novelraw Chapter 139
Chapter 139
Episode 139
At the confident words, Basilian nodded as if he had expected this.
"Grand Marquis Eisollen. You must be aware of the power I possess, correct?"
"If you are referring to the fact that you were chosen by the Holy Sword, then yes, I am aware."
"And not just that, you must also know about the Madness flowing within me."
When he directly mentioned the matter the Imperial family hushed up, the Grand Marquis did not hide his slightly troubled expression as he replied.
"……Not in detail, but I have heard rumors."
No matter how much the Imperial family cautioned, rumors spread through word of mouth inevitably circulate in secret. Eisollen, who was not just an ordinary noble but the representative of a neutral family, couldn't possibly be unaware of this.
"Good, if you know, then this will be easier. Since I know how to handle that power, I also know how to perceive related energies."
"Might I ask what you mean by 'perceive'?"
As if he still hadn't grasped it, the Grand Marquis asked again.
"I'm saying I sense a power handled by the Executor Bureau, not the Temple. Since it's a power contrary to my own, it's impossible for me not to sense it. Does that make sense?"
The Grand Marquis, lost in thought for a moment, cautiously opened his mouth.
"So, according to Your Highness the Crown Prince, are you saying my cane contained the power of the Executor Bureau? My cane was a gift from the Temple. The two institutions are closely associated, so there could be a connection."
"The power of the Executor Bureau is used in various ways, not just for pursuing demonic energy. That means it's not used only physically. For example, I've heard it's sometimes used during the interrogation of heretics. I heard they shake the mind, even if it means reducing them to an imbecile."
At the unusual topic, the Grand Marquis's expression changed.
"I heard from Flora that your personality changed like a different person right after the cane disappeared. She said she hoped you'd never find it, wondering if it was a magic staff."
"That is......"
The Grand Marquis, about to deny it, closed his slightly parted mouth at the sudden chill he felt.
'Now that I think about it, that's true.'
Even when he was pouring harsh words onto his beloved grandchildren, he had only thought he had temporarily lost his mind.
He had been avoiding the issue, thinking it might be senility due to his age and that it was fine now since he wasn't like that anymore.
'Why didn't I think the cane was strange?'
Was he distracted by the knee pain starting again?
'No, that's not it. I didn't even make the connection.'
It felt as if someone had blocked his thoughts, as if he wasn't supposed to.
No one had ever voiced any suspicion about it, and the Grand Marquis hadn't either, only realizing the cane's suspicious nature after hearing it from someone else.
It felt almost like he had been hypnotized.
'I had heard the Executor Bureau uses its power in various ways......'
His eyes sharpened as he seemed to have found a clue about the strange events he had recently experienced.
"Does hypnosis fall within that scope, by any chance?"
"I cannot answer for certain as I am not from the Executor Bureau, but if your thought process changed after the cane disappeared, isn't it worth suspecting?"
At Basilian's added words, the Grand Marquis's brow furrowed. The thought that it couldn't be possible was immediately followed by the thought that it might be, making him feel uneasy.
Seeing the Grand Marquis's expression grow even worse, Basilian inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
'There's no easier way to become allies than by creating a common enemy.'
The seed of doubt had just sprouted; it was good to solidify it.
"I don't know why they gave you such a gift, but if it were me, I would never accept a gift from them again."
"......"
"Those people are experts at making fools out of others very easily. I've been a victim of it myself in the past."
"You've been a victim of it, you say?"
"In the past, they poured their power into my body, claiming they would cure my Madness. It was a fruitless treatment, full of nothing but pain and suffering. That's why I despise them intensely. You'll likely come to dislike them as much as I do soon enough."
They were the ones who had quietly pressured him, telling him to endure even as they watched the young Crown Prince writhing in pain.
No matter how lowly he was treated, would those who did that to a Crown Prince hesitate to play tricks on a retired power player in the political world?
"I've never told anyone about what we just discussed, so I ask you to keep it a secret."
"Yes, I understand."
The Grand Marquis, as he answered, still wore an expression tinged with discomfort.
'Well, of course. Without evidence, it's hard to believe easily.'
If he had received a positive answer too quickly, he wouldn't have trusted his sincerity.
"Originally, isn't it the ducal houses, excluding Lucifer, who control the Executor Bureau? Reaching out to a marquis house shouldn't be difficult for them."
Looking at the Grand Marquis, who still seemed unconvinced, Basilian spoke.
"Of course, this is all just my speculation. I'm not telling you to make enemies with them based on unconfirmed suspicions. It's just......"
Basilian paused for a moment, then finished his sentence with a very serious face.
"I wanted to say that to protect not only yourself but also your family, it would be wise to keep your distance from them."
At that, the Grand Marquis let out a deep sigh. His face was full of worry and concern, but his eyes shone more sharply than ever.
"Then let me ask you once more. What benefit would our family gain from this?"
"I must hold my position, build my power, and become the one who ascends to the pinnacle of this empire. Even so, as I am not a god, I may not be able to grant you whatever you desire."
Even at the slightly arrogant words, the Grand Marquis nodded without interrupting.
"But I promise you this: I will protect those you hold dear. This is the one thing I can guarantee with certainty."
"Those I hold dear, you say? What do you mean? The family, honor, wealth… What exactly are you referring to……?"
"Yes. For example, your precious grandchildren, with whom you've just reconciled."
At the blunt words, the Grand Marquis, as if caught pretending not to know the truth, couldn't easily reply.
"......"
"I will ensure the Lucifer children are not swept up by hostile forces and that they can live happily in a safe place."
In the end, it wasn't much different from the promise he had made with Athanas, but it was also a meaningful condition for the Grand Marquis.
'There's already a despairing oracle concerning Flora, so the Temple or Executor Bureau won't try to protect that child.'
On the contrary, they might do something harsh to Flora, just as they did to Basilian, in an attempt to subdue the calamity.
'While I'm alive, I can somehow block it, but after I die......'
After that, nothing could be guaranteed for certain.
If the Lucifers had power, they could protect Flora.
'If they had had power in the first place, Nersha wouldn't have made that decision alone.'
Even if the Lucifers lacked power, if a powerful figure with authority rivaling or exceeding the ducal houses stood on their side, that could also serve as a check.
'If the Crown Prince before me becomes Emperor and establishes strong imperial authority, all of that becomes possible.'
It was a persuasion full of holes rather than being perfect, but for him, it was a proposal he had to accept.
'After all, no one else but the Crown Prince before me would cherish my grandchildren so dearly.'
Basilian had promised to protect the Grand Marquis's precious grandchildren, but from his perspective, his grandchildren were already precious people to Basilian.
'I suppose I don't have to worry about being abandoned.'
People tend to form attachments to those to whom they give their first affection.
From the Grand Marquis's perspective, the object of his attachment was neither his parents nor his siblings.
"By any chance, do you hold feelings for Flora?"
"……I cherish her dearly as a friend."
A slight tremor was detectable in his voice, which had been so confident until now. The Grand Marquis couldn't help but smile unknowingly.
It seemed the object of his attachment was none other than the Grand Marquis's own granddaughter.
"You must continue to cherish her."
Basilian was still a child, but knowing that the feelings he held were neither false nor shallow, the Grand Marquis reached a decision at the end of their long conversation.
"In addition to the previous conditions, if Your Highness the Crown Prince also promises to cherish my grandchildren, then I will gladly become your ally. I will assist you from your entry into the Imperial Palace to all matters thereafter."
He just had to act without forgetting his promises. At those words, Basilian clenched the fist resting on his knee.
"I promise it on my life."
Finally, to reclaim his place, the stepping stone to take a step out into the world from hiding had begun.