Public opinion among the nobles flowed urgently.
“Duke Orobas, no, Duke Orobas?”
“Even Duke Yubar...”
It was natural that the families related to the two ducal families would receive attention.
“Wait, didn’t Duke Yubar and Marquis Rogalli decide to work together on a mine development project a while ago?”
“Then Marquis Rogalli too...?”
“Oh, no! Not me!”
Marquis Rogalli waved his hand in surprise, but it was inevitable that his reputation would be damaged just by being related to the two families.
Several families who had been close to the two families, including Marquis Rogalli, were effectively expelled from social circles.
In the meantime.
“Didn’t you raise monsters in Orobas?”
“No! I said no!”
I’m going crazy!
Duke Orobas was on the verge of losing his mind.
“Then where did all those monsters come from?”
The nobles whispered as they listened to the conversation that was not a conversation, a de facto interrogation, taking place in one corner of the mansion.
“So you’re saying that you didn’t raise any monsters?”
The priest asked again.
“That’s right!”
“Then you didn’t catch them and left them alone...”
Otherwise, there’s no way they would have done something like this. Then the temple people whispered again.
“We subdued them!”
Duke Orobas finally shouted.
However, there was no way that those who had been hurt while fighting the monsters would hear such a story.
Especially.
“...”
Kenar, a member of the royal family who had suffered a long wound to his right arm in the recent monster battle and had been treated, had a fearsome expression on his face.
“Isn’t he someone that His Majesty cherishes?”
“You said we were childhood friends, right?”
And that member of the royal family happened to be an influential person who had a private meeting with the Emperor once a week.
Of course, Duke Orobas had invited them because he calculated that it would be effective if someone with that much influence was present at the place where the divinity was proven, but the result was the opposite effect.
No matter how much he claimed that the secular world and the temple were unrelated, the temple people could not ignore the gaze of the one the current Emperor cherished.
“It’s fortunate that Kenar and Duke Vine are here too.”
The knights of Duke Vine who had not entered the banquet hall were commanding the knights of other families to eliminate the monsters in the area.
“Since those knights could return at any moment, they wouldn’t be able to move around freely even if there were demons here.”
As the nobles spoke, their eyes glanced at Duke Orobas and Duke Yubar.
The faces of the two Dukes, surrounded by the temple people and nobles, were turning red and blue.
“If you can’t explain, it would be better to move toward the temple and talk.”
At that moment, Priest Cladda said with a solemn face.
His gesture to the knights was practically the same as taking the two Dukes to the heresy interrogation room.
“Until the knights of the royal family arrive, we will detain them in the mansion.”
At that moment, Kenar of the royal family opened his mouth.
“The demons might escape.”
He did not look at Duke Orobas and Duke Yubar, but it was clear who he was referring to.
“Then... we will be leaving now.”
“Something urgent has come up with the family.”
“Ahem.”
As the situation seemed to be coming to an end, the nobles began to hurriedly leave.
Only one thought was on their minds.
We must quickly get out of this place where the demons are!
“Are you planning on leaving as well?”
At that moment, the temple man approached Beryl and Belled and asked.
Beryl, who had been watching the situation, looked at Belled. Belled slightly bowed his head to her and held out his hand.
As if he did not care what she did.
After hearing that answer, Beryl looked at the temple man.
“We will wait for the troops to return and then go. It will take time for the knights of the royal family to arrive.”
“Thank you.”
At that, the temple man bowed deeply. The tension had eased somewhat, and color was returning to their pale faces.
They must have thought that Vine was protecting them... Beryl narrowed her eyes as she saw those who sighed as if they were still alive, not even thinking that Vine was a demon. Vine had decided not to show mercy without a price, so one day he would receive a big price for this.
No, they will pay dearly for it the moment the gates of hell open.
“As expected, it’s Vine.”
People were amazed at his appearance.
“When the nation was founded, he was also known as the Guardian of the Empire.”
“But why is he like this now... ahem.”
Does he have a scary or mysterious image? Everyone knew that even without the follow-up remarks.
“Isn’t it because he volunteered to go to the realm of the night?”
