The Path of Serpent Wrapped Heart

The motive driving Red Prime Pengbo Naqi to usurp the throne was not madness, caprice, power, or desire... but his love for Stibium.

He loved Stibium more than anyone else.

It was just that what he loved was the Stibium of the beginning, a love of "engraving" like trying to retrieve a sword by marking the side of a boat.

That was not because of love, either, but because he hated Bashir for ascending to the Dream Realm alone and leaving him behind; perhaps it was not hatred, but disappointment at Valentine's failure to live up to expectations;

or perhaps it was not disappointment, but the beautiful memories of the pure struggle before the founding of the nation;

but in the end, it was not because of those memories, but because of love.

Because of the madness and selfishness of the Path of Love--

"No wonder," Aleister suddenly laughed. "I tasted a hint of decay from you before, just like that bottle of wine you kept.

"At first, I thought it was an illusion. After all, you've lived for so long... People always want to reminisce about the past."

"...Hmph."

Pengbo Naqi's expression suddenly darkened.

He had guessed what "Duchess Bayard" wanted to say, but he neither interrupted nor denied her.

Aleister watched his expression, the corners of her lips curving slightly upward. "As expected, you've realized it yourself...

"--Your Path has deviated. You've taken the wrong road."

It was a road above the Error Source River... the Path of Twilight, symbolizing eternity and stagnation.

The concepts of "engraving" and "reminiscence" belonged to Amber Angel. With amber rarely responding to prayers, Amber Angel was the spokesperson of the Path of Twilight.

The "smell of old age" radiating from Red Prime was not an illusion--just as rotting flesh emitted a stench