The Weight of Truth

Sometimes, there are things that become painful once you know them. Unfortunately, the truth is almost always one of those things.

“……Wait, please give me a moment to talk to him.”

At Sylvia’s request, Yoon Siwoo pondered for a moment before slowly nodding. Sylvia turned her gaze toward Sator, her voice trembling as she asked, “……That thing you just said, it’s a lie, isn’t it?”

“How could it be? Why would I lie to you, my lady?”

Though she asked as if forcing a denial, Sylvia gritted her teeth at the answer that returned from Sator. Even though he was speaking with a smile, she could see deep-seated resentment and disgust dwelling in his eyes every time he looked at Scarlet.

Sylvia recalled the words Sator had spoken on the day he recommended a book titled [Wrath] to her. ‘I recommend you read this book as well. I found it quite impressive.’

The near-maniacal resentment, anger, and obsession toward the Witch felt by the author when she read that book—if he found that impressive, it was clear that Sator himself had been profoundly influenced by it. If, as he claimed, Scarlet was truly a weapon created by Astra using the heart fragment of the Witch of Wrath, that was reason enough to explain why he displayed such emotions whenever he looked at her.

Perhaps it was because so many people had approached her since childhood to exploit her background; Sylvia had developed an instinctual habit of scrutinizing whether people’s words were sincere. As a superhuman, her senses were sharp, and she often showed a high accuracy rate. That was precisely why she was so deeply shocked by the words Sator had let slip. It looked, by every metric, as if Sator was telling the truth.

Watching the agitated Sylvia, Sator muttered as if in pity. “I am truly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sorry, my lady. It is because this friend sitting here in the chair burned down the laboratory and smuggled out a test subject. It seems you truly thought of this thing as a friend. It is my mistake for failing to prevent a test subject containing the remnants of a Witch from approaching you.”

Sylvia could not fathom how Sator could be apologizing to her while she was caught in the act of a crime. But even more incomprehensible were the words flowing from his mouth. Her friend, hanging with her hands and feet bound inside a small cage that wrapped around her body like a birdcage—the person who had approached her, wanting to be her friend without asking for anything in return, was actually a test subject created by her family. It was a reality too difficult for Sylvia to accept.

However, Sylvia desperately tried to pull herself together, struggling to grasp the situation. “……That plan you mentioned when you were about to fight with the Elder at the mansion the other day—was it about Scarlet?”

At that, Sator wore a surprised expression. “It seems you heard that back then. It is a secret that originally only the Elders and I should know, but since I have already said this much, further secrecy seems meaningless. To answer your question, yes. The official name is the Witch Weaponization Project. It is a plan to create a powerful biological weapon capable of utilizing the power of the Witch of Wrath.”

“Are you out of your mind? A biological weapon that can use the power of a Witch? You pushed forward with a plan that even a lunatic would find insane?”

Sylvia shouted. She had guessed that countless things she didn’t know about were happening within the family, but she had never imagined they were conducting something that would make anyone who heard it call them insane.

At Sylvia’s reaction, Sator smiled thinly. “Do you know, my lady? The reason that plan was established is entirely for your sake.”

Sylvia’s ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠movements came to a jarring halt. She turned to look at Sator with a creaking motion. A voice full of tremors spilled from her fragile throat. “W-what? For my sake? What does that even……”

Sator wore a wistful expression. “There was a time when everyone in Astra was in despair because the Star Spirit no longer responded to us. There was always talk that because it was punishment for failing to protect the World Tree, we would never be able to regain Astra’s glory. But 11 years ago, you showed us. That brilliant starlight that made us realize Astra had not yet been abandoned by the World Tree.”

As if that moment were vivid in his mind, Sator trembled and continued. “I still remember that moment vividly. It was a light of hope. Hope that Astra could become great again. And I realized. If I missed this opportunity, it would never happen again—that the World Tree was sending its final revelation. That even though the Eternal Forest, the home of the World Tree and the elves, was burned by the Witch of Wrath, the connection to the World Tree still remained in that land. So, it was telling us to reclaim that land and return to the great Astra of the past.”

