CHAPTER 73 #9
Halos hindi siya makapaniwala sa kaniyang narinig. The name Erishkigal had existed in the oldest myths he had heard when he was young, but he had always believed that it was nothing more than an ancient story passed down through generations.
She doesn't seem to be lying...
But I need to be extra careful...
Even if she could simply be trying to deceive me, I can't ignore this.
The myths would not have survived for so long if the story had never been told. Some myths are passed down from generation to generation because someone, somewhere, witnessed what truly happened...
"Paano mo ito nalaman? sigurado ka ba?" mariing tanong ni Lurtheron. "You can't make assumptions considering how dangerous this information is. If Erishkigal truly exists and has awakened, then we need more than just suspicion to act."
Bahagyang tumahimik si Rassia.
Tangina... can't he just believe what I'm saying?
Napabuntong-hininga si Rassia habang pinagmamasdan si Lurtheron.
Alam niyang hindi niya maaaring sabihin ang buong katotohanan.
Hindi pa niya maaaring sambitin na si Haring Drakkon na mismo ang nagkumpirma sa mga nalalaman niya tungkol kay Erishkigal.
If she revealed that information now, she knew exactly where Lurtheron's attention would turn.
Alam niyang mag-iinit lalo ang tingin ni Lurtheron sa mga Erenhal.
Instead of focusing on Erishkigal, he might once again turn his attention toward them and question their intentions, especially now that the Erenhals were already moving across Arcadeya to establish connections with the different races.
The real enemy is not the Erenhals. It's Erishkigal, idiot.
Lurtheron continued, his expression remaining serious as he studied her carefully.
"Where is your proof, Rassia? Yes, there are people disappearing in Sartores, but that alone doesn't prove that Erishkigal is responsible. There could be other reasons behind their disappearance."
"Believe it or not, Lurtheron. But you and the Holy Cathedral have misinterpreted the prophecy about the Orythea. Which is me."
Sandaling tumigil si Rassia, her eyes remaining fixed on Lurtheron.
"The meaning of Orythea is savior."
Bahagya siyang natahimik.
I cannot tell him the other meaning of it... na tama rin naman ang kanilang pagkakaintindi ngunit alam ko sa sarili kong hindi ko magagawa iyon. He might use it against me, especially knowing how much of an idiot he is.
"At sa tingin mo, bakit may propesiya? It is because a threat is coming, and the Orythea will... be the one who stands against it. That is the proof you need. I can summon Anastacio to confirm it. At alam mo sa sarili mo na hindi maaaring magsinungaling ang mga Sovereign Spirit."
Napaawang ang labi ni Lurtheron habang tahimik na pinagmamasdan si Rassia.
If she is this confident about what she is saying... then it must be true.
But that doesn't mean I will stand with her. And I certainly won't simply hand over Erenhal Sartorias to her and allow her to become its Empress.
Even if I offered her a position as my empress, I know she would decline. She would rather die than stand beside me.
I need time to think about this. I need to discuss it with my council before I make any decision...
Muling sumagi sa isip niya ang tungkol sa mga demonyo.
Demons truly exist, but they are extremely rare to find here in Arcadeya. Especially since the gods and goddesses would normally detect it if someone from Infernov attempted to enter this world with malicious intentions.
Bigla siyang natigilan.
Wait... that actually makes sense.
If Erishkigal truly exists and attempted to destroy Arcadeya, then the gods must have known about her.
Unti-unting nagdugtong-dugtong ang mga bagay sa kaniyang isipan.
And if the myths are true... then the gods really did try to seal her here...
"Who was the demon inside you?"
Bahagyang natahimik si Rassia. Alam niyang hindi lamang simpleng pag-uusisa ang tanong ni Lurtheron. He was suspicious of Lucy Pearl, especially after everything they had just discussed about demons and Infernov.
"She's a fallen angel."
Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ni Lurtheron.
"A fallen angel?"
"Yes. May demonyong gumawa sa kaniya bilang isang demonyo upang pamunuan niya ang isa sa kanilang mga kaharian. She once ruled a kingdom in Infernov. But the demons under her rule betrayed her because they no longer wanted her as their ruler.
Hindi nila kayang tanggapin na isang dating anghel ang mamuno sa kanila."
Tumalim ang mga mata ni Rassia habang mariin niyang tinitigan si Lurtheron.
"Don't you ever think that she is the threat, Lurtheron. She is good. Pagtuunan natin ng pansin si Erishkigal. She might attack sooner or later. I don't want us wasting our time questioning the wrong person when the real threat is already out there."
Bumuntong-hininga si Lurtheron at muling umupo sa kaniyang kinauupuan. Nanatiling nakatitig sa kaniya si Rassia habang nagsasalin siya ng tsaa mula sa R Atelier Café. Alam niyang si Megan ang naglagay nito roon.
