Episode 72. Preview
Luna blinked.
She had never even considered setting foot in the imperial capital.
Before the current Emperor ascended to the throne, during the previous Emperor's reign, there had been a massive purge of the Yi tribes.
Since then, the Yi tribes had been afraid to even look towards the imperial capital.
Luna had never thought she would set foot there either.
"This was a place where people lived, too."
"Then. What difference did you think it would make?"
Kien, now much more at ease, answered bluntly.
"...I thought monsters were living there."
Luna blinked.
She had never even considered setting foot in the imperial capital.
Before the current Emperor ascended to the throne, during the previous Emperor's reign, there had been a massive purge of the Yi tribes.
Since then, the Yi tribes had been afraid to even look towards the imperial capital.
Luna had never thought she would set foot there either.
"This was a place where people lived, too."
"Then. What difference did you think it would make?"
Kien, now much more at ease, answered bluntly.
"...I thought monsters were living there."
The Yi tribe's oppression during the previous Emperor's reign stemmed from the conflict between the Yi tribes and the imperial people.
The Yi tribes were quite insular at the time.
Not only did they confine themselves and not venture outside, but they also refused to allow the imperial people to cross the borders they had drawn.
Then, lost travelers encroached on the Yi tribe's lands.
Yi warriors killed them.
They were dealt with according to the Yi tribe's laws.
However, the problem was that they were foreign royalty traveling through Hientri.
Hientri suffered humiliation because of this, and the previous Emperor, unable to tolerate the Yi tribe's tyranny any longer, massacred them.
It was a situation no one could blame.
The Hientri Emperor had to lose his son in battle because of the Yi tribe.
The imperial people viewed the Yi tribe as barbarians and murderers.
It was only natural that the Yi tribe, with their prejudice, would shun the imperial people.
Kien grabbed Luna's sleeve and led her.
"If you act so unsophisticated, they'll notice something strange about us. They'll be suspicious when they notice something strange. Their prejudice against the Yi tribe remains. To them, we're still barbarians."
"..."
Luna's face tightened.
"Be calm. After all, we look the same. It's not like they have three eyes."
Kien chuckled and spoke.
Kien led the way across Luna.
If Kassius had come to the capital, there was only one place to go.
The mansion Kassius had first been granted.
Kien's heart swelled with pride at the breath of the capital air he hadn't seen in a long time. Here, they had made a new beginning. The Yi tribes, too, were about to make a new beginning with them.
"...Count Calliot?"
Renisha muttered blankly.
She had never expected to hear such news.
Count Calliot was like a tree.
Someone who would always stand firm.
However, it seemed even great heroes had an end.
Death came without warning and swallowed Count Calliot.
Darkened eyes hovered over the mangled corpse.
"Renisha..."
"I... didn't think he'd die."
Renisha slowly bent her knees.
She had lost touch with reality.
She felt like tomorrow, Count Calliot would shake himself awake and ask, "Do you think I'm going to die over this?"
Renisha's trembling hand grabbed Count Calliot's withered hand.
"I didn't know you'd go so vainly."
The bluish corpse emanated a putrid stench, but Renisha seemed oblivious to it.
"Count Calliot."
She called, but there was no answer.
This profound emptiness that followed death was one of the things that gnawed at people.
Renisha smiled hollowly.
"Wake up, Count."
Renisha's shoulders trembled slightly.
If she hadn't dragged Count Calliot into it. If Count Calliot hadn't taken on the task of bringing Meteo to Hiloshine for Renisha and Lottera.
Renisha swallowed hard. Her heart clenched.
Repeated experiences might have made her accustomed, but this death seemed like something she could never get used to.
"Count Calliot... I cannot lose you like this. So wake up."
Renisha said in a shaky voice.
"You said you'd fight for me. You said you'd take up your sword for me. You said you'd have something to say to my parents once I achieved my goal... That's what you said."
Renisha sobbed, her emotions overflowing.
Kassius waved the people in the hall away.
Those sniffling retreated.
He instructed Lindy to report this to Turiel.
Kassius, having taken care of everything, returned to Renisha.
Renisha remained in that position the entire time.
“Please, wake up.”
Renisha pleaded endlessly, even though she knew it wouldn’t come true.
Kassius placed a hand on her shoulder.
Kassius knew that beneath her facade of strength lay a tender heart.
Renisha cared for her people more than anyone else. She constantly doubted and tested them, but never took back the affection she had once shown.
