(162) Because of my foolishness (1)
"If it were the former King, he would have already died. Shall we pray together for his rest?"
At Geor's words, the child shook his head vigorously.
-“The late King does not die.”
"Who in this world doesn't die? Everyone dies. You die, and I die too. Though I'll probably die sooner than you do. Come to think of it, I'm envious. It's nice being young."
"No. Even if we die, the former King will not die."
Then the child spoke about the legend of the former King passed down among the Paganus.
It was said that she was someone who had already lived for a long time since she sat on the throne. It was said that the long years were etched on her face, leaving many wrinkles, and that her eyes were the golden color of the sun.
—“But they say that when she laughs out of genuine joy, she looks like a little child. Like a really pretty girl.”
There were legends of saviors everywhere.
The legend of the savior that had spread among the Paganus, who had been forced to live as fugitives for a long time, was interesting, but that was all. Geor left the village with his knights, abandoning the terrified villagers. By the time the village was out of sight, the conversation with the child had also faded from his mind.
He never imagined that something he had let slide would suddenly become a reality.
Her face was full of wrinkles, but when she smiled, she looked like a child.
Shini would not have made things up. Since Shini was abandoned as soon as she was born and lived confined in an iron cage, she had no opportunity to hear the legend of the savior circulating among the Paganus.
Geor stared at Cyrus, who was waiting for his answer.
It is said that Cyrus and Louis were unable to move in front of that old woman. That implies she is likely not an ordinary old woman.
The fact that Ariana was affected by that old woman and even fainted means there must be something between Ariana and the old woman.
If the old woman was indeed Paganus's former King, it was impossible to know how Cyrus would react to what had happened between the two. On the other hand, he also felt the urge to speak honestly.
Look at this, Ariana might be connected to Paganus. Do you still love Ariana? Has your heart not changed? I love Ariana no matter what she is; what about you?
Geor gently clenched his fist and said.
“How could I know something that the Northern Lord does not know?”
Cyrus narrowed his eyes. He examined Geor's face for a moment, then turned his gaze back to Ariana.
"Yeah, that's not important right now."
The moment she was consumed by darkness, Ariana returned to the past.
She was on her way to make contact with Paganus at the edge of the eastern region on the orders of the Third Prince. On the way, she encountered bandits, resulting in the death of most of her escorting soldiers and the theft of her provisions. Two soldiers and a small bundle containing some bread and a few pieces of jerky were all Ariana had left.
She knew the plan had failed, but she couldn't stop. If she returned like this, she would incur the Third Prince's hatred.
Useless. I shouldn't have asked you to do this. Yeah, I knew you wouldn't be able to do it.
She did not want to hear such words come out of the Third Prince's mouth. So, enduring hunger and the heat, Ariana headed east, eastward.
The soldiers the Third Prince had haphazardly gathered and assembled were not very loyal. As the journey continued, clearly destined for failure, they fled with the bundles of food while Ariana briefly dozed off, leaving behind a single piece of bread and a bottle of water as a final act of mercy.
Ariana carried it close as she moved. She drank water whenever she saw a stream and survived by picking and eating leaves, flowers, and small fruits. She intended to conserve bread and water until the very last moment.
After walking for a few days, she found them. An old woman and a child were lying on the ground, covered in blood. They looked as if they had fled from somewhere.
Abe approached to check and saw that the child was dead, but the old woman was barely breathing. After hesitating, she reached out, and her fingertips touched the old woman's shoulder.
At the sight of the pupils visible through her wide-open eyes, Ariana let out a small gasp.
"Golden yellow..."
The old woman's eyes narrowed for a moment, then closed again.
Ariana was conflicted.
This old woman is going to die anyway. She can barely take care of herself. She has work she must do, and this old woman's death is not her responsibility.
However, her body moved on its own, and she embraced the old woman and tilted the water bottle to her dry lips. After drinking the water, the old woman opened her eyes again.
“Madam, the child is...”
Ariana quietly covered the decaying corpse of the child and spoke.
“The child... it seems God called him a little early.”
The old woman's face contorted.
"The person who should die is not dying, while the person who should live is dying."
“No one in this world deserves to die. Here, Grandma. Take this and get up. It is dangerous here, so you need to regain your strength quickly and get out of here.”
The old woman looked down at Ariana's hand as she held out the bread. She also saw that the wrist, glimpsed through the long sleeve, was parched.
However, the old woman took the bread from Ariana and ate it all without leaving anything behind. She also drank all the water in the bottle.
Even though she was not in a condition to regain her strength with just a little water and food, the old woman regained her strength, stood up, and stood facing Ariana. She gazed intently at Ariana with eyes like the sun.
The old woman said that Ariana looked sad and that there was someone who hated her.
'Is that so? Was there someone who hated me?'
"If it were the former King, he would have already died. Shall we pray together for his rest?"
