Chapter 10: The Shadow and the Emperor
At that moment, in the heart of the Ninth Empire.
A man sat upon a throne as dark as midnight. He was the one who wielded the power of the “Shadow Lord” in this era, amidst the eternal clash of gold and shadow, an ancient conflict beyond measure.
Yet, the emperor himself was now as precarious as a candle flickering in the wind. And the wind that threatened him bore the hue of gold.
History had always moved in this way. Shadow would triumph, then gold, and then shadow again…
Long ago, only one being had put an end to this tiresome cycle.
The Mage Emperor of the now-vanished Fourth Empire.
A man who had seized the power of both gold and shadow, earning the title of the Black-Gold Lord.
But after he and his empire faded into history, nothing in the world truly changed.
Once more, gold and shadow tore apart, and the endless cycle of their conflict continued, as it always had.
Shadow had once claimed victory, but now it stood on the brink of defeat before gold.
More than half of the empire’s territory had been lost, and from every front came the same news: defeat, defeat, defeat.
In a world where even magic was waning, the power of rulers was no longer what it once was.
It was then that news of a certain man reached the emperor’s ears.
A mysterious dark sorcerer who single-handedly decimated the armored mage soldiers of the Iron Legion, slaughtered those armed with the latest weapons, and turned the revolutionary army’s territory into a battlefield.
“Is this true?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. However, there is concern that the power this dark sorcerer wields might be that of the ‘Shadow Lord’…”
Marquis Rosenheim added with a worried tone, causing the emperor’s expression to twist.
“Is there truly a fool who dares to claim the name of the ‘Shadow Lord’ besides me?”
“But, Your Majesty, his actions are currently benefiting our empire. Moreover, he seems to have no interest in the empire or your throne…”
“Impossible!”
Before Marquis Rosenheim could finish, the Shadow Lord raised his voice.
“Did you truly let someone who dares to impersonate my power and recklessly wield the shadow’s strength go without any plan?”
“But, Your Majesty, he also provided us with information about the revolutionary army’s weapons. Furthermore, he appears to be a recluse, unaware of the empire’s affairs…”
The Shadow Lord, the emperor, shouted.
“Did you send him to those traitors for such a trivial reason?”
”…I apologize.”
“Foolish, so foolish! Why are there only fools around me?”
The Shadow Lord, the emperor, shouted.
Without even glancing at the shadow cast at Marquis Rosenheim’s feet, he continued, as if a child throwing a tantrum.
“I, Wilhelm of Brandenburg, the Emperor of the Empire, command you! Assemble the finest troops and pursue him! Do not let the one who dares to usurp the name of shadow live!”
Hearing this, Marquis Rosenheim could barely suppress a smirk. Not let him live? Who in this world could possibly deal with that sorcerer?
Even this emperor, a fool unworthy of his name, what right did he have to raise his voice?
History repeats itself, and nothing changes.
The world remains the same, repeating the same foolishness over and over.
Gold and shadow, neither held any meaning for Dale now. It wasn’t for a grand cause, for truth, or even for revenge.
It was a journey for himself.
To trace the past he remembered, the people he loved, the memories he cherished. To witness what awaited at the end.
Towards a truth that even the Lord of Truth could not easily bear.
And finally, his journey brought him to a clue.
The ruins of the Fourth Empire, seen through the shadow of Yuris, guarded by countless revolutionaries.
As if they had anticipated Dale’s arrival from the start. But it was no surprise.
Soldiers, cannons, muskets, and the revolutionary army’s pride, the armored mage soldiers, stood ready.
Yet Dale remained unperturbed. And behind him, Yufi had no reason to be afraid.
No one in this world could stop him, not even the army before them.
“Emperor or revolution?”
At that moment, Dale spoke calmly. It wasn’t directed at anyone in particular. Only then did Yufi realize he was asking her.
So she answered.
”…Neither.”
“Gold and shadow were the same.”
Dale replied with a bitter smile. Yufi tilted her head, not fully understanding, but Dale remained silent.
After a moment, Dale spoke again.
