Betrayal Knight’s Joyful Faith - Chapter 458



Only Krnovel

The Cheerful God of Betrayal Chapter 458

I couldn’t even tell where time was passing.

It was difficult to even come to my senses, let alone act.

When I barely opened my eyes after suffering from a high fever, I would feel so sick that I would start vomiting, and when I tried to fall asleep for a moment, I would have nightmares.

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

Sometimes it felt like someone would wake me up, give me medicine, or pat my back when I was vomiting.

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

I emptied my stomach even though I had nothing left to throw up, and barely managed to pull myself together and go back to bed, only to dream of the things I had left behind.

A run-down theater, a musty house.

The father who suddenly barged in, the person who was frozen, and the theater director and colleagues who had to kick him out on his behalf.

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

‘Maybe he discovered it first.’

Even in her confusion, Arendt had such thoughts.

The one who picked up Lee Su-hyeon, who had collapsed after being hit by the light, was probably the theater director.

Did you blame yourself?

It must have been so.

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

‘The theater probably won’t be able to operate any longer.’

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

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

‘I can’t go back.’

I thought it would be okay since it was something I chose to do. But it wasn’t like that at all.

When I realized the reality too late, I was overwhelmed with a sense of rejection that was difficult to handle.

“How can it not work even with Lexion-nim’s healing magic? If he keeps doing that, he’ll die!”

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

Arthur and Lexion’s voices could be heard from far away outside the blanket covered over their heads.

Die. Die.

‘But we still have to live.’

I had to continue my life here, not on stage.

Life was not precious.

After death, the vengeance of the gods would surely await, but even that was not something to be afraid of.

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

‘I must take responsibility for the names I intercepted.’

That fact was excruciatingly hard to bear.

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

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

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

Arendt completely accepted the pain, even refusing Nereus’s reaching out.

It had to be that way.

Because it was an absolutely necessary process for the life I was going to live from now on.

and…….

Because in every moment of writhing in pain, I felt that I was not alone.

Someone would rub your back, and if you couldn’t control your body, someone would carry you to bed and put you to bed.

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

‘It probably won’t be okay in the future though.’

Still, I felt like things would turn out okay somehow.

* * *

How many days have passed?

Arendt suddenly came to her senses in the middle of the night. When she realized it, the chills and fever that had been making her shiver all over had subsided.

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

“Are you awake?”

Arendt identified the owner of the voice simply by looking at him.

Cantares was sitting on the bedside chair, his back turned to the moonlight pouring in through the curtains.

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

A voice came out without any strength at all.

Cantares asked absurdly.

“Are you kidding in this situation, you?”

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

Even though I was mumbling, I couldn’t understand what I was talking about. Cantares also realized that it was nonsense and let out a deep sigh.

“What a real pain in the ass.”

Feeling the chill again in her half-asleep state, Arendt pulled the blankets closer together and curled up even more.

My eyelids were heavy.

“What kind of traitor is this? He looks like he’d die if you just hit him.”

Cantares muttered in a weak voice.

“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 herself to open her eyelids, but soon her vision became black again.

Cantares covered his eyes with his hands.

In the midst of the daze, only the crown prince’s voice could be heard.

“Now that it’s come to this, prove to me that you’re right. But don’t die.”

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

As expected, the pale face was closed again, as if he had fallen asleep.

Cantares sighed again and sat up.

Just as I was about to turn around.

“… … .”

A muffled voice, as if mumbling something, was heard.

Cantares opened his eyes slightly and looked back.

“What did you just say… … .”

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

Cantares, who had been standing there as if he was nailed to the spot for a while, let out a faint laugh.

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

The lips that were briefly moved clearly contained the words of gratitude.

He may not have realized it because he was in a state of confusion, but that made him realize that it was his true feelings even more.

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

“How was it?”

“You’re not even in your right mind. But you said what you needed to say, so it’s okay.”

Cantares’ tone became lighter as he answered like that. Jereon smiled bitterly.

“Have you made up your mind?”

“That’s how it is. It’s okay to criticize. It’s okay to go back home. It’ll get more dangerous from now on.”

As Cantares walked outside, Jereon naturally followed behind.

“Are you joking? My place is only by Your Majesty’s side.”

Cantares glanced behind him and smiled.

“Well, I thought you’d say that.”

