Gun of Ashes

Corey turned his head and looked at his deputy, slowly enunciating his name.

”Cornel Garrell.”

Cornel was silent. There was a brief ending to the story of the Mad King: the hero who killed him, Olivier Garrell, became the new king, and his lineage has continued until now.

”It was your grandfather who brought me into the Iron Law Bureau. I still remember what he told me on my first day. He said I would dedicate myself to Gaulunaro. He asked if I had the courage to devote myself.”

Corey stared at the end of the mist, at the gray sea.

”I said of course I had courage. He then asked if I had the courage to abandon my faith.”

At that time, I was still young, and those words struck me like thunder. I still remember how they referred to us. They said Gaulunaro was a land favored by God, and if the Holy Evangelical Pope Kingdom was God’s eldest son, then we were God’s second son. I always lived with that honor, even when hungry, still worshipping the family shrine.

I crawled bit by bit out of the dark ditch, stood under the light, joined the army, and after countless hardships, reached your grandfather. I felt my life had reached its most honorable moment, but at this moment, he was asking me to betray my faith.”

Corey fell silent, and after a long period, he slowly spoke again.

”It was a difficult process. I nearly collapsed, but fortunately, I succeeded in tossing those sacred beliefs into the dirty ditch.”

”One of the rules of the Iron Law Bureau is that there can be absolutely no faith… You’ve never talked about this. I always thought you were cold-hearted from the start.” Cornel was somewhat surprised. Until today, he didn’t know Corey had once been a fanatic.

”This is a terrible world. Someone like me from a humble background always needs something to deceive oneself, like faith. Though poor, my parents were devout believers, never hoping for a change in this life, only praying for favor in the afterlife.”

Corey said slowly.

”Did your father ever tell you about Olivier’s later life, Cornel?”

”No...”

Cornel was slightly baffled. They were just discussing religion and faith, yet Corey suddenly shifted the topic to ancestors.

The hero who killed the Mad King.

”This is a story your grandfather told me. He said when Olivier sat on the Mad King’s throne... can you guess his reaction?”

Corey looked at his face, revealing a meaningful smile.

”Reaction?” Cornel pondered. Even though he is Corey’s deputy, his experiences are still not extensive.

”He earned glory and power. He should have been ecstatic, transforming from a mere commoner into a king, overlooking the common man.”

”Indeed, initially Olivier was as you described. But later, he changed.”

Corey spoke of a story Cornel had never known.

”One day, he sat on the throne, overlooking the common people. But suddenly, he felt no joy. On the contrary, an unprecedented fear gripped him. No one could understand what was happening. The king became anxious and uneasy, unable to sleep every night, constantly lamenting blasphemous words.

Ultimately, he died, killed by his son.”

Corey paused, then asked.

”Do you know why?”

Cornel shook his head. He didn’t know. For some reason, this part of history has always been forbidden to discuss within the Royal Family. His grandfather seemed to be the only knowledgeable person, as he was known for his rebellious nature within the family.

”Because his son realized what his father feared.

Olivier knew very well he was not sitting on a throne but a shackle. He suddenly awakened and realized he wasn’t a king at all, but just a dog of the Evangelical Church. Everyone in Gaulunaro, all believers, were just cute little dogs.”

Corey laughed, but it was a poor laugh, and the pallor of his cheeks evoked an inexplicable chill.

”The Evangelical Church can view Olim as the Mad King, just as they can view the hero Olivier as the Mad King. Ultimately, the Devil is just an excuse. As long as the Evangelical Church gives the order, those devout little dogs will kill him, the big dog.

Olivier realized this. He was simply a dog wearing a crown, yet he wanted to be a man. He was a hero, but he knew very clearly that if he showed even a hint of disobedience, he would become the next Mad King...

Sounds painful, doesn’t it? He was a man, a hero, but he was forced to live as a dog. In the end, he lived like a zombie, and then he went mad.”

Cornel’s expression froze. He understood the Iron Law Bureau’s aversion to faith, but he’d never known this. He thought he became Corey’s deputy only to build a resume for future kinghood, but now he felt he had touched a darker core.

”His son succeeded him. He very clearly understood that the Garrell family wanted to survive, so they had to be good little dogs. He was not conflicted like his father; he was wholehearted in being a dog. But ultimately, we are humans, always wanting to stand on this world with two feet. It was from that time that the seed of rebellion was sown, and the Iron Law Bureau was established.”

”Do you remember how your grandfather died?”

Corey asked again.

”Killed... killed by my father.” Cornel answered with difficulty.

”Yes, patricide. This is a fine tradition of your Garrell family, but do you know this was orchestrated by your grandfather?”