Chapter 142: The End of Hatred (55 Extra Update 6)

Inside the secret chamber.

The two brothers, far apart in age and born of the same father but different mothers, gazed at each other in silence.

Herbert looked at Koldi, whose expression had gone rigid, and said softly:

"From the moment you chose to make a move against me, his heart had long since been riddled with wounds."

"No—perhaps even earlier than that."

"I remember, when you first fixed that cold, dark gaze on my back and our father noticed… he gave you a fierce scolding."

"It was after that, too, that your malice toward me never vanished, but you learned to hide it."

"Koldi, a child's intuition is very sharp."

Herbert sighed, his heart full of feeling: "Perhaps you never noticed, but it was right after that I began to gradually grow a little distant from you."

Herbert had been a keenly perceptive child since young—able not only to grasp the ideas within works of art, but also to sense the malice in others.

"Besides, you really were a touch too impatient—I truly have no interest whatsoever in the ducal seat."

"Although saying so doesn't mean you'll necessarily believe it, but the fact is exactly that."

"Which is to say, if you hadn't been so impatient, if you had waited a while longer, I would have brought the matter up with our father myself."

Herbert had long entertained the thought of giving up the title; he had originally planned to raise it with his father on the day he came of age, meaning that upon reaching adulthood he could decide the course of his own life.

But, regrettably—

Koldi had not held out until that moment, and had made his move in advance.

He had been far too afraid that the Silver-Wing Grand Duke would announce on the day Herbert came of age that the title would be handed to him—this matter had nearly become his inner demon.

"But setting all that aside, you were actually a rather decent elder brother."

Herbert looked at him, his own heart stirring with feeling.

You were born of gentle grace—why turn to the path of the thief?

At this moment Koldi, too, fell somewhat silent and lowered his head.

After a long while, he raised his head, his voice dry and rough as he said: "Herbert, can you forgive me? I…"

"I will not forgive you."

Herbert answered calmly, his gaze still gentle, yet his words carried not the slightest trace of warmth.

"Brother, do you still remember what you once taught me?"

"Someone always has to pay the price."

"If you've done wrong, you have to bear it."

Koldi had no words.

He lowered his head and gave up all resistance.

"Good."

Herbert gazed gently at the young man being bent, knee by knee, toward the ground by the shadow-tentacles, and asked softly: "Brother, at the very, very end, do you have any last words?"

"I…"

Koldi looked into Herbert's eyes and gave a bitter smile: "Can we truly not make peace? You clearly don't look as though you've truly been harmed."

Herbert gave no answer, only looked at him calmly and shook his head.

Make peace? At this moment?

"Besides that, is there anything else you wish to say?"

"…Heh."

At the very last moment, Koldi was suddenly overcome with release; a snort of laughter burst from him, as though he had set down every burden he carried, and he laughed out loud, full and free.

He raised his head, looked at Herbert with his brightest smile, and said with boundless regret: "Herbert, if only you had never been born."

"If only you had been a child without talent, I would have been the finest elder brother in all the Frost Crystal Kingdom."

"But you weren't, you weren't! Hahahaha!"

After his great laughter, his expression turned somewhat wild and furious; he glared at Herbert and roared:

"You sinner who brings chaos to the kingdom!"

"I curse you!"

"You will surely fall!"

Yet Herbert, listening to those roars, only smiled.

"Yes."

The youth nodded toward the elder brother who was cursing him, and slowly raised the blade in his hand.

"That's the way it should be."

At the final parting, there is no need for false, insincere farewells.

Speak the words you have kept pressed down for so long.

The two brothers, once close, gazed at each other and met their final end.

"…"

When the roar was spent, Koldi's face was no longer fierce; as he simply gazed into Herbert's eyes, a smile of release appeared.

"You've grown up."

Herbert lowered his eyes, then swung the blade in his hand down with all his strength.

"Goodbye, my brother."

Clash—

The blade fell.

The head rolled.

Thud.

"You truly are the best elder brother in the entire Frost Crystal Kingdom."

"... Once."

"Lord Herbert, were all those things done by you?"

In the slums, Herbert saw Sister Kaplan for the first time in a long while.

She looked far more weathered than she had a month or so ago, but her spirits were far better than before.

Sister Kaplan had been helping these poor commoners all this while, constantly overdrawing her own energy to treat their wounds, only beginning to recover after she was completely exhausted.

And this kind of high-pressure exertion that overdraws the body unexpectedly caused her strength to improve a little.

Perhaps it was also a blessing in disguise.

"What are you referring to?"

Herbert smiled, shook his head, and said: "If you're referring to the mutual slaughter among the nobles, then I can only say it was the Frost Crystal royal family's idea."

Though their ideas were also controlled through me.

"Please don't try to deceive me!"

Sister Kaplan stared at him seriously and said in a low voice: "Doing so will plunge the kingdom into chaos, and that will cause massive casualties!"

If the kingdom truly descended into chaos because of the nobles' uprising, the casualties wouldn't be the small numbers seen in the slums.

But truly tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands!

That would be the real disaster!

The fact that she could hold herself back from acting now was already out of her trust in Herbert.

"I... will report all of this truthfully to the monastery!"

Herbert nodded upon hearing this threat, which lacked real bite.

"Mm."

Seeing his indifferent attitude, Sister Kaplan frowned, guessed he might still have preparations in place, and asked: "How do you plan to resolve this next?"

But Herbert didn't answer directly, and instead asked:

"Do you know that in the Frost Crystal Kingdom, besides the king and the nobles, there is actually another force?"

The nun frowned and said in a low voice: "Please answer my question directly, don't—hm?"

But before she finished, she caught on, and looked toward the line of people distributing food not far away.

"You mean to say..."

"Yes."

Herbert looked at those priests in light clothing in the cold wind, and nodded: "It's the Church of the Gods."

Those are the priests of the Goddess of Ice and Snow!

"Since the nobles' power is too great, weaken them, and afterward find a force that can check and balance them."

"Will the Frost Crystal royal family agree?"

Since ancient times, royal power and divine authority have always been in great conflict.

The Frost Crystal Kingdom was not a nation founded with the aid of the gods; the Church of the Gods has always wanted to extend its reach here, but never found the chance.

And now Herbert actually wants to actively bring in this force... will the royal family agree?

"Do they have a say in this matter?"

Herbert smiled faintly, strode toward the priests of the Goddess of Ice and Snow, and left behind a single line.

"Things have come to this point — they have no choice at all."

Please, leave more comments! It's very important for whether I can get a fan title in the future—

Today I suddenly realized what's been off about the updates these past two days...

You guys are here to see the monster girls getting cozy, not to watch Wang Cheng political drama — who's an enemy or not doesn't really matter.

My bad!

I'll kowtow to you all!

So today I heavily revised my saved drafts, cut out the lengthy drama, hoping to get through this plot quickly, which is why today's update is a bit late.

A sudden awakening — I hope it's not too late.

After this I'll honestly go back to hanging out with the monster girls—

Love you all!

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(End of this chapter)