Betrayal Knight's Joyful Faith

Chapter 458

He couldn’t even tell how time passed.It was difficult to even come to his senses, let alone act.

When he barely opened his eyes after suffering from a high fever, he would feel sick and immediately start vomiting, and if he tried to fall asleep for a moment, nightmares would come.

The cold air rising from within was difficult to endure even if he pulled the blankets up as much as possible.

Sometimes it felt like someone was standing him up, giving him medicine, or patting his back when he was vomiting.

But he didn’t even have the presence of mind to check who the person next to him was.

He emptied his stomach even though there was nothing left to vomit out, and barely managed to pull himself together and go back to bed, only to dream of the things he had left behind.

His father suddenly barging in, him freezing up, and the director and colleagues who kicked him out on his behalf.

As he lived as ‘Arendt’, things he had tried to ignore came rushing back like a tidal wave.

‘I wonder if he discovered me first.’

Even in his confusion, Arendt had such thoughts.

The one who found Lee Soo-hyun, who had collapsed after being hit by the light, was probably the theater director.

Did he blame himself?

He must have.

Because the director was a guy who couldn’t help but give Lee Soo-hyun even one more thing.

‘The theater probably can’t be run anymore.’

Those who gathered in the dilapidated underground theater and talked about hopeless dreams must have faced a cruel reality with Lee Soo-hyun’s death.

As if the gods, who were like disasters, had become a reality for him.

‘I can’t go back.’

He thought it would be okay since it was something he chose. But it wasn’t like that at all.

When belatedly he realized the reality, he was flooded with a wave of rejection too strong to bear.

“How can it not work even with Lord Lexion’s healing magic? He’ll die if he keeps doing that!”

“I’m sorry, but it’s out of my control. It’s not because of illness or injury.”

Arthur and Lexion’s voices could be heard from afar outside the blanket that covered his head.

‘Still, I have to live.’

He had to continue living here, not on stage.

His life didn’t matter to him.

Although the vengeance of the gods would surely await him after death, he was not even afraid of that.

But he didn’t want to make others unhappy with his death.

‘I have to take responsibility for the name I stole.’

That fact was excruciatingly hard to bear.

He has a duty to survive somehow in this place where light stabs his skin sharply and darkness tries to swallow him up.

Every time he thought about it, his stomach would turn, and in the end, he couldn’t help but vomit again.

It seemed as if he had even shed blood and shed a few tears.

Rejecting even Nereid’s reaching hand, Arendt accepted the pain completely.

It had to be done.

Because it was a necessary step for the life he had to live from now on.

And…

Because in every moment he was writhing in pain, he could feel that he was not alone.

Someone would gently rub his back, and if he couldn’t hold himself up, they would carry him to the bed and lay him down.

Everyone took turns staying by his side and sometimes stayed up all night.

‘I probably wouldn’t be okay going forward, either.’

Still, he felt like things would somehow be okay.

Arendt suddenly came to his senses in the middle of the night. When he realized it, the chills and fever that had been crippling his body had subsided.

As he was blinking absentmindedly, buried in the blanket, he heard a familiar voice.

“Are you awake?”

Arendt identified the owner of the voice simply by looking up.

With his back to the moonlight pouring in from beyond the curtains, Cantares sat on the bedside chair.

“…Why are you here? Are you trying to assassinate me during this gap?”

A weak voice came out.

Cantares asked in bewilderment.

“Are you joking in this situation?”

“If you’re going to do it, do it quickly… I feel like I’m going to die.”

He was mumbling, not knowing what he was saying. Cantares, realizing it was nonsense, sighed deeply.

“What a pain in the ass.”

Feeling a chill again in his half-asleep state, Arendt pulled the blankets closer to him and curled up even more.

His eyelids were heavy.

“What kind of traitor are you? You look like you could die if someone hit you once.”

Cantares muttered softly, his voice drained of strength.

“Fine. It would be my fault for releasing a bastard like you. I was the one who offered to throw you a fish.”

“…”

At those words, Arendt tried to force his eyelids open. But soon, his vision darkened again.

Cantares covered his eyes with his hands.

In the midst of his daze, only the Crown Prince’s voice could be heard.

“Now that it’s come to this, prove yourself right. But don’t get killed.”

There was no answer. As the silence grew longer, Cantares removed his hand carefully.

As expected, his eyelids on his pale face were closed again, as if he had fallen asleep.

Cantares sighed again and sat up.

“…”

A muffled voice was heard.

Cantares’ eyes widened slightly and he looked back.

“What did you just say…”

But before he knew it, Arendt had fallen completely asleep again.

After standing there as if rooted to the spot for a long time, Cantares let out a small, dry chuckle.

“I’ve heard all sorts of things in my life.”

The lips that moved briefly clearly contained a message of gratitude.

Because he was in a dazed state, he may not have realized it, but that made Cantares realize that it was Arendt’s true intention.

As he quietly closed the door and came out, Jereon, who had been waiting outside, greeted him.

“How was it?”

“He wasn’t even fully awake. But I said what needed to be said, so it’s okay.”

Cantares’s tone became noticeably lighter as he answered. Jereon smiled bitterly.

