News that the Holy Kingdom of Eldorado had assembled an investigation team and sent it to the Forest of Four Seasons spread beyond Eldorado to the entire world.
Despite the sudden announcement, hardly anyone seemed surprised or taken aback. Just as thugs could be expected to act like thugs, people dismissed it as the Holy Kingdom being the Holy Kingdom.
Besides, there was a reason they could dispatch a team so quickly: the Forest of Four Seasons lay along Eldorado’s border. The forest was about the size of a small country and shared borders with several nations. Eldorado was one of them, which allowed it to frequently engage in what people called its “dirty work.”
Ever since rot had begun creeping into Eldorado’s foundations, there had been a notable increase in “disappearances.” And the Forest of Four Seasons was a hell from which no one who entered could ever escape. Considering the unusually high number of senior officials among the missing, suspicion was inevitable.
Eldorado Is Only Creating More Victims. Uncover the Truth.
Why Bury Their Own Wrongs Beneath Other People’s Deaths?
Those Who Believe in God Will One Day Face God’s Hammer.
The Timing Is Too Soon. It Looks as Though They Were Already Prepared...
Above all, the time between preparation and action was far too short. The dispatch had gone so smoothly that it was as though they had been waiting for this very incident. People questioned whether this so-called investigation was actually a purge being carried out in plain sight.
Had We Not Responded Quickly, We Would Only Have Invited Suspicion.
We Stand Confident Because We Have Done Nothing Wrong.
You Dare Doubt God’s Representative? All of This Was Ordered by the Pope...
Eldorado’s response was exceedingly simple: brazen it out. Once they announced that the pope, one of God’s representatives, had personally issued the orders, other countries had no choice but to tread carefully.
Who was the pope? If the Hero was Eldorado’s pillar, the pope was its supporting beam. With the Hero now on the run under suspicion of being a turncoat, the pope wielded absolute power. His word was effectively Eldorado’s will—and he had shamelessness to match.
However rotten it might have become, Eldorado had long been a military power. Even without the Hero, its underlying strength was considerable enough that no one could condemn it lightly.
Kadir’s Statement Is Not a Lie. Eldorado Is Desperate to Cover It Up.
Who Makes Up Eldorado’s Investigation Team? No Fewer Than...
The Purges Begin Again. Blood Seeps Through the Cover of Light.
Debate raged, but Eldorado had already dispatched its investigation team. Not even a week had passed since the truth about the Undying King had emerged. It might have reflected their urgency, but it was more likely a show for appearances.
Yet Eldorado’s message was clear: If we don’t even put on a show, you’ll all criticize us anyway. What do you want us to do? The people sacrificed to that shamelessness were innocent paladins and clergy.
“F*ck.”
“Don’t swear.”
“Wouldn’t you be swearing too, Teacher?”
In a carriage bound for the Forest of Four Seasons, a man and a woman were chatting. The middle-aged man had a stalwart look, a square jaw, deep-set eyes, and a handsomely grown gray beard. His short hair was likewise gray, and his eyes were blue.
“No idle chatter. Think about what lies ahead.”
“Wow. You’re impossible. Teacher! Do you know where we’re going? The Forest of Four Seasons. The Forest of Four Seasons!”
The young woman opposite him shouted in frustration, her cry laden with pent-up anger. Her brown hair was cut into a bob for ease of movement, and her upturned eyes gave her a cynical look. Her husky voice sounded rather androgynous, but there was no hiding her beauty.
“I know.”
“And you can stay this calm?!”
“Our superiors gave the order. Do not forget that we are soldiers as well as paladins.”
“Hah...!”
But the gray-haired man merely answered in a composed voice, arms folded. At his maddening words, the young paladin, Lace, let out a disbelieving breath. Then, still unable to accept any of this, she voiced her objections.
“Teacher. Honestly, they’re just sending us off to die. And we’re doing it simply because someone up top told us to.”
“...”
“Why do we have to take on this mission? Surely it’s not because you taught the Hero—”
“Quiet.”
The gray-haired paladin, Ludwig, cut off her appeal in a stern voice. It was only one word, but the pressure behind it was enough to silence her. Her mouth closed, but her expression did not soften. If anything, anger gradually rose in her face, as though it had only made her more defiant.
