Chapter 308

“…The last one is me?”

Shion asked.

He was still taking the form of a dragon.

Surrounding him, seven Man-Gods stood in a circle.

They are the beings called the Hotus Eight Gods.

“I cannot understand.”

On his head as a dragon, there is a crown made of wood.

It is the seventh Ars, the ‘Crown of Paradox’. Shion asks while looking at Continua, his father.

“I don’t know what you are saying. Does that mean I am… of the Hotus Eight Gods….”

“It means you are the last one.”

“…How?”

The Hotus Eight Gods are beings over a thousand years old.

However, Shion, even if he had regressed, is barely around forty.

Furthermore, he had no power like the Eight Gods, and was merely a human.

“It is not told in stories.”

Continua is sitting on the golden throne. He raised his hand somewhat slowly.

“Mage and Clown. Show it to my son.”

Beila Beile and Sen Sorti stepped forward.

One was in the form of a thousand petals blooming around a giant head, and one was a silver dragon with forty-eight wings.

“Oh my, Your Majesty. You must think we are still your subjects.”

“Actually, since I’m a clown, it doesn’t really matter as long as you pay me well.”

“You don’t even pay properly! Would I have set up my own country and left 400 years ago if it wasn’t bad?”

“Huh? You becoming independent was because you fought with the Emperor….”

“Shut up, Clown. If you talk about that in front of Shion, I will tear you to shreds.”

“Uh-huh? Did I not say it yet?”

The Last Clown threw a smiling glance as if he found it amusing.

The Last Mage only showed displeasure.

The Last Emperor smiled slightly looking at the two.

Shion still felt that Continua smiling was only awkward.

“Even after a thousand years, you two still talk a lot.”

“To be precise, it is one thousand three hundred years, Your Majesty.”

“It’s a trivial difference. Anyway, show it to my son.”

The Emperor gestured.

The Clown and the Mage followed the Emperor’s will while grumbling.

They looked at Shion and spoke.

“Shion, you have an obligation.”

“But you can refuse it.”

“You can refuse even though it is an obligation. Because that is the power of the ‘Crown of Paradox’ you possess.”

“But we would be happy if you accept.”

Shion listened quietly.

“We want to show you.”

“The path we walked. Our thousand years.”

“Hotus before Cordis.”

“Ancient Times before Hotus.”

The seven Man-Gods opened their mouths simultaneously.

“””””””Our beginning.”””””””

Instead of answering, Shion tapped his head. He wore the ‘Crown of Paradox’.

This signifies freedom.

Because he did not block anything, nothing can block him.

He is not bound by any obligation.

Yet he returned to the Cordis Great Imperial Palace.

Here, which is like the symbol of his childhood nightmares and his youth’s hatred.

This means Shion has already chosen to bear the obligation he does not have to bear.

The Emperor laughed.

The Mage also laughed.

The two smiles were very similar.

A very similar pride dwelt in them.

Shion felt doubt once again but did not bother to ask.

The Mage noticed even that consideration and laughed more deeply.

“I will open the door.”

“And I will guide.”

“Go and see.”

“Our Ancient Times.”

The Mage recited an incantation.

Shion had spent a long time as her disciple.

However, it was the first time seeing her recite an incantation.

The Mage recites the incantation as if singing a song and wields silver magic.

Silver smoke became a door.

Shion walked in without hesitation.

And soon, he became invisible.

***

Shion left.

Seven Man-Gods remained in the place where he disappeared.

They tried to share a serious conversation with somewhat wistful faces.

However, Deballo Debius raised his head as if he suddenly remembered.

“What are you doing, Clown? You should go too!”

“Ah. Right!”

Beila Beile hurriedly followed behind Shion. When even the ‘Last Clown’ went in, the six Man-Gods sighed.

“That jerk hasn’t changed since the old days.”

Kerenneus Cansella Caseptus, the ‘Last Minister’, twisted the corners of his mouth.

“He’s always prone to ruining the mood.”

“And you are invariably arrogant.”

“Sorry, but could you speak up? I can’t hear the words of a slave very well.”

