Part 2 Chapter 72
***
The bowstring had been drawn.
Diana and Gabriel were surely in custody by now. Father must have realized the situation.
He would be confused… very confused.
No matter how vile their crimes, ordinary humans were never meant to judge them. The sheer force wielded by Gifted always functioned as their pardon.
That was why, at this point, Father’s response could only fall into three predictable paths:
[1. Storm the Imperial Palace, slaughter everyone, and take Diana and Gabriel back.] → Probability: less than 3%.
Almost impossible. That would be outright treason against the Empire. And unless Father truly meant to slit the Emperor’s throat and seize the throne, he would never take that step.
He could have become Emperor long ago if he’d wished. But he hadn’t—because what he wanted was not to rule ants from on high, but to live a life apart from tyranny.
[2. Go to the palace, calmly ask: “On what grounds did you dare touch Gifted?” → Probability: 90%+]
This was the natural course, the most likely. Father’s dominant emotion now would not be fury, but bafflement.
Were the ants mad? Or did they truly believe they had something to rely on? He would ask. Then, depending on the answer, he would decide his next move.
Our plan for Bassenberg’s annihilation required him to choose path two—without deviation.
But if, by chance, he chose [3]…
“Dad! What are you doing?”
“Locking you in.”
“You’ve lost your mind!”
Ryan was fiddling with the lock on my door. I rushed over to stop him.
“Don’t even think about crawling out of here.”
“How do you expect to handle this without me?”
“We’ll manage.”
“That’s not a plan!”
[3. Go after Ryan directly.] → Probability: incalculable.
Instead of asking the palace “What nerve drove you to this?”, he might come here, to Belzer, to ask Ryan the very same question.
That was the truly dangerous possibility.
Unlike negotiations with the palace, Father would show no mercy.
“If he comes, we’ll just kill him.”
“Are you insane?!”
Ryan would be interrogated. But no matter what, no one could ever discover that he held Instant Death.
If that secret came out, everything we had built would crumble just before success.
Of course, if every Gifted we intended to erase—including Father—showed up at once, Ryan could simply end them all in an instant.
But he’s no fool.
Father would only send one inquisitor.
Most likely the eldest.
That situation could not be mended by rewinding time. If Father decided to break Ryan, he would storm in a hundred times out of a hundred.
So I had thought long and hard, and found only one answer:
I would have to step in.
Use my ability.
The one I had carried for years but never once invoked.
“I know what it is,” Ryan suddenly muttered.
“What?”
“An offensive ability. One that attacks my sanity.”
“…Ah.”
Well, he wasn’t wrong.
“Don’t worry. He won’t come here. He’ll go to the palace.”
“He should have gone already. Why haven’t we heard anything?”
“…Good point.”
If all went as planned, we would already have word. Then Ryan would leave for the Capital—for the execution.
But there was still no news.
“Dad.”
I grasped Ryan’s hand tightly.
“Think of this as the last obstacle. If he comes for us, just close your eyes and endure once. That’s all it’ll take. Then better days will come.”
“Hey.”
“Mm?”
“Even if they do… any life without you means nothing to me.”
“…Oh.”
My chest tightened. Such words.
“Me too! I love you!”
“So stay inside. Don’t come out.”
“Hey!”
He tried again to bolt my door. I shoved him away, whispering:
“Dad.”
“……”
“I love you.”
“…Yeah. Me too.”
“Let’s finish this, and live happy.”
“……”
Ryan only stared at me, silent.
I embraced him. And I prayed.
That the plan would succeed easily.
That Father would go meekly to the palace.
That he would choose peace.
That his keen insight would finally fail him.
That, just this once, he would be blind.
That he would not… come here.
***
The Divine Punishment of God.
A Gift of lightning.
The ultimate offensive Blessing.
The very power wielded by the first Duke of Bassenberg.
It had become the family’s emblem—the thunder-struck eagle of their seal.
“Uwaaaah!”
“Gyaaaah!”
With it, the first Bassenberg had revealed to all the true might of the Gifted, searing awe into every heart.
