The Protagonists Keep Adding Scenes For Me | Chapter 47 | The Great Deception | Novela.app

The lily of the valley was the national flower of Beita. Pure white and bell-shaped, these blossoms seemed to let out a silent cry as they swayed in the wind. They called to lost souls, to wanderers in the distance, and to every heart that beat for freedom. The people of Beita were free and romantic. Unlike other contemporary nations that held an extreme devotion to the gods, Beita not only had a thin theological atmosphere, but its royal family had taken the lead in rebuking the "prophecies." Under such leadership, the populace naturally looked upon the so-called "destiny" interpreted by the Church with disdain. However, such "uniqueness" eventually met with retribution. The first to enact this judgment was Fengyi, the largest nation of that era. It was the only land where the gods had ever set foot, and it had been endowed with incredible favoritism and power. When Fengyi’s national strength surged to the pinnacle of all nations, their king stood proudly atop a high tower and made a proclamation: The Divine Right of Kings. The supreme crown upon their heads was a gift from the gods, and no one was permitted to change that! The members of the small party more or less knew the history of Beita, so they accepted this information well enough. However, the intelligence they gathered next was entirely beyond their expectations. "Ominous? Heh, though I don't subscribe to any of those claims," Enoch, the leader, spoke with a weary expression, the burn scars on his exposed face visible, "I do happen to know a few things." The prophecy regarding the twins currently known to the public painted them as a pure source of calamity. Only the survivors of Beita who had lived through those years knew that the original version of the prophecy only indicated that the *younger* of the twins was ominous. As for the elder brother, in the mouths of those fervent believers, he was destined to become the supreme God’s Son. One day, he would converse with the gods and wield divine authority. The pressure Fengyi exerted on Beita was, in fact, a demand for them to kill the younger brother and hand the elder over to be raised by them. The Beita royalty refused, and so did the people. "So, they set the fires," Enoch smiled mockingly. "How interesting... Don't they believe in the gods? Yet they didn't hesitate to use divine power just to burn the 'God’s Son' to death." It was nothing short of a lynching! A lynching carried out with the power of the gods! Because of this, the people of Beita had been unable to resist that great fire. Fortunately, the people of Beita had always been romantic and free-spirited; many were traveling abroad in other countries at the time. These people escaped the cataclysm and survived in secret, Enoch among them. But Enoch had been a guard of the royal family; the pain of his nation's destruction ran deeper than that of the average citizen. Before the flames had even died out, he had lost control and rushed back into the capital in an attempt to save any surviving countrymen, earning nothing but a body covered in burn scars. Even after wandering in a daze for many years, his memories as blurred as if scorched by fire, he found it difficult to forget his homeland. That was until he met those two in a tavern... The former had reignited his passion for his fallen country, while the latter had practically dictated the entire route of their journey. He wondered who they really were... Enoch’s expression turned slightly melancholy. Although he had led his team to the gates of the royal capital and the necessary preparations were largely complete, he felt as though he were still living in a dream. The hints and guidance found within the fallen leaves had made their adventure along the way move with incredible smoothness. Just who were they...? Pulling his thoughts back, Enoch spoke coldly to the party: "I don't shy away from this history, but if you intend to make excuses for Fengyi and the Church, there is no need." To his surprise, the first to respond was the Saintess in the black dress. "We understand," Joan said, her lashes lowered, her hands crossed over her chest. "Beita suffered a tragic fate... yet another crime to be laid at the Church's door." "You?" Enoch’s expression shifted slightly as he eyed the Church emblem on Joan’s headpiece. "I thought you wouldn't say such things." His partner couldn't help but chime in: "Speaking of which... it's my first time seeing a Saintess wearing black." ... For the time being, the two groups seemed to be getting along well. The moment Mu Ran saw the other group's leader, he had quietly shrunk to the very back of the line, terrified that Enoch might recognize him. Carlos silently withdrew from the crowd and walked off alone in one direction. Mu Ran felt something was wrong and stealthily followed him. ... Wait a minute, was he planning to leave?! Seeing Carlos take off the positioning bracelet that Erwin had specially given to each member, and then place all the items related to