notes were written in the margins. The handwriting seemed to be that of a middle-aged man.

"Did you find it in Father's study?"

"No. I found it in your secret library. So, I guess it originally was a book from Father's study."

Arwen turned her head towards Ed as her eyes trembled for a moment.

Behind Ed was Tanya, who was hiding holding onto his collar. She was still too young to understand the political world of adults, so she was solely loved for being the cute youngest child of the duke.

The only boy of the three siblings, Ed, was rather smart and had matured faster than expected. However, Tanya was still young, and her life was full of only dreams.

"Tanya… Why…"

"..."

Tanya wasn't smart enough to understand this situation yet, but she was still involved.

The power of an evil god came with the price of blood. Most of the time, it came at the cost of one's own blood, body, and spirit.

The more noble and stronger the sacrifice, or the greater their reputation, the more the evil gods start to drool with greed.

That was why Arwen Rothstaylor would be the first target.

"I came to ask why you don't go against Father."

"Ed. My lovely brother."

Arwen looked at Ed with complicated and hazy eyes.

"Not everyone lives by the right answers. Even a path that seems like an incorrect choice has its own value. Or sometimes, it might be a process towards a bigger goal."

"Father is taking the wrong path now. Do you agree with that?"

"Even though it might seem like the wrong answer, as time passes it often ends up becoming the right one. Leading a group, a house, and walking the path of a monarch is a fight against such opposition."

Arwen had a vague expression on her face. She had already guessed that he couldn't be persuaded.

"And to trust someone is to never lose faith in them, regardless of what they do or what adversity they face."

"Sister."

"If this is part of the process to find a better path, I will never lose my trust in him. Father sometimes wanders and goes astray, but in the end, he has always lived a life of progress."

Ed was speechless upon hearing those words.

She wasn't losing her faith in Krepin.

For Arwen, who had lived her entire life as the noble daughter of House Rothstaylor, Krepin was such an existence.

That was why she had become the most likely successor and the right person to take over House Rothstaylor.

"I don't understand. What is the point of gaining strength and power if you have to sell one's flesh and blood like this?"

"Ed… I'm not going to force you to understand. But… Don't confront Father."

In the Rothstaylor Mansion, everything was in the hands of Krepin. No one knew what would happen the moment he rebelled against him.

The mansion was a cradle that always took care of Ed, but now it only felt like a large coffin.

If Arwen wasn't enough to summon the evil god, would he lay his hands on Ed and Tanya next?

What would be the use of this luxurious mansion and high prestige? What would be the meaning in life? It would have been better to live a life in the slums, begging. At least for them… They could have hopes and dreams about the future.

As he bent down, Ed's expression couldn't be seen.

"O-Older Brother…?"

Tanya, not knowing why the atmosphere was so serious, crouched down as she looked back and forth between Ed and Arwen.

It was sad to see her staring at her, not knowing what to say.

"Can I ask you just one thing, sister?"

"Ask me anything."

"How far are you planning to sacrifice yourself? Even if he asks for one of your arms, are you planning to cut it off with a smile on your face?"

At those words, Arwen Rothstaylor had a slight reaction.

Ed admired Arwen more than anyone else. However, as soon as he saw that expression under the moonlight, he couldn't help but ask.

"Sister. Why are you going this far?"

And hearing her response, Ed lost his breath.

"For my family."

"..."

"He has raised me dearly. I have inherited the prestige of this important house. And he has loved me as his daughter."

Ed and Arwen had personally exchanged letters with each other, cherishing one another as family.

However, for the first time since he was born, Ed felt disgust towards Arwen, who he thought was perfect.

Even if it looked like the wrong choice, they continued to walk on that bridge.

What was the point in believing, trusting, and holding onto one's faith that he would find the right path? How foolish was it to be a person who believed and waited around like that for the name of her house and the love of her family?

The darkness that rose on one side of Ed's heart widened the gap between the siblings.

There was a strange atmosphere around Ed, who sat with his arms folded and head lowered. Tanya was the first to notice and react.

"O-Older brother…"

"I understand, sister Arwen."

Ed got up from his seat as he walked towards the exit of the terrace. He suddenly looked back.

He saw Arwen looking down at her feet with a depressed expression. Tanya was scared, not knowing what was happening.

Suddenly, Ed opened his mouth as he spoke to Tanya.

"Tanya."

Tanya shrugged her shoulders, looking at Ed. He seemed much darker and scarier than usual. Hidden in the darkness of the room, Ed's eyes blazed with flames as he clenched his teeth and killed his emotions, calling Tanya's name.

"Don't stay there. Come here."

Arwen sat under the moonlight on the terrace. Ed quietly stared at her from the darkness in the room.

Meanwhile, Tanya was trembling… She then went to Arwen, hugging her.

"I-I… Will go later…"

"..."

"O-Older brother… Y-You're scary. I-I want to stay with Sister."

Ed lowered his head. After saying 'alright', he turned around, leaving Arwen's room.

He walked down the hallway, clenching his teeth. Anger and grit gradually formed in his eyes as his tightly closed lips began to curl upwards.

