The Legendary Spearman Returns

Side Story Chapter 194

Feeble voices drifted out of the heavy metal cage.

“Why did you mention the north? Does getting revenge matter so much that you’re willing to give up your honor and pride as a member of the Agnus Family?” Babel asked sarcastically.

For the first time, Carmen responded.

“Shut... your mouth.

She was the sister to Aden von Agnus, which technically made her Babel’s aunt.

“Hey, you, demon, over there. Answer me.”

“What do you want?”

“Is... Joshua’s real body actually on the mountain?” Babel asked.

The demon, tied up just as tightly as the Agnuses, slowly emerged from his thoughts and grinned.

“...All of them must be dead by now,” the demon murmured.

“...What?”

This demon was the last of those powerful enough to wield one of the Seven Evil Sins.

“I’m just talking to myself. Don’t worry about it too much. Even I don’t have my hopes up.”

“What in the world are you talking about? Who’s ‘they’ who’ve all died, and why don’t you have your hopes up?”

“I’m saying that there is a high chance that the monster outside won’t be able to do much about the ice boulder.”

The lonesome demon’s name was Meric. He was the fourteenth strongest demon and was titled the “Absorption Demon”.

“Several of the most powerful demons alive couldn’t put a scratch on it, so even if he’s locked up inside the boulder, it’s hard to imagine the Shining Darkness getting defeated by a human,” Meric explained.

Babel agreed with Meric somewhat; it wasn’t easy to imagine Joshua losing to anyone, but that was only until Babel had seen the monster outside. Otherwise, Babel’s conviction would have remained steadfast.

“...Come to think of it, you speak differently from other demons.” Babel remarked, tilting his head thoughtfully. It had been on Babel's mind for a while now because demons’ voices would usually echo around his ear, but Meric’s was similar to a human’s.

Meric smiled mysteriously. “You’re sharp, human. But, well, does it matter now?”

“What?”

“I only mentioned the ice boulder; she’s the one leading them to it. If you have something to say about it, I believe that it’s her you should be talking to.”

Babel fell silent. Meric was right—was Carmen suddenly burning with desire to get revenge? Why was she trying to harm Joshua now?

“...I finally realized that defying Bel is equivalent to helping that fucker, Joshua,” Carmen finally said.

“Is that why you’re willing to cooperate with the enemy? A man who kidnapped you to a faraway country and violated both your mind and body? You’re willing to overlook all those just for your petty revenge?” Babel asked, his voice stained with disbelief.

Carmen’s eyes were full of regret.

“Aden... My brother was the family’s only hope. He was the last person who could make the Brittens pay for what they did to us.”

Babel flinched. He was familiar with the full history between the Agnus family and the late Britten dynasty. The two families had existed in a tense state of equilibrium, biting at one another whenever the opportunity arose.

Aden and Carmen were siblings, meaning that they shared the same enemy—the man who had killed their mother. The Britten family had been Carmen’s mortal enemy, just as it had been Aden’s.

“If I was in my usual condition, I would have killed you first, Babel von Agnus—no, Babel ben Britten. I can’t believe you dared to inherit the duchy... This is an utter humiliation,” Carmen murmured.

After that, Carmen didn’t even look in Babel’s direction. Yes, Babel’s biological father wasn’t Aden von Agnus, the Dark God, it was Marcus ben Britten, the previous emperor of Avalon. Babel was simply a tool for the two powerful men’s revenge. Marcus had sent Vannesa, his already-pregnant sister, to be Aden’s wife. That was how Babel had been brought into this world. His foster father had raised Babel as his own even though he knew everything, all for the sake of his revenge and only for his revenge.

“...I may be heading the Agnus family, but you Agnuses are truly poor people.”

“What?” Carmen quickly looked up and scowled at Babel. “Poor? Did you just call me poor?”

“It’s been decades, but you people are still blinded by the desire for revenge. You waste your life... Besides, there are no more Brittens in this world, so how can I not think of you people as poor?”

“Shut your damn mouth!” Carmen roared. “Out of all the people in the world, you’re the last person who can say that. You inherited the filthy Britten blood, so your very presence is a affront to the Agnus family—”

“Then you should have told everyone about the hidden history,” Babel coldly replied.

The inside of the cage fell silent once again. Carmen obviously knew what Babel was referring to—the humiliating past between the Agnus family and the Britten family.

