Chapter 176
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 176
After story
I killed my father.
It happened thirteen years, four months, and seven days ago.
My father was a man the world called a tyrant. But even that title was far too generous; most people just called him scum. Some even went so far as to call him a son of a bitch.
When I was young, I would hear the servants whispering curses about my father. I always pretended not to hear and let them be. Of course, they lacked self-control and were eventually caught running their mouths to others.
It was then I learned that human life is more resilient than one might think; a person can survive even with their limbs crushed. They could not, however, endure having their entrails squeezed out. Even in death, their bodies were never buried.
A question formed in my mind. Did they really have to die just for speaking ill of him?
When I asked my father, he gave me his answer.
"My son, not all humans are equal. Each has a different value."
He was a tyrant, a piece of trash, and a son of a bitch, but to me alone, my father was kind. He wanted to be a gentle father, if only for me.
Was he someone who kept his public and private lives strictly separate? I didn't know. Sometimes he seemed genuine, but then I would see him lay his hands on my mother, and I would wonder if it was all just an act.
In any case, on that day, I learned a lesson from my father.
—The value of a person is not the same.
This worldview was hardly unique to him. Status and class existed in other kingdoms, including the Empire. Humans possessed dignity, but to varying degrees. The servants were killed by my father because he was more noble than they were. In short, they met their end because they had overstepped their bounds.
A comparison of value.
Profit and loss. Opportunity cost. Make the rational choice. Choose the better option.
"Why did you kill him?"
Two months after I killed my father, knights clad in gold-trimmed armor appeared in Riaze and dragged me away. They were the 'Red Spear of Roa,' the sworn swords of the Imperial Family. Their presence was tantamount to an imperial decree. As it was an order from the highest authority in the Empire, I was powerless to resist.
I expected to be taken to a musty place like the torture chamber my father had built, but I was brought to a small imperial villa.
The 1st Imperial Prince approached and poured tea himself. Having never interacted with royalty, I was ignorant of the proper etiquette. As I hurriedly bowed my head, the 1st Imperial Prince smiled.
"Why did you kill him?" he asked.
My plan had been meticulous. I thought I had left no trace. How had the information leaked?
His implication was too clear for me to feign ignorance. The Prince was asking for the reason I killed my father.
"I calculated their values," I confessed.
My father was a tyrant, but not an incompetent one. He constantly exploited his subjects to prevent them from accumulating wealth, but he never let them starve to death. As someone who always preached about value, he was highly discerning. He knew his own value would rise only if his territory prospered, so he never allowed it to become an uninhabitable wasteland.
But there was a moment when he became an incompetent ruler. That was when he was blinded by money.
"The eastern region of Pekarnos produces pepper and cinnamon."
"Pekarnos's pepper and cinnamon are high-quality spices, supplied even to the imperial palace. I am aware," the Prince replied.
"The previous Lord of Pekarnos once incurred the wrath of Noas, the earth spirit. Due to that curse, the climate of the Pekarnos region changed drastically. Sunlight, rainfall, humidity—everything was ruined, making it impossible for wheat to grow."
“……”
"Under those circumstances, the only viable goods the Lord of Pekarnos could produce after immense effort were pepper and cinnamon. The people of Pekarnos use the money from selling those spices to buy wheat and fruit from neighboring territories."
Pekarnos's main source of income was its spices. Because the territory was small and could not afford a Teleportation Hub, trade was conducted via carriage. However, the lands surrounding Pekarnos were infested with monsters. Every time the carriages—the very hope of Pekarnos—set out, they required a massive escort. Even then, entire caravans were often wiped out.
Ultimately, the Lord of Pekarnos decided to subjugate the monster-infested areas. Of course, doing so required either an elite subjugation squad or a large-scale army.
"The Lord of Pekarnos sent letters to numerous neighboring lords," I explained. "He offered spices in exchange for military support."
"Naturally, the situation overheated."
The amount of spice offered was extraordinary. Neighboring lords scrambled to send their troops. Since the military support had unintentionally turned into a bidding war, many of them badmouthed the Lord of Pekarnos behind his back.
My father also received the offer. The amount of spice on the table was more than could be easily earned from a territory like his. More importantly, mercenary costs were customarily low in my father's lands. He stood to make a massive profit.
My father secretly approached the Lord of Pekarnos with a proposal. In exchange for an exclusive trade deal, he would not only provide temporary military support but also ensure that no monsters came near Pekarnos for the next five years. The Lord of Pekarnos readily agreed. As his son, I was able to confirm the secret contract through his documents.
——This was not good.
He could make a fortune overnight. Wealth is power; once my father became rich, other lords wouldn't be able to touch him. The problem was Pekarnos.
The amount of pepper and cinnamon produced in that territory was small. After supplying the imperial palace, only a tiny fraction remained—not nearly enough to satisfy the demand of the neighboring territories. Competition was already fierce.
Offering a significant portion of that limited supply was problematic enough, but to publicly solicit bids and then finalize the deal behind closed doors…
There was no way the other lords would be pleased. The remaining supply would be insultingly small. Those lords, who valued their pride far more than a pittance of spice, would rather retaliate against Pekarnos than swallow their pride for such a meager quantity. Indeed, several nearby lords were more than capable of doing just that.
"If things had proceeded as planned, many territories would have cut off the food supply to Pekarnos."
“……”
There were many ways to harass them. The neighboring lords could have completely cut off the supply of wheat and other foodstuffs. It would have been simple: refuse to sell goods under various pretexts and intercept shipments from elsewhere. Whether the people of Pekarnos starved to death was of no concern to them.
