Chapter 185
Chapter 185
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: Imperial Edict
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"...You don't have to put it that harshly."
Eliya finally let out a long sigh as she watched Dawood sniffling.
After unleashing a storm of words on him for so long, she felt like her mood had improved a bit.
"Don't ever do something like that again. Got it?"
"...Yeah."
Only after getting that firm answer did Eliya breathe a sigh of relief and step back.
Even she thought it was the first time she'd ever poured out such harsh words in succession, but he deserved it anyway.
'...Still, that's going too far.'
She'd never been one to value herself highly to begin with, but there were times when it felt excessively so.
To the point where it even seemed like this person's 'change' was coming much faster than she'd imagined.
As she mulled over those thoughts, Feynol approached Dawood with hands clasped behind their back, taking quick steps.
"You really got an earful, huh, Mr. Dawood?"
"...Quiet."
Her teasing words matched the playful smile lighting up her face.
The atmosphere radiated pure relief.
"...'
Come to think of it, when Dawood had been on the verge of death just moments ago, this one had panicked even more than him.
-Go support him right now!
-Wait, the teacher said to hold...
-If we don't, that man's going to die—!!
He clearly remembered her half-screaming those words.
It stuck deep in his mind all the more because it came from someone who almost never showed any emotion.
She always gave the impression of wearing a mask, no matter what she said or how she looked—but in that moment, it had to have been genuine.
"...'
In that sense.
The red flames she'd used to sweep away the beasts earlier were noteworthy.
They'd come across so urgently, like she was forcibly pulling out something she wouldn't normally use in front of others.
The problem was.
Those flames.
That color—he'd seen it somewhere before.
'...Red.'
A memory from a day he could never forget even if he tried.
A pillar of flames that burned the black night sky crimson, as if it would incinerate the heavens and earth alike, rose in his mind.
His father. His mother. His friends.
The memory of that day when everything turned to ashes.
The Nightfire Incident.
The day the Red Devil took her entire family.
"...Eliya? What's wrong?"
As she dwelled on that memory, Talion, standing nearby, asked with a puzzled look.
Her face had gone noticeably pale, which must have looked strange.
"...No, nothing."
Eliya forced out those words and put on her usual smile.
Though inwardly, she was chewing over that cursed name.
'...Red Devil.'
She wasn't one to pay much attention to demons in general.
But the Red Devil was an exception.
That cursed being who had burned her entire past to the ground.
"...'
And, though she wasn't certain.
This Feynol Lifec she was facing now reeked of that same presence.
Even her 'Eye of Truth' couldn't clearly detect it, but still.
"...'
Eliya silently kept staring at Feynol.
Her gaze plainly carried unsettling emotions.
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Last night had been nothing short of a catastrophe.
The screams echoing through the forest all day and the stench of blood had left her head spinning.
She'd heard quite a few had pushed their luck to the end and ended up with fatal injuries. They'd probably avoid death, but lifelong mental trauma was inevitable.
Of course, none of that meant much to Rana Ray Delvium.
Aftereffects or whatever—none of it mattered to her. Her clothes were a bit tattered from being mauled wildly by wolves overnight, but that was the only thing worth noting.
There probably wasn't anyone who'd scored higher than her on the 'survive for a long time' task.
Except for this person.
"...Hmm."
Rana Ray Delvium stroked her chin and looked around.
The corpses of magic beasts that Dawood and his companions had labored to haul over were piled high.
"...You killed all of these?"
"Yeah."
"...'
At the nonchalant reply, Rana was at a loss for words as she stared at Dawood.
Turning the tables on magic beasts specialized in hunting and tracking inside a neutralization field.
She'd thought she had a shot at top score herself, but with this...
Dawood and Eliya were surely running away with it in the grading phase.
"...I really have no idea where a monster like you came from, Mr. Dawood. Shouldn't you be the one holding the holy sword, not Ms. Eliya?"
"...I can't hold it."
But it was weird how sharply he cut it off in that regard.
As if it were only natural for her to take it.
He was the one clearly showing excessive ability, not Eliya, the obvious hero candidate.
"...So, what are those people?"
She followed up with that question.
It was about the several burly adult men standing dazedly near Dawood.
They stared blankly into space with unfocused eyes, like they'd each downed a bowl of some drug—it was a little creepy.
Had there even been reason for people like this to enter the hero selection trial?
"No, well."
Dawood gave a wry smile as he answered her question.
"...It's like a gift for Archbishop Luminol."
"For Father?"
Rana tilted her head, scanning the people with their vacant stares.