“Well... if it weren’t for those who spread bad rumors about Vine in high society, this perception wouldn’t have existed.”
Those who spoke like that were actually the main culprits who spread bad rumors about Vine, but they kept talking as if they had never had a chance to praise Vine before.
After a while, Vine’s forces, including Naberus, gathered around the Orobas mansion.
By then, many of the nobles’ carriages had already left.
While spreading rumors throughout the empire that the Orobas Dukes, who were trying to prove their divinity, were actually demons.
“Well then, I’ll go back now.”
Vine was the last of the noble families to leave.
They could only relax because they knew that Orobas and Yubar were not demons, but people thought differently.
‘The true guardian of the empire. Aren’t they the model of the nobles?’
The people of the empire, even the people of the temple, would say such things.
“Ahem.”
And Cladda, who had once doubted them, blushed bright red. He repeatedly prayed to the sky.
“Isn’t Vine the true sacred family?”
When that story came from a high-ranking priest who had been urgently dispatched from the temple, Cladda’s face took on a look of urgency.
“...”
I seemed to know that expression. I could tell even better because it was in contrast to the other priests who were excited that they could go to heaven since they had captured the demons.
In an instant, my mind cleared. Then, things I had to do came to mind.
I thought that I was unfamiliar with myself. To be exact, this situation was not unfamiliar. I always thought of ways to deal with things that happened. However, in my past life, and in the life before that, no one would agree with my words.
That’s why I couldn’t say them out loud or put them into practice.
So now, it was still unfamiliar to have someone listen to me.
However... I would soon get used to it.
I looked up at Belled.
It was unfamiliar, but it felt warm.
“Send someone first and destroy the magic circle in the Orobas underground.”
Taking advantage of the confusion, Ronove went inside and said that it was indeed a magic circle.
There were so many eyes watching that he couldn’t properly destroy the magic circle, but there was an elaborate magic circle drawn on the ceiling, walls, and floor that had been passed down since ancient times.
I said that simply erasing a part of it would make it impossible to create holy water.
“I will tell him to do so.”
The carriage had already started to run busily, but it wasn’t difficult to convey such an order to the demons.
Knock knock.
All he had to do was knock on the window and tell those following on horseback.
“Understood.”
Ronove bowed his head firmly upon hearing the order. Then he looked at me.
“And to carry out the plan you ordered earlier, Hanar and Helbas are said to be late.”
“I knew that.”
That’s what I had intended to do when I first planned to overthrow Orobas.
If I could handle that, Orobas would never be able to escape.
“Now that his eyes are on Orobas, Yuvlbar will try to somehow escape the name of the Demon Family.”
I glanced at Naberus, who was sitting on the coachman’s seat and said.
“It would be a good idea to give them the order to ‘continue to follow the wave of the devil without doubt.’”
If a demon appears in front of Duke Yubar again, he will believe that the demon is alive and well and will do whatever it takes to help the demon.
Everything that happens in the process will be evidence that he is a demon.
“I will follow your orders.”
Ronove bowed his head.
Ronove’s face, which was more serious than before the Orobas banquet began, was filled with gratitude that could not be hidden.
It was gratitude to Beryl for saving him in the urgent situation in front of Claddahl.
Thump.
The window closed again in Belled’s hand.
“Whew.”
Only then did I relax my shoulders. Now I can rest a little.
...That’s what I thought.
Crunch.
Belled then pulled down the window blinds.
“Belled?”
In the darkened carriage, blocked by the light, only Belled’s shining dark green eyes and the sunlight occasionally seeping in from the carriage’s shaking were shining.
I clearly saw the smile on Belled’s lips during the brief moment of sunlight.
Crunch.
However, the carriage shook again, and the smile on Belled’s lips that was revealed once again was gone.
Instead, what was revealed on his face was a face that seemed to be pretending to interrogate him.
“Then it’s time to listen.”
The whisper was close.
Perhaps it was because the place was dark that the voice whispering in my ear sounded close.
Before I knew it, my shoulder was wrapped in a strong hand.
As if I couldn’t leave until I answered.
“What...?”
“Whisper to me the same.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“Those sweet whispers that make the other person satisfied and smile.”
