Episode 353
“You’re heading back to Atlas already?”
Beatrice, who had been enjoying tea with Zeke in the garden, was taken aback.
Zeke, who was practically a savior to the Holy Kingdom, hadn’t even been properly honored yet, and now he was saying he had to leave immediately. Beatrice couldn’t help but be surprised.
Zeke nodded as he sipped his tea. “Yes, I’ve received word from the head of the family to return to the Four Seasons Castle, so I must prepare to leave at once.”
Hearing this, Rovan, who was sitting nearby, lowered his head in disappointment. “I thought I’d finally get to spend some time with you, Sir Zeke… Can’t you stay a little longer in the Holy Kingdom?”
Zeke chuckled and ruffled Rovan’s hair. “Once my work is done, I’ll come back to visit. Until then, listen to the Holy One and focus on your training.”
Rovan nodded, trying to hide his disappointment. Beatrice, watching them with a gentle smile, suggested a private walk in the garden with Zeke.
Following her suggestion, they strolled through the garden without Anthony, her guard.
As they walked in silence, Beatrice was the first to speak. “I don’t know how to properly thank you, Sir Zeke.”
Zeke shook his head at her words. “I was merely doing my duty as a knight. Please, there’s no need for such gratitude, Your Holiness.”
Beatrice had never regretted her position as the Pope more than at that moment. If she weren’t the Pope, she would have wanted to stand by Zeke as a comrade, offering her strength. But as the Pope and leader of the Golden Dawn, she had the duty to restore the corrupted Holy Kingdom.
Forcing a smile, she said to Zeke, “The Holy Kingdom will always be your steadfast ally and friend. If you ever need anything… please, just ask.”
It was all she could offer him.
Zeke nodded at her words. “Thank you for your kindness, Your Holiness.”
Then, Zeke looked at her and said, “Actually, there is one thing I would like to ask of you.”
Beatrice’s eyes lit up. “Please, tell me anything.”
Zeke spoke slowly, “I would like you to reinstate Sir Fav Valencia, who was excommunicated fifty years ago.”
Fav Valencia had renounced his position as an Arch Paladin and left the Holy Kingdom to stand against its corruption. Zeke wanted to restore his honor.
Beatrice smiled and nodded. “Of course, Sir Zeke. I have long wished for that as well. I will ensure that Sir Fav’s excommunication is lifted and his honor as an Arch Paladin is restored.”
Zeke smiled back at her words. “Felix will be pleased to hear of your decision.”
With that, Zeke felt he had completed all he needed to do in the Holy Kingdom. Feeling a sense of relief, he prepared to return to Atlas.
In the carriage back to Atlas, Zeke listened to Shadia’s report from across him.
“So, Carlito has handed over all the information?”
Shadia nodded. “Yes, boss. There was no need for interrogation. Cross-checking confirmed the information’s credibility.”
Carlito had fully switched sides to Zeke. With the emperor, his last hope, dead, Zeke was his only lifeline.
Carlito planned to hold onto Zeke’s support to start anew with the Draker faction, so he freely divulged the empire’s secrets to Shadia.
Zeke chuckled, recalling Carlito. “His defection was so swift compared to Daria’s that it’s almost suspicious. But I suppose the burdens they carry are different.”
Daria Calvi, the captain of the Inma Palace’s knights, led a group of knights from humble origins and had even been taught the art of spear fighting by Duke Craven. She still had strong reservations about betraying the empire.
Zeke planned to first bring Gillian, the captain of the Celestial Palace’s knights, into his fold once he awoke, and then gradually persuade Daria through him.
Even after the report ended, Shadia remained seated across from Zeke in silence.
Zeke looked at her and asked, “Is there something you want to say, Shadia?”
After a moment of hesitation, Shadia spoke slowly. “There’s something I wish to discuss with you, boss.”
Zeke nodded. “Have I ever stopped you from speaking your mind? Go ahead.”
Shadia, looking slightly relieved, cautiously began. “Do you remember what you told me about extending my contract?”
“Extending your contract… I believe I asked you to think about what you truly wanted.”
Shadia nodded and spoke again. “I want to be free from the Old Man of the Mountain.”
For the first time, Shadia openly expressed her desire to Zeke, seeking his help to gain her freedom.
Zeke looked at her and said, “It took you longer than I expected.”
“What do you mean…?”
“I mean, it took you a while to ask for my help.”
Shadia realized that Zeke had understood her feelings all along and had been waiting for her to ask for help on her own.
Zeke asked, “How do you want me to help you?”
Shadia hesitated before speaking slowly. “The Old Man of the Mountain takes in orphans and subjects them to harsh training as assassins. Out of a hundred children, barely two survive. Those who do are pitted against each other in further training, and the best are taken as disciples.”
