Count Staviana had ruined Gawain's life.

Several years ago, the Count had sent assassins to the Third Prince's palace. Gawain's mother had died that day.

It was not an assassin who killed her. Gawain had killed his own mother, because of the condition that sent him into a rampage.

Gawain suffered from a mental disorder. Whenever he became agitated, he lost all reason. The condition was called Holy Power Turbulence Syndrome.

Once a rampage began, nothing could restrain him. Unable to distinguish friend from foe, he lashed out indiscriminately with his spear and holy power. His mother had been caught in the devastation, torn apart along with the assassins.

["My son, this is not your fault. I do not blame you. Do not cry. Be strong. All of this is a trial, so please overcome it and use your strength for humanity. Never forget. You are the child chosen by the Great Saint."]

Those had been his mother's dying words.

His mother had not blamed him, but the world was different. Everyone called Gawain a matricide. Countless nobles turned their backs on him.

His downfall was inevitable. Once singled out as the makings of their next king, he had ultimately been driven from the palace. The position of Crown Prince fell vacant, and the Seventh Prince seized it.

The Seventh Prince was Count Staviana's grandson through his daughter. The Count had brought Gawain down to make his grandson Crown Prince.

Everything had gone according to the Count's plan. He acquired even greater power, and the attack on the Third Prince's palace was quietly buried.

Only a very few knew the full truth. Gawain was one of them. He had heard the entire story behind the attack from Kembel, a knight who had once been the Count's close associate.

Not long ago, Kembel had come to Gawain without warning and confessed.

["Your Highness, I was one of the assassins who attacked your palace. These scars are the proof."]

Kembel's face bore extensive burn scars, injuries inflicted during Gawain's rampage. Kneeling, he had recounted his wrongdoings one after another.

["Count Staviana ordered us to send you into a rampage. Disloyally, I obeyed, and you suffered a grievous wound to your heart. I beg you to tear this traitor apart."]

Kembel's confession had revealed the whole truth to Gawain. Count Staviana had taken everything from him. To Gawain, the Count was an enemy he absolutely had to kill.

Gawain spoke.

"Sir Yohan, I've heard the news. It seems congratulations are in order."

"What do you mean, Your Highness?"

"Not only have you received a title, you've also joined the Kingdom's Council. At such a young age, too."

Yohan answered calmly.

"It is all thanks to His Majesty's grace."

Gawain shook his head.

"No. That's not right. Count Staviana's scheming would be a more accurate explanation."

His face darkened. He could not keep his expression in check. The mere thought of the Count made his stomach turn.

Yohan suppressed a low groan.

"... The Count's scheming. In truth, none of it would have been possible without his influence."

The Count had changed the law, allowing Yohan to become head of his house despite his youth. The half-ruined baronial House of Miyatro's admission to the Council was entirely thanks to the Count as well.

Gawain spoke.

"Sir Yohan, let me ask you plainly. Why is the Count helping your house?"

As far as Gawain knew, the Count and Yohan were enemies. The Count had schemed to swallow up the baronial house, while Yohan had fought tooth and nail to protect it.

The situation had changed in an instant. Suddenly, the Count had begun supporting Yohan. It was puzzling, and Gawain even felt somewhat betrayed.

He had originally intended to recruit Yohan to his side. They shared a common enemy, and they had understood each other remarkably well during their previous conversation. Perhaps they could have pursued many endeavors together in the future.

That hope had dimmed somewhat. Yohan and the Count had joined hands, and Gawain could not fathom why.

Yohan replied.

"For my house. I made a deal with the Count to restore our fallen fortunes."

Gawain's expression darkened further.

"... You joined hands with a Demon for so little?"

Yohan frowned.

"Your Highness, what do you mean, 'for so little'? Look at the state of the south. Disaster strikes every other day. All manner of evil runs rampant, yet I have no means to contain it. I am ashamed to call myself the Watcher of the Abyss. House Miyatro needs strength. The bare minimum required to protect our people and watch over the Abyss. The Count's support should meet at least some of that need. I made a deal with him to fulfill my duty, not to satisfy personal desires."

Yohan's argument was sound. Gawain could hardly refute it.

Gawain bowed his head slightly.

"I take back what I said about it being 'for so little.' I let my emotions get the better of me and spoke carelessly. I didn't mean it."

Yohan spoke.

"Whatever my own circumstances, one thing is clear. You loathe the Count, Your Highness. May I ask why?"

Gawain considered briefly before answering.

"... It's a very personal matter. I'm afraid I cannot tell you."

He was putting up a wall between himself and Yohan. It was only natural. The Count and Yohan were on the same side. Gawain could not afford to show Yohan his cards.