"Thousands of people would have starved."
"Did you try to tell your father this?"
"To him, the spices he would receive immediately were far more important."
"So you killed him?"
"His value was lower than that of the thousands of residents of Pekarnos."
I had simply acted according to the principles my father had taught me.
"I have never seen a madman like you!"
The 1st Imperial Prince let out a hollow laugh, unable to listen any longer. I remained silent.
A madman.
I had long been aware that my way of thinking was warped. But being aware of it and changing it were two entirely different matters. If I wasn't normal, then what was the standard for normalcy? In the end, I killed my father, but I saved a greater value.
Although I was being interrogated, the atmosphere wasn't heavy. I offered a faint smile in response. If they had brought me here to hold me accountable, it would surely mean execution. The sin of patricide was a grave one. Since I was bound to die anyway, I had no regrets.
"Are you trying to say you sacrificed the few for the many?"
"The combined value of the thousands in Pekarnos was higher than the combined value of the two of us. After his death, the deal fell through. Pekarnos didn't manage to drive out the monsters, but they also didn't incur the wrath of the other territories."
"Two? Wasn't it only your father who died? Did you kill someone else?"
The 1st Imperial Prince hesitated for a moment, then burst into laughter as he understood.
"You included yourself in that count."
“……”
"We must correct what is wrong. The only value that needs to be discussed here is that of your deceased father. Besides," he continued, "your calculation is fundamentally flawed. Since you saved thousands of lives, you now possess the value of those thousands of people. Therefore, if I were to kill you, it would ultimately result in a loss."
The 1st Imperial Prince stood up without taking a single sip of his tea. Thinking it would be rude to leave my own cup untouched, I reached for it, but the Prince spoke in a grave voice.
"Do not drink it."
Judging by the situation, it must have been poisoned.
I was being tested.
After that, he guided me deeper into the imperial palace. The palace grew more luxurious the further one went, so by the time we arrived in a chamber overflowing with treasures, I could guess whom I was about to meet.
The massive doors opened. I took slow steps forward. As soon as I reached my designated spot, I bowed my head and remained in that posture for a long time.
"Young one, how long do you intend to stay like that?"
The Emperor spoke. Only then did I raise my head to look at him. He asked without preamble:
"In your eyes, what is Our value?"
It was a question he could only ask if he had heard my conversation with the Prince. Had he used a magic tool to eavesdrop? I bowed my head once more and replied.
"I dare not fathom it."
It was half a lie, half the truth. While the status of an Emperor was immeasurable in terms of value, everything else was impossible to gauge. How could I know, having met him for the first time?
"I have heard your story. It is truly heartless. To kill one's own blood is an inhuman act. What do you think of this?"
"Please grant me death."
"I asked what you thought. You must be too young to understand what We are saying. Then, let Us change the question. Do you believe the choice you made was ultimately correct?"
I nodded.
The Emperor burst into hearty laughter. Everyone else in the room, save for the Emperor himself, could not hide their shock. They probably thought the proper response would have been to plead for death once more.
"The Empire needs such heartlessness," the Emperor declared.
Inwardly, I had hoped he would tell me whether my thoughts were right or wrong, but no such answer came. Perhaps there was no right answer. Killing is wrong, but saving is right. Is life not a mixture of black and white? Is it right, then, to save by killing? The concept of being 'inhuman' only makes sense if all humans possess the same inherent value. But in this world, don't all humans have different values?
"Protect Us and Our Empire."
Just as my thoughts began to tangle, the Emperor continued. His words were long, but the meaning was simple: he was offering me an important post by his side.
"Just as you do not fully trust Us, We do not fully trust you. Though We have promised you an important post, you must prove your value to Us through your actions and results."
“……This is an undeserved grace. I will gladly obey your command, but I do not understand why you are bestowing so much upon me."
"Do you think you could have done such a thing if you were a serf? Only those with value can protect value. Because you were a lord's son, you saved thousands of lives. If We place you in a higher position, your value will increase, and you will be able to save even more people."
"I am not wise. A better way might have existed, yet I chose to harm my father. I do not have the confidence to protect anything without sacrifice."
"We grant you Our permission."
I am not righteous.
"Our shoulders are always heavy. We are asking you to share that burden. In ruling tens of millions of imperial citizens, it is impossible to save everyone without sacrifice. It seems you would be able to carry out those deeds without so much as batting an eye."
The Emperor was the same as me.
The world demanded unrighteousness.
"From this moment on, you are Edelbreas."
……
……
I always thought a life flashing before one's eyes would be a cascade of countless memories. To think this was all I could recall.
My vision is white. My limbs have been torn away, so I feel nothing. My body feels as if it's floating.
This wasn't the afterlife. It was likely just the brief moment before death. In a few seconds, even this consciousness would be extinguished.
Why did my mind show me this memory?
Perhaps I was regretting it. To walk a path knowing it is wrong is an inherently difficult thing. It makes you look back with every step. Was the memory I just saw the very start of that path?
……
I have no intention of apologizing to everyone now, of all times. Nor do I intend to repent for my wrongdoings. I still cannot distinguish between right and wrong. It's just…
I failed to reach it.
Though I orchestrated countless sacrifices under the pretext of protecting the Empire, it has all become meaningless.
"Ha."
Regretting things only at the moment of death is pathetic.
I had things to say to Uin, Garot, Gwyn, Sturman, and Ainar—to everyone, really—but I held the words back. Such sentiment did not suit Ar Edelbreas Galf Rivisten.
I closed my eyes.