“Well, I guess that wouldn’t be easy since people would just think you’re all the same. Emperor Marcus impregnated his own sister and sent her to his competitor to keep him in check, and Aden von Agnus knew everything but took her in regardless to satisfy his revenge,” Babel scoffed.

“I said... shut your mouth...”

“There are no more Brittens in this world, but the Agnus family still remains. So what can other people do? Keep it secret no matter how filthy their hidden past is.”

“You!” Carmen’s murderous energy filled the cage. She was no longer able to use her mana, but her spirit was unbowed.

“Joshua protected the last of the Agnus family’s honor, along with mine...” Babel trailed off with a bitter smile. Had Joshua exposed the history between the two families after he’d ascended to the throne, there would have been quite serious changes. Perhaps there would be no more Agnus family. But Joshua didn’t. Babel still didn’t know why Joshua had made that decision, but one thing was clear.

“If Joshua chose to reveal the hidden history and strengthen his legitimacy... I, a Britten, would have been abandoned by Agnus’s vassals since I have no legitimacy.”

“You’re gutless! Are you seriously telling me you’re grateful to him? Wake up! Joshua Sanders killed both your biological and foster fathers!” Carmen shrieked.

“And those very same biological and foster fathers tried to use their son for their own purposes,” Babel bluntly replied.

His gratitude was genuine. If he had been in Joshua’s shoes... would Babel have been able to leave a single Britten alive?

‘...Never, but he’s the biggest victim in this twisted story. His mother lost her memory and lived for over a decade as a lowly maid. In contrast to me, who was the first and legitimate son, he had to start from rock bottom because he was born a bastard,’ Babel thought.

And despite all that, Joshua had gotten to where he was by sheer ability. All else aside, Bable respected Joshua as a fellow human being.

“I’m greatly indebted to him, so I want to repay that debt before I die. For the sake of my pride, if nothing else.”

Babel let the shackles binding his arms fall to the floor of the cage with a quiet clank.

“How... did you...?”

“There is a saying among knights that you should hide thirty percent of their abilities when you go out into the world.” Babel clenched and unclenched his fists a couple of times before he slowly stood up. Although he could move his arms freely now, the inside of the metal cage was still so dark that the only thing he could pick out was the silhouette of a person in front of him.

“Now, how should I escape and tell Joshua what’s going on now...?” Babel muttered to himself as he stretched.

“Wait! There’s one thing that you don’t know. Once you hear this, I’m sure that you’ll have a change of heart!” Carmen whispered, her voice urgent for some reason.

“What...?”

“There is a reason why Joshua Sanders didn’t reveal the fued, and it’s not for you nor the Agnus family!”

“...What is that you want to say?” Babel asked.

“Aden told me himself that Joshua von Agnus is the one who takes after him the most, although Joshua pretends that he doesn’t!”

Babel’s eyes narrowed, although Carmen’s story wasn’t enough to change his mind. Even if it were true, it was an undeniable fact that Joshua had helped Babel in many ways.

“...Whatever the case may be, I don’t want to waste the rest of my life like you.” Babel shook his head.

“What?”

“Carven von Agnus, you’re so blinded by your lust for revenge that you’ve forsaken your honor and your life. Ending up like you is the last thing I want,” Babel said, before turning to Meric. “At least I’m not so weak that I have to borrow a demon’s help. ”

“H-Ho-How dare you...!” Carmen’s chain rattled as she tried to rise to her feet.

Just then, a series of loud explosions rattled the cage. Since the people inside the thick metal cage could hear them, it was easy to deduce how powerful the detonations were.

“Heaven must be helping me, for a commotion to take place right now...”

Babel felt at the lining of his clothes for a moment and then ripped a piece out, producing a fingernail-sized stone.

“Is that...?”

“It’s a miniature mana stone engraved with a magic formula for teleportation.”

“Th-That small stone has a spell engraved on it?!”

“It’s disposable, and the teleportation range is short, but it’s one of Queen Consort Iceline’s recent masterpieces,” Babel explained. He stroked the mana stone, which released a faint light. The treasure was given to him by Icarus Sanders, the Second Queen consort. “She told me to take it in case of an emergency, but I never expected it to be so useful... Hah—I guess I have one more debt to repay,” Babel murmured.

“W-Wait!”

“I’m sorry. This is only for one person, so stay here and think about what you’ve done. Keep in mind...” The stone began to hum as Babel was enveloped in the light. “...Joshua said that there is nothing more meaningless than revenge.”