Chapter 154
Chapter 154
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: Breakwater
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Asabragg de Rothschild.
The one who had charged at me most threateningly before now revealed himself.
"Long time no see."
His appearance, looking down at me from a hunched position on the rooftop, was vastly different from back then.
'Looks like he met the Timeless one too.'
There's no other way he could have changed like that.
His red hair now fell down to his waist, and the sharp look in his eyes had softened at the ends, unlike when he was a child.
The only other difference was the incredibly dense fighting spirit emanating from Asabragg's body—something unimaginable before.
'He can't fool me, even if no one else notices.'
If I closed my eyes quietly, I could feel the aura burning like a red sun in his chest.
"Yeah, long time no see."
I gripped the hilt of the sword at my waist and continued.
"Did you come to have a go at me?"
"No. No matter how much of a reckless bastard I am, do you think I'd draw my sword in the royal capital?"
True. That would turn the entire Imperial Army against him, regardless of any justification.
Asabragg gripped and released the hilt of his own sword repeatedly.
"I just came to see your face. I happened to have business here anyway."
"Business?"
"Yeah, business. As you know, the waves are about to start soon. I came to check if this place is safe or not."
Probably the opposite.
Not whether it's safe or not.
But whether it can be conquered or not.
"Are you moving on His Majesty's orders?"
"No? Why would I? Unless he asks nicely. We're not in a position to take orders from him."
"That sounds like you can ignore His Majesty's will."
"If that's how it sounds, nothing I can do about it."
Even with the surrounding citizens watching and at least a hundred people on this street alone—not to mention the two Imperial platoons in front and behind me—he didn't deny it.
'What an entertaining guy.'
I released the sword hilt and beckoned him with my index finger.
"Come down and talk?"
"Nah, if I get close, I might want to fight. That's why I'm up here."
"You might want to fight?"
"Yeah, to be honest, I want to cross swords with you right now—"
He turned his gaze to the palace and continued.
"But we're both in situations where things can't get complicated, so let's hold off for now. Besides, you're busier than I am right now, aren't you?"
"Surprising. Last time we met, I thought your head was made of stone, but now you can actually think."
Asabragg ran a hand through his long hair with a relaxed expression and replied.
"Was it like that? Anyway, you're not surprised by my appearance."
"You recognized me at a glance too."
"How could I not? The moment you entered the capital, my heart started pounding."
"Your heart pounded?"
"Yeah, the heart that only races when I meet a strong opponent. It was thumping like crazy. So I checked everyone entering the palace, and there you were."
So he'd known my identity since I arrived in the capital. How had I not sensed his presence?
'From someone with such a dangerous aura.'
I nodded slightly and turned my back to him.
"Then, as you said, we're both busy. Let's meet again later."
"Sure. But remember this: I heard the Strange Family is planning to block the waves about to hit?"
"...Yeah."
"To block the waves coming in the future, you'll need a breakwater. Think carefully about where to start preparing."
Asabragg grinned and vanished across the rooftops in the opposite direction.
'The position of the breakwater, huh.'
Upon returning to the castle, I immediately met with Valentine. I wanted to rest before heading to Legion, but my sister had requested to see me first.
And at the gathering she had arranged, there was one unexpected person: Cynthia, looking anxious in her eyes, glancing nervously from Valentine's side.
"You're here?"
She spoke to me first.
I nodded lightly and said to my sister.
"You wanted to see me, Sister?"
Without a word, she tapped on a framed picture on the table with her finger.
This wasn't a lack of sincerity in how she treated me—it felt like she was exhausted and hoping I'd come closer.
Clack.
I sat in the chair and faced the frame. Inside it, I could see the people depicted.
'No.'
Rather than being painted by someone, this was closer to a photograph.
"Father and Mother. And me."
"...Yeah, Berddin. Didn't you notice anything strange about that photo?"
"Something strange?"
I looked at the photo again at her question. Just as I thought there was nothing unusual even if I scrutinized it.
"This child... it's not me, is it?"
I closely examined the child between my father Roys and mother Verdandi.
They looked exactly like me, but the eye shape and mouth corners were subtly different.
"Right."
I immediately considered the possibilities of this child's existence in the photo.
From the past of my father I'd seen through the Guardian Spirit, there was no one who could have been born before me chronologically.
'Then.'
The identity of this child in the photo now.
"...Sister, was I born as a twin?"
At my question, Valentine nodded slightly. The affection in her eyes seemed to hold a story I didn't know.
"May I ask what happened?"
"Yes, I always planned to tell you someday. But Father told me not to say anything until this moment came, so I kept silent."