Sator continued to speak. “However, the north was crawling with Fire-type Maju of Wrath. Because the land devastated by those Maju was deemed not worth reclaiming, humans rejected our request to expand the northern border zone. In the past, it would have been unimaginable for anyone to reject a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠request from Astra. It was something we had to reclaim with Astra’s power alone, no matter what. And that was when I recalled the unique characteristics of the Maju of Wrath.”

His eyes flashed behind his glasses. “A Maju of Wrath cannot harm a Maju of Wrath that possesses stronger abilities than itself. Intermediate cannot harm Upper-Intermediate, and Upper-Intermediate cannot harm High-class. So, I came up with a plan. If we could create a weapon capable of wielding abilities closer to the Witch than that, wouldn’t we be able to reclaim our land? I presented the plan I had devised to the Council of Elders and received approval. That is how the Witch Weaponization Project began.”

Sylvia trembled as she looked at those glowing, intense eyes.

“So, Lady Sylvia! It is thanks to you that all of this could begin! You, who showed us the light of hope in the midst of despair! You are to go to the land I reclaim with this weapon and become the Head of a great Astra once again!”

Sator, shouting while looking at her with eyes full of ecstasy, looked no different from a madman. To think he had been harboring such thoughts without even asking for her opinion. Sylvia had never once thought about becoming the Head, nor did she have any desire to participate in such a plan. Yet, the thought that the plan had been built because of her made her feel as if she were suffocating.

Various emotions swirled within her, but she struggled to overcome them, and Sylvia shouted, “……You said the Council of Elders told you to stop that plan!”

When she pointed out the argument she had with the Elder over that issue, Sator’s actions came to a sudden halt. His ecstatic face transformed into that of a demon in an instant. He began to scratch his neck slowly, staring intently at Sylvia with both eyes. “……That is correct. To think that those who all agreed back then would suddenly change their attitudes after only a few years. They are like turncoats who do not truly think of Astra and only look after their own safety.”

Then, at the sight of Sator suddenly wearing a bright smile, Sylvia felt her body tremble. “But I have no intention of giving up on this plan. If it is alright with you, my lady, I, Sator, will take care of all the dirty work. I am the one who is truly for Astra! You only need to lead the great Astra that I will create!”

His appearance was truly no different from that of a fanatic. Sylvia could not open her mouth at the madness flickering in his eyes, which made her skin crawl all over.

“I…… I……”

At that moment, Yoon Siwoo, who had been standing quietly to the side, opened his mouth. “Do you know the oath taken at the official Hero Investiture Ceremony upon graduating from the Academy?”

At the sudden question, Sylvia nodded slightly. The investiture ceremony held traditionally every year upon graduation. During the event, which announced to everyone through broadcast that one had become a true hero, there was a time to swear an oath by reciting the [Hero’s Oath]. Surely, there was no one who hadn’t imagined themselves standing in that line as a child, reciting it.

“Then do you know the second verse?”

At Yoon Siwoo’s words, Sylvia recalled the hero’s oath she had heard every year. And Sylvia was finally able to open her mouth, which had been frozen shut.

“……Uncle Sator, this is an order as the successor of Astra.”

Sylvia’s eyes turned toward Scarlet, who was hanging beside Sator. She had promised. That if there was something she couldn’t solve with her own power, she would help no matter what.

“As of today, that plan is terminated. So, release my friend right now.”

At Sylvia’s words, Sator’s expression stiffened. His hand, which had been scratching his neck, began to move faster. “That cannot be, that cannot be…… My lady, you must not do that……”

With bloodshot eyes, Sator muttered while scratching his neck incessantly. “That cannot be. Astra will be great again. The plan must continue. But a friend? This thing is a being born as the Witch of Wrath? The one who took everything from Astra.”