At Geor's words, the child shook his head vigorously.
-“The late King does not die.”
"Who in this world doesn't die? Everyone dies. You die, and I die too. Though I'll probably die sooner than you do. Come to think of it, I'm envious. It's nice being young."
"No. Even if we die, the former King will not die."
Then the child spoke about the legend of the former King passed down among the Paganus.
It was said that she was someone who had already lived for a long time since she sat on the throne. It was said that the long years were etched on her face, leaving many wrinkles, and that her eyes were the golden color of the sun.
—“But they say that when she laughs out of genuine joy, she looks like a little child. Like a really pretty girl.”
There were legends of saviors everywhere.
The legend of the savior that had spread among the Paganus, who had been forced to live as fugitives for a long time, was interesting, but that was all. Geor left the village with his knights, abandoning the terrified villagers. By the time the village was out of sight, the conversation with the child had also faded from his mind.
He never imagined that something he had let slide would suddenly become a reality.
Her face was full of wrinkles, but when she smiled, she looked like a child.
Shini would not have made things up. Since Shini was abandoned as soon as she was born and lived confined in an iron cage, she had no opportunity to hear the legend of the savior circulating among the Paganus.
Geor stared at Cyrus, who was waiting for his answer.
It is said that Cyrus and Louis were unable to move in front of that old woman. That implies she is likely not an ordinary old woman.
The fact that Ariana was affected by that old woman and even fainted means there must be something between Ariana and the old woman.
If the old woman was indeed Paganus's former King, it was impossible to know how Cyrus would react to what had happened between the two. On the other hand, he also felt the urge to speak honestly.
Look at this, Ariana might be connected to Paganus. Do you still love Ariana? Has your heart not changed? I love Ariana no matter what she is; what about you?
Geor gently clenched his fist and said.
“How could I know something that the Northern Lord does not know?”
Cyrus narrowed his eyes. He examined Geor's face for a moment, then turned his gaze back to Ariana.
"Yeah, that's not important right now."
***
The moment she was consumed by darkness, Ariana returned to the past.
She was on her way to make contact with Paganus at the edge of the eastern region on the orders of the Third Prince. On the way, she encountered bandits, resulting in the death of most of her escorting soldiers and the theft of her provisions. Two soldiers and a small bundle containing some bread and a few pieces of jerky were all Ariana had left.
She knew the plan had failed, but she couldn't stop. If she returned like this, she would incur the Third Prince's hatred.
Useless. I shouldn't have asked you to do this. Yeah, I knew you wouldn't be able to do it.
She did not want to hear such words come out of the Third Prince's mouth. So, enduring hunger and the heat, Ariana headed east, eastward.
The soldiers the Third Prince had haphazardly gathered and assembled were not very loyal. As the journey continued, clearly destined for failure, they fled with the bundles of food while Ariana briefly dozed off, leaving behind a single piece of bread and a bottle of water as a final act of mercy.
Ariana carried it close as she moved. She drank water whenever she saw a stream and survived by picking and eating leaves, flowers, and small fruits. She intended to conserve bread and water until the very last moment.
After walking for a few days, she found them. An old woman and a child were lying on the ground, covered in blood. They looked as if they had fled from somewhere.
Abe approached to check and saw that the child was dead, but the old woman was barely breathing. After hesitating, she reached out, and her fingertips touched the old woman's shoulder.
At the sight of the pupils visible through her wide-open eyes, Ariana let out a small gasp.
"Golden yellow..."
The old woman's eyes narrowed for a moment, then closed again.
Ariana was conflicted.
This old woman is going to die anyway. She can barely take care of herself. She has work she must do, and this old woman's death is not her responsibility.
However, her body moved on its own, and she embraced the old woman and tilted the water bottle to her dry lips. After drinking the water, the old woman opened her eyes again.
“Madam, the child is...”
Ariana quietly covered the decaying corpse of the child and spoke.
“The child... it seems God called him a little early.”
The old woman's face contorted.
"The person who should die is not dying, while the person who should live is dying."
“No one in this world deserves to die. Here, Grandma. Take this and get up. It is dangerous here, so you need to regain your strength quickly and get out of here.”
The old woman looked down at Ariana's hand as she held out the bread. She also saw that the wrist, glimpsed through the long sleeve, was parched.
However, the old woman took the bread from Ariana and ate it all without leaving anything behind. She also drank all the water in the bottle.
Even though she was not in a condition to regain her strength with just a little water and food, the old woman regained her strength, stood up, and stood facing Ariana. She gazed intently at Ariana with eyes like the sun.
The old woman said that Ariana looked sad and that there was someone who hated her.
'Is that so? Was there someone who hated me?'
That was not the case.
If she hated anything, she hated herself for being born when she shouldn't have been, and she resented her life for being completely useless.
Nevertheless, the old woman said, convinced that there was someone who hated Ariana.
