abcnovels
Chapter 36 – Revelation
Chapter 36 – Revelation
Chapter 36 – Revelation
[Translator – Peptobismol]
Chapter 36 – Revelation
The thick layer of dust scattered effortlessly with a single gesture from Isabel’s hand.
“Because of you.”
Isabel’s eyes, now glaring at Ludvik, were suddenly flushed with red.
“Because of you, I killed Kyle.”
The situation was escalating to a point of no return.
Isabel laughed with a face that had become a mess.
The moment Ludvik’s eyes met Isabel’s lifeless stare, he collapsed to the ground, his legs giving out.
“Uh… Ah…”
The scent of blood permeated the air.
His eyes felt like they were about to fall out with rising intraocular pressure, and his ears rang with a deafening noise.
Ludvik’s eyes filled with terror.
Despite being trained as a spy for the kingdom since childhood, he had never encountered such violence beyond his usual scope.
Isabel’s gaze was ominous enough to tear Ludvik apart.
If there were a physical form to her gaze, Ludvik’s heart would have been pierced by it.
“Why did you do it?”
Could it be that he had been discovered as a spy for the kingdom?
No, that couldn’t be.
There was absolutely no way.
“Why did you do it?”
Then why?
Isabel revealed a palpable hostility towards him.
“I’m asking you.”
The divine power surrounding Isabel’s right hand writhed.
The will of the world, encompassing all things, emanated from her fingertips.
Like dropping paint onto water, space began to turn white.
In the extreme dissonance unfolding before him, Ludvik sighed.
If it continued like this, he was surely going to die.
A loud warning echoed in his mind.
That was when.
“Ludvik?”
In the distance, a priest spotted Ludvik and called out.
Ah, I’m alive.
Thinking so, Ludvik raised his head only to meet Isabel’s eyes, who had arrived at his feet.
Isabel’s eyes, staring down at Ludvik, gleamed with ominous light.
Oh, no.
At that moment, Ludwiv was staring absentmindedly.
Thud!
Once again.
A heavy thud resounded in the air.
****
Ludvik was on the brink of death.
Upon hearing this news, the Holy See was thrown into chaos.
“An explanation seems to be in order.”
The Pope glared at Isabel.
The surrounding priests, bishops, and knights all stared at her.
Their gazes resembled those directed at a heinous criminal.
“No matter the authority of Yustia, this is undoubtedly a threat to divinity. There must be a proper reason for your actions, Lady Isabel.”
The Pope’s voice was chillingly calm.
Yet, there was no wavering on Isabel’s face.
“I punished him because there was a proper reason.”
“Do you think this situation warrants jokes?”
“My words seem like a joke to you, it seems.”
“If it’s not a joke, should we consider your actions as a declaration of war by the Empire?”
The faces of the imperial knights observing the situation turned pale.
But Isabel laughed lightly, paying no heed.
“Do as you please. But are you sure it’s okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“The Black Mist.”
The Black Mist
The ominous name echoed.
Isabel playfully narrowed her eyes.
“You can’t purify it without me, can you?”
Upon hearing this, the Pope burst into laughter.
Then, he abruptly stopped laughing.
On his stern face, clear enmity was revealed.
“Is that so?”
When the Pope asked for the rationale, Isabel raised her index finger and pointed to the sky.
“Divine Decree.”
“…Divine Decree?”
“Yes, I received a Divine Decree.”
Divine Decree.
A command from God.
Different in essence from divine messages conveyed through humans.
Divine Decree is one of the most powerful means for a god bound by causality to intervene in the fate of the world.
In other words.
“…Saint.”
The Apostle of God.
There’s no other way to explain it.
To be able to purify the Black Mist.
When they first heard about it, they simply couldn’t believe it.
Until now, no one in the Holy See has been able to purify the Black Mist.
Not even the Pope himself.
Although it was widely known that only the Pope could purify the Black Mist, this was also not true.
It was just an implicit agreement between the Holy See and the Royal Family out of fear of the decline of divine authority.
However, the data provided by the Royal Family was clear.
It’s still vivid.
The scene where the Black Mist, collected and stored by the Royal Family for research purposes, melted away at the divine intervention that bloomed at her fingertips.
If this is indeed the second coming of the Saint.
It wouldn’t just be about correcting divine authority, but it might also be possible to establish a truly Sacred Empire on this land.
The Pope’s pupils undulated like waves.
More evidence was needed.
A more definite proof that she was indeed the Saint…
“I can see the future.”
The Pope’s eyes widened.
“…Please elaborate.”
“A week from now, the full-scale spread of the Black Mist will begin. Starting from the eastern territories, monsters will rampage, and diseases will emerge.”
“There have been no signs suggesting the onset of the spread yet.”
“Ha, didn’t I just say? I can see the future.”
Isabel sighed briefly before continuing.
“The spread in the eastern territories is just the beginning. Following the eastern territories, the northern and western territories will also sequentially enter a state of emergency. The southern territories may remain quiet for a while.”
“…”
“When the seeds of calamity are sown, the Empire will fall into chaos. When countless hearts tremble with fear, the Holy See will step forward. Presenting the divine intervention that can purify the Black Mist.”
