Chương 12: Emperor's Mercy

The next morning, everyone gathered in the Starbell meeting room. Noah sat at the long table with Ava, Cyril, Jeanne, and Lux. He looked better than he had the night before, but only barely. Dark circles rested beneath his eyes, and his body still carried the exhaustion of death, grief, training, and the duel. Lux floated nearby, looking far too pleased for someone attending a political crisis. Cyril stood at the head of the table, staring down at a map of Álfheimr.

"Overall," he said, "we have enough space to house the refugees from Gram." Several markers had been placed around Artem, showing where the survivors could be sheltered.

"But that is not our biggest issue." Noah already knew what he meant.

"The Emperor," Cyril said. The room grew heavier at the name.

"He may decide to clear the playing board entirely. Remove the Starbell family from power, dissolve what remains of the Fafnir and Eldenwood territories, and appoint three new families to manage Álfheimr." Noah's fist tightened.

"Is there any way to stop that from happening?" Cyril looked at him.

"After all this," Noah said, slamming his fist against the table, "I want to rebuild the Fafnir territory. I refuse to let him take away my home." Ava looked at him with quiet concern. Cyril sighed.

"Technically speaking, you are the Emperor's only remaining family." Noah went still.

"The other six bloodlines were killed by the Apocalypse of Curses," Cyril continued.

"So he may favor you." His expression darkened.

"But I am not counting on that sociopath understanding love, loyalty, or grief." Jeanne, who had been quietly studying the map, folded her hands on the table.

"The best thing we can do is make a grand gesture." Everyone turned toward her.

"Something that proves the Starbell territory remains stable," she said, "and that we are utterly loyal to him." Cyril's expression softened slightly. Noah noticed it immediately. Despite being one of the Three Swords of Álfheimr, despite leading Artem's knights, Cyril clearly trusted Jeanne's judgment more than anyone else's. She was the mind behind the Starbell family. Ava suddenly perked up.

"The Black Witch." Cyril looked at his daughter.

"What about her?" Ava leaned over the map, pointing toward the fourth territory of Álfheimr.

"The Emperor hates her, right?" Cyril's eyes narrowed.

"She lives on the border between Álfheimr and Helheim," Ava continued.

"If we remove her, that would please him greatly." Noah looked toward the marked territory on the map. The Black Witch. The fourth ruler of Álfheimr. Unlike the Fafnir, Eldenwood, and Starbell families, she had never been appointed by the Emperor. Her territory existed because no one had managed to take it from her. Beyond her land was Helheim, the only part of the world that had refused to submit to the Emperor. Years ago, the Emperor had attempted to wage war against Helheim.

That war had awakened the Seventh Apocalypse, Vanitas Sanguine. To stop him, Lux chose Lumiar Sanguine as the Seventh Hero. A brother chosen to kill his own brother. And in return for Lumiar carrying out that duty, Lux forced a neutrality pact between the nation of Yggdrasil and Helheim. The Emperor never forgave that. Unable to claim Helheim, unable to break the pact, he took out his fury on the man who had made it possible. He murdered the Seventh Hero. Noah looked down at the map, his stomach twisting.

"So," he said quietly, "you want us to offer him the Black Witch." Ava's expression tightened.

"I don't like it," she admitted.

"But if it keeps Artem safe…" Cyril stared at the territory marker in silence. Then Lux smiled.

"Oh, how interesting." Her golden butterflies drifted over the map. Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

"The Hero's first true mission may be to slay a witch." It was not an ideal plan. Noah could tell that much from the silence around the table. But it was still a plan. The word witch was older than the era of apocalypses. Long before the world had been broken by gods, Heroes, and monsters, the term had been used as an insult. A name given to women who were considered unfaithful to the Church of Hope. Women who were later burned alive by the First Hero, who had once served as the pope of that very church.

Now, the word had changed. It had become something far more dangerous. A witch was no longer simply someone hated by the church. A witch was a woman with the potential to destroy the world. And in the current era, only two were known to exist. The Black Witch. And the Slaughter Witch. Noah stared down at the map.

"The Black Witch," he muttered. His eyes lingered on her territory.

"Medusa." The name alone made the room feel colder.

"Is hunting her even possible?" Cyril folded his arms.

