BVBFW-Chapter 13 – Those Who Hope

Chapter 13: Those Who Hope

Dawn broke. The pitch-black night had passed. Watching that scene, the Emperor quietly smiled.

“HAHA. HAHAHA….”

After the red bird disappeared, he immediately returned to the capital using space transportation magic that he rarely used.

Upon returning like that, morning was just arriving. With his heart pounding, he headed to Eastern Palace.

And the Emperor saw the Empress crying. But his wife is smiling more brightly than ever before. His daughter is sleeping peacefully in her embrace.

It was a miracle. The gathered court physicians could only pour out those words. They said if this wasn’t God’s will, then what else could it have been.

‘That’s right. It was God’s will.’

Even now, when he thought about what happened in the north, it was unbelievable. That enormous red bird. Something decidedly not ordinary.

The moment he faced it, he cast aside his dignity as a human, as an Emperor. Before that great being, he could only become a lowly creature and bow down.

That being bestowed mercy. Granted good fortune.

Creating a path of fire, he flew through the sky to reach the capital. Before everyone’s eyes, he personally burned away the culprit with fire.

“Chamberlain.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Was that maid really not human?”

“Regretfully, that is correct. Upon investigation, the maid’s corpse was found in the servants’ quarters.”

An evil entity had killed the maid and disguised itself with her identity. Afterward, it closed the distance with the Crown Princess and committed heinous acts. Looking at it this way, all the events up until now were explained.

“Do we not know exactly where it came from?”

“Lord Delfin is investigating, but has not yet reached a clear answer.”

“To think an evil entity was right before our eyes. I never imagined it.”

The palace housed renowned magicians in residence. Priests dispatched from the Order were certainly stationed there as well.

Yet none of them noticed at all. Not even until the moment it disguised itself as a maid and strangled the Crown Princess. Perhaps they wouldn’t have known even until the moment it harmed the Emperor himself.

There were voices saying everyone should be punished immediately. They cried out that responsibility must be taken for failing to fulfill their duties. However, the Emperor did not listen to any such opinions.

It wasn’t that they failed to notice due to carelessness. It was simply that everyone was human and therefore could not know. If that were to be blamed, everyone would be wronged.

‘Moreover, that being would not want that either.’

Mercy was bestowed. Good fortune was granted. Sharp reactions should not be shown in response.

“Father!”

The door opened and the Crown Princess ran in. At that sight, the Emperor almost burst into tears.

“Did you sleep well, Crown Princess.”

“Yes! Did you also sleep peacefully, Father!”

“…Yes. It was a very good night.”

The Crown Princess seemed unaware of what had happened to her. The Emperor thought there was no need to tell her about that part.

“Father! I had an incredible dream today!”

“A dream. Yes. Would you tell me what kind of dream it was?”

“Well, it was. Um. Everything around me was black so I couldn’t see anything at all! Suddenly a red bird came and carried me! And over there, it took me up high in the sky and showed me the world!”

The father couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh at his daughter’s story.

A dream story. That must have been right. The Crown Princess never went to the sky. Yet why did it seem like it wasn’t a dream story at all?

“I, I see. A red bird.”

“It was enormous! Its wings were as big as the castle gates! Its back was wider than the rear garden! And the red bird also spoke human words! It smiled at me and greeted me, telling me to live well!”

“How… What a grateful bird.”

“Yes! I want to see it again later!”

She wanted to see it again later. Her father felt the same way. Holding the Crown Princess preciously, the Emperor turned his head.

Beyond the window, toward this world now shining brightly and the blue sky. Toward the great being that must have been flying majestically somewhere out there.

***

The Generals summoned by the Cardinal’s command gathered.

Originally, only the Pope could summon them. However, the current Pope was a Pope in name but not in reality.

“Your Eminence. All Generals have gathered upon receiving your command.”

“You’ve worked hard coming such a long way.”

Cardinal Kailum before all twelve Generals. He looked down at them with a pleased smile.

His influence reached each and every one of them. Not just the Generals. Bishops, priests, all of them were the same. Already within the Order, this body’s authority had reached its peak.

What remained was to perform great deeds in the name of the Order. In truth, he himself stood behind that name of the Order.

“Head north to the Empire immediately. There is an evil entity there.”

“Is it one of the Four Evils? Or one of the Eight Evils?”

“Call it whatever you like. Perhaps it could be even worse than those.”

According to information obtained from the Empire, it wasn’t an evil entity. But who knew. The world wasn’t that easy, was it.

People were easily deceived. Animals are easy to fool. They said they’re rational, but they were emotional. Contradictory beings. They were susceptible to being swayed by evil things, so how could they believe those words.

“I heard the Steel Knight was defeated and returned.”

“You mean that woman the Empire is proud of, Your Eminence.”

“Surprising. I heard her skills were certain.”

