Published at 31st of January 2021 06:34:59 PM
Chapter 108
The very next day, Listeard’s little sister was kidnapped .
Hadith did nothing because there was no particular request, and he was also not interested in the culprit . The day after, Listeard was mocked by Hadith .
Listeard didn’t even respond—perhaps he was also mocking himself, or he plain thought it was Hadith’s doing .
Afterwards, he led his own Dragon Knights and rebelled out of nowhere .
It was clear that the kidnapping of his little sister was part of the reason . Did he resent Hadith for abandoning his little sister? Or was that the price for his little sister’s freedom?
Hadith wasn’t interested in either . The consequence for betraying him remained the same .
Vissel asked Hadith to leave it to him, so that was what he did . However, Listeard’s Dragon Knights were well-trained . Moreover, he was riding a red dragon . The appearance of him flying in the sky on the front line must had been mysterious . Their morale was high, so it was hard to shake them off . On the contrary, there were also those who joined him due to his words .
“Do you think Hadith Theos Rave’s way is right?!”
“We’re not going to fight the Dragon Emperor . All we need to do is close his ears and eyes from those who trying to misled him with sweet words . We will reclaim the Dragon Emperor . ”
Hadith had no idea what Listeard was saying .
However, many seemed struck by his earnest words, and the scale of the uprising only grew .
Even though those people had seen Georg’s demise, they still turned against Hadith . It seemed that people truly had the penchant for conveniently forgetting .
However, the Duke of Leirzatz had already turned his back towards Listeard . Without any support from the aristocracy, Listeard was gradually cornered by the overwhelming difference in quantity . In the end, the uprising was settled in less than a month and Listeard’s execution was decided .
“Her Highness Elynsia has issued a petition to lessen his sentence . ”
“Unnecessary . ”
What was she saying, now? She was still so kind, so helpless . Vissel nodded with satisfaction to towards Hadith’s blunt reply .
“The moment he turned against you, Listeard was no longer considered a member of the royal family . Being merciful is useless . It’d be a problem if an idiot tried to imitate him . ”
“I thought they’d learn from my uncle’s case . ”
“People are much stupider than you think, Hadith . ”
“To the point they’d wage a battle they know they’d lose?”
Vissel made a slightly embarrassed look at Hadith’s words and changed the topic .
“It’ll be over, soon . You just have to watch from the balcony . Of course, yYou don’t have to do that if you don’t want to . ”
“If he has any excuses, I will hear them . ”
“He just said that, ‘you’re mistaken . ’ That’s the gist of his claim . ”
Regardless, Listeard’s red dragon never left the execution site . Rave was concerned, while people were concerned that the red dragon would start rampaging . They were hoping that the emperor would stop Listeard’s execution .
“I’ll witness it until the end . That is also an obligation of the emperor . ”
“…I see . Well, thanks to him, the Duke of Leirzatz, who has been causing a fuss for some reason, has become quiet . It’s painful that the option I had prepared for you has been scraped, though…”
Towards his brother’s remark, Hadith raised his face .
I see . No wonder the proceeding has been so smooth .
—the Duke of Leirzatz had lost his insurmountable force the moment he was chalked up as a rebel . On the other hand, the supposedly more powerful Duke of Fairert was forced to withdraw spectacularly after his first move when he attempted to quell Listeard . The duke’s proud military facilities were destroyed . Vissel’s hands, which were backed by the Fairert, had decreased considerably because they were careless . They decided to deploy their forces piece by piece instead of properly mobilizing them .
Those who had turned against Hadith had crushed each other without any of them realizing .
With this, everything should be quieter…
Moving from the dimly-lit corridor to the bright balcony dazzled him for a second .
The sky seen from the balcony where the wind blew was deep blue . Clear skies with no clouds . It was said that the execution would proceed the moment the bell rung . But on such a day, what if it was mistaken for a celebration bell?
The execution site in the open space under the balcony was also surreal . A red dragon stood next to it while the steadfast crowd looked at the execution site with bathed breath . It was as if they were cut out of a picture .
It was quiet .
Perhaps because of the tranquility, the eyes were naturally on his traitorous half-brother .
Listeard had just straighten his posture and climbed on the execution site . He was wearing a ragged prison uniform . He wasn’t even tied up .
Hadith jumped over the balcony and landed in front of him whom was about to be beheaded at the execution table . Vissel, whom noticed it late, couldn’t give a proper warning .
Still, everything was quiet .
No, everyone was actually talking—“Why isn’t he tied?” “What if he were to run away?”
However, neither of those reached the eyes or ears of Hadith .
His half-brother bent his knees and stuck out his neck .
The half-brother who noticed the shadow of Hadith blinked .
Then, he frowned .
“I wonder if you’ve finally come to hear my complaints . How slow . ”
“…”
Hadith didn’t want to hear anything . Despite that, he didn’t attempt to close his ears . He couldn’t .
Listeard, whom was about to die, had very gentle eyes .
“Did you hear them? The voices of those who are trying to save you . ”
By merely seeing Hadith, whom only blinked once, Listeard seemed to have had guessed his reply .
