Volume 5, Chapter 46 – The Shattering Moment

“Augustin? Why are you here?”

Previously, when passing by the academy, Yisi had seen on the [Omniscient Map] that Augustin was in contact with people from the Hillary family. It was from that moment that she had begun to doubt his character. The reason she had specifically sought out Augustin in the back alley at the orphanage was to follow and investigate what he was planning, only to witness that inhuman scene.

“I am Her Majesty the Queen’s tutor. Why can I not be here? You are an interesting one, Your Grace.”

“Is that so.”

Shielding Andrea behind her, Yisi glanced at the [Omniscient Map]. There was no one else lying in ambush near Augustin; she didn’t have to worry about Andrea being ambushed.

Slowly walking in front of Yisi, although the Royal Capital had reached a moment of life and death, there was not a trace of anxiety in Augustin’s movements. While his usual gentle smile was now gone, the sense of composure he exuded still felt unsettling.

He bowed to Yisi.

“Your Grace, I have some matters I need to speak to Her Majesty about in private. May I ask you to wait for a moment?”

Without showing any doubt on her face, Yisi politely refused.

“This is an extraordinary time, and I believe you are aware of that, Lord Augustin. If any mishap were to befall Andrea, none of us could bear the responsibility. Since Boris has entrusted me with the task of protecting her, I must ensure that nothing goes wrong. If what you have to say is important and must be said to Her Majesty now, then for the sake of confidentiality, I can only suggest that you and Andrea communicate in writing.”

Pausing for a moment, Yisi deliberately added, “Of course, if it is a less important matter, there is nothing improper about me being present as her guard.”

What was Augustin planning to do? This was a point Yisi had not been able to figure out.

If he was colluding with the rebels, intending for them to take the throne, he had already had many opportunities to deal with Andrea. Not only did he have the status of her tutor, but he had also been given a considerable amount of her trust. If he had wanted to, even with the protection of the Alvier Tower, he would only have had to act before Andrea could react to avoid trouble.

But Augustin hadn’t done so. He had even come to the Royal Castle alone now. Any rebel with a sound mind should not have committed such a foolish act.

Is he going to tell Andrea a secret about the rebel army? Is he actually a spy? That was also impossible. If Augustin were a spy, why hadn’t he reported to Andrea that the rebel army was about to conquer the Vladimir Territory?

Unsure of Augustin’s true purpose, Yisi could only choose her words tactfully, without backing down an inch.

Augustin hesitated for a moment, his gaze resting on Andrea behind Yisi. “Do you really want to listen?”

“It’s not that I want to listen, but that I must protect Andrea’s safety.”

“…Alright. I have nothing to hide. I came here only to say one thing to Andrea.”

As if sensing that something important was about to happen, Andrea, who had been looking down, raised her gaze. Her bewildered golden eyes stared blankly at Augustin, as if he were a stranger.

Augustin, taking this scene in, was stunned for a moment, but he quickly returned to normal. He took off his glasses, revealing the sharp corners of his eyes, which were filled with will.

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“Alvier, surrender.”

“…?”

Only a dazed and astonished look responded to Augustin. Andrea’s bewildered eyes gradually regained their spirit, but due to the shock, she could not answer immediately.

Augustin repeated himself.

“Surrender, Alvier. The royal family cannot withstand the rebel army. It is only a matter of time before the capital is taken. Rather than continuing to be tormented by your status as Queen, it is better to end all of this sooner. I don’t want to see you in pain.”

“Augustin, you…”

“Augustin, do you know what you’re saying?” Yisi finished the sentence Andrea had left unsaid.

“I know. In fact, I know what I’m doing better than anyone. At this point, I can swear to any god that, apart from what I am about to say, I have never intentionally hidden anything from Alvier.”

“When Alvier protected me from the eleventh Count Hillary, I swore that I would follow her until the moment my soul wears away. Therefore, I cherish Alvier more than anyone else. I have recorded everything she has done since becoming queen—struggling in the mire of the nobility, watching her try every means to seek a better life for her people. This should have been a fortunate thing, but it was futile.”

“Alvier’s angelic personality is destined to make her unsuited to be a queen. She has a more suitable role. To become an ordinary person, or even a saintess among the Blood Clan. Compared to being a true leader, Alvier is more suited to guide people’s spirits. Anyone who has been by her side would have the same thought as me. You are no exception, are you, Your Grace?”

Augustin’s words made Yisi fall silent. Just as he had said, from the first time she had met Andrea, she had felt that she was more suited to be a saintess than a queen.

“When I was first saved by Alvier, I was determined to repay her, to solve her problems, to comfort her when she was down, and to offer advice when she had nowhere to turn. I have even secretly sold off the royal family’s possessions for her. At that time, I thought that as long as Alvier continued, she would one day be recognized by others. She was different from me, who had to work for everything. She was born to be a king.”

As if recalling the past, Augustin paused.

