I Became the Teacher of the Imperial Family’s Bastard

046.Sorting out (1)

The incident that occurred last night spread throughout the capital by the next morning.

Unlike the incident at the Magic Tower, this time there were too many witnesses.

The pillar of light and the divine punishment formation that appeared above the Papal Palace in the middle of the night.

The light alone woke up the sleeping citizens of the capital, and the priests and holy knights nearby recognized it as a battle situation.

Of course, thanks to Kallios’s swift suppression, no one witnessed the actual battle scene… but still, not everything could be hidden.

First, the chapel collapsed.

Many saw Kallios carrying the tattered Verheim on his shoulder as he left, and numerous priests witnessed Yuren carrying the bleeding Historia.

Thus, this rumor spread.

– The Saint and the Holy Maiden were imprisoned for their sins.

Whether it was true or false didn’t matter.

Rumors, by nature, spread only the most sensational content without context.

However, the facts were corrected faster than expected.

Few knew that Kallios was involved in the matter.

“Hey, did you hear? The rumor was wrong! It wasn’t the Saintess! It was the Saint who researched the forbidden book.”

“I heard it too. Fortunately, the Saintess noticed something early and sought help from His Highness…”

“I heard Pharos was involved this time too! Even if he’s a rogue, his skills are exceptional.”

“Is this the second time? The last Tower incident and now this Grand Mission…”

“It’s the third! There was also the Orc Champion subjugation!”

The most perfect lie is a lie based on truth.

He raised credibility through various grounds.

“So, what was the forbidden book about?”

“They say he coveted the power of the gods.”

“Huh… and he already had divine blessings.”

“They say he was stripped of his blessings for that sin. He also lost his title as Saint.”

“Then what happens to the Papal Office?”

“What do you mean, what happens? Who was the one who stopped it?”

“His Highness the Crown Prince and Pharos. And… Ah!!!”

“Yes, the Saintess! They say the current church is led by hope!”

The rumors that spread among the public were thus organized.

Verheim coveted the power of the gods and researched the forbidden book.

Historia, noticing something, sought help from the royal family, and together with the two, suppressed the incident.

As a result, the bishops of the church lost their voice.

The Saintess had to bear all the burdens alone, leading to questions about what the Church of Hope had been doing all this time.

The Church of Fate was particularly criticized.

They were blamed for not knowing about the Saint’s negligence.

In conclusion, the Papal Office began to reorganize internally, centering around the Saintess, who was the only one to capture the public’s heart.

The internal affairs were so chaotic that all external events were canceled.

And,

“So, what happened to the Saint?”

“That’s the thing…”

About any punishment.

Rumors spread quickly.

“…They say he was executed.”

“Huh?”

“They say he was executed last night where no one could see.”

He was considered dead to the world.

It was just when such rumors had settled that Historia opened her eyes.

“You’re finally awake.”

The first thing she saw upon opening her eyes was none other than…

“…Lord Pharos?”

“Are you feeling better?”

It was Yuren, sitting in the chair next to the bed.

* * *

She had spent a long time drifting through dreams.

Historia walked through a blurry world in a daze.

She even thought, ‘Have I already come to the afterlife?’ But in the end, she opened her eyes to reality.

Historia let out a hollow laugh.

“I’m… alive.”

She had been prepared to die and had done something tantamount to suicide.

Yet, for all that, her body was in surprisingly good condition.

No, rather, she felt an inexplicable vitality coursing through her.

There was no question as to why…

Historia’s gaze turned to Yuren.

Because she knew it was his doing.

No matter how close to death she had been, she clearly remembered their conversation in that moment.

– Didn’t you say? That believing in someone is hope. But what if you don’t believe?

– So I’ll believe in you. Just for today. Just for now.

– I’ll be your hope.

Yuren sat crookedly, resting his chin on his hand, and turned his gaze away.

Historia clutched the blanket tightly for no reason.

She couldn’t quite grasp what to say.

This was too unfamiliar an experience for Historia.

She had always been the one to save others.

A person admired for her noble spirit and conduct.

But to be in the opposite position, to be saved by someone else.

She had never imagined such a thing.

Her heart tickled.

There was a surge of emotion welling up.

In the end, Historia finally understood one thing.

“…Thank you.”

– Th-thank you, Saint…

The reason why the patients she had saved said those words.

The reason why they couldn’t say anything more and just sobbed, saying ‘thank you’.

The reason why they couldn’t help but smile.

No other words came to mind.

The overwhelming feeling was too strong to think of any other eloquent words to express it.

Even as she laughed, transparent tears began to hang from the corners of Historia’s eyes.

‘Ah…’

She realized.

Though she had resolved to die so valiantly, when she looked deep inside, she wanted to live.

She had only given up because she couldn’t believe it would happen.

Yuren had kept his word.

He became a hope she couldn’t believe in herself, and saved her like this.

That fact alone filled her.

It transformed into fullness and trembling, shaking her very being.

It was at that moment.

“I keep my word.”

“Y-yes…”

“So, I will keep this one too.”

Yuren stood up from his seat.

Though his posture was awkward and hunched, he approached without hesitation, closing the distance.

“Uh?”

Historia tensed up without realizing it.

