Chapter 175
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 175
Seventeen years ago. On that snowy day.
Tap… tap…
The dark corridors of Black Keep were lit only by the faint, flickering glow of torches.
A young Aslan, summoned by her father, made her way toward the shrine alongside Fernandez. A biting wind whistled through a slightly ajar window, carrying stray snowflakes into the hallway.
“Brr, it’s freezing.”
The cold on the western front was nothing short of brutal.
Aslan pulled her long, floor-sweeping fur coat tighter around her small frame. As they walked down the frigid corridor, she looked up at the chamberlain. “Fernandez, Father said he had something to tell me. Do you know what it is?”
At Aslan’s curious voice, Fernandez scratched his dark beard and shook his head.
“I do know, but it is not my place to say. You should hear it from him directly.”
“Hmph. What’s the big secret? You’re no help at all.”
Aslan grumbled, kicking idly at the stone floor. It was infuriating how he would nag her with "advice" constantly, only to shut his mouth when she actually wanted to know something.
Seeing her sulk, Fernandez softened his expression. “Please forgive me, Lady Aslan. However, I can tell you one thing: it is very joyous news.”
“Joyous news?”
“Yes, in many ways. For you, my lady, and for all of us.”
Joyous news? Is Father finally giving me a present?
Fernandez’s hint only fueled her curiosity. Aslan tugged on his sleeve, her eyes wide with entreaty. “What is it? Just tell me, please!”
“Such charms won’t work on me, My Lady.”
The seasoned old chamberlain remained unmoved.
“Oh, come on!”
Bickering back and forth, they eventually reached the underground shrine. Though called a shrine, it was more akin to a small, natural cave, devoid of ornate pillars or a finished roof.
Inside a small prayer room nestled within the cavern, Kaiser was kneeling. His back was to them as he gazed intently at a small seed preserved in the center of the shrine. Sensing their arrival, he spoke without turning around.
“You’re here.”
His deep voice resonated through the stone chamber. Aslan scampered forward, her excitement getting the better of her.
“Yes, Father! You said there was good news?”
“…Good news, perhaps. Aslan, come closer.”
“Yes!”
Aslan stood before Kaiser, her face radiant with expectation. Is he going to give me a new longsword? Or maybe a set of armor?
Kaiser turned, carefully shifting the bundle he had been cradling in his arms toward her. “Take this. Be careful.”
“Oh.”
What Kaiser handed her was neither steel nor silk. It was something small and squirming, wrapped in layers of warm fur. Aslan’s eyes sparkled as she adjusted to the surprising weight in her arms.
“Could it be…?”
A faint smile touched Kaiser’s lips as he nodded. “Yes. He is your younger brother. From this day forward, you must take good care of him.”
“My brother…”
Aslan’s eyes shone as she gazed down at the infant. The tiny life clutched a black ring tightly in its small hand.
Her mother had passed away long ago, and Kaiser had no concubines. Others might whisper that he was an illegitimate child, a bastard, or a foundling brought in from the cold. But the young Aslan cared for none of those things. The only thing that mattered was the simple fact that she now had a brother.
Aslan beamed at the cute, squirming baby, though she quickly realized how heavy the bundle was.
He’s heavy.
The weight filled her arms. Was this the weight of a life? It felt far heavier than the practice swords she swung every day.
A small, precious life. Protecting someone with her own strength was a rewarding prospect, but she sensed it would be a difficult one as well. Still, she had always been lonely; the joy of having a brother far outweighed any burden.
As Kaiser watched Aslan stare at the boy, he reached out and stroked her head. “Aslan. From today, you are an older sister. Protect your brother well. Guide him onto the right path and teach him what he must do. That is your duty.”
Aslan stared intently at the baby in the bundle and made a silent vow.
“I will. I’ll protect him, no matter what.”
*
“Mmm.”
In a daze, I slowly forced my eyelids open.
The ceiling was unfamiliar to me, yet familiar to Roen, the original owner of this body. This was Black Keep. Roen’s private quarters.
I stared at the ornate decorations on the ceiling for a moment before turning my head toward the old man sitting by my bedside.
“You’re awake.”
“…Fernandez.”
The stern-faced man nodded, a faint, relieved smile playing on his lips. “Yes, it is I. How are you feeling, My Lord?”
I sat up and performed a quick mental check of my body. Surprisingly, I felt no pain. My side, where Amur had struck me; my arms, which had blocked his heavy blows; even my neck, which he had nearly crushed at the end—everything felt fine.
To think not a single scar remained after being squeezed with such lethal force. Whoever had treated me was exceptionally skilled.
I felt around my neck and looked at Fernandez. “How long was I out?”
“You were unconscious for three days. Ciel and Miss Freya took turns watching over you. And myself as well, of course.”
“My thanks.”
My gaze drifted to my hand. Derod’s ring, which I had tucked into my pocket before the fight with Amur, was now securely back on my ring finger.
Amur said Aslan was approaching.
The only person he would refer to as the "Guardian of the Wall" was Aslan. She must have been the one who rescued me after I lost consciousness and placed the ring back on my finger.
