May God's Grace Be Upon the King of the Fallen Kingdom - Chapter 3 Part 1

3. The Last Oracle and the Beginning of A Journey

A week passed like a flash of light and an arrow. During that time, Sosphus never returned to his own room where Eoleare was being held captive. Eoleare repeatedly asked the guards where Sosphus was and what he was doing, and when he would come back, but the answer was always the same.

“His Holiness is waiting for the divine oracle in the temple with a pious heart. He said he won’t come out until the oracle is bestowed.”

When Eoleare heard that Sosphus was waiting for the divine oracle, he was able to piece together some information about the situation. Sosphus was waiting for the divine oracle that would save Eoleare’s life. If the oracle was bestowed, Eoleare would not be executed, but if not, he would be executed at the appointed time.

The more he thought about it, the more distant it seemed. Why would the God who protected the Terra Dominé Empire want to save Eoleare? He would be of no help to the empire. Sosphus was waiting for an absurd divine oracle while being trapped in the temple.

Eoleare didn’t want that. It felt like a false hope. If only Sosphus had not kept Eoleare captive during the remaining time. If only they had hugged, kissed, and fallen asleep together. Then, it would have been happier to die. There was nothing as miserable and terrifying as waiting for death alone.

And then the morning of the seventh day arrived.

Eoleare woke up early in the morning, washed his body, and put on the cleanest clothes. In his heart, he wanted to wear the attire of the King of Solas. At least, he wanted to face death without shame. However, Eoleare was not allowed to do so. He would be dragged to the gallows by the wind of his shirt. Humiliation was the political symbolism of this execution.

Still, Eoleare, dressed as neatly as possible, sat on the chair facing the door and waited for Sosphus to open it. Whether Sosphus will say, ‘The divine oracle has been bestowed, so, you’ll still live,’ or ‘The divine oracle has not been bestowed, but I cannot let you die, so let’s run away together,’ or ‘The divine oracle has not been bestowed, and we cannot run away, so I will hold you once more before your execution’… Eoleare wanted to see Sosphus’ face, no matter what he said.

Eoleare also had something to say to Sosphus. He wanted to apologize for forgetting and not understanding the meaning of the oath that day, and… that every moment he hugged him was painful and embarrassing, but despite that, he hoped Sosphus would hug him again. Without him, Eoleare felt…

At that moment, the door opened with a loud bang. Eoleare could tell from the sound that it wasn’t Sosphus. He wasn’t the type to behave so violently.

As expected, it wasn’t Sosphus standing between the doors. It was armed soldiers. Eoleare closed his eyes tightly. It was time to be taken to the execution ground. Would Sosphus wait for the divine oracle until the last moment, that is, just before the blade of the guillotine severed Eoleare’s head?

Don’t do that. Just show me your face one more time. Without any way to convey his innermost thoughts, Eoleare faced the soldiers. They rushed towards him, handcuffed him behind his back, and put shackles on his feet that were connected by chains.

Eoleare didn’t resist. He had resigned himself to his fate to some extent since the moment he became a prisoner. It was a predetermined destiny. However, he wanted to see Sosphus before he died. Would he come to the execution ground? Would he watch Eoleare’s last moments?

Eoleare was dragged away with a heavy heart. The path to the execution ground, located in the square in front of the imperial palace, was long. Before he knew it, it was June, and the morning sun that shone down on his chin was scorching hot. The gazes of the people who came to watch him were also piercing.

But none of that mattered. Where was Sosphus? When would he appear? To save Eoleare… If that was impossible, he should at least come to be with him until the end…

Finally, when he arrived at the execution ground, the guillotine stood tall with a sharp and imposing presence. The wooden floor of the execution ground where the guillotine was erected was stained with the blood of those who had been executed before Eoleare, which had long since disappeared into the dew of the execution ground.

Several men stood on a platform higher than the guillotine. The one in the middle was the Emperor of the empire. Although it was the first time Eoleare had seen his face, he could easily recognize him by the crown he wore. The Emperor ordered Eoleare’s execution in a majestic voice. The spectators began to shout in unison.

“Kill him! Kill him!”

Eoleare didn’t care what they were saying. He just kept looking around among them to find Sosphus, but he couldn’t find a single strand of his silver hair. Eoleare knelt in front of the guillotine as the soldiers ordered him to.

“Death to the King of the rebellious Kingdom that defies the Empire!”

As he was fixed in place with his neck in the guillotine, he finally realized that he was going to die.

I don’t want to die. I’m scared. I don’t want it to end like this. I want to see Sosphus. I have to tell him that I’m sorry for forgetting. I remember everything now. And you… I can’t believe it, but I think I love you…

“Kill him! Kill him!”

It felt like love.

It was at that moment. The sky split open with a flash of lightning, and suddenly a downpour began to pour from the blue sky. Eoleare looked up at the sky in confusion. The astonished people shouted in unison.

“It’s a divine oracle!”

“The divine oracle has come down!”

Everyone knelt on the ground and bowed their heads, except for one person who stood upright in a black robe with the hood flipped back. Eoleare watched as the person took off the hood through the heavy raindrops that blurred his vision. The silver hair that Eoleare had longed for appeared. It was Sosphus.

“Sosphus…!”

Eoleare called out to him with an agonized voice. Sosphus slowly walked past the people and climbed up to the execution ground. He knelt in front of Eoleare’s face and sat down. Then he put his hand on Eoleare’s wet cheeks. He had a very haggard face, as if he had given up eating and sleeping for a week. His red pupils shone with intense affection towards Eoleare.

Eoleare had so much to say, but he couldn’t utter a single word. His throat was sore from the tears of joy that burst out of him at the sight of Sosphus again.

“Sosphus, Sosphus…”

Sosphus whispered to Eoleare, who kept calling his name endlessly.

“Yes, I’m here. Eoleare.”

Hadn’t Sosphus called him by his name instead of ‘Eoleare III’ before? Eoleare sobbed. Yes, it’s okay now. Even if he dies now, he has no regrets. He saw Sosphus. He called Eoleare’s name. So affectionately and lovingly. That’s enough.