Chapter 208 : Blood Is Thicker Than Water (1)
Chapter 208: Blood Is Thicker Than Water (1)
Various voices continued to fly back and forth beside me, but I couldn't hear a single one of them.
My mind was overflowing with countless thoughts, making it impossible to sort anything out.
Amidst all this confusion, one thing became certain.
I had never once thought about my parents until now.
It had been the same when I briefly spoke with Belfor at the Imperial Special Operations Force before.
The moment I tried to remember my father, an unbearable pain surged through my head.
They said that when people suffered too great a shock, they completely forgot what had happened. It was a kind of amnesia.
I had suffered from the same symptom even before I transmigrated...
But back then, I had never once tried to remember it.
Naturally, that wasn't wrong.
Sometimes, ignorance truly was bliss.
There was no point stirring up a hornet's nest that didn't need to be disturbed.
I'd only end up getting myself stung.
But that only held true when those memories were things I didn't need to know.
Whether this was Rachel Ribenia's scheme, or one devised by someone under her command, now that they had brought up the name Vladia, I couldn't simply ignore it.
After all, this wasn't just any family.
It was House Vladia.
To the people of the Empire, that name itself was a nightmare.
That was true regardless of the era.
"......"
The proof was right before my eyes.
Michel, Frederick, and Walter all failed to hide their unease.
Dale was one thing, but the other three had come to trust me completely by now.
The mere possibility that they might have unknowingly spent all this time alongside someone carrying the blood of Vladia was enough to make them this anxious.
"...Please assign a substitute instructor to Class 3 of the second year for the time being. Two days should be enough. I'll contact you again later."
With that, I abruptly turned around and quickened my pace.
"Wait, Carter! Where are you going?!"
Walter's voice called after me, trying to stop me, but I never slowed down.
I borrowed a horse from the relay station and rode straight out of Karbenna.
Ordinarily, entry and exit were under strict control, yet the guards opened the gates without so much as asking a question.
It was almost as if they wanted me out of the Academy as quickly as possible.
The only one that didn't avoid me was the horse carrying me.
.
.
.
As I rode toward House Carter's territory, I tried to organize my thoughts.
At the same time, I searched for a way to resolve the current situation.
"......"
To be honest, I already knew what had to be done.
I didn't know who had investigated my bloodline, but the contents of the article were probably true for the most part.
I could demand that they verify its authenticity, but that would only become an exhausting and tedious affair.
More importantly, Rachel wasn't a fool like Abel.
She would never have allowed such a large-scale article to be published if it contained information that could easily be proven false.
The name Vladia was one of the Empire's greatest historical taboos.
It was the kind of keyword that could easily backfire if used recklessly.
Which meant they had already judged that proving it false would be nearly impossible.
There was a clear difference between something that wasn't false and something that was true.
But to me, it hardly mattered.
A truth that couldn't be proven was no different from a lie.
At the same time, an unprovable lie didn't become the truth.
It was a tactic I had personally used many times to shake my political rivals.
Its effectiveness was undeniable.
'I never imagined I'd end up suffering the exact same tactic myself...'
I had long since prepared myself to be hated.
Back in the beginning, plenty of people had treated me exactly that way.
It hadn't mattered because my goal had never been my own salvation.
It had always been theirs.
Even if I was hated...
Even if I was despised...
As long as it ultimately led to their salvation, I didn't care.
That way of thinking hadn't changed much even now.
But...
If they suffered because of me...
If the backlash against me prevented them from being saved...
Then...
I would never be able to accept that.
Even if I had to turn myself into the Empire's public enemy.
Even if I had to force them to abandon me.
I would still accomplish what needed to be done.
— Though whether they'll agree to that is another matter.
At Clina's words, I tightly shut my eyes and silently admitted she was right.
Yes.
That was the problem.
Would Francia Bride...
Rubia Magnus...
Michel Bernhardt...
Edel Ribenia...
Karen Rosefield...
really accept such a decision?
Karen probably didn't have particularly strong feelings toward me.
I could imagine her accepting it.
But what about the other four?
Edel would likely place the greater cause above everything else.
Even if it broke her heart, she might choose to cast me aside.
Michel might also cut ties with me, saying she hadn't known anything, for the sake of rebuilding her family and protecting Karbenna.
Francia and Rubia both knew the infamous reputation of House Vladia.
If I pleaded with them enough, perhaps they'd distance themselves from me...
for my own sake.
...The moment that possibility crossed my mind, a curse escaped my lips before I realized it.
"...Fuck."
Suddenly, a question arose within me.
Why?
Why was I so angry?
Hadn't I always believed that it didn't matter whether anyone acknowledged me?
As long as I could save them.
Wasn't that the conviction that had brought me this far?
I knew better than anyone that someone always had to be sacrificed if the world was to be saved.
Was I really so resentful...
that this time, the sacrifice happened to be me?
— My dear...
I didn't know.
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't understand.
Unable to calm the turmoil inside me, I struck the saddle harder and urged my horse onward.
The sun was slowly climbing toward its highest point.
The shocking news about Eugene Carter spread across the Empire in an instant.
To every major city.
To the Imperial Palace.