This was something he had learned during the journey to Hiloshine.
Renisha constantly looked after her people as they journeyed together. She ensured they were eating properly, that their beds weren’t too uncomfortable, and that they weren’t sick.
“Renisha,”
Kassius called out carefully.
“Kassius, wake up, Sir Calliot. Wake him up. He shouldn’t have died so unjustly... He’s not human.”
Renisha grabbed Kassius.
Count Calliot's unjust death would be buried like this.
Laxus wasn't looking for him.
It was highly likely that Laxus had orchestrated his death.
Since it was the Emperor's doing, everyone would cover it up...
"I can't let this be forgotten, Kassius."
Renisha shook her head.
"This man has much to do. Kassius, you brought back the land where the dead were... So..."
Renisha clung to Kassius.
Kassius always gave Renisha whatever she wanted.
And so, this time too.
"You give me everything I want, Kassius,"
Renisha pleaded childishly.
Kassius was the only person Renisha could comfortably show herself to.
Kassius was the only support she could lean on.
Renisha crumbled in Kassius's arms.
"Save me, Kassius."
Renisha muttered in a voice filled with resentment.
“You know I can’t, Renisha,”
Kassius said, his voice brimming with regret.
There were clear limits to what he could do, even if he wanted to.
No matter how powerful the Red Serpent was, Kassius couldn’t bring the dead back to life.
That was the inviolable domain of the gods.
“...I’m sorry.”
Kassius hugged Renisha.
Renisha was still small, perhaps less than half his height.
He held Renisha, who seemed about to break, and spoke in a soft voice.
“Count Calliot will understand you, Renisha.”
“Me...? I couldn’t protect Count Calliot. If I had paid more attention to him. If I had attached someone to Count Calliot... I...”
“Renisha, you can’t control everything. You just have to do what you can, yes?”
Kassius rubbed Renisha’s back until her trembling stopped.
Until her sobs subsided.
“...I'll give you a grand funeral.”
“I will.”
“So that the whole world knows of Count Calliot's death...”
The Yi tribes were quite insular at the time.
Not only did they confine themselves and not venture outside, but they also refused to allow the imperial people to cross the borders they had drawn.
Then, lost travelers encroached on the Yi tribe's lands.
Yi warriors killed them.
They were dealt with according to the Yi tribe's laws.
However, the problem was that they were foreign royalty traveling through Hientri.
Hientri suffered humiliation because of this, and the previous Emperor, unable to tolerate the Yi tribe's tyranny any longer, massacred them.
It was a situation no one could blame.
The Hientri Emperor had to lose his son in battle because of the Yi tribe.
The imperial people viewed the Yi tribe as barbarians and murderers.
It was only natural that the Yi tribe, with their prejudice, would shun the imperial people.
Kien grabbed Luna's sleeve and led her.
"If you act so unsophisticated, they'll notice something strange about us. They'll be suspicious when they notice something strange. Their prejudice against the Yi tribe remains. To them, we're still barbarians."
"..."
Luna's face tightened.
"Be calm. After all, we look the same. It's not like they have three eyes."
Kien chuckled and spoke.
Kien led the way across Luna.
If Kassius had come to the capital, there was only one place to go.
The mansion Kassius had first been granted.
Kien's heart swelled with pride at the breath of the capital air he hadn't seen in a long time. Here, they had made a new beginning. The Yi tribes, too, were about to make a new beginning with them.
***
"...Count Calliot?"
Renisha muttered blankly.
She had never expected to hear such news.
Count Calliot was like a tree.
Someone who would always stand firm.
However, it seemed even great heroes had an end.
Death came without warning and swallowed Count Calliot.
Darkened eyes hovered over the mangled corpse.
"Renisha..."
"I... didn't think he'd die."
Renisha slowly bent her knees.
She had lost touch with reality.
She felt like tomorrow, Count Calliot would shake himself awake and ask, "Do you think I'm going to die over this?"
Renisha's trembling hand grabbed Count Calliot's withered hand.
"I didn't know you'd go so vainly."
The bluish corpse emanated a putrid stench, but Renisha seemed oblivious to it.
"Count Calliot."
She called, but there was no answer.
This profound emptiness that followed death was one of the things that gnawed at people.
Renisha smiled hollowly.
"Wake up, Count."
Renisha's shoulders trembled slightly.
If she hadn't dragged Count Calliot into it. If Count Calliot hadn't taken on the task of bringing Meteo to Hiloshine for Renisha and Lottera.