I clenched my fist and asked, “My sister?”
“She is currently in the shrine. Would you like to see her?”
“Yes.”
There were too many things I needed to ask her. I threw off the covers and stood up. But before opening the door to leave, I stopped and looked back at the chamberlain.
“Fernandez, I have one thing to ask you.”
“Please, ask away.”
I looked at Fernandez, who bowed his head with his usual unwavering loyalty. I kept my voice quiet, but firm. “Who… am I, really?”
“…”
Unlike his usual self, who would answer any query without a second's delay, Fernandez hesitated. He kept his head bowed, contemplating his words.
As the silence stretched on, I added, “If that’s too difficult to answer, I’ll rephrase. Fernandez, what do you think of me?”
Only then did Fernandez part his lips, his voice calm and steady.
“Lord Roen, you are the heir who carries the noble bloodline and the will of House Devalis. You are the son of the former family head, Kaiser… and the younger brother of the current family head, Aslan.”
“Is that so.”
I nodded and stepped out of the room.
“That’s enough for me.”
*
The shrine was located in the deepest level of Black Keep. After winding my way down a spiral staircase of black brick that felt more like a descent into a dungeon, I reached the entrance.
“Hmph.”
I grimaced slightly at the sight of the shabby, cave-like entrance. The western front was a war zone bordering the Demon Realm; it wasn't a place where religious faith flourished. The people here had always fought their enemies with human grit alone, never once seeking the intervention of gods.
However, an ancient covenant with the divine was still maintained here, in the bowels of the fortress. Here lay the dormant seed of a divine tree, the symbol of that very covenant.
“Oh, you’re finally up?”
Inside the crude shrine of black brick, Aslan rose from a kneeling cushion and greeted me.
I looked at her as she welcomed me with open arms and asked bluntly, “What were you doing?”
There was no way Aslan was actually offering prayers to a god. She simply shrugged.
“What does it look like? Just sitting. I feel at ease here. More importantly, are you okay?”
She began circling me, prodding and checking for any lingering injuries. “Does it hurt here? How about here?”
I pushed her hands away as she continued to poke at me. “That’s enough. Regardless… thank you for saving me.”
Even if Amur hadn’t intended to kill me, things could have gone south quickly. If Aslan hadn't shown up when she did, I might not be standing here.
Aslan shook her head. “Don’t thank me. It’s my fault for taking you to such a dangerous place. I’m sorry.”
“That’s true.”
If I hadn’t gone beyond the wall in the first place, I never would have been targeted.
“So, what brings you all the way down here? Did you come to report to your big sis that you’re all better? How thoughtful of you.”
“…”
Aslan was acting exactly like her usual self. Just how much did she know about the secrets Roen carried? I opened my mouth to grill her, but then hesitated.
…Where do I even start?
My mind was a chaotic mess of questions, making it impossible to pick a thread.
Who was Roen? Did she know his true identity? If she did, how long had she known, and to what extent? Why did Kaiser take in a child like Roen and raise him as his own? Did she know why Amur attacked me? When did she put the ring back on my finger? And why did Derod’s ring look identical to the rings given to the high-ranking vassals of House Devalis?
The questions piled up, one after another, but I couldn't bring myself to voice them.
As I stood there struggling to choose my words, Aslan spoke in a soft, knowing tone. “You look like you have a lot on your mind. Did that bastard say something to you?”
“…”
I nodded silently.
She had read my expression instantly. It seemed my usual poker face and talent for verbal sparring were useless against her. Perhaps this was the result of years of living together as family.
Aslan let out a deep sigh and placed a heavy, reassuring hand on my shoulder.
“Roen, don’t pay any mind to what that bastard said. Even if there’s truth to it, so what? Nothing changes. You are a Devalis, and you are my brother. That is beyond any doubt.”
“…I see.”
At her unhesitating reply, I let out a long breath and nodded.
In truth, I already knew the answer to some degree. I knew Roen possessed a noble demonic bloodline and lacked a single drop of Devalis blood. I think I just wanted to hear the truth confirmed by someone else.
And in doing so, I found another answer.
Regardless of his origins or his blood, they truly considered Roen to be family. I looked at Aslan and gave a slow, firm nod.
That’s enough.
I could figure out the rest on my own.
“Let’s go up. Now that you’re awake, we need to hold the victory banquet we’ve been putting off.”
“…Victory?”
“That’s right, victory. This expedition was a resounding success. We razed the Black Moths’ habitats and even subjugated a high-ranking demonic beast. On top of that, we forced one of the Twelve Honored Ones to retreat. If that’s not a victory, I don’t know what is.”
Retreat… though it felt more like he just got bored and left.
“When you put it that way, you’re not wrong.”
The process had been… complicated, to say the least. But looking strictly at the results, it was an overwhelming win. We had achieved our objectives without a single casualty or permanent injury. Even I, who had been thrashed by Amur, had woken up perfectly fine.
“Come on, let’s go. We’re going to drink away this gloomy mood.”
Aslan stepped to my side, linked her arm with mine, and began dragging me toward the surface.