55. 2-35 The Wizard Guild's Move: The Wavering Hero

1. The Wizards' Strategic Meeting – Shaking the Kingdom's Balance

At the heart of the kingdom, within the silver hall of the Wizard Guild, senior mages had gathered in urgency.

"The royal court is systematically cutting us out."

A fist hit the table—sharp, controlled frustration vibrating through the stone chamber.

"They're empowering the sorcerers to keep us in check. This isn't balance. It's a purge."

One elder mage sighed.

"We are the rightful masters of arcane law. Yet the crown dares to reduce our authority."

Another raised his head, voice cool and pointed.

"Which means… it's time we considered another path."

His gaze fell upon a name. A symbol.

Edwin.

Hero of the realm. The kingdom's strongest knight.

And the most loyal servant to the crown.

"He is faithful. But every hero… eventually becomes a king."

"He knows it too, deep down."

No one spoke for a moment. Their eyes met in silent consensus.

They didn't intend to control Edwin.

They simply needed him to remember.

That he could be more.

2. Should a Hero Become a King? – Edwin's Cracking Resolve

Edwin stood atop the fortress walls, watching over the kingdom he'd bled for.

A land that only stood because of his sword.

If he hadn't fought, hadn't killed, this place might have fallen long ago.

And yet—

👑 He was never meant to be king.

He was a shield, not a throne.

A loyal knight, not a ruler.

But then—

"Heroes become kings. Always."

The words were tossed out casually, like dust in the wind.

But they burrowed deep into him.

A whisper from a high-ranking wizard. Just a whisper.

Edwin tried to brush it off.

But it lingered.

He had fought for the kingdom.

He had surrendered every glory to the crown.

But decisions—true power—remained in the hands of nobles and monarchs.

💭 "I am the pillar of this kingdom. But never its master."

That thought struck a chord.

And his gaze faltered.

A messenger from the Wizard Guild approached quietly.

📜 "His Majesty the King deeply values your loyalty, Sir Edwin."

But the words hung too neatly.

What Edwin heard was:

"You are still under royal control."

He closed his eyes.

Hero of the kingdom.

The immovable shield.

And perhaps… a future king.

Something inside him was beginning to fracture.

3. The Wizard Guild's True Design – Nudge the Hero, Don't Command Him

The wizards had long understood one truth:

No hero remains just a servant forever.

And now, Edwin was starting to crack.

There was no need to push him.

Just remind him of what was already true.

"Heroes become kings."

One wizard murmured as he stared out the arched window, voice calm and confident.

"He is strong. And the kingdom always bends to strength."

He smiled faintly.

Now it was just a matter of time.

The day Edwin sets his eyes on the throne…

The Wizard Guild would rise with him, ushering in a new era.

**

Episode – Prelude to Rebellion: Between Wizards and Sorcerers

1. Rumors Stir the Kingdom – Edwin the Traitor

In the heart of the kingdom, amidst the noble banquet halls, a lord raised his glass of wine and muttered:

"They say the kingdom's hero is plotting treason?"

At first, it sounded absurd—an idle whisper with no weight.

But the whisper spread.And soon, it echoed through the corridors of power.

"Edwin deserves the crown.""He shouldn't just protect the realm. He should rule it.""Is he still a loyal knight… or a king in waiting?"

What began as quiet murmurs became public speculation.Some denied it. Others nodded in agreement.

And yet—no one knew where the rumor had started.

But in politics, truth mattered less than perception.

"The kingdom's hero is preparing a rebellion."The fact that such words could be spoken was already dangerous.

The king and his nobles couldn't hide their unease.

A summons was issued.Edwin was called to the palace.

2. Edwin's Inner Struggle – Between Loyalty and Ambition

Edwin stood atop the castle walls, gazing down at the palace.

He was still a knight who had sworn loyalty.Still the kingdom's sword and shield.

And yet, the winds of suspicion swirled around him.

"What is a hero?" he asked himself.

Is he meant to protect the king…Or replace him?

The Wizard Guild whispered in his ear.The nobles grew wary of his silence.The Sorcerers tried to use his name for leverage.

And Edwin?

He had said nothing.

Yet his name had already become a weapon in a game he hadn't agreed to play.

3. Wizards vs. Sorcerers – A False Rebellion, A True War

The Wizard Guild and the Sorcerers now stood on opposite ends of a growing political fault line.

The Wizards sought to claim Edwin—make him their piece on the board.

The Sorcerers?They feared the Wizards' rising influence.To them, this wasn't about one man.It was about who controlled the kingdom's arcane future.

Under the guise of "rebellion," the true battle was being prepared.