"I will bestow my blessings upon you."
The old woman grabbed Ariana's wrist. It was a strength so powerful that it was surprising how such strength could come from such a gaunt hand.
It hurt so much that Ariana wanted to pull her arm away, but she couldn't.
The old woman's eyes shone as brightly as the sun, making her eyes feel like they were burning up.
“Someday, when the blood of those who hate stains this earth, you will get another chance, Madam.”
The world turned white.
The next moment, Ariana became Russell White.
He sat quietly in the darkened office. A solitude of indescribable magnitude weighed heavily on his shoulders.
Geor, standing in the corner of the office, chattering about needing to pray to God. Fellowes, shouting at him to stop with that god talk. And Theodore scolded him to lower his voice.
It is gone now.
Geor died protecting Russell from enemies attacking from the front and back.
-"Father."
He clearly remembered Geor's last moments.
-“Every moment of the days we spent together was an honor for me.”
Geor smiled brightly. Even while bleeding from deep wounds in his chest and side, he smiled so innocently.
Russell did not want to leave his son behind and run away, but Fellowes grabbed Russell's arm and dragged him.
"If the monarch of the East falls, the East is finished!"
Although Fellowes was also in poor condition, he eventually grabbed Russell's arm and put him on the horse. Thus, Russell left his son behind and fled to escape death.
"Come here."
Standing before the Paganus who had eaten the hearts of wild beasts, he heard his son murmuring in a low voice. He wanted to turn around and run at any moment, but Fellowes woke Russell up.
"If you die here, it's the end for us, too."
He had to think of the remaining family, the knights, and the people of the East. It was a position where he had to do so. It was a place where he had to walk over the death of his son.
So Russell ran, shedding tears of blood. On the way to the point where he would rejoin the knights, Fellowes also died.
His body was waiting at the place where they arrived, having failed to protect anyone.
Russell rallied the remaining troops and faced the advancing enemy. He defended the capital of the Eastern Territory, but he could not protect his loved ones.
It is all my fault for being foolish. It is my fault for being dim-witted.
In the quiet office, Russell fell into ceaseless self-reproach.
I just wanted to quietly maintain peace...
Long ago, when the Northern and Eastern territories together destroyed Hedran, the sacred site of Paganus, the Emperor trusted only the words of the Western Lord and turned his back on the former Northern Lord and Russell.
The timid and suspicious Emperor was always anxious about protecting his position. He trusted the Western Lord more than the powerful Eastern and Northern Lords, even though the Western Lord was weaker, but acted like a tongue in his mouth.
After learning this, Russell chose to keep his distance from the Empire. To prevent the Eastern Territory from getting entangled in the struggle for supremacy, he moved quietly only when the Emperor needed him and remained quietly crouching at other times.
He thought that if he distanced himself from all nations and did not get involved in power struggles, the East would be safe. He thought that it would never again become the center of intrigue like it did back then.
He thought that neither the Western Lord who wanted to catch the Emperor's eye, nor the Northern Lord who was driven solely by revenge after losing his parents, nor the Emperor who feared losing his position, would care about the reclusive East.
It was foolish.
He realized only after losing a lot that simply strengthening the foundations wouldn't solve the problem.
"Eastern Lord."
The reason he wasn't startled by the low-pitched voice was that he had noticed its presence for a while.
A figure hidden in the darkness revealed itself. A young man who bore a strong resemblance to the former Queen of the North but possessed fierce, beast-like eyes looked down at Russell, who was sitting with his elbows resting on the desk.
There was not a shred of sympathy or even a trace of compassion in those red eyes. He looked at Russell with such cold eyes and spoke.
"Countess Alfreich has died."
Count Alfreich. A man who was once a Viscount but rose to the rank of Count in recognition of his significant contributions to the economy of the Weet. And Ariana's husband.
Russell slowly raised his head and met Cyrus's eyes.
“I heard that she took her own life, repenting for the sin of killing the former Emperor and the former Crown Prince.”
Russell squeezed his eyes shut.
He has known for a long time that Ariana was one of the Third Prince Harold's men. He only recently found out that Ariana played a part in the downfall of the East.
Nevertheless, the death of his daughter weighed heavily on him.
He did not resent his daughter.
“She is truly a pitiful woman. Having been constantly abused since childhood..."
Russell opened his eyes and glared at Cyrus.
"To think she was abused."
“Oh, dear. Didn’t you know? If you had sent someone to the West even once, you would have known.”
He could not send one. If he sent a spy and it caught the eye of the Western Lord, war would start again. Just like long ago, when he lost much after getting caught up in a scheme, the East would be in danger.
With that thought in mind, Russell could not rashly send a spy.
“I saw it. When Countess Alfreich was staying at the Duke of Bronte’s estate. I saw her confined to a small room without having committed any crime, eating rotten food, and being beaten without being able to properly protest even once.”
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