“But I was wrong. No matter how hard Alvier tried, in the end, it would only bring her pain. She cannot make the choice to abandon one side and keep the other, so all her considerations, which start from the perspective of others, will ultimately hurt her. As the sole member of the royal family, she has to hesitate for a long time even to buy things from her own territory. Doesn’t that sound strange? But it is a fact. I want Alvier to be free from this pain. I desire it more strongly than anyone else, to the point where I cannot be calm, cannot rest.”

“Until one day, after sorting through the council’s agenda, Alvier said to me that she was more suited to be an ordinary person than a queen. It was only then that I finally realized where the problem lay—why did Alvier have to endure this pain? Why did she have to face the difficult nobles? Why couldn’t she have a life of freedom? It was all because of her status as Queen. As long as Alvier sits on the throne, she will surely face these hardships.”

Augustin took a deep breath.

“So, she just has to stop being the queen. Taking her to run away is just a temporary solution. As long as she carries the burden of being the Queen, she will never be able to find happiness. Therefore, someone must change the Blood Clan and let a new king ascend the throne. That way, Alvier will be just a commoner, with the right to pursue happiness.”

“Madman…” Without him needing to continue, Yisi could guess what Augustin had done.

He wanted to overthrow the entire Blood Clan, to drive Andrea from the throne. His goal was not to become king, but to drag Andrea down from the throne. At first glance, it might seem like a self-sacrificing spirit, but it was undoubtedly a twisted, pathological existence. He had completely broken.

Yisi’s whisper made a look of madness appear on Augustin’s face.

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“That’s right! I am a madman! A madman for Alvier’s sake! If I had not gone mad, I would not be standing here alone now. You can hate me, you can point your sword at me. I may die here, but the Blood Clan will surely be overthrown, and Alvier will find happiness! Unlike you common people who are bound by convention, I have faith! I have something unshakable! You cannot understand how glorious a thing this is!”

Augustin took a step forward and reached out to Andrea.

“Alvier, surrender. I don’t want to see you suffer any longer. From now on, you can pursue your own life, find a partner who understands you. I will become the new king of the Blood Clan. No matter where you are, I will sincerely wish for your happiness!”

“…”

Only silence answered Augustin.

It wasn’t that Andrea hadn’t heard him. It was precisely because she knew what he was saying that she couldn’t say anything, only biting down hard, her ten fingers digging into Yisi’s arm.

It must be so hard. She must want to curse him. But she didn’t know where to begin.

The person who had launched a war and was driving her from the throne was her most trusted confidant. If this could be crowned with the crimes of rebellion and disloyalty, then with the added premise that “the purpose of the war is to give her release,” could one still bite down and insist it was disloyalty and rebellion? At least until the very end, Augustin still wished for Andrea’s happiness.

An absurd reality. But one that had to be accepted.

Without rushing Andrea, Augustin quietly waited for her answer.

Also waiting was Yisi. Since this war had started because of Andrea, she would probably take the responsibility upon herself. She would think that if she hadn’t been so willful and said something she shouldn’t have to Augustin, the war would not have started. If she hadn’t been so indecisive, Augustin would not have become what he was now.

Because of her responsibility, more than ten thousand people had died, and hundreds of thousands had been displaced. If it were a warmonger, these numbers would become his triumphant medals. But for Andrea, they were undoubtedly sharp spikes piercing her heart. It would not be strange for her to die of depression or have a complete mental breakdown.

If only she had teleported Andrea away earlier.

It was too late for regrets now. Yisi could only wait for Andrea’s answer.

Pressing her forehead against Yisi’s arm, Andrea couldn’t raise her head. Her jaw was clenched so tightly that blood seeped out. Her whole body was trembling slightly. As if she had used up all her strength, she managed to squeeze out a few words.

“Augustin… is the rebel leader…?”

“Yes.”

“…Now… take your people… and leave the capital… We… have never known each other…”

“Impossible. Things have already developed to this point. To give up now would be to throw away all our previous efforts. Alvier, what is there on the throne that is worth you clinging to? You are not a person who cares about power and vanity.

To become an ordinary person, to live the life you want, isn’t this what you have always hoped for? Why are you retreating when you are about to get it? I can promise you, I will give you freedom. You can even come back to me when you have nowhere else to go. I will give you a fortune that you can never spend, let you squander it as you please. Whether it’s to help the poor or build orphanages, I will support you. No matter what happens, I am on your side—”

“Then take your people and go!” a hoarse, almost screaming voice.

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She had never seen Andrea like this. Perhaps even Andrea herself was seeing it for the first time. But this was how a normal person should react. Yisi turned slightly and placed her hand on Andrea’s shoulder. Even though Andrea’s face was hidden by her scattered pink hair, she could guess what her expression was now.

A pained, desperate expression, her features twisted together, snot and tears blurring into a mess.

After a long silence, a look of pity appeared in Augustin’s eyes.

“…I’m sorry, Alvier, for making you show such an expression. But I swear that such a thing will not happen again—I will end all of this quickly.”

Also clenching his hands tightly, Augustin quickly left the castle.