“This world always demands an answer. But from the start, neither side could ever be the right one.”
”…”
“The world believes in a single answer, not because it’s truly correct, but because without declaring it as such, survival is impossible.”
Dale said. Yufi found herself unable to respond.
He was right.
When they first asked about the emperor and the revolution, there was no correct answer. It was a question where survival depended on choosing one as the answer.
Yufi’s family and village were killed simply for answering “emperor.” But the revolution wasn’t the answer either. Just as the emperor couldn’t be.
It was merely a decision forced by the world.
The powerless could only bow to the decisions the world imposed.
Even if it wasn’t the right answer, they had to call it so and submit.
Realizing this, a laugh escaped her.
“Can you… deny the answer they believe in?”
”…”
So Yufi asked.
It wasn’t out of simple revenge or anything like that. It was pure curiosity. No, it was because she knew the answer they believed in wasn’t truly correct.
She wanted to show them.
“That’s not for me to decide.”
Hearing this, the man shook his head quietly.
“It’s entirely their decision.”
After shaking his head, he spoke.
“Stand down.”
His voice, amplified by magic, echoed powerfully.
“My only desire is to examine the legacy of the Fourth Empire.”
Dale said. It wasn’t a lie. But for the revolutionaries, they couldn’t easily give up the secret they guarded.
Even if it meant sacrifices.
Simultaneously, from afar, a fuse was lit, and a cannon roared.
Boom!
To face a single man, countless cannons and muskets were aimed.
And behind them, the armored mage soldiers stood ready.
“Kill the enemy of the revolution!”
“Fire!”
The revolutionaries shouted. Killing the enemy of the revolution was, to them, an unquestionable answer.
Thus, those who defied their answer deserved to die as “enemies of the revolution.”
The absurdity of it all was laughable.
In a world with no true answers, they believed they had found the one.
“I too once believed my actions were the ‘right answer.’ No one dared to question ‘my answer.’”
Endless cannons fired, and the bombardment, reminiscent of a siege, raged on.
Before the onslaught of iron and black powder, a wall of shadow rose. The black powder was swallowed into the shadow, disappearing without a trace.
“That was the beginning of tragedy.”
Simultaneously, the sky tore open.
Through the rift in the sky, countless “eyes” looked down upon the revolutionaries.
From the rift of another realm, gods blinked as they gazed at the earth.
Gods who did not love humans.
“People often confuse power with the right answer. Parents and children, teachers and students, kings and subjects. Just as I and my sister did.”
“Sister…?”
Yufi gasped at the unexpected word. A sister? It was a term that seemed so out of place for the man.
And at that moment, through the rift in the sky, the “arms” of the gods descended.
Towards the revolutionaries filling the area.
Gods who did not love humans. But that did not mean they hated them.
In fact, these gods were quite fond of humans.
Countless tendrils descended towards the earth, playing with each human they encountered.
But just because they handled them carefully by their standards didn’t mean it was gentle from a human perspective.
Crack, crack.
As a tendril squeezed, human bones shattered, and a god, startled, withdrew its tendril. But it was too late. Like a child accidentally breaking a toy.
And after blinking a few times, the god moved its tendril again.
For there were still countless humans to play with.
Just as a slight pressure from a person can crush an ant, the gods peering through the rift were no exception.
“Power is just power. It can never be the right answer.”
The man spoke calmly.
“However, I believed that an overwhelming power, one that no one could defy, was the true ‘answer.’ My answer was not so different from the revolution they cried out for.”
”…”
Yufi found herself at a loss for words. She couldn’t fully grasp what he was trying to convey.
All she knew was that the abyss within this man terrified her to her core.
Yet, strangely, after the fear settled in, she couldn’t help but feel a deep pity for him.
It was an emotion she couldn’t quite understand.
“Uncle Dale…”
Without a word, she wrapped her arms around his neck from behind.
Dale caught his breath for a moment, then reached out to hold Yufi’s hands.
Amidst the endless cries echoing in the gods’ heartless game, they stood together.