Renisha swallowed hard. Her heart clenched.
Repeated experiences might have made her accustomed, but this death seemed like something she could never get used to.
"Count Calliot... I cannot lose you like this. So wake up."
Renisha said in a shaky voice.
"You said you'd fight for me. You said you'd take up your sword for me. You said you'd have something to say to my parents once I achieved my goal... That's what you said."
Renisha sobbed, her emotions overflowing.
Kassius waved the people in the hall away.
Those sniffling retreated.
He instructed Lindy to report this to Turiel.
Kassius, having taken care of everything, returned to Renisha.
Renisha remained in that position the entire time.
“Please, wake up.”
Renisha pleaded endlessly, even though she knew it wouldn’t come true.
Kassius placed a hand on her shoulder.
Kassius knew that beneath her facade of strength lay a tender heart.
Renisha cared for her people more than anyone else. She constantly doubted and tested them, but never took back the affection she had once shown.
This was something he had learned during the journey to Hiloshine.
Renisha constantly looked after her people as they journeyed together. She ensured they were eating properly, that their beds weren’t too uncomfortable, and that they weren’t sick.
“Renisha,”
Kassius called out carefully.
“Kassius, wake up, Sir Calliot. Wake him up. He shouldn’t have died so unjustly... He’s not human.”
Renisha grabbed Kassius.
Count Calliot's unjust death would be buried like this.
Laxus wasn't looking for him.
It was highly likely that Laxus had orchestrated his death.
Since it was the Emperor's doing, everyone would cover it up...
"I can't let this be forgotten, Kassius."
Renisha shook her head.
"This man has much to do. Kassius, you brought back the land where the dead were... So..."
Renisha clung to Kassius.
Kassius always gave Renisha whatever she wanted.
And so, this time too.
"You give me everything I want, Kassius,"
Renisha pleaded childishly.
Kassius was the only person Renisha could comfortably show herself to.
Kassius was the only support she could lean on.
Renisha crumbled in Kassius's arms.
"Save me, Kassius."
Renisha muttered in a voice filled with resentment.
“You know I can’t, Renisha,”
Kassius said, his voice brimming with regret.
There were clear limits to what he could do, even if he wanted to.
No matter how powerful the Red Serpent was, Kassius couldn’t bring the dead back to life.
That was the inviolable domain of the gods.
“...I’m sorry.”
Kassius hugged Renisha.
Renisha was still small, perhaps less than half his height.
He held Renisha, who seemed about to break, and spoke in a soft voice.
“Count Calliot will understand you, Renisha.”
“Me...? I couldn’t protect Count Calliot. If I had paid more attention to him. If I had attached someone to Count Calliot... I...”
“Renisha, you can’t control everything. You just have to do what you can, yes?”
Kassius rubbed Renisha’s back until her trembling stopped.
Until her sobs subsided.
“...I'll give you a grand funeral.”
“I will.”
“So that the whole world knows of Count Calliot's death...”
So that his path won't be lonely.
Renisha swallowed her tears.
She knew that her path could never be clean.
Renisha would continue to cause and experience many deaths.
And she would hold all of them in her heart.
“I... will never forget,”
Renisha said in a wet voice.
Kassius kissed Renisha's forehead, hoping that his clumsy comfort would reach her.
Renisha slowly closed her eyes.
The children of the Calliot family she had saved from Laxus came to mind.
Renisha hadn't saved them.
She was a plunderer who had taken their last fence. Renisha bit her lip.
I won't forget.
Never, I won't forget.
Renisha repeated this over and over again.
Kassius collected Count Calliot's body.
The mutilated body was wrapped to prevent the children of the Count of Calliot from seeing it, and a funeral was prepared.
At an age when they still couldn't grasp death, the children had lost their parents, and now even Count Calliot, who had cared for them, had been deprived.
Renisha herself had prepared the funeral with utmost respect.
With a pale face, Renisha placed white chrysanthemums on Count Calliot's chest.
The children, with their hands trembling, followed Renisha and placed the chrysanthemums.
The children, turning and running into their nannies' arms, whined.
"It's strange here. Can't we go?"
"Miss..."
"There's a strange smell, too. When is Grandpa coming?"
The children, pestering their sobbing nannies, were innocent.
Renisha took it all in.
And then a traitor arrived at the funeral.
"Gale Calliot."
Renisha swallowed arsenic.
He was the man who had always been by Count Calliot's side.
He had said he was like an arm and a leg. In some ways, he was better than a nephew.
