“But that’s exactly what Gratos said too.”
“It’s different!” Lernaean shouted roughly. “My aim differs from Gratos’ in form... That man tried to maintain the currently established equilibrium, distorted and dangerous as it is. I’m different. What I aim for is the original, complete land of Agartha.”
“It’s incomplete?”
“Indeed. We distorted the way of Agartha without even knowing it. The Intelligence did not leave this manner of world behind for us. In its original form, everyone was meant to be blessed with eternal life. Why do you think commoners and Crestfolk suffer? It’s a byproduct of the world’s incompleteness. Why did the Intelligence leave behind such an imperfect world? It didn’t. The world has simply deviated greatly from what it was meant to be.” Lernaean managed to regain his composure. His voice was back to its usual calm tone. “I will correct the world.”
“Is that your aim? A world where everyone is blessed?”
“Is it not obvious? I obtained status for this very purpose. Lady Saya, I’m sure you are discontent now, but could you place your faith in me? We cannot avoid having some suffer temporarily. But all of this...” A strong light glimmered in Lernaean’s eyes. “... is for the sake of a complete world.”
Saya was unable to say anything else. Lernaean’s will was simply too strong. She realized he was manipulating her. She had started trembling before she knew it. Why was this? Why was the person she wanted to cling to more than ever before not with her now?
“Nagi,” Saya unintentionally muttered.
“Aah, there’s something I must inform you of regarding that boy,” Lernaean said as if suddenly remembering something.
His voice was far too flat and calm. There wasn’t a single emotion behind it. Saya felt a chill run down her spine. Her instincts were telling her she couldn’t listen to what he was about to say. Once she did, she could never turn back. But even as she blocked her ears, she was incapable of blocking his voice out.
“He will die soon.”
Saya couldn’t understand what he just said.
“He’s a commoner,” Lernaean continued. “Commoners die quickly. To you, it must be the tiniest amount of time. Nobles know this, which is why it is our custom not to grow attached to commoners. This is obvious to any noble, but you may not have realized this yet. So, though it may be presumptuous of me, I felt I should let you know.”
“Nagi... will die?”
She’d tried to stamp the memory of Zamin’s death down, but now it surfaced in perfect clarity.
“Yes, with certainty. At the earliest, in a handful of years. At the latest, he won’t hold out for another ten.”
“Why?”
“Why? You ask the strangest question. Such is the limits of his lifespan. The poison in this land is constantly eating away at his body. It’s natural for him to die. If nothing is done, that is.”
Saya realized the implications behind this. “Something can be done?”
“Of course. It’s simple. You should know of the method yourself, Lady Saya.” Lernaean flashed a refreshing smile. It was a completely flawless smile, capable of making anyone’s heart flutter. “You grant him Amrita. Such a thing is possible for him. He’s the Commoners’ Hero, after all. It wouldn’t be difficult to make him a member of Congress. He could also be conferred Amrita based solely on his achievements. He is far more qualified than the nobles all around us.”
Nagi could become a noble. Saya had never even thought of that.
“In truth, he wishes for this himself. Did you know? The reason he went to the Garden was apparently so that he could get money to buy Amrita.” Lernaean sighed in astonishment. “Unfortunately, Amrita cannot be bought by a commoner, no matter how much money they have. The serums circulating on the black market are nothing but convincing fakes. The only thing to ever get close to the real thing was what Dr. Dimitri managed to synthesize. Such fakes are enough to stir up a commoner who fears his short life, however.”
“Nagi wishes for this too?”
“There’s no other choice to begin with. It would be a different matter if you allow it, though. Nagi dying in but a few more years, I mean.”
“No,” Saya responded immediately.
It’s impossible for me now... I can’t live without Nagi... Without him, I’ll just return to that life, to those endlessly repeating days of imprisonment.
“In that case, go convince him. Convince him to take Amrita. Oh, I’ll hand a little over to you. Now that I think of it, you do owe me one. Shall we consider this a request of mine? This is quite the desirable outcome for me. The death of a talented man like him would be a loss for Agartha.”
Lernaean took a small bottle off his desk and handed it to Saya. She just realized it had been there this entire time. How much of this was playing out atop Lernaean’s palm?
“Do you understand now, Lady Saya? About the necessity of blood offerings and sterilizations, that is.” Saya stretched her hand out toward the bottle as Lernaean smiled. “Being granted a long life without purpose only brings suffering. Only when one acquires hope does their life become their own.”
