“Oh, Father….”

Luna, in an uncharacteristically anxious voice, looked at Maxime.

The situation was clear.

William had stormed into the Imperial Palace with Aslan.

Maxime, who had even lost his reliable Imperial Guard, was completely cornered.

“Ru, Ruelberta? Does that mean he’s Aidan’s son?!”

“Why did you kill him?”

“Kill?”

“I asked why you killed Kyle.”

At William’s interrogation, Maxime’s eyes widened as if he finally understood the situation.

“Are you also in league with Kyle?! Could it be… the Ruelberta Family has joined the rebellion?! You vile scoundrels…!”

“…Vile?”

“You took advantage of the moment I sent troops to the north and pulled this off, didn’t you! You despicable Ruelberta bastards! How did you know I secretly sent troops?!”

Maxime glared at William, genuinely furious. Even in such a situation, the Majesty of the Emperor remained intact, which was impressive in its own way.

“Just wait. Once the troops I sent to the north return…!”

“Your troops have already returned.”

“What?”

As William gestured, one of Aslan’s members threw something toward Maxime.

Thud….

A round object rolled to Maxime’s feet. Recognizing what it was, Maxime screamed.

“Ugh, ahhh?! A, a skull?!”

“Sorry, that’s all that’s left.”

It was a skull stained with black ash.

Maxime groaned as he confirmed the fate of the Imperial Army commander who had gone to suppress the rebellion.

“Is, is this Dolan?!”

“Yes. Probably Dolan. Or maybe not.”

“What do you mean…?”

“I killed all your soldiers. Burned every last one of them.”

“L, liar! How could you have killed so many soldiers?!”

“Right. It’s a lie.”

“What?”

Was he joking in such a situation? Maxime looked at William in disbelief. But William’s expression showed no sign of joking.

“Bring them.”

Masked Aslan members dragged in about ten men.

“Ugh… Fire….”

“Hiiik?! Hot! Aaah!”

Maxime frowned as he saw them babbling, half out of their minds. But it was only for a moment… His face twisted as he saw their faces revealed in the darkness.

“D, Dolan’s men….”

“Good, you recognize them. These men lost their minds before we could kill them. They went mad watching their comrades die in front of them.”

“So… my army was completely annihilated…?”

Maxime looked at William and the soldiers in disbelief. Finally realizing he had lost all his cards, a deep fear spread across Maxime’s face.

“This is impossible….”

“I’ll ask again. Why did you kill Kyle?”

“Why…? Because Kyle was conspiring with demons.”

“Nonsense.”

“It’s not nonsense! I ordered Kyle to exterminate the demons years ago! But he kept making excuses and refused.”

“So?”

“Why do you think he refused my orders every time? Because he was conspiring with demons.”

“…That’s a stretch. Your claim that Kyle plotted rebellion is nothing but speculation.”

“I, I have evidence! Look… here!”

Maxime hastily pulled out a letter from his pocket.

“This is…?”

“Proof that Kyle conspired with demons! This letter details how Kyle regularly met with demons and even supplied them with food.”

“……”

William quietly examined the letter, his brow twitching.

“…Where did this letter come from?”

“Don’t underestimate the Imperial intelligence network. Everything that happens in this country reaches my ears.”

“Then your intelligence network is incredibly sloppy.”

“What…?”

William crumpled the letter and looked down at Maxime.

“I already knew Kyle was interacting with demons.”

“T, then you too…!”

“Do you really not know why Kyle did it? Emperor.”

“…Why? To join forces with demons and swallow this country, of course.”

“…Kyle worked solely for the peace of the north and this country. The barren north always lacked food, so he desperately tried to keep the people from starving.”

For the first time, an emotion appeared on William’s previously expressionless face.

“Kyle gave grain and clothing to demons in the Demon Forest in exchange for wild animals and fruits they caught, saving the people from starvation. He also reduced friction with demons, stabilizing the lives of the northern people.”

The emotion on William’s face was contempt. He spoke with genuine disdain for the Emperor, the highest authority in the country.

“Kyle was a man who worked for the peace of the north, both openly and behind the scenes. You framed such a man as a rebel and killed him.”

“W, wait! I didn’t know about that! Besides, I even gave Kyle a chance.”

“A chance?”