He scratched, and scratched, and scratched, then shouted. “But, but, but! You, the successor of Astra, who should resent, hate, and despise the Witch of Wrath more than anyone else, should not be saying such things! If it were a homunculus made from a Witch’s heart fragment, you should be thinking of using it until its body crumbles and then killing it miserably at the end to take revenge!!! How!!! Can you say something like ‘friend’!!!!”

Then, abruptly, his body stopped. And Sator laughed. His gaze was directed to the side, toward where Scarlet was hanging. “Is that so, is that so, is that so. Is it because it is not yet complete? Do not worry, my lady. I will resolve ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all of your delusions shortly.”

And he plunged the syringe he was holding toward Scarlet’s neck. A clack sound rang out.

“Eek! What is this!”

When the syringe was blocked by something, Sator shouted in a rage. Before he knew it, a large greatsword was stuck in the iron floor beneath Scarlet’s feet. A defensive barrier generated from the [Holy Sword of Protection] was covering her body.

Yoon Siwoo, who had thrown the Holy Sword to protect Scarlet, looked at Sator with a blank face. Whether she was a Witch or a test subject, it was none of his business. All that mattered to him was that Scarlet, whom he had sworn to protect, had been in danger because of someone. He had been enduring and listening until now because the family of a classmate was involved, but it was quite an ordeal. Fortunately, he had a justifiable reason not to endure it with this human.

“That thing inside the syringe, is it Mana?”

Yoon Siwoo recognized the black energy filling the syringe Sator was holding. He clenched his fist, anger surging at the fact that he had tried to put such a dangerous thing into Scarlet’s body.

“Anyone attempting to use Mana for nefarious purposes is considered a terrorist, and by the discretion of a hero, I can dispose of them on the spot without reporting. Aegis Academy 1st-year student Yoon Siwoo, I will execute the terrorist as of this moment.”

As Yoon Siwoo said that, he took a step forward. As Yoon Siwoo’s foot moved, a flustered Sator looked at Sylvia and shouted, “To execute a person of Astra, such nonsense! Lady Sylvia! Stop this brat! Did I not tell you! Everything I did was for your sake! To make you the Head! Because I wanted you to live happily!”

At those words, the [Holy Sword of Truth] reacted, and Yoon Siwoo spat out without hesitation.

“That’s a lie.”

He had been noisy about it being for the lady and whatnot since earlier. In the first place, it was laughable that a person who seemed like he would only move for his own desires would say such things. Sator’s face stiffened at Yoon Siwoo’s assertive demeanor. Sator checked Sylvia’s reaction, but she only looked at him with cold eyes.

When Yoon Siwoo’s footsteps did not stop, Sator shouted again. “It is a plan that will benefit all of humanity! The sacrifices of heroes will decrease! It is a plan that can save countless people after reclaiming Astra’s land! It is not a plan that someone like you should be blocking!”

At those words, the [Holy Sword of Truth] reacted.

“That’s a lie.”

Yoon Siwoo spat out again without hesitation. “Honestly, you didn’t think that, did you? Kidnapping people and torturing them like this, and then talking about humanity. Besides, Scarlet is a more excellent hero than anyone else. A hero would never think that they would want someone like that to sacrifice themselves in their place.”

Sator scratched his neck violently. Blood droplets flew from his neck, but a twisted smile hung on his lips. With a sneer, Sator shouted. “Hero? Heero? That thing made from the heart fragment of a Witch? Don’t make me laugh! If you keep thinking like that, someday that thing will become a seed of misfortune that will burn everything around you! Just like it burned down my entire laboratory! You stupid brat!”

At those words, the [Holy Sword of Truth] reacted, and Yoon Siwoo hesitated for a moment this time, but—

“That, too, is a lie.”

The words he spat out did not change.

“This time, it’s not a lie!”

Sator screamed as if he were losing his mind at Yoon Siwoo, who had approached right in front of him. But Yoon Siwoo did not care about the voice he heard.

“No, it’s a lie.”

Instead of listening to that voice, the boy chose to speak his own thoughts. It was a change, and a vow.

“Because I will never let that happen.”

The boy’s sword was swung.