And Thus… It All Comes to an End - Chapter 18

Side: Prime Minister

Reports had come in that she was in a foul mood, so I made my way to Sara’s chambers.

When I opened the door, she was slumped in a chair, arms crossed, staring at me with a look of pure displeasure. The moment she recognized me, her gaze pierced through me like ice.

“What is the meaning of Lord Cedric sending a messenger to that woman!”

…So, word has already reached her. Quite fast.

“It is for the conclusion of the treaty. To ensure matters proceed in our favor, we require his status as Crown Prince.”

“You should have gone yourself!”

An involuntary smile tugged at my lips.

“Haha, surely you jest.”

For a Prime Minister to personally partake in such a dangerous venture would be nothing short of madness. Sara pouted, turning her eyes away in a sulk once more.

“…You saw Lord Cedric back then, didn’t you? It’s disgusting. He was absolutely captivated by her.”

Ah, so that was it. The emotion of jealousy remains irrational regardless of age or standing. I let out a small sigh.

“He was likely just surprised. She was an Apostle of the Goddess, after all.”

“That’s exactly it! Why was it kept a secret? It’s the one thing she could have bragged about most!”

The dry sound of her hand striking the desk echoed through the room. Flushed with rage, Sara glared up at me as if fighting back tears.

“Regardless, a messenger? I’ve got it. I’m going too. I have to keep watch so he doesn’t start talking about making her his consort again.”

“That would likely be difficult.”

“Why? Wouldn’t it be more advantageous to have me, an Apostle of the Goddess, at the negotiation table?”

At that, I let out a soft breath, and the edge of my smile twisted slightly.

“—Even though you are a fake?”

Sara froze. Her fingers trembled, slowly reaching up to her earlobe.

“You haven’t forgotten, have you? That crest on your ear is a fabrication. It holds no power whatsoever.”

Silence fell upon the room.

A girl appearing from another world—the people had rejoiced, believing her to be the second coming of the “Apostle of the Goddess.” However, no matter how much we searched, not a single crest could be found on her body.

“I am the one who fashioned you into an ‘Apostle’ after you arrived from that other world. How much gold and how many people do you think I moved to make that happen? The stories you tell are merely identical to the legends of the Apostles. you have no new knowledge, no power… frankly speaking, you are useless.”

My cold words froze the air in the room. Sara’s eyes widened, then eventually cast downward. I observed her reaction calmly. Surprise, shame, fear—these are what make a person submissive.

“I haven’t forgotten. You were the one who told me the stories of the Apostles and made the proposal. We decided to say the crest was simply missed at first glance because it was behind the earlobe.”

“Yes, and you agreed to it.”

“Of course, I did! You threatened to throw me out of the palace to live in the streets if I had no power. I wasn’t going to let that happen.”

“Threatened? What a nasty way to put it. You became the Crown Prince’s fiancée; if anything, I expect gratitude.”

Sara bit her lip and looked away. She is not honest in my presence, but she is sharp. She understands my intentions immediately and has the sense to swallow her defiance. For a person from another world, she is doing quite well. With a bit of window dressing, both the royals and the commoners believed in her easily.

“I wish you’d stop talking like that. You’re the one who would be in trouble if I were found out, aren’t you?”

“Quite right. That is why you should do nothing unnecessary and remain quietly in the palace. …I say this only out of concern for my precious daughter.”

“I understand. —Father.”

Even that title was now merely a part of her role as a “daughter.”

As I left the room and closed the door, silence returned.

“She was trembling. Good.”

Instill fear, remind them of their position. All that remains is to make them obey.

“A fake should act like a fake.”

Whether she is real or not doesn’t matter, so long as the country believes her and the King is satisfied. He is a manageable King. He has been simple-minded since the days we met at the academy. A few sweet words, and he offers his trust with ease. Once I secured the seat of Prime Minister, the rest was simple.

Hold the power, move the gold, secure the vital points. Both the King and Queen would turn a blind eye to minor inconsistencies for the sake of luxury and vanity. Everyone but the two of them already knew who truly held the rudder of this nation. It was incredibly convenient.