the party from his luggage onto the empty ground—even lingering to stroke them gently—Mu Ran could no longer stay hidden. "Hey!" He appeared soundlessly behind Carlos and patted the man’s tensed back. Carlos: "!" His pupils constricted sharply. It was only when he turned and saw Mu Ran’s masked face that his racing heart began to calm. Mu Ran tilted his head. "What are you doing?" Carlos’s reflex was to say "nothing" to brush it off, but then he remembered that the person before him not only knew his past but also possessed a keen insight into the human heart—paired with a rather wicked personality. So, he simply said softly, "I want to leave." Mu Ran’s eyes widened. "Why leave?" Carlos almost thought the other was mocking him on purpose. Why? Did he even need to ask why? He was practically trembling from the facts he had just heard. So, he was the source of misfortune. He was the ominous child. Therefore, he should just hide away quietly. To be alive was already a stroke of immense luck; how could he dare to have any thoughts of resentment? How did he have the face to mingle with this party, how did he have the face to seek an explanation, how did he... how could he still harbor those hopes and desires that shouldn't exist?! As these extreme thoughts whispered in his mind, Carlos spoke with a faint, imperceptible tremor: "No reason..." As if thinking of something, he gently grabbed Mu Ran’s arm and pleaded in a low voice, "Please... tell them that I... I had to leave early because of some business..." The smile on Mu Ran’s face faded. "Tell me why." "Otherwise, I’ll drag you in front of them right now and make you explain it yourself." ... "Sigh—" Mu Ran let out a deep breath. He really hadn't expected Carlos to think this way. But considering the man's past and the sensitive, fragile heart hidden beneath his cold exterior, it wasn't hard to understand. Carlos looked listless. "I know I'm being ridiculous." He lowered his head, looking toward his heart, as if he could see the gray bird trapped in the water prison through his flesh and blood. For the sake of that stubborn resentment in his heart, he had disguised his face, fabricated a spirit body, and joined the party with a hint of malice. In the end, everyone’s character was beyond reproach... except for his own, as he had ulterior motives. His resentment stemmed from the injustice he suffered at birth. But now, he no longer had the right to feel that way. He murmured, "I... truly deserve to die." Just like in the prophecy, he would bring misfortune. Perhaps, in the eyes of others, the repeated rebirths and struggles of that infant really were terrifying and ominous... *Thwack.* His lowered head was suddenly given a firm, but not heavy, smack. Carlos flinched, but he didn't look up. He merely continued his calm narration: "So I should just leave as soon as—" Before he could finish, his chin was lifted, forcing him to meet the other’s deep, crimson eyes. Carlos struggled slightly, but ultimately just lowered his gaze, his expression flat. "Or, you can just kill me. That way, your secret won't be known by anyone else, and I’ll have been of some small value." "Stop—" Mu Ran sighed almost imperceptibly. He decided to tell Carlos the true prophecy directly. "..." Carlos murmured blankly, "Even if... even if you comfort me like this..." "It's not comfort." Mu Ran emphasized, "This is the truth as I know it." Carlos was stuck in a mental loop. "But how can I be sure that I'm not the person in the prophecy?" Mu Ran shook his head in disagreement and patted the man’s shoulder. "You've fallen into their logical trap. Enduring persecution because of a prophecy, fearing to resist because of a prophecy." He propped up his chin, his tone light. "The authority of words is held in their hands. Naturally, the two paths they provide are both beneficial to them." "So, we plan to carve out a path of our own." Carlos repeated, "We?" Mu Ran’s eyes curved into a smile. "At the ceremony in a few days, just wait and see. See how far I and another person who was once persecuted by prophecy can go." As he reached the end, the youth’s clear voice carried a hint of meaningful laughter. "If we truly are the twin stars of the prophecy, it will be all the more ironic." "And even if we aren't." He casually dropped a bombshell. "We will make everyone believe that we are." Carlos’s pupils dilated. "That is decep—" "No." Mu Ran’s eyes crinkled. "In a reality that has long since lost its fairness, we are simply resisting with determination." "We've just learned to be a bit smarter." "..." Countless doubts and confusion swirled in Carlos’s heart, but in the end, he only asked one question in a very soft voice: "Who are you, really?" "Just a poor soul who lost his identity." "But, who knows what the future holds?" Reflected clearly in Carlos’s eyes was the youth who had always been composed and nonchalant. When the boy looked at the flags fluttering in the distance, his gaze suddenly softened. It was as if he were gazing upon a homeland from which he had been parted for a very long time. ***