Clang!
The metal door opened as a guard stepped into the dungeon cell.
"Here's your food. Can't have you dying on us, now, can we?" he spoke in a nonchalant manner, but his muscles were evidently tensed as he tossed the plate of white rice next to Cronos's feet.
Cronos sat on the bed — if you could call it that — staring at the plate with a hollow expression. He glanced at the guard before lowering his head.
The guard sighed. "I hope you can redeem yourself, Headguard Cronos. I really didn't expect this from you."
With that, he turned around and left. It seemed as if he was scared that Cronos would retaliate and he would be in trouble.
Of course, Cronos could not. His wrists and ankles were bound by Vyr-separation chains. He could not utilize Vyr to use any of his techniques, nor could he unleash any normal attacks using the ambient Vyr.
While he did have techniques that didn't require the use of Vyr, none of those techniques had the offensive power to destroy these chains, much less escape this dungeon.
Even if Cronos wasn't bound by the chains, escaping this place was nearly impossible. The dungeons had nine layers, and he was stationed in a cell of the ninth layer. This was also the deepest layer in the dungeon.
The deeper the layer, the worse the prisoner's life. If he were in the first layer or second layer, his cell wouldn't be so crude. The Vyr-separation chains wouldn't even be this strong. With Cronos's strength, he could probably break free from those chains with his bare hands.
However, these chains were meant to restrain even semi-spiritual lifeforms, and Cronos was not even that. How could he hope to break free?
He sighed, bending down to pick up the plate of rice. He knew that the rebels were currently being dealt with by the king and his army, so all he had to do was wait for them to uncover that he wasn't actually the traitor.
Of course, Cronos had tried to convince the king many times throughout the days he was imprisoned, but the king never truly visited him. Even when he told the guards to tell this to the king, the guards would flat-out refuse.
Cronos also felt some regret in his heart. Had he told the king about how the rebels tried to recruit him beforehand, he wouldn't have been suspected of being a traitor. Why would the rebels try recruiting him when he was already working for them as a spy?
Yet, he didn't get the opportunity to do so. He was aware that there were still spies hidden in the kingdom, and now, he had taken the blame for them.
Did the rebels also predict this? Cronos couldn't help but think that this was another ploy that they would use to try to recruit him. After all, Aethelgard had turned their back on him; why would he still support them?
By using certain circumstances to direct suspicions on Cronos, the rebels would then isolate him from the rest of Aethelgard, to the point of him being imprisoned. They would then use this isolation as a reason for him to join the rebellion.
As for why they were so fixated on him, he couldn't tell. The grandmaster of this rebellion saw him as a good fit who could help them, but he didn't know why.
Was it his talent? Or was it, as that man had said, his love for Aethelgard as a whole? He doubted it was the latter. No one would recruit anyone just for their determination or love alone. They needed to show some promise, whether through talent or effort.
Cronos pondered over the situation as he stuffed the white rice in his mouth. Thankfully, the rice was still clean and comfortable to eat. He felt that he could live with this as long as the rebels were defeated and his innocence was proven.
At the same time, he recalled Sofamy's reaction when he was imprisoned. She burst into his cell and asked if he was okay. Out of everyone in the kingdom, only she seemed to believe him when he said that he wasn't the traitor.
Despite her words, however, no one took her and Cronos's side. In fact, the king later even told her not to visit his cell ever again. Cronos was in anguish initially, but he gradually calmed down, deciding to wait till the evidence of his innocence was present.
He had always been a patient man. Throughout several instances in life, he had persevered and faced countless crises to protect Sofamy, to kill his enemies, and to also serve his kingdom the best he could.
He didn't know what his parents even looked like, as they had died long before he could even learn how to speak. From the very beginning, he had been raised by the kingdom, trained by the kingdom, nurtured by the kingdom, and cared for by the kingdom.
In exchange, Cronos offered his undying loyalty to the empire. Protecting Sofamy was a duty loved by him not only because of how close the two of them were, but also because this way, he could contribute to his kingdom.
