Time flew by in an instant, and a whole month had passed.
And thus, the endless winter of the Duke Duchy finally came to an end.
“I’ve been indebted for quite some time, Count Weinstein.”
On a warm afternoon with a gentle breeze, Leje bowed her head towards Carlos, standing in front of a carriage marked with the Duke’s Seal.
“Don’t mention it! It was nice to have some excitement thanks to you.”
“If it’s you, Duchess, you’re always welcome!”
Looking at her, Carlos and Maria exchanged smiles.
Everything has its end.
It had been three months since Leje stayed at the Weinstein County.
Now it was time for her to return to the Duke’s House.
“Miss, over this way…”
“Uh-huh.”
Alma, who got off the carriage, grabbed Leje’s bag and carefully stowed it away. Leje hesitantly stepped up onto the carriage.
At that moment…
“Hey, don’t you have anything to say when I’m leaving?”
“Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Leje, about to hop on the carriage, suddenly turned her head, and Rudell looked confused, completely clueless.
“What’s so surprising about it? Besides, we’ll see each other again in a month anyway.”
“Seriously, you…!!”
Calm down, calm down.
You know he’s always been like this, Leje.
You know he has a natural talent for rubbing people the wrong way without even trying.
For some reason, her insides started to bubble up with irritation, but Leje forced herself to hold it down.
Just then…
“But… it’ll be quiet at the County without you, I guess.”
“…”
Rudell spoke with a hint of longing in his voice.
At the same time, Leje’s eyes widened as she stared at Rudell.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Rudell said, perplexed by her reaction.
And then…
“Rudell, you’re surprisingly mature.”
“Ah, father?!”
“Rudell is fifteen now.”
“Mother?!”
“You’ve grown a lot, Count Weinstein.”
“Even Alma?!”
While Carlos and Maria watched this scene, they placed a hand on Rudell’s shoulder.
With Alma chipping in, Rudell wore a flustered expression.
What was wrong with what he said that warranted such a reaction?
“Hey! You should say something too…!!”
In a situation hard to describe, Rudell yelled at Leje.
But…
“…”
“Leje…?”
Seeing Leje glance down, fidgeting with her fingers, Rudell was left speechless.
Just one little comment could have this effect on her?
This Leje?
In a situation he couldn’t understand, Rudell desperately racked his brain to make sense of it all.
Naturally, he found it impossible to comprehend.
In that moment…
“Do I really have to come to your birthday…?”
“Huh? Uh… okay.”
Rudell nodded in shock while looking at Leje’s whispering voice.
At the same time, a small giggle escaped Leje’s lips, and she appeared noticeably more cheerful as she climbed onto the carriage with Alma.
“You have to! You absolutely have to come!!”
As her shout echoed, the carriage gradually drifted out of sight, completely disappearing from Rudell’s view.
“Now, let’s head inside.”
“Looks like the mansion will be quiet for a while.”
Carlos and Maria turned towards the mansion.
The handmaids joined them, and the chaos from earlier suddenly faded into silence around them.
“…”
But Rudell continued to stand there, gazing in the direction where the carriage had vanished.
To be honest, it was a refreshing feeling.
Now he could read his beloved books every day without anyone nagging him.
If he wanted to stay up late, no one would scold him.
He didn’t have to worry about his favorite snacks getting swiped.
So why did he feel a sense of loss?
He asked himself, but as expected, there was no answer.
“Sigh…”
For some inexplicable reason, a sense of frustration lingered.
Unconsciously letting out a short sigh, Rudell shook his head and turned toward the mansion.
“Okay, time to work. Work.”
Muttering to himself, he headed into the mansion.
*
Somewhere on the continent.
All around, there was nothing but snow and ice, and oddly shaped rocks, wild and harsh.
WHOOSH!
The sound created by the strong wind felt like the deep, lamenting sigh of countless people.
Beasts covered in thick fur prowled the plains in search of prey, and the dying cries of hunted game could be heard.
The hunters’ roars mixed with the howling wind, creating a chilling symphony.
And right in the barren wasteland stood a massive tower.
The tower rose to the heavens, defiantly enduring the harsh winds as if unaffected by them at all.
Below the tower, torches illuminated the area as numerous people gathered by the altar, bowing their heads.
Figures cloaked in black hoods.
They all grasped rosaries in their hands.
A symbol based on a cross, with a miniature red eye carved at its center.
“It won’t be long now, brothers and sisters.”
Cutting through the howling wind, the voice of the man on the altar echoed.
Although his voice was low, it clearly reached everyone present, even over the fierce wind.
“Soon, the one will return to guide us all to paradise.”
[Oooooo!!]
[The one is coming back!!]
[Paradise!! We are all going to paradise!!]
Cheers of excitement erupted from the crowd, and the frenzy soon morphed into madness, sweeping through them.
In response, the winds surrounding them grew even stronger, carrying ominous sounds.
“It won’t be long… it won’t be long.”
Hiding in the shadows of history, he had caused countless deaths over hundreds of years.
Kingdoms had risen and fallen many times, and empires had flared to life only to be extinguished again and again.
A long-cherished wish, originating from the first High Priest, was nearing fruition.
“…”
Just the thought alone made his heart swell with excitement, but he couldn’t show it to others.
He had the mission to lead the lost lambs.
“High Priest.”
At that moment, a man cautiously approached him and bowed his head respectfully.
“What is it?”
“Um…”
The man whispered into the High Priest’s ear, causing the High Priest’s eyes to twitch.
“It seems the assassins targeting Duchess Lagrind have all been dealt with?”
“That’s correct.”
“…”
For a brief moment, his expression almost faltered, but he held his ground with superhuman patience and replied.
“It doesn’t matter. It was merely a precaution to remove uncertain risks. It wasn’t strictly necessary.”
Not everything goes perfectly 100%.
Some operatives had failed, while many others succeeded.
His plan to spread chaos across the continent was nearing its final stages, achieved through their prior efforts.
The chance of a few nobles surviving collapsing his plans was virtually zero.
“But still, we should remain vigilant. Send more assassins.”
“Understood.”
Nodding, the man descended from the altar, and the High Priest let out a brief sigh.
A plan that had taken hundreds of years to develop.
Such an elaborate scheme wouldn’t waver for something so trivial.
“…”
Leaving behind the frenzied followers, the High Priest moved toward the entrance of the tower, guarded by knights clad in black armor.
The heavy steel door rumbled open, and accompanied by the knights, he stepped inside.
“Now… it’s almost time.”
In the heart of the tower.
There lay a dark and endless abyss, almost unfathomably deep.
Within it stood a colossal statue.
Its angular shape resembled a gigantic golem, yet the overwhelming presence emanating from it would dwarf any golem.
The surface, made from an indeterminate metal, shimmered black, as if alive.
Standing before the statue, the man raised his arms in ecstasy.
“Soon… the one will descend.”
When that happens, this world will be swept clean.
Falsehoods, truths, sorrow, joy, light, darkness—everything would vanish.
But that didn’t matter.
Destruction was necessary for creation.
Above the world, which would be left void, a paradise would be established.
“And He will guide us all to paradise.”
