East Road Quest

Chapter 10 The Emperor of Rome

“Open your eyes, Ben.”

Startled by the heavy voice, Ben opened his eyes. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been called Ben. Even his mother had called him ‘Your Majesty’ since he turned eighteen. And for a long time, no one had addressed him by anything other than ‘Your Imperial Majesty.’

This was the second time someone had called him that.

‘It’s you again!’

Ben gasped and got out of bed.

This time, the bedroom looked exactly as it had before he went to sleep. The window, which should have been closed, was open, and someone stood in the darkness next to it, just like last time.

If Ben shouted, five of the emperor’s bodyguards would burst in within ten seconds. They were the finest swordsmen, ready to lay down their lives for the emperor, and the most loyal subjects prepared to take his secrets to the grave.

Ben did not call the bodyguards when he saw the uninvited guest. Even last time, when he had screamed, kicked off the blanket, and made a fuss, they had not come. Only the cat sleeping on the cushion beside the bed had woken up and looked at him with sleepy eyes.

This time, even the cat did not wake up.

The man in the darkness waited silently for Ben to rise. In fact, he thought it was a man only because of the deep voice; he couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman. He had guessed ‘angel’ from their last encounter, but the figure had never identified as such.

“I, I did as you instructed. If I need more preparation time, then……

As soon as Ben stood up, he began to make excuses, but the angel ignored him and commanded,

“Get up.”

Ben, who had spent his life giving orders and never receiving them, got out of bed and stood on the floor as the angel directed. He could feel the cold floor under his bare feet. It was a vivid sensation that made it impossible to think it was a dream.

“Follow me.”

The angel’s voice was still as frightening yet gentle as his father’s.

“Wh, where are we going?”

“Follow me.”

The bedroom door opened, and the angel led the way. Ben followed with heavy steps.

A month ago, they had gone all the way to the Vesuvius volcano in Pompeii. When he woke up, he felt as tired as if he had walked all day.

‘Are we going to Pompeii again?’

There was no one in the vast castle where Ben walked. There were no guards standing watch and no soldiers patrolling. The torches on the walls were unlit, yet it was as bright as day. But it wasn’t daytime.

‘What a strange night.’

At some point, the angel disappeared.

‘This happened before, too.’

Ben let his body move unconsciously forward. When he doubted whether he was being guided or dragged along, the angel’s voice quelled his doubts.

“Trust your steps.”

Ben walked endlessly. It felt like a minute, or maybe a year had passed.

‘Where are we going today? Well, what difference does it make? Even if we’re going to hell, I can’t refuse.’

After descending a long staircase, he found a flat path again, and then another steep staircase. He kept descending. At first, he thought it was the city of Rome, but eventually, he couldn’t tell. As he walked endlessly downward, hot flames began to rise.

Ben could no longer move forward and stopped. When he looked back, the path he had taken was also engulfed in flames, trapping him.

In the dream a month ago, he had seen the eruption of Vesuvius from a great distance. He hadn’t stood in the middle of the flames like this.

As Ben stood unable to move, the man who had led him emerged from the flames. The fire on his cloak extinguished naturally as he stepped out of the fire. It seemed as if the flames turned into a cloak and dressed him automatically.

‘The volcano and these flames always appear when this guy shows up. Maybe he’s the Fire Angel, Latiel.’

The angel pointed beyond the flames. Following his finger, the wall of fire disappeared, revealing the city’s night view. Something like thick snowflakes was falling from the sky.

“Where do you think this is?” he asked.

Ben answered.

“It feels like we’re standing in hell.”

Ben looked at his face as he spoke. Even though he was looking directly at him, he couldn’t make out his features. How could such a thing be possible? Ben was confused.

“This is the city you were in before you fell asleep,” he said.

“This is Rome?” Ben asked.

Now he noticed that the burning buildings were all familiar to him. Saint Vesta Cathedral, the twin obelisks, the Trephine Fountain… they were just slightly damaged or on fire.

“Is this the aftermath of the Vesuvius eruption?” Ben asked.

“Rome is not the end. The entire world you know will be under its influence.”

Ben realized he was explaining what would happen after the last dream.

“Starting with Pompeii being buried under lava, ‘the entire world you know’ will be covered in death’s ash falling from the sky. For a month, you will not see the sun in the sky. The ash will not clear for a year, and crops will not grow for a hundred years.”

The surroundings grew darker with the grey snowflakes blocking his vision.

Ben found it hard to breathe. The angel pointed to the sky with his finger.

“The fire of the earth will only kill thousands, but the ash of the sky will kill millions.”

“I still don’t understand!”

A month ago, Ben had been dragged around, seeing and hearing things without understanding, but not today.

“You say the Holy Grail can stop the volcanic eruption? What kind of power does this Grail have to do that?”

Ben thought the angel might rebuke him with a shout of “How dare you speak such blasphemy!” and briefly shut his mouth in fear. But the angel waited silently for him to continue.

Ben gathered his courage and spoke.

“I haven’t told anyone about this dream, except for one person. Because I too believe it to be nonsense.”

Ben brushed off the volcanic ash accumulating on his eyebrows and hair. Even though it was a dream, everything felt so real that he feared this scene might not be a dream after all.

“So far, the Holy Grail expedition has been a war led by Rotican. I opposed it. Because I thought, whatever that Grail is, it was not something our empire should concern itself with.”

The angel did not ask why he opposed it.

Ben continued.

