Chapter 341: The Emperor and Sophien (3)  

Inside the still dark palace. Sophien sat in the inner room, facing an unexpected visitor — Rohakan. He took her feelings with a smile, tolerating her contempt, anger, and sorrow. The silence grew long in that awkward atmosphere.

"..."

As if bored, Rohakan glanced around the room without saying a word. On one side of the wall hung a portrait of a man, the Former Emperor, and father of Sophien.

"He was a great king and a good friend."

Rohakan’s tone was bitter with remembrance. Sophien stared at him and put her chin in her hands. Her eyes narrowed sharply.

"He was also the husband of the empress you killed."

As she added that, Rohakan lowered his head.

"...Right."

He muttered in a low voice, but she didn't like how he looked. Sophien clenched her teeth and exhaled a hot sigh.

"Rohakan."

That hateful name.

"I will ask again."

The Emperor’s voice was as cold and deep as the winter’s sea.

"You must tell the truth."

Even after becoming an emperor, it was a matter she couldn't let go of. Sophien had no memory of that day. The day the Empress died, the day her mother was murdered. As if deceived by the mist of oblivion, as if sinking in a deep abyss, oblivious and faint.

"Did you kill her?"

Rohakan's expression hardened.

"...Do you need to ask that again?"

"I ask because my memory is dim. That's my only proof of what happened."

"Isn't your memory enough? It's your memory as an emperor."

"It may be, but what is certain is you."

Sophien pointed to Rohakan.

"Only a moron would be satisfied with 'enough' when there's a certainty."

"..."

Rohakan smiled quietly. He brought his middle finger and thumb together.

"Well."

Snap-!

Whooosh...

The scenery changed with the wind. Sophien counted the seconds passing as she looked around. Now, she was in a white vineyard full of fruity fragrances.

Rohakan's vineyard.

"More importantly, aren't you curious about how I died?"

Rohakan asked. Sophien frowned, but she looked past him to a figure looming in the mist.

"See for yourself. My timeline is spread out here."

Rohakan smiled as Sophien quietly watched. He was sitting next to a young Rohakan by a hut in the middle of the vineyard. He was so perfectly dressed, so handsome, and so lovely.

Sophien silently spelled out his name.

"...Deculein."

"Yeah. It's Deculein. To be exact, the Deculein of the past. He came to me to speak."

Rohakan pointed at Deculein.

"That guy showed his inner feelings in front of me. Most of them were about you."

"..."

Sophien turned to Rohakan as he smiled kindly.

"This is a timeline I kept to show you. So, watch it from here."

What kind of conversation did Deculein have?

--Rohakan. Did you kill the empress?

Deculein asked Rohakan the same question she just had. Starting with that, Sophien's attention focused on him...

* * *

Complete. Immaculate. Elegant. Beautiful.

The thoughts became clearer the further she analyzed his spell. This was the conclusion obtained by refusing to eat and focusing only on his spell. Of course, magic was in the realm of subjectivity, just as it was a science and a mystery that couldn't be evaluated uniformly. Therefore, there was no such thing as a correct answer, and of course, the evaluation depended on individual opinion and taste.

But nevertheless, some results looked beautiful to everyone.

"This…."

For Louina, Deculein's work was like that now. No, every wizard would think so.

Rustle-

Laying down the document she was studying, Louina grabbed her face and sighed.

"Haah…."

If she were to unravel and describe his magic applied to this lighthouse, a thousand pages wouldn’t be enough. It was vast and deeper than the ocean. Even a wizard with excellent theory would lose their mind, and even Louina got lost dozens of times in analyzing it.

However, if you poured out all your efforts and capabilities to look at the whole thing, if you discovered the spectacle of thousands of magic spells interlocking like exquisite gears, turning without a single inch of error… you would pass out.

And even the worst wizard, the worst criminal, could do nothing but respect it.

"There is no need to classify such vast magic."

There was no need to separate the series. All were in harmony, and they were running around freely. With his magic, she realized that attributes, series, and grades were only classifications made for their convenience.

"Every circuit has a basis."

Every circuit has a basis. No circuit is wasteful or ineffective. All the lines, dots, circles, and even the smallest parts of the spell that could be described as innumerable functioned perfectly. So, it looked more like art than anything else. This was the state of enlightenment that a wizard named Deculein reached with all his heart.

"…Limit."

Louina felt she had reached a limit.

"Has he already become a Giant?"

She didn't even feel a sense of inferiority. Deculein has already become a Giant. His theories, magic, knowledge, and abilities transcended the limits of human pursuits.

"…But why?"

If so, was the purpose of this magic the destruction of the continent? That was Louina's concern.

"Really…."

