It came the day that I finally met my father.

  I could see that he had grown significantly older.

  He came to me dressed not as an emperor, but in simple worker's clothes.

  They might have sneaked him in.

  Behind him, far behind my father, I could see David.

  He stood beyond the boundary of the sanctuary.

  He stood there with his father, Duke Raven.

  He briefly closed his eyes as he acknowledged my presence.

  Then, Father weakly addressed me.

  “It’s been a while, son.”

  With a guilt-ridden voice, I also called out to him

  “Father.”

  I may try to blame Duke Ellon and the clergy faction for it.

  However, deep down, I knew I was the one who caused him to be like that.

  Facing it, Father just gently shook his head.

  With his usual benevolent smile, he said to me.

  “I am glad to see you recover.”

  His gaze scanned me from head to toe.

  Yet, he did not shorten our distance.

  Just three steps… that was the distance that separated us.

  I did not know why.

  However, at that time, the first thought that came to my mind was to apologize to him.

  “Sorry, I caused you so much trouble.”

  I was not sure if it was for all the troubles I caused or for the current one.

  However, Father just lightly brushed it aside with his hand sign.

  Then, he offered to switch the topic.

  “How is your body?”

  Receiving his consideration, I let out a forced smile as I also lightly replied to him.

  “I am building up muscle well.”

  Then, my father took a step in and lightly hit my shoulder.

  I could feel the subtle grab, then tightened it before letting it go.

  “Nothing is better than having a strong body.”

  He said that with a laugh.

  Then he gestured for me to accompany him for a walk.

  We walked along the edge of the sanctuary’s boundary.

  Duke Raven and David also follow us.

  They only walked outside the sanctuary’s boundary.

  They were there to protect us.

  We just silently walked.

  Then, for about 5 minutes into our stroll, as we kept on working, my father softly spoke to me.

  “I heard about you and Sister Lilia.”

  “...” My back felt chill when he said that.

  Without stopping my legs, I turned to look at him.

  Only for him to continue, with a troubled face.

  “I won't interfere with it. But this is my advice. If you are serious about it, you must become the emperor.”

  “...” Hearing his advice, I thought of David.

  He also offered similar ‘advice’.

  However, I brushed it aside as it was a dangerous idea.

  However, hearing my father say that, it carried a different meaning.

  Similar phrase, the same meaning, yet, by different people, it carried different weight and consequence.

  When David said that, it was a kind of planning the idea of treason.

  However, when father said that, it was his indirect message as he would support my accession to the throne.

  Realizing that, instead of looking at my father, I looked at David.

  Was it he who convinced my father? Or was he just a messenger from my father?

  Either way, I did him wrong.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  My father, after seeing me look at David, let out a small laugh.

  He also looked at David.

  Then, he effectively said to me.

  “I think David already told you.”

  Then, he turned to me.

  He sternly looked at me.

  I also noticed his gaze.

  Then, I directed my eye to his.

  With a clear voice, my father said.

  “You may have another option. But it would be next to impossible.”

  What was the other option?

  And why would it be next to impossible?

  I was dying to know it.

  I knew it was not my place to question my father, the emperor.

  However, my curiosity got the better of me.

  “Why…”

  I tried to suppress it; however, it was too late.

  Yet, my father did not take my rude behavior as an offense.

  “Time will tell.” He replied in kind as he closed his eyes.

  Then…

  Then, he halted his footstep.

  I, too, followed suit.

  Then, father seriously looked at me, with an earnest voice, as if pleading with me, he said.

  “Won’t you consider pursuing Lady Aria?”

  That was when I could no longer control myself.

  I knew it was not discourteous for me to reply to his question at that time.

  He was the first one to ask the question.

  So, as customary, I was allowed to respond to him.

  Yet, it was beyond rude to answer his question with a question.

  However, I found the need to clarify it.

  With agonies in my heart, I confusedly asked him.

  “Father? What is so special about that girl? Why do you address her as ‘Lady’? Why is everyone so keen on pleasing her? Even you, too?”

  She might have also tricked my father.

  I thought that at first.

  However, I immediately denied it.

  There was no way a small girl could trick my great father.

  After all, my father was the first one to notice the ploy of Duke Ellon.

  So, was it I who was in the wrong?

  Did I misjudge that girl?

  I really did not know what was wrong and what was right anymore.

  Seeing my confused state, my father let out a sad smile.

  Then, he solemnly said.

  “Son, we were bound by the contract. We could not tell you in detail.”

  Then he placed his wrinkled hand on my head. I could see pain in his eyes as he said that.

  Then, as if comforting me, and also as if comforting himself, father tenderly said to me.

  “For you being here, being alive, and being this healthy is all thanks to her help.”

  “It is thanks to her sacrifice that this empire still exists.”

  “We owed her that much.”

  “It is also thanks to her that your sister can have a future.”

  As my father reached that point, he moved both of his hands and put them on my shoulders.

