Chapter 108: 5 years ago, that accident (3)
***
“… After I found out that my brother was Red Ash, I realized that the Royal Family had fallen into their hands.”
Adoris opened his closed eyes.
“I make no excuses, there was nothing I could have done there as a prince, I had to turn into Red Ash to protect myself.”
“Did that executive mark me at that time?”
“I saw he put something in your body. It was very ominous, very scary.”
After speaking, Adoris slowly squeezed a glass and sipped the tea.
He faced Ruel’s eyes without the slightest wavering.
The child who was small enough to be held in his arms was already this big.
Adoris smiled lightly.
“I regret it. I didn’t prepare at all, as if I went on a picnic. I should of suspected my brother more. I regret everything.”
Crunch.
There was a sound of biting down on the meat pie.
“I don’t know if you heard from Banios, but I almost died that day by my brother. It was Red Ash that saved me.”
‘It wasn’t Huan or Diagos who placed the mark.’
“I needed strength, the strength to protect me. My brother, and the strength to protect this country.”
The glass held by Adoris shook wildly.
“But…”
“Yes, that strength is all false. It’s not your strength, but the strength of the Red Ash.”
“That’s right.”
Adoris replied with a bitter smile.
Then, with a shadowy and dark expression, he continued.
“It seems like my situation, or rather the situation within the Red Ash, has changed. They are breaking their silence and starting to move.”
“Is it because of my injury?”
“No, it seems they have found another way to break the seal without killing you.”
“…Is it black water?”
Ruel mentioned what immediately came to mind.
Instead of answering, Adoris simply smiled.
It was a gesture of affirmation.
‘Damn you guys…’
It was indeed the black water. The black water.
Suppressing his rising anger, Ruel asked, “Is breaking the seal what they’re talking about?”
“I don’t know that, I’ve been in Red Ash for quite some time, but they’re drawing a clear line. I have to catch those who were Red Ash from the beginning.”
“Don’t you know them?”
“I only know some of them.”
“Yes, that’s fine. Please let me know.”
Ruel had the shadows to utilize.
Adoris carefully opened his mouth as he fiddled with the tea.
“Perhaps you… did you know that there was a guardian?”
‘Are you talking about the people who protected me?’
Ruel shook his head.
“I have no memories of my childhood.”
“… I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I’m sorry.”
Adoris’s head bowed a little.
As it wasn’t an experience he went through, Ruel felt a little awkward.
“It’s Irian.”
‘Irian?’
It was the first time he heard the name, but it wasn’t unfamiliar.
His heart trembled uncontrollably, just like when he had seen Trino Setiria’s handwriting.
“The name of the guardian who protected you until the end is Irian.”
“Do you happen to know where they might be now?”
Adoris shook his head.
“Even if I don’t, please at least remember the name Irian.”
“Yes, I will remember.”
The tea had cooled down to the perfect temperature.
Ruel wet his lips with a sip.
“I will continue to attack you as I’ve been.”
“Yes, as you should. I will do my best to survive as always.”
Crunch.
“Can you control the black-blooded man?”
“I don’t have the authority to do it.”
“You’ve been affiliated with them for five years, yet they treat you so poorly. How is your relationship sustained?”
Adoris smiled.
“The Great One is a god to them.”
“Do you mean that bastard?”
Ruel frowned as if he was disgusted.
“Which side would be more convenient for you to receive information from, Kuhn or Lumina?”
“Please send it to Prios.”
“…You’ve reached that point, huh?”
Adoris’ laughter disappeared for a moment.
Three families had already fallen into Ruel’s hands.
“I have my own reason, don’t I?”
Crunch.
“Speaking of which, let me ask you a question. “When, how much, and how can I help you?”
Adoris was suddenly called, but he was here in response to his call.
It was also evidence that Adoris’ situation was urgent.
Perhaps Huan’s strength has grown from the Red Ash.
Adoris laughed at Ruel’s question.
“Two months is too long. Is there no better way to gather the ministers? If not, then create one for me. After all, you possess that level of power, don’t you?”
Ruel finished his speech and inhaled Breath.
He noticed Leo sitting quietly, staring at macarons the whole time. Ruel continued his words, pretending not to notice.
“I will contact Prince Huan. In any case, since Your Highness has been with him for a long time, I think Your Highness knows very well what His Highness Huan likes and what his personality is like.”
A way to contact Diagos Shio had already been secured.
Serti Shio.
He was going to make contact through her.
“Your Highness, please set the stage. I plan to be the main character.”
The enemy will move to kill Ruel as usual.
He was a bait.
Bait to chase himself so that the enemy could naturally go on stage without any doubt.
Ruel raised the corners of his mouth and placing his hands together.
Since he has become the star of the stage, shouldn’t he have fun playing?
***
“Ketlan.”
As soon as Ruel got into the carriage, he saw Ketlan.
“Yes.”
“From today you will concentrate on identifying the Red Ash hidden in the Prios.”
The same has already been said to Corrence.
The Red Ash hidden in the remaining five families had to be disposed of along with the Red Ash hidden in the Royal Family.
“Alright.”
“It must have been sudden, but thank you for helping me.”
Ruel showed a faint smile.
“No, it was not. I couldn’t thank you enough. Did you get what you wanted?”
