Chapter 200 : Chapter 200

Chapter 200 : On the Innate Nature of Good and Evil (2)

From ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the beginning, good and evil have had no clear definition.

They ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍exist because society defines them, rather than because they are intrinsic values.

Thus, ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍what one is born with is not good and evil themselves, but various inclinations and possibilities that can be interpreted as good or evil.

Good ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍and evil are determined by how one expresses those things, and by the choices one makes throughout life.

“Let ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍us first question the first proposition, Dame. ‘Good and evil are not clearly defined things, but arise from social consensus.’ This part.”

“By ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍question, you mean……?”

“Is that proposition truly an indisputable truth? If the premise is false, would the propositions that follow not be shaken as well?”

Serene considered it once more.

But.

“……I still see no problem with that proposition.”

“Is that truly so?”

“Have you thought of a counterargument?”

At Serene’s question, Claudio gave a small nod and spoke again.

“Good and evil do not inherently exist, but follow social consensus. Therefore, essential evil does not exist! That is true. But is that not merely wordplay in practice?”

“……Wordplay?”

“Yes. From a realistic perspective, I wonder what meaning there is in the difference between something having essential meaning and not having it.”

Serene fell silent at those words and considered Claudio’s argument.

Was he truly only volunteering to act as a Devil’s Advocate?

“If it leads to actions generally considered evil, then whether it is essential, defined, or socially defined, the outcome is the same.”

As she watched Claudio continue, Serene irreverently found herself thinking that.

“Therefore, if someone is born with a disposition society considers evil, there should be no problem with defining it as innate evil. Is it not merely wordplay to insist on distinguishing the two?”

It was a counterargument delivered with a smile so lacking in personal emotion that it carried not the slightest regret.

“Even so……the fact that it is socially defined also means that the standard is ambiguous.”

Perhaps she had agreed to some extent, but Serene still did not abandon her argument.

“Not every action has only one aspect, good or evil. They are often interpreted in various ways, through both good and evil.”

But.

“Haha.”

At those words, Claudio shook his head as he responded with that same easy smile.

“Dame, is that truly so? An urge to destroy without purpose, cruelty without reason, pure envy. I do not think even those can be interpreted as good.”

The claim that every action could be interpreted through various facets.

Perhaps even that was a hasty definition, an escape from trying to define an essence.

“Can you say with certainty that actions containing only pure malice can never exist? You, too, must have seen people who sometimes emit such malice.”

If examined closely, there might have been logical flaws.

Perhaps leaps of logic and exaggeration had clouded her judgment.

“That is…….”

But here and now, Serene could find no way to refute that series of arguments.

Her life had not yet reached twenty years, but even so, had she not clearly seen moments that fit the prince’s words?

“…….”

During that moment of silence, the portrait of a boy with a gloomy, worn-down impression flashed through Serene’s mind.

The boy had been trampled merely because he had been born that way.

Without any reason beyond malice and prejudice.

Crushed beneath that pure malice until he became unable to recover, the boy had been forced to live as a wastrel after losing even the dreams and hopes that had sustained him.

After many twists and turns, he had begun moving forward again, as the girl remembered him.

But nothing could compensate for those miserable years.

Yes. That was why the girl could find no way to refute him.

She understood more clearly than anyone else the moments that fit the prince’s argument.

In contrast to Serene’s darkening expression, the prince continued speaking with that inscrutable smile.

As though he had seen straight through her heart.

“When I ask about this issue, most people give the same answer as you, Dame. Good and evil are not innate, but follow individual choices—haha, everyone has answered that way so far. With one exception.”

The prince’s confident attitude, his gentle smile that showed consideration for the other person, and his soft voice.

“It is quite strange. No one denies that talent or ability is innate……but only when it comes to the innate nature of good and evil, everyone rejects it so consistently, as though there is no room for debate. Why is that?”

It was courtesy toward his conversation partner, but at the same time, a declaration of a certain victory.

“Could it be because there is some reason the responsibility for good and evil must rest entirely on the individual?”

Was this not a matter of convenience or necessity, rather than conviction?

Or perhaps hypocrisy?

As she looked at the prince who seemed to be saying that, Serene felt a stinging sensation in one corner of her heart.

What emotion had caused it?

Hostility? A competitive spirit? Or perhaps a sense of danger, or guilt?

For now, she did not know.

But.

“……Your Highness the First Prince, may I ask you one question?”