“Our superiors give orders, and we follow them. That is all.”
“Teacher.”
“From now on, address me as Commander, not Teacher. We may know each other personally, but I am your superior.”
“...”
His rigid adherence to the rules was so stifling she could barely breathe. Lace could only frown at his obstinacy, unable to argue back. All her complaints would change nothing anyway.
“Lace.”
“...”
“If you’re afraid, you can run. I’ll pretend I didn’t see.”
It was Ludwig who first broke the deathly silence. Lace was briefly stunned to hear him actually suggest desertion, then frowned.
“What’s this? Frankly, Commander, I’m more surprised that you spoke at all.”
“I, too, can tell right from wrong.”
“Then wouldn’t it be better to confront them head-on?”
“Better to seek a glimmer of hope than die a pointless death.”
“Yeah, right.”
Lace gave an incredulous laugh. She was no fool. She knew exactly what state the Holy Kingdom of Eldorado was in, and precisely why they had included her in the investigation team. Knowing all of that, she could only laugh bitterly.
“It’s sad to die just for being smart.”
“There are times when you must have the sense to play dumb.”
“If you know that so well, why did you train the Hero?”
“It was a mission entrusted to me by the goddess.”
“Ugh.”
Lace shook her head. Ludwig had once taught the Hero martial arts and was renowned for his devout faith. As such, he had been one of Eldorado’s most respected paladins. Until the incident that ruined it all.
“Commander.”
“Speak.”
“Do you really think the Hero is a turncoat?”
Rumor had it that the Hero, Asella, was a turncoat and had fled because of it. A turncoat was a traitor named by the goddess Aris herself—the worst infamy one could bear in Eldorado. The Holy Kingdom was currently pursuing the fugitive Asella. The rumor that the Hero was a turncoat had spread far beyond the Holy Kingdom, across the entire continent.
“According to the prophecy, we must regard her as one.”
“What if the pope’s faction rigged it?”
“I don’t know. Only those ranked Cardinal or above can hear the prophecies.”
There was a reason Eldorado could maintain its status as the Holy Kingdom despite the countless evil deeds it had committed, both openly and in secret: prophecy. Prophecies said to be bestowed by the goddess herself whenever the Holy Kingdom faced a crisis.
Long ago, when humanity was weak, Aris and the other gods had delivered prophecies. These days, they were given with each change of generations—whenever a new Hero was chosen. And the moment Asella drew the holy sword Revolution, the goddess delivered a prophecy: Asella would destroy the Holy Kingdom of Eldorado.
Prophecies normally left room for interpretation. This one, however, had been unusually direct—and shocking.
“Even if they did manipulate it, Asella fled the moment she heard the prophecy. Does that explain it sufficiently?”
“Why would the goddess...?”
“Only the goddess knows why.”
Upon hearing the prophecy, Asella had fled with the stolen holy sword. With the Hero gone—the one whose authority should have equaled the pope’s—there was no one left to stop him. He was running wild now precisely because no one could restrain him. He had filled this investigation team with everyone he had long considered a thorn in his side.
“So, will you run?”
“No, thank you. They’d come after me immediately anyway.”
“They say even a life spent rolling in dog shit is better than death.”
“I’m sure our noble goddess will guide us.”
Ludwig chuckled at Lace’s sarcasm. For all her grumbling, he could not dislike her. At the same time, he felt sorrow that such promising talent would be lost to a purge like this.
In his heart, he wanted to confront them, but he lacked both the strength and the justification. Reality was not merely cruel, but unjust. Yet no one could change it. With even the Hero branded a turncoat, what could anyone hope for?
“Come to think of it, Commander.”
“Speak.”
“You know the guy who exposed the contents of that book on the forum?”
As Ludwig lamented inwardly, Lace brought up an interesting subject: the person who could be called the catalyst and culprit behind all of this. Events on the forum rarely spilled over into reality, but this time was different. An incident capable of shaking a nation’s foundations could not be ignored.
“Why do you ask about him?”
“Do you think he really is in the Forest of Four Seasons?”
“I don’t use the forum, so I wouldn’t know. But I understand that his presence there has already been proven.”
“It has, but I’m wondering whether it’s realistically possible.”