I’ve been wanting to hear them all along.
Beryl's eyes widened at those words.
“Duke Orobas, no, Duke Orobas?”
“Even Duke Yubar...”
It was natural that the families related to the two ducal families would receive attention.
“Wait, didn’t Duke Yubar and Marquis Rogalli decide to work together on a mine development project a while ago?”
“Then Marquis Rogalli too...?”
“Oh, no! Not me!”
Marquis Rogalli waved his hand in surprise, but it was inevitable that his reputation would be damaged just by being related to the two families.
Several families who had been close to the two families, including Marquis Rogalli, were effectively expelled from social circles.
In the meantime.
“Didn’t you raise monsters in Orobas?”
“No! I said no!”
I’m going crazy!
Duke Orobas was on the verge of losing his mind.
“Then where did all those monsters come from?”
The nobles whispered as they listened to the conversation that was not a conversation, a de facto interrogation, taking place in one corner of the mansion.
“So you’re saying that you didn’t raise any monsters?”
The priest asked again.
“That’s right!”
“Then you didn’t catch them and left them alone...”
Otherwise, there’s no way they would have done something like this. Then the temple people whispered again.
“We subdued them!”
Duke Orobas finally shouted.
However, there was no way that those who had been hurt while fighting the monsters would hear such a story.
Especially.
“...”
Kenar, a member of the royal family who had suffered a long wound to his right arm in the recent monster battle and had been treated, had a fearsome expression on his face.
“Isn’t he someone that His Majesty cherishes?”
“You said we were childhood friends, right?”
And that member of the royal family happened to be an influential person who had a private meeting with the Emperor once a week.
Of course, Duke Orobas had invited them because he calculated that it would be effective if someone with that much influence was present at the place where the divinity was proven, but the result was the opposite effect.
No matter how much he claimed that the secular world and the temple were unrelated, the temple people could not ignore the gaze of the one the current Emperor cherished.
“It’s fortunate that Kenar and Duke Vine are here too.”
The knights of Duke Vine who had not entered the banquet hall were commanding the knights of other families to eliminate the monsters in the area.
“Since those knights could return at any moment, they wouldn’t be able to move around freely even if there were demons here.”
As the nobles spoke, their eyes glanced at Duke Orobas and Duke Yubar.
The faces of the two Dukes, surrounded by the temple people and nobles, were turning red and blue.
“If you can’t explain, it would be better to move toward the temple and talk.”
At that moment, Priest Cladda said with a solemn face.
His gesture to the knights was practically the same as taking the two Dukes to the heresy interrogation room.
“Until the knights of the royal family arrive, we will detain them in the mansion.”
At that moment, Kenar of the royal family opened his mouth.
“The demons might escape.”
He did not look at Duke Orobas and Duke Yubar, but it was clear who he was referring to.
“Then... we will be leaving now.”
“Something urgent has come up with the family.”
“Ahem.”
As the situation seemed to be coming to an end, the nobles began to hurriedly leave.
Only one thought was on their minds.
We must quickly get out of this place where the demons are!
“Are you planning on leaving as well?”
At that moment, the temple man approached Beryl and Belled and asked.
Beryl, who had been watching the situation, looked at Belled. Belled slightly bowed his head to her and held out his hand.
As if he did not care what she did.
After hearing that answer, Beryl looked at the temple man.
“We will wait for the troops to return and then go. It will take time for the knights of the royal family to arrive.”
“Thank you.”
At that, the temple man bowed deeply. The tension had eased somewhat, and color was returning to their pale faces.
They must have thought that Vine was protecting them... Beryl narrowed her eyes as she saw those who sighed as if they were still alive, not even thinking that Vine was a demon. Vine had decided not to show mercy without a price, so one day he would receive a big price for this.
No, they will pay dearly for it the moment the gates of hell open.
“As expected, it’s Vine.”
People were amazed at his appearance.
“When the nation was founded, he was also known as the Guardian of the Empire.”
“But why is he like this now... ahem.”
Does he have a scary or mysterious image? Everyone knew that even without the follow-up remarks.