Now, however, he felt a sense of sadness. He couldn't protect Sofamy, nor could he contribute his life to the empire. Due to this, his anger towards the rebels soared.
Suddenly, a soft bang resounded in his cell. Cronos stood up and placed the white rice on the bed. He narrowed his eyes as he turned to a certain part of the ground, where a square was formed thanks to the cracks in the land.
The square was then thrown upwards as a hole appeared on the ground. Cronos jolted as he carefully approached the hole. The chains binding his wrists and ankles were huge, allowing some level of movement.
As he stood only five steps away from the hole, a head suddenly emerged from it.
It belonged to a woman with peerless beauty. Her long, dirty-blonde hair draped down to her waist, which was still inside the hole. Her eyes were ocean-blue and were shining with brilliance.
Cronos's eyes widened as his gaze met with the woman's spotless skin, dazzling eyes, and shining hair that was tied in a tight bun. It wasn't her sparkling features that shocked him, but who this person was.
"Princess Sofamy?!"
Sofamy hissed softly, placing her index finger on her lips. "Come on. Try not to make much noise."
Her whisper was soothing. Cronos pursed his lips, conflicted about whether to escape or not. If he did, the kingdom would surely come after him. Plus, it might implicate him even after his innocence is proven.
However, since Sofamy was the one urging him, Cronos relaxed his mind. He decided to place his trust in her. Why would she do something so risky if she didn't think of a backup plan?
He nodded as she went back into the hole, with him following after.
A small tunnel had been formed as the two squeezed their way out. After some time, they eventually found themselves in a tunnel big enough to hold a vast number of men simultaneously.
"What... how did you find this place, my lady?" He asked.
He had to. He didn't know Sofamy was capable of this. Was she receiving external help?
"I had my ways." She winked, showing a little cheekiness as she grabbed his hand and proceeded to move forward.
The two ran at a light pace as they traversed through the tunnel. It was lit up by several Magiprites on the walls of the tunnel.
"This is a hidden resource point for magic resources that was slowly forgotten about. Luckily, I found details of it after reading several books in the library. Combining all these historical books together, I was able to get a detailed account of this place. It seemed to be found in the early four thousand years after Aethelgard was established."
Cronos blinked. He didn't expect this place to have such importance to the kingdom. The resources here weren't too valuable, so he could somewhat understand why it was forgotten in the end, but it still showed that the kingdom had a deep foundation.
The ninth layer of the dungeons was created three hundred and fifty thousand years after the kingdom was established, meaning that this resource point was discovered fifty thousand years after the dungeons' complete construction.
Nearly seven hundred thousand years had passed since that time, so, surprisingly, Sofamy was able to find information on this place. Cronos smiled, praising her genius talent and thirst for knowledge in his mind.
Eventually, they reached a darker part of the tunnel. Sofamy stopped in her tracks, and so did Cronos.
She turned to him, a soft smile on her face. "We can escape this place. However, before that, I have a deep secret to tell you, Cronos. Can you please listen closely without getting angry?"
Her eyes shone with a strange light. Cronos gulped as he heard these words. What secret did she have that would make her fear that he would be mad?
"My lady, don't worry. I won't be angry," he replied with a smile, his gaze softened as he stared right at her ocean-blue eyes.
Sofamy stayed silent for a while, her eyes narrowed, as if sadness and guilt had taken over them. She pursed her lips before facing him with furrowed brows.
"For a long time, I have joined the rebels."
Silence.
Cronos blinked rapidly, poking his ears slightly to check if his hearing was correct. He even used [Appraisal] on himself to check for any hearing issues.
After finding none, his eyes widened, his pupils shrank to the size of a pin, as he stepped back slightly.
"Back when we were ambushed by the rebels, it was because I had revealed our location to the grandmaster. They planned this so that I could show that I was in danger, while slowly planting heavy suspicions of treachery on you in the hearts of the kingdom. This would isolate you and make you side with us." Her voice was soft, like a sad melody, yet Cronos couldn't find himself admiring it.
