366 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Episode 366 - Cardinal Tracey Faces the Tribunal In just a week, the residents of Noviens found their attention drawn back to the central temple, amidst the tumultuous changes sweeping the Holy City. "The Holy Father has only just ascended, and yet..." "It seems like too many events are happening too quickly." "What is happening to the world...?" Religion, by its nature, becomes more conservative as the years pass, opting for stability over change. The residents of Sanctity, naturally possessing devout faith, viewed the series of events from the previous Pope's impeachment to now as drastic changes comparable to natural disasters. Adding to their anxiety were the rumors circulating. "Did you hear they're sending an army from the Empire?" "Who said that?" "That's absurd!" Initially mere rumors, it became known that nearly ten thousand imperial troops were charging toward the Holy City. During this period of anxiety for Sanctity's residents, a person of noble status was also trembling with unease. "Still not ready? How can it still not be!?" Within the broad study chamber, a young man paced restlessly, his behavior becoming a familiar sight to his companions. "Your Highness, it seems impossible to advance the trial set for three days from now by any more." Leos's response was laden with deep concern. "What about the Order of the Swordsmen?" "At their current speed, they should arrive in two days." The young prince's expression hardened even more at those words, but neither he nor Leos noticed the knight with one eye standing in the corner, who tightly closed his eye in distress. Even if they had paid attention, they would have assumed he shared their unease. ‘What should I do?’ Within the mind of the one-eyed knight, Jerome DeCarde, a tempest was brewing. - Kill Baros and frame the Sacred Nation just before the Swordmasters and Gale Army arrive. A secret order that had been delivered to him. The weight of the command, issued in the names of the Emperor and his mentor, hunched him over with burden. It wasn't just anyone — it was the prince, the very man Jerome had sworn to champion as the next emperor. The knight's vow and the Emperor's command. The shame of a knight and the duty of a vassal. The conflict within him grew ever more intense, and as he tightly closed his eye, urgent voices echoed around him. "Are they using Max as an excuse?" "Yes, they're claiming it as a pretext for Lord Tris and Lord Gallen's visit to the Holy City." "Bringing an army of ten thousand. Who’s going to believe that?" "But it's a dubious number. It doesn't look like they intend to launch a full-scale occupation." "Exactly. But once the trial reveals the identity of the Black Snake, they will charge in claiming to eliminate an enemy of the Empire. They even have a pretext regarding Max." "But hasn't Cardinal Tracey been pushed to her limits? Perhaps under these circumstances, she might submit to the Emperor’s demands." "What? Announce that she'll surpass the Pope or serve the Empire? Ridiculous. Tracey might be cornered, but the Black Snake isn't. That old man isn't even in the Sacred Nation." Though Leos spoke optimistically, Baros dismissed the hopeful optimism outright. And indeed, his words were undeniably objective. Even when his own destiny hung in the balance, he demonstrated clear judgment. Leos felt even more regretful. 'If only it wasn't for that entanglement with MacLine...' If that incident hadn't broken him, he could have smoothly won the succession struggle. He wouldn't be here, anxious in a place far from the Imperial Capital. But now wasn't the time to languish in regret. "How about we detain Cardinal Tracey? If she's going to refuse the Emperor's orders, it might at least provide some cover for us..." "No. Bringing them in was my doing. Cutting off a tail won't absolve me." "I've heard Prince Clyde made a major blunder related to them. If things are settled properly..." "They are the cause of all this, so it's ultimately my loss." "Would assisting Lord Tris's mission to take control of the Sacred Nation help?" "Merely adds another spoon to someone else's table. And that spoon won't even be acknowledged." Their conversation was going in circles without any clear conclusions. The setting sun cast a crimson hue over the window, seeming to paint the room with a tangible shade of anxiety. Jerome, unable to muster the courage to join in, gazed vacantly at the red light, when Baros's voice snapped him out of his reverie. "Sir Jerome, do you have any ideas?" "…Ah, yes?" "Any way to stop your mentor and uncle's army." His choice of words was deliberate and clear. Yet Jerome's response was predictable. "…I'm sorry, Your Highness. They aren't individuals swayed by personal connections." "I know that too. But I'm asking you to share any thoughts you may have. Sometimes a good idea emerges amidst random thoughts." "Ah…yes." What could he think of? He couldn't even shake off the turmoil in his heart. "If you have any ideas, share them immediately." "I will, Your Highness." "Good." The reassuring hand on his shoulder felt unbearably heavy. Jerome could feel his face turning into a rigid mask. Just then… – The Holy Maiden has come to see you. An unexpected guest had arrived. "A private meeting? Suddenly?" The abrupt visit from the Holy Maiden was certainly unusual. "Yes, I have a matter to discuss with the prince alone. It is of great importance." Baros was both perplexed and troubled. He had tried to minimize contact with the side of the Holy Maiden, suspecting there were sensitive aspects related to the Black Snake, yet here stood the core of it all, having directly sought him out. And requesting for a private audience? 