The fact that a barbarian’s hand is a healing hand—I can prove that through the life I’ve lived.
I’ve personally fixed the ntal issues of many people, and surprisingly, this ti was no different.
Thwack—!
The mont I smacked the back of the marquis’s head, the dull, dead-fish look in his eyes began to flicker with life.
Well, strictly speaking, it was more like humiliation and rage than vitality...
Still, even such negative emotions ant he was alive, so calling it “vitality” wasn’t entirely wrong.
"Good, that's much better."
I couldn’t hide my satisfaction as I looked at the marquis, who had regained so life in his gaze. Slowly, he lifted his head and looked up at .
A whirlwind of complex emotions surged in his eyes.
"......"
Shock from being smacked on the back of the head by another person.
Humiliation from having to look up at soone he used to look down on.
And...
"Ragna..."
Affection for his daughter, and the self-loathing that ca from failing to protect her.
Of course, I had no reason to pity him.
A warrior’s heart isn’t soft enough to sympathize with his enemy.
Besides, I clearly rember what the marquis said to back then.
[In the process, one of your precious comrades may die. No—they will die. I’ll make sure of it.]
[You all need to feel it too. The pain I felt.]
That curse, spoken with full sincerity, had actually co true.
I was struck by Urae and lost consciousness, and Rotmiller died trying to protect .
Though the one who killed Rotmiller was so naless Noark soldier, it was the marquis who bore the true responsibility.
Yeah. That’s why...
Clench—
I do not feel pity for this man.
The weight of the twenty who died on Ice Rock is far too heavy for to harbor such human emotions.
"...Marquis. As promised, I’ve brought your daughter. So now, fulfill your end of the deal."
As the marquis and I exchanged silent glances, the bespectacled bastard behind us cut in.
"You an the transfer of Urae’s ownership?"
"That’s right. In return, your daughter will be fully protected by Noark. Ah, of course, you’re an exception. Bjorn Yandel offered you up in exchange for your daughter."
"So that’s how this played out."
The marquis nodded slowly, as if he finally understood the circumstances that had led and the bespectacled bastard to arrive together.
He turned to again and asked,
"Did you see it?"
The subject was omitted.
But I didn’t ask him to clarify. I just answered.
"I saw it."
"I see..."
Trailing off, the marquis paused for a mont before speaking again.
"I’d like to have a word with Yandel in private. Could you give us a mont?"
"......"
"You may keep my daughter with you."
The bespectacled man frowned in consideration, but it didn’t take long for him to nod.
"I suppose I can allow that. Just a brief mont."
"You must keep your promise."
Surprisingly, the bespectacled bastard agreed readily. I signaled to Alia that it was fine, and she took the others out, following him.
Now we were alone in the room.
"It’s been a while, eting just the two of us like this."
"...You seem unusually at ease."
"Fear is a feeling born from having sothing to lose. But look at now. Do I look like I have anything left to lose?"
"I don’t know... that diary makes it look like you do."
When I made a slightly softened reference to Ragna, the marquis gave a bitter smile.
In a way, he was similar to .
At least in the sense that his weakness was glaringly obvious.
"So what is this? You suddenly want to talk alone—what, are you going to ask to take care of your daughter or sothing?"
I said it with heavy sarcasm, but the marquis offered no rebuttal.
Which honestly just made things more awkward.
"...What, seriously? That’s really what you were going to—"
"How much do you know about the Lafdonia royal family?"
"...Huh? That’s where this conversation is going?"
It was a bit unexpected, but truthfully, if he hadn’t brought it up, I would have.
The Lafdonia royal family.
If anyone could explain the enormous secret buried there, it would be the marquis.
What exactly are they working so hard to hide?
"I know a few things... secrets others don’t. Why? You planning to tell sothing?"
When I asked with a casual toss, the marquis nodded.
"Then get on with it. Who knows? Maybe if the story’s dramatic enough, I’ll be so moved I’ll actually help Ragna."
I half-jokingly urged him on—and the marquis responded with a bombshell.
"The Immortal King and the Dawnbringer King are the sa person."
"...What?"
...What the hell did I just hear?
***
The story of the Dawnbringer King is quite famous.
When public unrest grew due to the Immortal King going mad and slaughtering people, the Dawnbringer King seized the throne and ushered in a new era.
The age of immortality ended, and a new age began.
The Dawnbringer King abolished old traditions and enacted countless policies for the people, earning their fervent support. As a result, he was called a "saintly ruler."
But now the marquis was saying—
"They’re the sa person?"
It was shocking, but rather than freeze up, I asked the first thing that ca to mind.
"Is that confird?"
