Chapter 84

At the dining table prepared for six people, only the Emperor and Yuwon sat facing each other.

Yuwon ended up having to dine alone with the Emperor without warning.

“Do you know why I told you to stay behind?”

“Well, I don’t know. If Your Majesty had kept me back for the matter I was thinking of, you wouldn’t have asked me a question like that just now.”

“…Yes, just as you expected. My son, from here on, answer all that I ask without falsehood.”

‘…?’

It felt strange that the Emperor was taking things so gravely, but Yuwon decided to comply without complaint.

“Yes. I swear on the four letters of Aphahiel that I will answer without a single lie.”

“Good. I have just received a most irreverent contact from the Holy Kingdom of Lehl. For some reason, they wish to investigate you. Is there something between you and the Church of Lehl that this father does not know?”

Lehl! That accursed name came up again.

‘I figured it was about time Lehl noticed the absence of the Sword Saint, but of all days, it had to be today….’

Since Yuwon had been attacked without even knowing why, he had nothing to hide. He answered the Emperor with confidence.

“There was something.”

Was the Emperor hoping Yuwon would say otherwise?

A faint expression of displeasure crossed the Emperor’s face before disappearing.

“It must not have been something good.”

“No, it was not a good encounter. If I had to put it precisely, it would be a hostile one.”

“Hm… a hostile tie… Was it something worth their gaining permission from the Pope to investigate you?”

“Father.”

“…?”

When Yuwon suddenly pressed forward, the Emperor widened his eyes in surprise.

“I know well that Your Majesty cherishes me. But there’s no need to circle around with such questions. I’ll tell you directly what happened.”

Yuwon then briefly explained the battle with the Inquisitor Karniel and the circumstances before and after it. When his short account ended, the Emperor’s expression darkened a little.

“Heh… To think you killed that Sword Saint Karniel—the very pride of Lehl—with your own hands… That’s more than hostile ties. That’s a deeply entangled grudge.”

Despite the Emperor’s concern, Yuwon even tossed in a light joke.

“Do you now understand that what I said last time wasn’t empty talk?”

“Heh, yes, I can clearly see that now.”

The Church of Lehl, which had already been the continent’s largest religious power, had grown into a rising superpower during the last thirty years of peace.

Yet Yuwon, who had become hostile with such a theocracy, remained relaxed enough to joke. The Emperor silently clicked his tongue at his composure.

‘When I was young, I wasn’t this fearless….’

“Your Majesty need not worry too much about this matter. Since I caused the trouble, I will handle it myself.”

Not liking Yuwon’s response, the Emperor’s eyebrows twitched.

“No, this is not a matter between you and Karniel. It is a matter between Aphahiel and Lehl. This father will help.”

“There’s no need for that. One way or another, it is the truth that I personally took the life of an Inquisitor. That alone is already a serious matter, but if Your Majesty steps forward, this could escalate into a war with the Holy Kingdom.”

At Yuwon’s dissuasion, the Emperor pretended to flare up.

“Do you think this father fears those religious fanatics?”

“The Iron-Blooded Emperor would never fear them, of course. But if a war can be avoided, avoiding it is always the wiser choice, is it not? I thought Your Majesty knew this better than anyone.”

Yuwon’s words were undeniably correct.

The Emperor knew it well.

The thirty years he ruled Aphahiel without war were proof of that.

“Listen to me and reject that ridiculous investigation. They call it an investigation, but it’s practically an Inquisition. Don’t worry about what follows. Even if you avoid it, Lehl cannot possibly wage war against Aphahiel. You know it, and so do I—and they too must understand the difference in military strength. Knowing that, they will not dare utter a word against Aphahiel.”

How many nations on the entire continent could dare declare war against Aphahiel? As far as Yuwon knew, none. Yet one thing bothered him.

“If it were any other sane nation, they would never risk war against us. But the Church of Lehl I encountered was a group of true mad zealots. They took one glance into my eyes and treated me like a monster deserving death.”

“Mm…”

“There is nothing more frightening than a madman with nothing to lose. If they have truly labeled me an Evil God, they will ignore the difference in strength and wage war in the name of their god. If I avoid this investigation, they will surely take extreme measures.”

“Think carefully, my son. No matter what, if war breaks out, we will be the victors.”

“And if war breaks out, we too will shed blood. As much as I want to erase that ridiculous religion from the continent, now is not the time. First we must secure the succession to the throne and gather the temporarily scattered loyalty of the nobles into one place to strengthen our foundation. Though no blood has been spilled yet, we are practically in a civil war, Your Majesty.”