Count Calliot had considered Gale closer than family, yet Gale had abandoned him for his own convenience.
Even though she knew that a relationship of give and take couldn't always be equal, her blood ran cold.
"...Lady Renisha."
Gale bowed her head before Renisha.
She didn't know what Gale had confessed to Laxus about her secret.
An unexpected variable had arisen, and Renisha needed to prepare for it.
Gale knew everything about Brixton, Haylin, and Isabella.
How much did Laxus know?
A new, heart-wrenching tension seeped into her.
She'd been complacent all this time. Renisha's lips twitched.
Perhaps she'd become accustomed to a peaceful, unchanging world.
She'd accepted people as if she'd forgotten how to be suspicious.
Gale smiled awkwardly at Renisha's wary gaze.
"You know that, Gale?"
"..."
"You'll get everything back. The world isn't that easy."
Renisha continued slowly, her posture erect and dignified, as if yesterday's frustration had been forgotten.
Kassius stood firmly behind Renisha.
“I will never forgive those who harmed my people.”
Renisha met Gale’s eyes and spoke firmly.
“I will give back more than I received.”
“Lady Renisha, I... I didn’t mean to do it either.”
Gale shook his head in denial.
“Really? Then I’ll tell you in advance.”
Renisha smiled coldly.
It was a beautiful smile, but why was it so creepy?
Gale unconsciously stepped back.
“I wouldn’t have wanted to do it either, Gale.”
It was like a premonition of death.
Renisha swallowed her tears.
She knew that her path could never be clean.
Renisha would continue to cause and experience many deaths.
And she would hold all of them in her heart.
“I... will never forget,”
Renisha said in a wet voice.
Kassius kissed Renisha's forehead, hoping that his clumsy comfort would reach her.
Renisha slowly closed her eyes.
The children of the Calliot family she had saved from Laxus came to mind.
Renisha hadn't saved them.
She was a plunderer who had taken their last fence. Renisha bit her lip.
I won't forget.
Never, I won't forget.
Renisha repeated this over and over again.
***
Kassius collected Count Calliot's body.
The mutilated body was wrapped to prevent the children of the Count of Calliot from seeing it, and a funeral was prepared.
At an age when they still couldn't grasp death, the children had lost their parents, and now even Count Calliot, who had cared for them, had been deprived.
Renisha herself had prepared the funeral with utmost respect.
With a pale face, Renisha placed white chrysanthemums on Count Calliot's chest.
The children, with their hands trembling, followed Renisha and placed the chrysanthemums.
The children, turning and running into their nannies' arms, whined.
"It's strange here. Can't we go?"
"Miss..."
"There's a strange smell, too. When is Grandpa coming?"
The children, pestering their sobbing nannies, were innocent.
Renisha took it all in.
And then a traitor arrived at the funeral.
"Gale Calliot."
Renisha swallowed arsenic.
He was the man who had always been by Count Calliot's side.
He had said he was like an arm and a leg. In some ways, he was better than a nephew.
Count Calliot had considered Gale closer than family, yet Gale had abandoned him for his own convenience.
Even though she knew that a relationship of give and take couldn't always be equal, her blood ran cold.
"...Lady Renisha."
Gale bowed her head before Renisha.
She didn't know what Gale had confessed to Laxus about her secret.
An unexpected variable had arisen, and Renisha needed to prepare for it.
Gale knew everything about Brixton, Haylin, and Isabella.
How much did Laxus know?
A new, heart-wrenching tension seeped into her.
She'd been complacent all this time. Renisha's lips twitched.
Perhaps she'd become accustomed to a peaceful, unchanging world.
She'd accepted people as if she'd forgotten how to be suspicious.
Gale smiled awkwardly at Renisha's wary gaze.
"You know that, Gale?"
"..."
"You'll get everything back. The world isn't that easy."
Renisha continued slowly, her posture erect and dignified, as if yesterday's frustration had been forgotten.
Kassius stood firmly behind Renisha.
“I will never forgive those who harmed my people.”
Renisha met Gale’s eyes and spoke firmly.
“I will give back more than I received.”
“Lady Renisha, I... I didn’t mean to do it either.”
Gale shook his head in denial.
“Really? Then I’ll tell you in advance.”
Renisha smiled coldly.
It was a beautiful smile, but why was it so creepy?
Gale unconsciously stepped back.
“I wouldn’t have wanted to do it either, Gale.”
It was like a premonition of death.
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