Chapter 45: No, I Am Not the Culprit (3)
‘What is this man doing here all of a sudden?’
Evan barely held back the urge to scream.
The old man looked like his body was bleached white, his hair, skin, and even the robe he wore—all completely white. He was known as Geol Baeg, or “Immaculate.” As his name suggested, he was immaculately clean from head to toe. He wore a flowing white robe that gave him an almost ethereal quality, resembling a sage.
“…I am not the culprit.”
A man who had forsaken even his own name, dedicating himself as a knight for the kingdom of Demesia. Despite standing face to face with him, the pressure emanating from him was no joke.
Even with his hands clasped behind his back, just silently gazing, the intensity was overwhelming.
Evan forced himself to speak.
“Not the ringleader either.”“Evan stopped it! He’s the hero!”
Lapis announced boldly.
Immaculate fixed his gaze on Lapis. For a fleeting moment, Lapis could be seen flinching under that intense stare.
Such an overwhelming presence was much too much for someone like her who hadn’t yet awakened to her sins.
“…A hero, huh.”
Immaculate murmured.
“It’s still not the time. It’s not yet the time for the hero to come…”
A line Evan remembered from the game.
-Hero has been born!-It’s still not the time.
Recognition came in only an instant.
At the moment when Immaculate’s pristine white robe was drenched in red.
-The time has come. You’re next.
An intense final death.One of the most memorable scenes in the game.
Evan shook off his thoughts.That wasn’t important right now.
“I am neither the culprit nor the ringleader. It was just a coincidence that I got wrapped up in the situation. Our identities will be vouched for by the name of the Alkart Family.”
“…Alkart.”
Immaculate’s white eyes focused on Evan.
“Are you his blood?”
“…Yes.”
“You resemble him.”
A brief observation.
And with that, Immaculate seemed disinterested, his gaze shifting away. Looking at the fragmented corpse, Immaculate closed his eyes tightly.
“…You’ve helped put to rest a long-sleeping headache.”
His tone slightly changed, almost like acknowledging the efforts of a subordinate.
“And you also averted a major disaster that nearly happened in the Colosseum… I express my gratitude.”
Immaculate opened his eyes.
“I’ll give you a reward.”
“Huh?”
“Follow me.”
Without saying more, Immaculate turned around and began to walk away.Though he could disappear without a word, he was walking instead.
Given that his efforts were appreciated for saving the nation, it seemed he was no enemy.
After all, Immaculate was not the sort to harm one who contributed to the good of the country.
‘He’s not just gonna suddenly whirl around and kill me, right?’…How much money do I have now?
Can this Colosseum be rebuilt?
Not that I’m scared, but it’s better to handle damage compensation…
Then, it happened.
“Excuse me.”
“…?”
The priestess spoke.
The night sky veil that had protected the Colosseum was withdrawn, and sunlight poured in.The priestess wiped blood trickling from the corner of her mouth and stated:
“I’ll go help the injured.”
To Evan’s relief, Immaculate didn’t say much.Acknowledging with a nod, he turned and headed towards the palace.
“Ah, right. Felix.”
He almost left Felix behind.
Evan tended to Felix, administering two recovery potions immediately. Without priests in the Demesia Kingdom, this was the best solution.
This type of potion, which focused more on enhancing the body’s regeneration rather than immediate effects, was ideal for the knight Felix.
“Ugh…”
“Are you alright?”
About ten minutes passed.
Felix groaned, waking up.
“My arm… there’s no feeling.”
“It’s just because it was pressed for a while. It’ll come back soon. No nerve damage, so please rest assured.”
“Ne-what?”
“I’m saying there’s no serious damage to your important parts.”
Evan gave him a brief reply.
Felix seemed to understand.
Meanwhile, the priestess was kindly tending to other wounded individuals.She offered additional encouragement, assuring them that things would get better.
“Igis, are you alright?”
Igis, who had been staring off in the direction Immaculate left, turned, only to find Evan’s questioning gaze.
