Cedric left the room, making a sound as heavy as his expression.

(This is a time delimiter.)

Cedric opened the door to the police office of the Martin Kingdom and entered.

“Cedric. What brings you here?”

A man seated at the desk in the office greeted him with a happy expression as Cedric appeared.

The Martin Kingdom had the Royal Guard responsible for the palace’s escort and security, the Security Force tasked with military security.

And the police force responsible for the nobles and commoners’ security.

“Edmund. It’s been a while.”

Edmund Windsor.

Having graduated from the same academy as Cedric, he was in charge of this police force.

“I was in the neighborhood and stopped by for a moment.”

“An able knight visiting me willingly. It’s an honor.”

At Edmund’s teasing tone, Cedric looked around the office with a small smile.

Members working in various parts of the office were visible.

Cedric turned his eyes back and approached Edmund.

“I heard the construction of the police training ground has been completed.”

“Training ground? It’s been quite a while since construction finished.”

“Ah. Is that so? Can I take a look since I’m here? Our knight training ground needs improvements as well.”

Edmund, raising his eyebrows slightly, got up from his seat.

“There is a reason you’re called an able knight. Let’s go. I’ll show you.”

“Sure.”

“I’ll be at the training ground for a while. If anything happens, contact me immediately.”

After shouting to the members, Edmund followed him out of the office.

“This time, we’ve prepared many devices that help more with physical training than technical training.”

“It seems so.”

Walking around the training ground, Edmund began to explain.

“The Royal Guard and Security Force had already arranged them a while ago.”

“…….”

“We were able to win the war against the Lator Kingdom thanks to our physical superiority.”

As he continued, Edmund glanced at Cedric.

“Hmm. Of course, thanks to the contributions of your fatherinlaw, Duke Heter Caliphs, though.”

The muttering voice didn’t seem particularly acknowledging.

Known here as a hero but also as a man who might betray the country again.

Cedric merely curled his lips slightly, knowing him.

“It seems the training ground is even more magnificent than I thought.”

Cedric said in a light tone, slowly looking around the training ground.

Having confirmed that only the two of them were in the training ground, Cedric stopped and turned to face Edmund.

“Edmund. I have something I want to ask.”

“Yeah. Tell me.”

“Something you said a while ago piqued my curiosity.”

“What are you talking about?”

As if asking him to speak, Edmund lightly smiled.

Cedric opened his mouth slowly, locking his gaze firmly.

“People who were brutally slaughtered by the previous king himself.”

His voice flowed slowly, and Edmund’s eyes hardened slightly.

“About the people with healing abilities.”

Behind Cedric’s toneless voice, a brief silence came.

Edmund slowly looked around the training ground, his face entirely devoid of a smile.
“Are they talking about the people of the Mayers family?”

“Yes.”

“Cedric. What’s the reason for suddenly being curious about them?”

Cedric smiled lightly at the gaze that meticulously scanned his face.

“Do I need a reason? I heard about it from you at the last gathering, so I thought of it when I met you.”

Ah. Edward, who had slightly opened his lips, relaxed the heavy expression he had been holding.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. It’s just a casual question.”

“No. It’s not exactly that, but…….”

“It seems your view of that matter is still unfavorable.”

Edward slowly nodded.

“People were terrified because many opposed it. The fact that the person who could heal, even if sick, had disappeared. They didn’t know when they would become ill, and there was no way to treat it.”

The existence that was the last glimmer of hope for the sick.

“If only they had been alive, they wouldn’t have had to watch their loved ones die painfully before their eyes.”

“…….”

“Anyway, it’s been over a decade now, but people who are still dissatisfied with the choice of the former king exist. There’s no point in bringing it up.”

“Is that so?”

Cedric shrugged lightly.

“Speaking only to you…….”

Edward whispered and leaned his upper body closer.

“I find it a bit of a pity.”

“What’s… a pity?”

“They not only revived the sick, but there was no weapon like them on the battlefield.”

“…….”

“Isn’t it amazing? They don’t die even if they’re stabbed or cut by a sword, and they revive dying people. People who revive those on the brink of death on the battlefield.”

Edward’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Of course, the former king made that choice because of that.”

“Why did he make that choice?”

“For diplomatic reasons. At that time, the country that had many healers won the war. Many countries began to take issue with this.”

“Is that so?”

Cedric lightly lifted his eyelids as if he knew nothing.

“At that time, several kings gathered and made a decision for a fair power struggle and for peace.”

“…….”

“They decided to kill all those with healing power.”

Cedric’s eyes, which had been gazing slightly, darkened.

They killed hundreds of people under the guise of peace and power.

Can that decision truly be called peaceful?

“My father said the atmosphere of the kingdom was quite tense at that time.”

A story from over a decade ago.

“Everyone was bloodthirsty in searching for the hidden people of the Mayers family.”

“…….”

“The king offered a big reward for finding the Mayers.”

Everyone in the kingdom participated in killing them.

“It was very easy to find them. One slash with a knife, and you could tell right away.”

Edward, with one side of his mouth twisted up, raised his hand and sharply cut through the air.

“Their healing power was most strongly manifested in themselves. The wound would disappear surprisingly quickly.”

With emotionless eyes, Cedric, who had been focusing, slowly opened his mouth.

“How did the former king kill them?”

“……What?”

“You said their healing power is most strongly manifested in themselves. How did he kill them?”

“Ah, right. If they didn’t cut their throats in one go, it was hard to kill them.”

Edward, nodding slowly, slightly narrowed his eyes.

“But they were more afraid of something than a knife.”

Cedric pushed his eyelids up as he focused on Edward’s voice.

“What is it?”

A faint smile spread across Edward’s lips, which had been tightly closed for a moment.

“It’s water.”

“……Water?”

At that moment, narrowing his eyes at the slow, creeping chill.

“How did the king kill them, you say…….”

Edward’s lips, leaning closer, slowly parted.

“He drowned them all.”

A creepy voice echoed.