A place to return to (2)
The afternoon sunlight coming through the colored glass is vivid.
“…….”
A large chapel in a convent with no one in it.
Vlad, who was standing there alone, quietly stretched out his hand and grabbed the colorful lights that hit him.
However, the lights I tried to catch only scattered into emptiness.
The light coming through the colored glass was brilliant, but only small dust was floating in the palm of my hand.
“What is this?”
Vlad laughed helplessly as he watched the dust scattering in the sunlight.
When seen from a distance, it looked so big and tall.
“…….”
Vlad let out a small sigh and turned his head to look back.
At the far end, where not even the light from the window could reach, was the door of an old convent.
It was also the door that never let Marcela in on a cold winter day.
“Only because of that.”
The virgin is in and the prostitute is out.
Although she was not pure, the prostitute who was purer than anyone else even lost the right to enter.
The standards set by someone, not God, did not fully understand Marcela.
It won’t be just Marcela.
Everyone lives like that.
It is evaluated and judged based on the standards of others, not me.
“I don’t like it just by looking at the cancer.”
And Vlad hated it.
Even when he was Vlad of the back alleys and even when he was Vlad of Shoara, Vlad was just Vlad.
Vlad’s eyes began to grow harsh as he looked at the door of the convent, knowing that not everyone could have Andrea like him.
※※※※
Although it was the beginning of winter, the atmosphere in front of the Shoara Castle Gate was warm.
The sound of spears being shaken and clashed by soldiers.
However, at the end of the sound, not someone’s scream, but a joyous shout was heard, and it was echoing all the way to the city hall in the very center.
“Are you back? father.”
“okay. “It’s been a lot of hard work.”
A man with a face similar to him walked in front of Josef, who bowed his head politely.
Although he looked neatly dressed, dust was falling from his shoulders, indicating the distance he had walked.
“Congratulations on your victory.”
“…Me too. I commend you for your efforts in protecting Deirmar. “Son.”
Although there were loud voices outside, the atmosphere inside the mayor’s office of Shoara was quiet.
While everyone, including advisor Ragmus and Josef’s knight Zayard, held their breath, the only thing that was visible was the look shared between father and son.
“Is your health okay?”
“It’s gotten a lot better.”
The eyes that looked at his son were still full of power, but his previously black hair now seemed to have more white.
Peter was now at an age where he had to think about the path those who would remain would follow rather than the path he would take himself.
“Didn’t your brother come with you?”
“Rutger will remain there until the new gateway is installed.”
Therefore, now was the time to make a decision.
This war was short, but intense, and was a good opportunity to reflect on his sons.
“……Is that so.”
Peter guessed his son’s intentions as he watched Josef’s eyes deepen.
Other people might not have noticed, but that smart kid would have noticed.
The newly built western fortress was a monumental first step taken by the Northern Alliance, and it was a place that Timur the Steelmaster, the leader of the alliance, paid special attention to.
Rutger, who would remain in the fortress as Bayezid’s representative, would meet numerous northern figures there and also strengthen his political position.
“We succeeded in inviting the people of Nidavellir, the Dwarven Liberation Front. Now they are at the docks of Shoara…”
“I know.”
The pitiful look in his eyes deepened at Peter’s cold interruption.
Josef’s eyes began to tremble as if he guessed something from Peter’s attitude.
“Good work. “It was great.”
Josef clearly accomplished what needed to be done and did everything he could.
However, Peter could not congratulate his son with complete joy.
As he faced the desolate winds of the West, he had a lot of worries, and now it was time to give Joseph an answer to them.
“…How about Nassau as compensation for that?”
Zayar, who was standing one step behind Josef, flinched at Peter’s words.
It was a statement that left out a lot of explanation, but there was a flowing atmosphere, and it was enough to make everyone here think the same thing.
“It’s warmer there than Shoara and the air is better there. “It will definitely be a good place to take care of your weak body.”
“…….”
Three cities representing Bayezid. Sturma Varna and Shoara.
However, Peter was recommending to Joseph a city obtained from the west rather than these three cities.
Nassau was certainly a great city, but it was not a place with Bayezid’s history and traditions.
“……father.”
“I want to give you a choice. “Son.”
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History repeats itself, and that is how Bayezid survived.
A world where only the strong can survive.
Peter still seemed to remember the expressions on the faces of his brothers who had been pierced by his sword.
“I will give you the position of governor of Nassau. “There will be more authority and support than there is now.”
So give up being the head of the family.
Because only then can you live.
“…Is this the end?”
“okay.”
Josef felt dizzy as he listened to Peter’s last words.
A long, drawn-out trial that started at birth, even though I didn’t want it.
I did my best with my weak body for the test, which I don’t know when it would end, but my struggles ended here.
