It had already been two days since Stun had left home. At first, he had thought that his angry older brother had just left home for a while.

But that thought was shattered just a day after Stun had left home.

"Is that... really true?"

Duke Cirus O'Neil, who was sitting in his drawing room, dropped the teaspoon in his hand on the floor at the unbelievable story he had just heard.

"...Yes, Your Grace."

"Is that really our Stun, I mean."

"So it is said."

"...Thank you. You may leave."

His son, Stun, had entered the magic academy at the age of thirteen and had graduated from the top class with excellent grades at the age of eighteen.

Stun, who had unfortunately missed the top spot, was so upset that he was a child with a great desire to win, so much so that he didn't eat or sleep well for a whole month.

His son, who had nothing to envy, having been born into a good family and having become a 4th circle mage, had even shown his loyalty to serve the country by becoming a royal mage.

Not only did he follow the Mage Tower Master, Alberto, and devote himself to magic research, but he also received the emperor's favor, so his future, as well as the future of the O'Neil family, was on a smooth path.

"Stun..."

The Duke's eyes, who was murmuring his son's name, were empty.

He was empty. His son had abandoned the family name. Not only that, but he had also confessed to the emperor all the contents of the letters, including the gifts he had sent to the Rodrigo County.

The emotion the Duke was feeling now was not anger or despair.

Regret and remorse.

Regret that he had not taught his child well, and remorse for not having stood by the Rodrigo County ten years ago.

The Duke looked at the gift his old friend had sent, which was placed on one side of the drawing room.

Cibie Rodrigo. The long time he had spent with him flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.

The day they had met at the swordsmanship academy and had graduated side by side as the top and second top students was as vivid as if it were yesterday.

***

The day of the swordsmanship academy's graduation ceremony.

"It's a pity. I really wanted to beat you at the end."

"Haha, don't say that. I was trembling with anxiety every day because of you."

"You're just exaggerating. I was just starting to catch up to you, what do you mean by anxiety."

A smile bloomed on the faces of the two young men standing side by side. They had shared joys and sorrows together for six years and had competed for first and second place.

Their competition had become a model for the other students, and all the graduates were able to graduate with excellent grades.

Cibie Rodrigo and Cirus O'Neil. They were inseparable friends and would become central nobles who would lead the empire in the future.

Some envied them, and some admired them.

They even enjoyed such gazes. Their close friendship seemed as if it would not be broken no matter what came into the world.

***

"Congratulations."

"Hoho, thank you. You should have a child soon too."

Cibie, who had rushed over faster than anyone else at the news of his friend Cirus's son's birth, sincerely congratulated him.

His best friend's son was like an angel who had just come down from heaven.

His dazzling silver-white hair, which resembled his friend's, and his golden eyes, which resembled his wife's, were even brilliant.

"He's a really... beautiful baby. Sincerely, sincerely, congratulations, my friend."

Cibie's eyes, who was looking at his nephew, were shimmering with emotion.

"I have a favor to ask of my friend."

"What is it? I'll grant you anything if I can."

"Be my son's godfather."

"I-is that really true?"

"Hoho, yes, my friend. Have you only been deceived?"

A godfather. The godfather of this small and beautiful life!

That day, Cibie made a promise. That if this child ever went down the wrong path, or if something happened to his parents, he would take responsibility for this child no matter what.

"Of course. Of course! I'll do it a hundred, no, a thousand times!"

"Thank you. Thank you."

They hugged each other tightly. The Duke, who had a friend to whom he could entrust the future of his son, who was more precious than his life, and the Count, who had a friend who trusted him with the future of his son, became a strong support for each other.

***

And so, when the Duke had his second son after about six years, Cibie had thought that the position of the second son's godfather would also come to him.

"Congratulations."

The second son was also a beautiful baby with silver-white hair that resembled his friend's and gray eyes that were similar to his.

His first son, Stun, was now speaking well, and it was so lovely to see him lisping 'godfather, godfather' when he saw him.

"Thank you. More importantly, you should have an heir soon too..."

"Hoho, don't worry. A beautiful child like this will come to us someday!"

"Right, it will definitely happen."

The words of comfort he gave, holding the Count's shoulder tightly, were warm.

"Has this child's godfather... been decided?"

"Ah, that... we've decided to entrust it to the temple this time."

"Haha... I see. I've also heard that many people are entrusting it to the temple these days. They say they give a blessing. Don't mind it."

"I'm sorry. The dowry I put in the temple this time was so large..."

"Oh, of course. It's possible. I know that well."

It was really okay. Since he was the godfather of the first child, he might have been a little greedy to think that the second child would also be entrusted to him.

These days, it was becoming a trend among the central nobles to put a dowry in the temple and entrust it.

The rank of the priest who could be asked to entrust it was divided according to the size of the dowry, so it was considered a measure of wealth.

His friend must have had no choice but to follow the trend of the central nobles.

A friend who had just inherited the ducal title would feel that he was firmly established among them by doing this.

It was really okay.

***

"What... do you mean by that?"

"Literally. Prince Grad is trying to drive out Prince Zeros."

