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Chapter 261
Divine Authority.
It refers to the power granted directly by the gods.
In the Empire of Hysirion, divine authority doesn’t hold the same level of power as in the Holy Kingdom.
However, that doesn’t mean the Empire is completely independent from the gods.
This world is one where gods actually exist.
In such a world, royal authority can never be entirely free from divine influence.
A goddess who extended a hand of salvation in times of humanity’s greatest crises.
And now, three emissaries representing that very goddess had appeared.
Had it been only one of them, even the nobles might not have been shaken.
But with three of them appearing together, the situation changed entirely.
All three emissaries of the goddess were united in a single purpose.
Which meant the goddess herself sought that very purpose.
“May His Majesty Aharva Hysirion rest in peace.”
The voice of Saintess Acrede Narea rang out.
Her noble voice was enough to shake the hearts of the nobles once more.
And it wasn’t just the nobles.
From afar, more people were approaching.
Not those drawn in by Celestial Duke using Ironwall Duke to support the Third Princess, but those who still stood with the First Prince.
The tide of the situation was beginning to shift.
“And I have something I must declare here today.”
The many bonds woven and built over the unfolding scenario.
Those ties stacked up like a towering spire.
A tower so high, even grace descending from the heavens could touch it.
“Duke of the Heavens.”
Acrede and Narea.
The saintess of the past and the saintess of the present both addressed him.
“Why did you make a pact with the most terrifying being in existence—the Demon Sovereign?”
The next declaration sent shockwaves through the gathering.
“What did you say?”
“Duke Robliage... with the Demon Sovereign?”
“That’s absurd. This must be slander!”
“B-but... the saintess, the holy one, and even the goddess’s warrior are all here...”
The Celestial Duke—one of the most powerful figures in the world and the pillar of the Empire.
The saintess's words, directed at him, turned the scene into chaos.
These weren’t just anyone’s words—they came from three individuals who represented the divine.
Even someone at the core of power couldn’t escape damage from that.
The nobles’ eyes turned toward Celestial Grace.
And not just the nobles—so too did the imperial knights.
Everyone’s attention converged on him.
The Celestial Duke’s eyes widened, and then he feigned bewilderment as if genuinely confused by the accusation.
His expression was incredibly natural.
As though he truly had no idea why he was being accused of such slander.
“Saintess, I have lived my entire life as a faithful servant of the Church.”
He was the duke who had donated the most money and effort to the Church in history.
Though he couldn't attend services daily due to his busy schedule, he never missed his weekly visit.
He was even appointed as a bishop by the Church.
The Church had gone so far as to promote him as the most devout believer among the people.
This was why, even after the saintess learned of his ties to the Demon Sovereign, she couldn't act recklessly.
He had done too much for the Church.
And not everyone in the Church was purely devout.
Where people gather, personal interests always follow.
Many among them would not hesitate to side with Celestial Grace.
“And yet, you claim I colluded with the Demon Sovereign? I simply cannot understand this.”
He appeared deeply aggrieved, showing visible pain at being accused after a lifetime of devotion.
“Where did this slander originate? What evidence is there?”
Celestial Grace threw the question back.
Evidence?
“Can’t you see the two criminals brought here today?”
The saintess presented two individuals.
One was Eurozen, finally extracted from the crystal by Xenia and Sharin.
The other was Arcadium, the royal palace’s archmage, captured and brought by Nia and Nikita.
“This one caused chaos using vampire sorcery. This one stirred disaster using an elder dragon. Both of them acted under your orders, Duke Robliage.”
Eurozen trembled in fear, his timid nature making him shrink.
Arcadium stood there stupidly, mouth agape.
“Using vampire magic, you forced the Emperor to write a will and then caused a dragon’s rampage to lure Whitewood Duke out of the palace.”
The saintess’s eyes glowed with a brilliant golden light.
A gaze imbued with divine wrath.
Yet, even in its presence, Celestial Grace didn’t blink an eye.
“Is that what they said?”
His gaze turned to Eurozen.
Eurozen flinched, his face as if seeing Celestial Grace for the first time.
In truth, Eurozen likely didn’t know much about the Duke at all.
The one who had contact with him must have been someone else entirely.
Next, he turned to Arcadium.
His mind shattered from their battle, the mage just stood there blankly.
Neither of them could serve as perfect proof.
“Or did the goddess tell you so?”
The goddess does not speak.
The divine never declares directly; they only convey intent subtly.
“Again, I say: I know nothing of this dishonor. Everyone here can testify to my sincerity and faith.”
Celestial Grace’s eyes slowly scanned the nobles.
And their gazes began to change.
At this point, if the Celestial Duke fell, the one to succeed the throne would be the First Prince.
But most of those here had already abandoned the First Prince and sided with the Third Princess.
The fall of Celestial Grace would mean their own downfall.
“Indeed. Even if you are the saintess, this is slander!”
“How can you say such things without proper evidence?!”
“This is His Majesty’s funeral. Such accusations are a challenge to the Empire itself!”
One by one, nobles voiced their protests.
Among them were also the Duke of Gentle Calm and the Ironwall Duke.