Perhaps it was because she would soon be entering the forest herself. It was a natural question to have. Ludwig considered her words carefully, then asked a question of his own.
“Do you use the forum too?”
“I only lurk.”
“What is lurking?”
“Wow... You really reek of old man.”
“My apologies for the smell.”
“I’m joking. Anyway, it means I just browse casually. You don’t read every single word of the newspaper every time either, do you, Commander?”
“I do.”
“...”
Lace looked utterly fed up. She thought she now knew where the Hero had learned her rigid ways. After an inward sigh, she abandoned the digression and returned to the subject.
“Anyway, do you think the man who exposed it is living in the Forest of Four Seasons? Even with proof, it’s hard to believe.”
“Very little is known about the forest. There may be safe places.”
“Well, I can’t argue with that...”
Lace trailed off, then spoke quietly.
“Do you think we can survive there too?”
“This will be my first time in the Forest of Four Seasons as well. I couldn’t say.”
“Sigh. My mistake for asking.”
Receiving only a perfunctory answer, Lace gave up asking any more questions. Instead, she browsed the forum to pass the time. Seeing her stare into empty space, Ludwig seemed intrigued and quietly asked,
“Are you on the forum?”
“Yes. I’m reading that guy’s post.”
“What does it say?”
“He says he’ll throw us a grand welcome party if we reach his home. He’s begging us to come.”
Lace chuckled as she explained. She seemed to be looking at something amusing. Ludwig briefly showed a deeper interest before asking another question.
“Anything else?”
“Yes. Well... If we prove we’re part of the investigation team, he says he’ll give us a fucking great present.”
“... What?”
“A present. A gift. Shall I ask what it is?”
Ludwig briefly frowned at the profanity she had slipped in so casually, then nodded as if to tell her to do as she pleased. Lace stared into space for a while before clicking her tongue in disappointment.
“This won’t be easy. Why is his verification so damn strict?”
“What verification?”
“There are several conditions. First, take a photo of the entrance to the Forest of Four Seasons. Second, be a member of the investigation team. And finally, other people have to confirm it too.”
“A thorough man.”
“We don’t even know what he’ll give us. I’d rather go without.”
Just as Lace was finishing her grumbling...
“How do you access the forum?”
“Pardon?”
“I asked how to access the forum.”
Ludwig, who had merely been watching, asked how to get onto the forum. The question was so unexpected that Lace could only blink. At last, she quietly asked in an uncertain voice,
“... Are you serious?”
“Consider it a final diversion. Well? Will you not tell me?”
“No, it’s not that...”
Lace taught him how to access the forum. Connecting was not particularly difficult, so he managed it easily. For a long while after that, Ludwig kept his eyes fixed on empty space.
“Lace.”
“Yes. What is it?”
“Could you lend me a mirror?”
“?”
Puzzled by the unexpected request, she nevertheless lent him one. Ludwig took the mirror, examined his face from various angles, then promptly returned it. Afterward, he resumed browsing the forum with a look of concentration.
Lace watched him for a moment, then accessed the forum herself, wondering what someone so stiff and proper might have posted there. Of course, if he had only been lurking, there would be nothing to see...
Ludwig van Erold
There it was, sitting prominently among the top posts—the list reserved for posts with plenty of upvotes. Ludwig van Erold was his full name. His first name alone might have been a coincidence, but not his middle and last names as well. Thinking it couldn’t possibly be him, Lace opened the post.
Ludwig van Erold
LudwigVanErold
(Photo of Ludwig’s face reflected in a mirror)
(Photo of Ludwig’s face reflected in a mirror)
(Photo of Ludwig’s face reflected in a mirror)
Ludwig van Erold, commander of the Holy Kingdom of Eldorado’s investigation team.
Verified.
└?
└?
└Who the fuck is this? Why’s he suddenly posting his own photos?
└What the hell? A guy posting his face out of nowhere is throwing me off.
└How are we supposed to react? Call him ugly?
└Hold on, he says he’s the investigation team’s commander. Is that legit?
└Why would anyone post this? Seriously...
└Is he showing off how handsome he is?
└Wait, is this because Grylls offered a gift?
└Why does this reek of old man so badly...?
“Hmm. Strange. I certainly provided verification.”
“...”
Even his very first post positively reeked of lonely old bachelor.