“…With that level of dignity, Immaculate is certainly someone who fits being the king’s side.”
‘Ahh.’
Evan understood.
Igis was a runaway princess.Princess being the king’s daughter, in essence.
From her vantage point, having seen numerous things, she probably had a lot of fresh emotions.
Especially since her own princess days were long past.Her country had fallen, erasing her original title and now she was part of a declining noble family in the empire.
“…Right now, that’s not the important thing. Dead Bear! Let’s go!”
Ruuugh.
The fifth number, who now resembled a bear, limped after Igis.
It was feasible to use shaping to raise the broken coliseum pieces, but it drained magic.
Using the fifth was more efficient.
‘Erase useless thoughts.’
Igis shook her head.She had long ago given up her royal identity.Though she got emotional seeing Dexter, it wasn’t out of clinging to her lost identity.
“…”
Immaculate’s presence had left more than just Igis deep in thought.
Lapis too was lost in her own reflections after witnessing Immaculate.
‘Among the strongest…’
In contrast to Duke Alkart concealing his power, leaving his exact capabilities unreadable, Immaculate didn’t hide himself.
From his pristine white figure emerged a towering presence, like an accumulated tower of accomplishments.
All that was evident—the achievements built up, and the path that still lay ahead.
But before Lapis was this towering figure, she herself wasn’t diminished.
Lapis’s tower was ‘perfect’ from the moment of her birth.
She lacked the potential to build further or to grow stronger, with every aspect predestined.
And still, it did not improve her mood: How could someone not born as special as her reach this level of strength?
‘That human is the same.’
Lapis’s eyes fell on the priestess who was helping the people.The priest gave courage to a wounded warrior who had lost his arm in the incident.
-You can progress to a better place.-Can I really? But my arm…-You may receive further treatment later.
And then Evan casually stepped in, creating and handing over an artificial arm.
The warrior broke into tears of gratitude.
‘This is hard to watch.’
Lapis approached the priestess.The priestess gave her a warm smile as the diminutive Lapis drew near.
Still, there were traces of blood in her nose, and her body bore evident signs of strain.Had she maintained the protective barrier just a bit longer, blood might have streamed from her eyes too.
“Why make such sacrifices?”
“?’
“You… with every use of your powers, a little of your lifespan decreases, right?”
“Perhaps. But from the moment we are born, humans rush towards death anyway.”
“Even so, if people don’t follow the better path you show them and go astray, causing harm… doesn’t it make you mad?”
As Lapis has directly experienced, humans, once given good advice, often misinterpret it, go down erroneous paths, and then eventually blame the advisor for implanting false hope.
The priestess with far more experience living longer would have felt even more acutely.
From all angles, it didn’t make sense.
Except for Evan everyone else appeared meaningless to Lapis,less valuable than the vegetables and fruits she liked.
“Not at all.”
Then why endure such sacrifices?If, in return, nothing awaited but death?
“I simply hope, that’s all. I… sow seeds, you see. Hoping they grow into something beautiful. And that’s why I see the future and guide people towards it.”
“Just… hope?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t that… too stupid? Sacrificing everything and merely hoping for good result?”
“Because destiny isn’t absolute. It shouldn’t be.”
The priestess gently closed her eyes.Her face showed not a single trace of sorrow or worry.This made Lapis even more confused.
“That’s… too gullible, don’t you think?”
“Shouldn’t there be at least one gullible person in this world? I feel fulfilled in sowing just one seed.”
It was due to this that she was called Ossear, the Flower of Hope.Believing that one day, fate would bloom like a beautiful flower.
“I always believe… Don’t you believe in something, too?”
“…Belief.”
The word belief.It didn’t make her feel too bad.
“Is your god… hope?”
The question from Lapis.The priestess instinctively sensed this was the last question she would answer.
She had to give a good answer, as an adult,to this pitiable, young child burdened with an enormous fate.