Saya knew the words Lernaean muttered. It wasn’t clear to her where she had heard them before.
“Why do you know those words?” she asked.
“It’s an old saying. There are few who still remember it... So, do you wish for a world where he doesn’t exist? If not, then take it.”
Saya had no choice but to accept.
“Nagi, come here.”
Tess’s voice was stiff as she called Nagi from the door to his house. It seemed she had rushed over. Her chestnut hair was disheveled, and her black eyes were shaking. Nagi felt worried seeing her in such an abnormal state.
“What’s wrong, Tess?”
“We... we were betrayed.”
“What do you mean?”
“Bandore brought back a notice. They’ve reinstituted sterilization. The Sovereign... Saya betrayed us.”
She was controlling her voice, but her heart shook with anger. Nagi couldn’t look directly into her eyes. He rushed out of the house as if running away from them and headed to Zamin’s former abode, which had since become the village’s assembly hall. All of the village’s prominent members were present. The tension in the air about them was ready to burst at any moment.
“You’re here,” Bandore said.
“Give me the details.”
“There’s been a public proclamation in the capital, apparently. It says blood offerings and sterilizations are being reinstituted.”
“That can’t be. Blood offerings are one thing, but sterilizations?”
“The recommencement of blood offerings means new outbreaks of bloodmark disease. So, their response is the same as it was before. By performing sterilizations, they permit us to live,” Bandore said, as if spitting filth from his mouth. “The proclamation was marked with the Sovereign’s name! She’s just another vampire!”
The word Nagi hadn’t heard since the revolution ended reverberated in the air.
“Impossible! This must be some sort of mistake. Saya wouldn’t approve of such a thing.”
“She might have changed...” Tess muttered, “just like those guys from Cobalt.”
“This can’t be... I’ll go to the capital and check.”
“What’ll you do if Saya really betrayed us?”
“I’m telling you there’s no—”
“Nagi! Listen to me!” Tess protested, cutting Nagi off.
He fell silent. Her tone teetered on the edge of rage. She grabbed his shoulders and looked directly into his eyes. Tess’s gaze pierced through him. Her eyes were trembling ever so slightly.
“I know how you feel. I also want to believe that Saya wouldn’t do such a thing, but you and I are the chiefs here. We were entrusted with this village. We have to consider what to do if this is really true. Right?”
Nagi remained incapable of saying anything.
“Both of you give some thought about how to take this pronouncement first,” Bandore cut in. “What came up with it can come after that.”
Nagi’s head finally managed to cool as he processed his elder’s calm opinion.
“We can’t accept this.”
“Of course not. This is just the same as before. What did we even fight for?” Tess added with a nod.
“So, what do we do?” Bandore asked.
“We have them repeal it,” Nagi said.
“How?”
“This definitely isn’t Saya’s fault... Lernaean is the one who decides everything.”
“If so, it’ll be hard to get it repealed. Once that man decides something, he does it.”
“That’s why I’m thinking the only way is to take up weapons once more and fight.”
The room nodded in agreement as bloodlust filled the air. The Crestfolk were eager to fight the Sovereign who denied their very sanctity. Nagi forcefully suppressed the agitation in his heart. What would happen if they went to battle? The conclusion was clear no matter how he thought of it.
“We can’t, though. There’s no way we can win.”
“We won once before.”
“The situation was different. We had noble allies... and we had Saya.”
The reason for their victory could largely be attributed to Lernaean’s forces, and above all else, Saya’s royal caliber. They couldn’t expect either of these factors this time.
“But there’s no other way!” Bandore yelled.
“Saya’s name is on the proclamation. She might be able to repeal it.”
“If she’s our ally, yeah,” Tess said with a nod. “But what if she’s not? What’ll you do, Nagi?”
“I’ll...”
“Will you abandon us and side with her?”
Just imagining that Saya had changed felt like it would tear Nagi’s heart apart. The villagers stared at him. He looked them in the eye, one after the other. There was a myriad of emotions behind them: anxiety, jealousy... and trust.
“I was... I was entrusted with this village, just like you were. I took up that responsibility. Besides... this is the only place I have now.”
Nagi realized there was an alien clarity to his voice. The room had fallen silent, hanging on his every word.
“I’ll do my best to convince Saya, but if that doesn’t work...” Nagi couldn’t even believe the words forming in his throat, but he knew there was no other way. “We’ll have no choice but to take up arms and fight the Sovereign once more.”
He couldn’t take back what he said anymore.