“Have you made up your mind?”

“It came to this. Feel free to blame me. You may return to your family if you wish. From now on, it will only become more perilous.”

As Cantares walked outside, Jereon naturally followed.

“You must be joking, right? My place is only by Your Highness’ side.”

Cantares glanced behind him and chuckled.

“Well, I thought you’d say that.”

Arthur, who was waiting in the lobby, got up as soon as he saw the Crown Prince.

“Your Highness, are you leaving?”

Cantares nodded slightly.

“Good luck, Sir Arthur. Oh, and just in case.”

Arthur looked puzzled by the sudden words.

“Tell him that anyone who bothers him before he fully recovers will have to have a very long interview with me.”

“…Huh?”

“Especially those who try to tear him down by calling him a traitor or something.”

Cantares, who met his eyes as he asked stupidly, added.

“I will personally carry out any necessary punishments. However, if anyone exhibits rebellious behaviour beforehand, you have my authorization to punish them. Relay the same to Captain Laius.”

This time, Arthur was completely stunned. Cantares, who swiftly passed by him, clicked his tongue.

“When he wakes, feed him something. He’s so skinny, I can’t stand to look at him. I’m leaving.”

Jereon bowed to Arthur, and the dormitory door closed.

Until then, Arthur remained frozen in place, his mouth agape.

“…Wow, damn.”

After a long moment, Arthur finally burst out in astonishment.

It felt like his heart was pounding right next to his ears.

At first glance, it may have seemed like an insignificant statement, but its implications were profound.

Arendt moved the Crown Prince’s heart.

In the end, it was from the fingertips of that reckless apprentice knight that the times began to change

Arendt arrived at Cantares’ office looking neat and tidy.

Cantares, who was looking through the documents, glanced up and met his eyes.

“So, what? Thank you?”

“…”

Arendt’s eyebrows twitched.

“I don’t remember.”

“It’s okay. I remember it clearly.”

The sly grin on his face clearly showed he wanted to tease someone.

“These words were personally handed to me by an apprentice knight who dreamed of becoming a traitor. I can’t easily forget them. I should have taken the record stone with me.”

“Who was it that grabbed a sick person and talked to him without permission?”

Arendt responded irritably, his eyes narrowing as if he was genuinely annoyed.

Since it was obvious that if he teased Arendt a little more, it would surely backfire on him later, Cantares obediently changed the subject.

“Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m okay. They still tell me not to overexert myself.”

He couldn’t do anything in the first place since his sword was confiscated again. Even the Frosty Touch had been hidden away by Laius.

There were all sorts of twists and turns before he could meet the Crown Prince today.

“More than that, are you really not going to regret it?”

Arendt asked with a distinctly displeased tone.

“A real civil war might break out this time.”

“It’s alright. Keeping an eye on you is much better than getting tangled in your chaos and ending up with a sore neck.”

Cantares, resting his chin on his hand, grumbled.

“Of all the people I know, you’re the most difficult to deal with. If anything, I wouldn’t want to make an enemy of you.”

“Even if I turn my back on God Luce?”

When the Crown Prince fell silent for a moment, Arendt continued speaking.

“It may not be accomplished in Your Highness’ lifetime. This fight may not end in our lifetimes, or even in future generations.”

His golden eyes, glowing with a subtle light, captured the Crown Prince in his entirety.

“I’ve already thought it through. And I’ve even come to my own conclusion.”

Cantares looked at Arendt with feigned indifference.

One by one, things he hadn’t noticed before started to stand out.

Although he had a calm demeanor, Arendt’s complexion was still pale.

Even the uniform that used to fit his body was a little loose.

The back of his hand, exposed without the Frosty Touch, and showing under his slightly loose collar were a mess of all kinds of wounds.

But instead of pointing them out, Cantares just smiled.

“I’ll prepare the stage you like.”

“Huh?”

Arendt, who didn’t quite understand, frowned slightly.

“Your favorite thing in the world is screwing people over.”

A blatant playfulness appeared in Cantares’ eyes.

“Isn’t this the perfect time? Everyone’s eyes are on you. It seems like a perfect time for you to go on a rampage.”

The Empire was too turbulent to be calmed by such mere words.

High Priest Lumiel, who cared for Arendt like a son, targeted him.

The political world was also divided between those who wanted to defend Arendt and those who wanted the truth to be revealed immediately, and they were criticizing each other.

Considering that they were in the middle of a war, it was an extremely dangerous situation.

“I’ll lay out the groundwork for you, so just do what you do best.”

However, Cantares chose not to take things too seriously. After all, as someone put it, getting serious means losing.

Arendt blinked several times and smiled faintly.

“That’s nice to hear.”

A ridiculous stage production planned by Cantares, starring Arendt von Eckhart.

“Ah. Before that.”

As if suddenly remembering something, Cantares started speaking again.

“Let’s restore your weight to its original state.”

“…”

“Before that, if you go in and out of the training grounds or cause any unnecessary trouble, I’ll really lock you up, so just know that. I’ve already informed everyone that you’re seriously ill, so they won’t bother you. Just conduct yourself accordingly.”

Arendt’s face instantly turned pale.