Every morning, when the sun rises, a now-familiar knock echoes:
Knock, knock, knock.
When the door opens, there she is, Sister Karen, sent by God himself for his sake.
“Here we go, Your Highness! Today, let’s study the scriptures together!”
“Didn’t we study the scriptures yesterday, Sister?”
“Well, yes! But I was sent down here specifically to study the scriptures with you!”
Ares pretended to let her in reluctantly, but deep down, he was glad to spend time with her.
“Chapter 15, Verse 8 of the Divine Writings: ‘The pure truth of God is granted only when a believer makes their own choices.’ Verse 9: ‘You must not mix your pure truth with that of others.’ Verse 10: ‘This is the absolute rule established by the One True God, as the seventh admonition of the first saint warns against manipulating others with your peculiar rewards.’ Do you remember all three verses?”
“Of course. We studied them in-depth yesterday.”
“Then, can you now explain the pure truth contained within these verses?”
Ares hesitated for a while before responding in a resigned tone.
“It means you shouldn’t treat others like puppets to be moved at your will. Something like that, right?”
“That’s correct! Now, Ares, what lesson can you personally take from this?”
Although Ares knew the answer, instead of repeating it verbatim, he offered a conclusion he had contemplated.
“Sister, to be serious… you know better than anyone that nothing can change without sacrifice. Honestly, debating over who should make that sacrifice feels like nitpicking in the face of bigger issues.”
“That’s not the point.”
As she had done the day before, Karen spoke with firm resolve.
“Sure, without sacrifice, nothing might change. But can you confidently say a new world built atop the unwilling sacrifices of others will be better than the old one?”
“That’s just naive and idealistic. And I’ve already said, I’m willing to throw away my own life.”
“Being ready to sacrifice your life doesn’t mean you have the right to decide the fate of others, does it?”
“Understanding everyone’s circumstances, delaying for someone who resists sacrifice… how will the world ever change this way? If we accommodate everyone, who will willingly sacrifice themselves? It’s fairer to randomly select the necessary sacrifices when needed. That way, everyone shares the burden equally.”
Ares liked Karen.
Even knowing she was a trap sent by God to test him, he still liked her.
The time he spent with her hadn’t diminished in value.
Because he genuinely liked her, Ares found himself revealing parts of his youthful, unfiltered self to her, things he had never shared with anyone else.
***
Instead of scolding him outright, Karen carefully explained, ensuring he could understand.
“Think about it, Your Highness. Why did you first want to overturn the world?”
“Because the monarchy, with a sovereign and vassals, has reached its limits.”
“And why is that?”
“The vassals appear to obey the emperor, but they’ll depose any ruler who doesn’t suit their agenda to protect their petty power. Meanwhile, the emperor, obsessed with strengthening his authority, commits unspeakable acts in the name of ‘stable governance.’ It’s a vicious cycle.”
“The so-called glorious history of the empire is nothing but an ongoing power struggle between the emperor and vassals. Innocent citizens are continually overlooked, suffering in pain. How could I, as a member of the imperial family, ignore that?”
“So, you support a republic?”
“Yes. I believe the concentration of power is why both the vassals and the emperor cling to it so fiercely. If we can distribute that power among many, I’m confident they’ll focus on enriching their own lands rather than engaging in pointless political conflicts.”
“And what if the noble leaders in a republic don’t focus on their lands but instead form factions and perpetuate the same political struggles?”
“… I suppose we wouldn’t know until we try.”
“Believing only in the positives while ignoring the negatives isn’t the right attitude. You know that, don’t you, without me having to explain?”
“But the flaws of monarchy are already well-documented in history, so—”
“Then why did you shift your focus from revolution to monitoring the church?”
***
Karen’s questions often left Ares speechless.
Yet, he didn’t mind.
He wanted to clash all his hidden thoughts and ideologies against her, testing them without reserve.
“If transforming to a republic would create a utopia, then no matter what the emperor did, you shouldn’t have wavered. Isn’t that right?”
“This time, I’ll answer for you. Isn’t it because the emperor and most nobles have surprisingly become incorruptible, and the voices of the people singing their happiness echo like a song everywhere?”
“Yes, that’s it. Honestly, if I called for the emperor’s overthrow now… no one would support me. The people would think I was blinded by power and spewing nonsense.”
“Thank you for being honest. Now, can you answer my next question?”
Ares shut his eyes tightly and turned his head.
“Even if the saintess is extraordinary, no one can truly know another person’s heart. As a human, she could change her stance at any moment. Right now, she walks the path for everyone, but it wouldn’t be shocking if she someday fell into self-worship.”
“Is that your only reason?”
“What else could there be, Sister? I’m being completely honest with you.”
***
Karen let out a short sigh, then gently stroked the back of his hand, murmuring, “You really are a handful, aren’t you?”
Oddly enough, Ares found himself cherishing that moment.
Feeling her genuine effort for his sake filled him with warmth.
“Since you won’t be honest with yourself, let me guess what’s in your heart. Is that all right?”
“Go ahead.”
“Your noble intentions aren’t wrong. God agrees with you. After all, ‘graduation’ doesn’t mean to abandon the idea of revolution. God wants everyone to be happy, not bound to any specific political system.”
