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Chapter 41: The Same Kind
Ferda had a dream. It wasn’t a vague or jumbled dream, but a memory-based one. It was something that had happened before, though it was so small and unimportant that he had left it forgotten in a corner of his mind.
The memory started on a balcony. Beyond the balcony, black smoke rose from various places inside the empire’s walls. The bombs hidden within the empire had finally exploded, and rebellion was breaking out everywhere.
A woman stood there, watching it all. She stood on the edge of the balcony, staring down like someone in a daze. She looked like a tragic figure.
“The empire is burning. Completely and utterly…”
Ferda quietly observed the woman.
“Are you happy now?”
She asked him, her voice filled with resentment as if everything happening were Ferda’s fault.
Ferda let out a small laugh at her shamelessness.
“They are dying because of you, Olivia Arken. If you hadn’t acted, they wouldn’t have had to suffer like this.”
Olivia Arken. The empire’s most beautiful woman. A devoted follower of the god Alte. The one known as the embodiment of purity. Yet, she was the very person who had raised a sword against the empire. If she hadn’t taken action, there would have been no screams within the Empire’s great walls.
“I thought we would succeed.” Her voice was distant, as if lost in thought.
“If I could persuade my little brother and stir up the people… Yes, it could have worked. The rebellion could have ended easily.”
She turned her head. With golden hair and blue eyes, Olivia Arken smiled brightly.
“But then… you appeared and destroyed the balance.”
Despite her smile, red stains covered her face. Blood. But it wasn’t her own blood. It belonged to the owner of this room—the First Prince—who lay dead on the bed with his pants half-lowered. He had died by the dagger in Olivia’s hand.
The First Prince was dead. The Second Prince was now a traitor. If the rebellion failed, he would be publicly executed. And Olivia… She would not die.
“Instead, I’ll become a plaything for the emperor. I’ll be put up for sale like a cheap object, used to gain loyalty from others.”
“Just like my beloved sister was.” Olivia whispered softly, almost too quietly to hear.
“So, I have an offer for you.” She held out her hand. Her silk gloves, once white, were now drenched in blood, dripping red.
“Before I would have been sold at such a filthy auction… would you hold me?”
Ferda didn’t answer. Not because he was hesitating, but because it wasn’t worth answering. After a long pause, Olivia withdrew her hand.
“I see… You really do hate me.”
She was right. Ferda disliked Olivia. He had felt it the first time they met, and every time after that.
“Why?”
His feelings weren’t based on forced hatred or jealousy.
“Because you are like me.”
It was a hatred that came from recognizing their similarities. Ferda hated Rosnova for exiling him. Olivia hated her own family. Ferda found her life, which mirrored his own, utterly repulsive. Maybe, deep down, Ferda had always known something was wrong with himself.
“I see. Because we are the same, we will forever run in parallel worlds.” Olivia sighed in resignation. Yet, her smile never faded. That smile was her mask. A mask created over many years of hatred and murderous intent. It would never break, not even in death.
“What a shame. I thought you might be different.” Her smile fading into sadness. Then Olivia let herself fall backward. She threw her body down, into the burning empire below.
When Ferda opened his eyes, he saw an unfamiliar yet luxurious ceiling above him. He turned his head and saw the imperial palace. Surrounding him were guards and high-ranking knights.
“Oh my, you’ve woken up.”
A sweet voice greeted him. A woman with golden hair closed the book she had been reading and smiled. Olivia Arken. Her beauty was famous across the empire, and her smile alone was enough to make it seem like flowers bloomed around her.
Ferda sat up and asked,
“How long was I unconscious?”
“Hmm, about three hours.”
*”Three hours…” Something felt strange. For being unconscious that long, his body felt too refreshed. Even when he had been healed by Ruri before, he had never felt this way.
“Is this your first time receiving treatment from our Alte church?”
“Yes.”
“Hehe, I thought so. The priests in the imperial palace are all of bishop rank. When they borrow the light of our god, it feels like getting a brand-new body.”
“I see.” Ferda was impressed. In his past life, he had never let anyone heal him. He had never trusted anyone enough to touch his body, even if it meant dying.
“Now I understand why healing magic from priests is considered the best.” He even considered bringing a priest into his castle.
*”According to the rescue teams…” Olivia shifted the topic to the sealed storage.