  “I being here, conversing with you here, was because of her help.”

  “You should already know about the rules of sanctuary, right?” He said to me as if I were a young child

  Then he firmly gripped my shoulders.

  As if pleading, he said to me.

  “So, next time you meet her, you should properly convey your gratitude.”

  I did not answer him.

  I really did not know which answer I should give him.

  Then, without waiting for my answer, my father stood straight and looked at Duke Raven.

  “You can stay here until you turn 20. However, I will have to move you out secretly before you turn 18. So be prepared.”

  They might have communicated with each other.

  Then, he turned to me. With a calm voice, he said to me.

  “It is about time for me to go. Do you have any questions for me?”

  I knew at that time, I could only ask one question of him.

  Time was running out.

  I did not even have time to think.

  So, ignoring hundreds of questions I had prepared beforehand, I asked the first question that came to my mind.

  “Father, what is going on in the outside world?”

  Then, with a warm smile, he said.

  “The world is about to end. And we are doing our best to prevent it.”

  His voice brought assurance to me.

  Then, he extended his hand to caress my head.

  “That is all. Train well; as you are now, you won't be able to survive.”

  After that, he walked away toward Duke Raven.

  As they talked, he handed Duke Raven something.

  It was the pass to the sanctuary.

  As the rule suggests, no man shall enter the sanctuary.

  However, I could be here because I was not treated as a man.

  I am just a boy.

  That was the loophole we exploited through wordplay.

  However, there was another exception.

  It was something the first saintess created for her Holy Knight.

  ‘As of today, I shall stay here. No man shall enter here. However, I could not disconnect from the outside world.

  So, I shall give you a pass. Only the one who holds this pass can enter as my quest.’

  After she said that, she gave the pass to her Holy Knight.

  Then, he safeguarded it from the first emperor until the first saintess' passing away.

  That was the rule that no one, not even the first emperor, not even the Pope, could break.

  After Duke Raven received the pass, he came to me.

  He and I watched my father depart with David in silence.

  After the long gone, Duke Raven turned to look at me.

  “I hope you solved all your doubts, your highness.”

  His voice… it was as if he was probing into something from me.

  Without turning to him, with my eyes fixed on the direction my father had departed, I asked him. “Duke Raven, was I in the wrong?”

  He did not answer immediately.

  He was hesitant at first.

  Then, he decided to be honest with me.

  “.... more than wrong. However, you are forgiven. So, don't mind too much. Just behave well later.”

  Having him confirm it for me, I turned to look at him.

  I really did not know anything anymore.

  I decided to seek a solution from him.

  “What should I do?”

  In reply, he satisfyingly smiled at me.

  “Train hard. Become as strong, no, stronger than us.”

  That was his solution.

  That was his suggestion to me.

  So, I readily accepted it.

  “I will.”

  Then, as if he had made up his mind, he firmly told me about some news from the outside world.

  “Your Highness, a monster was born.”

  Hearing him prash it like that, I asked back immediately.

  “Monster?”

  Was the monster he referred to the one my father hinted at to me?

  Father said the world was about to end, and Duke Raven spoke of a monster being born.

  Were they related?

  That was my real intention in asking the question.

  I was not sure if he caught on to my real intention, yet he just nodded at him.

  Then, he explained about that monster.

  He said as if he were telling a tale.

  “An individual who is capable of dual-wielding Aura and divinity.”

  “Strong enough to be the top guardian knight, yet also found the way of the sword.”

  “He possesses both golden wings and aura blades.”

  “The first in recorded history.”

  At the end, he added.

  “He is only one year your senior.”

  “I hope this news can motivate you.”

  I could not believe it.

  Was he just making up a story just to encourage me?

  So, I asked him.

  “Is this fiction?”

  There was no way someone could use divinity and aura simultaneously.

  These two powers were known to conflict with each other.

  I still knew that when the sword master first appeared, the main church even branded them as monsters or heretics.

  It was only after the first swordmaster demonstrated his overwhelming might that the main church and the empire realized their worth.

  After that, they actively promote the use of Aura and the birth of new sword masters.

  Yet, never once had anyone been able to use divinity and aura simultaneously.

  And he told me not only that that person could harmonize these two powers, but also master them.

  Being able to find one's own way with the sword already guarantees that person will soon accede to the swordmaster.

  Yet, he was also the top of the elite force of the main church?

  Just a single one of them could rival a hundred or even a thousand imperial knights?

  On top of that, he could manifest the aura blade that even some swordmasters could not do.

  He even possessed the golden wings that exist only in myth?

  Had the clergy faction created such a monster?

  Even a lie should know its limit.

  Yet, I knew Duke Raven was not joking.

  With a powerful look, he gave me a stern warning.

  “Only a selected few know about it.”

  I felt chill when I heard that.

  Am I going to fight such a monster?

  Wasn’t he already at the level of the demon king?

  No, was he a demon king?