Theodore stared blankly at the display case. He had been doing so for hours. He had mountains of work to do, but he couldn't bring himself to focus. The reason was different from a few days ago, but either way, his work efficiency was terrible.
"Aren't you working?"
Orca, who had come for a report, sighed and asked, unable to watch any longer, but Theodore didn't seem to care much.
"How thoughtful. To even think of plucking his own feathers to give as a gift. I find them so precious I can't even touch them, but she came by earlier to check if I was using the quill."
He spoke as if troubled, but in truth, he found the gesture endearing.
"Are you that happy?"
"How could I not be?"
Theodore, who answered readily, suddenly turned his gaze to Orca.
"I heard you received a quill too."
"It's a belated birthday gift. You're not thinking of taking it, are you? I'll tell Lord Shuian on you."
Judging by his lack of response, he really would have taken it if Orca hadn't threatened to tell. That stubborn man... Orca shuddered but added.
"Still, Lord Shuian worked quite hard preparing it. He kept badgering me, saying that His Highness should have at least one birthday that remains a happy memory. Of course, he'll continue to celebrate your birthdays in the future, but he said the first one is special, so it's more important."
Theodore smiled at Shuian's typical words, but he also gave Orca a fresh look.
Orca had initially suspected that Shuian was a demon. Of course, back then, and even after learning that he was a divine beast, his attitude had always been polite and respectful, but strictly speaking, that was just the level of courtesy of taking care of someone his master cherished, regardless of Shuian's identity. But now, he genuinely seemed to care for and worry about Shuian.
Orca Abel wasn't someone who easily grew attached to others. Moreover, he wasn't the type to be delicately considerate unless it was necessary. Yet, he treated Shuian differently. Of course, Theodore knew best that his affection wasn't romantic love.
There's no harm in him having someone to be fond of, considering how cruelly and harshly he treats himself as if there's no one else in the world.
They were just one of the many humans ruined by the Empress, and so they had forgotten what a human life was like for too long, but they weren't forever deprived of the opportunity and right to live like humans.
So, changing wasn't just about re-establishing and building everything anew, but also about returning to the deviated orbit.
It sometimes occurred to him that Shuian changed too many things too easily. Even though revenge had always been the end for him, he kept making him imagine what came after.
It was both amazing and sometimes made him wonder if all of this was just a dream, how the unhappiness that clung to him like a scar, seemingly eternal, was fading away thanks to Shuian.
"...Why are you looking at me like that?"
Orca asked gruffly, noticing the blatant gaze directed at him. In other words, he found it amusing that he had made that fastidious guy act somewhat docile. Theodore replied nonchalantly.
"Work hard before I really do take your quill."
"Just squeeze me for all I'm worth, then."
Orca said with a weary tone, handing over the report.
"The expedition schedule has been set to some extent. The Emperor really did give the First Prince the Guardian Knights. There's some opposition, but it doesn't seem like it will change."
The Guardian Knights… A question that had arisen since the day of the banquet, but remained unanswered, resurfaced, but he pushed it aside for now.
"The holy relics?"
"They're ready. Just in case, I used the guild's funds to make donations and secretly secured a few more. It probably won't be enough."
"Good, take care of them without getting caught."
After discussing the expedition a bit more, Orca was about to leave the office after finishing his work when Theo called him back.
"Orca."
"Yes."
Orca's face was as neat and proper as a scholar rather than a knight, but sometimes it overlapped with the bloodied face he had first encountered.
Theodore knew that the madness and malice of that day had only temporarily hidden behind a plausible mask.
"You should also try to imagine the future after our long-cherished desire is fulfilled. We deserve that much. You know, don't you? That we don't need to be forgiven by anyone."
Orca didn't answer. However, he too knew what Theodore was trying to say. He had acted like a sinner all along, but in fact, the one who couldn't forgive himself the most was none other than himself.
