BVBFW-Chapter 14 – Those Who Believe (1)

Chapter 14: Those Who Believe (1)

“…With this, I conclude my report. Your Majesty.”

When Delfin bowed, the Emperor couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. He couldn’t endure it without doing so.

“The Lind Kingdom really committed such acts.”

“I have already handed over the deserter. More detailed information will come in time.”

“Such insolent fools. Speaking of peace to our faces while preparing daggers behind our backs.”

Outrageous. Outrageous, yet when he thought about it again, chills ran down his spine.

Though called Empire and Kingdom, their military strength was comparable. The Lind Kingdom only needed to guard the border with the Empire. But the Empire bordered multiple nations.

In that situation, the Lind Kingdom had attempted a surprise attack. They sought to shake the interior rather than the existing border. If this operation had succeeded, the Empire would have been helplessly struck.

“You’ve done something truly great. Lord Delfin.”

“I merely discovered one deserter belatedly. Your Majesty.”

“Modest… I’d like to say that, but that’s not it, is it.”

What Delfin reported wasn’t only about the Lind Kingdom. There was something much more important. Something much more magnificent.

“According to the deserter’s words, the enemy had already entered Nosland long ago. Meanwhile, according to their claims, they were exposed to a Red Wyvern’s attack and hastily decided to retreat.”

“They couldn’t have prepared defenses against flying monsters. Who could have imagined encountering a wyvern.”

After a brief conversation, silence enveloped the two. Both Delfin and the Emperor. Both saved their words while thinking of something.

“Your Majesty. The enemies call that being a Red Wyvern, but.”

“It seems Lord Delfin has the same thoughts as I.”

It wasn’t a Red Wyvern. It wasn’t some monster. It was a great being that protected life alongside flames. The two who had directly witnessed that being were certain of this.

“Such a being prevented the Empire’s turmoil even before saving the Crown Princess.”

The Emperor, who had been blankly staring out the window, continued speaking.

“What is the reaction within the Empire. Lord Delfin.”

“For now, excluding inside the imperial palace, there isn’t as much talk going around as expected.”

“That would be so. The care to prevent the Empire’s citizens from being surprised and shaken could be felt even from high in the sky.”

“However, eventually little by little, talk about that day will spread.”

The Emperor pondered. How exactly should this be handled?

To announce it publicly, the Order would absolutely not welcome it. This would be like the Empire believing in a new god.

This could cause such misunderstanding with the Order. That the Empire would frontally deny their religious order.

Yet to keep it secret would also be unreasonable. Was that day’s event something extremely trivial? Even considering what happened in the process, it was all the more so.

“Have you looked into what was called the evil being?”

“I am making every effort, but nothing is being caught at all. If such a being had entered the Empire, traces would remain in some way, but I haven’t even been able to find any. Your Majesty.”

Then the possibility was one of two. Either the being who mentioned it was mistaken. Or the evil thing hid its body very well.

Of course, the Emperor immediately dismissed the former and pointed to the latter.

‘There was no way that being could have been mistaken. Indeed.’

A being who descended from the sky with flames. A great one who personally came down and saved the Crown Princess. Such a being making a mistake? That couldn’t be.

“Lord Delfin. You have fought many evil beings until now. So you would be more familiar than anyone.”

“At least within the Empire, I pride myself on being the best.”

“So I’ll trust only you. There’s no way that great being spoke falsehoods or was mistaken. Isn’t that right?”

“I think so as well.”

The giant red bird. Feathers wreathed in flames. Five-colored eyes that pierced the soul. Delfin recalled that figure and agreed with the Emperor’s opinion.

“For now, I’ll check the maid’s corpse again. If I discover even the slightest trace there, I should be able to grasp a clue.”

“I’ll trust only you. Lord Delfin.”

The serious discussion about the grave matter concluded once. Afterward, the Emperor and Delfin shared a cup of tea for a moment.

“Lord Delfin.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Well. About the north. Shouldn’t we build an altar there and show our gratitude to that being? What do you think.”

“…The person who said offering sacrifices was nonsense is now sitting before me.”

As that time came to mind, the Emperor coughed several times. Who could have imagined things would turn out this way.

“That being is the Empire’s guardian deity. Having repelled foreign invasion and even quelled internal chaos with a single glance, they are worthy of the name guardian deity.”

