068. [STAGE 3] A good brother
Far north of the Crossroads, the southernmost point in the world.
The center of the continent. The center of the world.
New Terra, the capital of the Everblack Empire, stands tall and proud.
With a large port on the continent’s inland sea, the city is the center of global trade and logistics, drawing crowds to it all year around, day and night.
The ever-expanding city is already the size of a small country.
The centre of the world’s most prosperous and largest city.
A section of the Imperial Palace, known as the Thorn Palace for its rows of black spires.
Inside the office of the tallest spire to the west, a man sifts through papers.
“…….”
There was a subtle red aura in the coveted black hair tied at the back of the neck, and intelligent red eyes gleamed in the frameless glasses hanging over the bridge of the nose.
The Emperor’s second son, and acting head of the Everblack Empire. One of the most powerful men in the Empire, in charge of its administration.
Fernandez ‘Emberkeeper’ Everblack.
His desk was littered with all sorts of papers.
Reports flew in from every corner of the Empire awaiting his stamp of approval.
As he pondered the mountainous list of issues, an adjutant came up behind him.
“Your Majesty.”
“What is it?”
Fernandez asked without turning around, and the adjutant spoke cautiously.
“Your brother has requested reinforcements again.”
“Ash?”
“Yes. He asked us to organize reinforcements right away, saying that the invasion of monsters on the southern front is intensifying day by day.”
Click.
Fernandez removed his glasses and pressed a hand between his tired eyebrows.
“How many times has a request been made?”
“This is the third.”
“Hmm.”
Fernandez seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, but then shook his head.
“Ignore it.”
“But, Your Highness, the situation on the southern front is indeed dire.”
The adjutant unfolded another piece of paper in his hand and read.
“According to the report from our intelligence agent, the monster invasion is at a level unprecedented in recent decades, and it is growing in intensity…….”
“Ignore it.”
But Fernandez was not swayed.
“We’re finishing up the war against the Duchy of Bringer on the Western Front, and we don’t have the troops to devote to the Southern Front.”
“That is true, but…….”
“Finishing off the Duchy is our priority. The Southern Front can be dealt with later, if it really becomes a problem.”
Immediately afterward, Fernandez let out a small whimper.
“Ash, you’re being a jerk. Well, I also have been rude, but …”
“What?”
“It’s nothing. Rather, what’s the situation on the front line of the Duchy of Bringer?”
“They say the First Legion is currently directly attacking the Duchy’s capital. We’ll probably hear news of its capture within the week.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Fernandez added cautiously.
“…what about my brother?”
“He’s on the front lines.”
“No matter how many times I tell him to break that habit, …….”
First Prince of the Everblack Empire. Lark ‘Avalanche’ Everblack.
Commander-in-Chief of the Empire’s armed forces, all knights and soldiers under his command.
First Prince Lark, a born warrior, enjoys being on the front lines himself.
This war was no different, and Fernandez didn’t like it.
No matter how powerful he was, he was still the First Prince.
His place was at the command post, not on the front lines.
‘Both my oldest and youngest brother are only rotting my insides…….’
Quietly chewing his lips, Fernandez asked the adjutant one last question.
“Out of curiosity, how is father?”
“He’s still in hibernation.”
“……could have guessed that.”
The sole emperor of the empire had been confined for years.
Locked away in the deepest part of the imperial palace, he only occasionally writes a letter of introduction or summons someone to the inner palace to quietly give him instructions.
As a result, the first prince was in charge of affairs outside the country and the second prince was in charge of affairs inside the country.
As this situation continued, vicious rumours began to circulate that something had happened to the emperor.
The absence of the emperor must have had an impact on the war with the Duchy of Bringer this time as well.
“…….”
After thinking about his father for a moment, Fernandez waved his hand.
“All right. Just go.”
“Ah, Your Highness, there is one more thing I need you to sign off on.”
The adjutant pulled another piece of paper from his pocket and held it out. Fernandez took it indifferently and read it.
“Is this an execution?”
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“Yes. It’s a death warrant for a group of high criminals being held in the dungeons. Would you like to approve?”
“Of course, I approve. These men have all committed treason against the Empire.”
The convicts were soldiers who had committed treason half a year ago.
Of course, among the prisoners imprisoned in the dungeon, those who were caught for a crime other than treason were rarer.
‘There is no crime as good as treason to get hanged by.’
Fernandez’s hand, which immediately raised its quill to authorize the death penalty, suddenly stopped.
“Just a moment.”
“What?”
“You said earlier that Ash had called for reinforcements?”
“Yes, I did, but…….”
“Please send them.”
“Oh, you mean reinforcements?”
“No.”
Cha-ak.
Fernandez tore the death warrant in his hand in half.
“Send these death row bastards to the Monster Front.”
“……yes?”
“Don’t you think Ash needs a meat shield? They’ll be hanged anyway, or be torn apart by the beasts, or something like that.”
The astonished lieutenant cut him off.
“Ha, but your Highness, these aren’t common criminals, these are men who have plotted treason and done terrible damage to the Empire!”
“…….”