The real purpose of this Giant’s magic, which brought together thousands of circuits and implemented a lighthouse as a medium, was to bring destruction?

"…Why?"

Considering Deculein's actions now, considering his atrocities and behavior, the destruction of the continent seemed to be his goal.

"Why doesn't it feel true?"

Louina's insight could vaguely sense another purpose in this magic.

"…Deculein."

She picked up a pen, rubbing it against her forehead.

"You are a genius."

Despite being called the ‘plagiarism professor’, he was a genius.

"It is said that there is no end to education, but no. You seem to have come to the peak of the science of magic. You seem to understand the root."

Despite it being said if you study until you die, it wouldn’t be enough, and there would be no end. However, Louina wanted to correct that statement. There was an end to magic, and it was neither a metaphor nor a vague compliment. The end of magic was here now, before her.

"You are not fake."

He was the real thing, and the magic he left behind was an innovation that would completely change the continent. If they borrowed the very logic of this magic, countless new theories would appear.

"…You are connected to the truth."

Louina clenched her teeth.

Deculein had already reached the state called something beyond magic, so that's why Louina was curious. What motive, what determination, and what kind of ability made Deculein so majestic?

"That's why it's even harder to believe."

The Deculein Louina knew didn't allow himself to be shaken. That mental power and belief in himself were absolute.

"So, you are not loyal to the Altar."

Such a wizard wouldn’t entrust himself to the outside world. He would not be seduced by desires such as extending his life and could not devote his allegiance to a cult. The one who saw the end of magic, who finally achieved the truth, would never destroy the continent.

─Therefore, Louina's conclusion was:

"…You are hiding something."

Louina stood, and at that moment.

—Hiding what?

A creepy mechanical voice called to her.

"Kyaaah!"

Louina stumbled as she tried to spin around.

"…And you are..."

Louina's eyes were shaking.

—Let me introduce myself. I'm Elesol.

The leader of the Demon Bloods, Elesol. She wore a very serious look as if she had just heard all of Louina's self-talk.

—What the hell is Deculein hiding to make you talk about truth and stuff? What is this mess?

"…"

Louina looked around. It was a mess here; when had all these papers been strewn about?

“…Ahh.”

─?!

She fainted, and Elesol, bewildered, quickly supported her. Only now did Louina realize she hadn't eaten in days.

* * *

…It was five days. For at least five days, Sophien did not open the door, and I knelt in front of it. It wasn't just me, though.

All the officials of the Empire were gathered, without eating or drinking water, and knelt to chirp like parrots, saying, ‘Your Majesty, we beg your kindness!’

"…The rain will stop soon."

It had been raining for those five days, and thanks to it, my body was covered in mud. But today was different. The sky was clear, and the sun was warm.

“Your Majesty, we beg your kindness—!”

The servants cried out again.

"Tsk. Are your throats still intact?"

I glared at them as if it was very bothersome, and the Emperor's servants looked back with contempt…

Creek…

The door creaked. It was a small sound and an even smaller movement, but it was clear as everyone’s eyes were focused on it.

Creeeeek...!

“—!”

Everyone went silent as they waited.

Gulp-

The seconds trudged on.

Tick...

Rattle-!

The gates of the Imperial Palace opened. Everyone raised their heads and looked beyond it.

─Ah...!

In the sun shining down…

─Your Majesty!

There was the blazing Sophien. She quietly looked around, and I met her eyes.

"…"

What was she contemplating, and what was she thinking? How was her decision made? The things most important to me were still uncertain.

"…Everyone gathered here, listen."

Sophien‘s voice was hoarse. Did she cry? Or had she been that troubled?

"I…."

Sophien looked at me. My already dead heart couldn't even beat, but I felt my skin prickle with the tension.

"I will go to Annihilation now."

I was relieved to hear that, and in the next moment, Sophien continued as if she was disgusted by me.

"All of my bodyguards will accompany the march."

Imperial guard. The moment Sophien mentioned it, everyone's eyes focused on me.

"Did you hear me, Deculein?"

It was because I was still the commander of the Emperor's bodyguard.

"…Yes. However."

I answered and stood. I wiped the mud off and looked straight at Emperor Sophien.

"Your Majesty. Can you trust me?"

Disrespectful words and deeds would be considered a declaration of war by the other servants. It went against what was right when a servant dared to ask the Emperor whether she trusted them. That was why the other servants stared as if they were going to kill me despite the fear in their eyes.

But the question was quite different for Sophien and me.

"Do you trust me?"

I asked her if she could kill me.

"…"

Sophien didn't say anything for a moment as she stared at me. Then, as if engrossed in thought or carefully choosing what to say, the most beautiful lips on this continent moved to speak.