Vol 2. Chapter 20
* * *
The next dawn, the High Temple.
Aietar opened the newspaper.
The headline read: “It’s a Good Thing Duke Yuta Orgon Was There.”
The sinking of the Entoho was certainly a huge story, but since there were no casualties, it wasn’t treated as a tragedy.
Fearing that the secrets of the Entoho might be exposed, the Temple had instructed the media to focus all the spotlight on Yuta. Emphasizing “no casualties” and “the Temple’s exemplary leadership.”
Aietar knew that this was the correct move.
But...
The face of Yuta in the photograph, holding the rabbit-shaped Divine Beast while rescuing people, looked kind and radiant. Just like his own youth.
Aietar suddenly looked into the mirror.
There was his reflection, aged from time passing, having failed to find and kill the successor.
If only he had killed that successor right away, he could’ve become twenty years younger. Just like Yuta Orgon.