“She may be as strong as you all, but not as faithful as you all, so that’s why. She must have been bewitched by something wicked.”

Cardinal Kailum held a sneer at the corner of his mouth.

How dare they carelessly use the title of Hero. The Empire people made such a fuss about it? Not a chance.

The Order was the center. The Empire was merely a side branch. Only this place that advanced under God’s name was the one and only.

“The Empire is strong. But foolish. They borrow one name to make a hero and make people depend on that place.”

“It’s the work of ignorant fools. The place to depend on should only be by God’s side, and they will never know that you all, who carry out God’s will in God’s name, are the truly strong ones.”

The Empire intentionally worked hard to promote that person called Delfin. They intentionally pushed her to make her a hero. They even coveted the title of Hero and used the Order.

But the Order was different. They thoroughly hid individuals. If judged by merit alone, the Generals standing there were also formidable. Yet no one in the world even knew the Generals’ names.

This was because they put forward the Order’s name, not the individual General. It was because they wanted to make people cry out for the Order, not the General.

“I dare ask of you all. This time too, your names will not be called.”

“But the Order will shine even brighter. With your faithfulness, destroy the evil entity.”

The Generals who received the Cardinal’s command paid their respects and departed. Since it was kept secret from the Empire, it would take a bit more time. Nevertheless, the Cardinal waited without losing his composure.

“…What did you just say?”

But a few days after the Order’s strong warriors departed. At the Generals’ report, the Cardinal could not hide his bewilderment.

“The Generals report that when they reached near the capital and were resting, flames arose from the northern sky. And at dawn, those flames ascended to the sky again and returned north.”

“Then you’re saying the evil entity came all the way to the capital?”

“There is additional report content about that.”

The Cardinal read the report himself. What was written inside was truly shocking content.

“The Empire’s Crown Princess was gravely ill at the time. Even our priests stationed in the imperial palace didn’t know she was hovering between life and death?”

“Since it was a grave matter, the Empire might have thoroughly concealed it.”

That was possible. Yes, that part could be overlooked. But from here on was what should really be considered true.

“But then a being that turned the sky red appeared and healed the dying Crown Princess? A serious illness that even court physicians had given up on, cured in the blink of an eye. Made her completely well as if washed clean?”

Could this possibly make sense? The Cardinal put down the report and just laughed.

It was fortunate that those who submitted this were the Generals. If ordinary priests had submitted it, he wouldn’t have believed it. He would have warned them not to speak falsehoods.

‘A strange being appeared in the Empire’s north. Even the Steel Knight that the Empire is proud of gave up. The subjugation force our Order sent was even convinced it was absolutely not a monster….’

‘It was in the form of a giant red bird that healed the Empire Crown Princess’s illness…?’

Then the Cardinal suddenly recalled these words.

The Empire’s investigation team that worked with the Order’s subjugation force. They mentioned it might be the Origin of Phoenix.

Of course he didn’t believe it. Why would the Origin of Phoenix be in the north? All Phoenix discovered so far had been in the south.

Empire’s north. Nosland. Land of bitter cold. A place where ice storms blew that froze even flames. There was no way a Phoenix would be in such a place.

‘…But if such a thing could really happen?’

Looking at abilities alone, that being was a Phoenix itself.

Why were there so many stories about Phoenix? Because humans had had contact with Phoenix that much. Precisely, they tried to make Phoenix their own.

Phoenix were beings that burned themselves to enjoy eternal life. Humans were all beings who wanted to enjoy eternal life.

So from long ago, humans wanted the Phoenix for longer life. Furthermore, for eternal life.

When Phoenix were relatively common, they captured them too. Even now, there remained those who tried to catch Phoenix. If they just caught one, buyers would naturally flock to them.

‘Even if eternal life is uncertain, the fact that Phoenix feathers are a cure-all is something even Dragons have publicly acknowledged.’

Even arrogant Dragons used Phoenix feathers when their bodies were sick.

Phoenix’s were remarkable and precious beings. Once caught, enormous profits followed.

If it was the Origin of such a rare Phoenix, how amazing would it be? Really. Just maybe. If it was truly that starting point. What kind of power would that being possess?

‘This is it.’

Cardinal Kailum’s eyes sparkled. He immediately conveyed new orders to the Generals.

“If it’s an evil entity, destroy it, and if it’s truly the Origin of Phoenix, capture it alive without fail. If our Order can secure the Origin of Phoenix, authority of the Order on a completely different dimension from now will emerge.”

Humans too. Dragons too. Other races too. Even evil entities. Everyone would covet the power and abilities that Origin of Phoenix possessed. If the Order got hold of that? Just imagining it was truly amazing!

‘This is surely God’s will. A gift bestowed upon our Order.’

The most powerful Order in history. The greatest Pope in history. Cardinal Kailum felt he had moved one step closer to his dream.