“Heh, heh…”
“Many trembling hearts will gather in the temples, and astronomical donations will pour into the temples every day. The entire Empire will be bound under one faith, and that bond will be incomparably strong.”
[Translator – Peptobismol]
Indeed, it sounds grandiose.
However, Isabel is the sole heiress of Count Yustia.
There’s no reason for her to risk her life for the truth that will be revealed in a few days.
A glimmer of hope rose in the corner of the Pope’s heart.
An undeniable desire flickered in his eyes.
Swallowing a deep gulp, the Pope looked around.
Eight in total.
Including himself and Isabel, there were too many ears to speak freely.
Swallowing his saliva, the Pope spoke.
“…You’ll have to stay here for the time being.”
“Alright, that was my plan anyway.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“But there’s a condition.”
Isabel grinned and slowly opened her lips.
“I need a Sacred Solvent.”
“A Sacred Solvent?”
“Yes, hand over the Sacred Solvent to me once my words are confirmed to be true.”
“Why do you need a Sacred Solvent?”
“Well, it’s also the will of God, isn’t it?”
The Pope chuckled, then laughed softly.
“Agreed. If the second coming of the Saint is made certain, something like that Sacred Solvent is trivial.”
“That’s refreshing to hear.”
A smile deepened on Isabel’s lips.
With this, she thought she had taken one step closer to Kyle, and tumultuous emotions writhed within her.
Isabel slowly rose from her seat.
At that moment, a forgotten fact pierced her mind.
“Oh, and one more thing.”
Isabel gazed steadily at the Pope.
“Investigate Ludvik.”
“Hmm?”
“Incompetent as you may be, Ludvik is a spy for the kingdom. Thoroughly investigate him and punish everyone involved with him.”
Isabel added one last thing.
“As per the will of God.”
****
Pour—
The Empress slowly poured herbal tea into an empty cup.
At that moment, the familiar voice of a maid echoed from beyond the door.
“Your Majesty, Duke Velzer Winfred requests an audience.”
“Let him in.”
Click—
Duke Velzer entered with a graceful stride through the slightly open door.
He was the epitome of a nobleman, standing upright without a single hint of disorder.
The Empress opened her lips with an indifferent expression.
“Everyone except Duke Velzer Winfred, leave.”
At the Empress’s words, the waiting maids bowed their heads and left the room.
Only the Empress and the Duke remained in the empty parlor.
“I greet the sun of the Empire.”
“Greetings are unnecessary. I apologize for summoning you amidst your accumulated duties. Please, take a seat.”
The Duke sat down with his characteristic composed demeanor.
The Empress gestured for him to drink tea with a gentle flick of her hand.
“…”
“…”
A stifling silence descended.
In the frozen parlor, only the irregular sound of cups clinking echoed.
How many minutes passed like this?
The Empress broke the silence with a subdued voice as she watched the Duke.
“You must be curious about the purpose of this meeting.”
The Duke maintained silence.
With a soft voice, the Empress continued.
“Kyle Winfred.”
Kyle Winfred.
At the familiar resonance, the Duke’s brow furrowed as he held his cup.
“You must have heard the rumors. That the child has an unusually close relationship with the Princess lately.”
“Pardon my ignorance, but I do not understand what you mean.”
A hint of displeasure was plainly visible on the Duke’s face.
The Empress tapped the table gently a few times with her fingertips.
It was one of her habits to reevaluate her opponent.
“Would you like to hear the story?”
The Duke nodded slowly at the Empress’s suggestion.
There was a hint of curiosity in the Duke’s expression.
The Empress continued her story with a soft voice.
“There was a girl. She was smarter than anyone, more sensitive than anyone, and more humble than anyone. And that wasn’t all. Her beauty was so divine, as if she were an angel descended from heaven.”
“…”
“Rudine Eckhart. Despite being born as a woman, her character, demeanor, and innate talent were more outstanding compared to any man in the Royal Family.”
“It must have been an honor for the Royal Family.”
“She was my child born of love, but as the days went by, her potential for growth seemed as marvelous as if she had been blessed by God. She was truly worthy of being the sun of the Empire.”
The Duke listened silently to the Empress’s words.
The Empress continued with a subdued voice.
“That girl, however, changed one day.”
“…”
“She became bold, cunning, and her hands became so merciless that she began to ruthlessly remove anyone who stood in her way.”
As the Empress slightly lowered her head, her silver hair, characteristic of the Royal Family, gently curved.
Her eyes, peeking through the fluttering hair, glinted with a somber light.
“Yes, as if she had become someone else entirely.”
The temperature inside the parlor began to drop sharply.
“Your son, Kyle Winfred.”
“…”
“One day, she began to show an unusually strong attachment to that child. So I watched. What did she see in Kyle Winfred that made her show such an obsessive attachment?”
The expression disappeared from the Duke’s face.
The Empress continued to speak with a smiling face.
“And then I met. A commoner woman claiming to be Kyle Winfred’s birth mother.”
A surge of tension emanated from their meeting gazes.
The Empress chuckled softly.
Then she became serious.
“Kyle Winfred.”
Her lips twisted into a grimace.
“Is not your son.”
[TL/N: Dude got hit with the dreaded “your not the father” line ?]
[Translator – Peptobismol]