Chapter 893

‘...Well, it’s probably just wishful thinking to expect anything from this idiot.’

Yuder gathered his thoughts and spoke.

“First, let me answer what you were curious about. Once someone dies, most of the powers they used as an Awakener also disappear. Almost everyone who was brainwashed by Kal Enphile, the man who called himself the Sage, has had their brainwashing broken.”

“Ah...”

The Awakeners of the Star of Nagran, who’d been captured and detained on the day of the hailstorm, had reacted like people waking from a long, disorienting dream. They remembered what they had done, but couldn’t understand the blind devotion they’d felt at the time.

‘Yes, I did those things, but now I ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) don’t understand why I went that far. Back then, it just felt like anything the Sage said had to be obeyed...’—that was the common statement they all gave. They drew clear lines, claiming everything was done under the Sage’s orders, and some even freely cursed him. Things no one could have done if they were still brainwashed.

“Wait. When you say ‘almost everyone’s’ brainwashing was broken... you mean some weren’t?”

Kiole’s eyes darted nervously as he asked. Yuder smirked slightly, one corner of his mouth curling.

“Sharp of you. Guess you’ve gotten smarter now that you know how to pay back your debts?”

“What?!”

“You’re right. There were a few who didn’t break free.”

Kiole, who had been about to snap, quickly calmed down at Yuder’s words.

“There were?”

Most of the Awakeners from the Star of Nagran had started rejecting the Sage and trying to protect themselves. But not all of them. A very small minority still claimed they couldn’t believe the Sage was dead since they hadn’t seen the body with their own eyes. They mistrusted the Cavalry and refused to cooperate with the investigation.

These weren’t the ones caught during the latest raid. They were the ones already detained alongside Sera, who had previously managed the Southern stronghold.

And then there were two others—Lengbaton and Ella—who had lived with the Sage in the capital, got captured in his place, and tried to bite their tongues to end their own lives. Though they’d been treated continuously, when they finally regained consciousness after the hailstorm, their conditions reportedly hadn’t improved much.

According to a report from Stieber, the only vice-commander left guarding the capital, Ella at least seemed confused and appeared to believe the Sage was dead. But Lengbaton was completely unresponsive to any kind of communication. From what Yuder understood, Lengbaton’s state closely resembled that of Crown Prince Kachian.

“So what, even if that scammer bastard dies, the brainwashing can still persist?!”

“It’s a little different from that.”

“How?”

“Do you know where the people who are still acting like they’re brainwashed are being held?”

“How the hell would I know?!”

“In short, they’re in a prison where Awakeners can’t use their powers.”

That’s right. The place where the Awakeners from the Star of Nagran were being held—those captured along with Sera—was none other than a space where Loenev’s power was active. Loenev’s domain was most effective at suppressing the powers of Awakeners inside it, but it also helped somewhat in softening the effects of preexisting brainwashing.

That much had already been observed—like how Hosanra and others brainwashed by the Sage had slowly become more capable of discussing him once they were in that space.

So then, why was it that even within such a space, with the Sage now dead, some of the Awakeners still hadn’t broken free?

In fact, they’d been captured far earlier than the Sage’s final group of Awakeners.

Yuder found the answer in his memories of his past life.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Even after the death of the fake Sage Diemon, some of his followers still tried to act according to his teachings and resented Yuder, who had captured and killed him. Emperor Kachian himself acknowledged Diemon’s crimes, but his attitude toward Yuder had noticeably changed and never returned to what it had been, even until the day he died.

Was that because some part of Diemon’s pathetic power hadn’t disappeared even after death?

No. Yuder shook his head.

“It’s not that the brainwashing hasn’t been broken. It’s that they simply don’t want to accept the truth.”

“......”

“The cause of their initial change was brainwashing, yes. But how far that change goes depends entirely on their own willpower. You understand what I mean, don’t you?”

At Yuder’s cold, low voice, Kiole fell silent, frozen.

Even though Naham had been brainwashed just like them, he’d managed to escape it on his own by constantly questioning the Sage. And the people who were brainwashed but never became important to the Sage—those who’d faded from his attention—had broken free quickly as well.

‘The Awakeners the Sage brought in at the end would fall into that category. The ones too weak or unskilled to leave the stronghold villages even at the last moment.’

But what about Lengbaton, Ella, Sera, and the Awakeners who’d come with her—those who’d helped manage the Southern stronghold and had the Sage’s trust?

They had high combat abilities and useful powers, making them respected within the group. The Sage had highly valued them, interacted closely with them, and they in turn had blindly followed him.

They had never once questioned him. They had been content with their situation and found happiness in their loyalty.

Even after the brainwashing broke, they couldn’t accept it.

If the person who brainwashed you dies, but you still don’t want to escape that state—how could anything possibly change?

“If it seems like the Crown Prince hasn’t changed, then that’s his own will now. Not brainwashing.”

“Ha... but...”

“Well, if you think I’m wrong, you’re free to believe that.”

But Kiole, gritting his teeth, already looked like he vaguely knew Yuder was right.

It’s hard to let go of a happy illusion and face the harsh truth. The more you know about what you did while you believed you were happy, the harder it is.

And Kachian la Orr in the previous life, too—he must have longed for the time when he depended on the Sage’s words. He must not have wanted to leave that state. To him, Yuder Aile, who tried to drag him into reality while spewing “madness,” must have been a hateful, detestable figure.

Yuder swallowed a bitter, silent laugh.

The brainwashing was already gone. If the individual didn’t choose to change, even ten people with powers like Loenev couldn’t make it happen.

“Anyway, yeah. You did well to tell Duke Diarca the truth. It’s time the Duke knows the Crown Prince’s real condition.”

“......”

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Ah, no... I mean, I did it because I thought it was the right thing, but... you—you just praised me, and...”

Kiole stammered, clearly flustered, staring with a dazed look.

“D-Do you think I need your approval or something?! I’m not one of your subordinates!”

“Then I’ll take it back.”

“You just said I did well!”

You hate being told you did well, and you hate being told you didn’t. Yuder had simply made an offhand comment, feeling like—for once—the guy had done something sensible after all their collaboration. But apparently, that wasn’t okay either.

Deciding to ignore Kiole, Yuder stuck to the point.

“Anyway. Did the Duke say someone’s coming to retrieve you? When you get back, don’t go blabbing anything about the Cavalry. And make sure you cover your ass properly about the cooperation stuff. If it gets out that you talked more than you should’ve... well, you know what happens.”

“......”

“If you can, don’t drag your feet. Get back quickly. This place is about to get even more dangerous than before.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Exactly what it sounds like. You don’t need to know the rest. I’m busy, so I’m leaving first.”

“Huh? H-Hey!”

As Yuder stood up without hesitation, Kiole jumped up in shock.

“W-Wait!”

“What now?”

“You—weren’t you supposedly seriously injured and out of commission for over two weeks?! But you’re walking around like nothing happened! Don’t tell me you faked it?!”

“Why would I lie about something like that?”

“Because you look too damn fine, that’s why! Do you know how hard it was for me to make up my mind to come here...?! You’re totally fine and didn’t even send a message...”

...What the hell is with this guy?

Yuder narrowed his eyes at Kiole and muttered,

“Don’t tell me you’re trying to say you were worried about me?”