“Use it well . It’s fine with me . In the end, I couldn’t choose between Frida or you . ”
Listeard closed his eyes—in resignation, with satisfaction .
“But treat Frida’s body with care . She was a wise child . I heard she died of poisoning . She tried not to weigh me down . She fulfilled her duty as a member of the Rave royal family well, which was dying without weighing down anyone . ”
“…Is that a complaint?”
“It’s a request, obviously . As for my complaint—”
Although he, the rebel, was about to be executed, Listeard laughed fearlessly .
As if he had succeeded .
“Let me tell you this—I’m two months older than you . ”
Is that a complaint?
Before Hadith could inquire, Listeard’s head had fallen and rolled . The guillotine fell without a signal .
Cries, he couldn’t tell if they were screams or cheers, finally reached Hadith’s ear .
Blood dripped as it reached the tips of his shoes .
As if it had seen everything, the red dragon spread its wings and went up to the sky .
However, Hadith stood in a daze . He didn’t understand the meaning—
—no, that wasn’t true .
He knew .
Was it for my sake?
But the answer could no longer be heard . Even the inside of his chest was silent .
Did you truly say that for my sake?
Even the Dragon God of Reason, who didn’t understood love, had no answer for that .
“Listeard!”
Elynsia, who screamed, ran and embraced her half-brother’s head . She didn’t mind getting soiled by blood . She crouched and cried .
For some reason, Hadith felt envious of her .
“Listeard, why, there should have been some time left, so why—!”
“…Caskets . ”
That was the only thing he could do .
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“Older sister, prepare caskets… get ready for the funeral . ”
“…Hadith?”
“We shall prepare for the funerals of Listeard Theos Rave, and Frida Theos Rave . ”
Reflected upon Elynsia’s eyes, which were wide open, he didn’t know how he looked . The soldiers approaching to deal with the corpse was also confused .
But, if he were to leave it to Elynsia, all should be well .
Hadith flipped his cloak, kicked the ground lightly, and returned to the balcony .
Vissel was there .
“Hadith, what are you talking about—”
“Prepare for the funerals, now . ”
“What? Why would you want to bury Listeard? He was a rebel, therefore he was executed…”
“Why did the guillotine fall before the appointed time, older brother?”
Vissel shut up . The bell hadn’t rung yet . Listeard should still be alive .
Hadith should’ve had time to hear the answer to his burning question .
“That was… probably a mistake, or due to a poor inspection of the equipment?”
“This can’t be considered an execution, then . He died in an accident . What are you dissatisfied about?”
“…”
“Bury my brother Listeard, along with his sister—this is an order . ”
He looked straight at his older brother .
Hadith thought it was for revenge .
So, it turned out, Listeard risked his life to voice his complaints .
“If you think I don’t know anything, you’re sorely mistaken, older brother, Vissel . ”
Why was Listeard’s little sister kidnapped? What for? Why did Listeard rebel?
Hadith knew . Hadith knew everything—
—with his little sister abducted, Listeard was ordered to betray Hadith . That was what he did . Trying to not weighing down her older brother’s, the little sister died of poison .
He knew everything .
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Despite so, no matter the reason, betrayal was betrayal . There was no mistaking it . Even Rave wasn’t denying that . That was why, Hadith was alright with everything .
Betrayal—that was all that was there to it .
But what was Listeard complaining about?
“Stop whining or I’ll kill you . ”
As Hadith leaned closer to the point their noses had almost touched, Vissel shut his mouth . Hadith glanced coldly as he walked pass Vissel .
He walked a little down the hallway to the high bridge tower .
A figure of a dragon could be seen flying far away amidst the wide blue sky . It was Listeard’s dragon . Rave appeared and muttered .
“It stayed by his side until the end . ”
“That’s right . ”
“The dragon left his Dragon Knights to come to his side, just like that . ”
“Even though neither you nor I ordered for anything in particular . ”
The dragons were the messengers of Dragon God Rave . Each had its own will, but if the Dragon God or the Dragon Emperor were to order it, it’d eventually obey . It took only a single command from Hadith for Listeard’s Dragon Knights to be destroyed .
The dragons would never obey those who lied to the Dragon God and the Dragon Emperor .
“How human-like—is all I can say about it . Otherwise, that dragon’s betrayal wouldn’t make any sense . ”
“But I don’t believe it . I don’t believe in the words of a traitor . ”
Be it the older brother who didn’t want him, or his dragon—Hadith didn’t believe in any of them .
“…Let’s find my wife quickly, Rave . ”
Suddenly, such a feeling emerged .
Rave’s eyes widened as he smiled .
“I haven’t heard you say that in a long time . ”
“Isn’t that so?”
“You’ve been sporting a haggard look all the time, lately . You barely even cook . ”
“I was busy with my uncle’s case, I had forgotten . ”
“Don’t forget, because it’s important . ”
“That’s right, it’s important for me to find her soon—”
Soon, while he could still laugh, please—
Before he were to start crying, hurry up—