"I would not be able to join the raid," he said.

"Someone has to stay behind and protect Artem." Noah looked up. Cyril's expression was firm.

"After Gram, I will not leave this city undefended." Noah could not argue with that. Ava glanced between him and her father.

"Then who would help us?" Lux's smile widened.

"Well," she said, "I may know a certain god." Everyone turned toward her. Lux floated above the table, golden butterflies gathering around her like sparks.

"That loser despises the Black Witch. She built her castle over his mother's home, and he has never forgiven her for it." Noah blinked.

"And," Lux added, her smile becoming wicked, "he is utterly terrified of me." Cyril sighed.

"That sounds about right."

"So he will do exactly as I say." Noah leaned forward slightly.

"Who?" Lux placed one hand against her chest, as if preparing to announce someone important.

"His name is Leon Swallowtail." The golden butterflies drifted over the map of Álfheimr, circling the vast forest surrounding Artem.

"The God of Monsters." Noah's eyes widened. Lux smiled beneath her butterfly mask.

"The ruler of this forest ever since it was cursed into existence by the First Apocalypse."

"Alright, let's go speak to Leon and ask for his help," Noah said excitedly.

"Just be safe," Cyril called. Noah turned back toward him and nodded.

"I'm coming too," Ava said, stepping after Noah. Cyril's expression immediately tightened.

"Ava—""Don't worry, Dad," she said, waving him off.

"It will be fine. Lux is with us." Lux smiled proudly. Ava grinned.

"She's basically the team's protective mascot." Lux's smile vanished.

"Mascot?" Noah wisely said nothing. The three of them left Artem and made their way back into the forest of Álfheimr. The trees stood tall around them, their branches woven together high above. After what had happened in Gram, the forest no longer felt familiar to Noah. Every shadow felt like it could be hiding an enemy. Every sound made his hand drift toward his sword. Ava walked beside him, while Lux floated lazily ahead.

"Just wondering," Ava said, looking at Lux, "why is Leon so scared of you anyway?" Lux glanced back at her.

"You seem about as dangerous as a stuffed animal." Lux stared at her for a moment. Then she smiled.

"Nothing much," she said.

"I simply forced him and two of his siblings to kill their mother." Ava's smile faded. Noah stopped walking.

"Swallowtail," he said quietly. The name finally clicked. The First Apocalypse. A woman said to have been the Man in White's wife. She had once been accused of witchcraft by the First Hero. Later, after becoming an Apocalypse, she was slain by her own children. Children forced by Lux. Noah said nothing. He did not want to. Some parts of history were too cruel to speak aloud. They soon reached the center of the forest. There, hidden among the oldest trees, stood Leon's temple.

Its stone walls were covered in moss and roots, and the air around it felt heavier than the rest of the forest. Statues of beasts lined the entrance, each one carved with too much detail to look entirely lifeless. But they were not alone. Another man was already waiting there. He had short blue hair and dark blue eyes. A pair of glasses rested on his face, and he wore a lab coat with white gloves. Small demonic horns curved from the top of his head. Noah's grip tightened around his sword. A demon.

A resident of Helheim. As part of the neutrality pact, demons were not permitted to enter Yggdrasil. So why was one standing in the middle of Álfheimr? Lux smiled the moment she saw him. The man noticed her. Then he froze. His hands began to tremble. Noah stepped forward cautiously.

"Are you also looking for Leon?" The man did not answer. His eyes remained fixed on Lux. Lux floated closer, golden butterflies drifting around her.

"It has been a while, Cyrus," she said.

"What, a hundred years?" Her smile widened.

"You were so young back then." Noah looked between them.

"Who is this man?" Lux did not take her eyes off him.

"Cyrus Sanguine," she said.

"Child of the Seventh Apocalypse." Noah's blood ran cold.

"One of the seven generals of Helheim." Lux tilted her head, still smiling.

"Turning him over to the Emperor may also solve all of your problems." Cyrus went pale.

"Please don't." His voice shook.

"I'm not here to cause trouble." Noah stared at him, unsure whether to raise his sword or lower it. Cyrus clenched his trembling hands.

"I only need to hunt the Black Witch." His eyes lowered.

"I just want to save my brother."