They were indifferent to the flow of money and the realities of politics. Though, it seems even they began to panic once the country started to fall into ruin. It was then, three years ago, that Lady Luciana appeared.

Thinking it a perfect chance to offload troublesome matters, I passed one unmanageable case after another to her. I expected her to take the blame and eventually crumble. But the result was the opposite. The documents were flawless, her judgment precise, and her words never wasted. If left to her, order was restored to everything.

—And that was a problem.

“The more competent a person is, the harder they are to use.”

If she had become the Crown Prince’s wife, she would have moved beyond my reach. That was when Sara appeared. A visitor from another world. A girl who possessed nothing and knew nothing. It was a stroke of luck so great one might call it “divine providence.” I panicked for a moment when I realized she had no crest, but the correction was easy. I welcomed her as an adopted daughter, gave her the name of an Apostle, and incited the Crown Prince. As expected, that youth lost his heart to her with a comical ease.

“The father-in-law to the Crown Prince. Haha, the next generation will be mine to command as well.”

Yes, everything was going smoothly.

But now, new problems have surfaced. Founding a new country? A real Apostle of the Goddess? It is a nuisance in the extreme.

And what was that about two Apostles always appearing in this country? When the King laughed and said, “What, you didn’t know?” I felt a surge of genuine rage. How could I possibly know a legend passed down only to those of royal blood? Why did he not inform me of this when Sara was found?

…Well, fine. That is not the issue. If Lady Luciana is a “Real Apostle,” then there is another one out there somewhere. That is the true threat.

“This is bad… Sara is a fake. If the truth comes to light, everything collapses. The moment people start prying into ‘which of the three is the fake,’ it’s over.”

If that “other one” were to side with Lady Luciana? In that instant, the plans I’ve built would crumble with a roar.

“I must find the other one before that happens.”

I slowed my pace slightly, breathing in the cold night air. The city lights blurred in the distance, and the wind swayed the hem of my cloak.

“If the other one is a woman… and a beautiful one at that.”

My lips twisted naturally.

“Sara will have outlived her usefulness. I’ll simply provide the Crown Prince with a new piece.”

It was a good time to cut her loose. Lately, Sara has become assertive and difficult to handle. I stopped and looked up at the moonlight streaming through the window. The silent white light illuminated the floor, stretching my shadow long.

Into the edge of that shadow, I dropped a smile.

Side: Sara

After the Prime Minister left the room, the sound of the door closing echoed with peculiar loudness.

…How quiet.

I remained looking down for a while, unmoving. I waited until his footsteps and presence had completely faded to be sure he was gone.

And then—

I couldn’t help but let out a little giggle.

“Useful… you say.”

Saying it aloud only highlighted the absurdity. I stood up from my chair and walked to the mirror. A pale-colored dress, hair meticulously styled. Reflected there was the “me” created to be an Apostle of the Goddess.

“He really thinks he’s so clever, doesn’t he? That man.”

I traced my finger over my earlobe, over the “crest” in question. It’s true, this is a fake. It was drawn on afterward; it possesses no power, no blessing—nothing. That is a fact.

—But.

“Just because of that, how can he be so sure I have nothing?”

The corners of my mouth curled up. The Prime Minister hasn’t realized it. Being an “Apostle” isn’t the only thing I’m lying about. But that was his fatal misunderstanding.

“As long as I’m not caught, it’s fine, right?”

I whispered lowly, approaching the window.

I knew from the very beginning. The royal family of this country is being manipulated by the Prime Minister. The King and the Crown Prince are foolish, easy to handle, and have nothing but excessive pride. The Queen only knows how to rely on others.

And then—Luciana. That woman is an existence that could break everything.

“Father is fundamentally mistaken.”

My voice no longer trembled.

“I am not your doll.”

I know I’m being used. I’m only pretending to be deceived. No power? No blessing? So what?

—Knowledge becomes power. There are distortions only I can see.

I stared back at my reflection in the mirror.

“I have to become happy, after all.”

I let out a small breath. The Prime Minister and the royal family all think they are moving the pieces on the board.

But—

“Who is which piece… we don’t know that yet.”

The words I whispered vanished into the darkness of the night.