The expression on his face as he walked down the hallway was no longer that of the old Ed.

The young Tanya trembled as she was hugged by Arwen. She was still at an age where she didn't understand anything.

"I'm scared of my older brother, Sister… Why is he like that…? He wasn't like that when we were playing earlier…"

"…A lot will change, Tanya."

Arwen wiped Tanya's face as she spoke sadly.

"Strengthen your heart."

* * *

Boom! Boom!

The banquet hall was full of loud noises. The door slammed open as a group of soldiers entered.

The rambunctious noises from their weapons filled the hall, not matching the luxurious and elegant banquet.

Standing at the front was the Brown Bear Knight, Nox, who was Krepin Rothstaylor's closest aide and most loyal vassal.

Nox, who appeared with a large body, entered the hall with the other men enlisted under Krepin. He spoke loudly to the distinguished guests.

"Right now, there seems to be some kind of anomaly inside the mansion. You may all be in danger if you move hastily, so we will gather you and escort you. Please refrain from going out of this hall on your own."

Even after the big explosion from before, the shaking continued. The guests were full of anxiety and worry even though the gathered soldiers tried to calm them down.

"..."

Clarice also sat in the center of the hall with an anxious expression on her face. It wasn't pleasant hearing the constant explosions.

She was afraid the building might collapse, so she thought it would be better to go outside and wait. However, the soldiers stopped several guests from leaving.

"Please call over my Knight Templars. I have my own personal escort team, and they are probably waiting just outside the mansion.

"We can't get in contact with them."

"What did you say…? Did you try to contact them…? They aren't the type to sit still in such a situation…"

Clarice tilted her head as she looked up at Nox. He was massive, like a mountain, and it seemed as if he were saying that regardless of who it was, he wasn't going to step aside.

Aside from Clarice, many other distinguished guests brought up their names, telling them to get out of the way immediately. However, the soldiers started to push them back with their spears.

"Wh-What?!"

"A-Are you crazy?! Do you even know who you are raising your weapons at?!"

"Do you know what will happen if this goes public?! What is with you all?! Aren't you going to move?!"

Nevertheless, Nox stood his ground firmly.

"As I said, this is all for your safety. Not a single person may leave this hall."

Among the nobles who began to murmur, Clarice quietly looked around.

She didn't know all of them, but there were a few people she knew. But still, she didn't see the faces of those who should have been there.

She knew about Ed and Krepin already. But even Princess Selah, who was standing on the terrace just moments ago, was now nowhere to be seen.

Clarice shook her head deep in thought.

If she were determined, she could break through the soldiers and head outside.

However, it was difficult to predict just what type of issue that would lead to. Other distinguished guests seemed to have similar thoughts.

However, one thing was certain. Something was happening inside the mansion.

* * *

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The secret laboratory in the basement of the mansion.

It was probably the place where Krepin Rothstaylor studied how to summon the evil god Mebula. There were obvious traces of it scattered all over the place.

It was full of objects that could be proof of his evil deeds. All that needed to be done was to run away with one of the research journals laying around.

However, right now it wasn't possible to quickly run away.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A continuous explosion sound.

It was probably Krepin trying to break through the entrance that Lucy was guarding. Even if he used all of his magic, magic engineering devices, weapons, and manpower, he still wouldn't be able to break through.

If Lucy Mayreel was determined, then it was an impossible task to break through.

If we didn't get absolutely conclusive evidence that could send Krepin Rothstaylor away forever, it would be a difficult situation for Lucy to actively subdue him. Simply blocking his path and rushing in to subdue him were different different types of crimes.

So, she would be waiting for my news.

"How was your school life in Silvenia? Was it worth it?"

"Now… This is probably not the time to ask that."

"Haha… I was just saying it to help you relax… Yeah, you must have been quite surprised."

Only one of Arwen's eyes was open, as she looked to be in a terrible state.

I couldn't fathom just how far Krepin went with his research. Arwen's condition was beyond bad.

Nevertheless, Arwen continued to speak as if it wasn't a big deal.

Going through that level of torture for such a long period of time, Arwen must not have thought of it as much. After all, she was already probably used to all of it.

It was most likely the result of his research, which had been carried out little by little over a long period of time. The reason she could act so calmly was probably because she had accepted the little changes to her body each time.

It was a difficult sight to look at.

I raised my head, looking at the greatsword that pierced her body. It was the greatsword 'Dawn's Blade' that was given to her during her first ceremony.

A magic greatsword engraved with all sorts of magic. It was best suited for elemental magic, but in that case, it seemed that all sorts of healing magic was imprinted on it to keep her alive.

The reason she was standing still after being pierced by the greatsword was because it was the way it kept her alive.

With magic engraved on the greatsword, there wasn't any need for maintenance, and the supply of magic would also be convenient.

What gave me chills more than anything else was that it was the conclusion Arwen came to herself.

"Since the day you left the terrace, we've both gone our separate ways."

"..."

"I don't know if your path was right or not, but at least for me, this is the end of mine."