Under Yuwon’s repeated persuasion, the Emperor was nearly convinced.

“Very well, I understand your thoughts. But you must understand this as well: if you undergo this investigation, it is only a matter of time before the matter becomes known. When that happens, what you have built so far may be shaken to its core. Are you prepared for that?”

This was the Emperor’s final attempt to persuade him. But Yuwon answered instead with a confident smile.

“If I didn’t have enough resolve to personally handle the consequences of my own actions, I wouldn’t have made it this far.”

“…Very well. Do as you wish. If things go wrong, this father will step in, so have no fear.”

At this point, they had practically avoided war. Yuwon let out a silent sigh of relief inside.

“Thank you, Father.”

Since Yuwon agreed and the Emperor granted permission, the envoy dispatched from the Holy Kingdom of Lehl set out toward the Capital of Aphahiel. Yuwon immediately sought out what he had to do.

‘Lehl forbids any contact with mana, considering it heretical except in emergencies. For the investigation party dispatched by Lehl to reach the Capital on foot, it will take at least six days. In those six days, I must resolve this matter.’

Truthfully, Yuwon wanted to simply kill the entire investigation party, but doing so would drag Aphahiel straight into war.

Staining his own hands with a little blood was one thing; war between two nations was on a completely different scale.

‘If a battle breaks out, tens of thousands of lives will be lost whether I want it or not. That is not something I desire.’

Yuwon was not the Heavenly Slaughter Star or so-called Evil God that people sometimes called him.

Resolving things by force when problems arose was neither the best nor even the second-best option.

It was the worst one, used only when no other agreements could be reached.

Tang Yuwon, the illegitimate son of the Sichuan Tang Clan, had known only such methods—but the Yuwon of now was different.

‘So the matter I caused must be resolved by me alone. I will undergo the investigation openly and clear myself of the absurd misunderstanding about being an Evil God. I already have a clue.’

From the incident with Inquisitor Karniel, Yuwon had learned something for certain.

The one who summoned him was the Fifth Sword Saint, Archbishop Palphis.

‘Palphis greeted me at the time, then suddenly reacted strangely. He must have secretly used holy power to check something. And through my eyes, he must have seen whatever they call that Evil God.’

Through successive events, Yuwon had already sensed it.

Ever since he returned from the South, something about his eyes had changed.

Even the expression he saw reflected in the mirror yesterday had been chilling, even to himself.

‘They say the eyes are the window to the heart. They did not see my eyes—they glimpsed something deep inside me through them.’

If it was not his eyes but something within his heart, Yuwon had an idea.

‘If they saw it through my eyes, then to see it myself I must close my eyes. Some things can be seen only when the eyes are closed.’

Just as that thought concluded, Yuwon’s steps stopped. A familiar scene spread before him. It was the Imperial Library.

‘What I need now is a place where I can meditate deeply without interruption.’

Heading inside the library, Yuwon walked without hesitation.

The moment his intent rose, shadows cast between the bookshelves swallowed him in the blink of an eye.

The spot where he had stood was now empty.

The underground cavern of the library.

Leaving even the Hatchling of the Dragon-Scaled Serpent in Terrien’s care, Yuwon sat alone in full lotus position at the center of the chamber and entered meditation.

It was not the usual breathing circulation he practiced whenever he had time, but pure meditation.

Yuwon closed his eyes and focused.

Darkness greeted him.

Darkness that was not frightening in the slightest—only comforting.

A darkness that embraced and gently soothed him to sleep.

‘I am not looking for you. I must go deeper.’

Leaving the comforting darkness behind, Yuwon turned his gaze further inward.

Tak—

An invisible wall appeared before him, stopping him, though all around was nothing but darkness.

‘It won’t be easy… But I must do this sooner or later, even if not for this matter. I will not give up.’

He refused to give up and steadily probed the wall. He pushed, struck, and walked along it for a long time trying to find an opening.

Forcing his way between consciousness and unconsciousness was no simple task. Time flowed meaninglessly.

How long had passed?

‘Hmm… There is definitely something beyond this…’

Just as his physical body sat in meditation, Yuwon’s inner self slumped down onto the floor.

Though he had tried, he could not think of a way to surpass the invisible wall.

‘Should I go back and find another method…?’

In a rare moment for Yuwon, despair crept in.

‘Ah…! How did I not think of that?’

He shot up and tapped the wall before him.

“Come out for a moment. Black Serpent.”

Click—

After what sounded like something opening, ssssk— came the sound of a serpent flicking its tongue.

In the deep darkness, something waited for him.

Yuwon faced the monstrous being he carried within himself.

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