He already suspected the rebels' plan, but hearing it come out of Sofamy's mouth, he couldn't feel satisfied that his suspicions were true. The fact that she was with the rebels was too absurd.
"My... My lady... what are you saying? Those rebels... they are after the royal family. You are the princess. Why would you side with them?" His voice was shaky. His breathing was shallow, as if reality was too hard to accept.
Sofamy sighed heavily. "Because... because I saw Aethelgard's decline. I saw it long ago. Back when the rebel society was first created by the grandmaster, I was one of the first people to join the rebels. It's... It's because I felt that Aethelgard would be better as a republic than a monarchy."
She stepped forward slightly. "I am not clueless about the state of the kingdom, Cronos. I see the corruption, the drainage of wealth, the weakness in the military, and so much more. I have been seeing these problems since my twenties. I even learned of the many times Aethelgard's policies were reformed to fix these issues, yet none of them worked for long."
She sighed once more before continuing. "I realized that as a republic, Aethelgard would suffer far less from these issues than as a monarchy. A republic would give the rulers limited authority. They can't do whatever they want unless it benefits the kingdom. We simply want to create a peaceful society. We want to fix Aethelgard's political issues, military issues, financial issues, and also civil issues."
Her eyes shone with a resolute light. "Do you remember the child Marcus took in? The kid named Dolfordo? That child suffered thanks to the civil issues in our society. Imagine that kids like him won't have to suffer anymore because their society will be improved. That's what we want, and as long as we have a monarchy, this will never succeed."
Her voice hinted at her resolve as she grasped his hand with both of hers. "Cronos, long ago, I was the one who asked the grandmaster to convince you to join. Now, they are making attempts to convince you precisely because I asked. Now, here is our final attempt. My final attempt."
Cronos's eyes widened as he heard this, but as he opened his mouth to respond, he heard her speak, "Cronos. Oh Cronos. Know that I have always loved you. From the very beginning. The time that we have spent together will always remain precious to me. I didn't want to lose you. I don't want to lose you. I will never want to lose you. I don't want you to be a casualty in our fight against the kingdom. So please. Please! Join us. Join us and help us reform Aethelgard into a republic where people live happily and peacefully."
Her hands moved from his to grip his shirt, her delicate fingers digging deep into it. "The kingdom has abandoned you. They accused you of something you didn't do. I, however, have not abandoned you. I am with you! We are with you! The future Aethelgard is waiting for us. Please, make the right choice. Is it the kingdom, or me and Aethelgard's prosperity?"
Her eyes shed tears. Although they weren't much, they made his heart skip a beat. He didn't know how to consume this information properly. Sofamy, the princess, the one he swore to love and protect, was a rebel.
She rebelled against Aethelgard's legacy, against its customs, against its laws, against its structure, against its history, and against its history. Now, she was asking him to do the same, to join her and betray Aethelgard.
The accusations that the king gave him would become true, but it was Sofamy asking this. Surely, she wouldn't just join the rebels for no reason. She must have a valid reason, no?
And she did so much to have him join. She had the grandmaster take action just for him to join her. And now, at this crucial moment, he had one choice.
The kingdom or the rebellion.
Which one would he choose?
Which one would he antagonize?
After some deep breaths, his pinkish-grey eyes shone with a resolute light. "I have decided, Sofamy."
Sofamy's breath hitched. She had barely ever heard him address her by her name, and only when she forced him to. But now, he was addressing her this way by his own record.
"I still have many questions, but I shall put them aside for now. As for my answer, my loyalty to Aethelgard remains unharmed."
Her words made Sofamy widen her eyes as she let go of his shirt, stepping back. "What...? Why? The kingdom is against you. The rebels are actively welcoming you. We want Aethelgard to be—"
"Aethelgard can be prosperous as it is," Cronos interjected, his eyes narrowed.
