Truth Weavers

Chapter 16.2

Translator: Lizz

Time seemed to have stopped.

Zechs and Aster were both at a loss for words, and even the wind had ceased. Lance’s words kept circling endlessly in Zechs’ minds, losing their meaning.

“…What do you mean?”

With a voice unexpectedly devoid of any emotion, Aster mechanically asked.

“Could it be,”

“No, the sentence was not carried out. He died of illness in prison.”

Muttering ‘died of illness’, Zechs felt as though his own voice was coming from somewhere far away.

“According to the information I gathered, Lord Lambert had been suffering from a lung disease since the end of winter and had grown weaker. He was already quite old. And… the palace’s earth dungeon is far from comfortable.”

Lance used restrained language, but everyone knew how dreadful the underground prison beneath the palace was. Its earthen walls were bare, groundwater seeped through, and even a healthy person who entered was said to fall ill within ten days.

How much must it have tormented his aging body?

Thinking of Lord Lambert’s suffering made Zechs’ chest tighten. Yet, he could not bring himself to welcome the fact that he had finally escaped that pain.

“…Did Lord Lambert hide his illness?”

“No. His condition was so severe that he couldn’t hide it. Some of the Professors and apprentices even offered to take his place in prison, but their requests were denied.”

And yet, he was still imprisoned.

Zechs found it strange. Over the past few days, he had agreed with Aster’s perspective. Considering Lambert’s reputation, the King likely had no intention of executing him. However, in the end, he died. It was simply that the authorities did not regard mages as equals to themselves, not even enough to apply the basic principle that a sick prisoner should receive more considerate treatment.

Suddenly, a gust of wind arose. The still air was violently torn apart as it surged upward from the ground near Zechs – right at Aster’s feet – and rushed toward the sky with a sharp intensity. But it lasted only a moment, and soon, the surroundings returned to complete stillness.

Feeling a faint, stinging pain, Zechs looked down at the back of his left hand. There was a small cut, with a thin red line slowly seeping out.

“Thank you for the news.”

Aster’s voice, so cold and detached that it hardly seemed like his own, shattered the night’s silence. The suppressed emotion in his tone sent a chill through those who heard it.

“Lance, how long will it take for this information to be officially relayed here?”

“The royal side tried to keep it hidden, but that won’t be possible. Rumors are already spreading among both the residents of Rhiannon and the Iron Fortress. Most likely, the Iron Fortress will send envoys to the mage division. At the latest, they should arrive within two or three days.”

“I see.”

Aster nodded, then turned on his heel and started walking toward the campsite. As Lance bowed to his departing master, Zechs followed after him.

Under the starlight, they walked side by side in silence for a while. That silence was partly to mourn Lambert’s death. At this moment, any words felt hollow and meaningless. At the same time, Zechs still couldn’t fully believe what had happened.

The position of Supreme Commander of the Iron Fortress was, to Zechs, the unshakable pinnacle of mage authority. The thought that even someone in that position could be discarded so easily, like a tattered cloth, was shocking. And more simply, he couldn’t accept that he would never again see the old master, the only one to recognize Leon as a mage and had told him to take pride in his Master.

“Zechs.”

By the time he noticed, Aster had stopped, keeping just enough distance for the campfire to remain clearly visible.

Zechs figured that Aster, like himself, had yet to recover from the shock and had no intention of sleeping again. With that thought, he stepped closer to his friend. As Zechs approached, Aster seemed to lose all strength, his shoulders slumping. Then, as Zechs drew near, Aster grasped his arm and sank to his knees.

Before Zechs could call his name in surprise,

“Georgius Lambert was one of the mages who taught me magic.”

Aster spoke quietly, his gaze fixed on the ground.

“Since childhood, I was confined to a room deep within the palace. Mages would come there on the King’s summon. Secretly. They took turns to come – whoever was available at the time I guess. Lord Lambert was busy, so he didn’t come often. But he was my favorite.”

Zechs noticed the faint tremor in Aster’s voice. As Aster clung to his left arm, Zechs gently wrapped his right hand around his friend’s and crouched down beside him.

“When it comes to magic, I have no talent. What I learned from him was truly minimal. But that doesn’t matter. I… the person called Aster Hart is still alive today is entirely thanks to him.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know about my parents. From the moment I was old enough to understand, I knew my existence was unneeded. I believed I was the source of all misery, the one who irritated my father and fueled my mother’s hatred. But let me be clear, I wasn’t bitter about it. I simply accepted that this was who I was. Nothing more, nothing less.”

The adults surrounding the young child must have treated him that way. So, even in his young heart, it was ingrained, making him mistakenly believe it was the truth.

“Maria… My nurse was the only one who cried when she looked at me, but I never understood her feelings. The tutors, including the mages, merely taught magic, academics, and swordsmanship as a duty. To me, it all seemed meaningless. To my father, my brothers, the other nobles, and the citizens, the ‘mad prince’ was nothing more than a ghost. No matter what I learned, there was no future where I could use my knowledge or skills – I hardly had any opportunities to appear before others.”

Aster’s voice carried a faint mix of self-mockery and resentment. He must have spent his childhood weighed down by gloom and resignation.

“But Lord Lambert was different. He asked me what I intended to do once I received the mage’s medal. There was nothing to do. I would simply remain locked away in my room for life, as the King commanded. I think that’s how I answered him. Then, he laughed. He told me that would be abandoning the duty of being oneself.”

“The duty of being oneself…?”

“As a child, I didn’t fully understand. Even now, I’m not sure I completely grasp it. Lord Lambert said that no matter how much a mage is oppressed or trampled upon, their fangs cannot be broken. Compared to ordinary people, mages connect to the world through their guiding veins, allowing them to see, hear, and learn things beyond normal comprehension. They are seekers of truth.

There are countless paths stretching around us. Some bring disaster to people, while others allow one to pay a price to prevent calamity. A mage must discern these paths and always strive to choose the best one. But arrogance and fear within oneself can obstruct that judgment. Without being swayed by such things, one must fight to remain true to oneself. That’s what Lord Lambert told me. After that, he said that if I wished, I could study at the Iron Fortress. I didn’t fully understand his words, but I thought that maybe, if I went there, I would find the answers.”

The grip on Zechs’ arm tightened, almost painfully so.

“I still don’t know if I truly understand. But I’ve been trying to choose the best path in my own way. That’s why I abandoned my status and decided to live as a mage. I wanted to be recognized as someone who had properly fought one day…!”

For a fleeting moment, something small and shimmering seemed to fall to the ground. But in this darkness, it was impossible to see clearly. When Aster lifted his face, his expression was twisted with emotion, as if he could no longer contain it, yet his eyes were dry. Perhaps Zechs had only imagined it.

Despite the pain in his expression, Aster’s gaze burned with a fierce light as he looked straight up at Zechs.

“…I might have to take back what I said before.”

“What?”

“I will not hesitate to use any means to achieve my goal. I have decided to make use of whatever is available. There may come a time when I ask you to respect my status… But my friendship with you will never change. Please remember that.”

Zechs wanted to question the true meaning behind those words, but the sheer determination in Aster’s eyes overwhelmed him. He could only stare at his friend in silence.