“Isn’t it because he volunteered to go to the realm of the night?”
“Well... if it weren’t for those who spread bad rumors about Vine in high society, this perception wouldn’t have existed.”
Those who spoke like that were actually the main culprits who spread bad rumors about Vine, but they kept talking as if they had never had a chance to praise Vine before.
After a while, Vine’s forces, including Naberus, gathered around the Orobas mansion.
By then, many of the nobles’ carriages had already left.
While spreading rumors throughout the empire that the Orobas Dukes, who were trying to prove their divinity, were actually demons.
***
“Well then, I’ll go back now.”
Vine was the last of the noble families to leave.
They could only relax because they knew that Orobas and Yubar were not demons, but people thought differently.
‘The true guardian of the empire. Aren’t they the model of the nobles?’
The people of the empire, even the people of the temple, would say such things.
“Ahem.”
And Cladda, who had once doubted them, blushed bright red. He repeatedly prayed to the sky.
“Isn’t Vine the true sacred family?”
When that story came from a high-ranking priest who had been urgently dispatched from the temple, Cladda’s face took on a look of urgency.
“...”
I seemed to know that expression. I could tell even better because it was in contrast to the other priests who were excited that they could go to heaven since they had captured the demons.
They were afraid that they would not be able to go to heaven because they had mistakenly identified the ‘sacred ones’ as demons.
It’s not that he feels sorry for Vine or Ronove, whom he suspected.
None of you will go to heaven.
I kept my mouth shut.
Click.
The carriage door opened carefully in front of me.
“I’ll see you soon, Saintess.”
At that moment, Cladda finally spoke. I looked back at him.
It seemed that he meant to keep his promise to come to Vine to thank me.
From the temple’s perspective, the demon had already been captured, so coming to Vine to thank me could only mean one thing. They wanted to request an unofficial meeting with Vine. It was obvious what they wanted. They probably wanted Vine to subdue the two families during the opening ceremony.
I suddenly remembered the expression that Belled sometimes made. The corners of his mouth were tilted up. An expression that clearly contained a sneer.
I never dreamed that I would want to make that kind of expression.
I barely looked away and said,
“I’ll contact you soon.”
“...Yes!”
At those words, a hint of joy and excitement rose on the faces of the temple people.
It seemed as if they could feel the swaying desire of finally being able to go to heaven.
I was disgusted to see them, who were simply happy that their wish had come true, without caring about the casualties that had occurred in this incident.
“...”
Belled escorted me and boarded the carriage.
Thump.
“Hoo.”
I let out a sigh only after the carriage door closed in front of them.
Belled looked at my stern expression and placed the back of his hand on my cheek.
The reason his hand felt particularly hot was probably because my own face had cooled down.
“...Belled.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
Belled whispered.
In the meantime, I could hear the outside noise growing louder.
“...The Duke of Orobas said he was confident in explaining it...”
I was convinced after hearing that story.
“The Duke of Orobas will try to make holy water again.”
There would be no other way to prove divinity in this situation.
It’s not that he feels sorry for Vine or Ronove, whom he suspected.
None of you will go to heaven.
I kept my mouth shut.
Click.
The carriage door opened carefully in front of me.
“I’ll see you soon, Saintess.”
At that moment, Cladda finally spoke. I looked back at him.
It seemed that he meant to keep his promise to come to Vine to thank me.
From the temple’s perspective, the demon had already been captured, so coming to Vine to thank me could only mean one thing. They wanted to request an unofficial meeting with Vine. It was obvious what they wanted. They probably wanted Vine to subdue the two families during the opening ceremony.
I suddenly remembered the expression that Belled sometimes made. The corners of his mouth were tilted up. An expression that clearly contained a sneer.
I never dreamed that I would want to make that kind of expression.
I barely looked away and said,
“I’ll contact you soon.”
“...Yes!”
At those words, a hint of joy and excitement rose on the faces of the temple people.
It seemed as if they could feel the swaying desire of finally being able to go to heaven.
I was disgusted to see them, who were simply happy that their wish had come true, without caring about the casualties that had occurred in this incident.
“...”
Belled escorted me and boarded the carriage.