They were obviously a rough bunch, clearly hardened by plenty of shady work.
How was this a 'gift'?
"...Just to be safe, you're not planning anything bad with these people for Father, are you?"
"...If I were, would I show them off to you like this, Rana?"
Fair point.
But if not, then what did he plan to do?
As Rana puzzled over it.
"He'll definitely like it."
Dawood smirked as he replied.
"By the time the final trial starts, for sure."
"...'
His voice carried no outward emotion.
But even Rana, who often got called oblivious, felt a chill at the dark intent seeping through.
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The grading was, naturally, first place.
Archbishop Luminol's rotten expression was quite the sight.
[...But didn't you do something first that deserved a beating?]
"...Yeah, fair."
He agreed without argument to Kaliban's words.
From his father's perspective, there was no reason to look on him fondly.
He'd gone all out trying to kill him without regard for anything, so Dawood's self-defense claim held some water.
That was why he planned to crush him later without much guilt.
"...Ugh."
As he mulled that over, a dull ache throbbed through his whole body, drawing a shallow groan.
The Iron Man trait blocked pain sensation, which was nice, but the aftereffects of injuries lingered.
Not lethal enough for the trait to erase, so he felt it all—and it hurt like hell.
"...Gotta plan the next move..."
He muttered as he trudged toward his assigned lodging.
With the first and second trials over.
What remained was the final trial inside the Holy Kingdom and the holy sword handover ceremony near its sanctuary.
It was the highlight of the entire Chapter 4.
"...'
And probably.
That was the biggest variable.
'Forerunner.'
He recalled the name of the one who'd been suspiciously quiet so far.
No schemes from him in the first or second trial—close to zero.
He'd even dispatched a tongue sorcerer to help Dawood in the first.
He couldn't guess the intent, but his instincts screamed that this was the moment it'd happen.
So he had to check every element to ensure Eliya claimed the holy sword and rose as the hero right up to the end.
As he walked the corridor with those thoughts.
He ran into someone completely unexpected.
"...Oh. Your Excellency?"
Like she'd been waiting, the golden-haired Prime Minister leaning against the wall slowly raised her eyes.
A glance around showed no attendants or guards. She was alone.
"Congratulations on your remarkable performance in the trials. Impressive as always, Dawood."
"...Thank you."
Sure, thanks for the congrats.
But the empire's top power holder wouldn't come alone without guards just for that.
"The final trial is in one week. I came because there's something to deliver to you in the meantime."
Sullivan approached, pulling a letter from her robes and holding it out.
"-An invitation from the imperial palace."
"...Pardon?"
"Cecilia XI requests a private audience with you."
He stared at the letter as she spat the words like chewed-out gristle.
The envelope bore a deep brown seal stamped with the imperial family's crest.
'...What?'
The Emperor?
Cecilia XI?
Why me?
"...'
He'd known she was interested in him for a while, but summoning him directly to the palace via 'imperial edict' was on another level.
An emperor's command wasn't just anything—defy it, and the gallows awaited with no excuses.
'...No, seriously, why?'
He accelerated his thoughts amid the confusion.
What reason could she have to see him so urgently?
Meeting the emperor face-to-face wasn't exactly welcome.
Cecilia XI.
Along with Gideon, the one holding the largest share in Elnor's corruption.
Considering Elnor's fall happened when her mentality crumbled, it wasn't hard to guess this one wouldn't be good for her mentally either.
"Dawood."
As he racked his brain, Sullivan murmured in a quiet voice.
"...If you don't want to, you can refuse."
He doubted his ears and stared at her.
"Pardon?"
"I'll protect you with everything I have. By any means necessary."
Instinct told him why Sullivan had come to deliver this herself, imperial letter or not.
This was why she'd sought him out for a private talk.
"...'
He gaped at her in stunned silence.
Had he heard right?
She was saying it was fine to defy an 'imperial edict.'
Considering the political weight of that.
For the empire's divided power holder to say it implied a chilling intent.
The Prime Minister leading a refusal of the emperor's command was tantamount to rejecting his rule.
In other words.
For him.
She was willing to plunge the entire empire.
The whole continent into chaos.
Just for him.
Even if it meant the deaths of tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands.
She'd shoulder all the sin herself.
"...'
Realizing that, he stared stiffly at the Prime Minister.
Sullivan continued with unwavering eyes.
As if.
"...Something might happen to you, Dawood."
Compared to what was 'to come,' that was nothing.
"Please."
Undoubtedly.
"This time, don't leave my side."
Her voice carried desperate plea.
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