“Well…”
The priestess had no faith.It was simply no longer meaningful.
Since learning the [Celestial] magic and seeing the constellations in her eyes,since she became aware of the many gazes that overlooked the world, her world became like a chessboard.
All she could do was point the chess pieces in the direction of their own choices.
“I don’t believe in gods.”
The priestess whispered,
“I merely believe in hope.”
It was the only struggle left for the priestess.
The aftermath was handled well.Through this, alchemists proved their utility again.But…
“What? Why not use force?”
“You’re from the evil sect, aren’t you?”
“Kehehehe! An injury? That’s a badge of honor!”
‘These noodles in my head, what a bunch.’
Evan looked at the knights of Demesia with scorn.
Calling them knights or warriors—they were just barbarians.
Fortunately, his eyes didn’t easily show feelings otherwise his inner thoughts might have been exposed.
“…I should attend to my business.”
Dexter and Don Quixote were left alone.The punishment: death sentence.They will die.
That fact won’t change.
In this country, those who have no proper warrior’s honor, their lives are worthless.
Before they die, he asked them about missing persons.
-What? We know nothing about this! How dare someone kidnap someone here! Who could possibly do that?-Anyone except the king!
‘So, they’re not the culprits?’
Then who?
Does someone like that even exist?
They were not completely absent.Demesia Kingdom has poor public security.Even though there are many knights, why?
Because there are more retired knights, warriors, and mercenaries.
Could it be they?
Something doesn’t fit…
“Evan, Evan! We’ve arrived!”
Lapis cautiously tugged his sleeve.Due to the sandstorm on the way, she was reacting this way again.
Cradling the sleeping Scull and Hatti closer in his arms, Evan lifted his head.
“Fortunately, the door is open.”
“It was told that we could enter earlier.”
After nodding to Lapis’ words, they stepped inside the gate.Precautionarily, sending 5th ahead.
Suuuuuwhhh—
A chill swept across Evan’s cheek.Inside the gate, there was a strange sensation as if crossing some kind of ‘aura’.The view then changed.
A pure white castle made of marble, pristine to the last detail.If Immaculate were to become a castle, it would look like this.
The only area not entirely white was the garden right in front.
Immaculate’s cold weapons—gathered and embedded from defeating countless enemies.Swords, axes, spears, bows, etc.—every kind of weapon imaginable.
There were hundreds, if not more, clearly visible.Just selling one of these could earn a fortune.
‘But that’s impossible.’
The Garden of White Weapons.Here belonged Immaculate’s domain, and also the weapons of his fellow soldiers who fought alongside him.Who would dare steal from Immaculate?
Epithet: King of the White Weapons.A true knight who mastered over a hundred weapons, reaching the level of Sword Master.
‘…Wow.’
Will touching any of these weapons cut my fingers?
Evan unconsciously swallowed, when…
“Do you like any weapon?”
A gentle figure in a white robe emerged from the castle.Immaculate looked at Evan with his white eyes.
“Choose any weapon. Whatever kind.”
“…Any kind?”
“It’s only natural to give this kind of reward to a hero who saved the nation. I’ll present you anything.”
Out of all of this?
‘Hmmm…’
What should I pick?
Broadsword or spear?They look good, but they might hurt me.
Shield?Not a bad choice.Most practical.
Or, a mace, for a powerful single blow?
‘Eh.’
Just as this thought passed, Evan froze when he caught sight of a sword nearby.
Through the sword, he saw pierced skulls.Though they seemed ordinary, Evan—being an alchemist—knew they were recently dead.
-The number of missing persons has increased.
The phrase came to mind.
Taking a closer look, there were not one, but multiple skulls.They had all died recently, with their crown cut out cleanly.
“What’s wrong?”
Evan slowly raised his head to face the owner of this garden.The one who had the authority to invite others here.
Immaculate.
“If there is an issue, I would like to hear it.”
As always, Immaculate’s white eyes held no emotion, gazing at Evan steadily.
