“It’s gathering slower than expected... I need a way to gather them all at once.”
Duke Orobas looked troubled.
Poison? Gather them all at once? Dustin instinctively felt something fishy and listened, forgetting to breathe.
Immediately after that.
“It would be nice if there was a devil.”
Dustin almost dropped the bag he was holding.
...Why are you looking for a devil?
“Then we wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble. Tsk.”
Duke Orobas clicked his tongue and said.
“It can’t be helped. It might not be cost-effective, but a surefire method would be better...”
An order was given before he could make a gesture.
“Prepare a banquet. Make it as grand as possible.”
The sound of footsteps grew distant. And then his last words were these.
“So that even if many carts come and go, they don’t stand out.”
What on earth was he trying to do?
Dustin realized that something unusual was happening. He swallowed hard and left after a long time.
His legs were shaking.
***
“A banquet?”
A few days later, an invitation to a banquet from Orobas arrived in front of me.
It was Belled who personally delivered the invitation to me
He was supposed to be able to see me only at night, but he stopped by my office every few hours, suspiciously.
‘Beryl, would you like to take a look at this?’
‘This is...’
Was it necessary to bring this kind of matter directly? I couldn’t bring myself to ask that.
He had clearly come and talked about things that didn’t need to be said in person. As if he couldn’t concentrate on his work.
...The more he did that, the more I couldn’t concentrate, he didn’t know.
‘Your Highness.’
Then, when Ronove called, he was taken away several times.
“Beryl.”
Belled’s expression when he came in this time looked a little more serious than before.
“It’s an invitation from Orobas.”
I shut my mouth tightly.
“The monster corpses they collect are actually consumables. Unless their vision is to extract holy water from the monster’s venom.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“It seems they plan to divert people’s attention to the banquet and bring the monster corpses.”
Since the banquet requires a lot of supplies, it wouldn’t be noticeable even if many carts came and went.
“That’s right.”
When I scanned the invitation, the contents were quite impressive.
[I know that Orobas is being misunderstood.
I would like to invite many people, including the priests, to this banquet to prove my divinity.]
I will prove my divinity. That statement was certain.
They would somehow create holy water during the banquet week.
“...”
I frowned.
I hadn’t read the vision either, so I didn’t know how they used the monster corpses to create holy water.
I could only guess that it was probably magic.
Even though he had failed to create holy water in my previous life because he lacked the materials if he succeeded this time...
If that vision was really the vision of making holy water, they could clearly prove their divinity.
By drinking the holy water.
Then the demon family would be narrowed down to either Yubar or Vine.
With only a month left until the opening ceremony, Vine would be at a disadvantage.
“Then the best way would be to interfere with the making of the holy water.”
At that moment, Ronove, who had been quiet, cautiously opened his mouth.
“That might be difficult.”
The two eyes turned to him.
“According to the report from earlier, the door to the basement won’t open as expected.”
He narrowed his eyes and said.
“It seems to be a type of magic that opens only when certain conditions are met.”
“Really... it was magic.”
Even though he knew it had to be that way, he was surprised. Making holy water, an object that was meant to drive out magic, with magic.
How paradoxical it was.
Belled tilted his head slightly.
Even if he didn’t know what else was in the ingredients besides the monster corpses, it was clear that a fatal price was needed since Orobas didn’t make the holy water right away as soon as he was suspected.
However, if you interfere with the creation of the holy water itself, the consciousness will become distorted before the price is paid, so you will try to create the holy water again at any time.
But what if you can’t stop it at the right time?
In that case, it would be better.
“It would be better to make it and then take it away or prevent them from drinking it.”
I looked up at him, having come to the same conclusion.
Belled nodded.
I was so happy that I could communicate with him as if our minds were connected, even without having to explain in detail.
“Then we should select people to watch over Orobas.”
I tapped the desk. Decarabia would come soon. When she came, I would instruct Naberus to choose those who would enter Orobas... that was when I was thinking about it.
“And I think we should also look into the costume shop.”
He spoke out of the blue.
“The costume shop?”
What does Orobas have to do with the costume shop?
Belled said to me, who blinked.
“It’s also your debut stage in high society.”
Since Vine had been in high society for a long time, no matter what Orobas did, I would be the center of attention.
“Ah...”
I opened my mouth slightly. It was something I had never expected.
