Chapter 163: Chapter 163: The End Is Where It Begins (II)

“An official decision has been made to expel the Brions family from the four great families. It will be announced to the empire today, and soon a public trial of him and his daughter will be held.”

“Really? That’s great.”

Esther, who hadn’t even imagined an expulsion, smiled widely and answered with a raised voice.

It was undoubtedly thrilling news.

But even though Esther was smiling, there was a shadow somewhere on her face.

Sensing that Esther was different from usual, Deheen’s eyes shone sharply.

“What happened while I was gone? Does it have anything to do with having something to say?”

“Dad, actually…”

Esther thought about it all night, but Esther decided to be honest about what she had experienced.

“I met Espitos yesterday.”

Despite the fact that it was hard to believe, Deheen listened to Esther seriously without any doubt.

As her words continued, Deheen’s expression grew darker, and at the end he let out a deep sigh.

“The crystal ball is in the basement of the temple…”

It was the first time that Deheen, the head of one of the four great families, had heard of it.

Turns out the oath really existed. He guessed that besides the saint, that was the reason why the imperial family couldn’t act rashly towards the temple.

“After hearing it, it seems that the recent increase in monsters in the border area has something to do with that crystal ball.”

It was hushed because the empire was overwhelmed with the epidemic, but the rapidly increasing monster population was obviously weird.

“But if it’s all caused by the crystal ball not functioning properly, then it should be fixed. It’s strange to break it.”

“I thought it’s weird too, but she definitely said that.”

Espitos, who had never shown herself before, appeared and said it, so it couldn’t be a joke.

After the happenings yesterday, Esther thought about just pretending not to know since it was something only she knew anyway.

However, Espitos’ words about having to protect the people dear to her bothered her.

‘Precious people.’

As she said, the current Esther had precious people she had to protect even at the cost of her life.

It wasn’t the grandiose reason that she couldn’t stand to see the empire fall into danger.

For the first time in all her lives, she had family and friends who trusted and loved her… She decided to break the crystal ball for them.

“I will go to the temple. Will you allow me?”

With a dignified gaze and a brave smile, Esther looked at Deheen.

“Esther.”

Deheen’s frustrated voice was filled with regret.

“You don’t have to force it. If darkness comes to the empire as the goddess said, then that too is the fate of the empire. No one will blame you for that.”

Deheen believed everything Esther said was true.

Darkness dwelling in the empire could lead to its destruction.

To be honest, it wasn’t an easy thing for him to say.

Deheen lived his entire life defending the Austin Empire, and he truly cared for it.

But before he was the grand duke, he was Esther’s father.

He valued Esther more than millions of other people.

Even if he had to sacrifice everyone, he didn’t want to abandon Esther to save them.

“There is no reason why you have to bear all the burden.”

Feeling the deep affection in Deheen’s eyes they fixed on her, Esther smiled happily.

“To be honest, I am a little scared. Because I don’t know what’s going to happen after breaking the crystal ball. I even imagined that I’ll get caught up in it and die.”

Deheen’s worries were the same as Esther’s. That’s why he was even more anxious.

“Then let’s pretend we don’t know. There is no need to take risks.”

But Esther, who had already made up her mind, shook her head slowly.

“I’m really happy to meet my dad and live here. I have always wanted to die, but now I want to live longer.”

She was so happy that she was afraid that this happiness would be broken.

14 lives were excruciatingly painful, but if she had to go through them again for this one, she would do so without hesitation.

She wanted to protect the precious people who gave her this much happiness.

“So I want to go. Please allow me, Dad.”

In Deheen’s burning and watering eyes, Esther looked the same as the first day he brought her.

A child who was terrified and trembling to the point of being pitiful, yet bravely asked to be killed.

She had the same eyes as back then, but at the same time, it was definitely different. This time, it was a decision to live.

Deheen could no longer dissuade Esther, who had such eyes.

“How many burdens is the world trying to place on you… It would be nice if I could do it for you.”

Heartbroken, Deheen hugged Esther.

Esther choked a little because the hug was tight, but she didn’t shake Deheen away. Instead, she quietly wrapped her arms around his broad back.

“Nothing will happen. The goddess appeared in person and asked such a ridiculous thing. Why not I kill her?”

“Don’t even joke about it.”

Deheen pressed his forehead against Esther’s as she replied in a deliberately angry voice.

★★★

Without telling the sleeping twins, Deheen and Esther went straight to the temple.

“Oh, Delbert said the dress for your birthday is still unfinished. Will it be all right?”

“It’s almost in the final stage. Since they’re stitching the jewels on the skirt one by one, I guess it will take a while.”

“It will definitely be completed before your birthday, right?”

“Of course.”