“Rome is in a precarious state. The lands my father’s fathers defended are being gnawed away bit by bit by barbarian and foreign armies. I am now at a point where I must tell the nobles of Rome about reducing the empire’s territory. And now, you’re asking me to advocate for the Holy Grail expedition I have always opposed? How can I convince them it is worth it? Based on this dream I am having now?”

“Look at that.”

The angel pointed his finger toward the dark city of Rome. Only the direction he pointed at lit up. He saw beasts moving quickly through the flames and volcanic ash.

These were monsters Ben had never seen in his life. Even if he brought in a talented painter to show them, they couldn’t be captured with brush and paint.

The monsters cut, slashed, and devoured people. Ben was terrified but couldn’t look away. It felt like his eyes were glued open, and his neck was stiff as plaster, allowing him to see only straight ahead.

Some of the monsters stopped when they saw the angel’s light. They then noticed Ben and started running toward him. They seemed to run like dogs and cats. Each time their four legs hit the ground, the stones cracked with a tremendous weight.

One of the monsters leaped at Ben. Ben screamed and turned his head to the side. At that moment, a flash of light erupted, and the monster disappeared.

When Ben looked up again, the monster was gone, and only the city of Rome, filled with volcanic ash, remained.

“Wh-what was that just now?”

“Things that are called by various names.”

The figure standing behind him stepped forward and spoke.

“A demon?” Ben asked.

“They’re called that as well.”

“Aren’t you an angel? Then can’t you get rid of those demons? No, couldn’t you prevent the volcanic eruption in the first place? Can’t an angel do that?”

“Just as you cannot drive out barbarians or stop plagues with the emperor’s name alone, I cannot prevent the eruption of Vesuvius with my name alone. I cannot even predict when it will erupt. Only God knows that. All I can do now is show you.”

“Does that mean the Holy Grail can stop the volcanic eruption?”

“Do not misunderstand the vision I showed you. This is not, strictly speaking, the scene after the volcanic eruption.”

The angel uttered the words Ben feared the most.

“This is the scene after the gates of hell have opened.”

“Th-then what is the volcano?”

“The place where the gates of hell open will be Mount Vesuvius. The shock of the gates opening will destroy everything around it, and everything inside the earth will spew out.”

Ben reached out a trembling hand toward the angel.

“Can the Holy Grail prevent the gates of hell from opening?”

“I do not know all the answers either, Ben.”

The angel shook his head.

“But I do know that the Holy Grail will at least be the beginning of the solution.”

Ben was afraid. Not of burning Rome, not of the monsters in the flames, not of the being in front of him who could be either an angel or a demon, but of the fact that he had been chosen for this task.

“Why did you come to me? I am not the Holy King of Rotican, nor a bishop of any priesthood, much less a saint praised by the people. In fact, I am the one being accused of persecuting the Catholics.”

Ben shouted. Partly to overcome the surrounding noise, but also because he couldn’t control his trembling voice.

“Why did you come to me?”

“If a shepherd were capable of this task, I would have found a shepherd. If a farmer were capable, I would have found a farmer. I sought someone who could accomplish this task.”

“You have come to the wrong person! I can only pursue this matter in secret. That’s why I could only bring one Catholic priest for this significant task, not an army of ten thousand! And that old man is even taking his excommunicated young disciple, who is weaker than him. If you are here to question that choice, I would argue that it was my best effort! I would argue that it is your fault for choosing me!”

“I have not come to blame you for any mistakes. I have come to hasten you.”

The hot flames crept closer to Ben. As his nightgown burned and the pain of his scorching skin grew, he screamed. But the angel, indifferent to his suffering, spoke slowly.

“Time is running out.”

Ben woke up from his screams. He had screamed so loudly that his throat hurt and his head throbbed. When he opened his eyes, his attendants were rushing to calm him.

“Your Majesty, did you have another nightmare?” the chamberlain asked.

Ben panted and looked around. It was still his bedroom. He hurriedly got out of bed and opened the firmly closed window.

He saw the peaceful night view of Rome. The twin obelisks stood straight, and the star cross of Saint Vesta Cathedral was serene. The cool breeze soothed his sweat-drenched face.

“Water.”

Ben finally managed to speak. The attendants moved with military precision as if he had declared a battle.

“Holy Grail, Holy Grail…”

Ben muttered to himself. It felt like bitter water was rising in his throat.

As he rinsed his mouth with the water brought by the attendants, he sighed deeply.

***
“Father Daniel hasn’t arrived yet?”

It was just a grumble about when he would arrive, but the chamberlain gave an unexpected reply.

“He has arrived.”

The Emperor turned to the chamberlain.

“Arrived, you say?”

Glaring at the chamberlain as if he had deceived the Emperor, the chamberlain explained with a bewildered expression.

“Yes. He rudely came at one o’clock in the morning, requesting an audience with Your Majesty. Not only did he miss the scheduled time, but he also insisted on meeting without any prior arrangement at such an hour. He ought to be imprisoned immediately, but considering he is a priest of some repute, I courteously suggested he come back tomorrow…”

“Bring him in!”

Ben raised his voice without realizing it.

“What? R-right now?”

After having the dream a month ago, Ben first summoned Daniel to discuss the matter. It wasn’t because he was a ‘priest of the Roman priesthood in rivalry with the Lapal priesthood, closely tied with Rotican.’ He was a dear friend who had given Ben much advice since he was young. In fact, his affiliation with the Roman priesthood made it difficult to see him often.

“I must see him now. He is likely accompanied by someone, so bring them both!”

The chamberlain moved reluctantly, like a child forced to do something they didn’t want to. This gave Ben the chance to add something he had forgotten.

“His visit here must remain a secret. You know who I am concerned about, don’t you?”