Way of the Knights

Chapter 923: Betrayal

That first sudden assault wasn’t the end of it, that’s for sure. If anything, that’s just the start of it all. 

Grimm can’t remember how he managed to return back to his office. He’s so consumed by lingering fear that part of his rationality was permanently crippled. 

Still, he no longer cared about the state of the God Emperor after incident. How can he when his own life’s at stake? 

His near-death event served as a wake-up call for him. He was reminded that, though he’s strong, he isn’t infallible. He narrowly escaped death this time around and there will certainly be no next time for this. 

Due to that, Grimm couldn’t care less about other matters. He just did what’s important, and that is to preserve his life. 

He called forth the council and admitted the secret he’s been holding. He informed them about what happened to the God Emperor and also who’s behind the invasion. 

Grimm could no longer underestimate Humans, they managed to strike unnoticed twice and did a considerable amount of damage to them before they even knew it. 

The war had just started yet they already suffered a loss. This isn’t good at all. 

Grimm took the lead still, he wouldn’t if he could help it but there’s no one around who can do it so it could only be him. 

He didn’t really care what the outcome of this war would be. At this point, he’s way past that. 

Overwhelming fear kept him up and made him unable to think wisely. He couldn’t care less of their race ends by the ends of this war. Who wins and who loses, he didn’t care about any of that. 

He just wants to live. And he wouldn’t hesitate to do everything in his power to make that happen. 

Even if it means defying the God Emperor’s Edict. 

The terror of death awakened something that he had disregarded for too long now. 

Ever since he began his service to the God Emperor, Grimm never had a chance to live his own life. 

Before this all started, Grimm had simple dreams. He just wanted to live in peace and serenity, he wants a family he can take care of; a partner to hold and a child to play with, that’s all. But since he began working as the right hand man of the God Emperor, he never got the chance to do that. 

The God Emperor promised him that so long as he stayed true to his purpose, he will grant anything he wished for. This was the reason why Grimm worked so hard to begin with but…it had been so long since that promise was made. 

How long was it exactly? Thousands of years? Maybe even more? Grimm can’t really recall. What he do know is that, he had been working so hard that he forgot the source for his drive to begin with. 

The God Emperor kept him distracted for so long that it made him forgot about himself. And in doing that, Grimm became nothing more than a puppet to him.

If his life wasn’t threatened right now, who knows how long it would take Grimm before he realizes this? Would the God Emperor even let go of him after his death? 

This just made Grimm realize that everything he worked so hard for wasn’t for his sake. It was for the God Emperor’s only. 

He had been living for someone else all this time and he only recognize it when the threat of death neared him. He didn’t realize that he had been so stupid all this time. 

But no more…

No more of that…

Grimm has had enough. What he’s doing right now? This is the last time he’d lift a finger for the God Emperor. After this, he’d disappear. The God Emperor had been so unfair to him all this time, he couldn’t even be bothered to give Grimm even the slightest bit of assurance that his efforts would be repaid in kind. 

As Grimm discussed their next course of action with the God Emperor’s council, he’s also preparing for his exit. 

Working as a General under the God Emperor for so long had given him access to many things. And since everyone knows that he was a loyal subject of their God, nobody would dare to doubt him. 

Skroll would but that one’s a wild card. He’d either help him but not for free of course or blackmail him to make Grimm do whatever he wants. Thankfully, that person is missing right now and so far, nobody’s searching for him. 

As for the subsequent attacks that will happen to their home, Grimm would still pay attention. Even though he hated his title, it still made him feel responsible. He doesn’t know any kind of life that’s no like this so this is natural. It’d make things difficult for him once he quits but he can only worry about that once this is all over. 

If there’s still Paradise after this, then hurray! If not, then good riddance. Grimm just couldn’t look at it the same anymore. 

He still don’t understand how Humans were this strong. He repeatedly thought about this over and over again. 

At first, he suspected that Finn fooled them but that’s very unlikely, the man was so gullible that he believed everything they said, especially if Skroll was the one who said it. 

This meant that they severely made a mistake didn’t they? What they know about humans was horribly too little and their actions are a little too reckless. 

Coupled with the God Emperor’s impatience, they made their way towards their territory with arrogant faces…

Faces that were then slapped harshly when they repeatedly suffered from the attack of humans before the war even began. 

At this point, Grimm wouldn’t be surprised if someone told him that the ones responsible for harassing their expedition team were Humans as well. It would make sense for them to do so since they are invading their territory. 

But still…how did the Humans knew they were coming? Why do they appear so prepared for their arrival? None of this made sense to Grimm. It couldn’t possibly be Finn either since all of movements were closely monitored, he never had the chance to contact humanity all this time since both Grimm and Skroll were ready for that. 

So…how? 

‘…not important. I should focus on something else.’

‘I got to keep the council busy while I make some preparations. I have to make it out alive.’

“…oh dear. You’re an awful leader.”

“…”

“He’s so going to betray you, you know? I can see it in his eyes.”

“…”

“What? It’s obvious isn’t it? Heck, we’ve seen what his thought process is like.”

“Plus, you should’ve seen this coming. It was you who suppressed his dreams all this time. It was you who were the ungrateful one here. The poor guy worked so hard for your sake and you can even give him a break? Yeah, you’re one awful leader.”

“Shut-up! Shut the fuck up!!!”

Augustus lashed out harshly, attacking Raven with all of his might fueled by his rage. His eyes turned crimson as the idea of Grimm’s betrayal plagued his mind. 

Unfortunately, it didn’t matter how weak or strong his attacks were. Raven said is before, so long as this domain remains active, he’s invincible.

“A pity, he’s supposed to be your most loyal soldier. Unfortunately his leader is one hell of a dumbass, ah poor guy. He had so much potential too. A real shame that is.” 

The God Emperor truly couldn’t take it. He had tried all different ways of escaping this place yet none of it worked. It doesn’t matter how or where he attacked it, the domain remained strong and stable, unbothered by whatever abuse he’s trying to subject it too. 

The only method he hadn’t try was the one Raven told him about. Studying it. Though he didn’t really want to this since his pride will be trampled upon the realization of him following orders from who he deemed as a lesser creature. Yet everything he did is useless so it seems that this is the only option he has left. 

“Don’t you find his actions quite hilarious though?” Raven chuckled as he continued to mock Augustus and his failure. “He’s trying so hard and very hopeful too. He actually thinks he has a chance of escaping. But we both know that he doesn’t have a chance right?”

God Emperor hated the fact that Raven’s right. 

If not the Mark, the one who almost killed Grimm, it would whoever’s left between the two of them. Raven wouldn’t hesitate to kill Grimm and neither would the God Emperor as well. 

Either way, Grimm’s fate is sealed the moment this all started. The God Emperor just hate the fact that he’s forced to watch this betrayal happening without being able to do anything about it. 

“Oh well…this is quite entertaining actually and I get to see it unfold up close and personal. Isn’t this fun? You’re having fun too right?” 

Augustus hates him so much. He’s never hated anyone this much in his entire life. 

“Oh well, it doesn’t matter whether you like it or not anyway. Unless you solve this, you won’t be getting out so, yeah. I’ll leave you to it~”

Augustus really hates him so fucking much.