“I agree as well, but seeing that being disappeared back to the northern sky again….”

Judging a great being with human hearts was a fearful thing. Both the Emperor and Delfin. They couldn’t grasp what to do. Meanwhile, the door opened and the chamberlain delivered news.

“Your Majesty. News has just arrived from the personnel dispatched to the Order.”

“What is it. Did the Order officially say they would reinvestigate this matter?”

“That… it’s similar yet different.”

The Emperor checked the report handed forward.

“…They won’t listen even if we try to stop them.”

“Probably the likelihood is high. Given who has gathered, the Order’s will seems firm.”

All Twelve Generals of the Order were summoned under the Pope’s command. Their destination seemed to be the Empire’s north. Nosland. Nothing was yet known about the reason for the summons and visit.

‘That reason. I thought I knew what it was. Pope. No, Cardinal Kailum.’

The Emperor slowly placed the report on the table. Things were flowing in a strange direction.

***

Blue Sky did not come to visit again.

I expected her to immediately question why I had interfered like before. I deliberately flew as slowly as possible to give her time to appear.

But throughout the journey crossing the sky back. The being called this world’s god did not appear.

‘Was it really because it wasn’t direct interference?’

Anne completely regained her breath through my feather. Blue Sky strongly objected to that.

But this case was different from then. I didn’t directly revive the dead. I removed the cause so death wouldn’t be reached.

If you get picky about it, it might be the same thing. Reviving or preventing death might not be different. But conversely, I could also argue endlessly.

‘Fine. Given enough time was provided yet she didn’t come, she must have judged this much was ambiguous to interfere with.’

I decided to forget about matters related to Blue Sky now. More important problems lay scattered before me.

Since I had come this far, I was thinking of going somewhere else. The north was too cold. And the daylight was also extremely short. For me, it was absolutely not a good region.

Until now, I stayed because I didn’t know the geography well. I worried about being misunderstood if I flew up carelessly. If troublesome things followed in succession, it could become difficult.

All those aspects disappeared exquisitely at this time.

Following the path of fire made by humans, I confirmed the rough geography. At least at this moment, I wasn’t misunderstood as an evil being. Even if things followed, there was also the possibility they’d return if I spoke well to them.

‘What should I do.’

For a moment, I circled the sky and pondered repeatedly.

Anyway, there was no one anywhere in the world who could catch me. If I wanted to, I did it. I had already gone against even a god. Deciding on a new place to live wouldn’t be a problem.

But when I tried to make a decision, something held me back. That something’s identity was none other than ‘past days.’

Though harsh, it was still the north where I had lived for over a hundred years. It wasn’t filled only with joyful, happy, and good things. But conversely speaking, there weren’t only bad things either.

The moment I first saw a bird’s body and fell over in surprise. The days I floundered because my wings wouldn’t adapt. The morning when I fully accepted my new self.

Looking back, all those memories were recollections. I kept feeling like I was abandoning those memories and leaving. It might sound strange, but that was how it was for me.

‘All sorts of events also happened entirely in the north.’

Starting with killing the Demon Dragon and saving the village. Getting to know Anne and reviving that child. Even first encountering a being called god.

I was no longer human, but I hadn’t abandoned the human heart. No. It would be right to say I couldn’t abandon it. If I had, today’s events wouldn’t have existed from the start.

All beings in the world eventually returned to the beginning. They instinctively longed for and sought the place where they were born.

Of course, I wasn’t born in the north. But that beginning could be called the north. Even if I left later, for now it was postponed.

‘What if I went somewhere else and couldn’t find large mountains with few people like the north that were good to live in.’

Right. Now that I thought about it, that part would also be quite important.

Even though I had gotten smaller, I was still much larger than people. What if I arrived at another region and my body suddenly grew? Conversely, what if I couldn’t find a suitable place as a new home?

They said to look around several times and decide wisely when moving. I couldn’t remember well who said it now. But seeing that I still remembered it now, there seemed to be a reason.

“…Let’s go back.”

Suddenly I felt like meeting Anne. Naturally, I couldn’t go directly to the village.

Then how should I do it, when a good idea occurred to me. I decided to go to the lake like last time and wait.

Anyway, time was something I had infinitely remaining.