The Grand Prince Has Run Away - Chapter 122
The flour dough and bacon slabs sizzled yellow on the griddle, while the vegetable soup bubbled merrily over the hearth fire. As the savory aroma filled the house, Arieta crouched low, shooting me wary glances.
"What are you planning to do with me?"
"Feed you first. People talk better on a full stomach."
"You think I'll be able to swallow anything right now?"
"Even a condemned prisoner gets a last meal. So quit whining and eat what's given."
I ladled some soup into a bowl and handed it to her. Arieta took the bowl but hesitated for a long moment, probably suspecting poison.
"Don't worry. You won't die from poison, at least. If you're scared, skip it."
Arieta narrowed her eyes sharply, took a sip, and declared boldly,
"There. Satisfied?"
I tore off a chunk of baked bread and dipped it in my soup.
"It's not a talent show for eating. What kind of woman makes a fuss over a meal like a weaned infant?"
Arieta's face twisted. She clamped her mouth shut, spooned her soup, and warned,
"You're making a mistake. You think the assassins will just back off?"
"Doesn't matter if they do or don't. If they come back, I kill them all."
"So arrogant."
"Nah. They're just weak."
"But assassins aren't scary just because they're strong."
"I know. But I'm not strong just because I'm a Master."
Arieta's eyes sharpened.
"If you're so confident in your strength, why help those evil bastards?"
I let out an incredulous chuckle.
"Heh. What's your definition of 'evil,' anyway?"
"I told you earlier. They're trying to destroy humanity."
"And I told you—they're the ones trying to destroy humanity."
Arieta shot to her feet and yelled,
"Are you saying the Sovereign of Divinity lied to me? The Valkyries always protect humanity and never speak falsehoods!"
"The side you're fighting against has Valkyries too—the Sovereigns of Divinity. Ever heard of Sabondia?"
Arieta faltered, at a loss for words.
"But Sabondia is a mad Valkyrie."
"Evidence for that madness? You're not killing people on baseless slander, are you?"
"Well..."
Arieta hesitated, and I smirked.
"Figured as much. No proof."
"But right after Sabondia left, the Oracle's Compass pointed to doom. If she wasn't trying to destroy the world, why would that happen?"
"Opposite. She left because the Oracle's Compass pointed to doom."
"Why?"
"It's the signal for the heavenly gods' descent. Meaning dimensional rifts open in this world, ushering in the age of destruction."
Arieta's eyes trembled. The age of destruction referred to the world's final days as recorded in the Creation Codex. It was eschatology preached in every sermon—an everyday truth for the faithful.
"N-no way... You're lying."
"True story."
"Proof?"
"Plenty. The monsters in this world. Per the Creation Codex, they shouldn't exist—the heavenly gods sealed all cracks to the world of Chaos and Void. But monsters appear here. If the Codex isn't bullshit, it means our world is slowly being eroded by Chaos and Void."
I ripped off a strip of bacon and crunched it down. Arieta shook her head furiously.
"But monsters have existed since ancient times."
"That's human perspective. From the gods' view, it's a blink. And that blink just ended. Hence all this mess."
Arieta narrowed her eyes.
"So this war is between Chronos, trying to destroy humanity, and Sabondia, trying to stop them?"
"Close, but not quite. Sabondia can't actually stop humanity's doom."
"Then why fight?"
"To save at least some humans. Chronos won't even allow that."
Arieta shuddered.
"Liar. Why wouldn't Chronos let a few survive?"
"Saving even a few takes time. Decades, say."
"Ridiculous. Decades is nothing."
I shrugged.
"Sure. Problem is, the heavenly gods have to wait too. Think Chronos will hold up the king's procession for an ant parade?"
"Th-that..."
Arieta trailed off uncertainly. It sounded absurd.
Delay the gods' will to save a handful? For sky-city Chronos, absolute servants of the divine, unthinkable.
I slurped down my soup and emptied the bowl.
"That's the fight. Sabondia delaying the gods' descent for humans' sake, Chronos pushing it through. Makes Sabondia seem mad, sure. But from us ants' view? Damn grateful. Heh."
Arieta dropped her spoon with a clatter.
"So you're on Sabondia's side?"
"Nah. I root for her, but not allies. Don't get the wrong idea."
"Huh?"
"Saving you should clue you in. Our positions differ. She's the lesser evil, but no comrade—just a business partner I like. Interests diverge, we split."
Arieta narrowed her eyes.
"You'd ally with Chronos if it paid better?"
"Obviously. Sabondia offers saving a few hundred thousand to preserve humanity—and I'm not even guaranteed survival. If Chronos offers better? I switch ships. Cash upfront, though. Saw them betray their followers. Can't trust ultimate con artists."