“Magic investigator Yuren is dead, and the regent was badly injured.”
“Yes.”
“The reports say that Yuren’s corpse was holding an ice spellbook and showed signs of demon possession. Does that mean he fell to the temptation of a demon?”
Ferda nodded.
“Yes.”
“I see… A magic investigator, falling to a demon’s whispers… You were lucky to survive.” Olivia gazed at Ferda and gently placed her hand over his. Ferda glanced down at her hand. His own hands were small for a noble of a knightly family, but they were even smaller and thinner.
“So, you’re saying that Yuren fell into corruption and attacked you?”
Ferda looked directly into her eyes.
“No, that’s not the right way to see it.”
“What do you mean?”
“He didn’t attack me because he was corrupted. He was already planning to kill me. Corruption was just a means to achieve that goal.”
“Oh… So he intended to kill you from the start?”
The trembling eyes seemed uncertain. But Ferda knew. She already understood everything about this situation. Because Olivia was the only one who wanted this.
“Yes. From the beginning, he led me into the sealed vault to attack me.”
“Why?”
“To kill me. He needed a reason to justify it, saying that I couldn’t resist the temptations of the sealed vault.”
At those words, Olivia’s eyes widened.
“Killing someone… How could he do something so cruel? What would he even gain from killing the Regent?”
“I wonder.”
Ferda smiled gently and asked her,
“Would you mind telling me?”
Olivia’s face stiffened for a moment. Their blue eyes locked onto each other, silently probing each other’s intentions. After a long moment of silence, Olivia raised her hand.
“Knight Commander.”
“Yes.”
“Can I speak privately for a moment? Just the two of us.”
“Just the two of you…?”
“Yes. Just us.”
The Knight Commander looked troubled. Olivia gazed at him with eyes that seemed moist and pleading.
“Please?”
Seeing her eyes, the Knight Commander blushed slightly and nodded as if enchanted.
“…Understood. As Your Highness wishes.”
“Thank you, truly.”
The guards stationed in the room quickly exited. Olivia’s damp blue eyes blinked once at the Knight Commander. And in that moment, the imperial flower, the pure princess, vanished entirely.
*”I see…” Olivia’s voice, once soft and gentle, sank into something entirely different. Even Ferda felt a chill run down his spine at how much she had changed.
“You think I ordered Yuren to assassinate you?”
She was sharp. It wasn’t just her reputation—she truly was an intelligent woman. Ferda had expected her to stall and avoid answering properly. Instead, she immediately gave the most effective response in this tense situation. It was a blow to Ferda, who had planned to use this as an opportunity to accuse her and cause an uproar.
“This is the first time I’ve spoken like this with someone. Especially a man.”
“So, will you tell me, Your Highness?” Ferda’s tone was laced with sarcasm.
Olivia no longer wore a foolish smile.
“Yes, I did have a connection with Yuren. He did many things for me.”
Magical investigators had access to the sealed vault. Inside, forbidden magic, dark magic, and dangerous knowledge were stored. Some of that knowledge could be used as leverage against the empire, exposing its weaknesses.
“But if I say that Yuren’s actions were just excessive loyalty gone wrong… would you believe me?”
“I was nearly killed just moments ago.” Would he believe that?
Olivia nodded calmly.
“Once, I spoke with him about this. About what could deal the greatest blow to this empire… Specifically, what could shake the Emperor’s authority the most. How could I…”
She smiled softly, like a girl dreaming of a long-held wish. It was an expression filled with pure emotion.
“How could I kill the Emperor?”
An ordinary person would have been horrified by her twisted expression. But Ferda understood. His mouth felt bitter.
“Using the Prince was one of my scenarios, yes. He was really disappointed by the Arken family once before, wasn’t he? If we disappointed him again, the emperor would have no chance of survival.”
“Then, if I die, your plan would be perfect.”
“Of course not.” She leaned in slightly. A faint but elegant fragrance drifted from her.
“And now, standing face to face with you, I’m even more certain that my plan was wrong.”
“How so?”
“You dislike me.”
A sharp light flickered beneath her gentle blue eyes.
“I can feel it. From the moment we first met, you have hated me—not because you’re too childish to show your emotions, but because you truly, deeply dislike me.” She smiled slightly.
“You don’t seem to like innocent women. Women who are a little naive, helpless on their own. Most men fall for that kind of woman.”
