MTM 126

“Carseon…?”

The news was unexpected. The group’s original destination was the fertile southern region near Carseon, but Zed hadn’t thought they’d actually need to stop there.

“Yes. I’ve finally located a seeker who knows a great deal about the ‘Fragments of the Demon God’ you’ve been searching for. However, he refuses to set foot in the Regnovar Empire. He calls this place a cursed land and won’t budge on that point.”

Zed silently agreed with the sentiment that Regnovar was cursed. He looked back on the empire’s relatively short history; it was a nation built upon the sacrifice of countless lives.

“Instead, he’s willing to meet across the border in Carseon. You can make contact with him there.”

Isadora lowered her voice. The Holy Kingdom of Carseon was the place where Zed’s mother was born and raised. Isadora knew this well, so she didn’t offer any further explanation that might stir up Zed’s emotions.

“…I’ll think about it,” Zed replied briefly. He pulled Harto, who was fast asleep in his arms, a bit closer.

Thud.

The heavy doors of the banquet hall opened, breaking the long silence. Prince Damien, who still looked quite ill, appeared with the support of a butler.

“Prince Damien.”

Isadora stood up.

“Damien, you should still be resting…”

Damien shook his head with a small smile at Zed’s worried tone.

“I’m alright. I feel much better than before. I’m only late because the medicine made me drowsy. I wanted to give Commander Isadora her gift in person.”

Damien handed Isadora a small box. Inside was an exquisitely crafted red brooch. It wasn’t overly flashy, but the strong energy within the gem seemed to mirror Isadora herself.

“This is more than I deserve. I feel as though the strength in this red gem will protect me. I’ll cherish it.”

Isadora thanked Damien and accepted the gift.

Damien sat across from Zed with the butler’s help. He smiled at the sight of Harto sleeping defenselessly in Zed’s arms, then he looked up.

“Brother, there’s something I must tell you.”

He was clearly nervous, but his golden eyes burned with determination as he looked at Zed.

“Now that Crown Prince Magnus is gone, it’s only a matter of time before the entire empire finds out. His Majesty is bedridden, and there’s no legitimate heir to take over. The Fourth Prince was exiled by Magnus, and as you know, the Fifth Prince isn’t fit to rule.”

Zed watched him in silence as Damien accurately pointed out the crisis facing Regnovar.

“Therefore, the position of Crown Prince naturally belongs to…”

“Damien.”

Zed cut him off before he could finish.

“I can’t be the Crown Prince.”

Damien’s eyes widened at the blunt declaration. He looked at Isadora in disbelief. He silently asked if she knew about this, but Isadora only stared at Zed without a word.

“That… that can’t be…”

Damien shook his head in distress and pleaded.

“Not at all. That’s not true. You must become the Crown Prince, Ares. Please, you have to save this crumbling empire!”

“Mmm…”

As Damien’s voice grew heated, Harto stirred on Zed’s shoulder and frowned. Zed stroked his hair, then spoke to Damien in a calm voice.

“Damien, I want you to rebuild this empire with your own hands, not mine.”

“What? What do you mean…?”

Damien gasped at the unexpected suggestion. He’d been a man falsely accused, waiting for death in a cold dungeon. He’d never imagined he would rule the empire. More importantly, he felt he wasn’t the right person for such a heavy responsibility.

Zed looked him in the eye, as if he could read Damien’s trembling heart.

“I heard there was a terrible famine in the southern territories last summer. Magnus was too busy gathering troops to suppress any potential rebellions. But you went down there alone to see the farmers’ suffering. When you wiped away their tears and shared the grain they needed to survive, the people saw hope in you, the Sixth Prince, not the Crown Prince.”

“That’s right, Your Highness. The soldiers who served you back then told me so. They said you looked like a saint. You were already ruling this empire with your heart a year ago, perhaps even longer.”

Isadora added her support with a firm gaze.

“I’ve heard many stories about your quiet acts of kindness. I’m truly grateful, Damien. You’re different from me; I ran away from the empire just for my own happiness. Doesn’t that make you more suited for the throne than I am?”

Damien’s face turned bright red at Zed’s sincere words.

“B-but… with a body like this… what can I do? I have no power, I’m just…”

“You aren’t alone.”

Zed glanced at Isadora. She understood his intention and turned her unwavering gaze toward Damien.

“You have me, and you have the Royal Knights. We’ll be your sword and your shield.”

Isadora made a knight’s vow of loyalty, signaling that her word was final.

“Damien, you can make this blood-stained empire shine again. I believe you’ll do it.”

“Brother Ares…”

Damien’s eyes filled with tears at Zed’s confident tone.

He likely knew he couldn’t escape this fate. The burden ahead would be far heavier than any pain he’d endured so far. Those tears were a mix of fear and a grand resolve to accept that weight.

“Then…”

Isadora rose quietly from her seat. She poured wine into a silver cup on the table. The red liquid flowed like blood, and the splashing sound broke the heavy silence.

This wine wasn’t just a drink to quench thirst. It was part of a sacred succession ritual and a cup of covenant passed down since the first emperor.

In this ceremony, the red wine symbolized the blood ancestors shed for the empire. The one who emptied the cup first buried the past’s mistakes and glories in their heart. The one who received and drank the rest made a silent vow to take responsibility for the empire’s future and the lives of its people.

Zed silently lifted the silver cup. The red liquid flickered in the candlelight as it touched his lips and went down his throat. He swallowed the wine and reflected on the loneliness of his wanderings and the tragedies he faced upon his return.

Zed emptied half the cup and held it out to Damien.

“Damien, I’m counting on you.”

Damien’s eyes shook. The silver cup looked more beautiful than anything in the world, yet it felt heavier than any iron chain. Damien swallowed dryly and looked into Zed’s eyes. Then, he reached out with a trembling hand and accepted the destiny Zed offered.