"Kung gayon, sa tingin mo ba ay mapamumunuan mo nang maayos ang Erenhal Sartorias kung sakaling totoo nga ang mga sinasabi mo? Just because you have information about the demons and you're certain that they are lurking somewhere in Arcadeya,
that doesn't make you the rightful ruler of Erenhal Sartorias."
Bahagya siyang tumingin kay Rassia.
"Ano ang kaibahan mo sa akin? Alam kong mapamumunuan ko rin nang mas maayos ang Imperyo kung sakaling lumitaw nga ang threat na sinasabi mo. So why should I simply give the throne to you?"
Napataas ang kilay ni Rassia bago niya marahang ibinaba ang kaniyang tasa.
"Malaki ang pinagkaiba natin, Lurtheron. I care about the people, while you care about the will of the Great Goddess. Nagawa mo pang ipatupad ang mga batas na alam mong nagpapahirap sa mga mamamayan dahil lamang naniniwala kang iyon ang nais ng dakilang diyosa."
Matalim siyang tumingin kay Lurtheron.
"You keep saying that you are protecting the Empire, but you're protecting an idea of what you believe the Empire should be, not the people who are actually living in it... Kapag may nagugutom, hindi sapat ang sabihin mong bahagi iyon ng pagsubok ng Dakilang Diyosa.
Kapag may pamilyang nawalan ng tahanan dahil sa mga batas ninyo, hindi sapat na sabihin mong kailangan nilang tiisin iyon para sa mas malaking layunin."
Nanatiling blangko ang ekspresyon ni Lurtheron habang nakikinig sa kaniya. Tahimik lamang siyang nakaupo habang pinagmamasdan si Rassia, as though carefully weighing every word she had just said.
Walang galit sa kaniyang mukha at wala ring halatang pagtutol. His expression remained completely unreadable, making it difficult for Rassia to tell what was actually going through his mind.
"That's the difference between us, Lurtheron. You want people to follow the will of the Great Goddess. I want the people to have a better life."
Natigilan si Rassia nang biglang sumagi sa isip niya ang isang bagay na nakalimutan niyang banggitin.
"And oh, I forgot..."
Napakunot ang noo ni Lurtheron sa biglang pagbabago ng kilos ni Rassia. Tahimik lamang niya itong pinagmasdan, waiting for whatever she was about to add.
"Mas lalong hindi rin ako nagpapamanipula sa kahit na sino. My decision is my decision. Samantalang ikaw... you allowed Megan to manipulate you."
Nanatiling blangko ang mukha ni Lurtheron.
"She has been influencing your decisions for years, Lurtheron. You may believe that everything you've done was your own choice, but how much of it was really yours? She knows what you want to hear.
And you keep believing her because it is easier to believe that you're doing everything for the Great Goddess than to admit that someone has been using your faith to influence your decisions."
Bahagyang napahigpit ang hawak ni Rassia sa kaniyang tasa bago niya ito marahang ibinalik sa mesa.
"Nagawan mo pang hatulan ng kamatayan ang sarili mong mga kapatid. Sa tingin mo ba ay hindi ka nila pinahahalagahan? They were your family, Lurtheron. They grew up with you, stood beside you, and shared the same blood as you.
Pero dahil lamang sa paniniwala mong ang mga bampira ay hindi dapat kabilang sa mundong ito, you were willing to condemn them."
".... my husband cared about you, Lurtheron. Kahit alam niyang may mga bagay kayong hindi pinagkakasunduan, he still considered you as his family. He never treated you as an enemy. He never looked at you as someone who deserved to be punished simply because you believed differently from him."
Umigting ang panga ni Rassia sa inis habang patuloy niyang tinititigan si Lurtheron. Pilit niyang pinipigilan ang sarili na tuluyang magalit.
"At iyon ang hindi ko maintindihan sa iyo. You keep saying that you care about the Empire, that you care about your people, and that everything you do is for the Great Goddess. But what about the people who are closest to you? What about your own family?
If you were willing to judge your own siblings and condemn them because of what you believed, then how can you claim that you are capable of understanding the people of this Empire?"
Nanatiling matalim ang tingin ni Rassia kay Lurtheron.
"Ang tunay na pamumuno ay hindi lamang tungkol sa pagsunod sa isang batas o sa paniniwala sa isang bagay. It is about understanding the people you are responsible for. You have to listen to them, understand their situation, and sometimes admit that the decisions you made were wrong.
Hindi mo maaaring sabihin na tama ang lahat ng ginawa mo dahil lamang naniniwala kang iyon ang kalooban ng Dakilang Diyosa."
Bahagya siyang napailing.
"And perhaps that's the biggest difference between us, Lurtheron. I can admit when I'm wrong. I can change my decision when I realize that it is hurting people. I don't need someone else to tell me what I should believe before I decide what is right and what is wrong."