The corners of her lips rose slowly. Surprisingly, she didn't regret her choice.

"I don't look all that great, and if I were you, I think I would be heartbroken. But… Still, I wanted to see you at least one more time, Ed."

After she said that, the pieces of the puzzle came together.

Silvenia's Failed Swordmaster, Act 1, Chapter 1.

A third-rate villain who got beaten up and excommunicated after forcing an argument with Taylee.

Ed Rothstaylor.

The road he must have walked from Rothstaylor Mansion started to play out in my mind.

A blonde boy walking down a street. The prestige of his family, his heavy fate, and the future where he may be sacrificed.

Krepin was too strong of an enemy to deal with. However, there was nowhere he could run.

Every night, he would sit at the desk of his room with a face full of anguish as he reflected on his life.

Trying to convince his father and fighting with him. In the end, he strayed further and further before turning into a ruined son… It wasn't hard to imagine.

Arwen was okay with Krepin going astray because they were family.

Ed wasn't okay with Krepin going astray because he didn't want to die.

Even Tanya, who wandered before reaching a fork in the road, not knowing what was happening, had no choice but to follow Arwen in the end. To her, it seemed as if Ed was the one who had gone astray.

Tanya didn't hold his hand. So, Ed Rothstaylor walked alone.

In order to escape from Rothstaylor Mansion, which was like a massive coffin to him, he wandered alone in search of a way out.

Even if it meant becoming a beggar and starving on the streets, it was better than living a life with a predetermined death.

The first thing he needed to do was move away from the mansion. So, even though he had no talent in magic, he forced himself to attend Silvenia's magic department. After entering Ophelis Hall, he finally managed to move away from the Rothstaylor estate.

However, his family's name, engraved in his cursed bloodline, had to be erased.

About a year after Ed entered Silvenia and the people of Rothstaylor mansion were getting used to his absence… The swordsman Taylee caught Ed's eye. And so did Princess Penia, who couldn't stand injustice.

After that, everything was a breeze.

'No longer will you be recognized as a member of the Rothstaylor family. For the crime of inappropriately swearing in front of the honorable Princess Penia, fraudulent intervention at the entrance exam for the Holy Silvenia Academy, and neglecting your class by being blinded by jealousy, thus tarnishing the family's name. All of which cannot be taken lightly.'

The first thing I read after coming to this world. A letter from the head of the house.

Sitting alone in his room at Ophelis Hall, the blonde boy who received the letter must have lowered his head alone.

He lived his entire life under the prestige of House Rothstaylor.

However, now he was a man who had thrown it all away with his own two hands. He was kicked out of the dormitory and completely naked in the cruel world.

What did he feel then? Was it joy, fear, or perhaps endless emptiness?

What sort of expression did he have, alone in the dark room of Ophelis Hall, where no one came for him.

I didn't know.

However, there were a few things I could infer.

Even though he had run away to the school, he really didn't care at all, no matter how bad other people's evaluation of him was.

And even though he was an aristocrat, the luggage Bell Maya carried for him was minimal. In other words, despite living a luxurious life for his entire life, he hardly had anything of his own.

He also had no plans of what to do after being excommunicated.

So, as he opened the window of Ophelis Hall… His expression as he looked down at the muted scenery with the letter from Krepin in one hand… More than anything else, it would be empty.

That was the life of Ed Rothstaylor.

He ran away, but there was no place for him on Acken Island.

No, there wasn't any place for him throughout the entire world.

As he looked down at the school with a blank expression on his face, he faced a tragic reality.

* * *

Booooooom! Boom!

While using all sorts of elemental magic, he even tried to use the power of the Evil God. However, there didn't seem to be the slightest evidence that he was breaking through the entrance Lucy Mayreel was guarding.

Lucy's expression didn't change. With a drowsy expression, she simply stared at Krepin as she chewed on her jerky.

"Alright. Now I have no choice but to admit it."

Krepin put down the sword he was holding in his hand as he slowly gathered his strength to the hand imprinted with the Evil God.

"Through normal means, I wouldn't be able to get past you."

Slowly, very slowly… A heavy energy started to rise.

There was an unpleasant sound as the size of the engraving grew. Little by little, the engraving devoured his body, covering his entire upper half. The ground began to shake.

Tremble! Shake!

Screams from servants and guests could be heard throughout the mansion.

Despite that, Krepin didn't pay any attention as he gathered his strength. It was strange.

Krepin was a veteran who, no matter what, never showed any political weakness.

However, if he were to draw on the power of the evil god beyond his limits at a social gathering full of distinguished guests, he would most likely end up politically and socially ruined.

Despite that, Krepin continued to gather his power without hesitation.

Tremble! Slam!

Disgusting tentacles started to come up from the floor. More than ten tentacles began to wriggle around.

The energy wasn't normal. Lucy spit out the jerky as she glared at Krepin strongly.

It was because of his political influence and the prestige of his house that Lucy didn't exert more strength than necessary against Krepin. However, if he's going to come out like that, it was a different story.

The evil god Mebula.

If it fully manifested, even Lucy would find it to be quite the serious opponent.