Yohan nodded.

"I see. I will not ask further. There is, however, something I would like you to remember."

"What is it?"

Yohan's expression settled into calm composure.

"In politics, there are no eternal enemies or allies. I may be working with the Count now, but that does not mean our alliance will last forever. Once we have fulfilled each other's needs, our relationship could break apart at any time. That is true of every bond founded on mutual interests. Please bear that in mind, Your Highness."

Gawain looked puzzled.

"I appreciate the advice. But why are you telling me this?"

Yohan answered evenly.

"One day, you and I may share a cause. I wished to leave that possibility open."

Gawain would one day become a hero bearing humanity's fate on his shoulders. Yohan could not allow their relationship to end. To prevent the end, he had to make use of Gawain.

Gawain gazed steadily at him, then suddenly burst into an innocent laugh.

"Haha! Sir Yohan, you really are an interesting man. There's a candor to you, yet you're as seasoned as the old monsters in the royal capital."

Yohan chuckled.

"I shall take that as a compliment."

"Of course it's a compliment. It is no easy thing to give that impression at your age."

Yohan shrugged and said jokingly,

"Surely it's all street smarts. I was a street urchin, after all."

According to his backstory, Yohan had been a vagrant wandering the streets. A bastard abandoned by the Baron, lucky enough to be taken in because of a succession problem. It was already common knowledge, so there was no need to hide it.

Gawain said,

"You must have had a truly difficult time."

"As did you, Your Highness."

Gawain had endured an unhappy childhood. After being driven from the palace, he had experienced every kind of hardship. Scorn and mockery had followed him everywhere.

"Haha! Come to think of it, we have a great deal in common."

Yohan was puzzled. He could not think of anything else.

"What else do we share?"

Gawain's smile faded. With a composed expression, he said,

"We wield the same kind of weapon. You've been practicing spearmanship lately, haven't you?"

Yohan was a little taken aback. How did Gawain know that? He could think of no answer. No one outside the castle's household had seen him train.

Unsettled, Yohan answered without letting it show.

"I have. The spear suits me better than the sword. But how did you know, Your Highness?"

Gawain replied.

"There was a mountain of broken wooden spears in the training grounds. Yet your soldiers carried swords, not spears, and your hands are covered in calluses."

Yohan stifled a groan. A minor oversight had given Gawain an opening.

Gawain had once detected the scent of the holy spear Espada on Yohan. Now that same Yohan was practicing spearmanship. Anyone would be suspicious.

Yohan said,

"You have a very keen eye. As you say, I've taken a liking to spearmanship and have been training day and night. These calluses are recent, too."

Gawain held out his palm.

"It was the same for me. At the height of my training, my hands were covered in bloody scabs. Though I haven't held a spear these past few months."

Yohan began to act. With a cautious expression, he asked,

"... Have you still not found Espada?"

Gawain nodded.

"Unfortunately, no. I can't even sense its presence these days."

The holy spear Espada no longer existed in this world. Only the fell spear Turabak remained.

Yohan put on an expression of deep concern.

"That is so unfortunate, I hardly know what to say. If there is anything I can do, please tell me, Your Highness. I will help in any way I can."

Gawain smiled faintly.

"Thank you for your kindness, but you needn't worry. Espada is linked to my soul. Unless I find it myself, no one's help will change anything."

His soul? This was new information. Even Yohan, who had read the original novel, knew nothing of it.

Yohan spoke.

"... You mean it is an artifact imprinted on your soul?"

Gawain nodded.

"That's right. Espada and I are one in body and soul."

A faint unease gripped Yohan.

"Could it be..."

He broke off abruptly. The drawing-room door opened, and Ilea suddenly entered.

"I'm terribly sorry. This was too urgent to wait, so I've intruded. Please forgive me."

Yohan looked at her.

"What is it?"

Ilea approached Yohan and whispered very quietly.

"Something is wrong with Gawain. I can sense very faint but unmistakable demonic energy coming from him. I think things are taking a strange turn."

Yohan reeled as though struck in the back of the head. The possibility he had only just begun to suspect was coming to the surface.

He spoke into Ilea's ear.

"... Could he be undergoing corruption? As backlash from corrupting the fell spear?"

Ilea nodded.

"I think so."

According to Gawain, his soul was linked to the holy spear Espada. Since the holy spear had been corrupted into a fell spear, the effects could reach him as well.

There had been a similar case in the original novel. Geppetto, the specter of the duchy, had slowly deteriorated after the artifact imprinted on his soul was defiled. In the end, he had become an evil spirit.

Yohan looked at Gawain. Perhaps it was his imagination, but Gawain's eyes had grown blacker than before.