Chapter 91
Silence remained between them.
The ruined sanctuary no longer shook.
No swords moved.
No spells erupted.
Only dust drifted through the broken pillars.
And between them—
years of history.
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The Lord stared at John.
John stared back.
Neither looked away.
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Lord: "...Let her go."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
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Lord: "I expected those words eventually."
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John remained silent.
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The Lord let out a quiet laugh.
Not mocking.
Not amused.
Just tired.
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Lord: "Tell me something."
His eyes drifted toward the unconscious Princess.
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Lord: "Are you in love with her?"
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Silence.
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No answer.
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Several seconds passed.
Still nothing.
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The Lord laughed again.
This time louder.
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Lord: "You're serious."
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The sound echoed through the sanctuary.
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Lord: "After everything..."
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Lord: "...you're actually serious."
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John's expression never changed.
That answer was enough.
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The Lord slowly shook his head.
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Lord: "Do you know what the funniest part is?"
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His gaze lifted toward the shattered ceiling.
As if looking through years of memories.
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Lord: "At first, you were exactly what I expected."
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Lord: "Focused."
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Lord: "Reliable."
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Lord: "Loyal."
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Lord: "You never questioned the mission."
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A pause.
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Lord: "Then I sent you into the royal palace."
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Lord: "A servant."
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Lord: "A gardener."
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Lord: "A nobody."
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Lord: "Someone no one would ever notice."
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His eyes returned to John.
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Lord: "Your task was simple."
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Lord: "Watch the Princess."
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Lord: "Gather information."
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Lord: "Find where the Stone Gods were hidden."
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Lord: "Report everything."
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A faint smile appeared.
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Lord: "And you succeeded."
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Lord: "Without your information, taking the six Stone Gods would have been far more difficult."
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Lord: "Instead..."
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Lord: "We took them from beneath an entire kingdom's nose."
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The smile disappeared.
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Lord: "Perfect."
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A long silence followed.
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Lord: "Then your reports became slower."
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Lord: "And slower."
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Lord: "And slower."
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His eyes hardened.
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Lord: "You started withholding information."
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John didn't deny it.
Because he couldn't.
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Lord: "At first, I thought you were being cautious."
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Lord: "Then I thought you had discovered something important."
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Lord: "Then I convinced myself there must be a reason."
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A bitter laugh escaped him.
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Lord: "Every single time..."
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Lord: "...I found another excuse to trust you."
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The wind passed through the ruined sanctuary.
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Lord: "Do you know why?"
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For the first time, John spoke.
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John: "...I never betrayed you."
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Lord: "Shut up."
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The words weren't shouted.
They were worse.
Cold.
Instant.
Final.
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Lord: "Giving your sword to a Justice worshipper."
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Lord: "Stopping the ritual."
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Lord: "Standing here and asking me to spare the Princess."
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His gaze locked onto John's.
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Lord: "If that isn't betrayal..."
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Lord: "...then what is?"
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Silence.
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Lord: "Everyone else could have betrayed me."
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Lord: "Not you."
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The words landed harder than any strike.
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Lord: "When I started noticing it..."
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His eyes briefly moved toward the Princess.
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Lord: "The way you looked at her."
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Lord: "The way you protected her."
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Lord: "The way you hesitated."
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Lord: "I knew something had changed."
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A pause.
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Lord: "And still..."
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A quiet laugh escaped him.
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Lord: "I trusted you."
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John lowered his eyes slightly.
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John: "...It doesn't matter what I feel for her."
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Lord: "Then what does?"
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John finally looked at him.
John: "The people."
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John: "The lives being destroyed."
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His voice remained calm.
John: "...I saw what ordinary people were suffering through."
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Silence.
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Lord: "So?"
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His voice sharpened.
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Lord: "What about our sufferings?"
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Lord: "A few smiling faces?"
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Lord: "And suddenly years of preparation mean nothing?"
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John said nothing.
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The Lord stepped forward.
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TAP.
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Lord: "You knew what was at stake."
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Another step.
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Lord: "You knew what this ritual meant."
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Another.
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Lord: "You knew what we were fighting for."
His eyes locked onto John.
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Lord: "Stopping this ritual means allowing the prophecy to come true."
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John didn't deny it.
Because it was true.
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The Lord stopped only a few meters away.
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Lord: "…And now you're asking me to let her go."
His gaze shifted toward the unconscious Princess.
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The wind howled through the shattered sanctuary.
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Neither moved.
And yet the silence between them felt heavier than any battle.
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The Lord's voice lowered.
Calm.
Dangerously calm.
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Lord: "Tell me, John…"
A long pause.
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Lord: "What's your plan now?"
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Lord: "Let the prophecy come true?"
A faint step forward.
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Lord: "And take the suffering of everything we endured… and call it justice?"
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Silence.
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Then—
Lord: "Remember, John…"
His voice softened, but sharpened underneath.
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Lord: "It's not only about me."
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Lord: "…It's about you too."
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A pause.
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Lord: "Are you willing to sacrifice your mother for humanity?"
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The question lingered.
Not as a threat.
Not as a challenge.
But as something far more personal.
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And for the first time—
John didn't answer immediately.
...Chapter 91 End...