Chapter 75 – Upheaval (1)
[Trantor – Peptobismol]
<strong>Chapter 75 – Upheaval (1)</strong>
The Papal See ising to Asven.
Specifically, with Saintess Isabel Yustia.
How on earth?
Didn’t I just hear she jumped from the mansion?
And they weren’t even sure if she survived?
So how could she possibly make it all the way out here?
Did she really jump? Or did she regain consciousness in that short time?
Or if not that…
‘Is it an impostor?’
Could they have found a recement to fill the role of the Saintess after Isabel’s death?
Everything is so confusing.
I covertly watched Diana as we walked back home.
Surprise, confusion, annoyance…
Diana wore an expression no different from mine.
‘Should we prepare to leave immediately?’
If the Saintessing here is indeed the Isabel I know.
If she’s still obsessed with me as she was before.
I need to leave here with Diana as soon as possible.
My goal is to be forgotten by everyone, not to settle down in this ce.
But if we leave Asven, then what?
Is there a suitable ce to hide?
No, there isn’t.
This is an utterly unforeseen crisis.
I bit my lip to swallow a curse.
My mind tangled in a mess of thoughts, anxiety creeping up my spine.
I rubbed my furrowed brow and turned sharply.
“Diana.”
“Yes, master.”
“What do you think we should do?”
Diana stopped in her tracks.
“…”
She stayed silent for a moment, then cautiously spoke.
“I don’t think we need to leave here immediately.”
“Exin.”
“I think it’s best to observe the situation. There’s no guarantee we’ll run into the Saintess, and we have the disguise artifacts prepared.”
Diana had a point.
Even if it’s a ceremony led by the Papal See, it’s mostly just confessions and dousing oneself in holy water.
There’s no need to prove our identities or interact with others.
Just one day.
If we can get through just one day safely, we won’t have to worry about encountering the Saintess again.
“……”
Damn Isabel.
Just hearing her name makes me sigh.
I’d love to avoid any chance of running into her, but if we leave Asven, there’s nowhere to hide with Diana.
And it’s not like we can just head to the Empire and kidnap the Princess.
I lifted my head slowly.
A bitter smile crept onto my lips.
“Let’s think about it some more.”
“Understood.”
It’ll take at least a few days for the Papal See to arrive.
We have plenty of time to consider our options until then.
So there’s no need to worry just yet.
Yes.
At least not right now.
****
‘The Papal See has abandoned the Empire.’
The entire capital of the Empire was in an uproar over the news.
Priests who were monitoring public sentiment started to leave one by one.
And themoners, who had benefited most from the Papal See, grew increasingly restless.
The Emperor summoned the Princess to the Pce.
The deterioration in rtions with the Papal See stemmed entirely from her.
The Empress, who had cooperated with the Princess,pletely distanced herself, iming ignorance, leaving all the me to fall on Princess Rudine.
Rudine walked through the corridors of the Imperial Pce, lost in thought.
Ah, it’s absurd.
This world is already ending anyway.
Kyle is dead, the narrative is twisted beyond repair, and all that’s left is for the world toe to a halt.
‘I’m sick of it.’
Each step she took was followed by countless eyes watching her.
The chambein who had summoned her led her to the Emperor’s office without a word.
Knock knock—
The chambein knocked on the door a couple of times, and soon, the door creaked open.
There was no greeting of wee, nor an offer to sit.
As always, the Emperor, busy with his affairs, looked at Rudine with a cold gaze.
Rudine didn’t care.
She walked up to him, smiled brightly, and bowed.
“Greetings to the Sun of the Empire.”
The Emperor tapped his fingers on the desk, ncing at Rudine.
And then,
“Heh.”
The Emperor scoffed.
There was no trace of warmth in his eyes as he looked at Rudine.
Anger, disgust, weariness.
Dark emotions swirled in the Emperor’s yellow eyes.
He tilted his head and stared at her.
His tightly set lips slowly parted.
“A final ultimatum hase from the Papal See.”
“Is that so?”
“They’re holding the Princess responsible for abusing her authority to undermine the clergy.”
The Emperor looked down at Rudine.
That was it.
He found even engaging in petty arguments tiresome.
Rudine tilted her head like a puppet with its strings cut.
“That’s strange.”
She said with a seemingly innocent expression, as if she couldn’t understand.
“Is the imperial family really going to be shaken by such a trivial reason?”
The Emperor’s face grew colder.
Rudine watched his face harden and shook her head.
“Besides, you already knew, didn’t you? The imperial decree to bring Kyle Winfred into the Pce, and the friction with the Papal See that followed.”
“……”
“All of it was possible because of your tacit approval, wasn’t it?”