She pointed to the forehead of the child in the photo and continued.
"Have you ever heard anything about this child?"
"No. The first time I saw the photo, I thought it was me."
"I suppose so. Father and Mother said the child looked exactly like you too."
More surprising than her answer was the fact that I had a sibling somewhere who looked just like me.
A twin who resembled me exactly, no less.
"Where is he?"
"They took him away."
"Took him? Who?"
"I don't know the name. But I know it was an archbishop from the Papal Court. I don't know if he's still alive."
"...So my brother is at the Papal Court?"
She shook her head.
"No, I thought so too and went looking. But I was too late—there wasn't even a trace."
"...Do you mean he's dead?"
"I don't know. Whether he died and vanished from records, or he's alive wandering somewhere."
Valentine took the photo out of the frame and flipped it over. On the back side were Father, Mother, and me.
"This one is me."
"Can you tell?"
"Yes, the eyes and mouth are subtly different. His eye corners were a bit lower than mine."
"Then one more question. If the current you encountered the child born with you."
Valentine swallowed hard. I already knew the follow-up question, so I answered without waiting for her to continue.
"I think I could recognize him."
Assuming he'd grown to look as similar to me as in the photo, of course.
"Do you know his name by any chance?"
"Berjin."
"Berjin?"
"Yes. But I don't know if he's still using that name. As I said, we can't even confirm if he's alive..."
I gently took her hand and received the photo. We didn't discuss it further.
To me, my sister who had protected me within the family all this time was far more precious than some twin brother I'd never remembered or known if he was alive.
"I'll send someone to the Papal Court to investigate. Don't worry about this."
At the same time, I turned to Cynthia.
"I'll handle this myself, so don't worry about it."
Cynthia looked back and forth between me and Valentine, then nodded vigorously.
She could no longer return to the Papal Court.
So I needed someone who could handle this quietly.
'...Perfect timing.'
I was just about to meet Albus anyway, so I could settle things with him and inquire about my brother at the same time.
"Sister, I'll go to Legion before the waves start. Please handle the south until then."
A pitch-black night, low clouds drifting between the moonlight, covering Legion's sky.
And there, five generals selected by the Papal Court—the organization meant to maintain this world's balance.
Among them, the one wielding the greatest influence, 'Albus,' was looking down at the arena from the spectator seats of Legion's coliseum.
"It's an honor to meet you like this, Sir Berddin. I am one of the five generals, a knight following His Holiness's orders. Albus."
He didn't mention his birth or family name. He concisely introduced only his current position and name.
'He doesn't seem as strong as I thought.'
I couldn't use my aura due to the sealing formation under the coliseum floor, but I could still gauge the size of the energy dormant in his body.
'Not enough to oppose me.'
At best, on the level of Rox or Cynthia. Among the generals I'd met so far, he seemed the weakest.
"The honor is mine, Sir Albus. I've heard various stories about you, but meeting face-to-face like this is nice."
Our greetings probably looked political to others.
We were using such artificial smiles and gentle tones.
"Did Philip overstep by suggesting we meet tonight?"
"Not at all. This was exactly what I wanted, so I'm glad."
"Ah—really? That's a relief then. He's a bit of a prankster, so I was worried there might be an issue."
True, Philip was quite the joker, so his concern was understandable.
I walked up the stairs from the arena to the spectator seats where he was.
Step, step, step.
"May I hear the reason you wanted to meet me?"
As I drew closer up the stairs, he backed away and answered.
"The reason is simple. You already know everything anyway, Sir Berddin, so I won't drag it out."
"What do you mean?"
"The plan where we five generals joined hands with Glazer to eliminate Strange."
"Ah—that? I'm already over it. We didn't suffer any damage from you anyway."
I shrugged and sat in a nearby chair, replying to him.
"The current Strange Family prioritizes profit over revenge."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes."
Albus stroked the head of the snake coiled around his neck with a meaningful expression.
Stroke—
"Then we can wrap this up quickly."
"Go ahead."
"...Do you know who's behind us now?"
I drew a palm-sized dagger from my waist and scratched a lion into the floor.
Kikikik.
"Is that your answer?"
"Exactly. Then you know who they're targeting?"
"The imperial throne and the annihilation of Strange."
"Correct. Then do you know who the Rothschilds allied with to achieve those two goals?"
"The Rothschilds allied with someone?"
"Yes. Their family head, Apostle Orddin. He's gone to the tower and allied with other demonkin—"
Albus's eyes gleamed as he raised his hand high above his head.
Crack.
"...He wants to meet you directly. Right here."