"Absurd."

Cibie, who shook his head as if he couldn't believe Duke Cirus's words, bit his lip.

"I know... but it seems that many have already sided with Prince Grad."

"It's treason. It's no different from all of them being traitors!"

The expressions of the two people sitting in the Duke's office were serious.

The second prince was gathering power to drive out the first prince, Prince Zeros.

Prince Zeros was the legitimate heir born to the empress. But Prince Grad was a concubine's son.

But since the empress had not had another child, the emperor, who had a special affection for Grad, had granted Grad the title of prince.

But as soon as the emperor passed away, Grad was gathering power and plotting a rebellion.

The emperor's funeral had not even been completed yet.

"What are you going to do?"

-Bang!

At Cirus's words, Cibie slammed his fist on the drawing room table.

"What do you mean by that! What do you mean by what are you going to do!"

"Literally. What are you going to do... that's what I mean."

Despite his friend's rough reaction, Cirus calmly asked back.

"Isn't it right to support Prince Zeros, of course?"

"...It is."

"Then why are you asking such a thing?"

"I was going to follow your will. Because you are a wise person."

"Then please follow my will. I will stand by Prince Zeros and fight."

"I understand."

The Count, who had gotten up from his seat, looked at Cirus intently.

"Then I'll be going."

"...Go carefully."

The Duke, who had been looking at the spot where the Count had left for a long time, slowly got up from his seat.

"You can come out now."

"Khukuk... what a tearful friendship."

Then a figure slowly revealed itself from one side of the drawing room where no one had been.

"Now, what are you going to do?"

"What do you want me to do? Isn't there only one thing you want?"

A sly smile hung on the lips of the man in the robe.

"..."

"As you wish, I will spare that man. It's possible if I specially ask Prince Grad..."

"When will you release my sons?"

"Khukuk... I'll release them after the great event is over."

"I need to confirm that my sons are okay."

"Ooh, right, right. You need to confirm."

The man, who had finished speaking, took out a crystal ball from his pocket and began to chant a spell, and something began to appear in the crystal ball.

"Stun! Skir!"

"Khukuk... it's no use calling them from here."

"Khuk..."

The Duke bit his lip as if in resentment at the sight of his children reflected in the crystal ball. Blood seeped from his lips and formed on the corner of his mouth.

"Now, as you can see, the children are safe. If you help with the great event well, I'll not only let them out, but also erase this terrible memory."

The children, who were trapped in a completely white room, were staring into the air with their pupils dilated.

The children were still young. The older son was just eight, and the younger was just over two and was just learning to walk.

He didn't know what they had done to those children, but it was clear that they had suffered something terrible.

"...I understand. But how can I trust you?"

"Khahaha! A very good point... now, how about this?"

The man, who had finished speaking, began to draw a magic circle in the air.

"Let's make a pact. A blood pact, I mean..."

"Good."

The man, who had taken out the dagger from his waist, took the Duke's hand and made a wound. Then the man, who had also made a small wound on his own hand, chanted a spell, and the drops of blood on his hand floated up in the air.

As the drops of blood gathered and seeped into the magic circle, the magic circle shone and disappeared from the air.

"It's done. Then I'll leave the great event to you."

"..."

Right. This was it. This was the best.

The Duke, who was constantly brainwashing himself, collapsed on the floor.

***

It was not long after that that the first prince, Zeros, was assassinated.

The culprit was one of the knights who were protecting the prince. The knight, who had sworn allegiance to the imperial family, had his wife and daughter taken hostage.

Grad did not hesitate to use any means for power.

He did not want true loyalty, nor did he trust the mouths that swore allegiance to him.

He just crushed everything with power, and he moved them by taking advantage of the weakest part of a human being.

After Grad was enthroned as emperor, the worries of all the people who had been anxious that he might not keep his promise were in vain.

Cooperation achieved through threats would surely lead to a catastrophe if the promise was not kept.

Grad, who knew that, kept his promise like a knife, and in addition, he gave them the treatment that only the founding contributors would receive.

That's why those who had been threatened began to compromise with themselves, some intoxicated with power, and some with financial rewards.

The Duke was also just a human being.

Grad, who knew better than anyone that he would not have achieved it without his help, sought out Cirus as soon as the crown was placed on his head.

Not only did he give him lavish treatment and solidify the Duke's position, but he also gave him a territory that would not be ignored by any of the central nobles, and he did not spare gold and silver treasures.

He also made a promise himself that he would banish his old friend, Count Cibie, to the border, but would never touch him in the future.

And so, Cirus, who was just a human being, also gradually became tainted with power and was forgetting his friend.

Even at the news of Cibie that he heard from time to time, the Duke's feelings were only to the extent of hearing the news of a friend who had moved to a distant place.

But he came to his senses at the news that he had finally had the child he had been waiting for, but it was already too late.

The foundation that the emperor had laid was a shackle that prevented him from even writing a single letter to his old friend.

He had also missed the time to apologize to his old friend or to make excuses.

And so, the late regret was slowly soaking his body.

(End of Chapter)