[Trantor – Peptobismol]
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed.
Rudine covered her mouth with her right hand and chuckled.
“There’s no need to worry. Everything is going ording to n.”
“n?”
“The real issue is that the Papal See moved its base to the Eastern Continent amidst this public unrest, isn’t it?”
Rudine carefully took a seat opposite the Emperor.
She slowly leaned forward to face him.
“The ck Mist.”
The Emperor’s quiet gaze swept over Rudine from head to toe.
Regardless, Rudine lifted her teacup and spoke.
“The disaster that continues to surge even now will soon engulf the entire Empire. Saintess Isabel’s purification abilities? I doubt that a woman who isn’t even in her right mind can purify the cmity that’s spread across the continent.”
“That’s not what matters. The ability to purify is what’s important.”
“Hm, miracles are certainly convenient for swaying public sentiment.”
Her silver hair flowed smoothly, and her bright yellow eyes gleamed.
“Father.”
Her firm voice reached the Emperor’s ears.
Rudine took a sip of her tea and carefully ced the cup down.
“The Eastern Continent conquest.”
The air instantly froze.
The Emperor’s sharp gaze stabbed at Rudine.
“You’ve been nning it for quite some time, haven’t you?”
“…Indeed.”
“Then you should act quickly, before the Papal See firmly establishes itself across the Eastern Continent.”
Cracks appeared in the Emperor’s mask.
Beyond the slight fissures, dark desires gleamed.
“Strike the Eastern Continent and unify the fragmentednds. You have plenty of justification. me everything on the ck Mist and the Papal See, which abandoned the Empire.”
“…”
“Once the Eastern Continent is under the Empire’s heel, the Papal See will have no choice but to bow.”
Rudine grasped the Emperor’s hand resting on the side table.
Her grip was small but strong.
When the Emperor raised his gaze, he met her bright yellow pupils.
They were as calm as ake.
“Was this your n all along?”
“No, honestly, I didn’t expect things toe to this.”
“Hah.”
The Emperor let out a sigh.
He looked at Rudine, his expression one of disbelief, before he sighed deeply.
“Kyle Winfred.”
Then he spoke with a calm face.
“Have you found his whereabouts?”
At the sudden mention of Kyle, Rudine’s expression darkened.
She gritted her teeth and muttered bitterly.
“Kyle is dead.”
Her voice was as cold as ice.
Rudine’s smile had vanished, her lips now tightly pressed together.
Had he noticed this subtle change?
The Emperor remained silent for a moment.
But only for a moment.
“I thought he was dead, too.”
Dead… too?
Dead or not, what does he mean by ‘thought’?
“What do you mean?”
Rudine pulled her chair closer.
Their eyes met with a spark.
“Kyle Winfred is alive.”
Nonsense.
Kyle was definitely dead.
But Rudine, at a loss for words, stared dumbly at the Emperor.
He’s not one to make trivial jokes in such a situation.
So that means…
No way…!
“Please tell me in detail.”
Rudine’s voice was filled with urgency.
The Emperor slowly began to exin in a calm voice.
“On the day of youring-of-age ceremony.”
“…”
“I made a deal with him. In exchange for what I wanted, he helped himself to the royal treasury.”
Yes, I remember.
Kyle had indeed spoken with the Emperor and left briefly during the ceremony.
“During that time, I made a contract with him.”
“A contract… You don’t mean…”
“Geass.”
Geass.
The Emperor’s words pierced Rudine’s mind like a stake.
“One day, the Geass we had made was forcibly broken.”
“Because Kyle died.”
“Indeed, since one party died, the contract was broken, and I thought that was the end of it.”
Rudine focused, forgetting even to breathe.
She stared intently at the Emperor’s lips, her body tense.
“But a few days ago, the broken contract was reconnected.”
Rudine gasped, a hollow sound escaping her lips.
The trembling in her fingertips spread through her entire body.
“As you know, a Geass is an oath inscribed on the soul.”
“…”
“Even if one dies, if for some reason, they are revived, the contract persists.”
Rudine’s eyes widened as she stared at the Emperor, who let out a chillingugh.
“Kyle Winfred.”
Each word from the Emperor struck her like a hammer.
Rudine’s hands, hidden under the table, trembled uncontrobly.
“He is alive.”
Kyle, Geass, soul, contract.
These fragmented words swirled in her mind.
With thest bit of reason she could muster, she pieced them together.
‘Kyle… is alive…?’
Her breath came in ragged gasps.
The office’s atmosphere grew icy cold.
“So now.”
The Emperor’s eyes shed.
Beyond the menacing gleam, an indescribable urgency flickered.
“Bring him to the Pce immediately.”
[Trantor – Peptobismol]