Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: The Hero's True Heart
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Every morning when the sun rises—
*Knock knock knock.* The sound, now familiar, echoes through the room.
When he opens the door, there stands Sister Karen, the nun God sent down for him.
"Come on, Prince! Today we're studying the scriptures together!"
"...Didn't we study the scriptures yesterday too, Sister?"
"Well, that's true! But I was sent down specifically to study the scriptures with you!"
Ares reluctantly lets Karen into his room—
But deep down, he's thrilled to spend time with her.
"Great Igugwoden Chronicle, Chapter 15 Verse 8: 'God's Plain Fact is given only when the believer makes their own choice.' Verse 9: 'You shall not carelessly mix your own Plain Fact with another's.' Verse 10: 'This is the absolute rule set by the Sole God Igugwoden, who admonished against manipulating others based on one's bizarre rewards—this is the seventh exhortation of the first Saintess.' You remember all three, right?"
"Of course. We focused on that part yesterday."
"Then, can you now explain the Plain Fact of God contained in these verses?"
Ares hesitates for a long moment before finally speaking in a tone of resignation.
"...You shouldn't treat other people with personalities like puppets to move at your will... Something like that."
"Good job! Now, what lesson can you draw from this, Ares?"
Ares knows the correct answer—
But instead of reciting it, he shares the conclusion he's reached after his own deliberation.
"Sister. I'm being dead serious... You know as well as I do that nothing changes without sacrifice. Honestly, nitpicking over who has to sacrifice feels like quibbling over trivialities in the face of something huge."
"That's not the issue."
Just like yesterday—Karen speaks with unwavering firmness.
"Sure, without sacrifice, nothing might change. But can you declare that a new world built by stepping over the corpse of someone who never wanted it is better than the old one?"
"That's just a weak, idealistic story... And I told you. I'm willing to throw my own life away."
"Being prepared to throw away your own life doesn't mean you gain the right to arbitrarily decide others' lives, does it?"
"I've considered all that, and some people want to sacrifice, so we put it off... How are we ever supposed to overthrow the world like this? If we accommodate every circumstance, who will step up to sacrifice? I think sacrificing whoever is needed from the unspecified masses at the time is ultimately the fairest outcome for everyone."
Ares likes Karen.
Even knowing she's essentially bait sent by God, he still likes her. The time spent with her hasn't lost its color.
And because he truly likes her—Ares is gradually confessing his impulsive true feelings to her, feelings he's never shared with anyone else.
And Karen—
Instead of just scolding his honest words, she continues explaining in a way he can understand.
"Think about it, Prince. Let's go back to the very first you. Why did you want to overthrow the world?"
"...Because I felt the limits of this political system with an absolute monarch and vassals."
"And what was the reason for that?"
"Vassals seem to obey the Emperor, but in the end, they drive out any Emperor who doesn't suit their taste to protect their petty power. The Emperor, for his part, covers up his ruthless acts with words like 'for stable rule' in the name of strengthening imperial authority, without batting an eye."
"The so-called glorious history of the empire is just the ugly power struggles between the Emperor and vassals repeating endlessly. As a member of the imperial family, how can I ignore the innocent people suffering, pushed to the bottom of the priority list?"
"So, you're supporting republicanism, Your Highness?"
"Yes. I think that's why the vassals and Emperor are so obsessed—power is concentrated in one place. If it were divided among many, they wouldn't waste time on pointless political strife and would focus on enriching their territories. I'm convinced of it."
"What if the nobles who come to power under republicanism don't focus on enriching their territories but instead divide into factions, repeating political strife to further strengthen their own power and authority?"
"......"
"Have you ever considered that case, Prince?"
"...You don't know until you try."
"Being certain of the positives while refusing to look at the negatives isn't the right attitude... You know that without me having to explain, right, Prince?"
"But the flaws of monarchy are already proven in historical records..."
"Then why did you abandon revolution and shift to monitoring the church?"
Every time.
Karen's words leave Ares speechless.
But it doesn't matter. Ares wants to keep throwing every thought and ideology he's harbored solely in his mind at her.
"If switching to republicanism alone would unfold utopia, you shouldn't give up your cause no matter what the Emperor does, right?"
"I'll answer this one for you. Because His Majesty the Emperor and the majority of nobles have become astonishingly upright, and songs of the people's happiness are spreading everywhere, isn't that why?"
"...You're right. Honestly, if I called to overthrow the Emperor now... no one would agree. The people would probably say I've gone mad with power lust and am spouting nonsense."
"Thanks for being honest. Now, care to answer the next question?"
Ares squeezes his eyes shut and turns his head away as he speaks.
"Well, no matter how great the Saintess is... you can't truly know people's hearts. Even she is human, so her stance could change anytime. Right now she's walking the path for everyone, but it's not surprising if someone like that falls and starts worshiping only her own authority."
"Is that the only reason?"
"What else could there be, Sister? I'm telling you my true feelings, everything."
"Sigh."
Karen lets out a short sigh—
And murmurs that he's such a handful of a little brother as she strokes the back of his hand.
And, hilariously... Ares finds that moment utterly delightful.
Feeling how much she's trying for his sake fills his heart to the brim.