“Y, yes. I tolerated this because I hoped Kyle would voluntarily confess his dealings with demons. But he didn’t. Even when I pressed him, he offered no explanation and fled to the north.”

Maxime looked deeply regretful.

“I was convinced then. Kyle must have joined forces with demons to rebel! So I sent troops to the north to bring him back.”

“……”

“I sent the troops secretly because I knew Kyle had contributed greatly to this country and me. If it became known that the hero of the frontier was conspiring with demons, how disappointed would the people be? So I had no choice.”

Maxime pounded his chest, seemingly heartbroken over Kyle’s death.

“I truly regret it. Kyle… no, Sir Kyle… If only I had known the full story, this wouldn’t have happened…. Though it’s late, I promise. I will restore his honor by any means necessary. Future generations will praise him as a hero-.”

“There’s something I realized while fighting the Imperial Army that invaded the north.”

A hoarse voice interrupted Maxime.

“Under the pretext of suppressing rebellion, the Imperial Army set fire to villages. They completely ignored the screams and pleas of the northern people.”

“That’s….”

“I don’t think you would have listened to or understood Kyle’s situation. You were only planning to kill Kyle and his family.”

“N, no! I never intended to kill Kyle!”

“No.”

William shook his head and held up the crumpled letter.

“Originally, the information in this letter was recorded years ago. But the condition of the letter shows you received it not long ago. In other words… your claim that you gave Kyle years to confess is a lie.”

“?!”

“So you planned to kill Kyle from the start. With the ‘trigger’ in place, you had no reason to hesitate.”

As William crumpled the letter again, Maxime bowed his head as if struck.

“So why did you kill Kyle?”

William repeated his initial question. And Maxime’s mouth opened sooner than expected.

“……This country was built by our ancestors who fought demons with their lives. Since its founding, there hasn’t been a year without fighting demons.”

“……”

“Demons are a potential threat to this country. If anyone sides with them, they too are a threat. I simply eliminated that threat- Gahk?!”

The next moment, Maxime’s body flew backward from William’s kick.

“Cough…! Ugh…!”

“So you treated even an innocent baby as a threat?”

William looked down at Maxime, writhing in pain on the floor, with a cold gaze.

“Disgusting. This country, and you….”

Luna, standing nearby, flinched. She watched the scene, unable to close her mouth. She had just seen the true face of her father, Maxime, whom she had believed to be a wise ruler. And he was as repulsive as William had said.

“You don’t deserve to live.”

“Y, you plan to kill me and destroy this country…?”

“No.”

William’s fingers grabbed Maxime’s hair.

“Ugh?!”

“I won’t kill you.”

“W, why…?”

“Many have died because of you. Don’t think you’ll rest in peace until you’ve paid for all of it.”

William’s voice was calm.

But the emotions conveyed through resonance… were ‘murderous intent.’ He was suppressing the desperate urge to strangle Maxime to death right then.

Because he still had work to do.

“I’ll spare your life, but you must protect Kyle’s honor for the rest of your life. You can distort the truth if you must. Record him in history as… a hero praised by future generations.”

“U, understood….”

“And if you dare harm Kyle’s wife, your life ends there.”

“!”

Ariel quietly swallowed her tears. The man she had so hated, William, was trying to protect the honor of her friend Kyle, and even her safety.

We finally understood why the ‘Autumn Tragedy’ remained such an event.

“If you dare tarnish Kyle and his family’s name… I’ll rip out your intestines while you’re still alive.”

“As the Emperor of this country, I promise. O, of course, I’ll also record the Ruelberta Family favorably.”

“No need. No one would believe good stories about our family anyway. And…”

A shadow fell over William’s face.

“I have no right to do so.”

The guilt of failing to save even one of Kyle’s family members weighed on him. He chose to punish himself by accepting condemnation.

“Such…”

Luna’s face had turned completely ashen. Though she had confirmed the truth, it was too much for her to accept. And the same would likely go for Lucy, her original personality.

“Maxime Meikhael.”

Then, William spoke.

“The Imperial Army under your command brutally killed even children. And the Roelgreen Family was wiped out.”

Though everything seemed over, William still had something to say as he drew his sword.

The blade reflected the moonlight, casting an eerie glow. Seeing this, Maxime fell back onto the floor.