Arthur, who had been waiting in the lobby, got up as soon as he saw the crown prince.

“Are you coming in?”

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 until he fully recovers will have to have a very long interview with me afterwards.”

“……yes?”

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

Cantares added, locking eyes with him as he asked stupidly.

“If I have to punish you, I’ll do it myself. If there’s anyone who shows any suspicious behavior before that, you can punish them. I will allow it. Tell that to Captain Leos.”

This time Arthur was truly shocked. Cantares clicked his tongue as he passed by.

“When you wake up, feed me something. You’re so skinny, I can’t stand to look at you. Let’s go.”

Jereon bowed to Arthur, and the dormitory door closed.

Until then, Arthur was frozen in place, his mouth wide open.

“… … Wow, sir.”

After a long while, Arthur let out a gasp.

Boom boom boom.

It felt like my heart was beating right in my ears.

At first glance, it may seem like an insignificant statement, but its implications are significant.

Arendt moved the Crown Prince’s heart.

Eventually, the times began to change at the fingertips of that rascally apprentice knight.

* * *

A few days later.

Arendt arrived at Cantares’ office looking neat and tidy.

Cantares, who was looking through the documents, glanced up and made eye contact with him.

“So, what? Thank you?”

“… … .”

Arendt’s eyebrows twitched.

“I don’t remember.”

“It’s okay. I remember it clearly.”

The single, mischievous grin on his face made it seem like he wanted to tease anyone.

“These are the words that the apprentice knight who dreamed of becoming a traitor personally gave me, so I can’t easily forget them. I should have taken the record stone with me.”

“Who was it that grabbed a sick person and started talking nonsense?”

Arendt responded nervously, her eyes widening as if she was genuinely annoyed.

Since it was obvious that if he scratched a little more, he would get his money back later, Cantares obediently changed the subject.

“Are you okay?”

“It’s okay to live there. But I told you not to move too much yet.”

In the first place, there was nothing I could do with the sword since it had been confiscated. Even the frosty hands had been hidden by Raius.

There were all sorts of twists and turns before I could meet the crown prince today.

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

Arendt asked in a tone that suggested she was extremely displeased.

“Maybe this time we will have a real civil war.”

“It’s okay. It’s much better to keep it on hand and watch over it than to get caught up in your own mess and get caught by the back of your neck.”

Cantares grumbled, his chin raised.

“Of all the people I know, you are the most difficult to deal with. If possible, I don’t want to have you as my enemy.”

“Even if I turn my back on the god Luce?”

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

“It may not be accomplished in Your Majesty’s lifetime. It may not end in our lifetime, or in the generations to come.”

The golden eyes, containing a subtle light, captured the crown prince in their entirety.

“I’ve already thought about it a lot. And I’ve come to my own conclusion.”

Cantares looked at Arendt with a pretended indifference.

Things that had not been noticed until now were captured one by one.

Although she had an innocent expression, Arendt’s complexion was still pale.

The uniform that used to fit her perfectly was now a little loose.

The back of his hands, exposed without frosty touch, and the slightly loose collar underneath were a mess of all kinds of wounds.

But instead of pointing them out, Cantares just smiled.

“I’ll prepare the stage you like.”

“yes?”

Arendt frowned slightly, not understanding properly.

“Your favorite thing in the world is fucking people.”

There was a blatant playfulness in Cantares’ eyes.

“Isn’t this the right time? People must be paying attention. It seems like it would be a perfect time for you to go wild.”

The empire was in such turmoil that it could not be resolved with such words.

The high priest Lumiel, who loved 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 we were in the middle of a war, it was an extremely dangerous situation.

“I’ll set the stage for you, so just do what you do best.”

But Cantares decided not to get serious. Like everyone said, if you get serious, you lose.

Arendt blinked several times and smiled faintly.

“That’s nice to hear.”

A new stage was being prepared.

An incredibly ridiculous stage production planned by Cantales, starring Arendt von Eckhart.

“Ah. Before that.”

As if a memory suddenly occurred to him, Cantares began to cry again.

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

“… … .”

“Before that, if you go in and out of the training ground or cause any trouble, I’ll really lock you up, so know that. I’ve already told people that you’re a very seriously ill patient, so they won’t bother you. So, you just have to handle it yourself.”

Arendt’s face instantly turned pale.