"Even though the kingdom has deemed me a traitor, even though they locked me in the deepest level of the dungeon, I am not angry at them. I am sad, but not angry. I do not blame them, for I am aware that they are not to blame. It is the rebels who are to blame for this. They planned this, not the kingdom, as evident by your own words."
He raised his head high, his brows furrowed as his pupils expanded. "Aethelgard raised me. Aethelgard nurtured me. Aethelgard trained me. Aethelgard gave me a purpose in life. How can I be so selfish as to abandon them and join the rebels when all they did was give me a good life? A meaningful life."
He sighed. "If Aethelgard needs fixing, then I will merely help the kingdom fix itself. I do not require reforming Aethelgard to fix it. Aethelgard doesn't need reformation. There is no desperation required in life. There are only those who can't keep a cool head and come up with a reasonable solution. I know what I need to do. I don't need to join a rebellion when I can repair the broken state of my kingdom with better methods. With more appropriate methods."
He stepped forward. "Your father is already working on the issues of the kingdom. He is punishing corruption and taking down all instabilities. Why are you being ungrateful to the kingdom that raised you, nurtured you, helped you, and took care of you the best way they could? Why are you being ungrateful to your ancestors? Why are you being ungrateful to your customs and Aethelgard's legacy? Why are you being ungrateful to your abilities, which were refined by Aethelgard?"
He sighed heavily, his eyes suddenly holding a glint of sadness. "Sofamy. Listen carefully. I love you. I love you with all my heart. I will continue loving you even after this. Even after you betrayed the kingdom, I can tell that you care for Aethelgard and for me. However, I cannot join you. I will not help you take down Aethelgard, but I won't stop you either. Right now, I am a mere prisoner, an idle pawn in the game of chess between the kingdom and the rebels."
He turned his body leftward, his gaze firm. "Go. Escape from here while I go back to the dungeon cell. I won't expose you, nor would I try to prove my innocence by referencing the conversation we just had. I will remain silent, I will remain neutral. I would normally oppose the rebels with all my heart, but since you are one of them, I will not target you. However, I cannot support you."
He sighed as he finished. "My love for you is as vast as the sea, but my loyalty to the kingdom is as vast as the largest ocean in the world."
With that, he began to turn and leave, but his body suddenly chilled as he heard a heavy sigh.
"It's a pity. I truly wanted you to work alongside me. I wanted you to be by my side. A pity, indeed."
Pierce!
Cronos's eyes widened, his pupils shrinking to the size of a pin. He looked down, finding a small hole on his chest, with Sofamy's delicate hand coming out of it, drenched in his blood.
As blood escaped his mouth, Sofamy retracted her hand, causing more blood to flow out of his chest. He weakly turned back to her, his eyes revealing despair.
"You made your choice. If that is the limit of your love for me, then it shouldn't even exist." Her tone was cold and unforgiving. It was completely different from who she had always been.
Or perhaps, Cronos had always been wrong about her. And now, she revealed her true nature as she wounded him.
"Why...?" His voice was hoarse, his skin turning pale from the blood loss.
"Because you have no value living in this world anymore." As she said this, cloaked men came out of the shadows.
Turns out, the rebels had always been here. They had been lurking in the dark all this time, making Cronos's world crumble.
Sofamy turned around. Her back faced him as she suddenly raised her right hand and flicked her index finger.
Cronos immediately jolted as multiple invisible slashes struck his chest and abdomen, damaging his internal organs and his muscle tissues. Blood flowed out endlessly as he continued to tremble under the might of the slashes.
This continued for exactly one second, yet Cronos felt like eternity had passed as he collapsed on the ground. His vision grew blurry as he saw one of the rebels address Sofamy.
"The kingdom has found out that Cronos escaped. Your orders, Grandmaster?" His words made Cronos widen his eyes.
She was actually the grandmaster!
She started this rebellion!
"Keep to the original plan. As for him, leave him. He'll die from the blood loss anyway." Her voice was cold, her eyes shining with a ruthless light.
She then teleported away, and the rebels also fled from the scene, leaving Cronos all alone here, trembling as he suffered through the pain of his wounds.