“If we send them to the South, we don’t know what they’ll do there…….”
“I’m sure Ash will take care of that.”
Fernandez was unconcerned.
“Ash, you seem quite hungry for troops. Whether it’s sour or rotten rice, you’ll have to accept and eat whatever we send you.”
“…….”
“I will write an order in the name of the Acting Executive. The execution of these five criminals will take place on the Southern Front and will be carried out by Third Prince Ash at his own risk…….”
Fernandez smiled with satisfaction as he wrote in a sleek handwriting on a fresh sheet of paper.
“My brother is having a hard time, so I send him this. I’m a good, good older brother.”
Fernandez turned his head to the south. Through the spire’s wide windows, the sun was shining brightly in the southern sky.
Turning to his brother in the distance, Fernandez whispered in a low voice.
“You think so, Ash?”
***
My ears are itchy.
“……Who’s swearing at me?”
I dug my pinky finger eagerly inside my ear. Why am I suddenly so itchy?
“Well, it’s my job to be insulted.”
I am the Lord of Crossroads.
I’m in charge.
If something goes wrong, it’s only natural that someone will curse at me. I’ll take it like an itchy ear.
‘By the way…….’
I looked down anxiously at the vase in my hand.
‘Is this good enough for a condolence gift?’
The place I’ve arrived at is a temple.
Even in this facility that treats the wounded, it was a building used by seriously injured people.
I swallowed dry saliva as I stood in the white hallway in front of the door of the visiting room.
Going to visit someone in the hospital is something I never get used to, no matter how many times I do it.
Kiik-
Having made up my mind, I opened the door and stepped inside.
It was solitary. I had specifically asked the temple to leave this patient alone.
“Who are you?”
A small voice called out from the boy sitting on the bed.
My heart sank at the sight of him, his eyes covered with bandages.
I raised my voice as I placed the vase on the table in the middle of the hospital room.
“It’s me. Damien.”
“Ah, your Highness?”
The patient was none other than Damien.
“How are you?”
I walked to the side of the bed and sat down in the chair. Damien shrugged and scratched the back of his head.
His brown curly hair is tangled in a mess.
“It’s not a big injury, and I know you’re busy, you don’t have to come over…….”
“Don’t say that. I’m the reason you got hurt.”
I say in a light tone, but my heart is heavy.
In our last defense, Damien executed an ultra-long-range sniper shot at my request.
It is said that blood flowed from both eyes immediately after, and he became blind.
His overuse of [Clairvoyance] had eaten away at his physical endurance.
He thought it was a temporary condition, but after a day, his eyesight had not recovered, and he was hospitalized in the intensive care unit after being healed by a priest to no avail.
“It’s not because of you. No!”
Stunned by my words, Damien threw his hands up in the air.
“I pushed myself too hard. You didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Yon-seok.” (TLN: No idea)
I ruffled Damien’s hair.
Damien was blind, unable to resist at all, only letting out sounds like, “Ouch!” and “Stop it!”
When I pulled my hand away, Damien smiled bashfully.
“Don’t worry, your eyesight will come back after a few days of rest.”
“…….”
How could I not worry.
You are my cheat key. A lighthouse to guide me through this horrible difficulty level.
“No, not just because you’re a cheat character.”
Someone who trusts me, follows me, and genuinely wants to help me.
What a wonderful subordinate, and I can’t believe I pushed him too far and hurt him.
Blaming myself, I opened my mouth heavily.
“Don’t overdo it in the future.”
“What?”
“No, yes, of course I’ll pamper you, but I won’t make you do something this unreasonable. promise!”
I said, holding my pinky finger out in front of me.
But Damien gave a small shake of his head.
“I’m the prince’s trigger. As long as it’s in my power, you’re free to use it as you see fit.”
“Hey…….”
“If it helps killing the monsters. So that one day we can defeat them for good.”
Damien raised his hand, pressing it firmly against his bandaged eye.
“Even if it means burning both of my eyes out, I’m willing to pull the trigger.”
“…….”
“So, please, use me until I’m worn out and broken. My prince.”
Damien was still smiling hazily.
“Because I’m on this front for that.”
I couldn’t say I wouldn’t.
With [Clairvoyance], Damien would always be pushed to the limit.
Staring at this loyal, poor boy, I slowly opened my mouth.
“Damien.”
“Yes.”
“Do you remember the first promise I made to you?”
Damien c*cked his head.
“A promise……? What was it?”
“It was a promise that I would die by your hands, no matter when.”
“Oh…….”
Damien’s mouth fell open. I continued.
“You said you hated me for killing your friend. …So I told you to help me just once, because someday I will die by your hands.”
This was during the tutorial stage.
Damien had lost his friends and had completely lost his will to live.
I used his hatred for me as fuel to force him to get back on his feet.
What about the Damien of today?
“Do you still hate me? The one who got your friend killed?”
Is that hatred still valid?
“…….”
Damien didn’t answer, but slowly lowered his head.
It was a long time before an answer escaped the boy’s dry lips.
“I’m…….”
[Translated by Mashine. Proofread by: WebTrashTranslation]