Thump.
“Hoo.”
I let out a sigh only after the carriage door closed in front of them.
Belled looked at my stern expression and placed the back of his hand on my cheek.
The reason his hand felt particularly hot was probably because my own face had cooled down.
“...Belled.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
Belled whispered.
In the meantime, I could hear the outside noise growing louder.
“...The Duke of Orobas said he was confident in explaining it...”
I was convinced after hearing that story.
“The Duke of Orobas will try to make holy water again.”
There would be no other way to prove divinity in this situation.
I instantly recalled the face of Duke Orobas, who had appeared lifeless.
“Even if I have to pay the price again, it would be better than being placed on the altar of the opening ceremony as a demon.”
Belled narrowed his eyes. I closed my eyes slightly and opened them.
Then we'll make sure they don't pay for it.
“Even if I have to pay the price again, it would be better than being placed on the altar of the opening ceremony as a demon.”
Belled narrowed his eyes. I closed my eyes slightly and opened them.
Then we'll make sure they don't pay for it.
In an instant, my mind cleared. Then, things I had to do came to mind.
I thought that I was unfamiliar with myself. To be exact, this situation was not unfamiliar. I always thought of ways to deal with things that happened. However, in my past life, and in the life before that, no one would agree with my words.
That’s why I couldn’t say them out loud or put them into practice.
So now, it was still unfamiliar to have someone listen to me.
However... I would soon get used to it.
I looked up at Belled.
It was unfamiliar, but it felt warm.
“Send someone first and destroy the magic circle in the Orobas underground.”
Taking advantage of the confusion, Ronove went inside and said that it was indeed a magic circle.
There were so many eyes watching that he couldn’t properly destroy the magic circle, but there was an elaborate magic circle drawn on the ceiling, walls, and floor that had been passed down since ancient times.
I said that simply erasing a part of it would make it impossible to create holy water.
“I will tell him to do so.”
The carriage had already started to run busily, but it wasn’t difficult to convey such an order to the demons.
Knock knock.
All he had to do was knock on the window and tell those following on horseback.
“Understood.”
Ronove bowed his head firmly upon hearing the order. Then he looked at me.
“And to carry out the plan you ordered earlier, Hanar and Helbas are said to be late.”
“I knew that.”
That’s what I had intended to do when I first planned to overthrow Orobas.
If I could handle that, Orobas would never be able to escape.
“Now that his eyes are on Orobas, Yuvlbar will try to somehow escape the name of the Demon Family.”
I glanced at Naberus, who was sitting on the coachman’s seat and said.
“It would be a good idea to give them the order to ‘continue to follow the wave of the devil without doubt.’”
If a demon appears in front of Duke Yubar again, he will believe that the demon is alive and well and will do whatever it takes to help the demon.
Everything that happens in the process will be evidence that he is a demon.
“I will follow your orders.”
Ronove bowed his head.
Ronove’s face, which was more serious than before the Orobas banquet began, was filled with gratitude that could not be hidden.
It was gratitude to Beryl for saving him in the urgent situation in front of Claddahl.
Thump.
The window closed again in Belled’s hand.
“Whew.”
Only then did I relax my shoulders. Now I can rest a little.
...That’s what I thought.
Crunch.
Belled then pulled down the window blinds.
“Belled?”
In the darkened carriage, blocked by the light, only Belled’s shining dark green eyes and the sunlight occasionally seeping in from the carriage’s shaking were shining.
I clearly saw the smile on Belled’s lips during the brief moment of sunlight.
Crunch.
However, the carriage shook again, and the smile on Belled’s lips that was revealed once again was gone.
Instead, what was revealed on his face was a face that seemed to be pretending to interrogate him.
“Then it’s time to listen.”
The whisper was close.
Perhaps it was because the place was dark that the voice whispering in my ear sounded close.
Before I knew it, my shoulder was wrapped in a strong hand.
As if I couldn’t leave until I answered.
“What...?”
“Whisper to me the same.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“Those sweet whispers that make the other person satisfied and smile.”
I’ve been wanting to hear them all along.
Beryl's eyes widened at those words.
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