“M, Maxime! W, what are you doing?!”

“Having done such things, shouldn’t the Meikhael Family also be wiped out?”

“Wha?! W, wait!”

Clang!

William’s sword struck the marble floor. Specifically, it landed less than a centimeter from Maxime’s crotch.

“Ugh…!”

“Be glad you have no children. If you had any, I would have torn them to pieces and fed them to dogs in front of you.”

Maxime’s pants were soaked as William delivered his curse-like verdict.

“Forget about dying peacefully. The Empire ends with you.”

A sound of something breaking echoed in the darkness.

*

“?!”

As the lights went out, I felt the floor disappear. The floor we were standing on had shattered.

“Eek?!”

“Kya?!”

Ariel and Luna’s screams echoed. It seemed I wasn’t the only one falling.

“Count!”

Someone clung to me as I fell. The bewildered voice and small, animal-like sensation could only belong to Wendy.

But now the problem was that we had fallen into an unknown place.

In this situation… I tried to perform a landing technique while holding Wendy. But my response was too late. No, it was meaningless.

“…?”

We fell for about five seconds.

The speed gradually decreased until I felt the ground. It was like sinking to the bottom of a swimming pool.

“A, are you okay? Count?!”

“…I’m fine.”

“E, everyone okay?!”

Wendy’s shout echoed in the dark space.

“P, Professor? Peha? Where are you?!”

Wendy’s voice returned, but Ariel and Luna’s did not. It seemed the two had fallen to a different floor or space.

I needed to confirm their whereabouts.

As I thought this, lights suddenly turned on. What memories were about to surface in this abyss?

“T, that’s the Count’s study….”

Wendy muttered as she saw the illuminated area. As she said, the space that appeared this time was my study in the Ruelberta Mansion.

Sitting in the chair I usually occupied was not me, but someone else.

“You’re late. Maxime.”

The one who turned his head was a handsome young man with a gentle smile, Aidan Ruelberta. He looked at Maxime, who stood in the darkness, as if he had been waiting.

“You’ve come a long way. How’s your body?”

“I always thought something was off. Father rarely reveals his true intentions, so it was even more suspicious….”

Aidan’s voice was soft, but Maxime’s was stiff.

“The handwriting on that letter… Did you send it, Father?”

“Yes.”

Without even mentioning which letter, Aidan didn’t deny it.

“Then… the magic formula on Kyle’s body was also your doing?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Why…? Hmm…”

Aidan scratched his cheek and fell into thought. His demeanor was in stark contrast to his son’s unusual atmosphere.

“Do you need a reason? What wouldn’t a father do for his son?”

“For… me?”

“Yes.”

Maxime’s shoulders trembled.

“Damn it…. Father. What… what was all this for?!”

As if responding to his anger, Aslan members emerged from the darkness one by one.

Drenched in blood, they looked like demons, but Aidan paid no attention. Instead, he kept his gaze on Maxime and sighed in admiration.

“Yes. That’s a good expression.”

“…I didn’t come here to joke.”

An Aslan member’s sword hovered over Aidan’s neck. Only then did he look up at those around him.

“Haha… Right. Aslan is truly an excellent group of soldiers…. Silent, loyal to orders, and tireless. Truly ideal soldiers.”

“Father…”

“But.”

Thud!

Aidan struck an Aslan member’s jaw with his staff. The steel lion mask fell to the floor, revealing the face of the loyal member.

“Ugh?!”

He looked about twenty years old. A pale-skinned youth with unfocused, cloudy eyes stood there. He was dead. But what shocked me and Maxime were the beast ears protruding from his head.

“Could it be… a Hoin?”

“Demons are useful even in death.”

Aidan smiled and looked up at the unmasked member.

The Aslan of Aidan’s era was a death legion made from demon corpses. Realizing the overwhelming force and ruthless nature of the group that had crushed the Imperial Guard, Maxime staggered.

“Father… how could you…?”

“Haha. It’s not that impressive yet.”

Aidan pressed a button on his staff, and a blade sprang from its tip.

Crunch!

His staff pierced the Hoin man’s chest. Specifically, it aimed for the magic formula on his chest.

“?!”

Instantly, the Hoin man’s face crumbled rapidly. The body inside the military coat collapsed and turned to sand.