Even setting that strange feeling aside, there was something the girl had to ask.

Even in this whirlpool of confusion, she felt a duty to uncover his true intention.

The single value that firmly formed her existence—her heroism—pushed her onward.

“Please speak freely. I was the one who asked first, Dame.”

There was one question that rose to mind.

“Why are you considering this subject?”

“What do you mean by why?”

“Rather than this philosophical problem merely being on your mind……I feel there may be another reason.”

What was his true purpose in asking such questions?

“Haha.”

At that question, Claudio nodded with a light laugh.

“You are correct, Dame. I am certainly treating this subject as the basis for a particular issue. As you said, it is an important matter for one who rules.”

“The basis for a particular issue……?”

“Yes. If good and evil depend on one’s innate nature, then would judgment of evildoers not need to be viewed differently as well?”

“…….”

“Contrary to common belief, if good and evil are not the result of individual choices, but merely the result of inborn disposition……can judgment of evildoers truly be called good?”

It was a radical proposition.

“To be in a position where one must be excluded from this world merely because one was born that way. Could that not be considered absurd?”

And at the same time, it was an extreme argument that could not, and should not, be accepted.

In other words, it was taboo.

The brief discussion ended ambiguously after that.

“Well, it is an extremely radical line of reasoning. I do not intend to apply it to my rule. It is merely a thought experiment, so you need not take it too deeply.”

Once the prince took a step back as though the earlier conversation were nothing significant, the tension that had passed tightly between them deflated like a balloon pierced by a needle.

“I see…….”

Serene, who had been wearing a blank expression, gathered herself immediately afterward.

“……However, it was a conversation that gave me much to think about as well.”

Yes. Those were Serene’s final words.

Whether they were merely polite words, or words that came from deep within her heart, only she herself could know.

Perhaps one other person could have known as well.

Having ended the conversation, Serene returned to the banquet hall, leaving only Claudio in the annex.

And then.

“Haa…….”

The smile that had been stamped at the prince’s lips like an unerasable brand faded, leaving only a blank expression behind.

Along with a sigh that suggested everything bored him.

“What a tedious mess.”

As the face that had remained blank revealed faint displeasure along with that mutter, the atmosphere of the silent annex froze in an instant.

An overwhelming presence capable of ruling the air through nothing more than a subtle change in expression.

-STEP.

Another sound of footsteps rang out in the annex, where that heavy silence had settled.

The sound that followed was—

“Unlike you, you got quite heated, Prince.”

A clear, bright voice like that of an innocent little girl.

“Are you going to stop putting on that kind-person act you always do? She must have noticed, you know. That you were sincere.”

Without even confirming the owner of the voice behind him, Claudio answered in a low voice.

“Stella.”

To Stella, a member of Ad Astra and Arien Ortega’s biological sister.

“Did you call me all the way here just to talk about such nonsense? You told me not to let anyone in.”

Stella complained to Claudio.

At his request, she had come here and used her ability to prevent others from entering the annex.

Yet what Claudio had done in that empty place was merely talk back and forth with an enemy.

From her perspective, the conversation likely did not seem particularly meaningful.

“No. It is a necessary process.”

“Why?”

“It is the process of creating a weakness in her.”

“Hm…….”

Had she lost interest, or had she realized he would not answer no matter how much she pressed?

Stella gave that dry response and sat on the windowsill.

“So, when are you going to finish off that gloomy, unpleasant bastard? I want to see Arien.”

Like a child whose apparent age matched her appearance, the subject quickly shifted to what interested her.

The boy who had taken her friend away.

Rain Enlightenment.

“Soon.”

Claudio answered those words coldly and dryly, but it was likely not a lie.

“The conditions necessary to thoroughly crush him have now been fulfilled.”

“Conditions?”

“Yes.”

When Stella tilted her head, the prince watched her reaction from the corner of his eye and answered.

“He is the sort of person for whom there is no meaning in pinning him down so he cannot fly while he is crawling through the mud.”

Because he was too accustomed to that kind of life, that kind of hostility, and overcoming it.

However,

“But if it is a shock he has never experienced before, then perhaps it will be different.”

The ugly duckling who had never flown, who had only longed endlessly to take flight.

When it spread its wings and flew.

When it believed it had flown.

If it fell from the highest place, could it endure?

…….

Time passed.

When the blessed autumn passed, the cold winter would arrive.