While wiping my cheek, Belled said,
“It may not be enough for your status, but it seems that many people are attending...”
It wasn’t just that many people were attending, it was that there were more than enough.
Not only families that you would have heard of in the empire, but also the royal family and people from the temple gathered. Of course, that was natural.
Orobas seemed to be planning to use this opportunity to clearly prove his divinity and get out of the line of suspicion.
He probably thought that the more people who came to the banquet, the better.
“There, we can imprint you... and do what we need to do at Orobas.”
Orobas’ banquet wouldn’t be beneficial only to them, Belled seemed to be saying in a soft voice.
My heart also calmed down a little at that calm voice.
Yes, something to do.
The timing was also good.
The invitation stated that this banquet would last about a week, and considering the aftermath, it would actually last two weeks.
Then it would be time to prepare for the opening ceremony.
I’m worried about Cladda coming to Vine, but if I can just get over that...
This banquet is a chance to send Orobas straight to the altar, a golden opportunity to call them demons.
They’re even collecting monster corpses, so if I can just show them to outsiders as well as the temple.
Orobas will become a demon family without even having time to explain themselves.
If some impactful incidents happen during that process, they’ll definitely be engraved in the public’s eyes.
I nodded slightly, thinking of a few additional plans.
If Orobas were designated as demons, they would be sacrificed in the opening ceremony.
Orobas were a family with enough divinity to create holy water, so they would be a suitable sacrifice to open the gates of hell.
“Then this time, it would be better to completely recognize Orobas as a demon family.”
Orobas, who gathered people to prove their divinity, would be turned into demons.
In addition.
“Lastly.”
I held his hand tightly.
My nervous mind seemed to calm down a little.
“If Orobas is designated as a demon in the opening ceremony, the gates of hell will open, right?”
“Yes, Beryl.”
He seemed delighted as if he was listening to a song.
“Then Orobas will be revealed to be not a demon, and one of Yubar or Vine will be branded a demon.”
I looked up at Belled as I spoke. I had rarely spoken in such a clear voice while discussing uncertain possibilities.
The priests were always busy denying my thoughts and trying to plant their own.
It was not an environment in which I could assert myself.
However, Belled was quietly nodding as if he would listen to whatever I had to say, so I was able to continue speaking.
“Rather than designating Yubar as a demon again then, it would be better to designate Yubar as well.”
They would place the two families on the altar together.
Our eyes met.
I liked the way he smiled faintly as he listened to my story.
At a time when I should have heard rejection or a mocking sneer, he was seriously listening to me.
And that feeling of respect was so warm to me. It made me feel courageous.
“So what should we do?”
He must have thought of some plans, too. It was obvious from the fact that he didn’t seem surprised.
But he was waiting for me to speak. That was why I was willing to speak.
“Yubar is a demon believer. They have been trying to summon demons.”
I smiled faintly.
“Then, how about we pretend to respond to their summoning circle?”
I spread my hands.
“Before the power of the temple grows too large, I hope you demon believers will help us... Quiet.”
Of course, it would be difficult to reveal that the demon pretending to be summoned was Vine.
If he hides his identity and Orobas is confirmed to be a demon at the Orobas banquet, Yubar should help Orobas with his own hands.
And that would be grounds for pushing Yubar into the demon family together.
Then, no matter how much Orobas shouts that he is not a demon, everyone, including Vine and the temple, will destroy those two families.
The temple, which was damaged by the ‘holy war,’ will soon receive Vine’s help and offer Yubar and Orobas as sacrifices... and open the gates of hell with his own hands.
“Good plan.”
Belled nodded to my words.
“...”
I looked up at him quietly.
The fact that Orobas could make holy water, that he was holding a banquet with that plan, and that there was no way to stop the banquet were all fatal crises.
However, Belled tried to seize the opportunity even in the meantime. That sight gave me strength.
I could do it by his side.
I wondered if I was this clever, but when I saw him smiling like this... I felt a desire to punish those who were more devilish than devils and only see this man’s warm smile.
A magical person.
He really was a magician. It was when I unconsciously smiled faintly.
“Your Highness, it’s Dekarabia.”
Decarabia came in.
She stopped when the two of us were together after receiving permission. Then she completely fixed her gaze on the floor and didn’t even raise her head.