Now, its current bearer was David Bassenberg, the eldest son, heir apparent.
He was here. In Belzer.
An uninvited guest—but setting foot on another’s land was no challenge when one wielded such force.
And for once, his father had granted him leave to use it freely.
“Die!”
“Spare—aghhh!”
David marched openly through the gates, frying every soul who dared oppose him.
Only now did he fully grasp his father’s old lessons.
As a boy he had not understood: Why should beings with godlike powers abide by laws written for insects? Why not seize the world entire? Why did Father not sit enthroned above all?
And Father had always said:
“Live among them. Abide their rules. Without that, we Gifted are left with nothing but emptiness.”
Now, in the mindless slaughter of dozens, David understood.
These creatures weren’t human. They were bugs. Vermin.
And when most of the world was made of such vermin, how could life not become hollow?
If only the Gifted lived as they pleased, the world itself would become a bore.
Of course. Father had been right.
“Identify yourselves!”
“The lord’s gates do not open to the uninvited!”
Ten soldiers blocked his way at the castle entrance. Not Ryan’s prized knights, but still—resistance.
David drew his hand down.
A bolt split the sky.
“GYAAAH!”
Charred bodies crumbled into ash.
“Open it.”
His guards shoved the gates wide. David strode in.
The halls were silent. The servants had hidden, perhaps to spare needless deaths.
One maid, caught fleeing, collapsed in terror.
“Th-the lord… will come down soon…”
A harsh voice rang out. David looked up.
Ryan was descending the stairs.
“What are you doing?”
David studied his brother’s face. Something about it felt wrong.
Ryan—exiled, imprisoned, survived against all odds. Crawled back to life. Crawled into the Emperor’s favor. And now, here he was, dragging David himself to this place.
There was something there. He was sure.
“Answer me! You barge in here, what is this madness? I never invited you!”
“Do I need to say it?”
David turned toward the vast window, where the whole town spread beneath the clear sky. He pointed.
Another bolt split the earth.
“Damn you!!!” Ryan shouted, aghast.
“How should I know why you’re here?! Speak! I’ll answer!”
“Brother.”
“…Yes, brother.”
“What does the Imperial Court rely on, to dare this insolence?”
“…Shouldn’t you be asking them, at the palace? Not me?”
Again, lightning.
“STOP IT! For God’s sake, TALK!”
It was psychological torture, and the hostages were countless.
“Please…”
This was not a fight Ryan could ever win head-on.
“What are they counting on?”
“I don’t know. The army?”
“Are you Gifted?”
Ryan barked a laugh.
“Don’t be absurd…”
David raised his hand again. Ryan screamed:
“What do you want me to say?! Fine! Yes! I’m Gifted! Does that make you happy?!”
Lightning.
“Aaaghhh!”
“You’re hiding something.”
“……”
David would go on until all were dead. That was how it always was with Gifted.
And that was why Ryan had to keep his true power secret, until the day all of them could be slaughtered at once.
“…Ah.”
David suddenly brightened.
“You. Come here.”
He wasn’t looking at Ryan. His finger crooked past him.
Ryan froze.
Soft footsteps descended the stairs.
Ryan’s hand shot out, seizing the arm that passed.
Vania.
She tried to pull free. He couldn’t let her.
“Brother, I swear, I know nothing. I don’t even know why you’re doing this. Please, stop.”
“……”
“Shall I kneel? Lick your boots?”
The desperation pleased David. He chuckled. Bania was the perfect hostage.
“Yes. I had forgotten. You’ve been meeting my gaze as an equal for far too long.”
Ryan dropped to his knees without hesitation.
David strode forward, seized Bania by the hair, and yanked her to his side.
“BROTHER!!!”
Ryan’s eyes blazed red as he screamed. The reaction was proof enough—Vania would make him talk.
If Father was right, if something was being hidden, torture would drag it out of her.
David turned her toward Ryan, one hand curling lightly around her throat.
“Now. Choose your answers carefully.”
