Sometimes, learning something can be painful.

Unfortunately, the truth often falls into that category.

*

“…Wait, please give me some time to talk to that person,” Sylvia requested.

Yoon Si-woo hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding his head.

“…The words you just said, that’s a lie, right?”

“Why would I lie to you, miss?” Sator replied with a smile.

Sylvia clenched her teeth at his answer. Although he was smiling, she noticed the deep-seated anger and hatred in his eyes whenever he looked at Scarlet.

She recalled the day when Sator had recommended a book to her titled Rage.

‘How about giving this book a read? I found it quite moving.’

The author’s near-mad obsession, resentment, and anger towards witches were evident in the book. If Sator found it moving, he must have been deeply influenced by it as well.

If Scarlet was truly a weapon created by Astra using the heart fragment of the Rage Witch, that would certainly explain why Sator displayed such feelings towards her.

Since childhood, Sylvia had encountered many people approaching her because of her background, which made her instinctively scrutinize whether people’s words were sincere during conversations.

Her heightened senses as a superhuman yielded quite a high accuracy in her assessments.

That’s why she couldn’t help but be so deeply shocked by Sator’s words, as they appeared to hold truth.

Observing the agitated Sylvia, Sator murmured sympathetically.

“I truly apologize, miss. The friend sitting in that chair is responsible for stealing the experimental subject that set fire to the lab and helped it escape. It seems you really thought of it as a friend, didn’t you? It was my mistake not to prevent a subject infused with the remains of a witch from approaching you.”

Sylvia couldn’t comprehend how Sator could apologize in the midst of being caught in a crime scene.

But more than that, she was baffled by the words spilling from his mouth.

Her friend, suspended in a small cage-like prison with her hands and feet bound.

The first person who had approached her without any ulterior motives, wanting to be friends, turned out to be an experimental subject manufactured by a family. That was simply too hard for Sylvia to accept.

Yet Sylvia desperately gathered her composure, trying to understand the situation.

“…When you almost fought with the elder at the mansion last time, were you talking about a plan related to Scarlet?”

Sator’s expression shifted to one of surprise.

“You heard about it, huh? Originally, it was a secret that only the elders and I were supposed to know in the family, but since we’ve talked this much, it seems the secrets have lost their meaning. To answer your question, yes. Its official name is the Witch Weaponization Plan. It’s a plan to create a powerful biological weapon that can harness the power of the Rage Witch.”

“Are you out of your mind? A biological weapon that can use a witch’s powers? You’re saying the family is pushing through with a plan that sounds like something a madman would come up with?”

Though Sylvia had suspected that many things were happening within the family that she wasn’t aware of, she never imagined something as outrageous as this could be taking place. She exclaimed in disbelief.

Seeing Sylvia’s reaction, Sator smiled widely.

“Do you know, miss? This entire plan was set in motion because of you!”

Sylvia froze.

Slowly, she glanced at Sator, her voice trembling with shock.

“What… did you say? For me?”

Sator’s expression turned nostalgic.

“There was a time when everyone in Astra was in despair, believing that the World Tree no longer responded to us because we couldn’t protect it. The rumors were that we could never regain Astra’s glory. But eleven years ago, you showed us otherwise. You revealed that Astra had not been forsaken by the World Tree, with that brilliant starlight.”

It seemed as though Sator vividly recalled that moment, trembling in excitement.

“I still remember that moment clearly. It was a light of hope. Hope that Astra could become great again. I realized that if we missed this opportunity, we would never have another chance. The World Tree was sending its final revelation. Even though the Eternal Forest was burned by the Rage Witch, the connection to the World Tree still remained in that land. Thus, we had to reclaim that land and return to the greatness of Astra.”

Sator continued to speak.

“But in the north, there were raging beasts that wielded fire everywhere. Due to those beasts, the humans rejected our request to expand the northern borders, claiming that the ravaged land was not worth reclaiming. It must have been unthinkable for them to refuse Astra before. We had to retrieve that land solely by Astra’s power. That’s when I recalled the unique characteristics of the beasts of rage.”

His eyes gleamed behind his glasses.

“The beasts of rage cannot harm those who possess stronger powers of rage than themselves. Intermediate cannot harm advanced, and advanced cannot harm high-level. So I devised a plan. What if we could create a weapon capable of approaching the powers of a witch? We could certainly reclaim our land. I presented my plan to the elders, and they approved it. Thus, the Witch Weaponization Plan commenced.”

Sylvia trembled as she looked into his brightly shining eyes.

“So, Miss Sylvia, it was thanks to you that all of this plan could begin! You were the one who showed the light of hope in despair! You will go to the land I reclaim with this weapon and become the glorious head of Astra once again!”

Sator’s ecstatic demeanor seemed akin to that of a fanatic.

He never even asked for her opinion, assuming she would just go along with his plans.

Sylvia had never even thought about becoming the head of Astra, nor did she have any desire to participate in such a plan.

However, the thought that the plan was initiated because of her left her feeling suffocated.

Emotions swirled within her, but she fought to overcome them and shouted.

“…The elders definitely told you to stop that plan!”

Pointing out the argument she had had with the elder, Sator’s actions came to a sudden halt.

His joy-filled face contorted into one resembling a demon.

Slowly scratching his neck, he stared intently at Sylvia.

“…That’s right. Back then, everyone agreed, but suddenly changed their stance after several years. They’re traitors who only care for their own safety without genuinely thinking about Astra’s well-being.”

Then, just as suddenly as before, a bright smile returned to Sator’s face, making Sylvia’s body shake in trepidation.

