Crown of Thorns

As many people were aware, war clouds were hanging between Count Genadio and Count Phyletto. However, the situation regarding Marquess Garrence was so big and unbelievable that they were slightly delayed. While the people were making numerous guesses, Count Genadio’s mansion was attracting as many mercenaries as possible.

And Count Phyletto, who was in no position to hire mercenaries as much as Count Genadio, was troubled in his office. His face was twisted with all sorts of anger.

“How dare you doubt me? An insignificant thing such as you…!”

Unable to overcome his anger, he turned his desk upside down, screaming. In an instant, the room was in a mess. The maids and other workers were startled by the loud noise. They quickly left the room, sprinting away in fear. His face, smeared with madness, resembled a demon likely to appear in old stories.

While crashing down what was left of his office, something had suddenly caught Count Phyletto’s eyes. He stopped, dead in his tracks. I felt his gaze linger on me and was surprised for a moment, but soon I looked away, realizing that it was the object in front of me he was starting at. He trudged along and grabbed something from the messy floor. It was a woman’s jewelry. He held it with a careful and delicate touch.

He looked at it with sorrowful eyes. The owner of the jewelry was no longer in this world. She was brutally murdered.

And it was Count Phyletto who was known as the culprit. Count Genadio was sure of it. Everyone else suspected Count Phyletto as well. Some nobles even admitted that Count Genadio had a just cause for war. Because it was so widely known, the reason Genadio and Phyletto were at odds with each other was because of a woman. The woman who ended up as Genadio’s concubine.

Knowing the inside story of Count Phyletto well, I could imagine how unjust and resentful his mind would be feeling. In the first place, she was the woman Phyletto wanted first. Count Genadio had stolen and hidden the woman that he so loved and cherished. To be exact, the woman chose Count Genadio herself, but that was not what mattered. It didn’t matter much to me either. If she had chosen Count Phyletto, I would have visited Genadio.

In any case, Count Phyletto wanted her back. He complained of injustice, saying that she belonged to him.

But Count Phyletto could not surpass Count Genadio, not in power nor in money. Genadio’s connections were also unbeatable. He opened his eyes and complained about this situation in which he was left with no choice but to lose his beloved woman.

Not only was he deprived of the woman whom he loved and cherished, but she was also eventually murdered in cold blood, and he was falsely accused of killing her. His face, looking pitifully at the ornament, was again distorted with anger. His face was dyed with raw madness.

“How dare that thief accuse anyone of murder?! I will kill him, I’m going to kill them all!”

The ornament he held in his hand broke under his strong grip. Because of that, his palm was wet with blood and was dirtying the floor. But, he didn’t care. His eyes were bloodshot. His tears were about to flow, but they quickly retreated. The fire in his heart had dried his tears up.

However, there was no way to put out his fire. How? How can he possibly kill him?

“If I had more power… If only I had more strength…! I’d turn everything upside down.”

I sat down and stared at Count Phyletto, who was unable to control his anger. And then, I approached him, whispering in his ear.

“Should I help you?”

He looked around in surprise. Embarrassment and astonishment spread over his eyes. But there was nothing he could see. He looked around with his ears clasped, soon cursing himself for being a madman. I whispered again.

“I know everything that Genadio did. I’ll kill him if you want.”

“Who, who are you?”

Phyletto jumped up and shouted. His face was black with fear. Pulling out his sword, he looked around and backed away, little by little. When the wall touched his back, he straightened his hand that was holding the sword with a bit of a relieved look. His trembling hands quickly returned to normal.

I raised myself up. A panicked groan escaped from his mouth as he caught sight of a large figure, similar to a human being; however, it was nothing but a Shadow.

“Be not afraid, for I have come to help you. And I will lend you my strength.”

“Do-don’t come near!”

He hurriedly tried to wield the sword, but before he knew it, his hands and feet were all bound with Shadows. I approached his shaking frame and whispered to him.

“Isn’t Genadio hateful? He stole the woman you love, killed her, and then had you accused of it. I know the reason behind his actions. It’s because he covets what you have. It was to take everything you have. That’s how humans are, are they not?”

Count Phyletto’s face, trembling with fear, cooled down at the first mention of Count Genadio. Hatred beat fear. I hurried on since I didn’t want to miss the chance.

“It’s not difficult. The County of Genadio will all disappear without a trace. Not only Genadio, but his knights, his mercenaries, his maids, cooks, and gardeners will all disappear. I’ll make that happen.”

Count Phyletto opened his eyes wide as if something had lit inside his mind. And for the first time, he asked with a serious face.

“Was it you who made Marquess Garrence that way? Who the hell are you?”

“Who I am matters not. What does matter is whether or not you will make Genadio pay, isn’t that right?”

“…Are you the devil? Or are you the Death God?”

“You may think so if you wish.”

Phyletto was lost in thought. I got rid of the Shadow that was gripping his limbs. He looked at me, a large mass of darkness, and said with a suspicious look.

“What do you want from me?”

“Nothing- I’m just having fun.”

Staring blankly upon my answer, he soon burst into laughter. Starting with a shivering smile, he soon laughed loudly with his head down. And with a glimmer of madness, he said.

“Of course, you’re the devil. Am I supposed to make a deal with the devil?”

“It’s not a deal. I don’t want anything from you.”

“Then, can I say what I want separately without a price?”

“You just name it.”

Twisting his lips, Phyletto smiled. He raised only the corners of his lips, leaving his eyes untouched. It was such a distorted and wicked smile that it had created a cruel and terrible feeling. And it was all the more so because of his sunken eyes and the unpleasant emotions that filled them.

He spoke in a voice that even felt greedy.

“Save Count Genadio. And drag him in front of me. Then I’ll give you my soul in a heartbeat.”

I smiled at him. If I had a face, my smile would not have been much different from Phyletto’s. I answered Phyletto, who was much more stupid than I expected.

“Of course.”

Then I headed straight to Count Genadio. What would happen there would be a little different from the Marquisate of Garrence. Tomorrow this place will be empty, and people will be terrified. Whether it was a monster, a Death God, or a devil, humans began to believe in something they could not deal with, and they were going to be eroded by a greater fear.

However, the heavenly beings who value their lives the most will keep hiding. They will not show themselves, as they have done so far. And the victims of everything will continue to suffer.

After all, they are the most terrifying. The people will want a new ruler who will fight against the fear and save everyone, rather than a son of heaven, the ruler who will never protect nor guide them.

I will create a big stir among those who are complacent and those not even considering making a change or moving forward.

This cruel step would be the trigger; the witch had thought so.

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