“As you can see, it’s still a failure.”

“Kyle too… did you do this to him?”

“Ah. Yes. Even Kyle, with his excellent physical abilities, failed. Truly a pity. But there’s still time. With proper research, it could be perfected in your generation.”

“Father, you insulted Kyle!”

Maxime slammed the desk and shouted. For the first time since Kyle’s death, he showed intense emotion. It was reminiscent of Tristan, who had lost everything to Maxime.

“Kyle…! Even while being controlled by you, he tried to hold onto his sanity. He protected me until he turned to sand!”

“That’s the fate of a corpse puppet.”

Maxime’s fiery anger left Aidan unfazed. No… I know what kind of person he is. The kind who can’t empathize with others’ pain or understand sorrow.

Aidan Ruelberta was a broken human being.

“Why did you do it! Why! Why did you have to do this to Kyle!”

“Ah… because Kyle was the perfect candidate.”

“Perfect candidate…?”

“Yes. Perfect candidate. How’s your body? Maxime.”

“…What?”

Maxime shouted in disbelief at Aidan’s casual inquiry.

“Right now… Father, is that what you’re concerned about?”

“Of course I’m concerned.”

Aidan smiled warmly at his son.

“I’m curious if Kyle’s organs have settled well.”

“……What?”

Thump…

My heart began to race.

Maxime looked at Aidan as if he had received an ominous prophecy.

“Father… what… did you just say?”

“Maxime. This year was supposed to be your limit. Not just your heart, but almost all your organs were failing. There was truly no hope. You have no idea how hard I worked to save you.”

“But… then…”

“Then, Sir Kyle appeared. As expected of his swordsmanship, his body was incredibly healthy. So I checked his body’s samples… and sure enough! They were almost identical to your physical data!”

Thump…

I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my chest and knelt.

“Count?!”

Wendy screamed and rushed to me, but I couldn’t pay attention.

It hurt. Pain beyond what ‘Patience’ could endure. Worse than the pain I felt in Tristan’s past.

Aidan clenched his fist, his eyes shining.

“Then, I was certain! Sir Kyle was the savior sent to save our son! Weren’t the two of you like brothers? Not even related by blood, yet so similar. It must have been fate.”

“Ah…”

Maxime knelt.

Realizing the truth behind the surgery that made him healthy, he despaired.

The fact that Kyle’s organs were inside him without his knowledge. And the cursed truth that he was living with Kyle’s heart weighed heavily on him.

“Kyle… Brother…”

His pupils shook.

Even the faintest remnants of emotion were being erased. He had no choice but to go mad.

“Ahhh… No… Brother… I…”

“Good to see the surgery went well.”

Aidan nodded in satisfaction as he examined Maxime. Then he grinned and asked.

“How is it? Can you hear it? Kyle’s voice screaming inside you.”

“Ahhh!!”

[Resonating within the trial!]

[Your resonance is at 100%!]

“Count!”

Blood gushed from my mouth.

“Cough…!”

But… the blood… something was off.

If I wasn’t mistaken, black ink-like blood was pouring onto the floor.

Seeing this, I realized.

My heart was beginning to corrupt.

“Ah…”

I couldn’t get up.

Crushed by despair, I could do nothing.

If this is a nightmare, please… someone… wake me up…

But trampling on my futile hope, Aidan’s voice echoed.

“Accept it. My ‘Wrath.’ And…”

He spoke to Maxime, who was collapsed and screaming.

“Go mad with ‘Wrath.'”

At that moment, black tears streamed from Maxime’s eyes.

[‘Patience’ cannot withstand it!]

[You have failed to endure the trial!]

My surroundings grew darker.

My rapidly beating heart suddenly stopped.

“Count! Please, snap out of it!”

Wendy’s voice echoed from afar, but I could do nothing.

Only despair in this hellish trial.

[A setting change has occurred!]

[You have awakened to a new personality trait!]

[You have awakened to the personality trait ‘Despair’!]

In my fading consciousness, Lukaela’s voice echoed like an auditory hallucination.

“Congratulations on being tainted by darkness. My ‘Wrath,’ Ruelberta.”

And my consciousness was swallowed by the abyss.

[You have awakened as the Demon Lord.]