“But I have no intention of giving up on this plan. As long as you are alright with it, I will take care of all the dirty work. I am the one who truly cares for Astra! All you have to do is lead the great Astra that I will build!”

That attitude was indeed reminiscent of a zealot.

His eyes shimmered with madness, causing Sylvia to struggle to find her voice.

“…I…”

At that moment, Yoon Si-woo, who had been quietly standing beside her, spoke up.

“Do you know the oath taken during the official hero ceremony at the academy when they graduate?”

Sylvia nodded slightly at the sudden question.

The hero ceremony, a traditional event held every year upon graduation from the academy, included a moment where true heroes pledged their oath to announce their status to the world.

Surely, no child had failed to imagine themselves reciting that during the ceremony.

“Then you must also know the second phrase, right?”

Recalling the hero’s oath she had heard every year, Sylvia finally managed to speak.

“…Uncle Sator, this is an order as the heir of Astra.”

Sylvia’s eyes focused on Scarlet, who hung beside Sator.

She had promised.

If there was something she couldn’t resolve with her power, then she would help no matter the cost.

[Here I vow that I will not abandon my comrades, no matter the circumstances.]

That was the second phrase of the [Hero’s Oath].

“From today, that plan is hereby halted. So please release my friend at once.”

At Sylvia’s words, Sator’s expression hardened.

His hand that had been scratching his neck began to move more quickly.

“That cannot be, it cannot be… You must not do this, miss…”

Muttering with bloodshot eyes while continuously scratching his neck, Sator murmured.

“It cannot be. Astra will become great again. The plan must continue. But a friend? This being was born from the Rage Witch! It took everything from Astra!”

Scratching and scratching, he shouted.

“But, but, but! How can you, the heir of Astra, who should resent and hate the Rage Witch more than anyone, say such things? If it’s a homunculus made from the fragment of a witch’s heart, it should be used until its body shatters and then die miserably in revenge!!! How can you speak of friendship!!!”

Then suddenly, his body froze in place.

And Sator laughed.

His gaze turned sideways,

Towards Scarlet, who was suspended.

“Is that so, is that so, is that so. Is it still incomplete? Don’t worry, miss. I will soon resolve all of your confusions.”

And he plunged the syringe he was holding towards Scarlet’s neck.

Bing!

“What is this?!”

Sator shouted furiously when the syringe hit something.

Underneath Scarlet’s feet, a large sword was embedded in the iron bars on the floor.

A shield made from the Holy Sword of Protection enveloped her body.

Yoon Si-woo, who had thrown the Holy Sword to protect Scarlet, looked at Sator with an impassive face.

Whether it was a witch or a subject of experimentation didn’t matter to him.

What was important was that Scarlet, whom he had sworn to protect, was in danger because of someone.

Though he had listened patiently thus far because it involved a classmate’s family, it was becoming quite a burden.

Fortunately, that man had provided him with a justifiable reason not to endure any longer.

“What’s in that syringe, it’s magical energy, isn’t it?”

Yoon Si-woo recognized the black energy filling the syringe that Sator held.

The thought that he had attempted to inject something so dangerous into Scarlet’s body made his anger flare up, and he clenched his fists.

“Those who attempt to use magic for nefarious purposes will be considered terrorists, and as a hero, it’s permissible to execute them on the spot without a report. I, Yoon Si-woo, a first-year student at Aegis Academy, will now eliminate the terrorist.”

With those words, Yoon Si-woo took a step forward.

As his foot moved decisively, a flustered Sator turned to Sylvia and shouted.

“Executing someone from Astra on the spot, what nonsense! Miss Sylvia! Please stop this rascal! Haven’t I told you?! Everything I did was for you! To make you the head of the family! I wanted you to live happily!”

At those words, the Sword of Truth reacted, and Yoon Si-woo declared without hesitation.

“That’s a lie.”

He’d been noisy about doing this for her sake since the beginning.

The very idea that someone who seemed to operate solely for their own desires could say such things was laughable.

Sator’s face hardened at Yoon Si-woo’s assertion.

Sator tried to gauge Sylvia’s reaction, but she merely looked at him with cold eyes.

As Yoon Si-woo’s steps didn’t falter, Sator shouted once again.

“It’s a plan that will benefit all humanity! The sacrifices of heroes will decrease! Once we reclaim the land of Astra, we can save countless people! This is not a plan that you have the right to obstruct!”

The Sword of Truth responded to his words.

“That’s a lie.”

Yoon Si-woo spoke again without hesitation.

“To be honest, you haven’t thought that, have you? Kidnapping people and torturing them while babbling about humanity. Besides, Scarlet is a far better hero than anyone. A hero would never wish for someone else to sacrifice in their place.”

Sator scratched frantically at his throat.

Blood droplets splattered from his neck, but a twisted smile remained on his face.

With a mocking tone, Sator shouted.

“A hero? A hero? Is that thing made from a witch’s heart fragment a hero? Don’t make me laugh! If you keep thinking like that, it will become a seed of misfortune that will eventually burn everything around you! Just like how it burned down my entire lab! You fool!”

At those words, the Sword of Truth reacted, and this time Yoon Si-woo hesitated for a moment.

“That, too, is a lie.”

What he said didn’t change.

“This is not a lie!”

Sator shouted like a madman as Yoon Si-woo stepped within arm’s reach of him.

But Yoon Si-woo ignored the voice he heard.

“No, it’s a lie.”

Instead of paying attention to that voice, the boy chose to express his own thoughts.

It was both a change and a resolution.

“I won’t let things happen this way.”

The boy’s sword swung.