The exam is over.
In the end, the person my father chose was my older brother, not me.
“I have had many conversations with your mother. She also said that she would accept this decision as long as she could ensure your safety.”
The deep sense of defeat that he had been suppressing for so long began to surround Josef’s entire body.
It felt as if the emotions that had been suppressed by reason were pouring out like a cracked dam.
“I believe you will understand my decision.”
“…….”
Of course I can understand.
The world today is a difficult time, and a strong monarch will be needed to overcome such difficult times.
Josef had already known that a weak monarch who would fall to his knees with just one hit was not suitable.
But how I feel.
Who on earth understands how I feel about losing the goal I have pursued my whole life?
“After this winter, pack your bags and go to Nassau. Your mother will be with you.”
“father.”
Josef raised his head amidst Peter’s remarks, which were full of consideration for his son but were ultimately only one-sided notices.
It was the head of Josef, who was suppressing frustration, defeat, and helpless anger.
“Was I not good enough?”
“……no.”
However, the sticky emotions in his eyes had soon subsided.
Although he was not as strong as Rutger, Josef had endured a lot of pain and lived up to this point.
“Was I by any chance a son who was ashamed of my father or wanted to hide it?”
“……no. “You are my proud son.”
Children are big.
Even if it is different from the direction and limits set by parents.
Josef’s soul, thickened by hardening, was more persistent than Peter thought.
“Then I will die.”
Parents can determine the beginning, but they cannot determine the end.
My life is mine alone and I am the one who can decide its end.
“I want to die with my name engraved on at least one star among the countless stars floating in the sky.”
“…….”
Because I am weak and lack talent.
I don’t want to live a life where I just live the way I was born because I couldn’t do it.
Because I, your proud son, was not born to live like that.
“As my father’s proud son, I want to become the next Bayezid family head.”
Josef, who was floating in the night sky but no one was watching, now decided to burn his entire life without hesitation.
Just according to your own will.
Even if it doesn’t work for everyone, I followed something worthwhile because I wanted to do it.
※※※※
Bang—!
A loud explosion was shaking the convent of Shoara.
The noise was so loud that it shook the floor.
“Bloody hell! “Oh my!”
The nun, who was startled by the loud noise and jumped down, opened her eyes as if she couldn’t believe the sight that unfolded before her.
The chapel of the convent is still filled with hazy smoke.
Wooden boards were scattered here and there, rolling around in a mess.
“How is this happening, Bishop? “Even if I am a follower of the Holy See!”
“……haha.”
Andrea, who had been talking with her in the director’s office for a while, was startled by the sound and came down with her.
The nuns are gathering noisily and the mercenary leader Stefan is swallowing nervously as he looks at them.
However, the man who was receiving all the attention simply closed his left eye again as if nothing had happened.
“They said the door didn’t open.”
Although he was smiling humorously, the golden light flowing between his closed eyes was something unusual.
“It’s not open to people who are prostitutes, it’s not open to people who are not, and it’s not open to people who need help.”
A door that was built by noble intentions but opens and closes according to the standards of those who hold it.
For Vlad, who recognized the shallowness of the standard, the tightly closed door of the convent was nothing more or less than something that needed to be removed.
“So I tried to fix it, but it didn’t work.”
“……okay?”
There was a nun next to him who was yelling at him, asking what the hell he was doing, but Bishop Andrea was just nodding and smiling.
“It’s okay! “It was a door I was planning on putting up a new door anyway!”
This was the reason why he, who was wandering in the wilderness, took up the position of bishop.
I was planning on breaking it anyway.
I have been fed up with the high threshold you have made since my days as a priest.
“Aren’t there still some things left? “There are no men here to help, so you will destroy everything until the end!”
As Andrea said, there was a door that was still shaking.
Vlad was surprised to see Andrea getting excited and telling him to destroy more, but since he got permission, there would be no reason to hesitate.
“All right. “Bishop.”
Vlad’s light began to flow from his closed left eye.
Your own light that even the colored glass shining from above cannot erase.
Although he could not surpass the moon, Vlad, who had his own world, was a person who shined more than anyone else at this moment.
The first blow is for the prostitute.
The second blow is for the girl.
All of them were people who struggled not to live the way they were born.
“…!”
With the permission of the noble Bayezid and the assurance of the bishop, the knight’s blow was launched through the highest hill of Shoara.
Kwaaang-!
The roar was louder than before, and even the soldiers below were startled and looked at the convent.
The door of a convent that burst open following an angry Vlad’s blow.
The standards set by someone else cannot fully judge me.
The boy from the back alley, who followed what he had to do and did what he could, ended up doing what he wanted to do.
It was the boy’s potential that only a true priest recognized.