"Prince. Since you're not being fully honest, this sister will guess what's in your heart. That's okay, right?"
"...Go ahead."
"Prince. I don't think your noble intentions are wrong. God Igugwoden thinks the same. 'Graduation' wasn't meant to tell you not to even think of revolution. God only wants you all to be happy and has never demanded you stick to any specific political system."
Ares had already figured that much.
Lord Igugwoden clearly said... he helps you graduate from being a 'revolutionary who doesn't love humans' to a 'revolutionary who loves humans.'
It felt like mere wordplay, but if God outright rejected revolution, He would've used more direct words instead. Guessing that wasn't hard.
"Feeling pity for those suffering and wanting to help isn't wrong. But your problem, setting all that aside—is that you're deceiving even yourself, Prince."
"I'm... deceiving myself?"
Caught off guard by the unexpected words, Ares looks at Karen in slight panic—
Unlike him, her eyes are clear and unwavering as she gazes back.
"Prince. Why you so casually consider others' sacrifices for the greater good. And why, even knowing your revolution won't be accepted by the people, you keep plotting to 'make something happen.'"
"That's—"
"I'm sorry, Prince. But please hear your sister out this time."
At that moment.
She grabs both of his hands firmly.
"S-Sister?"
"I'll tell you. Your true feelings, Ares."
"My true feelings..."
"Ares—you want to be a hero."
"!!!"
For an instant, Ares's world freezes just a little.
A hero...? Me?
No. I have no interest in personal glory or fame.
Proof: Even as royalty, I'm discarding royal authority to prepare for revolution, aren't I?
But.
Karen continues with unwavering conviction.
"A revolutionary from royal blood who topples the empire with his own hands. A being who throws himself for everyone to overturn the world. The desire to become that is so strong... you can't give up, and you don't flinch at others' sacrifices."
"You don't love humanity—instead, you love yourself immensely, Prince."
"That's... ridiculous! If I truly loved myself that much, I wouldn't even think of giving up my privileges—"
"You say you're giving up privileges, but you've been saying things like 'Who else but me, a royal, can do it?' all along."
"Th-that's...!"
"You're using the fact that you're royal better than anyone, Prince. You've fallen for the image of 'the cool me who pities the people and even discards my authority.' So, good outcome or not, you have to flip everything. You want to etch your name boldly into history."
"That's why you're always watching for opportunities. Praying the church goes astray now. Waiting for the people to groan in suffering again. Only then can you claim the greater good and step forward before everyone."
"That's not it...!!!"
*Bang!*
Ares shoots up from his seat.
The old Karen might have been speechless at his outburst—but the current Karen doesn't flinch and keeps speaking.
"You can fool the world, but not your sister, Prince."
"How much I've agonized...! This is all for everyone, not just for me—"
"I know that feeling isn't false. But if it were truly for everyone, you couldn't treat unwanted sacrifices from others so lightly. The reason you're so firm on sacrifice is you can't tolerate others—who have less to give up than you, a royal—not joining your cause when you're ready to give up everything."
"Don't lump it all together like that! What do you know about me, Sister—!"
Just as Ares realizes his slip and tries to protest—
Suddenly.
Her scent pierces deep into his nose.
Then comes a warm embrace.
Warmth from a being who embodies God's generosity.
When he comes to... he realizes Sister Karen has wrapped her arms around him tightly.
"I know everything, Ares."
"Sis...ter?"
"Your sister knows it all. Everything about you... even what you're thinking right now."
"I'm not here to scold you for it. That's not what God means by 'graduation.'"
—Everyone has something embarrassing as a human.
From quirky hobbies or tastes on the small side, to deep, secret desires you can't tell anyone.
Like the desire to love yourself so much that you'll do anything to become a hero etched in history.
"Facing those slightly embarrassing, twisted parts head-on. Accepting them and moving forward... that's graduation."
Ares says nothing, just blankly stays in her embrace.
All he feels in his mind is how incredibly soft Sister Karen's touch is.
And how his face burns hotter than ever.
"Ares. Be honest. You wanted to see your sister again, right? Why?"
"I..."
"It's okay. Your sister knows. So tell me everything, without lies."
Ares, very very carefully—
Taps at the shell around him.
"I liked the sister who understood me."
"I liked the sister who affirmed my hobbies, who matched everything to me."
"Just talking... and we clicked so well, it felt like we were one split into two... That's why I liked you, Sister."
"Do you still like your sister now?"
"...Yes."
"Thank you."
Karen pats his back gently.
Like soothing a precious little brother.
"Do you love your sister?"
"I don't know if this is love. But when you weren't there... I missed you terribly. So much that I'd bend my personal convictions."
"If it's enough to bend convictions, it might not be an overstatement to call it love."
Karen slowly releases the hug—
Places her hands on his shoulders, looks him straight in the eye, and smiles again.
"Prince. You can do it. You were able to like me, so you can like others too."
"And the moment you truly like and love other people—that's when you'll become the hero you've always longed to be, Ares."
With that, she hugs him again and pats his back.
Ares doesn't reject her touch. Instead of replying... he quietly chooses to stay in her embrace.
Truly, the Saintess's words.
Karen's words were right.
This is the first Plain Fact of the Sole God Igugwoden that he has ever felt.