It might be pointless, but I still asked about the credibility of the information. The marquis answered with a counter-question.
"Judging by the fact you’re not asking how that’s possible, I’d say you know a fair bit about the royal family."
...Bullseye.
After all, the royal family’s secrets didn’t appear in the ga, but I had uncovered much while exploring the outer wall and the B1 underground level.
[Oh? Didn’t you know? The Immortal King passed down the throne by stealing the bodies of his own offspring. That’s why he always wore a mask.]
A hidden truth of Lafdonia I’d heard from the ancient chieftain.
Back then, I’d thought so that’s why the Dawnbringer overthrew him. After all, there’s no clearer, more desperate reason than survival.
But because of that...
"Just answer the question. Is it confird?"
Honestly, I found it hard to believe.
Sure, I knew it wasn’t impossible, theoretically...
[I’ll be different from him. I’ll live and die as a human.]
That ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) line the Dawnbringer King once said didn’t feel like acting.
And yet now it’s all supposed to be a lie?
To believe that, I’d need at least—
"If you're asking for evidence... I don’t have any. The Lafdonia royal family isn’t that sloppy. But I’ve spent years investigating them, and I’ve concluded the likelihood is very high."
I exhaled unconsciously as I listened to his next words.
"Haa..."
So, no evidence. Just circumstantial belief.
I got tense for nothing.
Well, either way, it doesn’t matter to if they’re the sa person or not...
"Anyway, is that all you wanted to tell ? That there’s a good chance they’re the sa person?"
"Of course not. That was just a preface."
"Then go on. This is probably the last ti you’ll get to talk freely."
"Do you know about Karui’s Heart?"
Karui’s Heart.
A treasure said to hold the power of an ancient evil god—allowing the user to steal the body of another.
The Immortal King used it to continue his existence by possessing his children like so kind of wraith.
"I know it."
"Then this will be quick. In the process of taking over the Dawnbringer King’s body, the Immortal King lost the last remaining Karui’s Heart."
...Huh? Hold on.
"...Last remaining?"
"You visit the library often, but I guess you didn’t study mythology. Even the scriptures of the Three Gods Cult ntion two Hearts of the evil god into which relics were embedded."
"...Fine, history lessons aside. So you’re saying there were two items called Karui’s Heart in total."
"That’s correct."
That finally clears up a long-standing mystery.
If the ancient chieftain ran off with one, how the hell did the Immortal King keep surviving?
"Alright, go on."
"Anyway, after losing the remaining heart, ti passed... and the body of the Dawnbringer King reached the end of its lifespan. He should’ve died long ago. But..."
"He’s still alive. Sleeps more often, but still breathing."
The marquis gave a strange look as I said it nonchalantly.
"...I didn’t expect you to know that much."
"My life’s just been cursed like that."
I just want to survive, but I keep getting dragged into all this crap.
"Don’t stop now. What are you trying to say?"
"...The royal family has been searching for Karui’s Heart ever since. And recently, the treasure has surfaced again. Fortunately, they don’t seem to know exactly where it is yet..."
"So?"
"It’s only a matter of ti before they find it. That’s why I made this reckless move."
"Because you thought the king would take Ragna’s body?"
"That’s right. To protect my daughter, I had no other choice."
So that’s how it was.
I had a feeling there might be a deeper story, but I didn’t expect it to actually be this one.
Well... losing the woman you love, losing your son, and now your daughter is about to be taken too—who could endure that?
Though, one question remains.
"Does it have to be Ragna?"
Why is the marquis so certain the king would target Ragna specifically?
"The king has always possessed only the bodies of his own bloodline. There must be a reason."
"No, I an... If I were in his shoes, I’d have created a bunch of offspring to store away. Couldn't you just convince him to take another one?"
The marquis gave a bitter smile at my question.
"He did exactly that once. The Dawnbringer King created many children and kept them in ‘storage.’ But... a mysterious group relentlessly hunted them down."
"A mysterious group?"
"Hirkumuta. They wear black wolf masks and claim to follow the Last Great Sage. No one knows their true goal, but while the king slept, they targeted the children. As a result, none remain."
And wasn’t it said that even the captain of the Rose Knights died during that?
Judging by the tiline, that would’ve been back when I was still a total rookie.
But that’s not what matters right now...
"Do you understand what this ans?"
"It ans Ragna is the last remaining royal bloodline."
Hearing my answer, the marquis quietly closed his eyes... then opened them.
And then...
"Let make one final offer."
The marquis said,
"Would you like to beco king?"
It wasn’t the sly whisper of a devil.
He looked too desperate... and too pitiful... for that.
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