“How long do you intend to make such childish mockery?”

“Until you bastards stop being vulgar.”

“Let’s not talk, Kerenneus.”

Hika Hireium shook his head.

He is the Chairman of the Western Dawn Brotherhood and at the same time the ‘Last Slave’.

One thousand three hundred years ago, he was also a slave belonging to the Kerenneus family.

Hika Hireium turned his head to look at Deballo.

“Deballo. Do something about your friend.”

“I am not this guy’s friend, Hika.”

“I thought you two were close?”

“Kerenneus seemed to think so.”

Deballo spoke while crossing his arms.

“But I’m not particularly pleased about it.”

“Huh?”

Kerenneus unwittingly let out a dumbfounded sound and looked at Deballo.

He thought that Deballo was at least worthy of being called his friend.

Seeing the eagle’s dumbfounded face, Deballo giggled.

Only then did Kerenneus realize he had been tricked by Deballo’s prank and blushed.

“…I don’t need it either! A friend like you!”

“Looks like you’re really angry.”

“Don’t talk to me, damn bastard!”

“Can’t even play a prank. Sorry, sorry.”

Deballo and Hika laughed loudly. Hika Hireium found his next conversation partner.

“More importantly, Dancer, why are you so quiet?”

“…I have no choice but to be quiet.”

The Last Dancer’s eyes flashed.

She glared fiercely at Kerenneus.

“Half my country was taken away, wouldn’t I be boiling inside?”

“It was an agreed matter. Horm has become too big.”

Kerenneus spoke quietly.

“Besides, the religion on your side was too overheated. In some regions, there were even signs of trying to offer humans as sacrifices. While knowing well what happens if you leave that be.”

“I said I would resolve it myself, but you unilaterally agreed and invaded!”

“Self-purification has a limit. Especially religion. Even more so if the god they serve is visible.”

Kerenneus added not to worry as he was still managing the conquered territories well.

The Last Dancer threatened that she held back because of that, otherwise she would have slapped him twenty times right now.

The spirit was so fierce that Kerenneus shook his head.

“Today.”

The Emperor said.

“Is a truly good day.”

When he spoke, the others listened.

Except for the Minister and the General, none belonged under the Emperor.

However, they still harbored awe toward the Emperor.

To the extent that they would even kneel if he demanded, although he doesn’t.

Continua laughed very deeply sitting on the golden throne.

He spent forty-nine lives on this golden throne switching forty-nine bodies.

If every life was not identical but experienced equal suffering, it meant the suffering the Emperor experienced was at least forty-nine times that of others.

“A thousand years… no, one thousand three hundred years, was it. Even after that long time has passed, you chatter truly joyfully.”

“You look to be in a good mood, Your Majesty.”

“I have no choice but to be good, Mage.”

The Last Mage and the Last Emperor looked at each other.

The other Man-Gods who knew their relationship well stepped back one step each.

The Emperor was a golden-haired old man.

The Mage’s eyes were silver, but if one looked closely, the blue light was deep.

“…….”

“…….”

The Mage glared at the Emperor with her mouth shut tight.

The Emperor kept silent, smiling brightly as if to match that.

Yet, something sorrowful lingered between the two.

It is closer to love-hate than hatred.

If one were to compare, they were like a married couple who ended up fighting because of their child’s education policy.

Perhaps that might really be the case.

“…You are too harsh.”

“It is a life that has no choice but to be harsh. Then it is better to let him experience it within our hands.”

“I told you time and time again, that is arrogance.”

“We have been arrogant ever since we became gods. We must bear it.”

“If it’s arrogance that already exists, wouldn’t it be possible to lessen it even a little?”

“Wouldn’t that be arrogance instead, Mage. Is the weight of life something that is lessened because we want it to be?”

“…….”

The Mage felt the need to change the subject.

She has argued about the same topic with the opponent in front of her for over a thousand years.

She also knew that talking about it would never end.

Instead of looking at the Emperor, she looked at where he was sitting.

“…That throne.”

“What about my golden chair?”