The Wizards proclaimed loyalty to the royal court on the surface…

But behind closed doors, they were plotting to remove the Sorcerers altogether.

Meanwhile, the Sorcerers, long suppressed, now saw a sliver of opportunity.

"We're no longer tools for the Wizards!""It's our turn to command the arcane!"

To which the Wizards replied:

"Power without responsibility is a catastrophe waiting to happen."

The clash was inevitable.But the cause?

It was Edwin—the supposed traitor.

4. Damien's Team – Drawn In, Like It or Not

Damien and his companions had no intention of being involved.

But the kingdom had other plans.

Ian shook his head in disbelief.

"The guy hasn't said a single word, and they're already calling him a traitor?"

Cain, ever calm, replied:

"That's politics. Truth matters less than what people believe."

Leanne added softly:

"The tension between the Wizards and Sorcerers is rising.And right now, the kingdom's strongest knight is… becoming a threat."

Damien gripped his sword.

If this was just a war between mages, he would've stayed out of it.

But—

If Edwin truly became a rebel…This wouldn't be a war between mages.

It would be a war between knight and crown.

A civil war.

And in the chaos to come…Who knew what the Occult Eyes were planning from the shadows?

Damien muttered quietly:

"Looks like we won't be able to stay out of this after all."

***

Chapter : Dawn of Rebellion – The Gallows Hero

The royal capital. The square before the golden palace.

The sky was covered in ashen clouds, and though it was midday, the square remained dim.Hundreds of citizens gathered before the gallows, murmuring in anxious tones.

Bound at the center was a man.

His body was battered and broken, wounds from torture etched across his skin.Yet he stood tall, unshaken.

He was Edwin Vark—a hero who had bled for the kingdom across countless battlefields.

Now, he awaited execution, branded a traitor.

1. From Hero to Traitor – A Knight Framed

As the moment of execution drew near, the royal executor unfurled a scroll.

"Edwin Vark, you are hereby sentenced to death for treason against the kingdom.In the name of justice, the sentence shall be carried out now."

A murmur swept through the crowd.

"Lies!""Edwin? A traitor? Impossible!"

Tears streamed from the eyes of those who believed in him, who shouted in protest.But the nobles stood silent, watching coldly.

To them, Edwin had long been a threat.

He was too strong—and too revered by the people.

The kingdom's leadership had conspired with the Wizard Guild to remove him.And their plan had succeeded… perfectly.

2. Chaos at the Gallows – A Counterstrike

The executor gave the signal.

The executioner stepped forward with an axe, raising it above Edwin's neck.

And then—

"Protect Edwin!"

Armored soldiers charged in from one side of the square—not of the royal army.

They were knights and warriors who had once fought under Edwin's banner, men who had sworn loyalty to him.

Among them stood Holy Knight Ras Vark, his shield raised high as he shouted:

"Justice in this kingdom has been twisted!Those branding Edwin a traitor are the true betrayers!"

Chaos erupted.

The knights clashed with the royal guards, and the crowd trembled—torn between fear and hope.

The axe halted, suspended mid-air.

"Kill them all!" roared the royal commander.

But his soldiers hesitated.

Some of them had once fought beside Edwin too.

3. A Burning Resolve – The Traitor is Born

Ras Vark stepped forward and shattered Edwin's chains.

Edwin staggered to his feet, taking in deep, ragged breaths.

The scene before him—soldiers of the kingdom and his followers now shedding blood in the same square.

He looked around with cold, steady eyes.

"…Is this what I wanted?"

The question echoed within him.

But reality offered no choices.

The kingdom had already discarded him.Those who followed him were already deemed traitors.

He clenched his fist.

Then, he made his choice.

He picked up a fallen sword and raised it high toward the sky.

"Will you stand with me?"

The soldiers who had stormed the gallows answered with steel:

"We follow you to the end!"

In that moment, the kingdom's greatest fear became reality.

Edwin Vark—the hero of the realm—was reborn as a traitor.

4. Hidden Truths – The Conflict of Wizards and Sorcerers

Yet behind it all, a darker shadow loomed.

This was not just a rebellion.

Though it appeared to be "Edwin's betrayal," in truth, it was deeply entangled with the hidden war between the Wizards and the Sorcerers.

The Wizard Guild sought to seize control of the kingdom's power.

The Sorcerers had long resisted from the fringes, preparing for revolt.

The nobles, fearing this internal rift, chose Edwin as a scapegoat.

By eliminating him, they aimed to suppress the Sorcerersand strengthen the influence of the Wizard Guild.

But—

they overlooked one critical truth.

Edwin was no pawn.

He was the spark that could ignite a true war.