Chapter 188 : Side Story 13
Side Story 13
Uriel faced the forces of the Semerune Holy Order with composure and answered resolutely.
From the very moment battle broke out, casualties would surely follow.
And then, the Ninth Holy Knight Order's captain would be entirely stripped of power; she had no choice but to stop them by any means.
"Are you out of your mind? How dare you speak so recklessly, as if you know anything!"
"As the great mage's disciple, I will stop your actions. If you wish to persuade me, you'll have to bring the holy apostle."
"Great Mage's disciple? What are you...?"
Ronit stared at Uriel in visible bewilderment.
Judging by the way she proudly revealed her insignia, she was indeed a great mage's disciple.
Yet, shouldn't this sort of conduct be considered an improper protest from the great mage's side?
"The great mage would never condone such atrocities! Are you saying you would dare defy the Holy King's decree?"
"It's not the Holy King's decree, but your own judgment, isn't it? If you don't wish to regret this, you should order your troops to retreat."
"How insolent! An great mage's disciple dares to lecture me!"
Enraged, Ronit raised his voice.
Before departing, he had at least submitted a brief report.
By now, the holy apostle must have reviewed the situation and the reasons for dispatch.
No one could point out any error on his part—who would have thought an outsider would interfere with his course of action?
"There are still survivors. If you press on with the subjugation regardless, you won't escape responsibility."
"That is for me to judge. Even if anyone interferes, it should be someone of the Semerune Holy Order! An great mage's disciple has no such authority!"
"The Semerune Holy Order will be sending a messenger. I'm sure they'll arrive soon. Why not reconsider after verifying the order?"
"Are you telling me to take your word for it?"
Though Ronit rebuked her harshly, he couldn't bring himself to strike the reins and rush forward.
If he harmed a great mage's disciple, the great mage's side would inevitably retaliate.
Moreover, the great mage's disciple was highly skilled in combat, so the holy knight order might end up suffering losses instead.
"You might resent me now, but take a good look at yourself. You'll rise to greater heights if you do."
Uriel was looking into Ronit's future and responding accordingly.
Having received ordination as the second holy apostle, she had to lead the Semerune Holy Order down the right path.
If she didn't stand her ground here, she'd only drift further from her calling as holy apostle.
"How much longer do you think I'll tolerate such nonsense? If you don't get out of the way right now, I will detain you!"
"Don't act rashly. It won't be too late to detain me after the messenger arrives."
"You insist on deceiving me until the end. I won't forgive you! Ninth Holy Knight Order, advance!"
"...?"
The holy knights instinctively turned their heads at the command.
Even if the opponent was being unreasonable, it had been confirmed that she was a great mage's disciple.
Could they truly threaten someone so influential with military force?
"What are you doing? Move forward!"
"Captain, but she is the great mage's disciple..."
"Are you all defying my orders...?"
"Ah!"
"What...?"
The holy knights, flustered, looked up at a structure that had suddenly emerged.
A thick wall of ice had magnificently formed, completely blocking the passage.
Uriel had used magic to stop the forces' movements before any violent conflict could break out.
"Grr! Do you think I can't break through this?"
Finally, Ronit dismounted and gathered mana in both fists.
It was only then that the holy knights moved together and began to restrain Ronit.
"Captain, please calm down! You cannot fight the great mage's disciple!"
"This could cause conflict with the great mage!"
"Are you all in league with her? Otherwise, how could you try to stop me?"
"Captain! With all due respect as a holy knight and a member of the Holy Order, I beg you to reconsider!"
"How dare you all..."
"Stop the advance! The order from the second holy apostle has arrived!"
"What... what did you say...?"
Ronit stiffened, dazed, as he stared at the messenger.
Hurriedly, the messenger approached and handed him a letter.
The holy knights watched Ronit, waiting anxiously for him to open it.
"..."
Ronit scanned the letter's contents and was instantly overcome with self-reproach.
Just as the great mage's disciple had said, it stated that survivors had been discovered in the area—combat was strictly prohibited.
In addition, it held him accountable for his unilateral actions and ordered a prompt return.
"... We're returning to the cathedral."
Ronit mounted his horse without so much as glancing at Uriel.
Had he pressed forward, even innocent subjects would have been caught in the crossfire.
He had truly been in the wrong, and the great mage's disciple had made the right decision.
"..."
At last, Uriel dispelled the ice wall and gazed at the retreating holy knight order.
She had managed to twist the worst possible future, so she could feel a little relief.
Still, Ronit's discouragement was deeply etched and would take considerable time to overcome.