His was a life where he could only live by resenting someone, so after the Empress, it was him. Orca Abel, incompetent and hateful, who had stained his hands with the blood of someone more precious than his own life.
So, he had never dared to imagine the future. That child's time had stopped forever, and he was the only one who remembered that child who didn't even have a grave.
If he were to look forward to tomorrow, he would never be able to face that child, whose death was miserable. Even though he knew that child would want his happiness the most.
Orca, who would have normally just laughed it off as if he hadn't heard, replied for the first time.
"Yes, I will if I have time. I'm too busy with the work His Highness has entrusted to me right now."
Yes, if he had time. When the time came when he was terribly bored with nothing to do, someday. It would be nice to imagine a life after perfect revenge at least once. The fragments of hope filling his heart had given him that much leeway.
Even though it was a change that wouldn't be noticed unless one paid close attention, Theo chuckled. The interlocking gears that had stopped would eventually turn with just a little force, and then slowly but surely become whole.
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After hearing the news that the expedition had been confirmed, there wasn't much for me to prepare. At first, I tried to ask Orca to train my stamina or teach me self-defense.
However, perhaps because I was a divine beast, my stamina and strength were incomparably better than those of ordinary humans, and after confirming that swinging my fists was more threatening than awkwardly learning swordsmanship in a short period of time, I just ate well and rested well.
Orca also didn't seem to think that I needed any special training, as I could run around the training ground several times without much difficulty, and easily break wooden swords or scarecrows whether I was in human or eagle form. When I asked Orca for advice, he simply said.
'I am not capable of giving advice to Lord Shuian, who is a divine beast. But if you really need my opinion… Lord Shuian is fast and strong enough. If it seems dangerous, fly away, and if you think a demon is getting close, swing your fist first. Even if you swing it carelessly, if anything touches it, it will fall off on its own. The same goes for when you are in eagle form. Even if your claws just graze them, they will be torn apart, so just swing them.'
Recalling my experience fighting demons at Count Elmore's exhibition, although they were low-level, I didn't think it would be too difficult, and I gained even more confidence after Orca's advice.
On the other hand, Theo was worried about me and kept insisting on making me wear armor enchanted with magic or creating more artifacts, but it was too cumbersome for me, who had to switch between eagle and human form, so I refused everything.
Instead, I accepted his offer to cast plenty of protective magic, using only enough mana not to strain his body or schedule.
Ricardo was going on the expedition with the Guardian Knights as the Empress wished, but since our destinations were different, he had left a few days earlier.
The Emperor did not show up at Ricardo's departure ceremony a few days ago, nor at Theo's departure ceremony today.
I had heard that he rarely showed up unless it was an event he absolutely had to attend, but I didn't expect it to be the same for his two sons' departure ceremonies.
Anyway, because he hated the fuss, he didn't even allow the nobles of the Second Prince's faction to attend, so the departure ceremony was a humble affair, but it wasn't as bad as I thought.
Rather, it made me more alert, and as I organized my thoughts about what I had to do, my mind calmed down.
I took a look at the entire knight order. As I had heard before, Theo's Ruina Knights were mostly made up of slave soldiers, heirs who had been pushed out of the succession battle, runaways who had no choice but to join because their families had fallen, and turncoats who had been expelled for breaking their knightly oaths or abandoning their honor, so there was almost no discipline to be found, and their faces were full of malice and despair.
Most of them had been pushed to their deaths, so demon subjugation would be more like an execution ground for them.
Among them, I could easily read resentment towards Theo, which immediately made me uncomfortable, but I deliberately didn't show it. Unless they directly harmed Theo, I didn't intend to interfere any further.
When the preparations were somewhat complete, Theo dryly said without any lengthy cheers to boost morale or any oaths about the future.
"Let's go."
With his short words, those who had been driven to death to survive began to move all at once. The sound of horses' hooves sounded like drums, and dust rose in an instant, making it look like a fog had settled, but everyone moved forward in unison as if they already knew their destination.
Finally, the demon subjugation had begun.
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