“I got it because of you.”
Having inhaled Breath, Ruel looked at Ketlan, full of loyalty.
“If there was a way for you to become a direct descendant, would you listen?”
“Yes…?”
“I found a way to become a direct descendant.”
Ketlan didn’t say anything.
It must have been too shocking.
Ruel told Ketlan how to become a direct descendant, that he had learned from Banios.
Ketlan said nothing after hearing everything with only his tears wet his thighs.
Ruel turned to the carriage window as if he had seen nothing.
***
—This body today.
Bzzzz.
—It was very sad.
Bzzzz.
Leo must have been very sad about not having a snack, so as soon as he got home, he hung on Cassion’s leg and cried out for a snack.
Even now, while he was still talking, he ate a snack, cried again, and then ate another snack.
“Just do one thing.”
Leo tilted his head as if he was contemplating what to do with Ruel’s words, and then stuck his face into his food bowl.
Ruel opened his mouth after inhaling Breath.
“Cassion, cough, let go of what happened five years ago.”
The whole story was told by Adoris.
There was no need to investigate now.
“Your ears are sharp, so you must have heard everything, right?”
“Yes, I heard it all. The one who marked you is a high-ranking member of the Red Ash. It’s a pity that we can’t do anything about it right now.”
“Anyway, a person called an executive will reveal themselves if we kill several people below him.”
Ruel was relieved as soon as he found out that the man who marked him was an executive.
It will take some time to find an executive in the ranks.
In truth, Ruel had been caught by Leo all along.
When the mark disappears, Leo’s food disappears.
No matter how hard he thought about what to do after that, he couldn’t find an answer.
“…Have you forgiven Prince Adoris?”
Cassion’s voice was discreet.
Ruel smiled.
“Forgiveness isn’t really important. I held his hand because I had a reason to hold it, that’s all.”
Feeling like his words were lacking, Ruel crossed his legs and gently swung one of them before continuing.
“And I’m not as lenient as one might think. When something is done to me, I must repay it even more.”
It was the Huan and Shio family who killed Trino Setiria.
But this was not revenge.
Whatever the reason, by taking Ruel Setiria’s body, he was merely repaying his debt to him.
He has a reason to be sad.
There’s also a reason to be angry.
But he felt nothing.
Cassion observed Ruel’s expression and bowed his head.
“Take a rest for now.”
“Sure.”
“There won’t be any shooting stars tonight, so please refrain from going outside.”
“I saw earlier that the sky was covered by clouds. There’s no point in going out if there’s nothing to see.”
“Well, then.”
Cassion went outside today without turning off the lights.
—Cassion forgot to put out the lights. This body will turn it off.
Leo approached the lights while eating.
“No, turn it off when I fall asleep.”
—I understand. Then this body will eat and leave.
“Okay.”
Ruel closed his eyes.
‘Irian.’
And he repeated the name of his guardian.
***
“Irian!”
A young voice came out of his mouth.
‘…What is it?’
It wasn’t something he said himself. It just came out of his mouth randomly.
He was holding hands with someone.
His hands were so small that he looked like five or six years old.
“Yes, Ruel-nim.”
Irian’s face was not properly visible, as if covered by fog, but he seemed to smile warmly at himself.
‘Ruel? ‘Is this Ruel’s memory?’
It felt really weird like a lucid dream.
“Are you going to see the king?”
‘King?’
Is he referring to the king that the unidentified woman mentioned?
“Yes, he called for you, Ruel-nim.”
“The king. Is he this big?”
He drew a circle with his small hand.
“Yes, he is extremely large and beautiful.”
“Hehehe. The king. He’s this big.”
The child’s bright laughter continued to flow through his mouth.
To meet the king, the two of them passed through the beautiful forest they had seen in a fairy tale, and went through another forest. Finally, they stopped walking.
“Wow! It’s so big!”
A big hand reached out to the child.
The hands were very beautiful in scales, as if they had all sorts of jewels in them.
‘…What is this?’
The scales were all too familiar.
‘The first time I purified a black-blooded man, I saw him in my dream.’
“Come see me again.”
Those words were still vivid in Ruel’s mind.
Like Irian, the being called the king was not seen except for his hands.
‘…?’
When the king’s hand touched his head, the surrounding landscape turned white.
It was like coming to a different place.
Ruel looked at his hand.
‘…It’s not young Ruel, it’s back to my current body.’
-You are not the same child I saw before.
The king’s voice was so sad.
-Also…
Ruel couldn’t hear the rest of his words.
‘What are you talking about?’
A large hand stroked him very carefully.
-I have been waiting for you. Don’t give up. Don’t easily let go of that fragile life of yours.
‘What are you talking about?’
No voice, no words, came out.
Huh? At that moment, Ruel turned his head to the strong sense of death behind him.
Crack.
He heard something cracking.
The once bright world was stained black, and the Great Man was looking at him through a small crack.
‘… The Great Man.’
-Did you survive again, Ruel Setiria?
A creepy smile played on his lips.
-Wait.
Bloody eyes stared at him.
-Now my time has come.
Before the gap closed, he pointed his finger at himself.
He could see the chest he was pointing at gradually turning black.
It was very ominous and very scary.
‘This… mark?’
At that moment, the world turned white again, and he felt something pulling him once more.
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