She usually stared at people as if she didn’t know how to lower her head.
“...”
She was going to pretend not to see anything. My cheeks turned red like a carrot at that obvious consideration.
Belled said as if he didn’t care.
“Send out people to monitor Orobas’ movements, and go to Orobas’ banquet, so Beryl’s social debut preparations proceed without a hitch.”
“Understood.”
Decarabia was about to leave.
“And.”
Belled, who hadn’t finished giving the order yet, continued.
“Secretly find out about Orobas’ cook.”
“?”
Decarabia tilted her head, but I immediately looked back at Belled.
“The cook...”
I unconsciously muttered.
“You were concerned, weren’t you?”
Belled told me. It wasn’t something I had said many times, but he must have remembered.
“Do you know the name of the cook you want to bring from Orobas?”
I tried to search my memory, which had become hazy.
“Um...”
Of course, I couldn’t remember very well.
“...I don’t remember, but he’ll probably be kicked out of Orobas soon.”
Decarabia’s gaze briefly met mine as I recited the future with a confident voice.
Decarabia wouldn’t mind knowing.
That I knew a little bit about the future.
I smiled faintly at her and said,
“I thought I overheard something.”
At that time, I was flustered because I hadn’t seen him since one day, but now that I thought about it, I wondered if I had found out the secret of Orobas’ vision.
But I couldn’t tell him to find someone who would soon be kicked out.
“But he would need another characteristic, right?”
Belled waited without urging me to think.
I, who had been silent, thought about it and suddenly remembered something.
“They said he was not there because he was treated well in the mansion, but because he liked being able to cook with all sorts of rare ingredients.”
That’s why he had secretly cooked with those ingredients at dawn and had me eat it.
It was difficult because the cook had no way to process the food, and I was hungry.
“You have a clear desire.”
Belled accepted the words gently.
“...Can I find him with this information?”
Belled nodded at those words.
“It’s easier to find out if you tell me what you want than if you tell me what it looks like.”
He really was a magician. It was when I unconsciously smiled faintly.
“Your Highness, it’s Dekarabia.”
Decarabia came in.
She stopped when the two of us were together after receiving permission. Then she completely fixed her gaze on the floor and didn’t even raise her head.
She usually stared at people as if she didn’t know how to lower her head.
“...”
She was going to pretend not to see anything. My cheeks turned red like a carrot at that obvious consideration.
Belled said as if he didn’t care.
“Send out people to monitor Orobas’ movements, and go to Orobas’ banquet, so Beryl’s social debut preparations proceed without a hitch.”
“Understood.”
Decarabia was about to leave.
“And.”
Belled, who hadn’t finished giving the order yet, continued.
“Secretly find out about Orobas’ cook.”
“?”
Decarabia tilted her head, but I immediately looked back at Belled.
“The cook...”
I unconsciously muttered.
“You were concerned, weren’t you?”
Belled told me. It wasn’t something I had said many times, but he must have remembered.
“Do you know the name of the cook you want to bring from Orobas?”
I tried to search my memory, which had become hazy.
“Um...”
Of course, I couldn’t remember very well.
“...I don’t remember, but he’ll probably be kicked out of Orobas soon.”
Decarabia’s gaze briefly met mine as I recited the future with a confident voice.
Decarabia wouldn’t mind knowing.
That I knew a little bit about the future.
I smiled faintly at her and said,
“I thought I overheard something.”
At that time, I was flustered because I hadn’t seen him since one day, but now that I thought about it, I wondered if I had found out the secret of Orobas’ vision.
But I couldn’t tell him to find someone who would soon be kicked out.
“But he would need another characteristic, right?”
Belled waited without urging me to think.
I, who had been silent, thought about it and suddenly remembered something.
“They said he was not there because he was treated well in the mansion, but because he liked being able to cook with all sorts of rare ingredients.”
That’s why he had secretly cooked with those ingredients at dawn and had me eat it.
It was difficult because the cook had no way to process the food, and I was hungry.
“You have a clear desire.”
Belled accepted the words gently.
“...Can I find him with this information?”
Belled nodded at those words.
“It’s easier to find out if you tell me what you want than if you tell me what it looks like.”
His voice was confident.
“Move quickly.”
At his gesture, Decarabia immediately left the room.
“Move quickly.”
At his gesture, Decarabia immediately left the room.
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