CHAPTER 20 –
After awakening from a week-long slumber, Asilia went straight to find Isaiah.
“Were you sick?”
Isaiah’s face, which she hadn’t seen in a while, looked far more gaunt than she expected.
Had something happened while she was asleep?
“I’m not sick… I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind.”
Asilia tilted her head, not quite understanding his words. But Isaiah waved it off as nothing and continued.
“While you were asleep, I looked into a few things. The Imperial Library has more information than I thought. Maybe they never considered their weaknesses would be exposed.”
He clicked his tongue.
The Imperial Palace held not only forbidden texts brought from other nations but also detailed records of Moria’s long history.
And by digging through those histories, Isaiah had finally found what he was looking for.
“Weaknesses? You found a way to kill the Emperor?”
Isaiah nodded.
“Remember I told you before that Moria used to have many gods? One of the recorded gods supposedly died an unnatural death.”
“I remember.”
“Before he died, he took one of Moria’s holy relics—the ‘Scythe of Death.’”
Asilia looked at Isaiah, puzzled by the term. Isaiah pulled a book from his robes and handed it to her.
“According to this, the ‘Scythe of Death’ was the weapon carried by the God of Death himself. It’s literally a divine artifact.”
The book Isaiah handed her contained tales from Moria’s founding myth.
Without skimming the rest, Asilia flipped to the marked page Isaiah had pointed out.
There was a portrait of a man and a drawing of a black, razor-sharp scythe labeled “Scythe of Death.”
“There’s no detailed explanation, but every god had a divine relic, and those relics were said to be the source of their inherent powers.”
Asilia swallowed dryly and stared at the picture.
Short, black hair covering his ears. Golden eyes half-hidden behind lowered lids.
He looked eerily familiar, yet his aura was completely different.
There was no warmth or kindness in that gaze. His eyes brimmed with boredom, like someone wishing for the end of tomorrow.
“He looks a lot like someone we both know, doesn’t he?”
“…”
“It turns out the people of Moria calling the current Emperor a god wasn’t just blasphemy. Even I was surprised.”
Isaiah flipped the page for her. A loose sheet of paper, torn from another source, was tucked between the pages.
“The god who once stood alongside the God of Death perished after taking his authority. The last trace of him was found on the Plateau of Sadaha, but neither the god’s form nor his relic’s remains were ever recovered.”
“Sadaha… wasn’t that the principality before Revilla was founded?”
“Yes.”
“If the last trace was on Sadaha’s plateau…”
“Then it’s very likely the Scythe of Death is in Revilla.”
If they found it, they could kill Kretes. And if he died, she could return to Revilla.
As soon as that thought crossed her mind, her heart dropped with a heavy thud.
“But… if it’s a divine relic, wouldn’t it be able to recognize its rightful owner? There’s a high chance of failure.”
Isaiah nodded, acknowledging her point.
“You’re not wrong. But it’s better than doing nothing. And this gives us a solid excuse to return to Revilla.”
Asilia’s eyes widened.
Isaiah was right.
If the weapon capable of killing Kretes was in Revilla, even returning without completing the mission wouldn’t mean death.
No… she might even complete the mission flawlessly.
“Incredible. You found all this in such a short time.”
“I may not look it, but I used to be quite the informant.”
Isaiah lifted his chin proudly.
Seeing his expectant expression, Asilia chuckled and nodded.
He was famous back in Revilla.
“But more importantly, are you okay?”
“What do you mean?”
At her question, Isaiah silently studied her face.
He meant Kretes, but she still looked full of doubt.
Still a long way to go, he thought.
He shook his head.
Now that he had given Asilia a new goal, she would act on it.
The best path… would be for Lady Restantis to go to Revilla seeking the scythe, and the Emperor of Moria to follow her there.
If Kretes saw traces of Asilia’s life along the way, even better.
If, in a fit of rage, he killed the Emperor of Revilla with his sword…
That would be the happiest outcome.
As Isaiah lowered his gaze, he quickly covered his mouth.
A sharp pain surged from deep within, triggering a violent cough.
But he couldn’t reveal this in front of Asilia.
If she found out, she’d ask why his health had suddenly worsened.
Then I’d have no choice but to bring up the brainwashing.
She’d learn eventually, but he wanted to delay it as long as possible.
Because the moment she learned the truth…
And chose a different path from the one they had planned…
That’s when the real suffering would begin.
Just as he stood up, Asilia spoke again.
“Are you really okay? I’ll send someone later—have a physician take a look.”
“…I’m fine. A good night’s sleep will fix this.”
“I’m only offering because I want to keep you around for a bit longer to ask more questions. Why not accept the kindness?”
Isaiah parted his lips.
The pain was growing worse. He feared that if he spoke, he’d cough up blood—just like a few days ago.
Still, he clenched his fist and forced himself to breathe.
“What would you like to ask?”
“In Revilla… when I took my knight’s oath… was there a force involved that I—and the other knights—did not know about?”
Isaiah stared blankly at her.
His unguarded expression seemed to say, How do you know that?
He licked his dry lips.
After a short silence, he let out a hollow laugh.
“Ha… haha, cough! Ugh, they said I could think for myself now, but I didn’t expect you to ask that so quickly.”
Clutching his chest as he coughed, Isaiah furrowed his brow in pain. Then, after catching his breath, he continued.
“Do you really want an answer to that?”
“…”
“Secrets are often beautiful… but this one isn’t.”
Asilia clenched her fists.
She expected him to deny it.
No matter how long he’d been away from Revilla, surely he’d tell her not to utter such blasphemy.
But what came next shattered all her expectations.
“Choose wisely. Just like the day you chose to become a knight.”
Even without hearing his answer, she could already guess what he’d say.
It would be affirmation.
Renowa’s words… weren’t mere speculation. They were the truth.
“….”
Asilia exhaled deeply, steeling herself.
All her life, she had considered Revilla and the Emperor to be the saviors of her life and soul.
If this was merely brainwashing, she could accept it. Those in high positions likely found it hard to trust others.
“If you’re worried that my loyalty to Revilla will falter because of what I hear—go ahead and speak.”
“Even if it does? You do know what happens if that loyalty breaks, right?”
Asilia nodded.
Betray Revilla, and the price is death. No one had ever escaped that fate.
But she was certain—she would never fall.
“Tell me.”
Isaiah looked at the determination in her eyes and let out a quiet laugh.
And as he opened his mouth to speak…
His golden eyes began to tremble violently.