“Where did the one sitting there go?”

“Ah, Caseptus?”

Kerenneus slyly intruded.

“…Your Majesty. Do you still not remember that child’s name?”

“The name is long.”

“While you remember the name of the wine I gifted you just fine….”

“That’s because it’s your gift. Anyway, that guy, the 50th, Fer… Fer…. Hmm, it was a name starting with Fer and ending with s….”

“…….”

The Last Minister was moved by the Emperor’s words but realized the inevitable cold-heartedness within him.

Because that name the Emperor could not remember was his own son’s name.

Kerenneus knew well how hard Ferbias had tried to receive Continua’s recognition.

“…Ferbias. It is Ferbias Caseptus, Your Majesty.”

“Oh. Right. Yes. Ferbias!”

The Emperor laughed heartily, feeling refreshed as he remembered.

“Anyway, Ferbias ran away.”

He spoke as if it was no big deal.

Kerenneus opened his eyes wide at the fact he was hearing for the first time and asked.

“…Ran away? Where to?”

“How would I know?”

The Last Emperor did not hide his annoyance.

It was cold, incomparable to the gaze he had when looking at Shion.

“Must have gone somewhere.”

***

Ferbias Caseptus sprinted.

He was out of breath.

His whole body creaked.

The Emperor’s formal attire and shoes were not forms suitable for running.

His little toe was already becoming mush inside the hard shoes.

Yet he had no choice but to run.

‘…Why…?’

Ferbias asked himself.

But no answer came.

Even while running, he could not know where he should run.

It was painful as his throat was blocked beyond just being out of breath.

It was hard to endure this hopelessness.

Still, he had to run.

Run. Just run.

There is neither direction nor goal.

There isn’t even a reason.

If one had to say, he was running to a place that wasn’t here because he couldn’t be here.

In fact, he had wanted to run away all along. It had been so since 7 years ago.

He lived craving the Emperor’s seat.

However, he realized as soon as he sat on that golden throne.

He had wanted this all his life, but having it was different from his thoughts.

But it was a heavy seat he could not put down.

7 years since then, there was only terrible responsibility and burden.

So he had no choice but to run away.

But lingering attachment remained, so he kept glancing back.

Even though it was a seat that was only heavy with nothing gained, it was gold.

The feeling of wanting to return even now did not disappear.

If Shion, who had become a dragon, was not in front of the golden throne, he would have returned long ago.

Also, he already saw the Hotus Eight Gods gathering.

He doesn’t know that their name is Hotus Eight Gods.

He only knows that monsters he cannot resist have gathered in droves.

So he was even more afraid, and so he had no choice but to run away even more.

But,

‘…Where to…?’

He is running, but he doesn’t know where to head.

The Caseptus family?

Ferbias’s privately owned farm?

If not that… Sdea Academy?

Whichever it is, he misses it, and whichever he goes to, the situation won’t change.

Ferbias felt like he would go crazy from the pain.

‘…Where in the world do I go?’

He suddenly realized he was asking the wrong question.

‘No, to whom…?’

The father who doesn’t even remember his name.

The mother who has already gone mad.

The maternal grandfather who thinks of him as a toy.

The subjects who only flatter him.

They are all back there.

He was running away leaving them in the capital Lutilium, in the Cordis Great Imperial Palace.

He is the Emperor.

Yet there is no one to go to.

Ferbias faced an extreme emotion he was experiencing for the first time in his life.

The name of this emotion was misery, but since it was his first experience, he has no way of knowing the name.

Instead, it just becomes more painful.

‘…What….’

He wanted to cry.

But he didn’t even know that he wanted to cry.

So he blocked the tears from coming out, and on top of the other tears that were already rotting inside, new things to rot were added.

The nausea was severe so he eventually spit it out.

“…What in the world is left?”

Ferbias was running even in the midst of that.

“…What, just what is the life that is left…?”

He looked at his hand.

Even while running so strenuously, there was something he hadn’t let go of.

A knife.

It was a single knife.

The blade was sharp and blue and soon, Ferbias Caseptus decided to die.

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