Those who had boarded the same ship as Celestial Grace had no intention of letting him sink.
That’s why I could never outright accuse Celestial Grace of colluding with the Demon Sovereign.
He had already rooted himself too deeply within the Empire.
Too many supported him, too many would never let him fall.
Even the saintess knew this, which is why she first tried to sway the Holy Kingdom.
This move was not because she could stop him from taking the throne immediately—but to weaken his power with the suggestion of demonic ties.
Even if slander, the accusation itself would create cracks.
Thus, even if he couldn’t yet seize the throne, she might still pull him down as Duke.
The nobles’ furious protests continued.
Even if hard evidence were presented, they were unwilling to accept it in this atmosphere.
The saintess bit her lip, having anticipated this reaction.
Isabel, Sharin, and Xenia glanced briefly in my direction.
And then, Hania’s anxious eyes found mine.
Her urgent gaze, filled with worry for Iris, reached me clearly.
[Translator - Night]
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Throughout the entire conversation, I had been watching just one person.
Iris, standing right in front of the imperial casket.
Throughout the conversation between the Saintess and Duke Robliage, our eyes had locked again and again.
Iris had worn a blank expression ever since I appeared.
It was the face of someone who hadn’t expected my sudden entrance.
But as time passed, her face gradually shifted from confusion and embarrassment to one of realization.
Why had I gathered everyone here?
To save Iris.
Although Duke Whitewood had yet to appear, she had already signaled me that she had secured the estate.
Most importantly, we had captured Eurozen, the one manipulating the vampiric mysticism.
Iris’s mother no longer had to suffer.
She no longer had a reason to be bound to Duke Robliage.
Even if there was no concrete proof yet linking Robliage to Demon Sovereign, that didn’t matter.
Even if this incident made him more cautious, it was fine.
Because now, I could pull Iris away from him.
She no longer had to be his puppet.
I would take responsibility for the rest of the scenario.
I just needed to gather every shred of fortune and push forward.
Everyone by my side deserved a happy ending.
Iris, too, understood what I was trying to do.
“Heh.”
A short laugh escaped Iris’s lips.
Since becoming Duke Robliage’s puppet, she hadn’t smiled—not once.
And now, she finally did.
In the pouring rain, amidst the protests of nobles and the words of the Saintess.
A scene drenched in greed, ambition, anxiety, fury, urgency, and confusion.
Yet amid all that, I could only hear Iris’s laughter.
Maybe she found it ridiculous that, even after being cast aside like that, I still hadn’t given up on her.
Iris laughed for a while in the midst of the chaos, then finally lifted her head.
“Oppa.”
She called me by the nickname she had often used before.
“Thank you.”
She expressed her gratitude to me like that.
An unexpected thank-you.
As I heard it, my eyes slowly widened.
Chill—
A shiver ran through me, along with an ominous premonition.
Did Iris really intend to just keep living as Duke Robliage’s puppet?
Until her mother’s situation was resolved—yes, perhaps she had planned to.
But now that her mother had been freed.
What was the surest way to break free of Robliage’s chains—and destroy him?
Robliage wanted the throne.
He had desired it his entire life, raised Iris for that sole purpose, molded her to become the Empress.
Because he himself could never become Emperor.
That meant, without Iris, he could never reach the throne.
At some point, my body had already launched forward.
But Iris was one of the world’s rare talents.
Even while aiming for the throne, she had never neglected her training.
Her hand moved faster than mine.
Red aura gathered in her palm.
A blade formed from pure aura, something only the most gifted like her could summon.
It was a blade that showed just how hard she had worked, how brilliant her talent was.
The palace knights saw me charging and moved to stop me, startled.
But I wasn’t the one who needed to be stopped.
Others around me, too, hesitated in shock at my sudden movement.
Only then did Duke Robliage’s gaze follow mine, stretching toward the direction I was rushing.
“Iris!”
My scream echoed throughout the funeral hall.
But Iris only kept smiling at me.
‘Thank you for saving me.’
She mouthed the words quietly.
Slice—
Iris’s head flew high into the sky.
In the never-ending rain.
Just before her gracefully arcing head hit the ground, my arms stretched forward.
Thump—
The weight of her head landed in my embrace.
Blood from her severed neck soaked into my clothes.
Thud—
In the silent stillness.
Her body collapsed to the floor.
Without a head, it could no longer stand.
And there I stood.
The sound of rain, the nobles’ shouting, Robliage’s bewildered expression, Isabel’s horrified gasp, Sharin’s stunned face, the Blue Tower Master’s rigid posture, Nikita’s wide-eyed glare, the Saintess’s dazed eyes, and Hania’s scream—all of it faded from my senses.
I could see and hear nothing.
Only blankly staring at the Iris cradled in my arms.
Rain poured down.
Pouring so fiercely that it streamed down my face.
The grief I’d come to understand through Sharin erupted and consumed me.
Iris, who couldn’t sleep because of her insomnia.
Iris, who could sleep when she was with me.
Iris, who once again couldn’t sleep under Robliage’s control.
Now, in my arms—was sleeping more peacefully than ever before.
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