Even Ares had realized that much.
The God of Truth sought to transform him from a ‘revolutionary who does not love humanity’ into a ‘revolutionary who loves humanity.’
It felt like a play on words, but if God disapproved of revolutions, He would’ve chosen clearer language.
“Feeling compassion for those who suffer and wanting to help them isn’t wrong. But your problem, Your Highness, is that you’re deceiving yourself.”
“I’m deceiving myself?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected statement, Ares stared at Karen in confusion.
Unlike him, her steady gaze was unwavering.
“Your Highness, do you know why you so easily dismiss the sacrifices of others for the greater good? And why, despite knowing your revolution won’t be accepted by the people, you’re still so fixated on creating chaos?”
“That’s—”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but this time, please let me finish.”
At that moment, Karen firmly grabbed both of Ares’ hands.
“S-Sister?”
“I’ll tell you. I’ll reveal your true feelings, Ares.”
“My true feelings…?”
“Ares, you want to be a hero.”
In that instant, Ares’ world came to a sudden halt.
‘A hero…? I want to become a hero?’
‘No, that’s not it. I have no interest in personal glory or ambition. As proof, I’ve abandoned the authority of the imperial family to prepare for revolution.’
However, Karen continued speaking with unwavering conviction.
“A revolutionary prince who topples the empire with his own hands. Someone who throws everything away to overturn the world for the people. Your desire to become such a figure is so strong that you refuse to give up and can even remain unfazed by the sacrifices of others.”
“You may not love humanity, but you certainly love yourself immensely.”
“That’s absurd! If I truly loved myself, I wouldn’t have considered giving up my privileges—”
“You say you’re giving up your privileges, yet you keep saying things like, ‘If not me, a member of the imperial family, then who?'”
“T-That’s—!”
“You are using your status as a member of the imperial family to its fullest. You’re enamored with the idea of being ‘the magnificent me,’ who pities the people and even casts away his own authority. That’s why, regardless of the outcome, you feel compelled to overturn the world. You want to leave your name etched in history, no matter what.”
“And that’s why you’re waiting. Hoping for the church to falter, for another time of suffering to come upon the people. Only then will you gain justification for your cause and be able to step forward as a savior.”
“That’s not true…!!!”
Bang!
Ares shot to his feet.
In the past, Karen would have been too intimidated to respond, but now she remained calm and continued speaking.
“You might be able to fool the whole world, but you can’t fool me, Your Highness.”
“I’ve… I’ve thought about this endlessly! This isn’t for me—it’s for everyone—”
“I know your intentions aren’t a lie. But if it were truly for everyone, you wouldn’t so easily dismiss the weight of unwanted sacrifices. The reason you cling so fiercely to the idea of sacrifice is that, as a member of the imperial family, you’re willing to give up everything, and you can’t accept that those with less to lose won’t join your cause.”
“Don’t oversimplify things! What do you even know about me, Sister—!”
Just as Ares was about to retort further, he stopped abruptly.
The scent of Karen’s presence filled his senses, followed by a warm embrace.
When he came to his senses, he realized that Karen had wrapped her arms around him tightly.
“I know everything, Ares.”
“W-What?”
“I know everything about you. Every single thing. Including what you’re thinking right now.”
“I didn’t come here to scold you. That’s not what God’s ‘graduation’ is about.”
***
For humans, everyone has their own moments of shame.
From something as trivial as an unusual hobby or preference to something as deep as a hidden, private desire.
For instance, the desire to become everyone’s hero, to leave a lasting legacy in history, fueled by an overwhelming love for oneself.
“Facing those slightly embarrassing, twisted parts of yourself head-on. Accepting them and moving forward. That’s what graduation truly is.”
Ares stood silently, still in her embrace.
All he could think about was how soft Karen felt against him and how his face was burning hotter than ever.
“Ares, be honest. You wanted to meet me again, didn’t you? Why?”
“I…”
“It’s okay. I know everything. So, tell me everything honestly.”
Ares cautiously began to break out of his shell, bit by bit.
“I liked you because you understood me, Sister.”
“I liked that you accepted my quirks and adjusted to me.”
“Just having conversations with you felt so natural… like we were one from the beginning and only split into two. That’s why I liked you, Sister.”
“Do you still like me now?”
“…Yes.”
“Thank you.”
Karen gently patted his back, as if comforting a cherished younger brother.
“Do you love me?”
“I’m not sure if this is love. But when you’re not here… I miss you terribly. I missed you so much that I was willing to compromise even my personal beliefs.”
“If you’re willing to set aside your convictions for someone, that might already be love.”
Karen slowly released her embrace, placed her hands on Ares’ shoulders, and smiled warmly as she looked him straight in the eyes.
“If you were able to like me, then you can like others too, Your Highness.”
“And when you truly love and care for others, that’s when you’ll finally become the hero you’ve always wanted to be.”
With those words, she embraced him once again and gently patted his back.
Ares didn’t resist her touch.
Instead of responding with words, he quietly remained in her arms.
Karen was right.
The saint’s words were right.
For the first time, Ares felt he understood the pure truth of the One True God.