The Places the Light Could Not Reach (Part One)

Six years ago, before he became a Prince, Tales was told by Gilbert in Mindis Hall:

The history of the Star Kingdom had never been short of bloodshed.

Bloodshed.

Was this what true bloodshed was?

Tales stared fixedly at Semir, who was consumed by emotion.

Semir reminded him of the North's former Duke, who had once unleashed an almost hopeless roar of anger in Revival Palace.

The same hatred.

The same pain.

The same desolation.

And the same... all-or-nothing resolve.

The atmosphere in the storeroom reached an oppressive peak. Even Belleti, who stood in front of Tales, seemed dazed as he lowered his weapon.

Semir's breathing carried a long-suppressed resentment. Naki bit his lower lip tightly, while Little Barney looked up blankly, like a lost traveler who had fallen into a fog.

As for Sakrael, he merely clutched the side of his forehead and bowed his head deeply.

He said nothing.

Even Kuaishang, who had tried his best to act as though it had nothing to do with him, unintentionally revealed a depth of thought and astonishment that no low-ranking Mercenary should have possessed as he looked toward Tales.

What are you trying to do?

But Tales ignored him and kept his eyes fixed on the focus of the scene.

At last, after the extreme uproar and the utter silence that followed, the voice that had vanished for a time trembled back into existence:

"What are they talking about, Sakrael?"

With mixed feelings and an indescribable bitterness in his heart, Tales turned his gaze.

Little Barney was kneeling on the ground, staring with eyes that looked as though they had been ravaged by a storm. He asked blankly:

"Father? The Radiant Stars? They..."

Sakrael said nothing.

The Knight shuddered and slowly turned his head.

In that instant, he concealed his