"Chronos betraying followers? How?"
Future events—I couldn't say. Arieta's group pledged undying loyalty to Chronos, only to be abandoned at doom's dawn, dying with the rest. They believed their loyalty to the end, which was the problem.
"Need me to spell it out? After what you've been through, play dumb?"
Arieta's eyes widened.
"We've been through what?"
I gave her an odd look.
"You really don't know?"
"No."
"Common knowledge: Valkyries can't meddle in worldly affairs. They do sometimes in rage, but punishment follows. Your mere existence violates that massively—and you got caught. The Valkyrie faction backing you ate shit for it. What do you think they'd do?"
Arieta's teeth chattered.
"Discard us like trash?"
"Yep. Why no Chronos rescue? Nemisona's side wants you all dead too."
I spiced it up—a half-lie, truth out of order. Slight time gap, but Sabondia's strike on Arieta predates Nemisona's meddling exposure.
Didn't matter. Nemisona wanted Arieta's group gone by now.
Arieta clapped a hand over her mouth in horror.
"N-no way..."
"Way. Everyone but you is dead already—their wish granted. Not brain-dead, you'd notice."
"No. Impossible."
I shook my head.
"Totally happened. Circumstantial evidence: Chronos had options to save you but didn't."
"Like what?"
"Me, for one. Even if I hate Chronos, we're business partners. No contact from them. If they wanted you saved, they'd ask me—easy fix."
Arieta clenched her trembling fists.
"So everyone's deaths were meaningless?"
"Yep. Dog's death."
"How..."
"Not surprising. Happens all the time."
Arieta hung her head.
"Why save me, then?"
"Wasn't planning to. Saw you in peril, felt queasy, acted on impulse."
"Why?"
Simple reasons.
One: Arieta had been deceived by Nemisona. Until moments ago, she believed she fought to save humanity—clearly duped.
Two: She'd joined the group only a year ago. Too short for major crimes.
Three: In my past life, Arieta died just before doom. Didn't witness it, but Wind God's Secret Palace Aslan lost its master and returned to the Holy Hall—near certain. Suspicious death. Could be Sabondia, but doubtful.
But overriding all: one big reason. Without it, I'd never intervened.
I stood.
"One-sided as it is, we share deep ties."
"Ties? I don't know you."
"You do."
I pulled back my hood, revealing my face. Arieta stared piercingly, then tilted her head. No recognition. Our past encounter was fleeting, like touching fingertips.
"Never seen you."
"You have. Blue paper or red? Remember this chat?"
Her face contorted grotesquely. That dialogue was our secret. Instinctively, her hand went to Aslan.
"Y-you're... the Grand Prince of Depravity?"
I hooded up. Face useless.
"Good, you remember."
"How are you alive? Katrinah killed you."
"Heh. Me, die to Katrinah? A stray dog would laugh. Only the age of destruction can kill me."
Arieta looked up.
"No. The Church won't leave you be—the Grand Prince of Depravity."
"They can't touch me. Told you—business with Chronos. Church are their dogs. They bark occasionally, like now."
Arieta had no rebuttal. The Church couldn't defy Chronos.
"Fine, I accept that. One question: why save me? Our tie was just a brief meeting."
"Was. Then you made it weird. Don't play dumb—you got me married. Massive damages."
Arieta's eyes bulged.
"H-how do you know? Only a few know we married."
"A few means everyone. Not weird."
"..."
Arieta leaned back speechless. I smirked, cleared the dishes.
"That's why I saved you. But don't think you're off the hook. Unwittingly, you nearly committed grave sin against me—and humanity. Same mindset? I kill you. No choice."
"..."
Silent as expected. No face to show.
I stacked dishes aside, hand on Yojyo's hilt. Choice time. Life or death for her.
I don't spare women. Women warriors fought monsters to the death in doom's age. Their lives equal men's. Cling wrong? Die.
"Your call. Serve Chronos, aid humanity's doom? Resist for humanity? Or do nothing?"
Arieta pried open her clamped mouth.
"R-revenge..."
"Hm?"
She gripped Aslan tight.
"I want revenge on Chronos for deceiving and abandoning us."
I smirked faintly. Best answer. Humans truest in personal fury.
"Not full Chronos revenge, but Nemisona? Approved. I won't let that bitch ascend alive either. Let's avenge together."
"Thank you."
"Right, time to start?"
I leaned to her ear. She flinched, stared.
"Huh?"
"We haven't done it yet. You know."
Hasty marriage or not, skipping the wedding night? No. I swept flustered Arieta into embrace, laid her roughly on the bed.
She trembled briefly, met my blazing eyes, then tilted head back in consent. Meeting short, but I was her husband.