Ferda didn’t respond. Olivia didn’t seem to expect an answer.
“There are many people who would give me everything. But none who actually see me.”
Ferda disliked her. That’s why he didn’t fall for her charms or tricks. That’s why he saw her for what she truly was.
“I need someone like that. Not a servant, but a partner.”
“A servant would be more convenient.”
“Yuren was my servant. But blind loyalty often causes problems. They try too hard to please me, doing things I never asked for.”
Olivia sighed as if she had a headache.
“One noble even sold all his assets just to buy me a million roses.” A true romantic.
“And who was that?”
“I don’t know. I had him executed before I could ask his name.” A truly pitiful man.
“I don’t need someone who would sell their castle or turn their people into slaves just to impress me. They are useless for my ultimate goal.”
On the surface, it sounded like she was advocating for the common people. But Ferda knew better. Olivia would start a rebellion that would lead to countless deaths.
“And yet, you tried to raise dark wizards?”
“Oh my, did you suspect that too?” She covered her mouth and blinked innocently. Of course. She wanted the empire to collapse.
“…That’s a little disappointing. Well then, I’ll just have to prove my sincerity.”
She lowered her head, pressing her hand over Ferda’s. Mana surged from Olivia’s body, expertly condensing along her right arm.
In that moment, something remarkable happened. Ferda saw it clearly. A bright white symbol appeared on the back of her hand.
“Do you know what this is?”
“…A Holy Mark.” A blessing of the gods. A mark granted to those who made an absolute vow to the divine. It bestowed immense power but was given only to those truly worthy.
“This is called the Vow of Vengeance. According to Alte’s doctrine, vengeance must be directed only at those who violate the divine will, never at the innocent.”
Her vow was to protect the common people. Her vengeance was against the Emperor and her brothers. It also meant she had no connection to dark wizards. If she had, her Holy Mark wouldn’t shine so purely.
“There are too many who cry ‘dark magic’ at every little thing these days. But dark wizards are nothing more than victims. I wouldn’t even bother using them.”
“I see.”
“And if I wanted to destroy the royal family, I wouldn’t use such a foolish method. Dark wizards only harm civilians, which would only strengthen the Emperor’s power.”
Olivia touched her lips thoughtfully.
“If someone benefits from dark wizards appearing… it must be my little brother.”
“The second prince?”
“Yes. He wants to strengthen the military. Every conquest is just a way to build more power. If an external threat emerges, he’ll use it to bring his allies into the empire.”
Ferda found himself once again impressed by her insight. Even though he already knew she wasn’t foolish. If he hadn’t been around, she probably would have succeeded in killing the Emperor.
“In any case, I’ll make sure you aren’t blamed for Yuren’s death. And I’ll handle the lost books from the vault. If I continue proving myself, will that be enough for you?”
This woman already knows. She knows that Ferda also had a purpose for entering the sealed vault.
“Would someone with the divine mark be left to become a dark magician?”
“Oh, so you think I’m guilty of that?” She smiled and blinked.
Ferda understood. She wanted the empire to crumble.
“If the goddess of light, Alte, liked suspicion over certainty, she would have given it to me long ago. I don’t even know how it was leaked, but I’ll never doubt you as long as you serve the people.”
In other words, it was fine if she didn’t act.
“So, will you continue to cooperate with me?” Olivia Arken made her proposal.
“I know the local lords dislike the emperor’s actions. The Eastern provinces, especially, are deeply divided. I believe you will agree. If you cooperate with me, I’ll support the Eastern provinces and help you gain influence there.”
She squeezed her hands together. Her face added a hint of allure.
“You’ll find me a valuable ally, or even more.”
The lure of her presence grew stronger. Now, Ferda understood why men couldn’t resist women. Even though she knew it was all calculated, Olivia naturally pulled on their instincts.
“I understand. Then I’ll use my power this time.”
“Thank you. But… you said you’d use your power?”
As Olivia asked, the corridor suddenly became noisy.
Intruder detected! Level 1 alarm triggered! All units prepare for battle!
That was fast. Ferda quickly withdrew her hand from Olivia’s and stood up from the bed. Suddenly, something came to mind. He turned to Olivia.
“You said I dislike you, right?”
“Yes? Oh, right.”
“I like pure people.”
With that, Ferda walked out of the room.