'What could this mean?' As Baros observed, the Holy Maiden with her mysterious silver hair and pristine white robes, exhibited no hint of hesitation in her uniquely clear blue eyes. She was a woman whose composed demeanor left a stronger impression than her beauty. With no compelling reason to refuse, Baros reluctantly nodded. "Understood. You may leave us for now." "Yes, Your Highness." Without hesitation, Leos and Jerome complied, exiting the room. However, even after their departure, the Holy Maiden continued to gaze intently at Baros, saying nothing. "Holy Maiden?" Breaking the awkward silence, Baros spoke first, prompting the Holy Maiden to say something unexpected. "It seems someone still remains within." Baros widened his eyes in realization and sighed quietly. "Number One, are you here?" - Yes, Your Highness. A voice echoed from seemingly empty air. Remarkably, the Holy Maiden didn't appear surprised at all, as if she had been aware of this unseen presence. ‘Even Jerome, who cannot detect him without using his special skills…’ The weight of the title "Holy Maiden" felt more tangible than ever when she suddenly closed her eyes, brought her hands together, and began to whisper something. In a flash, a dome of pure white light, a barrier of holy law, enveloped the room centered around the Holy Maiden. ‘A sacred barrier!’ Unlike healing magic, the establishment of such a barrier required immense divine power and was rarely executed by an individual priest, making it the first time Baros had witnessed this outside of a group setting. "Now we can converse freely." "Remarkable." Baros was truly awestruck at this display, a testament to the Holy Maiden's abilities, yet her subsequent words took him entirely by surprise. "Prince Baros, how much do you trust His Majesty, the Emperor?" "What do you mean by that?" Baros was caught off guard, unable to discern her intentions, feeling an unsettling panic rise within him. "Someone near me posed a theory—too outrageous to be more than speculative—but the potential consequences compelled me to approach you directly." The gravity of what was to follow was evident even from her long preamble, and as she proceeded, Baros felt a chilling shiver run down his spine. "Haha… Haha... Such absurdity... His Majesty, my father, would…?" Words dripped like anguish from his lips, as his clenched fist trembled involuntarily. "I understand this is a drastic assumption, a presumptuous speculation, but as I mentioned, should it become reality…" "No, it's fine." Baros interrupted, his head bowed, muttering like a man driven to madness. "I appreciate your candidness. It's refreshing." Though his words seemed composed, his pallor and unsteady gaze betrayed the turmoil within. "I do regret any offense, but once more, if it's…" "No, your speculation is quite accurate." His words were resolute. "What do you mean?" "Firstly, pardon me, but I need to let out some stress." Without waiting for a response, Baros sprang to his feet, letting loose a torrent of raw emotion. "Aaaah! Damn it! This is bullshit!" It was as if he tore at his own hair, screaming not just in anger, but desperation. "Me? A discardable pawn? Me?!" Thud. Thud. As he hurled his head against the barrier, Illya began to wonder if the prince had truly lost his mind, but his outburst eventually ceased. "My apologies." The calmness of his voice juxtaposed his appearance—disheveled hair, bloodied lips from where he had bitten them, a face flushed red. "I thought I was viewing the situation objectively, but I was too complacent. Thank you for waking me up, Holy Maiden." "No, Your Highness. But truly...?" "Yes. I was wasting time on trivial matters. That possibility is indeed the most likely. And if it proves true, the one to enact it would be… Haha, your request for a private audience was indeed a wise choice. Thank you, Holy Maiden." Illya was dumbfounded. What she had regarded merely as dangerous speculation had been fully accepted by Baros. Yet as she pieced together the implications of his words, her expression hardened as well. "Then..." "You should return now. I need to come up with a strategy to avoid my demise. That's sufficient for you, isn't it?" Baros' dark eyes gleamed with a chilling resolve that left Illya speechless. She wordlessly turned to leave, and as the rest of his companions re-entered, they were shocked by the prince's altered demeanor. "Your Highness!?" "What did the Holy Maiden do to you!?" Leos and Jerome were furious at his disheveled state, but Baros waved them off dismissively. "Forget it. Just know that I received crucial information. Our plans will need to change." "And what plans are those?" "We need to deal with Tracey first." "What?" Leos was bewildered by the sudden shift in strategy, but Baros, showing no intention of providing a lengthy explanation, pressed on quickly. "Number One, are you there?" - Yes, Your Highness. "Retrieve that 'item' from Cardinal Tracey. Use any means necessary. We don't have much time. You have two days." - Understood, Your Highness. Listening to the response, Baros closed his eyes tightly, the weight of his companions' curious stares pressing down on him, as he exhaled heavily. "Sir Jerome. Can you confirm if Number One is still nearby?" "What? Ah, yes." Jerome's single eye emitted a faint silver glow as he scanned his surroundings, finally shaking his head. "He's not here." "Is that so?" Nodding in acknowledgment, Baros summoned Leos and Jerome closer with a gesture, leaning in until their heads were nearly touching. In a hushed whisper, he confided: "It seems His Majesty intends to have me killed. The executioners will likely be the phantoms." With those words, the eyes of his two retainers, especially Jerome, flickered with intense disturbance.