'You can only achieve something if you endure the trial...'
Uriel took a slow step and then left that place.
After glimpsing the future, she was swept by feelings of both turmoil and regret.
She, too, was only human—should she really interfere with the fates of others?
'Isn't the reason enough that I end up hurting so many people...?'
* * *
Vanderas invited Uriel to the imperial palace for the first time.
He had always visited the society, but it was hard to ignore the stares of others.
This time, he wished to host only Uriel and treat her with full courtesy.
"... I heard what happened. I heard you stood alone against the holy knight order?"
"So the news already spread?"
"It's not something one sees every day, is it? And I hear you saved many lives because of it."
Uriel gave a bitter expression as she thought of Ronit.
For Ronit, ordering a retreat must have seemed the best course.
But since a mistake had been made, some form of punishment was inevitable.
"Do you know what happened to the holy knight order captain who was assigned that task?"
"Hmm... I hear he's been placed under probation. Considering the circumstances, that's a good outcome. If he had fought as planned, he would have lost his position."
"Then is the monster subjugation over?"
"They evacuated the subjects first, then sent a different holy knight order in. By now, they should be cleaning up."
As crown prince, Vanderas not only grasped the structure of the imperial household, but also all the various factions.
One who wishes to rule as emperor must always read the flow of circumstances.
He also had to mediate to prevent internal strife, making it inevitable for him to pay attention to such matters.
"... You know a lot."
"If one is crown prince, one must be so. How can the ignorant rule a nation?"
"I suppose you want to be a wise and virtuous ruler?"
"Nothing can be achieved merely by wishing for it. I have to put in my best efforts to become one."
Vanderas tried not to be bound by the idea of being a 'wise ruler'.
He couldn't satisfy all his subjects, nor was it possible to reign as a perfect emperor.
All he could do was follow the throne handed down through the generations, pouring in his own hopes and passion.
"But surely you don't wish to become a tyrant?"
"Of course, that must never happen. However... it's not easy to align reality with ideals."
Looking into Uriel's face, Vanderas was all the more certain.
He wanted to have Uriel as the crown princess, but those around him would certainly oppose it.
Even if he forced the marriage and ascended to the throne, wouldn't others keep trying to tear her down?
'You are my ideal. Yet you are so far from reality.'
Knowing such a gap existed, he couldn't even propose a relationship to Uriel.
Even with her status as a great mage's disciple making up for her fallen noble background, no one would support Uriel.
To them, she had no value—and neither could she be used as an ally.
'If only you were a noble with a suitable title, it wouldn't have been so hard...'
Vanderas sometimes felt skeptical about being crown prince.
As the next emperor, his choices were inevitably limited.
Since he couldn't even place himself in similar circumstances to Uriel, they were bound to be at odds.
'Even if I took her as a concubine... she might only suffer more abuse...'
"That's why people accept reality. And so, they drift further away from their ideals."
"You're right. And when ideals are lost, that's the end, isn't it?"
"Your Highness, what about you? Do you feel your ideals have vanished?"
"My ideals? I still strive not to lose them. What about you?"
"I... I never really had ideals. I used to just get through each day and wonder how I'd survive tomorrow."
"With the circumstances given to you, that's understandable. Do you feel different now?"
"It may not be an ideal, but I know what I must do now. So... I can't turn away from it."
Uriel was trying to allude to her foresight of the future.
She hadn't set it as a goal, but in the end, she had to walk the path her fate led her down.
If she didn't, this world would simply collapse.
"So you mean to live fully as a human being. Isn't that also an ideal?"
"Can that really count as an ideal?"
"There are plenty who can't even do that. Some, consumed by malevolence, indulge their greed and harm others. When a man commits evil against another man, how can he be called human? He's no different from a monster."
"..."
To Uriel, Vanderas seemed to possess the qualities of a wise ruler.
He was an element that suppressed the world's destruction.
That was why she could see Vanderas's future before her eyes.
'But... he's not the kind of person I should be with.'
She and Vanderas would only bring pain to each other.
Her background would suppress Vanderas's authority, and his throne would spark envy toward her.
Most of all, Vanderas's fate was utterly unaligned with her own.
'He should find a woman who can assist him in becoming a wise ruler.'
Someone actively recommended by the imperial household, who satisfies the interests of the officials.
Only such a woman could harmonize with the emperor.
She would ensure a legitimate heir to the throne and even lead the Agnes Empire to prosperity.
'Surely he's not interested in me? Even if he is, I'm only a fallen noble...'