CHAPTER 37.
Contrary to Kretes’ expectations, Asilia already knew everything.
“Is it true you extended formal courtesies to Moria?”
Kretes, who had traced Asilia’s whereabouts to her office, opened his eyes wide.
“What? How did you…?”
“I’m Isaiah’s direct superior. If something happens, I’m the first to be contacted.”
Kretes gave an awkward cough.
He had wanted to keep this as a memory known only to himself. But clearly, that had been his wish alone.
“Did you go inside the wooden door?”
Kretes nodded and began explaining what had happened inside the room.
“A mana stone? What’s that?”
“It’s a supplementary tool used in the Hypholios Empire. Over there, people who can’t use magic aren’t treated properly.”
The person inside the wooden door had used that mana stone to perform magic.
They darkened the surroundings, changed their voice, and made their identity untraceable.
“Judging by the amount of mana stones in there, I think it’s even possible they were controlling those under brainwashing.”
Asilia wiped her face with dry hands.
She couldn’t help but wish Kretes was lying.
It was hard to believe that Revilla had truly been brainwashing knights.
“There’s just one last thing I want to confirm.”
“Confirm?”
“I want to find proof that Revilla didn’t brainwash the knights.”
Asilia avoided the gaze she felt resting on her.
To others, her attitude might seem frustrating.
Isaiah had coughed up blood and collapsed. Kretes had even confirmed the presence of the mana stone.
On top of that, Asilia herself had fallen into a deep sleep from the brainwashing and had started hearing hallucinations.
She knew digging deeper might be meaningless. Still, Asilia wanted to confirm it with her own eyes.
She had spent her entire life believing Revilla was just.
Though harsh and unforgiving, she had believed she was still being treated with dignity as a person.
It wasn’t easy to simply say, “Ah, so Revilla’s the bad guy. Got it.”
“…Alright.”
Kretes nodded, but a question followed.
“How? What do you plan to confirm?”
“There’s a Revillan imprisoned and awaiting execution.”
Asilia held up a set of documents.
Executing traitors had been one of her main duties when she was still working domestically.
She had stopped after the war with Moria began and she was deployed, but if she requested the task back, she could easily get it.
“And it just so happens one of them is scheduled to be executed today.”
“Then I’ll go with you.”
“I’ll go alone.”
She wanted to leave behind anything that could lead to doubt.
Yes, Kretes would be a source of emotional support.
But if he were with her, it might later give her reason to wonder, ‘What if Kretes somehow influenced the traitor without me knowing?’
She wanted to eliminate even that possibility.
Seeing the firm resolve in her golden eyes, Kretes eventually nodded.
“…Alright. I’ll wait.”
Asilia gave him a faint smile in response.
Then, she gathered the documents and left the office.
This would be her final confirmation.
If everything she had believed turned out to be false, and Revilla’s words were in fact lies—
Then I’ll formally apply for asylum.
She wanted to go to Moria.
Not because it was necessarily a better country than Revilla.
There were good and bad aspects to both, no doubt.
But she wanted to go.
There was someone there who saw her simply as Asilia.
Someone who had reached out to her with kindness.
A man who had whispered words of love with a gentle voice and warm heart.
That was reason enough to want to go.
She knew they wouldn’t let her go easily.
They might try to detain her, slander her.
But even so, she wanted to go to Moria with pride.
If it truly becomes impossible, then I’ll run away. It won’t be too late.
So Asilia would do everything in her power to try.
That was the last show of loyalty a knight born and raised in Revilla could give.
Arriving at the underground prison, Asilia stared at the prisoner in front of her.
“You tried to persuade another knight to betray Revilla.”
According to the documents, he had started complaining about strange dreams.
Then he had brought up the knightly oath ceremony.
“This is…”
It matched what she’d learned in Moria—these were symptoms seen in those breaking free from brainwashing.
“And when no one would listen to him, he attacked his fellow recruit…”
Asilia bit the soft flesh inside her mouth.
It was chillingly similar.
No—identical.
She raised her eyes to meet the prisoner’s gaze. He was covered in wounds, clearly the product of extensive torture.
She’d never bothered to look closely before. Whatever the reason, traitors were seen as those trying to seduce others into betrayal—and they died for it.
But…
“Can you still speak?”
Asilia posed the question, and the prisoner slowly raised his head.
“Why did you try to betray Revilla?”
A heavy silence fell. The prisoner, glaring at Asilia like he could kill her, finally coughed up blood.
“A country… that forces loyalty… isn’t worth living in.”
“Revilla never forces loyalty. We all serve Revilla of our own free will. You know that as well as I do.”
At her words, the prisoner laughed.
He simply laughed.
Laughing to the point of choking, then finally met her eyes and spoke.
“Do you… remember why you became a knight?”
Her fingertips trembled slightly.
“Do you remember why you swore loyalty… and for what cause you risk your life?”
“…”
“I remember.”
The man laughed.
His bloodstained teeth were grotesquely smeared with red.
“It was to kill Oswald—the man who murdered my father.”
Each word was soaked in hatred and resentment.
“The reason I became a knight…”
Asilia opened her mouth.
She couldn’t remember.
Why had she wanted to become a knight? How had she ended up as a trainee?
What kind of resolve had carried her through that brutal training period?
She remembered none of it.
“Heh… hehehe…”
The man laughed again.
Then, lowering his head, he whispered:
“If you’re asking me because you figured it out… don’t tell anyone else… don’t get caught… and run.”
“…”
“And… please. Let me go.”
The prisoner gave a bitter smile. He begged, with a strained, ragged voice, to be allowed to die like a person.
While he was still sane.
To die without thinking about missions or duty.
With her lips tightly sealed, Asilia drew her sword.
“…I’m sorry.”
For not saving him.
For not being strong enough.
Asilia spoke no words aloud, but offered her silent tribute in her heart.
She plunged the sword forward. Moments later, the man’s body fell limp.
Asilia stood still for a while, then turned and left the prison.
A knight waiting outside the door spoke.
“You took longer than usual.”
There was suspicion in his eyes. Some who returned from foreign missions did harbor betrayal in their hearts—it was reason enough to be cautious.
“I was curious what kind of nonsense traitors spouted.”
“…”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Asilia folded her arms as she asked, and the knight glanced around, wary of others’ reactions.
“This was your first foreign assignment, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, it was.”
“Then I suggest you avoid learning too much about traitors for a while. It’s the small things—one by one—that lead to betrayal.”
Asilia stared at the knight as if to say, What nonsense are you spouting?
“You think I’m going to betray Revilla?”
“…”
“This is my homeland. My path. Your words are offensive.”
At her response, the knight lowered his head. It was a respectful gesture.
“Then I’ll go report on the next prisoner.”
“Do as you will.”
Leaving the knight behind, Asilia walked out of the underground prison.
The knight who had been watching her back tilted his head slightly as he kept his eyes on her retreating figure.
After some time, another knight approached and stood beside him.
“Is it true she married the Emperor of Moria?”
“According to the reports, yes.”
The man removed his helmet and tossed it toward the knight beside him.
“With her abilities, she should’ve realized she’d been brainwashed. Maybe they didn’t tamper with her mind?”
“They say their relationship was very good—so good that the Emperor of Moria was madly in love with her.”
“Then she has no reason to return…”
The man stroked his chin.
And yet, the brainwashing spell on her remained unshaken.
“What should we do?”
“Let’s keep watching for now.”
With that, the man turned and walked away.
