Inside the secret chamber.
The half-brothers with a considerable age difference quietly exchanged glances.
Herbert looked at Kordi, whose expression was rigid, and softly said:
"From the mont you chose to strike against , his heart was already riddled with wounds."
"No, perhaps even earlier than that."
"I rember when father first noticed your cold gaze fixed on my back... he scolded you fiercely."
"And after that, though your malice towards didn't disappear, you learned to conceal it."
"Kordi, a child's intuition is very sharp."
Herbert sighed with deep reflection in his heart: "Perhaps you didn't realize it, but that's when I started to gradually beco distant."
Herbert was a sensitive child from a young age, capable of understanding the ideas within artworks and sensing others' malice.
"Moreover, you were indeed too impatient — I truly have no interest in the title of Duke."
"Even though saying this you may not believe , it is indeed the truth."
"That is to say, if you hadn't rushed, and waited just a little longer, I would have brought it up with father myself."
Herbert had long thought of renouncing the title, planning to bring it up with his father on the day he ca of age, to signify taking control of his future at adulthood.
Yet unfortunately,
Kordi acted prematurely, unable to hold out until then.
He was too afraid that Duke Silver Wings would announce giving the title to Herbert on his coming of age — this matter had practically beco his Heart Demon.
"Besides all this, you were actually quite a good brother."
Herbert looked at him, feeling reflective.
A beautiful person at heart, yet why resort to thievery.
Kordi was silent for a mont, bowing his head.
After a long ti, he lifted his head and spoke with a dry voice: "Herbert, can you forgive ? I..."
"I will not forgive you."
Herbert replied calmly, his gaze remaining gentle but his words holding no warmth.
"Brother, do you rember the words you taught before?"
"Soone always has to pay the price."
"If a mistake is made, it must be borne."
Kordi was speechless.
Bowed his head, completely giving up resistance.
"Good."
Herbert gently looked at the young man whose knees were bent under the pressure of shadowy tendrils, kneeling on the ground, and softly asked: "Brother, at the very last, do you have any final words?"
"I..."
Kordi looked into Herbert's eyes, with a bitter smile said: "Can we truly not reconcile? You don't seem to have truly been hard."
But Herbert didn't answer, only calmly watching him, shaking his head.
Reconciliation? At this mont?
"Besides this, is there anything else you'd like to say?"
"...Heh."
At the last mont, Kordi suddenly beca relieved, letting out a chuckle, as if shedding all burdens, laughed heartily.
He raised his head, with the brightest smile looked at Herbert, said regretfully: "Herbert, if only you had never been born."
"If only you were a child without talent, I would have been the best brother in the entire Frost Crystal Kingdom."
"But you're not, but you're not! Hahaha!"
After laughing, his expression turned odd and angry, glared at Herbert, shouted:
"You, the sinner of chaos in the kingdom!"
"I curse you!"
"You shall fall!"
Yet hearing his curses, Herbert rely smiled.
"Indeed."
The young man nodded at his brother who was cursing him, slowly raised the blade in his hand. Get full chapters from novel[f]ire
"That's how it should be."
In the final farewell, there is no need for insincere goodbyes.
Speak those words long suppressed.
The two once close brothers looked at each other, eting their final end.
"..."
After the roar, Kordi's face lost its ferocity, simply gazing quietly into Herbert's eyes, showing a relieved smile.
"You've grown up."
Herbert lowered his gaze, then swung down the blade in his hand with force.
"Goodbye, my brother."
Clang—
The blade fell.
A head rolled.
Thud.
"You truly were the best brother in the entire Frost Crystal Kingdom."
"...Once."
.
.
"Lord Herbert, did you do all those things?"
In the slums, Herbert saw Sister Kaplan after a long absence.
She appeared far more weathered than a month ago, but her spirit was much improved.
During this ti, Sister Kaplan had been continuously helping these poor citizens, exhausting her energy to heal their injuries until utterly depleted and only then starting to recover.
Unexpectedly, the high-pressure training through bodily exhaustion sowhat enhanced her strength.
Perhaps a blessing in disguise.
"What are you referring to?"
Herbert chuckled lightly, shook his head and said: "If you an the mutual slaughter among the nobles, I can only say it is the idea of the Frost Crystal Royal Family."
Though their thoughts were indeed controlled through .
"Please don't attempt to deceive !"
Sister Kaplan looked at him sternly, said gravely: "Your actions will plunge the kingdom into chaos, resulting in massive casualties!"
If the kingdom indeed descended into chaos due to the nobles' upheaval, the casualties would not be a re number in the slums.
But truly tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands!
Only then would it be a genuine disaster!
Her restraint from acting now was entirely out of trust in Herbert.
"I... will honestly report everything to the Monastery!"
Hearing this threat with insufficient force, Herbert nodded.
"Hmm."
Seeing his nonchalant deanor, Sister Kaplan frowned, guessing he might have so plan, asked: "How do you intend to resolve things next?"
But Herbert didn't directly answer, instead asked:
"Do you know, within the Frost Crystal Kingdom, apart from the king and nobility, there's another force?"
The nun frowned, gravely said: "Please answer my question directly, don't... hmm?"
But before finishing, she caught on, looked to the line distributing food not far away.
"You're saying..."
"Yes."
Herbert nodded, looking at those priests dressed lightly in the cold wind, said: "It's the Divine Spirit Church."
They are priests of the Ice and Snow Goddess!
"Since the nobles' power is too overwhelming, it should be weakened, and later find a force to counterbalance them."
"Will the Frost Crystal Royal Family agree?"
Throughout history, there's always been significant conflict between royal power and spiritual authority.
The Frost Crystal Kingdom wasn't established through divine intervention; the Divine Spirit Church has always wanted to extend its influence here but hasn't found an opportunity.
Now Herbert is actively introducing this power... will the royal family agree?
"Do they have a choice?"
Herbert smiled, took big strides towards the Ice and Snow Goddess's priests, leaving behind one statent.
"The matter has reached this point; they have no choice."
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