Yisi did not stop him. She watched him leave step by step. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to or couldn’t stop him, but that there was no point in stopping him here. Just as Augustin himself had said, even if he were killed here, the rebel army would surely take the capital. Since his goal was not to become king, but to drive Andrea from the throne, then he must have arranged for someone to succeed him. No matter who it was, as long as they could drive Andrea from the throne, his goal would be achieved.

Letting out a light breath, Yisi turned to face Andrea.

The latter still had her head lowered, calling out in a low, choked voice, “Lady Yisi…”

“Mm, I’m here.”

As if she were trying hard to suppress the sobs in her words, Andrea spoke slowly after a long time. Her nails dug deep into her flesh. With difficulty, she raised her head, her beautiful face already wet with tears. The blood that overflowed from the corners of her mouth was exceptionally glaring.

“I… if I surrender… will all of this really be over?”

It was less a question to her, and more a helpless person begging a god for an oracle. Since the rebel leader was Augustin, as long as she surrendered, the people could be spared from the hardships of war, and at the same time, Andrea would no longer be bound by her status as Queen. It seemed that everything would be fine.

Before Yisi could answer, Andrea’s eyes widened slightly. The tears showed no sign of stopping. On the contrary, they dripped down her cheeks onto the floor, one by one. Her lips trembled slightly, and her voice and features gradually distorted, until in the end, Yisi could hardly hear what she was saying.

“I don’t want to have anything to do with these things anymore… I’m not a qualified queen… I don’t have the ability to bear all this… The war, the name Alvier, why am I the one who has to face them? In the end, even this war was caused by me? I just want to be like an ordinary person, just have to think about what I’m going to do tomorrow, just have to work hard to make myself and everyone happy. Why do I have to watch the struggles of the nobles? Why did I have to become someone who is revered? Why in the end did even Augustin become like this… I… I…”

A low sob.

Andrea covered her face with her hands and squatted on the ground, wailing.

What did Andrea do wrong? She had done nothing wrong, and yet she had done everything wrong. The right person in the wrong position had led to the current outcome.

But it was meaningless to discuss these things now. More than right or wrong, Yisi was now only concerned about Andrea. She took a step forward and, just as Andrea had forgiven her, she hugged Andrea, pulling her into an embrace.

“If you want to cry, then cry. There’s no one else here.”

“…I have nothing left.”

“If you have nothing left,” Yisi loosened her hold and pointed to her own chest, “—you still have me.”

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“Lady Yisi…”

“I told you, didn’t I? No matter what happens, I will stay by your side. At that time, I didn’t add a time limit. Now I can tell you, this time limit is until you feel it’s enough. I will not leave.”

Yisi’s words made Andrea’s tear-filled golden eyes widen slightly. Her lips were pressed tightly together, as if she wanted to say something, but couldn’t.

Yisi patted Andrea’s shoulder and said in a deliberately relaxed tone, “It would be troublesome if the servants saw you. Let’s go to your room to talk about what to do next. My strength might be much greater than you imagine.”

After speaking, Yisi used a little strength in her hands, preparing to pull Andrea up. But Andrea did not cooperate and stand up. Instead, she kept her head lowered, as if she were thinking about something. After a full half-minute, Andrea finally stood up, wiped her tears, wrapped her arms around Yisi’s sides, and gently hugged her.

“…I want to leave this place.”

Her voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear.

Yisi paused for a moment. “Leave this place?”

“…To a place where I won’t be disturbed… I… I don’t want to see these things anymore.”

“Is that so.”

Letting out a light breath, Yisi looked up at the Alvier Tower, which pointed to the sky.

Andrea was born to be a king. If she took her away, the Blood Clan, who believed in their queen, would be in constant turmoil for a long time to come. But could she ignore Andrea’s wishes and force her to stay in the castle and continue to be the queen?

The answer was no.

Everyone held a different weight in her heart. If she had to choose between Andrea’s life and the fate of more than half of the Blood Clan, she would choose Andrea. Although she might regret it in the future, might think, “If only I had done that back then,” no matter what, saving Andrea was the choice that would truly leave her with no regrets.

Yisi nodded.

“…Alright. I will take you away from here. But you should have a lot of things to take with you. Go back and prepare your necessary personal items first. Clothes, accessories, tools for making pastries. You don’t need gold coins, but try not to leave behind anything you might use in the future.”

“Thank you… Lady… Yis………” As if her strength was completely exhausted, the force of Andrea’s nod was exceptionally weak. Then, as if a taut string had suddenly snapped, Andrea suddenly closed her eyes, and her whole body went limp in Yisi’s arms.

This was only natural. After experiencing such a great emotional upheaval, Andrea should have collapsed long ago. The only reason she had held on for so long was that she was waiting for her promise.

Holding Andrea in her arms, so light it was as if she had no weight, Yisi walked straight to Andrea’s bedchambers. After placing her on the bed, she expanded the search range of the [Omniscient Map] to its maximum, found her target, and directly activated [Advanced Teleportation].

Now then, before we take a short rest, let’s make some preparations.