Chapter 48

I look at the newly dubbed Ceras Lake Castle and smile a little. This is the headquarters for our army and the place where we push back the Godwin. It has been two days since we occupied this place, and we've already moved our people into this castle rather than the Raftfleet.

There are already a lot of shops in the castle. The busiest one is Sairoh's Trading House, where many merchants go to trade goods, sell goods and buy goods. I use him as the one spreading the goods I buy from other places.

It is cheaper to sell, but it helps the armies. I can also sell something I buy from Sairoh, but I cannot sell them to Godwin. I easily agree with that. It is easy enough. I did not want to trade with them anyway.

Anyway, with Sairoh's service, I do not need to go from one city to another to sell my goods. Of course, supply and demand rules still apply. If there is no demand, the price will go down and vice versa.

When that happens, I can buy the supplies from Sairoh and sell them to the city that needs those goods.

"Going alone, Gerrald?"

I look back and see Sialeeds walking toward me. I smile a little and say, "Yeah. I like to watch the stars, especially when it is this bright."

Sialeeds sits beside me and says, "It shines brightly tonight."

We stay silent for a few seconds before Sialeeds looks at me and says, "Hey, Gerrald."

"Hmmm? What is it?"

"Do you want to come with us to Lelcar?"

"Lelcar? The city that is divided into districts, Lelcar?"

"Yeah. To beat Godwin, we need all kinds of support. Lelcar is divided into three supporters. The very left of the town supports Godwin, the middle one supports the barrow, and the third one supports the late Lord Revere."

"And you want to get the support of the people of Lelcar, huh?"

"Yeah. With the recommendation of Talgeyl, the current mayor of Lordlake, we want to take the support from the third district."

"I see. Sadly, I cannot come with you because I need to do something around the city. Lucretia wants me to gather funds for our next campaign."

"She's really working you to the bone, huh?"

I smile and say, "Yeah. However, I like this kind of work, so you do not need to worry."

We stay silent after I say that word before Sialeeds looks me right in the eyes and says, "Gerrald, please be honest with me. Are you the one killing all those nobles?"

I look at her in shock before saying, "What brings this one?"

"Lucretia told me about how Godwin killed all the nobles except Lord Barrow, who switched sides. Lucretia knows that the Godwin faction will not be stupid enough to do this kind of thing, and that leaves one thing. Someone is killing them and blaming Godwin for this incident. Is it you? Are you the one doing this just because of my request?"

I look at her for a few seconds before smiling sadly.

"Yeah, it is me."

"Why? Why are you burdening yourself with this responsibility?"

"Are you not upset about me killing them?"

"Upset? Me? They are the reason why my sister and brother-in-law died. They are too greedy for their own good. I don't mind them dying. As long as you are not killing the good one."

"Right. As for your first question… Yeah, I am the one killing them. However, it is not the thing you thought it was."

"Oh? Tell me."

I take a deep breath and decide to bullshit my way out—meta knowledge for the win.

"I see you. I see you being the one killing all those nobles and being blamed for all of it. I see the burden of being a traitor to your own country, and I cannot let you do that. Let me be the one to take care of that burden and make sure Godwin is the one getting the blame."

She looked at me for a few seconds before suddenly laughing. She covers her mouth, and after a few seconds, she wipes the tears from her eyes. She then looks at me with a beautiful smile on her face.

"Thank you, Gerrald. Truly, thank you."

"It is not a problem."

Sialeeds puts her head on my shoulder as we watch the sky full of stars.

=//=

I release a sigh and throw myself on the bed.

"I have been waiting for you."

"Holy shit!"

I scream and take a battle stance when I hear that voice. I can see a tall woman standing in the corner of the room. She has black eyes that look like the night sky, and she is wearing a black cloak with a gold pattern on it. Underneath the cloak, she is wearing a black dress. I know this woman. She is the strongest mage in the entire Suikoden V game, Zerase.

"What do you want?"

I say while looking at her. However, before I can even blink, she appears in front of me and looks at my forehead.

"You… The Sun Rune chooses you… and it is content. How?"

"I don't know! One moment, I look at the sun, and suddenly, I have this rune stuck on my forehead."

She looks at me for a few seconds before saying.

"You are one of the stars, but the True Rune chooses you. What an odd thing. You are a stranger tied by the string of fate but also the one without any string other than the one you created on your own and tied to the prince. You are the one beloved by the Void, the one who travels through the Void. You are the perfect vessel for any True Rune to reside."

Holy shit. How can she see it all? I know she is the bearer of the Star Rune, one of the strongest runes in the world that is not True Rune, but this is a little bit much, isn't it?

"You will not go into madness without the help of the Dawn and Twilight runes."

After saying that, she presses her head into mine, and a light comes out of my head. After a couple of seconds, she releases me and nods her head.

"I understand my duty now. Sun Rune wants its two children back but also knows that fate needs to be fulfilled."

She looks at me and says,

"You are Tenfu Star, the Star of Wealth, Gerrald. You shall perform your duty until this fated Civil War is over before I shall reunite the Sun Rune with its two children."

After saying that, she disappeared from my room, leaving me alone.

"What just happened?"