To the Imperial Special Operations Force.
To Karbenna.
To Maret.
Even to Dellowel.
Wherever they were, everyone who heard the news reacted in their own way.
"...What? Carter?"
"Yes! It's absolutely true! I never would've guessed, but to think that bastard carried the blood of that filthy Vladia Family..."
"Enough."
Captain of the Imperial Special Operations Force Alvin Caldwell cut off his subordinate's report before he could finish.
"Stop talking nonsense and make sure the training preparations are complete. We're leaving soon."
"But Captain! You need to take action immediately! If we don't, the reputation of the Imperial Special Operations Force could be affected too...!"
"Lieutenant."
"...Yes, sir."
"Is Carter some heinous criminal?"
"Has he actually committed any crimes?"
"Well... no, sir."
"If he hasn't committed any crimes, then isn't he still one of the Imperial Special Operations Force's finest soldiers? Why should his bloodline matter?"
"That may be how you see it, Captain, but you should also consider the citizens' perspective..."
"The Imperial Special Operations Force does not abandon honorable comrades because of their bloodline."
"......"
"If you understand, then get out."
After dismissing the lieutenant in a stern tone, Alvin took out a cigar and carefully lit it.
"...His old comrades are going to have a rough time."
"So..."
"What are you going to do now, Carter?"
.
.
.
The atmosphere in Dellowel was far more hostile.
Learning that the commander of the enemy alliance who had inflicted such devastating losses upon them belonged to that cursed family left everyone feeling even more humiliated.
After barely calming the First-Class Believers who demanded they take immediate action, Betty Scarletwood returned to her office inside Flavia Cathedral.
The other two Executors were already waiting there.
"I've told them to wait until the Executors reach a decision, but I don't know how much longer they'll remain patient."
"...I see."
"What do you think, Karen? Do you really believe he's descended from the Vladia Family?"
Both of them turned toward Karen.
She quietly shook her head.
"Whether he is or isn't isn't what's important."
"What do you mean?"
"It means we should determine who stands to benefit from this incident."
Luke Honorlight slowly closed his eyes before nodding.
"Well said, Sister Karen."
"If he truly intended to betray the Empire, then he never should have fought against the Platinum Dawn Society."
"He even led us to the enemy's headquarters—a place even we couldn't find."
"At the very least, I don't believe he's the kind of villain worthy of that family's infamy."
"...Even so, we must proceed cautiously. The image of the Ribenia Orthodoxy has already fallen as far as it can. We can't afford to openly defend him now."
"Of course not."
Karen's eyes sharpened at Betty's words.
"This is a trial for him."
"The worst trial imaginable."
"......"
"Will he continue pursuing his great ideal of salvation despite this ordeal..."
"Or will he finally choose to protect only his own life?"
"We'll have to watch carefully."
.
.
.
Surprisingly, the atmosphere within Duwell and Maret wasn't particularly bad.
Partly because they were such closed-off organizations that the infamous reputation of House Vladia wasn't as widespread.
And partly because only about half of their members were actually citizens of the Ribenia Empire.
Most importantly, Tower Master Gustav, whose authority within the Magic Tower was absolute, had strictly forbidden anyone from spreading rumors.
"Let me make this perfectly clear!"
"If I hear anyone saying Eugene Carter has filthy blood, I'll expel them from the Tower immediately! Understood?!"
"Yes, sir!"
"No matter what his origins may be!"
"We fought alongside him and our allies to defend Maret!"
"That's all we need to remember! Understood?!"
"Yes, sir!"
"I've already acknowledged that man as my sworn friend."
"So insulting Eugene Carter is the same as insulting me."
"We'll remember that!"
After finishing his loud declaration, Gustav returned to his office, where Meriel and Rubia were already waiting.
He let out a deep sigh.
"...Sigh... That man really is a handful."
"...Thank you, Master."
"Hmph. Think nothing of it."
Rubia bowed deeply.
Gustav clicked his tongue before continuing.
"I've never met a more vicious man than him."
"But that's only when he's facing his enemies."
"He'd never harm innocent people."
That was Gustav's conclusion.
The other two shared the same opinion.
Yet Rubia was worried about something entirely different.
"...What if Sir Eugene leaves us?"
"What are you talking about all of a sudden...?"
"If it's him... he'd absolutely do it."
"If he concludes that his existence has become a burden to us, he'll isolate himself without a second thought."
"No... surely not..."
Before Meriel could finish, Gustav interrupted her with a nod.
"He would."
"Because that's exactly who Eugene Carter is."
"A man even more obsessed with saving everyone than my late master ever was."
"But so what?"
"If you don't want him to leave..."
"Then stop him."
Rubia hesitated before speaking softly.
"...That's only what I want."
"Sir Eugene would make such a painful choice for everyone's sake..."
"If I try to stop him because of my own selfish wishes..."
"I'd only be standing in the way of that greater cause..."
"If Eugene Carter truly means that much to you..."
"Then do exactly that."
"......"
"Even if it's a choice that goes against the greater cause, if you still wish for him to stay..."
"Then this time..."
"...shouldn't you be the one protecting that man, Agent Rubia?"