Shadia spoke candidly about how the assassins of the secretive desert group were made.
Zeke listened quietly and then asked, “What is it you want to say, Shadia?”
“The Old Man of the Mountain is not our mentor but our enemy.”
She looked at Zeke and continued, “He has fed me a poison that requires regular antidotes to survive. All the assassins of the desert are in a similar situation. We’ve developed a drug that can temporarily halt the poison’s effects, but complete removal is impossible.”
Zeke already knew about the poison before Shadia mentioned it. In a past life, he had been tasked with extracting key information from the desert group.
The mission had included rescuing the Old Man of the Mountain, but he had ultimately been betrayed by his disciples and met a grim end.
‘In my past life, Shadia must have eventually found a way to resolve the poison through her persistent research.’
Shadia had created a drug to stop the poison’s activity, buying herself time to seek Zeke’s help.
Zeke had always believed that when Shadia finally trusted him enough to ask for help sincerely, she would truly become one of his own. So he had waited patiently for her to come to him.
“The poison makes it difficult to escape the Old Man of the Mountain’s grasp.”
“I’m working on an effective antidote, but its effects are still short-lived.”
The poison was so potent that even the mere thought of betrayal would cause her heart to stop.
Shadia recalled how Zeke had remained unaffected after drinking her invisible poison.
Despite her usual calm and rational demeanor, she had a blind faith that Zeke could somehow free her from the poison.
After much deliberation, she had finally shared her heart with Zeke.
“The poison…”
At that moment, Zeke took hold of Shadia’s wrist.
A golden aura emanated from Zeke’s hand, flowing into Shadia’s body.
Shadia was startled by the warm energy enveloping her, but she soon opened her heart and accepted it fully.
It felt as if her body was being purified by Zeke’s energy.
The golden aura completely absorbed into Shadia’s body.
Zeke released her wrist and said, “It’s done.”
“What?”
Shadia was shocked by his words.
“The poison has been removed, so you don’t need to worry anymore.”
“That’s… impossible…”
Shadia couldn’t believe that the poison that had tormented her for over twenty years was gone so easily.
She tested it to see if the poison was truly gone.
Previously, even thinking about betraying the Old Man of the Mountain would cause the poison to ravage her body with excruciating pain.
‘I will kill the Old Man of the Mountain.’
But now, even with such thoughts, there was no reaction.
The foreign sensation that had always lingered in her body was gone.
Shadia’s face lit up with joy.
She was finally free from the curse of the poison.
Overcome with emotion, Shadia wept tears of relief.
Known as the desert’s flower and the most feared assassin, Shadia cried openly, her tears flowing freely.
Zeke watched her silently, waiting for her to calm down.
Eventually, Shadia stopped crying and looked up.
“Master.”
Shadia prostrated herself on the floor of the carriage, bowing to Zeke.
Then she slowly raised her head.
She wiped her face with her palm.
In an instant, her face changed.
It was Shadia’s true face, hidden beneath the mask.
A striking woman with sharp eyes and a cold demeanor gazed at Zeke.
“This is my true face. You saved me, Master. Please accept me. I will serve you with unwavering loyalty for the rest of my life.”
Until now, the only person who knew Shadia’s true face was the Old Man of the Mountain.
By revealing her true self, she hoped to convey her sincerity to Zeke.
But Zeke’s response was unexpected.
“That’s a foolish thing to say.”
Shadia was taken aback by his reaction.
“W-what do you mean by that?”
“If you intend to serve me as your master for life, why did you leave the Old Man of the Mountain?”
“That’s different. I was forced to be his disciple and live as an assassin, but serving you is my choice.”
“I have no need for a slave. If you need someone to bind you, find someone else.”
Tears welled up in Shadia’s eyes at Zeke’s words.
“Please, don’t tell me to find someone else. You saved my life.”
Having been bound to the Old Man of the Mountain for so long, Shadia wasn’t truly prepared to embrace her newfound freedom.
Zeke looked at her and said, “I need capable subordinates, not slaves.”
Finally understanding, Shadia changed her approach.
“I’m sorry. I’ll serve you as my boss, not my master. Please accept me as your subordinate.”
Zeke nodded at last.
“Alright. We’ll draft a new contract after the mission. I’ll inform Boris, so you can now share in the top-level secrets.”
Shadia nodded in agreement.
“Understood, Boss. But there’s something I’d like to ask.”
Zeke nodded for her to continue, and Shadia spoke cautiously.
“I’m curious about what you plan to do with the other assassins and the Old Man.”
Zeke’s eyes shifted at the question.
Shadia held her breath, waiting for his response.
Slowly, Zeke spoke.
“Nothing will change. I’ll help those who seek it and meet force with force.”
His cold words made Shadia swallow hard before she spoke again.
“Boss, give me a chance.”