I frowned as the two of them spoke of House Brave's lineage and the legendary Hero as if these were common facts.
"……You didn't know? Even though you're of the House Brave line?"
"It’s unavoidable," Edward said, shrugging his shoulders. "Even within the Royal Family, that information only remains in fragments. A significant portion of the records was destroyed, you see. It has been kept strictly confidential."
As it turned out, the ancestor of House Brave was the Hero who lived in the same era as the Ancient Sage.
"Are you surprised, [Recklessness]! I actually intended to reveal this at the appropriate moment, but in the heat of the conversation, I got excited and let it slip!"
Edward let out a self-important snort through his nose. "How careless of me!" he continued. "If things had gone according to plan, I wanted to grandly reveal to the nobility during the Sage Festival that the [Watchdog's] true identity is the [Recklessness] who carries the Hero's bloodline! Heh!"
Edward grumbled about the schedule being thrown off, but I thought he was truly out of his mind for wanting to reveal a hidden alias like that. There was no point in even having a secret identity if he was going to broadcast it. Or did he hide it specifically because he got off on the thrill of the reveal?
More importantly, the thought of that ridiculous alias Edward had forced on me being exposed in front of a crowd was the most dangerous part of this whole situation. I had to stop him, no matter what.
"That's strictly a codename for the underworld, so stop saying it in public. I'll kill you."
"If [Recklessness] insists, then I suppose it cannot be helped."
It wasn't something that could be settled with a simple "cannot be helped," but I let it go for now. Still, this guy was remaining completely nonchalant even while I was projecting a fairly intense amount of killing intent; he really was something else.
As for Wendy, her face had turned pale, and she was fidgeting restlessly as if she couldn't stand being in the room.
"What is it, Wendy? Do you need the restroom? There is one in the Student Council Room you may use."
"It's not that. I just don't understand how you can stay so calm in the middle of that killing intent."
"Heh. That bloodlust, forged by a heavy destiny—there are few in this Royal Capital capable of manifesting such a thing. As one who walks the Path of Shadows, it is vital to constantly bathe in it and grow accustomed to the pressure—ah... bliss..."
While I stood there, stunned by his beyond-bizarre behavior, it seemed he had been putting up a brave front. A blissed-out moan escaped him as he coughed up blood and promptly passed out. Even unconscious, he wore an expression of pure happiness.
He wasn't "something else." He was just a weirdo.
"This man was once the Crown Prince of a nation... how?" Wendy asked.
"I don't know."
I gave the short reply to Wendy, who was looking down at the unconscious Edward as if she were staring at a pile of garbage. He had ended up like this all on his own. I was the one who wanted to ask how.
All of this was Patricia's fault. She had halfway progressed through her Capture Route and then just threw it away the moment I got in the way.
Wait, was it my fault for stealing the Holy Artifact? No, that wouldn't have been an issue if Patricia hadn't tried to steal someone else's life in the first place. I refused to take the blame for that.
As I ruminated on this, Wendy muttered to herself.
"In the past, about three hundred years ago, the Sage, the Hero, and the Saint brought peace to a world ravaged by human wars and the struggle against monsters. That is the symbol of their achievement."
Visible through the window of the Student Council Room was the starry night sky, and within it, the massive Guardian Barrier spreading out like a faint, shimmering film.
"It is said that at that time, the Sage and the Hero parted ways."
"They used the Saint's physical body to make it. Of course the Hero would be pissed, right?"
That is, assuming the Hero had loved the Saint.
If the current world was indeed the creation of the Ancient Sage, then for the Reincarnated Saint to meet the Hero's descendant once again...
It really, truly felt like a scripted love story. It made me feel sick. It was irritating to think that no matter how hard Alicia worked, it had been decided from the moment she was born that things would turn out this way.
"According to the records I was shown, it was written that it couldn't be helped at the time. The people were utterly exhausted by endless cycles of war."
Consequently, House Etherdam focused on protecting the Royal Capital where the survivors gathered, while House Brave established their territory near the Yudaina Mountain Range, where powerful monsters nested.
"As for why the modern nobility loathes House Brave, it's partly due to the Blood Contracts. They say the sentiment changed over time because Brave blood is resistant to that kind of binding magic. It makes the family uncontrollable."
"So, we're a special breed?"
"Who knows? I don't know the specifics. I was only told that you're a troublesome bloodline—that once someone touches you, you'll resist with everything you have until your last breath. That’s why the saying goes: 'Leave a Brave alone, and there's no curse to fear.'"
I found this sudden history lesson unpleasant. All this talk about Heroes, Saints, Sages, and special lineages made me feel as if my own desperate struggle to survive until now was being trivialized.
Looking at Edward, who was still unconscious and happily bleeding from the mouth, I felt I could understand his twisted feelings just a little bit.
"So, Brave, how do we move?"
"What do you mean?"
"The usurpation of the throne is about to begin. If that bald man loses his right of succession, I'm a dead woman."
"This guy brought this on himself."
"……You're cold-blooded."
Wendy said this with a completely blank expression. I felt like she was the one who looked more heartless.
"I've given you the intelligence. I will also take over your security and watch your back. Since I've gone to the trouble of defecting, I’d like to stay alive." Wendy paused, then continued, "Besides, to survive, the bald man and I have to fight. And I suspect he is fully intending to drag you into it. Or rather, isn't he planning to watch you fight from the best seat in the house, right by your side?"
"Ugh..."
The idea of fighting alongside the bald prince was the only thing I truly dreaded. It was far more offensive than being called a Hero. I could already see it—me fighting while he stood next to me, snorting with pride and saying, "Heh! As expected of the Hero!" as if it were his own accomplishment.
I hated the thought of it.
"I'll leave the decision to you," Wendy said. "Though, even if you try to back out, the moment my connection with the organization was severed, Bloody Week would have realized I defected. I expect the nobles will be excessively cautious and try to eliminate any potential threats."
"So I'm stuck either way."
"Precisely."
"Fine. Then my answer is—"