The closer he got, the more her whole body stiffened, and her mind felt tangled.

But what happened next was unlike anything Historia had imagined.

Smack!

“Ugh?!”

In an instant, a fist swung and struck the crown of Historia’s head.

The sharp pain made Historia jump.

Her mind went blank.

Soon, the lingering sting brought a groan from Historia.

“Ugh…!”

“I told you, the Saintess needs to be hit a bit to come to her senses.”

With tears hanging from the corners of her eyes in a different sense, Historia looked up at Yuren.

For some reason, Yuren had a cold expression.

“L-Lord…?”

“I don’t like it when the Saintess sacrifices herself recklessly.”

Historia hesitated.

Her head dropped.

Yuren continued speaking.

“I don’t want to live by consuming others’ lives. I don’t want to be that cowardly. Even if the Saintess saves me for her own satisfaction, I just feel miserable. Please understand that.”

She felt ashamed.

Her cheeks burned for no reason.

Would it mean anything to say that wasn’t her intention?

Her mouth closed, and Yuren spoke to the silent Historia.

Somehow, like an adult scolding a child.

“Do something other than thank me.”

Historia, who had been hesitating, finally wiggled her fingers.

After doing that for a while, she answered, filled with embarrassment.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

“For trying to die on my own…”

“Now you’re making sense.”

Yuren’s voice softened.

Historia bit her lip awkwardly.

In a situation where she could neither laugh nor cry, her crown throbbed and ached.

The funny thing was, despite everything, being praised made her feel strangely good.

It was after such a moment had passed.

She suddenly remembered something she had forgotten.

“…Ah! Berne!”

Her head snapped up.

How could she be so out of it?

As she looked at Yuren, thinking she hadn’t asked the most important question, Yuren spoke.

“He was executed.”

Thud―!

Her heart plummeted.

Historia’s face began to be painted with despair.

If Yuren hadn’t added a word, it would have certainly been so.

“That’s what is known. For now.”

He sneered, a vile smile.

Historia blinked in bewilderment.

* * *

The capital is vast.

Regardless of the number of people living within it, as the heart of the thousand-year empire, it had many historical buildings, and many mysterious buildings so old their purpose was no longer known.

The building where Berheim was detained was one such place.

A certain spire in the northern end of the empire.

A section of the old city that had turned from a bustling area to a slum over a thousand years.

As a slum, it didn’t catch the eyes of others.

And as a spire, no one could approach it.

There was only a hole the size of a fist in the confined room.

From the moment Verheim opened his eyes, he kept looking outside through that hole.

It wasn’t to prepare for an escape.

He kept looking down at the system, constantly reflecting on and regretting what he had done.

Where did it go wrong?

What had twisted so much that he made such a choice?

The more he thought about it, the more regret and despair filled him.

Above all, the fact that he had tried to kill Historia with his own hands was unbearably painful.

It was at that moment.

“You’ve been waiting quietly.”

Verheim checked the entrance and bowed his head.

“…I greet Your Highness.”

“Your neck has finally become flexible. Good to see.”

How could he still hold his head high?

Given what he had done.

It was the third day of their conversation.

It was Callios who had subdued him when he first woke up and rampaged, it was Callios who had informed him of the situation afterward, and it was Callios who had told him what he needed to do.

He had investigated more than expected, pointing out things that Verheim had missed in his twisted perception.

The biggest of them was this.

“I’ve investigated the people you mentioned.”

“Milly, Fern, Gordin. Is that correct?”

“Yes, the priests who had become your hands and feet in your research.”

Verheim’s eyes darkened.

Every time he heard the names called, a new sense of incongruity welled up.

Looking back, there were too many strange points.

“…They were people who had no contact with me. But one day, they started helping with my research. The process is unclear. It’s hazy, like being trapped in fog…”

“I know that feeling. I still can’t remember how I came to enjoy secret meetings with Rebecca in the cave.”

“……”

It was laughable.

Because that part was something Verheim could empathize with as well.

To think that they tried to save a demon wearing human skin, mistaking it for a human suffering from a severe illness.

Moreover, the reason being that the memories with Historia were overlaid with those of Rebecca.

Doesn’t it make no sense at all?

Nothing fits the context.

Yet, things have already turned out that way.

It brought about a level of fear in Verheim that was terrifying.

A dreadful and dreadful thing.

Verheim sighed.

Because he knew that regretting it now would change nothing.

“…Did they catch them?”

Verheim was curious too.

Although he hadn’t shared any personal stories, he had heard quite a lot from them.

It was Millie, who claimed to be the leader among them, who provided knowledge and research direction on the forbidden book.

“The samples I used in my research… are creatures from the Outer Realm. It was Fern who managed to secure and manage the distribution route, Gordic who refined it, and Millie who oversaw and provided feedback on the research by my side.”

Come to think of it, he didn’t even know the proper distribution route.

If he just recalled what he had heard,

– I have a friend in the Outer Realm!

That friend, whom he had vaguely heard was an adventurer, might have been the culprit behind all this.

From noble mtl dot com

He wanted to know the answer.

But the answer that came back was too shocking for Verheim.

“I requested and searched through the entire personnel list of the Papal Office. But there were no such names.”

Verheim’s expression hardened.