The two of them firmly believed that nothing would happen in the temple, and deliberately discussed the next event more casually.

But that didn’t mean the nervousness would go away.

To calm her mind, Esther stroked Shur, who was sleeping on the cushion next to her.

“We’re reaching.”

“I think it has changed a bit since then.”

It had only been a week, but it looked different from the last time they visited.

The number of people who collapsed in the alleys was noticeably reduced, and priests could be seen wandering all over.

‘Have they come to their senses?’

Even so, there was a long way to go.

While observing the outside, the carriage soon arrived at the main gate of the temple.

The two confidently passed through the main gate, and the priest recognized them and took them straight to Sharon.

“Saint!”

As soon as Sharon heard the news, she set aside what she was doing and ran over.

It seemed she had some expectations, like perhaps Esther had decided to return to the temple.

“Don’t call me that. I’m Esther.”

However, Esther immediately drew a line and corrected the title.

“Oh, pardon me. I apologize. I see… that the Grand Duke is also here, what’s the matter?”

“I had a revelation from Espitos yesterday. I’m here to put that into action.”

Esther gave Sharon a concise version of her conversation with the goddess.

Sharon was shocked and confused by Esther’s words.

“You mean… the goddess really gave such a revelation? I can’t believe it… The crystal ball is the barrier that protects the empire. To destroy it is not a matter for me to decide alone.”

“I came after making a big decision. I have no intention of waiting for you. You only have one chance. If you stop me now, that’s it.”

Esther spoke so well and firmly on her own that Deheen didn’t bother intervening and simply watched from the sidelines.

“That… hah.”

Sharon was restless, not knowing what to do with Esther’s words.

The idea of destroying the crystal ball that had been with the history of the empire for hundreds of years made no sense no matter how much she thought about it.

However, there was no way that Esther, who refused to be at the temple and went back, came along with Deheen just to tell a lie.

Judging from Esther’s character that she had observed so far, it must be so.

Sharon tightly shut her eyes. Determined to trust Esther, she reopened them and said,

“…All right. I will take responsibility, so please follow me.”

With that, Sharon led Esther and Deheen to the Saint’s Palace.

The room with the crystal ball was set up in the basement of the Saint’s Palace.

Ever since Rabienne was imprisoned, the place was not in use, so no one was seen outside or inside the saint’s palace.

“It’s down here.”

When they went inside and down a passage other than the central stairway, there was a stairway that only led to the basement.

Halfway down the stairs, they saw an iron door with five locks.

For a moment, Esther and Sharon exchanged glances of shock.

“What is this aura?”

“I don’t know either. I’ve never felt this kind of energy before…”

They were both extremely flustered.

“How do I get in?”

“Here are the keys.”

Sharon was currently keeping the keys given to the saint from generation to generation.

Esther grabbed the keys, then stared and whispered to Sharon.

“Please take my dad out. If there are other people in the Saint’s Palace, send them all out as well.”

“What? But if it’s dangerous, even more so we have to be together even more…”

“I can be alone. I don’t want my dad to be caught up with it.”

“…I’m sorry I can’t do more than this. I will be praying for you to come out safely.”

Fully understanding Esther’s request, Sharon nodded apologetically.

After matching her words with Sharon, Esther purposely spoke in a brighter voice to Deheen behind her.

“Dad, I have to go in here alone. The two of you can have a cup of tea together while you wait.”

“What? It’s never okay to go alone. I will go in too.”

“I would like that, but only saints are allowed to enter this place. The door won’t open if I’m with someone else. Right?”

“Y-Yes. It’s designed that way so that no one else can break in.”

Sharon avoided Deheen’s gaze and forced a smile.

After a brief quarrel, Esther was eventually able to convince Deheen.

“Be careful. If you are in danger, you must get out immediately. Got it?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll wait in front.”

“…Yes, Dad.”

Esther kept looking back and waving her hand vigorously. Until Deheen fully disappeared.

“I will see you again soon. I’ll get out fine.”

Left alone, Esther muttered and unfastened the locks one by one.

When she removed everything and opened the squeaky iron door, she felt the unpleasant energy more intensely.

It was terrifying that such energy was in the basement of the most sacred temple.

Esther frowned as she walked down the narrow, damp passage.

Carefully heading down the dark path without a torch, she came to a small door.

“It’s all inside.”

She pressed down the desire to go back immediately and turned the handle of the closed door with all her might.

“Ugh.”

Almost instantly, she had to raise her arms to cover her face as the extremely toxic air rushed out.

“…Is that really the crystal ball?”

Although it was clearly emitting light, the black energy mixed in it was unusual.

Moreover… The cloudy crystal ball itself looked very dangerous.

Ame: Ah damn it, who is cutting the onions…